《Project Tartarus (Greek Mythology LitRPG)》 Book 1 | Chapter 1 Hadespera The 1st of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Inside the Void was a beautiful nothing. A negative space. A place between places, a thing without things. It was Khaos and Kosmos, but above all it was empty. On occasion, some traveler would find their way through the Void and it would stir, rippling outward from their incursion, but before long the intruder would leave and the Void would be empty once more. Slumbering in a place outside time, far from the concerns of mortals and immortals alike. One such incursion was different than the rest, however. It pulled at the Void, tore a sliver in it and passed through. The ripples through the nothing spread far, farther than ever before, and something at the heart of the Void stirred in response. Change was coming.
He was born. Born into a world of darkness, but not one without feeling. Cold stone stung his unclad feet, harsh ridges poked into the soft fascia of his soles while a bitter wind raised gooseflesh on his arms and bit into his ears like a starving hound in search of a fresh meal. He wrapped his arms about himself. His teeth clacked together as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. Something appeared in front of him, making him flinch as his heart started beating against his ribs. It was the only visible thing in a world of swirling, biting darkness. A rectangle bearing script hung in the center of his view. Even as he turned his head, it stayed stubbornly within his sight, refusing to vanish or even shift. Inside the rectangle were words. He recognized them as such and, though he had never seen the script, he had no trouble reading them.
Welcome, new spirit. You have entered the world of Tartarus. Your choices will define you. Your actions will become you. Your wit will keep you from the hordes of the Fallen. Go forth and survive!
He didn¡¯t know what to make of that. By its phrasing it could have been advice, a warning, or a threat. Very likely it was some combination of all three. After he had finished reading it, the message blinked out of his vision, only to be replaced by another message.
Choose your Name: _______________
His name? Well, at least that part was easy. His name was¡­ Uh oh. His name was a formless sound reverberating off his lips and back down his throat, lost to the interminable void as nebulous as the one he found himself in. He was nameless, no sense of identity, no blueprint, and was startlingly aware of his newfound consciousness. He had no idea who he was or who he should be, or if he should even be anyone at all. If there was a purpose, a reason for his existence, he had no insight. The message proclaimed the world as Tartarus. The word caused a slight pull inside his mind as though it was a shifting box placed precariously upon a shelf, ready at any moment to tip over and spill its contents. When he tried to draw on that feeling, it slipped away from him, the proverbial box settling into position back on the shelf, far out of his reach. It didn¡¯t help him with the problem at hand and the rectangle in front of him was still demanding an answer. ¡°Can I answer that later?¡± He clapped both hands over his mouth. The words had felt strange, new. The act of speaking was familiar, but the words came out like they had never been formed before. He knew how to speak, knew what the words meant, but the sounds his voice made were different. The spoken words were completely foreign to him, like a dialect he¡¯d never encountered of a language he didn¡¯t know, but he still knew their meaning. Stranger still, he knew that he had spoken actual words. The sounds had been articulate, precise. Definite words, not garbled nonsense like that of an infant learning to vocalize. The distinction served little to reassure him as he still felt, in that moment, very much like a child, new to the world and incredibly uncertain. It occurred to him that he might be a child. It also occurred to him that it was strange he knew what a child was. The box of words before him disappeared, unfilled, and he noticed a small, slowly blinking marker in the corner of his vision. To view it, he had to unfocus his eyes and concentrate, which brought it to the forefront of his vision and the message box reappeared. Mentally, he willed for the message to disappear again and it faded back to the translucent, slowly blinking box in the corner of his view. Once it disappeared, he was left with a new rectangle that populated his vision. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
**UNDECIDED**
Level: 1 Experience to Next Level: 100 (0%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 183 centimeters Weight: 77 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: N/A Companions: N/A Adventuring Party: N/A
Health: 200 / 200 100% Stamina: 150 / 150 100% Mana: 100 / 100 100%
Strength: 10 Dexterity: 10 Agility: 10 Fortitude: 10 Endurance: 10 Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 10 Willpower: 10 Perception: 10 Charisma: 10 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
He could only assume this was some sort of profile of himself. It seemed he had been assigned attributes¡ªphysical, mental, and others¡ªthat had been further quantified down to simple numbers. Twelve sets of numbers seemed hardly capable of encompassing the entirety of a person, but it was as good a place to start as any. He didn¡¯t really know what would encompass the entirety of a person. He did, however, learn some new things about himself. He was apparently twenty-seven, which was not a child. Probably. He was also just over one-hundred-eighty centimeters and weighed nearly eighty kilograms. The only problem being that he had no idea what those units meant. All of his attributes had started out at ten, which was probably the baseline. Comeliness, however, had started out at a measly one, which he felt was rather unfair. Would a low Comeliness make him ugly or would it make his personality repellant? How was his Comeliness different from his Charisma, which seemed on par with everything else? He had no answers and those were not the only attributes he had questions about, but staring at them wasn¡¯t going to allow him any more insight. With a thought, he closed the menu. In what was beginning to feel like a never-ending sequence of events, a third message box opened itself into his vision.
Inventory
He was met with ten blank squares. Additionally, there was a silhouette of a person, mostly greyed out with the exception of the shirt and the trousers. He focused his attention on them and was met by two more messages.
Cloth Shirt Rarity: Common Quality: Crude Defense: 0 Durability: 3/3 Weight: 0.2 kilograms Comfort: Abrasive
Cloth Pants Rarity: Common Quality: Crude Defense: 0 Durability: 3/3 Weight: 0.5 kilograms Comfort: Abrasive
That explained the itchiness he felt. The stiff fabric resisted him as he moved, brushing against his skin. New clothes would have to be a priority. The zeroes next to ¡®Defense¡¯ gave him pause. What kind of place was this if simple clothes came with an armor rating? It also appeared he had space to store ten things, somehow. First, he had to find something to store. As it was, with the exception of the floating boxes, he was alone in the dark. He minimized the inventory and was met by yet another message.
Initializing¡­ Ready for transport. 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ Welcome to Tartarus.
Book 1 | Chapter 2 Hadespera The 1st of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals A pinprick of light appeared in the darkness, growing swiftly until it consumed him. He clutched at his eyes, pressing his palms against them, but nothing could block out the light. It seared into him, all-consuming. He fell to his knees, curling in on himself as pain shot through his head and radiated down his arms. His throat hummed as he screamed, but he couldn¡¯t hear himself over the blood roaring in his ears. Everything was too intense. The light, the ground, even his hands pressed into his face were too much to bear. Just when he thought he wouldn¡¯t be able to take it anymore, it faded. The afterimages of light slowly burned themselves away, giving way to a dim blackness tinged with red. Slowly, hesitantly, he pulled his hands away and tried to open his eyes. At first, he could only manage a crack and even that sent shooting pain into his eyes. With time, however, his eyes grew accustomed to the light. Tears wetted his cheeks, covered his palms. At last able to see, he took stock of his surroundings. Beams of sunshine streamed through the canopy high above. Flowers spread their petals along the ground before him and insects buzzed around him, alighting on the trunks of enormous trees. The ground below him was vibrant and full of dark soil. Atop it grew verdant grass, weaving paths of emerald between the trees. Flowers bloomed from the loam and undergrowth. Orange, gold, and purple buds splashed the forest, washing it with color and scent. Each tree soaked in the cool light filtering through the canopy and reflected it, seeming to glow. The forest was beautiful, but it didn¡¯t tell him much. A notification flashed slowly and methodically in the corner of his vision, demanding he name himself, but he ignored it. It felt disingenuous to pick a name when he didn¡¯t know the first thing about himself. He looked down at his hands, seeing the fingers displayed in front of him. His skin was tanned and dusky, his hands soft and free of callouses or markings. His arms, from what he could see, were the same. He placed his hands against the ground, feeling the moisture in the dirt, then pushed himself to his feet. He tottered for a moment, unsteady, then caught his balance. He felt energized, restless. Not having any preference of direction and not wanting to stay still, he walked straight forward. Hours passed as he trudged through the woods, looking for any semblance of civilization. At the very least, another person to talk to or a body of water, that he might get an idea of what he looked like. The sun angled in the sky, throwing shadows in different directions, but the canopy above blocked out much of the harshness. Now that his eyes were firmly used to the light, the shade was pleasant. Through the gaps in coverage, he could see the blue sky above and the occasional wisp of white clouds. Everything felt new but familiar, like an old friend he hadn¡¯t seen in quite some time whose face had changed with age. The birdsong, the buzzing of insects, the way his legs strained as he hiked up and down the sloped hills of the forest, the dryness of his throat as his body begged for water. Everything made sense and yet he had no idea why or how. The scratchiness of his clothing was exacerbated by the long walk until he was almost tempted to take them off and walk naked, if not for the occasional gust of wind that sent a chill running through him. As it was, he could feel his skin becoming sensitive as the coarse material rubbed at him over and over again. He didn¡¯t know what to make of any of his surroundings or how to find the water that his body was craving. As distracted as he was by everything, he didn¡¯t notice when the birdsong had quieted and he did not know to panic at the sound of silence in the woods, but he would learn. It was out of sheer luck that he spotted the creature in the edges of his periphery, stalking out of the undergrowth towards him. A wolf; big, brown, and half rotted. Its face was a horror to behold. The left side showed the perfectly normal visage of a snarling wolf but the right was a mess of bone and decayed flesh. Its right eye was missing entirely, replaced by a dim flickering in the hollow recess. It was alone, which was his only cause to be thankful because its single golden eye had locked onto his own and, by the way its skin highlighted its every rib, he had no doubt that he was to be the wolf¡¯s next meal. He did not know how he knew it was a wolf, only had the stupid realization that a wolf was in front of him, a very wrong-looking wolf, and that it was much too close for any comfort. He opened his mouth and spoke the first words that popped into mind, which came dumbly and without emotion. ¡°That¡¯s a wolf. That¡¯s not good.¡± Yellow saliva dripped from the beast¡¯s maw as it snarled and frothed, hackles raised. At the sound, his heart panicked and pounded against his ribcage. His mind cried out with fear, his eyes went wide, then he turned and ran into the underbrush, the wolf snarling as it gave chase. He could hear the wolf¡¯s guttural rasps over the blood pounding in his ears. The trees blurred as he sprinted past, but despite his best efforts, the wolf gained quickly. ¡°Help! Help me, somebody! Anybody! Help me!¡± There was no reply, only the wind rushing past him as the wolf bore down on him. Something struck him in the back, knocking him forward onto the ground. He slid across decaying leaves and flipped over a protruding root, landing on his back with a thud. His Health, which appeared suddenly as a red bar at the bottom of his vision, barely noticed, went down by ten points. Before he could react, the wolf was on top of him, bearing down with hot, fetid breath. He brought his hands up on instinct, grabbing for the wolf¡¯s head and trying to keep it from tearing into his face. He felt his fingers sink into the creature¡¯s exposed throat, pushing past thin membranes of muscle to find esophagus and windpipe. It felt like his hand had been dipped into foul-smelling jelly, but he knew the truth was far worse. Whatever this thing was, it was completely unnatural and it was going to kill him. Panic flared in his chest as he pushed against the wolf with everything he had. His Stamina, a green bar below his Health, dove toward zero as the muscles in his arms shook. The weight and strength of the surging wolf was too much for him to keep at bay. At any moment, his strength would fail him. The fangs crept closer and closer to his face. At any moment, they would sink into him and shake the very life from his body. Something shot out of the thicket and whizzed past his head. The wolf let out a grunt, then sagged, no longer straining against him. He pushed it to the side and rolled over, gasping for breath. He laid there, his arms feeling dead as he stared at the wolf in confused horror. Dark blood, nearly black, was leeching from the wolf¡¯s body, mixing with the dirt. An arrow protruded from the back of the creature¡¯s neck, clearly having separated its spine with a single, well-placed shot. He gasped for breath as he sat up, looking around for the source of the arrow. ¡°Some greenstick you are,¡± a feminine voice called out from somewhere ahead of him. ¡°Running afoul of a diseased beast after thundering through the forest like an adolescent rock troll.¡± He blinked a couple times. Her accent was strange, rhythmic in a way that sounded faintly musical. It took him a few moments to parse out what she had said, which he spent looking around and trying to regain his breath. ¡°Thank you for saving me,¡± he wheezed once he¡¯d finally worked out her words. A woman entered his line of sight. Her skin was deeper than bronze, more like cherry wood, with angled features and long, pointed ears that extended up and back. Her hair was dark and came down to her shoulders, tied back to keep out of her face. She was dressed in furs and leathers dyed yellow, green, and brown. Had she been standing still, it would have been nearly impossible to pick her out from the forest surrounding them. ¡°Do not thank me yet. I put down the beast because she was ill. I have yet to decide about you. Perhaps I should have allowed her a final meal.¡± He sat up, rubbing his forehead. He felt ridges across his skin, but when he pulled his hands away, there was no blood. He saw the strange woman bend down over the dead wolf and place a hand on its side. ¡°All the same,¡± he offered. ¡°I live a bit longer thanks to you. I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know where I am. I just ended up out here. I know I don¡¯t have any right to ask it of you, but could you help me? I don¡¯t want to end up as wolf food.¡± The woman turned toward him and he saw she had green veins patterning her skin. Her eyes were like sparkling emeralds and incredibly intense. As she focused on him, he couldn¡¯t help but squirm under the weight of her attention. She still held her bow in one hand as she took him in. As fierce as she looked, there was something in the pull of her face that confused him. A certain softness or loosening around the eyes, some emotion he didn¡¯t quite know how to read. It didn¡¯t feel overtly dangerous but that fact alone didn¡¯t give him any comfort. Somehow, he felt this woman¡¯s presence had more intrinsic threat to it than the wolf that had nearly taken his life only moments ago. ¡°Humans are not welcome in Dawnwood. Still, the fact you have found your way here leaves questions to be answered. There are no human tribes nearby, so either you¡¯re a traveler, an adventurer, or a colonizer. In any case, you¡¯re as likely to spill your own blood as do anything else.¡± She had ignored his question or, perhaps, was still pondering it. The possibility of her leaving him behind scared him more than her aggressive attitude. He had to convince her to take him with her. ¡°You¡¯ve done me a service. Can I repay you?¡± The woman snorted. ¡°And tell me, Greenstick, what would you do?¡± He looked around him, trying to find an answer. He had nothing on his person other than the clothes on his back. He had no skills or trades, no secret knowledge that he could share, nothing at all that would allow him to prove his value to her. His eyes landed on the dead wolf. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°You said the wolf was sick, right? If the other animals eat it, they¡¯d get sick too, wouldn¡¯t they? I could help you bury it.¡± The elven woman cocked her head, narrowing her eyes at him. After several uncomfortable moments in which he held her stare with his own, his breath held firmly in his throat, she turned away. ¡°Very well, you can carry her for me. Do that properly and there might be a meal in it for you, assuming you¡¯re allowed to live.¡± ¡°Without your help, I¡¯d be dead. At least with you, I have a chance.¡± The woman snorted again. ¡°You¡¯re a strange one, human.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he admitted. ¡°I suppose I am. You keep calling me human, but I don¡¯t know what you are.¡± The woman looked back at him in surprise, making him feel like he had said something offensive. ¡°You really are a greenstick. Never heard of a Daughter of the Forest before? I¡¯m a wood elf.¡± He gave a weak smile, realizing that there was now very little he could say to keep her from thinking he was an idiot. ¡°I don¡¯t know much of anything. The earliest memories I have are of a few hours ago. I know this world is called Tartarus and I¡¯ve opened up my profile, but aside from that and, apparently, the powers of speech, I¡¯m¡­what did you call it? A greenstick? On my own, I¡¯m wolf fodder.¡± The woman eyed him with suspicion but shrugged and slung her bow across her back. The sight surprised him. Surely she, too, had an inventory? Unless keeping the bow visible was meant to be a threat. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have a name, human?¡± He grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t, actually.¡± ¡°Well, greenstick suits you fine for now. You can call me Lyssa, at least until we get back. If Lord Cypress decides you¡¯re more trouble than you¡¯re worth, you won¡¯t have to worry about names. Now, grab the wolf and follow me.¡± He grabbed the front legs of the wolf and started dragging it along the ground. Lyssa didn¡¯t say much more, only telling him not to lag behind before she was off. The wolf was heavy and he had to struggle not to lose sight of her as she crept silently between the trees. For over an hour, he trudged. His breath came short, his arms and back burned, but through it all there was a sort of giddiness deep down inside. He was alive. He was still alive. Every ache of his body, though unpleasant, reminded him that he had avoided the diseased maw of death. Every step took him closer to more people. People who might be able to explain this strange world and what he was doing in it. He could see Lyssa glancing back at him every few minutes, though he had no doubt she always knew exactly where he was. His grunting had not exactly been as quiet as he would have hoped. Sometimes she would disappear from his view, at which point he would continue marching as straight a path as he could until he caught sight of her again, which never took long. At last, she appeared in front of him, forcing him to stop. ¡°You can leave her there. Another hunter will come to collect it. Now, follow me and whatever you do, don¡¯t insult anyone. Humans are not welcome here and you would do best not to draw any more unwanted attention to yourself.¡± He dropped the wolf¡¯s carcass with a sigh of relief, then gave Lyssa a friendly smile and gestured for her to lead on. Her eyes narrowed, but she turned and kept walking without further comment. They approached a huge line of trees that had been grown in a gently sloping curve, like a wall of wooden trunks patched with underbrush. Lyssa walked up to the edge, then lifted her head and called out a few words in a strange language. He looked up to see several elves standing in the boughs of the trees, each of them had drawn bows and had set their sights on him. A chill ran up his spine, but one of the elves called down to Lyssa and, after a brief exchange, the underbrush pulled to the side, forming an archway. Lyssa stepped behind him, placed a hand on his shoulder, and steered him forward through the arch. He was given the distinct impression that this was not a friendly gesture. Even as they entered the village, he had the feeling bows were still drawn and pointed at his back. The village itself was incredible. Every structure had been grown out of living trees, woven together over centuries, if not millennia. Natural stairways, pillars, platforms, and bridges were littered throughout, connecting the different facilities to give the impression that the whole village was one massive, living organism. Several elves sat with feet dangling over edges, high in the air, watching him as he was paraded through the twisting network of roots on the ground. The closer to the center of the village they went, the larger the trees grew until he felt like an ant walking through a world of giants. The canopy above was so high that it was more akin to an emerald sky than something connected to the ground. Stairways had been grown directly from the trees, wrapping around their trunks and leading to the interconnected platforms above. Many of the trees had also been hollowed, the recesses inside providing space for privacy and recreation. An enormous tree grew in the middle of the village, easily ten times the size of any of the surrounding trees. The striations in its bark looked like a myriad of small pillars holding up a world of foliage. High above there was a natural archway leading into the trunk of the tree, which was where Lyssa was steering him. A staircase ran spiral around the trunk, leading up to the apparent entrance. There were plenty of people in the village, but no children. Most of the elves regarded him with open hostility, narrowing their eyes and baring sharp teeth at him in a way that could not possibly be construed as a smile. Lyssa pushed him along and soon he was up the stairs and inside the enormous tree. He was in a large, open chamber with an empty, wooden throne at the far end. The walls were decorated with painted vines lashed together into murals depicting life and power. Surrounding the room were elves in shining armor, each glaring at him with unabashed anger. They wielded huge spears and looked more than keen to run him through. Toward the center of the room, a small group of elves in simple robes turned as he walked in, Lyssa still at his back. She forced him to his knees in front of a tall, regal wood elf. The elf was dressed in red leathers, a simple crown of wood rested on his brow. Red berries grew from the crown, staining red streaks into his long, brown hair. Though the elf was no larger than any of his attendants, they were all deferent to him. ¡°Lyssa, you have returned. And not alone.¡± The elf-lord spoke with a voice like a honeyed cello in the same melodic accent as Lyssa, projecting age, power, and temperament in comparison to the elven attendants who looked on with distaste, awaiting their lord¡¯s judgement. ¡°Lord Cypress, I found this one wandering in our woods, a diseased wolf chasing him. He claims no memories before today and has no name of which to speak. He begged the opportunity to repay me for his life so I have brought him to you for your judgement.¡± Lord Cypress stared down at him with hard, green eyes. ¡°My people have seen much in our time. We have seen the devastation wrought by humans, who have no respect for nature. We know you to be a selfish, short-sighted race bent on the destruction of all that we hold dear. By rights, I could have you killed for trespassing our lands.¡± Lord Cypress paused, a silence that seemed to last forever. ¡°That said, the actions of a species are not the crimes of an individual, nor are the actions of an individual the crimes of a species. If you truly come in peace, I will give you the opportunity to prove your intentions. No one man can repay the injustices committed against my people by yours. I will, however, allow you to prove yourself to have no ill-will toward me, my people, or this forest.¡± One of the elves next to Cypress furrowed her brow. She spoke quietly in a strange language, her tone controlled but angry. Lord Cypress responded in the same language, his tone commanding authority. The elves around him lowered their gazes and Cypress turned back to him. ¡°Do you agree to these terms?¡± A message flashed in his vision.
You have been offered a Quest. Friends of the Forest Lord Cypress has given you the opportunity to prove your worth to Dawnwood Village. You must accompany Lyssa on a quest given to her by Lord Cypress.
Objectives ¡¤ Help Lyssa complete her quest Rewards ¡¤ 1,000 Experience ¡¤ Improved Relation with Dawnwood Village
Failure or Refusal ¡¤ Exile from Dawnwood Village ¡¤ Possible death by execution
Accept this Quest?
Yes No
Briefly taken aback, he thought about it. To deny the help of the elves would almost certainly bring him to an early death in the forest and that was only if they didn¡¯t kill him outright. Clearly humans were not welcome. To help the elves would at least allow him a place to stay and an opportunity to learn about the world. It was a choice only in the abstract sense of the convention, as what he was really choosing between was life or death. As such, there really was only one option available to him. The message disappeared as he resolved to help. ¡°Lord Cypress, thank you for the opportunity. I will try not to disappoint you. What do you need me to do?¡± Lord Cypress turned his gaze toward Lyssa. ¡°As you have yet to complete the task I asked of you, you will take this human to accompany you. See to it that he is provisioned and prepared for your journey.¡± Lyssa made a sound like she was about to protest, but the look on Lord Cypress¡¯s face bore no room for dissent. ¡°Yes, my lord. I will see it done.¡± The elf lord nodded once, then raised a hand. Lyssa grabbed his shoulder and hauled him to his feet. He was steered out of the room, but before they left, one of the guards at the entrance muttered something in their strange language. He didn¡¯t have to speak it to know it was an insult. Lyssa didn¡¯t respond and they emerged into the glittering sunlight. He turned toward Lyssa to thank her but stopped when he saw her face. It had hardened into impassivity, but there was an undercurrent of rage, there. He felt it flow from her in a wave, strong enough to set his teeth on edge. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± Her eyes cut toward him and, despite himself, he flinched. For a moment he thought she would rip his throat out like the rabid wolf. Then, with a deep breath, she visibly calmed herself. ¡°No. At least, not yet. My anger is not at you, Greenstick. Come on, let¡¯s get you some real clothes.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 3 Hadespera The 1st of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals He found himself being poked and prodded at by an elven woman who clearly had no interest in the concept of personal space. All the while, she berated him in the language of the elves. At first, he had tried to apologize for the inconvenience, but upon the first syllable, she lightly smacked him on the cheek with the back of her hand, so he decided to take the beratement in graceful silence. Or, at least, as graceful as he could manage with spindly fingers poking him and a notched cord examining his every measure. When the torment was over, he breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed to the ground near a wall. The elf woman whisked off to attend to matters completely foreign to him. Lyssa, on the other hand, had apparently recovered from whatever had bothered her and her eyes shone with mirth as she looked upon his misfortune. ¡°At least one of us enjoyed that,¡± he said with a scowl. ¡°Navinia takes her craft seriously, but she and many others here have no love for humans.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard. You¡¯ll have to tell me why, some time.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s find out if you live first, Greenstick.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Before long, Navinia had returned with two bundles of clothes in her hands. She handed both to him.
Dawnwood Linen Shirt Rarity: Common Quality: Excellent Defense: 1 Durability: 15/15 Weight: 0.3 kilograms Comfort: Soft Armor Type: Clothing
Dawnwood Linen Pants Rarity: Common Quality: Excellent Defense: 1 Durability: 15/15 Weight: 0.6 kilograms Comfort: Soft Armor Type: Clothing
Dawnwood Leather Boots Rarity: Common Quality: Excellent Defense: 3 Durability: 20/20 Weight: 1.5 kilograms Comfort: Good-Fit Armor Type: Light
Dawnwood Leather Jerkin Rarity: Common Quality: Excellent Defense: 7 Durability: 45/45 Weight: 4 kilograms Comfort: Good-Fit Armor Type: Light
Dawnwood Leather Greaves Rarity: Common Quality: Excellent Defense: 4 Durability: 25/25 Weight: 1.4 kilograms Comfort: Good-Fit Armor Type: Light
Dawnwood Leather Vambraces Rarity: Common Quality: Excellent Defense: 4 Durability: 25/25 Weight: 1.1 kilograms Comfort: Good-Fit Armor Type: Light
Focusing on each item gave a prompt, asking if he would like to equip the item. He accepted each and was soon wearing an outfit that looked very similar to Lyssa¡¯s, though hers was clearly of much higher quality. The cloth shirt and pants he¡¯d worn were relocated to his inventory, but Navinia held out her hands for them. He handed them over without complaint and the elf woman walked off, muttering disdainfully. He turned to Lyssa; arms held out to either side. ¡°How do I look?¡± ¡°Like a babe in his father¡¯s shoes.¡± She must have seen his deflated expression because she laughed. The sound didn¡¯t last long, but it was surprisingly pleasant. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to them, Greenstick. Now, are you ready for weapons?¡± ¡°Weapons?¡± ¡°Of course. This isn¡¯t some romantic walk through the woods or whatever your human women do. There will be danger and fighting.¡± He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that, so he nodded and let her lead the way. They walked down a long stairway until they reached the ground, then Lyssa led him to a training area. A score of archery targets were set at varying distances, some so far away that he had to squint just to find them. Several elves populated the area, practicing with swords, pikes, axes, and a variety of other weapons that he couldn¡¯t put a name to. ¡°I take it you¡¯re unaccustomed to such things,¡± Lyssa remarked. ¡°I¡¯m unaccustomed to everything,¡± he said absently, spinning in slow circles and trying to take everything in. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you do with a bow.¡± He was led to one of the archery stands and a shortbow was placed in his hands. The wood was smooth, but the weapon felt odd in his grip. Archaic. ¡°Do you know with which eye you focus? Beginners always have one or the other.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t. How do you tell?¡± ¡°A simple trick, hold on.¡± She backed up until she was about five strides away. ¡°There, now put your hands together like this.¡± She placed her hands in front of her, arms outstretched, such that her fingers and thumbs interlocked to form a small triangle. ¡°Hold it out so that you can see me through the gap, then bring it closer to your face, keeping me in sight the whole time.¡± He followed her instructions until his hands were resting against his face, his left eye completely obscured by his hand. ¡°There, you¡¯re right-eyed. That means you¡¯ll want to hold the bow in your left hand, like so.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Lyssa drew her own bow and stood so that he could see exactly how she held it. ¡°Put your feet like this, stand sidelong your target, place the arrow such that the third fletch points away from the bow, pull to your cheek, breathe, release.¡± She narrated each of her actions in turn. The closest target, which was twenty paces at a glance, was left unmarred as the arrow soared over it and hit the target placed seventy paces away, neatly pinning the bullseye. ¡°You hold the bow in your other hand,¡± he pointed out. ¡°Keenly observed. Unlike you, I¡¯m left-eyed.¡± ¡°But you just shot with your right eye.¡± Lyssa patted him on the head and gave him a pitying smile. ¡°Because I¡¯m not a beginner, Greenstick. Now, no more blabbing. Time to practice. Shoot until your arm hurts, then we will run you through swords.¡± He paused, an arrow on its way to his bowstring from a standing quiver nearby. ¡°You mean through the exercises, right? You¡¯re not actually going to run swords through me¡­right?¡± Lyssa did not deign to respond, instead she stood in the archery line next to him and sent arrows downrange. He sighed and tried to draw the bowstring. The arrow felt wobbly, as though it was about to fall off the string. He fumbled his hand position as he tried to get his fingers in the right position. ¡°Stop, you¡¯ve loaded it wrong.¡± He hadn¡¯t noticed that Lyssa had stopped shooting to start critiquing him again. She took the arrow from him and placed it on the other side of the bow, the far side from him. ¡°If it stays on the close side, you¡¯ll have to adjust your hand after you nock it or turn your hand upside down as you draw, which is too advanced for you at this stage. That wastes time. Nock it to the far side of the bow and you¡¯ll be able to draw it in the same motion. There, now keep one finger above and your other two below. Your thumb should stay out of the way, or it¡¯ll knock the arrow off its path. Some methods use your thumb, but again, they are too advanced for you at this stage.¡± He paused and held up a hand. ¡°What about my pinkie?¡± ¡°Your what?¡± ¡°My little finger.¡± Lyssa stared at him, then brought her own hand up to show a thumb and three fingers. ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t know humans had another finger. What do you need four fingers for? Three¡¯s the perfect number for firing a bow.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. To hold things? To stick out while drinking? I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t know why I just said that, actually.¡± ¡°Just keep it out of the way. If you¡¯re being taught by an elf, you¡¯ll learn like an elf. Since you can¡¯t have the decency to possess a proper number of fingers, we¡¯ll see if we can still make a decent shot out of you.¡± He pulled the string back to his cheekbone, which was apparently too high as Lyssa grabbed his elbow and lowered it until his hand was resting against his jaw. ¡°Now aim. At your height and at this distance, you¡¯ll want to aim for the top circle of the target, or else your arrow might snag a worm as it skips over the ground.¡± He let out his breath and released the string. The arrow wobbled a little in flight but sunk into the very bottom of the target. It was well outside the target lines but he was thrilled to have hit something at all. A notification appeared.
You have learned a Skill. Archery ¡ª Level 7 Defeat your foes at a distance or dazzle your rivals by shooting them through their axes. Each level in this skill will improve your ability with ranged weapons of all kinds. +2% Damage with Ranged Weapons (+14%) +2% Accuracy with Ranged Weapons (+14%) +1% Range with Ranged Weapons (+7%) Instruction by an Adept Archer has improved your starting level.
His jaw dipped a little further with each word he read, still trying to comprehend what it all meant. ¡°I learned a skill,¡± he said absently, still reading through the notification. ¡°As well you should have,¡± Lyssa replied. ¡°Most things you do will result in skills. The higher you level the skill, the better you are at the task. Sometimes the requirements for learning a skill are tricky to discover, but once unlocked, the task itself becomes easier. My own ability with the bow should have helped, what level did you start at?¡± ¡°Seven. My notification also called you an ¡®Adept Archer,¡¯ what¡¯s that mean?¡± ¡°Seven? Not the highest it could have been but at least you were paying attention. Every ten levels of a skill are given a rank to identify your relative skill-level without giving away your direct abilities. ¡®Adept¡¯ means that my level is in the seventies.¡± His eyes widened at that. ¡°That must have taken a long time to get so high. What¡¯s the highest?¡± Lyssa shrugged. ¡°A couple centuries. Progress slows the higher you get, but some dedicated individuals can reach the rank of Legend, levels ninety through ninety-nine. Some tales tell of great heroes that could increase their abilities past that, but no one knows how or if it¡¯s even true. Right now, you should worry about trying to get your skills to at least level ten. That will break you from Beginner and put you into the Novice ranks. Should take a few hours, with instruction.¡± He looked down at the bow. ¡°Thank you. I doubt I have any real idea how valuable your instruction is but I am grateful for it all the same.¡± ¡°The more detailed instruction I give, the more it increases my own Teaching skill, as well as a small bonus to the relevant skill being taught. I¡¯ve heard some create institutions where they teach as many people as possible to try to increase their own abilities. If you ask me, it¡¯s just to line their pockets. Humans especially will pay exorbitant fees for the promise of faster progress. Fools. You won¡¯t learn without doing and experimenting. No more talk. Practice.¡± He drew another arrow from the standing quiver and was shocked at how much more natural the motion felt. The arrow felt right in his hands and the bow held firm. As he nocked the arrow to the string, he drew the bow up level and pulled the string back to his jaw. He let out his breath and released, taking care not to nudge the arrow as he did. It flew and landed in the outermost ring, well off to the right of the bullseye, but he was ecstatic. ¡°I hit it! Did you see that?¡± ¡°Indeed. Next time, see if you can work it toward the center.¡± Three hours passed at the archery range, with the only breaks being when Lyssa critiqued his form and when they stopped to drink from a refreshment table set up nearby. When they had finished, the sun was nearing the horizon and his archery skill had increased up to Level Ten. It came with an unexpected bonus.
Archery has increased to Level 10. +2% Damage with Ranged Weapons (+20%) +2% Accuracy with Ranged Weapons (+20%) +1% Range with Ranged Weapons (+10%) You have reached the Novice rank in Archery. You gain 100 experience.
You have reached Level 2. As a Human, you receive 5 attribute points to distribute per level.
A sudden glow enveloped him. He felt a wash of golden light as all the sweat and aches of the day faded away. Even his hunger, which had started to reach the gnawing point, was gone. His shock must have shown on his face, because Lyssa took one look at him and laughed. ¡°Hah! You really were a greenstick. Was that the first time you¡¯ve leveled up?¡± He nodded, too dumbfounded to speak. ¡°Well, don¡¯t stand there slack-jawed, a bird will come roost in your mouth. We still have more of the day to make use of and you haven¡¯t gotten to swords yet. You can adjust your profile tonight; I wager you¡¯ll want to put some thought into where you assign your points.¡± ¡°What are the best things to invest in?¡± he asked, feeling completely lost. ¡°That¡¯s entirely dependent on what you want to do with your life, though I would highly suggest paying close attention to the things that will keep you alive. What¡¯s more, to help guide your choice, you can increase nearly all of your attributes through training in addition to leveling, but you won¡¯t receive the bonus for those increases until after you sleep.¡± ¡°Thanks. I suppose I¡¯ll need to give this some thought.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t frown, this is a good thing, Greenstick. It means you won¡¯t be a greenstick forever.¡± ¡°I do need to come up with a name, don¡¯t I?¡± he said wryly. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Greenstick suits you. It¡¯s good enough for me at least. Let¡¯s get some food. You may not be hungry anymore, but I¡¯m starving. Swords can wait until after dinner.¡± Dinner was held in a communal area high in the hanging village. A wooden platform had been built out of the convergence of three trees, leaving enough space for large tables to be laid out, buffet style. The food consisted mostly of salads and cooked meat, though he spotted some stews and soups among the mix as well. Several elves came and went; some grabbed food and sat down, often chatting amongst friends, while others picked up their food and left. He filled a wooden plate with salad and a large slab of steak, then sat down across from Lyssa at a table all to themselves. She made no objection, despite the dirty looks many of the other elves were throwing his way. ¡°I have some questions, if you don¡¯t mind,¡± he said after a few bites. ¡°Ask them and see, Greenstick.¡± A million questions ran through his head about the world and everything in it, but none of the most pressing questions passed his tongue in that moment. Instead, the one that came first was quite a bit more personal than he intended. ¡°Why don¡¯t elves like humans?¡± Lyssa¡¯s face fell and her shoulders tensed. He backpedaled immediately. ¡°Sorry, bad question. You don¡¯t have to answer that.¡± Her face relaxed somewhat, but she was still tense, so he started searching for a new question. ¡°When I leveled up, I was told I got five attribute points to spend as a human. Do elves get a different amount?¡± ¡°Every race is different, and many subraces have their own natural specializations. Children of the Forest, like myself, get six points to distribute, but one is automatically put into Dexterity and Perception, so we have four to place where we wish. Children of the Stars, as another example, also get six, with one placed into Intelligence and Wisdom. Orcs generally get seven, with four points evenly split between Strength and Fortitude.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fascinating. I don¡¯t know what all of those are, but still. Can I ask you about the journey you¡¯ve been tasked with? Since I¡¯m to help you and all, maybe I should know something about what we¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Lord Cypress has sent me to check on a disturbance we¡¯ve noticed. Dawnwood is our domain, but we¡¯ve received reports of something sinister building outside of it to the west. My task is to find it, observe it, and stop it if I¡¯m able.¡± ¡°He must have a lot of trust in you to send you alone to do such a thing.¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t sending me alone. He¡¯s sending you with me as well. Danger is inherent in Tartarus. No place can guarantee safety, only your own strength and the bonds you make can imply it.¡± ¡°So the reason you¡¯ve been teaching me is¡­¡± ¡°Because not only will you be protecting your own life with the skills you learn, but you¡¯ll be protecting mine. Don¡¯t mistake this for trust, Greenstick, you haven¡¯t earned that. However, you have done three things that work to your favor.¡± Lyssa held up her three fingers, keeping her thumb tucked in. ¡°You showed wisdom and respect to nature by wanting to dispose of the diseased wolf.¡± Lyssa dropped one finger. ¡°You showed respect to Lord Cypress.¡± She dropped another finger. ¡°You have listened to my instructions without complaint or deceit.¡± She dropped her final finger. ¡°Make no mistake, I¡¯ll be watching you, and if you lead me to believe you¡¯re a danger to myself, my people, or the Dawnwood, I¡¯ll put you down like the wolf this morning.¡± He put up his hands in mock surrender. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. You saved my life. I haven¡¯t forgotten. And I don¡¯t have any reason to betray your people.¡± ¡°Good, now that that¡¯s cleared, are you ready for your sword training?¡± He pushed away his plate and stood up. ¡°More than ready. Shall we?¡± Book 1 | Chapter 4 Hadespera The 1st of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°Ough!¡± He hit the ground face first, feeling the dirt ingrain itself into his cheek. His arms and legs burned, red welts littering his exposed skin. The wooden practice sword lay just beyond his fingers, dropped after Lyssa had struck the back of his hand. She had called it a xiphos when pointing out different swords to him. He grabbed the weapon and forced himself back to his feet, only to see Lyssa striking forward again. He quickly brought the sword up to parry but she changed directions, now attacking from the side. He tried to duck but was again too slow and the flat side of her blade slammed against his head. His vision went black. When it cleared, he was on the ground again. ¡°You certainly know how to take a beating, Greenstick. You sure you don¡¯t want to do this more often?¡± He didn¡¯t dignify the jibe with a response. Instead, he retrieved his sword and stood once more. A few of the other elves stopped practicing to come and watch. He couldn¡¯t understand their language, but he didn¡¯t have to know the words to know they were jeering at him. Very near the beginning of their exercise, after Lyssa had shown him some footwork and hand positions associated with elven swordplay, he had received the skill ¡®Swordsmanship,¡¯ which had helped his learning curve immensely. He had also learned that Lyssa was a Proficient Swordswoman, meaning her skill level was somewhere in the forties. His own skill had started at three and, since he¡¯d received it, Lyssa had stated the best learning was through practice and had been sparring with him nonstop. Swordsmanship was not the only lesson here. She was testing him. This was a world of violence and pain; he had been told as much several times. She wanted to see how he would react to an adversary he couldn¡¯t hope to beat. She wanted to see if he would break, if he would cower, or if he would keep fighting. She wanted to see what kind of person he really was. So did he. He took a moment to center himself, breathing deeply through his nose before letting the air out of his mouth. He balled his fist and hit the ground, centering himself around the impact. Something in his core reacted to the sensation, spiraling through him. He lost himself in determination. His body shook with pain, but he would not let himself be consumed by it. Energy blossomed from his chest, flooding out to every extremity. Heat washed over him and with it came solidity. He was stone. A surprise gust rippled the grass around the training area in the light of the setting sun. The zephyr tickled his skin and he felt an almost electric spark in his muscles as he absorbed the feeling into memory. A shiver ran up his spine. He was wind. Warmth burgeoned through his body, unrelated to the pain of the strikes he had endured. It started in his lower chest, then spread out to his fingers and toes until the wind no longer chilled his skin. He was fire. Back on his feet, Lyssa approached once more. She snaked from side to side, seeking weaknesses and finding plenty in his ineptitude. By this point, he knew how she liked to attack. Her misdirections and clever feints. She would not expect him to have some of his own, so he did the thing he thought she would most expect. He charged her. Lyssa met his advance. The distance closed between them. He led with a thrust, the most straightforward attack he could think of, but one that would be expected of a Beginner. As soon as he felt her blade begin to move his off-line, he twisted with the motion, planting his lead foot and spinning off it. He left the ground, using his momentum to bring a tornado kick aimed at Lyssa¡¯s head. In that moment, he was victory. The blow never landed. Lyssa ducked the kick effortlessly and capitalized on his failure by striking him twice across the back and legs before he landed. The stinging blows made him stumble, forcing him to his knees as he hit the ground, fingers digging into the dirt to keep from landing on his face again. When he turned to face Lyssa, she held her hand up to signal a halt. The other elves dispersed now that the fight was over, muttering to themselves in their own language. ¡°What was that?¡± Lyssa¡¯s eyes shone with genuine curiosity. He shrugged. The feeling that had surged within him had faded, leaving him tired and sore. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just felt like the right thing to do in the moment.¡± ¡°It was a surprise, I¡¯ll give you that. I hope you also learned that it didn¡¯t work and would have left you crippled had our fight been real.¡± He nodded, a grim smile on his face. She caught his eye, then returned his smile with a genuine one. He felt relief flood through him. She had understood what he had been trying to show her and, by the look of it, she approved. He looked up at the sky, almost hidden by the canopy above. Night was coming quickly, hardly noticed for the glowing stones that lit up the structures above them and the wood of the trees themselves, which glowed softly with captured light. Lyssa let him marvel at the sight for a few moments before speaking up. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. It¡¯s time to rest. Tomorrow, we set out. We will train as we go, you are still weak.¡± He was led to a small, ground-level, hollow tree that apparently functioned as a guest house. Inside were several beds, but none were occupied. He was left alone. The inside of this tree did not glow, as some of the others did, and the only light source was the red, bioluminescent moss that grew high above, casting a gentle light down upon him. He sat down on the bed and decided it was high time he had taken a more in-depth look at his profile. First, he had his swordsmanship gains to go through.
Swordsmanship has increased to Level 5. Many a tale has been told of this glorified sidearm, ensure yours is a long one. Each level in this skill will improve your ability with swords of all kinds. +2% Damage with Swords (+10%)
**UNDECIDED**
Level: 2 Experience to Next Level: 200 (0%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 183 centimeters Weight: 77 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: N/A Companions: N/A Adventuring Party: N/A
You have 5 undistributed attribute points
Health: 200 / 200 100% Stamina: 150 / 150 100% Mana: 100 / 100 100%
Strength: 10 Dexterity: 10 Agility: 10 Fortitude: 10 Endurance: 10 Intelligence: 10 Wisdom: 10 Willpower: 10 Perception: 10 Charisma: 10 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
He was relieved to find that the few points of damage he had taken throughout the day, especially during the training, had healed. He hadn¡¯t been sure how quickly his minor injuries would heal, but it seemed a short amount of time and access to food was enough. His arms and legs were still covered in small, red welts that were painful to the touch, but he was glad to see that it wouldn¡¯t have a larger effect on his overall Health. Larger injuries, he was sure, would require some kind of treatment. The unspent attribute points stared at him, begging to be assigned. Before he did that, however, he needed to know what each attribute did in further detail. He focused on his Strength attribute and tried to conjure more information about it. To his surprise, he was met with a notification.
Strength The physical capacity to exert great force or pressure on an object or substance. Minor effect on Health. Abilities with melee weapons often rely on Strength.
It seemed pretty self-explanatory, if a little clinical. The boost to health was unexpected, but greatly appreciated. Strength seemed to be an all-around bonus, especially if he was going to get in close fights.
Dexterity The nimbleness of extremities and accuracy of small, quick movements. Abilities with ranged weapons often rely on Dexterity.
That was promising. Archery was his highest skill at the moment and it seemed Dexterity was directly related. The increase to coordination might have allowed him to keep his footing in swordplay, as well.
Agility Determines physical speed and reaction times.
Speed would always be useful and reaction times could very well save his life. Even though there was no other impact to his abilities, Agility was on the contender list.
Fortitude The hardiness of one¡¯s body to protect against detrimental effects. Health regenerates at a rate of Fortitude per hour. Major effect on Health. Minor effect on Stamina.
Two direct effects on his vitals, and one of them was directly responsible for keeping him alive. He was tempted to immediately put points into Fortitude, not wanting to risk going a moment longer with the chance a low health might take this fresh gift of life from him. The impulse faded quickly. He was safe, in a village that could have easily killed him before now and could continue to do so regardless of how many points he had in Fortitude. He was not in immediate danger. He could at least wait until he had examined the rest of his attributes. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Endurance Determines how long the body can exert itself. Stamina regenerates at a rate of Endurance per minute. Major effect on Stamina. Minor effect on Health.
Another double vital gain. Endurance, it seemed, was the natural counterpart to Fortitude and was another enticing attribute to invest in.
Intelligence The quickness and ease at which one learns and remembers. Major effect on Mana.
He frowned. He had seen Mana before, twice now, as a number on his profile along with Health and Stamina, but he was no closer to understanding what it meant. It was bolded on the notification, so he focused on the word.
Mana The ability to channel magical energies and the mystic arts. Used to cast spells and is used by some skills and abilities.
That sounded much more promising, but he didn¡¯t know any magic. He wondered if improving his learning rate would improve the rate at which he leveled his skills but decided he could ask Lyssa about that later if the opportunity presented itself.
Wisdom The inferences one makes when forced to make connections between that which is known and that which is unknown. Mana regenerates at a rate of Wisdom per minute.
It seemed Wisdom was the natural counterpart to Intelligence, similar to how Endurance was to Fortitude. It seemed odd to be able to artificially improve his mental faculties but, after a few moments thought, it was no less odd than the ability to suddenly improve his physical attributes without exercising.
Willpower The resiliency of one¡¯s mind; the ability to endure horror without breaking. Spellpower and the strength of some skills and abilities rely on Willpower.
That was disconcerting. How common were atrocities that the ability to withstand them was a core attribute? The increase to spellpower was nice, but he had to wonder if that bonus was due to his mind being supposedly stronger or if it was because mages commonly endured horror. He didn¡¯t currently know any spells, so he hoped it was the former in the event he ever got the opportunity to learn.
Perception The ability to notice that which is hidden.
He frowned at that. It seemed like a vague attribute, especially when compared to clearer attributes such as Dexterity or Agility. Would it improve his natural eyesight or would he just notice more? It was hard to tell.
Charisma The ability to influence those around you in ways that may be beneficial to you.
His frown deepened. ¡®May¡¯ be beneficial? As in, could be detrimental? Would having a high Charisma cause people to act in extremes around him? It seemed like a risk, but he couldn¡¯t deny that it was potentially powerful. After all, connections saved lives in Tartarus. His connection with Lyssa had saved him from dying a gruesome death to a half-decayed wolf in the forest that morning.
Comeliness Alters your physical self to reflect your mental image of yourself.
He discarded that one almost immediately. He didn¡¯t know who he was yet, so his mental image of himself was blank. It occurred to him that he still didn¡¯t know what he looked like, which was likely why his Comeliness was so low.
Luck Affects your ability to find treasure, discover weak points in your enemies, stumble upon rare and exciting things¡­or do none of these.
In other words, a gamble. He smiled, not expecting anything less of an attribute as abstract and nebulous as one called Luck. It was a strange thought that he would be able to directly influence his luck. Was the existence of such an attribute a manifestation of fate, or some walking chaos theory that his intent, via this attribute, had a tangible, random effect on the world around him? He blinked. Where the hell had those thoughts come from? He pushed it from his mind and went back to his profile. If he was being honest, he wanted to put points in all of the attributes, but something else Lyssa said wandered into his mind. ¡°You can increase nearly all of your attributes through practice in addition to leveling, but you won¡¯t receive the bonus for those increases until after you sleep.¡± It had been an extremely trying day. Between running for his life in the woods and practicing with Lyssa, he was certain there would be some changes come the following morning. It would be remiss of him to assign his attribute points before seeing how his scores naturally progressed. With this thought affixed in his mind, he opened up his equipment list and doffed his armor. With it safely to rest in his inventory, he crawled onto one of the beds and nestled himself beneath the blankets. A soft light filtered through openings in the tree above. From his vantage, he could see the light of two glowing moons above, one blue and one green, giving off a mixed glow. The bed felt like a sheet pulled over pine straw, but it was soft and comforting, and within moments he was fast asleep.
In his dreams, he was being chased by tall, willowy beings wielding sticks. When he stopped, they beat him, forcing him to keep running on and on in an endless circle. When he finally collapsed, exhausted and crying, they stood around him, some pointing and laughing as others continued to beat him. One of the figures loomed over him and he saw a pair of enormous, emerald eyes. It reached for him, but before it touched him, he woke.
Light streamed through the opening in the tree. Judging by the soft glow and the gentle bleariness he felt, he wagered it was dawn. His next thought was confusion, as he didn¡¯t know how he knew it was dawn if he had never seen one before. He stopped himself from falling down that pit of questioning as he knew there were no answers. He was going to drive himself mad if he questioned every new thing he was already familiar with. Instead, he turned his attention to a softly blinking icon in the corner of his vision that alerted him to pending notifications.
Your attributes have increased. +1 Strength +1 Dexterity +1 Agility +1 Fortitude +1 Endurance +1 Intelligence +1 Wisdom
He had to fight off his own surprise. He had expected a raise in a couple attributes, namely Endurance and Fortitude, but what he had received seemed ridiculous. He sat staring at the prompt for several minutes before finally dismissing it. The only explanation he could think of was that because his stats had started at ten, they were at the most basic level, Comeliness aside. That meant that they were easier to train up, having started so low. The higher they got, the harder they would probably be to train. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to be able to do the same workout every day and continue improving his attributes to infinity. The thought made him pause. Was there a cap on how high his attributes could grow? He shook his head. Too little information. That left him with the next problem: if they were easier to train at lower levels, should he even distribute his attribute points at all? Or should he hold on to the points and try to work on his attributes through training before he assigned anything. The two ideologies warred in his mind, but a solution came to him rather quickly. He was here to survive, to learn more about himself, and to find out what kind of world he¡¯d landed in. He knew the path ahead was dangerous. If he was going to survive, he needed to be strong now. He would have to think in the short term in order to see the long term. He summoned his profile and focused on the attributes he desired. He placed two points into Strength, one into Fortitude, one into Willpower, and one into Perception. Then, he examined his stats again.
Health: 240 / 240 100% Stamina: 170 / 170 100% Mana: 110 / 110 100%
Strength: 13 Dexterity: 11 Agility: 11 Fortitude: 12 Endurance: 11 Intelligence: 11 Wisdom: 11 Willpower: 11 Perception: 11 Charisma: 10 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
His muscles felt a little more toned than they had been the day before, his mind a little sharper. Whether it was real or in his head, he didn¡¯t know, but he felt better, despite the aches. He equipped his armor and left the guest house to find Lyssa approaching. He waved at her. She cocked her head at the gesture, frowning. Feeling awkward, he put his hand down. ¡°It¡¯s a form of greeting,¡± he said hesitantly. ¡°I think.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she replied, before raising her own hand and dropping it as he had done. ¡°Curious.¡± ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, hoping to change the subject. ¡°When are we leaving?¡± ¡°Now. Put this on.¡± She tossed a backpack at him. Dutifully, he slipped it on. It was so light, he thought it was empty, but with Lyssa¡¯s prodding he checked his inventory, finding that the space of the backpack also appeared. It was a five-by-ten square pack filled with food, gear, and weaponry. Specifically, in regard to the latter, it had a shortbow, three quivers of arrows, and a xiphos. ¡°Come on, Greenstick, daylight¡¯s wasting,¡± Lyssa said in response to his slack jawed expression as he processed what had just been given to him. He startled, nodded, and followed Lyssa through the township. As they walked, he noticed none of the other elves were interested in seeing them off. In fact, the others actually seemed to be averting their gazes as he and Lyssa walked by. He also noticed, again, that there were no children in the village. ¡°Why do I get the feeling I¡¯m not the sole cause of their animosity?¡± Lyssa did not reply. She was straight-backed as she walked with him through the village. She did not look at the other elves, nor did she offer any of them greetings. Feeling it was the wrong time to pry, he kept quiet and hurried along. They exited Dawnwood Village and entered the forest proper. He felt the eyes of the elves following them, felt the weight of whispers and mutterings even though he couldn¡¯t understand them. Once the tree wall was out of sight, Lyssa seemed to breathe more easily. It was a few minutes longer before she said anything. ¡°You are right that you are not the only one the people of my village distrust.¡± He frowned but didn¡¯t know what to say. Seeing that no response was forthcoming, Lyssa continued. ¡°Years ago, I committed a crime against my people. Do not ask me what it was. Just know that even if we accomplish our task, your association with me will mean that the others won¡¯t ever truly accept you into their society, even if they could look past your humanity. I understand if you harbor resentment toward me for that but understand I have no control over the matter.¡± He stroked his chin, feeling ridges beneath his fingertips. ¡°Fuck that.¡± Lyssa blinked at him in surprise. ¡°What?¡± ¡°So you did something bad a long time ago and now they¡¯re holding it over your head forever? Fuck that. You saved me when it would have been easier for you to let the wolf have me and finish it off later. You brought me before Lord Cypress and advocated for me on my behalf when you didn¡¯t have to. You trained me, gave me equipment, and even gave me a nickname when I was nothing and no one. You accepted a mission for the betterment of your village despite knowing it would be dangerous, even deadly. If that¡¯s all that you¡¯ve done for me in just one day, then I can¡¯t imagine what you¡¯ve done for the village over the years and if they can¡¯t see that then fuck them.¡± Lyssa let out a short laugh, filled with stress and genuine surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t think we use that term quite the same way you do.¡± He smiled back. ¡°It¡¯s versatile, like me. Now, I know you know a whole lot more about¡­well, everything than I do, but right now my job is to help you. So¡±¡ªhe held out his hand¡ª¡°partners?¡± She reached past his hand and clasped his forearm. ¡°Partners.¡± To his surprise, a notification appeared.
Lyssanderyli has accepted your Companion Request. As Companions, you will be able to share experience earned from killing while in close proximity, regardless of contribution. As your bond grows, you will be able to share more with each other over longer distances. The bond between Companions supersedes those formed by Adventuring Parties.
Lyssa caught her breath and, as he glanced at her, he saw that her eyes were unfocused, staring off into empty space. For the first time, he was able to see what it looked like when someone else was reading a notification. ¡°Dawnwood hasn¡¯t had a Companionship form in centuries,¡± she breathed. ¡°We¡­we didn¡¯t just get married, did we?¡± Lyssa¡¯s eyes refocused to reality. More specifically, they focused on him and they were angry. She pulled her hand away and clenched it into a fist. ¡°We most certainly did not.¡± He threw up his hands and took a step back. ¡°All right, all right. Just checking. I¡¯m like a newborn, a baby in dad-shoes, remember? I don¡¯t know these things.¡± She scoffed, but her ire dissipated. ¡°So,¡± he said, hoping to move on. ¡°What exactly does a Companionship mean for us?¡± ¡°It means we are bound by goals and motivations. It means we cannot betray one another without the other learning of it. We are asp¨ªda-ad¨¦lfia, in the Elven tongue. Shield-kin.¡± He frowned, trying to make sense of it. ¡°Does that make us siblings, of a sort?¡± Lyssa screwed up her face. ¡°I think for now you should try to understand it as friends who fight for one another.¡± ¡°That, I can do.¡± He gave her a wicked smile. ¡°Lyssanderyli.¡± A sword appeared in her hand. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t call you that, of course. Lyssa fits you so much better.¡± The sword disappeared and he let out a sigh of relief. Lyssa rolled her eyes and muttered something in Elvish that, though he couldn¡¯t understand it, certainly sounded like ¡®men.¡¯ ¡°You will need to pick a name for yourself, Greenstick. Unless you wish to introduce yourself to the world by the title of how little you know.¡± He sighed. ¡°I know, but every time I try to think about what my name should be, I draw a complete blank. There¡¯s just nothing there. I feel like I¡¯m beating my head against a wall.¡± ¡°Would you accept a name given by another?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to name me Greenstick, are you?¡± ¡°No. You are not an elf so I cannot give you a true elven name. Perhaps I can name you something from our philosophy. You are a new beginning. A primal point, from which anything may follow. As such, I name you Arche.¡± ¡°Arche,¡± he said the name slowly, sounding it out. ¡°Arr-key.¡± Something about it felt right. He opened his pending notification.
Choose your Name: _______Arche_______
He was Arche. ¡°Thank you, Lyssa.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 5 Hadespera The 6th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The next several days of their journey fell into a routine. They walked all day, sparred in the evening, and occasionally Lyssa would leave to hunt. Arche¡¯s Swordsmanship skill improved another three levels, putting it at Level Eight. The journeying and training were not without their own benefits, as his attributes showed. By their fourth day of travel, he¡¯d progressed significantly from his first day waking up in the forest.
Your attributes have increased. +1 Strength +1 Dexterity +1 Fortitude +2 Endurance
As they approached evening, Lyssa signaled a halt and crouched low to the ground, her bow materializing in her hand. Arche followed suit, pulling his own bow out of his inventory and nocking an arrow to it. He had taken to carrying his sword on his hip and a quiver across his back, as retrieving items from his inventory was too slow for him to do quickly. He was not nearly as proficient at manipulating the inventory system as Lyssa was, but he was still uncomfortable carrying the bow strung over his shoulder. ¡°Wolves,¡± Lyssa whispered. ¡°Three of them.¡± A tinge of fear crept up Arche¡¯s back. Images of the half-rotted wolf¡¯s face floated in his mind¡¯s eye. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve caught our scent and seem hungry enough to risk hunting us. You can¡¯t outrun them; we¡¯ll have to fight. Aim for the one on the right, be ready to draw your sword.¡± Arche peeked around a tree and saw the wolves. They were twenty-five strides away, snarling and advancing slowly. ¡°On my mark,¡± Lyssa said quietly. ¡°Now!¡± Their bows twanged in rapid succession. Both arrows found their mark, but Arche¡¯s wasn¡¯t fatal. The wolf charged, his arrow sticking out of its chest. The uninjured wolf charged as well. Lyssa¡¯s wolf keeled over, the fletching of her arrow tickled its eye while the metal tip stuck out the back of its head. Arche dropped his bow and drew his sword as the beasts closed the gap, knowing he didn¡¯t have time for another shot. Lyssa¡¯s skill with the bow flexed itself as she loosed a second arrow as the wolves came within ten paces. It struck the third wolf in the neck, a fatal blow but not immediately. She rolled to the side as the wolf lunged at her, both snarling at each other. Arche¡¯s attention was captured by his own wolf, which growled and snapped at him. He swung his sword but the wolf darted backwards, out of reach. Before he could bring the blade around for a second swipe, the wolf jumped, aiming for his throat. Arche dropped his shoulder and fell to the ground, turning the momentum from his missed slash into a roll as the wolf lunged. The beast sailed overhead, but Arche managed to extend his sword and catch it across the flank as it passed him. The wolf let out a yelp of pain and turned to threaten him again. Arche came up into a short crouch, sword held at the ready. This time, when the wolf lunged for him, he stepped to the side and brought the sword down on the back of the wolf¡¯s neck. He felt a grinding vibration as the blade glanced across bone. A gentle, pulsating glow in the corner of his vision told him he had a notification waiting for him. He ignored it and looked for Lyssa, who wrenched her curved, bloody sword out of the head of the second wolf, now dead. Golden light washed over Arche, cleaning off wolf blood and muck from days of journeying. ¡°You all right?¡± he asked, breathless. ¡°I am uninjured. You leveled? I didn¡¯t think this would be enough. Have you been training your skills?¡± ¡°Not really outside of our practice.¡± ¡°Odd.¡± Lyssa placed a hand on the side of the dead wolf. As Arche watched, her arrow disappeared, along with the pelt of the wolf and much of its meat. ¡°What did you just do?¡± ¡°I gathered what was of use. The rest of it can be left here, to nourish the forest.¡± Arche looked down at his own wolf, then extended a hand and placed it on the beast¡¯s side. A notification appeared before him.
Wolf¡¯s Inventory
1x Ruined Wolf Pelt 10 kg of Wolf Meat (Raw)
1x Arrow (Ironwood)
With a thought, he transferred the items directly into his own inventory, watching as it filled up some of the empty spaces in his backpack. Again, he marveled at how nothing he put into the backpack made it any heavier, and as he patted it, it felt empty. Lyssa moved on to search the other wolf¡¯s body as Arche let his notifications appear.
You have slain a Level 4 Wolf. You gain 40 experience.
You have discovered a Trait! Slayer of the Mighty Receive a bonus to experience when you get the killing blow on an enemy that is a higher level than you are. Bonus experience = (Level difference)(100)
Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 200 bonus experience.
Lyssanderyli has slain two Wolves. You gain 40 experience.
You have reached Level 3. As a Human, you gain 5 points to distribute per level.
That was unexpected. ¡°Hey, Lyssa?¡± ¡°What?¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°What¡¯s a trait?¡± Lyssa grabbed Arche by his leather chest piece and lifted him up until his toes barely scraped the ground. ¡°Do not lie to me. Tell me why you ask.¡± The fierceness of her expression made his words stumble out. ¡°I-I discovered a trait when I killed the wolf. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lyssa stared hard into his eyes. After several seconds, she let him go. He took a step back reflexively, rubbing at his throat. ¡°Traits are rare. Incredibly rare. What exactly is the trait you discovered?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Slayer of the Mighty.¡¯ It says it grants me bonus experience for killing foes of a higher level than I am.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve not heard of that one, but you should be very cautious. It can allow you to grow in power at incredible speed, but only with exceptional danger. Levels are not everything in Tartarus. Strategy and equipment can overcome even extraordinary gaps in levels and different species have different baselines for power.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bite off more than I can chew. Got it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lyssa cocked her head. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s one way of putting it. But having a trait often invites more trouble than it may be worth.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Where there is one trait, there are often more. Any others that you discover, keep to yourself and those you trust above all others. If a Trait-Bearer kills another, they have a chance of stealing a trait. The more traits they have, the higher the chance. There are other circumstances besides, but many would resort to backstabbing even for the slightest opportunity to propel themselves forwards. You must be very careful.¡± ¡°I will be, thanks. In the meantime, what do we do?¡± Lyssa smiled. ¡°Hunt stronger prey, of course. Wolves are not the only beasts in these woods. Tomorrow, we will be out of the lands claimed by the Dawnwood and into the Sylv, which forms a majority of the rest of the Forest of Mycenae.¡± ¡°The Sylv?¡± ¡°A wild place, full of monsters. You would do best to have your wits about you.¡± ¡°More danger. Of course.¡± ¡°Thinking of turning back?¡± ¡°Back to what, exactly? The same forest, but by myself? No, I¡¯m with you, Lyssa.¡± Lyssa smiled. Arche caught a glimmer in her eye, as though her mind was suddenly far away. The sky above them was beginning to darken. ¡°We should make camp.¡± Arche nodded, looking about the forest for a flat spot. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll collect some firewood.¡± Within an hour they had a hearty cooking fire and both tents set up. Lyssa prepared the wolf meat in a copper pan while Arche used an old rag to clean his sword. Another hour passed and they were sitting with full bellies, staring at the comforting orange flames beneath a dark sky. ¡°This may be the safest night we have for a long while,¡± Lyssa said, breaking the silence. ¡°We might as well make the most of it.¡± She held out her hand and a bottle materialized as she pulled it from her inventory. ¡°Is that¡­?¡± ¡°Sweet wine.¡± Lyssa took a pull from the bottle before handing it to him. Arche took it and sniffed. It smelled like flowers, but also curled the hairs in his nose. He took a swig, then coughed. Lyssa was right, it was certainly sweet, but there was an undercurrent of bitterness that dried out his mouth. He handed the bottle back, squinting. ¡°Was that your first drink?¡± Lyssa asked, accepting the bottle. ¡°Of alcohol? Yeah, I think so.¡± ¡°I forget so much is new to you. You just seem like a traveler from far and distant lands, with all those strange customs you use.¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°I suppose I am, in a way. I¡¯d like to find out where I¡¯m from, some day. Who I used to be. Assuming, of course, that I actually existed before a few days ago.¡± ¡°Do you ever worry about that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What if you don¡¯t like the person you used to be?¡± Arche took the bottle proffered him and drank another swig, feeling the heat warm his belly and chest. The second time was slightly easier to manage now that he knew what to expect. At least he didn¡¯t cough again. ¡°They¡¯re just the person I used to be, right? Good or bad, I¡¯m someone else, now. Besides, it doesn¡¯t help to worry about things that may have been. If I get the chance to learn what actually happened to me, I¡¯ll take it, but I can¡¯t worry about hypothetical actions I may have taken in the past. I¡¯ll go nuts.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lyssa said, before stretching and yawning. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind taking the first watch, I¡¯m going to get some rest. Wake me in four hours and you can have the rest of the night.¡± ¡°All right, enjoy your shuteye. I¡¯ll keep the fire going. If I start shouting, we¡¯re under attack.¡± Lyssa retired to her tent, shutting the flap behind her for privacy. Arche stared at the fire for a while before deciding it was time, he checked his profile.
Arche
Level: 3 Experience to Next Level: 220 (26%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 184 centimeters Weight: 78.8 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: N/A
You have 5 undistributed attribute points
Health: 265 / 265 100% Stamina: 195 / 195 100% Mana: 110 / 110 100%
Strength: 14 Dexterity: 12 Agility: 11 Fortitude: 13 Endurance: 13 Intelligence: 11 Wisdom: 11 Willpower: 11 Perception: 11 Charisma: 10 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
His weight had increased slightly, so it seemed, lending credence to the idea that investing points into Strength and Fortitude had made a measurable difference. Either that, or he¡¯d overeaten his meals. With five points to distribute, he placed one point into Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Willpower, and Perception. He wanted to make sure that he increased his combat capabilities, but he didn¡¯t want to neglect his mental attributes. With his allocation settled, he looked at his Skills page.
Skills
Archery Level 10 Novice
Swordsmanship Level 8 Beginner
It was hard not to be disappointed by his lack of skills. He had to convince Lyssa to teach him more skills or try to discover some on his own. He also wanted to explore the world of non-combat skills and, most especially, magic. He wanted to know as much as he could, but those things would have to wait. Arche tossed another log onto the fire, listening to it crackle as he settled against his bedroll. It was a clear night and the smoke was doing a wonderful job at keeping the bugs away, so he felt no need to set up his tent. He wondered if this kind of life was normal, or if people elsewhere lived in greater or lesser comfort. He was somewhat aware of the concept of cities, with thousands of people living practically on top of each other, but it seemed far-fetched, in a way. There was so much wilderness, it seemed, in Tartarus, that it made the concept of so many people living together appear like a dream or a distant memory. Even in Dawnwood, it had not escaped his notice that most of the dwellings were high in the trees, away from the forest floor where presumably powerful predators may once have stalked. So far, the worst thing he had come to face was wolves¡ªreally, the wolf with half a face, which made occasional appearances in his dreams¡ªbut he had the feeling that the monsters Lyssa had mentioned would be worse than any beast. He couldn¡¯t help but feel that he wasn¡¯t ready. The wolves he had fought had already come close to killing him. Levels and numbers aside, he really did feel like a child in a great, big, new world. Every new piece of information he learned came with a dozen more questions, all unlocking even more pieces of a puzzle that had no edges. He was glad to have Lyssa with him. She could claim to have no fondness for humans all she wished, but he had a feeling that what she had done for him was more than what her own people had done for her. He¡¯d have been dead, likely several times over, if not for her intervention. He owed her everything. He just hoped he wouldn¡¯t let her down. Book 1 | Chapter 6 Charomera The 9th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The transition from the Dawnwood to the Sylv was a marked one. While the Dawnwood carried about it a lighthearted feel and was full of bright greens and oranges and softly glowing trees, the Sylv was a much darker wood. The trees were larger, on average, and the canopy grew thick and oppressive, like an arboreal ceiling through which sunlight had to fight to get through. As such, the underbrush was mostly non-existent and thin where it managed to grow. Dark leaves in various states of decay littered the forest floor. Shapes and colors ran together in the shade, making Arche feel he was lost and being watched. Two days after they had left the Dawnwood, Arche came across his first monster. They heard it long before they saw it. Large, crashing booms shook the trees above them. Lyssa shoved him to the ground at the base of a huge tree and crouched over him, signaling him to be quiet. A creature came into view, so large that it surely must have been a giant. It towered over them, its head halfway to the canopy above and every step shook the trees around it. It was humanoid, but barely. Huge, gangly arms nearly scraped the ground, and a gut that writhed and pulsed hung over the creature¡¯s unmentionables, marking it very clearly as male. Whatever it had eaten was still alive, pushing against the inside of the creature¡¯s stomach in a desperate bid to escape. The thought made Arche gag. The creature carried a large club in the form of a young, uprooted tree that carved deep furrows in the forest floor behind it as it moved. Lyssa shook as she crouched over Arche, using her cloak to conceal them both. They stayed that way, near the base of the tree, until they could no longer hear the footsteps in the distance. ¡°What the fuck was that?¡± Arche took deep breaths, trying to calm his pounding heart. ¡°A kykl¨­ps. An old one, too, by the look of him, but not one of the Kykl¨­pes. We¡¯re lucky he didn¡¯t catch our scent, or we would not have survived. I haven¡¯t seen one this close to the border of Dawnwood. Not in a long time.¡± Lyssa fell quiet. ¡°You think this might have something to do with your quest?¡± Arche asked. ¡°It may. It¡¯s difficult to tell. We should continue quickly, before it decides to come back.¡± They set off, now traveling at a soft jog to create distance between them and the kykl¨­ps. As they ran, Arche noticed a flashing notification at the edge of his vision.
You have learned a Skill. Stealth ¡ª Level 6 Nobody notices the shadow on the wall until it¡¯s too late. Each level in this skill will improve your ability to go unseen. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Dexterity by 1. +2% Chance to Hide (+12%) +2% Sneak Attack Chance (+12%) +1% Sneak Attack Damage (+6%) +1 Dexterity
Arche had the sudden impulse to pump his fist, but he managed to contain his enthusiasm to a grin. Lyssa had been making fun of his attempts to creep around the forest for days. It was also a non-combat skill, which was even better, but it made him wonder how many skills there really were. He was also surprised he had started out so high. Only his archery had started higher and that was due to Lyssa¡¯s instruction. It must have been related to the level of danger he had successfully hidden from, though how that was calculated, there was no telling. After a half hour of jogging through the rough terrain of the forest, Arche¡¯s Stamina bar had dropped below one-quarter and he asked, between gasps, for them to slow down. They walked along as he regained both Stamina and his breath. ¡°How much further is this ¡®sinister thing¡¯ your Lord has sent us to go find?¡± ¡°If the directions I¡¯ve been given are accurate, we should come across it an hour before twilight.¡± ¡°How can you tell what time it is in this gloom?¡± ¡°We elves are not as limited as humans in the dark. For us, the light filtering through these trees is more than enough to see by. Even in absolute darkness, we can see a fair distance.¡± Arche grunted. ¡°Lucky.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving. That is, if your tiny human legs can keep up.¡± ¡°I¡¯m taller than you.¡± ¡°And slower.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± They alternated between a fast walk and a slow jog to conserve their Stamina. Arche had made at least three internal promises to start a running regimen to train his Endurance by the time Lyssa called for them to stop again. ¡°What is it?¡± Lyssa crouched and his mind immediately conjured images of more kykl¨­pes. ¡°Something¡¯s on the wind. Something foul. I think we¡¯ve found what we¡¯re looking for, be cautious.¡± Arche drew his bow and slowly nocked an arrow to the string. He crouched low, putting his side against a tree. ¡°Do you recognize it?¡± Lyssa tilted her head back, breathing deeply. After a moment she wrinkled her nose and crouched lower. ¡°Undead,¡± she hissed. Arche blinked. ¡°Like, skeletons and ghosts and whatnot?¡± ¡°Possibly, though I¡¯ve not heard of a ¡®whatnot.¡¯ The stench of death is strong.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the play?¡± ¡°What?¡± Arche grit his teeth. ¡°What¡¯s our next move?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have a look first.¡± They snuck forward through the tree line, taking great care to be quiet. After about a hundred paces they found the cause of the disturbance. A massive hole in the ground, over twenty paces in diameter. Several bodies were arrayed around the hole, all humanoid. They looked undisturbed by wildlife and were laid out as though the group had simply gone to sleep. That wish was disillusioned by the fact that blood soaked their clothes and all bore horrible wounds that had long since bled dry. Some looked half-eaten. ¡°Are those¡­people?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Not anymore. This aura¡­I suspect necromancy.¡± The smell of death and rot was heavy in the air and he had to hold his nose to keep from gagging on it. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Death magic. A wicked practice. There may be mages behind this, or this area may be steeped in enough death magic for reanimation to occur of its own accord. We cannot leave it like this.¡± ¡°What do you suggest we do?¡± ¡°Aim for the head. Failing that, aim to cripple. These corpses are likely slow, but there are different variants of the undead. It¡¯ll be hard to know what we¡¯re dealing with until they move. In a pinch, fire works, but it¡¯ll draw out every other monster in the region.¡± Arche peered out at the bodies lying around the hole. ¡°There has to be a dozen of them.¡± ¡°Then aim well. Are you ready?¡± Arche adjusted his grip and nodded. He had never felt less ready for something in his short life. He looked out upon the sprawling corpses, sizing them up, and tried to keep his knees from shaking. ¡°You¡¯re the better shot. I¡¯ll go for the ones that stand up, working from the right to left. You focus on the ones still on the ground, I doubt I can hit those.¡± Lyssa nodded. ¡°If we get swarmed, we fall back. Chances are high that we can move faster than they can. Follow my lead and don¡¯t get separated. There may be other hunters in this forest, though their stench will have run most off.¡± Arche took a breath, feeling the sweat bead on his brow. ¡°Ready on your mark.¡± Lyssa nodded, stood, and loosed an arrow in a steady motion. Her first arrow tore through the head of the first corpse. It was quickly followed by two more before the rest stirred. Arche aimed carefully at one that had stood and released the drawstring. His aim was short, catching the bloated corpse of a rotting human in the mouth, but it apparently severed something as the body collapsed in a heap. The flash of a notification appeared at the edge of his vision, which he ignored. Frankly, he was just thankful that the notifications didn¡¯t pop up and obscure his vision when he was busy. He loosed another two arrows as the zombies lumbered toward them. Lyssa shot arrow after arrow into the group at a rate much faster than anything Arche could manage. Still, six zombies were shambling toward them, not fifteen paces away. ¡°Lyssa,¡± Arche growled out a warning, firing an arrow into the forehead of an approaching zombie. Lyssa nocked, drew, and released once more, then turned to run. Arche turned with her and the two dashed into the forest. The sound of the zombies pursuing grew louder. Arche fell into a sprint, slinging his bow over his shoulder and drawing his sword from his belt, not an easy feat in the low light of the forest. Lyssa kept a hold of her bow, somehow managing to nock more arrows and fire them, spinning as she ran. Arche glanced over his shoulder. One of the zombies looked different from the others. While the others had shambled toward them upright, albeit more quickly than their gangly gaits would suggest, this one was scrabbling over the ground on all fours and was considerably faster. ¡°Crawler!¡± he hissed, jumping over a small, fallen tree. ¡°I can¡¯t get a clear shot on it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s gaining on us. Stand and fight?¡± A large oak ahead threatened to split them if they tried to go around. ¡°There!¡± Lyssa cried out. She reached the oak first, threw her back against it, then shot another arrow. Arche could hear the crawling zombie get closer, crashing through the limited undergrowth. ¡°Down!¡± Arche hit the ground even faster than he had in their sparring matches, his momentum sending him forward into a roll. The fast zombie had lunged for him, throwing itself into the air and sailing over him as he hit the ground. Arche popped back up to his feet and jumped, his momentum twisted him into a flip as the zombie turned back toward him. His blood was on fire from the adrenaline as he reached out with his sword. The sharp blade cut deep into the zombie¡¯s flesh, but the bones were strong and it wasn¡¯t a fatal blow. Arche landed on the other side, now on the creature¡¯s flank, as the last upright zombie emerged. Arche approached the crawler, sword raised to finish the fight, but it reared and kicked out at him with both legs. Arche cried out and fell backwards as long toenails tore into him, carving furrows against his vambraces and into the unarmored portion of his arm. At the bottom of his vision, his Health plummeted. Arche brought his sword around, ducking as the creature kicked again. He caught one of the zombie¡¯s arms at the elbow, severing it. The undead creature fell to the ground awkwardly, no longer able to evenly support its weight. Capitalizing on the moment, Arche lunged forward and stuck the tip of his sword into the back of the zombie¡¯s neck and out the top of its head, severing the spinal cord and piercing the brain in one powerful strike. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. He turned to see that Lyssa had dispatched the last zombie with her swords. She flicked her blades to the side, black blood flying off the metal to land amidst the dead leaves. Arche took a few deep breaths and stared at the corpses, hoping they would stay dead this time. The sword slipped from his hand as he felt a wash of hot pain shoot through his left arm. He clutched at it with his right, looking down at three deep gashes that ran along his forearm. He knelt, not trusting himself to stand. Pain washed over him, then golden light. It flashed several times, more than before. When it faded, his arm was healed, the cuts closed with only thin, silver scars to show they¡¯d ever been there. That didn¡¯t save him from Lyssa¡¯s chastisement, however. ¡°You were lucky. I¡¯ve seen similar attacks take off limbs,¡± she said as she inspected Arche¡¯s newly healed arm, twisting it around beneath her grip. ¡°I¡¯m going to have nightmares for weeks but at least we clawed our way out of that one.¡± Lyssa narrowed her eyes. ¡°Was that a joke?¡± ¡°Too soon?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see much to laugh at, here.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°Yeah. I think I use humor to cover how fucking horrifying this is. I need to sit down.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you check your notifications. I¡¯ll bet you have a level up waiting. Four, by the look of it. ¡°Great idea,¡± Arche grunted as he lowered himself next to the oak. ¡°I¡¯m just going to sit down by this tree and do that. Make sure I don¡¯t get eaten, would you?¡± Lyssa kept her bow at the ready as Arche unfocused his eyes and called forth his notifications with a mental command.
Would you like to consolidate post-battle messages? This will reduce the amount of specific information shown.
Yes No
Arche immediately chose ¡®yes¡¯, not wanting to wade through a dozen prompts about the battle.
You have slain four Zombies. You have slain a Level 8 Imbued Zombie. You gain 460 experience. Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 1,300 bonus experience. Lyssanderyli has slain 7 Zombies. You gain 492 experience.
You have reached Level 7. As a Human, you gain 5 attribute points to distribute each level. You currently have 20 undistributed attribute points.
You have learned a Skill. Acrobatics ¡ª Level 1 Now you can run and jump like a majestic leopard. Go forth in style. Each level in this skill will improve your manipulation of your body in space. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Dexterity & Agility by 1. +3% Control of movement (+3%) +1% Jump height (+1%)
Archery has increased to Level 11. +2% Damage with Ranged Weapons (+22%) +2% Accuracy with Ranged Weapons (+22%) +1% Range with Ranged Weapons (+11%)
Swordsmanship has increased to Level 9. +2% Damage with Swords (+18%)
You have learned a Skill. Light Armor ¡ª Level 1 Light armor is the primary choice for mages, hunters, and thieves. It allows for high mobility and offers little interference to magic. What it lacks in its ability to turn a blade, it more than makes up for by allowing you to dodge it entirely. Each level in this skill increases your capabilities with Light Armor. +2% Defense of Light Armor (+2%)
¡°What level are you now?¡± ¡°Seven.¡± ¡°And just shy of two weeks old. You are progressing at an accelerated rate. Truly remarkable.¡± ¡°Not fast enough,¡± Arche muttered, kicking the corpse of the zombie that had clawed him. ¡°Wait, two weeks? It hasn¡¯t even been ten days, yet.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lyssa cocked her head to one side. ¡°How long do you think a week is?¡± ¡°Seven days.¡± ¡°No. Five.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hadespera, Hermera, Nyxspera, Charomera, Persepera. Five days.¡± ¡°What the fuck? What happened to Monday, Tuesday, and all that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know those words.¡± ¡°My brain can¡¯t handle this right now. Hold on.¡± There were more notifications blinking in his vision, but Arche ignored them. His head throbbed. A drink, he needed a drink. His inventory held three full waterskins so he removed one and put it to his lips. It was cold life and gave him something to focus on. Lyssa stood nearby, brow furrowed but not angry. ¡°You handled yourself well out there, Greenstick. You kept your head. The acrobatics were a bit much, but it worked out in the end. You have to be careful with undead, though. The wounds they inflict can carry all sorts of diseases, magical and mundane alike.¡± Arche nodded, knowing that she was speaking out of concern and not out of rebuke, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling like he¡¯d made a fool of himself. Whatever he felt, it had paid off in droves. He was now level seven and had twenty attribute points to spend. ¡°Hang on a sec, I¡¯m going to spend some points.¡± Arche unfocused his eyes and pulled up his profile.
Arche
Level: 7 Experience to Next Level: 168 (76%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 184 centimeters Weight: 79 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: N/A
You have 20 undistributed attribute points
Health: 270 / 270 100% Stamina: 195 / 195 100% Mana: 120 / 120 100%
Strength: 15 Dexterity: 14 Agility: 11 Fortitude: 13 Endurance: 13 Intelligence: 12 Wisdom: 11 Willpower: 12 Perception: 12 Charisma: 10 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
Arche put two points into Fortitude and another two into Endurance. Three points went into Strength, Dexterity, and Agility each. He placed two more points into Intelligence and Wisdom. Stroking the ridges on his chin, he decided to place another point each in Willpower and Perception. The final point he dropped into Charisma, then examined the final product.
Health: 315 / 315 100% Stamina: 225 / 225 100% Mana: 140 / 140 100%
Strength: 18 Dexterity: 17 Agility: 14 Fortitude: 15 Endurance: 15 Intelligence: 14 Wisdom: 13 Willpower: 13 Perception: 13 Charisma: 11 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
Arche flexed, feeling himself grow heavier, more solid. A wave of slight itchiness spread across his whole body, as though he were covered in thousands of crawling insects. Then the feeling was gone, just as suddenly as it had come. Arche shivered, unsettled. He felt stronger, more confident in his motions. It was difficult to tell in the lighting, but he was sure his arms were a bit more muscular as well. He stretched his fingers out, reveling in how precise the movement felt. Lyssa cocked her head to one side, a teasing glint in her eye. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t spend all your points on physicality.¡± ¡°Yep, sank every single one into Comeliness, just to impress you.¡± Lyssa snorted, paused, then cleared her throat. ¡°You¡­you didn¡¯t actually, did you?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s a pointless stat for me.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Arche waved a hand in front of his face. ¡°Kind of hard to make your outside match a mental picture when you don¡¯t even know what you look like.¡± Lyssa¡¯s face twisted violently before she wrestled her features into impassivity, but that brief moment of naked horror made Arche¡¯s heart drop into his feet. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Sweat blossomed on his brow. He rubbed at it, feeling hard ridges beneath his fingers. ¡°Oh fuck, what is it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I should not have said.¡± ¡°Damn it, Lyssa, don¡¯t do this to me. What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± She looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad face. You have a square jaw, dark brown hair, and dark eyes. Your cheekbones are low, which is normal, I think, for a human. Elven faces are more slender; high cheekbones, sharp angles. Yours is less so.¡± ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me?¡± Lyssa grimaced. ¡°You have scars, Arche. A lot of scars.¡± ¡°What kind of scars?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to describe. It looks like torture. You must have been under a blade for far longer than any person deserves. The damage, it¡¯s¡­extensive. I¡¯ve never seen scars like that. You¡¯re covered in them. So many that it¡¯s a wonder you¡¯re alive. I¡¯m truly sorry, Arche. I thought you knew.¡± Arche swallowed and put his back against a tree, leaning his weight against it. A hard lump had worked its way into his throat and refused to go down. He reached up and touched his face, brushing it with his fingertips. There were no beard bristles, despite the fact he hadn¡¯t ever shaved. Leveling had wiped away the grime of traveling, leaving his skin fresh. Now that he knew what to feel for, though, his fingers scraped over small lines of scars. The ridges he¡¯d felt every time he¡¯d touched his face. They crossed patterns over his cheeks and forehead, across his eyes and down his neck. Some were recessed, like tiny valleys in his skin. Others were keloid, raised blocks of hard skin that stopped his wandering fingertips and caught the edges of his nails. One of his eyes blurred. He shook his head, letting his hand fall to the side. He took a deep breath, hating himself for the shakiness that came when he let it out. Someone had done this to him. Maybe whoever had was also responsible for the loss of his memories. He would find them and get his answers. Then, he would make them pay. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice was tender, none of its usual playfulness or jesting. ¡°No.¡± His voice was thick. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Is there something I can do?¡± Arche¡¯s fist tightened around the wood of the tree. ¡°Find me something to kill.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 7 Charomera The 9th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals It was the work of ten minutes for Lyssa and Arche to dismember the bodies of all the zombies. Ten minutes to find them all and sever their limbs and heads from their torsos. Arche hadn¡¯t questioned the work. He¡¯d simply followed Lyssa¡¯s lead in the matter. It wasn¡¯t exactly what he¡¯d been hoping for, but the job was physical enough that he managed to work out most of his anger. For the moment, at least. When they¡¯d finished, Lyssa explained the purpose. ¡°They¡¯ve reanimated once. They might have done so again. Should be harder, this way, though not technically impossible. I¡¯d burn them, but I don¡¯t want to attract other predators.¡± ¡°We could toss them in the hole,¡± Arche suggested. The pit stretched out before him like a wound in the ground itself. Arche peered into it, then shook his head. It was pitch black inside and he could make nothing out. Lyssa, however, was looking very intently over the edge. ¡°See anything?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. The ground shimmers, but it¡¯s not too far. Could be water. Could be an illusion.¡± ¡°Drop a torch, then.¡± Lyssa opened her mouth to respond, then closed it and produced a torch and flint from her inventory. Within moments, the torch was lit and dropped into the hole. They watched as it fell, illuminating earth and rock until the torch hit the bottom with a splash. ¡°Well, it¡¯s water. How deep is anyone¡¯s guess,¡± Arche said. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything at the bottom, did you?¡± ¡°Yes, a passageway. It seems we¡¯ll have to go down.¡± ¡°And the bodies?¡± ¡°Into the deep.¡± Arche looked at the pile of decaying corpses and shuddered. He grabbed hold of a severed leg by the shoe, then dropped it over the edge, listening to the splash below. ¡°Remind me to get some gloves at some point, would you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± By the time they¡¯d finished, all of Arche¡¯s anger had been replaced by disgust. He wiped his hands against the grass and fallen leaves, shuddering all the while. Lyssa stood over the hole, gazing into it with her head cocked to the side. ¡°Now, how to get down there,¡± she muttered. Arche took a quick look into his inventory. ¡°I¡¯ve got thirty whatever of rope. I¡¯m thinking we knot it, tie it to a tree, and throw it down. That way we have an exit strategy.¡± Lyssa paused. ¡°Meters.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have thirty meters of rope.¡± ¡°What the fuck is a meter?¡± Lyssa held up her hands, palms facing each other, then sighed at his look of noncomprehension. ¡°It should be enough.¡± Arche pulled the rope out of his inventory and knotted it. He passed one end of it to Lyssa, who began tying it around a nearby tree. Arche used his wingspan to measure out intervals and tied a knot at each point, then tossed the remainder into the hole. A splash echoed back at them. ¡°You said undead hate fire, right?¡± Arche asked as Lyssa rejoined him. ¡°Usually. It depends.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Some don¡¯t care at all; others detest it at a primal level. Depends on the kind of undead.¡± ¡°Cool, ¡®cause I¡¯m going to need a torch down there. I can barely see as it is.¡± Lyssa¡¯s mouth turned down at the corners, her brow furrowing. ¡°Stealth won¡¯t be an option.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s hope no one down there is meaner than us.¡± Arche grabbed one end of the rope and lowered himself into the hole. The climb wasn¡¯t difficult aside from the fact he couldn¡¯t see below him. After a minute, his right foot dipped into the water. He snatched it back, cursing as he felt it seep into his boot. ¡°Where¡¯s the ledge? I can¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°To your right.¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice came from above. ¡°You should be able to reach it.¡± Arche kicked out to the right, using his weight to swing the rope. He stretched out his foot as far as he could and felt the hard, flat surface of the platform. He shoved off the wall again, this time able to catch the ledge with his foot and drag himself over onto solid ground. Finally able to stand, he retrieved a torch from his inventory and lit it by striking a wedge of flint with a knife. The flame crackled and sparked, casting eerie shadows around him. The passageway ahead of him was hewn from grey stone, leaving behind the disturbed earth of the hole in the ground, and disappeared into darkness beyond the light of his torch. Lyssa landed next to him, quiet as ever with bow in hand. She cocked her head, her long ears twitching. Arche kept quiet, trying not to distract her. After a few moments she nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything. If something is waiting for us, it isn¡¯t moving.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Arche drew his sword, holding the torch in his left hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go find whatever necromantic sonovabitch desecrated this area.¡± Lyssa said nothing so he headed down the passage, torch extended to banish the gloom. The way dipped downward slightly, almost unnoticed, except for the rising chill in the air. They continued for half an hour before Arche stopped. Lyssa stopped behind him, glancing about for hidden dangers. ¡°What is it?¡± she hissed. Arche didn¡¯t respond immediately, kneeling to look at the ground in front of them. At cursory glance it looked the same as the other stone they¡¯d been walking on, but a tiny section stuck up a little more than the rest, less than a finger¡¯s breadth. If he hadn¡¯t been looking at his feet, wondering when perhaps they were going to break for food, he might have missed it. As Arche squinted at the stone, he saw a symbol etched into it. It was extraordinary work, full of billowing lines that blossomed upward. The air around it was odd, slightly heavy. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t trust it. What do you make of it?¡± Lyssa followed his gesture to the symbol and hissed again, this time without words. ¡°Traps. That¡¯s the rune for fire. Whatever you do, don¡¯t step on it.¡± ¡°The rune for fire, huh?¡± he looked back at the stone, trying to commit the design to memory. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just typical.¡± ¡°What is?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°My first encounter with magic and it¡¯s a trap that could have killed me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch it. I don¡¯t have the skill to disarm something like that and I don¡¯t have the supplies to treat the injuries it would cause.¡± Arche nodded and, in an exaggerated motion, stepped over the trap. Lyssa did the same, taking great care to ensure that no part of her came remotely close to interacting with the marked stone.
You have learned a Skill. Investigation ¡ª Level 1 The act of searching is a trainable skill. The act of finding is something else entirely. Each level in this skill improves your ability to find hidden objects and areas. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Intelligence and Perception by 1. +1% Chance to Spot Hidden Things (+1%) +1% Chance to Spot Traps (+1%) +1% Speed of Searching (+1%)
As they continued forward, Arche kept a watchful eye on the floor, the walls, and the ceiling, looking for more traps that could kill or maim them. In total, he¡¯d found a pressure stone, a tripwire, and a pitfall trap, and that was after only an hour of walking. There was enough hidden danger along the path to get his new skill to level two. There were more dangers that Lyssa pointed out to him, her skill in the matter clearly much higher than his, also aided by her ability to see better. The passage wound in strange directions as they walked. It was full of sharp turns and often doubled back on itself, but all the while it led them deeper and deeper underground. It was impossible to tell the time. Late, judging by the weight behind his eyes. Arche was about to suggest they stop and rest for the evening when Lyssa stiffened next to him. He alerted immediately, heart drumming as he looked round for danger. Would it be shambling dead? Flashing blades? The necromancer? ¡°I hear something,¡± Lyssa whispered. ¡°A threat?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Voices. I can¡¯t tell what they¡¯re saying, it¡¯s echoing.¡± ¡°Do undead speak?¡± ¡°Only the powerful ones.¡± ¡°Shit. Should I douse the light?¡± ¡°Not yet. They are still far away. The echoes are quiet.¡± They continued forward much more slowly. Lyssa, as usual, had no issue being completely silent, but Arche¡¯s every step seemed to scrape no matter how lightly he tread. Lyssa moved in front of him. Though her face betrayed no emotion as she passed, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was cursing him for the noise he was making. He was doing his best to obscure the light being thrown by the torch while still casting enough before him to see where he was going. They traveled another hundred paces or so before Lyssa stopped again. ¡°They¡¯re getting louder,¡± she whispered. ¡°What are they saying?¡± ¡°They are speaking Arachnean.¡± ¡°They what?¡± ¡°The language of the spiders. Whatever we are about to find, it will not be friendly. Be prepared to fight.¡± Arche paused and adjusted his grip on his sword. ¡°Did you just say ¡®spiders?¡¯¡± His flesh crawled at the word. ¡°Yes. The children of Arachne. They are rife wherever it is dark. We seem to be far enough underground that her more intelligent descendants have taken up residence. This is troubling.¡± ¡°What kind of spiders are we talking about, here?¡± ¡°Scared, Greenstick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just not super fond of creepy crawlies, apparently. What kind?¡± ¡°The giant kind.¡± ¡°Now, why does that make me feel worse?¡± ¡°Pull yourself together, Arche, it¡¯s just another enemy.¡± ¡°Right. Just another enormous, creepy, eight-legged-and-eyed monster. Which we will fight. With only a torch keeping us from complete and total darkness. Deep underground. With hundreds of tons of rock above our heads. Nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Are you really picking now to have compromising thoughts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s never not a good time to be contemplating your imminent demise at the hands of monsters.¡± Lyssa rolled her eyes and nocked an arrow to her bow. Arche took several deep breaths and thumped his chest a few times, trying to pull himself together. Just another monster, he could do this. He¡¯d fought undead, this couldn¡¯t be worse, right? Lyssa raised an eyebrow at him but he ignored her as they crept along the passage. More and more web strands hung from the walls and ceiling until spiderwebs blocked their way entirely. As they approached, Arche was able to hear the voices as well. They spoke in chitters and clacks that were wholly unnerving. He glanced at Lyssa. Her face was a stoic mask of determination. If he could feel half as confident and fierce as she looked, he could have taken on every zombie outside single-handed. Instead, he would have to settle for the churning bundle of nerves strangling themselves in the basin of his stomach. Arche touched his torch to the webs in front of them, which lit up in a blazing conflagration. The voices on the other side hissed and shrieked. The webs burned quickly, taking only moments to completely shrivel away into a melted, white goop. Arche moved past the smoldering webs, his sword brandished in front of him, and found himself in a large room coated with webbing. Inside were three enormous, black, spider-like creatures. They had massive thoraxes with eight spindly legs, but where a head should be was instead the torso of a humanoid woman clad in leathery spider chitin, creating a natural protection. Their flesh was as gray as stone, nearly fading into the walls around them in the light from the torch. Each had two human arms in addition to all the spider legs and wielded spears twice Arche¡¯s height. Most unsettling of all, however, were their faces. Each had eight beady, solid-black eyes, and all of them had turned toward Arche. Below the horror of their eyes, large spider mandibles clacked in front of mouths that would be human, if they weren¡¯t full of needle-like teeth. Arche didn¡¯t pause as he entered, as much as he would have liked to. The sheer horror of the creatures in front of him spurred his body into action and he waved his torch to fend them off, despite the fact they were ten paces away. ¡°Sisters,¡± one of the creatures spat in a hissing, chittering voice that made Arche shiver. ¡°Dinner has arrived.¡± Hearing the common tongue through their nightmarish mouths only made Arche want to set them on fire even more. The other two chittered and screeched, the high-pitched sounds reverberating off the walls as they advanced. Lyssa¡¯s arrow sank into one of the spider-women¡¯s legs, which was as thick as a young tree and covered in small, sharp spines, perfect for tearing. ¡°Arachtaurs,¡± Lyssa spat, drawing her bow back again. ¡°Be wary of their venom, they can inject it through their legs as well.¡± Arche waved his torch in front of himself in broad strokes, trying desperately to scare back the slowly advancing creatures, all the while keeping his sword high and ready. Over his shoulder, Lyssa used him for cover as she methodically targeted joints and exposed flesh. ¡°Help! Help me!¡± a frightened voice called from behind a mass of webs on the other side of the room. One of the arachtaurs charged, forcing Arche and Lyssa to dive out of the way. They hit the ground in opposite directions. Arche¡¯s torch clattered across the floor, coming to a stop in a pile of webbing. A bright flash nearly blinded him as the whole mess went up in flames. He brought his sword up to deflect a spear thrust that nearly skewered him, then scrambled to his feet, his heart thumping painfully. Arche tried to close the distance, which would hopefully reduce the effectiveness of the spear, but the arachtaur reared and he found himself with two razor-sharp spider legs flying toward him from opposite directions. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. Arche hit the ground once more and rolled to the side. As he rose, he brought his sword up and braced it against his left forearm to block an incoming swipe of the spear. The force of the blow crushed his arm against him and his breath came out in a rush as he was sent flying. His fall was broken by a mass of webs. The brief pause let him see the rest of the room. Half of it was on fire. Lyssa had abandoned her bow in favor of dual wielding her curved shortswords, which she called kopides. She flowed between dodging and attacking, masterfully engaging two of the arachtaurs in close combat. Arche¡¯s own arachtaur charged him, spear aimed for his heart. Arche wrenched himself from the webs, limp from the heat of the room, and spun to the side. He avoided being turned into paste against the wall but the spear cut into his left shoulder, punching through the edge of his leather jerkin. He clenched his teeth through the pain and slashed at one of the arachtaur¡¯s legs. The blade cut deep but caught in the joint. Arche wrenched the sword as the arachtaur recoiled, ripping it free. The arachtaur let out a screech and stumbled forward as her leg detached. Arche jumped forward as the arachtaur¡¯s human half hit the ground. He landed on her back and plunged his sword into her chitin with a crunch. The arachtaur let out another scream, this one far shriller as it bucked wildly. Arche lost his grip and was thrown free, his sword still embedded. He landed hard, tumbling across the stone floor. The arachtaur laid on the ground, groaning and trying to stand as its spider-blood spilled across the floor. The other two arachtaurs, upon seeing their sister, roared in anger and turned their attention to Arche. ¡°Ah, fuck,¡± he muttered, scrambling to pull his sword free. The sword was stuck fast and the writhing of the arachtaur forced him backwards. Weaponless, he could do nothing only watch as both arachtaurs lunged for him. They seemed to move in slow-motion, spears flashing and fangs bared. At any moment, they would tear him into pieces. Then Lyssa was there. Her blades spun as she took full advantage of the arachtaurs¡¯ distraction. In a flash, she severed one¡¯s arm. As the creature recoiled, she stabbed its midsection at the connection of spider and woman. Black blood sprayed and hissed among the flames. The other arachtaur did not waver as its sister died, the spear in its hands was pointed unwaveringly toward Arche¡¯s chest. He tried to move, but his foot was caught deep in webbing and twisted at a bad angle. The spear tore into his side, barely slowed by his leather armor. The force of the impact, with the arachtaur¡¯s full weight behind it, ripped him out of the webs, bore him backwards, and slammed him into the wall. Arche gasped. Blood poured from his side, splashing against the webs covering the floor. He looked down at the spear, unable to comprehend what had happened. For a single moment, he felt nothing but pressure, then the pain came. It burned into him. Everything else was driven away. His vision went dark around the edges, his Health flashing dangerously low. The arachtaur leaned forward and hissed at him, but he was only dimly aware of her. Her mandibles clacked, ready to sink into his flesh. One bite and he would be dead. Lyssa appeared, soaring up behind the arachtaur like a hero from legend. She severed the creature¡¯s head with a single stroke of her sword, letting it topple to the ground at Arche¡¯s feet. The body of the arachtaur collapsed and Arche let out a gurgle. He¡¯d been saved from a quick death, but a slow one was still likely. Lyssa was at his side in an instant. She, too, was bathed in blood, but it was the black blood of the arachtaurs. She gripped the spear and carefully pulled it free, then placed both hands over the wound. Arche slid to the floor, his own hands weakly grasping his wound. Lyssa spoke in a low voice, saying something in Elvish. Darkness crept over more of his vision and all sensation began to slip away. He looked up, barely able to make out Lyssa¡¯s face. If it was going to be the last thing he saw, he was all right with that.
You have slain a Level 17 Arachtaur. You gain 425 experience. Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 1,000 bonus experience. Lyssanderyli has slain two Arachtaurs. You gain 425 experience.
You have reached Level 10. As a Human, you receive 5 attribute points to distribute per level. You currently have 15 undistributed attribute points.
More notifications flashed, indicating skill increases, but remained minimized. A golden glow surrounded him, washing over him three times. It flooded his muscles with strength and concentrated at the wound in his side, knitting his broken flesh back together. Arche gasped as the light turned inward, reattaching split organs and shoving everything back where it was supposed to be. Lyssa breathed a sigh in relief, then hit him in the arm. Hard. Arche winced as his Health dropped a few points. ¡°Fool! Were you trying to get yourself killed? I told you to stay close to me.¡± ¡°My bad,¡± Arche gasped. ¡°Damn, that hurt.¡± ¡°You have to be more careful. You¡¯re still low-leveled, so you can reliably expect to level up after a hard fight, but soon you won¡¯t be able to rely on that to save you. You can¡¯t keep doing this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to make a habit of it. Are you all right?¡± Arche gestured toward the blood covering her. She sighed, physically relaxing somewhat. ¡°Nothing serious. I¡¯ve yet to go through my prompts, but I leveled after the first one died.¡± ¡°What level are you, anyway?¡± Lyssa hesitated, her face twisting before she answered. ¡°Twenty-nine.¡± Arche¡¯s eyes widened. He opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by another voice. ¡°Hello? Is somebody out there? Help me!¡± The sound came muffled from one of the corners of the room. Arche pushed his way to his feet and pulled his xiphos free from the dead arachtaur. Much of the webbing in the room had melted, but the torch still burned where it had been dropped. Arche retrieved it as well, holding both it and the sword aloft. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Ready.¡± They moved together toward the mess of webs at the far end of the room. Arche led the way, torch out in front of him, while Lyssa was close behind with bow nocked. As they approached the mass of webs, Arche realized they were covering a door. Someone on the other end seemed to be banging on it but the mass of webbing held it shut. He locked eyes with Lyssa, who shrugged. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he called out. The knocking stopped. ¡°Hello? Are you here to help me?¡± ¡°Help who?¡± ¡°Helwan is my name, good sir. I¡¯ve been trapped in here for some time. If you would be so kind as to let me out?¡± Arche locked eyes with Lyssa again, who nodded. Arche touched the torch to the web and turned away from the flash of heat. The flames quickly ate through the layers of webbing, revealing a thick metal door. The latch on the door lifted and swung open toward them, revealing a short creature, only a little taller than Arche¡¯s waist. It appeared to be a man but many of its features were animalistic. The creature who called himself Helwan had large, brown, furry ears that were slightly conical, like a horse. His legs were hairy and his feet cloven goat-hooves. A small, horse-like tail, carefully braided, trailed behind him. He also wore a waistcoat that might have been colorful at one point but had long since been darkened by the grime of travel and adventure. His face was human, mostly, and sported a dark brown goatee that matched his hair, out of which grew two gently curling horns. Most off-putting of all, however, were his eyes. Large, rectangular pupils gave the short creature a wholly alien feel. Lyssa spat in disgust. ¡°Satyr.¡± Arche looked back at her questioningly, only to find she was staring at the goat-horse-man with absolute derision, bordering on open hatred. Helwan, on the other hand, had a look of astonishment and adoration upon the satyr¡¯s face. Helwan stepped forward, kneeling with a hand on his chest, completely ignoring Arche. ¡°My lady, I am Helwan Panysk. Musician, mage, and megaloscholar. It is my utmost pleasure to have met you.¡± He reached for Lyssa¡¯s hand, presumably to kiss it. Lyssa drew her bow and placed the tip of the arrow against the satyr¡¯s forehead. ¡°Allow me to make something very clear to you, satyr. You touch me and you die. Is that understood?¡± Some of Helwan¡¯s timidity returned as Lyssa¡¯s razor-sharp arrow pricked his forehead, drawing a small bead of blood. ¡°Y-yes, understood very well, my lady!¡± Arche threw up his hands in confusion, still holding the torch and sword. ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°Perverts of the forest,¡± Lyssa spat. ¡°The sooner this one is out of our company, the better it will be. Better yet, I¡¯ll kill him now and save us both the trouble.¡± ¡°I mean no offense, dear lady. I merely wanted to show you the depths of my gratitude for saving me from those fearful monsters.¡± ¡°Keep your depths to yourself, goat.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Arche interjected, moving to place himself somewhat between the two of them. ¡°Let¡¯s all just settle down and remember why we¡¯re here in the first place.¡± He paused, then looked at Helwan. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Helwan hesitated, then produced a scrap of parchment from his inventory. ¡°I discovered this map hidden within the forgotten stacks of the Lyceum Apokryfos library, marking a hidden path to this site, deep below the surface. As a megaloscholar, I could not pass up the opportunity to explore a potentially great historic find. If I could be the first to write about it, why, I could have my name lauded about the great academic halls. Who knows what secrets or magics could be found here?¡± ¡°And you didn¡¯t expect to find monsters?¡± ¡°Ah,¡± the satyr looked sheepish. ¡°I did. I had hired an adventuring group to protect me. They, uh, they were not quite up to the task, and I locked myself away in this room for safety. When the fighting was over, the group was gone and I found myself trapped. I can only presume they are dead or fled.¡± Arche paused, looked at Lyssa, then looked back at Helwan. ¡°How many were there?¡± ¡°Oh, perhaps a dozen in total.¡± ¡°Well, that explains the zombies we found.¡± Helwan blinked in surprise. ¡°Zombies? They turned into zombies?¡± ¡°Yeah, pretty fast ones, too. What kind of mage did you say you were?¡± ¡°Oh, well, ah, you see, I¡¯m more of a historian, really, but I have an interest in a large display of magical arts, histories, artifacts. I¡¯ve been trained in gaiamancy and phosphomancy but can¡¯t say that I¡¯m especially gifted in either approach.¡± ¡°What about necromancy?¡± ¡°I have studied a little bit of it, but only academically. It¡¯s a foul branch of magic and my curiosity was only that of the very young and foolhardy. Once I learned how terrible it actually was, I swore away all study of it.¡± Helwan cringed away at the admission, as if ashamed. Arche glanced at Lyssa to gauge her reaction. It had changed, ever so slightly, from disgust to revulsion. ¡°All right, all right,¡± he said, sheathing his sword and pinching the bridge of his nose. ¡°Let¡¯s just calm down, everybody, and talk this through. Helwan, why don¡¯t you tell us exactly what you¡¯re doing here and what happened to you.¡± ¡°I, erm, I already told you. I found this map and wanted to write¨C¡± ¡°I may be younger than I look, Helwan, but I don¡¯t believe you would pay for twelve armed and capable individuals to accompany you on an extremely dangerous academic pursuit just to write a paper. You¡¯re looking for something. What is it? From the beginning.¡± Helwan glanced back and forth between Arche and Lyssa. His strange, rectangular pupils bouncing. Finally, he let out a sigh. ¡°This may take some time; it would be best if everyone made themselves comfortable. Your torch, sir, looks to be running low. Perhaps you would be inclined to use my light?¡± The satyr produced a lantern from his inventory. Inside the lantern was a glowing orange orb that, upon a cursory glance, could have been firelight, but did not flicker or waver as the lantern moved about. It was also much more effective than Arche¡¯s torch, illuminating the entire room in steady light. ¡°What is that?¡± Arche asked, looking at the lantern intently. ¡°This is an Everlit Lantern. A larger, less expensive version of an Everlit Locket. Both are made by my employer, Bits and Baubles Enterprises.¡± Helwan paused, evidently expecting some kind of reaction out of Arche and Lyssa. They stared at him blank-faced until he coughed and continued. ¡°Yes, well, Bits and Baubles is a manufactory and repository of enchanted items but they also send teams out for the collection of rare magical artifacts.¡± ¡°I imagine there¡¯s a lot of money in that,¡± Arche said. ¡°Indeed. Now, I discovered the map to this place like I said. There was a riddle in old dwarvish about a collapsed mine with a great treasure and great danger hidden away below. As I¡¯m sure you both know, the only thing dwarves value more than their precious metals is magic. So I took it upon myself to come and retrieve the artifact and present it to my employer, Lady Rune Oyl.¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± Arche said, raising a hand. ¡°You weren¡¯t even tasked by your boss to come here? You just decided you were going to follow some ancient riddle and map to a place you knew nothing about, on the off chance that it had magical treasure that you could then bring back to maybe get a promotion from your boss?¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite reductive but is the general gist of things, yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m almost impressed. That explains why you came here, but not what¡¯s happened since.¡± Helwan¡¯s face fell. ¡°Yes. We found the entrance; I imagine you found it too. A large, excavated hole in the ground, pool at the bottom. Anyway, we made our way along it until we came to this room. Here, we were set upon by the three arachtaurs you were so kind to take care of for me. They fought my companions while I fled and hid in that room. I conjured an illusion to throw the arachtaurs off my trail, but I was trapped when they put a fresh coating of web in the room. I was there for five days, surviving on the rations I brought with me. I tried a few spells to release myself from that room, but nothing worked. Furthermore, I must have made too much noise because they started screeching and talking to one another right outside my door. If you two had not shown when you did, I would be dead. For that, you both have my everlasting gratitude.¡± Helwan bowed low, the gesture made awkward as he was still sitting. ¡°May I ask the names of my rescuers?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Arche, this is Lyssa.¡± ¡°It is my honor to have made your acquaintances.¡± Arche turned to Lyssa. ¡°What do you think? Is he telling the truth?¡± She scowled. For several long moments, Arche thought she was going to kill the satyr and be done with it, then she lowered her bow. ¡°There is some truth, at least, to his words. As much as it pains me to admit it, a mage will be useful as we continue.¡± ¡°Most excellent!¡± Helwan exclaimed. ¡°You shall not regret the addition of my company, I guarantee it!¡± ¡°I already regret the addition of your company, satyr. You should know that I do not intend to allow powerful artifacts to fall into your possession, regardless of your spun tales.¡± Helwan deflated slightly. ¡°I understand. My apologies for earlier, Lady Lyssa. I am not ignorant of the reputation my kind have throughout Tartarus. However, I hope that the common notions of my heritage do not sully all your thoughts of me. I can hardly make up for the sins of my forebears, but I can, perhaps, do some good here.¡± Arche was reminded of Lord Cypress and the similar argument that saved his own life from execution. ¡°As for the artifact, my oversight at Bits and Baubles is not one that would be forgiven lightly, even if I had presented the item. Reputation means much to Lady Oyl and I didn¡¯t exactly go through proper channels to procure travel here. To that extent, I have no great impetus to claim the item for myself. All I ask is that I might be allowed to study it. I have a few identification spells in my repertoire that may prove useful.¡± ¡°A word, Arche?¡± Lyssa asked. Arche stood and they walked to the other side of the room, farther than what Arche thought was necessary but, then again, he didn¡¯t know how good a satyr¡¯s hearing was. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°You said yourself that he was telling the truth.¡± ¡°I said there was some truth to what he said. That¡¯s not to say he won¡¯t abandon us or actively work against us if we travel together.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risk, certainly. But think of the potential benefits of having a magic wielder down here. We faced three arachtaurs that have already killed a dozen adventurers. They nearly killed me and certainly would have, had it not been for you. You¡¯ve saved me several times already. What if you need saving next time and I¡¯m not enough? It might help to have some magic in our corner.¡± Lyssa shifted her weight, folding her arms in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of traveling with a satyr.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said similar things about traveling with a human. What¡¯s the matter with satyrs? You called them perverts of the forest. What is this about?¡± She grimaced. ¡°They¡¯re sexual predators, generally speaking. Ancient tales across Tartarus speak of satyrs that would chase women through the forests. Humans, elves, dryads. It didn¡¯t matter what they were. If they caught the women¡­¡± Lyssa trailed off, clenching and unclenching her fists. Arche was at a loss. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say. That¡¯s disgusting beyond words.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unforgivable. In my village, our women are warned about satyrs. Our histories are full of their monstrous actions. They are one of the many reasons our women are taught to fight. In centuries past, they would be shot on sight for trespassing into our territories. Tartarus has changed since then, but elven memory runs deep. He,¡±¡ªshe pointed at Helwan¡ª¡°is from the city. There is nothing of a forest satyr about him. For a satyr to live in the city and not have been killed or imprisoned, he must have overcome his nature. I do not know what kind of people reside in these cities, but I doubt even they would tolerate those kinds of actions. Still, the idea of traveling with a satyr? Sleeping near one? I¡¯d rather kill him now and be done with it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t condone killing him, but it¡¯s your choice whether or not he joins us. This is your quest, after all.¡± Lyssa nodded, her eyes full of indecision. They stood in silence for several moments, then she shook her head. ¡°If he was hired by a woman, that speaks enough to his character. Fine. But please, keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± They returned to see Helwan was in the process of cleaning a pan flute. ¡°You¡¯re not planning on playing that right now, are you?¡± Arche asked. ¡°What? Oh, no! No, I think the quieter we are the better. I just like to occupy my hands. Helps calm me down.¡± ¡°We have decided to allow you to join us,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°On the condition that you do as we tell you. Know that I do not trust you and if you do anything to suggest you are working against us, I will kill you without hesitation. If you have been honest with us, we will consider allowing you to study whatever artifacts we come across, but do not give you the right to keep such items. Do you understand and agree to these terms?¡± Helwan scrambled to his feet in order to bow properly. ¡°Oh! Yes. Yes, I do.¡± A notification appeared in Arche¡¯s vision.
Helwan Panysk has agreed to join your Adventuring Party.
¡°Good. Now that we have that settled, we can set up camp for the night.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 8 Persepera The 10th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Without the proper materials or necessary ventilation for a true campfire, the three happenstance adventurers gathered around the Everlit Lantern. Though the lantern provided no warmth in the cold depths, the darkness it banished was enough to keep their spirits steady. Helwan, evidently stressed by the day¡¯s events, had fallen fast asleep sprawled out on a bedroll. Lyssa and Arche sat against a wall, side by side. She poured both of them a bowl of hot soup, produced from a container in her inventory. Arche was thrilled to find that objects stored in the inventory kept their temperature in addition to not spoiling. ¡°What happens if you don¡¯t store something directly in your inventory?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lyssa asked, scraping the bottom of her bowl with a spoon. ¡°The bag you gave me added more space to my inventory, but what if I were to physically pick something up and put it inside the bag. Would it automatically go to an inventory slot, or would it stay in the bag?¡± ¡°It stays in the bag.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Arche ducked his head, feeling like an idiot. The corners of Lyssa¡¯s mouth twitched as she eyed him. ¡°In millennia past, legend has it that our inventory space was entirely physical. You had to carry everything with you. However, something changed in the time since and the world became more like we know it today.¡± ¡°You mean with the levels and everything else?¡± ¡°Yes. Some of our earliest stories indicate that there was no such metric. People had to demonstrate how skilled they were, they had to exercise to grow stronger with no clear idea of how much they had improved. Some blame the Titans for the shift, but I¡¯m not so sure.¡± Arche blinked. ¡°Wait, Titans? What are those?¡± Lyssa shuddered. ¡°I should not have spoken so flippantly. They are not a good topic for discussion, deep underground as we are. Old superstitions say that if you mention them too often, you gain their attention. The last thing we need right now is more trouble.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll agree to that. It¡¯s strange, though. So much of life and living seems familiar to me, despite everything, but the levels and the skills and the attributes, the whole system is completely foreign.¡± Silence filled the space between them as they ate. Arche used the time to go over the skill gain notifications.
Acrobatics has increased to Level 7. +3% Control of Movement (+21%) +1% Jump Height (+7%) +1 Dexterity +1 Agility
Swordsmanship has increased to Level 13. +2% Damage with Swords (+26%) You have reached the rank of Novice Swordsman. You gain 100 experience.
Archery has increased to Level 12. +2% Damage with Ranged Weapons (+24%) +2% Accuracy with Ranged Weapons (+24%) +1% Range with Ranged Weapons (+12%)
Stealth has increased to Level 8. +2% Chance to Hide (+16%) +2% Sneak Attack Chance (+16%) +1% Sneak Attack Damage (+8%)
You have learned a Skill. Persuasion ¡ª Level 1 Your ideas are great, and now others will think so, too. Each level in this skill improves your ability to talk others around to your viewpoint. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Charisma by 1. +1% Persuasion Chance (+1%)
A new skill, new rank in swordsmanship, and an improvement to his attributes. It had been a very productive, if very dangerous, day. Arche pulled open his profile to check his changes.
Arche
Level: 10 Experience to Next Level: 918 (8%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 185 centimeters Weight: 80.5 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: Helwan Panysk
You have 15 undistributed attribute points
Health: 315 / 315 100% Stamina: 225 / 225 100% Mana: 140 / 140 100%
Strength: 18 Dexterity: 18 Agility: 15 Fortitude: 15 Endurance: 15 Intelligence: 14 Wisdom: 13 Willpower: 13 Perception: 13 Charisma: 11 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
Fifteen points to distribute, thanks to one near-death experience. Arche¡¯s thoughts flicked back to the last three fights. He had attempted to use his bow twice to limited success but had been forced to rely on his sword every time. His physical traits were improving but he was still outclassed by everything he came up against. That needed to change but the ¡®how¡¯ was giving him trouble. Strength was certain, Fortitude was just as necessary, but after that, what? Three points went into Strength and Fortitude each. In the fight with the arachtaurs, he had managed to dodge the strike of their spears until the end, when he had been caught by the webbing. He¡¯d only been able to do that because of his speed and reactions. Two points went into Agility. Seven points left. Lyssa¡¯s warning about placing all his points in physical attributes came back to him, so he examined his mental stats. Each had their own allure, and he didn¡¯t want to skip any of them, so he put one point each into Intelligence, Wisdom, Willpower, Perception, and Charisma. With two points left and no hard ideas on where to place them, his eyes were drawn to the two attributes he had thus far neglected: Comeliness and Luck. Arche ran a finger along his face, feeling the raised scars that traced his cheeks and forehead. Comeliness was an attractive option for someone in his situation but it still felt like the wrong choice. He didn¡¯t have a solid self-image and, after Lyssa¡¯s words, he dreaded the idea of looking. Luck, similarly, was so ambiguous that he hardly felt he could justify spending points on it when the other attributes were very clear on how they would keep him alive. With more than a little reluctance, Arche pulled himself away from the two attributes and placed his last two points placed into Intelligence and Charisma.
Health: 360 / 360 100% Stamina: 240 / 240 100% Mana: 160 / 160 100%
Strength: 21 Dexterity: 18 Agility: 17 Fortitude: 18 Endurance: 15 Intelligence: 16 Wisdom: 14 Willpower: 14 Perception: 14 Charisma: 13 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 10
There was a clear bias toward his physical attributes but he could focus more on mental if and when he learned magic. In the meantime, the physical would keep him alive. That would have to be enough. Arche glanced at Lyssa, intending to ask her more about attributes and their effects, only to find she had fallen asleep, her empty bowl sitting on the ground next to her. The sight brought a smile to his face. It was the most peaceful he¡¯d ever seen her. With the wave of a hand, he produced a blanket from his inventory and draped it over her. Not far away, Helwan kicked a leg in his sleep. It had been a risk, letting the satyr join them. He hoped it was the right choice. There was little point in worrying about it, the decision was made. As long as Helwan didn¡¯t give them further reason not to trust him, Arche would follow Lord Cypress¡¯s lead and not hold Helwan¡¯s species against him. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. The next few hours crept by until it was time to wake Lyssa for her watch. Arche was grateful for the chance to sleep. The day had taken its toll on him.
Arche woke to Lyssa shaking him by the shoulders. He was panting and covered in sweat, hand scrabbling at his right hip for a weapon that wasn¡¯t there. The sounds of screams and explosions echoed in his ears. ¡°Arche, calm down.¡± Battles of blade and fire swirled in his mind. It was several moments before he recognized where he was and who was around him. His body shook with adrenaline, with the need to fight. Helwan was also awake, standing several paces away and looking at him with more than a little apprehension. Arche gulped air, trying to soothe his frayed nerves. He readjusted the sword on his belt, the weight on his left hip bringing some small comfort. ¡°Sorry. Sorry, I¡¯m all right. Just a bad dream.¡± It had been more than just bad. He had been a faceless thing, unable to speak, unable to scream. He had clutched at somebody, a man in strange garb, trying to beg his help but couldn¡¯t form the words. The man had recoiled from him, screaming, and run away. The air itself howled and shrieked in turn. People shouted over the anguished laments of the dying. Fire bloomed from people¡¯s hands and others were torn apart, their blood mixing into the sand. Where his face should have been was only pain and his blood poured from it, joining the rest, only to be drunk by the ground below. ¡°Just a bad dream.¡± Arche clenched his fists and stood, gathering his bedroll and blanket back into his inventory, more as an excuse to do something than anything else. Lyssa and Helwan watched him for a few moments longer, then turned back to their own tasks. He¡¯d never dreamed anything like that before. His dreams had always been vague, nebulous, and faded quickly after waking. They¡¯d never been so vivid, so terrifyingly real. Arche tried to banish it from his mind. He needed to focus on the task at hand. They were hunting the source of some evil and there was likely danger ahead. This place had already nearly killed him once. He had to be on his guard. ¡°Do we have any idea what to expect next?¡± he asked. ¡°My knowledge of arachtaurs is limited. Will there be more?¡± ¡°Arachtaurs,¡± Helwan said with the steady voice of a seasoned lecturer, ¡°are not as prolific as their tiny, eight-legged ancestors. They live in modified familial units, often underground or in areas with very little light due to the photosensitivity of their eyes. If there are others, I don¡¯t think it would be more than what you two have already faced. They are fiercely territorial and often the siblings will kill and eat their parents as a rite of passage into adulthood.¡± Arche raised an eyebrow and looked at Lyssa, who nodded and shrugged in a manner that said, ¡®more or less.¡¯ ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°What about that artifact? Did your ancient dwarven poem give any idea what it could be?¡± Helwan stroked his goatee with one hand while his other hand found the end of his horse-like tail and swished it in slow circles. ¡°I spent weeks pouring over it, but dwarves are notoriously complex and clever. They don¡¯t like to share their treasure and any reference to something of value is hidden behind layers of code and reference.¡± ¡°Yes or no, Helwan.¡± ¡°Given your experience with my former compatriots, I am willing to wager it is an artifact of necromancy filling the air and, therefore, ambient Mana with powerful necromantic energies.¡± Now it was Arche¡¯s turn to stroke his chin. ¡°So you¡¯re saying this artifact can bolster a necromancer¡¯s abilities?¡± ¡°If it is indeed what I believe it to be, absolutely.¡± ¡°And what was your experience with necromancy, again?¡± ¡°I, erm, well, my interest was of a purely academic variety, I assure you.¡± ¡°Have you ever brought anything back from the dead?¡± Helwan brought himself up proudly. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know I successfully reanimated a drosophila once, under controlled circumstances.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°A fruit fly.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°I, erm, blacked out shortly afterward.¡± Helwan¡¯s pride vanished as quickly as it appeared. ¡°Great. What exactly can you do in terms of magic?¡± ¡°I¨C¡± Steel scraped against stone and culminated in a wet plopping noise. Arche and Helwan whirled about to find Lyssa in the process of decapitating the dead arachtaurs with her sword. When she was done dismembering the corpses, she rejoined them. ¡°Just fixing a problem before it reanimates.¡± ¡°Good thinking,¡± Arche said, eyes fixed on the black, bloody ichor seeping out of an arachtaur¡¯s neck stump. ¡°Well, I think that does it for my appetite. We ready to get moving?¡± They set off down the only passageway left available to them. Arche took the Everlit Lantern and fastened it to his chest so he wouldn¡¯t have to waste a hand to hold it. The lantern had a dial on the top which, when twisted, lowered a hood to conceal the light, a function Arche regarded as ingenious, and he resolved to get one at his earliest convenience. It wasn¡¯t long before they came to a fork in the passage. Arche and Lyssa stopped, trying to determine which way to go, but it was Helwan who made the choice for them. ¡°It¡¯s that way,¡± Helwan said, pointing to the left. ¡°I can feel the Mana it¡¯s emitting.¡± ¡°How close are we?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°Hard to say. A few hundred meters, more or less.¡± Arche gave Lyssa a tired look. ¡°Not too far,¡± she clarified, eliciting a puzzled look from Helwan. ¡°Let¡¯s keep going. Be on your guards.¡± Arche set off before the satyr could ask questions. Helwan walked in the middle, giving directions whenever they came to a junction, and Lyssa brought up their rear to keep an eye on the satyr and ensure they weren¡¯t attacked from behind. Despite the traps they had encountered on the outskirts of the underground facility, Arche hadn¡¯t found any since they had fought the arachtaurs. It made some sense, as the dwarves probably wouldn¡¯t want traps covering the areas they lived and moved in, but it also made him paranoid that they were barely avoiding dangers they didn¡¯t know were there. At the last split in the corridor, Helwan pointed towards a large, metal door at the end of the hall. ¡°It¡¯s in there. Can you two really not feel it?¡± Arche paused, trying to sense anything that seemed out of the ordinary. He got nothing more than the musty scent of still air and damp ground. ¡°Nope. Let¡¯s go.¡± As they approached the door, Arche could see that it had been intricately designed. Three symbols adorned the door, each interconnected in a pattern that almost seemed to flow, despite the cool metal. Front and center was a trident, the metal blue and green, resembling the sea. Above the trident was a lightning bolt, golden and white in a mist of intricacies that looked like clouds. The final, below the trident, was a bident aiming downward and colored red and black. There was also a mist of intricacies, but instead of clouds these looked like pools of blood. Across the door was some form of runic script. ¡°A puzzle door?¡± Arche said aloud, not entirely sure of the concept. ¡°In ancient dwarvish,¡± Helwan said excitedly. ¡°Oh, this is wonderful! I must examine this fully, copy the words! I¡¯ll need a rubbing of these symbols, too. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this!¡± Arche grabbed the back of Helwan¡¯s collar as the satyr stepped forward. ¡°Careful. A big door protecting a powerful magical artifact? I don¡¯t think you should touch it until we figure out how to open it.¡± Helwan¡¯s eyes grew wide and he swallowed hard. ¡°Quite wise, Master Arche. Quite wise indeed. Yes, I think I can see well enough from here.¡± ¡°Can you translate?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°I believe so. It might take some time, but yes, I think I can.¡± ¡°Good. Do it now. Arche, set down the lantern and come over here.¡± Something in her tone delayed any argument. Arche unfastened the Everlit Lantern and joined her, sword in hand. ¡°We¡¯re being tracked,¡± Lyssa said quietly. ¡°I can hear them, echoing through the stone.¡± Arche glanced at her long ears, wondering briefly just how good her hearing was that she was able to pick out the noises before Helwan¡¯s horse-like ears could. He immediately shoved those thoughts away as unimportant and nodded at her. ¡°Do you know what it is?¡± Lyssa shook her head. ¡°No. The echo is distorting it. I think it¡¯s bipedal, just one creature, but I could be wrong. Not more than three unless they¡¯re walking in unison.¡± ¡°So not an arachtaur, then.¡± ¡°Likely not, no.¡± Arche examined their hallway. They were at one end with the puzzle door, five paces away from the probable death trap. Another fifteen paces was the turn-off point where they had entered into the passage, and another forty beyond that was the other end of the hall, which turned sharply out of sight. The passage itself was two paces wide, enough for Lyssa and him to stand comfortably next to each other, though fighting would be difficult without an overreliance on stabbing attacks. ¡°It¡¯s just one thing after another in this place, isn¡¯t it?¡± Lyssa said nothing as she drew an arrow and nocked it to her bow. She left it slack and let out a slow breath. Arche stretched, warming up his arms and legs. ¡°How long do we have?¡± ¡°Five minutes, perhaps?¡± ¡°Helwan, how long is this going to take?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Just work quickly. We¡¯re on a deadline.¡± Helwan glanced back at them, seeing them both preparing for a fight. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Focus, Helwan! Get us through that door,¡± Lyssa ordered. The satyr went back to furiously scribbling notes onto a scrap of parchment. Arche looked through his inventory for anything that could be used as a trap. Most of the contents were food or camping supplies. His bow was there, along with his quivers of arrows, but nothing else. ¡°You don¡¯t have any oil, do you? Caltrops? Ball bearings?¡± ¡°No,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Nothing like that.¡± ¡°Damn. I¡¯m out of ideas, then. Looks like we¡¯ll have to fight on even footing.¡± ¡°Your mind is keen for strategy.¡± Arche snorted. ¡°Hardly. Not that it¡¯s doing us any favors right now, anyway.¡± ¡°I wanted to tell you, I¡¯m sorry for having judged you when we met. You¡¯ve proven yourself a trustworthy friend, and an ally to my people. For that, I thank you.¡± Arche frowned and glanced sidelong at Lyssa. ¡°Why are you talking like we¡¯re about to die?¡± Lyssa let out a shaky breath and met his eyes. He saw the twisting of fear in her face and it chilled him to his core. ¡°Because I have identified the creature that hunts us. A revenant.¡± Arche waited, but when no further information was forthcoming, he gave a small cough. Lyssa took the hint. ¡°A powerful creature of undeath. My people know them as the Persistent because they never sway in their conviction to a task. I know of no way to kill one. They can shrug off mortal blows, regenerate themselves over time. Even if we manage to defeat it now, it will continue to come for us.¡± Arche said nothing, only watched her. She looked away from him, casting her eyes instead to the floor. Her knuckles were bright as she gripped her bow, hands shaking ever so slightly. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a bucket of sunshine today?¡± Lyssa did not answer. ¡°Look, if we¡¯re going to go down, let¡¯s go down swinging. I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m not ready to die just yet. Helwan! How¡¯s that door coming?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve translated some of it. It makes references to ancient powerful creatures, a whole family of them by the look of it, denoted by these symbols. I don¡¯t know yet to what end.¡± ¡°Keep working.¡± Arche put a hand on Lyssa¡¯s shoulder, forcing her to look at him. ¡°We are not dying today.¡± She gave a soft smile that did not reach her eyes. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right. Because it¡¯s almost here.¡± Arche looked down the hall and strained to listen. Finally, he heard what she was talking about. Over the scratching of Helwan¡¯s quill there was the echo of shuffling feet and low groaning. Arche picked up his xiphos and waited for the monster to appear. He didn¡¯t have to wait long. It resembled a man, if an emaciated one. Its clothing was old and torn in places, though it must have once been incredibly expensive. The revenant had gray, marbled skin that stretched tightly across bones with very little muscle. Its hair was snow white and wispy, framing glowing, blood-red eyes. The revenant¡¯s teeth, which it bared, were long and pointed, like fangs. Arche had some vague idea of what a dwarf looked like, but this creature resembled a corrupted elf more than any other creature, with its long, gaunt ears and angular features. ¡°Time to dance,¡± Arche muttered, stepping forward so Lyssa would have the space to fire her bow. Despite his bravado, he could feel the familiar thumping of his heart in his chest, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as horrifying as some of the other creatures he¡¯d fought. That Lyssa was scared of this thing meant that he should be terrified, but after his near-death at the hands of the arachtaurs, it felt like just another monster. When anything can kill you, the ones that can do it well aren¡¯t especially scary. The revenant ambled forward, picking up speed with every step. An inhuman roar burst from its throat as it spread its arms wide, giving a good view of its abnormally long fingernails. Arche matched its roar with one of his own and waited for Lyssa to shoot twice before he charged to meet it. Lyssa¡¯s arrows plunged into the revenant¡¯s torso, but the creature didn¡¯t even flinch. Arche closed on the revenant, then jumped to the side as it swiped at him. The speed at which the shambling creature moved was surprising, but Arche was quicker. He kicked off the wall and swung his sword at the revenant¡¯s exposed arm. The blade cut skin but turned away at the creature¡¯s bones. Arche rolled to the side to avoid another swipe, which put the creature between him and his allies. It turned with him and Lyssa¡¯s arrows sank into its back but to no avail. The few times she had aimed at its head, the arrows only scattered off. ¡°Its bones are too hard. We can¡¯t break them!¡± Arche worked his sword defensively, deflecting the creature¡¯s swipes, always wary for it to lash out with its head to try and bite him with its large fangs. Instead, the creature kept trying to grasp him by the throat. Arche moved to the side and grabbed the arm with his free hand, then he twisted his body and threw the revenant over his shoulder onto the ground. If the undead creature could feel surprised, he was sure it would have been gaping at him, but instead it just started reaching upward for him with its other arm. Arche let go and dragged the blade of his sword across the revenant¡¯s throat, not that the action did anything more than make him feel better. Arche backed away toward Lyssa and Helwan as the revenant climbed to its feet. A prompt had begun flashing in the corner of his vision, which he ignored. ¡°Helwan!¡± Arche growled. ¡°I¡¯ve almost got it. The symbols all relate to kings of an ancient family. The riddle refers to the one that rules Tartarus!¡± ¡°Well, which one is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know! Tartarus doesn¡¯t have one ruler! There¡¯s a lot of kingdoms!¡± Arche parried one of the revenant¡¯s arms away with his sword but wasn¡¯t fast enough to avoid the other arm. Lyssa¡¯s blade redirected the limb high as she joined him in the fray. ¡°Figure it out, Helwan!¡± Arche backed off as Lyssa took his place, using her dual swords to deflect both of the revenant¡¯s swiping claws. He looked back to Helwan, who was gripping his horns and staring at the door. ¡°I¨CI don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Shut it! You¡¯re a mage, right? Go help Lyssa!¡± Helwan stumbled backward as Arche sheathed his sword and looked at the door. It stood as imposing and stoic as ever. A lightning bolt, a trident, and a bident. Each symbol as infuriating as the last. Arche glanced back at the others. Lyssa had been knocked down by the force of the revenant¡¯s blows; it was towering over her, ready to deliver a killing blow. Helwan finished the final words of an incantation and a beam of light shot from his hands, causing the revenant to stagger backwards and fall to one knee. Twisting vines grew from the floor, entangling the revenant¡¯s limbs to hold it down. Arche heard a loud snap as one of the vines tore in half. The revenant was rising to its feet, its movement barely slowed. Arche turned back to the door, thinking quickly. Somewhere in the back of his mind, some buried instinct whispered an answer, too nebulous for words. Too nebulous, in fact, to wonder where the thought even came from. Still, it wasn¡¯t like he had a better idea. Arche lifted his hand and pressed the lowermost symbol, the one of a bident. The door grinded over the stone as it opened. ¡°Come on!¡± Helwan was the first to turn and sprint through the door, grabbing the Everlit Lantern off the ground as he passed. Lyssa wasn¡¯t far behind, but the revenant was back on both feet and heading toward them. It was quick now, much quicker than it had been at the start of the fight. Arche watched with mounting horror. Lyssa wasn¡¯t going to make it. Her eyes were wide with terror. Green blood dripped down one of her legs from a wound as she limped for all she was worth. The revenant gained on her with every step, claws outstretched, seeking to rend her flesh into pulp. Blood pounded in Arche¡¯s ears. The fear on her face broke something deep in him. He moved forward, dashing toward Lyssa and the monster. He passed her, saw her turn her head and try to stop as the revenant turned its focus to Arche, but she twisted on her injured leg and her momentum carried her forward into the room as she fell. The revenant swung at him but Arche felt no fear. Something surged deep within his chest. Strength and warmth flooded outward from his center, seeping into every part of his body. Stone, wind, fire, victory, and something else. The world flickered around him. He was everything and nothing. He was the world and all that moved within it. He was life and he was death. He was power and rage and the strength to shatter every cursed thing. Ruby light flooded the dark hall. Arche¡¯s left hand rose and caught the revenant by the wrist, stopping its swipe mid-motion. His other hand curled into a fist and he struck the revenant¡¯s chest. Something passed between them. An invisible force extended from his center, through his fist, and into the revenant. The revenant was launched backwards, sliding along the stone floor all the way to the far end of the passage. Arche wasted no time in turning and running toward the door, where Lyssa and Helwan were holding it open for him. He sprinted toward them, his movements extraordinarily quick. Midstride, he felt a rush of vertigo and all his strength leeched out of his body. He made it the last few steps past the doorway, then he hit the ground and knew no more. Book 1 | Chapter 9 Hadespera The 11th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°But I don¡¯t understand, how did he solve the puzzle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s hardly the most important question right now, Helwan.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, of course. He glowed! Have you ever seen someone glow like that? I felt his Mana surge, but that certainly wasn¡¯t like any spell I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± ¡°The process nearly killed him, he¡¯s lucky he made it as far as he did.¡± ¡°Indeed. Mana Burnout is the bane of all young mages, though with his power I¡¯m surprised it¡¯s still an issue for him. Will he wake up soon?¡± Arche groaned. ¡°With you two making all that racket, how am I to sleep?¡± He opened his eyes and found that Lyssa was leaning over him, wiping his forehead with a cool rag. She looked relieved, though her eyes still shone with worry. Helwan paced nearby, wringing his hands. Arche felt like he had been trampled by an ox. Or, perhaps, a kykl¨­ps. His head pulsed with each beat of his heart. Trying to concentrate only made his head pound worse as the room swayed in front of him. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You did something that bottomed out your Mana. What you¡¯re experiencing is called Mana Burnout. Typically, it¡¯s young mages that have to worry most about that sort of thing. I thought you didn¡¯t know any magic,¡± Helwan answered. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°And yet here you are.¡± Arche checked his vitals.
Health: 360 / 360 100% Stamina: 240 / 240 100% Mana: 15 / 160 9%
Mana Burnout: 18:42
¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°Just over ten minutes,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°What¡¯s your Mana at?¡± ¡°Fifteen. I thought I¡¯d have regenerated more by now.¡± ¡°Normally, you would have. Mana is based on your mental attributes, but during burnout there are punishments. All of your vitals will regenerate more slowly.¡± ¡°How much more slowly? I¡¯ve got almost twenty minutes left before it¡¯s gone, you might as well explain it to me.¡± Lyssa gave a conspicuous look toward Helwan, which Arche waved off. ¡°Going to have to trust him eventually, right? His light blast pretty much saved you, after all. Besides, he might help me get answers.¡± Lyssa¡¯s squinted, clearly not happy at the situation, but spoke anyway. ¡°Mana Burnout happens when you run out of Mana. It lasts longer the more Mana you use and the faster you use it. Yours seems to last about half an hour, which is light compared to what it could have been. In some cases, it can be fatal. Your vitals will replenish at one-tenth their usual rate. Normally, you regenerate the value of the associated attribute every minute, with the exception of Health. At base ten Wisdom, you would regenerate ten Mana per minute, or one point every six seconds. During burnout, you regenerate at one-tenth that speed, getting only one point in that minute.¡± Arche nodded his understanding as Helwan looked between them, frowning. ¡°This is basic information,¡± Helwan finally asked. ¡°Why don¡¯t you know this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an amnesiac. Total memory loss of everything before a week ago. I¡¯m still learning about this world and its mechanics.¡± ¡°Strange,¡± Helwan said quietly, almost under his breath. ¡°Amnesia rarely erases all memories.¡± ¡°Nonetheless, everything is brand new to me.¡± Helwan narrowed his eyes. ¡°How did you solve the door?¡± Arche blinked. He had no idea how to explain the feeling he had, so he went for his backup reason. ¡°Well, erm, dwarves are on the smaller side, aren¡¯t they?¡± Lyssa nodded. ¡°I figured if they had a magic door where you had to pick the symbol that would let you through, they¡¯d use the one easiest to reach.¡± Lyssa and Helwan stared at him in shock. ¡°You realize if you were wrong, we could have all died.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see an alternative. We were getting our asses kicked. I had a hunch, I went with it.¡± Lyssa muttered something quietly in elvish. Helwan stared down at his hands, as if realizing how close to death¡¯s door they had all come. Arche eased himself off the floor and look around the room. It swam before him, but his headache was beginning to soothe. The timer still had ten minutes left. Arche placed a hand against his pounding head. This must be what a hangover felt like, curse it all. The room they were in was made of fine stone. It was also lit, which surprised him. The rest of the underground complex had been in pitched darkness, the only light came from torches or the Everlit Lantern. In this room, however, pillars were adorned with sconces that burned a bright blue, casting an ethereal sheen on everything in the room. Treasures piled high between the pillars. Golden trinkets, precious jewels, statues, figurines, paintings, piles of coins, and adornments of a kind so alien that Arche couldn¡¯t think of a proper name for them. In the center of the room, on a marble pedestal, a single staff of dark metal was embedded into the stone¡¯s very center. Something about it drew Arche¡¯s attention immediately. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°The reason we¡¯re here, I¡¯d wager,¡± Lyssa said, following his gaze. ¡°What, we¡¯ve been here for fifteen minutes and neither of you went to have a look?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not quite that simple,¡± Helwan said, gesturing toward the treasure on the floor. ¡°The whole area is under a powerful enchantment. Do you see these runes, adorning the stones?¡± Arche turned his gaze toward the pillars. Now that they had been pointed out to him, he clearly saw writings carved into each pillar. He looked back at the treasure horde and, from what little he could see of the stone floor, also saw writing adorning it. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about magic¡ªwell, anything, really¡ªbut I imagine that anything that requires that much effort is probably dangerous.¡± ¡°Well reasoned. Yes, if anyone so much as touches any of the treasure here, their life-force will be siphoned. That staff is emitting quite a bit of necromantic energy. It¡¯s possible it¡¯s empowering the enchantment.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that this treasure isn¡¯t just the dwarves¡¯ horde, it¡¯s also the trap itself?¡± ¡°Yes, for as long as it remains in the circle.¡± ¡°Can you dispel it?¡± ¡°Oh, goodness, no! It would take half a dozen master enchanters weeks to undo a ritual as powerful as this and I am no enchanter. Not even my gaiamancy would be enough to counteract the effects of the spell if I were to command the stone beneath to change.¡± Arche held up one hand and began counting off his fingers. ¡°We can¡¯t take any of it or we¡¯ll die. We can¡¯t leave the artifact or we fail the quest. If we go out the way we came in, the revenant will kill us.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve got to figure out some way of solving this. The dwarves wouldn¡¯t have set up a massive death trap without some way of deactivating it. Look around, there might be a lever or a clue somewhere that we can use.¡± He tried to take a step and stumbled, the world spinning in front of him. Lyssa caught him by the arm and lowered him into a sitting position. ¡°On second thought, I¡¯m just going to sit here and wait for my burnout to end. Ow.¡± Lyssa and Helwan split up to explore the room. Arche¡¯s stomach grumbled and he recalled his skipped breakfast. He pulled some bread out of his inventory, wincing at the pain the mental effort brought forth. After a moment¡¯s thought, he also produced some of the cooked wolf meat they had and made himself a sandwich. It was good, but dry. He felt it was missing something, he just didn¡¯t know what. The flashing of unread notifications caught his attention as he closed his eyes.
You have learned a Skill. Unarmed Combat ¡ª Level 1 Punch and kick your way to a brighter, bloodier tomorrow. Each level in this skill improves your ability at fighting without a weapon. +4% Damage while Unarmed (+4%) +0.5% Natural Armor (+0.5%)
You have learned a Skill. Divine Body ¡ª Level 1
Two new skills. Unarmed combat felt like something to experiment with more. Something about it was attractive, but he couldn¡¯t quite verbalize why. When he fought with his hands, it felt familiar. The Divine Body skill was the complete opposite. He had no idea what that was about. The outline of the notification was a radically different color from any other he¡¯d received so far. Whereas the rest of his notifications were a translucent gray, this one was a royal purple. He had no clue what the color signified and the lack of skill description, combined with still another five minutes on his Mana Burnout timer, was a thorough argument against immediate experimentation. ¡°Just more questions,¡± he muttered, dismissing the notifications. His current Mana had risen to a whopping thirty-three in all the time he¡¯d been waiting, a mere twenty percent of his total. His Stamina had dropped with his exertion of walking around and was now sitting at around seventy percent, which explained why he felt so winded. Arche closed his eyes and pressed his fingers against his temples. ¡°Lesson learned. Mana Burnout¡¯s a bitch.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got something!¡± Lyssa was standing next to one of the walls, her hand resting on what appeared to be a normal section of stone. Arche took a breath and forced himself back to his feet, using the wall to guide him around toward her. ¡°There¡¯s something here,¡± she said, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. Next to her fingers was a small indentation in the masonry, easily mistaken for a stray chisel scrape. As Arche peered closer at it, however, he made it the slightest hint of a seam, outlining a small circle. ¡°Well spotted,¡± Helwan praised. ¡°Dwarven culture is famous for their hidden secrets. We should make sure we¡¯re ready for whatever might happen when this is pressed.¡± ¡°Agreed, so don¡¯t press it yet,¡± Arche said, his voice betraying his weariness. ¡°Let¡¯s figure out our next steps. Say we press the button, the ritual powers down, we get the artifact. All right, then what? Do we take more treasure? Do we leave it now that we know how to get to it?¡± Lyssa shrugged. ¡°The mundane items are of little use to me. My people don¡¯t trade like the outsiders do. Magical items could be useful, but more difficult to find in this heap.¡± ¡°I have some debts,¡± Helwan said in a quiet voice, his eyes downcast. ¡°That a couple of these treasures could pay off, and then some.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the potential that this stuff is cursed?¡± ¡°Curses delve into a type of magic that the dwarves consider heinous. Even in the early periods of their history, they valued secrecy and privacy, but were not outwardly malevolent. Traps and protections, yes, but they would not purposefully curse their own artifacts. Anything of dwarven make should be fine unless it was cursed by other means.¡± ¡°So, if we can get the treasure, there shouldn¡¯t be anything supernatural about it? It¡¯s not going to force us to walk the land and sail the sea, unable to eat or sleep or die until every last piece is returned?¡± Helwan frowned. ¡°That¡¯s a, erm, a very specific and very powerful sounding curse, Master Arche. I think I can say with some certainty that it won¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°All right, cool. So we grab some treasure and any magic items we find. What if taking the staff doesn¡¯t depower the revenant? How do we deal with Sir Kills-a-lot outside the door?¡± ¡°What if we lure him inside, then trap him in here?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°Not a bad plan, but it means we¡¯ll have to deal with him again if we want to come back here.¡± ¡°Better to make it out, first, and have the option of coming back later,¡± she pointed out. ¡°True enough. Helwan, any other ideas?¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it The satyr shook his head. ¡°No. My Ray of Light spell was only enough to stun it for a moment and barely accomplished that.¡± ¡°All right. If, for whatever reason, we can¡¯t trap it, run like hell.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°Just run for your lives.¡± Arche took a deep breath and the pulsing sensation in his head faded away to nothing. His Mana Burnout had finally elapsed and his Mana ticked up every few seconds. ¡°Burnout¡¯s over. Give me a couple minutes and I¡¯ll be good to go. Helwan, you said earlier that you could feel the magic that this thing is emitting. Can you locate other magic items the same way?¡± ¡°To an extent. I have a spell that gives me general directions of magic, but with as much magic in the air as there is right now, anything less powerful than the artifact would be masked.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense. Coming back seems more and more like the best option.¡± ¡°If we can kill an unkillable monster,¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice dripped with bitterness as she looked at the door. Arche raised an eyebrow at her, then shot a pointed look at Helwan. The satyr caught the look and nodded, nervously straightening his waistcoat. ¡°I¡¯m going to study the architecture a bit more. Perhaps find something we may have missed. Over there.¡± Arche waited until the satyr was out of earshot before turning back to Lyssa, who had her arms crossed tight. ¡°You all right?¡± he asked quietly. Lyssa stared at the door. The back had an identical pattern to the front. Three strange symbols, full of hidden meaning. ¡°No,¡± she said at last. ¡°I¡­I gave up, out there. Without even fighting. I always thought I would die with a weapon in my hand and defiance on my lips. But when faced with that reality, I gave up. I saw the end coming and I flinched.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I saw.¡± Lyssa¡¯s brow furrowed, but Arche pushed forward anyway. ¡°I saw a person who was scared, who thought they were going to die, who fought regardless. I may have been the first to face the revenant, but you¡¯re the first who struck him. You fought in spite of that fear and in spite of defeat, and we¡¯re all alive because of it. That¡¯s not shame, Lyssa, that¡¯s courage, and we¡¯d all be better off if we had half of yours.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even flinch when you fought it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s mostly stupidity and ignorance, and don¡¯t get me wrong, I was scared fucking shitless by the end. I don¡¯t know this world; I don¡¯t know what battles to stand my ground and what battles to run from. But you do. You could have run down that other passageway and left us far behind. You¡¯re fast enough. It may not have been a way out, but it could have given you a few more minutes. You don¡¯t have to see what happened the same way I do, but don¡¯t for a second think that I resent you for what you did back there.¡± ¡°I¡­thank you, Arche.¡± He held out his hand to her and she clasped his forearm, her skin warm against his. Helwan wandered back and waited for them by the hidden button. Arche checked his vitals again.
Health: 360 / 360 100% Stamina: 240 / 240 100% Mana: 108 / 150 72%
¡°All right, let¡¯s see what happens.¡± Helwan pressed the button and the room went dark. The blue flames sconces were snuffed simultaneously. The only light came from the Everlit Lantern, which Helwan held gingerly in his other hand. ¡°Uh, Helwan?¡± ¡°It worked,¡± the satyr said quietly. ¡°Are you sure? That was definitely the button for the ritual? And not some weird light switch?¡± ¡°A light¡­switch?¡± ¡°Never mind. Only one way to find out.¡± Arche stepped forward, crossing the boundary of the ritual, and kicked a golden plate. He kept an eye on his vitals, but they didn¡¯t start falling. ¡°All right, we¡¯re good.¡± ¡°That was reckless,¡± Lyssa admonished. ¡°Stupidity and ignorance, remember?¡± She rolled her eyes but he caught a smile at the edge of her mouth. They made their way through the hoard to the staff on the pedestal. ¡°All right, is this going to be the thing that kills me if I touch it?¡± Arche asked. Helwan shrugged. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. I¡¯m well beyond my depth here.¡± ¡°Truer words, my friend, could not be spoken for any of us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my quest, as you pointed out,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°I¡¯ll accept the risk.¡± Lyssa placed her hand against the dark metal of the staff and tried to lift it out of the stone. Nothing happened. She gripped it in both hands and gave a mighty heave, the veins and muscles in her arms bulging, but still nothing. Seeing nothing horrible happen to her, Helwan stepped forward and looked at the pedestal, searching for any writing. ¡°What a strange sort of stone. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever seen one like it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just black marble?¡± Arche asked. ¡°No. I do not believe so.¡± ¡°Quit gossiping and help me,¡± Lyssa grunted. Helwan placed his hands near the base of the staff and heaved with her, but the strange staff refused to budge. Finally, they both backed away, panting slightly from the effort and throwing the staff dirty looks. Arche, on the other hand, could not tear his eyes away from it. Standing this close, he thought he could feel the Mana that Helwan had mentioned. It was hypnotic, capturing all of his attention. The staff was begging to be freed, to be used. Arche stepped forward, his hand outstretched. The staff was drawing him in. It tugged at something inside of him, beckoning him closer. The hair on his arms and neck stood upright, then a spark of lightning arced from the staff and zapped his hand. ¡°Ow, fuck!¡± Even as he said the words, a prompt appeared.
You have discovered [REDACTED] Will you claim it?
Yes Yes
The notification disappeared almost as soon as it appeared, barely giving him time to read it. He cradled his hand, which throbbed painfully like he had just grabbed a hot coal. The notification was purple, just like his new skill. Perhaps there was a connection. ¡°What happened?¡± Lyssa asked. Arche reached out and touched the staff again. Nothing shocked him this time, so he tried lifting it. The staff moved easily. Part of it was embedded inside the pedestal, so he had to lift it even farther than he had expected. ¡°It¡¯s a spear?¡± He held it sidelong in his hands, revealing a metal, bladed tip. The spear was longer than he was tall, and holding it brought a notification.
You have claimed the [REDACTED]. Some of its properties will now be made known to you.
[REDACTED] Quality: Godforged Rarity: Mythic Durability: 15,000 / 15,000 Weight: 6 kilograms Length: 4 meters Status: Dormant, Bound, ?
¡°Oh, wow,¡± Arche said. ¡°That¡¯s cool. I don¡¯t know what it means but it¡¯s cool.¡± He read the description to the others, both of whom gasped. ¡°It said you claimed it? Not that you found it or received it, but that you claimed it?¡± Helwan asked. ¡°And that it¡¯s bound? To you? Redacted?¡± ¡°Mythic rarity?¡± Lyssa murmured. ¡°Such a thing truly exists?¡± ¡°Look, I don¡¯t understand it either, but let¡¯s wait until we get out of here, yeah?¡± He tried to store it into his inventory but was met by a notification.
[REDACTED] cannot be stored in Inventory.
¡°Looks like I have to carry it out of here, it can¡¯t be stored in inventory. Why does it have to be so big?¡± Arche paused. ¡°I could have phrased that better.¡± ¡°Focus on the size you want it to be. Bound weapons tend to associate with dimensional magic, that might be why you can¡¯t store it in your inventory,¡± Helwan said. Arche looked at the spear in his hand. It towered above him at over twice his height. He closed his eyes and imagined it being as tall as he was. His Mana began to drop, his vitals still visible even with his eyes closed. After fifty Mana was expended, it leveled out, and Arche opened his eyes to see that the spear had shortened in length. By the feel of it, it had lightened somewhat as well, though it was still much heavier than his sword. ¡°Incredible,¡± Lyssa breathed. ¡°What did you say it was called?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It just says ¡®redacted.¡¯¡± ¡°A mystery, much like you.¡± ¡°Agreed. So we have the artifact. Next step, look for magic items and take some treasure.¡± They gathered up as much as they could fit into their inventories. Arche left a couple spaces empty, just in case, and put a couple smaller items into the bag physically. As far as he could tell, none of it looked magical, but a small treasure trove could come in handy in other ways. Helwan could take a more in-depth look to find any enchanted items once they left the dwarven tunnels, and the revenant, behind. When they had gathered their fill, Arche stood by the door, breathing deeply. ¡°What are the odds we just open the door and it¡¯s gone?¡± he asked half-heartedly. Lyssa put her ear to the door and listened, holding up one hand for silence. ¡°Not good. I can hear him scratching against the door.¡± Arche hefted the spear and gave it a few practice thrusts, half-heartedly hoping it would be enough for him to learn whatever skill was related to fighting with spears. It was not. He looked expectantly at Lyssa. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about spear-fighting. Only staves.¡± Lyssa forestalled his question. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait until we get back to Dawnwood before you get a proper teacher.¡± Arche sighed and nodded at the others. Helwan held the Everlit Lantern at the ready, casting a wide light over all of them. Lyssa touched the bident symbol and the door opened, grinding against the stone floor. An angry, rasping cry filled the air as a bony arm stuck itself through the gap. ¡°Back, back!¡± Lyssa cried out as the revenant forced its way into the room. Arche raised his spear awkwardly, unsure of how to hold it. Seeing the revenant again made his palms slick with sweat and the dark metal of the spear wasn¡¯t helping his grip. The revenant, who had appeared relatively emotionless before, was much more animated. Its face twisted in hatred as it stretched clawed fingers out toward Arche, despite Lyssa being closer. He could see there was an indentation in the revenant¡¯s chest where the bone had caved a little, about the size of his fist. ¡°Come back for more, did you?¡± Arche taunted, putting as much bravado into his voice as he could. The creature lunged for him, to little effect as it hadn¡¯t brought itself entirely into the room yet. Arche backed off and the others followed his lead. ¡°He¡¯s pissed at me,¡± Arche said. ¡°I¡¯ll distract him while you two get out.¡± ¡°Arche, no!¡± Further conversation was cut short as the revenant pulled itself entirely into the room and lurched toward Arche. The first thing he noticed was that it was much faster than before. He gripped the spear tightly with both hands, holding it out in front of himself like a quarterstaff. The revenant swiped at him, fangs bared and screaming. Arche screamed right back, though whether it was out of defiance or the fear sweeping through him, he wasn¡¯t quite sure. Claw crashed against dark metal. He hadn¡¯t been sure that the spear would be up to the task as the revenant¡¯s sharpened claws could gouge stone, but it appeared fifteen-thousand durability actually meant something. Arche ducked out of the way of the revenant¡¯s second attack, a vicious swipe that would have taken his head clean off. The third attack came unexpectedly as the revenant lunged toward him with gnashing fangs. It moved inside his guard before he could react and bit deep into his shoulder, its teeth puncturing straight through his leather jerkin. Arche cried out in pain as his Health dropped thirty percent. The revenant twisted its head as it tore away, dealing even more damage as a spray of red blood painted the floor. Arche¡¯s fell onto his back and the revenant fell with him, biting and gnashing at his face. He shoved the spear widthways into the creature¡¯s mouth, barely keeping the snapping teeth from tearing off his nose. The pain in his right shoulder was maddening even through the adrenaline, and the extra weight pressing down on him brought tears to his eyes, blinding him. The revenant pressed against him, inching closer and closer with each snap despite the length of metal in its mouth. A sword pommel slammed against the side of the revenant¡¯s head and the weight was gone. Arche grabbed the proffered arm and let it pull him to his feet. The heavy spear hung loosely in his grip, one end resting against the ground, as his free hand clutched his wounded shoulder. Blinking the tears from his eyes, he saw Lyssa standing between him and the revenant, swords drawn. She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. ¡°Go!¡± Arche didn¡¯t have the strength or the courage to disobey. He moved for the door, dragging the spear behind him. Helwan appeared in front of him, moving his fingers in nimble, well-practiced gestures. The satyr intoned a word of power and green light enshrouded the revenant. Flora spawned across it, bright flowers and moss sprouted from its skin and bones. The revenant moaned, the sound unlike the angry shrieks from before, and its movements slowed. Lyssa capitalized on the moment by striking. Her movements were precise, and her blades were deadly accurate. She attacked the revenant¡¯s joints, aiming to sever a limb by avoiding the hardened bones. The revenant was forced to a kneeling position to protect its legs from her strikes. The fresh plant life began to darken and wither, and with it the revenant roared its anger. It lunged forward, slashing at Lyssa¡¯s own legs, but she danced backwards out of the way. Helwan took Arche under his uninjured arm and half-dragged him toward the door. They were almost to it when Lyssa lost the creature¡¯s focus. It saw Arche nearly out of its clutches and let out an otherworldly screech. The revenant charged forward in a lurching run, completely ignoring Lyssa. She broke away and moved back, still trying to impose herself between them and the undead. She brought both swords up but the revenant barreled into her, knocking her to the ground, and continued toward Arche with single-minded determination. Arche slipped from Helwan¡¯s grasp and turned. He knelt and raised the spear, setting the butt against the ground and pointed the tip at the oncoming revenant. His right hand hung at his side, utterly useless with his torn shoulder. Helwan grabbed the spear on the other side and held it steady with him. The revenant had too much momentum to change directions and ran directly into the tip of the spear. Bone crunched as the tip plunged into the creature¡¯s fractured chest. The look of rage on the revenant¡¯s face barely wavered as it saw the length of metal protruding from its sternum. Arche stood and kicked the revenant free of the spear. It fell backwards to the ground, its movements suddenly slow and groggy. Lyssa reached them a moment later and dragged Arche out of the room as Helwan shut the door behind them, trapping the revenant inside. Arche noticed a notification in his vision and opened it, hoping for an after-battle experience count.
You have learned a Skill. Spearmanship ¡ª Level 1 The weapon of choice for warriors across millennia. Each level in this skill will improve your ability with spears. +2% Damage with Spears (+2%)
Arche dismissed the notification with annoyance. No experience meant the revenant still lived, in a manner of speaking. Even the satisfaction of learning a new skill was dulled by the horrible pain in his shoulder. ¡°Remove your shirt,¡± Lyssa ordered, pulling out a bandage. Arche inventoried his leather jerkin and linen shirt, biting back a hiss of pain. Blood streaked his torso. Lyssa poured cool water over the mass of torn flesh, then applied bandages and wrapped his shoulder with gauze. ¡°You are not invincible,¡± she hissed at him when she had finished. ¡°I had hoped your previous injuries would have taught you that, but you continue to rely on leveling to fix your wounds.¡± Arche couldn¡¯t answer. Now that the battle fervor had worn off, his shoulder felt like it had been slathered with molten flame. It was all he could do to keep from howling his agony. Lyssa watched him for a moment, her gaze calculating. Then she produced a large, yellow flower and tore it into several pieces. As quick as thinking, she tilted his head back with one hand and forced the flower bits into his mouth with the other. ¡°Chew into a paste, then swallow.¡± At the first taste, Arche wanted to vomit. The flower was bitter beyond belief and he could feel his gorge rising as the flavor seeped into his tongue. Through effort of will and her hand still covering his mouth, he did as he was told and chewed until the texture was paste. It took Arche two swallows to get it down. The first had nearly brought the vomit up anyway but he managed to clench his teeth and keep himself under control. Finally satisfied, Lyssa removed her hand from his face. A notification appeared.
You¡¯ve ingested Unidentified Flower. Pain reduced by 20%.
¡°You¡¯re not going to be able to move your arm for a while. We need to immobilize it to ensure it heals properly if you can¡¯t level beforehand.¡± The inferno of his shoulder dulled into a bonfire. He still wanted to scream, but now he could talk. ¡°If it heals properly and I level up later, will it fix itself?¡± ¡°Doubtful. Healed injuries are rarely affected by leveling. Certain injuries and illnesses can be similarly unaffected. This is why you must be careful, Greenstick.¡± Arche poked at his bandage, earning his hand a smack. ¡°Point taken; lesson learned.¡± Once he had reequipped his clothes, Lyssa used a spare shirt to fasten a sling, looping the fabric around his neck. Arche turned, squatted, and bent over, but the movement didn¡¯t aggravate his shoulder at all. ¡°Thanks. I really appreciate it. So who remembers how to get out of here?¡± Helwan shrugged, his ears drooping. Lyssa just chuckled and took the lead. ¡°Greenstick mistake. Always remember where the exits are.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 10 Hadespera The 11th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The journey through the halls was uneventful. Lyssa led the way, bow at the ready in case there were any other dark surprises waiting for them. Helwan walked behind using the Everlit Lantern, watching for the revenant. Arche spent the entire walk hoping that some easy, high-level foe would jump out at them so he could get enough experience to level up. No such luck was had. It was dark by the time the three of them made it out of the dwarven complex. Arche had been completely incapable of climbing out on his own and had to be hoisted by Lyssa. He had seen her fight and been on the receiving end of her blade, but he was still stunned at the incongruous strength the lithe elf had. In moments, she had him out of the hole and sitting on the ground as if he weighed no more than a sack of flour. He was almost a head taller than she was, but there was no doubt in his mind she could tear him apart if she really wanted to. Upon finally leaving the hole, however, he received a notification.
Beginner Dungeoneer, You have fought your way through the depths of the Necropolis of Pygmaia, but you have not delved through all the depths have to offer. Your dungeoneering experience has been modified to reflect this.
You have learned a Skill. Dungeoneering ¡ª Level 7 Where there are dungeons, there are dungeoneers. Far more of the former than the latter. Each level in this skill will improve your knowledge of dungeons and how to survive them. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Perception and Luck by 1. +1% Chance of Spotting Hidden Things (+7%) +1% Chance of Spotting Hidden Enemies (+7%) +1% Chance of Spotting Traps (+7%) +1 Perception +1 Luck
A dungeon. Monsters, traps, and treasure, all part of a quest. Arche¡¯s head spun. A foggy awareness stirred somewhere in his subconscious, like the briefest glimpse of a fish in dark water before it disappears from sight. All he was left with was a vague sense of familiarity and the bizarre desire to start laughing and crying at the absurdity of it all. Somehow, someway, the world had gone mad. And he¡¯d gone right along with it. Still, one had to accept the facts as they were and a new skill, especially one that provided Perception and Luck, was a welcome addition to his list. The starting level was relatively high but that was likely an indication of the level, or perhaps quality, of the dungeon. It had slain a dozen well-armed adventurers at least, and though he didn¡¯t know what their levels were before they had died, it was no small feat that he and Lyssa had survived. Arche was once again grateful to have Lyssa as a companion. Her skill in battle was without a doubt the principle factor of their survival. They made camp for the evening, well away from the entrance to the dungeon. The thought of the revenant or some other monster crawling up after them had hastened their steps away. Once settled, Helwan gathered nearby herbs and roots while Arche and Lyssa prepared a fire and set up tents. Lyssa inspected Arche¡¯s bandages, but decided it wasn¡¯t yet time for them to be changed. Once dinner was eaten and all was quiet for the evening, Lyssa taught Arche how to wield a sword with his left hand and walked him through a simple sword dance until he could repeat it on his own. It was supposed to improve his dexterity and sword skills, and could be done with the sword in either hand or even a sword in both, but his clumsy attempts did little to improve his skill or mood. He practiced until he could barely hold the sword, but no notification of skill gain appeared. Sweating from exertion and with Helwan and Lyssa taking the watches for the evening, Arche settled down into the world of dreams.
The world of dreams, it appeared, was full of blood. Arche drowned in an ocean of it; was pelted by a storm of it. His only respite was the occasional corpse that bobbed in the red. Each one disfigured and charred, as though burned, but how one could be burned in an ocean was unknowable. Those that had faces were masks of despair and agony, and they stared at him as though he were the cause of their suffering. Arche pushed them away and crested over a wave, only to see that corpses littered the ocean like dead fish all the way to the horizon. Something grabbed his foot and he was sucked under the surface, deep into the blood. Arche struggled but the grasp on him was too strong. Blood forced its way past his lips and down his throat. He tasted it, choked on it, as his body screamed for air. Something moved in the crimson. He couldn¡¯t see it but he felt its presence. It bore down on him, crushing him from all sides. It was like a mountain had been placed over his chest as he was pulled ever deeper. Something approached, pushing apart the blood as it hunted. It knew of him. It was stalking him. Amidst all that blood, he was known. He was the only one left alive and it knew it. It was the ultimate predator and it had caught his scent. There was no escape.
Arche awoke drenched with sweat. He rose swiftly into a sitting position, his shoulder shrieking in protest. Arche clutched at it, wincing as reality settled back upon him. Lyssa was on watch, sitting by the fire. She didn¡¯t move as Arche exited his tent and sat next to the flames, trying to banish the images from his mind. ¡°Another bad dream?¡± she asked quietly. He didn¡¯t answer. The sensation of drowning, of being hunted, was too fresh in his mind. The wind blew through their camp, howling against the trees and stoking the flames. Arche shuddered. A moment later, a blanket hit his head. His blanket. Arche pulled it away and looked at Lyssa, who was busying herself by poking the fire. The sky above them was beginning to lighten, thin tendrils of purple appearing in the east among the clouds and canopy. Arche flexed his hand and checked his vitals.
Health: 301 / 360 84% Stamina: 240 / 240 100% Mana: 160 / 160 100%
His Health was still down from full, which made sense given the fact he was still injured, but it had risen significantly while he slept. Lyssa checked the wound for him and removed the sling. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t move it overmuch or it will hurt, but you should be able to use the arm now.¡± ¡°This seems like it¡¯s healing more quickly than it should.¡± Arche prodded the wound with his fingertips. ¡°Is this normal?¡± The scabs were beginning to give way to new skin. ¡°The higher your Fortitude, the faster your wounds will heal and the greater resistance you have to poisons and venoms. It also helps prevent more serious injuries. Most things heal within a few days. Quicker if you get plenty of rest, but fast healing opens the opportunity for things to heal incorrectly before they can be seen by a professional.¡± ¡°So another day and I should be all right?¡± ¡°More or less. Your wound will scar, that¡¯s inevitable.¡± Arche looked at his mess of a shoulder and shrugged. ¡°Something tried to bite my arm off. If I got away with a few scars, I¡¯d say I was pretty lucky. It¡¯s not like it was my face.¡± Uneasy silence followed his poor attempt at a joke. Arche coughed, uncomfortable, and packed away his tent.
The journey back to Dawnwood was quiet. No trolls, wolves, or kykl¨­pes waylaid them and by the time Arche had full mobility back in his shoulder, they were in Dawnwood Forest. Lyssa¡¯s keen sense of direction and her haste in pushing them through the Sylv shaved days off their return. At the end of the fifth day of travel, the trees lining Dawnwood Village were finally within sight. Arche¡¯s second approach to the village was reminiscent of his first, though this time he wasn¡¯t the only one at whom bows were pointed. Helwan¡¯s ears drooped all the way back and he was clutching onto his horse-like tail with both hands, holding it nervously over his stomach like a blanket half-wrapped around himself. The treetop elves Arche could see were looking at the satyr with unconcealed derision. More than one bared teeth in a snarl, their hands shaking as if itching to kill him. If he¡¯d had any reservations about the animosity he¡¯d been shown as a human, it paled in comparison to what Helwan was dealing with. Arche put his hand on the satyr¡¯s shoulder and walked with him, trying to offer some small comfort to the frightened satyr. Lyssa walked behind them, a signal to the other elves that she was in control of the situation. Their progress was stopped at the entrance itself. A tall male elf blocked their path, redwood skin and regal features. He stared impetuously at Arche and Helwan. ¡°Inventory your spear, human.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Arche said. ¡°I did not tell you to speak. I told you to put away your weapon.¡± The elf drew his sword, a beautiful xiphos with an embossed leaf design, and leveled it toward Arche. ¡°I vouch for him, Velgilar,¡± Lyssa said, stepping forward between them. ¡°He can keep the spear in my company.¡± The elf drew an eyebrow up and turned his sword toward Helwan. ¡°And do you also vouch for this one? Dallying with a human is one thing but consorting with satyrs? It seems there is no end to your disgrace, Lyssanderyli.¡± ¡°I vouch for him,¡± Arche interjected. Velgilar spat something in elvish before switching back to the common speech. ¡°You are human. Your word, like your life, is meaningless. I would hear it from her.¡± Arche and Helwan looked to Lyssa. Arche saw the muscles in Lyssa¡¯s back tense and, for a moment, thought she might strike the tall elf. ¡°I vouch for him.¡± The words came through gritted teeth. Velgilar gave a smile that sent a shiver down Arche¡¯s spine. ¡°Then let it be known. First you debase yourself with humans, now with vermin.¡± Lyssa stepped forward, so quickly that not even the elves had time to react, until she was almost touching Velgilar, teeth bared in a feral snarl. Arche was once again surprised at the sharpness of elven teeth. For a people who lived off what the land provided, it seemed their mouths were made for the rending of meat. Velgilar stiffened, his own teeth bared in response but there was no hiding the fear in his eyes. His pupils had constricted until they were near vertical slits. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The action and reaction were so strikingly non-human that Arche had to remind himself that these weren¡¯t humans. These were elves and he knew frighteningly little of their customs. Lyssa growled something in elven and Velgilar¡¯s redwood face paled considerably. The elf took a slow step to the side, allowing them to pass. His eyes dropped to the ground and, though defiance was still written on his face, the elf made a point of not looking at them. Lyssa walked forward into the village, Arche and Helwan following close behind. The elves of the village were much more blatant with their observations this time. Several watched them pass with open mouths, gawking at Helwan, who was doing his best to be as small and unmenacing as possible. Lyssa ignored the attention and led them to the enormous tree that served as the village center. Lord Cypress met them outside, a retinue of three elves accompanying him. He stood tall, a flowing robe the color of autumn blended him into the tall grass, as though he were also a monument of the forest. His face was hard and impassive as he observed them, taking in everything and giving away nothing. Arche shifted his feet. He didn¡¯t like being stared at like that. Even the open hostility the other elves were showing was better, he didn¡¯t have to worry about where he stood with them. This felt like his soul was being bared open and it didn¡¯t feel right that someone else should be looking at it before he could. The elves that accompanied Lord Cypress were a sour bunch. Tall, willowy, and proud, all three. Two had the skin of dark wood, while the third, the only other woman in attendance besides Lyssa, was more yellow, like cut oak. All were dressed in flowing garments of seasonal array, not at all like the form-fitting armor of the hunters. Arche had no doubt that these were elven leaders, perhaps under Lord Cypress, perhaps beside him. Two of them fixed their displeasure on Helwan, who had been displaying interest in nothing but his cloven feet for quite a while, whereas the oak-skinned lady elf took Arche¡¯s measure. If the downward twist of her mouth was anything to go by, it seemed she didn¡¯t like what she found. ¡°You have returned. And not alone.¡± Lyssa knelt, startling Arche. He glanced sideways at Helwan but the satyr appeared not to have noticed, so intense was his focus on his hooves. Arche hesitated, then followed suit, nudging Helwan to do the same. The satyr decided to take it a step further, fully laying down on the grass, his knees tucked beneath him. ¡°I trust that you are successful in the task I set you?¡± Cypress spoke the common language, probably for Arche¡¯s benefit, but it was Lyssa who answered. ¡°Yes, Lord Cypress. The disturbance was the site of dwarven ruins. We found and fought several undead, three arachtaurs, and one of the Persistent, which we managed to trap. In the dwarven treasure room, this spear was affixed to a pedestal and was assessed by the satyr, whom we rescued from the arachtaurs, to have powerful necromantic properties. We believe this to be the cause of the disturbances.¡± ¡°Yes, he was right on that account. You, human, place this on the spear.¡± Lord Cypress removed a wooden bracelet from his arm and tossed it to Arche. Arche caught it and a prompt appeared.
Bracelet of Privacy Rarity: Rare Quality: Excellent Durability: 55 / 55 Weight: 0.2 kilograms Effect: Magical Dampening
Magical Dampening Attaching this item to a person or object will dampen their emission of magical energies, making them more difficult to detect and track through magical means and reduce the effect on ambient Mana in the area.
Arche slipped the bracelet around the shaft of the spear and was met by a prompt.
Do you want to attach the Bracelet of Privacy to [REDACTED]?
Yes No
Arche indicated ¡®yes¡¯ and the bracelet snapped onto the shaft, molding its size and color to be nearly indistinguishable from the dark metal of the spear itself. ¡°You two have done well in completing this task. I can see the weapon is powerful, as I can also see that you have bound it to yourself, Arche. You have set yourself on a dangerous road, perhaps unwittingly. Nonetheless, you have done what was asked.¡± Lord Cypress raised a hand and yet another prompt appeared in Arche¡¯s vision.
You have completed the Quest: Friends of the Forest
Reward ¡¤ 1,000 Experience ¡¤ Improved relation with Dawnwood
Your reputation with Dawnwood has improved from Neutral (0) to Friendly (+1,000). Citizens of Dawnwood will regard you as a friend of their people. Individuals may still harbor grudges against you.
You have reached Level 11. As a Human, you gain 5 attribute points to distribute per level.
Arche opened his mouth, but Lord Cypress silenced him with a wave of his hand. ¡°Delay your words, human, I am not finished.¡± The elf-lord¡¯s gaze landed upon Helwan, who shuddered under its weight. ¡°A satyr. Helwan, is it?¡± Helwan flinched at hearing his name. Arche frowned but said nothing as Cypress continued. ¡°You should know, Helwan, that you are the first satyr that has ever been allowed entry into Dawnwood. Your kind tried once, long ago, to commit atrocities against my people that some here still remember. I understand you are something of a mage and of a scholar. These are good endeavors for a satyr. They imply you have the ability to think. I suggest you use that ability in any interactions you may have with my people here. I will allow you one night¡¯s shelter, then you will be escorted to the edges of our lands, nearest whichever land or city you call home, and you will be allowed to leave with your life intact. Return and you will not find me to be so hospitable.¡± ¡°I thank you for your hospitality, lord.¡± Helwan¡¯s voice was muffled slightly on account of his face being pressed against the ground. Lord Cypress eyed the satyr for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Ryalon, escort Helwan to the guest quarters. Ensure no one troubles him. He is our guest for the night and will be treated as such.¡± An elf emerged from behind a tree and stepped forward. He hoisted Helwan to his feet and pushed him in the direction of the guest tree. Helwan shot a fearful look at Lyssa and Arche but accepted that he had no choice in the matter. One of the elves at Lord Cypress¡¯s side said something in elvish. Anger rippled across the elf-lord¡¯s face, gone in an instant. Arche felt his stomach twist as the three accompanying elves fixed all their gazes on him. Cypress turned to face the elves and said something. The three scowled, one of the male elves even going so far as to bare his teeth, but they all inclined their heads and walked away. ¡°Now,¡± Lord Cypress said, turning his attention back to Lyssa and Arche. ¡°We have matters to discuss. Follow.¡± He turned and climbed the steps that led to the primary hollow of the huge tree. Arche hesitated, unsure if he was included, then followed Lyssa. The guards stayed at the foot of the tree, leaving the three of them alone inside. Lord Cypress made his way to a table that was covered by a large map. Arche came to a stop next to Lyssa, who looked similarly puzzled at their situation. ¡°The council has convened, Lyssa,¡± Lord Cypress said quietly, speaking in the common tongue. Lyssa sucked air through clenched teeth. Arche looked between them but neither paid him any attention. ¡°Their decision?¡± ¡°I explained the situation and the mediation measures. They were not sympathetic. They are going forward with their initial motion.¡± A vein in Arche¡¯s forehead pulsed. Why invite him along if they were going to dance around the subject? ¡°I see. How long do I have?¡± ¡°One day to prepare yourself. I have the details arranged. The addition of the satyr was unexpected, but easily incorporated. You will escort the satyr to the edge of our lands on the morrow. Please, watch yourself in his company. I can¡¯t¡­just watch yourself. On the map is a list of your options.¡± ¡°Would someone please tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± Arche interrupted. Both elves looked at him, as if realizing he was in the room for the first time. Cypress furrowed his brow but Lyssa spoke first. ¡°I told you that I committed a crime against my people. I broke one of my people¡¯s most important laws. I have been paying for it since, but now the sentence has come. As of tomorrow, I am exiled.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± ¡°The decision is out of my hands,¡± Cypress said. ¡°The council holds a status that not even I can dispute, and given my connection to you, I was only allowed an advisory role. Arche, thank you for your assistance. You have more than proven yourself to us. You are not included in the banishment and may stay in Dawnwood if you wish, but I will not lie to you. Your humanity will not incline anyone in your favor.¡± Arche took a few moments to process what was being said. ¡°Arche, you don¡¯t have to follow me. You¡¯ll be safe in Dawnwood.¡± Lyssa did not look at him as she spoke. ¡°The elves here will provide for you. In time, you will earn their trust, as you did mine. You can make a home here.¡± A home. A place to belong. Surrounded by elves who hated him for what he was. And for it, he would have to abandon the one person who had actually helped him. ¡°¡®No place can guarantee safety, only your own strength and the bonds you make can imply it.¡¯ You taught me that. I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± At last, she met his eye. He held it for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Cypress. ¡°Thank you for the offer, but no. Where she goes, I go.¡± ¡°I had hoped you would say something to that extent.¡± Relief showed plain on Cypress¡¯s face. ¡°It is good to know she will have a steadfast companion.¡± Lyssa¡¯s face grew guarded but her eyes betrayed an emotion Arche couldn¡¯t identify. Somehow happy, sad, and bereft. ¡°There¡¯s a fledgling village not far from here. A few days¡¯ walk from the border of Dawnwood. It lies east, in the valley of Mount Hyperion. The village is rudimentary at best but has a mixed populace. I think you would find the best results there. Your experience and your¡±¡ª Cypress cut his eyes toward Arche¡ª¡°enthusiasm may make you valuable to them.¡± Arche threw up his hands in protest but Lyssa cut him off before he could say something regrettable. ¡°Thank you. I know you tried your hardest. Will I ever see you again?¡± Her voice was calm and level, and as perilous as a knife¡¯s edge. ¡°Not for some time. When word gets out about the council¡¯s decision, these woods will no longer be safe for you. I will do all I can but, as you well know, my influence is dwindling with each passing season. Do not worry for me. Keep a watchful eye about yourself. You are exiled, Lyssa. You know what this means.¡± ¡°I understand. We will head to the village.¡± Lyssa inclined her head, then turned on her heel and walked away. Arche watched her leave, turned back to Lord Cypress, back to Lyssa, then back to Cypress again. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± ¡°Lyssa will explain everything when she is ready,¡± Lord Cypress said. ¡°For now, we should discuss that spear. Set it on the table.¡± Arche bit back a sigh and did as he was told. ¡°Tell me how you found this. Exactly how you found this.¡± ¡°It was like Lyssa said. We found our way into the dwarven treasure room, deactivated a trap on the treasure. This was stuck into a pedestal at the very center. I thought it was a staff at first. Lyssa tried to pull it free, then Helwan, but it wouldn¡¯t budge until I touched it. What is it? Every time I try to look at it, it just says the name is redacted.¡± ¡°It is an artifact from a time before time, when Tartarus was young and scarcely populated. It is called the Tridory, the spear of three. It was entrusted to a champion in ancient tales, then sealed by those who feared its power. I can tell it is dormant now, but not even I know what may be unleashed if it is to be awakened. To think it rested so close to Dawnwood for all this time is¡­disturbing.¡± ¡°All right. That¡¯s a lot. Should I leave it with you?¡± ¡°No!¡± Lord Cypress¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°No. In the wrong hands, the dangers could be cataclysmic. I cannot keep it. I would be tempted to use it. I know myself too well. I hold too much anger and grief in my heart to ever trust myself with such power. You found it, you have bonded it. I believe you are meant to have it. Above all, keep it safe from those who would wish to wield it.¡± ¡°What can it do?¡± ¡°That¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to find out for yourself. I have no further answers.¡± Arche picked the spear up. Its weight was still considerable, much more than he felt was comfortable for a weapon. ¡°You still have no memories of your life before you came to us, do you?¡± Arche shook his head. ¡°No. Try as I might, I¡¯m a blank slate.¡± ¡°A hard thing, to start a life over. Harder still when you are so ignorant of the world. I am going to give you something which will make your time easier, because of the deed you have done for my people that I fear I have not adequately rewarded. Treasure it and use it wisely, for the giving of it does not come without cost.¡± Lord Cypress crossed to the other side of the table and placed his palm against Arche¡¯s forehead. Arche waited, more than a little uncertain. He didn¡¯t have to wait long.
You have learned a Skill. Examine ¡ª Level 1 Looking at things rarely tells the full story, but your gaze is more piercing than most. Each level in this skill improves the speed and each rank improves the extent to which you can view another person¡¯s profile. This skill can also be used to examine the properties of objects. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Perception by 1. +2% Examine Speed (+2%)
Arche blinked away the notification and frowned. ¡°This is how you knew Helwan¡¯s name and those other things, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cypress ignored the question. ¡°Do not speak of this to anyone. Most will be unable to discern your prying gaze but those who become aware of it will likely not respond favorably. Be careful whom you Examine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Cypress. This is quite a gift.¡± ¡°One more thing, Arche. A word of warning. If you forget all else, remember this.¡± ¡°Yes? Erm, lord?¡± ¡°Keep my daughter safe.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 11 Charomera The 14th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche¡¯s head spun. Lord Cypress¡¯s daughter. How had he not put that together? He rubbed his temples, laying on a bed in the elves¡¯ guest tree. Dim, red light washed over him from the glowing moss above, making a mockery of sunlight as he reflected on the day¡¯s events. Helwan, on the other hand, had cheered up considerably. He was holding the Tridory and was muttering to himself about potential meanings for the different writings that were patterned into the metal shaft. ¡°There are several buttons here,¡± Helwan murmured, breaking Arche out of his own thoughts. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Here, built into the grip. Three buttons, and another on the opposite side. The whole spear seems to be one continuous piece of metal except for these buttons. It¡¯s a strange metal, not one that I recognize. I¡¯m not entirely certain what the buttons do but simply pressing them doesn¡¯t seem to be enough.¡± ¡°Then what is?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t the faintest idea.¡± ¡°More questions!¡± Arche moaned, falling back onto the bed and staring up into the wooden ceiling far above. ¡°Is that all life is? Just a series of questions and questions, and any time you get an answer all it does is spawn more questions?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Helwan chuckled. ¡°The life of a megaloscholar, perhaps.¡± ¡°What does that even mean? I¡¯d never heard that word before you used it.¡± ¡°It is a clever word of my own devising. It means a scholar that has accelerated above the rest, one whose accomplishments precede them. A giant amongst men, to put it in other terms.¡± ¡°And do your accomplishments precede you?¡± Helwan¡¯s ears flattened nervously. In the red light, it was impossible to tell if he was blushing. ¡°Well, in the right circumstances, among the right population, there are some who may know me. I suppose I¡¯ll have plenty of time to work on that when I get back to the city.¡± ¡°True,¡± Arche said, trying to keep his voice casual. ¡°Or you could come to a startup village. I¡¯m sure your knowledge of the arcane and the obscure would come in handy.¡± Helwan sat up straight. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a village a few days away that Lyssa and I are going to check out. You could come with us.¡± ¡°Come with you? You want me to stay?¡± ¡°Yeah, why not? Could be fun.¡± Helwan¡¯s mouth opened and closed soundlessly. ¡°What exactly do you mean by ¡®check out?¡¯¡± Arche snorted. ¡°I know this may come as a shock but it turns out Dawnwood isn¡¯t exactly accepting of outsiders. Point of the matter is we¡¯re leaving, me and Lyssa both, and if there¡¯s nothing keeping you in whatever city you¡¯re from, you could come with us.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± ¡°Yes? No? I¡¯d love to? Fuck off? Any of those would work.¡± Helwan blinked several times before answering. ¡°I will consider it, though I¡¯m worried some of my debts may cause trouble if I don¡¯t show up to pay them off.¡± Helwan said at last. ¡°What kind of village is it? Human?¡± ¡°Mixed, so I hear.¡± ¡°Curious. Mixed settlements don¡¯t often live long. Even in the big city, people like to live with their own kind. Little communities pop up inside a bigger one and those that don¡¯t belong are made to feel it.¡± ¡°What is the city like? I feel like I know but I¡¯ve never been to one.¡± ¡°Oh, well let¡¯s see. There are buildings everywhere. They aren¡¯t like the trees here, though some are made of wood. Mostly, they¡¯re built from stone, brick, metal, and glass. All kinds of materials. And the people! Oh, they¡¯re everywhere. The streets are full of them. They bustle about from place to place, working and leisuring, selling and buying. It¡¯s a crowded place in every sense, but there¡¯s so much culture there. Histories, magic, services, the most beautiful women. Oh, and the dancing. It was a port town initially, you see. Now, hundreds of ships go in and out every day and the air smells like salt no matter where you are. It¡¯s unlike any other place.¡± ¡°I hope I get to see it someday.¡± Arche smiled. ¡°I think everyone should have the opportunity someday but it is not for everyone. Some can¡¯t get used to the artificiality of it, especially after a life spent in nature.¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°This is only my second night here, actually. Most of my life I actually spent traveling in the woods.¡± Helwan could not have looked more surprised if Arche had admitted he was a satyr in disguise. ¡°When you say, ¡®most of your life,¡¯ what do you mean?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­better part of the last three weeks?¡± They stared at each other for a moment, then threw their heads back with laughter. It felt good to laugh after the stress of the past week. Tension that Arche hadn¡¯t even noticed was draining away. For the first time in what was quite honestly his entire life, he felt like he could take a break. There was no imminent danger, no threat to life or limb. He could relax for a night. Helwan went back to studying the Tridory and Arche made himself comfortable on his bed. With eyes closed, he pulled up his profile.
Arche
Level: 11 Experience to Next Level: 1,018 (7%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 185 centimeters Weight: 81.8 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: Helwan Panysk
You have 5 undistributed attribute points.
Health: 360 / 360 100% Stamina: 240 / 240 100% Mana: 160 / 160 100%
Strength: 21 Dexterity: 18 Agility: 17 Fortitude: 18 Endurance: 15 Intelligence: 16 Wisdom: 14 Willpower: 14 Perception: 15 Charisma: 13 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 11
¡°Time to distribute, again,¡± he muttered. His eyes flicked over each of his attributes in turn. He was fairly balanced, all things considered. His mental stats were a little lower than he would like but considering the fact he didn¡¯t know any magic and had only used the Divine Body skill once, Mana didn¡¯t feel like a priority. ¡°Wait, Helwan.¡± Arche sat upright. ¡°You know magic, right?¡± ¡°I am familiar with a few different schools, yes,¡± the satyr replied. ¡°Can you teach me anything?¡± Helwan¡¯s face instantly took on a guarded expression with a twist of wistfulness. ¡°What you ask is no small feat, my friend. I only have one branch of magic that I can impart, gaiamancy, but I must admit I am hesitant. It takes most people several years to gain the proficiency to teach magic, and that is not something that is often done for free. It is also not something done quickly. Typically, it takes months of guided meditation to get your Mana to a point usable for spellwork. Species with intrinsic magic, such as satyrs, often learn their natural branches of magic easily, but it can still take a long time to learn new branches.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I get it, I think. Not something someone can learn in just one night.¡± ¡°Correct, not without access to some rather extraordinarily rare materials. I will say that magic is a very expensive progression. Lower-level spells can be cast through proper distribution of word, gesture, and intent, but the more powerful a spell is, the higher its cost, sometimes requiring material components that can be rare and dangerous to acquire or handle.¡± ¡°Of course, why have something super powerful and easily accessible?¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Arche turned his attention back to his profile. The Tridory was currently too heavy a weapon for him to properly wield, even at its reduced size. Improving his Strength might make him better at handling it. On the other hand, his Divine Body skill had given him an incredible burst of power for a few moments; enough that he had cracked the revenant¡¯s ribcage with nothing but his fist. That made his Mana, and by association his Intelligence, a mighty lure. It was tempting to split the five points he had into both Strength and Intelligence, but that was too risky of a gamble. Instead, he put one point into each, leaving him with three points to place in his other attributes. Those three points would be needed to further balance his physical and mental attributes. His Endurance had fallen behind the pack, but Agility and Fortitude were still alluring. Arche decided to place one point into Endurance, not wanting his Stamina to fall too far behind. The last two points would go into his mental stats. His Willpower had helped him in the fight with the arachtaurs, the memory sparked a shudder as he recalled the gruesomeness of their features. He was also certain it had helped him put forward the brave face needed to convince Lyssa that the revenant was a creature that could be overcome, though he stood by what he¡¯d said about ignorance and stupidity. Charisma had also been vital in that conversation and was clearly important for social interactions. It could be even more important in the coming days when they reached the mixed village, helping them build relationships with the people there. Perception would also be important, as it had helped to find traps in the dwarven ruins and might help them survive out in the wild. Arche fought the urge to laugh maniacally at the sheer size of it all. He wanted to spend points on everything, become the best all around. He was sure he wasn¡¯t the only one who felt that way but he didn¡¯t have the luxury of dumping points into everything. He placed his last two points into Perception and Charisma. Now that Arche knew what to look for, the boost to his Strength and Intelligence were readily apparent. His muscles felt a little broader, filling out the parameters of the new shirt he¡¯d been given. His mind felt a little sharper, ready to process new information and solve new problems. He pulled up his profile again, wanting to test a hypothesis he¡¯d had for a while.
Arche
Level: 11 Experience to Next Level: 1,018 (7%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 185 centimeters Weight: 82 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: Helwan Panysk
Health: 370 / 370 100% Stamina: 250 / 250 100% Mana: 170 / 170 100%
Strength: 22 Dexterity: 18 Agility: 17 Fortitude: 18 Endurance: 16 Intelligence: 17 Wisdom: 14 Willpower: 14 Perception: 16 Charisma: 14 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 11
No doubt about it. He was getting heavier. He was pretty sure it was tied to his Strength but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was another factor as well. He would need to pay more attention to that in the future. He was also growing taller, if his memory served him from when he¡¯d first come to Tartarus. If only the measurements were in a format he understood. It seemed his body was physically adapting to accommodate his increased attributes. The height boost felt odd, however. Arche wondered if he would eventually grow to superhuman proportions if he could improve his Strength high enough and entertained an image of himself running through a forest while the same height as the trees. Helwan wrote notes on the other side of the room, scribbling down thoughts and sketching images of the Tridory. Arche watched him surreptitiously, thinking of the skill Lord Cypress had given to him. The skill guided him in how to activate it. Arche tried to focus on Helwan and unfocus his eyes at the same time. The first time only succeeded in making his head hurt but the second time he managed to unfocus and refocus in succession and saw text over Helwan¡¯s head that listed his full name. Focusing further revealed a limited profile that appeared as notification.
Helwan Panysk
Level: 17 Race: Satyr Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: Arche, Lyssanderyli
Health: 375 / 375 100% Stamina: 210 / 210 100% Mana: 440 / 440 100%
The information was basic, but what surprised Arche most was how close he was in level to Helwan. He had assumed that he was low-leveled given that he¡¯d only started a few weeks ago, but here was Helwan only six levels above him. He probably wasn¡¯t as far behind as he had thought. Though, he had to consider that there likely wasn¡¯t as much fighting being done in cities as there was in a dangerous quest to ancient dwarven ruins. He was also surprised at the amount of Mana Helwan commanded. It was nearly three times his own, meaning Helwan had invested heavily into his mental stats. That made sense, considering the satyr was both a mage and a scholar. Examine had used five Mana, which interested him because it wasn¡¯t a spell. It was the second skill he had that required Mana to use but at least this one was unlikely to kill him from Mana Burnout. Arche turned his attention to the Tridory, which was still in Helwan¡¯s hands, and tried to Examine it. It was easier this time now that he knew what to do.
Tridory Rarity: Mythic Quality: Godforged Durability: 15,000/15,000 Weight: 4 kilograms Length: 1.8 meters Traits: Dormant, Bound, Size-Altered, ?
As you are bound to the item you are trying to examine, information that is normally beyond your skill level is available
That didn¡¯t tell him much that he didn¡¯t know, though it did confirm that the reduction in length had caused a decrease in weight. It was still abominably heavy. Arche looked through his inventory, emptying items out onto his bed to make it easier to pick through them. Picking them up was enough to elicit a small notification that hovered next to the grabbed object, displaying its name, weight, and other relevant information. He was almost starting to get bored when a small ruby ring elicited a notification that got Arche¡¯s heart pumping.
Magic Ring Rarity: ? Quality: ? Durability: ? Weight: ? Comfort: ?
There was no additional information other than the revelation that the ring was magical. Testing a hunch, Arche tried to use his Examine skill on the ring, hoping it would reveal the item¡¯s secrets. Now familiar with the strange eye-trick required for the skill, Arche got it to work on his first try.
Ruby Ring of Lesser Life Rarity: Uncommon Quality: Masterwork Durability: 50 / 50 Weight: 0.1 kilograms Comfort: Resizing Traits: +5 Fortitude, +5 Endurance
Arche almost choked. The ring gave a boost to his attributes equal to two entire levels. He slipped the ring onto his right hand and pulled up his profile. The ring magically adjusted to fit his finger perfectly.
Health: 445 / 445 100% Stamina: 325 / 325 100% Mana: 170 / 170 100%
Strength: 22 Dexterity: 18 Agility: 17 Fortitude: 23 (18) Endurance: 21 (16) Intelligence: 17 Wisdom: 14 Willpower: 14 Perception: 16 Charisma: 14 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 11
The affected attributes glowed a soft green. Arche let out a small sigh of satisfaction, feeling better than he had in a while. An improved Fortitude and Endurance seemed to translate to improved feelings of physical wellness. Arche quickly searched through the other items he had grabbed, but nothing else was magical. He did, however, have a veritable trove of silver and gold at his disposal. Helwan sniffed the air and turned to look at Arche, narrowing his eyes. ¡°Did you do something magical?¡± ¡°I found out that one of the things I took had a magical effect,¡± Arche said, raising his hand to show off his new ring. ¡°So you decided to put it on without considering the idea that a ring kept in a treasure horde might have been cursed?¡± Arche lowered his hand slowly, feeling his heart start to hammer in his chest. ¡°I thought you said the dwarves didn¡¯t do curses. I asked specifically.¡± ¡°I said they didn¡¯t curse their own treasure. I didn¡¯t say that all of it was theirs.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Arche grabbed the ring with his other hand and pulled hard. It slid from his finger easily and his attributes reverted to normal, giving him a small sensation of discomfort. ¡°Let me see it,¡± Helwan held out one hand, the other fishing in a pocket to produce a monocle. Arche tossed it over and the satyr began looking it over, inspecting the workmanship and the small runic designs. Finally, the satyr drew an incantation into the air and spoke a word of power. A soft, orange light appeared and shone over the ring. Finally satisfied, he tossed it back to Arche. ¡°It¡¯s not cursed. You got lucky. Remember this the next time you activate a magical item, though. Sometimes they bite. Sometimes you¡¯re lucky if that¡¯s all they do.¡± Arche put the ring on again and breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°All right, all right, point taken. What was that spell you just cast?¡± ¡°Reveal Magic. A lower level phosphomancy spell, but effective for quickly studying magical items and, before you ask, no, I can¡¯t teach it to you. Like I said, I¡¯m not a high enough level and you are not skilled enough.¡± Arche raised his hands defensively. ¡°I know, I wasn¡¯t going to; I¡¯m just trying to learn more about magic.¡± ¡°A pursuit that many have dedicated their lives to over the millennia. Knowledge of the arcane is closely guarded by the lyceums and libraries that house magical acolytes.¡± ¡°A paywall, in other words.¡± ¡°Yes, I suppose that would be a term for it, if it means what I think it does.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we have access to a treasure hoard, then.¡± ¡°Yes, well, we should be careful. Greed is as big a reason for people to kill as anything else. It would be prudent not to flash our newfound wealth to the wrong people.¡± ¡°Damn, I was hoping to add a crown to my aesthetic. Guess that¡¯ll have to wait.¡± Helwan chuckled and went back to studying the Tridory. Arche laid back on the bed and closed his eyes. A notification waited for him.
Examine has increased to Level 2. +2% Examine Speed (+4%)
Arche smiled and went to sleep. Book 1 | Chapter 12 Persepera The 15th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Rain broke over Dawnwood. Water soaked the wood, the grass, and the people. Many of the elves stayed inside their trees, not wanting to face the downpour. A few seemed to be enjoying it, chasing each other through the wet as they raced along the bridges far above the forest floor. It was the first time Arche had seen elves having fun and that it happened on such a dreary day was unsettling. They three were to be banished, but up above, the elves of Dawnwood were enjoying themselves. Arche, and Helwan trudged through the mud toward the edge of the village, both completely soaked through. As outsiders without an escort, they were barred from the upper levels and forced to remain on the ground. Arche alone probably could have gotten through but he refused to leave Helwan behind. Every elf they passed made it clear they would rather kill Helwan than suffer a satyr in their home for a minute longer. Lyssa met them at the line of trees that acted as a palisade for the village. She had a thick, green, traveling cloak wrapped over her armor and had the hood pulled high, masking much of her face. As they reached her, she tossed two packs to them without a word, then turned and left Dawnwood. Not a single elf was present to see them off, other than the guards in the trees above who menaced them with drawn bows. Not even Lord Cypress was present. Arche and Helwan exchanged a glance before shouldering their packs and hurrying after her. Arche looked through his pack as they walked, finding it filled with food and, to his delight, a cloak just like Lyssa¡¯s. Without wasting any time, he put it on. The pelting of the rain softened, rebuffed by the heavy fabric, and some magic or craftsmanship of the elves made the majority of the water run off onto the ground. The rain continued all morning. The foliage above seemed to consolidate the water among huge leaves until the weight of it pushed it to the forest floor in huge curtains. More than once, Arche had been unfortunate enough to be in the landing zone. Twice it had knocked him off his feet, sending him tumbling into the mud. Both times, Helwan had helped him back up, his own cloak wrapped tightly around him. Before lunchtime, Arche¡¯s new cloak was muddied, soaked, and had a small tear in the side where a thorn bush had caught him as he passed. Lyssa stayed about twenty strides ahead of them. She hadn¡¯t said a word all morning but she hadn¡¯t left them behind, either. Arche knew from experience that she could easily disappear into the forest and there would be nothing they could do about it. He couldn¡¯t begin to understand what she was going through but he was grateful she hadn¡¯t left them. Come lunchtime, the rain finally abated. They stopped and hung up their sopping clothes, using the inventory interface to instantly change into dry ones. Lyssa hung a shirt over a tree limb but kept her cloak on and her hood up. Lunch was simple. Oil-drizzled bread, cheese, olives, and slices of cooked deer meat. Lyssa kept to herself throughout the meal, quiet and distant. She kept her face down and refused to meet Arche¡¯s eyes. His few attempts at conversation were met with single-word answers. They finished their meal in uneasy silence and continued walking. When they stopped for the night, Arche asked Helwan to help him train with spears. After a small amount of wheedling, the satyr agreed. They outlined a large circle with fallen tree branches and stepped inside. Arche held a long piece of straight wood and Helwan held a walking stick uncertainly in his hands. Helwan thrust outward, his steps unsteady and his grip weak. Arche stepped to the side and batted Helwan¡¯s thrust out of the way. His riposte sent a swipe toward the satyr¡¯s head but he pulled it back when it was clear that Helwan wasn¡¯t able to block it. They continued for ten minutes until Lyssa stood from her place by the fire and walked over. Wordlessly, she took the walking stick from Helwan and pushed him out of the circle. Helwan, grateful for the break, hustled over to collapse next to the fire, a mess of sweat. Lyssa held the stick horizontally in front of her, knees bent into a wide stance. ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t trained with spears,¡± Arche said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t. I was trained with staves.¡± ¡°With wha¡ª?¡± Before he¡¯d finished his question, she had taken his feet out from under him. He landed on his back with a painful thud. ¡°Ow.¡± Arche pushed himself to his feet and rubbed his shoulder. Lyssa had already reset her stance. ¡°Not again,¡± he whispered. They circled each other. Lyssa¡¯s grasp on her stick was centered, allowing her to use either end to attack or defend but greatly inhibiting her reach. Arche¡¯s grip, on the other hand, favored one end of the stick, keeping the other end pointed forward, but allowed him only one end of the weapon to strike or parry with. He stabbed forward a few times, gauging the feel of the motion. Lyssa rebuffed him easily, but he found that he could rein in the thrust and try again with relatively little risk due to his reach. Next, he tried swinging the stick. This proved more difficult, due mostly to the length, but it did force Lyssa to block or dodge the swings. The momentum of the swing often left him open for her to close the distance and attack where it was difficult for him to use the spear effectively. He learned between bruises that he would need to be ready to access his sword at a moment¡¯s notice if an enemy got too close. Lyssa knew this and made him practice dropping the spear and drawing his xiphos from his side-scabbard at a moment¡¯s notice. When he could reliably drop the spear and parry with the sword, they moved on. Lyssa drilled him in footwork, which was often punctuated by jabbing at his feet with pointy sticks. She marked a point on a tree and had him thrust toward it with the Tridory, working on his accuracy with the point of the spear. Lastly, he held the Tridory in one hand and practiced thrusting and slashing. The weight of it made him feel slow and awkward, but he was starting to get a sense for how it moved. When he had finished, he checked the progression notification he¡¯d been ignoring.
Spearmanship has increased to Level 3. +2% Damage with Spears (+6%)
It wasn¡¯t much improved from the measly level one he¡¯d earned by letting the revenant run into his spear, but it was still progress. His skill wasn¡¯t progressing as quickly as it had with the bow or the sword, but he suspected Lyssa¡¯s Teaching skill had been the reason those skills had skyrocketed as fast as they had. Giving it a few swings, the Tridory felt much more comfortable in his hands than it had when he¡¯d started training, but he was still off-balance using it. That meant more practice and more points dedicated to Strength and Dexterity. When his spear training was done, Arche collapsed onto the loam next to the fire. His whole body ached. Helwan served their evening meal, a stew made from wolf meat, onions, and juniper, along with some wild vegetables he had picked along the way. After dinner, Lyssa drilled Arche in swordsmanship. Starting first with footwork drills, she progressed along to teaching him additional grips that would allow him greater control while swinging and thrusting his leaf-shaped xiphos. When he could no longer hold the blade steady, she called for a halt. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. They all gathered around the fire. Bruised and tired, but full, warm, and finally dry after the morning deluge. Helwan told a story of a satyress who shaved the legs of all who slept in her grove to get back at her husband, who had accidentally set fire to her legs while trying to cook some mushrooms. Satyrs apparently took great pride in the hairiness of their legs, which was why they often wore nothing to cover up their lower half. What Helwan had no doubt intended as a scary campfire story was instead rewarded with Arche¡¯s raucous laughter. Even Lyssa spared a chuckle. Rather than be disappointed by the reaction, Helwan joined in with them. It was good to laugh. It seemed there had scarcely been a reason to, as of late. Arche took the second watch that night, letting Helwan stay up first. When the satyr roused him for his turn, a peal of thunder sounded in the distance. An hour later, the rain began once more. A few drops at first, but then the torrent came down in a crash, rustling leaves. The campfire sputtered as the water landed on hot coals. Arche pulled up the hood of the cloak he had been given. He had nothing he could use to cover the fire, so he let it be drowned by the rain and peered out into the darkness, listening for any noises among the crashing of rain against leaves. He scuffle behind him, somewhere close, and turned his head sharply. His body tensed, one hand reaching for the handle of the Tridory. He saw Lyssa, still wrapped in her cloak, making her way toward him. ¡°Storm wake you up?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°I thought you could use the company,¡± She replied. ¡°And perhaps an explanation.¡± She sat down across from him, her back to a tree. He couldn¡¯t make out her face in the gloom, but he was certain she could see him. ¡°You don¡¯t have¡ª¡± ¡°I want to. I¡­need to. You made the decision to come with me, you should know why. The full extent of my actions, and yours. Did Lord Cypress explain any of it to you?¡± ¡°No. But he did tell me that you¡¯re his daughter.¡± Lyssa nodded. ¡°I should have expected as much.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get it. If you¡¯re his daughter, why did he send you on such a dangerous quest? You could have been killed.¡± ¡°Penance. The latest attempt to pay back my crime before I was properly sentenced. An effort that ultimately did not succeed.¡± Lightning flashed, lighting up the forest and letting Arche see her for a moment. Her face was wet from the rain and twisted with pain. ¡°Elven children are rare. Not every daughter of the forest is capable of bearing children, nor is every son capable of siring them. My people can live for centuries, perhaps millennia. No elf in memory has died from age. Our barrenness is nature¡¯s balance but not even nature can plan for war. Over time, my people have had our numbers thinned. As wood elves, we have always found our place to be in the great forests and woods of Tartarus, away from the struggles and politics of the other races. We thought ourselves above such things. Isolated. Safe. We were not.¡± Lyssa cleared her throat and pulled the cloak tighter around herself. ¡°I was born as the younger of twins. My brother, Gregorinandiir, was heir to our village. He was a skilled fighter, already an Adept Swordsman by our fourth decade. I don¡¯t think I need to impress upon you how rare twins are among my people. We were seen as a sign, a portent granted by Tartarus itself for good tidings. Gregori was good with our people. He understood them, connected with them in a way that I never could. They trusted him and would come to him with problems that did not warrant our father¡¯s attention. I did not have my brother¡¯s gift. My talents lie in archery, so when it came time for us to pick our Professions, I chose the path of the Huntress.¡± Arche heard her sniffle, barely audible over the pouring rain. ¡°One day, my brother asked to go hunting with me. I agreed but I was jealous of him, of the way my people cared for him and not for me. I led him beyond the borders of our territory. He objected but I convinced him that a great hunter could not stalk the same paths forever. Unwillingly, he followed me out of the safety of Dawnwood. We followed the trail of a gigaboar; a large, tusked creature that carries enough meat to last the entire village through winter. We failed to realize that a monster was also stalking the gigaboar. As we engaged with the creature, we were attacked by one of the Kykl¨­pes. Similar to the one we saw together, but much larger. My brother yelled for me to run, but I was angry. It was my hunt and I wasn¡¯t prepared to let it go without a fight. I could not face that shame in front of my brother. I attacked the Kykl¨­ps, forcing my brother also to engage. He refused to leave me behind. ¡°We were outmatched, a fact I refused to recognize at the time. Throughout the fight, my brother called for me to run. I did not heed him. His sword, which he always used to wreak devastation, was like a splinter to the creature. Gregori¡¯s luck ran out first, and he was caught in the Kykl¨­ps¡¯s hand. Throughout the fight I had been trying to hit the Kykl¨­ps¡¯s eye, which is said to hold the center of their life force. I failed, as it covered that weakness with its hand. Nothing I did came anywhere near to hurting it. Never in my life have I been so useless. As it grabbed my brother, I hoped to have an opportunity to fell the monster once and for all. I was down to my final arrow. As it lifted Gregori skyward, I knew the dark truth of the matter. I could not slay it. I wasn¡¯t strong enough and my brother, now firmly in its clutches, would die a very painful and agonizing death. As jealous as I was of him, he was my brother. I loved him. I knew that whatever fate befell him would be weighed upon my head. So I did him the last kindness of which I was capable. With my final arrow, I killed my brother.¡± Lightning flashed again, the light making it impossible to tell whether it was rain or tears that were streaking down Lyssa¡¯s face. Her voice was steady, but raw. Her melodic speech low and mournful. ¡°I do not recall much of what happened next. In that instant, my heart was sundered and my spirit lost. I was struck by the Kykl¨­ps, a backhanded blow, and lost consciousness. I awoke in the village, found by other hunters who had noticed our absence and tracked us. I was not the only one brought back. They found my brother, half-eaten, with my arrow sticking out of his neck.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± Arche said softly, but Lyssa shook her head. ¡°For an elf to kill one of their own kind is the most heinous crime we have. It isn¡¯t allowed under any circumstances, not even in ones that would seem merciful. For a crime such as mine required the Council, a coalition of lords across the Forest of Mycenia and into the territories beyond. Father recommended that I attempt penance for my crime before my sentencing, that it might lessen the punishment. The quest we undertook was only the latest in a long line of atonement. Attempts that were ultimately meaningless.¡± ¡°How long ago did it happen?¡± ¡°Ten years. It may seem long to a human, but not so to an elf. It took nearly half as long for me to recover from my own injuries. I did warn you that some are too severe to heal with Fortitude alone.¡± ¡°What exactly is your punishment? I get the banishment part but you make it sound like it¡¯s more than that.¡± ¡°It is more. No elf of the Forest Tribes can offer me assistance. In their eyes, I am no longer a daughter of the forest. If I return, I risk imprisonment or worse. Lord Cypress ushering us out as he did was an attempt to spare me from what this sentencing entails.¡± ¡°What does it entail?¡± Lyssa pulled back the hood of her cloak and looked Arche in the eye. Her hair had been cut short, barely enough to run a hand through, but the worst of it was her ears. Bloody bandages pressed what was left of her ears to her head. They¡¯d been clipped, cut down by more than half. ¡°They came for me this morning, before the first breath of morning light. Our elders made my father watch.¡± Rainwater splashed into Arche¡¯s agape mouth. ¡°That¡¯s¡­barbaric. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± ¡°It is the way of things. The crime is irredeemable, the punishment is the same. All who see me shall know my crime. Shall know my shame.¡± ¡°You can never go home again.¡± ¡°That is what ¡®exile¡¯ means.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how hard this must be for you.¡± ¡°Do you still stand by your decision? Knowing what I am, what I¡¯ve done?¡± Lightning flashed again, offering them just enough light for Arche to lock eyes with her. ¡°After all you¡¯ve done for me? Without hesitation. Where you go, I¡¯ll follow. I¡¯m with you ¡®til the end.¡± ¡°And I, you. Should I someday be worthy of that loyalty. You should rest now. I will continue the watch.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Go, I doubt you can see much anyway. I will keep watch until dawn.¡± Arche stood, hesitated for a moment, then left for his tent. Lyssa looked up at the sky, feeling the rain on her face. Lightning flashed again, but she didn¡¯t flinch. She stared into the heavens, eyes piercing into the dark clouds and beyond. Her lips moved, a whisper in elvish. Lightning answered her and thunder roared over the forest. Book 1 | Chapter 13 Persepera The 20th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The next several days were quiet. Lyssa had taken to scouting ahead, using her superior talents of stealth and hunting to scout out monsters. Arche and Helwan kept travel conversation to a minimum, not wanting to draw undue attention to themselves. The near run-in with the kykl¨­ps the last time they had ventured into the Sylv was still heavy on Arche¡¯s mind, especially after Lyssa¡¯s story, and he didn¡¯t want to imagine what kind of devastation such a creature could deal when provoked. On their fifth day of travel, they emerged from the Sylv and into a valley. A river wound through the land, bisecting the valley as it flowed down from an enormous mountain to the north. The valley itself was a rolling field of meadow and grassland, with trees dotting the area sporadically. Hills and minor cliffs broke the land, hiding much, but dark shapes near the river outlined the fledgling village. Village, as it turned out, was a generous title. As they approached, there was only one permanent structure made from hewn wood. The rest were tents and there were dozens of them. The village was nestled between two steep hills, giving it some concealment from the north and south, but leaving the entire village vulnerable if an adversary force took the high ground. If he were to plan an attack on the village, their placement would make them an easy target for bows to shoot from the hills with impunity. Lyssa cursed, breaking Arche out of his violent thoughts. Arche tried to follow her gaze past the village to the eastern side of the valley, but his Perception wasn¡¯t high enough to give him an idea of what she was looking at. ¡°Those fools,¡± Lyssa murmured. ¡°Oh, no.¡± She broke into a run. A moment later, Arche and Helwan gave chase. They were still a considerable distance away from the village but the difference in ability made itself clear quickly. Lyssa outstripped them both, pulling away with every step. Arche strained himself, looking at the far edge of the valley and could finally see the cause of her concern. Vaguely humanoid creatures of mottled gray skin galloped over the grass straight for the village, which had yet to notice the approaching threat. ¡°Fuck,¡± he groaned. ¡°Be careful, Helwan, we¡¯re running into a fight!¡± Arche put on an extra burst of speed, trying to catch up to Lyssa, but only ended up separating himself from Helwan, who was already panting from exertion. Lyssa reached the river in impressive time and didn¡¯t slow down. To Arche¡¯s eyes, it looked like she ran up a tree by the bank and disappeared into the boughs. A moment later, Lyssa sailed through the air, over the wide expanse of river, and landed with a roll on the far bank. Arche skidded to a stop at the water¡¯s edge half a minute later. He couldn¡¯t replicate Lyssa¡¯s actions, so he didn¡¯t even try. Instead, he hefted the Tridory and threw it as far as he could. It sailed over the slow-moving water, wobbling in its flight, and landed on the far bank, thirty strides away, sticking out of the ground. A prompt flashed in the corner of Arche¡¯s vision, but he ignored it. Instead, he quickly inventoried the majority of his clothing and dove into the river. The water enveloped him. His heart seized with panic and he started thrashing. It occurred to him, as he moved in limbo between the surface and the riverbed, that he didn¡¯t actually know how to swim. A deep pressure settled onto his chest as the water grew colder around him. A repressed memory fought its way to the forefront of his mind and he kicked hard with his feet, bringing him horizontal. He reached out with his arms and started dragging them to the side awkwardly. His lungs burned and his Stamina bar was close to bottoming out, already drained from his headlong sprint. His movements became more desperate as the pressure in his chest started to build. The riverbed brushed against his chest and face and he realized through the rising panic that he had sunk all the way to the bottom. His body begged him to breathe but he was surrounded by nothing but murky water that stung his eyes. His stamina bar blinked red as it dropped to single-digits. Pain racked his throat and chest as his health started to fall. He opened his mouth to scream but water rushed in and drowned the noise. A last, desperate thought occurred, and he tried to summon the feeling of determination and anger he had when he¡¯d fought the revenant. Something inside him stirred and responded to the command. Crimson light flashed beneath the water. His Health and Stamina shot upward as his Mana flew down toward zero. Silently, he asked the universe not to let him die there and jumped. Arche broke the surface of the river and kept going. As soon as he had jumped, he had let go of the Divine Body skill, but his momentum was enough to carry him out of the water and through the air. He landed on his knees on solid ground and began retching water. Still half-panicked, he checked his vitals.
Health: 445 / 445 100% Stamina: 142 / 325 44% Mana: 28 / 170 16%
Arche expunged the last of the water and took a glorious inhale of breath. He had landed next to the Tridory and was lucky not to have impaled himself on the metal spike at the butt of the spear. Helwan had reached the river and was shouting his name. Arche waved a hand to show he was all right and used the spear to pull himself to his feet. Thanks to the sudden regeneration granted by his Divine Body skill¡ªwhich was an unexpected and greatly appreciated feature¡ªhe felt physically all right, but his mind was thick and foggy from the loss of Mana. Someone screamed. It sounded far away. Blood thundered in his ears as he forced himself to concentrate. The need to find Lyssa drove him on, centering his clouded mind as he staggered further up the bank toward the settlement. Helwan shouted something behind him but Arche wasn¡¯t paying attention. The satyr¡¯s voice was soon drowned out by screams coming from the village ahead. Arche shook his head, trying to clear himself. Pausing only to equip his clothing and armor, Arche hefted the Tridory and started running. Pandemonium gripped the village. More kinds of people than Arche knew how to recognize were screaming and shouting, some running for the river while others equipped armor and weapons. Arche caught a glimpse of Lyssa arguing with someone in gleaming armor next to the wooden building. A black arrow ripped through the canvas tent next to him. Arche threw himself to the side as three more plugged the ground where he¡¯d been. ¡°To the river!¡± he shouted, trying to corral the screaming people toward where Helwan was still standing on the far bank. Dark figures poured through the gap in the hills toward the village. In the press of bodies, Arche lost sight of Lyssa. He hefted the Tridory and ran toward a gap where villagers were engaging with the attackers. Now that he was closer, he could see them more distinctly. They were generally humanoid, in that they typically had two arms, two legs, and a head, but that simple baseline was by no means the standard. Several were disfigured and misshaped. Some of the creatures had too many legs, others had too many arms. More than a few had upwards of a half dozen heads that sprouted from their torsos at odd angles. A small portion weren¡¯t humanoid at all, but looked instead like monstrous animals, the only indication of them being the same kind of creature was the gray, mottled skin and short fur they all shared. Arche joined three armed villagers near the forefront and stood with them, interposed between the oncoming horde and the fleeing villagers. He raised his spear toward the incoming threat. He used the few moments before battle to Examine one of the creatures running toward them.
Kyrzzgtk
Level: 12 Race: Beastmar Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 390 / 390 100% Stamina: 170 / 300 56% Mana: 100 / 100 100%
¡°Beastmar?¡± There was no time to look into it further. A dozen beastmar approached. Most wielded no weapons, armed instead with a variety of claws and horns. The three fighters¡ªa human woman, an elven man, and a massive lizard-person¡ªreadied themselves next to Arche. ¡°Hold the line!¡± he shouted. ¡°Fight for all you¡¯re worth. Hold the line!¡± If the others had questions about who he was and why he was there, they didn¡¯t voice them. The beastmar Arche had Examined, the one called Kyrzzgtk, charged him. As beastmar went, this one had several legs and had quickly outpaced its allies. It no doubt intended to run Arche over, trampling him with no less than eight legs, some of which ended in clawed feet, others in hooves. At the last moment, Arche lunged forward and to the side. His spear plunged through the beastmar¡¯s chest. It let out an animalistic howl of pain but didn¡¯t stop, even as the tip of the spear exited the creature¡¯s back. The Tridory was wrenched from Arche¡¯s hand as the beastmar fell to the ground and slid. Reactively, he drew his xiphos and stepped back. The three fighters beside him engaged their own enemies. Arche slashed at a beastmar as it came close, catching it in the side. The beastmar that had taken his spear lay dead several paces away, its momentum having carried it too far for Arche to retrieve the Tridory without abandoning his position. The beastmar now facing him had incredibly long arms with sharp protrusions in each joint. His sword was barely effective against the odd, carapace-like skin that served as a natural protection on the creature¡¯s extremities. His every strike was rebuffed, the delay in killing the creature only gave the beastmar more time to swarm and overwhelm him. As the edge of his blade glanced off the beastmar¡¯s skin again, Arche wished he had the Tridory in hand. The sharp spear would have made short work of this monster. A spasm of pain ran through his mind as his already low Mana dropped five points and the Tridory rushed toward him. Arche was so surprised that instead of catching the Tridory, he fell onto his back trying to get out of the way, losing any focus he¡¯d had. The spear¡¯s inertia carried it forward the last few paces, slamming point-first into the beastmar¡¯s hip. Arche quickly scrambled to his feet and struck the beastmar¡¯s neck while it tried to pull the Tridory free. It took two strikes, but he was able to deal it a killing blow. Quickly sheathing his xiphos, Arche wrenched the Tridory out and turned to face the next enemy. The spear vibrated in his hand, almost like a living thing, but he didn¡¯t have time to worry about that as a new beastmar captured his attention. One of its claws pressed against a wound on its side, trying to keep its insides from becoming outsides. It snarled its challenge at him, a challenge that seemed to say that even though it was wounded, it didn¡¯t regard Arche as a threat. Seeing that the others were being overrun by sheer numbers, Arche wasted no time. He took a large step forward, thrusting several times in a maneuver he had practiced with Lyssa. The beastmar dodged the first two strikes, but the third caught it in the throat and the creature died with a bloody gurgle. ¡°No!¡± Arche turned to see that one of the beastmar had broken past their line and was currently running toward the crowd of unarmed villagers that were in the process of fording the river. Arche took a deep breath and whispered a prayer for luck. ¡°No whammies, no whammies, no whammies.¡± He hefted the spear into an overhand grip and threw it. The metallic shaft of the Tridory caught the light as it sailed through the air, wobbling heavily. Arche¡¯s heart rested firmly in his throat, but the spear sailed true. It struck the back of the sprinting beastmar and pinned it to the ground. Arche pulled his xiphos back out of his scabbard and turned to face the rest of the beastmar threatening them. The three fighters had retreated a few steps and reformed their line, protecting each other¡¯s flanks while rebuffing the beastmar, each having no less than two trying to slay them. Arche swept in like a tornado to equalize the field. He came in low behind one of the beastmar, sliding on his elven greaves to slash at the creature¡¯s heels. He came back to his feet as the next beastmar swiped at him with a multitude of its claws. Arche jumped, body twisting in a somersault as his xiphos separated the beastmar¡¯s head from its shoulders. A large tail hit him as he landed, knocking him to the side and taking off ten percent of his Health. Arche gritted his teeth through the sudden pain in his side, reckoning the strike had bruised a rib, and rolled away as the beastmar slammed its tail into the ground where he¡¯d landed. He was about to engage it when a green-fletched arrow took it through the throat. ¡°Lyssa,¡± he breathed, but he didn¡¯t have time to look for the huntress as the next beastmar bore down on him. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. This one was multiheaded, with over a dozen faces protruding from its torso like some sort of botched experiment. He had failed to notice this one during his initial assessment as it wielded a large, double-bladed axe and a shield that had strange curves, almost like an hourglass. It roared at him through its plethora of mouths and Arche roared back, partially out of pain and shock, partially because he didn¡¯t know how else to respond. Any witty response he might have given had been driven well out of his mind by the pain in his side and the pulsing headache of low Mana. Arche spun to the side to avoid a vertical chop and responded with a diagonal slash that met the creature¡¯s shield. The shield punched out and caught Arche in the face. He tasted wet copper as his nose cracked and blood poured. His Health dropped another five percent. Arche stepped back as the beastmar advanced and swung its massive axe once again. Arche ducked low and rolled to the side to avoid another shield bash. He grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it at the creature¡¯s litany of heads. The shield moved to intercept the dirt and Arche used the distraction to drive his sword into the beastmar¡¯s leg. The creature howled in pain through a dozen mouths. Arche ripped the sword free and spun, dancing around the creature. He stabbed it through the back, then slipped past to its other side and severed the beastmar¡¯s weapon hand for good measure. As if to cement his victory, golden light washed over him, healing his nose and cleaning the blood off his clothes. The beastmar suitably dispatched, Arche checked on the other fighters. The strange elven man was supporting the human woman, who had sustained a head wound, and the lizard-person was guarding them. Over a dozen dead beastmar littered the ground around them. The last of the villagers had crossed the river to the west bank. Helwan was helping them move up the slope and out of harm¡¯s way. Arche searched the battlefield for Lyssa as he retrieved his spear, trying to catch some sign of the elf. He finally spotted her atop one of the adjacent hills, silhouetted in the light of the sun and shooting arrows into the beastmar as they charged the hill. Whenever one that wielded a shield would make its approach, she would fire a carefully aimed arrow into its exposed foot and another into its heart or throat when it tripped. She was like an avatar of death but she stood alone and the beastmar horde showed no signs of stopping. It was only a matter of time before they overwhelmed her. Arche ran for the hill, not bothering to pace himself. Thanks to the level up, his Stamina had been fully replenished. He used his spear to strike at three different beastmar as he ran, allowing the villagers that still fought the opportunity to finish them off. Arche reached the hill and pounded his way up the slope, scrabbling at the ground with his hands when it grew too steep to run. ¡°You took your time,¡± Lyssa said when he had reached the top, felling another beastmar with an arrow to the forehead. ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± he replied between gasping breaths. ¡°Hard to watch each other¡¯s backs when you go dashing off like a mad woman.¡± Lyssa sent an arrow through the heart of an approaching beastmar and wounded a second one behind it. Perhaps there was a better time and place to chide someone so proficient in dealing death. Golden light encompassed Arche a second time, washing away fresh blood splatter and replenishing his spent vitals once more. Arche used the Tridory to fend off the approaching beastmar, stabbing at them and forcing them back down the hill. Three beastmar fell beneath his spear before a horn blared. The tempo of the battle changed immediately as the beastmar turned and made their retreat. Several were carrying villagers away. Most dead, but some struggled against their captors, screaming for help. Their cries echoed in Arche¡¯s ears. A small pocket of fighting villagers gave chase, but the beastmar quickly outpaced them. Lyssa didn¡¯t stop her rain of death even as the beastmar ran away, felling several at incredible distances. Golden light surged through Arche again. When it faded, he felt a terrible emptiness in his chest as he and Lyssa stared into the distance at the fleeing beastmar. Perhaps two dozen villagers had been taken. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°Superficial wounds only. Nothing that can¡¯t be healed. You?¡± ¡°Nothing that three levels couldn¡¯t get me through,¡± he replied, the empty feeling in his chest was growing stronger with each passing moment. ¡°Don¡¯t suppose a shield to the face made me prettier, eh?¡± Lyssa did not deign his attempt at a joke with a response, so Arche took the moment to sift through some of the vast list of notifications waiting on him. Anything for a distraction.
You have slain 7 Beastmar. You gain 1,620 experience. Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 1,000 bonus experience. Lyssanderyli has slain 19 Beastmar. You gain 1,640 experience. You have helped slay 8 Beastmar. You have gained 320 experience.
You have reached Level 14. As a Human, you receive 5 attribute points to distribute per level. You currently have 15 undistributed attribute points.
Now that his injuries were healed and his vitals restored to full, there were other concerns, like tending to the wounded and introducing themselves to the villagers. Lyssa apparently intended to start with the latter as she stomped down the hill toward the man in armor Arche had seen her talking to earlier. He followed, not certain if he was heading toward another fight. Many of the wounded villagers were being washed with golden light as the fighters went through and killed the wounded beastmar that had been left behind. Arche watched in surprise at the amount of people leveling up. To come to what he assumed was a remote region to start a village, he had also assumed the villagers would all be high-leveled, perhaps close to Lyssa, but as he looked at their faces, he could see the fear and shock settling in. These people had no idea what they were doing, they were just trying to survive. Lyssa walked up to the armored man, Arche on her left loosely gripping the gore-covered Tridory. The cleanliness aspect of leveling did not, apparently, apply to magic spears. ¡°Satisfied now?¡± she spat. The man was tall, almost as tall as Arche, and quite handsome. He was human, with curly dark hair over full brows. His breastplate gleamed and shone like silver and he wore a dark blue cape that reached almost to the ground. A kopis with a golden handle rested in a beautiful dark leather sheath. Arche noted that there wasn¡¯t a speck of blood on the man¡¯s outfit, nor did the man sport a single scratch. It was possible that the man had simply leveled, but for all his looks he didn¡¯t strike Arche as a warrior. Something in the pompous angle in which he jutted his chin didn¡¯t seem like the type to get his hands dirty. The man¡¯s well-proportioned face twisted into a sneer as he turned the attention of his bright blue eyes onto Lyssa. ¡°Congratulations, you are not a liar. You do not, however, get to walk into my village and start making demands of me. You are an issue that I will deal with later. For now, there are matters to which I must attend. When my people are no longer bleeding into the ground, you will be questioned. Wait until then.¡± Without waiting for a response, the man turned and left, his attendees whispering to him. Arche narrowed his eyes and used Examine as the man left.
Callias Buteo
Level: 19 Race: Human Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 240 / 240 100% Stamina: 180 / 180 100% Mana: 100 / 100 100%
¡°Well, he seems nice,¡± Arche said. ¡°He ignored my warnings and tried to have me apprehended just for approaching him.¡± ¡°What a dick.¡± They turned their attention to the rest of the village. Several wounded laid on the ground, raising their lamentations as their blood trickled into the grass. An incredibly diminutive woman was ordering several of the uninjured villagers about between the wounded, clearly setting up a triage. Lyssa approached a man that had a black-fletched arrow sticking out of his leg and began bandaging him. Arche wanted to help but he didn¡¯t know where to start. His only experience with wound care had been when Lyssa had treated his shoulder and that wasn¡¯t something he knew how to replicate. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find Helwan, make sure he¡¯s all right.¡± Lyssa nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be here,¡± she said. ¡°Helping where I can.¡± Arche set off, jogging through the crowd. He spotted Helwan across the river without much difficulty. It might have been a mixed village but there were no other satyrs. A group of small children were dancing around him and he was dancing in the middle, hopping from leg to leg as he played his pan pipes. It was an odd sight, joy and laughter so close to so much pain and death. Arche caught the satyr¡¯s attention from across the river and waved him over, deciding against fording the river after his last experience. Helwan trilled a final note and said something to the children, who ran and jumped into the river, squealing and laughing. It set Arche¡¯s teeth on edge. With a wave of his hand, Helwan inventoried the pipes and also ran into the river, jumping far out over it and landing in a cannonball. Arche was genuinely impressed, as the satyr had managed to clear half the river with a single bound. He supposed it had something to do with the goat legs. Helwan surfaced and swam effortlessly over to the far banks. ¡°Good to see you in one piece, friend,¡± the satyr said, smiling. ¡°Though you should probably clean your spear.¡± Arche looked down at the Tridory, still covered in gore. ¡°You should see the other guys.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I will. Is Lyssa all right?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine, she¡¯s helping the wounded. I was just getting in the way, so I thought I¡¯d come see how you were. Did any of the beastmar get through?¡± ¡°No, thanks in no small part to your efforts. I saw you hurl that spear. Incredible. Once the villagers had crossed the river, we got them organized away from the fighting. Wasn¡¯t long after that until the fighting was over. I may have mentioned your names, embellished a story or two to explain why we were here and why we were helping.¡± Helwan¡¯s genuine optimism was infectious. Already, Arche could feel some of the emptiness in his chest abate, if only a little bit. ¡°I hope nothing too tall. If we¡¯re going to join these people, I¡¯d rather not lie to them.¡± ¡°Lies of omission, only. Well, maybe some exaggerations of deeds, but it¡¯s not like you two haven¡¯t done incredible things in the short time that I¡¯ve known you.¡± ¡°Stop it, I¡¯m blushing.¡± Arche affixed the straightest face he could manage, then cracked a small smile. ¡°Anyway, just wanted to give you a heads up, the leader here¡¯s a jerk, so we should try to help out where we can and get to know the people.¡± ¡°I should make myself useful, then. I don¡¯t excel in wound care but I know enough. I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡± ¡°Wait, what am I supposed to do?¡± Helwan gestured towards the aftermath of the rampage. ¡°Whatever you can. You¡¯ll find no shortage of need, here.¡± Helwan turned and walked off, leaving Arche quite alone. Without the first idea of where to begin, Arche let out a loud sigh and turned back to the rest of the village. The single permanent structure of the village, what appeared to be a wooden house, had taken some damage. Claw marks gouged the wood in several areas and at least one beam would need to be completely replaced. A few beastmar laid dead next to the door. Several of the tents had been trampled and torn, and people were already trying to fix them. He wandered over and began helping the villagers fix the tents. At the least, it was something physical he could do. Most of them focused only on fixing their own tents. The villagers seemed surprised at his help. Or, perhaps, they were surprised at him. More than one shied away as he approached. At first, he thought it was because he was a stranger, then he realized how he must look to them. A heavily scarred stranger dressed like a wood elf, always wielding a large, black-metal spear. He must have looked a right terror, but they accepted his help, nonetheless. He made a point to introduce himself to each of them, but none seemed willing to talk more than a few words. He couldn¡¯t blame them, considering what they¡¯d all just been through. After the fifth tent he helped erect, he was approached by three armed villagers, the same three he had fought alongside against the beastmar. The elf was the first to greet him. ¡°Hail, stranger. We wanted to share our appreciation for what you did back there.¡± The elf smiled at him beneath the hood of a gray cloak, flashing blue skin and piercing, black eyes. He had a long, slender blade in a scabbard at his waist and had fancy, leather armor. ¡°Just glad I could help. The name¡¯s Arche.¡± ¡°Vikterandor.¡± The elf extended an arm. ¡°But my friends call me Vik. After what you did, count yourself among that number.¡± ¡°Well met.¡± Arche clasped Vik¡¯s forearm as Lyssa had done to him. ¡°This is Elpida.¡± Vik gestured to the human. The woman never took her eyes off Arche''s face, even as he turned to look at her. She still wore the iron cuirass she¡¯d fought in but had inventoried her weapons. Her straw-colored hair was pulled into a bun and one side of her face was stained red from a head wound, now tightly bandaged. She nodded to him without speaking. Her eyes gave no quarter as she took the measure of him. He could easily have been their next enemy with how hard she was staring at him. ¡°A pleasure to meet you,¡± Arche said, acutely aware of the scars lining his face. Vik shifted his feet and turned to introduce the lizard-person. It was a subtle move that nudged Elpida with his scabbard. She blinked, her face softening a fraction, and looked away. Arche wiped at his forehead with the back of his hand, trying to blame the sudden redness of his cheeks on physical exertion. ¡°I can introduce myself,¡± the giant lizard person rumbled in a voice like wet thunder. ¡°I am Gigator the Maeotian. Gigator was a huge monolith of strength and scale. He stood easily head, shoulders, and head again over Arche. Dark green scutes of a great water lizard made lifted protrusions all along his body. Instead of extending an arm as the elf had done, Gigator inclined his head low, still towering far above Arche. He spoke again from this position. ¡°You fight with fervor and conviction. It is an honor to know you, warrior.¡± Arche smiled in mild bewilderment but returned the gesture. ¡°The honor is all mine, Gigator. You must forgive me if I seem rude; I haven¡¯t met a Maeotian before.¡± ¡°All you need know of him is that he prefers his meat fresh,¡± Vik said, smiling beneath his hood. ¡°You travel with the wood elf and the satyr, do you not? Interesting company you keep. Some would say unheard of.¡± ¡°I do. We were hoping to find a place here, though I have my concerns about your leader.¡± ¡°Callias does like to think himself the dashing hero.¡± Vik scratched his chin. ¡°Though the only dashing he¡¯s done is away from danger.¡± ¡°He¡¯s rich. Enough so that he has funded this entire expedition, as well as hired all of us to provide protection,¡± Gigator added. ¡°Wow.¡± Arche raised his eyebrows. ¡°Deep pockets.¡± ¡°Indeed. If you are looking for ways to be helpful, come with us. We need to secure the perimeter and take care of the dead.¡± Arche looked back at the rest of the village, which was managing fine without him. ¡°Yeah, all right.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 14 Persepera The 20th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The village was back up and running surprisingly quickly. Arche and the others slowly swept across the dead beastmar, stabbing each corpse to make sure it was dead. Arche could have done the job easily by using his Examine skill, but it would have been difficult to explain and Lord Cypress had more or less warned him not to tell anyone about it. When they had determined a beastmar was dead, its body was dragged away from camp for disposal. Others had joined them for the effort, mostly the village guards, and they had soon gathered the corpses a fair distance away from the village proper. Night was falling quickly. One guard stepped forward with a lit torch, arm cocked to throw it onto the pile, when Arche stopped the man¡¯s hand. ¡°We should burn them tomorrow. It¡¯s getting dark and a pile this big will signal everything for miles.¡± The man frowned but stepped back. ¡°Initiative is a trait that many applaud, young man, but I detest it among my ranks. It makes people disobedient. If orders are going to be doled out to my people, they had best well come from me.¡± Arche turned to find Callias, still dressed immaculately. He thought the ¡®young man¡¯ comment was especially odd, as Callias himself looked to be relatively young, probably in his early to mid-twenties, but he let it go. ¡°It¡¯s a bad move. The Sylv is home to powerful monsters. The beastmar are not the worst to call this place home. If you light this up, it may attract attention we¡¯re not ready for.¡± ¡°Learn your place,¡± Callias spat. ¡°If we don¡¯t burn the bodies, then the smell of their decomposition will no doubt attract scavengers who will strew them about the entire valley. I won¡¯t risk the safety of my people by wasting guards on the bodies of the enemy. If you are so insistent that we wait until morning then you can be the one to stay here.¡± Arche stuck the Tridory into the ground and crossed his arms. Callias sneered a smile at him, clearly applauding himself. He turned to walk away, but Arche called out to him, loud enough for everyone around to hear. ¡°When do you plan to go after the captured?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Callias whirled on him. ¡°The beastmar captured some of your villagers. Alive. Surely you have a plan to rescue them, don¡¯t you?¡± An uncomfortable murmur passed through the small crowd. Callias glanced around, then waved one hand dismissively. ¡°If the beastmar have them, then they are already dead. I won¡¯t waste more lives trying to bring them back.¡± ¡°If the beastmar were going to kill them, why go to the trouble of capturing so many alive? They need help. Who else is going to give it to them?¡± Callias¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°If I say they¡¯re dead, then they¡¯re dead. You would do well not to question me, boy.¡± ¡°Would that your own people show you the same respect you show them.¡± Callias stiffened, his eyes blazing with hot fury. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you think you are, but I will not take criticism from some common leper.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a¡ª¡± ¡°Enough, you bore me. I won¡¯t be paying you for what you did today, no matter what you argue. I know the only thing you adventurers care for is money. We have no contract. If you¡¯re still alive or still here come morning, speak to the steward. He might be able to make some use of you, impossible as that may seem. If you¡¯re not, then you had best leave my village, and quickly. Accidents happen in the frontier, you know.¡± Without waiting for a response, Callias walked away, some of his retinue going with him. Arche rolled his eyes and turned to Vik. ¡°Can you find me a shovel? If I¡¯m going to be up, I might as well get started on a burial pit. That is, unless we want to just leave a barbecue out in the middle of the valley.¡± Vik waited until Callias was out of earshot before replying. ¡°Pompous prick. Do not worry, my new friend. You won¡¯t spend the night alone.¡± ¡°Why does everyone follow him? Money is good, but certainly it¡¯s not as useful out here.¡± Elpida answered, speaking for the first time since Arche had known her. ¡°Most of the people here are indebted to him. His family has its fortune from moneylending and most here are tradesfolk who have fallen on hard times. Artisans, crafters, traders. A few farmers here and there whose crops didn¡¯t have enough yield. This land is rich in resources and he intends to capitalize. Once he establishes the village, he expects to turn a fortune. The people here can¡¯t afford to refuse him.¡± ¡°You three?¡± ¡°Gambling debts.¡± Vik shrugged. ¡°The pay here is good enough.¡± ¡°He paid my release fee from the fighting pits, so I work for him to pay it back,¡± Gigator said. Elpida looked to the side and didn¡¯t answer. Vik and Gigator seemed to take that in stride, so Arche didn¡¯t push. The answers seemed plausible enough, but there was an itch in his stomach. They weren¡¯t giving him the whole story. Still, he was still a stranger to them, and he supposed it had been a rather personal question. Vik produced a shovel from his inventory and handed it to Arche. ¡°We¡¯ll be back later with some food. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell your friends where you are.¡± ¡°Thanks, I appreciate it.¡± Arche was left by himself in the dark. Alone with a massive pile of slain beastmar. He wrinkled his nose at the smell and started digging. As he did, he began sorting through his notifications.
You have learned a Skill. Spear Throwing ¡ª Level 1 A spear is useful for its reach. With a little technique, it can reach further than expected. Each level in this skill improves your ability to throw spears and spear-like objects. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Strength and Dexterity by 1. This is a subskill of Spearmanship. +3% Accuracy of Thrown Spears (+3%) +2% Range of Thrown Spears (+2%)
Arche paused, rereading the description of the new skill. He focused on the word ¡®subskill¡¯ and another notification appeared.
Subskill A subskill is a specialization that exists within another skill. A subskill cannot be leveled past the host skill¡¯s level, but experience earned for the subskill is also earned for the host skill.
Arche resumed digging with a smile.
You have learned a Skill. Swimming ¡ª Level 1 Water, or similar substances, cover the majority of Tartarus. Swimming is not the recommended form of travel, however. Each level in this skill improves your ability to not drown when submerged. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Strength and Endurance by 1. +2% Speed of Swimming (+2%) -0.5% Stamina Drain while Swimming (-0.5%)
Arche paused again. ¡°Are these notifications getting snarky with me?¡±
Divine Body has increased to Level 2.
You have learned a Skill: Leadership ¡ª Level 2 Some are natural leaders, others are made. What matters is the quality, not the origin. Each level in this skill will improve your chances of getting others to follow you. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom and Charisma by 1. +1% Persuasion Chance (+2%) +1% Reputation Gains (+2%) -0.5% Reputation Losses (-1%)
You have discovered a feature of the Tridory: Return You can summon the Tridory to you at a rate of 1 Mana per meter. Bond further with the Tridory to discover other features.
Arche stopped digging for a third time. His hole was only a foot deep but he was completely distracted by the last notification. He looked to where the Tridory still stuck out of the ground and hesitantly extended a hand. He remembered wishing the spear would come back to him in battle and the surprise he¡¯d felt when it worked, but it had felt like a fluke. Some battle shock obscuring the truth of things. He willed the spear to come to him and, to his surprise, it bent toward his hand and shot out of the ground. He caught it by the grip easily, as though the Tridory was being pulled to his hand by that point specifically. His Mana dropped two points, an almost imperceptible amount that would be replenished in less than nine seconds with his current Wisdom score. Was there a limitation to how far he could summon the spear or was the limit his own Mana pool? He had no way to reliably test that theory without risking revealing the feature to everyone in the village. He was certain that if Callias Buteo discovered that he had a magic spear, the pompous ass would do everything in his power to confiscate it. He supposed he could go off by himself to some remote part of the valley, but that would be just as likely to get him killed as it would to give him answers. Arche sunk the Tridory back into the ground and rubbed at his palm. He needed a way of carrying it around that didn¡¯t require him to hold it all the time.
Spearmanship has increased to Level 11. +2% Damage with Spears (+22%) You have reached the rank of Novice in Spearmanship. You gain 100 experience.
Swordsmanship has increased to Level 14. +2% Damage with Swords (+28%)
Acrobatics has increased to Level 8. +3% Control of Movement (+24%) +1% Jump Height (+8%)
Light Armor has increased to Level 4. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. +2% Defense with Light Armor (+8%)
You have learned a Skill. Digging ¡ª Level 1 Diggy diggy¡ªwait, you¡¯re not a dwarf! Each level in this skill improves your ability to dig holes. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Strength and Endurance by 1. This is a subskill of Menial Labor. +3% Digging Speed (+3%) +1% Soil Manipulation (+1%) -0.5% Stamina Drain while Digging (-0.5%)
You have learned a Skill: Menial Labor ¡ª Level 1 Work harder, not smarter. Each level in this skill improves your ability to do a wide variety of physical tasks. +1% Efficiency at Menial Tasks (+1%) +1% Speed at Menial Tasks (+1%) -0.5% Stamina Drain during Menial Tasks (-0.5%)
The hole was as deep as Arche¡¯s waist when he took a break. He sat with his feet dangling over the edge. The idea that ¡®digging¡¯ was a skill made him snort, but it made as much sense as anything in Tartarus. Arche wondered what a Master at digging would look like and chuckled at the thought of a person swimming through the ground like water. Night fell fully on the valley, though one almost couldn¡¯t tell. The small, green moon in the sky was full and the larger blue moon was missing only a crescent. They bathed the entire valley in cyan light. Arche stared up at the sky for a long time, wondering what was out there, among the stars. It felt so open and unguarded after all his time in the forest. Constellations flickered, meteors flashed across the sky, and through it all the two moons shone down like the multicolored eyes of some celestial being. The world was a bigger place than he could imagine and the sky only served to highlight how little of it he¡¯d actually seen. After he¡¯d drunk his fill of the sky and considerably widened the hole, he took a break. It was as good a time as any to assign his new attribute points.
Arche
Level: 14 Experience to Next Level: 238 (83%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 185 centimeters Weight: 82 kilograms Profession: N/A Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: Helwan Panysk
You have 15 undistributed attribute points
Health: 445 / 445 100% Stamina: 271 / 325 83% Mana: 170 / 170 100%
Strength: 22 Dexterity: 18 Agility: 17 Fortitude: 23 (18) Endurance: 21 (16) Intelligence: 17 Wisdom: 14 Willpower: 14 Perception: 16 Charisma: 14 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 11
Fifteen points to assign, and twelve places to assign them. The choice never seemed to get any easier. Still, he was happy to have the chance to improve himself. Despite the fact he still didn¡¯t know any spells, the prospect of being able to use his Divine Body skill more was tempting. Now that he had more of an idea of what it could do, all he wanted to do was experiment more. With that thought in mind, he invested two points into Intelligence and Wisdom each. The next part was difficult for him but he gritted his teeth and did it anyway, investing a full four points into Charisma. Seven points left, it was time to shore up his physical stats. The Tridory still felt unwieldy in his grip and if his foot race with Lyssa had proved anything, it was how much slower he was compared to competent fighters. He placed two points into Dexterity, two into Agility, and the final three into Strength.
Health: 460 / 460 100% Stamina: 283 / 325 87% Mana: 190 / 190 100%
Strength: 25 Dexterity: 20 Agility: 19 Fortitude: 23 (18) Endurance: 21 (16) Intelligence: 19 Wisdom: 16 Willpower: 14 Perception: 16 Charisma: 18 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 11
The investiture into Charisma would help him make allies, or so he hoped. Considering how badly his last two interactions with Callias had gone, he would need all the allies he could get. Now that the housekeeping was done, it was time to reattack the gardening. An hour and four levels in both Digging and Menial Labor later, he was interrupted by Lyssa. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Arche stopped and looked up out of the hole he¡¯d dug. It was now up to his chest, though not much wider or longer than his shoulders. He had removed his armor and his shirt, hoping to avoid sullying them with sweat and dirt. ¡°I¡¯m digging a mass grave. For them to place the beastmar bodies into.¡± ¡°I can see that. Why are you doing it?¡± Arche clambered out of the hole and saw that she was covered in dried blood. Red blood, to his relief. She looked as though she had been more than hands-deep in a couple of the people in the triage. ¡°Two reasons,¡± he said. ¡°The first is that I don¡¯t think it would be wise to leave a giant pile of burned bodies out in the open like an all-you-can-eat buffet for any nearby monsters.¡± Lyssa blinked and shook her head, clearly not understanding the simile. Arche pressed on anyway. ¡°The second being that I would want the same effort done for me.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do the same for you. They would eat you.¡± ¡°Then that gives me the moral high ground, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Barely four weeks old and now you¡¯re spouting philosophy at me.¡± ¡°I blame you. You named me after a philosophical abstract, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s foolish.¡± ¡°I disagree.¡± Lyssa snorted and produced a platter of food from her inventory. ¡°I brought you some food. Your new friend, Vik, told me where to find you. I wanted to apologize for leaving you. We should have stayed together. I saw the beastmar coming and no warning had been raised. My instincts acted before my mind. If something had happened to you or Helwan, I would have been completely distracted.¡± Arche held up a hand to stop her. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. You were absolutely right to do what you did. You saved lives, gave those people enough time to prepare for the attack. It would have been a slaughter if you¡¯d waited for us.¡± ¡°Still, you could have been killed. We both could have been. All for my recklessness.¡± ¡°You know, I think a certain wood elf once told me that the journey is often dangerous and that I should be prepared for that danger and not walk through the woods like some human woman.¡± Lyssa let out an actual chuckle. ¡°That was a horrible paraphrase.¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Arche poured water over his hands, rubbing the dirt from beneath his fingernails before he ate. There wasn¡¯t much, a few thin slices of meat, a handful of olives, and a salad of pepper slices, but there was also a small flagon of mead that they took turns sipping from. What was left wanting from dinner they supplemented with their own supplies, wolf meat and sweet wine that conjured a memory from the weeks before. The memory seemed almost hollow now that he was surrounded by so much death. He stared at the pile of beastmar. Black blood congealed throughout the mass; wounds gaped like a broken taboo. Dozens of beastmar were piled high not twenty strides away and Arche was sitting and eating and laughing. The realization of it made his stomach turn. ¡°Is this what life is like?¡± Lyssa tilted her head, brow furrowed in confusion. ¡°Battle after battle, conflict after conflict, with everything else happening in the breaths between fights?¡± Arche gestured to the pile of beastmar corpses. ¡°Is that our fate? Are we going to end up like them one of these days? Wasted flesh and wasted life?¡± Lyssa didn¡¯t say anything for a long minute. ¡°Long ago, before my people secluded themselves to the forest, there was a society of elves who dedicated themselves to making war. They lived for battle, constantly training and constantly starting conflict. They came to be feared throughout Tartarus for their brutality and their skill, but they did not last long. Throughout their many conflicts, their numbers dwindled. Elves are long-lived but not easily replaced. In less than a hundred years, they went from three hundred elves to only three.¡± She paused to take a swig of wine, then handed him the flagon. ¡°When it was only the three of them left, they turned their blades on each other. Two of them were struck down, their blood joining the fallen, but the last survived with grievous wounds. Before he succumbed to his injuries, he left writings for those who would come after.¡± ¡°What did he write?¡± ¡°Seek peace and fight to defend it. Raise your weapon only for what you believe in.¡± Lyssa paused, her throat flexing and unflexing as though the words were stuck. ¡°Spill not the blood of your kin, for it is the ruin of us all.¡± Arche stared at the bodies of the slain. ¡°Battle can be your life,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Or it can be part of it. Ultimately, it is your choice what kind of life you will lead and what the meaning of it is. Death is part of life, there is no escaping it, but a life is not defined by its end, it is defined by its measure.¡± It wasn¡¯t the reassurance he had hoped for, but her words helped lessen the empty feeling that had settled inside his chest. He began to feel a little more himself, whoever that might be. ¡°I would not have expected a Huntress to be wise in philosophy.¡± ¡°My life has been defined by the death of those around me. I have had time to consider these things.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong there.¡± Arche wiped his hands on the grass. ¡°If my life is a product of what I dedicate it to, then so is yours. Many of these people would be dead, if not for you. I would be dead, several times over. That accounts for something.¡± Lyssa fixed her eyes on the moons. It was her turn to be silent and think. ¡°By the way, I learned a few new things.¡± He did his best to keep his voice calm and disinterested. ¡°Oh? Like what?¡± Lyssa took another swig of wine. Arche gave a mysterious smile and held his hand out to the side. The Tridory launched itself toward him from several paces away and he caught it without looking. Lyssa spat wine in a fine mist, turning Arche¡¯s smile into a full grin. ¡°What the fuck?¡± ¡°Hey! You¡¯re learning!¡± ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°By complete accident, the first time. I finally had time to go through all my notifications out here and found out that one of the features of the spear is something called ¡®Return¡¯ which allows me to summon it for a small Mana cost.¡± ¡°That¡¯s incredible. I don¡¯t know of any weapons that have an ability like this.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯m just that special.¡± ¡°Who else knows about this?¡± ¡°No one, I think. I used it once in the battle, but I don¡¯t think anyone saw and it wasn¡¯t half as slick. I figure the only people who might have seen were the three I was fighting alongside. Vik, Elpida, and Gigator, but they¡¯ve been friendly so far and no one¡¯s said anything.¡± Lyssa nodded. Her gaze turned back to the sea of tents sequestered near the river. Now that night was upon them, many had strung up candles or lanterns outside their tents, giving the whole community a soft, golden glow reminiscent of fireflies. ¡°This place is different than I had hoped. It¡¯s full of people. People I do not understand.¡± Arche looked sideways at her and realized she probably hadn¡¯t met many people outside of her village before him. ¡°How are you holding up? We haven¡¯t really talked in a minute.¡± Lyssa shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve known this was coming for years, but it still doesn¡¯t feel real. Dawnwood is all I¡¯ve ever known; now I can never return. This village seemed like the best choice, but I don¡¯t know that I can join a community that would subjugate itself to a man like that.¡± ¡°What if we showed them a different way?¡± Lyssa frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been talking to Vik and his gang. By the sound of it, most people here are only following Callias because he¡¯s paying them or holding them in some kind of debt. If we can wipe away that debt, maybe we can undercut his whole operation, force him to step down and establish a better way of life for the people here. Right now, it seems like he calls all the shots and is only acting in his own self-interests.¡± ¡°How would we get the money to pay for such things?¡± ¡°The treasure from the dwarven ruins. I never got rid of my share and Helwan still has his. If the three of us pool it together, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s worth more than whatever that prick has with him. If we can free enough people from their debt, we might be able to sway the people against him.¡± ¡°Who would they follow? You?¡± Arche paused. The idea of running his own village was tempting, but the sheer responsibility of it all was too much to fathom. His own goals would be constantly overshadowed by administrative issues and the needs of the people. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be a very good leader. I¡¯m just saying, if we don¡¯t like the way things are, we could try to change it. Maybe you could lead.¡± ¡°Doubtful. My father and my¡±¡ªshe took a steadying breath¡ª¡°brother were both gifted leaders. But me? I wouldn¡¯t know where to begin. What if we just made things worse?¡± ¡°One, I don¡¯t believe that. I¡¯m not really sure how old you are, but if your dad is even half as good as you say he is, you must have learned something from him over the years, even if you don¡¯t know it. Two, how could things be worse than a leader who¡¯s so adverse to listening to advice that he¡¯d rather let all of his people get ambushed and eaten by monsters?¡± ¡°You make some good points, I¡¯ll give you that, Greenstick.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not even saying that we become the leaders of the village. Maybe they have someone else lined up who¡¯d be perfect for the job. I¡¯m only saying that if we can bring a better life to these people, we should probably try. Just think about it.¡± ¡°I will. That¡¯s all I can promise for now.¡±
Persuasion has increased to Level 2. +1% Persuasion Chance (+2%)
You have received a Quest: Rise and Fall Lord Callias Buteo has proved himself a poor leader, relying on fear and finance to gain the loyalty of his townspeople. Replace him and set forth a new age of opportunity.
Objectives ¡¤ Remove Callias Buteo from power ¡¤ Establish a form of government for the village ¡¤ Have a member of your party lead the village (Optional) Rewards ¡¤ 10,000 Experience ¡¤ Increased Relation with the village of Buton ¡¤ Leadership of a village (Optional)
¡°I can¡¯t believe he named the village after himself,¡± Arche muttered. ¡°And the worst part of his name, too.¡± ¡°If I agree and if we succeed, that¡¯s the first thing to change.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Arche dismissed the notification. ¡°In the meantime, we should avoid taking any of Callias¡¯s money. Help the people, refuse the pay. We can last on our own supplies or do our own hunting if it comes to it.¡± ¡°Trying to win another moral victory?¡± ¡°Not exactly. I¡¯m trying to show him that we can¡¯t be bought. That not everyone cares about his stupid money as much as he does.¡± Arche finished the last of his meal and stood. He picked up the shovel and jumped back into the hole. It wasn¡¯t going to dig itself, after all. Book 1 | Chapter 15 Hadespera The 21st of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Dawn broke over the trees. Pink sky peeked through amber clouds like rosy fingers reaching for the night. Arche wiped the sweat from his face and looked out over the valley. He hadn¡¯t slept and every last muscle ached, but he¡¯d gotten the job done. He¡¯d also propelled himself all the way to level twelve in both Menial Labor and Digging, leaving him a measly thirty-eight experience away from Level Fifteen. Lyssa sat on the ground nearby, cleaning the dirt from her nails. She had called him an idiot a dozen times at least over the course of the night, and probably worse things in the language of the elves, but she had helped him anyway. A few monsters had crept out of the woods to investigate, but a few well-placed arrows caused them to scurry back into safety. Lyssa had slept while he worked and took over when he was too exhausted to go further. The effects of a full night of manual labor were hard to ignore, but there was vindication in a job well done.
Exhausted ¡ª Tier 1 -50% Vitals Regeneration +15% Chance to Make Mistakes +50% Stamina Drain of Physical Tasks
People were rising in the village and several were already approaching. Callias led them, but Arche spotted Vik, Elpida, and Gigator among others he didn¡¯t know. Helwan was also amid the burgeoning crowd. ¡°So you¡¯ve proved you can dig a hole. We¡¯re all very impressed,¡± Callias said in a flat voice. ¡°Torch it.¡± One of the guards stepped forward and hurled a lit torch onto the pile of bodies. The beastmar ignited quickly, blazing brightly in the light of the morning sun. Arche was forced to take a step away from the sudden blast of heat. ¡°You think you¡¯ve proved something here?¡± Callias asked. ¡°I assure you, you¡¯ve only proven your own stupidity.¡± Arche narrowed his eyes. A small voice in the back of his mind told him to let it go, but he was too tired and too annoyed to listen to it. ¡°You sure talk a whole lot to say nothing, don¡¯t you? As unenlightening as our conversations are, I have better ways to waste my time. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m going to go take a bath and a nap.¡± ¡°You think you talk to me like that and just walk away?¡± Callias snarled. ¡°I am in command, here.¡± ¡°Well, yeah. I¡¯m not one of your people, as you¡¯re quick to remind me, and unless you¡¯re going to have your guards there try to kill me for mildly sassing you, I¡¯ll speak and think how I please. Of course, if you did sic your guards on me, that would only prove my point.¡± ¡°And what point is that?¡± ¡°That you care more about your image and your money than anything or anyone in this town.¡± Callias sputtered at him, more shocked than anything, but Arche could tell rage was coming. The crowd was suddenly a lot more interested in the exchange, excited whispers filling the air. Lyssa stepped up next to him. ¡°Careful,¡± she whispered. ¡°We¡¯re outnumbered.¡± ¡°By all means,¡± Callias said at last. ¡°Please, continue to talk however you wish. But know that you will receive no aid from me. Good luck surviving when your supplies run low, when winter sets in, when you have no coin to trade.¡± ¡°You forget, Callias. I am not from your city. I have lived in these woods. You will get your people killed by your own greed and ignorance. You¡¯ve been here, what, a week by my estimate? How many times have you been attacked?¡± ¡°Twice!¡± someone called out. ¡°Twice,¡± Arche echoed, layering the word with as much contempt as he could muster. ¡°And yet you still camp out in the worst vantage in the entire valley and refuse to even place a watch. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you were trying to get these people killed.¡± ¡°Insults are one thing, commoner, but accusations are another. Kneel and apologize now, and that will be the end of it.¡± Arche took two steps forward. The guards flanking Callias drew their swords, each one a bundle of caution and nerves. Arche gave a mirthless smile. ¡°I kneel for no man, least of all whatever you are.¡± Callias, to his credit, refused to be intimidated. ¡°You will learn your place or you will find none here.¡± Arche turned and left, heading toward the river. The crowd parted for him, too astonished to say anything. ¡°I¡¯m not finished with you!¡± Callias called after him. ¡°But I¡¯m bored of you. If you really want to continue this, you can berate me while I bathe.¡± Callias took a step after him, as though he intended to do just that, but quickly thought better of it. Instead, the village lord stormed off toward the village proper. Lyssa caught up to Arche easily and fell into step beside him. ¡°That was foolish.¡± ¡°True, but damn if it didn¡¯t feel good. Do you want to spend the next however many years bowing and scraping for a pompous asshat like that? I¡¯m not putting up with it.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even agreed to your idea.¡± ¡°What idea?¡± Helwan asked as he joined them, followed by Vik, Elpida, and Gigator. ¡°Bold move, kid,¡± Vik said, his mouth curving in a smile from beneath his hood. ¡°Your words showed scales.¡± Gigator nodded his approval. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot,¡± Elpida grunted. ¡°Something we agree on.¡± Lyssa nodded. Arche looked back and forth between the small crowd. ¡°Are you all coming to watch me bathe? Because at this point, I feel like I need to start charging people.¡± Five pairs of eyes rolled at him. ¡°Come find us later, kid,¡± Vik said. ¡°I think we¡¯ve got something to discuss.¡± The three fighters left, leaving Arche alone with Lyssa and Helwan. ¡°What idea?¡± Helwan repeated himself. ¡°Arche wants to start a revolution,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°That¡¯s a bit of an overstatement.¡± They reached the river. Arche side-eyed his friends, but they apparently had no intentions of giving him any privacy so he pulled open his inventory and started depositing his armor and clothing into it. Wearing only his pants, he gave a running leap, tucking his arms around his knees and inventorying the last of his clothing as he hit the water. He surged down into the dark, his feet quickly finding smooth stone at the bottom of the river. The cold was overpowering, especially so in his exhausted state, but the water was a balm to his aching muscles. The previous fear he had experienced during his last swimming attempt was still there, lurking under the surface, but he managed to keep the rising feeling of pressure in his chest at bay by staying close enough to the bank that he could stand. Initially, the water came up to his navel, but that felt too exposed so he kept moving inward until the water came up to the middle of his chest. ¡°I¡¯m not going to start a revolution. I¡¯m going to get Callias removed from power.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, erm, certainly a bold strategy,¡± Helwan said delicately. ¡°The people here seem to be scared of him. It seems he has some powerful connections back in Ship¡¯s Shape.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the city I¡¯m from. They¡¯re from the same place.¡± Arche narrowed his eyes at the satyr. ¡°You¡¯re bullshitting me.¡± ¡°I beg your pardon!¡± ¡°No way it¡¯s called that.¡± ¡°It most certainly is!¡± Lyssa sat down and dipped her feet in the water. ¡°In any case, I have not agreed to the plan.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think Arche would make a good leader?¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Arche cut in. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the new leader. If one of us has got to do it, we should make Lyssa be in charge.¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a much, much better idea.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°I mean no offense, but Lyssa is clearly the calmer mind when it comes to decision making.¡± The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°And yet I¡¯m still offended. Never mind. How did your night go?¡± Helwan dusted the shoulders of his tunic proudly. ¡°I have, in fact, established myself amongst the people as a musician, a mage, and a megaloscholar.¡± Arche summoned his shirt from the day before and began rinsing it in the river, trying to rid it of blood both red and black. ¡°Sounds like they like you. Anyone give you trouble?¡± Helwan shook his head. ¡°No, not yet. There have been some looks, but I think for the most part I¡¯ve been accepted. How long that will last if you draw their lord¡¯s ire, I don¡¯t know.¡± Arche gave Helwan a flat look. ¡°You know I¡¯m on your side, whatever action you decide to take,¡± the satyr said quickly. ¡°You two saved my life, after all. I haven¡¯t forgotten that I¡¯d be spider food if it weren¡¯t for you.¡± ¡°Enough! Enough with the moroseness! I think we¡¯ve all saved each other¡¯s lives a half dozen times by now. We¡¯re all square. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m going to wash the rest of the mud out of my shirt and take a nap, and not necessarily in that order.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go stake out some prime camping territory, then. Do try not to have Callias arrest you until you¡¯ve freshened up,¡± Helwan said as he began walking away. ¡°That depends on him!¡± Arche called back. He inventoried his shirt and sank into the river up to his neck, letting his eyes close. The current ran all around him. It pulled at him, making him dig his toes into the soft mud at the bottom of the river. A small, intrusive thought whispered to let the current pull him under, to drift along the river and see where it would take him. He fought that urge as the water surged against his hair, arms idling just below the surface.
Swimming has increased to Level 2. -0.5% Stamina Drain while Swimming (-1%) +2% Swimming Speed (+4%)
Arche snorted. Other than his less-than-graceful entrance his feet hadn¡¯t left the riverbed and he had no desire to go any deeper into the river. ¡°Something funny?¡± Arche opened his eyes and turned around. Lyssa had also entered the river. He hadn¡¯t realized she was still there, let alone had joined him. Now she was standing in water just below her jawline, not ten strides away, just as naked as he was. It was so unexpected that he could do nothing more than gape. ¡°I¡­I¡­uh¡­¡± Words failed him. He blinked, then turned away. A strange heat flooded through him despite the cold of the water, leaving him decidedly uncomfortable. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked, his voice a few octaves higher than normal. ¡°I fought all day and dug all night. I need a bath as much as you do.¡± ¡°Okay, I get that, but why are you doing it right here?¡± Arche heard a small splash behind him and shuddered. His mind filling with a thousand images he didn¡¯t necessarily want to picture. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I be here? This is where the water is, no?¡± Arche ground his teeth, realizing that there was no way to be tactful about the situation. ¡°You¡¯re naked. I¡¯m naked. That doesn¡¯t make you uncomfortable?¡± ¡°I am a daughter of the forest. We live in nature and know the natural element in all things. You mortals may hold shame in the self, but we do not.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not always about shame, sometimes it¡¯s just about privacy. No one likes to be reduced to a piece of meat.¡± Behind him, Lyssa¡¯s voice took on a slight edge. ¡°Is that how you view me, Greenstick? A ¡®piece of meat?¡¯¡± It was a trap. Arche knew it was a trap, but he was trying to be genuine and he was so thoroughly thrown off guard that he blundered forward anyway. ¡°No. I think of you as my friend. Someone I trust, someone whose culture I barely understand, and someone I respect too much to be comfortable around while naked.¡± There was another small splash behind him and Arche screwed his eyes shut. ¡°Oh, so you would only disrobe with those whom you don¡¯t respect? Perhaps I should call Callias down to bathe in my stead. Then you might be comfortable.¡± ¡°Come on, you know that¡¯s not what I mean. Besides, you mean to tell me you¡¯re not at all uncomfortable with me being right here? What if Helwan was here?¡± ¡°You are something entirely separate.¡± ¡°What, your ¡®companion?¡¯¡± ¡°No. An idiot.¡± Arche snorted and tried to focus on rubbing the dirt out of his pores. Whatever her claims about shame or the lack thereof, it felt intrusive to look at her. It seemed he had found an uncrossable schism between elven culture and his own, whatever that may be. Regardless, he wanted a private bath, so he let the current pull him a little farther down the river. Not out of sight, but far enough at least that he and Lyssa were in no danger of accidentally bumping into one another. If that happened, he would never live his embarrassment down. The feeling of floating in the water was one Arche had to grow accustomed to, the simple thought of it making his heartbeat faster. He walked a few more steps and found a dip where he was barely treading water. He wasn¡¯t quite ready to go underwater again, but he was more prepared than he¡¯d been the last time he¡¯d gone swimming.
Swimming has increased to Level 3. +2% Swimming Speed (+6%) -0.5% Stamina Drain while Swimming (-1.5%)
He found a spot near the bank where the ground fell away and the current spun him in soft circles. He floated on his back, eyes closed as the weariness and weight of the past two days struck him. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep.
Fire licked his flesh. He was consumed by it. An inferno roared in every direction. The heat blasted at him, piercing his flesh and cracking his bones. Every sensation was agony. Arche sunk further into the flaming depths, unable to struggle free. The scent of cooked meat filled his nose, then his nose melted and he could smell nothing. His skin hissed and bubbled, falling away from his charred bones in great, hulking husks of flesh. His vision went dark as his eyes melted, but around him the fire burned ever brighter afterimages into his mind.
¡°Arche!¡± He awoke, gasping and sputtering. Water forced its way up and out of his throat in uncontrollable spasms. He was lying on his side on the riverbank, half out of the water, and trembling like a tree branch in a storm. Lyssa stood over him. She was dressed, to his great relief, in a simple green tunic that ran down to her knees, a cord tied the fabric to her at the waist and above the stomach. Concern was etched into her features. ¡°What happened?¡± he gasped. ¡°You fell asleep and drifted beneath the water. Are you all right?¡± Arche thought back to the dream. His every hair was on end, his body quivering from the memory of it. Falling asleep in water, he¡¯d dreamed of consuming fire. Strange. ¡°It seems Tartarus is committed to scaring me into an early grave. Can you let me get some clothes on?¡± Lyssa raised an eyebrow but obliged him by turning her back. Arche sat up and opened his inventory. His shirt was still wet from the earlier wash¡ªwhich was to be expected as items in the inventory retained their state from when they entered¡ªbut he figured it would dry out as the day went on. When he had finished, Lyssa had turned back around. Arche had never seen her without her leathers. There was something vaguely foreign about the sight of her looking like an ordinary elven woman instead of as the armored, highly capable huntress he knew her to be. The two, he had to remind himself, were not mutually exclusive. A shiver ran down his body. It was hard to catch his breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing. Bad dream.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been having a lot of those, lately.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m any closer to figuring out why.¡± ¡°Well, you should get some rest. Proper rest.¡± Arche stood and summoned the Tridory. It flew toward him from farther up the bank. His Mana dropped twenty points from the effort, causing a flicker of discomfort. ¡°You should be careful how brazen you are with that ability.¡± Arche leaned heavily against the spear. She was right, of course, but he was too tired to care. ¡°Go on,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°I¡¯m not quite done here.¡± Arche stumbled into camp, trying to find somewhere to set up his tent or roll out his bedroll. His exhaustion debuff hadn¡¯t disappeared with the little bit of sleep he¡¯d gotten. The near drowning had interfered with that, no doubt. He found an empty space and was about to retrieve his tent from his inventory when Helwan grabbed his arm. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± Arche started to say, but Helwan ignored him and led him through the canvas jungle. They stopped in front of an unassuming tent. ¡°You¡¯re practically dead on your feet,¡± the satyr told him. ¡°Give me your tent and I¡¯ll set it up next to mine. For now, use mine and sleep it off.¡± Arche was too tired to protest. He crawled inside the tent, laid the Tridory down next to a bedroll, and fell asleep still fully clothed and dripping water.
Arche sat up, his heart pounding. He was surrounded by an ash-laden field. Hills and plains stretched the horizon around him and before them were the burned and hollowed husks of what once must have been a bright and verdant forest. Dark, translucent husks of humanoid forms drifted all around him, each with a small green flame the size of a candle floating within their shadowy silhouettes. They seemed to appear and fade; one moment, almost tangible, the next, practically invisible. Arche stood, reaching for his spear. It was nowhere to be found. He tried to access his inventory, but nothing happened. He tried accessing his profile, his vitals, anything, but nothing happened. He turned as one of the humanoid shades passed near him and saw a figure kneeling. Unlike the shades, this one was solid. ¡°Who are you?¡± His voice came out more timid than he intended. The figure reached out and touched a prone shade, cupping the green candle with both hands as the silhouette dissipated into nothingness. One hand moved around the flame in a steady motion, then the figure gently tossed the green flame into the air as though he were letting go of a bird. The flame flew off toward the horizon, a glinting coin somehow suspended from it by a dark thread. The figure stood and turned toward Arche. It was dressed in all black. Black metal in interlocking plates adorned the figure¡¯s torso and legs, a black cape billowed dramatically behind it. An amorphous helmet covered its face, constantly shifting between human expressions and a smooth metallic surface. The only thing revealed were its eyes, which had pinprick white pupils in a dark sea of black sclera. ¡°You should not be here.¡± The figure took a step forward. Arche felt a cold within his stomach and looked down to see that his form was translucent, much the same as the shades that flitted about beside him, though more defined. He looked back at the figure, which had stopped in front of him, eyeing him. ¡°Who are you? What did you do?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gained awareness.¡± The figure ignored Arche¡¯s questions. ¡°A trick of the Moirai? Or perhaps Hypnos has singled you out. It matters not. I will speak to the Oneiroi of this. Forget what you have seen here. Lingering on it will not bring your soul peace.¡±
Arche woke with a cold knot in his stomach. His clothes were soaked and his limbs felt leaden. Sweat from the nightmare had mixed with river water to soak through the bedroll. Curling his lip in disgust at himself, he slowly extricated himself from the wet clothes and put on a simple shirt and pants. The fabric was stiff, but dry. He hung the wet clothes on a thin cord strung between the poles of the tent, hoping that they would dry quickly. He didn¡¯t have many clothes and didn¡¯t really want the ones he did have to mold or sour. Daylight poured in through a small opening at the front of the tent, telling him that he had not slept the entire day away. Arche held his hand out and found the comforting grip of the Tridory, the weight of it pulling him fully into reality. ¡°It was a dream,¡± he told himself. ¡°Just a dream.¡± It didn¡¯t matter how many times he said it. He couldn¡¯t quite believe it. Book 1 | Chapter 16 Hadespera The 21st of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals With an uneasy weight settled onto his shoulders, Arche visited Vik, Elpida, and Gigator. The bulk of the day was behind him and his sleep hadn¡¯t been particularly restful, but it was enough to rid him of his exhaustion debuff and get his attribute bonuses for all his hard work.
You have gained: +1 Strength +1 Endurance
Arche found Vik and the others sitting at a table in the open, playing some sort of game involving rocks on a lattice-style mat. Gigator sat on one side of the table, Elpida on the other. The latter was frowning heavily. ¡°What are they doing?¡± Arche asked Vik, who stood nearby, watching the game play out. ¡°They¡¯re playing petteia.¡± Vik said it like the answer was obvious. Rather than expose his ignorance once again, Arche waited and watched. Elpida had a series of light-colored rocks on her side of the grid, and Gigator had a number of dark rocks on his. They took turns moving their rocks across the board in straight lines, either vertical or horizontal. Gigator maneuvered one of his dark rocks adjacent to one of Elpida¡¯s light rocks, sandwiching it between another dark rock he had placed on a previous turn. Elpida cursed and removed her stone from the board. Something about the game seemed oddly familiar to Arche, but the movements and the rules were as strange to him as everything else. Arche watched them play. Two small piles of coins were sitting next to the board they were playing on. The coins were a dull grey metal. Arche Examined them, realizing he hadn¡¯t actually seen what kind of currency Tartarus used.
Obol Rarity: Common/Currency Durability: 5 / 5 Weight: 0.002 kilograms
Arche mouthed the word, obol. Now he knew what the money was called, but he still had no idea how much it was worth or if it was the only kind of coin. Realizing that he hadn¡¯t yet Examined his newfound friends, he made a show of interest in the game as he watched the players.
Elpida Giannakopoulou
Level: 19 Race: Human Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 810 / 810 100% Stamina: 705 / 705 100% Mana: 120 / 120 100%
Arche baulked at her vitals. He recognized that she was a few levels higher than he was, but her vitals were staggering. Judging by her Mana, it looked like she was almost entirely physically based, which explained the heavier style of armor that she wore. He turned his eyes to Gigator, wondering how the large lizard person would compare.
Gigator S¨¢vrandras
Level: 21 Race: Sauros Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 1,040 / 1,040 100% Stamina: 780 / 780 100% Mana: 110 / 110 100%
Examine has increased to Level 3. +2% Examine Speed (+6%)
It was enough to make Arche feel self-conscious about his own attributes. Part of him was surprised that he was anywhere near their levels, but their vitals put his to shame in almost all regards. It was one more sign that he still had a long way to go ahead of him. There was only one member of the trio left. Not sure what to expect, Arche Examined Vik.
Vikterandor has resisted the effects of Examine.
Arche froze. Vik turned sly eyes in his direction and winked at him. No one else Arche had Examined had resisted the effect or even signaled that they knew what was happening. Vik hadn¡¯t shown anger, but if the strange elf could resist his Examine skill, he could also hide his emotions. At the table, Elpida cursed long and loud in a grunting language that Arche didn¡¯t understand, bringing his attention back to the game at hand. Gigator had reduced Elpida¡¯s forces down to a single stone, which apparently meant she had lost. Gigator let out a booming laugh that had more than a bit of serpentine hiss in it. ¡°Every time! I don¡¯t understand!¡± Elpida slammed her fist on the table. The pieces bounced, threatening to spill onto the ground. Gigator was too busy gathering up the pile of obols. Vik let out a chuckle, slapping Arche on the shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s take a walk, friend. I¡¯m sure Elpida wants a redemption match.¡± Arche hefted the Tridory and walked next to Vik as they made their way up one of the hills that surrounded the village. When they were reasonably alone, Vik spoke. ¡°I notice you never put away your spear. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen its equal. Where did you get it?¡± Arche couldn¡¯t think of a convincing lie, so he decided to be vague about the truth. ¡°The bottom of a dwarven ruin, behind several monsters and traps. What about your sword? I¡¯m not familiar with that style.¡± Vik drew his sword and held it in both hands, by handle and blade. Even in the light of the sun, Arche could see that the metal glowed a faint blue and the grip was masked by a beautiful swept basket hilt. The blade was skinnier than any Arche had seen, barely thicker than one of Lyssa¡¯s arrows, and almost resembled a spike more than a sword. Still, the single edge was undeniably sharp and no doubt enhanced by magic. ¡°Starpoint has been my companion for many years.¡± The hairs on Arche¡¯s arms stood on end as Vik held the sword, but the strange elf sheathed it without further incident. ¡°You¡¯re a strange one, Arche. I¡¯ve been around Tartarus a few times, but something strikes me about you. There¡¯s a na?vet¨¦ to you that doesn¡¯t befit an adult. Care to explain?¡± Arche bit his lip, deciding how much to share. Vik hadn¡¯t given him any reason to distrust the elf outright, but Arche still felt like he was hiding something. ¡°I have amnesia. Total mind wipe. Before a couple weeks ago, it¡¯s like I didn¡¯t exist.¡± ¡°Fascinating. Do you know how rare that kind of amnesia is?¡± Arche gave a weak smile. ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I didn¡¯t even remember my name. Lyssa gave me this one.¡± ¡°I was going to ask if you knew what your name meant. It¡¯s an elvish concept.¡± ¡°She told me it means ¡®beginning.¡¯¡± ¡°Yes and no. It¡¯s a point of philosophy, actually. Not just a beginning, but rather the beginning. The fundamental beginning. It¡¯s more of an abstract than an actual thing, you understand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I follow.¡± Vik chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad. Wiser men than you have come to blows over smaller things. I want you to see things from my perspective, for a moment. A human who walks Tartarus seemingly for the first time, who wields a strange, clearly magical spear, has befriended both a banished wood elf and a satyr¡ªwhich, mind you, the fact that she hasn¡¯t killed him already is shocking in its own right¡ªcomes out of nowhere to warn our intrepid little village of an immediate attack and fights them off with impressive skill and tenacity. Then, just when I think the human might be out of surprises, I notice he¡¯s trying to get a peek at my profile with a rare skill normally only utilized by heads of state, spies, and assassins.¡± Arche shifted uncomfortably, not sure where this was leading. Vik smiled at him. ¡°You¡¯re going to stage a coup, aren¡¯t you?¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°What? No!¡± ¡°Hah! You¡¯ll have to improve your Deception, lad, that wouldn¡¯t have convinced a child.¡± Arche let out a heavy breath. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°You wear your intentions on your chest. I knew from the first time you spoke to Callias that you wouldn¡¯t stand him, let alone kneel to him. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m not going to stop you. I¡¯m simply curious if you¡¯ve thought this through.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t actually committed to it, yet. I¡¯m still trying to get my friends on board.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not surprising. But let¡¯s say you do take down Callias. What about the villagers? Who will support them? How will you gather supplies? Do you know how to outfit a village? What infrastructure is needed?¡± The more Vik spoke, the more Arche felt out of his depth. ¡°I don¡¯t, no.¡± ¡°Normally I would ask you if you¡¯d ever done something like this before, but given your memory situation I¡¯m going to take that answer as a ¡®no.¡¯¡± Arche felt a small spark of anger grow in his chest. ¡°What¡¯s your point, Vik? Are you trying to talk me out of it?¡± ¡°Not in the least. I¡¯m trying to let you know how important allies will be. I¡¯ll let you in on a secret: I lied earlier. None of my group are indebted to Callias. That¡¯s our cover in case people get nosy.¡± ¡°Your¡­cover?¡± ¡°Aye. You see, lad, we three used to be pirates. Relax, we¡¯re long since reformed. Point being that we were looking for somewhere to settle, get a new start away from the old life and any who might find us. This seemed like a decent enough place, out in the middle of nowhere, away from your usual law and order types. Plus, Callias was willing to pay for any muscle he could get. He knows very little of our situation, which didn¡¯t sit well with him, but he needed capable fighters and not enough were in his debt. Now, I knew he was a terrible leader from the beginning, but I didn¡¯t know the depths of his ineptitude.¡± ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t be inept?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re not looking to place yourself on the seat.¡± Vik waved a hand to dismiss Arche¡¯s impending questions. ¡°Read it in your face. You¡¯re not that kind of ambitious and I am an excellent judge of character.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your point in all this, then? What do you want?¡± ¡°Is it not obvious? Security. I think you have the guts to pull off your plans and I want to make sure there¡¯s a place for me and mine in the new village order. If you set yourself against Callias, you¡¯ll need allies. And if you set your pretty friend at the forefront, you¡¯ll need advisors.¡± ¡°And how do I know I can trust you?¡± Arche said, locking eyes with the elf. Vik smirked and lowered his hood, revealing startlingly blue skin and dark hair covered in tiny, white dots, like stars among the night sky. ¡°Because I¡¯m a moon elf and I give you my word that neither I nor mine will take any actions against you, so long as you take none against me or mine.¡± Arche was about to ask what Vik¡¯s being a moon elf had to do with anything when he received a notification.
Vikterandor has made you an Oath. One¡¯s word, once given, is binding. As a moon elf, Vikterandor¡¯s word is doubly so. Breaking an oath has extreme consequences. If you accept his oath, you will be held to the same standards as though you were a moon elf. Do you accept this Oath?
Yes No
Arche dismissed the window. What a moon elf had to do with making an oath, he had no idea, but he knew how he felt about it. ¡°Trust is not a contract, it¡¯s a leap of faith. I¡¯m grateful that you would go to such a risk for us, but I won¡¯t ask you to bind yourself to it. If you really want to help us, I won¡¯t ask you to take an oath. I can¡¯t speak for Lyssa, in fact she¡¯s more prepared to speak for me, but if you truly wish to help us, then I will trust you at your word until you give me a reason not to.¡±
Leadership has increased to Level 3. +1% Persuasion Chance (+3%) +1% Reputation Gains (+3%) -0.5% Reputation Losses (-1.5%)
Arche blinked away the notification and met Vik¡¯s eyes. For the first time that Arche had known him, Vik looked genuinely surprised. The elf stared at him, his head cocked to one side in a fashion Arche had often seen Lyssa do. ¡°I just made you a binding vow and you reject it based on a loose belief that I will keep my word regardless of consequence? All this after trying to sneak glances at my profile and finding out I¡¯m a former pirate?¡± Arche smiled and held out his hand. ¡°Yeah, sums it up.¡± Vik let out a disbelieving chuckle and clasped Arche¡¯s forearm. ¡°You¡¯re a strange one, kid, but I like you.¡± ¡°So people keep telling me. Welcome aboard, Vik.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see. In the meantime, I think we should get both of our groups together. Explain what¡¯s happened and decide how to move forward.¡± ¡°Agreed. We should do so quickly. I think Callias is planning retribution for my ¡®impertinence.¡¯ The sooner we decide how to proceed, the less we¡¯ll be taken by surprise.¡± ¡°I look forward to working together, lad. Who knows? Someday I might even let you get a look at my profile.¡± Vik winked, then vanished. One moment the elf had been standing there, the next, he was gone. Arche startled and fell backwards, landing on the grass. He looked around, but the moon elf was nowhere to be found. ¡°What the fuck?¡± He had the sneaking suspicion that Vik was still somewhere nearby, laughing at him. ¡°Asshole!¡± Arche grumbled to himself as he stood and dusted off the seat of his pants. What really concerned him was why Vik would show him this ability. Was this meant as a warning? A threat? Or was the moon elf messing with him? Was this a boast of his capability or a hint that Vik was aware of some of the things Arche himself could do? A million questions bloomed, each as valid as the next and none with easy answers. Arche was left alone in the light of the dipping sun. Dark would be upon them within the hour. Arche stabbed the Tridory into the ground next to him and stared out over the village from his vantage point on the hill. There were a couple hundred villagers in total. Maybe a fifth of those were guards; former soldiers or mercenaries that Callias had hired for protection. The rest were crafters, traders, farmers, or common folk looking for a better life. Many were still repairing damage to their tents from the previous battle as a handful of small children chased each other through the camp. Callias refused to enact even simple safety measures for the people that trusted him with their very lives. Instead of keeping an effective watch against the treeline to the valley, most of the guards were stationed around the single permanent structure that had been built; a large, wooden house that served the dual purpose of administrative estate and personal lodgings for one Callias Buteo. It made Arche¡¯s blood boil. He couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing. That was the impetus for this entire harebrained idea. He couldn¡¯t stand to watch Callias get the entire village killed. Inaction was complicity. He had to do something. Lyssa would come around to the idea, he was sure of it. If she didn¡¯t, he would respect her decision, but he had to act. Even if they didn¡¯t stay, someone else needed to take charge. He could at least give the village the opportunity to pick their own leader. He wasn¡¯t sure how widespread that concept was within Tartarus, but to him, not having a say in one¡¯s leadership, even a small say, felt wrong. These people were putting their lives in the hands of whoever led the village, that trust needed to be recognized and respected. Arche realized he didn¡¯t actually know what claim that Callias had to the land. He had been given the impression that the land was being settled, but he didn¡¯t know whether it was claimed by a particular kingdom or country. That could complicate things exponentially, but he doubted any kingdom would hold solid claim to lands that were so wild and filled with monsters. Even if such claims were held, they¡¯d be near impossible to enforce. The difficulty would be in establishing a territory that was defensible and self-sustaining. The valley itself could prove a lush environment, but drastic changes needed to be made and they would need resources. Wood was in abundance, but they would have to carve into the mountain for stone or create a quarry. Such an expedition would likely be expensive and laborious, not to mention dangerous. It was a monumental task, to start a settlement, but Arche knew it would be for the best. As the daughter of the lord of Dawnwood, Lyssa would have been exposed to civic leadership from a young age. She would know what needed to be done. Probably. He certainly didn¡¯t. For now, he had some privacy and intended to use it to train. ¡°Are you still there, Vik?¡± he asked aloud. There was no reply, so Arche had to trust that the moon elf wasn¡¯t spying on him. He stood, hefting the Tridory. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to experiment with the weapon in private, nor had he a chance to use his Divine Body skill without an audience. He headed down the hill, out of sight of the village. Satisfied that he was alone, he hefted the spear in an overhand grip. He focused on his connection with the spear and felt it thrum in his hands. It felt like a living thing, humming in anticipation. Foolishness, of course. He was sure Lyssa would laugh at him. Whatever connection he had to the weapon, however, it clearly responded to him. He threw it, aiming for a tree that stood about ten paces away. It wasn¡¯t a great throw, the aft of the spear rose up midair, but it hit the trunk near the roots. Arche held out his hand and the spear flew back to him at the expenditure of seven Mana. The spear had gotten easier to wield as his Strength increased, making him wonder if there was some sort of requirement to the weapon. It made sense to him, but he was annoyed that the Tridory hadn¡¯t told him what he needed to effectively wield it. As it was, it felt much heavier than any other weapon he had used. Without a high combination of Strength and Endurance, he was certain swinging it about would quickly eat through all of his Stamina. He continued throwing the spear and summoning it back to his hand until both his Stamina and Mana were nearing half. He was sweating from the exertion and his arm felt ready to fall off, but he was rewarded from the effort.
Spear Throwing has increased to Level 5. +3% Accuracy of Thrown Spears (+15%) +2% Range of Thrown Spears (+10%) +1 Strength +1 Dexterity
Spearmanship has increased to Level 12. +2% Damage with Spears (+24%)
That was a decent increase, and though the subskill was still at the Beginner rank, his accuracy and technique improved with every throw. Next came the dangerous part. Arche took a deep breath and tapped into his Divine Body. His Mana dove and his Stamina shot up as light flooded from his skin. By rough estimate, he was burning through about fifty Mana per second. Almost as quickly as he activated the skill, he stopped it. His Mana bar blinked red, the number in the low teens, but he had prevented himself from running dry and risking Mana Burnout. He waited for his Mana to regenerate over the next several minutes, then activated the skill again, trying to focus on the feeling of Mana flooding through his body. He could feel it suffuse all of him. Cautiously, he tried pushing it from his center into his arms. He felt the Mana react to his will. At first, it resisted his pressure, but after working and molding it inside of himself, it began to coalesce down his arms and into his fingers, causing them to glow even brighter.
Divine Body has increased to Level 4.
He¡¯d skipped an entire level with it, which seemed to imply that if he experimented with his skills, he could earn more experience than simple repetition. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot,¡± he muttered, rubbing his eyes as he fought off an impending Mana headache. ¡°Of course new methods would provide more experience.¡± He waited the ten minutes it took to refill his Mana, noticing that his usage of Divine Body had refilled his Stamina by almost a hundred points. He repeated the process a few times over the next hour as the sun dipped behind the lip of the valley. Arche found he could slow the rate at which his Mana was consumed, the most being to a rate of about forty Mana per second, and that his Stamina rose by the same amount. He wasn¡¯t sure if it affected his Health regeneration at the same rate, but he also wasn¡¯t willing to purposely hurt himself to find out. That experiment would have to wait for the next time he inevitably got injured. As it was, he¡¯d made considerable progress.
Divine Body has increased to Level 8.
Arche sat with his back against the tree he¡¯d used for target practice. A side effect of his Divine Body skill was that he emitted golden light when he used it; now that it was dark, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be able to practice the skill without someone coming to investigate the glowing lights over the hill. He held the spear in his lap, wondering about the three buttons that Helwan had pointed out to him. He tried to focus on the bond he had with the spear. It vibrated in response. He pressed the topmost button. Nothing happened. Remembering that Helwan had mentioned a button on the opposite side, near where his thumb rested in the grip. He pressed it with his thumb and hit the first button again. Still, nothing happened. Disappointed, he tried pressing the second button and nearly jumped out of his own skin when the spear whirred and shifted in his hand. The blade of the spear broke in half and separated, forming a bident that resembled a huge cattle prod. ¡°Whoa!¡± Arche dropped the Tridory. It remained in its new bident form, laying in the dirt as though rebuking him for his reaction. Arche picked it up and examined the separation in the fading light, wishing he had an Everlit Lantern. The two prongs were perfect mirrors, now separated by two hands length, each occupying a place on a crossbeam. Curious, Arche pressed the third button and a new prong came out of the center, bladed on both sides. The bident was now a proper trident. He marveled at it, taking a few practice thrusts. The weight and balance hadn¡¯t changed at all, meaning that a sudden change wouldn¡¯t throw off his rhythm in the middle of a fight. That confused Arche. The balance should have changed, but it hadn¡¯t. Arche started pressing the buttons again, this time watching the rest of the spear, trying to note any changes. As he cycled the buttons, bands of metal formed and unformed near the spike at the butt of the spear, the sauroter, counterbalancing the change in shape. Arche adjusted his grip on the trident and tried the fourth button again. The middle prong of the trident launched from the spear and embedded itself into the hillside, twenty strides away. Arche stared at the spear, now a bident again, and then at the prong in the dirt. Out of curiosity, he focused on his connection to the spear and reached out toward the prong with his mind, trying to recall it with the Return ability. The prong flew backwards out of the dirt, kicking up a spray of rocks and soil, and reconnected with the top of the trident, sliding into place as if it was an uninterrupted part of the whole weapon. He gave the trident an experimental twirl, playing around with switching the forms mid strike. The change was quick, near instantaneous, and no matter how closely he watched he could see no hint of a seam of mechanical parts. Whoever had built the Tridory had clearly designed it to be versatile and durable. Arche grinned. The bloodthirsty part of him wanted to test out the spear¡¯s new functions in combat. With any luck, however, that wouldn¡¯t be for some time yet. Still, Lyssa¡¯s warning was still as true as it ever was. Tartarus was a dangerous place, but he was one step closer to being ready. Book 1 | Chapter 17 Hadespera The 21st of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche was on his way back to the village when he spotted a leg dangling from a tree next to the river. At first, he had mistaken it for a branch and wouldn¡¯t have paid it any mind, but it had moved and caught the light of the moons. Arche cracked a smile and wandered over, trying to be as quiet as he could. He stopped at the base of the tree and leaned against the trunk in a nonchalant manner. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize ¡®wood elf¡¯ was so literal. You all right up there?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were trying to sneak. It sounded like another beastmar attack. I¡¯m surprised the village hasn¡¯t sounded the alarm,¡± Lyssa retorted. Arche chuckled. ¡°That would explain why my Stealth level is so low. Seriously, though, are you all right?¡± He grabbed a low limb of the tree and scrabbled up the trunk into some of the taller branches.
You have learned a Skill. Climbing ¡ª Level 1 At long last you have the ability to see past the limitations of your own meager stature. Each level in this skill improves your ability to scale surfaces. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Strength and Dexterity by 1. +1% Speed of Climbing (+1%) -1% Stamina Drain while Climbing (-1%)
Arche¡¯s eyes narrowed. He¡¯d take all the skills he could get, but the snark was something he could do without,. ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Lyssa said, bringing his attention back to the present as he settled in against a tree limb near her. ¡°I suppose I¡¯m just missing Dawnwood. These people are so different from what I¡¯m used to.¡± ¡°I can imagine. I haven¡¯t even really met them yet; mostly just been talking to Vik and his friends. How are you holding up?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m trying not to think about it.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Arche nodded sagely. ¡°Repression. Smart. Keep the feelings inside in the hope that one day you¡¯ll die and won¡¯t have to deal with them.¡± Lyssa snorted. ¡°Of course,¡± Arche continued, swinging his feet back and forth. ¡°That might not be the best plan for an elf, so if you want to talk about it, I¡¯m here.¡± He didn¡¯t really expect her to say anything but he was content to simply share the view of the valley in moonslight with her. A bird swooped and skimmed the surface of the river. Its claws broke the surface, then reappeared a moment later clutching a wriggling fish. It struggled desperately, red blood dripping into the grass from the piercing wounds in its side. The bird flapped quickly back toward the forest, to the safety of a nest, but it was too slow. Another bird intercepted it, ramming into it with such force that the fishing bird was stunned and plummeted toward the ground. The other bird caught it and carried it away, the fish still trapped in the first bird¡¯s claws. After a few minutes of quiet, Lyssa broke the silence. ¡°I don¡¯t want to accept what happened. I can¡¯t.¡± Arche didn¡¯t have the first idea what to say to that, so he kept quiet. Thankfully, Lyssa wasn¡¯t done. ¡°I know they didn¡¯t care for me, especially after what happened, but not one of them thought about what I went through. My brother is dead and it¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± ¡°Yes, it is, Arche. I was the one who pushed forward, out of the safety of our territory. He wanted to turn back, but he wouldn¡¯t leave me. He was there because of me, taking a stupid risk because of me. I killed him; even if it hadn¡¯t been my arrow that had ended his life, I killed him. In every way that matters, I killed him.¡± She sniffled and wiped her face. Arche opened his mouth to argue, but he realized there was no point. Nothing he could say would change her mind. No words would bring her brother back. ¡°All right.¡± She looked over at him, her eyes reflecting the light of the moons; one blue, one green. ¡°All right,¡± he repeated. ¡°So what are you going to do? You¡¯ve got three options from where I¡¯m sitting. Three outcomes. You can focus on the past until you can see nothing else, drowning in your own misery, or you can find a way to press forward and move on to the next point in your life. That¡¯s not to say you forget what happened, but you find a way to make your peace with it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the third option?¡± ¡°Death and taxes.¡± She tilted her head to the side. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The only certain things in life. Personally, I recommend the second option, but the decision is ultimately yours.¡± She didn¡¯t answer. Arche looked at the light of the moons reflecting in the water of the river. Without the forest to block the moonslight, he could still make out a decent amount of the area around him, despite not having racial night-sight like Lyssa. ¡°Why do you want to save this village?¡± Arche blew out his cheeks and scratched his head. He hadn¡¯t expected the conversation to go there, but it was a fair question. He¡¯d been pushing to get rid of Callias. It seemed like the obvious thing to do but saying that wasn¡¯t good enough. ¡°Callias will get these people killed. I can¡¯t stand by and let that happen.¡± ¡°And if you succeed, what happens to them?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll let them choose their own leader. Democracy and all that.¡± Lyssa¡¯s head tilted to the other side. ¡°I like the sound of that. Sometimes, you give good advice, Greenstick. I do need to find a way forward. Maybe this village can be my way out.¡± Arche grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s find out, together.¡±
Leadership has increased to Level 4. +1% Persuasion Chance (+4%) +1% Reputation Gains (+4%) -0.5% Reputation Losses (-2%)
¡°By the way, before I forget, Vik volunteered his group to help us.¡± ¡°What? When did this happen?¡± Arche peered out at the moons from beneath the tree¡¯s foliage. ¡°Two hours ago? Maybe three? Hard to tell. He said he wants security for his trio, so he promised he wouldn¡¯t oppose us if we didn¡¯t oppose him.¡± If Lyssa had been anything other than a high-level, highly skilled wood elf, she would have fallen from the tree. ¡°You two seem to have bonded closely in the last two days.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite know what to make of him, actually. There¡¯s a lot he¡¯s keeping secret, but I believe him when he says he¡¯ll help us. I didn¡¯t accept his oath, though.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°You denied the Oath of a son of the moon?¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice had turned sharp. Arche blinked in surprise. ¡°You knew what he was?¡± ¡°Of course I knew, Greenstick, we¡¯re elves. That¡¯s not the point. He made you an Oath? You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°Yeah. I got a notification and everything. It said it was some sort of binding contract.¡± ¡°And you turned it down?¡± ¡°Yeah. It didn¡¯t feel right. What he had swore was fine, but it felt too much like holding a blade above someone¡¯s head. If we¡¯re going to make allies, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to hold cosmic consequences over them.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand the significance of what he offered you.¡± ¡°Oh, for sure. No idea.¡± ¡°Moon elves are used to make the most binding of contracts. Oaths in Tartarus carry consequences, but a moon elf¡¯s heritage amplifies that. You said ¡®cosmic consequences¡¯ but I don¡¯t think you realize how true that is. Having a moon elf handle a contract practically guarantees that both sides will keep their word.¡± ¡°You make them sound like tools.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°Many moon elves have been enslaved and used like tools. It¡¯s no wonder that he wears that hood at all times. If he made you a vow of his own volition and you turned him down, well, to say such a thing is unheard of is an understatement.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t understand. Did I do the right thing or did I fuck up?¡± ¡°He risked his agency in this matter, you gave it back to him. Trust that you did the right thing.¡± ¡°Cool. I¡¯ll add that to the list titled: ¡®Went Better Than Expected.¡¯¡± Lyssa smirked and jumped down from the tree, landing without a sound on the soft earth below. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re leaving now. All right.¡± Arche jumped down and landed with a heavy thud. ¡°I think it¡¯s time we integrated with these people you seem so intent on saving.¡± As they approached the village, Arche could see the glow of a fire burning. Music wafted over to them, the sound of instruments and singing. People were clapping and stomping their feet. They picked up their speed, trying to find out what was going on, and found that Helwan had apparently started a party. He was dancing wildly in the middle of a large group of people, playing his pan pipes expertly. Some of the other villagers had stringed instruments and drums and had joined in, and one elven woman had even started to sing. There was cheering and laughter and Arche found it hard not to join in on the fun. People were twirling about as they danced to the music and ale flowed from several tapped kegs. Arche made a detour to Helwan¡¯s tent and dropped off the Tridory, not wanting to carry a large weapon into the party. He still had his sword in his inventory if anything happened, but the happiness of the party was infectious. When he rejoined the crowd, several strangers went up to him to clasp his forearm and thank him. He took it in stride, not really sure what they were thanking him for, but smiling and nodding all the same. Helwan had finished his song and dance and let the other musicians take over. He made his way to Arche, grinning. ¡°A party! A real live party. Oh, ever since I spent those days locked in that room, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever see one of these again. Come, my friend!¡± ¡°What are we celebrating?¡± ¡°Life! We celebrate life!¡± Arche laughed and joined the satyr amongst the throng of dancing people. He didn¡¯t particularly know how to dance, but his Dexterity was high enough that whatever he was doing at least looked intentional.
You have learned a Skill. Dancing ¡ª Level 1 Grace and expression, or wild flailing. Your choice. Each level in this skill improves your ability to rock your body. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Dexterity by 1. This is a subskill of Performance. +1% Fluidity of Motion (+1%) +1% Body Control (+1%)
You have learned a Skill. Performance ¡ª Level 1 Being the center of attention isn¡¯t always as easy as it looks. Each level in this skill improves your ability to physically perform, whether it be music, dance, or a demonstration of martial prowess. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Charisma by 1. +0.5% Overall Performance (+0.5%)
The grin on Arche¡¯s face grew as he committed to having a good time. He had no idea what he was doing but that was half the fun. His body twisted left, then right. He crouched and waved his hands around; his shoulders swayed and his hips bounced. Several of the other dancers were watching him with bemused expressions, but he chose to believe that at least some of the looks were begrudging respect for his moves. Heat crawled into his face, making him flushed and giddy. He was getting into the swing of things when another stranger came up to thank him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked Helwan, swinging his arms and snapping his fingers. ¡°I¡¯ve been spreading word about you. How you came to help yesterday and how you stood up to Callias. You¡¯ve left an impression on them.¡± The satyr folded his arms across his chest and was dropping down into squats in time with the beat of the music, kicking his goat hooves out whenever he got low. Someone brought out drinks and Arche grabbed a mug and drained it. A strong sense of bitter currants hit him and he coughed, but thankfully none of it found its way back up. He spied Vik and Gigator dancing near the musicians. Vik was doing a lithe, graceful sort of dance that made him look boneless with how he flowed in time to the music. Gigator, on the other hand, had taken a wide stance and was thrashing his head and tail about to the drumbeat, encouraging the musicians to play ever faster. Elpida, it seemed, was in no mood for dancing and instead stood near Lyssa, who had skirted around the dance floor. The two appeared to be engaged in quiet conversation, though what they could be discussing, Arche had no idea. The music sped up, shifting seamlessly through songs. Arche danced, flailed, twirled, and jumped with the others. If he was getting looks before, nobody cared enough to notice as everyone freed themselves to the wildness of the dance. Helwan leaped through the air, his pan pipes leading the music onward. Arche didn¡¯t know if it was magic or music or both, but he was having the time of his life. Even Lyssa and Elpida, who had kept away from the mosh, found themselves sucked into the frenzy of it all. Drinks found their way into Arche¡¯s hands, whether passed by Helwan or by grateful strangers. Several clashed their mugs against his and he found he had to drink quickly to keep from spilling it everywhere. Someone brought out a firkin and a cheer went up. Arche danced his way over, noticing that his Performance and Dancing skills had reached level two. Someone filled up a cup and handed it to him. When he threw it back, the harsh sting¡ªworse than any wine he¡¯d ever tasted¡ªmade him gag and cough. Someone smacked him on the back and people laughed. Tears were running from his eyes as he waved off the good-natured inquiries. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting liquor!¡± ¡°Liquor!¡± roared the thick, short man in front of him. ¡°Away with your human piss. This here be felsbier, a dwarf¡¯s drink!¡± A cheer rose from other short men, presumably dwarves, gathered around him. Arche poured himself another glass and raised a toast. ¡°To felsbier!¡± ¡°To felsbier!¡± a score of dwarves shouted back. ¡°You seem a brawny enough fellow, how about a contest?¡± Arche turned to see he was being addressed by another dwarf. ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± he asked, eyes already beginning to drift from drink and excitement. ¡°Like any true measure, we¡¯ll see who¡¯s the better by a comparison of balls.¡± ¡°Fuckin¡¯ huh?¡± One of the dwarves pressed a smooth, metal sphere the size of an apple into his hands. They cleared a pathway through the crowd to give them a corridor out of the party. Another dwarf dug his heel into the ground, marking out a line. ¡°Just stay behind this line and throw the ball as far as you can. I¡¯ll go first and you just do like me if you can.¡± The metal ball pulled Arche¡¯s hands toward the ground but its weight wasn¡¯t impossible to handle. His vision swam, but he managed to focus long enough to Examine it.
Ballast Ball Rarity: Common Quality: Good Durability: 50 / 50 Weight: 15 kilograms
¡°That¡¯s a lot,¡± Arche mumbled. ¡°Fifteen whole whatevers.¡± The dwarf stood several feet away from the line and took a slow walk toward it, spinning with the ballast ball held close to his cheek. When the dwarf reached the line, he launching the ball forward. The ballast ball sailed through the air and landed with a thunk in the side of the hill. A dwarf who had positioned himself on the hill ran over to stand on the impact site, measuring distance with his thumb. ¡°Twenty-five meters!¡± the dwarf shouted. Arche tried to whistle, but only succeeded in blowing stinking breath out of his mouth. He hefted the ballast ball in one hand, knowing instinctively that if he tried to twirl around like the dwarf had then the only thing sent flying would be the contents of his stomach. A sly smile broke across his face. All he needed was a split second and there was plenty of light from the bonfire. He might be able to get away with it. Arche stood a few steps away from the line, holding the ball low with both hands. He skipped forward, brought his hands up, then back as he transitioned the ball to one hand. As he landed, he brought his arm up and forward to throw as hard as he could. At the same time, he activated his Divine Body ability, just for a moment. A moment was all he needed. Two things happened in very quick succession. First, he flashed like a red sun. Most of the people nearby flinched at the sudden radiance and looked away. Second, the ballast ball sailed clear over the hill and disappeared into the gloom beyond. The music paused as everyone tried to figure out what had happened. The measuring dwarf, who was standing on the hill they were throwing at, disappeared and reappeared a minute later, holding the ballast ball. ¡°Sixty meters!¡± the dwarf called out. The crowd erupted. Arche was immediately jostled and shaken by every dwarf in the entire village. Each of them wanted to shake his hand and challenge him, which he barely had the wherewithal to decline. ¡°If anyone wans-a beat me, beat mah record firs¡¯,¡± he shouted, his words slipping over themselves. ¡°I¡¯m-a grab a drink!¡± Someone pressed a cup into his hand and he drank it down, then turned back to the party, ready to dance again despite the rolling heat coming off his body. He felt a hand on his shoulder and the last thing he saw was a pretty smile, gently waving locks of golden hair, and brown eyes that could make all his worries go away. Book 1 | Chapter 18 Hermera The 22nd of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche woke to the stench of vomit. Pain thrummed through him, consolidated mostly in his head, but seasoned with a stabbing pain in his side. There was a pressure behind his eyes that threatened to explode at any moment, pulsing steadily with his heart. Arche cracked his eyes open and the world swayed unrecognizably in front of him, giving his already weakened stomach an extra turn. He forced his eyes to open fully, straining against the sunlight, and realized that the world wasn¡¯t just strange, it was upside down. Or, more accurately, he was upside down. Something gripped his right leg, snaking around his ankle and, as he focused on it, he saw a rope held him up, tied to the bough of a tree high above. He was also shirtless and had a knife sticking out of his side. That explained the stabbing pain, at least. ¡°Ugh, why do I feel like I¡¯m back in college?¡± he muttered. ¡°As if someone like you ever attended the Lyceum.¡± A woman¡¯s voice, full of scorn and derision. Too full, actually, it couldn¡¯t have been more forced. Arche twisted about, trying to get a look. The move cost him a couple points of Health as his skin twisted around the blade, sending a fresh wave of pain through him. The woman leaned against a nearby tree, dressed in blue scale armor that had been crafted from some creature Arche couldn¡¯t even begin to identify. He struggled to Examine her. It took longer than it should have, thanks to his muddled mind, but it opened eventually.
Theresa Eliades
Level: 23 Race: Human Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 420 / 420 100% Stamina: 375 / 375 100% Mana: 260 / 260 100%
She had flaxen hair tied back into a bun and was playing with a dagger, flipping it end over end in one hand as she regarded him. He stared back, confused. She turned away, instead fixing her gaze on the forest nearby, but as he craned his head, he could see that she had deep, brown eyes. ¡°You,¡± he muttered. ¡°Wait. Did we¡­?¡± She sneered at him. ¡°You wish. Granted, the rest of the village is still laboring under that delusion, so don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s coming for you.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t dream of it, but if it¡¯s not too much trouble, could you explain why¡±¡ªhe gestured loosely to himself with his bound hands¡ª¡°all this? Seems like a lot of effort.¡± Her eyes narrowed, but she shrugged and answered anyway. ¡°I agree, and I argued as much, but Callias didn¡¯t want you murdered outright. You¡¯re meant to look like an accident, so we¡¯re just going to wait for a monster to come and mangle you out of your misery.¡± Arche ground his teeth and glanced around. They were surrounded by trees, which meant they were in the Sylv. A roaming monster could no doubt put him out of his misery, especially as he was. His vitals didn¡¯t give him much hope, either.
Health: 290 / 420 69% Stamina: 280 / 280 100% Mana: 190 / 190 100%
Hungover ¡ª Tier 1: 02:46:29
His injury was worse than he¡¯d thought, but still manageable. As long as he didn¡¯t move too much, he wasn¡¯t even losing Health from the knife in his side. That part was likely equal parts pain and lure. His max Health and Stamina were lower than what he remembered, meaning she must have removed his ring. What surprised him most was that she had left the knife in him. Sure, his hands were tied, but they weren¡¯t tied behind his back. He supposed she felt he wasn¡¯t much of a threat even if he got his hands on the knife. According to his inventory, he¡¯d been cleaned out. He couldn¡¯t recall taking anything out, so either she could access his inventory or he¡¯d really gone too hard with the felsbier. The latter was likely true, regardless. The hangover debuff explained his headache and rather horrible cottonmouth but he had a bigger question on his lips than the desperate need for water. ¡°Callias put you up to this? I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised, but I¡¯m surprised you admit it. What if I make a miraculous escape?¡± Theresa shrugged again. ¡°Not likely. I¡¯m here to ensure you die. As for the village fool, he didn¡¯t pay me to keep his name out of it. He assumes he inspires more loyalty than he does.¡± ¡°Then why bother telling me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like having enemies. I¡¯ve got nothing against you, really. If, and that¡¯s a big if, you get out of this, I don¡¯t want you coming after me. Why waste time on me when you could just as easily go for the guy in charge, right?¡± Arche stared at her from his inverted position, his mouth twisted open in surprise. ¡°You abducted me, put a knife in me, and are waiting for some random monster to come tear me apart, and you¡¯re really trying to give me the ¡®it¡¯s just business, no hard feelings¡¯ about it?¡± Theresa shrugged. ¡°Take it how you will. It won¡¯t make much difference in a few minutes. Won¡¯t be long now until something comes along.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t care for him, why do you take his money?¡± ¡°Enough. I¡¯m not interested in small chat.¡± ¡°It might be my last conversation. Not exactly small for me.¡± The assassin didn¡¯t respond. She had finished playing with the dagger and instead crossed her arms, still refusing to look at him. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t hear any approaching monsters, which meant he had some time left to try talking before he had to resort to more drastic measures. ¡°You don¡¯t like your job very much, do you?¡± ¡°What would you know about it?¡± she snapped at him. ¡°Not much,¡± he admitted. ¡°But your secrets are safe with a dead man, right? You don¡¯t look like you want to be here any more than I do, and that¡¯s saying something. I mean, normally I would expect a little more enthusiasm out of a hired killer.¡± Her eyes flashed toward him, full of anger. ¡°I¡¯m not a hired killer.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Arche managed a grunt, wincing as it shaved away a few more points of Health. ¡°My mistake. It must have been someone else who dragged me here, used me as a knife-sharpener, and strung me up a tree.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still alive aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re still waiting for me to die, aren¡¯t you?¡± She looked away. Interesting. ¡°What?¡± he asked. ¡°Too proud to look at your handiwork? If you¡¯re going to kill me, you could at least look me in the eye.¡± Theresa clenched her jaw and met his gaze. Arche did his best to let all animosity out of his face. He locked eyes with her and refused to blink. After a few moments, Theresa cursed and turned away. ¡°Malaka, I knew this was a bad idea,¡± she muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not too late,¡± Arche said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. Let me down, help me get back to the village. We both know Callias is an idiot. You don¡¯t have to subjugate yourself to him.¡± ¡°He runs this village. He holds all the money, the guards, the power. To turn against him is to have the whole village turn against you. I would never make it back to the city on my own. Not that much good is waiting for me, there. As long as he thinks I¡¯m in his pocket, I¡¯m safe. A lone woman, this far from civilization. The chances are not good.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be that way. You still get to make a choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the way it always is.¡± She set her jaw. ¡°I don¡¯t want this, but I don¡¯t see a way out. For what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Arche heard a rustle. It was far away, but it was unnatural. A chill ran through him. Something had caught his scent. Theresa didn¡¯t seem to notice. ¡°You¡¯ve never done this before, have you?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Killed someone, I mean.¡± ¡°I should have gagged you,¡± she muttered. ¡°I should have told you my safe word.¡± Arche¡¯s chuckle turned into a pained gasp as his Health dropped a few more points. ¡°Look, Theresa, it¡¯s clear you¡¯re in over your head. If you¡¯re really in trouble, maybe I can help, but I can¡¯t do anything if you leave me here.¡± She kicked off the tree and stepped in front of him, her dagger held to his throat. ¡°How did you know my name?¡± ¡°Really not the point I¡¯m trying to make, here. Look, offer ends if I¡¯m dead. I can¡¯t say my friends will be as understanding.¡± There was the glint of uncertainty in her eyes. He latched onto it. ¡°Does Callias really strike you as the sort to leave loose ends? He¡¯ll probably have you killed once you get back anyway. I can take him down, but not without your help. You won¡¯t be on your own. The only way we get through this is together.¡± Her face stiffened and Arche caught his breath. Slowly, she lowered the dagger.
Persuasion has increased to Level 3. +1% Persuasion Chance (+3%)
¡°If I help you and you fail, I¡¯m dead.¡± ¡°Chances are good you¡¯d be dead regardless, so why not have a few friends by your side?¡± She hesitated again, brow knitting as she weighed her options. ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t try to kill me if I free you?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯d rather have a new friend than a dead enemy, but at the end of the day that choice is yours.¡± Theresa said nothing. She deliberated the choice for several long moments. Sweat and blood dripped from Arche to the forest floor as he waited for her to make her decision. Finally, she nodded. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°Great! Now, if you don¡¯t mind, this position really isn¡¯t great for my hangover.¡± She raised the dagger to cut the rope when something large and red burst through the bushes and tackled her to the side. Theresa screamed as the creature let loose a heavy roar. ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Arche snarled. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, then grabbed the knife in his side and yanked it out. He almost lost consciousness from the pain as his Health dropped another sixty points. Not wanting to lose momentum or give in to the sudden rush of wooziness, Arche forced his injured side to bend as he grabbed the rope around his leg. With a quick slash, he severed the rope, using the hanging end to twist himself over to land on his feet.
Acrobatics has increased to Level 9. +3% Control of Movement (+27%) +1% Jump Height (+9%)
Arche¡¯s leg buckled, but he caught himself before sprawling across the ground. He blinked, trying to clear the pain of the hangover. The skill increase should have delivered quietly while he was in combat, but the aftereffects of the drinks must have screwed with the way they filtered in. He dismissed it, twisting the knife back and forth against the rope around his wrists as he stumbled toward Theresa and the creature that had tackled her. It was enormous, easily twice his size, and the only weapon Arche had was the knife. The creature had the shaggy mane of a lion and large, bat-like wings. It stood on hind legs, with a powerful, crimson-furred body nearly twice Arche¡¯s height. The most pressing danger, however, was a long scorpion-esque tail that waved in the air, daring Arche to approach. Arche pulled up short and Examined the creature.
Rakor
Level: 27 Race: Mantikhoras Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 1,700 / 1,700 100% Stamina: 1,550 / 1,665 93% Mana: 120 / 120 100%
Arche swallowed. The creature was stronger than anything he had faced, with the possible exception of the revenant. The rope came free, falling to the ground. Arche twisted the knife into a reverse grip and brought his fists up. ¡°Hey, ugly!¡± Remarkably, the mantikhoras turned and looked at him with a face that was uncomfortably human. It resembled a man in his forties with an incredibly flat features and a deep, crimson beard. There was a wicked intelligence in its red eyes. As the creature turned toward him, Arche saw Theresa on the ground. The armor covering her side was torn, jagged blue scales were bent and twisted as blood spilled over and pooled on the ground. The mantikhoras flexed its claws, muscles rippling as it prepared to pounce. When it did move, it was blindingly fast. Arche threw himself to the side, dodging the claws by a hair¡¯s breadth. Even as the monster moved past him, the scorpion tail lunged for his chest. Arche threw his torso backward, succeeding in doing three-quarters of a backflip, narrowly avoiding the stabbing tail before landing face-first on the ground. He winced as his Health dropped a few points, now hovering around fifty percent.
Acrobatics has increased to Level 10. +3% Control of Movement (+30%) +1% Jump Height (+10%) +1 Dexterity +1 Agility You have reached the Rank of Novice in Acrobatics. You gain 100 experience.
You have reached Level 15. As a Human, you gain 5 points to distribute each level. Professions are now available to you. Further leveling will be disabled until you earn a profession. Any experience you earn will be held until you earn a profession.
Golden light flooded Arche, collecting in the wound in his side. The dull ache in his mind from the hangover was also gone, but any levity from that was short-lived. The notifications flashed and disappeared almost instantly. Arche rolled to the side and came back to his feet. The mantikhoras growled, the threatening rumble of a big cat, and swiped a paw at him. Arche dashed in, trying to close the distance and make some use of his knife. He ducked the paw and stabbed at it as it went by. The sharp blade caught the mantikhoras¡¯s arm and tore a hole, but the skin was thick and resisted the knife¡¯s edge. Still, the mantikhoras grunted in pain. The scorpion tail lunged forward as quick as thought. In a stroke of luck, Arche brought the dagger up to deflect the sharpened point of the stinger but the force of it knocked him back. He hit a tree and his back spasmed with pain. The impact shaved ten percent off his Health. The mantikhoras eyed him warily. Arche could see the cut on the creature¡¯s arm was dripping orange blood and was held to the mantikhoras¡¯s chest defensively. He must have done more damage with the knife than he¡¯d thought, but the mantikhoras¡¯s health still dwarfed his own four times over. Arche ducked a thrust from the creature¡¯s pincer tail but couldn¡¯t avoid the backhand that sent him flying. His Health dropped to sixty percent, but he managed to twist himself in midair and land on his feet, sliding against the loam of the forest. Despite the pain in his everywhere, Arche felt light on his feet. The mantikhoras was huge and faster than he would have expected, but its sheer size slowed it down. As a smaller opponent, Arche¡¯s inferior agility was augmented by the simple fact his range of motion didn¡¯t extend as far. The mantikhoras was taking advantage of its better range by keeping him at a distance, where it could strike more easily with its scorpion tail, but Arche¡¯s eyes settled on the bat-like wings that spread to either side of the enraged mantikhoras. They were thick, covered in crimson fur, but looked exceedingly vulnerable to sharp knives. Arche crouched and pulled his tried-but-true tactic of leaping over an enemy when they least expected it. Surprise registered on the mantikhoras¡¯s face as Arche twisted forward. It worked beautifully, with one small exception. Arche was, in fact, not faster than a striking scorpion. The stinger slammed into Arche¡¯s shoulder as his knife carved through the base of one wing. The force of it completely reversed his momentum and drove him toward the ground. Out of pure instinct he brought his knife up and slashed at the tail. He had expected the tail to be hard with some kind of exoskeleton, as if it belonged to an actual scorpion, but he was surprised to find it quite fleshy and his knife tore through it with ease. The mantikhoras let out a scream at a much higher pitch than the angry roars it had showcased before. Arche hit the ground hard. One hand went to his pierced shoulder as he saw his health had dropped by an astounding two-hundred-twenty points. With barely thirty percent of his Health remaining, he felt ready to pass out. The normally red Health bar was tinged a sickly green, resembling puke more than the deep green of his Stamina. He watched his health tick down as the status effect washed over him.
You are Envenomated. Lose 1 Health every 3 seconds.
Envenomated: 4:59:57
Arche grit his teeth. Even if he killed the Mantikhoras, the venom was too potent for him to survive. He didn¡¯t know exactly how much damage would be done over five hours, but it was probably somewhere in the thousands. In other words, too damn much. A quick glance down told him that the veins around the puncture had turned black. The venom clotted the blood, leaving a strangely clean wound that tugged at him as he moved. The pain came a moment later, flaring through him. The puncture felt like a brand, making even his breath seem inflamed and hot in his chest and throat. The mantikhoras clutched its tail, nearly severed by Arche¡¯s slice. Its eyes were filled with pain and rage. ¡°You will die,¡± the mantikhoras rumbled with a voice that made the trees quiver. ¡°You will water the weeds of my forest with your blood. I will spread your remains from every mountaintop. You will not be prey, you will be meat, and treated with no more respect than maggots.¡± Arche forced himself into a standing position, holding the knife in a standard grip as he struggled to focus on the mantikhoras. The fight was leaving him quickly but he could at least die on his feet. ¡°Try me, bitch.¡± The mantikhoras pounced, moving more quickly than Arche could react. It seized Arche in a massive claw and pinned him against a tree by the chest. Arche felt something in his back crunch and his health dropped to ten percent. Breathing was suddenly a lot more difficult. Darkness crept into the edges of his vision until he could barely see. Death was close. He knew it. The mantikhoras knew it. Hell, even Theresa, who was probably dead already, knew it. The monster opened its mouth wide, revealing sharp fangs and a forked tongue. Arche white-knuckled his knife and forced himself to stay conscious. With the last vestiges of willpower, he activated his Divine Body skill. The effect was immediate. Arche¡¯s Health and Stamina surged as his body glowed with red light. Torn skin knit itself back together, leaving him itchy all over. His knife plunged into the arm pinning him to the tree. The mantikhoras surged forward, trying to bite his head off, and Arche surged forward as well, slamming his head into the monster¡¯s mouth with a crunch. He felt the impact on his forehead but there was no pain. The mantikhoras, on the other hand, reeled from the blow. One of its claws covered its face, the other was limp at its side, the dagger still embedded between the bones of its forearm. Arche fell to the ground, trying to control the flow of Mana. He needed it to last as long as possible but it was flowing out far too quickly. In a few moments, his Mana would bottom out and he would be at the mantikhoras¡¯s mercy. The mantikhoras bellowed in rage and rushed him. Its maw was bloody and some of its fangs laid on the ground, knocked free by Arche¡¯s forehead. Arche pushed himself up and tucked forward, propelling himself in a flipping dropkick that he could never have pulled off without the physical augmentation of Divine Body. He hit the mantikhoras at surprising speed and, though it likely outweighed him several times over, sent it flying. Arche landed on his feet and jumped after the monster, crossing the considerable distance with a single bound. The mantikhoras bared its teeth at him, but he paid the threat no mind. He curled his fists and hit the creature in the face three times. On the final blow, the mantikhoras¡¯s neck let out a loud crack and twisted violently to the side. The creature fell to the ground and didn¡¯t move. Arche felt his Mana dissipating and released his Divine Body skill, praying he hadn¡¯t given himself Mana Burnout. He let out a few shaky breaths and checked his vitals.
Health: 379 / 420 90% Stamina: 280 / 280 100% Mana: 7 / 190 4%
Envenomated: 4:47:34
He¡¯d almost burned himself out, but he hadn¡¯t. For the moment, at least, he was still alive. As it stood, he was envenomed and, despite his regenerated Health and Stamina, felt like the mantikhoras had used him for a punching bag rather than the other way around. Arche noticed that he hadn¡¯t received an experience prompt from the mantikhoras and looked at the creature more closely. It was lying on the ground, unmoving, but as Arche looked closer, he saw that its eyes were open and staring toward Arche with a look Arche recognized. Fear.
Investigation has increased to Level 3. +1% Chance to Spot Hidden Things (+3%) +1% Chance to Spot Traps (+3%) +1% Speed of Searching (+3%)
Arche dismissed the notification reflexively and stared at the mantikhoras. He could hear a small whistling as the creature¡¯s chest rose and fell. It was struggling to breathe. Understanding came with a small wave of revulsion. He had broken the monster¡¯s neck but he hadn¡¯t killed it. It was paralyzed, slowly choking to death. Arche looked at the broken thing laying before him. He almost felt pity, but mostly he felt tired. He pulled his knife free from its arm, but the mantikhoras didn¡¯t, or couldn¡¯t, react. ¡°You know, a big part of me wants to just turn away and leave you like this. Choking on air and your own bile, wallowing in fear and hatred,¡± Arche said quietly, still panting from the fight. ¡°I think under normal circumstances that I¡¯d do it, too, but killing you will make me stronger.¡± Arche grabbed the mantikhoras¡¯s head and lifted it, exposing the creature¡¯s neck. ¡°Don¡¯t mistake this for mercy.¡± Arche plunged the dagger in and twisted, severing the creature¡¯s jugular and carotid artery together. Hot blood sprayed his front, squelched between his fingers, painted the ground around them. The sharp intellect in the mantikhoras¡¯s eyes faded and Arche dropped the creature¡¯s head with a thud.
You have slain Rakor, a Level 27 Mantikhoras. You gain 810 experience. Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 1,200 experience.
The experience was staggering. As great as it was, however, he was stuck. He couldn¡¯t level any further until he chose his profession and that was not something he was ready to do. Divine Body had saved his life, at the end. He needed to learn more about the skill, but he was hesitant about using it in front of other people. His inebriated display the night before didn¡¯t count. After all, he couldn¡¯t reasonably be held accountable for the rash decisions of drunk Arche. That guy was a moron. Arche¡¯s eyes went wide. Theresa. He whirled around and found her lying on the ground twenty strides away. Now that the fighting was over, the extent of the damage the mantikhoras had dealt her was clear. Long slashes had laid open her torso and blood oozed out. The woman drifted in and out of consciousness, groaning all the while. If he didn¡¯t do something quickly, she would die. He Examined her quickly, trying to see how much Health she had left. His head pulsed with pain, almost bringing him to the ground as his Mana nearly bottomed out.
Theresa Eliades
Level: 23 Race: Human Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 52 / 420 12% Stamina: 207 / 375 55% Mana: 260 / 260 100%
Her vitals dropped before his eyes. Arche looked around for anything he could use to bind her wounds, but his inventory had been emptied and his pants, the only clothing he¡¯d been left with, were soaked in orange and red blood. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about this,¡± he muttered. He took the knife carefully in his hand and cut at the straps of Theresa¡¯s scaled armor. He pulled the armor away from her legs, revealing simple dark trousers. Taking great care to not accidentally stab the dying woman, he cut her trousers off around mid-thigh, turning what was left into shorts. Then he removed her damaged chest piece to reveal the tattered shirt underneath. He tore the scraps of trouser cloth into long strips and tied them around Theresa¡¯s middle, doing his best to cover the majority of the wounds and bind them down.
You have learned a Skill. Medicine ¡ª Level 1 Often the only thing standing between life and death is a steady hand and a cool head. Each level in this skill improves your knowledge of natural healing. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom and Willpower by 1. +2% Effectiveness of Treatment (+2%) +1% Effectiveness of Identifying Ailments (+1%)
Arche brushed away the notification before he could let himself get distracted by why a skill like Medicine would improve his Willpower over time. Instead, he tried to focus on the task at hand. The weak bandages and constant pressure seemed to do the trick, as she stabilized with twenty Health left. Arche let loose a sigh of relief. They would both live, for the moment. Until the venom took him, at least. Book 1 | Chapter 19 Hermera The 22nd of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche¡¯s hands were drenched in blood. He stared at the unconscious woman in front of him, trying to figure out what to do. He couldn¡¯t carry her, the jostling of forest travel would no doubt kill her. He couldn¡¯t leave her, either. They were in unfamiliar territory and he didn¡¯t know the way back to the village. He had no map, no weapons other than his knife and hers, and no equipment other than the blood-stained pants he wore. The sky was overcast, obscuring any hopes of telling the time of day other than that night had yet to fall. Despite the level-up curing his hangover, Arche still hadn¡¯t had a sip of water and had a horrible case of cottonmouth, which was exacerbated by the metallic taste of blood from the fight with the mantikhoras. He was also still envenomated. A glance at his vitals showed that he¡¯d dropped over a hundred health, but he¡¯d also gained back eighty Mana. Paying careful attention, he activated Divine Body for a single second. His Health shot up as his Mana plummeted. Checking his vitals again showed another surprising development.
Health: 364 / 420 87% Stamina: 280 /280 100% Mana: 18 / 190 9%
Envenomated: 4:29:16
Using the Divine Body skill during the fight and to regain his Health had shaved over ten minutes off the timer of his Envenomated condition. He seemed to be getting health back at about the same rate he lost Mana while using the skill, but he was still losing Health faster than he was regenerating Mana. He closed his eyes, muttering as he counted. ¡°Twenty Health a minute. Sixteen Mana a minute. Aw, shit.¡± Arche pulled open his profile and dumped all five attribute points into Wisdom.
Health: 359 / 420 85% Stamina: 280 /280 100% Mana: 20 / 190 11%
Strength: 29 Dexterity: 22 Agility: 20 Fortitude: 18 Endurance: 19 Intelligence: 19 Wisdom: 21 Willpower: 14 Perception: 16 Charisma: 18 Comeliness: 1 Luck: 11
A twenty in Wisdom would even out his Mana regeneration with his Health loss but there was no reason to take the risk. At twenty-one, he had a safety net. The faster he could activate Divine Body, the sooner the Envenomed condition would wear off. The adrenaline from the fight dwindled, leaving his limbs cold and tired. Arche sat next to Theresa, Examining her again to reassure himself that she was still stabilized. ¡°You really know how to fuck up an assassination,¡± he muttered, chuckling darkly to himself. She hadn¡¯t regained consciousness. Not for the first time, Arche wished he knew magic. Real magic, not whatever facsimile of a skill he had was. He had no doubt there was magic out there that could heal injuries or cure conditions. His Divine Body skill, though incredible, seemed to only improve his own abilities and regeneration. He wondered, not for the first time, how he had even come to learn such a skill. The vast majority of his skills had been learned by stumbling onto them but each had been rather obvious to what he¡¯d been doing at the time. Divine Body had activated in the middle of a fight and Arche still had no idea how it worked. The skill was part of the ever-growing list of things for which he needed answers, the top of which was the truth behind his identity before he¡¯d lost his memories. A small, worried part of him wondered if he actually existed. His first glimpse of life, a lightless, empty space where he had been prompted for his name and told he was entering Tartarus, was still fresh on his mind even though several weeks had passed. The thought of being nothing before that moment was terrifying but he used idioms that no one else seemed to understand and, even though he himself wasn¡¯t always entirely sure of their meanings, it had never felt like he¡¯d come up with it on the spot. It was proof, however tenuous. Theresa stirred. Her body convulsed, limbs thrashing, then her eyes shot open and she tried to sit up. ¡°Whoa, whoa, hey, take it easy.¡± ¡°What¡­happened?¡± ¡°You got attacked by a monster. I bandaged your wounds but I¡¯m shit at it. Take it easy.¡± Theresa grimaced then looked down at herself, taking stock of the state of her body and clothes. ¡°What happened to my pants?¡± ¡°What happened to my shirt?¡± Theresa glanced up at him, taking in his bare chest. ¡°Fair enough.¡± She coughed, then gasped with pain. ¡°How bad is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. You got scored pretty deep but I stabilized you. Hopefully you can recover enough to move, soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°What good would that have done me? I don¡¯t know the way back to town.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re what? Going to get directions from me and leave me here for trying to kill you?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I?¡± The words came out more bitter than Arche intended but he watched her reaction carefully. She was an unknown and this whole business could have been orchestrated. It was unlikely, of course, but he couldn¡¯t rule it out. Theresa closed her mouth and dropped her eyes. Arche watched her for a moment longer, then stood and let her ruminate while he walked over and nudged the mantikhoras¡¯s body with his foot. It had occurred to him that he hadn¡¯t looted a body since Lyssa had shown him after a fight with wolves, several days earlier. He didn¡¯t necessarily see anything of value on the mantikhoras, but in a world with invisible inventory space, he supposed that he wouldn¡¯t necessarily see what the creature carried with it. The contact made between the two and Arche¡¯s desire to view the creature¡¯s inventory was enough to open up a translucent window with what the monster had on it when it died.
Rakor¡¯s Inventory
3x Kilograms Wolf Meat (Raw) 6x Liters Mantikhoras Blood (Requires container) Mantikhoras Hide
Mantikhoras Tail Stinger 2x Mantikhoras Wing 24x Mantikhoras Claws
Arche¡¯s brows rose. It seemed most of the mantikhoras itself had been flagged as a usable resource. The wolf meat had likely been saved as a meal, which Arche was grateful for as it meant he wouldn¡¯t have to cook and eat the mantikhoras if they couldn¡¯t make it back to the village by a reasonable time. The blood would have to be wasted since he didn¡¯t have anything to carry it in, but the other usable parts were free game. Perhaps someone in the village could turn them into something useful. Arche hesitated as his eyes landed on the mantikhoras¡¯s slack face. Harvesting a clearly intelligent creature seemed wrong but to leave it was an utter waste. Maybe some good would come of the encounter. If the gear Arche could make with it saved lives, not the least of which his own, then it would be a worthy sacrifice, his own scruples be damned. It was a savage world. He had to get used to it. More than that, he needed to take every advantage if he was going to survive. Those with power took what they wanted from those without. That part wasn¡¯t a surprise. What really surprised him was how forthcoming they were about it. It was equal parts refreshing and terrifying. Despite Lyssa¡¯s constant warnings that Tartarus did not look favorably upon the weak or the hesitant, the extent and ease at which people rose to violence was still shocking. Arche supposed, if he had to be fair, that he also rose quickly to violence and carried it out past what was probably necessary. The monster¡ªRakor, he reminded himself¡ªlying dead at his feet was proof enough of that. He wasn¡¯t sure if the barbarity of the world was having an influence on him or if this was the way he always was, but it didn¡¯t have to be the way he always would be. When he was strong enough to be different, maybe he could make that choice. Arche attempted to move the items over to his inventory but was met by a prompt.
Warning! You are attempting to automatically harvest materials that are too high for your Skinning skill. Harvesting these items in this way will severely degrade the items¡¯ quality and durability. Do you wish to continue?
Yes No
¡°Nope,¡± Arche said aloud, immediately closing out the prompt and leaving the materials where they were. Skinning wasn¡¯t a skill he¡¯d learned, yet. He had some skill notifications waiting for him but a quick glance showed none of them helped here. Still, if he was going to collect these items and already had a severe penalty for doing things the easy way, he might as well get his dirty hands dirtier and try to learn something. Arche pulled out his knife and held it loosely in one hand, trying to decide where to start. The hide was clearly the largest object and would take quite a bit of time. He decided to save it for last, hoping that the other parts would at least get him started in the right direction so he could take a chance at salvaging the hide. That left the tail, the wings, and the claws. Arche moved to the tail, which had already been nearly severed from the encounter. He took the bulbous stinger of the tail in one hand and stared at it for a while, turning it over to look at it. Finally, he took the knife and finished cutting through the disturbingly fleshy tail, spilling a fresh gout of orange blood onto the ground. He was left holding a fairly heavy chunk of stinger, but he still felt he was missing something. Arche cut around the base of the stinger, rotating the blade around like he was carving fruit. More blood dripping onto his hands, but when he¡¯d finished, he¡¯d exposed a viscous sac at the base of the stinger. Narrowing his eyes, he Examined it.
Mantikhoras Venom Sac Rarity: Epic Potency: Strong Durability: 1/1 Weight: 0.4 kilograms Traits: ?
Examine has increased to Level 4. +2% Examine Speed (+8%)
With excruciating care, Arche used the knife to sever the fleshy connections between the sac and the rest of the stinger. It took nearly twenty minutes, but he managed to extract the sac and a small tube that ran to the end of the stinger, no doubt how the venom was normally injected. He¡¯d had to pause halfway through to use Divine Body, counting on the distance and the sunlight to mask the red glow but also not really caring whether Theresa saw. The assassin didn¡¯t even glance in his direction. As Arche held the sac, he carefully placed it into his inventory where he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it bursting.
You have learned a Skill. Skinning ¡ª Level 3 There¡¯s more than one way to skin a centaur. Each level in this skill will improve your ability to harvest materials from slain creatures. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Dexterity by 1. This is a subskill of Wilderness Survival. +1% Speed of Harvest (+3%) +2% Quality of Harvest (+6%)
You have learned a Skill. Wilderness Survival ¡ª Level 3 You have taken your first steps toward being a true woodsman. Each level in this skill helps your overall ability to survive in the great outdoors. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom by 1. +2% Insulation (+6%) +2% Durability of constructed shelters (+6%) +1% Vitals regeneration in camp (+3%)
Two skills he hadn¡¯t been taught and they had started at level three. Lyssa would be proud. More notifications flashed, waiting to be revealed, but Arche ignored them. There would be time enough to go over all his awaiting prompts from the battle, but for now he had skinning to do. He¡¯d also have to build a cooking fire and prepare a shelter if Theresa wasn¡¯t well enough to travel by the time he¡¯d finished. Arche got to work on the wings of the creature, feeling instinctively where the knife should cut in order to produce the best result. His command over the tool was hesitant but his Dexterity allowed him enough fine control that what few mistakes he made didn¡¯t heavily degrade the quality of the wings. As he worked, he let his mind wander back to Theresa. She had accepted Callias order to kill him, yes, but she hadn¡¯t really followed through on it. She was capable, clearly. She¡¯d lured him out and strung him up easily enough. The armor she wore wasn¡¯t cheap, whatever it was, though it hadn¡¯t been enough to save her from the Mantikhoras. A simple mercenary would be hard-pressed to have equipment like hers or be as high a level as she was. Most of the guards that Arche had surreptitiously Examined in the village had averaged about level sixteen. Theresa was a higher level than Gigator and Elpida, and both of them struck Arche as people who¡¯d been in more than their fair share of combat. That being said, it seemed the woman had less experience in the forest than Arche did and that didn¡¯t bode well for either of them if they were forced into an extended stay. If he could make an ally out of her, it would be well worth the effort. Plus, it¡¯d be a kick in the teeth for Callias. That alone was worth the try. Arche finished with the wings, each one granting him a level in both Skinning and Wilderness Survival, then started on the claws. He gave one an experimental tug, but it held fast. Separating them was going to take some careful work. His eyes wandered back to Theresa, who frowned at the ground and clutched her side. A myriad of emotions were etched into her face, readable without the need to meet her eyes. Foremost among them was fear. Arche wouldn¡¯t leave her behind. She had tried to kill him, sure, and though it was a prospect he was still very much afraid of, he fully believed that if the mantikhoras had simply waited a few more seconds, she would have freed him. That had to count for something. If that made him a fool, so be it, but he couldn¡¯t get back to the village without help. Besides, if he could convince her to go public about what Callias had paid her to do, that might be enough to turn people against the smug bastard. Arche didn¡¯t want Callias dead, per se, but he wouldn¡¯t be much inclined to douse the man if Callias found himself on fire and the only water Arche had to hand was in his bladder. To kill Callias meant that any allies the man had would be able to come after him publicly and the ensuing power struggle over the village would probably end in the death of several people, potentially including Lyssa and Helwan, if not himself. In order to assure the survival of the village, Callias had to be run out or deposed by the village itself. What happened after wasn¡¯t really Arche¡¯s concern, unless Callias tried to take revenge, which he most likely would. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Arche scowled. He hadn¡¯t killed a person before. A few named entities, sure, but nothing that hadn¡¯t attacked him first. He wondered if he¡¯d be able to do it if the situation called for it. It was easy to say yes, but he wouldn¡¯t know until the moment came. Arche sincerely hoped it wouldn¡¯t come to that, but Callias wouldn¡¯t take a coup lying down. The last of Rakor¡¯s claws came free with a small, sucking plop.
Skinning has increased to Level 6. +1% Speed of Harvest (+6%) +2% Quality of Harvest (+12%)
Wilderness Survival has increased to Level 6. +2% Insulation (+12%) +2% Durability of Constructed Shelters (+12%) +1% Vitals Regeneration in Camp (+6%)
Arche looked down at the claw in his hand. It seemed odd that despite having the body of what resembled an ape-like lion, the mantikhoras had six claws on each hand. Was it a birth defect or the number of digits the species normally had? Endless questions. Arche closed his eyes and used Divine Body, letting the skill go as his Mana dipped below twenty. He opened his eyes and glanced toward Theresa, but she was still staring at the ground in front of her, hands holding her side. There was no way he was going to be able to hide from her view every seven minutes for the next couple hours as he burned through his Envenomated condition. It was a bizarre feeling, having his blood coagulate inside his body, only to be purged by his skill every few minutes. It was as though his joints were constantly growing stiff and painful, but instead of his joints it was all of his internal organs. At any rate, it was time to begin on the hide. As the most complicated and potentially most valuable material to harvest¡ªnext to, perhaps, the venom sac, which he really should have saved until later for risk of damaging it¡ªArche had left the hide for last so his skill would be greatest and his chances of ruining the pelt would be lowest. He gave it all of his focus for the next half hour, only pausing to use Divine Body to regenerate his Health. The knife still felt a little unsure in his hand, but he was able to hold it steady and the few mistakes he did make were easily fixed. By the time he was done, his Skinning and Survival skills had raised all the way to level eight. He deposited the mantikhoras¡¯s hide safely into his inventory and returned to Theresa, who was, thankfully, still conscious and had pulled herself into a sitting position with her back braced against a tree. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Arche asked, his voice flat and tired even to his own ears. Theresa didn¡¯t meet his eye. She raised her hand and pointed off into the forest. ¡°West.¡± ¡°Beg pardon?¡± ¡°West,¡± she repeated. ¡°The village is west.¡± ¡°¡­And?¡± Theresa let her hand fall back to the ground and closed her eyes. The wounds made her voice raspy and strained. ¡°You¡¯re right. I tried to kill you and you saved my life. You saved me from that monster and treated my wounds, none of which you were obligated to do. You have every right to kill me now or leave me behind. It¡¯s no less than I deserve.¡± Arche cocked his head, his scowl deepening. Silence spread between them until finally Theresa met his eyes. Only then did he speak. ¡°Nothing you just said answered my question.¡± Theresa blinked in confusion. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How. Are. You. Feeling?¡± ¡°¡­Better?¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯m going to get a fire going and cook some meat. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s wolf, not mantikhoras.¡± Arche began gathering up dry wood from the forest floor as Theresa watched on, confused and speechless. Within a minute, Arche had gathered a large bundle of kindling and tinder. He brought it back to near where Theresa was sitting and dropped it in a pile. He was about to light it when he remembered that they were in the Sylv. A fire could attract attention, even in daylight, and Theresa was in no position to fight or run. A small risk, perhaps, but still one they couldn¡¯t afford. Following an instinct he couldn¡¯t quite put a voice to, Arche began digging a hole. He lacked a shovel, a lack he greatly mourned, but his relatively high skill-level in Digging proved its usefulness as the ground seemed to mold itself around his hands and intent. Within five minutes, he had managed a hole that was an arm¡¯s length deep and had made a second hole, almost as deep and about as far away with an underground tunnel connecting the two holes. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Theresa asked, utterly confused. Arche paused while aligning his kindling in the deeper hole. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in a minute,¡± he said, then added under his breath, ¡°when I figure it out.¡± Arche dumped leaves into the hole for tinder, then paused, turning back toward Theresa. ¡°You don¡¯t happen to have fire magic, do you?¡± ¡°Do I look like a mage?¡± Arche shrugged and tried to think about what he could use to start a fire. He had a knife and there were plenty of dead leaves all around. He just needed some way of making a spark. His gaze alighted on the rocks scattered about near them. He picked up a couple and Examined them, but eventually put them back. He kept a couple that identified as containing pyrite and put them with the dry leaves until he came across one that identified itself as flintstone. Arche grinned and brought his supplies over near the fire hole he had dug. He placed the leaves into a pile next to the hole and sprinkled the pyrite chunks onto it. Then he took the knife in one hand and held the palm-sized flintstone in the other. Holding both above the pile, he struck the steel pommel of the knife against the flintstone with a small shower of sparks. Arche grinned. He struck the rock again and again until one of the sparks successfully caught the leaves on fire. Blowing gentle breaths, he fanned the flame until it was burning healthily, then carefully scooped up the burning leaves and placed them inside the fire hole, where it could attempt to light the kindling. Arche put his head down the secondary hole and blew through the tunnel he had dug, feeding oxygen to the flame. Within the minute, he had a fire burning, fed with air through the secondary tunnel and with flames completely concealed by the earthen sides of the hole. What was more, practically no smoke came out of the fire. ¡°Hah!¡±
You have discovered an Advanced Survival Technique well above your Wilderness Survival level without guidance. For your efforts, you gain bonus Wilderness Survival experience. You have learned an Advanced Survival Technique. Fire Hole For the hunted, a fire can be both savior and executioner. This technique helps give that choice back to the fire starter. +90% to Stealth of Fire -50% Dispersal of Heat from Fire
Wilderness Survival has increased to Level 11. +2% Insulation (+22%) +2% Durability of Constructed Shelters (+22%) +1% Vitals Regeneration in Camp (+11%) +1 Wisdom You have reached the rank of Novice in Wilderness Survival. You receive 100 experience.
Arche laid a long, flat rock across the hole above the flames, which were now burning strongly. Then he laid out the meat. The juice sizzled on the hot rock and he used the knife to flip the meat every couple minutes until it looked nice and ready. At one point he had to activate his Divine Body skill to regenerate lost health, but if Theresa noticed, she didn¡¯t say anything. When the gurgle in his stomach grew too loud to be ignored, he tested one of the steaks by cutting into it. It had a little more pink on the inside than was preferable, but it was good enough. Arche lifted the stone carefully and placed it to the side to cool, then used a couple sticks to spear the meat. He glanced up to see Theresa was looking at him suspiciously. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what?¡¯¡± she demanded. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone build a fire like that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want monsters to lock in on the light or the smoke. Taking a big enough risk with the smell as it is. Do you want some or not?¡± Theresa was quiet for a while, giving Arche enough time to prepare the steaks for transport.
You have learned a Skill. Cooking ¡ª Level 3 Food comes in an endless variety, limited only by the creativity of those who consume it. Each level in this skill will improve the taste and ease at which you prepare food. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom by 1. +2% Quality of Food Prepared (+6%) +2% Chance to Discern Ingredients by Taste (+6%)
You have learned a Recipe. Seared Wolf Steaks (Unseasoned)
Arche suppressed a grin at the new skills. As it turned out, being kidnapped and nearly assassinated was doing wonders for his skill accumulation and progression. If it hadn¡¯t come with mortal danger to his wellbeing, he might have considered making it a regular thing. He held out an impaled steak to Theresa. He had one for himself while the last, still piping hot, had gone into his inventory for later. Theresa looked at the steak for a few moments, then stared up at Arche. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Yeah, that seems to be a popular trend among people I know.¡± ¡°Why are you helping me?¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°So you tried to kill me. You changed your mind. You got in a bad situation and were asked to do something you clearly didn¡¯t want to do. What was I supposed to do when the tables were turned, just let you die?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No,¡± Arche replied, a touch of annoyance creeping into his voice. ¡°Look, if you try to kill me again, it¡¯ll be different, but I¡¯m not gonna let you die here in the woods alone.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Holy fuck.¡± Arche had to fight the urge to break something. ¡°Is everyone here so goddamn sadistic that they just kill people or let them die with no fucks given? What the fuck is wrong with you people?¡± Theresa shrank back against the tree, hissing in pain. Arche grit his teeth and tossed the steak at her. He¡¯d taken it a step too far, perhaps. He sat down next to the fire to eat his own. Despite the lack of seasoning, it was tender and juicy and exactly what he was craving. In less than five bites, he finished it. ¡°You are, without a doubt, the strangest person I have ever met. But, please, don¡¯t mistake my confusion for ingratitude.¡± ¡°Cool, be grateful. Eat your dinner.¡± Arche stood and paced around the area while Theresa ate. It gave him another chance to use his Divine Body skill with minimal risk of her seeing it. Rather than ask her how she was doing, Arche Examined her, taking care not to stare too openly as he checked her vitals.
Theresa Eliades
Level: 23 Race: Human Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 45 / 420 15% Stamina: 375 / 375 100% Mana: 260 / 260 100%
¡°How did you know my name?¡± Theresa asked suddenly, making Arche jump. ¡°I don¡¯t give anyone my real name.¡± ¡°I have a way of figuring out most people¡¯s names. Call it a talent.¡± Lord Cypress¡¯s warning about people reacting negatively to knowledge of the Examine skill was still fresh in his mind. Theresa shifted uncomfortably. ¡°I didn¡¯t know such a thing existed,¡± she admitted. Arche nodded, looking to change the subject. ¡°How are your wounds? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have anything to change the bandages with.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve begun the healing process. I still can¡¯t walk, but soon, with any luck. We likely won¡¯t make it back to the village before dark, but we should be able to avoid a night under the stars as long as we aren¡¯t attacked by monsters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big ¡®if.¡¯¡± ¡°I know. Also, I¡¯m not much use in a fight in my current state.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have any of my old gear, do you?¡± Theresa shook her head. ¡°No, left that all in the tent.¡± Arche grimaced. ¡°Would you mind¡­walking me through exactly what happened?¡± Theresa snorted, then coughed painfully. ¡°We left the party together, went back to my tent. You took two steps inside and passed out. I waited until the sounds outside quieted, then carried you out of the village. I figured by the time anyone missed you, you¡¯d be dead. I reckon I¡¯ll have a few questions to answer when we get back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s likely,¡± Arche agreed, grateful he hadn¡¯t done too bad. Still, it was surprising she was strong enough to carry him all the way out here. ¡°We¡¯ll see if you can answer those questions before an arrow gets lodged into you.¡± ¡°Your wood elf friend?¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s a bit protective. She might very well be looking for us now. I just hope she hasn¡¯t gotten herself into trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯re foolish indeed, then, for throwing devotion like that away for a chance with a stranger.¡± Arche let out an actual laugh. ¡°First, You suck at compliments. Second, it¡¯s not like that. She doesn¡¯t really think highly of humans.¡± Theresa raised an eyebrow. ¡°And yet she¡¯s protective of you?¡± ¡°Long story. Not all mine to tell. Just take it for what it is.¡± ¡°If you insist.¡± Arche stiffened, not comfortable with where the conversation was heading. Theresa must have noticed the movement because she changed the subject. ¡°Are you going to kill Callias?¡± Arche paused, gathering his thoughts. ¡°Do you want me to?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t suffer a voice of opposition, nor will he suffer a failed tool. His ire will be directed at us both. He will have us killed if he can.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather avoid murder if I can help it.¡± ¡°And if you can¡¯t? You¡¯ve seen him ¡®lead.¡¯ He doesn¡¯t care about anyone¡¯s safety but his own. That¡¯s why he keeps all the guards in his own vicinity instead of sending some of them out to form watches or even build defenses for the village. If he remains in power, there will be casualties. Heavy casualties.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree, but I don¡¯t like the thought of killing someone for being a dick. If the village itself can rise up against him, I think we¡¯ll have a better chance of making some positive change.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot to ask for,¡± Theresa pointed out. ¡°If people want a change, they will strive for it. All they need is the opportunity. That¡¯s what I¡¯m planning on giving them. I actually think you can help with that.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah. If you share with them what he asked you to do. If you tell them what he demanded of you, it might stir them into action.¡± Theresa gave him an unconvinced stare. ¡°And what if he calls me a liar? I don¡¯t exactly have proof.¡± ¡°Then we go with Plan B.¡± ¡°What¡¯s Plan B?¡± ¡°I ask my satyr friend to incite riot.¡± Theresa stared at him for a few moments, then she began to laugh. It was short-lived and quickly devolved into gasps of pain, but it was a sweet sound while it lasted. The first sweet sound he¡¯d heard all day. Arche grinned at her. ¡°You ask some very intense questions, you know.¡± ¡°I like to know who I work with. That way future actions are easier to predict. You¡¯ve told me what you intend, misguided as it may be. And, for once, I respect what you¡¯re trying to do.¡± ¡°Thanks, I think.¡± Arche scratched his head. ¡°I told everyone my name was Tessalyn, by the way. If you could call me Tess when we get back, I would appreciate it.¡± ¡°Are you an outlaw or something?¡± he asked, more teasing than serious. ¡°Not in these woods, but there are a few who would wish harm upon me and those I¡¯m with. My real name getting out is just more trouble than it¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t Tess normally short for Theresa?¡± ¡°Most people just accept that my name is Tessalyn and let it go at that.¡± ¡°Tess it is, then. I¡¯m Arche, though I guess you already knew that.¡± Tess gave a small, tired smile. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you properly. I don¡¯t think I said it before but thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Thanks for not killing me.¡± They fell into silence and Arche took the time to go over the notifications awaiting him from the fight.
You have learned a Skill. Daggermanship ¡ª Level 2 Large blades look pretty, but often the most dangerous are the ones you never saw coming. Each level in this skill improves your ability with small blades. +3% Damage with Small Blades (+6%) +1% Sneak Attack Chance (+2%) +1% Sneak Attack Damage (+2%)
You have learned a Skill. Anatomy ¡ª Level 2 Knowing the makeup of creatures can lead to many scientific discoveries, but most settle for killing them more effectively. Each level in this skill will improve your ability to assess the physical structure of living creatures. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Intelligence and Perception by 1. +1% Critical Strike Chance (+2%) +1% Critical Strike Damage (+2%) +1% Chance to Spot Enemy Weaknesses (+2%)
Unarmed Combat has increased to Level 4. +2% Damage while unarmed (+8%) +0.5% Natural armor (+2%)
Divine Body has increased to Level 9.
Arche frowned at the last skill notification, annoyed that Divine Body still didn¡¯t give him any hint as to what the skill actually did. He had a feeling there was more than what he¡¯d observed so far. ¡°You were being honest when you said you didn¡¯t have any of my stuff, right?¡± he asked. Tess nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all back at the village.¡± ¡°Well, that sucks. A better blade may have come in handy. I¡¯d have settled for my bow. Don¡¯t suppose you have a spare?¡± Tess extended her hand and a bow appeared. ¡°I have a shortbow and a quiver of twenty arrows. It¡¯s not much, I¡¯m more of a dagger woman.¡± She offered it to Arche, who took it without hesitation. He could tell just by holding it that it wasn¡¯t as good as his, but it could have been a lot worse.
Oak Shortbow Rarity: Common Quality: Average Durability: 10 / 10 Weight: 1.4 kilograms
It lacked the craftsmanship of his elven bow, but it would get the job done well enough. ¡°This¡¯ll be better than trying to stab a monster to death if we get attacked on the way back,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m still shocked that you managed to kill the mantikhoras. What happened?¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°I got lucky. I had an opening and went for the throat.¡± ¡°I fully believe you got lucky but I¡¯m still shocked you killed it. There¡¯s a reason those beasts are called Crimson Terrors. A single mantikhoras can take out an entire squad of soldiers and barely break a sweat. That you killed one while injured, unarmored, and with nothing but a shoddy knife¡­it¡¯s downright unbelievable.¡± Arche gestured lazily toward the body of the mantikhoras about forty paces away, mutilated from the harvesting he¡¯d done. ¡°Nonetheless, it¡¯s dead and we¡¯re not. Don¡¯t look a gift horse in the mouth.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­horse? What?¡± ¡°Fuck¡¯s sake,¡± he muttered. ¡°Don¡¯t overanalyze it. Be grateful for the situation at hand.¡± Tess nodded, then slowly eased herself onto her feet. Arche rose as well, ready to catch her if it seemed she would fall. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should wait here for more predators to be attracted. As it is, we likely won¡¯t return until after dark.¡± Arche nodded and kicked the mound of dirt he¡¯d excavated back over the fire, dousing it. ¡°Let¡¯s head back, then.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 20 Hermera The 22nd of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The next three hours were a grueling march through the forest. Tess had hauled him a considerable distance away from the village, likely so that Lyssa wouldn¡¯t be able to find them. Their going was also slowed by her wounds, which drained her Stamina at a prodigious rate and forced them to make frequent stops to let it regenerate. It gave Arche plenty of opportunities to use his Divine Body skill and work off his Envenomed condition. He was certain that Tess had noticed the light despite his best efforts but she said nothing about it. As night fell, their pace slowed even further as they had to pick their way among the roots and bushes. Arche took the last wolf steak out of his inventory and handed it to Tess. She took it gratefully, passing him a waterskin in return before tearing into the steak. Other than the waterskin, Tess had no rations. She hadn¡¯t expected to be gone for more than a few hours. The need for more water kept them moving past nightfall. Arche was confident in his ability to find creatures to hunt if it came to that, but without water they wouldn¡¯t last long, especially when the sun came back up. Tess¡¯s wounds improved as they went. Her regeneration was slowed by the travel, but she was no longer in serious danger of losing her footing from pain or weakness. Instead, the only danger underfoot was the poor lighting and hidden roots. Arche was going to suggest they stop for the night and make shelter when a loud, screeching cry had him diving to the ground, bow half drawn as he tried to pinpoint the danger. Tess also fell to the ground, more out of surprise and pain than from an attempt to remain hidden. Arche looked around wildly, but nothing jumped out to attack them. The cry came again, more raucous this time, and Arche realized it wasn¡¯t as close as it had seemed. There was something familiar about the cry, but he couldn¡¯t place it. ¡°Stay here.¡± She gripped her dagger in her hand and crawled her way into the shadow of a large tree. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± she grunted, one hand clutching at her side. Arche crept forward, staying low to the ground. He kept an arrow knocked to his bow as he did his best to meld silently into the forest as Lyssa would have. Straining his ears, he heard noises. Voices and screeches, some sounding humanoid and others that sounded like they couldn¡¯t possibly be made by normal throats. ¡°Beastmar,¡± he breathed. Arche continued forward until he saw them. Four beastmar gathered near a gaping cave entrance in the side of a hill. In the dim light, Arche couldn¡¯t tell whether it was a natural cave or an opening to some deeper dwelling.
Stealth has increased to Level 9. +2% Chance to Hide (+18%) +2% Sneak Attack Chance (+18%) +1% Sneak Attack Damage (+9%)
Arche felt a trickle of relief. If his Stealth had leveled, then his presence was probably undetected. Beastmar milled about around the cave entrance. There was no fire to see by and very little light filtered through the trees, indicating that the beastmar possessed some sort of night vision. He Examined each of them in turn, finding that all were between levels eleven and fourteen.
Examine has increased to Level 5. +2% Examine Speed (+10%) +1 Perception
The beastmar seemed about the same strength as the ones that had attacked the village before, but without armor or proper melee weapons, Arche was in no position to pick a fight. Especially since he didn¡¯t know how many more were hiding in the hill. One of the creatures used an arm that forked at the elbow into a set of two hands to smack another that had three legs that all bent backwards. ¡°Quiet!¡± the oddly armed beastmar said in broken common speech. ¡°You keep watch.¡± The tri-legged beastmar made a chittering noise that sounded distinctly avian but spoke the common tongue much better. ¡°Pah! Nothing in these woods to keep eyes on! You ask me, we should head back and put the hurt on that settlement. Maybe grab some more people. Been too long since I¡¯ve had manflesh, and there were all sorts there as well!¡± Arche held very still, his hand clenched around the bow. ¡°Lose more tribe? They have warriors. Trust the chief. His plan good.¡± The beastmar¡¯s voices lowered and Arche could no longer make them out. He carefully backpedaled until he felt he was out of earshot, then made his way quickly back to Tess.
You have received a Quest. Forest Abominations You have stumbled upon a beastmar camp. They have mentioned a plan set in place to destroy the village of Buton. Stymie their efforts and remove their influence from the valley.
Objectives ¡¤ Figure out the beastmar¡¯s plan ¡¤ Foil the beastmar¡¯s plan ¡¤ Slay beastmar 0/50 (Optional) Rewards ¡¤ Experience (Variable) ¡¤ Removal of beastmar influence from the valley ¡¤ Increased relation with the village of Buton
Time Remaining: Unknown
Arche dismissed the quest notification, feeling rather unsettled by the last line. He wished he had a map of the area but doubted such a thing existed in any great detail. He found Tess in the shadow of a tree where he had left her. ¡°We need to move,¡± he hissed, still loath to raise his voice with enemies so close. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, rising unsteadily to her feet. ¡°Beastmar. We need to get back and warn the others. They¡¯re up to something. I got a quest to stop them.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Then let¡¯s not waste any more time.¡± Arche ducked beneath her arm as she leaned her weight onto him. They managed to go another hour before Tess needed to stop for air. ¡°You should know,¡± she said between breaths. ¡°Even if you get the people to turn against Callias, he won¡¯t stop trying to tear you down. You¡¯re a threat to him, what you did for the village. He doesn¡¯t like that he can¡¯t control you. If you move against him openly, he¡¯ll move against you openly. And if you beat him, he¡¯ll kill you for it.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m working on it.¡± Another twenty minutes of pained walking and the trees began to thin. They broke through the treeline and stepped out onto the rolling hills of the valley, the lights of the village burning in the distance. Another half hour of walking and they were at the village. Most had already gone to bed, but a few still tended the fires and kept an eye on things. As they approached, an arrow thudded into the ground at their feet. ¡°Ah, shit,¡± Arche muttered, staring at the green fletching. Lyssa appeared two dozen strides away, bow drawn and leveled at Tess¡¯s heart. ¡°Lyssa, it¡¯s okay,¡± Arche said placatingly. ¡°I felt you nearly die, Arche. I couldn¡¯t find you.¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice was as hard and cold as steel. Arche felt a chill shoot down his back. Even if he wasn¡¯t the target of her ire, the chill fury of the huntress was terrifying. ¡°Sorry about that, really. Things were out of hand for a little while, but Tess isn¡¯t our enemy right now. In fact, she can help us with our problem, but she needs medical attention.¡± Lyssa hesitated, bow still tightly drawn, then she loosened the tension and slung it across her back. ¡°Very well. Bring her. I will bind her wounds.¡±
Persuasion has increased to Level 4. +1% Persuasion Chance (+4%)
Arche helped Tess over to a table where the injured woman could rest. He turned back to Lyssa only to find her fist flying toward his face. The blow staggered him, dropping his Health an astounding twenty points. As he rocked back on his heels, completely dazed, Lyssa grabbed him by the shoulders and drew him into a tight hug. ¡°Don¡¯t scare me like that,¡± she whispered. Her voice sounded thin and stretched. It was more vulnerable than Arche had ever heard it. He fought the urge to rub his throbbing cheek and returned the hug. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he managed. There was nothing else he could say. Lyssa pulled away and cleared her throat. She nodded once at Arche, then turned toward Tess, who threw up her hands in a surrendering motion, eyes wide. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too.¡± ¡°You will be.¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice had regained its steel. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see about your injuries. Arche, go clean up. We¡¯ll talk later.¡± ¡°Yes, we will. I have news that concerns the village. I think it can wait until tomorrow but be on your guard. The beastmar are planning something.¡± Tess shot Arche a worried glance, clearly uncomfortable being left alone with Lyssa, but Arche simply gave the woman a shrug and walked off to retrieve his equipment and take a dip in the river. It took him a while to find the right tent, going off drunken memory and the annoyed directions of a few freshly woken villagers, but eventually he was reunited with his gear. The first thing he did after pulling on his backpack was retrieve a waterskin and drain it dry. His hangover may have been cured by the regenerative properties of leveling up, but he¡¯d barely drunk a drop of water that day. The second thing he did was slip on his Ruby Ring of Lesser Life, feeling reassured as his Fortitude and Endurance each increased by five points. Double-checking that he had everything, he headed to the river for a much-needed bath. The water was refreshing and the slightly overcast night gave him all the privacy he needed to strip down and wade into the river. He felt the grime and blood of the last two days wash itself away with the current as he splashed around. There was still a bit of unease that tickled his mind, reminding him of his two near-drowning events, but he did his best to push it to the back of his mind. He wasn¡¯t certain he¡¯d ever be completely comfortable in water again but he couldn¡¯t let such a fear dominate him for the rest of his life. He faced better chances of dying almost every day and his steady increases in the Swimming skill only improved his odds. Still, he stayed close to the bank and didn¡¯t stray out farther than his feet could touch. After feeling and smelling much better, Arche crawled out of the river, dried off, and equipped fresh clothes. He returned to the camp, crawled into his tent, and fell into a deep sleep.
The world was a husk of the one he knew. The ground Arche laid on was covered in ash and all life had long since choked and burned. The tattered remains of tents and tables were the only signs that a village had ever once tried to fill the smothered valley. A half dozen spewing volcanoes splashed an angry glow against the horizon, with the closest dominating the northern edge of the valley. Arche stood up, feeling the ash compress under his feet, the white powder clung to his skin and left dark stains as it drifted all about him. ¡°I¡¯m dreaming.¡± The words felt weird coming through his jaw, as though his muscles were strained by the usage and his throat was loath to work properly. ¡°Not quite.¡± The voice was smooth and deep, as if it was often used to lull people to sleep. It sounded like a grandfather bidding a beloved grandchild to sleep well. ¡°You are in the Dreaming.¡± This time the voice was high, like a mother cooing at her newborn, but maintained the same softness. A figure appeared. It was formless and featureless, a humanoid body wrapped in strange black robes and wearing a smooth mask of night sky that completely hid whatever true face the figure had. ¡°Who are you?¡± Arche asked, not really expecting an answer but hoping to get one anyway. ¡°I am the Oneiroi,¡± the figure responded in a voice like an old crone. ¡°And you are an anomaly.¡± Arche didn¡¯t really know how to respond to that, so he gestured about himself at the ash-covered valley. ¡°What happened here? What is this place? It looks like the valley, but like death has touched it.¡± The Oneiroi let out a child¡¯s giggle. ¡°Death is a vital component to Tartarus but they have not caused this. This was a part of an older design. Now it is a place for the fallen divine. By rights, you should not be here. Death spoke to me of you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Arche took a step back in surprise, remembering his earlier meeting with a strange figure in a place much like this. ¡°That was actually Death? Death¡¯s a person?¡± The Oneiroi laughed again, a deep throaty sound not dissimilar to a dwarf. ¡°Death is a consciousness. An amalgamation of spirits absorbed into a single entity. The old alliances have fallen, betrayed by the last grasps for power in a dying existence. In many ways I am the same, many become one. But I am not here to explain the truths of this world to you.¡± Arche felt his anxiety spike. ¡°Then why are you here?¡± The Oneiroi came closer. Arche tried to step back and found he couldn¡¯t move. Out of reflex, he tried to Examine the Oneiroi, but nothing happened. He couldn¡¯t see his vitals, which were usually always visible, if somewhat ignored. Like before, none of the strange parts of the world he had come to know seemed to work in whatever shadow world he was in now. The Oneiroi stopped directly in front of him, close enough that Arche could see stars swirling in the piece of night sky that was used for a mask. The Oneiroi reached out with a hand swaddled in black cloth and gripped Arche by the forehead. Arche expected pain, to feel some alien presence probing his mind or forcing its way past his mental boundaries. He felt none of these. Instead, the Oneiroi leveled their inscrutable gaze against him. ¡°I see,¡± the Oneiroi said at last, their voice the half-asleep murmuring of a small child. ¡°You are lost. A stranger without purpose arrived through violence and deceit. You were granted power by one who would see it used, forced to become part of a game that is larger than you have the awareness to realize. I am¡­sorry.¡± Arche frowned as the voice took on a mournful timbre. ¡°Sorry for what?¡± ¡°You have so very far to go and peace for any lasting period will always be beyond your grasp. Your soul has been marked by one of the Twelve and that fact will bring you great power, but it will also bring great pain.¡± The Oneiroi released him and Arche stumbled backward. ¡°I cannot interfere on your behalf. Though the Twelve have no power over me, I would not risk their wrath. You have a long road ahead of you, but at the end of it you may find an opportunity that has not been granted to mortals in millennia, should you wish to take it. Take great care which path you profess to take; the Moirai weave many threads but not even they can interpret meaning.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Arche said, desperation straining his voice. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± The Oneiroi angled their head to the side. ¡°It is too soon. Someday you will, but you will not return to this place. Worry not, I will reassure my sibling of your condition.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who knows me. Please, can you tell me who I am? Will I ever be able to speak to you again?¡± The Oneiroi shook their head. ¡°I cannot. There are truths that you are not ready to hear. We will speak again, but not for a long time yet, by your judgement. I must confer with the others. Though I will not appear to you, if you call out to me in the Dreaming, I will hear your message. Be strong, little spark. Burn well.¡± Arche opened his mouth to ask another question, but the Oneiroi raised their hand and Arche fell backwards into darkness. Book 1 | Chapter 21 Nyxpera The 23rd of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche woke in a panic. He was thoroughly entangled inside his bedroll, which only served to worsen his already addled mind. With a slightly muffled yell and a final, desperate jerk, Arche freed himself from the bedroll and stumbled to his feet, scanning the tent for attackers. The Tridory, lying next to him, flew to his hand with a thought as Arche whirled about, feeling as though Death themselves was reaching for him. He was alone, not that it did much for his hammering heart. The encounter with that entity, the Oneiroi, was still fresh. There would be no convincing himself it was merely a dream. Hot tears pricked Arche¡¯s eyes and washed down his cheeks. He¡¯d been so close to answers, only to be denied and given even more questions. There wasn¡¯t even a hint to point him in the right direction. The Tridory slipped from his fingers and fell point-first to the ground. He¡¯d been so close. Arche held his scarred face in his hands, feeling every peak and valley as he tried to rub his feelings away. He was no closer to answers, but he was no further, either. More questions meant more opportunities. It would take time, that was all. Just time. The Tridory stood embedded in the dirt, almost seeming to stare at him reproachfully. He stared back, biting his lip. The spear itself was full of similar questions. Where had it come from? How did it come to be here? Why could it do the things that it could do? The cold metal was silent, full of secrets but not answers. Arche left the Tridory in the tent. He was in no mood to lug around the heavy spear all day. The xiphos was safely sheathed at his side for reassurance, slung through his belt, but he left his armor in his inventory. Hunger gnawed at his stomach and he made his way to the communal dining area. The morning sun had roused many of the villagers and they were sleepily wandering about, preparing themselves for the day ahead. Arche gathered a bowl of stew and brought it to an unoccupied table to eat by himself. His solitude didn¡¯t last long. Helwan and Lyssa sat down across from him. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Helwan asked, concern heavy in the satyr¡¯s voice. ¡°You look like you haven¡¯t slept in a week.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, just¡­disappointed, I suppose. Anyway, that¡¯s not important right now. I have news that can¡¯t wait.¡± Arche set down his spoon. ¡°In the forest, I found a beastmar camp. It¡¯s set into a hill, two hours¡¯ walk east from the forest¡¯s edge. Maybe less, I¡¯m not completely sure. I received a quest after overhearing them. They¡¯re planning something bad for the village.¡± With a thought, Arche shared the details of the quest with them, taking another spoonful as they read the details. ¡°It¡¯s timed,¡± Helwan said, his brow drawing down into a frown. ¡°Though not explicitly.¡± ¡°Yeah, which means the village needs to be made aware.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to tell Callias?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°I have to. I don¡¯t like him, but not telling him could get people killed and I¡¯m not about to risk that.¡± Lyssa nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Elpida and her group, they should be able to marshal the other guards and keep them ready.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I also think we should hit their camp. The quest specifically says to figure out the plan and foil it. We can¡¯t do that by staying on the defensive and without knowing what the plan is, we won¡¯t be able to adequately prepare for it.¡± Lyssa nodded slowly. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of beastmar listed on that quest,¡± she pointed out. ¡°And only three of us.¡± ¡°Two,¡± Arche corrected, looking at Helwan. ¡°I know you¡¯re not a fighter. I won¡¯t ask you to join us.¡± Helwan¡¯s horse-like ears flattened against his head. ¡°I may not be able to help you fight but I might be able to convince a few here to join you. What about your new friends among the guards? Surely they would want to join?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯d be wiser to keep people here that we can trust, they¡¯ll make sure the village is protected if anything else attacks while we¡¯re gone,¡± Arche said. ¡°Count me in,¡± a new voice said. Arche flinched and whirled to find Tess standing behind him. Her armor had been patched and she walked without a trace of the injury that had plagued her the previous day. Arche immediately cut his eyes to Lyssa, worried that a fight might break out over the breakfast table, but Lyssa only nodded in response. Clearly the two had talked things through the previous night. He was equal parts curious and terrified at how that conversation might have gone. ¡°We would be lucky to have you,¡± Arche said. ¡°Excellent. I never quite got to show you what I was capable of, having been blindsided and all. I¡¯m still getting used to the ways of the forest. City girl through and through, you know?¡± Tess smiled. Arche didn¡¯t really know how to respond to that, so he didn¡¯t. Instead, he moved over to make space for Tess to sit. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve been properly introduced. Helwan Panysk, at your service.¡± Helwan rose from the table with surprising grace and executed a formal bow. Arche and Lyssa met each other¡¯s gaze and rolled their eyes as Tess smirked. ¡°A pleasure I¡¯m sure, master satyr. The name¡¯s Tessalyn, but you can call me Tess.¡± She sat down at the table next to Arche and leaned forward onto her elbows. ¡°I hear there¡¯s some adventuring to be done.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°There is. You remember those beastmar we stumbled on? We¡¯re going to head back and try to stop whatever it is they¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Sounds reasonably noble, if a bit light on details. What about Callias? He¡¯s a threat to both of us, now.¡± ¡°That reckoning is coming.¡± Arche¡¯s voice came out in more of a growl than he intended. ¡°But not today, not unless he pushes for it. Right now, the safety of the village is my top priority.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Tess eyed the rest of the group, settling on Lyssa. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re a Ranger or a Scout, based on your armor and handiness with the bow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Huntress.¡± Tess¡¯s eyebrows arched. ¡°A Huntress? Wow, I haven¡¯t met one of those. Heard of them, though, pretty rare. I¡¯m curious to see what you¡¯ll be able to do. I¡¯m a Rogue. What about you, Arche?¡± Arche looked back and forth between the two women. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your profession?¡± Tess continued. ¡°I¡¯m guessing some kind of Fighter, given how you took on that mantikhoras. Must be a rare one.¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t have a profession.¡± ¡°What? What level are you?¡± ¡°Erm, fifteen? I just got there.¡± Tess¡¯s face grew guarded as she stood up and walked away from the table. Lyssa gave Arche a curious look, to which he shrugged. ¡°The mantikhoras I killed was level twenty-seven. I think she thought I was more advanced than I really am. What¡¯s a profession?¡± Helwan¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. ¡°Mantikhoras? You really slew one?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got some materials from it to prove it. I was hoping I could get a set of armor made from it. But seriously, what¡¯s a profession?¡± ¡°A profession is a path that you walk, something to define yourself as,¡± Lyssa explained. ¡°When you reach level fifteen, you are given the choice to pursue a profession. Until you have chosen a profession, all experience earned is held in reserve until you achieve it and leveling becomes remarkably more difficult afterward.¡± ¡°So she¡¯s upset because I don¡¯t have a profession?¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s upset because of what you accomplished while being remarkably less than your potential. No doubt, some part of it is pride. She will calm down; she¡¯s already coming back.¡± True enough, Tess was stomping back. She gave Arche a suspicious look as she sat down, this time across from him. Helwan changed sides to accommodate her. ¡°You really don¡¯t have a profession?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡± ¡°What about your combat skills? Do you have insanely high-leveled maneuvers? I don¡¯t understand how you could kill something that strong while being so low-leveled.¡± Arche gave her a blank look and smiled weakly. Tess¡¯s face dropped again. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know any maneuvers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got combat skills if it makes you feel better. First I¡¯ve heard of a maneuver, though.¡± ¡°Titan¡¯s Blood!¡± Tess swore. ¡°What rank are your combat skills?¡± Arche took a moment to look through his profile. ¡°Archery, Spearmanship, and Swordsmanship are all Novice; Daggermanship and Unarmed Combat are still Beginner.¡± Lyssa blinked. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°What?¡± Arche asked, turning to look at her. ¡°Once you hit the Novice rank in a combat skill, you can learn Novice maneuvers. They¡¯re like a specialized subcategory of skills that have their own levels and cost Stamina to use. I hadn¡¯t realized you¡¯d hit the Novice ranks in so many combat skills.¡± Arche stared at her for a moment. ¡°You saw me level up after you taught me Archery!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t trust you, then, and I had forgotten about it in light of everything else that happened that day.¡± ¡°Okay, fine, but does this mean that all this time I could have had skills, techniques, whatever they¡¯re called, and they would have helped me fight?¡± ¡°Maneuvers, and yes.¡± Arche rubbed his face with both hands. ¡°Fuck me,¡± he groaned. ¡°I don¡¯t believe this.¡± Tess¡¯s face grew hard and she glared at him like he was a rabid animal. Helwan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ¡°Before we go anywhere, I would like to learn as many maneuvers as I can.¡± Arche pushed away his bowl, now finished. Lyssa nodded. ¡°Easy enough. I can teach you archery and swordsmanship. Nothing I can do for the spear.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Arche slapped the table. ¡°Helwan, spread the news and try to find some trustworthy folks that are willing to help. Lyssa, go talk to Vik and the others and let them know what¡¯s going on. I¡¯m going to head to the tanner and see what he can do with the materials I got from the mantikhoras. Tess, do you think Callias is going to be an immediate issue once he learns I¡¯m still alive?¡± ¡°He certainly won¡¯t be happy about it, but I doubt he¡¯ll act publicly. Chances are he¡¯ll just cut me off the payroll and leave it at that for the time being. He might try another way of finishing you off, though. I¡¯d watch your back if I were you.¡± ¡°All right, why don¡¯t you go with Helwan and take the measure of any volunteers. I¡¯ll talk to Callias directly after I see the tanner and, with any luck, we can meet back here in, say, two hours to train and prepare ourselves. We can head out first thing tomorrow. Deal?¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The others nodded their assent and they went their separate ways. Helwan was kind enough to point Arche toward the small crafting corner that had been set up for the several tradesfolk that lived among the villagers. Most of the villagers were still strangers to him, even if they now knew who he was. He resolved to get to know them better, but between Callias and everything else, he hadn¡¯t had the time to really talk to anyone. As he approached the tannery, Arche found a very large man stroking a taut hide stretched out on a rack with some metal tool that Arche couldn¡¯t identify by sight. The man¡¯s skin was mottled, in some places appearing a dark brown and in others having a greenish tint, almost like paint had been spilled over him. He did not turn as Arche approached, engrossed by his work, so Arche used the opportunity to Examine him.
Danocles Malachinous
Level: 9 Race: Half-Human/Half-Orc Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 640 / 640 100% Stamina: 560 / 560 100% Mana: 130 / 130 100%
Arche plastered a big, friendly smile onto his face. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re Danocles, right?¡± The half-orc turned, giving Arche a full view of the man¡¯s large, flat face and fierce expression. ¡°Do I know you?¡± Danocles asked in a surprisingly mellow voice. ¡°My name¡¯s Arche, I hear you¡¯re good at all things leather. I have some material I was hoping you could help me refine.¡± ¡°Arche,¡± the half-orc repeated, scratching his chin with one hand. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who rushed the beastmar when the village was under attack a few days ago? And the one who decided to try out-drinking the dwarves during the party?¡± ¡°My reputation precedes me,¡± Arche said, coughing to hide his embarrassment. ¡°Anyway, I have some unusual materials and I wanted to see if you could make something out of them.¡± Danocles gestured toward a nearby table, leaving behind the hide on the rack. Arche walked over and began withdrawing materials from the mantikhoras. He started with the claws, laying out all twenty-four claws he had gathered. Next, he produced the two wings, one of which had been badly damaged during the fight. Then, gauging the tanner¡¯s reaction, he produced the hide itself, and lastly the venom sac. Throughout all of it, Danocles didn¡¯t react. With a gentle touch, he carefully sifted through each item as it was presented, examining quality and, at some points, sniffing them. ¡°The harvesting is rather mediocre. I might be able to add some improvement during the refinement process, but it¡¯ll be difficult and slow going. The materials themselves are not commonly available, so any armor I make from them would be stylized. The venom sac is valuable. Not much use to you, I¡¯d wager, unless you intend to try poisoning someone. An alchemist or apothecary would likely shell out quite a few drachmae for it. The wings are nice, but not much use for them. With some time and work, I might be able to make a decorative piece for you. Or, perhaps, a glider. What did you want to do with all of this?¡± Arche chewed his lip as he thought about it. ¡°I was hoping to get some armor out of it. A glider sounds pretty cool, too, though I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll ever get an opportunity to use it.¡± Danocles stroked his chin as he took stock of everything on the table. ¡°Let¡¯s talk armor. How do you fight?¡± the half-orc asked. ¡°Do you want light armor, like you¡¯re wearing?¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Arche paused. ¡°Well, normally it¡¯s up close. I don¡¯t tend to have a lot of defense, I rely more on my Agility to keep me from getting hit. Light armor has been great for that, but whenever I do get hit, it hurts. Do you have any suggestions?¡± ¡°Medium armor. Sacrifice some mobility for padding. It¡¯ll do you better in close fights than those elven cured hides you¡¯re wearing, but it won¡¯t be the same as wearing a full set of metal. Material such as this? I¡¯ll need to reinforce it with steel. I have a few designs in mind. It won¡¯t be quick, I¡¯ll need a few days to get the required materials and fashion it into something usable, your current armor will have to last until then.¡± ¡°I imagine it won¡¯t be cheap, either.¡± Arche grimaced, realizing he had no money to pay with. Danocles looked down at the materials on the table. ¡°I¡¯ll need the entire hide to fashion the armor. The wings have no use for protection but leave them with me and I¡¯ll see what I can do. I can incorporate the claws into the design, which may improve any inherent traits in the final product. The metal will have to be paid for, which means bargaining with the dwarves. They¡¯re steep hagglers, no getting around that, but they¡¯re the only ones with workable metal right now. The venom sac can be sold to offset costs, but there are no alchemists or apothecaries here. I will make you a deal. Since you brought me the materials, I will only charge for labor and further materials required. If you allow me to trade the sac for you to offset expenses, I will take the cost of the steel and, when the opportunity to sell arises, any leftover drachmae will be split between us evenly.¡± Arche¡¯s eyebrows shot up at the tanner. He hadn¡¯t expected to come out of the transaction making money, even if the sac wouldn¡¯t be sold until there was a proper buyer. Danocles must have misread him, however, as the half-orc¡¯s glower deepened. ¡°Let no one say Danocles is a cheat,¡± he growled. ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m just surprised it¡¯s worth so much. How much drachmae do you think an alchemist will pay for it?¡± The tanner shrugged. ¡°Depends on how well I haggle. I reckon I can get one to pay a hundred-fifty drachmae for it. Alchemists often deal in expensive reagents.¡± Arche nodded slowly, gathering that a hundred-fifty was a lot. ¡°And how much will the metal cost?¡± ¡°Again, it depends on the haggling. Steel for the design I have in mind shouldn¡¯t be more than forty drachmae. It will also depend on what the dwarves have with them. If they have a higher quality metal, I will try to obtain that instead, though it will be more expensive.¡± Arche nodded, starting to get an idea of how much this drachmae was worth. ¡°Okay, and if you had to have requisitioned all these items through normal means and sell the armor, what would be the going price for it?¡± ¡°Mantikhoras armor is not an easy find, as I¡¯ve said. A full set could easily go for three hundred drachmae, and that¡¯s if it didn¡¯t retain any natural properties.¡± Arche let out a slow whistle and looked down at the table full of supplies. ¡°It¡¯s a deal. Use what you can, sell what you need to, buy what you must. I¡¯m in.¡± Danocles gave a smile, revealing a few large fangs reminiscent of a gorilla. Arche grinned right back. ¡°Come back in four days,¡± the half-orc said. ¡°I should have it ready by then. Would be faster, but this village lacks a suitable workshop.¡± Arche left the tanner and began making his way to the only permanent structure in the entire village. A score of hired guards and mercenaries were milling about the building. To one side, Arche saw Lyssa talking to Elpida while Gigator and Vik were engaged in their own conversation. As Arche approached the door, he was stopped by two guards he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Hold there, friend. Callias don¡¯t like unannounced visitors,¡± one of them said, a human man in a metal breastplate, wielding a spear and shield. ¡°Not ones of your variety, at least. What¡¯re you here, for?¡± Arche raised his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t mean any trouble. I have news regarding the beastmar that Callias needs to hear. It¡¯s about the safety of the village.¡± The guard exchanged a look with his partner, a big brute of a man with dark hair. The big fellow shrugged and nodded.
Persuasion has increased to Level 5. +1% Persuasion Chance (+5%) +1 Charisma
¡°All right. Come along.¡± He led Arche inside. The building was made of wood but Arche had yet to see any downed trees near the village. It made him wonder if the lumber had been carted all the way from Ship¡¯s Shape. The majority of the building was one massive room, at the end of which was a desk. There was also an upstairs area that, from what was visible from downstairs, had a few private rooms. A door toward the back of the building suggested at least one room on the lower levels as well. The decorations left no doubt that Callias went to exceedingly great lengths for comfort and lavishness. Tapestries depicting the slaying of mythic beasts and large-scale warfare adorned the walls. Plush furniture was scattered about the room, with men and women of varying races and in varying stages of undress lounging upon them. Arche gawked. What he¡¯d taken as a town hall could have just as easily been Callias¡¯s personal sex dungeon. Doing his best to look anywhere but at the people, Arche followed the guard through the throng of softly grunting undulation and toward the desk at the far end. Arche had half-expected Callias to be the one on the opposite end, but as they neared, he found a frazzled, mousey-looking human pouring over documents from behind large spectacles, completely at odds with the debauchery going on in the rest of the room. ¡°Yes?¡± The mousey man looked up at them with eyes made large by the spectacles. ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°This one here says he¡¯s got important information for Callias regarding the beastmar and the safety of the village,¡± the guard said by way of introduction. ¡°Really? Please, have a seat. My name is Theodorous Apostolakis.¡± ¡°Arche. Nice to meet you.¡± Arche sat, not sure what to think of the kindly, middle-aged man surrounded by a den of depravity. The guard did not sit, but he did not leave either. ¡°Well met, Arche.¡± Theodorous¡¯s voice had a note of recognition in it. ¡°I must apologize for the state in which I have to receive you. Believe you, me, this is not a conducive work environment. Now, please tell me all about this development with the beastmar.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait for Callias?¡± Arche glanced around for the surly village leader. He was immediately distracted by a woman dressed in what would charitably be called a transparent sheet being fed grapes by a doting attendant as she stretched backwards over the arm of a sofa. Cheeks flaming, Arche turned back to Theodorous. Theodorous, for his part, grimaced and glanced toward the door to the back room. ¡°I am afraid Lord Buton is currently¡­indisposed. I am his steward and as such, I am authorized to allocate proper resources to certain issues.¡± Arche stared at the man for a few moments, trying to take the measure of him. ¡°So, he¡¯s having you run his village while he¡¯s off having a sexcapade.¡± ¡°I have no desire to spend my time imagining the archon¡¯s activities, but you are correct in that I handle most of the day-to-day drudgery. Large-scale changes, I am not authorized to enact, however.¡± ¡°Large-scale in what way?¡± Arche asked. ¡°You mean like forming any sort of protective perimeter despite having been attacked twice?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Theodorous did not break eye contact. ¡°Or, for example, authorizing resources be used to develop more permanent dwellings for the villagers.¡± There was an edge in the man¡¯s voice, but his kindly expression did not waver. ¡°Please, you said there is an emergency?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Arche said. ¡°While in the woods yesterday, I stumbled across four beastmar that were guarding a cave, perhaps two hours¡¯ quick walk east of the treeline. I overheard some of their conversation, during which they said their chief has a plan to attack the village. I received a quest to put a stop to whatever it is that the beastmar are planning and I intend to do so. I have already gathered two others who will join me and we are searching for more.¡± ¡°And you have come here hoping for sanctioning?¡± Theodorous asked. ¡°Not in the slightest. I¡¯ve come here to warn Callias¡ªwell, you, now¡ªthat there is imminent danger and that you should prepare. If we fail, the beastmar will attack. If we do not try, the beastmar will attack. The village needs to be ready.¡± Theodorous put down his spectacles and rubbed his eyes. ¡°Very well. I will organize the guards to be extra cautious. I will also institute a bounty for each beastmar slain until the attack. I can¡¯t offer much, and Archon Buton will likely be furious when he finds out, but I can give two obols per beastmar.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for money, but what¡¯s the exchange rate between obols and drachmae?¡± ¡°The current exchange is six obols to a drachma,¡± Theodorous explained. ¡°In the city, you¡¯ll find there¡¯s an additional layer with four drachmae becoming a tetradrachm, but out here we decided that the use for such currency would be minimal at best. Regardless of whether you want the pay, it may incentivize some help. It will at least underscore the gravity of the situation.¡± ¡°All right. Three beastmar to a drachma,¡± Arche said, nodding along. ¡°How would you like proof of kill? Ears? Thumbs?¡± Theodorous smirked. ¡°Nothing so crude will be necessary. A moment.¡± The man closed his eyes, and about half a minute later Arche received a prompt.
You have received a Bounty Quest: Hunt the Beastmar A bounty has been placed on the beastmar near the village of Buton. Until the start of the next attack against the village, a bounty of two obols has been placed against each beastmar, with an unspecified monetary bonus on any beastmar leaders.
Objectives ¡¤ Kill beastmar 0/? ¡¤ Kill beastmar leaders 0/? Rewards ¡¤ 2 obols per beastmar slain ¡¤ Bonus per beastmar leader slain
¡°I¡¯m not complaining,¡± Arche said, ¡°but won¡¯t having a bounty like this mean more of your guards will go off and try to hunt the beastmar?¡± ¡°Some may,¡± Theodorous admitted. ¡°But the sum is not great and the danger is real. Because of the risk you are incurring to help the village, I did not feel it was right to let you do so without some kind of reward. I only wish there were more that I could do.¡± Arche stood from the table and Theodorous stood as well. ¡°You should be aware, Theodorous, that Callias wants me dead. Helping me might get you in trouble with him.¡± Theodorous gave a polite smile and gestured at the busy desk in front of him. ¡°Even Lord Buton is aware of the value I offer him. Without me, he would be the only one left to do the papyruswork.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 22 Nyxpera The 23rd of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche pulled his bow back farther than what felt safe to do. The wood of the bow creaked under the strain and he felt like the thing would snap at any moment. Arche focused on the tremors coursing through his hands and willed them to be still. Breath shuddered out of him like a river of air, the beat of his heart tapped a rhythm to the growing pressure against his fingers. In the negative space between breaths and heartbeats, he let go. The arrow sprang from his bow and sped toward a tree in a blur of movement. The shaft nearly disappeared into the trunk with a crunch of splitting wood.
Penetrating Shot has increased to Level 3. +4% Penetration (+12%) +4% Damage (+12%)
Arche shook his tired arms. In addition to the basic Stamina cost of thirty that the maneuver required, it also increased the Stamina cost of keeping the string pulled back. The sun was barely visible over the western forest and Lyssa called for a break. For the last six hours she had drilled him relentlessly in two Novice level maneuvers, Penetrating Shot and Power Attack. The maneuvers had been difficult to learn, requiring not only precise mechanical activations but also the mental intent to perform them. He could have pulled back the bow for Penetrating Shot as often as he wished but unless he had the desire to perform the maneuver, all he was likely to do was break his bow. Arche pulled up the list of maneuvers, a submenu on his skills page, and lamented the fact that learning the maneuvers wasn¡¯t enough to progress his main skills to the next level.
Maneuvers
Archery
Penetrating Shot Level 3 +12% Penetration +12% Damage Cost: 30 Stamina
Swordsmanship
Power Attack Level 5 +25% Damage Cost: 35 Stamina
¡°You¡¯ve progressed well,¡± Lyssa said after he reported his levels. ¡°When you reach the Student ranks, more maneuvers will become available to you, so don¡¯t wait to let me know.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°I will. I also need to find someone who can teach me how to use a spear properly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone in this village who can use a spear. Though there isn¡¯t time to have you trained before we leave.¡± ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯ll add it to the list.¡± Arche hefted the Tridory and eyed it. He was tired of having to carry it around everywhere. The inability to inventory it proved to be a massive inconvenience compared to everything else in Tartarus. He really had to figure out a fix to carrying it by hand everywhere. Maybe if he found out more about how it worked, he¡¯d be able to inventory it. It was, once again, a problem for future Arche. No matter how much he learned about what it could do, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he hadn¡¯t even scratched the surface of its capabilities. ¡°We should head to dinner,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Perhaps Helwan and Tess have found volunteers.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s hope they¡¯re ready for whatever we¡¯re getting into.¡± They walked into the open dining area and spotted Helwan and Tess at a table, waving them over. Two strangers sat next to them. Arche Examined both as he and Lyssa approached.
Odelia Andromedina
Level: 16 Race: Halfling Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 280 / 280 100% A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Stamina: 170 / 170 100% Mana: 740 / 740 100%
Abraxios Oskopadous
Level: 19 Race: Tengu Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 320 / 320 100% Stamina: 200 / 200 100% Mana: 800 / 800 100%
Their Mana levels were much higher than he¡¯d expected. Helwan must have found mages willing to join them and Arche¡¯s pace quickened at the idea of learning secondhand magic. As he approached, he was able to get a closer look at them. Odelia had dark hair in a braid and a diminutive profile, even sitting down. She was even smaller than the dwarves, whose height topped out around Arche¡¯s naval, and seemed to be no taller than his hip. Abraxios, however, was perhaps a hand¡¯s width shorter than Arche and, most notably, was completely covered in tropical feathers and dressed in a swirling blue robe with no hood or sleeves. He¡¯d never heard of a tengu before, but it seemed they were an avian race, similar to how Gigator¡¯s sauros race was reptilian. He sat down at one end of the table, Lyssa settling in next to him, as Helwan stood up to make introductions. ¡°Arche, Lyssa, allow me to introduce Odelia and Abraxios. Odelia is a Life Shaman and Abraxios is a Storm Dancer. Odelia, Abraxios, this is Lyssa, a Huntress, and Arche. He doesn¡¯t yet have a profession, but don¡¯t let that fool you. I¡¯ve seen him carve his way through beastmar without breaking a sweat.¡± Both Odelia and Abraxios paused momentarily when they saw Arche, their gazes lingering on his face but not quite meeting his eyes. Both looked away after a moment, as if trying to hide their momentary lapse in propriety. Arche tried not to grind his teeth. He was getting really tired of how people reacted to his scars. Abraxios moved to clasp Arche¡¯s forearm, giving Arche a view of a small hand that was nestled among the multicolored plumage. The tengu looked like he would be more at home in a jungle rather than a forest or valley, but Arche did not feel it was his place to ask about it. ¡°A pleasure. We have heard some of Helwan¡¯s songs these last few days,¡± Abraxios spoke in a voice that croaked and chirped oddly, as though their language was not quite suited to his larynx. ¡°We have also been told about some of your quest, though I, for one, would like to hear it from you directly.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you both!¡± Odelia said cheerfully. Her voice was high and, despite a face darkened and beginning to wrinkle from years under the sun, Arche had a hard time rationalizing that he wasn¡¯t in the presence of a child. ¡°The tales Helwan has been spinning have been turning my head, I must admit. Did you really fight a revenant in a lost dwarven ruin?¡± Arche blinked in surprise. ¡°¡®Fight¡¯ is a generous word. ¡®Survived¡¯ would be more accurate. As far as the quest details go, sure. Pass some of that fish and I¡¯ll tell you anything you want to know.¡± As they dug into the dinner, Arche gave them the rundown of traveling through the forest and stumbling upon the beastmar camp. Tess helped fill in any details he had missed. They decided not to share the fact that Tess had kidnapped Arche and brought him to the woods with the intention to kill him, instead saying that they had been in the woods for ¡®reasons¡¯ and refused to elaborate further. Arche finished off with his meeting with Theodorous, the sanctioned quest he¡¯d received, and the bounty that now existed for beastmar. He shared both quests with the newcomers. They listened with rapt attention, asking only a few questions for clarification as the story unfolded before them. When it was finished, everyone¡¯s plates were empty and cold. They sat in the light of the bonfire, as the newcomers digested both the meal and the information. ¡°That is quite the tale,¡± Abraxios said, wiping his beak against a folded cloth. ¡°I am not quite thrilled by learning our quest takes us underground but I have some magic that will still be available.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a Storm Dancer. What do you do?¡± ¡°I am not surprised.¡± Abraxios let out a rapid trill. ¡°It is a specialized profession of anemancy, or air magic, as you might know it better by. My people have high affinity for anemancy. Storm Dancer means I have access to lightning and wind, as well as certain speed bonuses.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re a Mage? Lightning and wind, eh?¡± Abraxios shrugged and nodded. ¡°Similar, yes. Mage is the basic spellcasting profession. The farther from the center you travel during the Professing, the more rare and specialized Professions you will find. A Mage has affinity for at least one of the four basic magic schools, but often have at least two: hydromancy, anemancy, gaiamancy, and pyromancy. They draw their power through rituals and incantations, often requiring years of study, but that effort is rewarded by powerful magic. An anemancer, however, is a specialist in air magic. They forego the other schools of magic, but they learn air magic more quickly and it is often stronger. During the Professing, if you go far enough you can unlock specialized professions, as I have done. They tend to open doors that are not offered by the more general class of Mage.¡± ¡°So during this Professing, the rarer and more powerful professions are farther away from the center, and the direction I go will help dictate which professions are available?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Odelia piped up. ¡°I always wanted to be a healer. When I went for my profession, I could have chosen Healer and dedicated myself to the study of science and medicine, but I felt something inside me call for nature and the wilds, so I pushed on and found the Shaman profession, which requires great affinity for gaiamancy. Through it, I was able to obtain a specialized profession which focuses on using aspects of nature to heal, so now I¡¯m a Life Shaman, a mix of biomancy and gaiamancy, which has its own unique properties.¡± ¡°Fascinating. So you just find a profession that speaks to you and,¡± Arche snapped his fingers, ¡°just like that, you¡¯re now a professed whatever?¡± ¡°Not quite,¡± Lyssa said, jumping into the conversation. ¡°If you have the potential for a profession, but lack the requirements, it gives you a Profession Quest, where you must either achieve a specific act or complete whatever prerequisites the profession requires, after which you become that Profession. The rarer the profession, the harder it is to meet the requirements, which is why most people settle for professions close to the Origin.¡± ¡°The Origin?¡± ¡°The starting point of the Professing,¡± Tess said, picking up where Lyssa left off. ¡°Usually there are three Professions that surround the Origin, at least for those that pick combat-based professions. Warrior, Rogue, and Mage. After that, it changes from person to person, but not much. Some Professions will be locked to you based upon your natural affinities or, in some cases, racial Professions may be available or unavailable.¡± Arche lowered his head into his hands, causing the others to chuckle. Abraxios slapped him good naturedly on the back. ¡°This much is the same for everyone,¡± the tengu said. ¡°There are many options, but you will know the right path when you see it. It will call to you as much as you call to it.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Arche said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m level fifteen, so I¡¯ll have to pick one before I can level up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a decision to make lightly,¡± Odelia said. ¡°It¡¯s your quest, if you think you¡¯re ready to take it on, all I can offer is that I can try to keep you alive.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that.¡± The others fell into quiet conversation, mostly involving the beastmar as neither Abraxios nor Odelia were involved in the previous attack on the village. Arche listened for a while before excusing himself. The night was still young, but he retired to his tent anyway. The next day would be a long one, and he wanted to ensure he was well-rested for whatever horrors would be coming their way. A profession was important but it could wait. Book 1 | Chapter 23 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche awoke before dawn. A restless energy had settled about him. No dreams, good or bad, had interrupted his sleep, so he took that to mean the Oneiroi was continuing to impart their ¡®gifts.¡¯ Being awake early meant he could triple-check his equipment to see if he had everything he needed. More specifically, he could get rid of things he didn¡¯t need, like the horde of treasure he¡¯d been carrying since the dwarven ruins. ¡°Too bad this frontier town doesn¡¯t have a bank,¡± he muttered. With the absence of an easy way to store his valuables, the best thing to do would be to head to the village market when it opened and see if anyone was interested in buying ancient dwarven treasure. He hefted the Tridory and exited the tent. A dull glow over the horizon heralded the coming dawn and his companions would be up and about soon. ¡°Ready?¡± Arche turned in surprise and found Lyssa standing next to him. The hood of her cloak was up and the rest was pulled tight around her against the morning chill. Most of his companions would be up soon, he corrected himself. He had forgotten that Lyssa didn¡¯t need as much sleep as the others, thanks to her elven nature. ¡°Yeah, thought I¡¯d resupply before we head out. I¡¯m running low on rations and other gear. You?¡± ¡°Just waiting for everyone else to wake. The sunrises are beautiful in this valley. Do you have coin?¡± Arche shook his head. ¡°No, some treasures I¡¯m looking to sell, but no coins yet.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll use mine. I sold a few baubles for drachmae already.¡± Lyssa¡¯s face drew into a frown. ¡°I must say, I don¡¯t like this system of trade.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± She gestured aimlessly to one side. ¡°It¡¯s selfish. What use is money, here? Favors and reciprocation would be better. Greed runs rampant with accumulation of wealth, but a community working toward a common goal brings itself together to survive.¡± ¡°Is that how the elves do it?¡± Lyssa scratched at one of her clipped ears absentmindedly. Arche cursed inwardly. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Might be all well and good for an isolationist group, but I think the intent here was to establish some sort of trade back with Ship¡¯s Shape. To do that, they¡¯ll need coin. A favor isn¡¯t worth much if the person you owe it to is too far away to do anything for.¡± Lyssa waved her hand dismissively, ceding the point. ¡°How much treasure did you sell?¡± ¡°A quarter of it, perhaps. I thought the treasure from the dwarven ruins would be worth most to a dwarf, and we can¡¯t exactly eat gold.¡± ¡°Not with that attitude.¡± Arche grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll bet there¡¯s some ¡®Dragonkin¡¯ trait or something out there that¡¯s got people eating precious metals and gems.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a dragon consuming their horde before, but not all dragons gather treasure in a conventional sense. Perhaps there¡¯s some dragon out there who has a horde of confectionaries.¡± Arche held the Tridory out toward the sunrise and closed one eye, pretending to gauge the distance. ¡°Then after our quest we should sally forth without delay! There are dragons to slay and sweets to steal.¡± Lyssa snorted and fell in-step with him as they walked toward the market. Since there were no other buildings aside from Callias¡¯s den of depravity, the merchants of the village had instead gathered together to display their wares under canvas roofs strung up to keep the sun off. Despite the early hour, many were awake and setting up for the day. Unlike the crafters, who were more fixated on their work than selling their services, the merchants were a cheery bunch who smiled and waved them over, hoping to sell some of their stock. A dark-skinned human displayed various sized bags, lanterns, and a variety of camping equipment. Lyssa engaged her in good-natured haggling and, after a few minutes, coins were exchanged, leaving Arche and Lyssa with fifty meters of sturdy rope for each member of their crew, enough honeyed nuts and jerky to last two weeks, and four new waterskins. Lyssa opted for a few small bowls of vegetable stew instead of jerky. Arche paid a dwarf a drachma and two obols for a pickaxe, managing to haggle down from the three drachmae the dwarf had initially demanded. Arche wanted it in the event that they found any precious ores inside the cave and had the time to unearth it, or in the event that they would have to break rocks and his shovel wouldn¡¯t be enough to do the job.
You have learned a Skill. Bartering ¡ª Level 1 By crossing words with a dwarf over an old, favored pickaxe, you have stumbled upon one of the oldest trades in existence. Though you¡¯re certain you talked the dwarf down to a good price, you¡¯ll never really know until you learn how much things are actually worth. Each level in this skill improves your ability to haggle. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Wisdom and Charisma by 1. +1% Chance of Improved Prices when Buying or Selling (+1%) +2% Estimation of Price (+2%)
Arche blinked in surprise. Most of his other skill descriptions had gotten straight to the point and left off. They didn¡¯t recap how he¡¯d earned the skill and they definitely didn¡¯t insult him while doing it. Arche dismissed the notification with more than a touch of annoyance. Lyssa left him to wander as she inspected the wares of an elven bowyer. Arche looked around the growing throng of villagers, trying to decide if there was anything worth the fistful of drachmae she¡¯d given him. As he turned, he saw a couple of women looking at him and whispering. Arche tensed, one hand subconsciously resting against the hilt of his sword. More assassins sent by Callias, perhaps? Upon second look, however, the girls were not in any fashion that befitted combat, wearing sleeveless dresses that were belted high over the stomach, shawls wrapped around their arms. Upon seeing that he had noticed them, the girls blushed and turned away, hiding smiles behind their hands. It seemed their attention was to be taken quite literally at face-value. He turned away, wishing he had a hood he could pull down over his face. The cloak Lyssa had given him had not aged well in the hard days through the Sylv. Between storms, briars, and sleeping on the forest floor, it had been torn and stained a dozen times over. It could be patched, but Arche didn¡¯t have the skill to do that and it would have been quite the effort. As he turned, he caught sight of a tailor setting up a few wooden mannequins to display his wares for the day. He was a small fellow, about half Arche¡¯s height, but finely dressed. One of the items on display was a forest green cloak with, most importantly, a hood. Arche approached the tailor immediately. ¡°How much for the cloak?¡± The tailor peeked his head around one of the mannequins. At first, Arche had taken the vendor for a halfling, but there were clear differences. This man was of a similar size but had large ears and, contrary to the halflings¡¯ youthful appearances, intense wrinkles that indicated extremely advanced age. His hair had thinned and his waist had thickened, but he had a kind, grandfatherly face. Curious, Arche Examined him.
Baldwic Tsaoussis
Level: 17 Race: Gnome Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 240 / 240 100% Stamina: 130 / 130 100% Mana: 190 / 190 100%
¡°Cloak?¡± The gnome moved around the mannequin to better regard him. ¡°Oh, my! Yes, ahem, indeed. The cloak is a Mundane, I¡¯m afraid, though excellent craftsmanship. It¡¯s currently priced at two drachmae and five obols.¡± Arche opened his mouth to agree, but something in the gnome¡¯s wording made him pause. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°What¡¯s a Mundane?¡± ¡°Why, a non-magical item, my boy! If you¡¯re looking for magic cloaks, I have some in my tent here. Afraid I won¡¯t have a wood-and-stone shop for quite some time, given that all building materials have been confiscated.¡± The gnome led Arche inside a large tent behind the mannequins, filled with chests and displays with a small, cordoned area near the back that was clearly a sleeping quarters. The gnome opened up one of the chests and began removing different cloaks from inside. ¡°Hang on,¡± Arche said. ¡°Did you say Callias confiscated all the lumber and stone in the village?¡± ¡°He did indeed. That¡¯s right, I remember you now. You and those other two came after, during the second attack by the beastmar, didn¡¯t you? Well, it¡¯s no surprise that you wouldn¡¯t know. We spent the first week here clearing out a few trees and leveling the ground a bit between these hills. Got a fair bit of materials from it as well, but once Lord Buton built his town hall, he confiscated the rest while he ¡®decided what next would be best for the village.¡¯ I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was trying to figure out how to sell it back to Ship¡¯s Shape, not that they would need the shipping from a little village like this.¡± Arche blinked several times, digesting the information as the gnome continued pulling out cloak after cloak of all colors. ¡°There we go,¡± the gnome said. ¡°Oh, dearie me, I¡¯ve forgotten my manners. My name is Baldwic. My friends call me Baldy; my better friends call me Wic. I¡¯ve learned to respond to both over the years.¡± Baldwic rubbed his head as if to lament the loss of his hair. ¡°Arche. Pleased to meet you, Mister Wic.¡± Arche clasped the gnome¡¯s forearm, having to stoop slightly to do so. Wic smiled. ¡°You catch on quick. I like you. Now, let¡¯s see about a cloak. A good cloak can make all the difference. It will either be people¡¯s first impression, or what makes it such that they won¡¯t see you at all. Which do you prefer?¡± ¡°The latter.¡± ¡°Ah, the noble art of stealth, or is that the stealthy art of pickpocketing nobles? I always get those mixed up. Anyway, I have a few cloaks that should do nicely.¡± Wic gathered up a good portion of the cloaks and dropped them into a chest, where they promptly disappeared into the inventory space. ¡°Now, given our surroundings I would recommend one of the green or brown cloaks, though if you are planning on going incognito in the city, I would suggest one of the dark gray cloaks.¡± ¡°You put back some of the black cloaks, what was wrong with them?¡± ¡°While very stylish, black is not actually a good color for sneaking. Few things in nature are so dark, and in the light of the moons it is very apparent when something is actually black versus something that is merely dark.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Arche paused to think. ¡°I¡¯d like something that could improve my stealth in the forest, but I imagine I¡¯ll be making my way to Ship¡¯s Shape at some point. Do you have something that improves stealth all around?¡± Wic stroked his chin as he thought about the question. ¡°Magic items are often a balance between utility and specialization, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware¡­¡± the gnome trailed off, gauging Arche¡¯s puzzled reaction, ¡°¡­however I¡¯m an old gnome and I like to talk, so I¡¯ll tell you anyway. The more specialized a magic item is¡ªthat is, the more specific the criteria are that it affects¡ªthe stronger the enchantments on it typically are. In plainer speech, a cloak that only improves stealth in a forested environment will be stronger than an all-around stealth cloak of the same caliber. Now, do you think this makes them more expensive than an all-around stealth enhancement, or less?¡± Arche thought about it for a moment. ¡°More?¡± he answered. ¡°Because it¡¯s more niche of an item and the improvement is larger?¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± Wic smiled. ¡°A wonderful thought, and if we were talking mundane machinations, you might be correct, but there is an ingredient I failed to mention. The materials to make all-around enhancements are often much more difficult to find or create than those with targeted activations. Take this environment for example. You may think that a forest-based stealth enchantment would be all you need for this area. That is, of course, until you step onto the mountain yonder and find that every beast and monster is suddenly aware of you. Or if you head underground and find that your green cloak that lets you blend into foliage is like a beacon to the grayscale tones that the cave creatures are used to.¡± ¡°So the more utility a magic item has, the more expensive it is when compared to a specialization?¡± Arche asked, frowning. ¡°Precisely! And, sadly, the weaker it is when compared to a specialization. A cloak that gives a thirty percent bonus in forests might be worth as much as twenty percent all-around. A significant difference, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll agree.¡± ¡°And what kind of price range would those cloaks fall into?¡± Arche asked, very aware that he only had a handful of minted drachmae on him. ¡°A few hundred drachmae,¡± the gnome admitted. ¡°But I have some more affordable items as well.¡± Gears began to turn in Arche¡¯s mind. ¡°What¡¯s the best all-around stealth cloak you have, and it¡¯s cost?¡± Wic thought for a moment, then turned and produced a beautiful emerald cloak. Despite the green color, as Wic shook it out, Arche¡¯s eyes lost track of it for a few moments. ¡°This is my pride. Acquired her three years ago and haven¡¯t parted with her since. I call her the Emerald Ghost. Take a look at her stats for yourself.¡± Wic passed the cloak to Arche, who received a prompt as he took it.
Emerald Ghost Rarity: Epic Quality: Masterwork Durability: 100 /100 Weight: 3 kilograms Traits: +20% Passive Hide, +40% Active Hide, Repairing, +6 Charisma, +4 Comeliness
Arche gaped in unabashed shock. There was so much to take in that he didn¡¯t know where to start. The ¡®Repairing¡¯ tag was as good a place as any.
Repairing An item with this trait will regain durability and clean itself over time. The regeneration rate of durability is variable, based upon the total durability and quality of the item. An item reduced to 0 durability is destroyed and beyond the help of this trait.
A cloak that would repair itself and keep itself clean? Arche¡¯s fingers twitched; he wanted it. No more trying to ignore the smells that pushed up against his face while he was trying to sleep. No more fiddling with frayed ends, watching his cloak slowly unravel around him. Arche had to work hard to close his mouth. Not only was the active bonus equivalent to twenty levels in Stealth, but it gave an improvement to his attributes equal to two entire levels. Arche¡¯s hands shook as he handed the cloak back. ¡°How much?¡± Wic took the fabric back and looked at Arche sadly. ¡°More than I¡¯m afraid you could afford. A cloak such as this? I would have to set its price firmly at four-hundred drachmae. Were we in the city, I could get several times that, but here? That is the lowest I could go, and it¡¯s very nearly at-cost. For anyone else here, I¡¯d have set the price at eight-hundred, but I saw what you did in the battle. More lives would no doubt have been lost, perhaps my own among them, had you and your friends not been there.¡± Arche tried hard not to let his disappointment show. Lyssa had left him with about twenty drachmae, which was, as he was beginning to understand, rather substantial, but still nowhere near the price point of a quality magical item. However, Lyssa still had quite a bit of coin left over even after their morning shopping, and all that was gained from selling only a few relics from the dwarven ruins. He met the gnome¡¯s firm gaze and gave a smile laden with avarice. ¡°Well, my friend, I just so happen to have a cache of valuable items. I think one or two might be worth that price tag. Care to trade?¡± Arche scanned through his inventory, skipping over the metalwork and going straight to the collection of jewels and precious gems that he had acquired. What he was really hoping for was a nice one-to-one trade, but he¡¯d be willing to part with a few gems for the cloak. Finally, he found what he was looking for. A beautifully carved emerald the size of his thumb. Wic picked it up and looked it over, then set it back down. He looked at Arche with wild eyes. ¡°Where did you come across such an item?¡± the gnome asked in a strained voice. ¡°A little something I picked up in my travels,¡± Arche said, smiling coyly. Wic took several deep breaths, his eyes darting back and forth as he did mental calculations. Finally he nodded, more to himself than to Arche, and pushed the cloak. ¡°We have a deal. The Emerald Ghost is yours. If you ever need your clothing tailored, please know that I am at your disposal.¡± Arche took the cloak in hand and nodded, smiling. ¡°I do imagine I¡¯ll need more clothing if I ever make it to the city. As it is, most of the clothing I have gets torn or bloodied fairly frequently, so you¡¯ll probably see a lot of me in the days to come.¡±
Bartering has increased to Level 8 +1% Chance of Improved Prices when Buying or Selling (+8%) +2% Estimation of Price (+16%) +1 Wisdom +1 Charisma
Arche pulled the cloak over his armor and lifted the hood, leaving the gnome to wonder at the emerald as he stepped out of the tent and breathed the fresh morning air. ¡°I would bet the rest of the hoard that I seriously underestimated how much that emerald was worth,¡± he muttered. There was nothing more to do about it, now. He got what he wanted and hoped he would never find out how much it had really cost him. No one turned to regard him, or even indicated that they had overheard him, though the market was fairly busy. After his interaction with Wic, Arche decided he would wait until he had someone else present before he went to the dwarves to try to pawn off his treasure. He made his way back to his tent, marveling at how people barely paid him a second glance. Once inside, Arche pulled out his shovel and started digging. Armed with the proper tool for the job, it took barely less than a minute to make a sizable hole beneath his bedroll. Once deep enough, he opened up his inventory and started piling heaps of treasure down into the hole. When all his treasure was deposited, he filled it, stamped down the loose dirt, and placed his bedroll over it. Arche didn¡¯t particularly expect anyone to go through his things but given that Callias had already tried to kill him once, it was best to take precautions. With the job done, he left the tent and went off to find his friends. They were waiting near the edge of town. As Arche walked toward them, he found that melding into the crowd was easier than ever. Arche activated his Stealth skill as he approached his group and the difference grew even further. No one noticed him at all. Even when he came up to the others, all waiting for him, none of them looked directly at him. None, that is, except for Lyssa. ¡°I see you¡¯ve bought a toy.¡± Abraxios, who stood between Lyssa and Arche, cocked his head. ¡°Eh, what? I have bought nothing.¡± Arche smiled and lowered the hood, standing right behind the tengu. ¡°Yeah, it was worth every obol.¡± The others¡¯ reactions were as immediate as they were drastic. Abraxios¡¯s wings extended as he nearly took off in surprise, Odelia fell backward with her quarterstaff held out in front of her in a warding gesture, and Tess had a throwing knife in one hand, already cocked back and ready to throw. Only Lyssa had not reacted, a smile quirking the corners of her lips as she shook her head at the others. ¡°Malaka,¡± Tess spat, sheathing her knives. ¡°Why would you go and do a fool thing like that?¡± ¡°Because it was funny?¡± Arche smiled at her. She scoffed and turned away. ¡°I hope you save your next joke for the beastmar,¡± Odelia said, picking herself off the ground and dusting off her robe. ¡°My hands are trembling.¡± ¡°A cloak of incredible quality,¡± Lyssa said, nodding her approval. ¡°This will go a long way toward your stealth training, Greenstick.¡± ¡°I apparently have a long way to go if you could still see me. Nobody else did.¡± ¡°I am trained to spot things that are hard to see. Especially things that move. It is part of being a Huntress.¡± ¡°And an elf,¡± Tess muttered. ¡°Warn a girl next time, would you? If for no other reason than that we don¡¯t accidentally kill the party leader.¡± ¡°Wait¡±¡ªArche held up a hand to pause the conversation¡ª¡°I¡¯m party leader?¡± ¡°Well, yes,¡± Abraxios said. ¡°It¡¯s your quest, after all. You discovered it; you should take the lead.¡± ¡°I¡­all right. Are we ready to get this show on the road?¡± The others stared at him. ¡°Are we ready to go?¡± A chorus of agreement filtered back to him and he sent out party invitations to all of them, watching as their icons filled a corner of his vision. He couldn¡¯t see their vitals, but he would be able to sense if they were injured or know if they died. It felt a poor facsimile of the Companionship he shared with Lyssa, but there was nothing to do about it but bear it. Besides, there were beastmar to kill. Book 1 | Chapter 24 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Abraxios, they soon learned, could move faster than any of them if he wanted to. His light-boned avian physiology and mastery over wind meant that his flight speed was unmatchable by anything the rest of them could replicate on the ground. The tengu had decided to loosen his nerves after Arche¡¯s surprise entrance by taking to the skies and scouting for beastmar. Arche could not help but feel a soft pang of jealousy as the tengu soared almost effortlessly, manipulating the currents of air around his feathers. It was a kind of freedom Arche would never know. He hefted the Tridory and set off, leading the way. None of the others asked him why he carried the spear instead of inventorying the heavy weapon for ease of travel and he was grateful for it. As it was, it made a fairly decent walking stick as they pressed on toward the forest, though the sharp sauroter dug into the ground and left little pyramidal holes. The walk along the valley was peaceful. Odelia engaged Lyssa in quiet conversation, staged far enough back that Arche couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying. Instead, his attention was captured by Tess, who had quickened her pace to walk next to him. ¡°Callias is more furious than ever,¡± she said quietly. ¡°That bounty you finagled and the details of your quest finally reached him. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he tries to kill you the moment you get back. Wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he tries before then, honestly.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with it as it comes. Has he threatened you?¡± ¡°Not directly. I¡¯ve been staying near others. No one I trust, mind you, but it¡¯s enough that I wasn¡¯t isolated. Kept roving blades away, but they might see this expedition as the perfect opportunity to rid themselves of us. I barely slept last night, don¡¯t know how you managed.¡± Arch¡¯s expression darkened. It was bad enough they were walking into overwhelming odds, now they had to worry about Callias sabotaging them as well? Typical. ¡°Do you think he¡¯d actually send mercenaries after us while we¡¯re fighting the beastmar?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t discount it. He hates you. You make him look bad. Publicly.¡± ¡°He looked terrible long before I arrived. I¡¯m just the only one willing to call him out on it, apparently.¡± ¡°Seems he¡¯s taken that personally. He¡¯s hardly used to being challenged.¡± ¡°With any luck, he won¡¯t have the time to get used to it.¡± With the mood sufficiently dampened, they reached the tree line that marked the Sylv. Abraxios landed among them, interrupting any further private conversations. ¡°No monsters that I could see in the valley, though the trees block my vision of the forest.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Arche turned to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°I know this might seem like too little, too late, but what we¡¯re going to do is exceedingly dangerous and there¡¯s no guarantee that we¡¯ll come back from it. If anyone wants to turn back now, I won¡¯t hold it against you.¡± The quartet of faces looking back at him were mildly taken aback, making him wonder if he had somehow put his foot in his mouth. ¡°Where you go, I follow,¡± Lyssa said, echoing his own words from when they had left Dawnwood. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re not getting rid of us that easily. You just want the bounty for yourself!¡± Tess jabbed his chest with an accusatory finger. She was smiling, likely for the benefit of the others, but it didn¡¯t mask the worried glint in her eyes. Abraxios and Odelia turned to each other and shrugged. ¡°We knew what we came for,¡± the tengu said. ¡°Let¡¯s hunt some monsters.¡± ¡°For the village!¡± the halfling woman cheered, raising her staff into the air. Arche looked around at the members of his adventuring party and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Their enthusiasm was infectious. ¡°When I saw them last time, there were four of them. We¡¯ll have to be quiet on the approach or they¡¯ll hear us when we get close.¡± ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Odelia said. The small woman chanted something under her breath, then jabbed her staff into the ground. A green light flashed and settled onto the five of them. Arche saw a green light surrounding his vitals even as he watched the glow settle onto his skin, feeling coarse and hard. The icon coalesced into a symbol of a tree. Focusing on it, he was able to pull up the spell¡¯s description.
Barkskin ¡ª Level 8 +5.2% Physical Resistance +10.4% Magical Resistance +10.4% Hide Chance in Forests
Barkskin ¡ª Level 8: 01:37:20
Odelia¡¯s eyes fluttered a moment, then she smiled at them. ¡°That took a fair bit out of me, casting that on five people. No one get hurt for the next ten minutes, all right?¡± They set off into the woods, moving quickly and quietly. Arche led the way, retracing his steps. He had a feeling of where they needed to go, as though his feet were walking an invisible path and knew whenever his brain took them slightly off course.
Wilderness Survival has increased to Level 12. +2% Insulation (+24%) +2% Durability of Constructed Shelters (+24%) +1% Vitals Regeneration in Camp (+12%)
Arche chewed his lip. The skill didn¡¯t mention anything about retracing steps. It seemed there were additional bonuses that weren¡¯t apparent in his skill descriptions. He¡¯d have to look into that later, Lyssa probably knew something about it. For now, there were beastmar to kill. They¡¯d made good time, much faster than he had guessed. His Barkskin buff still had around forty minutes left before it would need to be reapplied. It would be best to have Odelia recast it before entering the cave proper, but it would be enough to handle whatever perimeter guard the beastmar had set up. Arche held up a hand, signaling the others to stop and, for once, they seemed to understand what he meant. Arche crept forward as quietly as he could and glanced over the rise. Three beastmar guarded the cave, each looking incredibly bored. One, a humanoid, leaned against the hill and picked at its nails, a rather large endeavor considering it had no less than seven hands. The other two had animalistic bodies, one resembling a cow and the other a lion, and were curled on the ground as they kept a lazy eye on the forest around them. Arche retreated from the rise and conferred with the others, keeping his voice to a whisper. ¡°Three. Two on the ground, but they¡¯re awake. Third is by the cave. If we hit them hard, we might be able to get them before they sound the alarm.¡± Arche drew his bow and nocked an arrow to it. He turned to the two mages. ¡°Does all your magic come with glowing light?¡± They nodded. ¡°All right, you two hold off for now, then. I don¡¯t want to give away our location before we have to, but if you see a place you can step in, do so.¡± Arche turned toward Lyssa and Tess. ¡°Lyssa, you focus the one with the arms, you¡¯ll know the one. Tess, take the lion. I¡¯ll get the cow. We¡¯ll go on my signal since you both probably have faster reactions than me.¡± They both nodded and Tess faded away into the forest, completely disappearing from Arche¡¯s vision due to what he could only assume was her Stealth skill. Lyssa knocked an arrow to her bow and nodded, getting into position on the rise. Arche followed her up, focusing in on the bovine beastmar. Arche counted to fifteen to give Tess time to get into position, then drew back his arrow and focused on his Penetrating Shot maneuver. The bow bent beneath his grip and the wood creaked. The lion beastmar perked up, head swiveling as it scanned the treeline. Arche released the string and his arrow sprang forward, immediately followed by Lyssa¡¯s. The cow beastmar¡¯s throat exploded, sending up a spray of black blood. The beastmar opened its mouth to bray a warning, but only low, wheezing breath came out. It shuddered, limbs unsteady as it tried to rise and fight, but the blood spurted from its wound, painting the ground around it. Thanks to the maneuver, his arrow had punched straight through its neck and stuck into the ground behind it, still quivering. Lyssa¡¯s arrow was even more impressive. It spun through the air, picking up speed as it went. It took the many-armed beastmar in the nose. Black blood splattered across the hill and the forest floor as the spinning arrow stuck in the beastmar¡¯s face and kept spinning. Arche couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away. He felt a tremor run through his stomach, a slight quiver in his throat. The beastmar died before it had a chance to scream. Nothing was left of its face, just a bloody mass of pulp. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The world swayed and Arche stumbled, his vision swimming. Lyssa¡¯s hand on his shoulder steadied him before he fell, the touch breaking whatever trance he¡¯d been under. He looked away from the beastmar, already knowing that it would be haunting his dreams for a long time to come. The final beastmar scrambled to its feet, readying itself to let out a roar. Just as it began, a knife sailed through the air and slit the powerful looking beastmar¡¯s vocal cords. It recoiled in pain and confusion as the roar became a low, breathy gurgle. Two more knives flew from the underbrush and thunked into the lion beastmar, one where its heart ought to be, and another higher up on its torso, where it began to look more human. The beastmar took a few unsteady steps, then fell to the ground. The clearing before the cave had been turned into a sticky mess of black blood. Arche inventoried his bow and hefted the Tridory, running down the rise to post up next to the cave mouth, in case any beastmar ran out of it. They had been fairly quiet, but he had no way of knowing how many, if any, beastmar were inside. Tess joined him on the other side. Lyssa covered both of them with her bow from the ridgeline, Odelia and Abraxios standing near her in case they were needed. When nothing happened for two full minutes, Arche waved them down. They gathered outside the cave entrance. Arche had Odelia recast Barkskin on them, resetting their timer back to an hour and forty minutes. The friendly halfling blinked a few times when the casting was done, swaying on her feet. Abraxios steadied her with a hand and she gave him a tired smile. Arche took the moment to quickly go over the notifications that had appeared during the short battle.
Archery has increased to Level 13. +2% Damage with Ranged Weapons (+26%) +2% Accuracy with Ranged Weapons (+26%) +1% Range with Ranged Weapons (+13%)
Penetrating Shot has increased to Level 4. +4% Penetration (+16%) +4% Damage (+16%)
Leadership has increased to Level 5. +1% Persuasion Chance (+5%) +1% Reputation Gain (+5%) -0.5% Reputation Loss (-2.5%) +1 Wisdom +1 Charisma
Arche bit back the grin at seeing his Leadership skill hit level five. So many of his skills could improve his attributes, if only he had the time to dedicate to their training. He would have to set some time aside soon. The more he could train, the more effectively he could assign his precious level attribute points.
You have slain a Level 11 Beastmar. You gain 220 experience. Lyssanderyli has slain a Level 11 Beastmar. You gain 110 experience. Your party has slain a Level 11 Beastmar. You gain 55 experience.
Experience is held until a Profession is chosen. Choose a Profession?
Yes No
Arche dismissed the prompt and closed his notifications window. ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± Odelia whispered, bringing him back to the present. ¡°Wait.¡± Abraxios looked at the rest of them, his head cocked slightly. ¡°I just realized, none of you can see in the dark, can you?¡± ¡°I can,¡± Lyssa said as the others shook their heads. Abraxios nodded. ¡°A moment.¡± He shook his staff and enunciated a strange word of power. A dark blue light seeped from the staff and settled over Arche, Tess, and Odelia. Arche struggled not to recoil as the light flew into his eyes. He shut them tight, feeling like someone was blowing intently on his face, but the magic paid no mind to his eyelids. When he opened them, everything was in startlingly clear detail for as far as he could see. He saw an icon of an owl next to the tree that signaled Barkskin and focused on it, pulling up details on it.
Owl Vision ¡ª Level 19 Perception +9 Low-Light Vision: 35.7 meters
Owl Vision ¡ª Level 19: 35:39
¡°That should help in there,¡± the tengu chirped. Arche didn¡¯t notice a change, at first, then Tess turned to look at him. Her eyes had turned bright yellow, with massive black pupils the size of a marble. Their mouths dropped in unison and he could only assume that his eyes had changed as well. He shut his mouth and swallowed, forcing himself to turn back toward the cave. ¡°Clock¡¯s ticking. Let¡¯s go.¡± Arche hefted the Tridory and entered the hillside, the rest of the party at his back. Five paces inside, Arche realized the area was much larger than he had previously expected. He¡¯d feared that the inside would be a horde of sleeping beastmar that, upon their entrance, would wake up and maul them. This, thankfully, was not the case. Instead, what awaited him was a perilous bridge, some thirty strides across, stretched over a chasm that extended downward into darkness, past his ability to see. The far side of the bridge ended some ten strides below them and led into a tunnel, preventing any further scouting from where they stood. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Arche breathed. The massive interior gaped back at them and he winced as his voice echoed off the walls.
You have found a Dungeon. The Vivitorium of Hek¨¢te WARNING! Your Dungeoneering Level is too low to view Dungeon Information.
Arche read the message twice, then looked at the others. They stared back at him, clearly wondering why he had stopped. Only Lyssa was also reading a notification, her eyes unfocused for a few moments. She locked eyes with him and nodded, adjusting her grip on her bow. He nodded back, turned to the bridge, and took the first step forward. Abraxios laid a hand on his shoulder, stopping Arche, and gestured at himself, then down the chasm. The moments stretched out between them, one after the other. Arche squinted at the tengu, blinked, then nodded. Abraxios took off, winging down into the darkness and was quickly out of sight, his wings made no noise, even in the still air. It took a full minute before they saw the tengu flying back up toward them. The tengu landed on the far side of the bridge and signaled for them to be quiet before waving them over. Arche made his way first, stepping carefully in the center of the bridge. The whole structure was in a state of disrepair and there were several holes that threatened to twist an ankle or, in a worst-case scenario, could allow someone to slip through completely and fall into the darkness below. There was no guard rail to the bridge, only a flat expanse of stone bricks wide enough to accommodate two people standing abroad, though that would risk one falling. Arche¡¯s first step was tentative. He didn¡¯t trust the bridge one bit. At any moment, the stone would give way beneath him and he would be dropped into nothing. He would fall into the blackness and be swallowed up by it, likely to die a painful death at the bottom. But the bridge did not give way. The stone held beneath his feet, so he took another step, and another. His heart pounded in his ears all the while. He tried to take deep breaths, but they ran ragged through his chest, pushing in and out far too quickly. All he could hear was the pounding of blood in his ears. To make matters worse, the incline of the bridge made him look down the entire way. A hand touched his shoulder and he nearly cried out, stopping himself at the last moment. He turned to find Tess looking at him with concern. She nodded encouragingly at him, but it was no help to him. Her nodding wasn¡¯t going to save him if he fell. Arche gritted his teeth and walked a little faster. He had made it about halfway across without issue when a loose stone caught his foot and he tripped. Unable to help himself he let out a startled cry as he fell, his heart about to burst from his chest. The stone pressed against him, holding him up. Tess grabbed his legs to prevent him from rolling or tumbling off the bridge, but his panic had dislodged some small rocks and sent them tumbling down into the abyss. Everyone stared as the stones fell into the darkness and vanished from sight. Arche forced himself to look away from the yawning abyss and focus on Abraxios, who frantically waved them forward. Arche clenched his jaw and scrambled to his feet, staying low to the bridge as he ran toward Abraxios. He said a silent prayer of thanks that he had managed to keep ahold of the Tridory. This was the last place he wanted to test the limits of the Return trait. After an eternity, or at least a minute, he made it to the other side of the bridge. The others arrived shortly after, seeming none the worse for wear. Abraxios gestured for them to move into the passageway attached to their side of the cavern, only speaking once they had all entered. ¡°We must move quickly. There were signs of many beastmar at the bottom and I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll hear when the stones hit the bottom,¡± Abraxios said. ¡°What else did you see?¡± Tess asked. ¡°This place is a network of tunnels,¡± Abraxios replied. ¡°I saw many of them as I flew downward. Inside it is confined. It is not my preferred method of travel, but in these tunnels, we can fight on our terms.¡± ¡°And remove their numbers advantage,¡± Arche said, nodding as he caught his breath. ¡°Outside, we¡¯d have to fight all of them at once. In here, we can funnel them, two or three at a time.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s not wait for them to come find us,¡± Odelia piped up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They set off, moving at a brisk jog down the twisting passageways. Arche was grateful for the Owl Vision buff. Without it, he would have been hopelessly lost in the darkness of the tunnels. Every now and then they came across a bioluminescent patch of moss that threw its light across the tunnel for quite a distance, thanks to their enhanced eyesight, but though it was more common the deeper they went, it wasn¡¯t always present. Arche wondered if it would grow in the village, perhaps providing a method of nighttime illumination that wouldn¡¯t need fuel to burn. He decided to save those thoughts for another time. The tunnels gradually became smoother, the worn stone gave way to a more polished, crafted passageway that twisted and turned ever deeper underground. The hours crept by, one after the other in the endless dark. Odelia and Abraxios recast Barkskin and Owl Vision whenever the timer got close to running out. Arche wagered it was late morning, by a rough estimate of how many times the spells were recast. The lack of adversity was a kernel that had settled in his stomach. Every scrape of a shoe or quiet echo set his teeth on edge. Still, they encountered no beastmar, no monsters, no mildly disgruntled rats or snakes. Everything was quiet and still. Like a tomb. Arche fought a shudder, still dwelling on the macabre thought when he turned a corner and saw a door. He stopped dead in his tracks. Tess walked into him and grunted in quiet surprise. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± her question was cut off as he raised a hand in answer, pointing towards the door at the end of the hallway. The door was ajar and slick with fresh blood. Book 1 | Chapter 25 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche crept toward the open door, Tridory extended in front of him and ready to stab at anything that so much as flinched in a threatening manner. Blood pooled out into the passage from somewhere beyond the door. Arche took a deep breath in and noticed he couldn¡¯t smell it. With Owl Vision giving him an extra nine Perception, his total was at twenty-six. He hadn¡¯t been able to stop smelling the mustiness of the Vivarium, but the liquid ahead didn¡¯t have the tell-tale warm, iron scent. Instead, it was acrid and made his nose-hairs curl. ¡°What is that?¡± he muttered, sniffing again to get a better sense of it. He crept forward, then knelt in front of the liquid. He prodded it with two fingers and sniffed again. ¡°Oil.¡± Arche stood and nodded at the rest of the party stacked up behind him, then peered inside the room. The walls were embedded with glowing crystals, each shining a different color, creating a disorienting kaleidoscope of light that illuminated what appeared to be a fairly advanced laboratory. Cobwebs hung from beakers and graduated cylinders, many of which were cracked or broken. Some larger, more specialized equipment that Arche couldn¡¯t put a name to stood against the walls, broken or deactivated. Arche stepped deeper into the room, frowning as he looked around. Something about the equipment in the room made him pause, tugging at memories he couldn¡¯t quite vocalize. Everything about it felt wrong. The clearly intricate machinations seemed like they had no place in the world above. They were far more advanced than anything he had seen so far, even in Dawnwood. ¡°Arche?¡± He didn¡¯t respond. One of the unbroken beakers had caught his attention. It was filled with a viscous liquid, the color of which was impossible to tell with the haphazard lighting of the room. The beaker was topped with a cork stopper, which Arche made sure to leave in place as he picked it up and squinted at the liquid inside. It was translucent, allowing him to see straight through. A distorted humanoid face, drawn in a soundless scream, stared back at him. Arche dropped the beaker with a muffled cry and stumbled backwards. It shattered on the ground, spilling liquid across the floor. Directly across from Arche, somewhat hidden by the lab equipment surrounding it, a large vat held the severed head of a human he had seen distorted through the beaker. ¡°Malaka,¡± Tess swore as she also caught sight of the vat. ¡°What is this place?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Odelia eyed the broken equipment littering the room. ¡°The Mana here is twisted. Unnatural.¡± ¡°We should leave,¡± Lyssa said, her voice sounding somewhat strangled. ¡°We are not meant to be here.¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Arche stared at the severed head. ¡°This place is wrong on a visceral level. I¡¯ve got half a mind to burn it down.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be wise, considering where we are,¡± Abraxios said. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re probably right. Still doesn¡¯t feel right to just leave it like this, though. It might not have been used in a while, but I can just imagine what a place like this could do in the wrong hands.¡± ¡°Have you seen a room like this before?¡± Lyssa asked, suddenly interested. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Arche replied. ¡°Maybe? Parts of it look familiar, I think. Let¡¯s take a look around before we go. There might be something we can use in here.¡± They searched through cabinets and drawers for anything that might prove useful. Odelia found a bottle with a yellow liquid inside, holding it up for the others to look at. No one recognized it until Arche used his Examine skill on it.
Potion of Agility Rarity: Uncommon Potency: Weak Durability: 2 / 2 Weight: 0.5 kilograms Traits: +10 Agility Duration: 1 hour
¡°It¡¯s a potion of agility,¡± Arche said, sharing the rest of the details with them. Everyone looked at him with surprise. Lyssa¡¯s look was especially sharp. ¡°You have apothecary experience?¡± Tess asked. ¡°Well, no¡­¡± Arche trailed off, immediately uncomfortable under the weight of the attention he was receiving. ¡°Then you¡¯ve seen one of these before?¡± Odelia asked as she put the potion into her inventory. ¡°Not exactly. Look, I can¡¯t really say how I know, I just do.¡± Lyssa narrowed her eyes in a way that said, ¡®We will discuss this later.¡¯ Arche looked around the room for anything else of note. His eyes landed on a structure that stood from floor to ceiling, the front of which was covered in cracked glass that spiderwebbed throughout. A handle on the front allowed the glass to be lifted upward. Arche walked toward it and lifted the glass. As soon as he did, the whole structure shifted, its supports worn away through years of decay. Inside, a shelf full of beakers and vials slid forward, caught by the glass door Arche was in the process of lifting. The beaker at the front had a label that faced toward him, reading ¡®trinitroglykos.¡¯ His memory sparked and fear clenched his stomach. ¡°Everybody out!¡± The Tridory clattered against the ground as Arche used both hands to keep the glass door shut, trying to keep the shelf inside as steady as possible. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lyssa asked, immediately at his side. ¡°The shelf inside broke. At least one of those beakers contains a highly volatile explosive. I need you to get everyone out of here, now!¡± Lyssa turned and made a violent gesture at the rest of them, who began filing quickly out of the room and back into the passageway. ¡°You too, Lyssa. Get out of here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving you behind, Greenstick.¡± ¡°You¡¯re gonna have to. Leave the door open, get them far away, farther than you think you¡¯ll have to go. I¡¯ll follow as soon as I can.¡± ¡°That¡¯s insanity. We¡¯ll find some way to reinforce the glass, bind it shut.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t time. The slightest jostle could set this stuff off. It¡¯s a miracle it hasn¡¯t already exploded.¡± Lyssa set her jaw. ¡°Then let me hold the glass. You can get to safety.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Being the brave fool is my job,¡± Arche snapped. ¡°You¡¯re faster than me but I¡¯m more durable. Neither of us can outrun the explosion but I can probably survive it. Even if I¡¯m wounded, my skill helps me heal. And let¡¯s face it, Lyssa, if this goes wrong, they¡¯ll need you a lot more than they¡¯ll need me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that,¡± she growled. The shelf inside the vat shifted slightly and Arche clenched his teeth. Sweat lined his forehead and palms as he struggled to keep the unwieldy structure as steady as he could. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to argue, Lyssa. Go. Keep them safe. I¡¯ll be right behind you.¡± Lyssa hesitated another long moment, her face a battlefield of conflicted emotion. Then she knelt and picked up the Tridory. ¡°You had better be.¡± With that, she was out the door, her footfalls making no sound as she sped over the stone floor out of sight. Arche turned his full attention to the glass door. It had already been damaged before he had touched it. Spiderweb cracks spun outward across its surface. Now, with pressure placed upon it both by him and the shelf, it seemed like it was no longer up to the task. There was an ominous crack as the spiderwebs deepened. Arche let out a silent prayer, hoping the others had managed to get far enough away. He prepared himself for what was next. Divine Body pushed strength and vitality through his body as he let go of the vat and turned away. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. With a single step, he vaulted over an island countertop in the middle of the room and headed for the door. As he reached it, the glass broke behind him. Forcing himself to move faster, he grabbed the heavy metal door and slammed it shut behind him, bracing himself against it. The explosion hit the door and traveled through it, reverberating into Arche. His Health plummeted, only to shoot back up again, instantly regenerated by his Divine Body skill, but the explosion didn¡¯t stop there. The strength of the blast broke the hinges and sent Arche flying backwards down the hallway, holding onto the heavy door like a massive tower shield against the fireball that raged forth. Arche¡¯s Mana was nearing zero but he couldn¡¯t deactivate his Divine Body skill. His Health yo-yoed up and down as the regeneration warred against the damage he was taking, trying to keep the force of the explosion from liquifying his organs. The door hit a wall, sending him flying. He lost his grip, perilous as it had been, and was thrown ahead of the door as it ricocheted off the walls and ceiling, still propelled by the fireball. Arche hit the ground at an angle, bouncing and landing mostly within the confines of a side passage. His head cracked against the stone, dazing him. Arche felt something hit his leg, then his Mana hit zero and everything went dark.
¡°GAH!¡± The gasp tore itself from Arche¡¯s throat as consciousness returned. Pain consumed him. His leg felt as though it had been lit on fire and shoved into a block of ice while twisted backwards at the knee. He tried to sit up and hands immediately landed on his shoulders to restrain him. ¡°Steady, Arche.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move. Odelia is attempting to repair the damage to your leg.¡± Arche saw a glimpse of his leg and found that his earlier assessment was only partially correct. His leg was neither on fire nor on ice, but it was twisted backwards in a nasty break. It also had one or two new joints between his ankle and knee. Bile rose at the back of his throat as he allowed himself to be pushed down. Waves of hot agony flooded through him, robbing him of all his sense except touch and pain. Never in his life had he imagined there could be so much pain. Odelia¡¯s magic brought only moments of reprieve before the pain came roaring back. Something pressed into his mouth and he bit down, muffled screams and sobs tearing out of him. Arche felt hands on the side of his head, lifting it as something soft was placed beneath it. The hands didn¡¯t leave as another surge of pain caused his entire body to seize. Delirium crept into his mind and the darkness was close behind it. A pair of tear-filled eyes looked down on him from above, but with his swimming vision he couldn¡¯t tell if they were green or brown. Then the sweet release of unconsciousness claimed him.
Nausea was the first thing Arche felt when he woke. There was still pain, old friend that it was by that point, but all he wanted to do was empty the contents of his stomach all over the stone floors. The only problem was that as his abdomen and throat flexed, nothing came out. His stomach cramped and he felt burns along his esophagus that explained what the issue was. He¡¯d already thrown up everything he had and had nothing left to give. ¡°Hey, you. You¡¯re finally awake.¡± Arche grunted, waving off Lyssa¡¯s comment as the world spun beneath him. Steeling himself as best he could, he chanced a look down at his leg. Blood soaked it and the ground around it, but it was at least pointing the proper direction. It was also wrapped in a pulsing, arboreal shroud that looked like the stalk of some gargantuan plant. He croaked, his throat almost completely dry. ¡°I remember hitting the wall. What happened to my leg?¡± ¡°The door hit it as you made the turn. You nearly lost it, but Odelia was able to get to you almost immediately. Drink this.¡± Arche felt a waterskin pressed into his hands. He uncorked it and drank deeply, coughing as it wet the irritated tissue in his throat. When he¡¯d drunk as much as he could, he corked it and handed it back. He looked around for the others, then realized they were alone in the passage. ¡°Where did everybody else go?¡± ¡°Scouting for beastmar. The explosion wasn¡¯t exactly quiet. They will be back soon now that you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°How do they know I¡¯m¡ª¡± Arche stopped as Lyssa put her thumb and finger into her mouth and let forth a brief, shrill whistle that echoed along the stone walls. ¡°Oh. Guess we¡¯re not trying to be quiet anymore.¡± ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Like I tried to outrun an explosion and lost.¡± ¡°I have questions about what happened back there, but they can wait for later. I saw the light you emitted in the tunnel. The others will likely think it was fire from the explosion, so you don¡¯t have to worry. Do you have any lasting injuries?¡± Arche checked his vitals and winced.
Health: 373 / 495 75% Stamina: 311 / 355 88% Mana: 26 / 190 14%
Barkskin ¡ª Level 8: 29:47 Owl Vision ¡ª Level 19: 4:20 Nature¡¯s Embrace ¡ª Level 24: 2:08 Mana Burnout: 16:29
¡°Fucking burnout. I¡¯ve got to figure out a way around that. Mana¡¯s gone, Stamina¡¯s good, Health is all right, but I¡¯m not going to be much use for about fifteen minutes.¡± His eyes flitted to Nature¡¯s Embrace but he was too tired to pull up the details, assessing it to be whatever Odelia had done to his leg. ¡°Maybe when we get out of here, Odelia or Abraxios can help you with your Mana issue.¡± Lyssa stood and hauled Arche to his feet. ¡°Why would they be able to help?¡± Arche grunted in pain as he shifted his weight onto his leg. ¡°They¡¯re mages. If anyone has a work-around for Mana Burnout, it would be a mage.¡± Arche blinked. ¡°That¡¯s brilliant.¡± One of Lyssa¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± Arche nodded in response, quickly going through his notifications for anything important.
Broken Leg Movement Speed reduced by 75%
He was distinctly aware of that particular debuff, but it was handy to see exactly how that had affected him. Thankfully, the debuff had disappeared after Odelia¡¯s healing.
Divine Body has increased to Level 10. You have reached the Rank of Novice. You gain 100 experience.
Experience is held until a Profession is chosen. Choose a Profession?
Yes No
Arche dismissed the notification as a shout from down the passage and the sound of fighting echoed back toward them. Lyssa cursed, drawing her bow and nocking an arrow in one fluid motion. Arche leaned heavily against his Tridory, cursing his Mana Burnout. With his regeneration slowed and his head pounding fit to burst, there was no way he¡¯d be able to fight for longer than a minute. ¡°Stay behind me,¡± Lyssa ordered. Her tone brooked no argument. Arche gathered up his bag and waited behind her, listening to the sounds grow louder and louder. In less than a minute, Tess came into view. The Rogue was holding Odelia in her arms and sprinting toward them. Abraxios was not far behind, using his wings to propel his feet down the passageway toward them, twisting occasionally to fire a lightning bolt backwards, the air crackling with static. ¡°How many?¡± Lyssa called out over the rising din. ¡°Too many!¡± Tess shouted back, voice full of panic. ¡°Run!¡± Book 1 | Chapter 26 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Two feelings gripped Arche as the beastmar horde drew nearer: pain and fear. Pain in his leg, which hadn¡¯t fully healed and cost him Health with every step, and fear of the sort that every hunted prey knows. Lyssa carried him under the shoulder but they were far too slow to get away. The air crackled as Abraxios discharged more lightning. Odelia, the smallest and slowest of them, clutched to Tess with a white-knuckled grip as the golden-haired Rogue ran ahead, trying to find some refuge or, barring that, a place to make their stand. ¡°This way!¡± Tess called out, her voice loud and desperate. Arche cursed his Mana Burnout condition and hobbled on as fast as he could, every step sending shooting pains up his thigh and into his groin. Lyssa practically dragged him along but doing so left Abraxios as the only one capable of slowing down the enemies behind them. The tengu let out a fierce, avian shriek that reverberated off the walls and down the passageway, louder than what seemed possible. Arche and the others cried out in pain, the noise impacting them like a physical force despite the tengu facing away from them. Tess disappeared into a side room, hauling Odelia along with her. Lyssa dragged Arche into it and set him down against a wall. Abraxios slammed the door behind them. Arche wheezed, trying to catch his breath. His Stamina was down to twenty percent. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Tess demanded. ¡°Mana Burnout,¡± Odelia replied before Lyssa could say anything. The halfling woman hurried over to Arche and placed the back of her hand against his head. Arche, for his part, was doing everything he could to keep from dry heaving. His head felt as though he were beating it against a wall and his stomach had settled somewhere near his throat, which was bobbing dangerously as he struggled to keep his gorge down. They had landed in a room full of rotten wooden boxes that looked like it had been ignored for the better half of a century. The smell of mold was strong, but with any luck it would mask their scent. ¡°I don¡¯t understand, though,¡± Odelia continued. ¡°I never saw him cast any magic. How could he have burned through his Mana?¡± ¡°Later.¡± Lyssa cut in. ¡°Can you fix him?¡± ¡°The leg? Yes, with time. The head, already done. The burnout? That¡¯s well beyond me. How is he using Mana without having formed the proper channels for it? Doesn¡¯t he know it could kill him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Arche groaned, his voice gruff and hoarse. He held the Tridory in a vice with both hands and used it to get his feet under him. Lyssa grabbed his arm and helped him into a standing position. ¡°Who taught you magic?¡± Odelia demanded. ¡°Whoever it was should be Honor-Broken. How could they not have taught you how to channel your Mana?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­taught,¡± Arche managed, his breath coming heavily. ¡°What?¡± This time it was Abraxios who demonstrated his disbelief. ¡°A spell is not merely a gesture or a word that you can will into existence through effort alone. It takes years of study and practice to learn the arcane theory that goes into spellwork. Trying to use magic without understanding it¡­why, you¡¯d be lucky if anything happened at all and anything could happen.¡± ¡°I clearly don¡¯t understand,¡± Arche grunted. ¡°So if we could skip the part where you two explain how much of a dumbass I¡¯ve been and tell me how to fix what I¡¯ve been doing wrong, I¡¯d appreciate it, because it doesn¡¯t sound like we have a lot of time.¡± ¡°What spell have you been casting that¡¯s bottoming out your Mana?¡± Odelia asked. ¡°It¡¯s not a spell, really,¡± Arche hesitated, then grunted as his leg sent a wave of fresh pain upward. ¡°It¡¯s a skill I learned by accident. I was up against an enemy I couldn¡¯t beat. A force took over me and burnt off all my Mana almost immediately, but with it I managed to fend off a revenant long enough for us to get away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, erm, a lot to unpack,¡± Abraxios said, cocking his head to the side. ¡°What skill is it that you are using?¡± Arche hesitated, glancing between them. Tess threw her hands up in frustration. ¡°Malaka! We can¡¯t help if we don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Fine. It¡¯s a skill called Divine Body.¡± The others blinked and looked at each other, each wearing the same blank face. With the exception of Lyssa, the consensus was clear: none of them had heard of it before. ¡°What does it do?¡± Odelia asked. Arche shrugged. ¡°Makes me strong and fast. Replenishes my Health and Stamina.¡± ¡°Hmph, that explains the mantikhoras,¡± Tess muttered. ¡°Sounds like an incredibly powerful skill,¡± Abraxios said slowly. ¡°However, if you are letting it use all of your Mana at once, you are searing it throughout your body¡¯s natural Mana paths. Mana must be channeled in a very careful manner, a manner that normally takes weeks, if not months, to cultivate. Your skill seems to do some of that work for you, which can be the only explanation for why you have not killed yourself with it, but it isn¡¯t doing everything for you. You must learn to control it, rather than have it control you.¡± ¡°That sounds great and everything, but you¡¯ve yet to get to the ¡®how¡¯ portion.¡± ¡°Practice,¡± Odelia said, something akin to regret in her voice. ¡°There is nothing else for it. If we survive today, I¡¯m sure Abraxios and I can teach you the basics of how to unlock the Mana Manipulation skill, but I¡¯m only in the Student ranks so my instruction won¡¯t be of much benefit other than how to get started.¡± ¡°Enough talk,¡± Lyssa interjected before Arche could ask another question. ¡°They are coming. Not as many of them as before, but more than a dozen. Arche, are you able to fight?¡± Arche peeked at his vitals. His Stamina had nearly bottomed out and his Mana Burnout timer still had over five minutes left. His Health had also dropped to sixty percent. ¡°No,¡± he gasped. ¡°But I¡¯ll give it what I¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°That¡¯s sweet, Greenstick, but stay behind me and try not to get yourself killed.¡± ¡°Fine. They¡¯re weak to fire. Their fur and skin burns quickly.¡± Lyssa nocked an arrow to her bow and turned toward the rest of them. ¡°Abraxios, find a vantage point from which you can shoot lightning. Odelia, take this camp oil and pour it near the door. Make sure you spread it over a wide area, then get back and ready whatever healing spells you have left. Tess, be ready to engage with any who break through. Be ready for things to go awry.¡± The others scrambled to obey Lyssa¡¯s orders while Arche sagged against the far wall behind her, impressed at how effortlessly she had taken command and formed a strategy. Odelia had barely finished emptying her third flask when the door flexed inward. The halfling woman jumped back as the door flew open and beastmar began to tumble into the room. Lyssa¡¯s first arrow ripped through the leading beastmar¡¯s head, killing it instantly, and wounded the one behind it. The beastmar¡¯s corpse collapsed in the doorway, slowing down the ones clambering in behind it. Abraxios fired a bolt of lightning at the ground, igniting the oil and creating a thick, dark smoke that billowed up, filling the narrow confines of the room. Howls of pain, fear, and fury echoed off the stone walls as the beastmar caught fire. Arche gritted his teeth, barely able to stay on his feet. Tess launched herself in and out of the fray with the grace of a dancer. One moment, she was lunging forward to deal a devastating blow to an exposed side or throat, the next she was twirling and dancing backward out of danger, the swiping claws and thrusting weapons of the beastmar catching only air. The fluidity of her movements reminded Arche of Lyssa¡¯s flowing style, but there was something brutal in Tess¡¯s strikes. Stab, step, twist, spin, stab. Each attack was designed to disable or to cause pain, only a few lucky blows to a neck or a heart actually killed. Arche¡¯s brow furrowed as he watched her, then he clutched at the wall as a sudden gust of wind nearly blew him over. Abraxios swept his wings, funneling air into the fire, which roared up with sudden life. Burning oil splattered against beastmar crammed into the passageway outside, their shrieking howls dominating the sounds of battle within. Good luck did not last forever, as Tess was the first to learn. One beastmar surged from behind its companions, knocking them aside to bear down on the Rogue. She sidestepped to avoid bisection via enormous axe, but failed to avoid the kick that launched her across the room. She landed near Arche, limbs akimbo, eyes wild and unfocused. A pained croak gurgled from her as she struggled to breathe. Arche fell to his knees next to her, the Tridory clattering against the stones as he fought against his own weakened body to get Tess back on her feet. The Rogue¡¯s absence from the front line let several beastmar push their way forward, past the inferno. Lyssa drew forth two kopides and leaped into the fray. While Tess struck like a viper, leaping forward and backward with her strikes, Lyssa moved in circles like a great storm. She used the weight of the swords as ballasts to swing her body around first one way, then the other, often amputating limbs as she danced along their line. The press of the beastmar was greatly slowed by her efforts, but too many had already forced their way past the still-burning door and into the room. Odelia fell to her knees, trembling as emerald light flowed down her arms and into the ground. Thick vines shot out of the floor around the doorway and started whipping about wildly, throwing beastmar aside. Tess used the opportunity to jump back into the fray, dragging her knives across the throats of the fallen beastmar while Lyssa pressed the others back against the thrashing vines. The few beastmar that had yet to run into the room were hacking wildly at the vines while trying to avoid the fire. For the first time, it looked like they might actually win. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Then the wall exploded. Large chunks of stone blasted into the room, several of which hit Arche and sent him flying. He hit the opposite wall and pain descended on him again. A roar¡ªlouder than battle, louder than thought¡ªfilled the room. Heat flooded the space, sucking the breath from Arche¡¯s lungs and replacing it with scorched wind. Arche dragged his arms over his head as the wall crumbled around him. Once the stone settled, he could hear the yipping and barking of beastmar retreating into the distance. Not without great effort, Arche picked himself up out of the rubble, noticing with a spike of excitement that his Mana Burnout debuff was gone. His excitement was immediately replaced by a wave of pain and exhaustion as he noticed his Health hovering at twenty percent. His arms and legs were a mess of bloody scrapes, embedded with bits of stone. A brief glance around the room told him the rest of the group wasn¡¯t fairing much better. They were scattered about the room, either laying unmoving or slowly rising to their feet. Lyssa was the first to recover. She placed herself between the rest of them and the new threat. Arche¡¯s gaze moved from his Companion to the monster itself. Amid the settling stone dust stood an enormous lion, easily twice as large as it should be. Its size was hardly the strangest part, however. What really made Arche¡¯s blood run cold was the goat head that grew alongside the lion, splitting its neck into two. The monstrous beast padded into the room, tail whipping about almost lazily, green and scaled, with the tip culminating in a serpent head with fangs the size of Arche¡¯s hands. The creature leveled its gaze onto Arche, a glint of intelligence in each set of eyes. The lion head opened its jaws impossibly wide, an amber glow building in the back of its throat. ¡°Aw, fuck.¡± Instinct took over and Arche threw himself to the side as a spout of flame shot forth from the monster¡¯s maw. It bathed the rubble where he had been standing, turning the rocks a glowing, cherry red. He landed heavily, bruising himself on the pointy rocks. His breath was ragged, not quite recovered from the aftereffects of Mana Burnout and his injury. An angry, feline hiss echoed throughout the room as he picked himself up. Lyssa had engaged the beast, spinning with her kopides as the creature swiped massive paws through the air or lunged with one of its three heads. A gust of wind signaled that Abraxios had rejoined the fray. The tengu whipped his wings about in some martial form and, despite the fact that the tengu was across the room from the monster, slices opened up over the creature¡¯s body with every deft movement. Arche wanted to help but the Tridory was no longer with him. He must have dropped it when he was sent flying. Arche twisted his head around, searching around for it frantically, but it was nowhere to be found. Likely it was buried beneath the rubble when the creature crashed through the wall. Arche moaned inwardly, hoping that his paltry amount of Mana would be enough. Taking a steadying breath, Arche held out his hand and concentrated. His head throbbed as eight Mana drained almost instantly, but the rubble across the room shifted and the spear shot out toward him. He caught it, immediately gritting his teeth against the renewed headache as he braced himself to get involved. Tess was off to the side, launching knives at vulnerable points along the beast¡¯s side, but whether it was the sheer size of the creature or an abnormally thick hide, the blades weren¡¯t penetrating deep enough to do much damage. The creature spun, its snake-tail whipping outward faster than Lyssa could dodge. She caught the fangs against her blades, but the force of its strike knocked her off her feet and sent her flying toward Arche. He was moving before he knew what had happened, closing the distance across the uneven terrain. He caught her, remembering to drop the Tridory just in time, and her momentum knocked him off his feet. They tumbled to the ground, a tangle of body parts. Arche grunted as Lyssa landed on top of him, sucking air between clenched teeth as she pressed down on his bruised ribs and wounded leg. Lyssa groaned and stirred, stunned from the impact. Arche carefully rolled to the side and laid her down beside him. Pain flared in a dozen new places, but looking at Lyssa¡¯s dazed, slackened face, a new feeling took hold of him. Rage. Arche snatched up the spear and turned toward the beast, which had brought the weight of its attention onto Tess. The Rogue was doing her best to keep her distance, her eyes darting back and forth as she looked for a way out, but the monster had cornered her. Lightning coursed through the air as Abraxios tried desperately to distract the creature, but the electricity washed harmlessly over the creature, barely fazing it. Odelia crawled to Lyssa¡¯s side. The halfling¡¯s left foot was bent at a bad angle but she gritted her teeth through the pain and conjured a spell. Lyssa¡¯s naturally reddish-brown skin glowed with a soft, viridescent hue as open wounds sewed themselves shut. The creature¡¯s lion-head opened its mouth wide¡ªtoo wide, like an unhinged jaw¡ªand Arche knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to close the distance in time. It seemed to have grown tired of Tess¡¯s stabbing knives and decided to eat her whole. Tess shrank back into the corner and covered her face with her arms. The monster stood above her, poised to strike at any moment as its mouth opened larger and larger. Arche hoisted the Tridory into an overhand grip and launched it forward with all the strength he could muster. The effort brought him to his knees. The monster roared in pain as the spear sank into the creature¡¯s flank. Tess used the distraction to leave her corner. She rolled out of the way of a late swipe and came up near Abraxios. The creature¡¯s attention affixed on Arche, who staggered to his feet. ¡°Easy.¡± He plastered a smile on his face as his stomach nestled somewhere near his feet. ¡°Good kitty.¡± The furious growl emanating from the monstrous creature promised a slow and painful death. ¡°Fuck you, too.¡± Arche rolled to the side as a massive paw slammed into the ground where he¡¯d been standing. He popped back up and immediately fell backwards with a cry to avoid the snapping maw of the goat head as it bit at him. He landed on his back, cracking his head painfully against the debris. Bright spots flooded his vision. The creature spun and the snake tail lunged for him, fangs gaping, too fast for him to move out of the way. Arche clenched his teeth and waited for the pain to come, but the strike never landed. One of Tess¡¯s daggers sailed neatly through the air and stuck the snake head clean through. The whole tail went limp. The creature howled from its goat head as its lion mouth gaped again to spew forth fire. Arche stumbled to his feet, blinking furiously to clear the spots from his vision. Between his Mana headache and his multitude of injuries, he was lucky to be standing. That said, his luck was fading quickly. It hadn¡¯t quite run out, however, as he was on the same side of the creature as his spear, which still protruded from the beast¡¯s flank. Arche dove for the weapon, grabbing hold of the shaft just as the goat head clamped down around his torso, lifting him into the air. Arche gasped for breath as the tremendous force of the bite drove the wind from his lungs. The goat head¡¯s teeth weren¡¯t sharp enough to break through his armor¡ªwhich kept the creature from tearing a chunk out of his side¡ªbut the sheer, crushing force snapped several of Arche¡¯s ribs with loud cracks. In a panic, Arche ripped the Tridory out and stabbed at the monster again and again, opening up a half dozen wounds in the creature¡¯s side, though none were particularly deep nor dangerous. The goat-head shook him like an alligator, sending the Tridory flying. Arche could do nothing but hope his armor would hold and his limbs wouldn¡¯t mangle. Just as he was sure the creature would shake the last bit of life from him, the goat-head went suddenly limp and he fell to the ground. The world swirled and darkness crept around the edges of his vision. A trio of arrows protruded from the limp goat head, each deep enough to pierce its brain. Arche was tired. More tired than he had ever felt. A great weight had settled into his arms and legs, and his eyes wanted nothing more than to shut and rest for a few hours. Lights flashed toward the bottom of his vision, the only thing he could see in the darkness. Flashing Health, flashing Stamina, flashing Mana. All three bars were nearly empty, some scant points in each, but Arche was past the point of really caring. A chill filled him and the floor seemed suddenly the most comfortable place in the world. If he could just keep lying there for another five minutes or so, he was sure he¡¯d be able to finish killing the monster. Just five minutes of rest. A hand grabbed his shoulder, pulling at his armor. It felt distant, numb, but it was enough to keep him from falling asleep. Arche¡¯s head lolled and his eyes opened. Odelia looked down at him, tears streaked across her cheeks as she pulled desperately at him, trying to get him away from the fight. It was a vain effort, Arche was far too heavy for the halfling woman to budge. She balled up one fist, muttering something. A moment later, she uncurled her fist to reveal a yellow light. She pressed the light against Arche¡¯s chest and great, racking coughs forced their way out of his lungs. His Health, Stamina, and Mana all rose by fifty-six points. Instead of a pleasant experience, Arche¡¯s bones popped painfully back into place. He would have screamed if he¡¯d had the breath to do so but his lungs were too busy reinflating, repairing the holes his broken ribs had torn. A few seconds later, he was able to breathe, if painfully. His body felt like it was covered in biting insects trying to burrow into the marrow of his bones to unleash their venom, but he was no longer tired beyond care. The healing magic had brought feeling and awareness back to him, but at great cost. Odelia collapsed next to him, breath shallow and drenched in sweat. Arche had no idea how to help her. Helpless anger flooded him. Anger at the creature and at himself, his own uselessness. Arche snatched the Tridory off the ground and looked for the beast. It was not hard to find, but the sight of it made his blood run cold once more. It had cornered Abraxios, Tess, and Lyssa and kept them in place by spewing a gout of flame. Abraxios had taken point and was diverting the flames to either side with a powerful gust of wind, but the sheer heat was cooking the trio. Abraxios was the picture of concentration, a single errant ember would ignite his feathers into a conflagration of doom. Crouching low to the ground, spear brandished, Arche activated Divine Body and lunged forward, crossing the entire width of the room in a single bound before plunging the Tridory into the monster¡¯s neck. He deactivated the skill as the flames, which had poured relentlessly only moments before, sputtered and died. Without removing the spear, Arche pressed the third button on the shaft and the head of the spear, now firmly embedded, broke apart into three prongs, slicing open flesh into a gaping hole. Arche wrenched the spear out and activated Divine Body once more, leaping high into the air. He spun, flattening himself horizontally as the creature recoiled. Arche landed on the cross-section where the lion and goat heads diverged and drove the head of the trident deep into the back of the lion¡¯s skull. The bone gave way with an awful crunch as the great beast shuddered once and fell to the floor, dead. Arche ripped the trident out and deactivated Divine Body. As soon as the skill¡¯s empowerment left him, he collapsed. Everything seemed far away, everything but pain. Slowly, Arche became aware of someone holding him and wiping something across his face. When consciousness fully returned, he almost wished it hadn¡¯t. He was sitting at a quarter of his maximum Health and could feel the full extent of every point he had lost. A notification caught his attention and he opened it.
You have slain a Level 36 Ch¨ªmaira. You gain 1,800 experience. Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 2,100 bonus experience.
Experience is held until a Profession is chosen. Choose a Profession?
Yes Yes
Still dazed, Arche stared uncomprehendingly at the notification. Without waiting for his answer, the prompt closed itself and a new one appeared.
Initializing¡­ Ready for transport. 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ Welcome to the Professing.
Book 1 | Chapter 27 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche floated in a vast, dark void. There was no sensation. No twist of wind, despite his breathing. No smell, no sight, no taste. The place was alien and all too familiar. As his bare feet settled down onto what felt like cold stone, Arche had a sudden realization. This place, whatever it was, had born him into consciousness. What had that been¡­nearly a month ago? Arche could scarcely believe that time had gone by so quickly. He was no longer wearing his elven leathers and boots, but was back in the crude, cotton clothing he¡¯d first woken up in. Something rippled at the corners of his vision and he turned to look, seeing a set of doors flicker into existence as though someone had pulled a curtain back to reveal them. Four doors in total, each staring back at him from cardinal directions, if this place even had cardinal directions. Arche stepped up to the first door. It was made of some sort of cherry wood, stained a dark red with burnished steel accents. The knob to the door was that of a dagger handle and, as Arche looked closer, he could see that the door was engraved with tiny carvings of more weapons than he could name. A notification appeared over the door as he approached.
Combat
Arche looked at the door with a considering eye. If this was where he was to choose a profession, a combat profession was the most attractive choice. Still, it would be foolish to choose it without even looking at what else was available. He took a step back and the message over the door faded. Arche turned to the right and approached the next door. This door was a rich purple and had a texture that resembled fabric rather than wood, stone, or steel. Unlike the straight frame of the combat door, this one was twisted and gnarled with a plethora of angles and shapes. The door itself was rounded at the top and had a paintbrush hanging from the frame.
Artisan
Arche nodded to himself and moved on to the third door. This door seemed more sterile than the other two. It was made from white metal with a circular window of glass at head height. The window was circular, like a porthole, and as Arche peered through it, he saw absolutely nothing. There was no frame to this door, but at the bottom was a sort of steel kick-plate. There was no handle or knob to the door, but a thin silver sheet of metal on one side seemed to indicate him to push. Something about the door seemed familiar to Arche but he couldn¡¯t recall ever seeing a door like that.
Scholar
Arche grunted and, with one last attempted look through the window, turned away to inspect the last door. This door was the plainest of all. Even the sterility of the Scholar door had its own quiet elegance and intellect of craftsmanship, but this door was made from mud and sticks. Granted, the mud was smooth and the sticks had been debarked and aligned in very neat vertical rows, but there was no denying that it was using the least quality of materials when compared to the other three.
Labor
Arche stepped back to the center and turned slowly, looking at each of the doors in turn. Combat was the obvious choice. Still, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was something else, something just beyond his senses. He looked carefully at the void, peering into the darkness between doors and even upward, but there was nothing out of place. ¡°Come on. What am I missing?¡± A small knock echoed in the empty space. Arche spun around, searching for the source. It seemed almost to have come from the ground, but where? He took a step to reexamine the void spaces between doors and stumbled. Something beveled on the ground had caught his toes. Arche dropped to his knees and searched with his hands. Something was sunk into the floor and hidden by a cloak of void. Upon finding it, the void pulled back and revealed a plain, wooden door with no knob or handle. The only giveaway, which Arche had stumbled upon, was the slight lip between the door itself and the ground around it, which was still covered by blackness. The door was made from dark wood and had no special markings on it. It almost appeared as a simple board that had fallen onto the ground and been forgotten. No prompt appeared as Arche knelt in front of it, a fact that only made it more interesting to him. Arche looked back up at the combat door, biting his lip as he wrestled internally with his decision. If he chose this strange, hidden door, there was no guarantee that he¡¯d be able to reverse his choice if he¡¯d made a mistake. A combat profession spoke to him, but would he really squander this new option after all the trouble to hide it? Perhaps it was fate, perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was nothing at all. ¡°I really hope I don¡¯t regret this.¡± Arche stepped onto the door and stamped his foot. Without delay, the door swung down and he dropped through the floor into nothing. His jaw clenched to keep him from crying out but there was no rush of air that he normally associated with falling. Instead, it was as though the ground had simply risen up and consumed the doors around him and he was once more surrounded by an endless void. Pure absence. Just as before, his feet touched cold stone. There was no indication of how long he¡¯d been left in limbo. It could have been minutes or days. Arche turned, trying to get some grasp on his surroundings but there was nothing. A message appeared in his vision, seeming to float several feet in front of him.
You have found the Door of Hidden Potential. Instead of restricting yourself to the choices ahead of you, you found a different path and decided to follow it wherever it might lead. The choices you will be provided with have been tailored to you. Choose wisely.
The notification disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving Arche feeling more apprehensive than reassured with its closing remark. He flinched and brought his hands up defensively as he realized he was no longer alone. A multitude of dark figures surrounded him. Three of the closest figures came into view as the void pulled back from them and Arche realized with a start that they all looked the same. Each was a man with dusky, sun-tanned skin and messy, dark brown hair. Dark eyes stared back into nothingness, looking beyond Arche to some distant, nonexistent horizon. Their faces stuck out the most. Scarred was an understatement. Not a finger¡¯s breadth of skin was left unmarked. Pink, raw flesh crisscrossed with scars, both jagged and linear, stretched from hairline to the hollow of throats. Arche locked eyes with the man in front of him, clearly a warrior type wearing heavy, stylized armor with a spear and shield. His throat closed up. This was his face staring back at him. He¡¯d known that he had scars, known that they were intense from the reactions of others, but he hadn¡¯t known the extent of the damage. In truth, he had avoided looking. He didn¡¯t want to know. There was a layer of deniability that not knowing had granted him. He had been allowed to forget about it. People like Lyssa and Helwan had gotten used to him and he didn¡¯t feel self-conscious around them, but staring into his own reflection and realizing the extent to which he had been marked, how could he stand to face them now? How must they have seen him, all this time? He could have lived with being ugly, but disfigured was a hell even the ugly couldn¡¯t imagine. This was beyond some cruel casting of cosmic dice. Something had done this to him. This had been deliberate. Arche covered his face with his hands, tears streaming down his cheeks. It was foolish. It shouldn¡¯t mean anything to him. How he looked had nothing to do with his capabilities, nothing to do with who he was, but he couldn¡¯t shake the shame, the despair. It was his face. It was everything that people saw when they looked at him. It was the only thing he saw himself, now that he could look. He felt the lines with his fingertips, traced the bumps and valleys he had worked so hard to forget. Arche wished he¡¯d never seen himself. How could he ever hope to earn the trust of others? A monster killing monsters will never change what it is. Who would follow his face into danger? Who would believe it would bring them anything but death? A mask would cover it, with the exception of the lines that crawled down his throat. He could hide his face from the rest of the world. An escape. Some fa?ade he could present that would secret him away from judgement, leaving only a mysterious curiosity in its wake. With no small degree of effort, Arche pulled his hands away and stared into the identical face peering blankly back at him. Hiding from his own face wasn¡¯t practical, he knew that. It didn¡¯t matter if no one else saw it, he would still know, and taking steps to hide it would only cement it in his own mind. He couldn¡¯t run from himself. No, this was something he would have to deal with. It might take a long time before he could truly become comfortable with it, but what choice did he have? He had to play with the hand he was dealt and live with the face he¡¯d been given. Arche drew a deep, shuddering breath and stared his own face down. This wasn¡¯t a calamity. His looks didn¡¯t matter, his actions did. Cognitively, he knew that, but it was a hard thing to feel. Maybe, maybe, somewhere down the line he could look into investing points into Comeliness. He didn¡¯t know if that would get rid of the scars or diminish them, but surely it would help, especially since his starting Comeliness score had been a whopping ¡®one.¡¯ Mentally tearing his attention away from the replica¡¯s face, Arche focused on what his doppelganger was wearing in greater detail. Anything to distract himself from the rabbit hole of self-pity he¡¯d spiraled down. The armor was quite a bit heavier than anything Arche had worn, looking like cast bronze. The breastplate was stylized to resemble a heavily muscled chest and the bare arms that poked out indicated the metal muscles were an accurate indication of what lay beneath. This version of him clearly had invested heavily in Strength with a Fortitude to match, if the thickness of the torso was any guess. A message appeared over the doppelganger¡¯s head.
Warrior The path of the warrior is not one for the faint of heart. A warrior will stand up to any foe on any battlefield. This profession favors the front lines of conflict and grants bonuses to Strength, Fortitude, Endurance, and Willpower. This is a Common profession.
Choose Warrior as your profession?
Yes No
Arche shook his head. It sounded great, but there were too many other options to narrow down a choice yet. There were the other two figures that he could see, and a multitude of silhouettes that he could barely make out hiding behind the swirling void itself. Warrior might be a good choice to fall back on, but it was generic and its bonuses would likely also be generic. There was a benefit to being an all-around fighter, but they often died to skilled specialists. At the very least, knowledge was power and it would be foolish to make such an important choice without at least considering other options. Arche looked over to another version of himself, one wearing dark leather armor and a cloak. Two bandoliers of knives stretched from shoulders to hips. It was a tad excessive, like the figure was trying a little too hard to pass off a mysterious aesthetic.
Rogue The path of the rogue is one of stealth and subterfuge. A rogue will think their way around any problem that may arise but won¡¯t hesitate to slide a blade into any problem that gets in their way. This profession favors the clever and grants bonuses to Dexterity, Agility, Intelligence, and Perception. This is a Common profession.
Choose Rogue as your profession?
Yes No
Sneaking around was great, but it wasn¡¯t his style. Arche enjoyed the bonuses his cloak gave him and he liked getting the drop on monsters, but that wasn¡¯t who he was. He smiled as he considered that Theresa had likely been presented this same choice and decided it was for her. He wondered which parts of the description had most drawn her to it and was once again thankful she had decided not to kill him, though he could have done without the dagger in his side. Arche turned to the last visible doppelganger and gave it a thorough once-over. Unlike the other two, this one wasn¡¯t wearing armor. Instead, it wore fine, form-fitting robes that were at once respectable and attractive. The expression on the figure¡¯s face was one of quiet confidence, and the eyes glimmered with a hidden depth of knowledge that the other figures had lacked.
Mage The path of the mage is one of research and the cultivation of Mana. A mage is never more at home than when solving a problem none have bested and are often leaders among their scientific communities. Their command of the basic elements of magic has earned them much respect. This profession favors the pursuit of knowledge, a journey that is never quite finished, and grants bonuses to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Willpower. This is a Common profession.
Choose Mage as your profession?
Yes No
This was the easiest dismissal Arche had faced yet. His thoughts turned to Helwan, who had claimed, among other titles, to be a mage. Arche didn¡¯t have the patience or the access to a scientific facility required for a path like scholarship and a life of quiet research was not in his cards. He could guess why this path had been chosen to fit him. It seemed to be all about asking questions and that felt like all he ever did, but he wanted answers to those questions, not to keep asking them forever. Arche turned back to the others and took a few steps toward the Warrior, knowing that whatever profession he picked, it would fall under the Warrior archetype. The figures waiting behind it shimmered and he grew excited. As that excitement grew, so did an odd feeling in his center. It was small, at first, but every step magnified it. It wasn¡¯t quite an ache, rather it felt like someone had tied a rope around his organs and connected it back to the Origin. The more he pulled away, the worse it felt. Arche understood why people chose the core professions instead of branching out to see what else laid beyond. It wasn¡¯t beyond his ability to bear but it was a pull somewhere below his solar plexus that was extraordinarily uncomfortable, like something was trying to suck his innards out his back with a straw. As he passed the Warrior, three more figures came into view as the void pulled back. The first was the most surprising. It towered over him, a full head and shoulders taller, and was an absolute beast of a man. His head was shaved and a plaited beard sprouted down from his chin toward his unarmored torso. A vest hung open over a loose, linen shirt that did little to hide the bulging muscles beneath. Arche found it hard not to stare at this mountainous version of himself.
Barbarian The path of the barbarian is one often undertaken alone. Civilization rejects you as you walk the natural world, reveling in its power and its secrets. This profession favors connection with nature and nurtures a resilience that is deeper than flesh, though its practitioners often find themselves misunderstood by those who have not walked the same path. This profession grants bonuses to Strength, Fortitude, Endurance, and Willpower, but suffers reductions in Charisma. This is an Uncommon profession.
Choose Barbarian as your profession?
Yes No
The physical aspect of the profession had a lot to be desired, but as Arche read over the prompt again, he realized that becoming barbarian would likely alienate him from his allies. It required a lot of commitment and, even though the rewards were great, the price didn¡¯t seem worth it. Shaking his head, he turned and moved to the next profession. This version of himself was regaled in a muscled cuirass of hardened steel, with matching greaves and a cheeked helmet that sported a black plume running vertically like a mohawk. The stylized warrior wielded a spear and shield, with a sword belted at his side. The stiff posture and stony face gave Arche the indication that this was a soldiering profession. The accompanying message did not disappoint him.
Hoplite The path of the hoplite is one of service. Found in the strongest armies in Tartarus, the Hoplites are warriors that wield destruction with their spears and shields. Their formations have broken the fiercest hordes and they are most dangerous when in large numbers. This profession favors those who desire the rigidity and reliance of military life and provides bonuses to Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma. This is an Uncommon profession.
Choose Hoplite as your profession?
Yes No
A surprisingly tempting option. Strength, Intelligence, and Charisma were all good attributes to invest in, and keeping them high going forward was a priority. That said, Arche didn¡¯t have any intentions of joining a military and it seemed like the profession relied on having other Hoplites to fight alongside. Moving along, he looked to the last doppelganger on the row. This version of himself was wearing haphazard armor from head to toe, none of it matched, but all of it looked rather expensive. There was a cocky glint in the double¡¯s eye and a full coin purse hanging from their belt next to a jeweled xiphos.
Misthios The path of the misthios is one that follows the rivers of currency. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Misthioi are mercenaries, blades for hire that know any task can be performed for a price. Shrewd in their calculations of people, diligent in their duties, a misthios knows that their reputation is their life and that without it, they will starve. This profession favors those willing to do the dirty work for a bit of coin and provides bonuses to Wisdom, Perception, Charisma, and Luck. This is an Uncommon profession.
Choose Misthios as your profession?
Yes No
That was an easy dismissal. Coin was nice, yes, but it was not his life¡¯s purpose to pursue money. He had more that he wanted to accomplish than doing jobs for others. He pressed forward, midway between the hoplite and the barbarian. The queasy feeling intensified, no longer a minor annoyance he could cast to the back of his mind. Arche had to concentrate on suppressing the feeling just to keep from throwing up. It was worth the effort. The void pulled back and revealed three more professions for him to choose from. The first figure wore leather armor and sported a completely shaved head. His hands bore metal gauntlets constructed from interwoven metal plates with spines extending from the knuckles. Hardened muscles lined the man¡¯s form, but there was a litheness to his posture that several of the other muscle-bound professions had lacked.
Pugilist The path of the pugilist is one with as many opportunities to fall as there are to rise. Many know arts of fighting with only their own limbs but few have ever truly mastered the attempt. The Pugilist is one such master that prides efficiency and effect over the artistic and spiritual sides of the martial arts. This profession favors those who wish to be unequaled in combat even while disarmed, and provides bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, and Agility. This is a Rare profession.
Choose Pugilist as your profession?
Yes No
Fighting with his fists had always been comfortable. It was an aspect of himself that Arche wanted to explore further, but it wasn¡¯t one he was willing to profess. He grunted as he turned away, the pull in his center vying for his attention. The next doppelganger wore form-fitting robes of exquisite material and craftsmanship. A thin sword, similar to Vik¡¯s Starpoint, hung from the double¡¯s belt. Beneath the fine clothing, chain-linked armor was sewn into the clothing. What was most surprising, however, was that the face reflecting back at him looked almost normal. While it still had his scars, they had faded into a network of small silver lines that looked roguish, almost handsome.
Duelist The path of the duelist is one of fame and glory. A true artist with a blade, a duelist can make their name recognizable across the entire span of Tartarus by doing what they love: competing. This profession favors the quick, the accurate, and those hungry for glory, and provides bonuses to Dexterity, Agility, Charisma, and Comeliness. This is a Rare profession.
Choose Duelist as your profession?
Yes No
Once again, Arche found himself tempted. Being a master of the blade was nice enough, but the promise of being able to change his face was a powerful motivator. With more than a little effort, he tore himself away. He hadn¡¯t yet looked through all the options and he knew deep down that it wasn¡¯t the right fit. He also knew deep down that the uncomfortable pulling sensation was getting worse. He needed to move faster while he could still withstand the sensation. The next version of himself wore crimson scale mail with a helmet that covered his entire face and was stylized after a dragon. In his hand was a lance easily twice as long as the Tridory, but he hefted it without any hint of unwieldiness. Despite the discomfort of the situation, Arche¡¯s interest was piqued.
Dragoon The path of the dragoon is one that has nearly fallen back into legend. These warriors gain their strength from the bond they form with dragons. They are protector and enforcer and are elevated beyond the squabbles of their fellow humanoids, having been granted a small degree of enlightenment on their journey. To fight a dragoon is often to invite death from above, as each dragoon is empowered with abilities from their bonded dragon, but you might just have to fight the dragon as well. This profession favors those who seek a higher calling and who wish to seek out life above the clouds, and provides bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, Agility, and Wisdom. This is a Rare profession.
Choose Dragoon as your profession?
Yes No
Arche had no doubt this profession had only been revealed because he had gone through the Door of Hidden Potential. The other two Rare professions were great, but this was so obscure and enticing that he could easily have never come across it. The major drawback was, of course, that he didn¡¯t know any dragons to bond with, and that was the lifeblood of this profession. It was great on paper, but the journey to find a dragon and bond it could take years, assuming he survived the process. No, circumstances did not favor this profession, even though it tugged at his heartstrings. Who wouldn¡¯t want a dragon friend? Arche turned away from the clone and moved forward again, between the duelist and the dragoon, on to the next tier. With luck, tying the archetype to the dragoon might show him more professions that would otherwise be lost, but he wasn¡¯t quite willing to give up options similar to the duelist. His breath came in short gasps, like someone was pushing down on his diaphragm. Still, he managed to continue on and see the next set of professions waiting for him. The first was a version of himself wielding two curved blades, more akin to scimitars than to kopides, and had him dressed in linen wraps. Most notably, his eyes glowed a soft blue. Taking a closer look revealed the profession itself.
Spellblade The path of the spellblade is one of dedication and power. These mystics empower their weaponry with magic, to devastating effect. Masters of a unique brand of enchanting, the spellblade can create their own weapons and can empower them with many specialized spells from every branch of magic. This profession favors those who have a connection to both combat and magic, and provides bonuses to Dexterity, Agility, Intelligence, and Wisdom. This is an Epic profession.
Choose Spellblade as your profession?
Yes No
Arche¡¯s interest was piqued yet again. A spellblade sounded like the perfect mixture of physical combat and magical progression, but it had one glaring problem: Arche still didn¡¯t know any magic. Based on what Odelia and Abraxios had told him, magic was difficult to learn and fairly uncommon. There was no guarantee that picking the profession would teach him any spells or be of any immediate use to him. With some sadness, he moved on to the next profession. This version of himself was dressed in thick, heavy armor emblazoned with numerous symbols. He wielded a greatsword easily larger than his entire body in one hand, while the other held a shield embossed with symbols similar to the ones adorning his armor. Strength and determination were evident on this double¡¯s face, but there was an additional shine in his eyes, something more akin to enlightenment.
Paladin The path of the paladin is one of devotion. These holy warriors use oaths made to an ideal to unleash power. Whether they lift a hand to heal or a fist to destroy, none can doubt the power that comes with this path. Through faith and devotion to specific tenants, the paladin can singlehandedly accomplish what entire kingdoms cannot. This profession favors those who have a connection to something greater than oneself, and provides bonuses to Strength, Fortitude, and Wisdom. This is an Epic profession.
Choose Paladin as your profession?
Yes No
Arche frowned. Single-minded devotion to a single ideal was much too rigid for him. It had a simplistic side to it, and though there was clearly power in such simplicity, there was no room for nuance. For as much power and freedom as the profession would offer, it also restricted him into a very specific path. One that he wasn¡¯t sure he would like. Still gasping for air, he moved on to look at the last profession of the tier. This one had him dressed in dark armor, with a face visor shaped like a grinning skull. A dark spear hung across his back and he exuded menace.
Death Knight The path of the death knight is one of power and perseverance. These knights have turned to necromancy as a source for power, in augmentation of their physical selves. Through ritualistic practices in which they kill and reanimate portions of their bodies, the death knight conquers both life and death. Notoriously difficult to kill, death knights are often outcast from civilized society, finding welcome with other denizens of undeath. This profession favors those who seek power and dominance over death, and provides bonuses to Strength, Endurance, Fortitude, and Intelligence. This is an Epic profession.
Choose Death Knight as your profession?
Yes No
Arche turned away from the Death Knight immediately. He hadn¡¯t found a profession that suited him just yet, but there was nearly nothing about the class that reflected him, aside from the bonus to his attributes. Still, the Door of Hidden Potential must have seen something down that path that would call to him and the mastery over death was something that deeply interested him, but using necromancy was the wrong way to go about it. He could still see Lyssa¡¯s reaction to it in the Necropolis of Pygmaia. It was clear the practice was abhorred and pursuing it would likely drive a wedge between them, something he was not willing to risk to satisfy his own fears. With this tier out, the only path left was forward. Arche considered for a moment which profession to progress past, knowing that each one influenced the other options he would get. Death Knight was out, so would he progress past Spellblade to get more magically inclined options, or go with Paladin? The choice was hefty but the lasso around his organs told him to choose quickly. More spell-based professions would still have the issue that he didn¡¯t know any magic, so he moved past the Paladin, hoping the tier beyond it would have whatever he was looking for. With every step, the feelings of discomfort intensified. Each movement was stiff and dragging, as though he were wading through mud as he forced himself onward. The twisting of his bowels made him gag and retch. His mouth and throat filled with spit, ready for him to vomit up his guts. As he readied himself to give up, three figures were, at last, revealed by the void. Arche turned to the first, his vision swimming. The clone¡¯s robes constantly flickered and changed colors. Blue, then red, then purple, then yellow, then green, then black, then starting all over again in a kaleidoscope of color. It was doing nothing to reassure his stomach. There was a round sigil on the profession¡¯s chest but it was empty and smooth, as if waiting for something to be engraved.
Acolyte The path of the acolyte is one of service and devotion. The gods, distantly removed as they are, are still holders of great and divine powers which they bestow onto their champions. Dedicating oneself in service to a god and gaining their blessing is required in becoming an Acolyte, which will unlock a sect of Divine Magic congruent with their patron. This profession is a relationship, as opposed to a bond or pact, and can be lost if the Acolyte falls out of favor with their chosen deity. This profession favors those who wish for guidance and reassurance in a chaotic world, and grants bonuses and reductions dependent on the chosen deity. This is a Legendary profession.
Choose Acolyte as your profession?
Yes No
Divine Magic? Like his Divine Body skill? Arche reeled from the implications and from the metaphysical hooks in his organs. This profession might give him answers but it had already given him something to look into. He would find out who these ¡®gods¡¯ were and, if he was lucky, find some answers about himself along the way. However, he couldn¡¯t, or wouldn¡¯t, do that by making himself beholden to such a thing. Arche turned toward the next version of himself. At first, it appeared normal, wearing simple, form-fitting clothing. Then he realized there were aspects of it that were not altogether human. The eyes were yellow instead of brown, the teeth and fingernails were long and pointed. The doppelganger¡¯s skin was mildly reflective and had small, flesh-colored scales. It was hard not to be a little repulsed.
Summoner The path of the summoner is one of experimentation and dedication. This profession has long lied dormant despite the great powers it grants to those brave enough to choose it. Summoners have the ability to siphon the essences of creatures they kill and, upon gaining enough mastery, can augment their own abilities with the aspects of those essences. The most powerful summoners can create minions out of those essences and enchant them with life, for a time, or bind magical creatures in servitude, answering to the summoner¡¯s whims. This profession favors those who desire power and aren¡¯t afraid to make sacrifices to get it. This profession provides bonuses to Intelligence, Wisdom, Willpower. Additional bonuses or reductions may be provided by this profession based on chosen augmentations. This is a Legendary profession.
Choose Summoner as your profession?
Yes No
Arche turned away. He wanted to be powerful, yes, but this was a step too far. The body augmentations were reminiscent of the Beastmar and the latter half of the description mentioned the enslavement of magical creatures. No, it was too geared toward corruption, if not of mind, then of morals. The thought of it made Arche queasy, though that may have been his squirming insides. The last version of himself stood without armor or weapons, only simple robes. Looking at it in comparison to the others, he was almost disappointed with how normal it seemed, considering he was on the ¡®legendary¡¯ tier of professions. The identifying notification left his preconceived notions to rot.
Battle Lord The path of the battle lord is one of devastation and beauty. A battle lord can master any weapon, including themselves, and can lead a small force into overwhelming odds and emerge the victor. Combat comes easy to them, leading is like breathing, and death follows any foolish enough to stand in their way. This profession favors those who wish to lead and who wish to master any combat form they choose, and provides bonuses to Strength, Dexterity, Agility, Endurance, and Charisma. This is a Legendary profession.
Choose Battle Lord as your profession?
Yes No
This was a profession he could wield. One strong enough to change the world. But was that what he wanted to be remembered as? One who killed and compelled others to kill? Arche wasn¡¯t sure, but there were no more figures beyond, no higher tiers to climb to. He had to make a choice because just standing still was an effort. If he lowered his guard, he was certain that whatever was pulling on his center would snatch him back to the beginning and he would either have to choose one of the Common professions or suffer this fate all over again, if the choices would even remain the same. The figures in the void had seemed to be moving, after all. Arche gnashed his teeth. He felt like he was missing something, something huge. Each of these Legendary professions promised power he could barely comprehend, but they were all wrong. All of them. The door had said his choices would be tailored to him but there hadn¡¯t been a perfect fit. That either meant he had no true profession or he hadn¡¯t yet reached the end. Arche took a step forward and bile forced its way up his throat. He coughed, splattering yellow into the void as his body shook from the effort, but he kept moving forward. His vision faded around the edges as invisible, serrated hooks latched themselves into him, pulling him backwards, but he held to what he was doing with single-minded determination to keep his consciousness from slipping. He stumbled, now side-long with the Battle Lord, and fell. Every muscle spasmed and trembled. His nerves fired sporadically, making him twitch, writhe, and convulse from pain. Still, between juddering movements and shakes, he clawed his way forward. Arche reached his hand past the Battle Lord and two figures appeared. There had been no silhouette, no indication that they had ever been there. One moment: nothingness, void. The next, beautiful existence. Unlike the others, these moved. They stepped forward together and lifted Arche onto his feet, carrying him forward. One wore a strange set of armor and had an aura of power. The other wore the same crude clothing as Arche, but cleaner. His skin glowed faintly, seemingly of its own accord, gently shifting colors. The glowing double raised a hand and pointed toward Arche¡¯s chest. The gesture looked almost like he wanted to shake Arche¡¯s hand but it was too close and too high for him to grasp comfortably. The hand exploded with light, blinding him, who was already struggling to stay conscious. Arche screwed his eyes shut, feeling the burn of more bile forcing its way up his throat. Something shifted in his chest and he peeked one eye open, seeing that the light had faded somewhat. The glowing version of himself had stuck his hand into Arche¡¯s chest and was fishing about for something. The sight of this was more than Arche could take and he barely managed to twist his head to the side before vomiting yet again. The pulling feeling in his center faded. Arche took a deep, shuddering breath and found that other than the remnants of an irritated throat, he felt fine. The figures stepped away from him and simply stared at him. ¡°Thanks,¡± Arche muttered, not able to speak any louder. The figures did not respond. Now that he was no longer being wrenched back by the hooks, they stood unnaturally still, like the other versions he had already passed. He looked at the figure in armor, the one that had reached him first.
Ancient Hero The path of the Ancient Hero is one that has never been walked in Tartarus. Elsewhere, they have accomplished incredible feats, slain terrible monsters, and performed great acts of service, tales of which still live on, thousands of years later. This profession favors those who are willing to do what is good for all of Tartarus, even if it comes at great risk to themselves. This profession provides a bonus to all attributes. This is a Mythic profession.
Choose Ancient Hero as your profession?
Yes No
Arche was stunned. It was an incredible choice. A boost to every attribute and a promise that his name would live on long after he died. That was hard for anyone to turn down. He turned his eyes to the glowing figure.
Demigod The path of the Demigod is often thrust upon the individual, not chosen. Perhaps somewhere in your family lineage a deity was involved, or some deity sponsored you at some point during your life. Whatever the case, you have been given some degree of Divinity and unlocked access to this profession. Further travel down this path will reveal what powers lie dormant within you but have caution. Some will hate you for what you are, others will resent the attention you receive, and still others will want to use you for their own ends. This power is yours, however, and though it must be awakened fully before you can gain the benefits of this profession, it cannot be taken away from you. This profession provides a bonus to all attributes. This is a Mythic profession.
Choose Demigod as your profession?
Yes No
Arche¡¯s breath caught in his throat. Finally, a path toward answers. The profession wasn¡¯t just incredibly powerful, but it encouraged¡ªno, rewarded¡ªhim for learning more about himself. The choice, at last, was obvious. He wasn¡¯t here for power, glory, or fame. More than anything, he wanted to know who he was and why he was here. If a god had been involved in his life at some point, no matter how distantly removed, that was a start. Maybe they could provide him with answers if he found them. ¡°Yes,¡± Arche said to the void. ¡°I am a demigod.¡± All the various versions of himself faded into smoke, reabsorbed by the void. Arche was met by a sudden barrage of notifications.
You have chosen the Demigod profession, a Mythic profession. Unlocking your Profession¡­ Error! Subject does not possess fully awakened Divinity. Error! No deity bypass observed. Error! Parameters not met, engaging system backup.
You have been offer[error] given a Profession Quest. Unlocking Your Potential You must complete the quest in order to claim your profession. All leveling will be halted until you have claimed your profession.
Objectives ¡¤ Reach a Divinity of 100% (20/100) ¡¤ Do not die Rewards ¡¤ Claim your profession
Accept this Quest?
Yes Yes
Quest Accepted Profession Unlock parameters defined¡­ Returning to Tartarus¡­ Initializing¡­ 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ Welcome back.
Book 1 | Chapter 28 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche opened his eyes. He was on his back, dazed and in more than a little pain. Thankfully, the feeling didn¡¯t last long. Soft, greenish-yellow light surrounded him. The faint scent of flowers filled the otherwise musty room. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°I¡­I think so?¡± ¡°You got a profession, didn¡¯t you?¡± Tess said. ¡°Picked an interesting time to do your Professing.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question but Arche nodded anyway. ¡°Yeah. But that doesn¡¯t matter right now, it¡¯s locked behind a quest. Is everyone all right?¡± Odelia took that opportunity to pipe up. ¡°Nothing ten minutes or so can¡¯t fix. I think we¡¯re mostly surface wounds.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself,¡± Abraxios said, lifting up one wing to show the wilted and singed feathers. ¡°This kind of damage will take weeks to fix. I won¡¯t fly right until I¡¯ve had a chance to molt. I really thought it had us there.¡± The tengu gave Arche a sidelong look. ¡°That is, until you did¡­whatever it is that you did.¡± ¡°Divine Body,¡± Tess said in a playfully deep voice, waving her hands in a foul mimicry of Arche. ¡°It makes me strong and dumb.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Arche replied, feigning annoyance. ¡°I don¡¯t need any skills to be dumb.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I know it,¡± Lyssa muttered. ¡°Hey!¡± Arche held up a hand to stop further banter. ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°Only a minute or two,¡± Odelia reassured him. ¡°We need to plan our next move.¡± Lyssa moved to the destroyed wall. She peeked into the adjoining passageway, cocking her head to listen for the sounds of approaching beastmar. Satisfied, she returned, shaking her head to indicate a lack of alarm. ¡°We still haven¡¯t figured out what the beastmar are planning or how to put a stop to it. That¡¯s our number one priority.¡± Arche eased himself upright and found a seat on the rubble as Odelia moved back and forth between the rest of the party, using her biomancy to seal open wounds with a yellow glow. ¡°I think we need to go farther down, as much as I hate to say it,¡± Abraxios chimed in. ¡°When I scouted it out before, I saw a lot of passages far below. This place is big and being entirely underground means it¡¯s probably bigger than any of us know.¡± ¡°We could take a beastmar captive, next we fight them, and make them take us to their leaders,¡± Arche suggested. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Lyssa replied. Arche looked at the Huntress in surprise. ¡°Something the matter?¡± ¡°They¡¯re abominations.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not willing to even consider that we use one to our advantage?¡± ¡°How would we know that it isn¡¯t walking us into a trap? That it wouldn¡¯t gladly throw away its life to kill us?¡± Arche thought about that for a moment. ¡°Well, no way of knowing about a trap, but the ones from before ran away when the ch¨ªmaira showed up, so they clearly have some sense of self-preservation.¡± ¡°They fear fire,¡± Abraxios said. ¡°Many of them hesitated to enter when the oil was ignited, and several cried out who were not caught in the mess.¡± ¡°Shit, I forgot about that. What happened to the fire?¡± ¡°It¡¯s buried beneath a thousand kilos of stone. If it hasn¡¯t smothered, it will burn itself out,¡± Odelia replied. ¡°Wow, uh, a thousand. That¡¯s¡­a lot?¡± The others rolled their eyes collectively. The synchronicity was impressive but they had other concerns. ¡°Anyway. Back on topic. Unless someone has a better idea than wandering these tunnels for days and hoping we don¡¯t get lost, I think our best bet is taking a prisoner and making them show or tell us where to find the rest.¡± Lyssa frowned but said nothing. No one else objected. ¡°All right, good talk.¡± Arche stood, still feeling unsteady. Odelia had done much to heal him, but with his profession locked behind a quest, he still hadn¡¯t been able to level. His Stamina and Mana were low. The others stood as well, Odelia having seen to it that everyone was fully healed. ¡°So, who¡¯s ready to make some noise?¡± ¡°One moment.¡± Lyssa knelt and touched the corpse of the ch¨ªmaira. A moment later, the ch¨ªmaira sagged inwards into itself, its hide and all heads gone, along with several other various body parts. Arche balked slightly at the display, wondering how high Lyssa¡¯s Skinning skill was that she could skip the process at, presumably, no loss in quality. She noticed him gawking and raised an eyebrow in response. ¡°I¡¯m a Huntress, what did you expect?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re absolutely right. I should have seen that coming.¡± They filed out into the passageway, heading away from the cave-in Arche had caused. They walked for longer than was necessary, each of them wanting to put the room behind them. Arche led the way as he was best suited for front-line combat. It was also his idea, so he felt it was only fair that he be the tip of the spear. As he walked, his thoughts turned to levels. Arche vaguely remembered Lyssa mentioning levels were harder to get once someone chose a profession. His Slayer of the Mighty Trait had made leveling a breeze, so far, but that was only for as long as he fought and personally killed creatures that were a higher level than him. As it stood, his profession was locked until he increased his Divinity, whatever that was. It had to have something to do with his Divine Body skill, but he didn¡¯t get the feeling the relationship would be quite so straight forward as leveling it. It could be tied to the skill itself, the number of times he activated it, how long in total he had channeled it, learning more about how it worked, the circumstances in which he used it, or any number of other factors. There was no telling without trial and error, and the last thing he wanted to deal with was more Mana Burnout, especially after Odelia¡¯s and Abraxios¡¯s warnings that improper usage could kill him or cause irreparable damage. There would be no quick fix leveling to save him until he had unlocked his profession. There was one silver lining about the whole situation. For as long as his level was capped at fifteen, monsters that he killed that were stronger would give him bonus experience, which would all come rushing back to him upon completion of his profession quest. There was a tightrope to power in front of him: hunt and kill dangerous creatures, but don¡¯t die while doing it. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but it could be lucrative. Arche shelved those thoughts for another time. Power had never been his goal and it was time to focus. ¡°All right, this should be far enough,¡± he said, coming to a stop. ¡°How are we going to draw them out?¡± Abraxios parted his beak in a strange, avian smile. ¡°Just leave that to me.¡± The tengu stepped forward, in front of Arche and several steps past. The tengu held his wings out to either side, the feathers brushing against the wall. Then he brought his hands together in a thunderous clap accompanied by a fierce cry that echoed throughout the enclosed stone space. Arche opened his mouth in an alarmed shout but couldn¡¯t hear any noise come out. The world had gone from unthinkably loud to eerily quiet in the space of a breath. Abraxios snapped two taloned fingers together and the noise returned. ¡°Sorry,¡± the tengu said. ¡°I forget you wingless ones have never braced a thunderstorm.¡± ¡°Of course we have,¡± Lyssa replied, her eyes still closed as she massaged what was left of her ears. ¡°They¡¯re not that uncommon.¡± ¡°I meant from inside the clouds.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°All right, enough with the humble-brags,¡± Arche cut in. ¡°Did it work?¡± Abraxios nodded. ¡°Oh, yes. Those who were not stunned upon hearing it will come to investigate.¡± ¡°Great. I guess this is a bad time to ask what happens if too many come.¡± ¡°If too many come,¡± Odelia said wearily. ¡°Then I will cave in the passage.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Tess sang with a fake smile. ¡°Because that won¡¯t be problematic in any way.¡± Arche moved to the front of the group and readied himself, bouncing on his toes. After being relatively helpless for most of the previous fight, he felt restless. More than that, he felt angry. He¡¯d been forced to sit and watch, drained of everything, as his friends had fought and almost died against overwhelming odds. He¡¯d been helpless to stop it. Worse than helpless, they¡¯d had to worry about protecting him. His presence had been actively bad for them. Not this time. Arche hefted the Tridory into an overhand stance with white knuckles as he heard the scrabbling of too many feet in the distance, echoing down the passage toward them. Adrenaline and anger mixed deep in his belly, creating a hot blend that traveled throughout his entire body. He was glad they were coming. Glad he had something to fight. Something he didn¡¯t have to hold back on. Something to slaughter. It was time to paint the caves with their blood. Time to revel in their massacre. Arche didn¡¯t know when he had started moving, but he found himself running through the passage. The others called out his name from behind, shouting for him to stop, to come back, but there was a pulse in his veins that spurred him on, a thrill. His blood was up and his vision was red. What lay ahead was the answer to all his problems, for the time being. The enemy was approaching and he was ready for them. Here, at last, was something he could do. Something he could kill. Arche rounded a bend in the passage and saw the beastmar approaching. The passage was long and straight, thirty paces at a glance, and wide enough that two of the multi-legged beastmar could run abreast, or three of the normally proportioned ones, but they would have great difficulty fighting on top of one another. Arche dug inside himself and channeled a sliver of his Divine Body skill, directing it into his arm. His arm glowed with a bright, red light, lighting up the passage. He skipped a step and threw the Tridory. With his suddenly enhanced Strength, the trident flew impossibly far for how short the ceiling was and punched through the first beastmar unfortunate enough to block its path. The line of advancing beastmar buckled as those rushing behind tripped over their fallen comrades. Arche never stopped, continuing his rush forward. With a small expenditure of Mana, the Tridory flew back toward his open hand as he closed the distance, dripping with black gore. An arrow sped past his head, burying itself into the throat of a beastmar and it went down in a tumble of flailing legs. Arche slammed into the horde, thrusting and stabbing with his spear before turning it like a quarterstaff to block or displace. As confined as the passage was, the stack of injured or dead beastmar slowed the rest down, who pushed against their brethren, knocking them off balance in turn and making them easy prey to Arche¡¯s spear. And prey they were. Hot anger flooded Arche¡¯s hands and feet, giving him strength. Everything, every repressed emotion came tearing out of him with frightening intensity. The beastmar were strong and hateful, but most were not especially fast. Arche wielded the Tridory in both hands, constantly adjusting his grip to change his reach. One moment, he was fully extended to tear out a beastmar¡¯s throat, the next he was right up on them, hand practically gripping the blade as he used the Tridory to disembowel, to stab, to rip. Tess appeared beside him, adjusting her movements to flow with his as her daggers made short work of anything that slipped inside of his spear. ¡°Malaka! What is wrong with you?¡± Her voice was quiet beneath the blood pumping through him. It didn¡¯t matter. There were beastmar to slay. Arche thrust forward at a relatively humanoid beastmar wielding a large kopis. The beastmar deflected the spear thrust to the side and into one of its allies, before sliding the small sword against the shaft and toward Arche. Arche let go with one hand, channeled Divine Body into his arm, and lashed out with his fist faster than the beastmar had expected. Crimson light bathed the narrow corridor. The creature brought the kopis up into the path of Arche¡¯s fist. Arche saw the motion and snarled. A little bit of steel against the full weight of his Divine Body? Child¡¯s play. He threw even more Mana into his fist and pushed through. Knuckle met blade and persevered. The sword shattered and Arche¡¯s fist continued through, found the beastmar¡¯s face, and shattered that as well. He deactivated the skill a moment later, his Mana flagging at less than half. With it gone, much of Arche¡¯s anger faded as well. It washed out of him, leaving him cold and tired. Still, the beastmar came. The full weight of his stupidity bore down on him. He¡¯d abandoned his allies and rushed toward the enemy, giving up any strategic position they might have had and forcing the rest to follow along after him or abandon him to a deserved fate. Stupidity was too kind a word. ¡°You¡¯re right to be mad,¡± he grunted, narrowly blocking a spear thrust. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have run off. I couldn¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Tess spun behind Arche and came up on his other side, driving a dagger into a beastmar¡¯s armpit. ¡°Later, please.¡± He thrust the Tridory up toward the necks of a two-headed beastmar, but somehow managed to thread both through the prongs of the spear instead of skewering them. With the press of a button, both heads were severed as the trident condensed back into a single-pointed spear. ¡°No! No, we cannot finish this later. Why are you being so reckless? This isn¡¯t just your life down here. All of us followed you and I want to know that you¡¯re not leading us to our deaths.¡± Arche hesitated, just for a moment. It was enough for a beastmar to rake its claws down his arm, drawing hot blood. He stabbed it through the face in response but the damage was done. ¡°Not intentionally.¡± An arrow skipped off the ceiling and hit a beastmar in the eye, making it howl and scrabble at its face even as Arche stabbed it in the chest. He almost missed the opening, as distracted as he was. ¡°Holy shit, what a shot!¡± Even as it fell, another took its place in what seemed an endless supply. Arche gnashed his teeth, feeling the fighting spirit rise again. A thin wind blew around him and Tess, buoying them and making their movements faster and more precise. ¡°How many are left, can you tell?¡± Arche gasped, his attention completely taken by a beastmar with two spears that was trying its best to turn him into a kebab. One of the spears slashed his leg, but he managed to pin the other to the wall with one arm and slam the blade of the Tridory into the beastmar¡¯s chest. A large fist emerged from the swelling mass of beastmar and collided against Arche¡¯s chest, knocking him back and off his feet. The Tridory ripped free from his hand, lodged in the ribcage of the beastmar he had killed. Tess danced backwards toward him, trying to slow the press of monsters but she couldn¡¯t keep them at bay by herself. ¡°Eight.¡± Tess ducked a swipe from a hand that had at least seventeen claws. She twisted to the side and stepped off the wall in a graceful maneuver that let her reach high enough to slash the throat of the beastmar towering above her. ¡°Seven.¡± Arche got to his feet. He drew his xiphos in a fluid motion, then jumped back into the fight. ¡°On your left!¡± He wished, not for the first time, that he had picked up a shield somewhere along his journey, but he had to make do with what he had. Activating his Power Attack maneuver, he brought his forearm up and channeled Divine Body to give him the extra strength needed to arrest one beastmar¡¯s arm against the wall. He brought his sword down and managed to sever the entire arm. The beastmar screeched but Arche wasn¡¯t done. Twisting and thrusting the xiphos into the creature¡¯s other shoulder, Arche severed the tendons and rendered the limb useless. The beastmar lunged toward him, trying to bite him with a face that was a foul cross between a man and a frog. Arche lost his footing and landed on his back. The beastmar descended onto him, biting and gnashing. Arche grabbed it by the throat to keep it from tearing into his face and used his feet to kick it over his head, back toward Lyssa and the others behind him. ¡°Keep that one alive,¡± he barked, not waiting to see if the others were listening. The move had left Tess to fend for herself against two smaller beastmar simultaneously and their combined assault had proven more than the dexterous Rogue could handle. She let out a cry of pain as claws tore into her side, though she exacted her retribution in blood. Arche dropped the sword and summoned the Tridory to his hand. It impaled two beastmar as it flew to him, ripping through their bodies like they weren¡¯t even there. An expertly placed arrow from Lyssa took another in the throat, dropping it before it reached either of them. Arche thrust his spear into a beastmar¡¯s stomach as Tess¡¯s throwing dagger caught the last in the throat. At long last, the fight they had picked was over. A host of notifications awaited Arche but he shelved them all for later. He picked up his fallen sword and placed it safely into his inventory. He winced at the few wounds he had accrued but none of them seemed serious. He was slowly staining his clothing red, but the bleeding was only trickling a few health every five seconds or so and would stop before long. Tess let out a wet, raspy cough. Arche turned toward her and froze. The Tridory slipped from his hand and clattered against the floor. The armor around her side had been torn open and there was a jagged slice of white poking through a gaping wound. One of her ribs had snapped away. Tess slid to the ground, both hands trying desperately to hold her insides back as a puddle of blood grew around her. Arche was at her side a moment later, his hands over hers. ¡°Fuck! No, no, no, no, no, stay with me.¡± He put pressure on the wound, his panic rising. This was far beyond anything he knew how to deal with. ¡°Odelia! Stay with me, Tess. Odelia!¡± The halfling knelt next to Tess¡¯s other side, her hands weaving complex spell patterns. Tess¡¯s breathing grew ragged and painful. Her face quickly losing color. Arche kept his hands on the wound until Odelia pushed him out of the way. Brilliant light burst forth from the halfling¡¯s hands and sank into the gash in Tess¡¯s side. Arche held her hand, his eyes darting back and forth between the wound and her face. This was his fault. All of it. Why had he run off? What possessed him to do something so fucking stupid? Arche¡¯s stomach clenched as Odelia worked complex spell forms over and into the wound. He had been the one to rush forward, chasing some ridiculous feeling and desire to prove himself, and all it had done was endanger the lives of his friends. It had been reckless, stupid, and pointless. There had been no thought to it. None at all. ¡°Come on, please. Please, stay with me.¡± Tess¡¯s ashen face turned toward him, slack from exhaustion. Her lips twisted into a small smile, then her eyes closed. ¡°No, no, no, no¡­¡± Arche felt his throat start closing up. ¡°She¡¯s not dead,¡± Odelia said quickly, still pumping golden Mana into the wound. ¡°Just lost consciousness.¡± Arche felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. At first, all he saw was a blur, but he blinked a few times and his vision cleared to see Lyssa standing next to him, her face creased in pity and compassion. Arche stood; Tess¡¯s hand fell limp into the dirt. He backed away, his breath coming in short spurts. Lyssa grabbed him by the shoulders and kept him from sliding back down to the ground. ¡°Calm, Arche. Calm yourself.¡± He barely heard the words. Tess¡¯s face, her slight smile, her blonde hair stained red, all of it was burned into his memory. Her blood coated his hands, as surely as if he had dealt the wound himself. It was too much. He couldn¡¯t¡­ The emerald light faded, startling Arche out of his spiral, and Odelia slumped to the ground, her Mana spent. The halfling took a couple labored breaths before speaking. ¡°I¡¯ve done what I can to staunch the bleeding, but the wound is deep. It damaged several organs and I¡¯m out of Mana. I¡¯ll continue doing all I can for her, but it¡¯s up to her, now.¡± Arche held his face in his hands. ¡°What did I do?¡± Book 1 | Chapter 29 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°Arche, it¡¯s not your¡ª¡± ¡°Bullshit. Yes, it fucking is my fault.¡± They had retreated down the passage from the others. Not quite out of earshot, but far enough to not be in the way. Abraxios was keeping an eye on the beastmar they had captured and Odelia was tending to Tess, who had yet to regain consciousness. The Life Shaman¡¯s Mana regeneration was truly prodigious; it seemed she could cast a new healing spell every half minute, but even still, Tess¡¯s survival was a coin-toss. ¡°You need to be there for her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the reason she¡¯s like this. The best thing for her is for me to stay away before I do any more harm.¡± Lyssa¡¯s eyes flashed with anger. Faster than Arche¡¯s eyes could track, she shoved him up against the wall and spoke with a grit to her voice that Arche had never heard before. ¡°You played a fool; this is the price. You don¡¯t get to run from that. Go to her, Arche. She needs you. Whatever happens, you will be there because she needs you to be there. She followed you this far, do not betray that.¡± If she hadn¡¯t pinned him to the wall, he would have crumpled. Everything had gone so wrong so quickly. He¡¯d fucked up¡ªgod, he¡¯d fucked up¡ªand he couldn¡¯t explain to anybody, not even himself, why he¡¯d done what he had. Things had gone well enough for so long that he¡¯d forgotten how dangerous the world really was. Even after almost dying to the ch¨ªmaira, even after all his close calls, he¡¯d let himself get caught up in his emotions instead of thinking. Tess was paying the price when it should have been him lying on the floor, bleeding out. Arche found his feet under him, took a shuddering breath, and nodded. Lyssa let him go, her own expression growing inscrutable. He followed her back to the others and sat on the stone floor, taking Tess¡¯s hand in his own again. Her skin was cool to the touch, as if she were already dead, but a subtle, arhythmic rise and fall in her chest showed she still lived. For the moment. He pressed her hand to his chest with both of his, willing heat back into it. Helpless was too small a word for the emptiness inside of him. He felt small, like a child confronted by the inevitability of death. He wanted to retreat inside of himself, curl up and push everything out. He wanted it to be him on the ground, being operated on, so at least if he died it would have been his own fault and no one else would pay the price for his mistakes. Cold droplets splashed across the back of his hands. Arche realized he was crying. He didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d been crying the whole time or if he¡¯d just started, but when he rubbed his face against his shoulder, his cheeks were slick. A flash of green light, another healing spell. Odelia¡¯s face was flushed and sweaty from the effort of constantly draining Mana, though her evident control and skill with magic must have staved away all risk of Mana Burnout. The light triggered a memory, one Arche had almost forgotten. An experience from a dream, when he had met a strange figure who had extinguished a green candle from a world similar to Tartarus but not quite the same. Arche didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d be able to contact the being, or even if it would be able to help, but it was something. Arche rearranged himself into a poor-man¡¯s lotus position and straightened his spine. He held Tess¡¯s hand in his own, focusing the full extent of his attention on her. He tried to trace a path from his heart to hers, willing his mind to open up and accept her in its awareness, like it accepted the Tridory. When he called out to the spear to return to him, he got the vaguest sense of where it was. The slightest hint of direction, of something existing outside of himself. He tried to find Tess in that same way, calling to her with sheer will. He had no idea if what he was attempting was even possible. He was skating by on half-baked instincts, desperation, and the barest seeds of hope he was too afraid to let grow. The alternative was to do nothing and that wasn¡¯t an option. For several minutes, he felt nothing but her hand in his, her weak pulse beneath his fingers. Then his mind brushed against something. He felt her. She was an awareness on the edge of his mental boundaries. Her mind¡¯s walls were like stone but they were weak, deteriorating. His own were mud, shoddy and unkempt, but he could still feel her through them, however faintly. He focused on his own walls first, fashioning a gate that would allow him to exit and others to enter by his desire, and reinforced the walls around it, turning that portion of his mind into hardened stone. Strangely, his Mana dipped as he manipulated the mental construct. He felt he could continue strengthening the borders of his mind, but it would take considerable time and effort. Time he didn¡¯t have. With a command, he lowered the gate to his mind and forced his consciousness to leave its safety, stepping out into the ephemeral nothingness that stood between his walls and Tess¡¯s. The negative space was unexpectedly aggressive in its expanse. Arche was struck with sudden fear as he became aware of the sheer expanse that awaited him in this new domain. It was almost enough to make him turn and bolt back into the safety of his mind, but his purpose kept him where he was. He forced himself closer to Tess¡¯s mental walls and reached out his consciousness to brush against them. They shuddered at his touch but he kept the contact, trying to project reassurance and support. He felt instinctively that he would be able to break through her walls if he tried, given the weakness of her condition, but he also felt the shock from doing so could kill her. He was in the untested waters of ephemerality, where instinct and logic clashed. There were secrets out in the nothingness that could never be revealed in the physical world. He could discover things no mortal mind could conceive, but to go that far would be to lose himself as well, leaving his body behind forever without hope of ever finding his way back. Arche ignored the impossibilities and focused on Tess¡¯s mind alone. He pushed more complex emotions toward her. His gratitude for sparing his life. His guilt for what had happened. His burning need to do something, anything, to help her. A few stone blocks tumbled away in front of him, leaving a gap large enough for him to slip inside. Tess had let him in. That simple fact nearly broke him. His consciousness filtered into her mind and her emotions washed over him. Fear was near the top. Fear of death, fear of pain, fear of betrayal, fear of being alone. All of it came crashing down on Arche¡¯s consciousness even as Tess herself appeared to be trying to hold it back, in vain. ¡®It¡¯s all right, Theresa. I¡¯m here.¡¯ Arche projected reassurance. He was with her, he wouldn¡¯t leave her. In those moments, he could hide nothing from her and she could hide nothing from him. Their lives coexisted. She saw his every memory, his every mistake and every triumph, from the time he had woken up in the woods to that very moment. She saw his profession trial and the choices he made, she saw his first encounter with Lyssa and how he¡¯d nearly died to a diseased wolf, and she saw how he had stood up for Helwan and given him a chance when it would have been easy to let the satyr die. In return, he saw her life. He saw her grow up in the house of a merchant lord, doted on by servants. Saw her rebelliousness as she would slip away from the house and her caretakers to go play in the city with her friends. Tasted the nectar of stolen fruit, pinched from stalls for childhood dares. Felt the deep laughs of clever jokes and the solemnity of pacts that only the young can make with their entire hearts. He also saw darkness. A betrayal at the hands of her friends. She was stolen away and held for ransom against her father. She had been abused, tortured, and led to believe she would die. Two months she was kept captive, waiting for her father to rescue her, for his guards to come sweeping in and take her to safety. Her friends had used her trust to lure her somewhere her father couldn¡¯t find; their own fathers wrote the ransom note. Five thousand drachmae for her life. A life that was belittled and tortured with every passing day. A life that was violated and degraded. A life that came to wish for its own end. She was twelve. The ransom was paid and she was freed, but the scars were heavy upon her mind. She bore their weight everywhere. She did not eat, she did not speak. Sleep came only upon exhaustion¡¯s beckoning and it was restless. Her father was patient with her, at first, but grew angry by her sixteenth birthday. He didn¡¯t understand how deep the scars went. Didn¡¯t understand how shattered Theresa¡¯s mind had become. All he knew was the price he had paid and that what he¡¯d received wasn¡¯t the same girl that had been stolen. She felt her father¡¯s resentment for what had become of her and Arche felt it through her. At seventeen, she left her father¡¯s house. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. She wandered the streets for days, sleeping in alleyways and stealing from stalls like she had as a child, but she did not go unnoticed. The local thieves¡¯ guild, Hekatonkheires, had taken an interest in her and sent her an invitation. Here, the memories became shiny, hopeful. She had joined, reluctantly at first, but grew to appreciate what they provided her with. They taught her skills and gave her the confidence she needed to look after herself. She had forced herself to be strong, to be self-reliant, because she never forgot what had been done to her, and she never trusted anyone the way she had trusted her childhood friends. Ten years passed as she worked for the Hekatonkheires, then the guild was attacked by a rival, the Keres, and her chapter was destroyed. Theresa had barely escaped with her life. She spent the next year scrounging up what she could, running from the Keres, who still tried to hunt her down, and finally found a place in the expedition to create the village of Buton. The shininess faded. Arche saw Callias Buteo approach Tess, offering her coin and an ultimatum. Kill Arche and be paid a hefty sum or be left to fend for herself once again. So far from the city, the only home she knew, she had no choice. The forest was a death sentence. She knew nothing of Arche, either, other than that he had shown up and fought. It was his life or hers, and she had long since refused to place other lives above hers. He saw the party from her perspective, how she had maneuvered drinks into his hands, danced with him, led him away from the party and the prying eyes of Lyssa. How she had waited until he¡¯d passed out, robbed him, then dragged him deep into the forest where none would find his body. Then she had made her fatal mistake. Instead of simply killing Arche, she had decided to speak with him first. She was a thief, not a killer, and she needed reassurance that Arche deserved the fate coming to him. After their talk, she had decided he didn¡¯t. Then he had saved her, both from the mantikhoras and the forest itself, when she was too weak to carry herself back to the village. Saved her when it would have been the easiest thing in the world to let her die. When she would have deserved it. When she would have done it, had their positions been reversed. There was an emotion wrapped up in that memory. One too complex and ethereal for Arche to recognize, but it was strong. Joy and fear, guilt and attraction. All roiled together in a seething mass, until he couldn¡¯t tell them apart anymore. Arche¡¯s heart broke for her, for the struggle that had been her life. He didn¡¯t know if she had shared her life purposefully or if it had been a side-effect of allowing his consciousness into her mind, but he was grateful for the trust. Now that he was here, he was unsure of what to do, but he knew he needed to find a way of contacting that being. The one that claimed to be Death. He reached his consciousness out toward the world he had only seen in his dreams. At first, nothing happened. Then, slowly, he felt his consciousness bleed into that strange world. Tartarus, but not Tartarus. Arche¡¯s eyes opened and he became aware that, for the first time in several minutes, his consciousness was connected to a body. He stood, trying to get a sense of his surroundings. He was still underground, but the rock was red instead of gray. The passage continued for a long way in both directions before eventually disappearing into nothing. Several dim, green candles floated around him. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why can¡¯t I see my vitals?¡± Arche turned and found Tess lying on the ground. Her positioning was the same as it had been but she was conscious and moving. Her armor was gone, replaced by the same crude, white clothing that Arche also wore. He helped her to her feet. ¡°I entered this world once in a dream and saw a creature here that affected the dead. It was the only thing I could think of that might help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­dead, then.¡± ¡°Not if I can help it. I didn¡¯t actually know you would come here, too. Not quite sure how I managed that. Not quite sure how I got here myself, actually. As far as I know, I didn¡¯t fall asleep.¡± Tess looked at him for a moment, then nodded as if to herself. ¡°That was you, in my head. I didn¡¯t know if I had dreamed it.¡± Her face fell. ¡°So¡­you saw.¡± ¡°I did. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tess turned away. ¡°I suppose that was my choice. I didn¡¯t want to die alone. Sorry you had to see all that, bet it wasn¡¯t what you were expecting.¡± ¡°I¡­I know it doesn¡¯t mean anything coming from me, but it wasn¡¯t your fault. Any of it.¡± Tess looked at him, eyes wide and discerning. She cocked her head and gave him a small smile. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean nothing. I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m still dreaming, though.¡± ¡°You should not be here.¡± The voice swept through them like a chill wind. Arche and Tess whirled to find a figure standing near them. An amorphous helmet covered its face, shifting between humanoid features and a smooth, metallic surface. Two eyeholes cut deep into the mask, the only permanent blemish. Arche shuddered under the weight of Death¡¯s glare. Two white pupils surrounded by sclera as black as the void. The figure took a single step toward them, its interlocking black metal plated armor making a chinking noise as it moved. The black cape at its back billowed despite the lack of wind. ¡°You said that last time,¡± Arche said as the being advanced. ¡°It was true then. It is true now.¡± The entity¡¯s voice was mellow and smooth, like it had lived a thousand lifetimes and was now simply bored. No, bored implied it had something better to do. It was as if the creature cared for nothing, despite the words it spoke. ¡°Arche, who is that?¡± Tess¡¯s voice quavered as she spoke, a sound that Arche had never heard from the normally implacable woman. ¡°I am the end that comes for all things. I am become Death.¡± The being said this plainly, without boast or pride, as if they were simply commenting on the weather. ¡°And I have come for you, Theresa Eliades.¡± ¡°No.¡± Arche moved between them. ¡°You want her, you go through me. I don¡¯t care if you are Death.¡± Death raised a gauntleted hand. Every muscle in Arche¡¯s body froze. His nerves fired erratically but he couldn¡¯t move despite every instinct telling him he¡¯d been thrust into an ice bath of pointy needles. Death drew closer to him, peering at him with those horrible, inverted eyes, any emotion hidden behind the ever-shifting mask. Arche was left with no choice but to stare back into the uncaring eyes in front of him as they searched his, seeming to scour into his very soul, which was a very real possibility. After several long moments, Death pulled away. ¡°You have fire, spirit. I can see why you were chosen. But this is not about you. Theresa Eliades, it is time.¡± ¡°To¡­die?¡± Tess¡¯s voice shook. ¡°I¡¯m not ready.¡± ¡°No one ever is, young one, but I come for them all, in the end.¡± Arche raged, still held prisoner in his own body. He was helpless, again, and the one being he had sought out to try to deal with was also the thing that was going to take Tess away. He struggled against the invisible chains binding him, but he couldn¡¯t even exert enough control over his own body to blink. There was a deep, aching, tearing pain in his chest as Death stepped past him. Help me. It was a desperate plea, laden with all the sorrow in Arche¡¯s heart, all the weight of his mistakes. Help me. Please. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Death¡¯s voice was confused, the first emotion the entity had shown, but Arche was grateful for the delay. There was no reply that Arche could hear but Death responded anyway, as though carrying on a conversation. ¡°You are weak. Perhaps you have forgotten yourself. You should be resting with the others before I come for you myself. Again.¡± Silence again. Arche burned anew, this time with curiosity. Everything that was going on was happening behind him, and he could only hear part of the conversation. It was maddening. ¡°Speak not to me of the knave king. You would spend that debt now? For these mortals? Not even for your own life, but for theirs¡­very well. But know this: I shall grant it only this once. Interfere again, and I will come for you.¡± There was a sound like a flapping cape and Arche could move again. He whirled around, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever had intervened on his behalf, but saw only Tess. She collapsed, apparently likewise frozen. Arche rushed to her side, scanning the passage to make sure that they were actually alone before returning his attention to her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I can feel it,¡± she hissed. ¡°My side. Titan¡¯s Blood, it hurts. What happened? I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°Death spared us, it seems. We can talk later; we should get back to the real world. I think this means you¡¯re going to live.¡± ¡°Lucky me. Why did no one mention how much this was going to hurt?¡± Tess groaned, loud and guttural. Her eyes clenched shut as her entire body seized. Arche grabbed her hand and tried to focus on returning to their bodies back to the tunnel with the others. He felt a pull in his center, not dissimilar to that from the Profession Trial, and succumbed to it. The world around him blurred and he shut his eyes against the motion. He was floating in space. No, not floating. He was hurtling through space. He could see nothing, feel nothing, but he knew he was traveling. Too much had happened in much too short a time for him to explore the feeling. He only hoped that wherever he landed, it wouldn¡¯t hurt. Book 1 | Chapter 30 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°Hold him steady, Lyssa. Don¡¯t let him crack his head against the floor!¡± Arche tasted bile and blood. It seemed he had not only lost the contents of his stomach but had also apparently bitten his tongue. He also seized uncontrollably as his nerves and muscles fired rapidly and randomly, making him thrash about like a fish fresh off a line. Lyssa had one hand beneath his head and the other on his forehead, stopping him from busting open his skull as he convulsed. His mind already pounded and he wasn¡¯t in any hurry to see what kind of dent his face could put into solid stone. ¡°Calm yourself. You are in control. Exert your will.¡± Lyssa¡¯s quiet voice gave him something to hold onto. He flexed his inner will, feeling out the constraints of his own body in a similar way as when he had brushed against Tess¡¯s mind. He had an awareness of self that would have been unfathomable just an hour prior. The spasms dissipated as his mind felt the limits of his body and demanded it to fall in line. As his movements calmed. Lyssa removed her hands from his head and let him sit up. Arche promptly twisted to the side and spat out a large globule of spit flecked with vomit and blood. The taste lingered, but he could live with that. He could even live with the pain of his lacerated tongue, which still bled, so long as it meant Tess was still alive. He turned toward her, worried about what he might find when he saw her. Had he succeeded? Failed? Could he bear to know? His eyes met hers and he let out a sigh of relief. Tess panted and grimaced with pain but was very much alive. Their eyes met and his blood froze. There was something there, deeper than the pain she was going through. She was terrified of him and he had no idea why. Arche looked away. Whatever was in her eyes wasn¡¯t something he could face. Not now. He waved off Lyssa¡¯s questions and sat against the wall opposite Tess, his head pounding mercilessly. A multitude of notifications flashed in the corner of his vision and he welcomed the distraction, turning away as Odelia went back to casting her healing spells.
You have learned a Skill. Psychic Link ¡ª Level 1 Obol for your thoughts? You have learned how to expand your consciousness past the confines of your own mind. Pushing your consciousness in this way expends Mana over time. Every 5 levels in this skill improves Wisdom and Willpower by 1. -0.5% Mana Cost (-0.5%)
You have discovered a Trait. Psychic You have the ability to glean insight into the world around you. The benefits of this ability may change depending on how you use it. Be warned, not everyone will take kindly to a surprise connection. +25% Willpower +10% Charisma
The new skill wasn¡¯t particularly surprising, given what he¡¯d done, though he couldn¡¯t help but feel like he had been extremely lucky nothing had gone wrong. That space between his mind and Tess¡¯s had been terrifying. It would have been so easy to lose himself in that space, and their minds had practically been touching. He would have to be exceedingly careful using the skill going forward, but he resolved not to be so afraid of using it that he never learned to master it. It was his first epic-tier skill, if the color palate was anything to go by. He had no idea what the limits of this new skill were and a similar idea of the dangers, but it was too enticing to not pursue, when he had the time.
Spearmanship has increased to Level 15. +2% Damage with Spears (+30%)
Spear Throwing has increased to Level 8. +3% Accuracy of Thrown Spears (+24%) +2% Range of Thrown Spears (+16%)
That was a bit of a surprise. Spearmanship and Spear Throwing had both gained multiple levels. Those were serious improvements from the fight, which was surprising, but it must have been a mixture between the fight itself and the tactics he had employed. Did he get more experience in skills by adjusting the circumstances in which he used those skills? It made a degree of sense, but it seemed very¡­esoteric. Arche wondered if anyone studied the circumstances surrounding skill use and how it affected the improvements. He wished he had an idea of how much skill experience he actually had, that would have made calculating everything so much easier, but it would also distract him from things that were happening around him. One more rabbit hole to dive into. He was faced again with the conundrum that had bothered him from the first skill he had learned in this world. He wanted desperately to know how everything worked and to figure out the most optimal way to master everything, but he didn¡¯t have the time or resources to dedicate to such study. There was too much he didn¡¯t know and he had barely scratched the surface. To make things worse, his personal progress would remain stagnant until he managed to unlock his Profession. Arche continued looking through his notifications, realizing he had never looked at the after-action report from the fight. With a thought he pulled it up.
You have slain 12 Beastmar. Your Party has slain 26 Beastmar. You gain 5,420 experience. Experience is held until your Profession is unlocked.
It was quite a bit of experience, but it may as well have been nothing. What meant the most was how many they had killed. Arche checked his quest progress, seeing that, indeed, thirty-eight beastmar had been killed, with the thirty-ninth having become their prisoner. Arche¡¯s gaze flicked to the injured beastmar. Its gaze was locked on him as it sat against the wall, its one remaining arm limp from where Arche¡¯s sword had severed the nerves. Abraxios was keeping an eye on it, ready to blast it with lightning if it moved too quickly. The beastmar had dark, gray fur and lighter skin. It regarded Arche with fear and fury. He had crippled it and it knew that its life was likely soon to be over, but it had the intelligence to hate him for it. Arche could use that. He wasn¡¯t quite ready to interrogate it for all it knew, though. He needed a few more minutes for himself and there was no way that Lyssa would let him move on without him explaining what he¡¯d done. As it was, she was helping Odelia treat Tess, but she was throwing glances back toward him, which he did his best to ignore. A few notifications still flashed in his vision so he pulled them up.
Divine Body has increased to Level 12.
Divinity has increased to 25%.
Arche froze, staring at the last message. His Divinity had increased, but how? Was it because he¡¯d leveled his Divine Body skill or was it because of what he¡¯d done for Tess? ¡°Fuck me, just more questions,¡± he muttered, rubbing his eyes. It was a good thing, he decided, because he was closer to getting his profession, but he only had a general idea of what to do to increase this new parameter and he sincerely hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to petition extraplanar entities on the regular just to unlock his own powers. That would be unfair, not to mention time-consuming. A pair of legs stood in front of him. Looking up, he met Lyssa¡¯s green eyes boring into his own. They left no room for his protestations, so he let out a breath and let her pull him to his feet. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, her voice made it clear that she would accept no distractions until she got answers. ¡°A lot, and I don¡¯t understand the half of it.¡± ¡°Then start with what you do.¡± Arche took a deep breath. ¡°All right. So you know how I used to have bad dreams? Sometimes in dreams I see a different world. It seems to be parallel to this one and I¡¯ve met people there. Well, people being a loose term because they seem more like super-powerful entities, maybe even deities.¡± ¡°Deities?¡± Lyssa asked slowly, as if sounding out the word. ¡°You know, gods?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a god?¡± Arche stared at her, his mouth slack. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know if I know how to explain that concept. Incredibly powerful beings? Creators and destroyers of life itself? Sound familiar?¡± The look of absolute confusion on Lyssa¡¯s face was priceless. If Arche himself hadn¡¯t been so dumbfounded and confused himself, he would have burst out laughing. Instead, he was caught in a web of bewilderment to which he was actively contributing. ¡°Anyway, I met one harvesting the soul of a dying person back when we first found the village. Tess was dying, so I thought I would try to bargain with it for her life. Only problem was that at an earlier time I met another such entity that called itself the Oneiroi and it prevented me from traveling there in my sleep. Not to mention, I can¡¯t exactly fall asleep on command like that.¡± Lyssa blinked several times with each new wave of information. ¡°So if you couldn¡¯t get to that realm, what did you do?¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°I tried. But first, I¡­¡± Arche paused. Lyssa had warned him about traits and how it was dangerous to share if you had one. He trusted her implicitly, and the others he trusted with certain knowledge, but he had only really known Odelia and Abraxios for about a day. Tess, well, they had things to talk about when or if they ever got some privacy. Lyssa¡¯s initial warning about traits still echoed in his head, there were those that would try to kill him just for the chance at taking his traits. Arche dropped his voice to an almost inaudible whisper, leaning in so that only Lyssa could hear. ¡°I discovered a new trait. Turns out I¡¯m psychic.¡± Lyssa, to Arche¡¯s relief, didn¡¯t make a huge deal out of that information, but she did grab his arm and lead him down the passageway to have some privacy. ¡°Tell me everything.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a tenuous connection with the Tridory, but I thought that was just because I had bonded to it, but now I think that¡¯s only part of it. I managed to project my consciousness outside of my body and into Tess¡¯s.¡± Lyssa¡¯s fury was so sudden and great, that Arche tried to step back and smacked his head against the wall. ¡°You did what?¡± Arche threw up his hands placatingly, hoping to cut off Lyssa¡¯s ire. ¡°I knocked. That was all. She chose to let me in.¡± Lyssa¡¯s face softened slightly, but her eyes still blazed. ¡°Proceed.¡± ¡°After Tess let me in, I focused on what I remembered of that parallel world and that entity that I met. I managed to travel both of our consciousnesses there and was able to speak with the thing, which might be Death itself.¡± ¡°Death is a person?¡± Lyssa frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a reassuring thought.¡± ¡°Definitely not, can attest. I initially intended to try bargaining with it but it made itself pretty clear from the get-go that it was there to collect her and wasn¡¯t going to be distracted. I interfered and it froze me, somehow. It was about to take her when someone else showed up. I couldn¡¯t see or hear them but Death spoke with them. Apparently, some favor was called in to spare us and that¡¯s when we woke up here.¡± ¡°Something from that world intervened on your behalf and wouldn¡¯t let you see it? That¡¯s troubling.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me.¡± Arche looked back toward the others. ¡°I think we need to finish our business here and get out. There will be some fallout with Callias because of the bounty-quest Theodorous gave us but I think we need some downtime to figure out what the fuck is going on and what we¡¯re going to do about it.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± Lyssa rubbed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m growing tired of this dungeon, it feels like for all we¡¯ve gone through, we¡¯re no closer to reaching its end.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get some answers and finish this fucking thing.¡± Arche took a step toward the beastmar but Lyssa grabbed his shoulder and held him back. He frowned a question at her but she met his eyes with a look of fierce determination. ¡°Allow me. I will question it; I want you to probe its mind.¡± Arche blinked in surprise. ¡°You want me to use my new trait to rip information from the mind of a prisoner without their consent?¡± ¡°Is that going to be a problem?¡± Arche paused. ¡°Not this time, but I want to make sure you know what you¡¯re asking me to do.¡± Lyssa let out a sigh and nodded. ¡°I know, and I won¡¯t ever ask you to use it on a person, but my instincts tell me that thing will be either unwilling or unable to help us without your newfound insight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead.¡± Lyssa turned and walked back to the others, making a beeline straight for the beastmar, who growled at her approach. Arche followed a half step behind, moving to stand next to the creature as Lyssa bore down on it. She withdrew a kopis from her inventory and held the curve of the blade against the beastmar¡¯s throat. ¡°Where is your leader?¡± Lyssa asked in a flat voice. The beastmar continued its growl and made no effort to answer. It was mostly humanoid, despite elongated limbs it still had the basic assortment of two legs and two arms. Rather, it had two arms until it had attacked Arche. Lyssa moved her sword down to the beastmar¡¯s exposed groin. ¡°Tell me where to find your leader, or I will cut you.¡± ¡°Foolish she-elf,¡± the beastmar spoke with a voice like falling stones. ¡°The master will destroy you and all your ilk.¡± ¡°The scum speaks. Wonderful. If you think your master can defeat us, then let him prove it. Tell us where to find him.¡± ¡°You will die without ever seeing the light above. The darkness of our caverns will consume you. We will sup on your flesh and our newborns will suckle the milk of your bones.¡± Lyssa¡¯s gaze flicked toward Arche, who inhaled deeply and placed one hand on the beastmar¡¯s head. He extended his consciousness outwards, pushing against the gate he had constructed in his own mind and allowed his awareness to enter that space between minds. Once again, he felt the emptiness. A void that stretched beyond understanding, farther than even Tartarus could reach. Full of questions never voiced and answers that had transcended comprehension. His consciousness brushed against the beastmar¡¯s mind as Lyssa threatened it again. ¡°This is your last chance before things get painful. Tell me what I want to know.¡± ¡°My people will consume you. You think you scare me with threats of pain and death? You know nothing of my people, and soon you will know nothing but the taste of worms as they burrow into your corpses.¡± Arche didn¡¯t bother waiting for Lyssa to signal him. He hardened his consciousness into a point and attacked, battering against the mental walls of the beastmar. The beastmar reacted physically to Arche¡¯s assault, its defiant grin turning into a moan of anguish as Arche slammed his mind against the creature¡¯s mental defenses. ¡°Where is your leader? What do they have planned?¡± With every strike against the mental walls Arche managed to map out more of the perimeter of the creature¡¯s mind. Like some strange form of echolocation, every strike brought back a host of information that Arche interpreted intuitively. The defenses of the beastmar¡¯s mind were not dissimilar from Arche¡¯s own, made from some kind of mud substance that chipped away with every strike. It was a frightening mirror to his own mind. Arche promised himself that he would take the time to shore up his defenses when he next had the chance as the mud walls of the beastmar were barely keeping him at bay. In less than a minute, he pierced the barrier, creating a small hole into the beastmar¡¯s mind. He kept striking, widening the hole until he could filter down his consciousness into smoke and slip through. Sensation bombarded him. Memories bled through their newfound connection. Arche recoiled, trying to shove the memories away and erect a barrier around himself. It wasn¡¯t a counterattack, not exactly. It felt rather similar to what had happened with Theresa, but he didn¡¯t want to experience this creature¡¯s entire life. He was searching for very specific information and didn¡¯t care to learn about its formative years. One interesting piece of information, however, was that the creature had not been born a beastmar. The awareness from back then was dim, almost a shadow, but from what Arche was able to piece together the beastmar was originally a creature called a troglodyte, a small, cave-dwelling creature with a strange insectoid diet that was apparently capable of running extremely quickly. Anything further, including how the troglodyte had become the beastmar, was blocked when Arche had erected the mental defenses around himself. He¡¯d managed to wall himself off before he shared anything of his own life with the creature, to his relief, but now he was encircled by a shoddy construction of mud with no awareness of what was going on in the mind outside. Arche pushed himself up against the barrier in all directions, forcing the mud to strengthen and reinforce itself, transmuting it into wood. Arche pulled back, satisfied with the current strength of his mental fortifications despite the increased focus they now required. Narrowing his will, Arche focused on one small portion of the wall, forcing the wood to grow translucent and allow him a peephole to see. It took a considerable amount of effort and Arche didn¡¯t get it on his first try. Nor on his second, which nearly lost him the entire barrier, but on his third he managed to change a tiny piece of the wall and grow it until he had a translucent window the size of a porthole with which to look into the mind of the beastmar. Now that he had no longer truly melded with the beastmar¡¯s mind, it appeared different. Rather than an ineffable, ethereal substance with which his own consciousness had permeated, the beastmar¡¯s life was spread before him like a twisting river of white-gold light that looped and twisted throughout. With some effort of focus, Arche was able to move his consciousness alongside the river, traveling forward through the beastmar¡¯s life without absorbing the memories within. Shortly, he came upon a point where the white-gold light muddled into a blue-black mess. He knew he should keep going, that this was too far back in the beastmar¡¯s life to be relevant to their current situation, but curiosity got the better of him and he peered in at the river of this creature¡¯s memories, which flowed through the translucent wooden window he¡¯d created and flooded his barrier. Fire. Heat all around. Run. Needed to run. Friends ran. Family ran. Terror. Dark ones. Murder. Darkness. Fear. Pain. Captured. Taken away. Magic. Great magic. Powerful dark one. Torture. So much pain. Mangled limbs. Death. Arche expelled the memory from his fortifications, his consciousness reeling from what he¡¯d seen and felt. Someone had stolen this creature away and experimented on it, turning it into what it currently was. The ¡®how¡¯ was hazy, concerning some kind of magic he had never encountered before. The troglodyte had been transformed in what had clearly been a traumatic process that involved dying and being revived. The magic involved in that immediately made Arche worry because, so far, the only power that came close to that was wielded by the entities from the other world. Arche filed the information away for later examination and continued traveling along the memory river, forcing his consciousness to fly quickly until he reached the near past. At a greatly enhanced speed, Arche sifted through the beastmar¡¯s memories, mapping out the dungeon as well as marking the areas they congregated in. He was careful to keep a leash on what he allowed in so it wouldn¡¯t overwhelm him. He was even more careful not to let anything about him pass back to the beastmar. It might have been paranoia but he had the feeling that, without his barrier, he would leave himself vulnerable to a counterattack, even if the mind he was invading wasn¡¯t inherently psychic. Arche withdrew from the river of memories and floated to the edge of the beastmar¡¯s consciousness, searching for the breach he had made upon entering. He found the hole without much difficulty and squeezed his consciousness through, keeping hold on his defenses. The vastness of the empty space between minds called out to him again, trying to tempt him, but its ethereal voice was muted through his barrier. Relief flooded through him as he slipped back inside his own mind and shut the gate behind him.
Psychic Link has increased to Level 2. -0.5% Mana Cost (-1%)
Arche opened his eyes to find everyone staring at him. The beastmar was in front of him, unconscious. He removed his hand from its head and it slumped to the ground. Arche met their eyes¡ªall except Tess, who refused to look at him¡ªand offered an uncomfortable smile. ¡°I know where we need to go.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 31 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°Did you get what we needed?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°Yeah, we need to¡ª¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry, what was that?¡± Abraxios cut in. Lyssa and Arche both turned to the tengu, whose head swiveled back and forth between them. Odelia looked uncomfortable but didn¡¯t say anything. Tess stared at the floor, trembling. She wasn¡¯t looking at anyone but it felt like she was especially not looking at Arche. ¡°I thought we were past the point of keeping secrets,¡± the tengu continued. ¡°And I thought we had made it clear. If we¡¯re going to do this together, we need to be honest with each other. I am willing to overlook certain¡­eccentricities, but that was abhorrent.¡± Odelia gave a small nod and Arche raised his hands placatingly. ¡°You¡¯re right. You¡¯re right and I¡¯m sorry, that wasn¡¯t fair of me.¡± ¡°Arche¡­¡± Lyssa warned. Arche spread his arms wide to gesture at the passage around them. ¡°We trust them or we don¡¯t. If we want to finish what we started here, it will take all of us.¡± He turned toward them. ¡°I¡¯m psychic. I found out when Tess and I woke up. I told Lyssa and she asked me to help get information from the beastmar. Now I¡¯m telling all of you.¡± It did not escape Arche¡¯s notice that every person in the room stiffened at the word ¡®psychic.¡¯ Abraxios actually took a threatening step toward him, eyes narrowed in suspicion. ¡°Do you intend to harm anyone present?¡± the tengu asked. Arche¡¯s blinked. He was so taken aback by the ridiculousness of the question that he forgot to answer until Abraxios made a trilling noise that must have been the bird-person equivalent of clearing one¡¯s throat. ¡°No,¡± Arche said emphatically. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt any of you. Look, I know I haven¡¯t made the best decisions while I¡¯ve been down here, but really I just want to finish up these quests and head back to the village where maybe I can figure out some of the weird shit that¡¯s been happening to me.¡± Abraxios turned and nodded toward Odelia, then turned back to Arche and caught his eyes. Arche found the large, avian, yellow irises to be very arresting when the full weight of the tengu¡¯s glare was affixed to him. ¡°For now, I will trust you because you did not attempt to alter my thoughts. If you ever probe my mind without my consent, I will kill you. It will be swift and violent.¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°Yeah, no, that¡¯s fair. Loud and clear. You¡¯ve got my word, I won¡¯t probe any of your minds without your consent. Now, can we all settle down so I can work on how we¡¯re going to pull this quest off?¡± Odelia and Abraxios nodded, so Arche continued. ¡°All right. Does anyone have paper and something to write with? I¡¯ve got a pretty good idea of the tunnel system, but I want to write it down while it¡¯s still fresh in my head.¡± ¡°What about the beastmar?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°Let me finish writing out the map,¡± Arche said. ¡°When I¡¯m done, we can put him of his misery.¡± Lyssa nodded as Odelia produced a sheet of papyrus from her inventory and handed it over along with a short charcoal stick. Arche began outlining passages, noting the accompanying notification but dismissing it almost instantly to focus on what he was doing.
You have learned a Skill. Drawing ¡ª Level 1 Whether it be sketching, doodling, or designing, this skill covers it all. Not to be confused with ¡®Painting.¡¯ That¡¯s totally different. Each level in this skill improves your ability to draw. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Dexterity by 1. +2% Speed of drawing (+2%) +2% Quality of drawing (+2%)
By the time he finished the map, several minutes later, he¡¯d gone up to level three and received yet another skill.
You have learned a Skill. Cartography ¡ª Level 1 Mapmaking is a noble profession into which you have dipped your toes. The creation of maps is a highly sought-after but often very dangerous skill as the best maps are made from firsthand experience. Each level in this map improves the quality of maps you can produce. Every 5 levels in this skill improves your Dexterity and Wisdom by 1. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. +2% Speed of mapping (+2%) +2% Quality of mapping (+2%)
You have created a Crude Map of the Vivitorium of Hek¨¢te.
¡°Here,¡± he held the map up, calling the others over. He spread it out in front of them and pointed toward a passage near the middle of the elaborate system of passages. ¡°This is us, here.¡± He dragged a finger down to a network of larger tunnels and caverns. ¡°And this is where the majority of the beastmar live. I¡¯d estimate recent numbers to crest a hundred-fifty.¡± Lyssa bit her lip. ¡°Too many,¡± she muttered. ¡°Yes, but there¡¯s good news,¡± Arche said. ¡°That count is from about a week ago.¡± ¡°Before the attacks on the village.¡± ¡°And before the thirty-eight we¡¯ve killed here.¡± ¡°Thirty-nine.¡± Every head turned toward Tess. It was the first time she¡¯d spoken since she woke up. Arche furrowed his brow, checking his two related quest logs to verify that the count stood at thirty-eight. Tess drew a knife and fell on the unconscious beastmar. The knife went up, down, up, down, stabbing throat and face, turning everything into a bloody mess. Arche noted the fifty-two points of experience from the party kill and blinked away the notification, wishing his surprise was as easily dismissed. Everyone else was in as much shock as he was, eyes wide and mouths open as Tess dragged herself to her feet. Only Lyssa looked on with a grim smile. Arche swallowed hard. ¡°All right. Thirty-nine. Erm, back to the plan¡­if we follow this route, we should get into the vicinity of these bigger rooms here within a couple hours. The beastmar roam around haphazardly, but often in smaller groups of five to seven. Given the recent number of killed beastmar, I¡¯d estimate their numbers to be about five dozen. Still a lot, I know, but there¡¯s good odds they won¡¯t all be grouped together and that gives us a chance. For the most part, they don¡¯t use magic, so we have the advantage on that front. ¡°Unfortunately, this one didn¡¯t know what the chief was planning, so I couldn¡¯t scratch that off the list, but the chief will be in one of these larger rooms here. The chief isn¡¯t a magic user, but his right-hand beastmar is, so we¡¯ll need to be extra careful and try to weed out as many of the others as we can before picking that fight. Or we take him out in a heavy blow and then try to lose the inevitable pursuers who, let me remind you, know this area much better than we do.¡± The others nodded along, but Lyssa was the first to offer up her wisdom. ¡°What about other larger monsters like that ch¨ªmaira we fought. Do you have any idea how many of those there are?¡± ¡°Those, apparently, are like a kindred beast to the beastmar but not allied with them. The beastmar we fought earlier were terrified of the ch¨ªmaira we fought. Similar hybrid creatures do have some claimed territory, but the map only lists what was in the beastmar¡¯s head and he, as far as I¡¯m aware, never ventured into monster territory. Where we were attacked technically isn¡¯t monster territory, but if I had to guess I¡¯d say that the ch¨ªmaira heard the explosion and came to investigate.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Tess asked. ¡°We get there, then do what?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to get some eyes on them to know what we¡¯re up against. I¡¯m certain there will be a way to draw things out. This big room here,¡± Arche pointed to the largest cavern on the lower levels of the map, ¡°is connected to that huge air shaft that leads all the way back up to the beginning of this place. The one you flew down, Abraxios.¡± ¡°I recall seeing some beastmar at the bottom, but I didn¡¯t fly too closely. The whole area made my feathers stick up and I didn¡¯t want to risk getting spotted.¡± ¡°Dropping rocks on them from above is probably out, but if shit really hits the fan you can get yourself and Odelia out of there.¡± Everyone stopped and looked at him, with the exception of Lyssa, who continued examining the map. Arche shrugged, suddenly uncertain. ¡°What? We¡¯re heavy and you two have history.¡± ¡°No, that makes sense,¡± Tess said. ¡°That other thing didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Oh. You know, when a potentially bad situation gets as bad as possible. Like shit hitting a fan and getting everywhere.¡± The rest just stared at him. ¡°You get used to it.¡± Lyssa smirked. Arche folded up the map and sent it to his inventory. ¡°All right. We¡¯ve got a few hours of walking, let¡¯s go.¡± He summoned the Tridory into his hand from where it rested against the wall and used it as a walking staff, the sauroter at the bottom digging into the stone ground with every other step. The others followed along behind him. Fifteen minutes later, Arche became aware of someone walking next to him. He glanced over to see it was Tess. The others had backed off a little to give them some privacy. The look of terror she¡¯d given him was still heavy in his mind. Arche glanced away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quietly. ¡°For saving my life?¡± she asked dryly. ¡°No, I¡­I¡¯m sorry I got you into that situation. And I¡¯m sorry about everything that happened in here.¡± Arche tapped his head. ¡°I want you to know that I didn¡¯t know what I was doing. I was flying on instinct, no idea what would happen. I didn¡¯t mean to look into your past, I didn¡¯t even know that would happen, but mostly I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t give you the choice to share what you wanted to, when you wanted to. You didn¡¯t get a chance to choose and if I could have done it differently, I would have.¡± Tess didn¡¯t respond for a long time. The seconds dragged into minutes. ¡°You worry a lot about how other people feel,¡± she said finally. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Why would you? Most don¡¯t. They¡¯re too busy trying to preserve themselves to consider others. It¡¯s one of your more endearing qualities.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Arche said slowly. ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡± ¡°That makes two of us, then. I don¡¯t have answers for you. Whatever you did stirred up a lot of memories. Memories I thought I had buried. I need some time to process them. Time I don¡¯t exactly have while we¡¯re stuck down here.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. Take whatever time you need.¡± ¡°I also got a good look at your life, you know. I know what profession you chose and everything else that¡¯s happened to you.¡± ¡°I suspected as much. Only seems fair, or as close to fair as I could get considering my life is considerably shorter than yours.¡± ¡°I want you to know that I will keep your secret, if you ask me to, but I can¡¯t promise I will stick around when this is all done. I¡¯m in the business for life security and personal safety. You¡¯re the walking opposite of that. That being said, I like you. I also hate you for what happened to me. Like I said, a lot to process. I just didn¡¯t want you to get your hopes up about me.¡± Arche snorted. ¡°Wow, you Tartarus girls really don¡¯t hold back, do you? You should make whatever decision is right for you. You deserve to put your own needs first, but if you decide to stay, know that you¡¯re welcome. And as for my profession, I would like the opportunity to share it in my own time, if you¡¯re all right with that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right with it, but the others may not be.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll have to get over themselves, then. My profession is locked right now, so it¡¯s not like telling everyone helps right now anyway.¡± ¡°True. Listen, no matter what they say, you don¡¯t actually owe anyone information about yourself. Your profession is your business, your traits are your business, and there are plenty who would kill you for either.¡± ¡°Thanks. I get it, some knowledge is dangerous here, but keeping secrets from those I¡¯m leading just doesn¡¯t sit right with me. Especially when those people are trusting me to help keep them alive.¡± Tess cracked a smile. ¡°You have a good heart, even if you¡¯re na?ve.¡± Arche gave her a lopsided grin and they fell into silence, making their way through the long dark. Heading ever deeper underground. Book 1 | Chapter 32 Charomera The 24th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°This is good enough. Let¡¯s stop here and get ready.¡± They had been walking for hours and, though Arche felt good about their plan, they were all feeling the effects of too much time spent away from the light of the sun. Arche found it difficult not to point his spear at every shadow, imagining movement in the corners of his eyes. The rest were similarly jumpy. Even Lyssa, the most composed of all of them, was abnormally stiff and watchful, a change Arche would not have noticed had he not spent practically every day of the last five weeks with her. Their rest stop was an hour¡¯s walk from the first of the larger rooms, sequestered inside an unused side-tunnel that forked into dead ends. There was no escape if they were to be caught inside, but it was the least likely place for them to be found. Arche had initially been against camping in an area with no exit but had let himself be talked into the idea by the others, who weren¡¯t so sure they would be able to outrun the beastmar regardless. Being deep underground, they had no need for tents so each of them laid out their bedrolls, coordinated who would be on watch, and settled into preparing their food. Dinner consisted of dried rations they¡¯d brought with them: nuts, roasted meat, various fruits and vegetables, and water to wash it all down. It was a simple meal and did little for their dampened spirits until Odelia produced a small flagon of wine. They could not risk a fire and, indeed, had no fuel to sustain one, so they ate and settled in the darkness. Abraxios promised to renew his Owl Vision spell on them before he went to sleep, telling the others to wake him if they needed the spell recast. Lyssa offered to take the first watch, allowing the others to get some rest. Arche took up second watch, Tess took third, and Odelia took the last. Abraxios had claimed that tengu needed more sleep than other people and so was excused from the rotation. Arche didn¡¯t particularly mind. They had more than enough bodies to keep an eye out and it had been a long, stressful day for all of them. ¡°How did a tengu and a halfling come to be traveling companions?¡± Tess asked as they ate. Abraxios waved a wing toward Odelia, his beak buried inside a small bag. Arche eyed it suspiciously, then stifled a gag as the tengu withdrew his beak, bright colored grubs disappearing as Abraxios threw his head back and swallowed. Odelia smiled at the large birdman fondly, smothering the expression as she wiped soup from her mouth with a small cloth handkerchief. ¡°We met by happenstance, actually. I was on a pilgrimage, you see, seeking to deepen my connection with nature by meditating on the peak of Mount Coeus. Fancy that when in the middle of my meditation, I hear the loudest squawking. I broke meditation to see what the fuss was and saw a huge bird diving toward the side of the mountain. I thought for certain it was some giant raptor, come to eat me, but then it crashed. I decided to investigate and that¡¯s when we met.¡± Abraxios¡¯s neck feathers ruffled as the group shared a chuckle at the thought of quiet, reserved Abraxios crashing into a mountain. ¡°I was a very inexperienced flyer. I was just beginning to practice my air magic, not yet to my profession, and I caught an updraft badly. It sent me spinning out of control, into the best accident of my life.¡± Odelia reached out and rubbed Abraxios¡¯s arm feathers. He let out a low cooing noise at her touch. Lyssa shifted slightly in her seat, inching away from the two, and the moment ended. Odelia withdrew her hand as though she had touched fire, suddenly very interested in her broth. Abraxios stiffened, pausing from his meal. Arche looked up from the pomegranate he¡¯d been scooping, feeling like he¡¯d missed something. There was a tension in the air, now, where camaraderie had been a moment earlier. Before Arche could think up a way to alleviate the pressure, Abraxios stowed his food bag, announced he was going to bed, and walked away before anyone could say anything further. Odelia also finished her meal, putting away her utensils and retreating a short distance down the hall for privacy. Tess gave Lyssa a pointed look and rolled her eyes. ¡°What¡­just happened?¡± Arche asked, utterly nonplussed. ¡°I¡¯ll start the watch,¡± Lyssa said, ignoring the question as she walked away. Arche looked at Tess, hoping for answers. She rubbed her eyes and edged closer so they could speak in quieter tones. ¡°Just some old prejudices shaking their ugly heads.¡± ¡°What?¡± Tess sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes again. ¡°Right, sorry. You wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Arche snorted quietly. ¡°Someday, maybe, people will stop saying that to me.¡± Tess continued, ignoring his comment. ¡°Look, a lot of people disapprove of relationships like this. Some think of it as a purity thing, others as a distrust of any who are not their own, and still others hold grudges against slights that may have never even personally affected them.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Arche blinked a few times in rapid succession. ¡°Oh. Oh!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°But then¡­what happened?¡± ¡°People who have suffered persecution tend to be hyperaware of the signs of intolerance. It¡¯s really not that surprising. Lyssa indicated she didn¡¯t approve and they reacted to that.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡± ¡°Why would you? You weren¡¯t looking for it. It¡¯s not shocking that she¡¯d be uncomfortable with interspecies relationships. Many are, and her upbringing as a wood elf would not help her in that regard.¡± ¡°That seems like a heavy accusation to levy for such a small reaction.¡± ¡°What about the way she reacted when you first met your satyr friend? What about the way she acted when she first met you?¡± ¡°She saved me.¡± ¡°And nearly killed you in the same breath.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make her a bad person.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying she¡¯s a bad person, Arche, but she is an elf from a remote village. The older people get, the harder it is for them to change, and elves are both notoriously long-lived and difficult to judge on age. I¡¯ve never heard of her village, but if it¡¯s one of the older elven strongholds then they might still hold onto traditions and perspectives from thousands of years ago, with all the good and bad that comes from that.¡± ¡°Lyssa is not incapable of change. She¡¯s changed drastically in the short time I¡¯ve known her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not disputing that, what I¡¯m saying is that sometimes her reactions to things are going to upset people with modern sensibilities. People who have already had to put up with a lot of difficulties for being who and what they are.¡± Arche looked over at Abraxios and Odelia, who were lying on bedrolls next to each other, the tengu¡¯s wing draped protectively over the halfling in sleep. ¡°She¡¯s not a bad person,¡± Tess repeated. ¡°But neither are they, and they don¡¯t deserve to be treated like they¡¯re doing something wrong for loving each other.¡± Arche was quiet for a while, letting the silence settle as he tried to arrange his thoughts. ¡°When I first met the elves,¡± he said. ¡°they treated me with distrust. Some of them regarded me like an exotic trinket from a faraway land, an object to be gawked at or examined. That was the nicer treatment. Others looked at me like a threat or an unpleasant smell. Lord Cypress also treated me with distrust but he gave me the chance to prove that I wasn¡¯t a threat to his people. Lyssa didn¡¯t wait for me to prove myself before she helped me. She taught me basic combat skills and got me proper armor so I could survive the task we shared. She trusted me to have her back and not to turn on her. She trusted my judgment before I had any idea of who I was. She may be a product of her environment but she¡¯s more than that.¡± Arche nodded toward Abraxios and Odelia. ¡°You can¡¯t expect the impossible from people doing their best. It¡¯s easy to take a single action or reaction and judge someone¡¯s entire personality from it, but that ignores everything. Every struggle or decision they¡¯ve made. Every introspective argument. You¡¯re making assumptions about her based on her background, but you¡¯re ignoring who she is.¡± ¡°Think about their lives, for a moment,¡± Tess said softly. ¡°In the city, it may have been more acceptable, but not everyone sees it the same way. They¡¯ll have met opposition at every turn. Don¡¯t you find it odd that there are no other tengu in the village? They¡¯re rare enough this side of Tartarus, not to mention one on his own. He¡¯s either been cast out of or willingly left his flock, something that doesn¡¯t happen without a strong reason. Most of the people that came here are hoping to start a new life for themselves, away from the obstacles of their old ones. Aren¡¯t they allowed to be disappointed when they see the same disapproval they¡¯ve been trying to get away from?¡± ¡°Of course they are, but at the same time they are of this world. They know it and its people, and they know that, right or wrong, there are people who disapprove of what they do, who they are. I bet they¡¯ve faced more opposition and opinions about their relationship than I can guess and they probably always will because some people will refuse to change. That isn¡¯t right, but¡­¡± Arche trailed off. Tess nudged him, brows raised. ¡°But?¡± ¡°But they have each other. They know who they are and they¡¯ve embraced it, regardless of what others think. They have their identity and no outsider can take that from them.¡± Tess cocked her head, staring at him. Arche fixed his eyes on his hands. ¡°You envy them.¡± He hesitated. ¡°In a way. Who they are has been reinforced by the adversity they¡¯ve faced. The more people tell them what and who they should be, the more they commit to who they are. Me? I¡¯m¡­I don¡¯t even know. Am I a warrior? Am I my profession? Am I a magic spear¡¯s bearer? I have no idea who I am and every step I take makes me feel farther away from finding out. How can I look at people who have steadfastly proclaimed who they are and are willing to stand against adversity to prove it without being a little envious of that certainty? I know, it¡¯s a horrible thing to think. They¡¯ve been through more than any person should have to, I don¡¯t want to disparage that, but it¡¯s hard to see them and not connect my own struggles to it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a horrible thing. I think it makes you human. You want to know the person you used to be, but that isn¡¯t necessarily the person you are.¡± ¡°How can I know who I am if I don¡¯t know who I was?¡± ¡°Because you exist, here and now. You are a person, sitting here on this stone, capable of thinking, making decisions, and feeling.¡± She flicked his ear lightly. ¡°Ow.¡± ¡°Your reactions, your choices, your intent, your ideals. These things and more all help make up who you are. You may not know who you used to be but that doesn¡¯t stop you from being the person you are now. The person who brought all of us together. The person who¡¯s trying to save the whole village by stopping the beastmar. The person who saved me. You may think you don¡¯t have an identity, but I think you have more certainty of self than you realize.¡± Tess stood, stretching as she yawned. ¡°Now, I¡¯m going to bed before it¡¯s my turn to go out on watch.¡± Arche nodded, standing as well. ¡°Thank you, Tess, for the conversation.¡± Tess flashed him a brilliant smile and his heart skipped a beat. ¡°Thank you for being you.¡± She turned and walked away, leaving him alone in the firelight, heat spreading across his cheeks and a strange ache in his chest. Book 1 | Chapter 33 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The morning came without incident, or as close to morning as they could guess in the gloom of the underground network. None of them had heard anything more than the sound of rummaging rodents and insects, all of which had stayed thankfully far away from them. Arche had spent his portion of the watch casually pinching himself to stay awake. He was bone-tired from the day¡¯s events and would have liked nothing more than a full night of uninterrupted sleep like Abraxios. Still, there was a certain comfort to be taken from the solitude of a lone vigil. When he woke the next morning, he felt as though he¡¯d barely slept at all. He even went as far as to check his status page to make sure he wasn¡¯t afflicted with an exhaustion debuff. Sure enough, tier one. Arche stretched, blinked as hard as he could to wake his eyes, and did his best to suck it up. ¡°You look terrible,¡± Tess commented. ¡°Oh, great, it¡¯s on the outside, too.¡± ¡°You all right? Didn¡¯t get an infection from all the blood yesterday, did you?¡± ¡°If he did, it¡¯s because he didn¡¯t tell me about it,¡± Odelia interjected. ¡°I can disinfect wounds for a pittance of the Mana it takes to heal them, you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m uninjured, just¡­ just tired. What I wouldn¡¯t give for a cup of coffee.¡± Arche was rubbing his eyes as he said it and still felt the weight of everyone frowning at him. ¡°Bitter drink. Helps you stay awake.¡± ¡°Sounds unpleasant,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s pretty fucking divine, and I really wish I¡ª¡± Arche stopped midsentence, realizing this was the first time he had had some feeling held over from before his memory started that hadn¡¯t faded away as soon as he tried to recall more. ¡°Arche?¡± ¡°I¡­ I remember. Coffee. Of all the things that might have come through, fucking coffee stays with me.¡± Lyssa smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good news. If one thing has stayed with you, maybe more isn¡¯t far away.¡± It also proved he wasn¡¯t crazy, at least about this aspect of his life, but Arche kept that fact to himself. ¡°Maybe,¡± Arche hedged. ¡°I just wish I remembered something a little more¡­ meaningful, I guess.¡± ¡°Not to interrupt a touching moment,¡± Abraxios cut in. ¡°But are we all ready to go?¡± Arche stowed his bedroll and blanket, then grabbed the Tridory. The rest were already packed and waiting as he took his position at the head of the group. They had spent a full day inside the dungeon, as far as anyone could tell. The darkness made it impossible to determine time by conventional means, but Arche wasn¡¯t as interested in the day already past as he was in the day still ahead of him. If everything went well, they might make it out before nightfall, assuming that their bodies still operated off normal, solar time. ¡°We should probably go over the plan,¡± Arche said. ¡°There¡¯s a plan? I thought we were just stumbling around in the dark trying not to get killed,¡± Abraxios quipped, turning to Odelia. ¡°Did you know there was a plan?¡± ¡°Hush,¡± the halfling said gently. ¡°Let¡¯s hear him out.¡± ¡°The bigger chambers are probably going to have more beastmar than we¡¯ve encountered in these individual patrols. It¡¯ll also be harder to engage them in the open as they can surround and overwhelm us. Furthermore, whoever¡¯s leading them is probably in these larger chambers as well. Tunnel fighting has proven to be pretty effective in limiting what they can do but it¡¯s not without its risks to us as well.¡± No one disagreed, so he continued. ¡°As we get close, we should scout the chambers to get an idea of what we¡¯re dealing with, then set traps along the passageways and lure them back to us. The traps should injure or kill enough of them that the rest have a difficult time getting through.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all in favor of setting traps, but how? We don¡¯t exactly have the materials to do so,¡± Tess pointed out. ¡°Odelia, can your gaiamancy be used to shape the stone in these passages? Stone spikes, pitfalls, that sort of thing?¡± The halfling cocked her head, considering it. ¡°It¡¯s doable, but it¡¯ll be time- and Mana-intensive. I don¡¯t know a specific spell to path traps in stonework, so I¡¯ll have to rely on Nature Meld. The more intricate you want the traps, the longer and the more it¡¯ll cost, but basic features should be reasonably doable.¡± This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°I can help her,¡± Lyssa said, stepping forward. ¡°I¡¯ve trapped many a beast in the forest, I can help her pick locations where traps will be most effective.¡± The wood elf moved over to stand next to the halfling, catching Tess¡¯s eye and giving the other woman an inscrutable expression. Arche glanced back and forth but whatever was passing between them was lost to him. ¡°I suppose that leaves me to go scouting ahead,¡± Tess said, breaking eye contact to look at Arche. ¡°Yes, but not alone. I¡¯ll go with you. My cloak should give me the stealth bonus I need to hold my own, and if either of us gets caught then the other can still report back to the rest.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Abraxios asked. ¡°You can watch the passages we came from and ensure no patrols sneak up behind us. If any do, warn Lyssa and Odelia and hide yourselves. Tess and I will think of something. Are we all clear?¡± Everyone nodded their assent.
Leadership has increased to Level 6. +1% Persuasion Chance (+6%) +1% Reputation Gain (+6%) -0.5% Reputation Loss (-3%)
Arche felt a spark of vindication at the message, as though he was being rewarded for the plan. He couldn¡¯t trust it to mean that his plan would work, though the increases the skill brought were more than welcome. It was yet another oddity of this strange world: you could still be rewarded even if what you were trying to do failed. It was an oddly optimistic feature, starkly contrasted against the harsh life that Tartarus had promised thus far. Tess nudged him with her elbow, bringing him back to the present. ¡°You ready?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go.¡± They set off at a loping run. Tess led the way as her Perception and trap finding skills were higher than his, so he focused all his efforts on making as little noise as possible and stepping exactly where she stepped to avoid any traps. They made much better time alone than when the whole group traveled. In less than half an hour of running they reached the opening to the first large chamber. Arche tracked their progress mentally; the map he extracted from the beastmar still etched into his head. He wasn¡¯t entirely certain how long that knowledge would last, but he was glad he still had it. On more than one occasion during their run he¡¯d had to correct Tess¡¯s course or give directions. Without that map, they would have been hopelessly lost in the underground complex. It was undeniably useful but the fear in the beastmar¡¯s face still ran through Arche¡¯s head. Psychic Link was easily his scariest skill yet and he wasn¡¯t sure he liked all the implications that came with it. The opening guided them toward was not actually set into the ground floor of the cavern. Instead, it was a small, balcony-style ledge set about four spear-lengths above the ground. The distance was not insurmountable from either direction but would give them plenty of cover to peer out into the room. Both Tess and Arche fell to their stomachs and crawled toward the edge, careful to make as little noise as possible. They needn¡¯t have worried, as the sounds coming from the cavern were more than enough to mask any scrapings of leather against dirt. Inside the cavern, the beastmar were feasting. Howls and jeers split the air and the room was illuminated by a bonfire in the very center and glowing green crystals that littered the walls and floor. Near the fire, stakes had been placed with impaled animals and people, set to roast over the flames. The beastmar themselves stood well away from the fire, clearly not wanting to set themselves alight with an errant spark. The sheer noise the creatures made should have traveled back through the passageways, given all the stone, but it didn¡¯t. There must have been sound-dampening magic or runes at play that gave the chamber some semblance of privacy, preventing sounds from traveling too far. Three-score beastmar filled the space below. That alone would have been bad enough and certainly gave both of them pause, but it wasn¡¯t all. In addition to the large piles of food¡ªthe majority of which was bloodied meat¡ªthere was a huge, bone cage with a dozen humanoids inside it, huddled near the middle. Several beastmar stood around the cage, harassing the occupants with spears or long, clawed hands. One of the prisoners shifted a little too close to one side, trying to avoid the prodding tip of a spear, and was snatched by a beastmar they didn¡¯t notice. The creature yanked the prisoner through a gap in the cage while the rest of the beastmar howled and cheered. Tess turned her head aside but Arche couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away, staring in grim horror as they pulled the prisoner apart, limb by bloody limb. Arche watched as a beastmar tossed a leg to one of its fellows and took a bite out of the quartered prisoner¡¯s severed arm, making sure that the victim, somehow still alive, could see. Arche¡¯s throat closed and he struggled to keep from running down into the fray and tearing them all to pieces. The power inside of him, the so-called Divinity, was screaming for him to use it, to vanquish these abominations who made a mockery of life. What was the point of power if not to stop things like this? With Divine Body, he would tear the hearts out of his enemies and feed it back to them. The skill practically begged to bathe in their blood. A hand grabbed his arm and Arche shifted to strike. He stopped a moment later. Tess had buried her face against her shoulder, holding onto his arm as though she would be wrenched away at any moment. Memories of the tunnel fight flooded his mind. The desire to face the beastmar openly, to kill every last one. How that decision had led to Tess very nearly losing her life. The rage in Arche¡¯s throat sputtered and died, but the disgust was still there, making Arche¡¯s stomach feel like it had settled somewhere near his clavicle. He was about to begin crawling back when a flash of light caught his attention. Unlike the glowing green crystals or the bonfire, this light was crimson. Arche nudged Tess and she lifted her head up and opened her eyes. He nodded toward the far wall, too distracted to give a clearer indication. Luckily, another flash of crimson showed both of them exactly where to look: the passage into the other huge cavern they hadn¡¯t yet managed to scout. Unfortunately, they didn¡¯t have a good angle and the distance was too great to make out any details. A third flash came but Arche¡¯s attention was snared by two beastmar pulling a makeshift cart piled high with bloody meat and body parts. They neared the opening to the next cavern and were clearly uncomfortable getting any closer, exchanging looks and proceeding rather slowly. As they reached the opening, one of the beastmar dropped his load and sprinted to the side. The weight of the cart momentarily pinned the remaining beastmar, who struggled to free himself. As the beastmar struggled, an enormous wolf-like head lunged from the tunnel, grabbed the beastmar and the cart together, and pulled them both into the tunnel. The beastmar screamed, the sound echoing back over the din, then violently stopped. The hairs on Arche¡¯s arms tickled as they stood. If the head was analogous to the creature¡¯s entire size, which wasn¡¯t a certainty anywhere beastmar were involved, then it was the size of a building, maybe even a small warehouse. Arche didn¡¯t know how they were going to fight that behemoth, but he was certain of one thing. This was how the beastmar were going to destroy the village. Book 1 | Chapter 34 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche and Tess sprinted back the way they came, toward the rest of their group. Neither of them said anything since seeing the hound, but the primal fear that accompanied seeing an enormous, people-eating monster transcended all need for language. Arche had no idea how he was supposed to fight that thing, only that he had to find a way or they were all dead. Tess had been especially introspective since they had left the cavern. Her face was a perfect mask, betraying no emotions, though Arche had enough of a sense of her to tell she was deeply conflicted behind her stoic demeanor. Arche slowed down after his Stamina was beginning to lag, dipping down to thirty percent. For a moment, he thought she was going to keep going, but she slowed as well, coming to a stop a few paces in front of him before grabbing her knees and panting. ¡°Needless to say,¡± Arche said between breaths. ¡°We¡¯re in over our heads.¡± Tess stared at him, as if already analyzing a response to words she had yet to say. ¡°If we fight that thing, we¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree.¡± ¡°So what do we do?¡± Arche threw up his hands. ¡°I am open to suggestions.¡± There was a brief pause as they both considered their options. ¡°We should talk to the others but I don¡¯t see how we can defeat that.¡± ¡°I think we¡¯re going to have to, not just to complete the quest but also to keep the village safe. Plus, I¡¯m not comfortable leaving those prisoners behind.¡± ¡°There are limits to what we can accomplish. To fight a force that large, we¡¯ll need help. Perhaps we should return to the village and recruit more fighters.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Arche hedged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯ll work. We should discuss that play as a group, though.¡± After a couple minutes of rest, they sped off again. Arche led the way through the tunnels this time, the lack of traps they faced the first time gave him confidence that they would make it back unscathed. Whether by calculation or serendipity, they made it safely back. Lyssa met them before they could barrel into their own traps. Arche hadn¡¯t considered that he and Tess would have had to cross the trapped passage and felt a flush of gratitude for the elf¡¯s foresight. ¡°I was wondering if you two were going to be gone all day,¡± Lyssa remarked as they approached. ¡°I was beginning to think you¡¯d been captured.¡± ¡°Captured? Us? Not likely,¡± Arche replied with all the false bravado he could muster. It was all he could do to keep standing. ¡°You¡¯re right, they would have killed you and hung you from the ceiling to ripen, Greenstick.¡± ¡°I¡¯d have caught in their throats and choked the whole lot.¡± Tess didn¡¯t allow herself to be drawn into the banter. Instead, she glanced back the way they had come, brow furrowed in thought. Lyssa, perceptive as ever, caught Tess¡¯s expression and turned serious. ¡°Follow me.¡± Through Lyssa¡¯s careful guidance, they weaved their way through quite a few pressure plates, false floors, and tripwires before rejoining the rest of their group. ¡°So,¡± Abraxios said after they had a moment to collect themselves. ¡°What are we up against?¡± Arche and Tess launched into descriptions of the cavern and what they had seen, shoring up any details that slipped in the other¡¯s retelling. When they spoke of the wolf-like creature they had seen, the others looked hopeless. ¡°Titan¡¯s Bane,¡± Odelia murmured. ¡°What are we going to do about that?¡± ¡°What can we do?¡± Abraxios followed up. ¡°We came here to fight a few bands of beastmar, not dismantle an entire army and destroy a huge monster single-handedly. We¡¯re ill-equipped for such an endeavor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Arche said. ¡°This is more than you signed up for. More than any of us signed up for, really. I won¡¯t blame you if you want to leave, but I¡¯m staying.¡± ¡°Arche, be reasonable,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°There is only so much we can do alone. To retreat and return with greater numbers is not cowardice.¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°This isn¡¯t about bravery,¡± Arche said. ¡°Every second we waste, more of those prisoners are going to die. I won¡¯t abandon those people. Besides, even if I go back, Callias is going to get in my way. At best, arrested; at worst, killed. Call it a gut feeling, but if he wanted me dead before, he¡¯ll want me double-dead now that he thinks I¡¯m trying to steal his money.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to stay here,¡± Lyssa pointed out. ¡°I know.¡± Arche ran a hand through his hair. ¡°But I¡¯m not just thinking about me. The quest I have practically says that if we don¡¯t find a way to stop this, then this creature will destroy the village. I can¡¯t walk away from this. Callias won¡¯t do anything to protect the village, he¡¯s already made that abundantly clear. I can¡¯t see him committing his guards now, but that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we shouldn¡¯t try.¡± Arche paused, trying to gather his thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s your plan, Arche?¡± Tess asked. ¡°I¡¯m staying. I intend to see this through, one way or the other. None of you are under the same obligation.¡± He made eye contact with each of them, holding Lyssa¡¯s eyes the longest. ¡°You can go back, take the reward from Theodorous, try to convince Callias to send his guards, or leave and try to find a better home elsewhere in the likely event that I fail.¡± There was quiet for several moments as everyone considered the options. Abraxios was the first to speak. ¡°I am sorry. I know you mean well, but this is not a fight we can win. I cannot be a part of it.¡± Odelia nodded. ¡°I know you said you would stay, but we can¡¯t fight something like that. There are too many of them and I don¡¯t think any of us could rightfully fight that creature and hope to live. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Arche had thought it would come to this. Expected it, even. It still felt like a punch to the gut. The loss of their spells would hurt, especially in the darkness of the underground. He extended one hand and withdrew the map of the dungeon from his inventory, holding it out to them. ¡°I wish both of you the best of luck. If we fail here today, get yourselves and as many as you can to safety. Callias be damned, that fool isn¡¯t worth dying for.¡± ¡°We will try to rally help for you above and return as quickly as we can,¡± Abraxios said as he collected the map. Arche had no doubt that the tengu would attempt to do just that, but he held no hope for reinforcements arriving in time. He turned to Tess and Lyssa. ¡°And your decisions?¡± ¡°Where you go, I follow, Greenstick. Someone has to temper your schemes with sense.¡± Tess was uncharacteristically quiet. Arche could see on her face she was struggling with her decision. It was not lost on him how shaken she had been by the whole ordeal, how much she had already risked, how close she¡¯d come to death. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay,¡± he said in a low voice, trying his best to sound reassuring. ¡°Your choice is your own.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Tess hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I need to think.¡± Abraxios met Odelia¡¯s eyes, a moment of unspoken understanding passing between them. ¡°We will wait a half hour before we depart for the surface,¡± the tengu said. ¡°After that, if you decide to leave, you must make the journey by yourselves.¡± Arche nodded his agreement. If they left together, they would have the best odds if they ran into any spare patrols, and the map should help them navigate back to the surface. On the other hand, a delay in leaving meant a delay in reinforcements arriving, but Arche knew better than to count on help. As long as they remained safe on the journey out, that was what was important. ¡°Very well. I will leave you to your preparations,¡± Arche said, noting with mild surprise how formal his words sounded to his own ears. Perhaps the world was rubbing off on him or perhaps this was a remnant of the man he used to be shining through. If the others noticed, they didn¡¯t say anything. Abraxios and Odelia stepped away, holding the map between them to plan their route back. Lyssa took Tess by the arm and gently led her away to talk in private, leaving Arche alone with his thoughts. It had been such a long time since he had relatively nothing to do that he was at a loss. Their initial plan of luring beastmar back into their traps was still their best bet, as far as he was concerned. With their numbers reduced down to a reliable two and with no healing magic, they would not be able to afford open combat. That meant trickery, traps, and downright unsportsmanlike conduct. It wasn¡¯t going to be the glorious battle that part of him craved. A little voice in his head told him to meet his foes on the battlefield and make them regret the day of their creation. To destroy them, see them cast down before him, and to hear the wailing of their wounded. Alas, there were too many lives on the line if he failed, including his own. Asymmetric warfare didn¡¯t provide the same rush but it was a good way to kill a lot of beastmar at least risk to himself and his allies, so it was clearly the better choice. How they would kill the rest, well, that was a problem for future Arche. Getting to that point was the problem for current Arche. He tightened his grip on the Tridory, feeling the weight of it. The coarseness of the metal left indentations in his skin. Focusing on the sensation helped him focus on the situation, on the present and near future, and helped keep his attention from wandering. The beginnings of a plan began to formulate as he stared down the expanse of trapped hallway. He had almost convinced himself it could work when Lyssa and Tess returned to him. ¡°I¡¯m staying,¡± Tess said, meeting his eyes. Arche glanced to Lyssa, who nodded. He fixed his eyes back on Tess. ¡°And this is your choice?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you have a plan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on it. We should inform Abraxios and Odelia of your decision.¡± ¡°Already done,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°They left a couple minutes ago.¡± Arche blinked in surprise and turned around, finding that the tengu and halfling had, indeed, gone. He even went as far as to check his Adventuring Party menu to see that both names had disappeared. ¡°I didn¡¯t see them go,¡± he said quietly. ¡°They¡¯ll be okay,¡± Tess reassured. ¡°I¡¯m not sure anything in here could stop them from running if they set their minds to it, between his speed and her ground control they could probably get out of here within the hour.¡± Arche nodded. He didn¡¯t doubt that they could get out on their own, but it was still surprising that after all they had been through together that they hadn¡¯t even said goodbye. He put it from his mind. Their situation demanded it. ¡°All right, here¡¯s the plan¡­¡± Book 1 | Chapter 35 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°You have the worst plans.¡± Lyssa and Arche stood in the mouth of the tunnel, just shy of the massive cavern. It was the first time the elven woman had seen what they were up against with her own eyes and she was not optimistic. Tess stayed behind to set off some of the traps manually. Arche didn¡¯t like the idea of them splitting up yet again and especially didn¡¯t like the idea of Tess being by herself in the dungeon but he didn¡¯t need psychic powers to know that what she¡¯d seen in the cavern had troubled her far more than she let on. ¡°Great, then you can plan the next one.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot of confidence that this one will work.¡± Arche shrugged, keeping an eye on the entrance. ¡°You agreed to it.¡± ¡°I said that it was as likely to work as Callias welcoming you back with open arms.¡± Arche flashed a grin. ¡°So you¡¯re saying there¡¯s a chance?¡± Lyssa rolled her eyes. ¡°If we die, I¡¯ll kill you myself.¡± ¡°That¡­yeah, all right. That¡¯s fair.¡± Lyssa flexed her hand and her bow appeared. Arche carefully set the Tridory against the wall and pulled out his own bow. He really needed to figure out a way of carrying the spear without having to hold it in one hand all the time. Arche shook the thought free from his head. It wasn¡¯t the time to focus on quality-of-life, rather on sustainment of life. He and Lyssa were about to kick the hornet¡¯s nest. They stalked up to the ledge, as quiet as they could be. The hubbub in the cavern had died down somewhat from last time. Some of the beastmar had fallen asleep, passed out in piles around the room. Arche felt a pang of guilt as a few more prisoners were missing from the cage. He grabbed the feeling and hardened it into anger. They would pay. They would all pay. He met Lyssa¡¯s gaze and saw his own anger reflected there. Without further hesitation, they nocked arrows to their strings and began raining death. Their first volley went unnoticed, felling two beastmar. Before Arche had even retrieved his next arrow from his quiver, Lyssa had shot twice more. Each arrow found its place in some vulnerable spot, whether it was throat, eye, or heart. Arche couldn¡¯t be sure, but she was shooting at least four times faster than he was, which spoke to the massive gap in skill and capability that stood between them. Still, he was determined not to be useless. By the time the seventh beastmar died, their efforts were noticed. A loud, angry cry rose up above the natural din and the lethargic beastmar began to stir. Arche sent a Penetrating Shot at a particularly large beastmar before surveying their situation. They had brought down or killed about nine beastmar, but there were still fifty more rallying after them. He wished, not for the first time, that he had access to magic. What he would have given for a well-placed fireball at that moment. Sadly, wishing wasn¡¯t doing. With the approaching horde, they were running out of time. Arche stored his bow and quiver safely into his inventory and turned away to retrieve the Tridory. Lyssa hesitated, shooting twice more into the horde scrabbling up the incline, then followed Arche¡¯s lead. They raced through the underground passage, slowing every so often to shoot arrows at the frontrunners of their pursuers. Arche remembered their first encounter with beastmar and how Lyssa had so quickly outpaced him to go fight. That display of pure speed made her current pace seem like a brisk walk, despite it being as fast as Arche felt he could maintain. If she had the inclination, she could have easily left him behind. He was grateful she was on his side. Even with the incredible benefits of the Divine Body skill, he wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against her. She was a force of nature, unstoppable in her wrath. Passages flew past to the left and right, but Arche kept his focus on what was ahead. The sounds of beastmar stuck in his ears, drowning everything else. His heart pounded, fear and adrenaline mixed in equal measure. His muscles trembled, his breath came ragged, but still he ran. Just a bit farther, five minutes of sprinting at the max. Something launched out of a side-passage and slammed into Arche. A beastmar had somehow cut them off. The incredible mass of the creature knocked Arche clear off his feet, the Tridory fell from his grip and clattered away. They tumbled into another passage, this one with a steep downward incline. Arche heard Lyssa shout his name, then he was weightless. Falling. Flying through the black toward certain death. The beastmar let out a howl of fear and regret. No lights lined the walls, no indication of how far he was falling or when he would hit the bottom. The air rushed by, pushing him away from the beastmar, but he grabbed hold of one of the creature¡¯s many flailing limbs and pulled himself closer. The beastmar was fully gripped by panic, its movements erratic, but Arche strained against the thrashing and buried himself in the monster¡¯s chest. Then, he activated Divine Body. Crimson light spilled out of every pore, illuminating the tunnel as they fell. Strength flooded his limbs and he held tight, pressing himself as closely as he could. In the light, the beastmar was revealed. An enormous torso containing no less than five arms, each attempting to grab something, anything, to arrest its fall. Arche moved his grip to the beastmar¡¯s shoulder and braced himself. His other hand slid up the creature¡¯s torso, through its throat and into its head. It let out a surprised cough, twitched, and went limp. Arche withdrew his dripping hand and hugged the now-dead body. The ground met him with a crunch. His toughened body sank into the beastmar and, despite the softened landing and the improved resilience that Divine Body offered him, he was too dazed to focus on keeping the ability active. The light winked out and Arche was left in total darkness, his head swam as if he were still falling. With shaking limbs, he pushed himself out of the crater that was the dead beastmar¡¯s chest, managing to roll clear of it before he threw up. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He was covered in gore and entrails. The stench of it filled his nose, making him retch. He heaved again and more bile splattered against the ground. More than a little nervous at what he would find, he checked his vitals.
Health: 208 / 495 42% Stamina: 355 / 355 100% Mana: 19 / 190 10%
There was no doubt that without his Divine Body skill and the beastmar to land on, he would have died. As it was, he had no idea where he was. This tunnel was not included on his mental map. He was on his own. Arche reached for the Tridory and cursed when his hands found only empty air. It was either above him in the passage, or somewhere in the darkness around him. At ten percent of his total Mana, he might have enough to summon it, but it would hurt. Arche tried to call upon his bond with the weapon but was hit instead by a sudden wave of vertigo. He stumbled and fell to the ground, stomach heaving again. His Mana dipped five points, then stopped as he lost concentration. Arche dragged himself away from the dead beastmar, trying to escape both the smell and the sticky pool of blood coalescing around the broken form. The ground was rough and uneven, huge stones and spikes jutted up at odd angles. He couldn¡¯t see but he had the impression he was at the bottom of a massive spike trap. He found a wall to lean against and tried to take stock. First, he looked through his inventory. He had three torches, each of which would last an hour. There was also a bit of flint and steel to light them. The beastmar were also highly flammable, so a torch would actually be useful if he ran into more of them. He would have to wait before lighting anything on fire, however. If the light attracted more creatures to him, he would need his strength back. Divine Body was his only method of outright healing himself so he was forced to wait for his Mana to recover naturally. At his current rate, it would take him about five minutes. The quiet of the tunnel, mixed with the oppressive darkness and aching pain of his body, lulled his mind to surrender to unconsciousness. Slumped against a stone spike, Arche found it impossible to keep his eyes open. When he woke, his Health had risen thirty-six points and his Mana was full. Doing some mental calculations, he figured he¡¯d been asleep for about an hour and a half. That wasn¡¯t completely trustworthy, as any number of factors could have slowed or improved it, not the least of which was the now-missing Exhaustion debuff, but it was accurate enough to go on for now. An hour and a half stuck in a dark hole. An hour and a half that the beastmar had chased Lyssa and Tess. With any luck, they had managed better than he had. The plan had been to use the traps they had set to slow them down, then finish off any that were left or hide somewhere. They hadn¡¯t planned for the beastmar to head them off. If something had happened to the others¡­ There was little use in thinking about that now. He had to appraise his situation and find a way out of the hole. But first, he had to see what he was dealing with. He retrieved the flint and steel, which consisted of a rock and a dull knife, then crawled his way toward where he thought the beastmar was and felt around for its body. ¡°Normally,¡± he muttered to himself, ¡°I¡¯d be more reluctant about doing something like this, but you caught me in an uncharitable mood. And let¡¯s face it, I was inside you. Not much more we can really do, eh?¡± It took a few strikes for the sparks to catch on the beastmar¡¯s fur but once they did, the flames spread quickly, casting a flickering, orange-yellow glow across Arche¡¯s surroundings. It was the first opportunity he¡¯d had to take a look at himself since the fall. He¡¯d certainly seen better days. Dried blood and chunky bits stained him red and black, both the beastmar¡¯s and his own but more the former. The hardened leathers that comprised his armor had been practically shredded in several places and one of his sleeves was hanging on by a few threads. The Emerald Ghost, the magical cloak he¡¯d paid so much for, was also sporting its fair share of tears and rips, but Arche wasn¡¯t worried. As long as it retained durability, it would repair itself over time. He only hoped the cleaning aspect of the repair feature worked on bloodstains. His self-examination over, Arche turned his attention toward his immediate surroundings. He was, indeed, in some sort of spike pit, but the spikes were much larger and set much further apart than he had expected. Instead of being clustered together, ready to impale any creature unlucky enough to fall into the pit, they were more like small trees, rising above Arche¡¯s head with enough space to walk comfortably through. The light from the burning beastmar didn¡¯t completely illuminate the space he found himself in, but Arche could see a nearby wall. On the other side, the light faded into the darkness of a larger space. The last thing he wanted was to go exploring that darkness, but he needed to find an exit. More than that, he needed his weapon. Arche raised a hand and focused on his connection to the Tridory, willing it to return. The Mana moved inside him, channeled along his connection to the spear but the link felt muddled, as though he was trying to pull something heavy underwater. His Mana dove steadily but he couldn¡¯t tell if the spear was getting any closer or not. When his Mana was half-gone, the feeling gave way and the Tridory appeared, glinting in the firelight as it descended from somewhere above. Arche caught the spear at the haft, looking it over. It was covered in stone dust, which was somewhat surprising as the underground complex hadn¡¯t had an abundance of disturbed stone or dirt. It had actually been relatively clean. Arche looked between the spear, himself, and the burning beastmar. ¡°I won¡¯t ask if you don¡¯t.¡± He chuckled to himself. ¡°Talking to a spear. All right, Arche, let¡¯s figure our way out of this.¡± He hobbled forward, bones still groaning from the impact. He rested one hand against the wall, leaning the rest of his weight against the Tridory. The flickering light of the burning beastmar didn¡¯t reach far, but Arche moved past the limits into darkness, searching for some way out. The shadow consumed him, but he trudged forward undaunted, circling around the occasional spike that rose in his path, hoping for some organic escape. When the gleam of fire was barely visible, he decided to turn back. He¡¯d lost so much time already; he couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more by getting lost again. Lyssa and Tess could have been captured by the beastmar, or even killed. Arche¡¯s eyes narrowed. He couldn¡¯t entertain that line of thought. He had to trust they could handle themselves. His focus was on getting out of his current predicament and getting back to them before it was too late. They had kicked the hornet¡¯s nest and now they had to deal with the swarm. Arche quickened his pace, feeling the resentment in his muscles and bones. He needed to find a way out. A way that preferably did not include climbing back up the walls. Not only would it take forever but if he fell then he would most likely be impaled on the spikes. Recent experiences told him that falling was not a way he ever wanted to die, no matter what he was landing on. Those concerns were banished upon finding a depression in the wall. The depression gave way to a tunnel that disappeared into the darkness. Arche followed it as quickly as his body would allow, the Tridory hefted in one hand, ready to use, while the other held the stone wall for guidance. A quarter of an hour passed before he heard sounds echoing off the walls. The sounds gave way to low, snarled voices as he approached. ¡°Curse it! They hide like rats in our walls. Vermin, scattering at the first sound of danger. Find them! Split up if you have to. Flesh is always sweeter after a hunt. Show no cowardice or you will be their replacement. The chief demands their deaths.¡± Arche adjusted his grip on the spear. His heart thumped against his ribs until he was sure the beastmar would hear it. Being hunted wasn¡¯t a feeling he was sure he¡¯d ever get used to, but it was better to run toward the danger than away. These beastmar stood between him and his companions and the delay could be the difference between life and death. Unacceptable. Arche set his jaw and tried to quell his pounding heart. Fear was a luxury he could not afford. The time for running away was past. It was time to run toward something and if he couldn¡¯t find his friends, then the enemy would have to do. Book 1 | Chapter 36 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Muffled footsteps echoed off the walls. The voices of the beastmar grew louder, more varied. Multiple conversations filtered through, making it hard to pick out specific words. The distortion of the sound itself left no doubt to the fact that it was beastmar speaking, so Arche had no qualms about rushing in spear-first. For the first time in a long while, he was on his own. No companions to protect or watch out for, only enemies to fight. He thought about what they¡¯d done to Tess and a creeping fury grew within him. Bloodlust blossomed out from his chest like heat until his fingers twitched with anticipation. Every step brought him toward beautiful violence. He would paint the entire underground complex red with the blood of his foes, watch them grovel before him as he crushed them into paste. Arche blinked. Anger filled him but it wasn¡¯t his. He hated the beastmar, true, but he wanted them dead, not broken. He wanted his friends safe. That was his goal. This violence and blood, he didn¡¯t care about that, did he? It was hard to tell. The feeling was powerful. He wanted to bathe in their blood, taste their fear before they died. Or did he just want them dead, no matter how? The feelings mixed together, impossible to separate. He did want to hurt. To kill. He wanted to rip these monsters limb from limb, hang them from their entrails, and nail their severed heads to every tree in the Sylv. The feelings were seductive, difficult to refuse. He wanted to give in, to commit to the freedom of the slaughter. To lose whatever vestiges of himself that he had established in the last month. It was overwhelming, the desire to become conflict in the shape of a man. To let go of the pain, fear, and anxiety. To do as he was born to do. Kill. It would be so simple, as easy as breathing. It was also unacceptable. Arche forced himself to breathe slowly. He turned inward, focusing on the expanse of his mindscape. He had no better term for his metaphysical sense of self. Without his Psychic trait guiding him through it, opening the path for him, he wouldn¡¯t have had the first idea where to begin. As it was, there were still pockets he couldn¡¯t quite focus on and it was difficult to feel out his entire mind at once, but he had awareness enough to recognize when something was wrong. Scarlet energy blasted Arche¡¯s mindscape but not from outside, like he¡¯d thought. Beams of red light shot forth from a singular point within his mind, cracking the mud walls of his mental construct. Those walls represented the limits of his mind; if the energy broke through, there would be nothing protecting him from outside influence. There would also be nothing tethering his consciousness to his body. He would be lost, completely at the mercy of whatever forces lurked in the negative expanse between minds. Arche focused on reinforcing the walls, Mana streaming into them in brilliant rivers, but the energy shifted, targeting new sections whenever he started to counteract it. He redoubled his efforts, funneling more and more Mana, trying to strengthen his walls and rebuff the rage energy. All the while, he tried to find the source, but the effort was immense. The Mana was thick and far too slow, like a glacier trying to catch a skier, but they flowed from the same direction. He followed the energy to the center of his mindscape, where it bloomed from a blood-red pool of Mana-water. Deep below the surface, something glowed with tremendous energy. Arche dove into the pool with his mental construct, feeling the outside world slip away from him as he did so. All that existed was Mana and energy. The Mana reacted to him, swirling in shifting currents to wash over him, bringing with it a clarity of thought but the energy also brought anger. The pool dipped lower as the Mana drained to reinforce his walls, funneled outward to the edge of his mindscape. The red glow was below him, now, so Arche dove deeper, losing all sensation of the world outside. As he went, anger and rage pressed upon him, trying to drown him. He should not be fighting this. This is what he wanted, after all. To destroy. To break. To kill. This energy was power he could use against his enemies, power he needed. Without it, he was nothing. Without it, he would die. It was necessary; good, even. He was a demigod, after all. This power was his right, wasn¡¯t it? Arche drew on the Mana to harden his own construct. The rivers pulled back from the walls and concentrated in the avatar of his consciousness, flowing around him in a nexus of currents. A brilliant, red crystal sat at the center of his Mana pool. Large, fleshy veins grew outward from the crystal, leaching into the pool and pushing outward into the ground and the rest of his mind. The crystal pulsed, a heartbeat of power, and sent beams of energy upward, trying to break through his mind¡¯s meager defenses. Arche placed his astral hands against the crystal and tried to connect to it. The process was surprisingly easy. It was, after all, already inside his head. The crystal radiated rage and its power. It was immense, far stronger than he would ever be. It contained multitudes, capable of consciousnesses that would shatter his fragile mind to behold. This was the source of his Divine Body skill, there could be no doubt. Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t from him. Cohabitation was apparently no longer an option. It sent wave after wave of energy, leaching fury into his Mana and turning it bright red. It was going to break his mind. Going to acquire him. Each pulse rocked Arche, threatening to shake loose his defenses and consume him entirely. It whispered to him of power, of what it could do to his enemies. It roared at him to kill. It demanded blood and sacrifice and worship. As its demands grew, Arche¡¯s mind quivered. What could he do in the face of such power? It was beyond anything he¡¯d ever experienced. He was nothing next to this unyielding hate, this undying violence. It would drown him and use him to exact a blood price against all of Tartarus. He would become nothing more than a mindless vessel to the fury. Lost in a sea of blood. The energy beat against Arche, crushing his construct from every side. It was growing harder to fight against it. As if it could sense his weakness, the waves of energy hit harder, came faster. He couldn¡¯t last against it. All he was would be lost in the darkness of the dungeon, never to reemerge. Arche would die and this rageful thing would live on. A face filtered in front of him, thought made form. Lyssa. He would never see her again. Enslaved to this maddening hate. Worse, if he did see her, there was no guarantee that this hatred wouldn¡¯t hurt her, wouldn¡¯t extend to her. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. More faces filtered through, joining Lyssa¡¯s. Helwan. Tess. Odelia. Abraxios. His friends. He couldn¡¯t let this hate rip them away from him. More faces joined the bunch. Vik, Gigator, Elpida, Cypress, Danocles, Baldwic, Theodorous. What would happen to them if he lost himself here? What would he do to them? He pushed his hands through the crystal¡¯s walls and opened himself fully to it. He joined with the energy, felt the power of it, the pulsating rage, the thirst for blood. It consumed him. It would consume the world in glorious tribute. Arche nudged it. There was no battle cry, no defiant stand. The crystal wanted rage and blood but it wasn¡¯t Arche. When the crystal sent rage, Arche thought of his friends. When the crystal wanted blood, Arche sent back his will to protect his allies. He poured his Mana into the crystal and the waves of energy slowed. The crimson tides dulled and grew auburn, then orange. Energy stopped flowing outward from the crystal altogether. He had tuned it to himself. Turned its power to new use, a weapon to help his friends. Divine Body was a powerful tool but he would use it to make a world worthy of his friends, not drown the old one in blood. Nearly drained of Mana, Arche fell out of his mindscape and back into his physical body.
Divinity has increased to 50%.
The message hung in Arche¡¯s vision as he caught his breath. His head pounded from lack of Mana but that didn¡¯t keep the grin from spreading across his face. He was in control. Howling from ahead reminded him that the beastmar were still a threat. He¡¯d stayed still too long. It was time to move. With every step, he felt more confident, more certain of himself. The influence was suppressed and Arche was back in control over his own emotions. He doubted the fix was permanent. He didn¡¯t understand the crystal well enough to change it permanently but, for the moment, he was in charge. It could last for minutes or it could last for months. He could only hope that his Willpower would hold. Until then, his goal was unchanged. There were beastmar that needed killing. Arche reached into his mind again, this time focused outward. He expanded his mental awareness, imagining it as a net flung out in front of him. He connected each strand back to the walls of his consciousness, ready to pull his mind back at the first sign of danger. The psychic net didn¡¯t extend far, but in the darkness of the tunnel, barely illuminated by some bioluminescent moss, it would be a better indicator than anything else of how far ahead the beastmar were. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. For several long minutes, Arche perceived nothing. He was forced to take it slow, one hand on the tunnel wall for guidance. His foot pressed a small slab of stone into the ground with an audible click. Arche froze and looked down at his feet. There was no way to tell if the trap was ahead of him, behind him, or all around him, but stepping on it hadn¡¯t been enough to fully trigger it, likely he would have to step away. He weighed his options. Forward, back, or stay put. Not much to go on. If the pit he¡¯d fallen into was really meant to be a spike trap, then it stood to reason that the trap would either be in front of him or around him to finish off survivors. Then again, he hadn¡¯t properly explored the spike pit and there might have been treasure he¡¯d missed, which could mean the trap was around him or behind him. It all came down to whether or not he felt lucky. Either way, staying still was probably a bad option. Arche stuck the Tridory into the ground and put one foot on it for leverage, then launched himself back the way he¡¯d come. Fire erupted in the passage. The intense blast of heat washed over him, then he was out of it. Arche rolled along the ground, stamping out the embers that had caught on his clothing. He pushed himself to his feet, wincing as he saw thirty points had been taken off his Health bar, almost entirely undoing the healing that had occurred during his brief stint of unconsciousness. His clothing and armor had blocked the brunt of the flames but nothing had caught alight. Arche looked out at the still burning trap, blinking his eyes rapidly against the bright light. The Tridory had apparently stuck into a second pressure plate and had pinned it in the active position. The flames weren¡¯t coming from spouts, as he expected, but from glowing runes placed all along the walls, floor, and ceiling. If whoever had designed this trap had included the runes both before and after the activation, Arche doubted he would have survived. As it was, the intensity of the flames was fading, white to blue to orange. Finally, the runes sputtered and died, their fires dying along with them. Arche eyed the rest of the passage warily before the last the flames died out, plunging him in darkness. The converging flames had incinerated much of the glowing moss in the tunnel and, even if they hadn¡¯t, they had killed his acclimation to the dark. It was there, stuck in absolute darkness with afterglow burned into his retinas, that he heard shouting echo down the passage. Bestial howls signaled hunters who had prey within reach. In spite of himself, a shiver of fear wormed its way into Arche¡¯s gut. He was alone, in the dark, potentially surrounded by traps, and was being hunted. He held his hand out to the side, calling the Tridory back to him. There was a hint of resistance as the spear ripped itself free of the floor, then it fell into his hand. With the heavy spear in hand, he felt a shadow of security, but was still at a serious disadvantage. Without knowing the number or location of additional traps around him, he couldn¡¯t move without risking his own death. All he could do was wait for the beastmar and hope that he survived the encounter. The howls grew louder. The slapping of paws, feet, and hooves against stone echoed, heralding their arrival. Too many to get an accurate count, especially with the discordant harmonies and the fact that beastmar did not have a standardized number of limbs. Arche gripped the Tridory in both hands and cast his mental awareness outward again, taking pains to ensure that his mental walls were, if not strong, at least present. The last thing he needed was inexplicable bloodlust making him lose all caution and become a cooked dinner for the monsters. Three tense minutes later, the beastmar entered his awareness. There were three of them and they proceeded more slowly than Arche had expected. He wasn¡¯t sure how far away they were, exactly. Thirty strides, perhaps. He had a vague sense of direction as well, which was helpful as his vision still hadn¡¯t acclimated to the near absolute darkness of the tunnel. Part of him considered activating Divine Body for the light the skill gave off but he dismissed the idea. Not only would he need to conserve that Mana in the event he actually needed to use the skill but activating it would only give him light for a few seconds, even if he tried to rein it in as much as he could. It wouldn¡¯t be enough time to do anything and it would ruin any acclimatization he¡¯d achieved in the last few minutes. No, he wouldn¡¯t be able to gimmick his way out of this one. He was going to have to rely on strategy and luck. Mostly luck. ¡°Oi! Uglies! I¡¯m over here!¡± His words echoed off the stone walls and the beastmar howled their response. They surged forward, much more quickly than before. Arche¡¯s hair stood on end as he felt them approach. They were nearly upon him when he heard a low *click* and saw the tell-tale red glow of runes. Arche ducked, shielding his eyes as a torrent of flames shot out of the floor, walls, and ceiling, incinerating two of the beastmar in front of him. The last pulled up short, snarling at him from the other side of the flames. The runes slowly faded again, the fire dying down, but Arche was ready for it this time. He stood, twirling his spear before launching it into the conflagration. A surprised, pained yelp let him know that the attack had struck but the lack of an experience notification meant it was only wounded, not dead. Arche held his hand out and summoned the Tridory back to him. It tore through the flames, landing warm and bloody in his palm. His psychic net told him that the creature was moving moments before it appeared, leaping through the flames at him. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± The burning beastmar slammed into him. Arche¡¯s feet left the ground and he lost all sense of direction. His psychic net splintered into nothingness as his concentration broke and he lost all idea of where the beastmar was. His head hit something hard and it became difficult to think. Dazed, Arche tried to curl up, wracked with pain. A huge hand lifted him and hurled him into a wall. There was a loud pop and pain flooded Arche¡¯s left shoulder. Heat flashed near him and feral screams bounded off the walls. It took him a few moments to realize he wasn¡¯t the only one screaming. The beastmar burned merrily and flailed about, desperately trying to douse itself. Arche met the beast¡¯s eyes and the creature stopped, then lunged toward him again. ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± Arche scrambled backwards, his left arm nearly blinding him with pain. The beastmar tripped as it advanced, hitting the ground and scrabbling with three outstretched arms. Arche kicked out at it, connecting with the creature¡¯s face. It howled but one of its arms grabbed hold of Arche¡¯s ankle and yanked him forward. Arche yelped and tried to pull away, but the beastmar had too strong of a grip. The Tridory had been knocked from his grasp after the first hit and he didn¡¯t have the space to use it effectively here even if he had it. Another hand reached toward him. Arche panicked. Everything screamed. His arms, his chest, his legs, Arche himself, and the beastmar. The racket was unbearable. He didn¡¯t have space to pull his sword free, his left arm was limp and useless, and this creature was set on killing him even if it had to burn itself alive in the process. Arche knew in the pit of his stomach that he was going to die, alone in the dark where none of his friends would ever find him. The fingers of his right hand curled into a fist, intent on making his final moments one of defiance, and closed instead around a sword hilt. He didn¡¯t have time to question it, he activated Divine Body and swung for all he was worth. A heavy, wet weight fell on top of him. Arche trembled, whole body spasming as his conscious brain fought for control. Divine Body slipped away almost immediately, leaving him in complete darkness, colorful after-images still burned into his retinas. The weight pressed down on him, black blood soaking him through once more. Arche shoved the bisected corpse off himself. Then the smell of blood, roasted meat, and feces reached his nose and he turned and heaved onto the ground next to him. The motion aggravated his injured ribs and he laid there, hurt, terrified, and revulsed. Several attempts after he¡¯d emptied the last dregs of his stomach, he¡¯d calmed down enough that he could start thinking again. As much as his body wanted to go to sleep under the weight of his armor and the pain of his wounds, he knew that doing so could spell death for his friends, if not himself. Arche raised one hand out to the side and called upon his bond with the Tridory, summoning it to his hand. The action caused a tingle of pain to run through his head but the Tridory landed in his grip regardless. Checking his vitals, the reason became clear: he was running dangerously low on Mana.
Health: 144 / 495 29% Stamina: 84 / 355 24% Mana: 6 / 190 3%
No doubt about it, he¡¯d seen better days. Using the spear, Arche hauled himself to his feet. His legs were unsteady, like he was standing on the bow of a ship over the open ocean. He stumbled to the side, pressing his weight up against the wall. His mind wandered away from his pain to wonder if he¡¯d ever been on a ship, if such an endless expanse of water really existed and how nice it would be. The sea breeze running through his hair, the smell of salt, the endless expanse of blue above and below and the sun warming his skin. The idea of it made the damp dark nearly unbearable. ¡°What I would give to level up right now.¡± He checked his Profession Quest status, knowing his leveling was blocked until he completed it.
Objectives ¡¤ Reach a Divinity of 100% (50/100) ¡¤ Do not die
¡°How the fuck do I do this?¡± Arche tried to focus on each word but there were no descriptions, no hints. ¡°How am I supposed to figure out what to do? What even is Divinity?¡±
Divinity has increased to 55%.
Arche stared at the new message, then looked upward at the ceiling. ¡°Are you shitting me?¡± Silence. ¡°It¡¯s just gonna be questions and speculation? I can¡¯t even get a condescending explanation?¡±
No. ~H
¡°What the fuck.¡± The notification appeared in the center of his vision for about three seconds, then dismissed itself. Whoever this ¡®H¡¯ was probably had answers to a lot more than just Divinity, if he could make them talk. It was an issue to shelve for later. Moving forward, Arche used the sauroter of the Tridory to tap the trapped step and activate the fire runes. The hot air blasted him but he was far enough from the fire that it was only uncomfortable heat. When the flames died down, he limped across the trapped zone, leaning much of his weight against the spear and hoping there were no more traps in the passage. The path ahead was long and dark, and he was injured, but there was still fight in him. He would fight these beastmar, down in their dark tunnels. He would fight these beings that were playing with his life. He would fight whatever he had to in order to save his friends and live free. Book 1 | Chapter 37 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Running was one of the few things Lyssa had always been good at. It didn¡¯t matter if it was into danger or out of it, she could run with the best of them. In Dawnwood, her speed was unmatched. On open ground, she was uncatchable. In the Sylv, she ran down her prey with all the wild power of a Huntress. Now, in the Vivitorium of Hek¨¢te, Lyssa ran to survive. She tore through the passages at top speed. Stagnant, underground air whipped past her head like wind as she lengthened her stride, practically leaping from one step into the next. No matter how fast she ran, though, the beastmar pursued. This was their territory and they knew it well. When Arche had been tackled into a side-passage by the beastmar, she had been too slow to stop it. She saw them fall but could do nothing. He was gone, swept away into darkness. She waited for the notification to come, the realization to hit. She waited to be told that another person in her protection, who had trusted her, had died. That she had failed, again. That it was her fault, again. The message never came. Arche survived the fall. Somehow, some way, Arche was alive. She didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or to cry. As it turned out, she had time for neither. Two beastmar turned out of a side passage ahead of her. She ducked away as one swung at her with a greatsword wielded by arms that were too large for its body. The rest were behind her, their howls for blood and meat were deafening. Too many to fight. She could do nothing but run, away from the beastmar and away from Arche. So she ran. The twisted underground was unnaturally oppressive, with its dark passages and dead air. It was nothing like the gentle light of a woodland glade or the softness of grass in the bloom of spring. There was nothing of life in this place. Just endless death and things that should be dead. The beastmar were even more hateful than the undead she had fought at the Necropolis of Pygmaia. Something innate to their nature screamed of wrongness in words Lyssa could not vocalize. She could only seek to rectify the mistake by returning them to death, entomb them in this hypogean nightmare. Lyssa had drilled the route through the passages into her mind, well past the point she felt comfortable navigating back, but being chased through it as she was, it was difficult not to feel lost. She had to hope she was on the right path, that Tess was waiting for her around some bend, but she didn¡¯t recognize the passages around her or remember these twists and bends. After an hour of running, with the sound of the beastmar forever echoing after her, she was forced to admit she was lost. Her fingers twitched for her bow and swords. She could make a stand here and take down as many as she could. She could hunt these creatures and take their glory. Nearly two centuries of hunting had hardened her instincts and running away from prey was not an easy thing for her pride to allow ¨C but she had learned the price of heedless pride. She saw the consequences of failure every time she closed her eyes. It smiled at her from her brother¡¯s face. Dozens of beastmar chased her. Skilled as she was, Lyssa couldn¡¯t defeat so many on her own, not in these narrow confines. She had to find Tess and save Arche. Together, the three of them could think of some way out of this mess. They¡¯d had a plan, after all, and it had been only half mad, but it had barely started before it¡¯d gone completely sideways. Lyssa slowed to catch her breath. Running so quickly had burned through quite a bit of her Stamina but there was little she could do about it. The sounds of pursuit echoed louder. Lyssa scowled down the passage. She¡¯d taken several turns while out of sight of the beastmar; they should have been as lost as she was but it didn¡¯t sound like there were any less of them now than there had been before. They had some way of tracking her through the underground and that meant none of them were safe. ¡°Thrice-cursed, goat-smelling plains-walkers.¡± There was no recourse but to push on. She looked for any sign of familiarity, anything by which she could get some idea of her surroundings, but one stone passage was indistinguishable from another. On and on she ran until a glimmer of light brought her sliding to a halt. Unlike the bioluminescent moss that occasionally wrapped the walls or ceiling, this glow indicated something else entirely. Several small scratches in the stone, nearly parallel to one another, glowed with a soft, gentle light. Lyssa brushed a finger over them, feeling their coarseness and depth. She knew, without need of a notification, that it had been made by a beastmar and that it was relatively new, likely in the last day or two. The notification that did appear was much simpler.
Follow the Trail?
Yes No
The prompt appeared and disappeared nearly instantaneously. More scratches began to glow gold, leading the way in front of her. It was probably a bad idea. If she actually caught up to whatever had made the scratches, it would be an enemy to fight, but even stumbling upon an eventual enemy was better than being hunted like prey. Time to run again. The trail wound its way through intersections and across inclines. At one point, the trail even crept up onto the wall before turning sharply down a side passage. It was running, but whether it was running toward something or away was still a mystery. Lyssa chased the tracks until her Stamina flashed, the ten percent warning, then slowed her pace to a jog. Going that low on Stamina was intense. Sweat trickled from every pore and her legs shook from the effort but she refused to walk. While it would take longer to regenerate her Stamina, the jog at least helped soothe some of her fears. She had no idea if Arche was in danger or if any beastmar had broken away from their pursuit of her and gone on to chase Tess. Their knowledge of the dungeon was better than hers and she wouldn¡¯t put it past them sweep all of the passages until she and the others were found. Lyssa cursed Arche and his plans but there was no bite to it. He was a human and exceedingly ignorant but he was also earnest. Eager to learn and always ready to help, even against her own counseling. He was clever, and much better at interacting with the villagers than she was, but he was also annoyingly impulsive and too quick to throw himself into danger. Were he anyone else, she would have assumed he¡¯d died. As it was, it was only because they were Companions that she knew he still lived. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Companions with a human. What a laughable thought. It had scandalized her at first. Such bindings were rare among her people, who lived such long lives. She thought it was a punishment, some cosmic consequence for killing her brother, now she was bonded to a mortal who would eventually grow old and die. It was the curse of the elves to know that they would outlast all others. Arche was different, though. She was willing to admit she didn¡¯t have a lot of experience with the mortal races, having been born just before Dawnwood¡¯s isolation, but even from what she saw of Arche¡¯s interactions with them, he was an anomaly. Whether it was by virtue of his lost memories or simply the nature of who he was, he made an impact on everyone he met. Thus, despite her best efforts, he had won her over. He was a stumbling child, too full of the youthful belief of self-invulnerability to recognize that he might be killed. It was the same attitude she had held before Gregori had died. It was that same sibling fear that gripped her now. She would find him. Find him and protect him before he got himself killed. Barring that, she would die alongside him before she buried another brother. Wrapped up in her own thoughts, Lyssa didn¡¯t see the silhouette come tumbling out of a side passage until it collided with her. They hit the ground and Lyssa rolled away, rising into a crouch with a kopis in one hand, lips curled back in a feral snarl. The other figure groaned and sat up, rubbing the dirt out of straw-colored hair. Lyssa lowered the kopis fractionally. ¡°Tess?¡± the word was an incredulous whisper. The figure paused. ¡°Lyssa? Is that you?¡± Lyssa sheathed the kopis and stood, grasping Tess¡¯s arm and helping the human to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s me. What are you doing here?¡± ¡°What am I doing here?¡± Tess snorted. ¡°I should be asking you that question. You two didn¡¯t come back and then there were beastmar everywhere. I was lucky to get out while I did. Where¡¯s Arche? I want to give him a piece of my mind.¡± Lyssa glanced away. ¡°He¡­fell. I couldn¡¯t help him. I don¡¯t know where he is, I only know he¡¯s alive.¡± The words were more difficult than Lyssa expected them to be. They¡¯d had to move past a rapidly rising lump in her throat. Tess¡¯s face shifted. Emotions flitted across her face, far too quick and strange for Lyssa to understand them, but what settled seemed to be whatever passed in humans for resolve. ¡°If he¡¯s lost, we¡¯ll just have to go find him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start. Some distance behind me more beastmar are pursuing. This place is a maze. I cannot gather my surroundings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you got lucky, Liz.¡± Tess flashed a smile. ¡°You¡¯ve got me, now. Come on, I¡¯ll show you what your traps did to the first group of beastmar that ran by and we can retrace our steps.¡± The two set off running down the hallway. Tess led them through several turns until Lyssa was quite sure she would never have been able to find her way on her own, then before she knew it, they had emerged into the same corridor they had trapped. What lay in front of them was nothing short of brutal. Spikes, falling stones, pitfalls, caltrops, and much, much more had turned the passage into a bloody mess, like the shattered throat of a creature forced to swallow its own teeth. The beastmar scouting party had been annihilated. Lyssa gazed over Odelia¡¯s work with a grim sense of satisfaction. These creatures were anathema to nature. She had hunted all manner of beast and bird, but beastmar were something else entirely. They tainted the grass that bent beneath their feet, their very existence leeching poison into the natural world. She would see them crushed before they could bring ruin to more. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste.¡± They stepped carefully through the remains of the trapped hallway, then on toward the cavern. Several minutes later, they found the intersection where she and Arche had been separated. Lyssa peered down into the dark, but the monochrome color and odd shapes made it impossible to judge distance. Tess also peered down, though she couldn¡¯t see nearly as far in the poor light. ¡°How far does it go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Tess produced a torch and had it lit in seconds. She dropped it down into the darkness, watching as it shone a ring of light on the stone walls as it fell. After two and a half seconds, the torch clattered against the ground, showing a mess of pit spikes and the dark stain of a splattered beastmar. Lyssa and Tess both caught their breath at the sight. ¡°That¡¯s got to be thirty meters, at least,¡± the Rogue said. Lyssa nodded, peering into the darkness for any sign of Arche. ¡°The corpse has been burned and there¡¯s a small blood trail leading away from the beastmar. It looks like he had a soft landing.¡± ¡°Arche!¡± Tess hissed down into the hole, simultaneously trying to be loud and quiet. There was no response from the pit. ¡°We should find a way to get down there,¡± Lyssa said, already combing her inventory for rope. Tess hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s the best plan.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? He¡¯s down there and needs our help.¡± ¡°He was down there, yeah, hours ago. But what happens if we go down there and then we get stuck? Don¡¯t forget the beastmar are still after us.¡± ¡°And what if he¡¯s too injured to move or speak and, by not going down there, we leave him to die.¡± Tess winced. ¡°I hear you, I do, but what would you do if you were down there?¡± Lyssa paused, considering. ¡°I would try to find my way out. Get back to the group as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Right. Staying still for too long in this place means the beastmar will catch up. I want to find him too, but right now we have other problems. Do you know how many beastmar fled the chamber to chase after you?¡± Lyssa shook her head. ¡°A few dozen, perhaps. Most of the cave, but probably not all.¡± ¡°Then we should circle back and hit them while they¡¯re not expecting it. We might be able to clean up the end, then find Arche once the threat is gone.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of leaving him to fend for himself,¡± Lyssa said, frowning. ¡°Me neither, but you have to admit he¡¯s pretty hard to kill.¡± ¡°Not for lack of trying.¡± Tess¡¯s cheeks reddened but Lyssa ignored it. They had more pressing matters. ¡°He¡¯s still alive, isn¡¯t he?¡± Tess asked, the question sounding more genuine than rhetorical. ¡°For now, at least.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s still hope. We should do what we can, not chase shadows. I have a feeling he¡¯s going to find us before we find him, anyway.¡± Lyssa let out a long, heavy breath, then nodded. ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s go hunting.¡± The two turned and raced down the passage, toward where the whole mess had started. Book 1 | Chapter 38 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche kept a close eye on his vitals as he trudged along the passage. His Stamina and Mana rose rather quickly. With his current Wisdom of twenty-five, he regenerated about thirteen percent of his total Mana pool per minute. Ideally, his Stamina would regenerate at a similar rate, tied instead to his Endurance, but it seemed walking while injured was enough of an exertion to slow the regeneration. Still, in under eight minutes, Arche had a fully regenerated Mana pool. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± Arche closed his eyes and brought up his vitals. Then, doing his best to control the flow of Mana, he activated Divine Body. Despite his efforts at control, his Mana plummeted while his Health and Stamina rocketed upwards. Straining against the flow as hard as he could, he managed to last three seconds before he was forced to deactivate the skill, leaving him with only seventeen Mana and a pounding headache.
Health: 414 / 495 84% Stamina: 355 / 355 100% Mana: 17 / 190 9%
Arche grinned. His pain levels had gone from ¡®hurts to breathe¡¯ down to the more manageable level of ¡®don¡¯t bend over too quickly.¡¯ He¡¯d also managed to avoid Mana Burnout, which was the real victory. He took a hesitant step forward, then another, confident now that his body was no longer mired in the agony of his wounds. Arche grinned and broke into a run, racing down the passage. Just being able to run again was freeing. The passage eventually led to a huge, steel door. Arche pulled up short, cursing at himself. His relief at healing himself was making him reckless. There were traps here and, now that he was mostly uninjured for the first time in a while, he was racing off again to get hurt by more traps. He had to be more careful. Arche narrowed his eyes at the floor and walls in front of him, trying to spot anything out of the ordinary. Nothing stood out to him, so he crept forward until he stood an arm¡¯s length from the door. It was twice as tall as Arche and broad enough for three men to walk through together without touching. A massive padlock the size of a kite shield secured the door to the stone frame. Arche rubbed a hand over the scars on his chin. Even if he had lockpicking tools or knew how to use them, this lock was almost comically massive. The key would have to be the size of a sword and he hadn¡¯t seen anything like that in the dungeon. Arche took a step back and considered the problem. Either he could turn back and try to find another way through or he could figure out how to outsmart the locked door and see what was on the other side. Treasure was a strong possibility but it could also be a trap. Whatever was on the other side of the door was clearly either valuable or dangerous, perhaps both. He was also very curious about why such a large door was necessary. He scrutinized the lock again. It was a simple padlock with a front facing keyhole, looped through a metal bar in the door and the stone wall. What really caught his interest, however, was the shackle that ran the top of the lock. Arche looked at the Tridory in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m actually kind of glad no one else is here to see this.¡± Without further ceremony, he stuck the tip of the spear through the looping shackle of the lock, then pressed the second button on the Tridory¡¯s shaft. Metal screeched as the Tridory switched from spear into bident. The sharpened edges pressed against the metal, then sliced through. The lock fell to the ground with a heavy, echoing clang. Arche winced, reverted the bident into a spear, and looked at the broken pieces of lock on the ground. ¡°I take it back. I wish someone saw that.¡± With no visible handle to grasp and pull, Arche threw his shoulder into the door. The old metal groaned, grating against stone as it swung inward. Arche tensed, spear ready to stab at the first sign of danger. It was still a dungeon, after all. He slipped through as soon as there was room. Once inside, it was hard not to gawk at the marked change in environment. Gone were the dimly lit halls and passages that had littered the dungeon so far. He was in a laboratory, similar to the one he had blown up far above, but much more advanced. Beakers and vials of liquids stood in various contraptions designed to heat, cool, condense, and melt all around the room. The room itself was massive, easily the size of a dining hall and filled with gray and white machinery. The floor was tiled, as opposed to monolithic stone, and eerie, flickering lights lined the ceiling in rows, shining a sanitary white glow onto everything. Large tables covered in dried blood took up a fair portion of the room, but what was more interesting was the figure dressed in white, bent over one of the tables. Arche tensed, ready for trouble. The figure straightened, as if sensing his attention. A shadow crossed over them and they disappeared. Arche blinked, then spun to find the figure standing behind him. It was a woman, but unlike any woman Arche had ever seen. She was tall, towering half as tall again as Arche, with skin that ebbed and flowed from one shade into another. Some parts of her seemed like stone or steel, others exhibited all the tones of flesh that Arche had ever seen and many he had not. She had long, thick, dark hair tied behind her head with a piece of simple cord. ¡°I do not appreciate disturbances in my work, spark.¡± Her voice was low and made the air tremble. A chill ran through Arche. Whatever this woman was, she was the same as the Oneiroi. The same as Death. ¡°Sorry for the disturbance,¡± he said, struggling to keep his voice even and calm. ¡°Miss?¡± The woman stared down at him, her face impassive. ¡°I am Hek¨¢te.¡± There was a short pause, then Arche stuck out one hand. ¡°A pleasure. I¡¯m Arche.¡± A baffled look crossed Hek¨¢te¡¯s face for a moment. Clearly, her name had not had the effect she intended. Ignoring Arche¡¯s proffered hand, she crossed her arms and looked down at him. ¡°What are you doing here, little spark?¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Hek¨¢te¡¯s voice held a note of command, compelling Arche to answer. ¡°I was separated from my companions in this dungeon. Your door came up along my path, so I entered.¡± Arche dropped his arm when it became clear she wasn¡¯t going to shake it. Something in his mind itched. There was some familiarity to her name. He had seen or heard it before, he was sure of it, but he couldn¡¯t place it. ¡°You are different.¡± Hek¨¢te sniffed the air and narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°You are not from Tartarus.¡± Arche frowned, cocking his head to one side, but before he could respond, Hek¨¢te continued. ¡°Ah, one of my cousins has been meddling with things they should have left well enough alone. It is of no consequence to me. I have long abandoned your world for my own projects. Projects that you are interrupting, spark.¡± Arche faltered for a moment, grasping for something to say. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to interrupt you, but I¡¯m pretty confused right now. Do you¡­do you know there¡¯s a bunch of beastmar that live here too?¡± ¡°Beast¡­mar¡­¡± Hek¨¢te dragged the word out. ¡°Describe these creatures.¡± ¡°Well, erm, they come in a lot of different varieties. Some are hairy, some are smooth. Some look like people, others are much more animalistic. Almost all of them have extra limbs or extremities. They tend to have grayish skin and fur.¡± Hek¨¢te frowned, her head tilted slightly to one side. Her eyes unfocused as they began flitting about, as though she were interacting with some interface. ¡°Attend me, spark.¡± A shadow fell across her and she was gone. Arche turned and found her standing next to one of the tables stained with blood, near where she had been when he had first entered. He hastened over to her, one hand pressed to his nose to block out the growing smell of chemicals. Hek¨¢te flipped through a large, leather-bound tome. She settled on a page and turned the book around, showing several masterful sketches of beastmar, some in anatomical poses and others standing in life-like postures. ¡°Is this the creature you speak of?¡± ¡°Yes. Why do you have pictures of them?¡± Arche raised his eyes to meet hers. Hek¨¢te grimaced and closed the tome. ¡°A failed experiment. I thought I had disposed of them. Clearly I have not. My guardian must have been subjugated while I worked.¡± ¡°Hek¨¢te.¡± Arche hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m not going to pretend I understand what¡¯s going on here, but here¡¯s what I do know. I¡¯m here to destroy the beastmar. They¡¯re threatening a village on the surface and have to be stopped. Did you¡­make¡­the beastmar?¡± Hek¨¢te stared over Arche¡¯s head, lost in thought. Arche was about to repeat his question, thinking perhaps she hadn¡¯t heard him, when she answered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve caused a lot of suffering.¡± ¡°That is not my concern.¡± ¡°It concerns me. I¡¯m trying to stop them, but I can¡¯t do it on my own. Now, it sounds to me like you owe a debt.¡± Hek¨¢te¡¯s presence magnified until it was a physical force pressing into Arche. He braced against it as best he could but was pushed back a step under the weight of her displeasure. ¡°Be careful what you demand of me, little spark.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not demanding anything of you.¡± Arche tried to keep his voice firm while doing his best not to crumple; just standing near her drained his Stamina. ¡°I have an idea of what you are and I know that I have no way of forcing you to do anything you decide you don¡¯t want to do. But you bear some responsibility for what has happened. I am asking you to help me set it right.¡± Hek¨¢te looked thoughtful, then her gaze drifted to the Tridory. ¡°Curious,¡± she said at last. ¡°I had thought that lost some time ago.¡± ¡°You know about this weapon?¡± ¡°The Tridory. Forged by a relative of mine who always did like to tinker. Of all my large family, he is one for whom I have the most respect. That his creation has fallen into your hands¡­curious. That you are capable of wielding it, more so.¡± Hek¨¢te¡¯s voice trailed away, lost in thought. Arche felt the silence stretch on between them, then her overwhelming presence faded. He gasped and took a deep breath, feeling suddenly lightheaded. ¡°Very well. I am forbidden from directly interfering in the affairs of mortals, even here, but I can provide you this. My guardian has been subjugated by these creatures. I know not how they accomplished such a feat, but there is no doubt that magic is involved. Take this.¡± Hek¨¢te conjured a small bone, about the length of Arche¡¯s hand, and held it out. ¡°This will mark you as a friend. With the guardian free, you will be able to clear out the infestation.¡± Arche took the bone from her and stored it safely in his inventory. ¡°Thank you. What will you do when this is over?¡± Hek¨¢te smiled. ¡°It is time, I think, to move my Vivitorium once more, but I will wait until you have accomplished your task and left my domain.¡± Her form flickered but she did not fade entirely. A copy of her appeared on the other side of the table and another behind Arche. He was surrounded, encircled by three Hek¨¢tes. ¡°I trust you will not fail me, little spark,¡± the Hek¨¢tes spoke in unison. The hair on the back of Arche¡¯s neck pricked up.
You have been offered a Quest. Save the Guardian Hek¨¢te has bade you free her guardian and given you the tools necessary to see the job done.
Objectives ¡¤ Free Hek¨¢te¡¯s Guardian Rewards ¡¤ 5,000 experience ¡¤ Increased Divinity ¡¤ Favor of Hek¨¢te
Penalty for Refusal or Failure ¡¤ Unknown (almost certainly bad)
Accept this Quest?
Yes No
Arche frowned at the penalty but nodded. He would have accepted regardless, considering it would only help him, but the extra rewards were not something he was going to turn his nose up at. ¡°Thank you. If I may ask, though, what do you mean by ¡®Favor of Hek¨¢te?¡¯¡± Each Hek¨¢te raised an eyebrow. ¡°You would rather have it than lose it. This world may have forgotten its gods but that does not mean we have forgotten this world. Go, now. I have much work to do and can abide this interruption no longer.¡± Her words, spoken out of three mouths, were thick with compulsion. Arche found himself walking to a door with a horizontal handle near the top. Mechanically, he grabbed the handle and pulled. The door opened out toward him from the top, pivoting on some axis near the ground to reveal a chute. ¡°Aw, man,¡± Arche whispered before the compulsion made him climb inside. Arche slid down the smooth passage with a single thought running through his head. I¡¯ve really got to stop letting strange, powerful beings fuck with me. Book 1 | Chapter 39 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Lyssa took a deep, measured breath and sighted down the shaft of her arrow. On the other side, plus an additional fifty meters, stood twenty beastmar. On her right, Tess crouched, knives in hand, glaring at the beastmar with as much hatred as Lyssa felt. They had emerged into the cavern to see it had mostly emptied, the rest out searching the dungeon for them. The few beastmar left lazed about, conversing in groups or sleeping. A couple sharpened blades with large, flat stones, another few harried prisoners in a cage made from bone. Arche had told her there were a dozen in the cage but that number had dwindled down to six. They hadn¡¯t been fast enough to save those people. In truth, they¡¯d barely been fast enough to save themselves and not completely. Arche was still lost. Lyssa¡¯s fingers clenched around the oiled wood of her bow as she activated a Student maneuver, Drill Shot. The arrow lanced through the air, spinning and shrieking like a banshee the entire way. The beastmar froze when they heard the noise, unable to see where it was coming from as the sound echoed off the stone. The arrow struck one beastmar in the side of the head, plunging straight through to embed itself, still spinning, into another¡¯s torso. The first had been killed outright, but the other howled in agony as the arrow continued to churn inside its flesh. It wouldn¡¯t kill the second, but it removed the threat, for the time being. The maneuver would continue drilling for another five seconds but Lyssa had already moved on to her next arrow. She stood, letting the beastmar get a good look at her, then loosed another shot. Tess activated Stealth, disappearing even from Lyssa¡¯s sight. Knives struck down unsuspecting beastmar, coming from seemingly nowhere as the Rogue flitted in and out of sight like an apparition. Things were going better than expected, all things considered. Together, they had taken down over half a dozen of the beastmar, with another dozen well on the way. Lyssa strafed to the side, each draw of her bow spelling death for the monstrous things before her. The air hummed and filled with static. Lyssa abandoned her shot and dove for the ground. As fast as she was, the lightning was faster. It crashed into her and blasted her away. She tumbled across the rock, feeling every nerve in her body twitch and spasm with pain. Her combat notifications triggered, giving her the information without distraction.
Lightning Bolt: 184 Damage Stunned: 00:03
Sparks flashed up and down her body. Every attempt to move was met with blinding pain as her limbs ignored her commands to instead jerk and flail of their own accord. Three seconds might as well have been an eternity. The lightning had cost her precious time, time that the beastmar had used to catch up with her. Her bow was gone, flung from her reach by the muscle spasms. With fried nerves, Lyssa got to her feet, still feeling unsteady. The beastmar had split into three groups. Three beastmar approached her, weapons and claws raised. Another five attempted to surround Tess, who still flickered in and out of stealth as she fought. The last three were ranged fighters, two stringing bows while a robed beastmar¡ªthe only one Lyssa had ever seen wearing clothing¡ªchanted and waved a blue-white wand. That meant trouble, but there were more pressing concerns. Lyssa side-stepped, dipping her head as a beastmar with large, bear-like claws slashed at her. She twisted and the claw sailed past, less than a hair¡¯s breadth from rending her flesh. Then she dove forward, rolling beneath the trampling horse-like legs of another beastmar that resembled a corrupted centaur. She brought one arm up as she came back to her feet, a kopis materializing in time to deflect a swung axeblade harmlessly to the side. Lyssa turned with the momentum and threw an elbow into the axe-wielding beastmar¡¯s face. Over its shoulder, Tess spun and danced, knives flashing as the rogue flipped and rolled, always moving and stabbing at the five beastmar still working to encircle her. As close as the beastmar were, the Rogue couldn¡¯t disappear into Stealth any longer. Huge hands grabbed Lyssa from behind, then she was flying through the air. She spun, trying to get her feet under her, but to no avail. She hit the ground back-first, bouncing and rolling across the stone floor. Pain lanced through her side as she fought to get her feet under her. Hesitation was death; the pain could be dealt with later. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. The centaurian beastmar bore down on her, wielding a large spear pointed forward to run her through. Lyssa deflected the spear tip high with her sword but momentum carried the beastmar forward. They collided and Lyssa was thrown to the ground. Her head smacked wetly against stone. Lyssa blinked hard, bleary as she tried to gather her thoughts. It was dark, but she couldn¡¯t hear the night insects or see the moons. Strange. She didn¡¯t normally spend the night outside of Dawnwood. It wasn¡¯t safe. A combat notification flashed in front of her.
Dazed: 00:07
Reality wormed its way in slowly. Dawnwood was behind her, a past she would never see again. She was deep below ground, far away from her beloved forest, in a battle to the death ¨C but in the moment, it was hard to care. She missed the open air, the forest, her brother. Anywhere was better than here. Lyssa tried to push herself to her feet but her body was rebellious and her legs wouldn¡¯t respond. Four seconds left. Pressure gripped her wrists. Lyssa shifted, trying to wrench away but it held her fast. Something impacted the side of her face. Lyssa blinked hard and the world swam back into focus. She was suspended, held aloft by rope that now bound her hands together, lifted by the centaurian beastmar. Its distorted grey-brown face snarled at her triumphantly. Lyssa bared her teeth and snarled back, wriggling side-to-side, trying to loosen the beastmar¡¯s grip. A heavy fist slammed into her face, rocking her head back. Green blood flowed steadily from her nose, dripping down her face and onto the ground below but, if anything, it only made her angrier. The beastmar hauled back for another blow but Lyssa was ready. She drew herself up, pulling on the rope until her arms protected her head; she curled her legs in and kicked forward, planting both feet into the beastmar¡¯s face. It reeled backwards and dropped her. Lyssa twisted in the air, landing hands-first, and tucked herself into a roll. Static charge rent the air and Lyssa threw herself to the side. A blast of lightning flashed above her, deafening thunder echoed off the cavern walls. Lyssa blinked, trying to clear the afterimage from her eyes. An arrow clattered against the stone ground next to her, splintering on impact. Lyssa grabbed the shattered arrowhead and turned the sharpened edges of metal against the rope tying her hands. She had barely scratched the rough-spun when she was forced to dodge again. The centaurian beastmar bore down on her with its bloodied, fierce visage matching her own in all but color. The beastmar reared up on hind legs, aiming to trample her. Lyssa cursed and stumbled back, coming up against the bars of the cage. Her mind raced but there was no way out. The centaurian beastmar swung around to charge her once again. Behind it and to the right, the magic-wielding beastmar and his archer accompaniment focused on pinning Tess down, whose armor was stained red from a dozen minor wounds. The Rogue kept moving forward but her movements grew slower by the moment. In her wake, several beastmar clutched mortal wounds, spilling the last of their black blood onto the rocks. The rest attempted to catch her before she reached the archers. The more immediate concern to Lyssa, however, were the three beastmar intent on ripping her limb from limb. The bear-claw beastmar charged from the right, the axe-wielder from the left, and the centaurian with the spear was in front. No fear gripped Lyssa as the three beastmar bore down on her. She had no weapons, nowhere to run. Her hands were bound but she held her head high. Blood flowed from her nose and she spat more from her mouth, letting loose a savage war cry that held every broken thought and feeling she¡¯d repressed for the last ten years. She filled it with her pain, her grief, and her rage. They would kill her ¨C but she would have them know fear before the end. Hands grabbed her shoulders and pulled her backward, between the bars and into the cage. She fell into a pile of tangled limbs as the beastmar collided in front of her. Iron and bone buckled and bent around the weight of impact; the whole cage gave a threatening shudder. There was a wet squelch as the centaurian beastmar¡¯s spear, which had been leveled toward Lyssa¡¯s heart only a moment ago, was too slow in moving off-target and pierced clean through the torsos of the other beastmar. They howled in agony, not dead but gravely wounded. Lyssa felt the rope binding her hands fall away as the prisoners of the cage came to her aid. One moved forward and grabbed the spear, wrenching it from the centaurian beastmar by pulling it through the other two. A hoarse cry broke free from one of the prisoners, a dwarf, who snatched up the fallen axe of the beastmar and slipped through the bars of the cage. More of the prisoners surged forward, three running through the gaps between bars to pummel the beastmar with fists and feet. Someone grabbed the centaurian beastmar¡¯s leg, holding it fast while the dwarf swung his axe into its side. ¡°Die!¡± one of the prisoners shouted, striking out with a broken length of chain. The tide had turned. Tess closed in on the archers, one of which had already fallen to a thrown knife. Two beastmar gave chase but they wouldn¡¯t catch her in time. The mage beastmar raised its wand into the air and barked a word of power. The air rippled outward from the wand¡¯s tip. A primal instinct told her to make herself small. She stuck her fingers into what was left of her ears and closed her eyes. The ripple crashed into her like a wall of sound. A screeching, horrible, burning noise that drowned everything. Blood dripped from her ears, squelched against her fingers. Lyssa fell to the ground, throat hoarse with screams, silent against the noise. It was too much. Too much by far. The sound faded, echoing off the stone in a phantom cry. Lyssa gasped and smeared tears into blood with the back of her hand. The magus was far across the cavern, moving toward a passage that would lead to a smaller cavern, if Arche¡¯s map had been accurate. A dull roar echoed from behind Lyssa, coming from the tunnels that led to the rest of the complex. The other prisoners stopped and turned as well. Howls, barks, and cries for blood and battle echoed back. The horde was coming. Book 1 | Chapter 40 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The smell was the first thing Arche noticed. It blasted into him, hot, fetid, and rancid. He had to fight to keep his gorge from rising through it all. The slide took him through a myriad of different turns and drops until he was utterly scrambled and confused. He¡¯d barely managed to hold onto the Tridory without it getting stuck in a wall or accidentally impaling himself on either end of it. The landing was squishy, which, when combined with the smell, made for a unique revulsion that Arche was sure he¡¯d feel again in his dreams, if he survived the day. There wasn¡¯t much light, only a dim glow from bioluminescent moss, but it was enough to see the truth of things. The floor was covered in bones, some still with rotting flesh attached. More smells mingled in, excrement and other waste. A massacre in a sewer would have been more pleasant. Arche coughed, trying and failing not to gag. He stumbled away from the mess, toward a dark opening in the rocks, making it only a handful of steps before vomiting, then stumbled on again. A tunnel stood next to the dark recess. When he reached it, the rocks rumbled. A deep, grating rasp, so heavy it made Arche¡¯s chest thrum. He spun, trying to find the source of the noise. From the recess, four yellow orbs appeared, the size of bucklers. They blinked at him, two at a time. Horror crept up Arche¡¯s spine and settled somewhere near the crown of his head. Not orbs, eyes. Arche stumbled back and brought the Tridory up defensively. The sound intensified until it became a part of Arche. Bones vibrated across the floor with the force of it and the moss shivered, making the light flicker. The eyes moved closer. Sparks flashed near the ground, revealing monstrous claws scraping against the stone, the sound lost to the bone-shaking growl emanating from two separate heads. ¡°Whoa, whoa, easy!¡± Arche couldn¡¯t hear his own voice. He stumbled on something unseen and fell, landing heavily on his back. The creature advanced, not hearing or not caring about his attempts at placation. The sound was all encompassing. Even if Arche had shouted, not a word would get through, so he cast his mind toward the creature, trying to get some sense of what he was dealing with. He brushed against a vast consciousness, larger than anything Arche had connected to before. To say a storm of emotions swirled inside the beast would not do it credit, there was an entire world of consciousness, full of agony and hunger and hatred. It swarmed over Arche, threatening to bury him in its immensity. Arche¡¯s mind cried out at the weight of it, the intensity. He tried to project peace, friendliness, but it was like flicking a drop of water into the sun. It would consume him, mind and body. Another consciousness appeared. If this roiling planet of emotions was the sun, then the new consciousness was the moon. It was sadness and apathy, the spirit of a broken creature that no longer remembered how to hope. It was drops of water, tempering out the flames that beat against Arche¡¯s consciousness, giving him just enough respite together his concentration in a desperate cry. ¡®Hek¨¢te!¡¯ The roiling world of pain pulled back a fraction and from it came a thunderous, snarling, echoing voice. ¡®WHO ARE YOU TO INVOKE THAT NAME?¡¯ Arche shuddered beneath the weight of the voice. This creature was on a completely different level. It radiated with power and fury. ¡®I was tasked by her to free you.¡¯ The beast¡¯s growl intensified, reverberating around his mind in their mental link as easily as it did around the stone walls. ¡®YOU LIE.¡¯ ¡®No! She gave me proof!¡¯ The beast hesitated. ¡®DECEIVE US AND WE WILL CONSUME YOU.¡¯ Arche had never retrieved an item from his inventory so quickly. He held the bone high for each of the four eyes to inspect. ¡®She gave me this. Said it would mark me as a friend. I¡¯m not here to fight you, I¡¯m here to free you.¡¯ ¡®MISTRESS GAVE YOU THIS. IT SMELLS OF HER. BUT MISTRESS ABANDONED US, LET US BE ENSLAVED BY THE FOUL ONES.¡¯ Despair flooded the connection, gripping icy fingers around Arche¡¯s mind as the ocean of anger ebbed. ¡®She didn¡¯t know. When she found out, she asked me to free you. Let me help you.¡¯ ¡®YOU CANNOT FREE US. YOU LACK THE ABILITY.¡¯ Arche gritted his teeth. At the same time, a noise echoed faintly out of the tunnel to his side, some sort of explosion. ¡®Then tell me how to help you.¡¯ ¡®YOU MUST FIND THE FOUL ONE WHO ENSLAVED US AND BRING US THE WAND OF HIS CONTROL.¡¯ ¡®Then you¡¯ll be free?¡¯ ¡®THEN MY HOME IS A PRISON NO LONGER.¡¯ Arche stood to his feet. ¡®All right, I¡¯ll do what I can. Do you have a name?¡¯ A slight growl reverberated from the creature and it took another step forward. Arche caught his first full sight of the creature. A massive hound, three times his height at its shoulder, with two growling heads. Its fur was dark and matted in places, impossible to place the color in the low light. ¡®GO.¡¯ Arche didn¡¯t argue, he just went. He picked up his spear and ran toward a conjoining tunnel in the wall. Before he slipped inside, however, he looked back at the massive hound and activated Examine.
Orthrus
Level: ? Race: Kerberos Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: ? Stamina: ? Mana: ?
It was the second time his Examine skill had failed to read a creature properly and it was no more reassuring. Vik had felt guarded from his skill but this felt more like the skill simply failed. Like this Orthrus was so far beyond Arche that his skill could not encapsulate it, not at its current level. As Arche severed the link and turned away, he could still feel four golden eyes boring into his back. The encounter had reinforced the fact that he was still weak. Creatures of immense power dwelled in Tartarus and, as things stood, he had no chance of facing them. The beastmar, however, were a vanquishable foe. Arche broke into a run. Lyssa and Tess would likely be in the thick of things, as headstrong as both women were. If they hadn¡¯t been attacked in the tunnels, they probably would have continued on with the plan. Arche wasn¡¯t sure of exactly how much time had passed since they were separated, but he hoped they were alive. The darkness of the tunnel gave way as he emerged into a much larger cavern. A chaotic sight met him. Prisoners wielding crude, makeshift weapons hacked at a few beastmar near the middle of the room. Lyssa was among them, drenched in blood and looking as though she had finished wading through a veritable horde of monsters. Tess was also there, chasing down a few stray beastmar barreling toward Arche at top speed. One of them, wearing a robe, leveled a stick in his direction. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Arche slid to a stop over the loose gravel. The air filled with static charge. Arche quickly switched his grip on the Tridory and threw it, hoping to at least distract the creature. A moment later, lightning flared from the wand. Arche flinched, waiting for the pain, but it never came. Instead, it arced in mid-air toward the Tridory, condensing into the spear point and running along its entire length. The beastmar with the wand stepped to the side and the Tridory sailed past, still crackling with electricity, before sticking the ground and dispersing the lightning. Arche stared at the spear. ¡°That¡¯s a new one.¡± Then the beastmar were on him. There were three in total. The one with the wand¡ªthe most humanoid of the three with a snarling wolfish face and dark robes¡ªstood away from him, muttering incantations. The other two were hunched over, with huge, powerful arms like gorillas. One carried a massive bow and tried to shoot arrows at Tess, but clearly lacked Lyssa¡¯s skill in the matter. The other had dropped its bow in favor of trying to pummel Arche with fists the size of dinner plates. Arche leaned back as far as he could to avoid a right cross that threatened to break bones. Before he could recover, a kick threw Arche to the ground. He grunted from the impact and rolled away. As he came up, a thick, black arrow from the other beastmar sank halfway into his left shoulder. Arche let out a cry of pain as his Health dropped twenty percent. He grabbed the arrow and snapped it off, a small portion protruding out from his leather jerkin. There was no time to draw his sword. The beastmar was on him again, barking and screaming as it whaled down blows. Arche slipped and dodged, then struck out with the broken arrow. He kept the creature between himself and the other beastmar, using it to give himself cover from more arrows. Every strike left a small puncture in the beastmar¡¯s skin that oozed black blood onto the ground. Arche¡¯s own hands were covered in the stuff as he used his superior speed to stab the beastmar over and over, screaming all the while. After an intense exchange, the beastmar stood in front of him, roaring in pain and anger. Its arms were covered in small holes to the point it could barely move. Arche stabbed upward, embedding the arrow into the creature¡¯s neck, then activated Divine Body just long enough to plant his foot into its midsection. The beastmar flew back and collided with the bow-wielding beastmar, who had been waiting for a clean shot. They both went down in a tumble. Arche was now in the open, just in time for the wolf-man beastmar to launch its next attack. A pale-yellow beam of light extended from the tip of the wand, bathing Arche in a conical glow. He froze, magical weights pressing on him from all sides. Steel bands couldn¡¯t have done a better job, his body simply refused to move. The beastmar raised the wand and Arche was lifted into the air. His stomach lurched, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn¡¯t even blink. The beastmar gave him an evil grin, then turned and made a motion not dissimilar to the casting of a fishing rod. Arche went flying. He soared well above the ground, toward Lyssa and the prisoners, then over them. The ground was rushing to meet him and he was falling far too quickly. Something whizzed past his face, cutting across the palm of his right hand. He grabbed at it reflexively, fingers closing around a coarse rope. Then he wasn¡¯t falling any longer. He was suspended, still fairly high up, dangling from a rope tied to an arrow embedded deeply into the stone wall. The other end of the rope, angled sharply downwards, was held by Lyssa. ¡°Lyssa!¡± ¡°Hurry up and get down!¡± she shouted back, clearly straining to keep the rope taut. Arche reached back with his wounded arm, grimacing at the pain, and grabbed the loose end of his cloak. He flung it over the rope and began to slide. At a manageable height, he dropped, tumbling into a roll as he hit the ground, his every injury crying out in protest. When he came up, Lyssa stood in front of him, drenched in blood and grime. ¡°You all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re alive.¡± She gave him a tired smile. ¡°I¡¯m growing weary of these caves.¡± ¡°You and I both. What say we finish this and get out of here?¡± ¡°Agreed. What happened to the monster through the passage?¡± Arche held out his hand and called the Tridory back to him. The trident pulled itself free of the ground and began twirling back toward him, flying across the distance with impressive speed. ¡°Still there. We have an arrangement. We need to get the mage¡¯s wand.¡± ¡°You¡­what?¡± ¡°I need the mage¡¯s wand.¡± Arche caught the spear and looked at Lyssa, who already had an arrow knocked to her bow. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll explain later. What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°A half-dozen half-dead prisoners ready for blood, about the same number of beastmar with another horde on the way behind us. None of us have a way to counter that wandwork.¡± ¡°All right, take out the other archer, then see if any of the prisoners can use a bow. Take them and prepare for the horde. The rest of us will clean up here, I¡¯ll take out the mage, then we¡¯ll see about escape.¡± ¡°How are you going to get past the mage¡¯s spells?¡± Lyssa sighted down another arrow before letting it fly. ¡°Persistence.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work. He¡¯s more than capable of killing you before you get close enough to hurt him. Go get his attention, I have a plan.¡± Arche grinned and nodded. They broke into a run, splitting off. Lyssa toward Tess, who was forced to give up her pursuit and deal with the two beastmar hoping to sharpen their blades on her bones, and Arche toward the mage who had relaxed his retreat to cast lightning and bolts of fire at the prisoners, who were doing their best to stay out of the way of the deadly magic. The mage saw him coming, bearing a wolfish snarl as it leveled its wand toward him. Static energy enveloped the air as a bolt of lightning shot out the end toward Arche. Arche swung the Tridory and the lightning arced into the spear, flashing and arcing down the runework of the shaft. It grew warm under his touch and he felt a burst of energy as a notification appeared before him.
You have discovered a feature of the Tridory. Lightning Manipulation Upon contact with lightning, the Tridory will activate Mode 1: Spear. During this time, it can store lightning to be discharged in an attack, dealing bonus lightning damage. Additionally, this lightning can be siphoned by the wielder to induce the Innervated status condition.
Innervated +50% Reaction Time +15% Movement Speed +25% Lightning Resistance +100% Stamina Regeneration
Innervated: 2:58
Arche¡¯s stride lengthened as he sped over the ground. The lightning filled his veins with energy. It wasn¡¯t painful, despite what little was left of his logical mind saying it should be. Instead, it was like he¡¯d taken a hefty dose of caffeine straight to his veins. He felt amped. The beastmar, on the other hand, stumbled away from him. Fear danced across its features for the first time. It leveled its wand at Arche again. Spouts of flame flew toward him with impressive speed and frequency, but his new reaction time made them seem slow. Still, it delayed his chase as he zigged and zagged around the fire. Seeing that the fire was only delaying the inevitable, the beastmar howled a cry of frustration and leveled his wand at Arche once more. A small, golden glow gathered around the wand¡¯s tip and Arche threw himself to the side, grunting in pain as the broken arrow in his shoulder scraped the ground. A golden cone of energy flashed where he¡¯d been standing, disappearing a moment later. The mage snarled and bolted toward the tunnel containing the kerberos. Arche cursed and gave chase, gaining ground but not quickly enough. At his pace, the beastmar would get to Orthrus and no doubt set it upon them. That was when Tess came out of Stealth and sank two daggers into the beastmar¡¯s throat. With the speed and efficiency of a professional butcher, she detached the muscles, bones, and tendons connecting the beastmar¡¯s head to its torso. Its hands shot up reactively even as its head fell to the ground, then the corpse toppled, crushing its own skull under the weight of its body. The prisoners swarmed the remaining two beastmar, burying them beneath angry bodies. The jubilation was short-lived, however, as a howl arose from the far end of the cavern. Dozens of beastmar poured in, all rallied behind one that rose above even the largest of them. It was gargantuan, easily three times Arche¡¯s own height, and shaped vaguely humanoid in that it had the decent number of arms and legs. What set it aside was the two heads growing out of its neck, each craned toward each other and were connected by a crown of black metal that had been twisted to fit around both heads at the same time. The beastmar formed up in a loose line, all crowded behind the leader. The prisoners yelped and backed away, converging with Arche, Lyssa, and Tess. ¡°Any ideas?¡± Arche felt his innervation fade as the electricity dwindled. ¡°Nothing that would help.¡± Lyssa pulled out a fresh quiver of arrows. ¡°I don¡¯t have many arrows left.¡± ¡°Here, got your wand.¡± Tess tossed the beastmar¡¯s stick to Arche. He caught it and looked at it more closely. It was a thin cylinder of dark metal, carved intricately with dozens of different patterns up and down the haft. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Lyssa asked as she drew back her bow. ¡°Bring the wand to the monster, hope he¡¯s angrier at his captors than he is at us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your plan?¡± Tess scoffed in disbelief. ¡°Why not just have us fall on our blades? It¡¯d be more efficient.¡± ¡°It¡¯s intelligent and Hek¨¢te gave me a quest to free it.¡± ¡°The dungeon?¡± Lyssa frowned. ¡°We have bigger issues right now.¡± Arche planted the Tridory into the ground, staring at the assembling horde on the other side of the massive cavern. The beginnings of a plan took shape in his head. ¡°Tess, take my bow.¡± Tess¡¯s face was instantly suspicious but she held out her hand anyway. Arche removed his bow from his inventory and passed it to her, along with two quivers of arrows. ¡°All our hopes depend on if the creature will help us. Hold them off for as long as you can, fall back to the tunnel if you have to. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Arche hefted the Tridory in one hand, the other grasping the control wand. As he began to move, Lyssa grabbed his arm. ¡°We need you here, Arche.¡± She searched his face. ¡°How do you know this monster will help us?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± He gestured toward the horde of beastmar. At least forty were arrayed against them. ¡°But I know we can¡¯t beat them on our own.¡± Lyssa¡¯s emerald eyes shot back and forth between the horde and Arche. She released his arm and drew back her bow, ready to fire. ¡°Be swift.¡± Arche didn¡¯t respond, he just ran. Even as the horde howled behind him and he heard the rumbling of their charge, some forty against eight. He just ran. Book 1 | Chapter 41 Persepera The 25th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche¡¯s boots slapped against the stone as he ran. He burst through the tunnel and into the following cavern, only to be knocked off his feet by the ensuing growl as the great two-headed kerberos stood to its feet. ¡°Wait, wait! It¡¯s me!¡± He shouted, trying to make himself heard above the noise. He held out the wand and the growling stopped. A consciousness probed his mind, surprisingly gently. Arche recoiled from the sensation, then realized it was Orthrus trying to speak to him. He opened himself to the connection and the kerberos¡¯s booming voice echoed in his mind. ¡®YOU HAVE BROUGHT THE CONTROL WAND. WE DID NOT THINK YOU WOULD SUCCEED IN THIS. NOT SO QUICKLY.¡¯ ¡®Yeah, I did, but we¡¯ve got other problems. I¡¯ll free you, like I promised, but I need your help. There¡¯s a horde of beastmar out there that are about to kill some friends of mine. I need your help to defeat them.¡¯ The growling increased in intensity. ¡®WE HAVE NO AFFECTION FOR THE AFFLICTED ONES BUT WE HAVE NO DESIRE TO TAKE PART IN YOUR BATTLES.¡¯ Arche¡¯s mouth gaped. ¡®You¡¯re fucking kidding me. You¡¯ve got no desire at all to get vengeance for what was done to you? Or even to help the guy freeing you?¡¯ ¡®WE WILL NOT BE EXTORTED WHILE WE ARE CHAINED BY THESE COLLARS.¡¯ The kerberos¡¯s growls intensified, driving Arche back a step. ¡®FREE US OR CONSIGN YOURSELF TO BE OUR SLAVER. MAKE YOUR CHOICE.¡¯ ¡®I...what? That¡¯s not what this is.¡¯ ¡®AND YET HERE YOU STAND, WITH THE WAND OF OUR CONTROL IN YOUR HANDS. BARGAINING WITH OUR FREEDOM.¡¯ ¡®There¡¯s no bargain.¡¯ Arche held out the wand. ¡®I¡¯m asking you to help us but I will free you regardless.¡¯ Two heads moved forward out of the darkness. Arche stiffened at the size of them. Each head was larger than his entire body and each could easily tear him in half with a single bite if it decided it didn¡¯t want to eat him whole. They were bound together by a thick chain attached to a collar around each head. The chain culminated in a padlock the size of Arche¡¯s head. In the center was a circular keyhole. A feeling of trepidation crept into Arche¡¯s stomach. This creature was massive and powerful. If it decided to eat him, he wouldn¡¯t really be able to stop it. Further, he needed the creature¡¯s help. Without it, there was no way they¡¯d be able to fight off the beastmar. He had the instrument of its control in his hand. Arche stuck the wand into the keyhole and gave it a twist. There was a loud CRACK and the chains and collars fell away. The wand also fell to the ground, still stuck inside the padlock. He needed help, but he wasn¡¯t willing to subjugate the kerberos to get it. ¡®I¡¯m truly sorry for what was done to you. I do really need your help but I won¡¯t hold your freedom over your head¡­erm, heads.¡¯ Each head shook itself, as if trying to fluff fur that had been matted from the weight of the chains. Then, each set of eyes leveled on Arche. ¡®GO.¡¯ Arche took a step backward. ¡®If there¡¯s something I can do to change your¡ª¡¯ ¡®GO!¡¯ Both heads barked as the word sounded inside Arche¡¯s head, the sound so fierce and terrible that Arche fell to the ground, hands covering his ears. Without further attempt at words, he severed the link in his mind and ran. Bitter disappointment washed over him as he returned. He¡¯d banked all of his hopes on the kerberos. Now, he felt that hope wash away. As he ran, a notification opened in the corner of his vision.
You have successfully completed the Quest. Save the Guardian Through bravery, recklessness, and teamwork, you have defeated the beastmar mage and freed Hek¨¢te¡¯s pet. She is grateful, and the thanks of a goddess is worth more than material treasures, don¡¯t you think?
Reward ¡¤ 5,000 experience ¡¤ Increased Divinity ¡¤ Favor of Hek¨¢te
Divinity has increased to 75%.
Arche grunted the notification away. Even a drastic improvement to his Divinity and the guarantee of at least another level did nothing to improve his situation if he and his friends were going to die here. It was hard not to be furious at the kerberos. Hard not to be furious at himself, for that matter, but he knew he¡¯d done the right thing. There were lines he wasn¡¯t willing to cross and he¡¯d found one. He¡¯d rather die fighting than live as a slaver, but would he rather sacrifice everyone else, too? Arche pushed the thought away. It wasn¡¯t helpful. He came to the end of the tunnel to find Tess, Lyssa, and the prisoners all crowded around the mouth. They were armed with whatever they could scavenge and had boxed themselves where the beastmar would be forced to come at them a few at a time. It was clear that his group was having a bad time of it. A few of the prisoners had collapsed, wounds dampening their emaciated forms while the rest tried to close the gaps in their line. At the sight, Arche¡¯s anger flared inside of him. Damn Orthrus. Damn the entities playing games with his life. But most of all, damn the beastmar. Enough was enough. Arche switched the Tridory into its bident form with the press of a button, then hurled it forward over the heads of his friends. Without waiting for it to land, he channeled Divine Body into his legs. He launched forward at an upward angle and came down in a long arc. The bident sank into a reptilian beastmar¡¯s chest. A moment later, Arche hit the creature feet-first, ripping the bident out as his momentum carried him through. Arche hit the ground and rolled, came up onto one knee and thrust forward, catching another beastmar in the belly. With no time to waste, he spun, staying low as he sliced the tendons of another beastmar¡¯s leg. Two green-fletched arrows sped past his head on both sides, embedding themselves in the throat and forehead of a two headed beastmar that had been next to approach him. Arche slapped the ground with one hand, using Divine Body to give himself an extra push. He spun into the air and threw the Tridory. The bident punched clean through one beastmar to wound another behind it. Momentarily weaponless, Arche landed on his feet, fists raised as another beastmar with three arms starting swinging at him. Claws reached, seeking to tear into Arche¡¯s face. He used the vambraces on his forearms to brush the strike out of the way, putting the beastmar in an awkward position with its limb across its body. He stomped a low uppercut, feeling the knuckles crack against his boot. The beastmar¡¯s third limb snaked forward from its back, aiming to plaster Arche¡¯s nose across his face. It connected instead with Arche¡¯s elbow. There was a crunch and a howl as the beastmar¡¯s fingers broke. Seizing the advantage, Arche slammed his hand into the beastmar¡¯s throat as hard as he could, then grabbed one of its arms. He twisted, swung his hips, and the creature went flying over his shoulder into another beastmar lunging to bite him. The teeth sunk into its companion instead and they went down, howling and scrabbling at each other. Arche summoned the Tridory. The bident flew to his hand in time for him to plant the sauroter into the throat of yet another beastmar. Something hit his back and he stumbled forward, gasping in pain as his Health dropped fifteen percent. Before he could recover, a blade left an angry gash across his left arm, weaving between the gaps in his armor and knocking off another ten percent of his Health. Down to one working arm, Arche tried to thrust with the Tridory, but one of the beastmar latched onto it, weighing it down as it tried to pull it from his hands. His breath came ragged through clenched teeth. He was in a bad way and there was only one way out. Arche activated Divine Body and wrenched the spear back, sweeping all around him with enhanced strength as his wounds physically knit themselves back together. His Health shot back up as orange light flared outward. He dropped the skill as his Mana hit twenty percent. A knife flew past his head and landed in a beastmar¡¯s eye, taking it to the ground as the tip pierced the creature¡¯s brain. Tess appeared a moment later to pull the knife free and stabbed at another. ¡°Do you have to jump into the middle of every single fight?¡± Arche used the Tridory to deflect a blade thrust by a humanoid beastmar, then stabbed it through the side. ¡°Figured I¡¯d make a strong first impression,¡± he grunted back, more than a little out-of-breath. ¡°One of these days your luck¡¯s going to run out, what are you going to do then?¡± ¡°Hope you¡¯ll come and save me, apparently.¡± Tess pirouetted, slashing at an exposed arm and throat with deadly accuracy. After dicing another beastmar, she stepped to cover Arche¡¯s back as he brought the offensive to a small group attempting to get in close. ¡°We¡¯re fighting for our lives here. This isn¡¯t the time to be flirting.¡± Tess flung a knife and sidestepped. The blade sunk deep into the belly of a beastmar even as its reptilian mouth snapped against empty air. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Arche said with a grunt as he opened a gash across a beastmar¡¯s chest. ¡°Might not get a better chance for it.¡± For a moment, in the midst of combat, their eyes met. He felt something pass between them. Then the fight swept both of them up again and whatever passed was lost. Arche stabbed a beastmar through the heart, trying to put his thoughts into words. ¡°Dinner.¡± ¡°What?¡¯ ¡°If we make it out of this, I¡¯d like to take you to dinner.¡± Arche jerked the bident free from the bones of another slain beastmar. ¡°Something nice, just you and me. You don¡¯t have to say yes.¡± A loud, bestial bellow broke through the clamor of battle. The sea of beastmar parted to reveal the massive beastmar leader. Both of its heads, wrapped together by a twisted black-metal crown, glared at Arche with murderous intent. It bellowed something in a guttural, barking language and the beastmar made space around them, forming into a ring. ¡°Arche?¡± ¡°I know. Can you get back to the others?¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°I can¡¯t sneak with this many watching us and I can¡¯t slip past them. We¡¯re hemmed in.¡± Arche used the pause in fighting to get a better look at his surroundings. He had fought his way through many of the beastmar, too far out for the others to provide good cover. The beastmar had filled the gap and separated them from Lyssa and the former prisoners. In his battle fever, Arche had overextended his position and Tess had gone right in with him. ¡°You, fighter.¡± The crowned beastmar¡¯s voice rasped and gurgled like its tongue was too large for its mouth. ¡°You will die by my hand.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t like that they can talk,¡± Arche muttered, then raised his voice to reply. ¡°How about a wager, then?¡± The beastmar around them let out a cackling, barking laugh, like an entire menagerie was told its favorite joke. ¡°What terms say you?¡± ¡°If I kill you, the rest of you beastmar let us all leave in peace.¡± Another peal of dissonant laughter came from the beastmar. The crowned beastmar held up a large axe, its spike head pointed straight at Arche. ¡°I accept. When I kill you, your fighters will drop their weapons and surrender.¡± ¡°Give me a moment to confer,¡± Arche called back before turning toward Tess. ¡°Can you beat him?¡± she asked. Arche frowned and Examined the beastmar.
Eten and Nete
Level: 26 Race: Beastmar Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 710 / 710 100% Stamina: 910 / 945 96% Mana: 120 / 120 100%
Arche sucked his teeth. ¡°Tell you what, he¡¯s one mean sonofabitch, but what choice do we have?¡± Arche eyed his own vitals.
Health: 438 / 495 88% Stamina: 134 / 355 38% Mana: 44 / 190 23%
If it had been purely a numbers game, he didn¡¯t stand a chance. He was injured, tired, and barely had enough Mana left in the tank for a single use of Divine Body. Maybe two if he was quick about it. Conversely, this Eten and Nete creature was well-rested and unharmed, not to mention the eleven-level advantage it had over him. Tartarus was not just a numbers game, however. Tactics, strategy, guts, and more than a little luck had helped Arche defeat monsters far more powerful. He¡¯d had help for most of those fights, but not all of them. Now, with everyone¡¯s lives in his hands and already nearing exhaustion, he had a choice to make. The mantikhoras had been stronger, but there was something more terrifying about this crowned monster. Arche planted the sharpened butt of his spear into the ground. He wrung out his hands and rubbed his newly healed arm, still itching with fresh skin. Tess placed a hand on his arm. ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of it either but at least this way we¡¯ve got a shot.¡± ¡°You better survive this, you know. You owe me dinner.¡± Arche smiled. ¡°Is that a yes?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Her hair pulled free from her braid and fell over part of her face as she shrugged. ¡°It sounds nice.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Arche¡¯s smile fell as he eyed the beastmar all around him. ¡°I hope you still feel that way in a moment.¡± ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± Arche moved in a single, swift motion. He grabbed Tess, activated Divine Body, then threw her. She let out an indignant curse and a loud cry as she flew over the beastmar and out of Arche¡¯s sight back toward Lyssa and the other prisoners. Arche dropped the skill a moment later but the damage was done. Pain seized his mind and his muscles spasmed and clenched, forcing him down to one knee. A small notification popped up in the corner of his vision to inform him of a new debuff.
You have Mana Burnout. -90% Health Regeneration -90% Stamina Regeneration -90% Mana Regeneration
Mana Burnout: 12:59
He¡¯d held on to the skill for a touch too long and his Mana had bottomed out. He was lucky he hadn¡¯t passed out from the strain and that the cooldown was only thirteen minutes, but that was thirteen minutes he was going to be at his absolute worst. Weariness and pain washed over him, centering inside his head and spreading down his body in waves. There wasn¡¯t enough time but any time he could buy was time for Lyssa and the others to recover. Perhaps he could buy enough for them to turn the tide. He looked up at the sneering grins of Eten and Nete. There was only one way this would end. ¡°I accept!¡± He shouted, baring his teeth into a snarl. The beastmar began shouting and barking, banging fists and limbs into torsos and against the ground. Arche pulled the Tridory free and turned to Eten, who was stalking toward him. Up close, Arche could see just how large the beastmar really was. Next to this behemoth, he felt like a child. Tentatively, Arche tried reaching out with his mind, but as soon as his consciousness expanded past his own walls, pain seared into his mind and he was met with a notification.
Warning! You are attempting to use a Mana-based ability without Mana. Continuing to use this ability without gaining Mana will drain Health and may cause permanent damage.
¡°Shit,¡± Arche hissed and closed his mind off. ¡°Gonna have to do this the hard way.¡± ¡°Come, human. Meet my labrys.¡± Eten grinned and hefted the big axe in his hands. Eten¡¯s second head, Nete, shouted something in a garbled tone, which caused the beastmar to cackle. ¡°Hi!¡± Arche grinned back with mock joviality. ¡°Stupid name.¡± Eten lunged forward, not with the axe but with his fist, which he slammed down to drive Arche into the unforgiving stone floor. Arche stepped to the side and thrust with the bident but his movements were slow and the large beastmar had no difficulty brushing his attack harmlessly away. The big bastard followed up with a backhand that took Arche off his feet. As soon as he touched down, Arche shot forward, trying to take Eten off guard with a quick, ferocious attack. It was the same method that had worked on plenty of beastmar who hadn¡¯t expected their prey to put up much fight, but Eten was no ordinary beastmar. The experience of battle was evident in his movements and strategy. Eten clearly had a lot more experience fighting trained opponents than Arche had, and Arche was far from a trained warrior. The simple, straightforward thrusts and swipes that Arche prodded with were easily deflected and avoided by the larger beastmar. The whole time, both of Eten¡¯s heads stared down at Arche with bloodthirsty grins. It was meant to infuriate him and it was working, but it was far from his only issue. His Stamina fell like a stone. In less than a minute of combat, he had already dropped below a hundred Stamina. In another full minute, he¡¯d be completely drained, but long before that he¡¯d be too tired to keep evading Eten¡¯s attacks. The beastmar was a powerhouse. If that hadn¡¯t been clear enough by its size, it was certainly evident in the way it threw its weight around. Arche was forced to dodge and evade as much as he could as even a glancing blow could knock him around and hurt him. He held the Tridory out in front of him, trying to keep his reach advantage, but the massive size of the beastmar and the huge battle-axe that it wielded nearly matched him for length. His breath came in short spurts and his entire body burned from the pains of the last day. This wasn¡¯t a fight, it was a beatdown. ¡°I took you for a mighty warrior, the way you fought my kin,¡± Eten rasped. ¡°Was I mistaken? Is this the best humanity has to offer? Pathetic.¡± ¡°Trash talk? Really?¡± Arche rasped, desperate for breath. ¡°Didn¡¯t even know trash could talk until I met you.¡± Eten growled and grabbed the Tridory. He gave it a mighty yank and swung the axe down in a heavy chop. Arche was forced to let go and throw himself to the side to avoid a killing blow. He hit the ground and scrambled away, struggling to get his feet under him. Eten was left holding both the battle-axe and the Tridory, the latter of which he tossed carelessly to the side. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re out of options, tiny warrior.¡± Eten swung the labrys, forcing Arche to fall back again to get out of the way. On the ground, his options were even more limited. Eten continued the attack, bringing the axe down in an arcing slash. Arche rolled to the side and the axe cleaved into the rock where his chest had been, digging deep into the stone and lodging itself there. Arche rolled back and wrapped his legs around Eten¡¯s arm, using his hands to grab Eten¡¯s thumb and twist it backwards. The beastmar let go of the axe and grunted in surprise and pain. Arche felt himself rise into the air as Eten lifted his arm, then unwrapped one of his legs and used it to kick at the crown binding the beastmar¡¯s heads together. The metal dented slightly, forcing both heads to lean toward each other even further. Eten drew his arm back to throw Arche, but Arche let go and dropped to the floor before the beastmar had the chance. He landed in a basic fighting stance, his hands up. ¡°All right, ugly, which head should I knock some sense into?¡± Eten threw a massive right hook. Arche slipped underneath it and drove his fist into the beastmar¡¯s side. He might as well have punched the stone floor, but then he hadn¡¯t really expected it to hurt the beastmar. He followed it up with a jumping palm to one of Eten¡¯s faces. For the first time, the beastmar showed pain. Eten took a step back and wiped away a small streak of black blood from its lip. Arche used the distraction to pull his xiphos free before the enraged beastmar reengaged. Eten kicked at him, forcing him back. He tried to stab at the foot but his limbs were thick and slow and he missed entirely. Eten yanked the axe out of the stone with a screech of metal. Arche leveled his sword at the beastmar, but he was so damn tired. His adrenaline faded almost as quickly as his Stamina. The sword was solid lead in his hand. One mistake, one foul move, and he would die. Eten moved forward, swinging his axe in a complicated flurry of slashes. Arche ducked the first swing and spun out of the way. He slid the edge of the xiphos across Eten¡¯s arm as he moved, leaving a trail of blood. He continued weaving around the beastmar, barely staying out of the way of the deadly battle-axe. It was the flowing, dancing sword style that Lyssa had taught him. He didn¡¯t have the Dexterity or training to really pull it off but it was still effective. Little by little, Eten¡¯s Health whittled down by glancing attacks, but it seemed to anger the beastmar far more than it hurt him. It was also too slow to win the fight. If he had an hour of perfect execution, perhaps it would have been enough, but there was no hope of that. Arche needed to do something drastic, something desperate. Something foolish. He faked a lunge. The beastmar brought his axe down to batter Arche¡¯s sword into the ground but his sword was no longer there. He pulled it back and stepped onto the axe, using it to spring up toward the beastmar¡¯s chest far above. Arche used the last of his Stamina to activate Power Attack, driving his sword forward with everything he had. Surprise covered the beastmar. The attack had caught it off-guard at a moment where the beastmar had been too committed to properly block or dodge. Arche, however, was also committed. A massive, clawed hand closed around Arche¡¯s throat, suspending him in the air as his sword pierced Eten¡¯s chest where a heart should be. Eten let out a rattling gasp, the sound escaping from both heads. Arche¡¯s vision blackened around the edges. His Stamina had bottomed out, a scant couple points left in the tank, and it took everything he had just to stay conscious. ¡°You missed,¡± Eten rasped, a grin spreading across both faces. Arche couldn¡¯t speak. The beastmar¡¯s hand on his neck prevented any hope of breathing and he was too tired to struggle free. One of his hands hung limply at his side, the other was draped across the hilt of his sword. Choking, he summoned the last of his strength to raise his hand and rest it on the side of Eten¡¯s face. With a barely audible whimper, Arche summoned the Tridory. Pain exploded in his head and spread to the rest of his body. Every nerve was lacerated and set on fire. He had no air to scream and no strength to thrash, so he hung in Eten¡¯s grip, enveloped in utter agony, without even the ability to breathe as his very vitality drained away. Arche clutched at his connection to the spear with everything he had. He ignored the warning notifications that popped up, telling him that he was draining his Health, that he was taking permanent damage. Eten grinned and lifted his axe, setting it against Arche¡¯s chest. ¡°Goodbye, little warrior.¡± Arche barely felt the blade¡¯s bite part through his armor, flesh, and bone. He barely heard the hoots and howls of the beastmar and the screams of Lyssa and Tess. All of his dim concentration was on the summoning. The Tridory tore through both of Eten¡¯s heads, perfectly splitting the crown as the freshly bloodied haft of the spear landed in Arche¡¯s open hand. The beastmar¡¯s expressions didn¡¯t change, still frozen in manic grins as the light left both sets of eyes. Arche watched his Health dwindle. The pain that had wracked him was gone, replaced by an icy coolness that radiated from his chest where Eten¡¯s axe was still lodged. A swirling bliss dogged the edges of his mind and the corners of his vision. Arche fell from the beastmar¡¯s limp hand and died before he hit the ground. Book 1 | Chapter 42 Hadespera The 26th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals All was still as Arche and the beastmar chieftain fell. For one second, every creature paused to take in what had happened. Lyssa felt his death, felt her connection to him sever. Felt the notification that confirmed the horrible truth. She had lost a Companion. For the second time, she had let a brother die. A keening wail rose in the silence. It was pain and grief and every dark thought. The sound rose, haunting as it echoed off stone. The prisoners shied away from her ¨C the sound came from her own mouth. She drew her swords and was gone before anyone could stop her. Her blades wrought devastation as she sprinted through the throngs of beastmar. Everyone, beastmar and prisoner alike, was taken aback by her ferocity. Then battle commenced once more. Lyssa tore her way through the beastmar as she tried to reach Arche¡¯s body. Tess was at her side an instant later, blades flashing. Lyssa ignored the Rogue, all of her focus was on getting to Arche. If she could just reach him, she could find some way to save him. To bring him back. If she could get to him, he would sit up and laugh and have some outlandish saying he knew would only puzzle her. Most importantly, he would be alive. He had to be. The beastmar blurred before her, one into the next as she cut them down. Arche had been foolish to challenge the chief. Beastmar were abominations, they had no concept of honor. They would never have surrendered even if Arche had won uncontested, but the damned fool had fought his way out too far and been separated. She should have gone after him, but Tess had beaten her to it. If she¡¯d gone, the rest of the prisoners would have died. Now they would all die together. Arche had overdone himself getting Tess out of danger, Lyssa could tell by how his posture had changed. Mana Burnout. She¡¯d never experienced it herself, having no aptitude for magic, but she knew it could cripple people for hours, even days. If he¡¯d still had enough Mana left to use his special skill, she had no doubt he would have defeated the chief. She¡¯d seen him do enough incredible things not to doubt him. Now she needed him to do one more incredible thing. A claw tore open Lyssa¡¯s cheek and her howl grew sharper. Even with all that they¡¯d killed, there were still over two dozen beastmar. Too many to win. She reached Arche¡¯s body, Tess fighting alongside her. The wicked labrys was still stuck in his chest. Seeing it up close, Lyssa¡¯s Huntress mind assessed the damage. It had split at least four of his ribs and likely pierced a lung, if not his heart. He¡¯d died in moments, not minutes. Lyssa planted herself in front of his body, brandishing both her swords as she roared her challenge. A bestial howl, even to her own ears, that promised pain to any foolish enough to challenge her. As if in answer, a deep rumble echoed around the cavern, thunder in the underground. The fighting stopped and everyone looked for its source. Everyone except Lyssa, who was past caring. The few prisoners left standing ran out of the tunnel, screaming as whatever monster had been inside came out, and what a monster it was. A massive, two-headed dog emerged from the tunnel. Both heads loosed a baleful howl, the sound so loud that every other creature stopped what they were doing to clutch at their ears and scream in response. Lyssa was driven to the ground by the noise, hands clapped against her sensitive ears as a combat notification indicated a new debuff.
Deafened ¡ª Tier 5 -90% Hearing
Deafened ¡ª Tier 5: 1:59
Lyssa took her hands away to find them slick with her own blood. She wiped them on the stone ground, trying to clean them or at least get enough grip back that she could hold her swords without dropping them. When she could stand with swords in hand, she found that the beastmar paid no attention to her. They had devoted the entirety of their focus to fighting the two-headed hound. The creature stood over five meters tall at the shoulder. By contrast, the largest of the beastmar came up to the monstrous hound¡¯s knees. Its fur was a piebald of red and black, but its form, though formidable, was emaciated. Skin pulled taut over massive ribs and the hound¡¯s stomach pulled inward. Both heads plunged downward, moving quickly for such a large creature, and each gaping maw found plenty of beastmar to eat. That was not to say the beastmar were incapable of fighting back. Despite having two heads and a huge size advantage, the beastmar turned the creature¡¯s legs into a bloody mess. There were simply too many for the hound to fight all at once. Lyssa adjusted the grip on her swords and was about to jump back into the fray when a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned, ready to strike, but saw Tess standing at her side. The woman pointed and said something but Lyssa couldn¡¯t hear more than a garbled warble. She turned to follow Tess¡¯s gesture. More creatures poured out of the tunnels on the far side of the cavern, but these were not beastmar. Humans, elves, dwarves, and other races charged out into the open cavern. Above them all swooped a familiar bird-like figure. ¡°Abraxios,¡± Lyssa whispered, voice lost even to herself. Lightning arced from the tengu, splitting itself to strike half a dozen beastmar. They froze and shuddered as their muscles contracted against their will. Arrows flew, felling several more who had focused wholly on trying to kill the two-headed hound. Lyssa and Tess did their part by attacking any beastmar who turned away from the monster but, for the most part, they stood watch over Arche¡¯s body as the battle played out before them. They were joined shortly by the other prisoners. All had their share of blood and most sported varying degrees of injuries. Exhausted, Lyssa dropped to her knees. Her Stamina was spent but it went deeper than that. They had been fighting down in the dark for so long, convinced that they were going to die, and now hope had surged forth before them. If only Arche was alive to see it. With the two-headed hound on one side and the villagers on the other, the beastmar were quickly routed. Some of the villagers prepared to fight the hound, weapons hefted hesitantly, but it ignored them. It dragged as many beastmar as its mouths could hold back into the tunnel and disappeared entirely from sight. The battle was over. They had won. Tess fell to her knees next to Lyssa. Arche¡¯s skin had grown pale beneath the blood and dirt. His eyes were dull and stared past Lyssa. Whatever his last words might have been were lost, leaving behind only the memory of a short life, less than a month old. They had lived, Arche had died. Now they both had to face that fact. A figure strutted up, stopping a couple meters away. Lyssa looked up into the sneering face of Callias Buteo. He said something but it was garbled, unintelligible. She ignored him, rubbing her ears as the Deafened debuff counted down to nothing. Sound came back to her with a pop. ¡°¡ªyou ignore me?¡± Callias shouted. ¡°Look at this mess you¡¯ve caused. All this¡­this¡­this carnage. This utter waste. Don¡¯t even think of trying to collect on that bounty my fool of a steward offered you. I¡¯ve rescinded it, the official quest will be canceled upon our return. Why, I should have you imprisoned for the mess you¡¯ve made of things. For your greed, endangering the whole village in this fool¡¯s quest to attack the beastmar. You¡¯re just trying to separate me from my family¡¯s hard-earned drachmae. I should have you flogged!¡± Lyssa found it hard to care about what he was saying. She thought of Arche and what he would say. The words brought a bittersweet smile to her lips and she let them pass. ¡°Go fuck yourself, Callias.¡± ¡°How dare you. I see now that prison would be too kind of a sentence for you. We have neither the means, the manpower, nor the infrastructure to incarcerate you for nearly as long as it would take to teach you some manners, elf. Neither can you be exiled, for surely your foul influence would only serve to commit greater crimes elsewhere or bring trouble to us once again. Yes, there¡¯s only one thing for it, now. Guards, kill these two.¡± Lyssa and Tess were on their feet in a flash, weapons drawn. Callias stepped back behind the protective line. The guards, for their part, looked uncertain as they faced down two warrior women drenched in blood and surrounded by dozens of slain corpses. ¡°This is rash, Callias,¡± a familiar voice said. Lyssa turned her head to see Vik had spoken up. He, Elpida, and Gigator had maneuvered to stand by her and Tess, weapons raised toward the rest of the village guards. ¡°The snakes crawl forth from the woodwork. If you wish to oppose me, very well. Your lives are forfeit, too. You heard me, kill them!¡± The guards formed a circle around them and closed in, spears raised.
Arche felt lighter than he ever had before, as though his clothing and limbs were weightless. Instinctually, he tried to breathe, but no air rushed into his lungs. His chest still rose and he felt no discomfort, but there was no breath. Now that he was aware of it, he couldn¡¯t feel anything at all. Not the air against his skin or the stone beneath him. No clothing or weapons or anything. He opened his eyes. The world had changed but it was not unfamiliar. He found he was not naked, as he had originally thought, but was wearing very simple clothing, like he had when he¡¯d first woken up nearly a month before. He was in a hollow cave deep inside the earth, much as before, but small flames flickered around the space. Bright green sparks with shadows silhouetting them and darker orange sparks with large, grotesque shadows. They danced around each other, but the orange sparks vastly outnumbered the green sparks. Arche touched one. His hand passed straight through and, though he felt nothing, he sensed something. Someone, more specifically. ¡°Lyssa,¡± he murmured. ¡°The concerns of the living are not for the dead.¡± Arche turned, the motion more of a thought than an action. His mind appeared to control his movement in this place, not his muscles. The entity he saw before him was tall and covered in thousands of small plates of interconnected, black armor. Obscuring its face was a mask of black metal that shifted, sometimes morphing into a face and other times simply forming a black mirror. The only unchanging thing about the mask were two eye-slits, revealing white pupils surrounded by black sclera. ¡°I know you,¡± Arche said. ¡°You¡¯re that being from before. You called yourself Death.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°I am.¡± ¡°You told me I wasn¡¯t supposed to be here.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t.¡± ¡°And now?¡± ¡°You are.¡± ¡°I¡¯d¡­hoped I¡¯d get more time.¡± Arche¡¯s voice faltered. ¡°There¡¯s so much I didn¡¯t get to see.¡± ¡°It is the wish of many to delay my meeting with them.¡± Arche tried to take a deep breath but no air flowed into his unsteady form. Instead, he closed his eyes and shoved his feelings down into whatever now passed for a stomach. ¡°I never got your name.¡± ¡°I am Death.¡± ¡°Yeah, got that part, but that¡¯s not a name. Arguably, that¡¯s what you are. A name¡¯s an important thing. I should know, I didn¡¯t have one for a while. Surely there¡¯s something someone calls you?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Death hesitated. Arche was taken aback by that. Death hesitated? Could Death be unsure? He¡¯d thought Death was the only thing that was ever certain. Well, that and taxes. ¡°I was once a being called Thanatos, but I have¡­evolved since then. I absorbed many of the Keres, my sisters, and have become that which shepherds all who die.¡± ¡°Would you mind if I called you Thanatos? ¡®Mr. Death¡¯ is a little too formal for me.¡± ¡°I am Death, little spark, but I have been called many things by many beings. If my old name would bring you some comfort, then use it.¡± Arche looked around, seeing all the different sparks moving about each other. ¡°Are these souls? Living ones? Is this why your kind call us sparks?¡± ¡°They are not of your concern.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know, I just¡­¡± Arche sighed, wishing he could actually blow out air to vent his frustration. ¡°I barely got to know this world. What comes next?¡± ¡°Come and see.¡± The thought terrified him. ¡°Just tell me this much. Was this it? Did I waste the only life I¡¯m going to have?¡± Thanatos cocked its head. ¡°Do you regret the life you lived?¡± Arche blinked. He thought about waking up in the forest, about his first encounter with Lyssa, with Helwan, with Tess. All the people he¡¯d met and befriended along the way. The party in the village, learning how to fight, the adventures, the battles, the dungeoneering. His body was no longer real, nor were his eyes, and he was grateful, for it meant Death would not see him cry. ¡°No. Only that it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Then come.¡± Arche hesitated. Then, slowly, he extended a translucent hand toward Thanatos. ¡°Not so fast.¡± Thanatos stiffened and withdrew its hand. Death stared at something behind Arche. A presence filled the space, so thick and overpowering that Arche felt himself mired in place, hand still extended. Fear rose in him, despite already being dead, and he wanted more than anything to turn, to see who had spoken, but he didn¡¯t have to see to know who it was. It was the entity that had been playing with him this whole time. The same one who had confronted Thanatos when Arche had bargained for Tess¡¯s life. ¡°You should not be here,¡± Thanatos rumbled, showing genuine annoyance for the first time since. ¡°Now, is that any way to treat an old friend?¡± ¡°This is too far.¡± Thanatos¡¯s hand flickered and a large scythe appeared. ¡°You are bold, indeed, if you would take up arms against me. Do not forget what I am owed.¡± ¡°That debt,¡± Thanatos growled, ¡°has been paid already. I warned you what would happen if you interfered again.¡± Once again they were talking about him as though he weren¡¯t even there. He was already dead, what more could they do? ¡°Enough!¡± Arche roared. The presence weighed on him, but it no longer felt so stifling that he couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°Somebody tell me what is going on here or I¡¯m going to start screaming.¡± Thanatos looked down at him and extended a hand. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­¡± Thanatos tapped Arche on the top of the head and the overwhelming presence dissipated. ¡°Finally, gah, what the fuck?¡± Arche turned his head and looked at the new entity. The sight would have chilled his heart if he still had one. What stood before him could have been a statue, had the sculptor intended to inspire nightmares. Blood flowed in the shape of a man, taller even than Thanatos. Darkened metal fashioned into armored plates adorned the blood, each piece bore damage but was undeniable in the quality of its craftsmanship. The eyes were cold steel, reflecting Arche¡¯s own face back at him. ¡°I had such high hopes for you.¡± The blood figure sighed like a disappointed father. ¡°Who¡­what are you?¡± ¡°He is Ares. He should know better than to interfere in matters that do not concern him.¡± ¡°The boy died in battle. That¡¯s as much my business as it is yours, harvestman.¡± Ares waved a crimson hand dismissively. ¡°Do not test me, Ares. Your power has waned these millennia, but mine has only grown.¡± ¡°Spare me your threats, Than. You do not want to raise your scythe against me.¡± ¡°Ares,¡± Arche said slowly. ¡°I know that name. Why do I know that name?¡± ¡°Silence. You will be dealt with in due time.¡± ¡°Return to your brethren, Ares. I will not tell you again.¡± Thanatos shifted their weight and placed themself between Arche and Ares. ¡°I have claimed my mark upon this one. All the other souls of Tartarus are yours but his is mine.¡± ¡°That is not how the system was designed. You have no jurisdiction in this matter.¡± ¡°Enough! You will not deny me this, errand keeper. You may collect the souls but it is my wars that bring them to you. I will wage a war so great and terrible that it destroys the very fabric of this ¡®system¡¯ you serve. Stand aside, I will not warn you again.¡± ¡°I am not some pawn in your games. One of you tell me what is going on, right now.¡± ¡°Silence!¡± ¡°Fuck off!¡± Arche roared. Both entities turned toward him in surprise. ¡°I¡¯m sick of this shit! You all interfere with our lives so easily but in all your apparent power you can¡¯t even answer a question? Why? Why me? What did I ever do that I got caught up in this?¡± Ares and Thanatos both stared at him without reaction, which would have sparked fear into him if he hadn¡¯t already been dead. ¡°He¡­is not of Tartarus. Ares, what did you do?¡± ¡°As I said, he died in battle. That makes him my business and I have plans for him, yet. You, boy, you wish to know what is in store for you? Why you were chosen?¡± Arche glared up at the pillar of blood. ¡°You were chosen because you are an instrument of war. You always have been. You have fought your entire life, from birth all up unto your death, whereupon I claimed you. I bestowed upon you a gift, a divine spark to fan the flames of your potential. A feat that has not been accomplished in millennia. You say you are not a pawn? You are nothing but a pawn. Your existence here is my doing and through you I will have my war. That is your purpose, you have no other.¡± Arche reeled. Thanatos, too, seemed similarly affected. ¡°Ares, you have broken the pact.¡± ¡°Damn the pact, Than. Change is coming, it cannot be kept away forever. When that change happens, you should consider to whom your allegiance truly lies. There is still time.¡± ¡°No,¡± Arche interrupted. Both entities turned toward him once again. ¡°No, I don¡¯t accept this. I won¡¯t do it.¡± Ares¡¯s face congealed into anger. ¡°Do not push your luck, boy. You owe everything to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve fucked with my entire life, every step of the way. You used me and you¡¯re going to keep using me until you decide you don¡¯t need me anymore. How long, then, before you cast me aside? A year? A month? A week? No, fuck that. What you¡¯re selling? I¡¯m not buying. I¡¯ve had enough. Push me and I¡¯ll push back.¡± Ares blinked, seeming genuinely surprised. ¡°You would wage war against me?¡± ¡°If it means stopping you, yes.¡± Arche stared up with as much grit as he could muster. Ares smiled. ¡°Very well. I will relish our conflict, but you will serve me in the end.¡± Crimson light flashed and Arche was left alone with Thanatos. ¡°Please tell me you have some answers for what just happened.¡± ¡°This has been¡­concerning.¡± ¡°What happens now?¡± ¡°His mark is upon you. His spark of divinity and something more. I am sorry, mortal, for that title no longer accurately describes you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Thanatos turned away, then turned back, as if struck by a sudden thought. ¡°Do you truly wish to defeat him? Or were those words spoken in the brashness of anger?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Now that the moment had passed, he was uncertain. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can, but whatever he¡¯s planning doesn¡¯t sound good and he doesn¡¯t seem to care who he hurts. There are still people I care about, people I need to look out for. He needs to be stopped. I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± Thanatos dipped his head. ¡°Very well. I am limited in what assistance I can provide, but I can provide this.¡± Thanatos produced a single silver coin from seemingly nowhere. ¡°Place this obol in the mouth of a departed loved one whose soul still lingers.¡± Arche reached out to take it but Thanatos held it back. ¡°Unless the rules of the pact change, this is the only help I will be able to give. Use it wisely.¡± Arche took the coin. ¡°Does this mean I¡¯m not dead?¡± Thanatos cocked his head and, though Arche couldn¡¯t see a face, he would have sworn that Death was smiling at him. ¡°For better or worse, you are banished from death. I will speak with Hermes. He will determine what next steps to take. This has not happened before. I am sure whatever cost he imposes will be prohibitive, so do not make a habit of traveling to my realm. You may find it worse than the alternative.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Arche said slowly. ¡°One more thing. Do you know who I was? Before I came here?¡± ¡°The affairs of the living are not of my concern.¡± ¡°Right, right. Of course. Erm, thank you? Thank you.¡± Thanatos cocked his head to one side, staring at Arche with those strange, inverted eyes. ¡°You are an anomaly, little spark. Nonetheless, I will return you now. Someday I will see you again. I see everyone, eventually. Do not forget this. There is no escape.¡± With those last, ominous words hanging in the air, Thanatos reached out and rested one hand on the top of Arche¡¯s head. Then Arche fell through darkness. Book 1 | Chapter 43 Hadespera The 26th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all, malakas! Stay back!¡± The words floated into Arche¡¯s head. Feeling came back gradually. Cool stone beneath him. Heavy clothes on top of him. The piercing, icy touch of an axe being slowly pushed from his chest. Pain was gone, to his relief. His injuries had healed, his vitals were full, but it was difficult for his mind to focus. He felt pulled between two worlds. ¡°One more step and I will slaughter every last one of you.¡± Arche blinked. His vision was blurry but quickly cleared itself. What he saw didn¡¯t make much sense. Lyssa and Tess stood over him, blades drawn. They were surrounded not by beastmar, but villagers. The village guard, more specifically, behind whom was Callias Buteo. Things were beginning to fall into place. Lyssa held her swords, her bow nowhere to be seen, but there was no more fight in her. He could tell by the set of her shoulders. Tess, on the other hand, was shouting abuse and shaking, seemingly ready to start stabbing people at any moment. Others stood with them. Vik, Elpida, and Gigator, all ready for a fight. It was shaping up to be a bloodbath. Before Arche could do anything, a barrage of notifications appeared in his vision.
Divinity has increased to 100%
YOU HAVE DIED.
Quest Failed: Unlocking Your Potential Objective Failed: Do not die[error]. ERROR¡­ERROR¡­ERROR¡­ SUBJECT IS NOT DEAD. CALCULATING¡­ ¡­PARAMETER MET: SUBJECT NO LONGER DEAD. RESETTING QUEST¡­
You have completed a Quest! Unlocking Your Potential Hey! You stuck it through. Figured it out and made a ton of mistakes along the way. Wouldn¡¯t have killed you to ask for more help, maybe a sacrifice or two for old times¡¯ sake, but you did it your way and no one can ever take that away from you. Congratulations! Keep it up and we¡¯ll be seeing more of each other. In any case, you¡¯re too much of a variable to stay completely automated. I¡¯m watching you. Don¡¯t forget it. -H.
Reward ¡¤ Claim your Profession
Demigod Not everyone is gifted with a divine spark. Through heroic deeds and service, you have fanned your spark of Divinity into a candle¡¯s flame. You have become a Demigod. Your patron deity is now an irrevocable part of you. +5 to all attributes +1 to all attributes with each new level
You have a Disease. Death Sickness Dying and coming back is a traumatizing feat. The effects of doing so should reflect the effort involved. Don¡¯t make a habit of it unless you want to draw unwanted attention. Specifically, mine. Which, coincidentally, you already have! -H. -50% Vitals Regeneration -50% Willpower Progress toward next Skill levels reset You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. -5,000 Experience +25% chance of vomiting randomly 50% chance of mentally reliving your death at random moments
Death Sickness: 11:59:57
You have slain Eten and Nete, the Beastmar Chieftain. You have slain 17 Beastmar. You gain 4,960 experience. Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 1,100 experience.
Lyssanderyli has slain 31 Beastmar. You gain 4,650 experience. Your party has slain 19 Beastmar. You gain 1,900 experience.
You have reached Level 20. As a Human, you gain 5 points to distribute per level. As a Demigod, you gain 1 point in all attributes per level. You have 25 unallocated attribute points. Profession Paths are now unlocked.
As the notifications appeared, Arche scanned them over for the highlights before dismissing them. As the last one disappeared, his body was wrapped in golden light. Unlike the normal flash of a level up, the five levels he progressed through surrounded him like a flare. The light settled into his chest and throat, healing his wounds until nothing remained by scars, but it did nothing for his mind fog or the horrible queasy feeling that had settled into his gut, both likely consequences of Death Sickness. ¡°What are you idiots waiting for? I told you to kill them!¡± ¡°Kill me yourself, you cowardly piece of shit.¡± Every eye turned to him as he eased himself into a sitting position, throwing off the massive axe. ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± Tess stammered. ¡°You were dead.¡± Lyssa finished for her. The guards took a step back, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. ¡°The severity of my death was greatly exaggerated,¡± Arche groaned. ¡°Could I get a hand up, please?¡± Lyssa sheathed a blade and grabbed him under one arm. Tess did the same on the other side and together they hauled him to his feet. Arche summoned the Tridory back to his hand and planted the sauroter into the stone, leaning against it like a staff. ¡°Why is he ordering us dead?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Because you are¡ª¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up, Callias. I¡¯m not talking to you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s blaming us for the whole beastmar situation. Thinks we¡¯re too dangerous to be imprisoned or exiled, so he¡¯s ordered his guards to kill us,¡± Tess said. ¡°Tell you what, Callias. I think this whole village is just about sick of your shit. You want things to get done, get them done yourself. If you want us dead, try to kill us yourself. Stop being such a fucking coward or get out of our way.¡± ¡°Are you challenging me to a duel?¡± ¡°Sure! If it¡¯s an excuse to punch you in the face.¡± ¡°Arche!¡± Lyssa hissed sharply. ¡°You are in no condition to pick another fight.¡± ¡°Very well, boy, I will accept your challenge on one condition: I fight your elven friend there instead.¡± Silence reigned in the cavern for a long moment, broken by hysterical laughter. Arche¡¯s hysterical laughter, to be specific. ¡°You want to fight her? Her? Whatever you say, man. Lyssa?¡± ¡°Gladly.¡± ¡°As the challenged, I invoke my right to choose the means by which our battle is fought,¡± Callias continued. ¡°Go on, then. I¡¯ve wasted more than enough time down here already.¡± ¡°We shall fight unarmed, without interference of magic or outside assistance, until one of us is incapable or unwilling to continue.¡± ¡°Very well. Should we win, you will abdicate your position, pending trial for your gross negligence,¡± Lyssa responded. ¡°And should I win, you and your friends will be put to death. What say you?¡± ¡°I accept.¡± Lyssa moved forward until she stood directly in front of Callias. The two could not have looked more ill-matched. Lyssa was covered in blood, sported several active wounds, and her thin armor had been beaten and gouged a dozen times over. Callias, on the other hand, was spotless. He wore a golden, ornate breastplate with matching vambraces and greaves. There wasn¡¯t a drop of blood on his person or a single, onyx hair out of place. He was also a good head and shoulders taller than Lyssa and weighed probably twice as much. ¡°This armor,¡± Callias sneered. ¡°Was forged by some of the finest smiths this side of Tartarus. Sword, spear, axe, and arrow don¡¯t even scratch it. Come now, elf. Do your worst.¡± No sooner had the last word left his mouth had Lyssa¡¯s fist entered it. Callias¡¯s head rocked back, his surprise as sharp as his pain. Her other fist slammed into his exposed throat, then she grabbed his head in both hands and forced it down into her rising knee. He stumbled back, trying to regain his composure. Lyssa leaped forward and planted her foot into Callias¡¯s breastplate, pushing him back even further . Callias recovered before he fell, swinging with a wide right hook. Lyssa caught the fist, stopping it in its tracks, then kicked out Callias¡¯s leg and forced him to the ground. She kept a hold of his arm, switching her grip to be around his wrist, and twisted over him so her foot was on his back and his arm was held painfully out behind him. ¡°Submit.¡± ¡°Never!¡± Callias cried. A loud crack echoed as Lyssa broke his wrist. Callias wailed but Lyssa refused to let go. After a moment, she wrenched again, this time with a loud pop. Callias¡¯s arm elongated briefly and Arche¡¯s stomach did a turn as he realized she¡¯d pulled the entire arm out of socket. ¡°Yield, or I will do worse to your other arm.¡± Callias screamed, his pain too great to respond in words. His head bobbed in what was either agony or compliance. Lyssa dropped his hand and his arm fell to the ground, twisted, broken, and useless. ¡°Do any here challenge the outcome of this event?¡± Lyssa said to the crowd, her words hard and daring. ¡°Do any here wish to lay their own challenge at my feet? I have had a lion¡¯s share of blood today, but I will spill more if I must.¡± Silence reigned. Several of the villagers were apparently holding their breath, trying to make as little noise as possible in case they might be singled out and made an example of. ¡°Very well. Guards, arrest him. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Gigator hauled Callias up off the ground. The former village lord had passed out from his injuries, bringing blessed silence. Lyssa turned to the other villagers. ¡°Gather up what loot you can find and let¡¯s get out of here. And someone bring food and water for the freed villagers, they have endured more than any here.¡± Arche smiled as people ran to follow her orders. Lyssa looked good in command. His eyes glanced over the crowd and landed on the corpse of Eten and Nete. A tingle of fear spread through him, concentrating in the nape of his neck, but he fought it down. He was alive, somehow still alive. The massive axe laid at his feet, his blood still wet on the blade. Arche grabbed the handle and lifted it. It was longer than he was tall but still fit inside his inventory. He made to stand and stumbled, legs suddenly unsteady. Tess appeared underneath his arm, propping him up. ¡°Are you going to tell me what happened?¡± she asked quietly. ¡°Yes, when there aren¡¯t as many prying ears. Over that dinner, maybe?¡± ¡°Dinner sounds lovely.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 44 Hadespera The 26th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The climb out of Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium was long and arduous. Abraxios, still holding the map Arche had drawn, took the front of the company and led them out. Most of the traps were already sprung but a few still caused minor injuries. Nothing that Odelia¡¯s biomancy couldn¡¯t patch up. Callias, on the other hand, was left to deal with his injuries. During unconscious states, the village guards dragged him along by his arms, but as he regained consciousness, they made him walk. He¡¯d been stripped of all weapons and armor and had been gagged with a dirty cloth to stop his whining threats. The first step out into the forest was blinding. Arche stumbled, one hand covering his eyes, the other gripping the Tridory. The sun was directly overhead and even partially obscured by the foliage, it was too bright. The air was fresh and a slight breeze wafted flowery scents toward him. Every single aspect of it, even the painful ones, made him grateful to no longer be underground. It also came with a notification.
Dungeoneer, You have fought your way through the depths of Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium, but you have not delved through all the depths have to offer. Your dungeoneering experience has been modified to reflect this.
Dungeoneering has increased to Level 11. +1% Chance of spotting hidden areas (+11%) +1% Chance of spotting hidden enemies (+11%) +1% Chance of spotting traps (+11%) +1 Perception +1 Luck You have reached the Novice rank in Dungeoneering. You gain 100 experience.
Murmurs rose from the gathered villagers. Arche wasn¡¯t the only one to receive dungeoneering experience from the venture, though his group had probably received the most. The trek out had taken the better part of six hours. For Arche, it had been the worst six hours of travelling in his life. Death Sickness drained his Stamina even during light activity, such as walking slightly uphill. Much of the trip had devolved into a panting mess. More than once he had to stop to vomit for no reason other than his organs trying to strangle him from the inside. Odelia had told him there was nothing she could do for his condition, though he¡¯d refused to tell her exactly what it was, and even the rejuvenating powers of five consecutive level ups couldn¡¯t overcome Death Sickness. Once outside, the whole company took the opportunity to sit and rest. Arche was grateful for the break. His Stamina had hovered at ten percent for the last twenty minutes. He had twenty-five points to allocate now that he was leveling again but he couldn¡¯t concentrate enough to think about where to spend them. Now that there was time to take a breath, he could feel the past few days catching up with him. Arche had never felt so tired. He lowered himself to the ground and leaned his back against a tree. He pulled at the collar of his shirt beneath his jerkin, trying to give his throat some room. He felt stuffy, overly warm, and the whole ordeal was making it difficult to breathe. Why was breathing so hard? It came out jagged and raspy. Sweat poured from him, even more now than when he¡¯d been walking. His heart hammered in his chest. Heat flooded his body one moment, ice the next. Arche clenched his fists but he couldn¡¯t feel them. His heart was so loud, in his chest and in his head, at any moment it would burst. His vision blurred and the forest fell away from him. He had no weapons, no defenses. He was so tired. The axe was coming. It sank into his chest. Pressing into him slowly, intimately, as the grinning faces of the beastmar champion looked down on him in triumph. His ribs cracked. The axe took its pound of flesh from his lungs, his heart. His blood spilled across the floor. He couldn¡¯t stop it. He couldn¡¯t breathe. His lungs collapsed, blood filling them, filling everything. He couldn¡¯t see, couldn¡¯t feel, couldn¡¯t breathe. There was only the axe sinking into his chest, killing him. Taking his life from him. Slicing his heart in two. ¡°Arche.¡± Alone. Dark and cold. The cold of the axe froze his skin as it pushed through bone. The heads of Eten and Nete grinned at him. Taunting him. Jeering at him. He couldn¡¯t stop it, couldn¡¯t stop them. He couldn¡¯t do anything. He could only die. He was going to die. He was going to die. ¡°Arche, look at me.¡± His throat was in a vice. Eten¡¯s grip around it cut off all airflow. His blood pulsed against the beastmar¡¯s grip, weak and fading. Arche¡¯s hands scrabbled at his throat, trying to loosen the grip, desperate for air. Something grabbed his hands, held them firm. ¡°Look at me. You¡¯re all right. I¡¯m here with you. Tell me where you are.¡± ¡°He¡¯s killing me. Oh, god. Help me¡­please.¡± Just speaking was painful. His throat was closed tight and the words came no louder than a whisper. The axe pressed into him, spilling his lifeblood over the ground. ¡°No one is killing you, Arche. Look around you, you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Tears ran down his cheeks. ¡°Please, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°You¡¯re safe, Arche. I¡¯m not going to let that happen. Focus on me. Feel the world around you. You¡¯re safe.¡± Arche shut his eyes tight and tried to focus. Grass beneath him tickled his elbows. Soft hands held his arms, keeping him steady. He opened his eyes and blinked rapidly. His vision was blurry and his throat was sore and dry. ¡°Water, please,¡± he croaked. A waterskin pressed into his hands a moment later and he took a long, grateful pull from it. ¡°Thank you, I¡­I don¡¯t know what happened.¡± He wiped his eyes and saw Tess sitting in front of him. She took the waterskin back from him and drank a swig herself before stowing it in her inventory. ¡°In the city, they called it ¡®the Panik.¡¯ Mostly, it strikes the soldiers, but it can hit anyone who¡¯s suffered.¡±?? ¡°I thought I was dying, again. I could feel that axe sinking into my chest, over and over. God, I must sound pathetic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not pathetic at all. You¡­you died. Not even the greatest healers can reverse death but you came back, somehow. That¡¯s twice now.¡± Arche glanced at the clearing around them. Other villagers were milling about, a few were casting glances his way. He met their eyes and they looked away, pretending they had seen nothing. ¡°Not here,¡± he whispered. ¡°Thank you, but not here.¡± Tess nodded. ¡°Are you ready to stand?¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Yeah, I think so.¡± He let her pull him to his feet. Once there, she handed him the Tridory. He took it from her, leaning into it like a staff. As he did, he brought up his active debuffs. Still another six hours left before Death Sickness faded. ¡°Ready for our triumphant return?¡± Tess asked. Arche checked his Stamina, seeing that it was barely over fifty percent despite the rest. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go run our victory lap.¡± The procession set off for the village. The going was slow, but they made the trip in under two hours. Any animals or monsters they may have encountered were scared off by the large gathering of people, something Arche was grateful for, as he was in no condition to fight. He wanted to sleep off the rest of the effects of Death Sickness, take a bath, and get something hot to eat, and not necessarily in that order. As they broke through the treeline of the forest and saw the burlap tents that made up the majority of the fledgling village, a ragged cry went up. Arche¡¯s grip tightened around the Tridory and he looked around for beastmar, but instinct gave way to understanding as he realized it was a cheer, not an alarm. Around him, people ran, glad to be home. The former prisoners, especially, cheered as they ran. It was a wall of noise and Arche found it difficult to recognize it for what it was. If there was no danger, then why was his heart beating so? Why were the knuckles of his right hand white against the dark metal of the Tridory? Why was he waiting for the first arrow to fly? People flooded out of the village to meet them. Backs were clapped, cheers were raised, and music began to play. The villagers who stayed had started preparing a feast, waiting for the triumphant return of the fighters. It was an optimistic reaction. They could just as easily all been killed, how were they laughing and smiling now? For that matter, how had they been able to feast after the attack on the village? Had everyone gone mad? Or was he the mad one? Arche caught sight of a familiar satyr amid the throng. ¡°Helwan!¡± ¡°Arche, you made it! Lyssa and Tess as well, oh my! This is wonderful, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re all right. When Odelia and Abraxios returned asking for aid, I feared the worst, but I should have known better! Nothing can defeat you three when you set your minds. Nothing!¡± The excitable satyr dragged them over to a table, pouring each of them a goblet of wine. Arche sank into the seat gratefully. He was still sweating from exertion and his Stamina was dangerously low, but at least he wasn¡¯t walking any more. Lyssa excused herself and went over to Vik and his crew, exchanging hushed words and gesturing toward Callias. Vik scratched his chin and said something, waving one hand in the air dramatically. Lyssa scrunched up her face, nodded once, then turned and made her way back. ¡°What was that about?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Just handling a situation,¡± she replied, then muttered quietly, ¡°and making a new one in the process.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Later.¡± Arche shrugged and put it out of his mind. If it was a problem, it could wait. There was food on the table and it called to him, whispering the siren song of freshly baked bread, finely roasted meat, succulent fruits, and the delicious crunch of fresh vegetables. His stomach gurgled, twisting itself with greed and gluttony. His earlier plan of sleep and bathing was banished from his mind as the smell of it reached him. He reached out to grab a plate, then saw that his arm was covered in dried, dark blood. The magic of leveling had cleaned him, but it had done nothing to clean the Tridory. Walking all the way back to the village with the bloodied spear had gotten him filthy, again. With a forlorn sigh, he stood from the table. ¡°All right, I¡¯m gonna go clean up.¡± His stomach protested every step away from food as he walked to the river, making sure to stay well downstream. They needed plumbing, some sort of running water. Really what they needed was houses, but plumbing was surely next. Having to go to the river every time he needed a wash was getting damned inconvenient. Arche waded into the cool waters without bothering to remove his clothing. All of him needed washing so he would sit and soak for a while. The current was strong and steady but he was in no danger of being swept away so long as he stayed near the bank, where it was shallow enough to stand. After he¡¯d rinsed his face and washed blood out of his hair, he removed his leather jerkin. Little more than shreds remained, the scraps hardly worth the salvage. He tossed it onto the bank, not bothering to clean it. His shirt, similarly, was also in tatters, but it was the only one he had with him, so he tried to get the blood out by scraping over it with river stones. The following day he¡¯d have to find one of the fabric traders and buy some new clothing. With any luck, his mantikhoras armor would be ready, as well. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if any of his injuries would have been prevented if he¡¯d had his new armor down in Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium. His cloak removed its own stains, making it the only thing he had that remained spotless. In the monotony of the task in front of him, and to distract him from his gurgling stomach, he went through the rest of his pending notifications.
Spearmanship has increased to Level 17. +2% Damage with Spears (+34%)
Spear Throwing has increased to Level 9. +3% Accuracy of Thrown Spears (+27%) +2% Range of Thrown Spears (+18%)
Swordsmanship has increased to Level 15. +2% Damage with Swords (+30%)
Unarmed Combat has increased to Level 8. +2% Damage while Unarmed (+16%) +0.5% Natural Armor (+4%)
Light Armor has increased to Level 11. +2% Defense with Light Armor (+22%) You have reached the Novice Rank in Light Armor. You gain 100 experience.
When he could recognize the color of his skin, Arche got out of the river. The scum had already been swept far downstream, leaving the waters blue and unfettered. His distorted reflection stared back at him. Making the details of his face hard to pin down. He touched his left hand to his cheek, feeling the raised scars, but they were slightly less prominent. His hand fell to his chest, where Eten and Nete¡¯s axe had split his chest. The wound itself was gone, healed by whatever Thanatos had done to return him to life and cleansed by the regenerative powers of five consecutive levels. Still, he was left with a large purple scar. ¡°Thought you¡¯d still be here.¡± Arche turned to see Tess standing next to the riverbed, a plate of food and a bottle of wine in her hands. ¡°Hungry?¡± ¡°Starving.¡± Arche threw on his still soaked and torn shirt. ¡°Good. Then eat quickly. There¡¯s some announcement about to happen. Lyssa wouldn¡¯t tell me much about it. She didn¡¯t seem particularly happy about the situation but she also said, ¡®the concern is hers to bear.¡¯ Whatever that means.¡± Arche grunted. ¡°Think we should be worried?¡± ¡°Maybe? Probably? I don¡¯t know.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure we can worry about it plenty tomorrow.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He took a large bite of the food, grilled meat stuffed inside fresh bread. ¡°Thank you for the food, you didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°I know.¡± She smirked at him and his heart skipped a beat, almost making him choke on the bread. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I¡¯m counting this as our dinner. It¡¯s private, yes, but you also said it was going to be nice and I plan on holding you to that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just glad you still want to go after¡­¡± Arche made a vague gesture with his hands. ¡°I haven¡¯t forgiven you for manhandling me like that but I¡¯ve decided to let you make it up to me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Arche raised an eyebrow. ¡°And how exactly am I going to do that?¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re going to have to use your imagination.¡± Arche chuckled. Tess graced him with a smile, then gestured at the food. ¡°Oh, before I forget, I brought you a change of clothes. Can¡¯t exactly have you looking like you lost a fight with an angry badger.¡± ¡°You should see the badger.¡± Arche took the clothes, then paused. ¡°Are you going to turn around, or¡­?¡± ¡°I thought I said to make it up to me.¡± Tess pouted, eyes gleaming with mischief as she turned her back. Arche unequipped his old clothing and quickly threw on the new garments. They were warm and comfortable, and slightly familiar. ¡°Are these my clothes?¡± ¡°Yeah, you left them at my tent a few days ago, when we first met, if you recall.¡± ¡°You kept them?¡± ¡°What was I supposed to do, throw them in the river? I was going to give them back, now I have. Come on, we¡¯re going to be late.¡± Arche shoveled in the last few bites and they made their way back toward the feast, walking in step. Hands almost touching. Book 1 | Chapter 45 Hadespera The 26th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°Ladies, gentlemen, and all in between, may I have your attention?¡± Vik stood atop one of the tables, gathering every eye and ear in the village. Behind him, on the ground, Elpida and Gigator stood next to the kneeling form of Callias Buteo. ¡°Today has been a day of victories,¡± Vik continued. ¡°But it is not all revelries. There is a serious matter which must be attended to. We are no longer in civilized lands but that does not mean we should resort to savagery. One who would seek dominion over us has succumbed to the heights of his own hubris. Callias Buteo.¡± An angry murmur rose throughout the crowd. ¡°Tyrant!¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± ¡°Piss trough!¡± This last came from the vicinity of Theodorous, Callias¡¯s steward, who quickly covered his mouth and looked upward as eyes drew to his direction. ¡°Callias did lead the charge down into the dungeon known as Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium,¡± Vik continued. ¡°But it was not to bring aid to the adventurers who had paved the way, nor was it to rescue our friends and family who were kidnapped in the beastmar¡¯s last attack. Citizens he publicly stated he wouldn¡¯t try to rescue just six short days ago. He went down there to kill the adventurers who took up his duties, all so he would not have to pay the bounty his steward set. Callias Buteo does not pay his debts and dishonors his allies.¡± The crowd grew even more upset. ¡°Hang him!¡± ¡°Exile!¡± ¡°Rip out ¡®is obols!¡± Vik held his hands up and the crowd quieted somewhat, soothed by the charismatic moon elf. ¡°I understand your anger and I share it, but there is more. Down in the depths of the dungeon, we found the beastmar¡¯s lair. We saw these three adventurers, brave Arche, loyal Lyssa, and steadfast Tess, facing down an overwhelming force. Three scores of beastmar rose up to meet them and the six prisoners they had rescued, and three scores of beastmar were repelled by their combined skill and courage. Arche challenged their leader to a duel after slaying a dozen single-handedly, sacrificing himself for the others to recover their wounds and wounded, buying time for us to arrive even though he believed no rescue was coming. They fought and, though the beastmar was larger and more powerful, it lacked Arche¡¯s courage. After sustaining terrible wounds, he slew his foe.¡± Cheers erupted. Arche felt a hand slam against his back, turning to see a dark-haired dwarf grinning at him. He turned back and found most of the village looking at him, eyes full of admiration. His gorge rose in the back of his throat. It was too much cheer, too much happiness. Didn¡¯t they understand what had happened down there? The attention made him want to find a nice hole to bury himself in. When the crowd quieted again, Vik continued. ¡°When the fighting resumed, we arrived. Let me tell you, I have never seen fighting like this in all my years. Down there were monsters, massive and small, good and bad. Down there in the dark, heroes gave their lives to save their homes and their people, and through their efforts the beastmar were annihilated. Brave Arche lay vanquished, the beastmar chieftain¡¯s axe split his chest, delivering a mortal wound, even as brave Arche¡¯s spear pierced the chieftain¡¯s heads. Loyal Lyssa and steadfast Tess stood over his body, alone in a sea of monsters, and what was their reward? Callias ordered their deaths.¡± The crowd gasped. ¡°That right bastard,¡± one quiet voice piped up. ¡°Oh, yes!¡± Vik continued, raising a fist high. ¡°He ordered the guards to kill the very people who had fought so hard to protect us. But there was one thing he hadn¡¯t accounted for.¡± Vik paused, building out the tension. The crowd leaned forward, holding its collective breath. ¡°Brave Arche survived! He rose from the ashes of his enemy, challenging Callias to a duel. Not for himself, nor even his allies, did brave Arche challenge Callias, but for us. For each and every one of us here who came to this village with the hopes of a new life. A better life. He challenged Callias the same way he had challenged the beastmar chieftain, though no less grotesque a foe he now faced.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Callias objected. Elpida cuffed him on the side of the head. ¡°You¡¯ll get your chance,¡± she spat. ¡°Brave Arche goaded Callias into a duel but the trickster held one more card up his sleeve. He demanded the fight be against Lyssa instead. Arche had just leveled, you see, and was at full strength. Lyssa agreed to the duel, bathed in blood and heavily wounded though she was. It would be a battle not of steel or of wits, but of fists. He thought his magically reinforced armor would protect him. He thought that because his opponent was a woman and an elf, that she would be easily defeated. While he was busy bragging, loyal Lyssa struck him down with ease. Now, I bring him before you, good people.¡± Gigator lifted Callias and tossed him forward to land on the table in front of Vik. ¡°You who have been the victims of his negligence. You, who have been forced to live in tents because he refused to use the materials to build homes. You, who he would have let be slaughtered by beastmar to save his coffers. Are there any who would speak in his defense?¡± The silence was deafening. Callias looked about, searching for allies. Theodorous turned around fully rather than risk making eye contact. No one raised their voice for him. ¡°What do you have to say in your own defense, Callias?¡± Vik demanded. ¡°You¡¯re fools, all of you. You think we¡¯re here to start a new life? You think this venture was a settling colony? We¡¯re sacrifices. All of us. You have no idea what¡¯s coming. Do you really think the beastmar are the worst things out there? No. You may have slain one enemy, but are you ready for the rest? Do what you will, all I wanted was a bit of comfort before the end. To drown myself in wine, women, and coin. Well, I¡¯ve had my fill. Do what you will to me, it doesn¡¯t matter. Death will come for you all.¡± An uncomfortable silence fell. Even Vik, normally implacable, seemed put off by Callias¡¯s words. ¡°Exile!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± ¡°Lock him away!¡± Vik held his hands up for quiet. The crowd took a little longer to settle but the moon elf still held them well within hand. ¡°My friends, we have no facilities for incarceration. I can¡¯t speak for your hearts, but I would rather our new home not start by killing our first leader. I stand before you in favor of an exile. If you would all agree, we can pass out ballots for the vote.¡± ¡°Forget your scrolls, long-ears,¡± the dwarf next to Arche hollered, jumping up onto the table. ¡°Any of you lot against this bastard being exiled, raise your right hand!¡± No one moved. ¡°All for this lecherous lout to get out of our village forever, on pain of death should he ever return, raise your hand.¡± Every hand in the village went up. Some, like a certain steward, raised both hands. ¡°There,¡± the dwarf said, turning to Vik. ¡°Saved your parchment, same result.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vik drew the word out as he looked down his nose at the dwarf. ¡°So it seems. Very well, Callias Buteo, you have been exiled. At dawn you will be escorted to the edge of town and given one day¡¯s rations. Should you ever return, you will be killed. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the only one that understands,¡± Callias growled. ¡°Gigator, take him away.¡± The sauros grabbed Callias by the back of his shirt and hoisted him into the air. Callias didn¡¯t resist, he simply glowered at everyone. His eyes met Arche¡¯s and he grinned. ¡°Enjoy it while you can. They¡¯ll turn on you, just like they turned on me.¡± Arche gave the former village lord a good view of his middle fingers. ¡°Shut up.¡± Gigator slapped the back of Callias¡¯s head and the man went limp. ¡°Now, friends,¡± Vik called out, recapturing the crowd¡¯s attention. ¡°We have deposed our leader and sentenced him to exile, but there is another matter at hand that needs to be resolved. We must elect a new leader to take his place. Someone who can lead us with wisdom and strength. Someone who is not afraid to make a stand for what is good and right.¡± Vik turned, arms moving in a sweeping gesture. ¡°My vote I will tell you here and now. You will find no better leader here than loyal Lyssa.¡± Lyssa stood. Her fists were white-knuckled, but she stood firm and resolute. Every eye turned toward her. Many of them craned forward, expecting some speech, but Lyssa only stood, staring back at them wide-eyed. Arche had never seen her look more uncomfortable. When it was clear she wasn¡¯t going to say anything, Arche raised his voice. ¡°I have traveled with Lyssa for as long as I can remember,¡± he started, the crowd shifting its attention to him. ¡°I can think of no greater candidate for leadership. If the people will it, Lyssa, it would be my honor to serve under you.¡± ¡°Archousa! Archousa!¡± Arche looked around, confused, as the cry was taken up until the whole village was shouting it. ¡°It¡¯s the title for a ruler,¡± Tess said in his ear. ¡°I thought that was ¡®lord¡¯ or ¡®mayor,¡¯¡± he replied. ¡°Mayor.¡± Tess frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t know that word. Leaders are archons or archousa. Lord or lady also apply, but those are unofficial titles. It seems our friend has been promoted.¡± The chanting continued, though it devolved into simply shouting ¡°Lyssa! Lyssa! Lyssa!¡± over and over. ¡°Right then, let¡¯s put it to another vote!¡± the dwarf from earlier shouted. ¡°Unless you have your heart set on wasting parchment, long-ears! All in favor of this elf lass being the new archousa, raise your hand and shout her name.¡± Hands shot up all over the crowd. It wasn¡¯t every hand in the village, but it was close. Arche tried to get a better look at those who hadn¡¯t but there were too many people in the way. ¡°And are there any who would run against her, who wish to throw their own name in the ring to be the archon?¡± the dwarf shouted. Not one person stepped forward. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Lyssa is the new leader. What say you, Archousa?¡± Lyssa appeared rather taken aback, as though she hadn¡¯t expected to win. ¡°I say that Buton is an ugly name and an ugly reminder for what this village once was. I believe this place can grow into a civilization of hope that will last for ten thousand years. I name this village Myriatos.¡± ¡°Myriatos! Myriatos! Myriatos!¡± A notification appeared in Arche¡¯s vision.
Archousa Lyssa has declared this village to be known as Myriatos.
¡°Let¡¯s party!¡± someone shouted. A cheer rose. Someone rolled out a barrel of wine and started filling goblets. Somewhere, a band started playing. Tess flashed Arche a grin. ¡°Shall I grab us some drinks?¡± He offered her a tired smile. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m exhausted. I¡¯m still feeling the after-effects from you-know-what and I think a night of drunken debauchery is going to end up worse than last time.¡± ¡°As I recall, you had a pretty good time.¡± ¡°You drugged me and nearly killed me.¡± ¡°Before that.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°I don¡¯t really remember what happened before that. On account of being drugged and nearly killed.¡± ¡°Then take my word for it, you were having a good time.¡± ¡°I believe it. I¡¯ll be in my tent. After everything we went through, I think a quiet night is just my speed. If you see Lyssa, tell her congratulations from me.¡± ¡°Have a good night, Arche. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Enjoy.¡± Arche snagged a small flagon of wine off the table and walked back to his tent in the falling darkness. A full moon shone down, casting moonbeams through the clouds. Arche took a swig before entering his tent. Once inside, he removed his shirt and his boots. His bedroll was no feather bed, but it was comfortable and warm and the air was cool on his skin. Arche took a deep breath, savoring how fresh it tasted. He wasn¡¯t particularly sure of the season, but the nights were cool enough that it wouldn¡¯t surprise him to be in the midst of Spring. There were still two hours until Death Sickness wore off and he still had twenty-five attribute points to distribute. He decided it was as good a time as ever to start building out his profile.
Arche
Level: 20 Experience to next level: 761 (89%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 189 centimeters Weight: 88.8 kilograms Profession: Demigod Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty, Psychic Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: N/A
Health: 695 / 695 100% Stamina: 505 / 505 100% Mana: 290 / 290 100%
Death Sickness: 2:08:48
Strength: 39 Dexterity: 33 Agility: 30 Fortitude: 33 (28) Endurance: 34 (29) Intelligence: 29 Wisdom: 35 Willpower: 15 (30) Perception: 28 Charisma: 40 (34) Comeliness: 15 (11) Luck: 22
Arche whistled softly, doing some counting on his fingers. Unlocking his profession had given him five extra points in each attribute and gaining five levels had given him an additional five points in each attribute. ¡°Ten points, twelve attributes¡­hundred-twenty points? That¡¯s¡­twenty-four levels worth of points? Holy shit.¡± The profession was already paying dividends and he hadn¡¯t even used it yet. All that was left was to decide where his points should go. The idea of keeping some in reserve once again reared its head at him but he quashed it. He¡¯d been in several life-or-death situations and in none of those situations had he ever thought to himself how he should spend his attribute points. In most of them, he couldn¡¯t even risk opening his interface to retrieve an item from his inventory. Saving his points wouldn¡¯t help him, it would only stagnate his growth. But where to place his points? He was a physical fighter, he¡¯d proven that time and time again. Those attributes were important to keeping him alive, but arguably just as important were his mental stats. He didn¡¯t have spells, but that didn¡¯t mean he never would, and his Divine Body skill had saved his life more times than he could count. If he had the extra Mana that leveling and getting his profession had offered, he would have avoided Mana Burnout when fighting Eten and Nete and likely wouldn¡¯t have even died. That meant his Intelligence attribute needed to be addressed. Arche poured six points into Intelligence, bringing him to thirty-five. Nineteen points left. Next, he looked at his Stamina. As it was, he was too often fighting creatures that could outlast him in a fight, forcing him to go to desperate measures to win. He threw another six points into Endurance, bringing his total up to forty, thanks to his ring. After a moment, he put a single point into Strength, bringing that to forty as well. Twelve points left to spend. His Willpower received a massive twenty-five percent boost due to his Psychic Trait. His Charisma received a similar, if smaller, boost. Both could pay dividends down the road. His Willpower helped him maintain his concentration, increased his spellpower, and fortified his mind. The last seemed especially important after the Vivitorium and learning how to cast out his psychic awareness. Charisma would affect his interactions with others and it was only because of the connections he had made that he had survived this long. Without Lyssa, he would have been wolf food weeks ago. He placed four points into each category. Four points left. A small voice in the back of his mind whispered to spend it on Comeliness. The blanket gains his profession offered had brought it up to over the starting point of the rest of his stats, and he¡¯d felt his facial scars become less obtrusive as a result, but he still couldn¡¯t justify the expenditure any more than that he didn¡¯t want to look as he did. Practicality over aesthetic, function over visage. The mantra ran through his head. His other skills helped him survive and Tartarus truly was a dangerous world. He was uncomfortable with his face, it was true. The scars trailed a topographical map of a history he couldn¡¯t recall; it was a violation. The first thing anyone would ever see about him would be his scars. That shouldn¡¯t bother him, but it did. He had no connection to them. He had no story, no grand tale to tell of their acquisition. In a very real sense, he¡¯d been born that way. It wasn¡¯t fair. At the same time, however, it was something he could grow to live with. He didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d ever be completely satisfied with how he looked. But he could learn to live with it. And, if he was very, very lucky, some days he might even forget they were there. Arche took another drink and forced himself to turn away from Comeliness. It was pride that drove him to it. It wouldn¡¯t help him, wouldn¡¯t change his identity or make him harder to kill. It wouldn¡¯t save his friends or help him make the right decisions. It would simply make those who looked at him more comfortable and that was not his problem. Arche took a deep breath, then dumped two points into Agility and one into Dexterity. His last point sank into Luck, for good measure. Then he let the breath out and looked over his stats once more.
Health: 730 / 730 100% Stamina: 565 / 565 100% Mana: 350 / 350 100%
Strength: 40 Dexterity: 34 Agility: 32 Fortitude: 33 (28) Endurance: 40 (35) Intelligence: 35 Wisdom: 35 Willpower: 17 (35) Perception: 28 Charisma: 44 (38) Comeliness: 15 (11) Luck: 23
Profession Paths are available. Explore Profession Paths?
Yes No
¡°Not tonight,¡± Arche muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what you are, yet.¡±
Access Profession Paths at any time from your profile.
It was too late, he was too tired, and he had too little information to jump down a whole new rabbit hole of this world. He just wanted to finish his wine and sleep in. ¡°Arche? Are you still awake?¡± Well, there went those plans. ¡°Tess? That you?¡± Arche stood and threw back the tent flap. Tess stood in front of him; long, blonde hair freed from its braid and hanging over half her face. She rubbed her hand against her arm as though she wasn¡¯t certain of what she was doing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Arche asked immediately. ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s¡­can we talk?¡± ¡°Of course, come on in.¡± The wind sent a shiver down his back, covering him in gooseflesh. Tess ducked inside the tent with him. He offered her the bedroll to sit on as he folded up his cloak and rested himself on it. ¡°Can I get you a drink?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯ve got one,¡± she replied, holding out a hand and withdrawing a goblet already full of wine from her inventory. ¡°Huh, cool trick. Just out of curiosity, how many of those have you had?¡± She raised an eyebrow at him and he raised his hands in a gesture of peace. ¡°Just want to know what I¡¯m getting into here.¡± ¡°I came here to talk, Arche. That¡¯s all. But, if you must know, this is my third.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s talk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Tess hesitated. A million ideas ran through Arche¡¯s head, each stranger than the last. Was this a professing of emotions? Was she going to tell him she loved him? She hated him? That she never wanted to see him again? Was she leaving? Should he fill the silence? Probably not. Tess¡¯s face worked through several emotions as her mouth opened and closed. ¡°I¡¯m not doing well. I almost died down there. I¡¯ve never been that close. I would have died, if not for you. I don¡¯t really know how to process all of it.¡± Arche nodded. It wasn¡¯t about him, not really. The wine had conjured those thoughts, surely. ¡°I would be shocked if you did. And then I¡¯d probably ask you for pointers.¡± ¡°It was easier to deal with it down there. I didn¡¯t have to think about it. Everyone was focused on our next move, our next step.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re not down there anymore. We¡¯re not fighting for our lives, so now we have to admit how close we came to losing.¡± Tess nodded and took a drink. ¡°I don¡¯t have answers,¡± Arche said. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to rationalize what happened to me. What¡¯s still happening to me. I set out to try to learn about who I used to be and who I am, but I¡¯m not really any closer to learning about who I used to be than I was a month ago. And in that time I¡¯ve experienced some truly awful things. But I can shrivel up and die inside or I can put one foot in front of the other and keep trudging forward.¡± ¡°One day at a time,¡± Tess said. ¡°Exactly. Live in the now, not in yesterday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not bad advice. You made this complicated for me, you know.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Arche frowned. ¡°How¡¯d I do that?¡± ¡°That mind-meld psychic thing you did with me. It¡¯s got me doubting myself.¡± ¡°Ah. First and foremost, I¡¯m sorry. I wouldn¡¯t have done that if I had any other option. Second, I¡¯m not sure I follow.¡± ¡°I like you, Arche,¡± she said flatly. ¡°You¡¯re sweet. A bit bumbling at times, but you¡¯re relatively smart and you care about people.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Arche blinked, self-consciously scratching at one cheek, feeling the scar ridges beneath his nails. ¡°And that¡¯s a problem?¡± ¡°Yes. Because I don¡¯t know if I like you because I like you or because you implanted the idea into my head.¡± Arche stared at her in horror. ¡°Tess, I would never¡ª¡± ¡°I know, I know,¡± she said, holding up a hand to stop him. ¡°I know you would never intentionally do that. But you yourself said you were new to those abilities. You didn¡¯t mean to see my entire life, but it happened. You didn¡¯t mean to show me your entire life, but it happened. For a short period of time, you and I were as close as two separate people can possibly be. You lived me and I lived you. How could an experience like that not draw us together?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Can you honestly look at me and tell me there¡¯s no chance whatsoever that you put the idea in my mind?¡± Arche looked down. ¡°I don¡¯t know. This¡­ability, I don¡¯t know everything it can do, yet. Mostly I¡¯ve been operating it through instinct, but even I¡¯m not sure what I¡¯m capable of.¡± ¡°So you might have influenced me without meaning to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe? It¡¯s possible, I think.¡± ¡°And so I have reason to doubt.¡± ¡°If I did, it was unintentional and I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for it, Arche. It¡¯s just something I have to consider, now. That my feelings may not be my own, but your own feelings reflected back through me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to deny that I like you, Tess. But I¡¯m also not going to pressure you into this. We¡¯ve been through hell together and you¡¯re right, our experiences have drawn us together. But I don¡¯t want that to be the reason we get together.¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No. If you decide you want to be with me, it¡¯ll be because you want to, not because our circumstances drove us together.¡± Tess nodded, then frowned. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it bother you? Our connection went both ways, after all.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± Tess stared at him, surprise etched into her face. Arche shrugged and scratched his head. ¡°Ineffable beings have been fucking with me my entire life, or at least the last month, but I liked you before I found out I was psychic. Our connection didn¡¯t change that. Even if it did, my feelings are my own if I accept them. I like you, Tess. You¡¯re clever and one of the strongest people I¡¯ve ever met, and I¡¯m not talking stats.¡± That got a smile. ¡°I do want to have that dinner,¡± she said. ¡°I just don¡¯t know that I¡¯m ready for more.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got time. Take all the time you need.¡± ¡°Thanks, Arche.¡± Tess finished her drink and stood. Arche stood as well, throwing back the flap of the tent to let her leave. She paused at the entrance, so close that Arche could smell the sweet wine on her breath. She raised a hand to his cheek, her touch so light it sent chills down his back. Her finger caressed the ridge of a raised scar and he flinched, pulling away from her. The moment shattered. Tess let her hand fall and stepped past him, out into the night. Arche watched her go, then dropped the tent flap back into place and tied it closed. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve got more problems than you realized, Arche old boy.¡± Book 1 | Chapter 46 Hermera The 27th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°So, Archousa, huh?¡± Arche smirked. He, Lyssa, and Tess sat in the village hall. Very little remained from Callias¡¯s den of drunken debauchery. Lyssa had spent the morning overseeing its deep and thorough cleaning while Arche went shopping for new clothes. Sadly, his new armor wasn¡¯t ready yet. Though it felt like they had spent weeks in the dungeon, it had only been the better part of two days and Danocles assured him that the armor still needed another full day of work before it would be ready. He hadn¡¯t seen Tess at all that morning until Lyssa called them together for a meeting and, now that he had, she wouldn¡¯t quite meet his eye. ¡°So it would seem.¡± Lyssa shook her head. ¡°Our friend Vikterandor is more capable with words than I gave him credit for.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised you went along with it, honestly.¡± ¡°You gave me the idea and, much as I am loathe to admit it, you may be right. But I can¡¯t do this on my own and my being the leader of this village is going to come with specific drawbacks. Namely, I am exiled by the wood elves. No elven settlement will deal with us.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°Ever? There¡¯s no coming back from that?¡± Lyssa hesitated, then shook her head. ¡°No elf has ever had their exile revoked. But that¡¯s not why I asked both of you here.¡± Arche and Tess glanced at each other. She looked away first, so Arche turned back to Lyssa. ¡°What can we do?¡± ¡°I have a village to build from the ground up. We have nothing by way of established infrastructure other than this building and I¡¯ve never done this. I need help. Will you help me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Arche said. ¡°I was never going to let you do this alone.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Tess followed a few beats later. ¡°It¡¯s not like I have anything else going on right now.¡± ¡°All right, then. I¡¯ll need to build out the leadership positions, does anyone have recommendations?¡± ¡°Theodorous,¡± Arche said. Both women turned to him. ¡°Callias¡¯s old steward. He seems capable and has a good head about him. He was holding the town together when Callias was busy whoring.¡± Lyssa stood and walked to the door. She opened it and exchanged a few words with a guard, then returned to her chair. ¡°Theodorous will be here shortly. Who else?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s Helwan. He¡¯d be good in some sort of research or teaching position, or maybe a public affairs position. There¡¯s also Vik, Elpida, and Gigator. They¡¯ve proven trustworthy so far.¡± Lyssa nodded. ¡°I considered them already. They¡¯re in, Vikterandor said as much to me last night.¡± Tess looked around. ¡°Where are they, then?¡± ¡°They¡¯re on their way. I asked you both here early to ensure we¡¯re all on the same page.¡± The door opened and the three warriors made their way inside, followed shortly by Helwan and Theodorous, who seemed a little uncomfortable to be surrounded by so many fighters. ¡°If you would all be seated, we can get down to business,¡± Lyssa said, gesturing to the nearby chairs. Vik eyed the chairs and sniffed. ¡°Is that sanitary?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve been cleaned. Extensively.¡± ¡°Well, in that case.¡± Everyone took a seat arranged in a loose circle. Tess sat to Lyssa¡¯s left, Arche to her right. On Arche¡¯s right sat Helwan. Directly across from Lyssa was Vik, with Elpida on his left and Gigator on his right. Theodorous had nestled himself between Tess and Gigator. ¡°I¡¯ve called you all here because you¡¯ve all been hand-selected to help me operate Myriatos. We¡¯re dealing with very limited resources and practically no infrastructure beyond what we see here. I¡¯m going to need people I can rely on in order to ensure the villagers remain safe and provided for. Can I count on each of you to that end?¡± Everyone nodded. ¡°Very well. Theodorous, we will start with you.¡± The older man looked up sharply at the mention of his name. ¡°Me, Archousa?¡± ¡°Arche tells me you were the steward to the previous archon. Tell me, what loyalties do you still harbor for him?¡± Arche¡¯s eyebrows lifted. It was certainly direct, if a little tactless. Theodorous seemed similarly surprised but kept his manner calm and his voice level. ¡°I served him for the betterment of the village, Archousa. I had little respect for the man. I have a knack for administrative work and have worked in city management before.¡± ¡°I would like to formally offer you to keep your position as steward and advisor, then. I¡¯m sure your expertise in those areas will be a vital addition to our village¡¯s leadership. Are there any opposed?¡± No one raised any objections. ¡°As I said before, we are starting from the ground up. We will need to focus on matters such as housing, defenses, and food production. The village guards are little more than an informal militia. Our people have been living out of tents for weeks, this is unacceptable. We have no maps of our surrounding areas, no idea of what natural resources we have to work with other than this valley and the river. As it is, I worry the waste we create will pollute it.¡± ¡°There are many skilled workers among the villagers,¡± Theodorous said. ¡°A few of the carpenters have already expressed annoyance at Callias¡¯s unwillingness to allow them to exercise their craft.¡± ¡°Excellent. After this meeting, I want you to gather a few of them and pick which location in this field will be the best to start building housing. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have no shortage of willing hands. I also understand we have confiscated building materials that were originally intended to build facilities. Once a location has been chosen, you are to start construction immediately. Start with a facility that can house everyone. I don¡¯t want people forced to sleep in tents any longer. Once that¡¯s done, then we can branch out to necessary structures, like a forge and a workshop. Individual housing will be made available once other necessary facilities have been constructed.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Theodorous said. ¡°Gigator.¡± Lyssa turned to the large lizard-man. ¡°Vikterandor tells me that you had military service before coming to work as a mercenary. Is that true?¡± ¡°I have had more than my fair share of organized battle, yes.¡± ¡°Our guard force need a strong, experienced hand to guide them. Will you be their Captain?¡± Gigator scratched his scaly chin. ¡°Yes, but I will need assistance. Elpida has had military training as well, she would make a good assistant commander.¡± ¡°I have other plans for Elpida,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°A well-trained guard corps is necessary for protection, but I have no intention of spending the rest of my life behind a desk. My profession is Huntress and that is a part of me I am not willing to sacrifice. I also recognize, however, the risks incumbent with that. Elpida, I am putting you in charge of security. You will determine what security details are necessary for each member here and are responsible for the vetting and training of the guards you select for the job.¡± ¡°Understood, Archousa. I know a few who might up to the task.¡± Lyssa nodded and turned to the next member. ¡°Vikterandor.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve told you, call me Vik.¡± ¡°Vik,¡± Lyssa repeated, a hint of amusement in her voice. ¡°What little I know about your past is shrouded in mystery. Arche and Elpida, however, have vouched for you and that is good enough for me. I would like to make you my Minister of Intelligence. You will be responsible for gathering information about our surroundings as well as on our eventual enemies. I understand resources will be tight, but if major events start unfolding in Tartarus, I do not want to be the last to know. You will also be responsible for assisting the guards with investigations into any crimes that occur in Myriatos. Is this acceptable to you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s manageable. I have a few contacts back in Ship¡¯s Shape and a few other cities besides. It might take a while to get word out and back, but with some development we should be able to find a workable solution.¡± ¡°Excellent. Helwan.¡± Lyssa turned to the satyr. ¡°I understand you had a position back in Ship¡¯s Shape, one that you may be eager to return to, considering all that¡¯s happened here.¡± ¡°Allow me to stop you there. Yes, I held a nice position back at Bits and Bobbles, but I was already on my way out, I think. As I explained to Arche once before, my stunt back at the dwarven ruins would have rendered my resignation. It wasn¡¯t exactly a sanctioned expedition. At any rate, I am not quite in my adventure-chasing days any longer. At heart, I am a musician and a mage.¡± ¡°And a megaloscholar,¡± Arche added, giving the satyr a wink.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Yes, that too,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°And it is for those reasons that I have a unique job for you. Tell me again, what magical abilities do you possess? ¡°I am an Adept Gaiamancer, a Student Phosphomancer, and when it comes to academics, I have long researched artifacts of arcane antiquity.¡± ¡°I would like you to begin training others in gaiamancy. A strong magical presence will be invaluable and it is my hope that, with effort, we can start our own school of magic here.¡± ¡°Me? A teacher?¡± Helwan¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I am perhaps the right person to do that. My personality isn¡¯t always the most, erm, captivating.¡± ¡°I think the allure of learning magic with steady employment afterwards will be more than enough to captivate your future students. The affinity for magic is rare enough, we should find all who are capable and use them for the good of the village. I also want you to seek out other skilled magic users in our village and get them onboard for professorship.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, let me get this straight. You¡¯re offering to teach people magic for free?¡± Tess asked. The others seemed surprised as well. ¡°In my culture, we do not demand expense for what will help all,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°I understand that we are no longer among my people, but the people of Myriatos have already sacrificed much. I would offer them what I can in return, and the promise of payment and steady employment should be enough to keep their loyalty.¡± ¡°Do you understand how much drachmae you are giving up in offering this?¡± Helwan asked gently. ¡°The Lyceum Apokryfos in Ship¡¯s Shape charges a tuition of over a thousand drachmae a year.¡± The weight of that hung in the air until Arche cleared his throat. ¡°Erm, how much is that?¡± ¡°Ten months of a skilled tradesman¡¯s wages; perhaps three years of an unskilled laborer¡¯s.¡± ¡°Hot damn. So magic really is locked behind a paywall?¡± ¡°If you want classical training, yes. Access to the Arcane Library, tutelage in areas of proficiency, magical theory, magical history, spellcraft. All these things and more are offered by the Lyceum. ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting that we¡¯ll be able to compete with the Lyceum, but we can provide an alternative to our people. I see it as an investment into Myriatos¡¯s future. Participating in our school would include a basic stipend for each student along with mandatory time in service to the village. That way we¡¯re assured to get a return on our investment. When that period of service is over, a position will be offered that allows those magical services to continue to further the needs of the village.¡± ¡°A practical decision, Archousa,¡± Theodorous said. ¡°I predict most in the village will leap at the chance to learn and practice magic, though some will not be keen to give up their current trades in order to do so.¡± ¡°For those willing to make a change, we will provide the opportunity. For those who wish to remain as they are, I will not force them to change, simply offer them the choice. Perhaps down the line, we can work out a curriculum that does not require people to give up their jobs in order to learn.¡± ¡°Then you have my support for the plan, Archousa. We can fine-tune the details of payment and time in service at a later date.¡± ¡°Never in all my years have I heard of such a thing,¡± Helwan said. ¡°But then, I have not spent much time among the elves. If you believe I am truly the best satyr for the job, then I will accept your generous offer.¡± ¡°Excellent. That leaves you two.¡± Lyssa looked at Arche and Tess. ¡°I¡¯m a Rogue. I¡¯m not exactly equipped to help run a village.¡± ¡°On the contrary. In my understanding, Rogues are very good at keeping their finger on economy. I would like to make you the official Minister of Commerce. You will be in charge of the village treasury as well as overseeing the market and levying taxes. You will be in direct control of Myriatos¡¯s resources.¡± It was Tess¡¯s turn to get wide-eyed. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never done anything remotely like that. Are you sure?¡± ¡°I trust you to use your wits at all times,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°And I trust you to honor the ideals of this village.¡± ¡°How could I refuse when you¡¯ve asked so nicely?¡± ¡°Good. Now, Arche.¡± Arche sat up a little straighter, wondering what was going to come next. ¡°I know you have questions about your past that may lead you far from Myriatos. I don¡¯t intend to keep you from your intended path, but your skills and battle prowess are invaluable to this village¡¯s security.¡± Lyssa paused, as if considering him. ¡°Tartarus is full of dangers, but also full of change. Dungeons can appear and disappear, and with them come threats. They are not the only concern, however. As this village grows in power, so too will the power of the monsters around it grow. We will need warriors. Not just guards to provide protection, but individuals trained to work as an elite team. People that can do the job no one else is capable of doing. People who can go and clear out dungeons or monster dens as they arise, keeping us safe before we¡¯re attacked.¡± Arche scratched his chin as he considered the problem. ¡°You need a strike team for special operations and you want me to lead it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lyssa said after a moment, clearly parsing through his words. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m in, on the condition that I get to pick the people for my unit.¡± ¡°Of course. How large or how small is up to you but know that your unit will be responsible for preemptive defense of Myriatos. Make sure those you pick are up to the challenge. You are the tip of our spear.¡± Arche nodded, ideas already spinning in his head. ¡°So, the cabinet¡¯s been assembled, what now?¡± Everyone looked at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Cabinet?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°We¡¯re not building furniture.¡± ¡°Ah, where I come from, the people assigned to leadership positions are known as a cabinet. I don¡¯t actually know why. To use equative terms, though, this would be known as the Lyssa Administration, given as you don¡¯t have a surname, and we would be the mayoral cabinet.¡± ¡°You say the strangest things,¡± Gigator chuckled. ¡°But we like you anyway.¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not important right now. What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Theodorous and I have a lot of work to do,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°But there is one order of business to take care of first. Myriatos is on a path to running out of money.¡± ¡°Malaka,¡± Tess swore. ¡°Make me Minister of Commerce and then tell me we have no drachmae? Typical.¡± ¡°There is also the matter of the bounty that was assigned,¡± Theodorous piped up. ¡°It was using Callias¡¯s treasury, which has been seized by Lyssa. Going by the quest updates, your group is owed nearly fifty drachmae.¡± ¡°Give my portions to the treasury,¡± Arche said immediately. ¡°I don¡¯t need it right now but the village does.¡± ¡°Mine as well,¡± Lyssa said. Both looked at Tess, who hesitated, then sighed. ¡°Fine, take mine, too.¡± ¡°Excellent. That will go a long way toward relieving some financial burdens. I will speak with Abraxios and Odelia to determine what they wish to do.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something else,¡± Arche said, drawing everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The treasure from the dwarven crypt. We grabbed a bunch of it. I¡¯m sure most of it is probably worth a fortune. We could take that to Ship¡¯s Shape, sell it off for coin, buy any needed supplies and bring it back to Myriatos. That would probably hold us over for as long as it would take to set up our own internal economy.¡± Lyssa considered the idea for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I agree. The way is too dangerous to go alone, however.¡± ¡°I will accompany him,¡± Helwan said. ¡°I should really tender my resignation to Lady Oyl in person, and she may be able to help identify aspects of his spear. Additionally, I am well familiar with the city and may be able to secure some contacts within the Lyceum Apokryfos who might help me in setting up our school.¡± ¡°And as the freshly minted Minister of Commerce, such a trip would be along my purview. I can talk with some of the trade guilds in the city and see if there are any deals to be made. There might not be much now, but once we learn more about what¡¯s around us we may have goods to sell.¡± ¡°It¡¯s settled, then,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°We¡¯ll take a few days so Theodorous and I can create a list of what the village needs, then we will send you off. Perhaps we should plan a return trip to the ruins, first, but we still have no certain way of killing the revenant. Until then, I suggest you settle into your new roles and do the best you can to prepare. Additionally, the upstairs has several rooms. As my ¡®cabinet,¡¯ I would extend these rooms to each of you. They may accommodate you better than those tents outside.¡± Everyone stood, preparing to leave, but Lyssa raised a hand to keep Arche and Tess behind. They waited patiently as the others filed out, or in Theodorous¡¯s case, went over to a small desk on the side of the room to begin organizing the village¡¯s resources. ¡°Until more suitable accommodations can be met, I have turned my bedroom into a study,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°It¡¯s more private than this room. Please, follow me.¡± Arche and Tess exchanged glances, then followed Lyssa to the back of the hall and into a medium-sized room. Gaudy tapestries hung from the walls and the furniture was intricately carved out of rich, dark wood. ¡°I haven¡¯t yet had time to dispose of these,¡± Lyssa said, gesturing. ¡°Perhaps you can take some of it with you to sell when you go, but that¡¯s not why I called you here.¡± She leveled her piercing, green eyes at Arche. ¡°What happened?¡± Arche cleared his throat and sat down in the desk chair. ¡°All right, get comfy.¡± He told them everything. How the fall had nearly killed him, his survival, and his trek through the tunnels. His fight with the beastmar near the flame traps and how it had nearly killed him. He told them of Hek¨¢te and the quest he received from her. He spoke of the kerberos, Orthrus, and its lair. About his motivation behind joining the fight and the circumstances surrounding his death. Then he spoke of Thanatos and Ares, and how the latter¡¯s claim to him apparently superseded the former¡¯s. He told them about how he couldn¡¯t die, about the toll dying would take on him, and the threat that the price would only grow steeper the more he died. Lastly, after internal deliberation, he told them of the coin that Thanatos had given him. ¡°You have an artifact that can reverse death?¡± Lyssa asked incredulously. ¡°Yes. Thanatos made it clear this was a one-time use item and that it would only work on the recently deceased.¡± ¡°Never speak of it again,¡± Tess warned, moving to the window then the door to check for eavesdroppers. ¡°Such a thing would have every thief and brigand in Tartarus coming after you. Everyone¡¯s lost someone they want to bring back, the limitation wouldn¡¯t stop them from trying.¡± Lyssa nodded. ¡°I agree. Such a thing is unheard of. You would do well to keep it a secret, always.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°I debated telling you two, to be honest. But I¡¯ve tried to be upfront with both of you and I see no reason to stop now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Lyssa¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°What do you suppose this Ares wants? You mentioned something about a war, but with whom?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. The world, perhaps? Or maybe whatever governs it. He seemed to relish conflict. He¡¯s the source of my Divine Body skill. He¡¯s the one that¡¯s been influencing my entire life here, but there¡¯s something fundamentally wrong about him. He¡¯s like conflict incarnate.¡± ¡°Then we would do well to be extra cautious around him. Such a being likely has underlings and I can¡¯t imagine they would be peaceful.¡± ¡°We better hope that Gigator does a good job training those guards, then. We may need them sooner, rather than later.¡± ¡°Peace never lasts long in Tartarus.¡± ¡°Are we sure we¡¯re ready to pick this fight?¡± Tess asked. ¡°Ready? No. But I don¡¯t think I have a choice,¡± Arche said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to prepare quickly. First things first, however. We have a trip to Ship¡¯s Shape to plan, and if past experience is anything to go off of, I¡¯m sure there will be a multitude of ways it goes wrong. I¡¯m not so sure that we can¡¯t get past the revenant and the village could use the income from those dwarven relics. I think it¡¯s time to pay a second visit to those ruins.¡± ¡°Good luck,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°We¡¯re all going to need it.¡± Arche sat back in his chair and glanced out the window. The sun was shining over the village and people were busy going about their daily lives. Theodorous had apparently left his desk as he was talking to carpenters and masons, gesturing toward the valley, and Helwan was deep in conversation with Abraxios and Odelia. Hope started to well in Arche¡¯s chest. Hope that they were finally doing something right. He turned away from the window to look back at the others. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s get to work.¡± Book 2 | The Story So Far Charomera The 29th of Elaphebolion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Lyssa told me I should start journaling, that it might help jog some of my memories loose. I don¡¯t much see the sense in that, but it¡¯s worth a shot so long as Theodorous has the parchment to spare. My name is Arche and, about a month ago, I was born into a world called Tartarus. I don¡¯t know how I got here but it wasn¡¯t an accident. I was dropped into the middle of the Dawnwood, a territory inside the Sylv, which is itself a forest inside Mycenaea. There, I met Lyssa, a Dawnwood elf. She saved me from an early death at the claws of a diseased wolf and brought me back to her people, where I was tasked to join her on a quest to a necromantic dungeon that popped up near Dawnwood¡¯s territory. That¡¯s where it all started for me. Inside the dungeon, the Necropolis of Pygmaia, we met Helwan, a satyr. He was being held captive by some arachtaurs, big spider-women monsters. Whatever you¡¯re thinking when you hear that, I guarantee you they¡¯re worse in person. Then there was the revenant. We escaped him by going into a treasure room where I found and bonded the Tridory, a magical spear that can shift forms. I still don¡¯t really know much about it but it¡¯s been incredibly useful so far, despite the fact I can¡¯t stow it in my inventory. It¡¯s pretty heavy to keep hauling around with me. I really need to do something about that. Anyway, back to the story. We returned victorious to Dawnwood, at which point Lyssa was exiled. Turns out, she accidentally killed her brother ten years back and that seems to be about how long it takes the elves to make a decision. Elf lives are sacred to one another, so it was an unforgivable crime that they punished the only way they knew. They clipped her ears and sent her on her way, the bastards. The three of us rolled into this little town called Buton, named for the asshole in charge: Callias Buteo. It was under attack by these mutated monsters called beastmar, which we helped fight off. Callias tried to undermine or kill us all the while, so we ended up doing most of the necessary work behind his back with the help of his steward, Theodorous. We also met Vik, Elpida, and Gigator, who proved pretty helpful in dealing with Callias, but I¡¯m getting ahead of myself.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. While at Buton, I partied a little too hard and got myself drugged and kidnapped by Tess. Through my bottomless charm and wit, I talked her out of outright murder. I think she was even about to cut me down, but we were jumped by a mantikhoras. That marked a turning point for us, one of several. On the way back, I stumbled across the beastmar den and got a quest to eradicate them before they destroyed the village. When we arrived, we rallied a small group to fight the beastmar and met Abraxios and Odelia. They joined us for the expedition and together we fought our way through hordes of beastmar for about two days. During this time, I got my Profession, Demigod, which was locked behind a Profession Quest that required me to ¡°raise my Divinity to 100%,¡± whatever that meant. I also met this ineffable entity called Hek¨¢te, but she wasn¡¯t the first. I met a being called Thanatos that¡¯s apparently the embodiment of Death, this really weird thing in a dream called the Oneiroi, and¡­Ares¡­but I¡¯ll get to him in a minute. Tess nearly died in the tunnels. It was my fault. I was stupid and reckless, completely in the thrall of my own bloodlust with likely a little magical influence sprinkled in. That was almost a breaking point for me, but it was easier to keep things under wraps, down there. It¡¯s harder to deal with it now that I¡¯m not there anymore. Now I have to face the consequences. Learned I was Psychic when I joined Tess for a confrontation with Death. That was a rough trip. He let us go because Ares intervened, called in some debt. Makes him sound like a good guy, doesn¡¯t it? Not quite. We finished fighting the beastmar, then the cavalry arrived. The rest of the village showed up to help us finish off the last of the bastards, just a little too late for me. I fought the champion and I lost. In fairness, I guess you could say we tied. We both died, at any rate, and that¡¯s when I learned what my purpose was. Ares brought me to Tartarus to facilitate some war on his behalf. Instead, I promised to go to war against him ¨C he seemed weirdly excited about that idea. Thanatos told me I couldn¡¯t die but that it was going to be really bad for me every time I did. He also gave me a coin that can resurrect one recently deceased person. Hopefully, I¡¯ll never have to use it. I was returned to the living just in time to see Callias order the guards to kill us all. I talked that down into a duel, somehow, but the moron decided to tango with Lyssa. Whatever sense of self-preservation he has must be completely busted because she fucking demolished him. I wish I could have recorded it. Oh well. We walk out, I may or may not have had a panic attack, and we returned to the village as celebrated heroes. At the victory feast¡ªbecause these people love to feast, apparently¡ªLyssa gets elected as the new village leader and Callias is exiled. Funny how that happens. Now we¡¯re all in some sort of leadership position and we¡¯re trying to figure out how to keep a village with no infrastructure and very little money floating. Which means I get to go raid the Necropolis of Pygmaia again for more ancient, dwarven treasure to go sell in Ship¡¯s Shape. Oh, and hunt down a revenant that may or may not have my number. Lucky me! Until next time, Arche Book 2 | Chapter 1 Hermera The 7th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche opened his senses and cast his awareness outward, past the confines of his own mind, and felt the consciousness of each living creature around him. The Sylv thrummed with life. Insects lit up like clouds of phosphorescent light, their minds too simple to properly feel. Beasts were easier to distinguish. The snuffling badger, the cautious deer, the quiet fox. Each distinct and identifiable. Brighter and more complex were the minds of his group members. Helwan Panysk was closest to him, a mage, musician, and megaloscholar. The satyr had proven himself a steadfast friend, a wealth of knowledge, and a poor combatant. His knowledge of antiquities and the arcane was second to none in Myriatos. While the goat-man was blessed with gifts of magic, he had little fighting experience and was incredibly anxious in such situations. Still, he had volunteered to come along and hadn¡¯t backed down when reminded of the dangers. Behind Helwan was a young, human man named Basil Meneres, a guardsman and professed Warrior who had jumped at the chance to go adventuring. Warrior was a common-tier profession, making it one of the easiest to obtain, but what it lacked in flair it made up for in reliability. Arche didn¡¯t know much about Basil, but he looked forward to seeing what the lad could do. After Basil was another relative stranger, a woman named Cora. She was a half-elf with pale, blue-tinged skin reminiscent of the sky. She was also a professed Ranger, which was odd as she had come from the city of Ship¡¯s Shape, but Arche was glad to have her skills onboard. Ranger was an uncommon-tier Profession that Arche hadn¡¯t yet encountered. His best understanding was that it gave bonuses to archery and wilderness survival. The last member of their group was Tess, a professed Rogue. Rogue was also a common-tier Profession, but Tess had proven herself time and time again incredibly capable. Arche had been initially against her joining them but Tess had been firm, stating something about him being liable to get himself killed otherwise and refused to hear his arguments about how that was ¡®only one time¡¯ and how he¡¯d ¡®only been mostly dead.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s all clear ahead,¡± Arche said. ¡°No monsters.¡± ¡°I still want to know how you know,¡± Cora grumbled. When they set out, she¡¯d been excited to show off her woodsman skills for the group and since been disappointed to learn that Arche was far more capable than she was at detecting nearby creatures. He¡¯d neglected to mention he was Psychic, a Trait he had discovered two weeks prior in the bowels of a dungeon known as Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium. Traits were a closely guarded secret by all who held them, as other Trait-bearers tended to seek out and kill one another in hopes of gaining the victim¡¯s Traits. Arche was more than happy to let the others think he simply had an incredibly high Perception. The only current traveling companion who knew the truth was Tess, who had been key to discovering the Trait in the first place. ¡°Trade secret, I¡¯m afraid,¡± Arche said. ¡°I could tell you, but then I¡¯d have to kill you.¡± Cora gave Arche a startled look and he snorted. ¡°I¡¯m just fucking with you.¡± ¡°The moment you try, you will find yourself a dead man,¡± she snarled, indignation coloring her cheeks a deep shade of blue. Arche¡¯s chuckle turned into a sigh. ¡°Not literally. I¡¯m just joking with you is what I meant.¡± ¡°I do not appreciate it.¡± ¡°Duly noted.¡± He turned his attention back to the forest and their surroundings, wishing, not for the first time, that Lyssa was with him. She understood him. Or, at the very least, she didn¡¯t look at him like he¡¯d grown another head whenever he made a joke. Lyssa was the first person Arche had met in Tartarus and had very nearly been the last. She¡¯d saved him from a wolf attack, decided he was harmless enough to bring into her village, Dawnwood, and introduced him to her father, Lord Cypress, who bestowed a quest to help her investigate an evil presence just outside their territory. That investigation had turned up the entrance to an ancient dwarven ruin and they¡¯d found traces of necromancy. Specifically, several undead who tried at length to kill them. Those ruins were the same dungeon where Arche first met Helwan. It was also where he¡¯d found the magic spear he now carried with him, the Tridory, among an enormous pile of dwarven treasure, guarded by a nearly indestructible creature called a revenant. As the village of Myriatos¡¯s new archousa, Lyssa had been forced to stay behind and, with the help of Theodorous, get the village up and running. Part of those administrative issues were that they were quickly running out of money and needed a new influx of funds. Arche and Tess were to make a mercantile trip to Ship¡¯s Shape to gain coin and supplies, which meant they needed products to sell. Hence, ancient dwarven treasure. They¡¯d gathered some the last time they delved into the ruins, but mountains of golden artifacts still remained. Some were, no doubt, magical. Arche still wore the ruby ring he¡¯d found there, which gave him five extra attribute points to both his Endurance and Fortitude. It was a hefty bump, two levels¡¯ worth, that helped keep him alive. Arche would have been happier to make the trip alone but Lyssa wouldn¡¯t hear of it. She argued that more people were necessary, not only for safety¡¯s sake, but to carry back the treasure. He didn¡¯t put up much of a fight and, even if he had, it was Lyssa¡¯s call. His job within the village was to conduct operations like this one: dungeon-clearing, threat elimination, and treasure hunting. He¡¯d been given leave to assemble his own unit to that end but, in the two days he¡¯d had to prepare, there hadn¡¯t been time to vet anyone. Similarly, Gigator, the giant lizard-man who¡¯d been promoted to Captain of the Guard, had not had the time to establish a proper training regimen for the village guards. Arche had taken one guard and one hunter out of Gigator¡¯s recommendation but, in truth, he was hoping they didn¡¯t encounter much difficulty. The last fight he gotten himself into, he¡¯d died, and that memory still dogged his nightmares on the rare occasions he slipped off to sleep. They¡¯d traveled through the forest for eight days in total, having to skirt around the edges of Dawnwood to reach the ruins, which lay northwest of the wood elf territory. Myriatos lay to Dawnwood¡¯s east, nestled in a large valley at the base of Mount Hyperion. Arche had spent the better part of a day with Lyssa, going over the location of the dwarven ruins and the best route to travel there. Lyssa was intimately familiar with the layout of the Dawnwood, but only partially aware of the Sylv, the dark forest that formed much of the region known as the Forest of Mycenaea. Monsters roamed deep in the woods and some stories said even the trees would gather their roots and move from time to time, making it impossible to keep consistent maps as landmarks could shift and disappear. Still, the Huntress¡¯s high skill in navigating the wilderness meant that, even secondhand, she could guide them to the right course. Arche had sketched out a map according to her instructions. It was a crude map, as per the creation notice when he had finished it, but it served its purpose. The journey there would take eight days if they pushed themselves, cutting as close to Dawnwood¡¯s territory as they dared to prevent attracting monsters. Dawnwood was fiercely policed by the wood elves from Lyssa¡¯s former tribe and they would not accept an incursion by armed outsiders into their lands. This was a point Lyssa had fervently warned them about. They may go near the Dawnwood, but not into it. The journey had actually been pleasant. Between the four of them, they had scared away solo predators out looking for an easy meal and no monsters had ambushed them. They¡¯d prepared four weeks of rations before they¡¯d left, but Arche and Cora still spent at least two hours each evening hunting. This served the dual purpose of keeping their food stores full as well as improving Arche¡¯s Stealth and Archery skills, both of which had reached Level Fifteen. Sadly, the experience that the prey animals offered was pitiful in comparison to the beastmar Arche had grown used to fighting and, despite his success, he¡¯d only gained about fifty experience. ¡°We¡¯re not far out,¡± Arche said. ¡°Be careful. Last time there were undead strewn about the entrance. Who knows what¡¯s waiting for us now.¡± ¡°A revenant, presumably,¡± Helwan muttered darkly. ¡°You just let me worry about that,¡± Arche replied. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be pleased to see me.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve all heard the stories,¡± Basil said, looking at Arche with a mixture of curiosity and awe. ¡°It¡¯s all anyone talks about these days. But the stories don¡¯t explain how you do these things.¡± Arche eyed the guardsman. Basil was nineteen or twenty, practically a child, but what he lacked in experience¡ªboth figurative and literal¡ªhe made up for with the infectious enthusiasm that was only achieved by the young. ¡°Keep a close eye and you might find out.¡± Arche winked. ¡°Don¡¯t mess with his head,¡± Tess warned. ¡°He¡¯s impressionable enough to believe you.¡± Arche placed one hand on his chest in mock outrage. ¡°Me? Impression? I would never!¡± Tess rolled her eyes and addressed Basil. ¡°If you must know, he tends to barrel through every situation with all the grace and planning of a minotauros. Then, for some reason, things tend to work out in his favor. Mostly.¡± ¡°Luck has more to do with it than anything else.¡± Arche grinned. ¡°And we do plan, things just always go sideways. Sometimes off a cliff. Literally!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re done bragging, we¡¯ve arrived,¡± Cora said, pointing ahead of her. Thirty paces away sat a large hole in the ground. Helwan shifted uneasily, casting nervous glances at the woods around them. Arche raised an eyebrow at the satyr. ¡°This place isn¡¯t exactly a reliquary of pleasant memories for me.¡± ¡°Oh, I agree with that,¡± Arche replied. ¡°But you did volunteer to come.¡± ¡°I wanted a chance to study that door in more detail. Perhaps take some rubbings. We might learn something.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me, I¡¯m not judging you.¡± ¡°Shall I wait here while you check the area?¡± Helwan asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Helly,¡± Tess said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep you company,¡± Arche caught Helwan¡¯s eye and mouthed ¡®Helly¡¯ with a curious grin. The satyr turned bright pink, his horse-like ears folding straight back against his head. Tess made a shooing motion with one hand. ¡°Go on, go check out the area. We¡¯ll be along shortly.¡± Arche adjusted a pauldron and hefted the Tridory. He was still getting used to his new armor. It was made of the hide of a mantikhoras that Tess had lured to kill him during their first meeting. The incident made him smile, now, as it had resulted in them getting to know each other. It was also a pretty big upgrade to his old duds.
Reinforced Mantikhoras Hide Breastplate Rarity: Uncommon Quality: ExcellentStolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Defense: 20 Durability: 75 / 75 Weight: 8 kilograms Comfort: Good-Fit Armor Type: Medium (-5% Mobility) Traits (Full Set required): +10% Stealth in Plains and Deserts, +20% Poison/Venom Resistance Set Piece: 1/4
He also had pauldrons, vambraces, and greaves to round out the set, which slowed him down but offered him much better protection than his old gear. He hadn¡¯t really had an opportunity to level his Medium Armor skill, though he had gained it when, while showing off his new armor to Lyssa, she¡¯d kicked him in the chest hard enough to send him flying. That was apparently enough to jumpstart the skill, which told him that each level would improve the defense that medium armor provided as well as allow him more mobility with it. As it was, wearing his full set cut his movement speed down by twenty percent. He would need to reach the Proficient rank, Level Forty, to remove that debuff, which meant taking a lot of hits. Arche approached the entrance to the dwarven ruins, the Tridory leveled in front of him. Cora covered his advance with her bow while Basil circled to the left. Nothing popped up at him, to his relief, as he approached the hole and peered inside. Interminable darkness met him. He stared at it, wishing he had some form of night vision. Nothing moved, so he turned back and gave a thumbs up. Basil and Cora approached, still keeping an eye on the trees around them. Tess and Helwan followed a few moments later. ¡°There should be a platform somewhere around here.¡± Arche gestured to one side of the hole. ¡°We can tie off a rope and climb down. There¡¯s water at the bottom, too, so be careful.¡± Basil produced a coiled rope from his inventory and wrapped it around a tree. Arche nodded his appreciation and kept talking. ¡°Last time we were here, there were undead and arachtaurs, but I don¡¯t know if anything new moved in. Everyone should be on their¡ª¡± Something wrapped around Arche¡¯s leg and yanked him off his feet. He let out a yelp, then the top half of his body slammed into the ground as the thing dragged him toward the hole. The impact knocked the Tridory from his hand, then he was over the lip and into darkness. Arche twisted, trying to get a look at what held him. Some sort of large, wet tentacle had snaked around his leg. The water met him a moment later. Panic set in and, against his better judgment, the last of his breath came out in a garbled, underwater scream. He thrashed, struggling against the strange creature and his own fear. His fingers pawed at the sword on his hip, thick and clumsy. Already, his chest felt tight. The need to take a breath was overwhelming, but the monster held him fast. Sword finally in hand, he tried to swing it, but the water resisted him, making him slow and weak. The tentacle around his leg dragged him even deeper underwater. Arche dug the tip of his sword into the gap between it and his leg, working the blade side to side. Pain lanced through him as he cut into his own thigh, but the pressure around his leg slackened and he was free. Before he had a chance to swim to the surface, something grabbed his sword hand and yanked him down again. Arche coughed and took a breath of water. The pressure in his chest and head built to bursting as his nose and mouth filled. Terror was in full swing. The need for air was all-consuming. He activated Divine Body. Light poured from his skin like a sun in the blackness of the watery depths. With everything bathed in orange glow, he could finally see what had attacked him. Thick green vines wrapped around his arm, pulling him toward a pile of bones and moss. To make matters worse, the pile was moving. Skeletons, overgrown with moss and held together by tendrils of vines, turned toward him, wielding rusted swords and axes. With the increased strength his skill gave him, Arche snapped the vines holding him in place and kicked toward the life-giving air above. Every motion propelled him at frightening speed and he launched out over the surface and onto the small platform that led deeper into the dungeon. He released his skill as he gasped for air, plunging him once more into darkness. Just that short activation had brought his Mana down to forty percent. Water forced its way up and out of his lungs as he coughed and retched, clutching at his throat and stomach. ¡°Arche!¡± Tess¡¯s voice called out from above, full of worry. Arche tried to respond but only succeeded in spewing more water. A moment later, a small orb of yellow light floated down. No idea where it¡¯d come from but it lit the area and wasn¡¯t outright hostile, so Arche decided not to look the gift-horse in the mouth and picked himself off the ground. The first of the plant-infected skeletons clambered out of the water and approached him, sword drawn. Its movements were stilted and unnatural, as though the vines controlling them were unsure how bipedal movement worked. As it came close, some of the vines unwove and waved in the air, like snakes about to strike. Arche stumbled back into the tunnel, trying to create space between himself and the undead. He fished through his inventory for a new addition to his arsenal, one that he had forced himself to buy when he was still in Myriatos. A couple moments later, a round shield appeared on his left arm. He¡¯d yet to test it in battle, but there was nothing like trial by fire. Or, rather, trial by water. Shield raised defensively in front of him, Arche advanced. The skeleton lunged awkwardly, its body seemingly pulled forward by the sword in its bony, vine-covered hand. Arche deflected the sword to the side with his shield, triggering the flashing symbol in the corner of his vision that marked a new notification. He ignored it as the vines of the creature reached out, trying to grab hold of his shield. Arche had expected the move and raked his sword across the metal, slicing through several tendrils. The vines recoiled, as though in pain. Going on the offensive, he bashed outward, trying to throw the skeleton off balance, then hacked at its rib cage. The vines writhed and shriveled as the skeleton stumbled. Arche pressed the attack, striking out with the shield again and finally succeeded in knocking the undead over. Arche brought the sword down onto the vines, severing a large knot of them where a heart should be. As the knot tore, the skeleton went limp. Arche looked up as three more skeletons crawled their way onto the platform, two wielding axes and one a spear. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve got to be shitting me.¡± Arche sheathed his sword and held out his right hand, drawing on his connection to the Tridory. He felt a strain on the connection as the spear flew toward him. It came not down the opening, as he expected, but through the tunnel ceiling, burrowing a hole straight through the ground to reach him. Regardless, the haft slammed into his hand, covered in mud and ready to use. Arche leveled the tip of the spear at the shambling skeletons, resting the edge against the top of his shield, then pressed a button on the haft. The spearhead split in two, forming a bident. He snarled at the skeletons, but they only stared back with vacant grins. The skeleton wielding a spear lunged forward awkwardly, pulled by vines wrapped around the spear itself . Arche batted the spear to the side with his shield and riposted with the Tridory. The prongs of the bident pierced the skeleton¡¯s rib cage to either side of its sternum. With the press of a button, the prongs snapped back together to form a single-pointed spear, slicing through bone and vine with ease. The skeleton lost form and tumbled to the ground with a clatter. The other two vine-skeletons were not far behind. They swung their axes, forcing him back. They were neither skilled nor smooth in their movements, but they uncannily synchronized their attacks. Arche pressed another button on the Tridory and hurled it forward, the single spearhead separated into the three prongs of a trident. It punched into one skeleton, the weight flinging it back as Arche charged the other. He caught an axe blow on the shield and pushed it out of the way, then struck forward with the hard, metal edge, cracking the skeleton¡¯s sternum. The undead shuddered and lost its grip on the axe. Arche caught the weapon before it hit the ground and twisted, swinging it around in a wicked chop. The rusted edge cracked bones instead of biting into them. After two more swings, he¡¯d broken enough ribs to reveal the matted knot of vines inside. With a heavy downward strike, he buried the axe into the writhing mass. The tendrils went taut, then limp as its life faded. Arche wrenched the axe free and threw it at the final skeleton. It was a bad throw, the flat of the axe clattering against the skeleton¡¯s bony arm, but the weight of the weapon knocked it off balance. With his hand now free, Arche called the Tridory to himself, dragging the skeleton along with it as it flew. Arche caught the haft and pressed a button, snapping the tines of the trident together and neatly bisecting the skeleton¡¯s vineheart and spine. He brought the Tridory down on the plant mass three more times before he was satisfied, gouging deep cuts into the stone below. Something landed on the platform with a crunch. Arche raised the Tridory to strike, then realized it was Basil. ¡°Shit, dude, you ok?¡± Arche called out. A muffled groan was all the response he got. He ran over, reaching the prone Warrior just as a long, thick tendril broke through the surface of the water. Arche cried out and jumped forward, trying to interpose himself between the two. The vine completely ignored Basil and wrapped itself around the Tridory. It wrenched the spear from Arche¡¯s grip and disappeared beneath the water. Arche tried to summon the Tridory back to him, but his connection with the spear felt more strained than it ever had. The vines had a strong grip. Arche put all of his Willpower into the summoning. His Mana dropped precipitously, but nothing happened. Blood dripped from his nose, splattering against the water, but still the Tridory didn¡¯t appear. ¡°Fuck.¡± Arche let go of the summoning and wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand. He turned to Basil. ¡°You ok?¡± ¡°Yeah, I stunned myself,¡± the young guardsman said. ¡°I came down to help you, but I slipped.¡± ¡°Sit tight. I¡¯m going to get my spear back.¡± Arche drew his sword, stowed the shield in his inventory, too bulky to be of use, then dove into the dark water. The cold fear of drowning seized him again. Arche swore silently at himself as his limbs thrashed in the murk, fighting to get himself under control. Reckless and foolish, once again. He should have waited for the others, come up with a plan. Too late for that now. Still, he wasn¡¯t ready to give up the Tridory to whatever mass of sapient plant life lived down there. He forced the fear to the back of his mind and erected bars around it, keeping it caged and quiet. It was not the time for fear, it was the time for violence. The weight and bulk of his armor dragged him down, further into the depths. The pool was deeper than he would have expected, easily three or four times his height. The flare of light above him had also descended into the depths, no doubt by Helwan¡¯s command, and let him see exactly what he was up against. A pulsating, writhing mass of vines knotted together in a massive ball-like shape, easily several times larger than he was. Trapped inside its twists and curves were a mass of bodies, weaponry, and debris. Some of the corpses were humanoid, arms and legs twisting out in various states of decay, but most of the bodies were animals that had likely ventured too near the entrance and been snatched up. The whole thing recoiled from the light, shuddering. Arche took the opportunity to see what he was up against, activating his Examine skill.
Gourdian Knot
Level: 34 Race: Gourdian Knot Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 1,284 / 1,450 89% Stamina: 947 / 1,330 71% Mana: 40 / 40 100%
Arche tightened his grip on his weapon. Numbers were important in Tartarus, but they weren¡¯t everything. On paper, the Gourdian Knot had a clear advantage, but Arche had a few things the Knot didn¡¯t. Grit, determination, and a sword. Arche slashed at the knot, putting several deep gouges into the vines that formed the creature, but it was like trying to saw at a massive, wet rope with a small knife. He was doing damage but it was too slow. He was going to run out of air before he did anything of consequence. It was time to switch tactics. He brought the sword down again, activating both Divine Body and the only sword maneuver he knew, Power Attack. The difference was undeniable. The Knot split wide open, revealing even more writhing vine tentacles within, but it came at a price. The blade snapped. Arche flinched and stopped channeling Divine Body, trying to figure out what to do next. His Mana was just under twenty percent and his thoughts were growing sluggish. He risked Mana Burnout if his Mana bottomed out, which was a death sentence underwater. He was without a weapon and the creature¡¯s flailing vines surrounded him. Whatever fear or discomfort it had of Helwan¡¯s light, it was clearly angrier at the damage he had caused and looking to get revenge. Vines wrapped around his wrists and ankles, dragging him into the open wound. Arche struggled, but it had him. He was completely enveloped. The vines snaked up his legs and across his torso, around his throat, crushing the air and life out of him. With a desperate thought, Arche called the Tridory, but met the same resistance. The Gourdian Knot was too strong. The vines threatened to break his bones and pull him apart. The muscles in his shoulders and back tore as the creature pressed down on him, seeking to quarter him. He was out of other options. Divine Body flared to life once more and Arche redoubled his efforts. Orange light burst from his every pore and the Gourdian Knot recoiled, its grip growing slack. As he pulled against it, tendrils snapped and fell away. The few vines left tried to wrench him free but it had made a fatal error. Arche was inside of the creature, now; it couldn¡¯t get away from him. He reached into the Knot¡¯s vineheart, grabbed hold of as much as he could and tore it apart as he wormed his way deeper and deeper into the creature. With pressure squeezing his head and lungs, low on Mana and air, he reached a central root system that had grown to encompass several skeletons. He was out of time. He had a scant couple seconds of Divine Body left before his Mana gave out and he would drown. Arche tore at the roots with his fingers, destroying everything he could touch. The Gourdian Knot writhed and twisted, but it wasn¡¯t strong enough to stop him in his current state. As the last roots pulled away, the vines shuddered and went limp. Arche whirled, looking for more danger. Nothing moved. The Tridory was nowhere to be seen, but that wasn¡¯t surprising. Now that the creature was dead, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to retrieve it through the usual method. What mattered was getting out. Searing pain shot through Arche¡¯s entire body and the light went out. His Mana hit zero and Divine Body deactivated itself. At the same time, he inhaled sharply, drawing in a lungful of murky water. Arche gagged and spewed sick. The shock was too much for his system and darkness came to claim him even as golden light flashed. Book 2 | Chapter 2 Hermera The 7th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Consciousness returned to Arche in waves of pain. He was on his back, clothes sopping wet, and his head throbbed like it had been split open and sewn back together with barbed wire. Water forced itself up and out of his throat as he turned onto his side, coughing and sputtering through full body spasms. When the last of it left his system, he rolled back over and stared at the ceiling, vision still swimming. A flashing symbol near his vitals that told him he¡¯d received Mana Burnout, a harsh debuff that drastically reduced his Health, Stamina, and Mana regeneration.
Health: 611 / 750 81% Stamina: 580 / 580 100% Mana: 360 / 360 100%
Exhaustion ¡ª Tier 2 Mana Burnout: 56:01
The exhaustion debuff was nothing new. It had shown up a week and a half prior, the day after they left Myriatos, and worsened as the trip went on. Considering the quality of his sleep, the only surprise was that it hadn¡¯t gotten worse than tier two. The Mana Burnout was the more annoying of the conditions. The risks of long-term health issues were not inconsequential, considering how often he seemed to lose consciousness. The more immediate health concern was how often he experienced Mana Burnout, but it wasn¡¯t like he intentionally forced his Mana to zero. The amount of Mana Divine Body ate through was staggering, and the lack of information he had about the skill meant it was difficult to gauge its usage. Typically, he had to operate off instinct whenever he used it, combined with checking his vitals, which was a distraction in a fight. Still, it was the only method he had to keep things balanced. Otherwise, events like this would happen, where the skill that saved him could end up killing him. With the way his head was aching, he wished it had killed him. However, as recent circumstances had proven to him, it might very well have killed him and still made his head hurt. Arche rubbed his eyes and tried to get his vision to focus. A steady orange light shone from near his feet and there was a strange taste in his mouth. Brackish water and vomit were strong, but there was something else on his lips. Something reminiscent of strawberries and mint. He must have hit his head amid the commotion, or had a stroke, because there was nothing of either anywhere near them. ¡°Ugh,¡± he moaned. ¡°I hate swimming.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to go swimming in thirty kilos of clothing, you stupid malaka.¡± He eased himself into a sitting position. ¡°Good to see you, too, Tess. Was anyone else hurt?¡± ¡°No,¡± Cora replied. ¡°There were some vines that attacked us on the surface but, other than you and Basil, no injuries.¡± Basil¡¯s hard landing suddenly made more sense. There must have been vines reaching up the walls that he hadn¡¯t noticed as he¡¯d gone down to fight the Gourdian Knot at its source. ¡°If Basil hadn¡¯t gone in after you, things would have ended very differently,¡± Tess chided. Arche looked over at the Rogue. She was angry, even with a head injury he could tell that much, but there was something else beneath the anger. Her cheeks looked flushed, but it was difficult to tell in the light from Helwan¡¯s Everlit Lantern. Probably just a trick of the colors. He twisted to lean up against a wall. ¡°Thanks for the save.¡± He nodded toward Basil, who sat against the opposite wall, soaking wet. ¡°Thought I was a goner, there.¡± The young man shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t really do anything. By the time I got there, you had already slain the creature. Torn it nearly in half. Never seen anything like it. You didn¡¯t even have your weapons.¡± ¡°I have a gift for breaking things.¡± Arche let out a chuckle that quickly devolved into a wet cough. ¡°I saw what was left of your sword. Maybe this will last a bit longer.¡± Basil slid something over to him. The Tridory, slick with water and mud. Arche smiled. ¡°Thanks. I was not looking forward to hunting for it if it was still wrapped up in the vines.¡± ¡°This location isn¡¯t secure,¡± Cora said, eyeing the dark tunnel. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t linger. We¡¯re still near the mouth of the dungeon and we don¡¯t know what lies ahead. Are you well enough to travel?¡± ¡°To travel? Yeah, but I¡¯m gonna be pretty miserable for a while. Mana Burnout¡¯s got¡±¡ªhe checked his vitals and groaned¡ª¡°an hour left. Killing that thing gave me a level, so I¡¯m not hurt bad from almost drowning, but I¡¯m still not going to be worth much for a while.¡± ¡°How often have you experienced Mana Burnout?¡± Helwan asked, brow furrowed in concern. ¡°I don¡¯t know, half a dozen times in the last month, maybe?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­not good.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m aware. Can¡¯t do much about it right now.¡± The satyr scratched the tuft of hair on his chin a few times, clearly considering something. ¡°Very well. Lyssa asked me to start a school and I will. You will be my first student. I will share with you some of the techniques of Mana Manipulation. I will do my best to help you learn to shape it through the natural pathways you have. I can¡¯t promise it will be quick or even that it will eliminate the chances of Mana Burnout, but if you keep pushing yourself to that limit, you might scar the passages.¡± Arche stared at the satyr. The last time he¡¯d asked for help involving magic, the satyr had been hesitant to share anything. Granted, a lot had happened since those days in Dawnwood. ¡°You¡¯d do that? Thank you. What happens if the passages are scarred?¡± ¡°Oh, many bad things, let me assure you.¡± Helwan chuckled. ¡°Probably the best outcome you could hope for would be that your Mana is difficult to access and comes out in a trickle, requiring you to spend an absolutely ludicrous amount of attribute points on Willpower in order to get any strength out of your spells.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the worst outcome?¡± ¡°Well, depending on your perspective, your Mana could completely dry up. Or you might explode. Or any of dozens of bad effects could occur between the two.¡± Arche groaned. ¡°That¡¯s just my luck. All right. For the short-term, don¡¯t suppose you have any sort of healing magic?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have biomancy, I¡¯m afraid. Gaiamancy and phosphomancy are my talents.¡± ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t be much help in a fight, but I¡¯ll do what I can. You prepared to take point, Basil?¡± Basil looked up in surprise, then nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t let me drown, more like.¡± Arche gave the guard a tired smile, doing his best to ignore the ache in his head. Tess sighed, threw one of his arms over her shoulders, and hauled him to his feet. ¡°You should be more careful,¡± she hissed. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to tempt fate.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have a lot of choices at the time,¡± Arche replied, matching her low volume. ¡°But you¡¯re right. That was too close for comfort. I¡¯ve had enough of water for a while.¡± Tess tsked, but seemed mollified. Together, the five of them made their way down the passage. It angled down, taking them deeper underground. Basil led the way, Cora and Helwan close behind, and Arche and Tess brought up the rear. Arche remembered the last time he¡¯d walked these tunnels with Lyssa by his side. There had been undead, but the Gourdian Knot hadn¡¯t been an issue. They hadn¡¯t even known it was there. If they were lucky, nothing would have replaced the arachtaurs, so the only threats would be the revenant and traps. ¡°Wait!¡± Basil stopped, arms spread to the side, one foot in the air, teetering unsteadily. The rest turned to face Arche, who gestured toward a patch of unassuming stone ahead of them. ¡°Flame trap.¡± ¡°You saw that from all the way back there?¡± Basil looked incredulous. ¡°No. Found it last time, forgot about it until just now. Be careful, I don¡¯t remember where all the traps are.¡± Everyone moved slower after that. A few minutes later, the tunnel emerged into a large room. Helwan shuddered at the half-burnt webs covering the ground. Arche wrinkled his nose at the smell of three rotting arachtaurs. He remembered fighting against the creatures with Lyssa. It had been a pitched battle that ended with him badly injured, saved only by the regenerative properties of a level up. His eyes were drawn to a gouge in the stone wall and a dark stain below it, black in the light of Helwan¡¯s lantern. He¡¯d almost died there. Almost died everywhere, it seemed. A hand slid into his own and Arche realized his was shaking. He looked down at it, partly in confusion, partly in betrayal. When he looked up, he met Tess¡¯s eyes, full of compassion and pity. There was something akin to understanding there, but the threat of vulnerability was too much. Arche took a step away and cleared his throat, pulling his hand free from hers. He had no words to explain it but he couldn¡¯t bear to see her look at him like that. His grip tightened around the Tridory and he strode into the room with sure steps. He was alive, so what if his hands shook? The spider women laid where he left them. Their decapitated heads stared back with eyes like sludge. Their humanoid top halves had withered into husks and their spider legs curled in over their abdomens. The smell was atrocious. Sour with an acidic note that burned the hairs in Arche¡¯s nose and nearly broke the stoic mask he¡¯d donned. Unanimously, and without speaking, they all continued onward, away from the room and deeper into the dungeon. Once the smell faded, Arche let out the breath he¡¯d held and checked the timer on his Mana Burnout. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should go much farther right now.¡± Everyone turned to look at him. ¡°My timer¡¯s almost expired, which means I¡¯ll be able to heal myself soon. If we encounter the revenant before we¡¯re ready, it¡¯ll be a bad time for everyone involved. I vote we sit, take ten minutes or so, get ready, then continue on to the treasure room. Helwan, you were here with me last, how far out do you reckon we are?¡± The satyr cocked a head to one side, thinking. ¡°I¡¯d say another half-hour¡¯s walk.¡± ¡°Excellent. It¡¯s probably about late-morning now. We should be able to take an hour, defeat the revenant, grab as much treasure as we can possibly get our hands on, then hightail it out of here before dark. Any objections?¡± ¡°What if the revenant finds us while we¡¯re sitting around?¡± Cora asked. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to fight it, but if we keep heading toward it, we¡¯ll have to fight it before we¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll watch the passage leading forward. Someone should watch the passage we came from; I spotted some side corridors that I doubt have been explored in some time.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch it.¡± Basil volunteered. ¡°Great,¡± Arche said. ¡°I¡¯m going to sit down. ¡®Reduction to vitals regeneration¡¯ has been kicking my ass.¡± Arche leaned against a wall and eased himself into a sitting position. He closed his eyes and opened the notifications that had accumulated after his fight.
You have slain a Level 34 Gourdian Knot. You gain 1,190 experience. Slayer of the Mighty activated! You gain 1,400 bonus experience. You have reached Level 21. As a Human, you receive 5 attribute points to distribute per level. As a Demigod, you receive +1 to each attribute per level.
Medium Armor has increased to Level 4. +2% Defense with Medium Armor (+8%) +0.5% Mobility in Medium Armor (+2%)
Spearmanship has increased to Level 18. +2% Damage with Spears (+36%)
You have learned a Skill. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Shields ¡ª Level 2 You¡¯ve learned that shields can be used for offense as well as defense. To attack as well as protect. It certainly took you long enough to start using one. Each level in this skill improves your capability with shields. +2% Defense with Shields (+4%) +1% Damage with Shields (+2%)
Swordsmanship has increased to Level 16. +2% Damage with Swords (+32%)
You have learned a Skill. Axemanship ¡ª Level 1 Even a farming tool can turn into a deadly weapon in the right hands. Each level in this skill improves your capability with axes. +2% Damage with Axes (+2%)
You have learned a Skill. Axe Throwing ¡ª Level 1 Performance or combat, throwing an axe is a great way to send a message. Each level in this skill improves your accuracy when throwing axes. Every 5 levels in this skill increases your Strength and Dexterity by 1. This is a subskill of Axemanship. +3% Accuracy of Thrown Axes (+3%) +2% Range of Thrown Axes (+2%)
Swimming has increased to Level 4. +2% Swimming Speed (+8%) -0.5% Stamina Drain from Swimming (-2%)
Divine Body has increased to Level 13.
Profession Paths are available. Explore Profession Paths?
Yes No
Arche dismissed the last notification and shut his eyes. A lot of his skills had improved, especially from such a short fight, and another level was certainly something he would never turn down, but the ambiguous nature of Divine Body still bothered him. He¡¯d learned a few things about what it did from trial and error. It regenerated his Health and Stamina at approximately the same prodigious rate at which it devoured his Mana, it involved channeling Mana through his body to greatly increase his physical attributes, and activating it made his skin glow. When he¡¯d first used the skill, the light had been bright red, but ever since he¡¯d retreated into his mindscape and blundered his way through containing the rage-energy crystal connected to his Mana pool, the light had been a bloody orange. The crystal was almost definitely the reason he had access to Divine Body in the first place, which meant it was probably there because of Ares. That he had changed the light from red to orange meant that he had somehow corrupted its intended purpose. There was no telling what that meant or if it was bad. Knowing his luck, it was probably bad.
You have entered The Necropolis of Pygmaia. This is a Student Dungeon. Recommended Level: 20
The last time he and Lyssa had emerged from the dwarven ruins, they had received Dungeoneering experience, enough to catapult Arche up to Level Seven. Now that he had reached the Novice rank, he was able to see the basic information for the next rank up. He and Tess were above the level threshold, but Helwan, Basil, and Cora were still under-leveled, averaging out in the high teens. It would have been easy to dismiss that warning, as he and Lyssa had made it pretty far without too many issues while he was still low leveled, but she had been much higher than Level Twenty and had done most of the heavy lifting, and they had still nearly died to the revenant and the arachtaurs. The dungeon had also killed about a dozen adventurers who had initially traveled with Helwan, some of whom Arche suspected he had killed for a third time in the fight with the Gourdian Knot. There could be no forgetting that any time soon. Arche put those thoughts out of his mind and pulled up his profile.
Arche
Level: 21 Experience to Next Level: 6,121 (23%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 189 centimeters Weight: 89.5 kilograms Profession: Demigod Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty, Psychic Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: Helwan Panysk, Theresa Eliades, Basil Meneres, Coralyndessyn
Health: 614 / 750 82% Stamina: 320 / 580 55% Mana: 360 / 360 100%
Exhaustion ¡ª Tier 2 Mana Burnout: 3:44
You have 5 undistributed attribute points.
Strength: 41 Dexterity: 37 Agility: 24 (33) Fortitude: 34 (29) Endurance: 41 (36) Intelligence: 36 Wisdom: 36 Willpower: 36 Perception: 29 Charisma: 45 (39) Comeliness: 16 (12) Luck: 23
Between Exhaustion and Mana Burnout, his Stamina took a dive during the walk. The red number of his Agility stuck out like a sore thumb, marking the twenty-five percent penalty the second tier of Exhaustion gave him. Arche closed his menus and found that Helwan had sat down across from him, fiddling with his pan pipes. Tess stood with folded arms off to the side, frowning like she always did when she considered something. Basil and Cora were, apparently, completely content with watching their respective corridors, so Arche turned his focus back to Helwan. ¡°That thing you said earlier, about Mana manipulation, how does someone go about doing that?¡± Helwan put away his pipes and scratched his nose. ¡°The theory behind it is all quite complicated, you see, but the practice itself is fairly simple. It¡¯s considered to be one of the foundational pieces to spellwork. Normally, people find it very difficult to interact with their Mana at all if they haven¡¯t learned at least one technique of manipulation .¡± ¡°So there are different techniques to moving Mana?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Some have spent their entire academic careers studying Mana. It exists inside of us, certainly, but also innately in the world around us. Sometimes our external environments can have effects on the internal Mana that resides within us.¡± Arche raised his eyebrows, chewing on that thought. ¡°Where does Mana reside when it¡¯s inside us?¡± Helwan gave him a smile. ¡°Why, in our heads, of course. Mana is intrinsically linked to the mind. It¡¯s a sort of alternative energy source. Whereas our bodies are nourished by food and exercise, our mind subsists off of food and Mana. Nutrients, sugars, vitamins, these all provide the brain with nourishment, but Mana helps facilitate connections. Without Mana, our minds become slow and sluggish. You may have felt some of those effects as your Mana is spent.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°Hold on a second. Do we create Mana or collect it?¡± ¡°An excellent question. The answer is that we¡¯re not terribly sure. We know ambient Mana has an effect, but the proportions aren¡¯t well-known. Most of Tartarus is what we would call a Mana neutral environment. That means that people accumulate Mana at a rate comparable to their Wisdom score per minute. There are a select few locations, however, where there is even more Mana, allowing people to recover Mana faster. The Lyceum Apokryfos has a chamber that acts as such, and the highest regeneration rate I¡¯ve seen was an additional fifty percent, increasing the subject¡¯s effective Wisdom score by half.¡± Arche let out a whistle, but Helwan hadn¡¯t finished. ¡°I do know that some tests are being done to see whether the Mana environment is changing, whether the ambient Mana released in spells is causing the Mana in Tartarus to become thicker or not. But those experiments are too recent to have published results yet, and they have other complications. Personally, I find those to be the most promising on whether or not we accumulate Mana or create it. If we create it, then we should expect the environment to become more and more saturated over time.¡± ¡°As opposed to if we accumulated it from outside sources, which would cause the environment to stay the same, or maybe even decrease.¡± ¡°Precisely! As I said, there are other complicating factors, but that¡¯s more or less it. You catch on quickly.¡± ¡°It¡­¡± Arche trailed off, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It made sense. Maybe you¡¯re just a good teacher.¡± Helwan blushed and became very interested in his hands. Arche snorted at his friend¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°Come on, Teach. What¡¯s a Mana manipulation technique I can learn?¡± The satyr blew out his cheeks and stroked his goatee. ¡°Let¡¯s see, the beginner techniques. I haven¡¯t practiced those in years. Ah, here¡¯s one. Attempt to visualize your Mana. You know that it resides in your mind, so try to see it with your ¡®mind¡¯s eye¡¯ and picture it flowing throughout you. Your body has natural passageways for Mana which it will gravitate toward.¡± Arche closed his eyes and tried to do as he was told. It wasn¡¯t dissimilar from opening himself to psychic connections, so visualizing his mind space wasn¡¯t difficult. The walls of his mind were still made of a mud-and-stick substance, but sections were in the process of being upgraded to stone. Improving his mental defenses required time, Mana, and conscious effort, but once a change was made, it was permanent. Upgrading those defenses was vital in case he ran into other psychics, but it was hard to prioritize it over everything else going on in his life. Arche let out a steady breath, letting his thoughts settle without forcibly reining them in. Once he¡¯d refocused, he searched for Mana. It didn¡¯t take long to find. The ground of his mindscape pulsed with an orange light, flowing across the entire surface of his mind. He followed the origins of the pulse to find the pool of his Mana. Deep below the surface sat a red-orange crystal beating with light and power. All of the Mana in the pool siphoned itself through the crystal, making it a nexus for access. Just looking at it conjured images of Ares, a bloody statue of power and malevolence, of conflict. If he was to be believed, Ares was the source of Arche¡¯s spark of Divinity, the reason Arche had learned the Divine Body skill and claimed the profession of Demigod. Now, staring into the Mana pool, he wondered if he was looking at that spark. The last time he had seen it, the crystal had been fully red and he had turned it orange by breaking its connections. It seemed to be in the process of recovering, but he hadn¡¯t yet felt its malign influence driving him to slaughter. Arche stepped out with his mental avatar and sank into the pool, immersing himself in Mana. When he grew level with the crystal, he laid his hand on the pulsing surface, trying to connect himself to it. The hairs on his arms and neck stood and the sensation nearly broke his concentration. The Mana was electrifying, similar to Divine Body. It flowed through the channels but it was dull and sluggish. Arche could feel the passages it longed to pass through, metaphysical routes through the rest of his being, but they were stiff and resistant. Yet another effect from Mana Burnout, no doubt. Arche pushed his consciousness into the crystal, trying to connect to it. It was difficult to feel, like a limb that had fallen asleep. A part of him, but numb. Arche pictured a siphon connecting the crystal to the rest of his body, letting it flow in the same way that blood oozed from a wound. At first, the Mana resisted his command, but Arche increased the pressure, exerting his Willpower over it until it finally released. It flowed slowly, like honey dripping over the sides of a spoon, but it was moving. It poured down his throat and collected in his chest. As it pooled, he felt, rather than heard, a pop from the crystal and Mana flowed much more easily. Mana Burnout had finally elapsed. His chest filled with Mana as it flowed outward, down his arms. It was warm, not quite burning but definitely enough to smother any chill in the air. As it collected in his hands, the Mana still in his chest moved down his body toward his hips. ¡°Don¡¯t be disappointed if you can¡¯t move it the first time you try or if you can only interact with it a little bit. Most people have to coax their Mana for weeks before they can actively manipulate it.¡± Deep in his mindscape as he was, Arche felt the smile creep across his real face. ¡°I can feel it, Helwan. It¡¯s coursing through me. It¡¯s like napalm.¡± ¡°You¡­you¡­well, yes, of course you¡¯d have an easier time with it. You¡¯ve been using your Mana actively for weeks. Right. How far throughout your body have you channeled it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s starting to run down my legs.¡± ¡°What, already? I mean, erm, yes, that¡¯s very good. Let it collect into your feet, then focus on drawing it back up into your hands.¡± The Mana dripped down Arche¡¯s legs, collecting in his heels and in the balls of his feet. He let it sit there for a moment, reveling in its warmth, then focused on pulling it back up. That process was more difficult as the Mana wanted to stay in his extremities, but Arche would not be denied. He leveraged his Willpower and the Mana obeyed. When most of his Mana had coalesced into his arms, he nodded. ¡°Excellent. Now, I want you to focus on propelling your Mana outside your body. I want you to try and push the Mana out of your hands. Hold it, control it, contain it. Don¡¯t let the Mana escape. It is outside of you, but part of you.¡± Arche hardened his mind and tried to push the hot Mana through his hands. Sweat beaded on his fingers as the Mana grew blistering, well past the point of comfort. It was damned difficult to focus on the flow while simultaneously envisioning it outside of himself. Sweat dripped from his brow and hands, and his shirt grew distractingly damp. An insect buzzed next to his ear and his concentration snapped. The Mana slipped through his grasp and receded inside of him, collecting back into his mind. Arche opened his eyes, panting, to see Helwan smiling at him. ¡°Not to worry. You went remarkably far for a first attempt. Most can¡¯t even feel their Mana the first time they try. I suppose your unique skill gives you a more intuitive connection with your Mana, allowing you to skip ahead in the process, but it¡¯s good to know that even you have your limits. If you keep practicing, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make it in no time. If you check your notifications, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll notice you have some waiting for you.¡± Arche nodded.
You have learned a Skill. Mana Manipulation ¡ª Level 13 You¡¯re finally learning that Mana is capable of so much more than being used for a few parlor tricks. Keep it up and perhaps you won¡¯t make such a fool of yourself. Every level in this skill improves your ability to channel and manipulate your Mana. Every 5 levels in this skill increases your Willpower by 1. +2% Control of Mana Flow (+26%) +2% Speed of Mana Flow (+26%) +2 Willpower Instruction by an Adept Mana Manipulator has improved your starting level. You have reached the Novice rank in Mana Manipulation. You gain 100 experience.
¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Like what you see?¡± ¡°Yeah. Definitely going to have to keep practicing with that.¡± Arche checked his Mana total, finding he had completely regenerated his lost Mana. ¡°Alright, shield your eyes everyone.¡± Divine Body lit the passage in bloody orange light, easily eclipsing Helwan¡¯s Everlit Lantern. For the first time, the Mana flowing through him felt manageable. It was his Mana, channeled through the Divine Spark that Ares had bestowed on him. Arche felt its warmth as it settled into his wounds and tired muscles, soothing them back to health. His breath was steady and even, feeling the Mana cut through his body. The paths were similar to the ones he had pushed Mana through a few moments earlier, but there were more of them. Instead of flowing through his arms in a single place, like a major vein or artery, it flowed down a multitude of channels he hadn¡¯t even known existed. He could feel them, now, and was left to wonder how he¡¯d ever missed them in the first place. Arche stood, holding onto the feeling even as his Mana stores dipped below half. He could have greater control over his Divine Body skill now, he knew it. Mana Manipulation was the key. As he let the skill fade, his Health had completely regenerated and his Stamina was back at ninety percent. He pulled the shield from his inventory and fit it over his left arm, then hooked his boot beneath the Tridory and kicked it up into his hand. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s go hunting.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 3 Hermera The 7th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche stepped out into the passageway. Ahead of him, a good thirty strides away, stood an enormous, marked door that guarded the treasure room. His scalp prickled at the sight of it, his muscles tense and ready for a fight. The others cursed and muttered as they piled in behind him. The door was wide open. What was worse, the revenant was nowhere to be found. Arche advanced, shield up, Tridory steady in his hand, ready for the worst. All was quiet. ¡°Did someone else get here before we did?¡± Basil asked. ¡°They might have done,¡± Arche muttered, keeping his eyes glued to the open door. ¡°The Dawnwood elves knew about this place. It¡¯s possible they came here, but I don¡¯t see that as particularly likely.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± Cora asked. ¡°In my experience, elves take their time when it comes to decision-making. They would have caved in the dungeon rather than leave it open for others to find their way into. They also probably would have killed the Gourdian Knot.¡± ¡°What does this mean for us?¡± Helwan asked, more than a hint of trepidation creeping into his voice. ¡°Our goal hasn¡¯t changed,¡± Tess said. ¡°The monster isn¡¯t here. I see this as good news.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Arche said. ¡°Part of the reason I wanted to come here was to kill that thing. It¡¯s a hunter. The elves call it the Persistent. Once it catches your scent, it doesn¡¯t stop. If it¡¯s not here, it¡¯s because it was either chasing something else, or it was chasing us and we passed it by.¡± ¡°You mean it went outside?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe. All I know is I¡¯ll sleep a lot better with that thing dead.¡± He might even sleep at all. ¡°How were you even going to kill it?¡± Cora looked down her nose at him. ¡°I¡¯m also persistent.¡± She rolled her eyes and huffed as Arche stepped into the room. Treasure gleamed in the light of Helwan¡¯s Everlit Lantern. Piles and piles of it, reaching the ceiling in places. Basil stepped forward to get a better look but Arche stopped him, instead indicating for Cora to step forward. ¡°Do you see any threats?¡± he asked quietly. As a half-elf, her vision was better than any of theirs in the near dark. She looked around, canvassing every inch. Finally, she shook her head. ¡°No, not creature ones, anyway. We¡¯re alone or they¡¯re hiding.¡± ¡°All right. Helwan, can you tell if the magical traps have been reactivated? Last thing I need is a dwarven not-curse to fuck up my day.¡± ¡°The trap we disabled last time has to be manually reset. From what I can tell, no one has reset it. I don¡¯t know if any new protections have been placed but I can safely say the old ones are still deactivated.¡± ¡°Good enough for me. Helwan, Basil, Tess, you three start filling the bags with treasure. Stay together and stay close. Cora and I will keep an eye out for monsters or the revenant. Nobody goes wandering off without a buddy. Understood?¡± The agreement was less than resounding but no one voiced any resistance. Arche approached the dark room with an uneasy feeling nestled in his stomach, wrapped around his intestines. He¡¯d hoped to end things here. Hoped the revenant would still be waiting for him to come back and finish the job. Knowing that it was free, possibly hunting him down, was unsettling to say the least. The next half hour passed without incident. The only sounds were that of clinking metal and muffled conversation. Arche had given Cora leave to take Helwan¡¯s spot as Helwan moved from gathering treasure to making a study of the architecture. Specifically, the satyr was interested in the door. It was a marvel of craftsmanship. Three circular icons filled each side. The top was a golden lightning bolt, intricate minute details forming larger lines, and a mist of soft, white lines gave the impression of clouds above. The center held a trident, blue and green, with a similar haze surrounding it that looked like water. At the bottom, a red and black bident pointed down at red intricacies that looked like pools of blood. Helwan had made no less than three sketches of each side of the door in a small notebook. ¡°Do you know a lot about dwarves?¡± The satyr looked up from the outline of a fourth sketch. ¡°I know a passable amount, yes. The majority of my research was into magical artifacts and dwarves are famous for creating and accumulating such things.¡± ¡°This place seems fairly large. Not as large as Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium, of course, but still pretty big in its own right. There must have been dozens, hundreds, of dwarves living here. Why would they leave?¡± Helwan scratched his chin before answering. ¡°Dwarves are an isolationist people. Even moreso, perhaps, than the elves. Whereas elves keep to themselves out of a more¡­shall we say, emotional and cultural capacity, due to their age, dwarves are isolationist by nature. They are natural tunnellers and miners, it¡¯s true, but that only scratches the surface of their cultures. Dwarves are expansionists. They take up as much space as they can, usually underground where few others think to go, and they set up vast and complicated networks. This also means, of course, that they have to contend with a whole multitude of creatures that they find down there, most of whom are rather unpleasant.¡± ¡°So they build massive, sprawling cities underground and most of the creatures they encounter are hostile. That leads them to be distrustful of others?¡± ¡°Something akin to that effect.¡± Helwan nodded. ¡°That is the reality in several of the dwarven strongholds, so I¡¯m told. However, integrated dwarves, which are those dwarves who choose to live on the surface or among other peoples, tend to be a merry, well-adjusted bunch who enjoy feasting and fighting. Anyone who beats a dwarf at their own game is considered an outsider of respect.¡± Arche remembered the first party he¡¯d attended at the village. A group of dwarves had set up a game involving throwing a weighted, metal ball as far as they could. A game Arche had won thanks to his Divine Body skill. Since that day, he¡¯d caught dwarves grinning at him. ¡°Huh, cool.¡± ¡°Indeed, but back to your original question, from what I know, most dwarves would never abandon their homes. They would rather lock themselves in and prepare for siege than leave their homes and find new ones. I really don¡¯t know what would have convinced the dwarves who lived here to leave.¡± Arche nodded, brow furrowing. Something wasn¡¯t sitting well with him, but the feeling was too nebulous to start to put into words. He looked back, checking on the others. They had nearly finished packing the last of the dwarven treasure into different storage bags. The inventory system of Tartarus still amazed Arche. One person could carry a truly astounding number of materials just by having a pack with them. Give him a cart, and the packs to fill it, and he could outfit an army. Arche shook his head and tried to focus. They had come for a reason, to grab the treasure and return to Myriatos. The revenant had been something on Arche¡¯s list but it hadn¡¯t been a central reason for why they¡¯d come. Exploring the rest of the ruins was definitely off-course, but Arche couldn¡¯t put away the feeling that he was missing something. The responsible thing to do was leave once they had what they came for. Dungeons were dangerous things and this was absolutely a dungeon. Arche¡¯s mind drifted back to the notification he¡¯d received upon entering. The recommended level was twenty. They didn¡¯t meet that, but how close were they really? He Examined each of his comrades in turn.
Helwan Panysk
Level: 17 Race: Satyr Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: Arche, Theresa Eliades, Coralyndessyn, Basil MeneresYou might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Health: 375 / 375 100% Stamina: 210 / 210 100% Mana: 440 / 440 100%
Helwan was relatively under-leveled but that wasn¡¯t a surprise. What was surprising was that the satyr hadn¡¯t leveled at all since Arche had known him.
Theresa Eliades
Level: 25 Race: Human Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: Arche, Helwan Panysk, Coralyndessyn, Basil Meneres
Health: 450 / 450 100% Stamina: 400 / 400 100% Mana: 280 / 280 100%
When they had first met, Tess had been level twenty-three. Hekate¡¯s Vivitorium had left its mark on her, as it did on all who had gone down there, but it had at least provided experience.
Coralyndessyn
Level: 18 Race: Half-Human, Half-Sky Elf Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: Arche, Theresa Eliades, Helwan Panysk, Basil Meneres
Health: 375 / 375 100% Stamina: 250 / 250 100% Mana: 180 / 180 100%
Cora was close to the mark, but not quite there. Her Health and Stamina were at decent levels, but still trended lower. As a Ranger, Arche reckoned most of her points were in Dexterity and Perception. He moved his gaze over to Basil.
Basil Meneres
Level: 16 Race: Human Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: Arche, Theresa Eliades, Coralyndessyn, Helwan Panysk
Health: 560 / 560 100% Stamina: 450 / 450 100% Mana: 100 / 100 100%
Examine has reached Level 6. +2% Examine Speed (+12%)
Basil had the lowest level but the highest Health and Stamina of the group, aside from Arche himself. The lad had also self-identified as a Warrior for his profession, a common-ranked profession that Arche remembered from his own Professing. Warriors were good in a fight but Arche wasn¡¯t sure it was enough to overcome the level difference. He started counting on his fingers, drawing an odd look from Helwan, who noticed the gestures. His hand closed into a fist. If he included himself, at Level Twenty-One, they averaged out to some decimal over Level Nineteen, almost at the Level Twenty recommendation. That meant that as a whole, their group might be strong enough to continue through the dungeon, but that ignored the fact that their lower leveled companions would be in greater danger from every threat. Levels weren¡¯t everything in Tartarus, but they were as good an indication as any. There also hadn¡¯t actually been a recommendation on Adventuring Party size, either. Perhaps five would be enough, perhaps not. Arche blew his cheeks out and looked back at the rest of the group. Helwan returned to his study of the door while the rest packed up the last of the treasure. Arche weighed the risks in his head. If things went poorly or if they got in over their heads, someone could die. That was a very real possibility. Could he make the call to go deeper, knowing one or more might not make it out? Lord Cypress, Lyssa¡¯s father, had once sent them to investigate this place. They had thought, at the time, that the disturbance was the Tridory, which had since been outfitted with a dampening bracelet to keep it from emitting necromantic Mana. Being here again, however, Arche wasn¡¯t so sure. The sick feeling that he was missing something was still there and he didn¡¯t want to leave before he figured out what. He didn¡¯t expect they would find any more treasure, but they might find a threat to eliminate, not the least of which was the revenant. If there was something evil in the dungeon, there was no guarantee that it wouldn¡¯t proliferate outward into the Sylv or the Dawnwood. It might not be an issue for Myriatos that day or even that year but, eventually, it would be on their doorstep. Wasn¡¯t that the entire reason Lyssa had asked him to form a special team? To go investigate threats and dungeons and eliminate them if necessary? Even if it wasn¡¯t one of his stated objectives in this particular venture, it certainly fell within the job parameters. Going deeper was necessary, despite the risk. The only question left was whether he would risk the lives of his lower-level members. The answer was as obvious as it was simple. Not without informed consent. ¡°All right, huddle up,¡± Arche called out. Everyone looked at him. Nobody moved. ¡°Just gather around me, please.¡± Arche took his pack from Tess and slipped it on. When they had arranged themselves into a passable gaggle, he unfolded his plan. ¡°Here¡¯s the deal. I¡¯m not convinced this dungeon is actually as forthcoming as we¡¯ve seen. I think that deeper down, there¡¯s a bigger threat than we¡¯re aware of. It may be the revenant; it may be something else. I don¡¯t know. I think we should confront it and eliminate it before it becomes dangerous to the village. That said, you all signed on for a treasure hunt, not a dungeon dive. Additionally, this dungeon has a suggested level that¡¯s higher than everyone here except Tess and myself. I cannot stress the dangers of dungeons enough. They can and will kill you if they get the chance. I am willing to take that risk to myself, but not if any of you aren¡¯t.¡± ¡°What sort of threat are you expecting to find?¡± Cora asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Probably something undead, but there¡¯s no guarantee of that. I¡¯ve seen exactly four groups of monsters in this whole dungeon. Zombies, arachtaurs, a revenant, and a plant monster from hell using corpses to do its dirty work. Survey says some kind of undead is most likely, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the only ugly thing to have moved in.¡± The others blinked, clearly sifting through his foreign words to get to his meaning. Arche bit his lip to keep the annoyance off his face. The constant misunderstandings were getting more and more tiring to deal with. ¡°If you think monsters are here and that they might threaten the village,¡± Basil said. ¡°I¡¯ll fight with you. I know I¡¯m the lowest level and youngest here but I volunteered to serve. I¡¯ll do my duty.¡± ¡°I must stress that my own abilities are not well suited for combat or support, as I am more research-oriented,¡± Helwan said, twisting the ends of his waistcoat. ¡°But I stood on the sidelines for the last great adventure due mostly to my own cowardice. What skills and knowledge I have are yours, if you will have me. I will do what I can.¡± ¡°This plan is foolish.¡± Cora frowned. ¡°We have no information. No idea of what dangers we might face. We are rushing in blind; in a setting we are unfamiliar with. This invites death.¡± ¡°I totally get where you¡¯re coming from, but we are never going to have a lot of answers going into conflict. There will always be things we don¡¯t know, contingencies we can¡¯t plan for. That¡¯s what it means to be in this unit. If you want to join permanently, that¡¯s something you¡¯ll have to get used to.¡± Cora scrunched her face. ¡°I will reserve my opinion for the moment.¡± Arche turned to their last member, the one who¡¯s voice he valued most. ¡°Tess?¡± She looked away. Her hands clenched and unclenched repeatedly. ¡°How certain are you that there¡¯s going to be a threat?¡± ¡°Reasonably certain.¡± ¡°And that threat will extend back to Myriatos?¡± ¡°Uncertain. It¡¯ll probably hit Dawnwood before it hits us.¡± Tess¡¯s mouth twitched. Arche hated that he had to ask her, hated that he had to put her in this position. The last dungeon had nearly killed her. He had nearly killed her. The fact she had agreed to come to this dungeon at all had been a surprise, and now he was asking more of her. It wasn¡¯t fair or right. He opened his mouth to say they should go home when she beat him to it. ¡°I¡¯ve followed you this far. If you think it¡¯s the right course of action, I¡¯ll follow you through this as well.¡± She still wasn¡¯t looking at him but he was no less surprised for it. His mouth hung open, wordless. Cora looked around and shrugged. ¡°Very well. I still think it is a foolish plan, but I will join you.¡± With an effort of will, Arche closed his mouth and swallowed. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll continue deeper into the dungeon. Prepare yourselves, it¡¯s going to be a long day.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 4 Hermera The 7th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche picked his way down a stairwell, shield up and spear at the ready. They had left the treasure room behind and now wandered the passages still unexplored. Arche took point with Tess holding the Everlit Lantern behind him. Helwan followed next, goat hooves clopping gently against the stone with each step. Cora followed behind, bow at the ready and continuously scanning for threats. Basil brought up the rear, constantly checking behind to make sure no enemies snuck up on them. Their descent had taken at least twenty minutes. The lighting situation was poor and Arche didn¡¯t want to barrel into a trap like he usually did, so they took their time. They passed landings and branches, but each time Arche ignored them and continued going down. He couldn¡¯t say what made him so certain what he was looking for was at the bottom, but the intangible sense of dread coming from below promised danger. When the stairs finally ended, Arche¡¯s ears popped from the pressure. A large wooden door stood in front of them. Several scratches marred the wood, revealed by the light from the lantern. The door bowed out near the top, as though something inside had tried to bust it open and failed. Arche placed a finger over one of the scratches, feeling how deep it went. ¡°Was something trying to get out?¡± he muttered. ¡°Or get in?¡± The scratches were thick, five parallel lines repeated at a variety of angles. ¡°Revenant,¡± Arche muttered darkly. ¡°It must have chased something inside. Quite a while ago, if I had to guess. Days, at least; these aren¡¯t fresh. Cora, what do you think?¡± The half-elf made her way forward to inspect the door. ¡°I concur. These markings are weeks old.¡± ¡°Hm, still doesn¡¯t answer where the revenant went. All right, let¡¯s see what¡¯s behind door number one.¡± Arche tried to move the latch but it only rattled in place. ¡°Shit, it¡¯s locked.¡± ¡°Let me have a look at it.¡± Tess pushed her way to the front. The Rogue tapped on the lock, her face a mask of focus. She brought out a small leather bundle, unrolling it to reveal a set of lockpicks. Arche blinked in surprise, then shook his head. Tess had been a thief before coming to Myriatos. It stood to reason she would still have her old tools of the trade. ¡°Done,¡± Tess said, startling Arche out of his thoughts. ¡°What, already?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a complicated lock. Barely Student-ranked. Really, I expected more out of the dwarves.¡± ¡°Huh. Neat.¡± Arche lifted the latch and the door swung toward them. He stepped into the room and immediately started coughing, both hands rushing to cover his nose. The scent of rot and decay hung over everything, as though the air itself had turned toxic. The others had similar reactions but Cora had it the worst. The half-elf took one step inside the room and immediately turned to spew her stomach contents against the wall. Helwan quickly made a complicated hand gesture, contorting his fingers into arcane symbols, before raising an open hand toward the ceiling. A notification appeared.
Meadow Fragrance ¡ª Level 36 Air breathed is purified and made fit for consumption. Airborne toxins up to Apprentice Rank are neutralized.
Meadow Fragrance ¡ª Level 36: 1:27:02
The rancid smell gave way to a floral scent, as though the room was filled with lilac, lavender, and vanilla. The others let out soft murmurs as they, too, noticed the difference. Cora looked especially grateful, if still a little sick. Arche squinted his eyes against the darkness as Tess held up the Everlit Lantern, giving them a better view. They were in a sort of feasting hall with long tables arranged haphazardly, surrounded by shattered stone chairs. Ancient remains of food and cloth were covered in thick layers of dirt, dust, and mold. Skeletal bodies of dwarves were scattered throughout the room. Some dressed in faded colors that suggested a more relaxed outfit, while others had died in full armor with weapons clutched, long rusted by years of neglect. ¡°What is this place?¡± Arche wondered aloud, his grip tightening around his spear. ¡°Never mind that, what is that?¡± Tess pointed to a huge stone block in the place of honor at the head of the celebrations. ¡°A sarcophagus?¡± Arche squinted. ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Cora muttered. ¡°I¡¯m gonna take a closer look,¡± Arche said. He made his way across the large room, stepping around tables and corpses until he was in front of the strange stone. ¡°Helwan, what do you make of these markings?¡± The satyr peeked out from behind him and peered at the carvings on the sides of the monolith. ¡°This isn¡¯t dwarvish, that¡¯s for certain. But there¡¯s more, I¡¯m getting a strong sense of necromancy from this, Arche.¡± ¡°Necromancy, huh?¡± Arche eyed the dozens of corpses all around the room. ¡°Ambient necromancy,¡± Helwan continued. ¡°Something very strong has been emitting it.¡± ¡°Like the Tridory was?¡± ¡°Similar, maybe. I don¡¯t know if this is an object, though.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying there might be an actual necromancer here? Like, inside the sarcophagus?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps we should simply leave it alone and get out.¡± Helwan held his tail in his hands, ears plastered flat against his hair. ¡°We¡¯ve come this far.¡± Arche did his best to give a reassuring smile. ¡°If it¡¯s dangerous, then we should remove the threat.¡± Helwan didn¡¯t look convinced, but fear gave way to curiosity as something on the stone block distracted him. ¡°This¡­oh, wow. This is fascinating! I was right, this isn¡¯t dwarven at all. It¡¯s elvish!¡± ¡°What?¡± Cora was at their side a moment later, scrutinizing the markings. ¡°Yes, look at it here. It¡¯s an ancient elvish dialect.¡± ¡°I...it is, but that doesn¡¯t make sense. Elves don¡¯t entomb their dead,¡± Cora insisted. ¡°Maybe these elves did. Are there elves that live underground?¡± Arche asked. ¡°No,¡± Cora said firmly. ¡°Maybe,¡± Helwan hedged. Cora shot the satyr a fierce look. ¡°No true elf would trap themselves underground or entomb their dead. Your rock may have elvish script but it is not elvish.¡± Arche looked back and forth between them. ¡°Can either of you translate? Might help shed some light on this whole thing.¡± Helwan shrugged, blowing out his cheeks. ¡°I can do my best, but¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, this part doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Arche sighed, waving his hand for Helwan to continue. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°This word here means ¡®sentenced¡¯ and this one here means ¡®traitor.¡¯ Why would they put those on a sarcophagus? Why would they feast next to it?¡± ¡°Keep reading, maybe you¡¯ll find out.¡± ¡°This one I think says ¡®Lady¡¯ and this one says ¡®hidden.¡¯ That¡¯s all I can make out.¡± ¡°¡®Sentenced traitor lady hidden.¡¯ Well, that sounds completely harmless.¡± ¡°Do you always say such nonsense?¡± Cora snapped. ¡°It calms my nerves.¡± ¡°It riles mine.¡± ¡°All right, well¡­¡± Arche paused. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to respond to that.¡± The half-elf scowled and turned away. Arche scanned the room, trying to piece together what had happened. ¡°Arche, come take a look at this.¡± Tess gestured to a dwarf nearby. When he walked over, she pointed at the bones that made up the dwarf¡¯s skeletal neck. ¡°These bones here have been cracked. Whatever killed this dwarf snapped its neck to do so. It wasn¡¯t clean.¡± ¡°Any ideas what did it?¡± ¡°Something very strong.¡± ¡°The revenant?¡± ¡°Maybe. That would explain the gouged armor.¡± Arche was about to ask another question when a terrible, scraping noise deafened all conversation. He whipped around to see the sarcophagus vibrate, sending tremors through the stone around them. Helwan fell over in his attempt to back away, sending the Everlit Lantern rolling. Cora jumped onto a table and drew her bow, pointing an arrow at the sarcophagus. Before Arche could do anything more than stand up, the lid exploded into a shower of stone dust and debris. Arche raised his shield and stepped to the side, interposing himself between Tess and the explosion. Rocks pelted off his shield with metallic plinks and skittered across the stone floor. Arche lowered his shield enough to see a gaunt hand reach out of the sarcophagus and grip the edge. ¡°Nope. Fuck that!¡± Arche jumped into action, racing toward the threat. The hand turned over and snapped its fingers. Something grabbed Arche¡¯s foot, sending him sprawling. A skeletal hand gripped his boot at the ankle. Arche shouted a warning, more an indeterminable cry than anything else, and kicked out with his other boot, cracking the dwarf¡¯s skull. A second kick broke through the bone and the dwarf went limp. Arche scrambled to his feet as other dwarves stirred. Dark strands of sickly green energy filled them with a facsimile of life. Another gaunt hand appeared, gripping stone, and from the recess of the sarcophagus rose the dark figure of a woman. ¡°It has been too long,¡± the woman said, more to herself than to anyone present. Her voice was thick and lilted, reminiscent of Lyssa¡¯s but with a heavier accent. The long ears left little doubt that this woman was some type of elf, but there was something wrong about her. Her skin was pallid to the point that it almost glowed and the woman¡¯s dark hair was wispy and loose. She smiled, an expression of victory rather than joy, revealing a mouth full of fangs. Arche Examined her, already worrying about what he¡¯d see.
Aima
Level: 38 Race: Vampire Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 436 / 1,400 31% Stamina: 295 / 920 32% Mana: 1,072 / 1,200 89%
¡°I have waited so long for fresh meat to come my way.¡± ¡°Group up, defensive formation. Basil, to me!¡± Aima sniffed, turning her head toward Arche. ¡°And such interesting meat, at that. You will make a tasty treat.¡± Helwan and Cora moved behind Arche as Basil joined his side with his own shield and spear. Aima stepped down onto the floor, black fabric flowing off her body. Once, it must have been incredibly ornate, but time had worn it away until it was little more than rags on the vampire¡¯s desiccated form. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are and I don¡¯t care,¡± Arche called out. ¡°We can do this the easy way or the painful way.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± Aima scoffed. ¡°Men are the same in any form and time. Always so blind to real power. Your blood interests me, child. Your words do not. Subdue them, my darlings.¡± The legion of reanimated dwarf corpses lumbered toward them. Arche wasted no time lashing out with his spear, aiming for the head as often as he could, but settling to crush bones whenever a clean shot was too difficult. Sadly, the dwarves gave no experience or any of the other notifications that normally appeared after killing a creature. Why other undead gave experience and these didn¡¯t, he didn¡¯t know, but there was no time to explore that line of questioning. The dwarves were not terribly effective fighters but there were dozens of them. They surged forward, bony fingers outstretched to clutch and tear. Aima laughed, a loud, manic sound that echoed around the room. ¡°Hmm.¡± She tapped a finger against a gaunt cheek. ¡°My dwarves not quite enough? How about my champion? I believe two of you have met him already.¡± She raised one hand, palm down. Her fingers twisted and danced in the air as though she were playing an invisible instrument. Lines of spectral green energy formed in front of her. They widened and connected until they formed a solid disc as tall as a person, a portal to some nebulous space. The revenant stepped out of the magic. Book 2 | Chapter 5 Hermera The 7th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The revenant was much the same as Arche remembered it. Much like the woman, its body was desiccated, skin pulled taut over bones Arche knew to be incredibly sturdy. Conventional weaponry had practically no effect against it, but he had dented its sternum with a Divine Body-empowered punch. An effect that had healed since their last encounter. Arche hoped he¡¯d be able to reproduce a similar result. ¡°Just who I wanted to see,¡± Arche grunted, using his shield to split a dwarven skull in half. ¡°Come, Alastor, strike them down and bring the tall one to me.¡± The revenant let out a gurgling, inhuman cry and surged forward. Arche kicked a dwarf-skeleton back and prepared for the oncoming charge but Basil pushed ahead of him. The Warrior caught the first swing on his shield, the revenants hardened fingers and nails gouging furrows into the metal. Basil thrust his spear up and out, into the revenant¡¯s head. Had this been a normal undead, it would have been a masterful killing blow, but the sharpened spear tip glanced off the revenant¡¯s hardened skull, drawing a line across the thin skin. The revenant grabbed the edge of Basil¡¯s shield and yanked the young Warrior forward, off balance. At the same time, a dwarf-skeleton grabbed Basil¡¯s leg, tripping him. ¡°No!¡± Arche shouted. ¡°Focus the dwarves! I¡¯ve got Basil.¡± Arche twirled the Tridory into an overhand grip, pressing the button that transformed it into a trident. He threw it as hard as he could, jumping after it a moment later. The Tridory slammed into the revenant¡¯s torso, forcing it back a step. The incredibly sharp blades of the trident cut into the revenant¡¯s bones, but whatever magic made them strong also prevented them from cracking. The revenant grabbed the shaft of the Tridory and pulled, trying to dislodge it. It looked up in time to see Arche¡¯s fist collide with its skull. Arche had activated Divine Body just before his jump, using the increased physicality to fly through the enclosed space. As his knuckles collided with the revenant¡¯s brow, it reeled back with a loud crack, louder even than Aima¡¯s manic laughter. The revenant took another step back, then lunged forward again, this time at him. Arche deactivated the skill, trying to conserve his Mana, and summoned the Tridory to him. The extra pull threw the revenant off balance and it stumbled. Arche caught the haft and slung the Tridory to the side, driving the edge of his shield into the revenant¡¯s temple as it went by. The trident dislodged, slicing into bone once again as it came free. Basil, not to be outdone, used his shield to sever the dwarf¡¯s hand, then kicked it in the face. The guardsman scrambled to his feet, shield raised, spear at the ready against the tide of advancing dwarves. Arche dispatched another dwarf, then checked on the rest of his companions. Cora had stowed her bow in favor of a xiphos, a leaf-bladed sword, which she spun in large, circular motions to keep the dwarves away. The move would have worked well against living creatures but the dwarves had no concept of self-preservation and did not fear the cut of a blade. As it was, there was not enough force behind each swing to do much damage to the bones and the skeletons advanced steadily. Tess stood on a table nearby, hurling stone goblets and plates at the approaching undead, her small knives useless. Helwan stood next to her, wielding a long, heavy rod that he bashed at the heads of any skeletons that came near. ¡°Go, protect them!¡± Arche shouted to Basil. The young Warrior didn¡¯t hesitate, dropping his spear in favor of a dwarven cudgel. Armed with this new weapon, Basil became a reckoning force. Every bash and swing produced a sickening crunch and a cloud of bone shards. Arche turned his attention back to the revenant. Aima watched on with interest from her place behind her minions, arms crossed. As Arche squared up, she raised one hand and snapped her fingers. Green light swirled around the revenant, lifting it off the ground momentarily as its bones grew. A few moments before, Arche had stood a hand¡¯s width taller than it, but now it towered over him by half an arm¡¯s length. ¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡± Arche checked his vitals, gauging how much he could commit to the fight.
Health: 750 / 750 100% Stamina: 539 / 580 93% Mana: 284 / 360 79%
He was looking good on all fronts, but had no further time for strategy as the revenant charged. It swiped at him with preternatural speed, fingernails the size of letter-openers. Arche ducked the first swipe and caught the second on his shield. Sparks flashed as nails tore into the metal, but Arche wasn¡¯t done. He kicked at the revenant¡¯s kneecap, knocking it off balance, then slammed the shield forward. The revenant teetered back and fell to the ground with a crash. Arche stepped over it and kept running. The revenant was just a distraction, the real threat was the vampire. Aima¡¯s grin grew feral, showcasing a mouth full of fangs as he approached. It was like the unnaturally sharp teeth of an elf had been kicked into overdrive. Arche led with the spear but found only empty air. One moment she stood in front of him, the next she was to the side, watching his attack sail past harmlessly. Arche¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and he tried to reorient himself but Aima shoved him with a single outstretched hand. Arche felt his feet leave the ground, then his back crashed into a wall with a clatter of metal on stone. He coughed and wheezed as the air was driven from his lungs. The impact knocked a solid twenty percent off his Health. He staggered to his feet as the revenant lumbered toward him, crossing the distance between them with uncomfortable speed. Arche switched the spear into bident form and thrust out as the revenant approached, trying to sever one of its limbs in the same way he¡¯d cut the Gourdian Knot. A flash of green energy smacked into the prongs of the bident, knocking it off center. Arche barely raised his shield in time to block a punch thrown by the revenant. The impact threw him back up against the wall and sent vibrations shooting up his arm. The bident, however, hummed in his grip. Green sparks traced up the shaft of the weapon, washed over his hand and up his arm. Two small notifications popped up at the bottom of his vision.
You have discovered a feature of the Tridory. Necromancy Absorption Upon contact with necromancy, the Tridory will activate Mode 2: Bident. During this time, it can store necromantic energy, insulating and empowering the wielder through the Phylactic status condition.
You are Phylactic. Phylactic -10% Incoming Damage +15% Effective Strength +50% Resistance to Necromancy +50% Resistance to Poison & Venom effects
Phylactic: 4:55
The revenant bore down on him again, long nails threatening to carve him into pieces. Arche lifted his shield but the claw-like nails finally proved too much. The shield rent in two, the top third falling to the ground. The revenant pushed him up against the wall, too close for the Tridory to be useful, so he dropped it and activated Divine Body. Bloody orange light filled the room. Arche drove his hand into the revenant, piercing through the creature¡¯s skin, and grabbed hold of its hardened rib cage. He twisted his hips and threw the revenant face-first into the wall with as much strength as he could manage. Arche ripped his hand free, still gripping one of the revenant¡¯s hardened ribs. With it, he smashed the head of a nearby dwarf skeleton and ran toward Aima again. Divine Body gave him strength and speed as he closed the distance. Aima¡¯s smile turned into a snarl and she threw a bolt of spectral green energy. The magic glanced off his breastplate. She flinched away from the light as he got closer. Despite his enhanced physicality, she was still faster than him. She jumped back, feet landing on the wall. Instead of falling to the ground, she stood perpendicular to him, looking up at him with a sneer.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Arche cursed and deactivated Divine Body. His mana was down to forty percent. Between the vampire and the revenant, he was being worn down. Without Divine Body, he had little chance of defeating either one of them, let alone both. He had to end this quickly or they were going to overwhelm him. He changed direction, charging back toward the rest of his group. With Basil¡¯s aid, they held off the skeletons admirably. All of them bore minor injuries and bruises from where bony fingers gripped and pulled at them, but no one had been seriously wounded yet. Most of the skeletons lay in pieces on the ground, Basil dutifully smashing any that lumbered too close. Arche jumped onto the table next to Cora, Helwan, and Tess. He quickly inventoried the broken shield and passed his makeshift bone club into his left hand. He summoned the Tridory and used its significant reach to dispatch the skeletons before they could get close enough to strike. ¡°We need to work together to take them down,¡± Arche panted. ¡°She¡¯s too fast for me.¡± ¡°What do you suggest?¡± Tess asked, flinging a stone plate into a dwarf¡¯s skull. ¡°She¡¯s a vampire,¡± Arche said. ¡°Helwan, I want you to light this whole place up, it might throw her off. Basil, I need you to distract the revenant as much as you can. Your heavy armor should be able to protect you from its attacks, just try to avoid getting hit. Helwan, help him out. Cora, Tess, you¡¯re with me. We¡¯ll take her down.¡± Helwan lifted a hand into the air and an orb of light burst forth, its surface too bright to see directly. Aima shrieked as the light touched her, holding up her hands as if to block it out. The undead, unfortunately, were unaffected, but they fell steadily under the combined efforts of Basil and Arche. Cora shot an arrow at Aima, trying to take advantage of the vampire¡¯s distraction, but even in her distracted state, Aima was too quick. She plucked the arrow out of midair with one hand and snapped it, her cry of pain turning to one of anger. Basil used his shield to crush the last of the dwarven skulls, then let out a mighty war cry as he charged the revenant. Helwan leaped from table to table in pursuit, staying as far away from the ground and the dismantled dwarven skeletons as he possibly could. Arche couldn¡¯t help but admire his team¡¯s tenacity as they fought back. It buoyed him like the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Tess was his shadow as he ran, staying just behind him to his left. Cora made her stand on the table, using her vantage to shoot arrow after arrow. Arche waited until he was almost within reach of Aima to activate Divine Body, throwing the revenant¡¯s rib bone at her as a distraction. The vampire grabbed the bone out of the air, dropping from the wall down to the floor. She passed one spindly hand over the bone, changing it with a flash of green magic. She brandished it at him, now molded into a kopis. They clashed together. Arche fought his way forward with a complicated set of lunges and sweeps. Aima dodged most with ease but when she attempted to parry, the force of his attack knocked her off balance and one of Cora¡¯s arrows scratched her cheek. No blood dripped from the wound. The cut resembled torn paper more than torn flesh. Aima touched her cheek with a finger, then screamed her fury and launched a counterattack. Arche took up the Tridory in both hands, using it like a quarterstaff to parry Aima¡¯s fierce slashes. His Mana fell below fifty and he was forced to deactivate Divine Body. His Health and Stamina were full, but his Mana was barely above ten percent. The sudden decline in his strength and speed turned the tide against him. Aima¡¯s every slash sent shockwaves into his arms, and she attacked relentlessly. It was as much luck as it was skill that he avoided the worst of her strikes, but his luck didn¡¯t hold. She forced him back and he stumbled over the corpse of a dwarf. Aima hooked the blade of the kopis around his hand and neatly disarmed him, knocking the Tridory away. Her other hand closed around Arche¡¯s throat, lifting him into the air. Her nails cut into his neck, drawing rivulets of blood. She brought him close, victory in her eyes, and dragged her tongue across his neck, smearing the blood between them. Arche shuddered at her touch and tried to pull away, but her grip was iron and he couldn¡¯t move her. At the first drop of blood, Aima¡¯s appearance shifted. Her body engorged, no longer desiccated but instead taking the size and distribution of a healthy, young woman. The most marked change was color. Her skin, deathly pale just a few moments prior, turned a ruddy pink, as though her entire body was blushing from too much time in the sun. ¡°Your blood is sweet, young one. I have fed on humans, but never one who tasted of ambrosia,¡± Aima whispered into his ear. ¡°I think I¡¯ll keep you, pet.¡± She pulled back, revealing the cut on her cheek had mended itself. Any pithy response was choked by her grip around his throat. Panic flared deep in his chest and, for a moment, he was no longer in the feasting room, but in a large, underground cavern, surrounded by beastmar, staring into the wicked smiles of Eten and Nete as the massive axe came closer and closer to his chest. Arche blinked and the vision faded, but he was no better off for it. He looked around, desperately hoping someone could help him, but he was alone. Basil and Helwan were busy with the revenant, Cora was too far away and had no clear shot with Arche in Aima¡¯s clutches. Tess was nowhere to be found. Aima bared her fangs and leaned in. Her tongue slid across the side of his neck, almost gentle. It was a tease; she was sampling the beads of blood as an appetizer. At any moment, she would rip his throat out and there was nothing he could do. Well, almost nothing. Arche closed his eyes and expanded his consciousness outwards. Sending it forward in a crashing wave. As soon as it passed the borders of his mind, he felt a crushing expanse stretch out seemingly forever. It was a void, a nether space between the physical world and others that he could scarcely comprehend. Arche did his best to ignore the expanse of infinities and focus on the mind directly in front of him. Aima. His consciousness washed over the walls of her mind like a tsunami. He struck at her defenses with all the Willpower he could muster. Her mind was strong, her walls made of steel and dark stone, but he could feel her inside, reeling at the contact. Aima froze, her teeth almost scraping Arche¡¯s skin as he assaulted her mind. When his tidal wave failed to find weaknesses, he narrowed it to a geyser, then down further until his consciousness was a super-compressed stream. He picked a seam, a place where Aima¡¯s steel and stone collided, and focused his efforts on blasting a small hole. Aima shuddered, confusion and a hint of fear washing over her face as Arche kept up his assault. The walls started to crack. ¡°Your mind is strong, pet,¡± Aima breathed. ¡°But there is still much for you to learn.¡± Arche broke through the walls of Aima¡¯s mind, flooding his consciousness inward. As soon as he had, he realized his mistake. He hadn¡¯t broken through at all, she had allowed that portion of her mind to buckle while she laid a trap behind it. A second wall existed behind the perimeter of her mind, forming a small pocket that Arche¡¯s consciousness had flooded into. Before he could escape, she closed the wall behind him, trapping him. He raged, beating at the trap, but the walls held fast. Aima bared her teeth in a smile once more. Arche was immobilized, too much of his consciousness had been poured into his attack and he was only dimly aware of his physical surroundings. There was pressure, then a sharp pain in his neck as her fangs broke the skin. Then, he was falling. Aima released him with a shriek. Her attention slipped just enough that he was able to break his mind free from her prison. For a moment, he became one with her. He saw flashes of memories and emotions. Pain, a lot of pain. She had been tortured, drained of blood endlessly, then fed only enough to keep her alive. This was before she became a vampire, back when she was still an elf. Words were spoken in a garbled tongue, then she knelt in a ritual circle. She held a knife to her own throat. Her fury and grief knew no bounds and she directed it at all life. After her transformation, that fury was wrapped in thirst. More than desire it was a need. For blood. For life. Forever. Behind the fury, something else was buried, so subtle that Arche almost missed it. Nestled behind the burning emotions was a small ball of fear. Fear of attachment, fear of a cage. Fear of being trapped and tortured like that scared woman all those years ago. Fear that nothing had really changed. The connection severed and Arche snapped fully back into his own senses with a strangled cry. One hand went to his throat, blood pouring between his fingers and coating his hand. Above him, Tess stood behind Aima, one dagger plunged through the vampire¡¯s back, the other into the side of Aima¡¯s face. The vampire shrieked with pain and anger. Two arrows thudded into Aima¡¯s chest, but she caught the third before it pierced her heart. Her other hand grabbed hold of Tess and threw the Rogue forward. Tess twisted in midair, conducting a three-point landing next to Arche. She produced two more daggers from a bandolier and held them out in front of her in a warding gesture. Arche felt his feet go cold, then numb. Blood gushed over his hand, painting his armor and the ground around him. His Health hit forty percent and was dropping fast, but he was out of tricks. His psychic attack had burned away most of his remaining Mana. He didn¡¯t have enough to use Divine Body and the effort alone would probably kill him. He could do nothing but watch in pain as his life dwindled away. Aima reached up to remove the dagger from her face, but Tess had been waiting for an opportunity. While the vampire¡¯s hands were distracted, the Rogue shot forward. She flung one of the daggers, forcing Aima to dodge, then slid, slicing deeply into the vampire¡¯s leg. Aima twisted, snatching at the Rogue but Tess was already out of reach. Before either could take a step toward the other, Basil sailed between them, bouncing off the floor and crashing against a stone table, shattering it into pieces. The fight with the revenant was apparently not going well. Just like the last time Arche had fought it, the longer the fight lasted, the stronger the revenant became. Basil¡¯s luck, like Arche¡¯s, had run out. Aima twisted one hand above her head and green energy danced around her body. It swirled in a triple helix before spreading out across the floor of the room. The dwarven skeletons shifted, then moved, lifted by the necromantic light. Bone shards gravitated toward the revenant, adhering to its body like a macabre platemail of death. Then, with dramatic flair, she reached up and plucked the dagger from the side of her face, freeing her jaw. ¡°This has been amusing, but I tire of these games. Thank you for the blood, pet. You can be certain I will see you again. Alastor, be a darling and clean up this mess for me. There¡¯s a good boy.¡± With a shrill laugh and an explosion of black mist, Aima dissolved into a cloud of bats. The swarm winged its way toward the exit, shrieking and clicking. Cora felled two with arrows but they dissolved as soon as they died and the swarm left unimpeded. In the fading echo, Basil let out a war cry of his own and reengaged with the revenant. He wielded a dwarven mace in one hand and a heavily damaged shield in the other; his breastplate bore deep gouges and he was covered in blood from where the revenant¡¯s clawed fingers had found soft flesh. Still, the young Warrior didn¡¯t give up. He roared his defiance, beating his cudgel against the revenant again and again. Bone chips flew with each swing but the revenant itself weathered the blows with astounding resilience. Tess jumped off a table and onto a swinging chandelier, pulling herself into a seated position. There, she set to work on dismantling the chain that kept the whole thing aloft. Cora shot arrow after arrow into the revenant, using a dozen different archery maneuvers to limited effect. The vast majority simply skittered off the hard bones, serving only to chip away at the skeletal armor it wore. Helwan ignored the fight, running instead to Arche¡¯s side. Something soft pressed against Arche¡¯s neck; a fabric, perhaps, but it was hard to tell. He was struggling to stay awake. He couldn¡¯t feel his hands anymore, and every part of him was cold and weary. Despite the danger to his friends, he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep. Was it too much to ask for some sleep? Just five minutes was all he needed. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d had five minutes of honest rest. Basil fought the revenant with everything he had, keeping its focus as he swung away. With a furious salvo, he forced it back a single step. Tess severed the last link of the chain and dropped the entire chandelier directly onto the revenant¡¯s head with an explosion of screeching metal, crushing the creature beneath the mess. A heartbeat of silence followed, then the chandelier shifted as the revenant started to claw its way out. Tess dropped to the ground a moment later. Basil threw his weight down onto the chandelier, doing his best to keep the monster trapped. Tess picked up the bone kopis from where Aima had dropped it and swung for all she was worth at the revenant¡¯s exposed head. Where other weapons failed to do the trick, the kopis, fashioned from the revenant¡¯s own reinforced bones, neatly decapitated the creature before sticking inside the stone floor. Arche watched the revenant¡¯s head bounce toward him, the withdrawn muscles of its face slackening in death as it rolled into his blood. It was over. They had won. Then everything went dark. Book 2 | Chapter 6 Hermera The 7th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°I¡¯m not sure that could have gone much worse,¡± Cora said. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Arche said offhandedly. ¡°One of you could have died.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s rather dismissive of how close you came.¡± Arche rubbed his throat. His first moments after regaining consciousness had been tumultuous. He¡¯d flailed and yelled, trying to draw his weapons and fight while the rest of them held his arms and legs down. Luckily for them, he¡¯d come back to himself before activating Divine Body, otherwise someone could have gotten hurt. Whatever Helwan had pressed against his throat had stemmed the bleeding enough to stabilize him. Once conscious and in full control of his senses, Divine Body healed his wounds. He was no longer injured¡ªaccording to his vitals, at least¡ªbut his neck bore a large, new scar. The experience presented a whole new set of problems. Arche didn¡¯t know much about vampires, but he was pretty sure getting bit by one was supposed to come with a chance of turning into one. If Aima was anything to go by, that was a fate he wanted to avoid if at all possible. ¡°Maybe. My life is more expendable than any of yours, though, so that¡¯s not really a fair comparison.¡± Cora looked at him in surprise. The others eyed him uncomfortably, with the exception of Tess, who scowled. ¡°That is not the answer I was expecting,¡± Cora said quietly. ¡°We can discuss this later,¡± Tess interrupted, her glare letting Arche know that they would indeed be discussing it later. ¡°For now, we need to figure out our next steps. The vampire is likely gone. She¡¯ll be hiding somewhere up near the surface and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she left the ruins under the cover of night. If we look for her, it¡¯s likely we won¡¯t find her before she makes her escape.¡± Arche rubbed his face with one hand. The pain and weariness of the day was catching up to him. ¡°Boy howdy, when I fuck up, I fuck up hard.¡± ¡°Well, you got your wish,¡± Tess shot back. He looked up at her, one eyebrow raised. Tess lifted a decapitated head. ¡°The revenant is dead.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Arche barked mirthlessly. ¡°The whole point of that was to stop a mindless killing machine hunting me down at an inopportune time. Now I have a mindful killing machine who¡¯s going to hunt me down at an inopportune time. Things are really going well. But hey, at least we¡¯ve got treasure.¡± An uneasy silence fell over the others. Arche took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, feeling the fresh skin on his neck stretch uncomfortably. ¡°All right. I think we¡¯ve done enough damage for one day. Take a last look around to make sure we didn¡¯t miss anything, then let¡¯s get out of here and head back to the village.¡± Cora, Basil, and Helwan split off to see if anything the dwarves left behind was salvageable. Tess, however, remained with Arche. ¡°Guess we¡¯re having that talk sooner, rather than later.¡± Tess frowned at him. ¡°Your behavior is worrying me, Arche.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re taking this too quickly.¡± ¡°Taking what?¡± ¡°Moving on from what happened in Hekate¡¯s Vivitorium. You¡­¡± she paused, lowering her voice to an almost inaudible whisper. ¡°You died. You didn¡¯t just come close. You died.¡± Arche felt the muscles in his jaw tighten. ¡°I know. I was there.¡± ¡°And ever since you¡¯ve been running from that fact. Usually headlong into danger.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°What do you want me to do? Sit around and lament about it?¡± Arche¡¯s voice grew an edge. ¡°It was horrible. It was the worst thing that ever happened to me. And I will gladly go through it again so that none of you have to, because there¡¯s no coming back for you. I¡¯m so sorry if I¡¯m not dealing with this situation in a way that¡¯s ¡®emotionally healthy¡¯ but I don¡¯t have the time. Shit needs doing and our enemies keep stacking up.¡± The lines of Tess¡¯s face softened, but her eyes were as hard as stones. ¡°You¡¯re pushing too hard, Arche. You need to slow down. Think. Consider next steps.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to think. There¡¯s too much to do.¡± ¡°No, there isn¡¯t. You¡¯re taking on too much because you¡¯re avoiding the real problem. When¡¯s the last time you really slept?¡± Arche looked away, feeling the emotion bleed out of him. He was too tired to be angry, especially when she was right. ¡°I got a little last night.¡± ¡°Not nearly enough. You¡¯re exhausted. I can see that plain as day. You deflect with humor and play up this air of mystery in front of Basil and Cora, but you can¡¯t hide from me, Arche. I know you too well.¡± ¡°Another of my many mistakes, I¡¯m sure.¡± A haunted look spread across Tess¡¯s face, a pain so roiling and angry that Arche flinched. ¡°What you did saved my life. For everything else that came with it, you saved me. Don¡¯t you dare call that a mistake. That meant everything to me.¡± Arche grimaced, nodding. ¡°That was callous. I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re right, about all of it, of course. I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll try. I can¡¯t promise any more than that.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Tess moved a loose strand of hair out of her face. ¡°No more talk of sacrificing yourself, alright? You¡¯re worth more alive and well. To Myriatos and to me.¡± ¡°Thanks, Tess.¡± She nodded and started to turn away, then seemed to remember something. She turned back and held out her hand, the bone kopis appearing in it a moment later. ¡°You should probably take this. Your old one broke, so maybe this can work until you can get a replacement. I¡¯m more of a knife girl anyway.¡± Arche took the kopis from her, offering her a smile in exchange. She nodded back, giving him a small smile as well, but it didn¡¯t fix the worry in her eyes. He looked down at the kopis.
Revenant Rib Kopis Rarity: Epic Quality: Masterwork Durability: 800 / 800 Weight: 1.2 kilograms Length: 65 centimeters Traits: Deal 15 Necrotic damage over 5 seconds (Stackable)
Arche¡¯s eyebrows shot up. It wasn¡¯t the type of sword he typically used, having developed a preference for the longer, straight bladed xiphos as opposed to the shorter, curved blades of the kopis, but he couldn¡¯t deny the sword was an upgrade, especially since his last sword had shattered. Other notifications flashed in the corner of his vision. It was as good a time as any to go through them.
Your party has slain a Level 30 Revenant. You gain 270 experience.
Shields has increased to Level 5. +2% Defense with Shields (+10%) +1% Damage with Shields (+5%)
Medium Armor has increased to Level 5. +2% Defense with Medium Armor (+10%) +0.5% Mobility in Medium Armor (+2.5%)
You have learned a Skill. Blunt Weapons ¡ª Level 1 You have learned the noble art of bashing skulls. Happy smashing. Each level in this skill improves your ability with blunt weaponry. +2% Damage with Blunt Weapons (+2%) +2% Speed of Blunt Weapon Attacks (+2%)
Psychic Link has increased to Level 3. -0.5% Mana Cost (-1.5%)
A new skill, a few skill levels. At least something good had come out of the nightmare. Arche closed his eyes and rubbed them. Tess had definitely been right about one thing. He really needed some sleep. Book 2 | Chapter 7 Hermera The 7th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche strained against the rope. With a final heave, he pulled himself up and grabbed the edge of the pit, fingers digging into the soft ground. Basil grabbed him below one shoulder and hauled him up and over the lip.
You have explored The Necropolis of Pygmaia. You have gained Dungeoneering experience.
Dungeoneering has increased to Level 12. +1% Chance of Spotting Hidden Things (+12%) +1% Chance of Spotting Hidden Enemies (+12%) +1% Chance of Spotting Traps (+12%)
Clouds roiled above, threatening an oncoming storm. The last rays of sunlight spread through the western sky, fading quickly. Arche led the plunge into the forest. Despite their exhaustion after a long day, none of them wanted to be anywhere near the ruins when nightfall came. It wouldn¡¯t be the last they saw of the vampire; he could feel it in his bones. Aima would come for him, either to kill him or to capture him as her personal blood bag. Death itself, a being called Thanatos, had said death could not keep him, but the repercussions would grow each time he died. If Aima succeeded in capturing him, she could drain him dry as often as she wished and he would still return to make more blood. The thought twisted his stomach. For a few moments during their fight, he had connected with her mind. He¡¯d felt her rage, her strength. She was a powerful necromancer, one who could summon legions to do her bidding. Aside from that, she was an extraordinarily powerful individual in her own right, her vampirism having starkly increased her speed and strength. She was a monster, now, through and through, so why did he feel such pity for her? Maybe it was that undercurrent of fear, of grief, of loss. Pity mixed with the memory of her fangs sinking into his throat, his blood filling her mouth, and her leaving him to die. The pity turned to hatred and Arche held it close, burying it deep in his soul. Without it, there would be only fear. He would unleash it when they next met, if she was foolish enough to chase him. She was stronger than him but she wouldn¡¯t always be. His climb to power wasn¡¯t over. He needed more.
The clouds broke open and released their deluge as the last tent went up. Rain poured in heavy sheets, pounding the land in a tirade of noise. Water collected across the leafy canopy of the Sylv and fell to the ground in huge torrents, creating small, muddy rivers in the slopes of the forest. Arche settled his back into the crook of a tree, bundled heavily in his cloak as the rain soaked into him. He hunched to protect the bread in his hands from turning into a soggy mess between bites as he watched the forest for signs of movement. It was impossible to hear anything over the sound of rain, but from his vantage he had a good view of the forest to one side of their little camp. Tess had taken up watch on the other. They hadn¡¯t spoken much since leaving the ruins. In truth, Arche wasn¡¯t sure what to say. He¡¯d pushed himself hard, moving from one thing to another, constantly distracting himself for days. He knew he was burning himself out, the exhaustion debuff proved it, but every time he allowed himself to sit and be still, he saw the grinning heads of Eten and Nete as they pushed an axe through his chest and killed him. The memory alone was enough to make his skin prickle with gooseflesh. As Tess was quick to remind him, he had died. Actually no-kidding died. And, in death, he had met Death, whose impersonal attitude was, perhaps, even more upsetting than if he¡¯d been a cruel and malevolent creature. It was also in death that he had met the one responsible for everything that had happened to him. Ares. That meeting was a reoccurring nightmare. He had defied Ares, even going so far as to promise him a war, but there was no shaking the feeling in his gut that he¡¯d played right into Ares¡¯s hands. That, more than anything, scared him. On one hand, he didn¡¯t have any way to fight such a powerful being. On the other, growing powerful might be honing himself into a weapon that would one day be handed to the God of War. After all, Ares had gifted him the Spark that granted him the Divine Body skill and the ability to obtain his Profession of Demigod. From that perspective, Arche owed Ares. Divine Body had become the skill he relied on to save his life and that of his friends. If what he¡¯d been told was to be believed, his very existence in Tartarus was a result of Ares¡¯s interference. That he had ever met his friends in the first place was all part of a larger plan. All of this should have made Arche grateful, but it left him uneasy. He was a pawn in a game he was only beginning to understand, with no idea where the edge of the board was, only that the ramifications of losing would affect everyone he cared about. Arche¡¯s head dipped forward, rainwater dripping from his hood and into the mud. He tossed the last of the bread into the underbrush, his efforts to shield it from the rain had failed as thoroughly as any of his plans. The back of his neck prickled. The rain drowned all other noise, but he had the distinct sense that something was out there. Arche pulled the hood of his cloak further over his head and activated his Stealth skill. The magic cloak gave him a passive twenty percent bonus to Stealth, but that bonus shot up to forty percent when he actively tried to hide. That done, Arche opened his mind and cast out his consciousness, searching for life with his psychic awareness. The presence of his allies lit up around him. Most of them were resting in their tents and Tess still kept watch on the other side of camp. He extended his awareness farther, seeking life out in the forest. For a while, he didn¡¯t detect anything out of the ordinary, then the unmistakable foreign thought pattern of an elf came into range. Arche withdrew his awareness and stood, hefting the Tridory. He turned and ran into the middle of the camp, calling out over the rain. ¡°Get up! We¡¯ve got company.¡± Before he had finished moving, a brace of figures stepped into view. A dozen in total, perfectly encircling the camp. Each wielded a bow, drawn taut with barbed arrows. Dark leathers and green cloaks helped mask them in the dark forest backdrop, but Arche knew what they were. Even if he hadn¡¯t felt their minds, there was no denying the way they moved. These were Dawnwood elves. He forced himself to stop as they leveled their weapons at him. He held his hands up slowly, dropping the Tridory. Tess stepped away from a tree she¡¯d used as cover, hands up as the figures approached. In short order, Helwan, Basil, and Cora exited their respective tents, at first in confusion, then in alarm as they realized how quickly they¡¯d been surrounded. One of the elves stepped forward, lifting his hood back enough to give them a view of his face. ¡°What are you doing in these woods, interlopers?¡± His voice was thick, accented in the lilting voice of the wood elves. ¡°What are elves of the Dawnwood doing accosting adventurers in the Sylv?¡± Arche replied. ¡°We¡¯re not in your lands.¡± ¡°Dawnwood¡¯s influence extends as far as our concerns and interests do.¡± The elf fixed Arche with a sneering gaze. ¡°But I recognize you. You are the human Lyssanderyli adopted. Lord Cypress should have had you killed when you entered our territory the first time.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. ¡°We have no quarrel with you or your people,¡± Arche said, biting back his rising temper. ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not. But in either case, you will answer what you are doing near a site of evil magic.¡± ¡°The ruins? As you may recall, Lyssa and I investigated them for your Lord.¡± ¡°That was then, this is now. You will answer or you will die.¡± ¡°We came here for treasure, cousin,¡± Cora interjected. Arche and the elf turned toward her. ¡°Our village is poor and we knew that treasures existed in the caverns below. We came to take it.¡± Cora bowed oddly, her body bending away from the elf. Arche stared at her, trying to figure out what she was doing, then realized she was showing subservience. Annoyance flashed through him, quick as lightning. ¡°Grave robbing, are we?¡± the elf asked. ¡°Humans never cease to amaze, though it¡¯s not just humans, is it? What have we here? A half-breed and a satyr, I can¡¯t decide which is worse.¡± ¡°They¡¯re both ten times the person you think you are,¡± Arche growled. ¡°You have no right to threaten our lives here.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I?¡± the elf asked, his voice catching a hard edge to it in a similar fashion that Lyssa¡¯s did when she was furious. ¡°You pass near our territory and provoke dark creatures, expecting us not to react? Shall we wait for elven lives to pay the price for your greed? Is that the right thing to do?¡± ¡°Our intent was to save lives.¡± ¡°I care less for your intent than I do for your miserable existence. The experience you offer is more than enough reason for me to kill you. Alas, I am under orders.¡± Arche glared at the elf. ¡°Then what do you want from us?¡± ¡°Information. What did you encounter down in those ruins?¡± ¡°A vampire.¡± ¡°Mock me again and you will regret it.¡± Arche reached up slowly and pulled the cloak back from his neck, revealing the scar where Aima had bit a chunk out of his throat. There was nothing to be gained by holding back what they¡¯d found. At least this way, they wouldn¡¯t have to send a messenger to Lord Cypress once they got back to Myriatos. ¡°Believe what you will. We found a vampire. She used to be an elf, a long time ago. She was entombed down there, but I think the dwarves found her and that¡¯s when she started waking up. When we found her, she awoke fully and fought us.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± the elf scoffed. ¡°You would be dead if that were the case.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling you what happened, you can make up your own mind about it. We fought, she got away. I don¡¯t know where she is.¡± ¡°We will investigate the matter. Where are you headed now?¡± ¡°To return to our village. A path that would be faster if we cut through your territory, something we were avoiding because you¡¯re colossal cu¡ª¡± ¡°To go home,¡± Tess interrupted, shooting Arche a pointed look. The elf scowled, clearly aware he was about to be insulted. ¡°Very well. Do not cross into Dawnwood territory. You will be watched. We will look into the situation and we will handle it. If we find that you have lied to us, I will recommend to Lord Cypress that your village is not worth sharing the forest with. I think he will be amenable.¡± The elf held up one hand and snapped all three fingers against his thumb. The rest of the elves faded back into the forest, bows still drawn taut. As the lead elf, too, moved to disappear, Arche Examined him.
Figoritolos
Level: 21 Race: Wood Elf Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 460 / 460 100% Stamina: 410 / 410 100% Mana: 280 / 280 100%
Arche filed the name away. The stuck-up bastard would get his next time they met. It would be suitable payback for threatening the lives of his friends so callously. ¡°Fucking assholes,¡± Arche muttered. ¡°Makes me want to tear his fucking ears off.¡± ¡°Every time I meet them, I feel like I¡¯m about to die,¡± Helwan said quietly. ¡°And every time, I live on, and I keep meeting them, and it keeps happening.¡± ¡°What¡¯s their problem?¡± Basil asked. Arche shrugged. ¡°The Dawnwood elves have hated humans for as long as I¡¯ve known them. I don¡¯t know why. Lyssa doesn¡¯t like to talk about it. I reckon something bad happened a long time ago.¡± ¡°But if it was a long time ago, why would they still be upset?¡± ¡°Elves live in a perspective larger than any other race,¡± Cora said. ¡°It is not for us to understand their influences.¡± ¡°Hah! Fuck that. They live a long time so they hold grudges for a long time. Not all of them, mind you, but enough to make life difficult.¡± Cora scowled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t talk about them in that way.¡± ¡°They¡¯re people, Cora, not paragons. They¡¯re not any better than you are, regardless of what they tell themselves.¡± Cora¡¯s scowl deepened but Arche turned away, waving one hand tiredly. ¡°You lot might as well go back to sleep. I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± ¡°You need rest, too, Arche,¡± Helwan said. ¡°Why don¡¯t I take over?¡± ¡°Nah, all the excitement woke me up pretty good. I¡¯ll get some rest later, don¡¯t worry.¡± The satyr gave a polite, albeit concerned, smile, but didn¡¯t push the point any further. Basil and Cora were already crawling into their respective tents, ready to change out of their soaked clothing. Tess watched Arche settle his back into a tree, going back to his vigil over their camp. She walked over and sat down next to him. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is an effective way of keeping watch,¡± Arche said dryly. ¡°And catching hypothermia is not an effective way of protecting everyone,¡± she retorted. ¡°Fair point.¡± He held out his cloak and she crawled underneath. They sat together for several long minutes, watching the rain splatter through the trees. Arche could feel the heat of her between their wet clothing. It made watching the forest the last thing on his mind. ¡°I¡¯ve decided I don¡¯t understand you,¡± Tess said, breaking the silence. Arche snorted. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°It confuses me because we shared our minds. I saw everything you had done, everything you had been. For a very short time, I might as well have been you. Despite this, you still surprise me, almost every day. It seems every time I speak to you, you¡¯re someone else.¡± ¡°Seems a bit harsh. I don¡¯t feel much different.¡± ¡°You¡¯re angrier than when I first met you. That Arche saw light in the world. He saw something redeemable in a Rogue that had been sent to kill him and chose mercy instead of vengeance. The person you are now, I don¡¯t know if you would make that same choice. I want to be able to quiet that part of my mind. To tell myself: no, you are still the same person I met. Still a kind man in a world that turns kind men cruel. I¡¯m worried that would be a lie.¡± Arche stared into the forest. ¡°I won¡¯t blame you, if this world turns you cruel,¡± Tess continued quietly. ¡°But I will mourn the man you used to be. Tartarus has enough cruel men in it. It could use a kind one.¡± She untangled herself from the rain-laden cloak and stood, retiring to her tent. Arche stared into the woods until the downpour had quieted from a deluge to a steady drizzle, then to a mist. Above the canopies, the clouds scattered and the distant, rosy fingers of dawn peeked over the horizon, promising light and warmth to dry the forest. Against the base of the tree, amid the patter of water against his boots, Arche had yet to notice the rain had stopped. Book 2 | Chapter 8 Hadespera The 16th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The journey to Myriatos took nine days of grueling travel. Arche didn¡¯t speak much, leaving Helwan to pick up the slack in conversation. The satyr did his best to keep up morale by telling stories and singing songs, several of which were clearly made up on the spot. Basil was his best encouragement, always laughing at the jokes or learning the choruses to sing along. Cora led the way, often scouting far enough ahead to be out of earshot. Tess, too, was rather aloof. Joining in on the occasional conversation, but she exhibited none of her typical wit. Arche was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that when Helwan let out a sudden whoop, he lifted his spear, eyes wild and looking for danger, not realizing the satyr was celebrating Myriatos finally coming into view. It had been a long few weeks. The days blended together in a mush. Until Helwan pointed it out, Arche hadn¡¯t even realized they were close to the village. His profile codified his feelings with an upgraded debuff.
Exhaustion ¡ª Tier 3 -70% Vitals Regeneration +25% Chance to make Mistakes +70% Stamina Drain -30% Agility -30% Perception
There was little he could do about it. He had to find Lyssa, explain what happened, and plan their next move. He and his team had been gone for seventeen days, if his count was right. Almost four weeks in the Tartarus calendar. Myriatos hadn¡¯t waited for them. If anything, the village seemed to have challenged itself to see just how far it could progress before they returned. Lyssa had instructed Theodorous, the village steward, to work with carpenters and surveyors to decide the best location for the village. They had apparently decided on a more central point in the valley, still close to the river but not sandwiched between two hills as it was before. The tents were laid out in a grid fashion, with each claiming quite a bit of space around it, likely marking plots for small residences once the immediate infrastructural concerns had been met. Each tent was west of the village hall, which had somehow been transported from its original position to its new spot along with the rest of the village. They would have plenty of room to expand. The most welcoming sight, however, was the wooden skeleton of a large building rising north of the village hall. There had been a lot of talk about what structure they would build first. Arche had argued for a wall, but Lyssa and Tess had both insisted that the villagers needed something other than tents to live in. A wall would be a lengthy endeavor that would take weeks, not days, to build. A wall would also require more stone than they had at hand and simply wasn¡¯t feasible in the short-term. Lyssa had decided on a large, communal building called an insula, supposedly capable of housing a hundred people comfortably among its layout of various rooms. He was glad to see the insula was close to completion. The finer points of construction were lost on him, but it seemed that the less developed their village was, the longer it would take to complete structures. The more developed they got, and the higher the corresponding skills of the craftsfolk, the faster the buildings would go up. As it was, the villagers were preparing to raise one of the final two walls, using a mixture of ropes and long poles to line up the wooden paneling. Several workers climbed the walls, getting into position on the wooden beams and rafters as they waited to fasten everything into place. They crossed the river by use of a long rope tied in place on either side, suspended at about head height. It wasn¡¯t convenient or quick, but shimmying along it let them get to the other side without a soak. As they approached the village, two guards Arche didn¡¯t recognize waved at them. One ran off toward the village, the other ran to meet them. As the guard approached, Arche saw that it was a brawny elf woman with unnaturally yellow hair. She had a large battle-axe slung across her back and easily matched Arche¡¯s own height, which only surprised him because he¡¯d found he typically had a few fingers over everyone else. ¡°Arche.¡± The woman pounded one fist against her chest. Arche paused for an awkward beat before realizing the gesture was some kind of salute. He returned it, a little too late to be natural, but the woman didn¡¯t comment. ¡°Archousa requests that you see her at once. I am to lead you to her. Your party is free to recover from their journey.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± His voice sounded tired even to his own ears. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°You need rest, too, Arche,¡± Tess reminded him. ¡°Later.¡± He gave her a tired smile. ¡°After all, I¡¯ve been ¡®summoned.¡¯ I¡¯ll catch you later. Don¡¯t wait up.¡± One by one, they handed him their packs, each full of dwarven treasure. Laden with more wealth than he could possibly comprehend, Arche followed the woman back to the village proper as she walked him toward the village hall. Her pace was quick and determined, which forced Arche to half-jog to keep up with her, to his annoyance. The guardswoman said nothing throughout the entire walk, which suited Arche fine. He was tired and could feel his temper rising, so silence was best for everyone. They arrived at the village hall and Arche waved the woman off before she grabbed the door. ¡°Thank you. As you were.¡± Arche pushed open the doors and walked inside. The main hall was a very different place from the den of degeneracy it had been when he¡¯d first entered the village. At that time, Callias Buteo had been the archon and had evidently been dead set on whoring his way through as many people as he could afford. To that extent, he had decorated the building with extravagant furniture and drapings, the kind that would be expected of the affluent elite. Lyssa had since had the carpenters salvage the items, sanitize them, and repurpose them into more practical furniture. The large, central room was now sparsely decorated with a few seats and desks, the largest of which was positioned near the back of the building, within easy sightline of a glass window, one of the few they had. On top of the desk was a large scattering of parchment, behind which sat Lyssa. Head in her hands as she scanned through report after report. She looked up as Arche approached, a sudden smile quickly giving way to concern. ¡°Are you all right?¡± she asked, rising from the chair. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine. Just tired.¡± Arche tried to wave off her concern but she stared him down. ¡°Arche.¡± She drew out his name, her tone slightly scolding. ¡°I¡¯m¡­a little more than tired,¡± he hedged. ¡°You¡¯re a mess.¡± ¡°Yes. Yes, I am. How are you? Village looks good.¡± Lyssa sighed, glancing out the window. ¡°Myriatos was truly a fitting name, as there are a myriad of responsibilities that have come with it. Everyone has a problem and I¡¯m supposed to have all the answers. Theodorous has been irreplaceable, but two people alone seem barely enough to handle every situation. Please tell me your task went well.¡± Arche scratched the back of his head, scrunching up his face. Lyssa sighed again, then sat back down in her chair, gesturing Arche toward one placed opposite. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°So, we got there, got the treasure, very few complications. Fought a big plant monster at the mouth of the dungeon, that was a bit terrifying. Once inside, things were going all right, but I decided to go deeper than we went before.¡± ¡°Your task was to retrieve the treasure, not to clear the dungeon.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. You remember that undercurrent of death magic, though? It was still there. Also, the last time we were there, we never found any remnants of dwarves. I thought there were aspects worth exploring, if for nothing else than to determine if any threat remained to our village or to Dawnwood.¡± ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°A threat.¡± Arche rubbed his eyes, feeling the strain of the last four weeks. Last two months, really. ¡°We encountered a sarcophagus that contained a vampire. She was also a powerful necromancer.¡± Lyssa¡¯s mouth opened in shock. ¡°A vampire? Truly? Not an empousa or vrykolakas?¡± Arche didn¡¯t even pretend he knew what she was talking about, he just nodded. ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s worse, she got away. Very nearly killed me in the process.¡± ¡°You were bitten?¡± He pulled down the fabric of his cloak, revealing the scar where Aima had torn a chunk out of his throat. ¡°Helwan did the best patch job he could, but I doubt I¡¯ll be getting rid of these anytime soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not gonna turn into a vampire, am I? It¡¯s been about two weeks and I don¡¯t feel any different.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so. My understanding is that vampires have to drain their victims to death in order to raise them as their spawn, but that comes from folktales, not study. You said you did not die, does your heart still beat?¡± Arche raised two fingers to the side of his throat. ¡°Blood¡¯s still flowing. Does that mean I¡¯m in the clear?¡± Lyssa shrugged. ¡°You should see one of the healers before you rest. They will be able to determine if you need further attention. This vampire, did you learn their name?¡± ¡°Aima. She was skin and bones at first, like a walking corpse, but when she drank some of my blood, she looked much more alive. She summoned the revenant; it was her minion all along. That, at least, I can confirm is dead. I even got a souvenir out of it.¡± Arche retrieved the revenant sword from his inventory and placed it on the desk. Lyssa picked it up and looked it over. ¡°How was this made?¡± ¡°I ripped out one of the revenant¡¯s ribs in our fight. Aima got ahold of it and fashioned it into this. When she fled, it was left behind. Ultimately, Tess used it to kill the revenant.¡± ¡°Hmm, I will need to speak to Helwan and some of the other mages. A vampire in our woods can only be trouble.¡± ¡°Yeah. What¡¯s more, it may have a personal vendetta against me.¡± Lyssa transfixed him with a stern glare, one eyebrow raised. He held up his hands in surrender. ¡°During our fight, I tried to form a psychic link to defeat her. As it turns out, her mental defenses were pretty strong. I ended up melding with some of her memories. I don¡¯t think she got to see anything of mine, but I¡¯m not certain. What¡¯s more, she could smell the Divine Spark on me. I don¡¯t know if it affects my blood or not, but she seemed very interested in getting more.¡± ¡°You really do make friends wherever you go, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You have no idea. We ran into some old friends of yours on the way out, too.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Dawnwood elves. They snuck into our camp after we left the ruins. No, before you ask, we didn¡¯t enter Dawnwood territory. We were very careful to stay out of it. That didn¡¯t stop some asshat by the name of Figoritolos from threatening to kill all of us.¡± ¡°Fig?¡± Lyssa frowned, her voice unsure. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like him.¡± ¡°Just telling you what happened. We told them that a vampire had gotten free. Hopefully he takes that message back to your dad.¡± ¡°Thank you for that. If someone that powerful is in the vicinity, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be doing all he can to protect our¡­¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°¡­his people.¡± ¡°How are you doing about that? That can¡¯t have been an easy shift.¡± ¡°I miss my home.¡± Lyssa shrugged. ¡°I miss my father. These are things that will not change, but I can never go back. That is my reality. Myriatos is my home now and I will serve it as such.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s actually kind of inspiring.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°If you insist. Now, I must insist. What has been going on with you? You look much worse than you should for a trip through the woods.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, really,¡± Arche insisted. ¡°I just haven¡¯t been sleeping well.¡± ¡°I remember before when you didn¡¯t sleep well. You did not look like this. You look like you¡¯re not sleeping at all.¡± Arche blew his cheeks out. ¡°You know, sometimes I forget just how high your Perception is.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t deflect, Arche. Tell me what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Exhausted, all right? Like, no-kidding, got-the-debuff-to-prove-it Exhausted.¡± ¡°What tier?¡± ¡°Three.¡± Lyssa was quiet for a moment. Her green eyes bored into him, seeming to evaluate everything about him from the dirt on his clothing to the bags beneath his eyes. ¡°Very well. I¡¯m pulling you from duties. I¡¯ll speak with Helwan and Tess to get the rest of the information.¡± ¡°Whoa, hang on! I can still help out.¡± ¡°Absolutely not. Your only concern right now should be yourself. You are not well, Arche. A child could see that. You need to take care of your body and your mind. You have worth beyond what you offer to this village, but you need to take care of yourself before you can help everyone else.¡± He opened and shut his mouth a few times, taken off-guard by that last comment. ¡°What about the trip to Ship¡¯s Shape? I¡¯m not sitting that one out.¡± ¡°Then you had best take extra care of yourself before they set out. It will take a few days, I imagine, for Helwan and Theodorous to catalogue each artifact and assess its price. Your only official duty until that time is to recover.¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do? Sit in my room?¡± ¡°Do whatever you like, Arche.¡± Lyssa smiled at him. ¡°But I recommend you start with getting some sleep.¡± ¡°What about the construction efforts? The guards? Hell, the fucking vampire that¡¯s literally out for my blood? We can¡¯t afford for me to take time off right now.¡± ¡°All of those things will be dealt with in due time. Do I need to give you an official order to go rest? Should I treat you as the petulant child you¡¯re acting like?¡± Arche threw his hands up. ¡°You know what, fine. Fine. Fuck it. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Was it petulant? Most certainly. But he was too tired to care and there would be time to apologize later. Arche stood from his chair and let the packs drop to the floor next to Lyssa¡¯s desk. He stormed up the stairs and into his room without another word. It occurred to him only after he slammed the door that he had not eaten since early that morning. Despite the quiet gurgle in his stomach, he¡¯d lost his appetite. With the way he was feeling, he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d have been able to keep food down, anyway. Arche doffed his armor and cloak, storing the items safely in his inventory. Part of his cloak¡¯s magic helped keep it clean from muck and grime, but he had no such enchantment on his armor, which was filthy from weeks of use. As it was, that was a chore he could deal with another time. What he really needed was a bath. Arche rubbed his eyes and looked around his room. There wasn¡¯t much to brag about. A simple bed, wooden frame and wool mattress wrapped in fabric, sat to one side. Above it, a massive axe was mounted to the wall. Arche glared at it and rubbed his chest, the scar flesh prickling. It was a good reminder of the price of failure. Tearing his eyes away, Arche noticed two new additions. One, a simple wardrobe for storing clothing, the other, a large wooden basin. Arche walked to the wardrobe first. Three changes of clothes were inside, two pairs of pants and shirts, plus a robe that more resembled a curtain. He was glad for it, as it meant he had backups for when the rest of his clothes were inevitably ripped to pieces. Arche opened his inventory and searched through the spaces until he found what he¡¯d been looking for. Danocles, the half-orc leatherworker who had built his armor, had also made him a special project out of the mantikhoras¡¯s wings. It was a harness that would easily fit and sinch over a breastplate. A simple, mechanical activation on the front would pop out two massive, red wings to act as a glider. It was awesome, but Arche had no purpose for it. Wearing it, he was more likely to break it than use it, so the wardrobe would be as good as anything else. Perhaps he could find a place to display it later.
Item is not compatible with storage space.
Arche glared at the notification. Everything cool seemed to be incompatible with storage. Still, it was taking up valuable space and he had no current use for it, so he shoved it under the bed. Sufficiently unloaded, Arche walked to the basin and nudged it with his foot.
Simple Washing Basin This basin has enough water for 3 uses.
Would you like to take a bath?
Yes No
Arche scratched his head. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±
This basin has enough water for 2 uses.
The basin filled itself from the bottom up, stopping two hand-widths from the top. Arche dipped an exploratory finger in. Cold, much to his disappointment. It must have been taken from the river and whatever storage system the basin used probably preserved the temperature. Still, a private bath and a fresh bed was better than anything he¡¯d had in quite a while. He quickly stripped off the last of his clothing, leaving it piled on the floor, and stepped in, shivering but satisfied. Arche leaned back, submerging himself down to his neck as he propped his feet on the edges of the basin. The temperature made him shiver, but quickly became bearable. Just sitting in the bath after all the days of traveling and adventuring was enough to turn the water brown. He scooped it with his hands and poured it over his face and hair before it became too dirty, wishing desperately his worries would come away as easily as the muck. Time was a funny thing, especially while sitting in a bath. It couldn¡¯t have been past midday when they¡¯d arrived at the village, but when Arche shook himself out of a stupor and finally stood, the sky outside his window was dark and the bath had long since grown tepid. Water dripped onto the wooden floorboards as he stretched and rubbed his face.
Empty basin?
Yes No
Arche indicated ¡®yes¡¯ and watched as the water and grime slowly drained until the basin was bone dry. He cocked his head, then nudged the basin with one foot, pulling up its interface again. He confirmed that it still only had enough water for two more uses, then scratched his head. ¡°Where did the water¡­go?¡± The basin declined to answer. He shrugged. As long as it didn¡¯t end up all over his floor, he wasn¡¯t going to be mad about it. The bed was singing him a soft, siren song with its piled blankets and single pillow. He turned to submit to its temptation and caught movement out of the corner of his eye. Arche turned and crouched, one hand rising defensively as the other went down to cover his pride. Hanging from the cabinet, a reflection of him did the same. He paused. He hadn¡¯t really taken a look at himself since he had gained his Profession. His hair had grown out from the close crop he¡¯d sported when Lyssa first found him. Dark brown strands flayed out over his ears and across his forehead. It was longer than he would have liked. Perhaps someone in town could cut it for him. Beneath his mop, dark eyes stared back at him. The brown mixed with the black until color lost all meaning in them, further accentuated by the intense bags of sleeplessness that gave him a haunted look. It was little wonder why everyone was worried about him. His scars were still the most prominent feature of his face. Many had faded into silver lines as his Comeliness attribute had risen but several still blazed an angry purple and red. They carved tracks across the entirety of his face, some raised and others pocked. Arche rubbed them, watching the scars bend and contort. Anger still simmered at the sight of them, but he was too tired to be mad about it. They were a fact of his life, just like his brown hair and eyes. He didn¡¯t have to like them, but he did have to accept them. His focus drew down toward his new scars. The one on his neck had turned silver, large fang marks in a rough circle. No disease or curse notifications had arisen and he hadn¡¯t died from the attack, thankfully, so he should be fine. Still, it was best practice to get a healer¡¯s opinion on the matter, especially if there was a lingering threat. Arche had no interest in finding out what fresh hell a second death would bring him. At the thought of Death Sickness, his gaze dropped to the scar on his chest. Large and purple, canted at a slight angle, splitting his heart. The memory of Eten and Nete pressing the axe into him seemed to play every time he closed his eyes, the feeling of his bones cracking, his lungs deflating, his heart shorn in two. The thought alone was enough to hear the gentle roar of blood in his ears. Arche took the mirror off the cabinet and set it down facing the wall. He¡¯d seen enough. He didn¡¯t need to be reminded of what he¡¯d been through, what he¡¯d survived and what he hadn¡¯t. No one could help him. No one understood. No one else had been forced to meet Death and gotten to come back. ¡°Well,¡± he reminded himself, ¡°that¡¯s not exactly true, now is it?¡± A knock at the door made him jump. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Tess¡¯s voice called back. ¡°Can I come in?¡± Arche looked down at himself, still naked from his bath. ¡°Hang on a minute, changing.¡± ¡°If you insist.¡± The pout in her voice set his cheeks aflame, more effective than any campfire. Arche threw on a simple green shirt and brown pants. On the way to the door he kicked his old, discarded clothes and stowed them away in his inventory. Pausing at the handle, he ran a hand through his hair and tried to seem calm. In actuality, his heart was pounding. Why was she there? The door opened and Tess smiled at him in a simple red dress. Her blonde hair was wet and slicked back, clearly still drying from her own bath. Calm? Calm was a distant memory. A thing that other men got to experience. Arche lost all powers of speech. Her eyes glittered at him, dark planets he could lose himself into, an expanse he could study for a thousand years and still never tire of. ¡°Can I come in?¡± Arche realized he was blocking the doorway, staring at her. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, of course, sorry. Come in.¡± He stepped to the side, letting her walk past before shutting the door. ¡°Dark in here,¡± she said, running a finger across the bedspread. ¡°Haven¡¯t gotten a good lantern yet. Actually, I¡¯m hoping to get one of those Everlit Lanterns that Helwan has.¡± ¡°It does come in handy, doesn¡¯t it?¡± She sat down on his bed, the only true seat in the room, so Arche sat against the lip of the wash basin, dismissing the thoroughly unhelpful prompt asking him if he wanted to take a bath. ¡°I came to apologize,¡± Tess said, not quite meeting his eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± Of all the things he expected¡ªor hoped for¡ªher to say, that statement hadn¡¯t even made the list. ¡°What for?¡± ¡°I said some unkind things to you in the forest. I¡¯ve been reflecting on that conversation and I realized I was unfair.¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but thank you, all the same. I¡¯m sorry, too.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been doing some thinking lately. About life, about myself, about us. It¡¯s all complicated and I¡¯ve barely begun to unravel my own feelings on the matter, but I think to that effect I¡¯ve been cruel to you.¡± Arche¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t say cruel, but I¡¯ve definitely been getting mixed messages. One minute we¡¯re flirting, kind of like this actually, and the next minute it¡¯s like we¡¯re fighting, only I don¡¯t know why we¡¯re fighting or what we¡¯re even fighting about.¡± Tess grimaced and fiddled with a wet strand of hair. ¡°That makes two of us, then. I care about you, Arche. A lot more than I expected to, if I¡¯m being honest. Down in the Vivitorium, I was in shock when you died. Especially, I think, because I was still reeling from our minds connecting. After that, I wanted time to figure out how I felt because I was scared by how strong my feelings were. It felt strange, almost foreign to me, so I blamed you for it. I¡¯d never felt like that for someone, so clearly it must have been what you did to me, right?¡± Arche shifted uneasily. This wasn¡¯t going at all how he had hoped. He opened his mouth to apologize, but she silenced him with a wave of her hand. ¡°No, let me finish. Then we went on this mission together. I wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled to be making my way to another dungeon, especially so soon after the Vivitorium, but I also didn¡¯t want you to go alone. Then you almost died to that plant monster, then again to that vampire woman. And in that, I realized something.¡± ¡°That I¡¯m accident-prone?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tess stood and walked to the window. ¡°That I don¡¯t care why I feel what I do. I still feel it. That my feelings can be my own if I accept them. I can tell you¡¯ve been struggling lately. You need to find something new to tell people other than that you¡¯re ¡®fine¡¯ because I can promise you no one believes you.¡± Arche let out a bark of a laugh and scratched the back of his head. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, I¡¯ve been having a rough go of it, lately. My turn to be honest. I don¡¯t know what to do about it. Every time I close my eyes, I see the axe coming. When I sleep, it¡¯s worse, so I don¡¯t sleep. I get a few hours every couple days and it¡¯s all I can do not to scream when the axe cuts into my chest. ¡± Tess nodded. ¡°When it gets quiet and I have time to myself to think, I can still feel claws ripping through my sides.¡± She touched a spot just over her left hip. ¡°I still remember what it felt like, to have life slip away from me. I¡¯ll never forget that feeling, just like I¡¯ll never forget that you came to save me. Twice. I think that¡¯s been the biggest issue for me in all of this.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tess shook her head. ¡°A part of me resents you for it. I¡¯m grateful, please don¡¯t misunderstand, but at the same time, I can¡¯t help but wonder if I deserved it.¡± Arche blinked. ¡°That¡¯s crazy. Of course you don¡¯t deserve to die.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of bad things, Arche. Things I¡¯m not proud of. Things you still don¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°It does. I told you I¡¯d mourn you if Tartarus had turned you cruel, and that¡¯s true, but it¡¯s because it turned me cruel a long time ago. It sharpened me into a tool. A thing to be used and tossed aside. No one has ever looked at me like you do, like there¡¯s still something good inside me. I need that, Arche. I need that like breathing.¡± Tess¡¯s voice caught. She turned away from the window and met his gaze. Tears streamed down her face. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can bear to see you look at me like everyone else does.¡± Arche stood and walked to her. ¡°Theresa,¡± he said, putting a hand on hers. ¡°There is goodness in you. I saw it long before our minds connected. I saw it even after you tied me to a tree and left a knife in my ribs. What you¡¯ve done doesn¡¯t define who you are. No one gets to choose that but you. You can do dark things without being a dark person.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I believe that.¡± ¡°Then I can believe it for the both of us.¡± Her brown eyes met his, searching for something there. He smiled. It was a sad smile, an acknowledgement of their shared pain, their shared fears. Through it, he tried to put all his reassurance and all of his hope for the future. She raised a hand and placed it gently against his cheek, her thumb brushing against the ridgeline of one of his scars. He didn¡¯t move, didn¡¯t flinch. There was nothing in the world but her looking at him, the softness of her hand against his skin, the floral scent of her, the closeness of her body, the vulnerability in her eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t been drinking felsbier tonight, have you?¡± she asked quietly. Arche¡¯s cheeks warmed as he remembered the night they¡¯d met. ¡°Not a drop. Why?¡± ¡°Because I want you to remember this.¡± She grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands and pulled him toward her. Their lips met and Arche fell into the kiss. One hand rose to cup her cheek, marveling at how soft she was, the other found the small of her back and pressed her into him. For her part, she held him tight, both hands knotted in his shirt. Her lips tasted of strawberries and mint, the most wonderful things in the world. He held her for an eternity, wrapped together, alight in the face of Tartarus¡¯s blue moon, Selene, which shone bright and full through the window. For the first time in a while, Arche didn¡¯t feel alone. Book 2 | Chapter 9 Hermera The 17th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Dawn came and went and the sun reached its midmorning height before Arche stirred. Wakefulness crawled to him, pleasantly spurred by the memory of the previous night. Arche ran his tongue across his lips, savoring the lingering taste there. It had been an almost perfect night, all things considered, with the only disappointment being his lonely bed. Tess had made her retreat not long after their kiss, citing some nonsense about needing sleep. Arche, barely able to think by that point, had been forced to determine if it was a farewell or an invitation. He landed on the former, recognizing that she seemed almost as tired as he was. It was likely for the best. For as long as he still had the Exhaustion debuff, there was too great a risk he would say something to ruin it and they¡¯d be back where they started or worse. So he had walked her to her room and, in full view of the empty downstairs area, kissed her goodnight. Once safely back in his own quarters, he had stripped away his clothes and passed out on the bed, settling into the first restful sleep in longer than he could remember. A knock on the door startled him and he realized, once again, he was naked. Once clothes were found and equipped, Arche opened the door, finding Tess holding a plate of food¡ªbread with a wedge of butter, a small bowl of salted olives, and finely sliced grilled fish¡ªand a jug of sweet wine. ¡°I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°I had three tiers of Exhaustion to sleep off,¡± Arche said, moving aside to let her enter. Tess¡¯s eyes flashed with sudden worry. ¡°Titan¡¯s Blood, Arche! Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± She set the plate of food down on the bed and gestured for him to sit with her. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to ruin the moment. Besides, I got it down to tier two, now. Would you believe that¡¯s the first good night¡¯s sleep I¡¯ve had in¡­well, weeks, at least.¡± ¡°Hmm, I believe it. What do you have planned for today?¡± ¡°I told Lyssa I¡¯d go to the healers to get my neck checked out. After that, I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t really had a day off, yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get into all sorts of mischief.¡± ¡°Most definitely. What about you?¡± Tess took a bite of bread, her flaxen hair falling just past her shoulders as she leaned over the plate. ¡°I¡¯ve got some commercial business to take care of. A lot of dwarven treasure to catalogue, too. Yeah, I think I¡¯m going to be absolutely swamped today.¡± ¡°Maybe you can sneak off around dinner time.¡± ¡°Yes, you promised me a nice one, as I recall.¡± ¡°And I intend to deliver. If not here, then definitely once we make it to Ship¡¯s Shape. Any idea on when we¡¯ll leave?¡± ¡°I reckon we¡¯ll be ready in about a week¡¯s time. Longer than we originally planned for, but there¡¯s a lot to make ready before we go. In the meantime, I¡¯m going to be working with Theodorous on potential bandages for our hemorrhaging economy.¡± ¡°Yikes, have fun with that.¡± ¡°Doubtful.¡± Tess stood, stretched, and moved to the window looking out over the village. Arche watched the sun light up her skin, making her eyes sparkle. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m definitely batting out of my league.¡± She shot him a curious glance. ¡°It means you¡¯re very beautiful and I¡¯m lucky to have your attention.¡± Tess¡¯s cheeks colored and she grinned. ¡°I have to admit, your candor is refreshing. You always say what¡¯s on your mind, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± he winked at her. ¡°What I¡¯m thinking right now, for instance, would probably get me slapped.¡± ¡°Then I suppose it¡¯s for the best that only one of us knows how to read minds. In the meantime, I think I¡¯ll confuse yours for a change.¡± In two steps, she crossed the distance between them, grabbed a fistful of his shirt, and pulled him up into a kiss. Then she pushed him down onto the bed and, with a tantalizing wink, slipped out the door, leaving him alone. Arche rubbed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m dreaming. I¡¯ve got to be dreaming, right?¡± He paused. ¡°No, not enough blood.¡± He pushed himself out of bed and pulled his cloak on. He kept his armor in his inventory, though. He would need to get it cleaned and repaired before using it again, which he now had time to do. Arche stifled a yawn and cracked his neck, then headed out the door and down the stairs. Lyssa was already hard at work, sitting at her desk, deep in conversation with Elpida. Arche waved to both of them but didn¡¯t stop. In a moment, he was out the door and into the village. Tents flooded the ground before him. Each stood about eight strides from its neighbors, large enough for a few people to walk through comfortably. Directly extending from the town hall, the pathway was easily three times that distance. Horses and carts could have passed by without needing to make room, not that Myriatos had either. To the north, workers were busy constructing the insula, near which many of the crafters had opened up their shops. None had permanent stores yet, but several had blankets decorated with goods set beneath fabric sunshades affixed to wooden poles. They called out their wares as people bustled around, viewing different items and haggling. Arche looked to the south where Gigator had cordoned off an area for guard training. The sauros watched a dozen recruits practice with shields. A rack of wooden weaponry stood nearby and guards sparred with spears and swords. The sight of it was tempting, as Arche could use some combat practice, but he had a promise to keep and the large tent set up next to the training grounds was his true destination. The healers had chosen this location as it was near the guards, where injuries were most likely to occur, and away from the trading area, where patients could be treated without the constant noise of commerce. As he entered the tent, he was met by a diminutive woman, barely as tall as his hip, who gave him a broad smile. ¡°Arche! Fancy seeing you here. Is everything all right?¡± Arche grinned back at her. ¡°Odelia, it¡¯s good to see you. I had an encounter that didn¡¯t go well, I was hoping you could check me out.¡± Odelia¡¯s smile turned disapproving. ¡°I will endeavor not to judge, so long as you endeavor to take greater care in your choice of partners.¡± Arche blinked. ¡°What? Oh, god, no! No, no, no. No, I got bit by a vampire. I wanted to make sure I wasn¡¯t going to turn into one.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The halfling woman turned bright red. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Arche. Come, sit, I¡¯ll get you sorted out.¡± Arche sat obediently as Odelia examined the scars around his neck. Her hands glowed with soft light as she muttered words of power, one spell after another. Finally, she called another healer over and had them cast another series of spells. Then they stepped away, muttering conspiratorially before Odelia returned. ¡°There¡¯s good news and bad news.¡± ¡°Aw, fuck.¡± ¡°Please refrain from using such¡­suggestive language here.¡± Odelia¡¯s voice was firm even as her cheeks colored. ¡°Sorry, Odelia. Please, go on.¡± ¡°Thank you. The good news is that you do not have vampirism. You are at no risk of turning into a vampire, as far as we can tell. The bad news is that you do have a lingering effect on you. It¡¯s sanguimancy, or blood magic as you may know it by, and there is no one here who can remove it.¡± ¡°Well, what¡¯s it doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not completely certain. It appears to be some type of tracking magic, but it could be doing other things as well. You said you were bitten by a vampire; it¡¯s quite possible this is a natural magical ability that they possess in order to find past prey, but I¡¯ll admit I am not an expert when it comes to undead or undead-adjacent.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that she can find me anywhere? For how long?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Sanguimancy is well outside my field of expertise. It¡¯s a rare branch of magic and hardly reputable. You¡¯d be hard pressed to find anyone knowledgeable in it, and I doubt any are in Myriatos. You would need to go to Ship¡¯s Shape to have a chance of finding somebody with the information you seek. That isn¡¯t the only thing you should be worried about, however.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Arche did his best to keep his voice calm even as his heartrate spiked. ¡°Your body is out of equilibrium. You¡¯re Exhausted. Tier two, by the look of it. Pretty close to the cusp of tier three. That¡¯s unacceptable. You need rest.¡± ¡°Ah, that,¡± Arche¡¯s heart started to quiet a little bit. ¡°Yeah, I haven¡¯t exactly been sleeping well.¡± ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you come see us sooner?¡± Arche blinked. ¡°I¡¯ve¡­been gone?¡± He hadn¡¯t intended it to come out as a question, but the halfling woman shook her head and moved to a small wooden cabinet. Odelia placed a hand against it, then paused. A moment later, she withdrew a small plant with thin green stalks and tiny white buds. ¡°This is valerian root. Before you go to bed tonight, I want you to steep this in your tea.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t drink tea.¡± ¡°Then start. And use this. It will help you sleep. Not too much, just a few grams will do. Don¡¯t throw the whole thing in.¡± Arche frowned down at the root. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­how much is a gram?¡± Odelia looked at him for a long moment, then let out a suppressed sigh, before indicating a section of the plant stalk that was the width of one of her tiny fingers. ¡°Use this much to start. If necessary, you can have a little more. If you decide to eat it directly, use a little less. Understand?¡± ¡°Thank you, Odelia. How much do I owe you?¡± The halfling cocked her head to one side. ¡°What do you mean?¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°For the examination. How much do you charge?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t charge for care, Arche. Lyssa has set aside a portion of the village funds for us.¡± ¡°Huh. That¡¯s¡­different from what I was expecting. So you¡¯re paid by the village itself?¡± ¡°In short, yes. Lyssa and Theodorous spoke with us weeks ago about the arrangement. They pay us salary to take care of the wounded or ill, as well as an additional fund to help us pay for materials that we require. Not all maladies have a magical fix and sometimes there is no beating a natural cure.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I was expecting to have to pay some kind of fee.¡± ¡°Even if we did charge, considering what you¡¯ve done for the village, Arche, I¡¯d give you care for free. I still remember what you did down in the Vivitorium. Even when Abraxios and I could go no further, you were ready to stand alone against the beastmar. For that, you will always have our friendship.¡± ¡°And you have mine, Odelia. It was good to see you. Tell Abraxios hello for me, would you?¡± ¡°Of course, Arche. Have a wonderful day and stay away from any more vampires.¡± Arche stepped out of the tent and scratched at his neck. The idea that Aima could track him down wherever he went was unsettling, to say the least. If their last fight had taught him anything, it was that he had a lot more to learn before they crossed paths again. He needed a way to counter her speed. Barring any magical artifacts that could help him, he was forced to trust in good, old-fashioned, hard training. It was time to do something he had put off for far too long. Arche jogged over to the recruits, where Gigator was drilling their footwork by having them line up in two rows, then having one side advance while the other retreated. The giant lizardman forced them to pick up the speed until they were tripping over themselves, then had them reset and start again, emphasizing the importance of forming and keeping a solid line. ¡°Hey, Giga!¡± ¡°Basil, continue this.¡± Gigator turned to face him, his reptilian features drawn down in disapproval. ¡°Arche, my people do not abbreviate names. Call me Gigator.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry, Gigator. I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± ¡°Training.¡± Arche grimaced. ¡°Specifically, spear training. I haven¡¯t actually had any.¡± Gigator scratched his scaly chin with one claw. ¡°You have jumped, often literally, into multiple battles using a spear that you don¡¯t actually know how to use?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Gigator threw his head back and let out a hissing laugh that set Arche¡¯s teeth on edge. ¡°Maybe the rumors are true and you can¡¯t be killed. All right, come. I will train you.¡± The sauros put one arm around Arche¡¯s shoulders and guided him toward a dirt-laden section designed for sparring. Once there, Gigator grabbed a wooden spear with a blunt tip off the weapon stand and tossed it to Arche, picking a second one for himself. Arche¡¯s new spear was shorter than him by about a hand¡¯s width, whereas Gigator¡¯s spear was a full head-and-shoulders taller than the massive lizardman, making it twice Arche¡¯s size. ¡°So, how does this work? Are you going to teach me some drills?¡± ¡°Later. First, I want to see you fight.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen me fight before.¡± ¡°In battle against the beastmar, I recall. That was a month ago. I want to see how you fight now.¡± Arche hefted the spear in both hands, his right gripping the middle of the haft, his left settled toward the end. This spear did not have a sauroter, so its weight was further forward than Arche was used to, settling around his right hand. He held it parallel to the ground, tip pointing toward Gigator at chest-height. ¡°This is a short spear.¡± Gigator indicated Arche¡¯s weapon. ¡°A simple weapon, good for control. It can be wielded in one hand or two, with a shield or without. Different environments require different weaponry, so it would be wise to take what you need in your inventory. This spear is good in tight confines, on stairways or in low caves.¡± Arche didn¡¯t respond. He felt a flutter in his chest, the thrill in the air before a fight. There was a distinct lack of fear that was exhilarating. Seeing no response, Gigator continued. ¡°Ready yourself and let¡¯s begin.¡± The sauros posted the tip of his spear at Arche¡¯s eyeline. As the shorter combatant with a shorter weapon, Arche was immediately at a disadvantage. He would have to get in close to score any hits, but it would be incredibly difficult to do so without first being stabbed. He circled the lizardman, looking for any openings in his guard. There were none. Arche tapped his spear against Gigator¡¯s, gauging the lizardman¡¯s reaction. Gigator shifted his feet but otherwise didn¡¯t move. Arche swung his shoulders to the side, trying to push Gigator¡¯s spear-tip off-center so he could run inside the lizardman¡¯s guard. The problem was that Gigator¡¯s spear never stayed where Arche wanted it to. As his spear swept sideways, Gigator¡¯s dipped beneath it, then extended upward and outward, tagging Arche on the chest just beneath his collarbone. ¡°Hrgh!¡± The blow drove the wind out of his chest. Arche stumbled back and recentered himself. Gigator went on the offensive, stepping forward with confidence as he thrust outward several times in rapid succession. Arche struggled to block the questing spearhead. Gigator could withdraw the tip of his spear and then send it hurtling in another direction, making it damned difficult for Arche to do anything offensively. He was forced to dodge as much as he blocked in order to avoid more painful blows. Arche tried to change the momentum by stepping into Gigator¡¯s strikes, trying to get inside his reach and to a point where he could return with some strikes of his own. Gigator reacted by backing away, keeping Arche past the tip of his spear. Arche growled with frustration. Nothing he did worked and he was tired of getting pushed around. As Gigator came in for another attack, Arche let go with one hand and grabbed Gigator¡¯s spear, trying to pull the sauros to him. Gigator was much larger than Arche, but despite that, he¡¯d still somehow underestimated the sauros¡¯s strength. As Arche pulled, Gigator took one step forward and twisted his hips. The spear slammed into the side of Arche¡¯s head and knocked him to the ground. Arche¡¯s face flushed with anger. He¡¯d fought bigger, faced down worse, so why was this so fucking hard? Gigator had already reset, his polearm leveled at Arche¡¯s face. Arche was reminded of the first time he¡¯d done sword practice with Lyssa. Similarly, he had suffered several humiliating defeats during that sparring session, but that was before he¡¯d learned how to fight. He¡¯d gone up against scores of enemies since then and he had always prevailed. Almost always, at least. He just needed to figure out how to defeat this enemy. He had to take out Gigator¡¯s reach, that was the deciding factor. As long as the sauros remained out of Arche¡¯s reach, there was nothing he could do. Arche could try throwing his spear but, in all likelihood, the sauros would dodge or deflect, quickly recover, and Arche would be without a weapon. Gigator¡¯s thrusts were too quick for Arche to trap the weapon. He had to find another way. He pushed himself up and recentered. Blood pounded in his ears and he struggled to not activate Divine Body. It had been his crutch to defeat enemies more powerful than himself since he¡¯d first used it, but he had to learn how to fight without relying on it. Aima had proven that Divine Body alone was not enough to protect him against dangerous opponents. There was no easy path to power; he would have to put in the work. Gigator shifted his weight, long spear rising toward Arche¡¯s face. Arche moved his own spear into the path, deflecting to one side. As Gigator pulled his spear back, Arche twisted his, catching the shoulder of Gigator¡¯s spear on his own. He pulled hard to the side and stepped forward, trapping Gigator¡¯s spear beneath his boot. Arche separated his spear and brought it up, ready to thrust it home and land a touch on Gigator, only to find the sauros had other plans. The lizardman turned and whipped his tail into Arche¡¯s face, sending him sprawling. Arche hit the ground, rolled, and came up with spear at the ready, a dribble of blood streaking from a split lip. He was about to jump back into action when the lizardman held up a fist, signaling the fight was over. Arche straightened and walked over to shake the sauros¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re an atypical fighter,¡± Gigator said. ¡°And you have interesting tactics.¡± ¡°Nothing I did worked.¡± Arche tried and failed to keep the frustration out of his voice. ¡°On the contrary, several things you did worked well. I simply put you at too severe of a disadvantage.¡± Arche ran a hand through his hair and blew his cheeks out, trying to let go of the irritation that had built throughout the fight. ¡°The difference in spears was especially annoying.¡± ¡°I wanted to see how you would respond and you did admirably. When it comes to spear-work, distance is king. Distance keeps you alive and your enemy dead. If you can master distance, you will be very dangerous indeed.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°Like how you kept me from getting close enough to strike at you.¡± ¡°Exactly. You had the shorter weapon, so all I needed to do was maintain distance and victory was mine. To that end, you did very well in trying to close the distance to the point that you would have had the advantage. On a different person, your last tactic would likely have worked, but I have special gifts when it comes to such.¡± Gigator¡¯s reptilian tail swayed back and forth before coming to rest against the ground once again. ¡°All right.¡± Arche swallowed; his pride didn¡¯t make the next part easy but it was the entire reason he¡¯d done this in the first place. ¡°How can I do better?¡± ¡°When you originally set yourself, you had your spear tip too low. You want it up here.¡± Gigator had Arche move into his fighting position, then raised the tip of Arche¡¯s spear until it was about level with Arche¡¯s eyes. ¡°From this point, you are protected both low and high. Next, when you block, do not worry about moving your opponent¡¯s weapon so far away from you. A miss is a miss, no matter how near. The effort you impart into blocking so far to one side is effort that must be countered before you can reset yourself, and it is especially devastating if you miss.¡± Arche winced, remembering how Gigator¡¯s spear had ducked beneath his own, only to shoot back up and catch him in the chest. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably one of the biggest things for me to work on.¡± ¡°Your movements are strong and sure, and, as I said before, you fight creatively, but you have no foundation. What rank is your spearmanship?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Novice Spearman.¡± ¡°Hmm, then you¡¯ll have gained some knowledge of the basics, but not enough to be comfortable. You¡¯ll need to practice some drills.¡± ¡°Wait, what do you mean ¡®gained some knowledge?¡¯ Are you telling me the skills give me information?¡± Gigator shifted his head side-to-side, as if considering how best to respond. ¡°Yes and no. I¡¯ve heard you were deficit in some common knowledge, so I will try to explain. Skills are more of an indication of knowledge and ability. Having a high level in a skill will mean that you have a certain level of knowledge and practical application. Learning theory, for example, can increase skill, just as practice can. Skill, and especially rank, increases also come with a degree of intrinsic understanding, however. You say you have not been properly trained in spearmanship and yet you still fell into a basic stance, still knew the mechanics of a simple thrust and recovery. These are not weapon maneuvers, but they are basics which every spear fighter knows and which every spear fighter learns at some point along their journey.¡± Arche squinted at the length of wood in his hands. ¡°So knowledge drives skills and skills give some knowledge?¡± ¡°To an extent, yes. Knowledge alone isn¡¯t enough to keep improving skills, you must also train. You must put knowledge into practice, apply it. Once you have proven your ability to do that, your skills will rise.¡± ¡°So if I think about the best way to do a particular activity, then try to implement that, I¡¯ll get more skill experience?¡± Gigator nodded. ¡°Yes, that is the current working theory, last I heard.¡± ¡°So, what about other techniques? Surely there are different methods of doing the basics.¡± ¡°Yes. Sometimes a particular style can become a subskill. If I were to work with you over time, for example, you may learn a subskill of spearmanship known as Saurian Polearms, which is the technique of how my people tend to use these weapons. Or, depending on certain requirements, some skills may be locked because you lack the physical characteristics to learn them. Your friend, Abraxios, for example. His ability to fly is a skill, but neither you nor I can learn it because we do not have wings.¡± ¡°I think I see. If we can¡¯t physically do something, we can¡¯t learn a skill that would let us.¡± ¡°Generally, yes, but there are legends of people who have learned how to do incredible, if not impossible, things through the acquisition or discovery of rare skills.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Like what?¡± ¡°Glow like a fireplace.¡± Gigator let out a loud, wet laugh and Arche felt sudden heat in his cheeks. ¡°All right, all right, I get it. How about we get back to the spear training, yeah?¡± For five hours, Gigator drilled him in footwork and hand positioning. It had started out with just the short spear but they quickly changed to a longer spear called a dory and, finally, an even longer spear called a xyston. Just when he thought he¡¯d reached the end of it, Gigator threw a shield at him and had him practice with both spear and shield. After another three hours, one for each type of spear, Gigator had him spar with some of the other guard recruits. By the time night fell, Arche was starving, aching, and thoroughly exhausted. Training had its benefits, however.
Spearmanship has increased to Level 19. +2% Damage with Spears (+38%)
Shields has increased to Level 11. +2% Defense with Shields (+22%) +1% Damage with Shields (+11%) You have reached the rank of Novice in Shields. You gain 100 experience.
You are Exhausted ¡ª Tier 3. -70% Vitals Regeneration +25% Chance to make mistakes +70% Stamina Drain of Physical Attacks -30% Agility -30% Perception
Back to tier three. Lyssa was going to kill him. Arche put a hand against his brow, feeling the salty grit of dried sweat beneath his fingertips. He needed sleep. Well, bath first, then sleep. His stomach gurgled, protesting his decision. Food, bath, then sleep. His training had started well before lunchtime and plowed straight through it. With the valerian root in his inventory promising some reprieve to his night terrors, Arche dragged his feet toward the dinner tables. With luck, he¡¯d have a relaxing evening. Book 2 | Chapter 10 Hermera The 17th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°Let¡¯s go through it one more time, if you please, Theodorous,¡± Lyssa said, rubbing her eyes. She and the steward sat in front of a roaring fireplace in the village hall, sipping tea. They had both found it to be a comfortable way to collaborate away from their workstations. Lyssa had grown to hate the sight of her desk, knowing it served mostly to trap her under a mountain of administrative duties. ¡°The scouts sent to Mount Hyperion reported there¡¯s good stone in enough quantity to create a mine or quarry. Such a venture is also likely to happen upon metal veins and perhaps even precious gems, but is not without its dangers. The miners would need armed protection, as the mountain is too far from the village itself to guarantee safety.¡± They¡¯d been through this conversation at least twice already, but had yet to come to a decision on how to proceed. Wood was in abundance, thanks to the bounty of the Sylv, but stone was a necessary construction material and only reliably sourced from the nearby mountain, which was over an hour¡¯s walk away. ¡°We can hardly guarantee safety for the village itself,¡± Lyssa said, unable to keep the bitterness from creeping into her voice. Theodorous let out a heavy breath and nodded. This, too, was on script. ¡°Indeed, however we don¡¯t have many guards to spare on protection details for miners. Most of our guards are still Novices in their respective fighting styles, averaging level fifteen, and not all of them have combat-oriented professions. Monsters sighted in the vicinity of Mount Hyperion were estimated to be in the high-teens to mid-twenties. Though, without engaging, it is difficult to tell.¡± ¡°We need that quarry. With it we could build reinforced housing, proper walls, and much more.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t disagree, Archousa, but we cannot guarantee the safety of our workers.¡± Lyssa pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°I will speak with the dwarves. Perhaps we can come to an arrangement.¡± Theodorous bowed his head. ¡°As you wish, Archousa.¡± ¡°Tell me again how many we number.¡± ¡°We have two-hundred-four villagers, Archousa. Of that number, thirty-three are guards, eighteen are crafters or traders, eleven are hunters, fifteen are farmers, twenty are children, and the remaining one-hundred-seven are of various different jobs too few to categorize by themselves. Healers, carpenters, cooks, ourselves, the rest of your council, and so on.¡± Lyssa sipped at a cup of pomegranate tea as Theodorous listed off the numbers. So many people, yet not nearly enough. ¡°Thirty-three guards is not enough to provide adequate protection to the village. Even if we include the hunters in that number, there is simply too much ground to cover and it would risk our food supply. Splitting our protection will be a risk. One that I don¡¯t know that I can abide, not without a better idea of what threats lie in our area. Have the scouts made any progress on mapping the territory?¡± ¡°Not much, I¡¯m afraid, Archousa. None of the hunters are cartographers and, though they seem to be confident in their surveys, they haven¡¯t been able to produce much by way of maps.¡± ¡°A pity. Do we have any cartographers in the village?¡± Theodorous produced a ledger from his inventory and consulted it, quickly scanning through page after page of details about each of the villagers. ¡°Aside from Arche, who I haven¡¯t interviewed yet, no. None have listed that among their skills.¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll need to remedy that, even if it involves people learning it on their own. We need to have accurate maps, not only of our own territories but of routes to neighboring areas. Dawnwood is to the west, we should be wary of straying into their lands unintentionally. What¡¯s more, I want to know what terrain lies between us and this city of Ship¡¯s Shape. I foresee the need for trade in our future and I do not want our merchant caravans waylaid by bandits, monsters, or perilous ground.¡± ¡°Yes, Archousa.¡± ¡°Those farmers, have them take the land upstream near the river to plant their crops. We can divert water as necessary to water their fields, but we¡¯ll need to rely on steady food before long. We have a couple gaiamancers who should be able to speed along that process. Any adult who does not have a job should be at the guards training area. This is a frontier village and I need every able-bodied adult to be capable of fighting.¡± ¡°Yes, Archousa. I anticipate there will be resistance from those who have other duties that are not quite a job.¡± ¡°Any person with complaints can submit them. Parents rearing or bearing children will be exempt, naturally. Other concerns, we will manage as they come. Once more of our people are capable of protecting themselves, we can extend our focus outward.¡± ¡°It will be done, Archousa. Now, if we might move on to the matter of funding.¡± Lyssa sighed, standing from her seat to stretch. They had been at it for hours. Despite covering a plethora of logistical issues, they still faced an endless supply. Theodorous was steadfast and quickly proved his ability by dealing with any issues that did not require Lyssa¡¯s direct attention, freeing her to contemplate the future of their development. ¡°Might we move on to dinner, instead? I can hear instruments playing.¡± ¡°Of course, Archousa, I must admit I am a bit peckish myself, but I finally have some good news on the terms of our finances.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°The catalogue of dwarven relics recovered has been completed well ahead of schedule. By average price estimates, we should have enough to cover our current operating costs for Myriatos for three years. What¡¯s more, the estimate is entirely based on mundane artifacts. There were a small number of magical items acquired as well.¡± ¡°Those are not for sale. Have a list of those items and their effects drafted for me,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°That dungeon was home to powerful creatures and at least one powerful artifact. The last thing we need right now is a magical disaster.¡± ¡°I will have it ready for you by tomorrow morning, Archousa.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself, Theo.¡± ¡°Your concern is appreciated, but be assured I am quite well. There are still a few documents to finish up, but nothing I can¡¯t handle. Good evening.¡± Theodorous stood from his chair and made his way back to his desk, settling in behind stacks of parchment. Lyssa finished the rest of her tea and left, craving the fresh air. She¡¯d been cooped up indoors for far too long. She was a Huntress, she needed nature and the outdoors like she needed breathing. Night was upon them, and the light of Tartarus¡¯s two moons, Selene and Agrotera, washed the world in cyan. The scent of grilled venison made Lyssa¡¯s mouth water. It had been weeks since she last hunted. The simplicity of that lifestyle seemed ephemeral when compared to the endless administrative decisions she was now forced to make. With no infrastructure to build from and no standing systems to make the village sustainable, she and Theodorous worked tirelessly to keep the village going. They¡¯d quickly faced pushback on a few of her edicts. She had quickly learned that not all individuals were accepting of the communal way in which Dawnwood had operated. A mixed settlement meant mixed rules. Each person brought a different viewpoint and a different culture that had to be considered. It had been a steep learning curve and she wasn¡¯t done yet. Her initial idea of doing away with paying villagers altogether had met an unyielding barrier in the form of Tess, who told her the village would kill her for trying. Money was such a short-sighted, human concept. If something was for the good of all, then it should be done for the good of all. Why couldn¡¯t they see that? A figure stepped out of the shadows of a nearby tent, falling into lockstep with her. Lyssa unfurled her hand from the handle of a hidden dagger. ¡°You must have had a long day, indeed,¡± Elpida said quietly, ¡°if you didn¡¯t see me approach.¡± Lyssa allowed herself a smile, feeling some of the tension in her back dissipate. ¡°I was wondering if you were going to skulk in the shadows all night or if you were going to join me for the evening meal.¡± ¡°A meal, eh? I can manage that.¡± Long tables and benches were arranged outside the nearly constructed insula. Cooking fires cast a rich glow over the entire area and the smell of venison and soup wafted through the air. Many of the villagers were already seated, chatting amongst themselves and waiting for the cooks to start serving. The first round of dinner had been called an hour before and the second was nearly ready. Lyssa closed her eyes and took a deep breath, focusing on the soup. Carrots, marrow, cardoons, celery, and leeks, all added to boiling broth, seasoned with coriander, mint, and thyme. Lyssa could practically taste it. One of the cooks picked up a small bell and gave it a ring. As one, villagers lined up with bowls in hand before making their way back to their tables in high spirits.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°How much longer do you think it¡¯ll be like this?¡± Elpida asked. ¡°Such simple pleasures don¡¯t last forever,¡± Lyssa sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sure as soon as the village is strong enough to stand on its own two feet, the communal meals will be over and people will start to procure their own food, whether by sale or capture.¡± ¡°More likely sale than capture,¡± Elpida replied, eyeing the others. ¡°Most of them are unaccustomed to providing for themselves. In the city, food is available at stores and prepared at home. They import it from places like this one. No one hunts their own meat or harvests their own vegetables.¡± ¡°And that¡¯s preferable to them?¡± Lyssa frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s preferable, but it¡¯s what they¡¯re used to. I don¡¯t know what system works better in the long run. As it is, enough food to feed over a hundred people three meals a day? That¡¯s a lot of food. The hunters are doing what they can, but it won¡¯t be long before they have to stray further into the Sylv.¡± Lyssa nodded. It seemed not even an evening meal was an escape from the constant weight of village administration. ¡°We need sustainable food sources. I¡¯ve already asked Theodorous to assign farmers to that task, but crops take time to grow. The hunters will have to continue gathering what food they can and store it for future use. I¡¯ll ask them to start snaring creatures, if possible. If we can take some alive, we may be able to breed our own food stores.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Elpida winced. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to get you focused back on work. Come on, let¡¯s let it go for one night.¡± Lyssa shook her head, as if that would clear her thoughts, and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll grab the table if you grab the food.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not quite how ¡®bodyguarding¡¯ works,¡± Elpida said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I thought you said we¡¯d let it go. I doubt anything I¡¯ve done so far has been serious enough to warrant assassination. In any case, I¡¯m armed and in public. By the time we get through this line, all the tables will be taken.¡± ¡°Then you should be impressed by my foresight.¡± A smug expression slid across Elpida¡¯s face as she held out her hands, producing two bowls of stew from her inventory. Lyssa¡¯s eyes bounced between the bowls and Elpida. ¡°When did you have the time?¡± She took a bowl and nearly melted at the smell of it, stomach gurgling with desire. ¡°I didn¡¯t. I had one of my prospects grab food for us because I knew you¡¯d be working late again. I¡¯ve taste-tested it already. It¡¯s not poisoned.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯d rather not have to find a replacement for you just yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered.¡± Elpida placed one hand gently on her collar and gave a slight bow. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Lyssa muttered. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Nothing!¡± A green flush spread across Lyssa¡¯s cheeks, one she sincerely hoped would go unnoticed in the shadows of the night. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Lyssa walked toward a vacant table, setting off so abruptly that Elpida had to jog a few steps to catch up. ¡°Are we expecting any company tonight?¡± Lyssa asked, eager to change the subject. ¡°No plans, if that¡¯s what you mean. Gigator¡¯s had his hands full with training the guards and he¡¯ll probably roll around to finish off whatever¡¯s left in the pots. Vik has been training his recruits in secret somewhere out in the Sylv. He won¡¯t share with anybody who he¡¯s picked for the role. I guess he wants them to be secret even from the rest of us. Arche was training with the guards, last I saw. Tessalyn was talking with some of the merchants and traders as of an hour ago. Not sure what Helwan is up to, I believe he was in his room. Probably taking it easy after their trek.¡± ¡°If anyone ever gives you the opportunity to run a community, don¡¯t do it,¡± Lyssa said between bites of stew. ¡°You¡¯ll never get a moment¡¯s peace again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pretty peaceful right now.¡± ¡°Is it? I can hear two dozen conversations, ranging from complaints about the living situation all the way down to arguments over whether or not Agrotera is brighter than Selene. It isn¡¯t. This village is nothing but noise.¡± Elpida¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You really hear all of that?¡± Lyssa ran a finger along one of her ears, feeling the scarred mass of flesh from where it had been sheared. It had healed, but it wasn¡¯t whole. A reminder of what it meant to be exiled. A reminder of what she¡¯d done to her brother. ¡°I know they don¡¯t mean to be loud, but I hear all of it. I don¡¯t know how Vik stands it.¡± ¡°I would say he tunes it out but, knowing Vik, that¡¯s not likely.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to know more about you three if I can. I know a little of your previous employment, but almost no details.¡± Elpida shifted in her seat, considering as she chewed through a bite of venison. ¡°Very well, I suppose you¡¯ve earned as much. You have to know someone to trust them, after all.¡± Lyssa waited patiently as Elpida gathered her thoughts. ¡°I started off in the military. Nothing special, just a footsoldier in King Tantalus¡¯s service, way out east. I left after a few years; wasn¡¯t a good fit. That¡¯s when I fell in with the Blackdog Pirates.¡± ¡°I would not have taken you for a pirate.¡± ¡°Few would take any of that crew to be pirates. Learned folk from all walks of life, mages and scholars, thieves and renounced lords alike worked the decks under Captain Ryan Blackdog.¡± ¡°Ryan? What a strange name.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a strange elf. Too observant, too other. Never seen his like. Arche reminds me of him, sometimes. Similar mannerisms. But where Arche¡¯s na?ve, Ryan is almost too worldly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to make of that.¡± ¡°Not many are, honestly. Anyway, I worked with him and his for a while. It was pretty steady, honestly. We weren¡¯t typical pirates in that we didn¡¯t go around marauding and pillaging. In actuality, we were a shipping company with strange branding. Merchants used us to deliver wares across the Sea of Storms. Ryan is the only captain I know of, pirate or otherwise, who could navigate through it without fail every time.¡± ¡°So you were a soldier, then a pirate who wasn¡¯t actually a pirate?¡± ¡°For a few years, yes. That¡¯s where I met Vik and Gigator. We grew tired of sailing and looked for other work. Vik got it into our heads to become mercenaries, so we did. That went pretty smoothly, actually, until we got hired by Buteo for additional security for his village. The pay wasn¡¯t bad and Vik said he had a feeling it would be interesting, so here we are. Granted, of course, we¡¯re a bit more involved than a simple job, now.¡± ¡°You must have seen much of the world,¡± Lyssa said quietly. ¡°More than my fair share, no doubt. Cities and townships I can no longer put names to. Monsters that lurk deep out in the ocean that look as though they could swallow the sun. More people of different types than I could imagine on my own. What about you? Surely you¡¯ve had your own sights.¡± ¡°Not really. I grew up in Dawnwood. Elven children are rare. Our primary concern is the survivability of our species, so we take great care in raising our young. I was much the same way. I was fed on stories of the danger of the outside world. The farthest I¡¯ve been from home is the ground on which I stand.¡± Elpida¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°So the first time you really saw non-elves was when you came here?¡± A darkness crossed Lyssa¡¯s eyes. The wood of the table creaked as her hand clenched around its edge. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that. Dawnwood was attacked in the past, back when we still had dealings with the outside world. A human settlement betrayed our trust and sent their forces to invade us. Many elven lives were lost that day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡± ¡°My father, Lord Cypress, rallied us and we retaliated. We killed many humans. Destroyed their entire settlement. From that day on, Dawnwood kept to itself, as did all its denizens.¡± ¡°Until you.¡± ¡°Until me.¡± ¡°How long ago was that?¡± Lyssa shifted her head to one side, thinking. ¡°That was in the month of Boedromion, in the year forty-four thirty-seven.¡± Elpida blinked a few times, pausing to count. ¡°A hundred and ninety-four years ago?¡± ¡°Indeed. I was still a child, barely in my twenties. It was a dark time in our history, and still fresh for many of my kin.¡± ¡°That makes you over two-hundred years old.¡± ¡°Is that surprising to you?¡± Elpida shrugged. ¡°In some ways, yes. That¡¯s still young for an elf, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s unthinkable for a human.¡± ¡°Age among my kind is more arbitrary. The older we get, the less we keep track of such unimportant measures. An adult is typically considered and treated like an adult, regardless of age. The difference being the Council, which is composed of elves who have seen the entirety of a millennium.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t fathom that much time,¡± Elpida said. ¡°Honestly, when I heard how long elves could live, I thought it was just a rumor. Myths and legends. It wasn¡¯t until I met elves personally that I learned it was true. A thousand years. Incredible.¡± ¡°It is our nature.¡± ¡°Tell me this, then.¡± Elpida straightened up. ¡°When you said that you intend to create a foundation for this village that will last ten thousand years, did you intend to see that through?¡± ¡°Are you asking me if I intend to be alive in ten thousand years?¡± ¡°I suppose I am.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if my intentions will have any effect on the reality of the situation but, for the time being, I have no plans to die.¡± Elpida smiled. ¡°Good. I¡¯d be out of a job.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t have that, can we?¡± ¡°Certainly not.¡± Lyssa scraped up the last portion from the bottom of her bowl. Conversations faded in and out around them. She found her gaze drifting to the children playing around the cooking fires. There were more children in Myriatos than she¡¯d ever seen. They were so tiny and defenseless, she wondered how they could ever be allowed to roam around like that by their parents. What if they burned themselves? A small noise, almost a sigh, brought Lyssa¡¯s attention back to her dining partner. Elpida¡¯s eyes were also on the children but there was a sad look in her expression. She noticed Lyssa watching and cleared her throat, nodding toward the children. ¡°I hope we succeed here. Not for our sake, but for theirs.¡± ¡°I hope we succeed for all of our sakes. I can¡¯t help but feel a storm is on the way. That is the nature of Tartarus.¡± ¡°Life is conflict.¡± Elpida agreed. ¡°But we must learn to find peace between the battles.¡± Lyssa smiled, producing two cups and a wineskin from her inventory. She filled the cups and passed one over before raising hers high. ¡°To peace.¡± As she drank, Lyssa wondered whether they would ever really have peace. She¡¯d been driven from her home for killing her brother. How long would it take for her to make another fatal mistake? How long would it take these villagers to turn against her? To cast her down like they had cast down Callias Buteo? His words had burned themselves into her mind. You think we¡¯re here to start a new life? You think this venture was a settling colony? We¡¯re sacrifices. All of us. ¡°To peace,¡± she echoed quietly. Book 2 | Chapter 11 Nyxpera The 18th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche woke up feeling better than he had in weeks. Between the valerian root and the training, he¡¯d passed out cold as soon as he hit the bed, not even having time to get beneath the blankets. To make it better, no dreams had visited him. That had been a relief nearly powerful enough to bring him to tears. What was more, his Exhaustion debuff had gone from tier three to tier one, which meant he was almost back to normal, so long as he didn¡¯t overwork himself in the meantime. A day off might rid himself of the debuff entirely, but a day without training was a day wasted. Tartarus wouldn¡¯t wait for him to be ready or to take time for himself. He had to be stronger, his friends¡¯ lives depended on it. The sun had already crossed the eastern horizon, shooting soft light over the village. Arche hefted the Tridory and walked out his door. The day before was good spear training, but he needed practice with the Tridory itself. Its weight and special properties were things that couldn¡¯t be replicated by simple wood. Lyssa stood near a window, catching the morning light as Arche made his way down the stairs. ¡°Good morning,¡± he called out, walking over to share her view. ¡°Good morning, Arche,¡± she replied. ¡°Sleep well?¡± ¡°Yeah. Odelia gave me a plant, valerie or something. Does wonders. Put it in my tea during a bath and it was lights out.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Lyssa glanced sideways at him. ¡°And did Tess join you this time?¡± Arche froze. Heat flooded his cheeks. ¡°Erm¡­what?¡± The corners of Lyssa¡¯s lips twisted up as she arched a single eyebrow. Arche wondered if it was too late to melt into a puddle of ooze and retreat deep into the ground. ¡°Relax, you look like you¡¯re about to burst into flames.¡± ¡°I wish, it¡¯d save me the embarrassment. How did you find out?¡± ¡°I had a very pleasant conversation with Tess last night after dinner. She wanted to know what I thought of you and I told her. What I don¡¯t understand is why your face is trying to become a tomato.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± He nearly shouted it, then winced and continued on in a quieter voice. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because this is all brand new to me and I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing, and it doesn¡¯t help that you¡¯re laughing at me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not laughing at you,¡± Lyssa clarified, the message undercut somewhat by her chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m laughing at how nervous you are. She¡¯s very pretty, you¡¯re quite lucky.¡± ¡°Can we please not talk about this right now? Or ever?¡± Lyssa turned back to the window, still chuckling. ¡°Have it your way. Preparations are nearly ready for the venture to Ship¡¯s Shape. Another three days¡¯ time should do the trick, but I have a request.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Arche said, trying to reorient his thoughts. ¡°Leaving at the end of the week and a request. What do you need?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been brought to my attention that no one in Myriatos has cartography experience. No one except you and I, it seems. Maps will be vital to any trade ventures we hope to eventually establish. While you are traveling to and from Ship¡¯s Shape, I would like you to start mapping the route you take. When things get a little more established here, I hope to start mapping the Sylv around us.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad. I can do that.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Lyssa breathed a heavy sigh and turned back to the window. ¡°I wish I could go with you, but I am needed here. See to it that you watch yourselves out there. Just because there are more people in the city doesn¡¯t mean that it is any less dangerous than life in the Sylv. The monsters there are not so easily recognizable.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± Arche paused. ¡°How long are you expecting we¡¯ll be gone? I don¡¯t actually know how far away the city is.¡± ¡°According to Theodorous, the city is a month away on foot, though their travel may have been slowed by their numbers. I¡¯ll expect you back in three months¡¯ time. If you aren¡¯t, I¡¯ll send Vikterandor to determine what¡¯s become of you.¡± ¡°Three months.¡± That staggered him. Three months was twice as long as he¡¯d been alive. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the trip to take so long.¡± Lyssa cocked her head, eyeing him like she could read his mind, then nodded. ¡°Will that be an issue?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so. I just hope I can find some answers in the city.¡± ¡°As do I. Keep an eye out for any promising prospects to recruit to the village. We can always use more hands.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do that. Anything else?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ruin things with Tess.¡± ¡°Great. Awesome. Catch up with you later!¡± Arche ran for the door, his ears burning, before Lyssa could make any further comments. He pushed his way out into the crisp morning air. The light was startling and the breeze was cold, but anything was preferable to talking about his relationship. Setting off at a fast stride, a few familiar faces popped up in the burgeoning crowd. Helwan wandered the traders, looking at the different items for sale. Abraxios helped the construction of the insula. Vikterandor conversed with several people Arche didn¡¯t recognize. Everyone was busy with their own lives and business. What Arche most wanted at that moment, however, was a bit of privacy. He spied a tree a few hundred paces away from the village, put up the hood of his cloak, and set off for it. Thanks to the Stealth-boosting power the Emerald Ghost, he was barely noticed as he made his way out of the village. The tree was large and knotted, with several high-reaching boughs. The bark was mostly white and smooth, which made handholds treacherous, but Arche was up to the challenge. He plunged the sauroter of the Tridory into the ground, then rubbed his hands and jumped for one of the lower boughs. Arche caught it on his second attempt, his hands having slipped the first time. Pulling himself up, he continued his climb until he was high enough to see across the entire valley. Mount Hyperion stood to the north, ominous and imposing, with its peak obscured by clouds. Arche shivered at the sight of it. It practically screamed a challenge at the world around it and he had no doubt that he would one day answer that call, but in the meantime, there were other responsibilities. He held his hand out to the side, carefully measuring the trajectory, and summoned the Tridory. The spear flew toward him, shooting between the tree limbs. It landed in his hand a moment later and he held it across his lap as he leaned back against the trunk. A small gust of wind tickled his skin, raising gooseflesh. Arche focused his eyes onto a point far in the distance and turned his awareness inward, entering his mindscape. His consciousness condensed into an avatar, landing upon a field. It was a simple place: green grass, blue sky, crude walls. His protective barriers were still mostly mud and, though hardened stone did reinforce some portions, it was few and far between. The wall approached as his avatar flew over the grass toward it. Inside his mindscape, he held a considerable amount of power. The avatar was a simple silhouette of orange energy with very few actual details to it. He could shape it if he concentrated, change into a multitude of different things in varying levels of detail, but the silhouette was the easiest form to use. He didn¡¯t need an avatar, per se, but without one his concentration slipped in every direction, like water trying to fill a bowl. The avatar kept him grounded and focused. Arche extended one spectral hand toward the wall and felt its progress. The information was brought to the forefront of his mind. Unlike the typical notifications he received, it was more instinctual, like the knowledge belonged to him. His mental defenses were currently at the lowest tier and a third of the way toward the next tier. This was visually represented by the materials, with most of the walls being made from mud and sticks and some portions from stone. The materials weren¡¯t real, but a construct of his own consciousness rationalizing the reality of the matter in a way he could better understand. To turn the wall from mud to stone, Arche had to funnel Mana into it. Here in his mindscape, the Mana flooded through the grass and sky, making both flash orange as the energy melded. This was only the beginning of the fortifications but it was certainly the most pressing. His encounter with Aima had reinforced the idea that he was not the only one with mind magic, and the ease at which she had rebuffed and trapped him was terrifying on a fundamental level. She wasn¡¯t psychic, he knew that intrinsically, but she had clearly received suitable training to strengthen her own mindscape. Training that he would eventually have to emulate with his allies. He wasn¡¯t particularly looking forward to that training and the awkward questions that would arise from it. Only Lyssa, Tess, Abraxios, and Odelia knew about his Trait, and considering the repulsed reactions of Abraxios and Odelia in the Vivitorium of Hek¨¢te, the fewer people that knew of his Psychic abilities, the better. When his Mana dwindled to twenty percent, Arche slowed the flow down to the barest trickle, less than his natural regeneration. The act required some concentration, but not all of it, so Arche opened his eyes and took in the world. The view from the tree was picturesque. He was beginning to see why wood elves built their cities among the boughs, though he imagined the view was less impressive when all that could be seen was more forest. From his vantage, he could see the entirety of the village, the tents splayed out in a neat, grid-like fashion. On the far side was the insula, only a few days away from completion. Most of the villagers assisted with its construction. Alone, the insula could house half the village. It had taken nearly three weeks but had paid dividends to all who worked on the project. Another insula would be necessary to get everyone out of tents, but it would probably only take half the time. More living space was a wise plan in the long term, too. Myriatos had some two-hundred odd citizens, but it would grow. Individual housing might be far off, but it was still on the horizon. The idea of what Myriatos could someday be brought Ship¡¯s Shape to mind. The idea of going to the city was exciting, if a bit nerve-wracking. There was the promise of so much information and so many more people than he¡¯d ever seen before, but Lyssa wouldn¡¯t be going with him. He¡¯d grown to rely on her skill and insight. Her absence had been brutally apparent in the delve into the dwarven ruins and would be exacerbated even more by three months away from home. She was easily the most competent fighter Arche had ever met, but he couldn¡¯t deny that she faced the more difficult battle. She had an entire village to build from the ground up. Arche could barely fathom the daily tasks she had to deal with. He was more than happy with his position, but it didn¡¯t feel fair to saddle her with all the administration of the village. At least Theodorous was around to help out. The steward had been a stroke of dumb luck, there was no getting around it. Arche didn¡¯t know the first thing about leading a community and would have been less than helpful. Still, when he got back from Ship¡¯s Shape, he would do his part. It was only fair, after all, as he was the one who had talked Lyssa into becoming the archousa in the first place. His Mana was nearly full again, despite the constant drain, so he reentered his mindscape. The flow opened again, pouring forth through the channels of his mind. It was a strange feeling, expending Mana without it actually leaving his body, but the nature of his ability gave him some intrinsic understanding of the process that went behind it. His Mana was layered and hardened into a protective barrier around his mind; this prolonged its existence but removed it from the supply he was capable of using, which meant his Mana was expended. It would take several days to finish upgrading his defenses as even with his decent Mana pool and regeneration, he was only capable of converting a little bit at a time with each full expenditure of his Mana, and the walls were extensive.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Every three-hundred points of Mana he spent upgraded about a tenth of a percentage point of the entire barrier. To completely upgrade his mental defenses, he needed to dedicate nearly three hundred thousand Mana. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have to do it all at once, or he¡¯d be stuck flooding his Mana into the barrier for over a week without sleeping. When he¡¯d first started upgrading it, he¡¯d made the mistake of going below ten percent of his maximum Mana, which had given him a migraine that lasted an entire day. Since then, he¡¯d set a hard cap for himself at twenty percent, which was still uncomfortable, making him feel hazy and stupid, but far more manageable. The sun crawled through the sky and Arche¡¯s stomach gurgled, twisting around itself in hunger. Mid-morning had crept up on him while he had been distracted with his mindscape. Dropping the Tridory to the ground, he clambered down the tree. The going was treacherous and slow, as the easy handles he¡¯d found on the way up were slick against his boots. About halfway down, he grew annoyed with the pace and jumped. His body shifted, knowing instinctually what to do to lessen his impact. His right foot hit the ground first and he folded over it, rolling forward across his shoulder. The momentum brought him back to his feet, completely uninjured despite dropping more than four times his own height. With a flick of his wrist, Arche summoned the Tridory to his hand, trying to think of ways he could fasten it so he wouldn¡¯t have to carry it all the time.
Mana Manipulation has reached Level 14. +2% Control of Mana Flow (+28%) +2% Speed of Mana Flow (+28%)
Climbing has reached Level 2. +1% Speed of Climbing (+2%) -1% Stamina Drain while Climbing (-2%)
There were, of course, no notifications about the progress on his mindscape. With some mental math based on how much Mana he needed to dedicate and his rate of Mana regeneration, he reckoned that the two hours of constant Mana drain had brought him one percentage point closer to the next tier. It was a disheartening level of progress for a morning spent doing nothing else, but Aima had demonstrated how dangerous a strong mind could be. He needed to be ready to use every weapon he had against her when they next met. The thought of the vampire made Arche¡¯s pulse quicken. The striations of the Tridory¡¯s haft bit into his hand as he lengthened his stride toward the village. The last wall of the insula was set to rise that day. After lunch, which the village cooks graciously brought to the laborers, they would attach ropes to their strongest builders and have them stand on the roof supports, pulling the wall up as other villagers pushed from below. It was grueling work, with a high risk of injury, but it was necessary for the people of Myriatos to have a safe place to lay their heads. They¡¯d been lucky with the weather so far, only suffering the occasional storm, but some of the farmers had raised concerns over the coming weeks. The camping tents could only offer so much protection from the elements and it wasn¡¯t feasible to have everyone in the village stay in the hall. The insula was a first step toward permanency and Arche could see the effect it was having on morale. People were excited about having a place to stay and, though it was a far cry from being a permanent solution, it was undeniably a move in the right direction. Personal housing would come later, once they had built up enough infrastructure to support the needs of the village. Not the least of which, in Arche¡¯s opinion, was a wall. So far, the most dangerous creature he¡¯d encountered near the village, not counting the dungeon of beastmar he¡¯d cleared, was a mantikhoras. The creature had been high leveled, in its thirties, and possessed a deadly venom that promised death to all unfortunate enough to feel its sting. It would have killed Arche, had Divine Body not served to counter the degenerative effects. If the mantikhoras had stumbled into Myriatos, Arche could not confidently say that the village guard could have repelled it. Certainly there would be heavy casualties. Proof and memory of his encounter lived in his armor, fashioned from the creature¡¯s hide. The shiny red was not very helpful for stealth but it was made up for by the magical effects of the green cloak he wore, the Emerald Ghost. The two extremes together, red and green, reminded him of something, a name on the tip of his tongue that he couldn¡¯t quite push past his lips. Something to do with presents and snow. The feeling dissipated before he could give voice to it. Arche shook his head, reordering his thoughts. His stomach gurgled, reminding him that he had skipped the morning meal. He headed toward the insula, where the cooks doled out bowls of stew and chunks of bread. As he approached, he was recognized on sight by several villagers, who smiled at him and called out greetings. The attention made his insides burn, but he did his best to quell his discomfort and responded with smiles and hellos. Part of him considered activating his Stealth skill or drawing up the hood of his cloak, which would likely have allowed him to slip past without notice, but it was a crutch. He was one of these people now, a citizen of Myriatos. Furthermore, he was on the council as one of Lyssa¡¯s administrators. It was important for people to see their leaders amongst them, to get to know them. At least, that was what Tess had told him. The thought of the Rogue¡ªwith her flaxen hair and deep, brown eyes¡ªnearly tripped him. He caught himself quickly, offering a sheepish grin to the couple passersby who turned toward him, honest concern showing on their faces. Tess invaded his mind as easily and thoroughly as if she were Psychic herself. He could still feel her lips pressed up against his; the subtle taste of her, strawberries and mint, was infinitely more tantalizing than whatever passed for lunch. The memory of their embrace was so present, so intoxicating, that he didn¡¯t notice he was being addressed. ¡°I said it smells good today, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Arche turned to see Basil standing in the stew line next to him. ¡°Oh. Hey, Basil. When did you get here?¡± The guardsman gave Arche a curious smile. ¡°Wow, you must have been really out of it. I got here the same time you did. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°No one.¡± Arche coughed. ¡°Nothing, I mean.¡± ¡°Right.¡± The Warrior grinned at him. ¡°Shut up.¡± Arche glanced around. ¡°Where¡¯s Cora? Is she not with you?¡± ¡°Nah, she skipped off back to the hunters as soon as we made it to town. I haven¡¯t seen her since. I reckon she¡¯s trying to hone her profession more.¡± ¡°Ah, strange. Well, not my business. What have you been up to since we got back?¡± ¡°I drill with the Captain in the mornings, then help with construction until suppertime.¡± ¡°Captain?¡± ¡°Captain Gigator.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I forget he has a rank.¡± ¡°I think you technically have one, too.¡± ¡°What, Captain Arche? No thanks, sounds like a comic book hero.¡± ¡°A what?¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± Arche turned away from the conversation to produce a bowl from his inventory, holding it out for a cook to ladle in deer stew. Basil went next. The young warrior sniffed it, stuck a finger in to taste it, then produced a small pouch from his inventory and sprinkled something into the broth. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Want some?¡± Arche shrugged and held out his bowl. Basil sprinkled colorful dust into it. ¡°Black pepper, coriander leaf, and some specially imported cayenne I¡¯ve been saving. Gives it a little something extra.¡± Arche took a spoonful, swishing it about his mouth, then grimaced. ¡°Taste¡¯s a bit like spicy soap, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What? No it doesn¡¯t!¡± Basil held the bag of spices against his chest like Arche had threatened to dash it against the ground. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean to hit a nerve. I just don¡¯t think that particular blend goes well with me. You want it?¡± Arche offered the bowl. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to ruin your lunch.¡± Basil looked down, his face a portrait of regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You want it or not?¡± Basil hesitated. ¡°What will you eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got some rations left over. I was going to have the stew because it¡¯s available, but I¡¯m not about to stand in line again. Here, take it.¡± Arche pressed the bowl into the Warrior¡¯s hands and pulled a seared wolf-steak from his inventory. Foregoing utensils, Arche held it in both hands as he tore into it. They watched the construction play out ahead of them. Most of the workers had stopped for food but a few hammered away at various projects. ¡°Are you going to ask your question or are you waiting for me to bring it up?¡± Basil had the grace to blush. ¡°I heard you¡¯re putting together a group of dungeoneers under the archousa¡¯s orders. I wanted to know if you¡¯d consider me on that team.¡± Arche took another bite of steak, thinking about how he was going to respond. ¡°Dungeoneering is only half of it. What I¡¯m putting together is going to be an elite unit. Our objective is to eliminate threats to the village before they become threats. Part of that will include dungeoneering, but there will also be scouting, diplomacy, and likely the eventual killing of other sapient beings. Is that something you can handle?" The last item made Basil hesitate. His excited look of wonder gave way to uncertainty. ¡°I¡¯ve never killed anybody before, but I want to be useful to the village.¡± ¡°There are many ways to be useful. Not a lot include killing, but you are a Warrior. If you really want to join, you can apply for the position.¡± ¡°Apply?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m opening positions to the guard corps, the hunters, and any mages that wish to join. Applicants will have to display their abilities. Upon passing, they¡¯ll be put on probation to determine if they have what it takes and if I can work with them.¡± ¡°Oh. I would have thought the mission we did together was my application.¡± ¡°No, that was the probationary period. What you did proved we can work together. What I want you to do now is think about what I said very carefully. I need people who can do whatever it takes to protect this village. Let me ask you, are you willing to die for Myriatos?¡± ¡°Of course I am,¡± Basil said defensively. ¡°And Cora? Are you willing to hold her while she dies for it? Or me? Are you ready to watch the people you care about die in front of you? For the people you trust with your life to no longer have one of their own?¡± Basil opened his mouth but no sound came out. There was pain and uncertainty in his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said at last. ¡°Then you¡¯re honest. My group is going to be the tip of the spear that slams into our enemies. Myriatos may be at peace, but we will be at war with every threat. Safety is not guaranteed. Survival is not assured. I need every person under my command to be brutally and painfully aware of those facts. If you can¡¯t handle that, then you¡¯re better off for it. You can be a guard under Gigator¡¯s command. There is no shame in that. You will still be useful; you will still have purpose. You just won¡¯t serve my needs.¡± ¡°I need to think more about this.¡± Basil¡¯s voice was quiet, as though he was talking to himself. ¡°Honest and wise? You must be a hit with the ladies.¡± Arche smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t agree right away. I wouldn¡¯t have believed you if you did. You have time to make your decision. I won¡¯t hold try outs until I¡¯ve returned from Ship¡¯s Shape.¡± ¡°Thank you for speaking with me. I need to process this.¡± Basil poured the stew from Arche¡¯s bowl into his own, then made the whole thing disappear into his inventory. Arche accepted his bowl back and watched the Warrior leave. Part of him wondered if he had gone too far with his rhetoric, but it was better that Basil learned now before the fantasy of adventure and glory took too firm a hold in his head. ¡°With a sales pitch like that, who wouldn¡¯t want to join?¡± Arche muttered bitterly. The laborers finished their meals and returned to the insula. Arche watched them toil away, attaching ropes to the final wall, ready to haul it into place. On a whim, he decided to help. Other than his training, he didn¡¯t have much to do before his trip. At least this way he¡¯d be useful. Before he¡¯d even reached them, they started lifting the wall into place. Several villagers pushed from the ground while large men standing on the roof beams pulled on heavy ropes, all trying to lift the wall into place. It was an impressive demonstration of collaboration. Arche admired the cumulative effort of the laborers, both the skilled craftsman who had made the wall as well as those who had the strength to lift it into place. When the wall reached a forty-five-degree angle, the men on the roof strained as hard as they could. The wall was too high for the men on the ground to push or help anymore, so the entirety of the weight now rested on the people in the most precarious position. Arche felt anticipation rise in his chest. A single badly placed foothold could send one of the men tumbling to his death. It seemed impossible that the men would be able to bring it up the rest of the way, but still the wall rose. Then a rope snapped. Book 2 | Chapter 12 Nyxpera The 18th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The wall of the insula shuddered. Ropes ripped free from the hands holding them. The great weight swayed, then began to fall. Someone screamed and the laborers turned to run, but too slowly. The wall was going to crush them. All of them. Arche was in motion. The ground blurred below and all he could see was the great face of the wall growing steadily larger. Orange light flared in his peripherals and he flew over the ground, each step covering a dozen strides. The Mana rushed through his body with greater clarity than ever before. He channeled all of it into his legs to let him reach the workers before the wall crashed down; no idea what he was going to do when he got there. One of the men tripped, sprawling into the grass in his desperation to get away. The man twisted onto his back, hands covering his face as he screamed. It was a desperate, blood-chilling sound. More people stumbled in their mad scramble to get away. They fell, arms outstretched as though they would pull themselves to safety with some invisible tether. Arche hit the wall. It crushed into his hands, quickly pushing down to his forearms. He laid them flat against the wood trying to hold it back as much as he could. His bones, reinforced by the Mana cycling through him, cracked from the pressure only to be healed a moment later. The weight of it sunk his ankles into the soft dirt, but he held firm. Pain of a kind he could scarcely comprehend flashed through him. It pressed down on him with all the weight of a planet. Shock radiated from the people beneath the wall, barely able to comprehend that they hadn¡¯t died. Those close to the edges scrambled out and away, but those toward the center, where Arche had positioned himself, only stared. A burning figure of orange light carried a sky of wooden death. ¡°Go!¡± The word tore from his lips. He couldn¡¯t manage anything else. The great weight threatened to drive everything out of him and it was all he could do to hold it back. One moment at a time. The shocked men stirred into action. They clambered out from beneath it, dragging themselves where they had to. The wall shifted and Arche sank up to his calves in the soft ground. His Mana fell beneath forty percent and dove further still. Even with his newfound control, Divine Body was simply too demanding for him to hold for longer than half a minute, and that was under ideal circumstances. What could he do? The wall slowly pushed him deeper into the ground and there were scant moments left before his Mana ran out. He was trapped. Once again, he¡¯d jumped in without thinking of how he was going to get out. It took everything he had to keep the wall up and there was no chance of making his way out. He could only hope that he could keep the wall up for as long as it took the rest of the villagers to get out of the way. Twenty percent. His immediate future was startlingly clear. Divine Body would forcefully deactivate, the wall would crush him, and he would die. Again. His consciousness would be ripped from his body and flung to that strange world that overlaid Tartarus. Thanatos would be there, waiting to send him back. The cost would only grow. What fresh hell would this death deliver? It had only been four weeks, barely twenty days, since he had died at the hands of the two-headed beastmar chieftain, Eten and Nete. Since his chest and heart had been pierced by the axe that now hung above his bed, a reminder of his own mortality. Now it was the entirety of him that would be crushed. The wall would grind him into paste. Turn him into a bloody stain against the grass field. Would the wall still break him when he returned? How many times would he die here, helpless? Ten percent. Arche fell onto his back. His legs snapped below the knee, but the pain was barely noticeable against the weight that pressed against his entire body, pushing him deeper into the ground. He didn¡¯t have room to scream, to cry for help, even to breathe. His thoughts turned to Lyssa, who would find a way to blame herself for what happened to him, and to Tess, who wouldn¡¯t forgive him for it. He only hoped he would get a chance to see them again. Zero. The wall hit the ground with a heavy thump. Arche¡¯s body sank fully into the dirt. He didn¡¯t have the time or the breath to whimper. Notifications flooded his vision. Mana Burnout, broken bones, ruptured organs. Every sign pointed toward his demise but he wasn¡¯t dead. His Health plummeted at over fifty per second, but with his massive Health pool at seven-hundred-fifty, he had fifteen seconds before he would die. Fifteen seconds of pure, unadulterated agony. The one time he wished for the release of unconsciousness, it refused to come. His mind grew fuzzy to the point of incoherency; he could barely string two thoughts together. The only point of certainty was pain and it was compounded by delirium. The disorientation was so intense that he only noticed the pressure was gone when the pain grew worse. Blood, both internal and external, roared in his ears, drowning out all noise. Something cold rushed down his body, flowing from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet. The intensity of it made him gasp as his Health shot up by twenty percent. All Arche could see was his vitals, the rest was darkness. His Health dropped one moment, soared the next. A violent dance between life and death. He could barely comprehend what it meant. All he knew was that someone or something was keeping him from dying. Why couldn¡¯t they just let him die? The pain was too much. He couldn¡¯t take it. His mouth wouldn¡¯t work, wouldn¡¯t let him scream, wouldn¡¯t let him beg. The battle wore on. The injuries threatened to overwhelm him, kill him from severity, but each time he came close to surrendering his life, fresh life was forced into him. Notifications appeared in the darkness but, addled by pain and Mana Burnout, he couldn¡¯t read them. All he could do was wait. Wait in the void as life and death waged bloody conflict over his broken, still-living corpse.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Again, Arche tried to call out for mercy, for an end. He wanted death, craved it. Anything to stop the pain. Again, his mouth refused to form the words. For better or worse, his fate was completely out of his control. Every moment was agony, unadulterated and pervasive. Then, his broken eyes saw something other than his vitals. Light poured in, blinding in its intensity. Arche tried to turn away, to close his eyes and block out the light, but he couldn¡¯t move. He was forced to stare upward into it, unblinking, until the light became its own form of darkness, all-consuming and maddening. When he had thoroughly lost the distinction between light and dark, a new sensation registered on his senses. ¡°Hang in there, Arche. We¡¯ve got you.¡± The words were distant, as though the person speaking was just a voice carried on the wind. A final time, Arche tried to beg for death. ¡°Titans¡¯ Bane, he¡¯s still conscious in there. Quick¡ª¡± The voice faded away, drowned by another round of fresh torture as Arche¡¯s battered Health bar was filled with fresh vitality. He was trapped between life and death, unable to succumb to either.
When word reached Lyssa of the accident at the insula, coming in the form of a young, out-of-breath guardsman, she already knew something was wrong. She felt it, a churning deep within her. Arche was involved and he was suffering. As soon as the guardsman gave her a location, she was off, sprinting out of the hall, past tents and bewildered villagers. The wall at one of the end of the insula had fallen. It swayed, the close edge barely off the ground, lit from beneath by an intense, orange light. Lyssa recognized it instantly. ¡°Arche,¡± she breathed. Before she could even raise a finger to help, the light winked out and the wall settled onto the ground with a thud. Horror etched itself into her heart. She dug her fingers into the dirt at the edge of the wall, forcing a grip as though she could lift it alone, as though Arche would be smiling at her from the other side. Lyssa strained against the weight. Muscles across her lithe form bulged and the tendons in her neck stuck out like strings from a lyre, but the wall was immovable. She set her feet and continued lifting, refusing to give in. Refusing to acknowledge that she wasn¡¯t strong enough. Refusing to acknowledge Arche¡¯s fate. He was alive, for the moment, but the agony flowed through their Companion connection. He was moments from death. Another set of hands grabbed the wall on her left, then another on the right. Lyssa didn¡¯t turn her head to look. She didn¡¯t have the energy. Everything she had was devoted to lifting the massive wall. Then the impossible happened. The wall moved. It rose to her knees first, then her waist. At chest height, it tottered precariously as people shifted their grip around. Then it raised to her head, then above it. Lyssa collapsed, Stamina dangerously low, but she refused to give in. She crawled forward, beneath the massive shape sloping above her. Her keen eyes spotted Arche near the center. He had been imprinted into the ground, like how one might press a doll into wet clay. Somehow, he was alive. Broken, bloody, but alive. He needed help and not the kind that she could provide. Still, she couldn¡¯t abandon him, even if it was to get the help he needed. ¡°Odelia!¡± she cried out, the name rasping like a shriek. ¡°Odelia!¡± ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± The diminutive halfling knelt at her side. She wasted no time, taking in Arche¡¯s broken form in a glance, her hands already glowing with biomancy. Arche was difficult to look at. Both legs broken half way up the shin, white shards of bone sticking out, barely attached to the feet beneath. The ground around him was stained red with smeared blood, as was the wall directly over him. His hands were covered in torn skin, but worse still was the flesh that had not burst apart. Dark discolorations adorned him, speaking to internal bleeding and bruising across all of his exposed flesh, a fate she could only imagine was shared by the entirety of his body. Last, and worst of all, was his face. That had always been a point of sensitivity for him. The scars that covered his face had caused him horror when he¡¯d first learned of them. Now, if he could see himself, he might long for that particular disfigurement. He was unrecognizable. His nose held a slit from top to bottom, the bone beneath shining like cracked ivory. His cheeks protruded from the skin in jagged edges; the lacerations reached back toward his ears. His brow was indented and several portions below it were simply shattered. Bone chips pierced his eyes, which were red pools of blood in the hollow of his face. Below his nose, his teeth were cracked and chipped, several missing altogether. His jaw had separated into two pieces at the chin, each forced down and back toward his neck. Lyssa shut her eyes against it, but it was too late. The image burned itself against her eyelids. Her hands shook as she held the grass in front of her. ¡°What can I do?¡± Her voice quaked, small and afraid. ¡°Secure the wall. Send for more of my healers. We will need everyone to save him.¡± Odelia¡¯s orders were fast and sharp, spurring Lyssa into action. With pain in her chest and more of it filtering through her connection, she moved away from Arche¡¯s body. As she pulled herself from below the wall, she plastered on the commanding veneer she had learned to adopt when dealing with the villagers. ¡°Everyone not holding on, grab loose timber, anything sturdy you can get your hands on. Prop and secure the wall. You there, go to the Healers¡¯ Tent and get everyone. Now!¡± The villagers jumped to do as they had been ordered. Dozens of hands held the wall, Tess and Helwan among them, as Lyssa helped others retrieve lumber to use as braces. She threw herself into the work, doing everything she could to block out the image of Arche¡¯s broken form from her eyes. She lost count of how many beams she helped carry, only coming back to herself when the rest of the healers arrived. There was only one other biomancer among them; the rest were mundane menders learning the physical medicines. Altogether, with Odelia as their leader, there were only five of them. Lyssa hoped it would be enough. ¡°Bandage his arm while I work on his face, we must ensure none of the breaks have damaged his brain.¡± Odelia¡¯s words were clipped and rapid, separating the logic of what needed to be done with the emotion of who it was being done to. ¡°Apply the sanguine poultice to the chest cavity, we have to slow the bleeding there until we can focus on it.¡± Lyssa shut her eyes against the words. Her jaw clenched as her teeth ground together. She joined the others in holding up the wall, anything to block out the words and the shattered picture of Arche¡¯s face. She threw everything she had into it; all of her desperation and fear. ¡°Titans¡¯ Bane, he¡¯s still conscious in there. Quick, Alcmaes, numb his pain before he goes mad!¡± Lyssa felt a hand grab her arm and gently pull her away. She opened her eyes and turned, ready to fight, but stopped when she saw Helwan holding on to her, openly weeping. He opened his mouth to say something, then shook his head, tears streaming from his eyes. He pulled her away from the crowd and over to a clear spot where they could sit and breathe. Tess was already there, sitting on the ground and hugging her knees while she stared at the grass in front of her. The wall was stable, supported by more than two dozen makeshift pillars of wood and further secured by a score of hands. The village could relax for a moment, though the menders and healers had the bulk of their work ahead of them. Lyssa, Helwan, and Tess could do nothing more but wait. Wait and hope. Book 2 | Chapter 13 Charomera The 19th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The world howled. It raged and wept and had no mercy. Every ounce of Arche¡¯s body was doused with wriggling ants, each biting and stabbing as they crawled from toe to crown. His legs blazed below the knee, but if the white-hot of his feet were a bonfire, his eyes were the unadulterated surface of the sun. Hands restrained his as he scrabbled at his face. The pain was more than a signal from his body, it nestled into his brain and sank its claws into the fragile walls of his psyche. The only splash of color in an endless void. It was red and angry and bloody, and it laughed a cruel laugh in a voice he knew. ¡°Kill me.¡± Each word dragged itself from his bloodied throat, tiny and desperate. ¡°It hurts. Kill me.¡± He was nothing next to this pain, this hurt. It swallowed him. It was something other, something all-consuming, something too big, too incomprehensible to resist. He was slave to it. The world would be slave to it. Death was nothing like this. Death was a kindness in the face of so much pain. ¡°Please. Please¡­¡± Arche¡¯s voice sputtered out but the pain did not stop. It wouldn¡¯t ever stop.
A cold liquid trickled over Arche¡¯s cracked lips and slipped down his throat. The sensation brought him out of his daze, back to the world of the living. He tried to open his eyes but found that his face had been bandaged heavily and his eyes were forced shut. He was lying in a bed. That, or a particularly soft patch of smooth ground. He tried to speak, but liquid still trickled into his mouth, so he spluttered and gasped as pain spread across his chest. ¡°Easy, you are still recovering. You¡¯ve had quite an ordeal.¡± A voice. Feminine, accented, filled with relief and the slightest touch of reproach. ¡°Lyssa.¡± His voice croaked and burned. ¡°Did I die?¡± ¡°No, not so far as Odelia has told me. You were lucky, if one could call it such.¡± Lucky. It would have been luckier to die. ¡°What happened to me?¡± ¡°Do you recall the wall?¡± Did he ever. ¡°Yes.¡± His voice quiet, little more than a whisper. ¡°I remember the pain. What happened to me?¡± ¡°You¡­Odelia said¡­¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice wavered and cracked. Arche had only heard the wood elf speak like that once before, when they¡¯d been hunted by the revenant. She was always certain of what to do, what to say, but that time she believed they¡¯d been trapped against an unbeatable enemy. A similar tone of regret colored her voice now. He tried to reach out toward the sound of it, to grab her hand and let her know that he was all right, that he was alive, but his arms were fastened down to his sides. ¡°You were broken, Arche.¡± A new voice. Again, feminine, but lacking the accent and slightly argumentative with a touch of polish. ¡°Tess?¡± ¡°The wall broke your body. Bone pierced many of your organs, nearly impaled your brain. The only reason you didn¡¯t die was because Odelia reached you in time.¡± ¡°These bandages¡­how bad is it?¡± ¡°Your eyes ruptured. Odelia did what she could for the pain, but she doesn¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to see again. The rest of your body should heal with time, even your teeth, but how long is anyone¡¯s guess at this point.¡± Arche let out a shaky breath. Ruptured. Blinded. The ramifications were staggering. ¡°This feels like my bed.¡± ¡°It is,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°I had you brought here to recover. Odelia said they did all they could for you, but you needed somewhere quiet to recover. She will be around later to check on you.¡± Arche¡¯s lips clawed open and shut as he worked up the courage to ask the question he was most afraid of. ¡°Did¡­did anyone else¡­did they all¡­¡± ¡°No one else was hurt, Arche,¡± Tess said. ¡°You saved them. You saved them all.¡± ¡°All right. All right, good. Then at least it was worth it. At least it was¡­¡± Arche trailed away. A great weight settled in his chest and it was difficult to breathe around, let alone speak. They¡¯d survived, all those people, but he hadn¡¯t. Not really. His body, broken. His eyes, ruptured. He was helpless. Useless. A useless demigod. Choked gasps pushed past his lips. ¡°We¡¯ll leave you to rest. We won¡¯t be far away.¡± Footsteps creaked across the floor. The door opened and shut. He heard muffled conversation as they walked away, then he was alone. Alone in a world of darkness, much of his body compressed by bandages. Trapped. His mind knew he was safe inside his room, in his bed, no less, but his stomach screamed that he was being crushed to death in a dark hole, deep underground. He had been in several dark holes with thousands of pounds of rock and dirt above him but never once really considered it. Now, it was all he could think about. Being crushed. The horrible pain and pressure. Arche lost focus. He couldn¡¯t honestly tell whether he¡¯d slept, alone with his fear, but he certainly lost all sense of time. He might have stayed like that for days until the creak of the door roused him. His heart pounded. He couldn¡¯t see¡ªruptured¡ªso he threw his consciousness toward the doorway, awareness expanded by his Psychic Trait . The process was difficult, reminiscent of when he had first started using the ability. The Mana flowed with viscosity, more like honey than the water he normally equated it to. Something small and slight was at the door, watching him, but the mind he brushed against was older than any child¡¯s. Arche retracted his awareness. There was only one person it could be. ¡°Odelia? Is that you?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡± The halfling woman continued into the room, clambering onto a chair next to the bed. ¡°You didn¡¯t knock.¡± ¡°Forgive me, I thought you might be sleeping.¡± ¡°No. Not likely.¡± ¡°Are you in any constant pain?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A day ago, he might have made a joke. A day ago, he could see. ¡°The recovery prospects are grim, I must say. I¡¯ve never seen anyone survive that amount of damage. Except, perhaps, what I saw you survive in that dungeon last month.¡± ¡°Odelia.¡± Arche tried to keep his voice from betraying him. ¡°My Divine Body skill gives me an incredible amount of Health regeneration. Would that help my current injuries?¡± Odelia let out a heavy sigh before speaking. ¡°Theoretically, yes. However, your feat with the wall did more than just damage your body. You gave yourself Mana Scars. If you try to push more Mana through those scars, you¡¯ll only make things worse for yourself. Your body may heal, but you risk never being able to use your Mana again.¡± The thought sent real fear into Arche¡¯s heart. Divine Body had been the deciding factor in nearly all of his battles. The skill had let him kill foes many times more powerful than himself and saved him from dying more than once. The idea of never being able to use it again meant death. Not just for him, but for everyone he would fail to protect. At the same time, without use of his eyes and body, he was helpless. Useless. ¡°How do I heal Mana Scars?¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Arche. There are rumors, but they¡¯re just that: rumors. Nobody knows.¡± ¡°Who would?¡± Odelia¡¯s feet tapped against the legs of the chair as she thought. ¡°The Lyceum Apokryfos, most likely. They¡¯re the foremost scholars of magic in this region of Tartarus. If anyone knows, it would be them, but they do not share their information. Not for free, at any rate. Even if they know, I don¡¯t see how you would get them to tell you.¡± ¡°Get Helwan. I¡¯m going to use Divine Body. I want both of you here to monitor me.¡± ¡°For the record, I¡¯m recommending against this course of action.¡± ¡°Acknowledged.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± A small hand gripped his shoulder, then he heard a thump as the halfling woman dropped from the chair to the floor. Footsteps led away from him and the door opened and shut. Arche took a deep breath, feeling the pain in his chest as his ribs expanded. Alone once more, at least for the moment, it was time to look at his profile. He¡¯d been putting it off, worried about what he would see there, but he could procrastinate no more.
Arche
Level: 21 Experience to Next Level: 5,651 (30%) Race: Human Age: 27 Height: 189 centimeters Weight: 89.5 kilograms Profession: Demigod Trade: N/A Traits: Slayer of the Mighty, Psychic Companions: Lyssanderyli Adventuring Party: N/A
Health: 137 / 750 18% Stamina: 580 / 580 100% Mana: 180 / 180 (360) 100%
Strength: 41 Dexterity: 37 Agility: 33 Fortitude: 34 (29) Endurance: 41 (36) Intelligence: 36 Wisdom: 36 Willpower: 38 Perception: 29 Charisma: 45 (39) Comeliness: 16 (12) Luck: 23
Exhaustion ¡ª Tier 1 Mana Scarring ¡ª Tier 1
The situation was far from ideal. His Health was lower than expected, given that he¡¯d been attended to by Odelia personally, but it was probably the severity of his wounds. He¡¯d been to the brink of death more than once during the experience, each time brought back by Odelia and her team. Perhaps he would have been better off if he had just died. Perhaps he would be better off if he died now. Thanatos had told him that death would not keep him, but there would be punishment, and the author of the notifications had told him that the cost would grow each time he died. It was a risk, but the loss of his senses or magic was also a terrible price to pay. There was a chance death would fix his condition, but he had no way of knowing if the regenerative properties of returning to life would restore his current disabilities or if they would remain unaffected, only healing the damage that had killed him in the first place. When he died before, he had received his Profession upon his return, releasing all of the experience kept in reserve and leveling him several times over. He couldn¡¯t say for certain which had actually healed him. What was more, from the way the others spoke, he gathered that the restorative powers of a level would not fix his Mana Scarring.
Mana Scarring ¡ª Tier 1 -50% Mana Flow -50% Mana
Hopefully he would still have enough for what he was about to do. Lyssa had told him, once, that fast healing could be dangerous, as things could heal improperly. Using Divine Body itself was an inherent risk that could worsen his Mana Scarring and still not fix his eyes. His eyesight was not something he was willing to part with, not while there was a chance for him to save it. Even at the cost of his Mana. It didn¡¯t take long for Odelia to return. Her padded boots were quiet against the wooden floors, unlike the cloven hooves of Helwan, who followed at a respectful distance. The door opened and shut quietly. ¡°Is he asleep?¡± Helwan whispered. ¡°Not quite,¡± he rasped. He considered using his Psychic awareness to get an idea of where they were but decided against it. The Trait required a small amount of Mana and he wanted to devote the entirety of what he had to the task at hand. ¡°Odelia didn¡¯t exactly fill me in on what you needed me for, friend,¡± Helwan said with hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re awake, though.¡± It would have been easier if she had, it hurt to talk. ¡°I¡¯m going to use Divine Body to heal. It¡¯s dangerous. I need you to monitor me.¡± Hoof scraped against wood as the satyr shifted his feet. ¡°You haven¡¯t told Lyssa and Tess, have you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Helwan groaned. ¡°Is this safe?¡± Arche opened his mouth but Odelia beat him to it. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°This is a bad idea, Arche,¡± Helwan said. ¡°The alternative isn¡¯t better. How long do you think I¡¯ll survive without my eyes?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to fight!¡± Helwan¡¯s voice was flecked with exasperation. ¡°You can stay in Myriatos. You can advise Lyssa, help settle disputes, learn new things. You don¡¯t have to fight.¡± The option was¡­tempting. Surprisingly so. Arche could set down the Tridory. Live simply. Grow accustomed to his new disabilities. Someday, perhaps, he could even learn to accept and live with them. The bloody form of Ares rose in his mind. ¡°Someday, friend, but not yet. Right now, my place is on the battlefield. I can¡¯t forsake it yet.¡± Helwan let out a heavy sigh. ¡°Show off,¡± Arche muttered, gasping at a twinge of pain. ¡°What are the risks?¡± the satyr asked. ¡°Worsened Mana Scarring, permanent blindness, any number of physiological disturbances, and there¡¯s no telling what sort of effect it will have on his mind,¡± Odelia rattled off. ¡°Titans¡¯ Bane, Arche! Isn¡¯t there some other way?¡± ¡°Is there?¡± Arche levied his question in the direction of Odelia¡¯s voice. ¡°You could wait and see if your body¡¯s natural regeneration is enough to recover your eyes. Otherwise, no. I don¡¯t have the technical expertise or magical training to regrow organs. No one does, not in Myriatos.¡± Arche opened his mouth, fully intending to restate his determination to Helwan, but the last part gave him pause. ¡°Somewhere else people can restore eyesight?¡± ¡°Well, yes. Healers in Ship¡¯s Shape should be able to do it, though it¡¯ll be expensive. Biomancy isn¡¯t subsidized there.¡± Arche tried very hard to keep from snarling. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me that?¡± ¡°What, am I supposed to anticipate your ignorance?¡± the halfling woman shot back. ¡°I told you trying to fix things yourself was a bad idea. You wouldn¡¯t listen to me!¡± Arche¡¯s arguments withered and died on his tongue. She had a point. He had taken what he wanted to hear and ignored her expertise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have discounted you.¡± ¡°At least you finally listened before doing something stupid and not after.¡± Some of his spirit deflated, as though his body had sunk even deeper into the bed. ¡°How expensive?¡± he asked, his voice sounding small even to his own ears. ¡°Very. Eyesight is intricate and difficult. Depending on the biomancer, you could be looking at up to a thousand drachmae per eye.¡± Arche shifted his head toward Helwan. ¡°I¡¯m still fuzzy when it comes to money. That¡¯s a lot, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s considerable, but the treasure you recovered from our latest excursion to that cursed dungeon will cover the price.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Arche grimaced. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t, but you get the point. Fine. Seems everything is conspiring to make me go to the city. Bound to happen at some point. Sorry to drag you up here for nothing, Helwan.¡± ¡°Not at all. I was going to visit you, regardless. Everyone¡¯s talking about what you did. You¡¯re a hero.¡± Arche¡¯s stomach did a flip. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid.¡± ¡°You have to understand that if you keep doing incredible things for these people, they will see you as incredible.¡± ¡°All right, get out, both of you. Tell Lyssa that you were able to stop me from doing something stupid. Should give her some hope. Oh, and tell her that I need to go to Ship¡¯s Shape. The sooner the better.¡± ¡°Get some rest, Arche,¡± Helwan said. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some food in an hour or so.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 14 Persepera The 20th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche slept much of the day and night away. He woke twice to someone opening his door. The first time, it was Helwan, bringing food as promised. The second was Tess, also carrying food some hours afterward. Both times he¡¯d only managed a couple bites before throwing it back up. When he woke the third time, he felt incredible by comparison.
Health: 443 / 750 59% Stamina: 580 / 580 100% Mana: 180 / 180 (360) 100%
Strength: 41 Dexterity: 37 Agility: 33 Fortitude: 34 (29) Endurance: 41 (36) Intelligence: 36 Wisdom: 36 Willpower: 38 Perception: 29 Charisma: 45 (39) Comeliness: 16 (12) Luck: 23
Mana Scarring ¡ª Tier 1
His exhaustion was finally gone, for what it was worth. The pressure in his chest had eased considerably and breathing was no longer painful. He still couldn¡¯t see so he kept the cloth wrapped around his eyes, but there were spacers now that kept the fabric from directly binding into his wounds. Arche curled his fingers, flexed his toes, searching for any pain and weakness. Both were there, but at manageable levels. With more than a little effort, Arche sat up and swung his feet out of bed. As soon as he put pressure on his legs, pain seized him. His back arched, his breath caught, and a strangled, gurgled cry came from somewhere near the bottom of his throat. His legs felt like they would break at any moment. The alternative, laying in bed, helpless and blind, was not something Arche could stomach; pain was. Arche forced himself to stand tall, forced the pain into a cage in his mind and surrounded it with impotent fury. It remained, of course, but at least he could stand. A breeze brushed past his stomach and he shivered. ¡°You should take things slow before you hurt yourself.¡± Arche flinched and twisted. A full-body spasm nearly threw him to the floor. ¡°Lyssa? Why does everybody think it¡¯s funny to sneak up on the blind guy?¡± ¡°My apologies, I did not mean to startle you.¡± ¡°What did you fucking expect?¡± The words came out more bitter than he meant and hearing it made him grimace. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m in a lot of pain right now.¡± He grabbed at the air, looking for a wall, something to orient himself. He¡¯d already lost track of the bed and there was no telling how many steps he had left before his legs gave out completely. ¡°Clearly.¡± Lyssa took him by the hand and led to him a chair. He held on to the back of it, trying to picture his room in his mind, but it was little use. He didn¡¯t remember a chair being in it at all. ¡°Have I been out long?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two days since the event, if that¡¯s what you are asking. Your recovery has progressed expectantly. By tomorrow, there should be little pain.¡± ¡°Good. When does the group leave for Ship¡¯s Shape?¡± ¡°As soon as you are well enough to travel.¡± ¡°Then we should leave today. Within the hour, I¡¯d say.¡± ¡°Ship¡¯s Shape will still be there if you leave tomorrow. Give yourself more time to rest. The path to the city is not easy.¡± Arche opened his mouth to argue but his right leg buckled and he leaned hard against the chair-back to keep from falling. ¡°Fine. But don¡¯t let them leave without me.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t. Tess is leading that trip, if you¡¯ve forgotten. She¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re ready. Helwan as well.¡± Arche nodded, somewhat mollified. ¡°Good. I just¡­don¡¯t want to be left behind.¡± ¡°No one is going to leave you behind.¡± Arche¡¯s stomach gurgled and Lyssa made an amused noise, a smile evident in her voice. ¡°Though, perhaps I should arrange to have you brought dinner. They¡¯ll be making it soon, but I¡¯ll see if I can get you something earlier.¡± ¡°I appreciate that.¡± Fatigue washed over him, feeling like leaden weights trying to drag him into the floorboards. ¡°Can you point me back to the bed? I¡¯d go with you, but my legs are feeling rebellious.¡± ¡°Of course.¡±Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Lyssa¡¯s hand took his own and led him back to the bed. He felt the covers with both hands, trying to find the pillows. ¡°Besides, if you were to accompany me, I would insist you put clothes on. You humans do seem overly concerned about those things, after all.¡± Arche froze. Another breeze from the window brushed past him, this time a little farther south than his stomach. With a hasty movement that caused a not inconsiderable amount of pain in his chest, Arche snatched the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around his midriff. ¡°You¡¯ve got to stop doing this to me,¡± he said, annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who decided to walk around dressed in nothing but bandages, Greenstick.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to logic this into being my fault!¡± ¡°Very well.¡± He could tell by her voice that she was smiling at him. ¡°Human customs are so¡­weird.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t tell me that it wouldn¡¯t bother you if it was me always catching you naked.¡± ¡°Why would it? You and I are Companions.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point. It¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see what right and wrong have to do with it. I don¡¯t plan on undressing in front of you, if that makes you feel better. I cannot control and care little for what you do in front of me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re having this conversation.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°It seems we do because this keeps happening.¡± ¡°Very well. What exactly is causing you so much discomfort?¡± Arche hesitated, trying to find the right words to explain why it was so obviously wrong. ¡°I care about you a lot, but I care about you in that you are my friend. Someone who is like a sister to me.¡± Lyssa was quiet for a few moments. When she answered, her voice was oddly strained. ¡°I admit I find a kinship with you, as well.¡± ¡°All right, common ground. When humans are naked around other humans, usually it¡¯s because they¡¯re doing things with each other that siblings should never be doing. So it makes me uncomfortable because it makes me consider you in a way that I don¡¯t really want to think about you. Also, it¡¯s about consent.¡± ¡°When humans view nudity, they think of mating?¡± Lyssa sounded genuinely intrigued. ¡°Well, yeah. Elves don¡¯t?¡± ¡°No. At least, my people don¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know.¡± Arche opened his mouth to argue the ridiculousness of that, then he thought about it. She wasn¡¯t human. Elf culture was predicated on being extremely long-lived and elven children were a rare occurrence. Maybe it wasn¡¯t so far-fetched. ¡°I would appreciate, in the future, if you would give me some sort of warning or heads up before one of us is in a compromised situation.¡± ¡°I will. I apologize for the discomfort.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just try to have this be the last time, all right?¡± ¡°Indeed. You will need to stop exposing yourself in front of me unless you wish me to view you in that way.¡± Arche¡¯s mouth dropped as his cheeks burned. ¡°Now I know you¡¯re fucking with me.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but I will remember what you said on the matter.¡± ¡°Thank you. Now that we¡¯ve had a super uncomfortable conversation, would you mind getting me some food? I¡¯m still hungry and now my ribs hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back shortly. If you wish to be dressed by then, the wardrobe is on the other side of the bed.¡± ¡°Thanks. When you get back, we can practice this other weird human concept called ¡®knocking.¡¯¡± Lyssa didn¡¯t answer. The door to Arche¡¯s room opened and closed. He sat down on the bed, blanket still wrapped around his middle, and tried to catch his breath. He had stood for a long time and his legs were regretting the decision. At least he¡¯d hopefully set some boundaries. By the time Lyssa returned, a half-hour later, Arche was dressed and standing in front of the window. Thanks to whatever magic operated the inventory system, putting on his clothing had only required focused intent, rather than contorting his injured body. With the cool wind on his face, he practiced manipulating his Mana, trying to use his Psychic trait to create a field of awareness around him. The Mana was slow to respond to his demands but it was doable with enough effort. While he could still detect people around him, provided they were close enough, non-living things were beyond him. Through it, he¡¯d be able to avoid walking into people, but walls were still a problem. Lyssa knocked on the door and Arche turned away from the window. ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, then shut. As per usual, Arche couldn¡¯t hear Lyssa¡¯s footsteps but he could follow her path around the room through his Psychic awareness. He turned toward her as she set the food down onto a table. ¡°Fresh bread, boar meat, a handful of olives, and a small flask of wine,¡± she said by way of explanation. ¡°Do you need help eating?¡± ¡°With any luck, no. Thank you for bringing this. And for knocking.¡± ¡°Certainly. Shall I stay?¡± ¡°If you want to.¡± With hands stretched out before him, he took a few unsteady steps and reached the table. Lyssa took hold of his wrist and guided him to the chair. He sat and took a breath. With careful, exploratory touches, he began to identify what was on the plate, then decided to start with the easiest thing to eat: the bread. ¡°What¡¯s going on with the village?¡± he asked between bites. ¡°What have I missed?¡± ¡°The insula finished construction yesterday. Most of the villagers have relocated inside. The next major project is to construct a proper forge so that the smiths can work iron into steel, but to do that they need stone and metal.¡± ¡°The mountain.¡± ¡°Indeed. We need resources, but we also need to know what¡¯s around us. The cartography skill is not easily gained. I have instructed the scouts acquire and practice it. Once I am satisfied, or when we can no longer delay, I am sending them to Mount Hyperion to explore.¡± ¡°Sounds dangerous.¡± ¡°It will be, but it is necessary.¡± ¡°Will you be accompanying them?¡± Lyssa paused before speaking, giving Arche time to move on to the meat and olives. ¡°I would, but Theodorous said that there are other matters here which require my attention.¡± Her voice was sullen and flecked with annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not what you wanted, to be couped up here.¡± ¡°No forest creature delights in a cage. They may have hung a pretty title around my neck, but it is a shackle all the same.¡± ¡°Responsibility clips all wings.¡± ¡°So it would seem. Still, it isn¡¯t all bad. Just difficult, at times.¡± ¡°Could you get another assistant? Someone to help share the load?¡± ¡°There is no one else, currently. Not unless we¡¯re to start working the children, which I¡¯m not willing to do.¡± ¡°What about Ship¡¯s Shape?¡± ¡°Have Tess and Helwan not spoken to you of the details of your trip?¡± ¡°No, I suppose they haven¡¯t. I thought it was a mercantile venture. Sell some treasure, buy supplies, return.¡± ¡°Yes, in part. Part of Helwan¡¯s task is to spread word. Make people aware of the village and secure transportation. The path is perilous, but more are necessary if Myriatos is to grow and thrive.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Arche felt around the empty plate with his fingers, searching for any food he might have missed. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t. Ugh, that¡¯s going to be a hard habit to break.¡± ¡°Take your time and focus on your recovery, Arche. We¡¯ll handle the details.¡± ¡°If you insist.¡± A yawn forced its way up and out of him. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to sleep again. I¡¯ll be ready to leave in the morning.¡± ¡°Then I will make the arrangements. Sleep well.¡± The plate scraped against wood as Lyssa lifted it. ¡°Hey, Lyssa.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± He swallowed. ¡°For everything.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± A moment later, the door to his room opened and shut, leaving him alone once more. Arche stood from his chair, one hand out to balance himself as he turned toward the direction of his bed. He tried to fight the disorientation but to no avail. The world spun around him even though he couldn¡¯t hear it. As he crawled beneath the blankets, he bit back his mounting frustration and pressed his head deep against the pillow. Despite his pains, he was excited for the day to come. He would be traveling to the city, to a place of magic and learning. He would regain his eyesight, fix his Mana Scars, and learn more about the wide world of Tartarus. If he was lucky, he might even learn more about the man he used to be. After a long period of adjusting and turning, Arche fell asleep with thoughts of buildings that touched the sky and flashes of magic running through his mind. Book 2 | Chapter 15 Hadespera The 21st of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche woke the next day feeling better. His Health was back to full and he was no longer in constant pain. To his dismay, his eyes still didn¡¯t work, seemingly beyond his body¡¯s ability to naturally heal, at least for the moment. Odelia had been kind enough to change his head bandage, swapping the bloodstained gauze that had wrapped his eyes for a darker fabric that would draw less attention. He had asked her what his eyes looked like, but she refused to answer, stating that it would do him no good. Suffice it to say he still had eyes, even if they didn¡¯t work. Lyssa and Tess had been kind enough to prepare him a bag for the journey ahead, filled with food and camping supplies. Arche strapped the Revenant Rib Kopis to his belt, running a finger down the bone. He hadn¡¯t forgotten the threat Aima posed, but there was nothing he could do to stop her in his current state. Lastly, he took the Tridory in hand. Lyssa brought him covers that fit over the head and sauroter of the spear, disguising it into a staff. It would allow him to smuggle the spear into the city, as openly brandishing weapons would get the guard involved but no one would begrudge a blind man his walking stick. Arche leaned against it, both hands gripping the metallic surface. His status page may have said he was fine, minus the Mana Scars, but he still felt weak. With his bag slung across his back, his clothes decidedly on, and his weight supported by the Tridory, Arche stepped out of the village hall and into the outdoors. ¡°Glad to see you out and about.¡± ¡°Wish I could say the same, Tess.¡± Arche smirked. Her sharp intake of breath cut the space between them. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Forget about it. It¡¯s gonna happen. I keep doing the same thing.¡± ¡°If you say so. Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can go a couple hours before I¡¯ll get hungry.¡± Tess took his left hand and placed it around her arm, leading him away from the village hall. ¡°I meant to visit you yesterday. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t, I just¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I understand,¡± Arche said. ¡°I had a similar experience down in the Vivitorium. It¡¯s not exactly the same, but I think I get it.¡± ¡°Regardless, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling better.¡± ¡°Nothing like a bit of rest and relaxation to bounce back from having your entire body crushed by a three-ton wall. I hope you didn¡¯t like me ¡®cause I was pretty.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still pretty. Pretty insane, pretty foolish, and pretty durable. I think most people are amazed you survived.¡± Her voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°You did survive, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, for better or worse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad for that, for what it¡¯s worth. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wise to test Death. It¡¯s¡­intense.¡± ¡°It is that. I think I garnered some goodwill with them, though. Not sure how far it¡¯ll take me, but I¡¯ll take all the allies I can get. Especially in the face of what¡¯s coming.¡± Tess didn¡¯t respond. Her thoughts were, no doubt, consumed by the same topic as Arche¡¯s. Ares¡ªblood, hate, and conflict incarnate¡ªrelished a war Arche had promised. He could feel deep in his soul that Ares would hold him to that end. If Arche didn¡¯t bring a war to Ares, Ares would bring a war to Arche. ¡°Who else is coming with us?¡± he asked; anything to change the subject. ¡°Helwan, Basil, Cora, and Efterpi.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°Efterpi?¡± ¡°One of the hunters. Strange woman, keeps to herself, but she expressed an interest in joining your team.¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Do you know her profession?¡± ¡°No. She refused to say. Doesn¡¯t talk much in general, actually.¡± ¡°Hm, probably best to keep an eye on her, then.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Cora, too, for that matter.¡± ¡°Cora? Why?¡± ¡°Other than that she¡¯s blatantly antagonistic, I don¡¯t like how she handled the confrontation with Dawnwood. She¡¯s overly compliant if the orders come from elves. It makes me concerned about her loyalties.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll admit she did seem overeager to impress them.¡± ¡°She overstepped her place and shared more information than necessary with a hostile force. One that, for the record, regards her as an abomination. She¡¯s a competent fighter and good woodswoman, but she¡¯s lost almost all of my trust.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll remove her from the trip, then.¡± ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°She wants to join my team, I want to watch her more closely. I need to know if she is actually intent on serving Myriatos, or if she is only here to further her own objectives. Having her accompany us gives us further opportunity to observe.¡± ¡°And if her loyalty is corrupted? You¡¯re in no state to defend yourself. That¡¯s Vik¡¯s job, anyway.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but as my candidate, she¡¯s my responsibility. I doubt it will come to violence. Besides, that¡¯s why I have you.¡± ¡°Is it, now? And here I thought this was my trip and that you were accompanying me.¡± Arche smiled, hoping she was looking at him. ¡°I am afraid that the only adversaries I can battle now are bad dreams.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Tess grunted, her tone growing somber. ¡°Would that that were true.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°Are you no¡ª¡± ¡°Tess! Arche! Over here!¡± The words died on his tongue as a new voice yelled out to them. Tess pivoted direction, giving Arche a pit in his stomach as he tried to reorient himself, holding onto her arm for support. A couple dozen steps later, they came to a stop. Tentatively, Arche reached out with his mind. He found the familiar sense of Helwan, Basil, and Cora, along with another mind he didn¡¯t immediately recognize. For a moment, he considered trying to pry deeper, but he quickly shut that thought down and retracted his awareness behind his walls. A hand clasped his shoulder. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be up and about quickly. ¡®Nothing keeps Arche down for long,¡¯ I said!¡± Basil¡¯s smile was evident in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m just glad no one else was injured. I¡¯m also glad you¡¯re joining us, Basil.¡± Arche offered a smile, trying to ignore the twinge of pain in his legs. ¡°And the rest of you? Mind making introductions to a poor, blind man?¡± Tess¡¯s elbow poked into his side and he stifled a surprised cry with a cough. ¡°I¡¯m going as well,¡± Helwan said. ¡°Also, Cora, who you know, and the newest member of our group is Miss Efterpi.¡± ¡°Efterpi,¡± Arche repeated, plastering the smile on again. ¡°A pleasure. I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve met.¡± ¡°We have not.¡± The reply was cool and calm, but laced with something else entirely. Arche felt at a loss as to how to describe it, but he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of something other. At the least, the woman was not human, which wasn¡¯t necessarily a surprise or an indication of anything untoward. Arche tried to Examine her, but nothing happened. The skill relied on sight; without that, it was inaccessible. ¡°Would you be so kind as to give me an idea of your skillset? Should trouble happen along the road, it would be good to know everyone¡¯s capabilities.¡± It wasn¡¯t the subtlest of approaches, but he was used to striking at the heart of things. ¡°I have magical affinities, Lord Arche. The precise natures of which I am not comfortable discussing here. I will not slow you down if this ¡®trouble¡¯ should happen.¡± A magic hunter. That was interesting. ¡°Very well, I suppose I can¡¯t begrudge you that. And I¡¯m not a lord.¡± ¡°If you insist.¡± Arche tried not to let his face twist into a frown. Something about the way she talked threw him off. It made his brain itch. ¡°Right. Anyway, are we ready to be off?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Helwan said. ¡°It¡¯s a long journey ahead of us. We should make use of the daylight while we have it.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Arche said, before adding quietly, ¡°all the same to me.¡± This earned him another elbow to the ribs from Tess. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot. Do any of you have cartography experience?¡± It was quiet for a moment, then Efterpi spoke up. ¡°I have some skill, yes.¡± ¡°Great. While we travel, can you mark our path? Lyssa asked me to do it, but that was before my injury. Think you¡¯re up to the task?¡± ¡°I will do what I can.¡± Not exactly blown away by the confidence, Arche accessed his inventory and retrieved a large slip of parchment, along with a long stick of charcoal. ¡°Take this, then.¡± Efterpi took the items from him so carefully that Arche couldn¡¯t feel her hands against his. Whoever she was, she was clearly disinclined to touching people. ¡°Say any last goodbyes and check your equipment, everyone. We¡¯ll be gone for up to three months. This might be a very different place when we return.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 16 Nyxpera The 28th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Seven days since they¡¯d left Myriatos and the traveling was no easier for Arche. There was no defined path between the village and the city, and the way was treacherous. Tess, Helwan, and Basil took turns leading him through the forest and helping him keep his footing over the many exposed roots, a task more easily said than done. Needless to say, he was having a miserable time. It didn¡¯t help that he tired quickly while walking, his Stamina draining faster than usual. He could only attribute it to not being fully recovered, despite a full Health bar, though he had no status debuff to explain the change other than his Mana Scarring, which didn¡¯t mention Stamina. All in all, it made for a lesson in patience, which is to say that Arche spent much of those seven days in near-constant frustration. ¡°Ow, fuck!¡± Arche pushed himself off the forest floor and onto his knees, wrenching his foot free from the grasping clutches of a twisted root patch. An arm hooked beneath his and helped him to his feet. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Tess said next to him. ¡°We¡¯ll take it slow.¡± ¡°No,¡± Arche growled, already angry. ¡°I¡¯m not going to slow us down.¡± ¡°Arche.¡± Tess¡¯s voice held a warning in it. ¡°It¡¯s a three-month trip. I won¡¯t be the reason it turned into four.¡± ¡°It will take a lot longer than that if you keep pushing yourself beyond your limits. Need I remind you that you¡¯re not in charge, here?¡± Arche hesitated, then nodded, wiping dirt from the linen cloth that obscured his eyes. In truth, he had forgotten. He¡¯d gotten used to being the one others looked to for answers. The one to divvy out decisions and make the mistakes. He¡¯d completely forgotten that, as a mercantile trip, this was under Tess¡¯s jurisdiction. He was attending out of personal motivation, nothing more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tess. Bad habit. I¡¯ll try to break it.¡± ¡°Try instead not to break yourself. You¡¯re still recovering.¡± Another surge of anger threatened to burst out of his chest. He had to fight to keep it down. ¡°Can we just keep going, please?¡± Tess intertwined her arm with his and continued to guide him forward. He didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d noticed his second rise in anger but, given how annoyingly astute she could be, he¡¯d be surprised if she hadn¡¯t. It¡¯d been two weeks, a full ten days, since his body had been broken by the wall. Though his vitals had recovered, other things were not the same. His legs hurt all the time, his breath caught in his chest far more than it should have, and his Mana Scars were ever-present, making any Mana usage difficult. He¡¯d tried to work through it, practicing his manipulation technique and extending his Psychic awareness, but channeling Mana was like trying to push tar through a syringe. The Mana simply didn¡¯t react the way it should. It fought his every suggestion, resisted his every pull. Even doing simple things that used to be a kind of meditation for him, like reinforcing his mental walls, became an uphill battle requiring all of his attention. His Psychic ability fared little better. Due to the Mana cost, it was difficult to throw out a web of consciousness and hold onto it for any period of time. He could feel the minds of his companions within about ten paces, but anything farther than that was ephemeral and slipped from his grasp. Cora scouted ahead, often staying beyond the limits of his awareness. She didn¡¯t often speak to him when she was with the group, but Arche could tell by her occasional huff that she was almost as frustrated by his disabilities as he was. Basil stayed near the front, his armor clinking with every step. Helwan stayed toward the middle, near Arche, always ready to lend a hand or distract with some anecdotal story. Tess hardly left Arche¡¯s side, often choosing to be his guide as he tripped and stumbled his way through the forest. Their final traveling companion, Efterpi, stayed at the back. She was always just at the limits of Arche¡¯s awareness, close enough that he knew she was there, but far enough away that he still doubted it. He didn¡¯t know the extent of her capabilities, but if she felt comfortable enough in them to guard their aft, he was in no condition to argue. Arche¡¯s boot collided with another tree root and he stumbled, biting back another curse as pain ricocheted up his leg. At the same time, Cora returned. ¡°What have you found?¡± Tess asked, instantly alert. Cora¡¯s duty was to scout ahead and return once each hour to make contact. It had only been about thirty minutes since her last report. ¡°Haemoak,¡± Cora said. ¡°Four kilometers northeast of our position. If we continue the course, we¡¯ll run across its territory.¡± ¡°Malaka,¡± Tess swore. ¡°How long will it take to go around?¡± ¡°Two days, maybe three, depending on how much territory it¡¯s claimed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a haemoak?¡± Arche asked. ¡°A carnivorous tree,¡± Helwan explained. ¡°Pretty uncommon, but very dangerous. They lure in prey with sweet scents and then capture them with vines, sucking the blood from their victims. The older ones can also infect the corpses with fungal spores, animating undead thralls that actively hunt out new prey to bring to the haemoak.¡± ¡°What the fuck? Necromantic plants that hunt people?¡± ¡°It will waylay us,¡± Cora said, ignoring Arche as she made her report to Tess, ¡°but we should be safe, so long as we go around.¡± ¡°Do we need to be concerned about thralls?¡± Tess asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any, but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any. I was lucky. Spotted some vine tendrils shortly after the scent changed. I left before they came after me.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°We should move as though it has thralls, then. You should stay close to the group until we¡¯re out of danger.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Are these haemoaks mobile?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Do we need to worry about them chasing us down?¡± ¡°No.¡± Cora finally addressed him directly. ¡°Not other than its vines. That¡¯s what it has thralls for. Mostly it just lures its prey into reach. If we stay out of its territory, we should be fine.¡± ¡°Great, fantastic,¡± Arche said, feeling like the situation was anything but great or fantastic. ¡°Helwan, take him,¡± Tess said, waiting until the satyr grabbed Arche¡¯s arm before she let go. ¡°Cora, show me the path we should take.¡± There was a quiet intensity to their travel. No one spoke much as they walked, everyone doing their best to remain quiet. Even Helwan had ceased his storytelling, making the march seem that much more endless. Every cracked twig sent shivers down Arche¡¯s spine. Every crunched leaf was an act of personal betrayal. They traveled like this, in a constant state of heightened awareness, for five hours before Tess called a halt. Arche¡¯s nerves were fried from trying to pay attention to every sound in the forest. For the umpteenth time, he cursed the loss of his vision. He was helpless, unable to fight or keep watch, or even plan out their next steps. He knew nothing about the threat other than what they¡¯d told him. Could do nothing other than slow them down as they made their way around the perilous perimeter of the creature¡¯s territory. When they stopped for camp, Arche sat by a small fire Basil made while the rest unpacked sleeping rolls or, in the women¡¯s case, set up small tents. Arche crossed his legs, feeling the heat from the fire warm him as he held the Tridory in his lap. He¡¯d taken his senses for granted. His sight especially, now that he could no longer rely on it. Without it, he was little better than the stumbling human Lyssa had found in the woods all those weeks ago. A child waiting to be slaughtered. ¡°Basil,¡± Arche said. ¡°I need your help with something.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the young guard said, at his side at once. ¡°What is it?¡± Arche stood, using the Tridory to balance himself. ¡°I need you to hit me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just do it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m comfortable with that.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be hard.¡± ¡°Why do you want me to hit you?¡± Arche paused. He hadn¡¯t quite thought that far ahead. ¡°Because I need to prove something to myself. Now, go on and hit me!¡± Basil¡¯s fist connected with Arche¡¯s cheek and he tumbled to the ground, completely disoriented. ¡°Ow,¡± Arche muttered, checking his vitals to find that, indeed, the punch had shaved off a couple points of Health. He pushed himself to his feet, trying to get a sense of the world around him. He did his best to fix his surroundings in his mind. With a breath, and a gentle touch at his cheek, he extended his consciousness outward using his Psychic trait. The Mana flowed like a glacier, thick and heavy. He felt Basil standing a couple paces away from him and focused on the presence of consciousness. He made no effort to enter Basil¡¯s mind, that wasn¡¯t the point. Instead, he focused on Basil¡¯s position. Trying to affix Basil into the hazy mental image he had concocted of his surroundings. ¡°Again.¡± ¡°Arche, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re trying to accomplish, but¡ª¡± ¡°Again!¡± Basil moved closer. Arche heard the ground shift slightly as the guard took a step forward. Then a gauntleted fist impacted his shoulder, knocking him back a step. Arche¡¯s mental picture swerved and ran together like an oil painting in a rainstorm, completely disorienting him. The Mana flowed sluggishly through him, resisting his efforts to use it as he forced it to trickle through his damaged pathways. ¡°Again.¡± ¡°Arche! What are you doing?¡± Tess snarled. ¡°Training. Basil, hit me.¡± Tess stepped between them. ¡°Basil, go.¡± She grabbed Arche by the front of his shirt and pushed him back. After several unsteady steps, each one of which sent pain shooting up his legs, his back hit a tree. ¡°What, by Phlegethon¡¯s ashes, are you doing?¡± she hissed. ¡°Training.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t give me that. I know you¡¯re frustrated, but hurting yourself is only going to prolong your recovery. What were you thinking?¡± Anger boiled up in him, filling his throat until his hands shook from it. ¡°I can¡¯t be this helpless forever, Tess. I have to learn how to manage it.¡± ¡°And getting bloodied is the proper way to do that?¡± A finger traced his cheek, wiping away a trickle of blood from a cut Arche hadn¡¯t noticed. His own hand went up and found hers. ¡°Every surprise disorients me to the point I can barely stand. Most times, I can¡¯t. Basil hitting me adds a level of disorientation and pain I¡¯m likely to expect from any fight we get into, especially out here in the Sylv. Haemoaks aren¡¯t the only dangerous things around here. I refuse to be a liability. I won¡¯t have anyone else get hurt trying to protect me.¡± Tess hissed in frustration. ¡°Malaka. That¡¯s not how that works. You don¡¯t get to decide that.¡± ¡°I have to do something, Tess. Something. I can¡¯t just¡­not.¡± The words stuttered and died on his lips. He wasn¡¯t even sure what he was trying to tell her. What he was trying to tell himself. There was this desperate need inside of him. To not be a burden, to not be useless. To not be as he was. ¡°You are recovering. You had something dear taken from you. No one is expecting you to be fine with that. No one is expecting you to move on. It¡¯s all right to let others take care of you. You don¡¯t always have to be the one who saves everyone.¡± Arche clenched his teeth. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t know how to make you understand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she agreed, ¡°but I¡¯m trying. Help me help you make sense of it.¡± He let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Since I came to Tartarus, I¡¯ve been good at one thing: fighting. For better or worse, that¡¯s the truth of it. I don¡¯t know anything. Anything. All of my knowledge is completely irrelevant to whatever is going on at any given time and the rest of it, I don¡¯t even fucking remember. The one thing, the one thing that I¡¯ve been good at is fighting. Without my eyes, I can¡¯t fight, and if I can¡¯t fight, I can¡¯t do anything, and if I can¡¯t do anything, then what the fuck is the point of me? I need to be useful again. I need to do something. Anything.¡± Her hand cupped his cheek. ¡°Oh, Arche.¡± Her pity oozed over him. ¡°Don¡¯t. Please don¡¯t.¡± ¡°You are not useless. And your worth is not in your combat ability. You have suffered and sacrificed, but you don¡¯t have to bear that burden alone. If you truly want to train, I will help you, but not like this. I owe my life to you twice over, Arche. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten. Don¡¯t belittle the man¡ª¡± her voice caught, strained with strange emotion. ¡°The man I owe so much to.¡± Arche let his head hang forward, feeling tired and raw and hungry. Tess¡¯s forehead pressed against his own as she held his arms. The only lifeline he had. ¡°I think I¡¯ve had enough for one night,¡± he said. ¡°Tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 17 Nyxpera The 28th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals By the time the sun kissed the horizon, Lyssa¡¯s forehead was ready to kiss the olive wood of her desk. Yet another day spent, as she had spent many before it, working through the rising tides of parchment and planning that Theodorous stacked atop her workspace. The mousy man¡¯s desk, sitting near the front door, was stacked even higher than her own. How they had enough parchment to keep wasting, she had no idea, but there was clearly no end in sight. Theodorous was similarly bent over his work, his eyes, obscured though they were by a pair of spectacles, were glassy and tired. Lyssa dropped her gaze back to the page she¡¯d been reading, a detailed projection of their food situation. Much of the packed rations brought from Ship¡¯s Shape had been consumed. The massive packs, once filled to the brim of their prestigious inventories, now sat empty and abandoned, waiting to be used once more. As it was, with the average food yield brought in by the hunters, they had perhaps four months of reliable food left. Six, if they started rationing immediately. It was going to take at least eight months for the farmers to produce their first crops, but Lyssa hoped that the gaiamancers would be able to accelerate that timeline. Though she had little experience with growing food, the gaiamancers of Dawnwood had been able to grow things extraordinarily quickly, years of progress taking only days. Theodorous had accomplished his task of showing the farmers where to grow their crops, but they had run into the issue of the village¡¯s only gaiamancers being too busy to help with the process. Odelia, by far the most experienced gaiamancer, was busy training her healers in biomancy and the medical arts. The only other, Helwan, had gone off with Arche and Tess to Ship¡¯s Shape in order to wrap up whatever business the satyr had left unfinished in the town. Without the help of those two and without any other gaiamancers, they were bound to run into trouble. Theodorous had searched his records time and time again, but none of the villagers had declared any skillsets that might have been able to get them out of their current predicament. After food came the issue of infrastructure. Wooden structures were all fine and good¡ªpreferable even, in her mind¡ªbut it was not enough. Though a part of her wished to replicate the tree-top abodes of Dawnwood, such an architectural feat was simply not feasible for Myriatos. Even if she was able to make up for the sheer lack of elven wood-singers, there were not enough trees in the valley to use. Myriatos would be forced to move into the Sylv itself, where it would be much more difficult to see threats approach, not to mention the hassle of convincing the loam-dwellers to live in the trees, away from the threats of the forest floor. No, in order to build lasting structures, they would need stone and metal. To procure those, they would need to enlist the help of the true ground-folk among Myriatos¡¯s denizens: the dwarves. There had been loose plans to get Arche¡¯s help with those negotiations before he left, but his injury put those plans to rest. She would not entertain the idea of using him in that state. His efforts were better spent on recovery. As it was, she still had reservations about letting him go wandering the Sylv without her to watch over him. In the end, it was his choice to go and her obligation to stay, though she still cursed the circumstances that drove them apart. She had a duty now not to one human, but to an entire village. To that end, she would need to negotiate with the dwarves personally. Lyssa had very little interaction with the dwarven population of Myriatos. Most of it had occurred when she sold off the treasure she and Arche had found, and when they had spoken out during the night of her election. They had been suspicious of her in that first meeting, probably believing that she had stolen the trinkets rather than found them, but they had still supported her when Callias was exiled. Without Arche, Lyssa was almost at a loss as to how to approach them. She had put off the meeting because she had no idea what she was going to say, but that excuse wasn¡¯t going to hold up much longer. The village needed more buildings. The insula was finished and most of the villagers had already moved inside. It was a start, but it wasn¡¯t nearly enough. They needed a smithy, a workshop, a storehouse, stores, granaries, a guardhouse, a hunting hall, and more. There were many things to make Myriatos a real town, as evidenced by Lyssa¡¯s quest.
Settling Down I You have established a settlement in the middle of the Sylv. You must grow your settlement and take care of your people, else you may find that your new neighbors will simply kill you and move in.
Objectives ¡¤ Recruit a population of 100 (204/100) ¡¤ Build 5 structures (2/5) ¡¤ Secure 2 natural resources (0/2) Rewards ¡¤ Village Level I ¡¤ 10,000 Experience
WARNING: Failure to achieve these objectives before Village Morale reaches -500 may result in a coup!
As it stood, Myriatos was sitting at Hamlet Level Five and its available growth was harshly stunted as a result. Lyssa had spent much of the last few weeks studying what upgrades and infrastructure were available and found that most required the village level itself to be higher before they could hope to construct them. There were caveats and loopholes, Theodorous had informed her, but not ones that were easily exploitable. It was better, they had agreed, to focus on the buildings that were available to them now and worry about future improvements when they were no longer struggling for resources and infrastructure. It was to that end that the dwarves were necessary and why Lyssa had to speak with them. Without Arche¡ªwho was apparently an honorary dwarf due to their strange customs regarding drunken games¡ªshe had to settle for another to help her negotiate. ¡°It¡¯s nearly time, Theo,¡± Lyssa said, rising from the desk. Theodorous peered up at her from his stack of papers, then glanced to the window, watching the last rays of sun from the day disappear behind the trees. ¡°So it is. Shall I do the talking?¡± ¡°The majority of it, I think. Hopefully we can talk them into agreeing.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford them not to. Let¡¯s hope we can be convincing.¡± Theodorous had set up the meeting on her behalf. He did most of the interfacing with the villagers, actually. That was a point that needed to change, Lyssa knew, but it wasn¡¯t easy. She had long neglected growing her Charisma, instead favoring more practical attributes like Dexterity, Agility, and Perception. Lyssa wouldn¡¯t call that focus a mistake, but it made it difficult to be a leader. She was supposed to unite the people of Myriatos, but she didn¡¯t even understand them. That, too, would have to change. Lyssa led the way out of the village hall, Theodorous walking a step behind and to the left. Elpida fell into step on her right, making the steward jump. ¡°You could at least offer some sort of greeting before you do that,¡± he hissed. ¡°That would defeat the purpose,¡± Elpida replied. ¡°What purpose could you possibly get out of doing that?¡± ¡°Surprising you.¡± Theodorous harrumphed and turned his attention forward. Lyssa glanced sideways at Elpida, trying to be the reproachful leader, but the effect was undercut by the upward twist that crept around the corners of her mouth. ¡°I take it you¡¯re joining us, then?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course.¡± Lyssa left it at that, wandering through the now empty field. When the villagers had moved into the insula, they had removed their tents from the area outside, making the village feel much smaller than it had just a few short days ago. The only other structures in the village were the hall, the fence marking off the guards¡¯ training area, and the large, healers¡¯ tent.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. Some of the villagers sat on the grass or chatted amongst themselves, but most had turned in to the insula. It was a step up from living in the tents, but each insula was only designed to house a hundred people, which constituted about half the village. They could overpopulate it but only by half its capacity, leaving fifty people to live out of their tents. They¡¯d traded one morale problem for another. While they waited for more resources, Lyssa had instructed the builders to begin work on another insula, next to the first. It was expected to be finished within two weeks, at their current rate. Perhaps faster, depending on how quickly the related skills of the helpers improved. That would remove the constant morale drain that overcrowding provided. The dwarves gathered outside the insula, facing Mount Hyperion as they engaged in a muttered conversation amongst themselves, speaking in the grinding, clicking tones of their own language. Lyssa couldn¡¯t understand a word of it. It felt antithetical to the flowing language of the elves, which ran together like a breeze. One of the dwarves noticed their approach and said something to the others. They all stopped and faced her. ¡°Greetings, friends,¡± Theodorous began, stepping forward. ¡°Scribe,¡± one of the dwarves answered, a burly red-headed fellow. ¡°We were glad to receive your message, even if it was a bit sparse on the details. What business do you wish with us?¡± ¡°A business that will be beneficial for all parties, I should think,¡± Theodorous said. ¡°I have come here with Archousa Lyssa to negotiate a mining contract. May we speak to someone with the authority to negotiate on your behalf?¡± ¡°And what makes you think I don¡¯t have the authority to do so?¡± the red-headed dwarf scowled deeply. ¡°Because the dwarf in charge is never the first to speak to an outsider,¡± Theodorous replied, keeping a warm smile on his face. Tension lay thick on the air. The dwarves didn¡¯t move, so Lyssa didn¡¯t move either. Her fingers twitched, longing to hold her bow. Finally, a dwarf with raven-black hair broke the silence with a laugh. ¡°You have studied our culture well, human. My name is Grimmolt Sidergrothia. I am patriarch, here, and I would know your name.¡± ¡°Theodorous Apostolakis, at your service.¡± ¡°Hail and well met. And you, Archousa, you travel with the human, Arche, do you not?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°A shame what happened to him. He has the heart of a dwarf, that one. I had hoped he would be present tonight.¡± ¡°Arche has traveled to Ship¡¯s Shape along with the delegation. It is our belief that someone there will be able to heal him.¡± Grimmolt nodded. ¡°Good. A good lad, that. Doesn¡¯t hesitate. Doesn¡¯t quite know how to hold his liquor, but the head of rock, that one.¡± Lyssa blinked at the phrase and the ghost of a smile crept across her face. ¡°Yes, I often think the same.¡± Grimmolt laughed again and beckoned them forward. ¡°Come, let us discuss these matters not as strangers, but as friends. A drink mellows all negotiations.¡± At the dwarf¡¯s gesture, several of his kinsmen produced barrels and cups, which they quickly tapped and poured. Soon, everyone had a drink in hand, even Elpida, who stayed out of the conversation, frostily eyeing any dwarf who wandered too near. ¡°First, a toast,¡± Grimmolt said. ¡°There are many things that could be toasted but, tonight, I think we should drink to Myriatos. That we are still standing here is a testament in its own right.¡± The dwarves all raised their glasses, chanting ¡°Myriatos¡± before downing their drinks in one. Lyssa raised her own glass to her lips and drank, tasting the burn of an alcohol harsher than any wine. She couldn¡¯t keep the grimace from spreading across her face, even as Grimmolt laughed. ¡°I thought our felsbier might be a bit too strong for one of you fair-folk.¡± Lyssa knocked back the rest of the drink and held her cup out for a refill. ¡°What it lacks in taste, it makes up for in effect,¡± she replied. ¡°But we have business to attend to.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Grimmolt said, throwing back a second drink. ¡°In truth, I already know what it is you have come to request.¡± ¡°Do you, now?¡± ¡°You want me and my kinsmen to mine the mountain for you. To uncover its rock and metals for the village.¡± ¡°You have deduced well, Lord Sidergrothia,¡± Theodorous said, inclining his head respectfully. Grimmolt turned and looked at the human. ¡°You have honored us with your knowledge of our culture, scribe. But now I am conversing with the Archousa.¡± Theodorous bowed his head and stepped back as Grimmolt turned his attention to Lyssa. ¡°The dwarves¡¯ love of mining and metallurgy is widely known, even to the isolated elf havens,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Are such rumors inaccurate?¡± ¡°My people are hypogeal, Archousa,¡± Grimmolt said, stroking his beard. ¡°As yours are arboreal. To say we love mining ore is to say that you love growing trees.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Lyssa said slowly, though she wasn¡¯t sure she did. ¡°Your clan is no longer underground.¡± ¡°And you are no longer in your ¡®isolated elf haven.¡¯ We have all made decisions that have led us here.¡± ¡°Then you have given your answer?¡± ¡°I have given no such thing. Tell me, Archousa, what do you know of my people? Have you ever met dwarves before?¡± ¡°I have heard tell of dwarves. My father told many stories of other races, before my people enclosed themselves within the forest. I have never met one before I came to Myriatos, as is true with most other races.¡± ¡°Regale us with your knowledge, then.¡± Lyssa took a sip of her drink before answering. ¡°The dwarves are a proud and greedy race. They accumulate wealth, are slow to trust outsiders, and have a memory that extends well past their own lives. A grudge held against another can last generations, long after the offending parties are dead. They value gold above all else and hold a deep respect for tradition and family.¡± Grimmolt nodded along, looking not the least offended, even as Theodorous gasped audibly. ¡°Then I see our carefully crafted reputations have preceded us.¡± ¡°You want others to perceive you that way?¡± ¡°When knowing is half the battle, elf, ignorance becomes a blade in your opponent¡¯s back. There is a kernel of truth behind every rumor, but never the full story.¡± ¡°Then what do I have wrong?¡± ¡°None of it. But you do not have it exactly right either. Let me tell you what I know of your wood elves.¡± Lyssa gestured for him to continue. ¡°Yours are a timeless people. For reasons long lost to the minds of others, you have sequestered yourselves away from the rest of Tartarus. It takes your people years to make a decision because you have little concept of time. You surround yourself with nature, the only thing more timeless than you, and you do not care for outsiders because you fear any change that does not take place over centuries.¡± ¡°I think I understand your position.¡± ¡°We are more than our perceptions, Archousa.¡± ¡°And yet, by your own admission, you have not refused us.¡± ¡°Nor have I accepted. I am still thinking it over. But please, give me your offer.¡± ¡°The village needs stone and metal. The mountain is guaranteed to have both in large supply. For Myriatos to survive, someone needs to cultivate the resources necessary. I am willing to pay a fair wage for the labor, the specifics of which I will allow Theodorous to handle. I am also willing to allow laborers to keep a percentage of precious gems that are found.¡± Grimmolt took a steady pull from his cup. ¡°That is a surprising offer to hear from an elf. From what I know of your people, most would have expected us to do the work for little to no recompense, simply the knowledge that the work would have benefitted the village.¡± ¡°We are more than our perceptions, master dwarf.¡± ¡°Yes, but every word allows me to know you better. Tell me, what securities would you emplace? I have fourteen kinsfolk with me. There is no telling what creatures have inhabited the mountain. I will not put my people¡¯s lives at risk without taking proper precautions.¡± ¡°What precautions are proper, in your mind?¡± ¡°Two guards per dwarf.¡± ¡°I cannot provide you that. We have only thirty-four guards, not to mention Captain Gigator. Myriatos would be undefended.¡± ¡°Then what would you offer my people? Money cannot be spent by dead hands.¡± ¡°Each area will be scouted prior to work. Once it is determined to be safe, a contingent of six guards will accompany your dwarves to provide security.¡± ¡°Six guards might prove effective against a boar, but I would bet none have faced a monster of the underground. Ten guards, at least. Experienced.¡± ¡°Eight,¡± Lyssa countered. ¡°Hand-trained by Gigator.¡± ¡°Very well. If we are to accept your terms, I have three conditions.¡± ¡°I am listening.¡± ¡°The first: we will need the proper buildings to make use of the resources. A smithy and a refinery. Build these for us and we will work the treasures of the ground to their fullest extent.¡± ¡°That is simple enough.¡± ¡°For the second, rumor has it that you¡¯re building a school of magic.¡± Lyssa blinked in surprise. ¡°I am hoping to. I did not think that word of that was out yet.¡± ¡°It is, in the right circles. I would hold you to that promise. Further, I want you to give my kinsmen guaranteed entry, free of any charge.¡± ¡°Very well. And the third?¡± ¡°I want full access over the mine. None shall enter without my authority, save be it by yours.¡± ¡°The mine will belong to Myriatos,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°But if having administrative control over it is what you wish, then I will relinquish that responsibility to you. Know that if I find that you are abusing your position, I will have you removed, and it will not take me years to come to that decision.¡± Grimmolt smiled. ¡°Archousa, we have a deal.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 18 Charomera The 29th of Mounichion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals No one spoke much that day or the day after. Arche didn¡¯t realize how accustomed he¡¯d grown to Helwan¡¯s songs and stories until he was forced to walk along in silence. There was little noise aside from Tess¡¯s steady breathing next to him and the footfalls of their group as they trekked through the forest. Meals were had on the go. None of them wanted to stay near the territory of the haemoak for longer than was absolutely necessary. Cora traveled on the side of the tree¡¯s territory, keeping constant watch for any sign of creeping tendrils or undead thralls. They went a long way without issue, but two hours before sundown Cora let out a warning. ¡°Movement, headed our way.¡± ¡°Cora, retreat,¡± Tess called out. ¡°Battle formation, everyone.¡± Arche felt a different hand grab his arm and pull him away from Tess. ¡°This way, friend,¡± Helwan said. ¡°I¡¯ve got you. You stay right by me and they¡¯ll have this mess sorted out nice and quick.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to talk to me like I¡¯m a horse about to go wild, Helwan.¡± ¡°Oh, you think I¡¯m talking like this for you? I¡¯m the one that needs reassuring, here.¡± Despite himself and the situation, Arche smiled. ¡°Fine. You stick right by me. We¡¯ll have the best seats in the house to this whole mess. You can describe it to me.¡± ¡°Thralls!¡± Cora called out from somewhere to Arche¡¯s left. ¡°Closing fast!¡± Something crashed through the underbrush ahead of him. Arche held the Tridory carefully, ready to use but trying not to accidentally stick any of his friends. Helwan¡¯s hand on his shoulder helped ground him. He threw his consciousness toward the oncoming thralls, but the feedback was strange. Each had what felt like the same mind, scattered into different pieces. The consciousness was incredibly alien, moreso than anything Arche had ever felt, and it was exhibiting an emotion so strong that he didn¡¯t have to make any intrusive effort to read it. Absolute, unfettered terror. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Arche said. A bowstring twanged and one of the sparks of collective consciousness winked out of existence. The thralls continued barreling toward them, tripping over the uneven ground and crawling in their mad dash. ¡°What are they?¡± Arche hissed at Helwan. ¡°Animals,¡± the satyr replied, nervous fear permeating his voice. ¡°Dried animal husks animated by magic. Deer and wolves and more.¡± Basil let out an angry shout and Arche heard the sound of steel on bone. The young Warrior had engaged with the enemy, but the thralls didn¡¯t react. The others joined the fray. Tess launched her knives with deadly accuracy as Cora shot arrow after arrow into the crowd. In seconds, the fighting was over and each thrall lay dead on the ground, their desiccated corpses lacking any blood to spill out over the loam. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong,¡± Arche repeated. ¡°They weren¡¯t hunting, they were fleeing from something.¡± ¡°And you know this how?¡± Cora demanded. Arche ignored her and addressed Tess. ¡°Listen to me. What would make a haemoak afraid?¡± Tess took a moment to answer. ¡°Nothing that I know of. Fire, perhaps? But I don¡¯t smell smoke and the only orange in the sky is from the sunset.¡± ¡°A haemoak doesn¡¯t have predators,¡± Helwan said. ¡°It sits at the apex of its ecosystem. It¡¯s essentially just a big, bloody tree. Maybe, just maybe, it¡¯s produced a bloodseed which it would be protective of, but that would only be valuable to the right people. Certainly not something any of the forest creatures would be interested in, I imagine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to assume a bloodseed is how new haemoaks are made. Not important right now. Tess, this is your expedition, but if something can hunt a haemoak, it can probably hunt us.¡± ¡°You want to look into it? Go into its territory without knowing if it¡¯s still hunting? It could be a trap. Some lure to guide us to the slaughter.¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Arche hedged. ¡°But I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°This is ridiculous,¡± Cora interjected. ¡°We should keep moving before another wave of thralls comes our way. There could be any number of reasons why those acted as they did.¡± ¡°Which is all the more reason why we should investigate,¡± Arche argued. ¡°Enough.¡± Tess let out a heavy breath. Even without his sight, he could picture her covering her face with one hand.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. There were a few moments of silence, during which Arche could do nothing but stand there, waiting for Tess to make her decision. His Psychic awareness receded, having drained twenty percent of his lowered Mana pool from the effort of sustaining it. ¡°Cora, can you investigate safely?¡± Tess asked. ¡°This is a needless risk.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked. Can you do this?¡± Silence. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then do so, but above all, be careful. At the first sign of danger, return here. Understood?¡± Cora didn¡¯t respond, so Arche could only assume the woman had nodded. There were several moments of silence, only broken by the buzzing of insects and the occasional cawing of a random bird. ¡°So,¡± Arche said after a minute. ¡°Has she left yet?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Helwan replied. ¡°Huh,¡± Arche grunted, more to himself. ¡°Elves are freaking quiet. Well, we should probably do something with the bodies, yeah?¡± ¡°What did you have in mind?¡± Helwan said. ¡°Undead corpses are usually reclaimed by nature, in time.¡± ¡°Well, has anyone checked them for useful items?¡± ¡°What would undead animals have that would be useful?¡± ¡°Did you check?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Helwan trailed off, clearly incredulous. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t check.¡± ¡°All right, if you don¡¯t want to check them, that¡¯s fine. At least lead me over so I can check them.¡± Arche felt a hand on his shoulder, guiding him toward one of the bodies. He nearly tripped over it, his foot striking its back, but Helwan¡¯s grip helped keep him sturdy. ¡°Whoa, thanks.¡± With an effort of will, Arche pulled up the creature¡¯s inventory.
Desiccated Fox Thrall¡¯s Inventory
Desiccated Fox Hide Haemoak Twig
¡°Is a haemoak twig worth anything?¡± Arche asked. Helwan made some thinking noises from next to him. ¡°Probably,¡± the satyr ended up saying. ¡°I imagine it¡¯s probably either a reagent or a crafting material, either of which would probably be valuable to the right people, considering how dangerous haemoaks tend to be. I wouldn¡¯t touch it with your hands, though.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just stick it in my inventory for later, then. Maybe we can use it for something or make some money off of it. Lead me to the others.¡± A few minutes and three bodies later, Arche collected three more haemoak twigs, bringing the total to four. ¡°Tell me more about haemoaks,¡± Arche said. ¡°Why do they feed on blood? What do they look like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know too much about them,¡± Helwan said. ¡°Mostly just cautionary tales from my parents. ¡®Don¡¯t go running off by yourself in the forest or you¡¯ll be swallowed up by a haemoak,¡¯ they would tell me. I¡¯ve never actually seen one before. I¡¯ve seen pictures in books, though. They¡¯re a real big oak with crimson bark. It¡¯s said that any wound to the tree bleeds scarlet instead of sap, which is half of the way it gets its name. The other half is that it has some rudimentary intelligence and feasts on the blood of animals. It grows thick vines that can slither out along its territory and hunt for it. The older the tree, the longer the vines and the more territory it can claim.¡± ¡°Claiming territory seems to be a common theme in Tartarus,¡± Arche muttered. ¡°Many believe power and control to be a path to peace. I cannot say that they are wrong, but I have not yet seen them be right. For a creature like a haemoak, however, territory means food sources.¡± ¡°You keep saying that haemoaks drain animals of blood. How exactly do they do that?¡± ¡°The vines. Each one has serrations on it that cut into prey and funnel that blood back through the vines to the tree itself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s better than a massive tree-mouth, which is what I was worried you were about to say.¡± Arche smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that would be terribly efficient, considering all the nutrients that a tree needs to consume.¡± ¡°You¡¯re probably right. It¡¯s hard to believe it could get everything it needs just from hunting, though. I wonder if it feeds on other things, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible, though I don¡¯t know enough about them to have an answer for that. It¡¯s possible they can still feed like other trees, drinking in the light and the ambient Mana in an area.¡± Arche started to nod, then froze. ¡°Wait, trees drink Mana?¡± ¡°Oh yes. And produce it.¡± ¡°Fucking huh?¡± ¡°Trees are a synthesizers of air and Mana. The Sylv is so dangerous, in part, because the large amount of ambient Mana filtered by the forest allows the creatures and monsters there to grow incredibly strong.¡± ¡°Does that mean there¡¯s less ambient Mana in the city?¡± ¡°Ah, I see why you would think that, but no. Not in Ship¡¯s Shape, at least. You¡¯ll understand better when you get there, but the city¡¯s design incorporates many techniques for amplifying ambient Mana in the area.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, what about our other discussion about ambient Mana? If trees make Mana, doesn¡¯t that prove that Mana is made?¡± ¡°Not entirely. Just because trees make Mana doesn¡¯t mean we do. Additionally, just because Mana regeneration can go more quickly in Mana-dense environments doesn¡¯t mean that there is no production by us, as well. What it does mean is that tests to determine what is the case are difficult to pull off without interference. I did tell you there were complications to the experiments.¡± ¡°The more you say, the less I understand.¡± Helwan chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll explain more later. Cora has returned.¡± ¡°What, really?¡± Arche turned around as though he would see her and nearly lost his footing in the process. ¡°Damn, she¡¯s quiet.¡± Helwan grabbed his arm and led him toward where the group was huddling up. ¡°As much as it pains me to admit it, Arche was right. Something was very wrong with the haemoak.¡± Silence. ¡°Well? Don¡¯t just keep us in suspense, what is it?¡± Arche asked, wishing he could roll his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s dead.¡± Arche cocked his head. There weren¡¯t many things he knew of strong enough to kill a carnivorous tree that could attack someone well before they reached it. A kykl¨­ps, probably. Something with strong enough magic could also probably do the job. ¡°How did it die?¡± Tess asked. ¡°Something drained its blood.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 19 Nyxpera The 14th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The days that followed the incident with the haemoak were quiet. They upped the watch rotations, keeping two awake throughout the night. Arche burned to talk about the haemoak but the rest were loath to speak of it. They all took it as an ill omen and a sign that the Sylv wasn¡¯t safe for anyone or anything. There was truth to that, but Arche suspected it was no random forest monster. After all, how many creatures could exsanguinate a tree? Three weeks of double watches had done little for their morale. Every day seemed to be full of a miserable amount of walking. Without his eyes to watch his surroundings, Arche found himself interminably bored, left with nothing to do but try to keep his feet under him. The few times he¡¯d tried practicing his Mana Manipulation were met with utter failure. The Mana was so sluggish that it barely cycled at all when he told it to and trying harder only succeeded in giving him a nosebleed. Helwan had nearly panicked at that, so Arche promised he would stop practicing it. This left him miserably, utterly, completely bored until they finally left the Sylv behind. The change in scenery made little difference to Arche, though he was glad that the forest roots weren¡¯t tripping him up as often. For as little as it meant to him, the effect it had on the others was undeniable. Helwan spoke louder, more confidently, and started to sing songs again. Basil laughed louder at the jokes and Tess didn¡¯t hiss at them as much to be quiet. When they had left the Sylv entirely, Tess leaned close to his ear and described the path ahead. ¡°We¡¯re standing atop a hill at the edge of the forest. For the last kilometer, the trees have been thinning to the point the sun is able to paint the ground in strips. Ahead of us is a grassland covered in hills. There will be a lot of ups and downs ahead of us, so stay close or you¡¯ll lose your footing. In the distance is Ship¡¯s Shape, a great cluster of buildings that jut out into the sea, which continues onward and out of sight.¡± Arche tried to imagine all that water and was surprised when he was easily able to conjure the image in his head. Waves of blue stretching in all directions, out to the horizon like nothing else existed. The thought of it made him shudder. A reminder of his near drownings in the river by Myriatos. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time, then. The sooner we can get there, the sooner we can find someone to fix my eyes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nearly dusk,¡± Tess replied. ¡°The journey over the grasslands will take two days, maybe three. We¡¯ll find someone to help you, Arche. Just hold on a little longer.¡± Arche struggled to do as he was asked. He stumbled up and down the inclines, focusing on his breathing to distract himself. The pain in his legs had faded entirely, but that had done little for his balance. An unseen rock caught his foot, sending him sprawling to the ground. Blood slicked his teeth as he bit his tongue to prevent a violent outburst. When they stopped for the night, he had another set of annoyances to deal with. He had made Tess hold good to her promise to train with him, but it hadn¡¯t gone well. He felt he was on the verge of a breakthrough. Into what, he wasn¡¯t sure, but each time he cast his Psychic net of awareness outward, it was starting to get a little clearer.
Psychic Link has reached Level 7. -0.5% Mana Cost (-3.5%) +1 Wisdom +1 Willpower
Though he wasn¡¯t directly connecting with anyone, simply using his Psychic trait was apparently enough to level the skill. He got the feeling it was inefficient when compared to actually connecting with another mind, though, which helped explain why he was still in the Beginner ranks even after weeks of constant usage. It didn¡¯t help that his Mana Scars made everything a struggle. He had hoped it would become easier with practice, but it was still as difficult as when the scars were fresh. He was used to visualizing Mana as water, but it was quickly switching to tar in his mind¡¯s eye. ¡°Again,¡± he said. ¡°This might go better if you tell me what you¡¯re trying to accomplish here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I figure it out.¡± Arche picked himself off the ground and stood, hands slightly out to the side for balance. He kept one foot slightly forward, trying to give himself a stable base. Tess pushed lightly on one side of him as he cast out his mental awareness once more, trying to focus on her movements. He tried to open up all his senses to her. He could hear the grass shifting beneath her foot, feel the air bending around her as she moved toward him. He knew exactly where her head was, feeling the presence of her consciousness, but the rest of her was dim and hard to make out. Arche stepped to the side, twisting away from Tess¡¯s outstretched arm, but too late. Her touch pushed against his shoulder and he had to take another quick step to readjust himself. In that step, his entire awareness flickered. His senses mixed with his Psychic awareness to create, for just a moment, an electrified outline of his surroundings. Then pain erupted in his forehead and the outline was gone. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Arche!¡± He couldn¡¯t respond, the pain was too severe. He withdrew into his mindscape. The outside world blinked away and the pain in his head slowly faded. He quickly checked his Mana, only to find he was sitting at about seventy percent of his reduced total, much too high to be causing Mana withdrawal symptoms. When he felt he could manage it, he left his mindscape and let his senses open up. ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Tess demanded. Arche pulled his hands away from his head, trying to fight down the rising swell of frustration on his chest. ¡°I hurt my brain.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been pushing against your Mana Scars, again, haven¡¯t you?¡± Helwan asked. ¡°Not intentionally.¡± ¡°Has the damage worsened at all?¡± Arche hesitated, then checked his active debuffs.
Mana Scarring ¡ª Tier 1 -55% Mana Flow -55% Mana
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Shit. ¡°I¡¯m still at tier one.¡± ¡°Thank the stars for that,¡± Helwan said. ¡°Imagine coming all this way only to cripple yourself further only a few days away from help.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need to be reminded of my failures,¡± Arche growled. ¡°I am well aware.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, friend. I mean that you must be kinder to yourself. Our journey is nearly over and if anyone can help you, it will be the people inside Ship¡¯s Shape. Don¡¯t give up hope and please don¡¯t make things harder on yourself.¡± Arche grunted in response. ¡°We¡¯re done training,¡± Tess said, the edge in her voice invited no argument. Arche opened his mouth to argue anyway, but his head throbbed again before he could get the words out. ¡°Fine. For now, at least.¡± Tess made a dissatisfied noise but left it at that. There was a shuffling noise as the rest of them started to go about their business around the camp. Arche became aware of someone standing next to him but was hesitant to expand his awareness to find out who. As it turned out, he didn¡¯t need to. ¡°You all right?¡± Basil asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been better.¡± Both were quiet for a moment before Arche relented. ¡°Did you need something, Basil?¡± ¡°Are you magic?¡± Arche snorted, taken by surprise. ¡°Do I look magic?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I thought I knew what magic looks like, but you do things I¡¯ve never seen before. And you never give me a clear answer.¡± ¡°If I said ¡®yes,¡¯ what difference would it make?¡± ¡°Can you teach me?¡± Arche paused. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Basil. If I could, I would. But the things I can do are not things I can teach. I¡¯m an anomaly, if I understand my position correctly.¡± ¡°A Trait?¡± Basil asked, excitement filling his voice as he dropped it to a whisper. Arche paused, remembering what Lyssa had told him about Traits. They were rare and highly sought after, but they were dangerous information. Trait hunters would try to hunt down Trait holders and kill them just for a chance at gaining their power. ¡°No, it¡¯s not a Trait. It¡¯s more that something was done to me to make me different.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Basil¡¯s voice was tinged with disappointment. ¡°Can you do it to me?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know how to start. Even if I did, the process would probably kill both of us. If your hope is to become like me, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m only going to disappoint you. If you want to learn magic, you would be better off learning from Helwan once he starts up his school.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much interest in learning to shape the ground or bend light, unless it can help me do what you do.¡± ¡°If you could learn to do those things, you could do things I can¡¯t. My abilities are almost purely physical. I have no utility.¡± ¡°But you can do such amazing things. The way you killed the Gourdian Knot was incredible.¡± ¡°And if I had access to fire magic, I could have killed it in a much safer manner,¡± Arche said. ¡°I could have burned its appendages and boiled the water it lived in. Very little risk in that. If I had lightning, I could have electrified it. Don¡¯t discount the power of using your head. If I was smarter, I wouldn¡¯t get hurt nearly as much.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, I¡¯d just like to learn to use magic the way you do.¡± ¡°Talk with Helwan, I¡¯d say. He¡¯s much better prepared to talk about the diversity of magic and what it can do for you.¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± Arche gave a grim smile. ¡°Don¡¯t set your sights on me, Basil. Aim higher.¡± There was no response, so Arche sat down. He listened to the others doing camp chores, setting up tents and cooking food over a small fire. He heard Basil¡¯s voice a short distance away, talking to Helwan, but there were too many other noises for him to make out what they were saying. With any luck, the young Warrior would take his advice. ¡°Your condition frustrates you.¡± Arche flinched and bit back a curse. Efterpi¡¯s voice was very close to him and slightly muffled, as though something was pressed against her face. ¡°Are you asking me or telling me?¡± ¡°Merely observing.¡± Of the group, Efterpi was the most withdrawn. Cora had said very little to him over the course of the journey, but she had, at least, spoken with the others. Efterpi kept her own company. She moved so quietly over the ground that Arche often completely forgot about her, only noticing her again when his Psychic awareness brushed against her consciousness and even then it was tenuous. ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet this trip.¡± ¡°You have not.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m told. I doubt you came here for small talk, though.¡± ¡°I came to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Ask away.¡± ¡°Why do you push yourself?¡± Arche scratched his chin. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the question.¡± ¡°You are injured and do not allow yourself to heal. Why?¡± ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t accept my injury.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t accept?¡± Efterpi sounded confused. ¡°It is not an offer. It is what you are.¡± ¡°Why does everyone want to make me introspective today?¡± Arche muttered. ¡°Look, I can¡¯t let my injuries slow me down. I have to figure out a way to get strong around them.¡± ¡°I see. Strength is admirable. The pursuit of it is often difficult.¡± ¡°Is that why you joined us? To get stronger?¡± ¡°In a way.¡± ¡°Well, I hope you find what you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Are you from Ship¡¯s Shape?¡± A pause. Arche tilted his head, wondering if she was still there. ¡°No. I had a home far away, but it is gone now.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Sorry? You were not involved.¡± Arche cocked his head. ¡°Are you an elf?¡± ¡°No.¡± The word practically snapped at him. Arche didn¡¯t know how to respond to that, so he didn¡¯t. After a period of prolonged silence, he was pretty sure she had left. The way she moved about was ghostlike, making no sounds and leaving no traces. It reminded him of Lyssa in a way, though Efterpi did not speak with the lilting accent that Arche had come to associate with wood elves. His curiosity was piqued, but there was little he could do in his current state to learn more about the enigmatic woman. Especially when she was so indirect about her answers. Arche twisted himself into a poor facsimile of a lotus pose, resting the Tridory across his lap. He turned his attention inward, falling into a sort of meditation as he focused on his mindscape. It had been a while since he had really tried to meditate there. Normally, he was too exhausted after their hiking and his training to turn his focus inward, but now that the going was easier on him and his training was interrupted, he found himself returning. His allies wanted him to be introspective so he would introspect. One grateful aspect of the mindscape was that his physical shortcomings didn¡¯t transfer over to his nonphysical form. In short, he could see the world of his mind. The avatar of his consciousness walked the grassy field, examining the barriers that formed a dome over him. Most of the walls remained a conglomeration of mud and sticks, though, the stone upgrade covered a solid third. Most striking, however, were the long strips of burned grass that streaked the ground of his mindscape. Arche followed the scorched grass and dirt. The lines grew broader as his avatar flew over them, converging near the center of his mind. Arche landed at the foot of his Mana pool, where the burns originated. The pool was a roiling, bubbling mass of unstable, orange energy. It wasn¡¯t smaller than it used to be, which surprised him given that half of his Mana was unavailable to him, but it was tapped. Streams of Mana wisped upward and evaporated. He held out his avatar¡¯s hand and tried to draw some of the Mana to himself. The Mana surged in response, but the burned grass pulsed, pulling at the Mana even as Arche gathered some around his fingers. He could see firsthand how the scars dragged his Mana as he tried to channel it. Arche lifted his hand and channeled the Mana toward his mindscape walls, not wanting to waste any. He was hesitant to draw too much out, worried it would aggravate the scars. Since his mindscape was able to show him the problem, there had to be a way to treat the scars, but where to begin? He only knew how to interact with his mindscape through Mana, but the scars had been caused specifically by an influx forced through his channels. He didn¡¯t have the experience or control to channel the Mana away from the scars and forcing it to flow through them was only going to deteriorate them further. Arche pulled away from his mindscape, returning to the present. He stretched his neck, about to stand and check on dinner when he heard Tess¡¯s voice, sharp as steel and twice as hard. ¡°Not one step closer.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 20 Nyxpera The 14th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Lyssa stood on a shelf halfway up Mount Hyperion, surveying the Sylv as it disappeared into the distance. The burgeoning village was laid out in the valley before her, four kilometers away as the wolf ran. Elpida stood at her back, along with a handful of guards specially chosen by the taciturn woman. Next to Lyssa stood Grimmolt Sidergrothia, also enjoying the view. ¡°Not every day you get to see a sight like this, is it?¡± the dwarf asked. ¡°Indeed,¡± Lyssa replied. ¡°Even our tallest trees don¡¯t reach this high.¡± ¡°You should see the sky from a mountain peak on a cloudless night. The stars are laid bare before you and the unfiltered light of Selene and Agrotera makes the air come alive. On those nights, we break open our strongest casks and read the divinations of the kosmos.¡± Lyssa looked at the dwarf consideringly. ¡°Perhaps, someday, we will reenact such a thing.¡± Grimmolt met her gaze, but his face was as inscrutable as the mountain they stood on. ¡°We will see. Such an event is not normally held with outsiders.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Lyssa turned back to the Sylv. ¡°Myriatos is full of things that are not normal. With time, perhaps, we will experience more.¡± ¡°Perhaps, indeed.¡± Another dwarf approached them, receiving an intense stare from Elpida. The dwarf did his best to ignore the armored woman but still stopped a respectful distance away. ¡°Patriarch, Archousa, the node is ready for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Arnag. That will be all.¡± Grimmolt dismissed the dwarf with a wave of his hand. Arnag hastened away, Elpida staring daggers into his back until he was gone from sight. ¡°Time for Myriatos to claim its first resource,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Was the excavation difficult?" She and Grimmolt turned from the vista and walked toward the mouth of the mine. ¡°For us? Hardly. Once your guards cleared the cave bear out, we were able to make quick work of the rest. We should have the stone ready for the forge in a few days. We have already tapped a copper vein and discovered a vein of iron, though we will need a refinery before we are able to work it into a usable alloy.¡± ¡°Your forge will be built next, but I cannot promise a refinery directly afterwards. There are other pressing needs for the village. We will build it as soon as the plans allow.¡± Elpida, normally Lyssa¡¯s shadow, stepped into the cavemouth first. She glanced left and right, a hand on the mace that hung from her belt. Most of the citizens that carried weapons in Myriatos kept those weapons in their inventory, but Elpida preferred to wear hers visibly, where convenience allowed, and usually rested a hand on them. After finding no immediate threats, the armored woman returned to her position slightly behind Lyssa. Lyssa, for her part, watched with well-hidden exasperation. With her high Perception and the natural elven ability to see in darkness, she was much more qualified to spot hidden dangers. Further, she was armed with her usual weapons and was one of the highest leveled individuals in Myriatos, if not the highest. If something was amiss, she was likely to spot it long before Elpida did, though that didn¡¯t stop the human woman from taking her job with the utmost solemnity. When the dwarves sent word that the mine was ready to be claimed, Elpida had insisted on a full guard to accompany Lyssa, an addition that Lyssa found to be incredibly wasteful. The guards would be used much more efficiently by taking additional training or by actually protecting the village, but Elpida would not hear of argument. Lyssa was working to unite the different races of Myriatos under a common cause, peace, but Elpida treated everyone with suspicion until proven otherwise. Such was her duty. ¡°So long as you measure ¡®soon¡¯ by our metric and not yours,¡± Grimmolt said. ¡°If you want to be forging with steel, we will need that refinery. I¡¯ve got a few good years ahead of me, I don¡¯t want to be wasting them waiting for you to get around to it.¡± ¡°I have already promised you we will build one. You will have to be satisfied with that.¡± It was an effort to keep exasperation from her voice, but she could not hide the sharpness of her tone. To her surprise, Grimmolt smiled. ¡°With the fire in your belly, it¡¯s a wonder you weren¡¯t born a dwarf, Archousa. Fine, I will take you at your word, for now.¡± They walked deeper into the cave, but it took no more than ten meters for a notification to appear.
You have entered an Unclaimed Mine. Claim this mine for Myriatos?
Yes No
Lyssa affirmed the choice and was met with a follow up notification.
You have claimed a mine for Myriatos. Proceeds from this mine will now be attributed to Myriatos. You and any designated officials will be warned if proceeds from this mine are stolen. You and any designated officials will be warned if someone else attempts to claim this mine. Designate an official?
Yes No
Lyssa affirmed the notification again, fixing Grimmolt in her mind. There was a light, mental chime as her quest updated, signaling she had claimed half of the natural resources necessary to level the village. All that was left was to secure one more natural resource and construct a few more buildings. Simple, if time-consuming. ¡°I will let you work out the logistics of transporting the materials back to the village, Grimmolt,¡± she said. ¡°Once we have the stone necessary, construction of your forge will begin.¡± ¡°Our first shipment will start tomorrow morning. Do not fear, Archousa. We may not be cheap, but we dwarves know how to do good work quickly.¡± Grimmolt gave a toothy smile but Lyssa didn¡¯t rise to the bait. She inclined her head in acknowledgement and turned away, Elpida at her side. They walked out of the cave and back to the mountain camp, over a thousand meters above the ground. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why they had to climb so high before beginning their digging,¡± Lyssa muttered. ¡°Grimmolt said they had a better chance of finding metal veins up here,¡± Elpida said. ¡°He also mentioned a higher likelihood of rare metals and gems would be found higher, but that the monsters encountered would also grow more dangerous. This was as high as he was willing to go with the security you gave him.¡± Lyssa grunted. ¡°It seems careless to me. Stone is our most pressing concern. The metals can wait.¡± ¡°Can they?¡± Elpida raised an eyebrow. ¡°As it stands, our guards are ill-equipped. Their weapons are cheaply made and crudely kept. The forge will be handy for its utility but it will also help keep our militia well-armed and protected.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Lyssa began the long path down the mountainside. Elpida stayed in lockstep on her left. Ahead of her, three of Elpida¡¯s guards scouted the way forward while another two stayed behind, protecting their flank. ¡°Never agree to be the person in charge,¡± Lyssa said quietly, looking up into the sky. ¡°Never more have I felt myself caged in a life I didn¡¯t want than when I look at my desk.¡± ¡°Why did you take the job, then?¡± ¡°I thought I could make a difference, I suppose. I thought I could do a better job than Callias. I knew there was going to be responsibility, I¡¯m not a fool, I just didn¡¯t realize that it was going to consume my entire life.¡± ¡°That must be¡­lonely.¡± Lyssa glanced at the woman, noting the hesitation in her voice. Elpida¡¯s eyes were fixed on the path ahead, her face as impassive as the stone beneath their feet. She betrayed nothing. ¡°I am exiled. To be cast out by my people is to be alone.¡± ¡°If they cast you out, they¡¯re not your people.¡± A small ember of anger bloomed in Lyssa¡¯s chest. ¡°They were right to do so. Our laws are unequivocal.¡± ¡°Laws don¡¯t make something right.¡± The iron in Elpida¡¯s voice made Lyssa look at her again. This time, Elpida met Lyssa¡¯s eyes. ¡°You are the leader of Myriatos. These are your people, now. You should start believing it before people start to wonder where your loyalties truly lie.¡± Lyssa bit back the angry response she wanted to give and nodded. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. I have a new people now, but finding a new home does not lessen the pain of losing my old one. An uprooted tree, even replanted somewhere greener, will not grow quite the same. Something is lost ¨C and something is found.¡± Elpida¡¯s face softened; the look she gave Lyssa was not so impenetrable as before. ¡°You¡¯re slipping into metaphors again.¡± ¡°Am I? I must be more tired than I thought.¡± ¡°We can slow down, if you like.¡± ¡°On the contrary.¡± Lyssa felt a smile tug at her lips, all trace of anger gone. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back. I need to speak with Theodorous about my schedule. I think the village is nearing a point of lessened oversight. I would like the freedom to go hunting again.¡± ¡°It will be hard to protect you while hunting,¡± Elpida pointed out. ¡°If safety was assured, the hunt would not be enjoyable. You are welcome to join me if you feel so inclined. Your nature-sense is coarse but not hopeless.¡± ¡°I got my boot stuck in the mud one time.¡± Elpida scowled. ¡°And had to hop five meters before you could put it back on.¡± Lyssa felt the smile cross her face fully. ¡°I won¡¯t soon forget that.¡± Ignoring the other woman¡¯s dour look, Lyssa quickened her stride, forcing everyone to speed up. With the fast pace over treacherous terrain, it took them nearly an hour to reach Myriatos. It was a slow pace, by Lyssa¡¯s standards, but by the wheezing breaths of the guards, they clearly disagreed. North of the village, the farmers had begun tilling the ground and working a rudimentary irrigation system with the nearby river. Normally the season would be late for planting but, with the help of gaiamancy, the crops would be able to grow quickly and out of season. Odelia and Helwan remained the village¡¯s only gaiamancers but, with luck, when Helwan returned he would have whatever was necessary to begin a school. The village desperately needed more magic. Lyssa¡¯s own expertise lay in bushcraft, not gaiamancy. It was easier for her to insert herself into the natural world, rather than make it contort to her will. That was when she had started the path to becoming a Huntress. The memory of first shooting a bow sprang to her mind, making her smile. She had practiced archery for nearly two hundred years. At first, the skill levels had come quickly under the instruction of Dawnwood¡¯s hunters, but they had slowed considerably when she reached the Proficient ranks. As an Adept, progression was practically non-existent. She had her own theories as to why her progression had stalled, but there was little opportunity to explore solutions. Myriatos consumed all her attention, every waking moment of her day and many of the sleeping ones. As they approached the village, details of the construction were revealed. Materials for the forge were carefully arrayed where the building was going to one day sit, simply awaiting a shipment of stone to begin. Next to the eventual forge, a simple cord of rope delineated the location of where the refinery would be placed. This was expected and had been laid out the previous day, but what she hadn¡¯t expected was the rope cordoning off the plot on the other side of the forge. Lyssa frowned and quickened her pace again until she reached the village hall. There, she found Theodorous doing calculations at his desk, his spectacles perched so far down his nose that it was a wonder they hadn¡¯t yet slipped off. ¡°Theo.¡± The man looked up sharply, slinging the spectacles into the pile of parchment before him. He grabbed for them quickly, putting them in place before he focused his eyes on Lyssa. ¡°Oh, Archousa, forgive me. I didn¡¯t notice you come in.¡± ¡°Did you approve a structure to be built next to the forge?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I was meaning to speak with you about that. I was approached by some of the crafters. They have been growing unsettled by their lack of ability to conduct their trade and hone their skills. They demanded a building for them to conduct their practices, so I was forced to pick a plot for the eventual construction of a workshop. I thought next to the forge would allow the two some synergy. Shall I relocate it?¡± Lyssa shook her head. ¡°Not at all. What is next on the city planning agenda?¡± Theodorous quickly rifled through his parchment before producing the sought-after document. ¡°Ah, let¡¯s see here. The additional insula, which should alleviate our overcrowding concerns, the forge, the workshop, a storehouse for the crops, a guardhouse, and Odelia has been harassing me for an asklepieion for formal medical practice. At some point, we should also consider a warehouse to allow the people to store things long-term; for a fee, of course.¡± Lyssa nodded along, mentally noting each item. ¡°How is the second insula coming along?¡± ¡°Considering the delays we had, it should be finished within the week. The foreman believes it will be able to house a hundred people across ten apartments, same as the first. He also states that with access to stone, he can reinforce both structures and allow us to build upward, creating more living spaces on top.¡± ¡°Is that safe?¡± ¡°That was my question as well. He assured me that so long as he has access to the materials to reinforce it, it is safe. With iron and steel, he said he could go even higher.¡± ¡°Eventually, we will need to provide housing for each family,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Our position has been accepted thus far, but I do not expect them to agree to combined living forever.¡± ¡°Indeed. I had an idea on that, Archousa, if you would hear me out.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°With two insulae, we would be able to realistically, if not comfortably, accommodate for approximately two hundred people. That is before any upgrades that the builders can provide. Currently, we are charging no fees for the people to use this space. Once the important infrastructural buildings are created, I think we should open potential construction for private homes. We will lease the land, allow the citizens to negotiate with the builders for price and size¡ªwith some oversight, of course¡ªand have homes built in a sectioned, residential portion of the village. The homes will be much larger than the apartments and offer much more privacy, but at the cost of the land, which they would pay back to Myriatos. The insulae will be kept as a free housing option and for new arrivals to move into.¡± Lyssa tilted her head to one side, considering the proposal. ¡°It will take a long time before those housing options will be made available to everyone. Are we certain that village morale will last long enough to carry it out?¡± ¡°It will if we market it in the right way. If Helwan were here, it would be easier. I¡¯m not sure what it is about that satyr but he sure does know how to make any news sound like good news.¡± ¡°Are we certain the villagers can afford to build and pay on private homes?¡± ¡°Some of them, certainly. Others, likely not. Given time and the influx of drachmae that Tessalyn will bring back, that should be a large enough boost to our economy that more citizens will be able to afford it. If we can establish some sort of trade with Ship¡¯s Shape, it becomes even more likely.¡± Lyssa looked over her shoulder to where Elpida stood in the shadows next to the door. ¡°What do you think?¡± Elpida stepped forward, clearly reluctant to leave what she had decided to be her post. Theodorous flinched in surprise, clearly not having noticed her. ¡°It¡¯s a solid plan. Keeps the money central, gives the people a place to stay. Gives them a fallback, too. The more people that use the private housing, the more spacious the insulae will become. I imagine you¡¯ll have a steady stream of demand for both, especially as the village grows.¡± ¡°I agree. Make it happen, Theo.¡± Theodorous bowed his head. ¡°Archousa.¡± ¡°We¡¯re close to getting the village to being an actual village and not a hamlet,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°We need one more natural resource to claim and three more buildings. Split the builders if we need to. Leveling the village is a top priority.¡± ¡°Of course, Archousa. I¡¯ve assigned some of the guards with high agility to act as runners between the mine and the village. They should be able to carry supplies there and stones back quickly.¡± ¡°So long as Gigator signs off on it, I approve.¡± A wave of exhaustion hit her and she rolled backwards on her heels. ¡°I¡¯m going to take the rest of the night off. Clear my head. I trust you can manage things?¡± ¡°Absolutely, Archousa.¡± ¡°Thank you, Theo. I¡¯ll see about getting you some time off later this week.¡± Lyssa stepped away from Theodorous¡¯s desk and retired to the room at the back of the building. Hers was the only room located on the ground floor¡ªaside from Theodorous¡¯s room near the opposite side of the building¡ªwhich offered some additional privacy. She shut the door and nearly collapsed onto the bed, only taking the time to doff her armor back into her inventory. There was a single window in her room, which she had boarded off with a rotating slab of wood for privacy. When it was shut, it bathed the entire room in darkness, no matter the time of day. She could have had Theodorous bring in a light for her, but there would have been little point. Everything in the room stood out to her with perfect detail, if muted color. After a couple minutes of deep breaths and staring at the ceiling, Lyssa dragged herself off the bed and over to the wash basin. With a touch, the basin filled with stored, heated water. When it was full, she removed the rest of her clothes and lowered herself into it, settling for a long soak. A small sigh, almost a groan, escaped her lips. The constant press of work and administration had sapped her motivation to take basic care of herself. This was the first bath she¡¯d taken in days. Lyssa rested her head against the side of the basin and closed her eyes. The warm water soaked her to the bone, making her feel like she was floating despite being pressed against smooth wood. After a couple minutes, any thoughts of work completely slipped away. After a couple more, she drifted off to sleep. Outside, Theodorous continued his work at his desk. The quickly setting sun forced him to read by candlelight. Unbeknownst to him, Elpida had returned to her position by the door, keeping a careful eye on things. Neither they nor the sleeping elf heard the scratching noise under the floorboards. Book 2 | Chapter 21 Nyxpera The 14th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche froze. There were footsteps nearby, more than there should have been. He cast out his mental awareness, despite the ache in his mind. Six strangers surrounded them. Two in front, two to the sides, and two behind ¡°We¡¯ll make this easy on you. Empty your inventories and we¡¯ll let you go.¡± A man¡¯s voice; low, gruff, and full of implied threat. The Tridory sat crossways on Arche¡¯s lap, but he was still seated. One of the strangers was too close to him for him to try anything. Any movement would be noticed. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± Helwan said, fear making his voice tremble. ¡°Neither do we.¡± A different stranger, this time a woman, though the rasp around the voice indicated she wasn¡¯t human. ¡°So follow our instructions and there won¡¯t be any.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making a mistake,¡± Tess hissed. ¡°Leave now and I¡¯ll forget about it.¡± ¡°A tough one, eh? Don¡¯t be a hero, love. You¡¯re outnumbered. Try anything funny and your blind friend there will be the first to die.¡± ¡°Do we really look like we have anything value?¡± Arche asked aloud. ¡°You¡¯re wearing mantikhoras armor, halfwit. Yeah, I reckon you¡¯ve got coin and goods. You better be handing them over now or we¡¯re going to get violent. Guards don¡¯t patrol out this far. You won¡¯t be found.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± He¡¯d forgotten his armor was made of a rare material. His grip tightened around the Tridory, preparing to do something reckless. The covers were on, making it look more like a metal staff than a spear, but it would still pack a punch. ¡°Last chance,¡± Tess said. Arche felt her shift, a scrape of boot against dirt, but couldn¡¯t get a strong enough sense of her to figure out what she was doing. He felt a current of emotion run through the three brigands near her, though. It was strong enough that he didn¡¯t even need to try to enter their minds to feel it. Shock and fear in equal measure radiated from them. ¡°Listen,¡± one of the strangers said in a much more strained voice. ¡°We didn¡¯t mean anything by it. We don¡¯t want no trouble with the Hekatonkheires. We¡¯ll go.¡± ¡°Tell anyone of what you saw here tonight and I will find you.¡± The strangers moved away from the group. Arche¡¯s mind twinged in pain and his concentration broke. His psychic net bounded inward and he lost all sense of direction. He held a hand up to his temple, waiting for the pulsing in his head to stop. ¡°Are they gone yet?¡± ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± Cora said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how they snuck up on us.¡± ¡°Thieves and cutthroats train Stealth above all their other skills,¡± Tess said. ¡°It¡¯s a matter of success and failure, life and death.¡± ¡°What happens when they find out you¡¯re not a member of the Hekatonkheires?¡± Basil asked. Tess didn¡¯t answer. Instead she put her hands on Arche¡¯s arm and helped him to his feet. ¡°We¡¯ll get no rest tonight. We need to push on to Ship¡¯s Shape. If we¡¯re fast and lucky, we¡¯ll make it by morning when the gates open.¡± The group broke down their camp in silence. Arche stood helplessly to one side, frown hidden by the cloth wrapping his eyes. A night spent running wasn¡¯t going to be great for any of them, but it was better to risk an ambush on the open road than wait for the bandits to return with more help. A hand gripped his own with tender care and led him forward. ¡°Will this be trouble?¡± he asked quietly. ¡°Probably.¡± ¡°Should we be concerned?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± ¡°Sounds about right. Don¡¯t go off and try to solve all the problems on your own, all right? That¡¯s my schtick.¡± ¡°Believe me, Arche, there¡¯s no solving my problems.¡± Arche gave her hand a gentle squeeze. The ruck through the night was brutal. The constant up and down motion of the hills quickly exhausted them. As they crested each rise, they were able to catch another glimpse of the city, but no matter how much they jogged, it didn¡¯t seem to come any closer, as the others lamented. To Arche, it made little difference. Going up the hills threatened to trip him while going down risked him tumbling all the way to the bottom. Tess stayed by his side the entire way, guiding him and holding him steady. He was probably reading too much into it, but it felt like he wasn¡¯t the only one who needed the support. Hours later, shortly after Arche could feel the warmth of sunlight on his skin, they came to a flat section of ground that gave him little trouble. The smell of salt was strong, carried by the wind, and the sound of thousands of voices and footsteps against stone were growing louder with every step they took. Arche became aware of more people moving around them. Their group stayed close together, maneuvering their way along. After another twenty minutes of crowded travel, Tess helped him come to a stop. ¡°State your business,¡± said a flat, monotone woman¡¯s voice. ¡°Trade,¡± Tess said, answering immediately. ¡°We bring items from afar to sell at market.¡± ¡°Please produce one for examination.¡± The inflection in the voice did not change. Whoever the guard was, she was clearly very bored with her job. Tess let go of Arche¡¯s arm. A few moments later, she held it again and they moved forward, ushered by the guard. Arche gripped the Tridory in one hand, tapping it out ahead of him in case there were obstacles. His other hand held tight to Tess¡¯s for guidance. The city pressed against him, out of sight but immense. Shouting, bustling, the crying of birds, the scent of salty ocean air. Arche was surrounded by more people than ever before and it was overwhelming. ¡°Can you describe what¡¯s happening to me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re surrounded by buildings and people. The buildings are taller than the ones in Myriatos and made mostly of stone and wood. We¡¯re on one of the major roads, also made of stone, near the outskirts of the city. There are people of nearly every race here, except for those that keep mostly to themselves.¡± ¡°Where are we headed?¡± ¡°To an inn. We need to find rooms for our stay. We can focus on finding a healer after that.¡± The prospect of fixing his eyesight made Arche¡¯s heart pound. Coming to terms with the limitations of his injury was more difficult than he would have imagined. It had, at least, given him a newfound respect for his other senses. Though he was still terrible at moving without use of his sight, he was slowly learning how to find things by sound or smell. His psychic abilities also helped, giving him some sense of location, so long as he was looking for something alive. It was hard not to resent the injury, though he knew he shouldn¡¯t. He hadn¡¯t realized how important his sight was to him until it was stripped away. Unable to see, to fight, he was hard-pressed to say he hadn¡¯t been dead-weight along their journey. Even in the city, they had to worry about keeping track of him, guiding him through the crowds to an inn. This, he realized, wasn¡¯t a reflection of his disability but a reflection of himself. He was useful in a fight only because he had only made himself useful in a fight. Tess clearly understood city life at a level he couldn¡¯t. Helwan had his knowledge of magic, music, and lore. Basil was inquisitive, always trying to learn how things worked, and optimistic. Cora was alert and suspicious of everyone, especially him, which was ironic, considering how little he trusted her. Regardless of whether he could regain his vision, he had to widen his skillsets. He wouldn¡¯t be useless. A door opened nearby and Arche was ushered into a building. The dull roar of people outside gave way to the louder roar inside. A multitude of voices overlaid, each vying to be the loudest in the room. It was warm inside, the temperature driven up by the sheer number of bodies were packed into the place. He mumbled pardons as he squeezed through, never letting go of Tess¡¯s guiding hand, even as she bartered with the innkeeper for their rooms. In less than two minutes, Tess secured their lodging. Two adjacent rooms booked for two weeks, with potential to renew. The men in one room, the women in the other. Another five minutes and they¡¯d crested a flight of stairs. The world went quiet at last. Arche entered the men¡¯s room, led by Helwan, and sat down on a bed that was to be his home for the next month. He let out a shaky breath, his head pressed into the pillow, and he was asleep.
Arche woke completely disoriented, not knowing where he was or what was happening. He floundered, limbs trapped in a mess of fabric, and nearly summoned the Tridory before remembering that they had finally made it to Ship¡¯s Shape. ¡°Sleep well?¡± Basil asked quietly. ¡°Well enough,¡± Arche replied, rubbing the side of his face. ¡°Helwan still asleep?¡± ¡°Yeah. How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be whispering, otherwise. Where are we, exactly?¡± ¡°The Shattered Pint. We¡¯re on the outskirts of Mizzenmast Docks. Not a great place to be, but here we are.¡± ¡°What time is it?¡±The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Late. A few hours past sundown, at a guess.¡± ¡°Shit. Our sleep¡¯s all kinds of fucked up, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I, erm, I suppose so.¡± Arche winced. ¡°Sorry, I keep forgetting you guys don¡¯t like the way I swear.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just off-putting, is all.¡± Arche nodded, finding himself losing interest in the conversation, so he tried steering it toward something more exciting. ¡°Basil, you¡¯re from Ship¡¯s Shape, right? Do you know of any healers that might be able to fix my eyes?¡± Basil quietly blew his cheeks out. ¡°Well, not exactly, but they¡¯ll probably be in the Cabin District or at the Lyceum Apokryfos.¡± ¡°Is that like uptown or something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the richer section of the city, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± Arche rubbed at his shoulders and neck, wishing he had taken the time to doff his armor before falling asleep. Sleeping with it on gave him terrible aches. Still, it was protection, and being in a city was no guarantee of safety. He was half-tempted to change but decided against it. Safety over comfort, at least for the moment. ¡°How long will it take you to get ready?¡± ¡°What? Arche, we can¡¯t go right now.¡± ¡°Why not? I¡¯m awake, you¡¯re awake. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Even if it was a good idea, which it isn¡¯t, the healer isn¡¯t going to be available right now. Just stick it out one more day and we¡¯ll all go together.¡± Arche clenched and unclenched his fists. He didn¡¯t want to wait another minute, let alone another day. ¡°Fine, fine. At the very least, does this inn have a bar? I could stand to have a real drink.¡± There was a pause as Basil considered the proposition. Sandals hit the floorboards with a dull thud as the young Warrior stood. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll take you.¡± Taking care not to wake Helwan, they snuck out of the room. Arche heard the noise coming from the barroom long before they reached it. Loud, raucous laughter and live music vibrated the air, resounding in his chest. The closer they moved, the more disoriented Arche became, unable to rely on his hearing to get a sense of people around him. The conversation swelled over him and he caught tidbits of a score of different talking points, each equally meaningless. Arche tightened his grip on Basil¡¯s shoulder until he was eventually led to a table and made to sit down. Basil said something to him, but Arche was too distracted by all the noise to quite make it out. A few minutes later, something wooden pressed into his hands. Arche¡¯s fingers closed around the object out of reflex, finding it was a mug. The drink inside contained a sweet, honey-like aroma and burned like spices as he swallowed it. ¡°Like it? It¡¯s called mead. Some traders brought the recipe over by ship a few hundred years ago,¡± Basil shouted at him over the din. ¡°It¡¯s fantastic!¡± The musicians were winding down their song and the crowd cheered and clapped for them, lapsing into a quieter state as they waited for the next song to begin. ¡°It sounds so busy here,¡± Arche said. ¡°Is this common?¡± ¡°Many of the taverns and inns hire live entertainment to draw the crowds, but it¡¯s not common to be this popular. Must be a good troupe.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to convince one to come back to Myriatos. Ours know, like, three songs.¡± Basil laughed but whatever response the man had was lost as the band struck the opening melody of their next song and the crowd erupted into cheers. Arche sat and swayed his head with the beat of the music. There were two singers in the band who took on the roles of key characters in a power ballad about love giving the power to overcome death, but that fear and doubt would snatch away that power, leaving the lovers to an eternity separated. The crowd loved the song, but it left Arche feeling haunted for reasons he didn¡¯t quite know how to vocalize. ¡°A lovely song,¡± a voice said from next to him once the band had finished. ¡°Helwan,¡± Arche said in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°I heard the music and couldn¡¯t stop myself. I¡¯ve missed the music from Ship¡¯s Shape. Many of the performers are attendees or graduates of the Bardic Arts.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°One of the courses of study at the Lyceum. It¡¯s a wonderful place. Music everywhere ¨C and not just music. There¡¯s art and poetry and storytelling and many, many more things that bring meaning to life.¡± ¡°Sounds like a good time.¡± ¡°And the parties! Goodness, me, do the bards know how to throw a party. Spontaneous music, incredible drinks, and the dancing is fantastic.¡± Arche grinned. ¡°Bards college is the fun college, got it. Sounds like the place to be.¡± ¡°I hope we¡¯ll have time to show it to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that. After my eyes heal, of course. Do you have any leads on that?¡± ¡°There are some private practices around the city that could probably do the work, but I think our best bet is at the Lyceum itself. They have some of the best healers this side of Tartarus and you¡¯ll want to speak to them about your Mana Scars as well.¡± ¡°Sounds great. I doubt it¡¯ll be as easy as just walking up and having them help us. How are we going to get in?¡± ¡°Leave that to me. I have some inroads.¡± ¡°I appreciate it. What about your employment? Are you worried about that at all?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, well.¡± Helwan paused and took a drink. ¡°I think Lady Oyl will be interested in meeting you, but I don¡¯t imagine she¡¯ll be too pleased with me.¡± ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not great if employees go running off on their own for a few months.¡± ¡°Very true. She runs the largest magical artifact emporium in Tartarus, with locations in every major kingdom. She would be a great boon to Myriatos if I can mend the mess I¡¯ve caused.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned some similar things in the past. What exactly is the nature of her business, again?¡± ¡°Bits and Baubles deals in magical items, both the acquisition and creation of them. If you¡¯re searching for magical artifacts, there is no better source, no one more widely connected.¡± ¡°And you gave up working with her? How come?¡± ¡°I studied lore at the Lyceum. I¡¯ve always been interested in the history of things. Working at Bits and Baubles allowed me to have some connection to antiquity. She has some truly impressive items in her collection, which I was allowed to research. Knowing the history behind an item makes it both easier to replicate and more expensive to sell, as you can give context for its abilities and historical usage. This was incredible, but I wanted more. I didn¡¯t just want to study history, I wanted to experience it. I thought I would get that through expedition, so I hired adventurers and set off into the Sylv to find that spear of yours.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t end too well, as I recall.¡± ¡°No, not for my old compatriots, but for me, I got to meet you and Lyssa. I got to adventure with you for a time. I got to be useful. I was many things while working for Lady Oyl, but I was never particularly useful.¡± ¡°I have a hard time believing that.¡± ¡°Nonetheless, I was just one researcher, scouring texts and books for obscure mentions. It was stifling. Now, I have a voice in the village. I¡¯ve been asked to start a school. What I do matters.¡± ¡°It does, Helwan, and we¡¯re lucky to have you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to hear you say that,¡± Helwan said quietly. ¡°I think it¡¯s time for another round of drinks. I¡¯ll be back.¡± The band finished their set as their conversation ended. Many of the patrons filed out, now that the music was over, leaving the room considerably quieter than it had been before. Mild conversation filled the tavern. ¡°Do you have anything you hope to do while we¡¯re in town, Basil?¡± Arche asked, finishing the last of his drink. ¡°I¡¯d like to see my mother and sister, if there¡¯s time.¡± If there had been drink left, Arche would have spilled it. ¡°You have family here? Why didn¡¯t you say something?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t seem important.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. It¡¯s your family. We¡¯ll make time to see them.¡± ¡°I appreciate that. I¡¯ve not gotten to speak to them since I left.¡± ¡°They were all right with you just up and leaving for a new village?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Basil hesitated. ¡°Not exactly. They were pretty upset, but it was good money and Callias didn¡¯t ask a lot of questions about where we were from.¡± ¡°I see. I hope things go smoothly, then.¡± ¡°What about you? Do you have family?¡± Arche considered the question. Before he could answer, a voice cut through the den and the crowd went quiet around it. ¡°If you serve him before us, there¡¯s gonna be problems, barman.¡± Arche turned his head toward the voice, forgetting for a moment that he couldn¡¯t see. He turned back toward Basil. ¡°Trouble?¡± ¡°Trouble.¡± ¡°Helwan?¡± ¡°Helwan.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± ¡°Gentlemen, please, there¡¯s no need for unpleasantness,¡± Helwan said from across the bar. ¡°By all means, barkeep, serve these fine folks first.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe they let livestock in here. This place has really gone downhill, lately. This room is for people, little goat, why don¡¯t you run along to your trough.¡± Arche¡¯s fist closed around the wooden mug as he got to his feet. ¡°An excellent jest, sir,¡± Helwan chuckled. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking, goat,¡± the man growled. ¡°Come off it, Hektor,¡± someone else said. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be celebrating tonight.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± the man identified as Hektor said. ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we have a little show. Do you dance, little goat? Give us a dance.¡± ¡°Excuse me,¡± Arche said, moving slowly toward the bar and the voices. ¡°I would very much appreciate it if you stopped harassing my friend.¡± The bar was almost deathly silent as Arche struggled to move around the tables and chairs. Finally, he made it to the bar and turned in the direction of the men. ¡°Pull your sleeve back up, Hektor. What¡¯s a tattoo going to mean to a blind man?¡± the second stranger said. ¡°Oh, right. Look, we don¡¯t have a problem with you, yet, but you should stay out of our business and keep better company. Otherwise, you should ask your friend there who we are.¡± Arche cocked his head. A moment later, Helwan¡¯s quiet voice answered. ¡°Hekatonkheires.¡± Arche nodded, placing his hands on the bar, one of which still held the mug he¡¯d been drinking from. ¡°I know who you are,¡± he said. ¡°My friend has already been more than kind in allowing you to take his place in line. Anything further is clearly a personal issue that you need to work through yourself. But none of that gives you any right to be rude. I would appreciate an apology for my friend, here.¡± There was a stunned silence. ¡°Are you¡­stupid?¡± Hektor asked. ¡°Don¡¯t think I won¡¯t hurt you just because you¡¯re blind.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you could, but what would that prove? Do I pose any threat to you? I haven¡¯t even insulted you. I¡¯m just asking that you apologize for what you said to my friend.¡± ¡°Arche, don¡¯t antagonize them,¡± Helwan hissed. ¡°You¡¯re in no position to make demands of me.¡± ¡°Hektor, just leave it alone and grab our drinks.¡± There was a grind of wood on wood as a chair was moved out of the way. ¡°I don¡¯t like your tone,¡± Hektor growled. A hand landed on Arche¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Perhaps I should teach you how to properly address me.¡± Arche looked in the direction of the man¡¯s voice and smiled. ¡°Agreed.¡± He smashed the mug into the man¡¯s face and the bar erupted. Book 2 | Chapter 22 Charomera The 15th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Something was wrong. Lyssa blinked awake with a shiver, the water trembling with her. She¡¯d fallen asleep in the bath, her neck stiff from the odd angle. The water was cold and, at best guess, she¡¯d slept about an hour. Something had woken her. A noise, perhaps. She checked the room through slitted eyes. There was no one. She focused her hearing; in the silence, she could hear the wind blow against the side of the building but no other noises stood out to her. She waited another few seconds, just to be sure, then surged forward and turned around. There was no one behind her, either. She was alone. Lyssa drained the bath and produced a towel. Once suitably dry, she dressed and stepped out to the floor. With all the stress, there was little surprise she had fallen asleep. An hour wasn¡¯t enough, but something about the way she woke unsettled her. Going back to bed felt like a bad idea. Perhaps a walk would calm her ¨C or a hunt. The hour was still late¡ªor early, depending on one¡¯s perspective¡ªand the night-prey would still be foraging. Lyssa pulled her bow free, feeling the wood grain beneath her fingers. She had taken to holding it in the quiet solitude of her room, away from prying eyes and whispering voices. It was her connection to Dawnwood, one she still couldn¡¯t completely sever. It was not a night for mournful remembrance, however. She put all thoughts of home away and attuned to her surroundings. With deft management of the inventory, her armor appeared over her walking clothes and she cracked open the bedroom door. It was dark in the hall, which meant Theo had finally retired to his own room, a recent addition on the ground floor. Across the building, next to the front door, a guard scratched his cheek, leaving three small, red lines. It was a human man named Spiridon. Elpida¡¯s absence meant she had likely gone to bed. The guard would most certainly not let her leave unaccompanied at risk of summoning Elpida¡¯s wrath. The idea of stringing along another for her hunt left an acrid taste in her mouth. Being a leader had such tedious downsides. Activating Stealth, she slipped from her room and shut the door quietly behind her. Given Spiridon¡¯s position next to the door, that egress was out of the question. Though her skill was high enough she doubted the man would notice her in the room, there was no way she would be able to sneak directly past him. Perhaps Tess could manage it, but it was beyond Lyssa. Instead, she padded toward the stairs, taking great care to ensure each footfall was silent. The path involved several side steps to avoid the wooden planks that creaked, each of which Lyssa had found and memorized in the days spent trapped in the building, searching for any escape from the monotony of parchmentwork. Swiftly and silently, Lyssa climbed the stairs until she reached the second level. Given that Tess, Helwan, and Arche had left for the city, half the rooms of the second level were now unoccupied. The others housed Elpida, Gigator, and Vikterandor, none of which Lyssa wished to disturb. She opened the door to Arche¡¯s room and slipped inside. Soft, sapphire light filtered in from the window on the opposite wall, beckoning her forth. She moved toward it, stopping as her foot touched something sticking out from beneath the bed. Lyssa reached down and pulled it out. It was a strange harness, the front would form a crossed bandolier and the back held folded mantikhoras wings. A glider. Lyssa would have laughed if it were not important she stay quiet. It figured that Arche would have found or commissioned some insane item and then left it behind. Still, it wasn¡¯t necessarily safe to leave such a thing laying around. It was probably a Rare item, at the least, and beneath a bed was a very childish hiding spot. Lyssa put it into her inventory, where it would be safe. She would give it back once Arche returned. The moonlight drew her attention, shining through the open window. Blue Selene stood full in the sky while its green counterpart, Agrotera, was a waxing crescent. The combined light lit the ground below evenly, without even a cloud to give cover. Lyssa placed one foot on the sill, grabbed the outside of the frame in both hands, and launched herself away from the building. She hit the ground with a roll, coming up to her feet and glancing about to see if anyone noticed. With no one around, she made her way toward the river. At some point, she would suggest that Arche install either a crossbeam of wood to his window or find another way to cover it, but in the meantime, she would use the oversight to her advantage. Besides, she had to wait for Arche to return to tell him anything. ¡°Impressive.¡± Lyssa had her bow out and drawn before the last syllable faded into silence, arrow tip nearly scratching the upturned lips of a smiling Vik. She held it there, letting the message seep in before she eased the tension in the string. Spymaster or no, his elusiveness left little to trust. ¡°You should be more careful who you sneak up on.¡± Vik raised his hands in mock surrender. ¡°I meant no offense. Off to do some hunting, I suppose?¡± Lyssa narrowed her eyes. ¡°And what of it?¡± ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s not like you to abandon your guards, however. Wasn¡¯t it your idea to have them in the first place?¡± ¡°A decision I regret whenever I begin to feel selfish. Like tonight. If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± She left him and headed again toward the river. ¡°If you¡¯ll permit me,¡± Vik said quickly, catching up to her. ¡°I would like to join you. Believe me, I have no chivalrous notions of protecting you, should we find ourselves in danger.¡± ¡°Why should I permit it?¡± ¡°We have a matter to discuss.¡± Lyssa felt her eye twitch. ¡°Conversation scares the prey. Makes for a barren hunt.¡± ¡°Nonetheless, this is a matter that deserves your attention. One that I think you¡¯ll find more interesting than the parchment Theodorous keeps shoving in front of your face.¡± Lyssa stopped at the water¡¯s edge. Vikterandor was her spymaster, but she had seen very little of him in the month she had been running the city. He¡¯d left her the occasional note with vague progress updates. They typically mentioned a number of spies in training, though not their identities, and various different assurances. Vik had stood by Lyssa against Callias Buteo, the former archon, and had played a pivotal role in convincing the people to choose Lyssa as the next leader. This had gone a long way in proving his loyalty, but his extended absence gnawed at her, whispering that she still knew next to nothing about the moon elf, other than Arche¡¯s claim that he had once been a pirate and what little Elpida had mentioned. The trip into the woods was supposed to be a quiet reward, not a work-related venture. Still, there was a gleam of earnestness in Vik¡¯s eyes that told her he held something important. Trusting that her spymaster probably wouldn¡¯t stab her in the back without good reason, she nodded once. ¡°Very well. Do keep up.¡± With that, she turned and dove into the river. The water was brisk and refreshing, carrying with it the musky scent of mud and soil. The current was slow, flowing away from Mount Hyperion, and Lyssa found no trouble in crossing. As she pulled herself out of the water and onto the bank, a hand entered her vision. Vik stood in front of her, bone-dry and smiling. She ignored the hand to grab a fistful of her hair, wringing the water out. It wasn¡¯t long, but there was enough there to carry weight when wet. The walk up the incline of the valley was spent in silence. Vik appeared to be in no great hurry to share whatever news he had and Lyssa was in no mood to pester him for information. Being in the company of another elf allowed her to fall back into old habits. Specifically, taking her time. Thus, it wasn¡¯t until they had long broken through the wood line and found a pair of tracks to stalk that anything was said between them at all. ¡°Boar,¡± Lyssa said, analyzing the grooves in the mud. ¡°Not typical, though. Elemental. Wood, by the look of it.¡± ¡°A wooden boar elemental,¡± Vik said. ¡°Remarkable. Will it be the subject of tonight¡¯s hunt?¡± Lyssa shrugged. ¡°Not unless it decides we are the subject of its own. Other than the experience, it offers little interest to me. There is no meat to prepare and the creature¡¯s body would go to waste without an enchanter to make use of it. There is little threat to the village, as well.¡± ¡°Very good, then. Off to the next hunt. How exciting.¡± Lyssa glanced at the moon elf, who pretended not to notice. Vik stood to the side, giving the tracks a passing interest as he watched the forest around them. Whether it was the cursory check for interlopers or if he was searching for something specific, Lyssa had no idea. Instead, she stood and pointed south, perpendicular to the way they had come.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°This way.¡± ¡°Lead on.¡± Lead she did. She ran through the forest in a predatory crouch, not a single branch or blade of grass disturbed by her passing. Her senses were alive, alerting her to every sound in the forest around them. She had to admit that though Vik seemed rather unsuited for the forest, he was better than all of the others at keeping quiet. She had the distinct feeling that if he was to enter into Stealth, not even she would be able to perceive him. That thought did not sit well with her. Was the reason for his long absence simply that he was not allowing himself to be seen? Or was he occupied by other concerns, known only to himself? She had placed a lot of trust in this spymaster. She hoped he deserved it. They came to another set of tracks. Or, rather, a large grouping of tracks that had torn up the sod in the area. She peered closely at the hoof marks in the dirt. ¡°Horses?¡± Vik peered over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m surprised they would be this far into the woods.¡± ¡°Not horses. Centaurs. A whole clan of them. See the second crescent below the top of the hoof? A symbol of their connection to the moons.¡± ¡°Centaurs, you say? I¡¯ve heard of the horsefolk but I¡¯ve never met one.¡± ¡°They keep to themselves, mostly. Nomadic and aggressive; as a clan they are a force to be reckoned with. I estimate about thirty in this group.¡± ¡°A threat?¡± The question was casual, like the way one might inquire about upcoming weather, but Lyssa felt the implication in his words. ¡°Not outright, no. This many could cause devastation but they are unlikely to attack without cause. When they decide to contact us, we should treat them with respect, not hostility.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certain they¡¯ll contact us?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve created a settlement near land they use. Contact is inevitable but, unless we run across them here, that meeting is up to them. I will inform the hunters tomorrow. The last thing we need is to mistake one for prey.¡± ¡°Wise. It will also make an interesting problem set for my recruits. ¡®How to gain information on a group that will immediately recognize outsiders.¡¯¡± Lyssa cut her eyes toward him once more. ¡°And how are the recruits?¡± ¡°Progressing. Their training is thorough, do not worry.¡± ¡°Will you tell me their identities?¡± ¡°No.¡± Vik smiled. ¡°But I will share the secrets they uncover.¡± Lyssa¡¯s expression darkened but Vik was talking again before she could voice her displeasure. ¡°You are honest, Lyssa. Deception does not sit well with you. Know that I am not trying to deceive you, but give you a deniability in the matter that does not force you to lie. If you know my spies, then you will be forced to act whenever their mention arises. Do you want that pressure? Knowing that you might endanger them with an errant word, an errant expression, whenever they cross your conversation?¡± ¡°And you? What if something happens to my spymaster?¡± ¡°I am replaceable. I am already grooming my second, if you¡¯re concerned for my life. If you¡¯re concerned for your reports, you will still receive them. It may be in the form of a letter atop your desk, or a voice when you are alone, but they will come through.¡± ¡°You are right that I dislike the deception of this.¡± ¡°Then shall we continue the hunt?¡± Lyssa scowled and led the way deeper into the woods. She scoured the forest for signs of prey, looking for anything she could hunt. Preferably something that would give her a challenge. For an hour, they found nothing of consequence, then she heard something new. Among the buzz of insects and the occasional hunting call of a nocturnal bird, she heard a hissing noise. Instantly, she veered toward it, trying to identify it. Fifty meters away, still out of sight, she had a pretty good idea of what lay before them. ¡°Shadow serpent,¡± she whispered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see. Is your sword magical?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need it. My weapons won¡¯t hurt it.¡± Vik paused, clearly hesitant to part with his sword. Lyssa looked at him expectantly, one hand outstretched. ¡°I will return it in one piece.¡± With great reluctance, he handed over the sword. ¡°Take care of Starlight. She is not always kind to her wielders.¡± Lyssa hefted the sword, judging its weight. The blade was slender and straight, stretching a meter in length. It was heavier than it appeared but was exceptionally balanced in her hand. She adjusted her grip, cocked her head, and listened for the hiss of the snake. It came from the underbrush, fifty meters ahead and to her right. She moved toward it, low to the ground, silent and sure-footed. She did not creep, as others might, but ran toward the creature. The leaves of the bushes near her did not sway with her passing and the grass left no sign of her footprints as she moved over it. She was no timid predator. She was a Huntress. Only when the serpent was ten meters away and its hiss was loud and drowning did Lyssa finally set eyes on it. It was a monstrous being, easily twenty meters from tongue to tail. Much of it was wreathed in the shadows cast by the tall trees surrounding them. Inspection of those parts revealed that large portions were incorporeal. Shadow and smoke in the shape of a serpent. The head was solid enough as it bit into the hind quarters of a huge, golden stag. Glowing purple eyes rejoiced over the serpent¡¯s victory. It lifted its head as it swallowed down a chunk of meat and let loose a throaty hiss that shook the air. Lyssa did not stop her advance. Instead, she stepped off a raised root and flew through the air. Her next step propelled her sideways as she used the trunk of a tree to renew her speed and give her even greater height. She repeated this three times before launching herself directly at the creature¡¯s head, Starlight glittering in her hand. Whether it was an uncanny Perception or by some other means, the serpent reacted as soon as Lyssa could no longer change her direction. It let loose a mighty hiss and dissipated into shadows, recoiling into itself impossibly fast as Lyssa tore through the air, dropping eight meters before hitting the ground at a roll. With her surprise attack foiled, Lyssa threw herself to the side once she had regained control over her momentum. The serpent¡¯s head sprayed dirt and tore deep rivulets into the ground where her body had been. She thrust out with Starlight, hoping to gore the snake and end the fight quickly, but too late. It had retreated into itself, its body a broil of shadows. Purple eyes stared at her from the darkness, watching her with ophic intelligence. With all hope of a surprise attack and decisive victory fled, Lyssa calculated her next moves. The serpent was fast and able to become incorporeal to quickly change positions or avoid attacks, but it did not yet seem to know her blade was magical. If her knowledge of the fell creatures was correct, a magic weapon could pierce the smoke that the serpent retreated to, injuring or even killing it, but defeating her enemy was not the only requirement Lyssa had. Surviving was paramount. She crouched, once again ready to move but not yet decided upon the direction, when the serpent struck again. She threw herself to the left, striking a tree and kicking off it, toward the snake. The serpent twisted in its strike, aiming for her, but she was ready for it. Starlight pierced the side of its mouth, cracking a bone. The snake recoiled, hissing in pain. Lyssa did not waste the moment, moving again for the body where its gargantuan size would limit its mobility, but now the snake knew that her sword could wound it and it showed no intention of letting her get where it could not strike. The serpent turned entirely to shadow and shifted, not moving in the serpentine fashion of its mundane brethren, but laterally, floating across the ground like drifting smoke in the breeze, always keeping its head and fangs pointed toward her. Lyssa watched for an opening, but there was none. The snake lunged for her and she spun out of the way, avoiding the fangs but not the rest of the creature¡¯s bulbous head. A tree stopped her quick tumble across the forest floor, taking a quarter of her Health along with it as she gasped in pain and surprise. Both were quickly brought to bear as the serpent moved against her again. Bringing up Starlight in a defensive posture, somehow having maintained her grip on it, she lashed out at the snake. It recoiled from her strikes, staying out of reach as it waited for her to tire. ¡°Epim¨ªkis!¡± Vik shouted. Starlight glowed in Lyssa¡¯s hand. Ornate grooves along the handle and blade shimmered with silver light and coalesced at its tip. As she stabbed outward, a beam of light shot forward, burning through snake flesh with a sizzle. The shadow serpent recoiled farther, hissing in pain, but Lyssa pressed her advantage. Every thrust and slash of the weapon sent light beams outward, searing into the flesh and shadows of the creature. It lunged for her again, no doubt intending to swallow her whole, but Lyssa jumped to meet it, placing one boot on the front of the serpent¡¯s head. Purple eyes looked up at her in fury, but before it could shake her loose, Lyssa drove Starlight into the creature¡¯s eye and deeper. Another bloom flashed briefly inside the shadow serpent¡¯s skull, the light shining through skin and the creature¡¯s other eye. Then, it fell to the ground, completely solid and quite dead.
You have slain a Level 41 Shadow Serpent. You gain 2,460 experience. You have completed your Hunt. You gain 1,000 experience.
¡°Impressive work,¡± Vik said, striding into the clearing. ¡°Are you injured?¡± ¡°Nothing lasting.¡± Lyssa looked down at the serpent, her brow knitted. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It was strong. Very strong. Without magical weapons, it would be unstoppable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you had one, then. Speaking of, might I have it returned?¡± Lyssa wiped the blood from the thin blade and handed it back to Vik, who held it gently before sheathing it. ¡°We¡¯re only a few kilometers away from Myriatos. If this creature decided to attack the village, we would have no protections.¡± Vik smiled at her as though he knew something she didn¡¯t. ¡°So what are you going to do about it, Archousa?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted, glowering at him. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure something out.¡± ¡°My patience is running thin, Vikterandor.¡± The moon elf cocked an eyebrow but his smile did not fade. ¡°Clearly. No need to thank me for the intervention, by the way. All in a day¡¯s work.¡± Lyssa took a deep breath and tried to settle her nerves. Then, finally, she addressed the topic they¡¯d been avoiding. ¡°Tell me of the matter you wanted to discuss.¡± The smile dropped from Vik¡¯s face. ¡°Callias Buteo.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 23 Charomera The 15th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche drifted back into consciousness with a groan. He made a mental note that if he ever found a healer, he¡¯d ask them to check for brain damage. He¡¯d been knocked out way too many times to be safe. A nice, dull ache settled over his entire body. Arche shifted, realizing he was on his side, and heard the small, metallic rattle of chains, which explained the pressure on his wrists. He began flexing his toes and moving his feet softly, checking for injuries. Other than bruises, he was fine until he reached his hands, where one of the fingers on his left hand had been broken sideways, flaring up with a shock of pain when he tried to move it. Arche worked his jaw left and right, pushing through the soreness as he recalled the bar fight. He was pretty sure he¡¯d knocked some of the guy¡¯s teeth out with the mug but his lack of eyesight made that difficult to confirm. He¡¯d also failed to anticipate the follow up strike to his jaw that sent him reeling into a table. He remembered being dragged, angry shouting, and someone slamming his head into something. After that, he really wasn¡¯t sure what had happened. With a groan and a sizeable amount of effort, Arche sat up. His Health was two-thirds full so, despite the pain, he was in no imminent danger of death. All things considered, this wasn¡¯t the worst situation he¡¯d been in, but it was up there. He sent out a mental probe, searching for anything alive. What he found was not particularly reassuring. Throngs of people filled the space around him, bundled into groups of twos and threes and repeated several times over. None made noise and none were familiar. Wherever his friends were, they weren¡¯t with him. Arche eased himself into a sitting position. Trying to ignore the sudden ringing in his ears that came with the motion. Manacles clanked as he cradled his broken finger. ¡°Awake at last.¡± Arche ignored the voice, focusing instead on himself. Despite his situation, he was still dressed in his armor. He was also still wearing his Ruby Ring of Lesser Life, which meant he hadn¡¯t been stripped of his valuables. Not yet, at least. ¡°Not in the mood to chat? You didn¡¯t mind mouthing off to Hektor.¡± It took Arche a moment to place the voice. It belonged to the other man at the tavern, the one who had tried to defuse the situation. ¡°Hektor insulted my friend,¡± Arche said. ¡°What would you have done?¡± ¡°I¡¯d have killed him. But you decided to humiliate him. That creates an issue.¡± Arche grunted. ¡°I¡¯m not concerned with the fragile egos of whatever passes for a thug here.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand the gravity of your situation. Hektor, loud and boisterous as he may be, is still a member of the Hekatonkheires.¡± ¡°As are you, I take it.¡± ¡°Indeed. And as such, we have a certain reputation to uphold. More than that, there are certain philosophies we hold to. Blood for blood.¡± ¡°I hit him with a cup, he broke my finger. That¡¯s blood enough. If you wanted me dead, I¡¯d be dead. So cut the shit and tell me what you really want.¡± There was a long pause before the man spoke again. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°You first,¡± Arche shot back. ¡°Tell me true, I might do the same.¡± ¡°Amphios.¡± The reply was immediate. Arche considered for a moment. It was probably a lie, but it didn¡¯t sound like one. In any case, he hadn¡¯t actually thought up a fake name to give. ¡°Arche.¡± ¡°A pleasure. Now, Arche, I believe we were discussing balances. You and Hektor have both paid out in blood, that is true, but you owe a debt to the Hekatonkheires, now.¡± ¡°Do I, now? How do you figure?¡± ¡°By virtue of the fact that you are still alive after publicly attacking a known member of our order. Your very life has been spared; thus your very life is forfeit.¡± Arche chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not how debt works. People don¡¯t owe you their life because you decide not to kill them.¡± ¡°I could always kill you now.¡± Arche grinned, tasting the blood on his teeth. ¡°Try it. See how it goes for you.¡± It was Amphios¡¯s turn to chuckle. ¡°You have spirit. I like that. You know, we¡¯re always on the lookout for people like you. People who don¡¯t back down. You could go far in our organization.¡± ¡°Not interested, thanks.¡± ¡°A shame. I think you would have liked it here.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I disagree. So what happens now? Don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ll just let me go?¡± Amphios ignored the comment. ¡°It comes to my attention that you are traveling with a few more companions than were with you in the tavern.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Three others are in your group,¡± Amphios continued, ignoring Arche. ¡°Two women and a third who does not show their face.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone.¡± ¡°One of the women claimed to be a member of Hekatonkheires to some brigands outside the city. I spoke to one of them just a few hours ago. He described you in great detail. A blind warrior in crimson armor ¨C you do cut a certain image, if no one¡¯s told you.¡± Arche said nothing, cursing inwardly at his decision to not remove his armor. ¡°This woman is of great interest to me. Especially because her description matches someone I know. Someone I thought was dead. You will bring her to me. Do this and our involvement is over.¡± ¡°And why the fuck would I do that?¡± ¡°Because if you don¡¯t, I will torture, enslave, and kill your friends. I¡¯m a reasonable man, but my reason has limits.¡± Arche¡¯s blood ran cold. Amphios snapped his fingers and the manacles binding Arche¡¯s hands and feet fell open. Boots scraped across the floor and hands roughly lifted him onto his feet. ¡°Consider my offer, Arche. Bring her to the Mizzenmast Docks before next Nyxpera or your friends¡¯ lives are mine.¡± Rough hands hauled him away. He tried to focus on the path they were taking him, but it was no use. He was taken upstairs, downstairs, left, right, and, in one case, marched backwards. By the time he felt the chill of wind on his face, he was thoroughly confused. The people dragging him weren¡¯t done with him yet, however. They walked him through the streets, up and down alleyways, and even spun him around a few times. Arche couldn¡¯t glean much about the two dragging him, but he did reach out tentatively with his psychic probe, mostly to get a sense of their minds should he ever cross paths with them again. Within half an hour, he was shoved to the ground. ¡°Go inside the building in front of you,¡± said one of his captors. ¡°Remember what the Fifth Hand told you. One week.¡± Arche pushed himself slowly to his feet. He turned toward the men and held up his broken middle finger. With a swift motion, he set the break and kept the finger aloft, backing through the door. Once it was shut, he cradled his hand to his stomach, groaning with pain. He didn¡¯t have time to collect himself as a hand landed on his shoulder. ¡°Arche, there you are!¡± Tess¡¯s voice rang out. Arche grabbed for her with his good hand, catching her sleeve. ¡°What is it?¡± her voice was tense and concerned. ¡°Not here,¡± Arche hissed. ¡°Not safe. Don¡¯t go outside.¡± Tess grabbed his cloak collar and led him through the building. He stumbled twice, once when bumping into a doorframe and again upon reaching the stairs. Soon enough, they were safely within the privacy of Arche¡¯s room, though they weren¡¯t alone. ¡°Arche, you¡¯re back!¡± Helwan exclaimed. ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re injured again.¡± ¡°Not so loud, Helwan,¡± Arche said, his head still throbbing. ¡°What happened to you?¡± Cora asked, curiosity overtaking any concern in her voice. Arche held his hands out and made his way over to the bed. ¡°Is everyone here? I don¡¯t want to repeat myself.¡± ¡°One moment,¡± Cora said. ¡°I¡¯ll get Efterpi.¡± The door opened and shut. Less than a minute later, it reopened and two pairs of footsteps came through. ¡°We¡¯re all here,¡± Basil said. ¡°Great. In that case, I have terrible news.¡± He told them of his encounter with the Hekatonkheires, going into as much detail as he could about the environment and the conversation. The only part he changed was the one concerning Tess, spinning it instead so that it seemed the gang was angry that someone was impersonating them. Arche finished with the ultimatum that had been dropped on his plate. ¡°So we have until next Nyxpera to come up with and enact a plan, whenever that is.¡± ¡°Yesterday was Nyxpera, so we have four days,¡± Basil said. ¡°We should leave,¡± Cora said. ¡°Quickly sell our wares and buy the necessary provisions and be out before week¡¯s end.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they expect us to run?¡± Helwan asked. ¡°If I were them, I would watch the city exits.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Tess said. ¡°They¡¯re also likely watching the building. Getting out of here unfollowed will be tough.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t assume they don¡¯t know what we all look like,¡± Basil said. ¡°That bandit probably gave them enough identifiers on all of us for them to pick us out of a crowd.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t stay here. That much is certain,¡± Cora said. ¡°Lying low will be difficult. We¡¯ll have to leave the district.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t we go to the guards?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they be able to help?¡± ¡°If they decided to help, it wouldn¡¯t be free,¡± Tess replied. ¡°It also wouldn¡¯t be safe. The Hekatonkheires has people in the local guard. That¡¯s one of the reasons why they¡¯re able to operate so freely within the city. Grease enough palms and get the right people to look the other way and you can have the whole city on your plate.¡± ¡°Surely they don¡¯t have control over the entire city?¡± ¡°No, but some areas are more permissive than others. Mizzenmast Docks is home to their headquarters, that¡¯s probably why they want you to take me there. They¡¯ll have the most freedom there. Conversely, the Hull is where they have the least control. It¡¯s also the most affluent area of the city and home to the Lyceum Apokryfos.¡± ¡°So we should go there.¡± ¡°Getting there won¡¯t be easy.¡± Tess sounded suddenly tired. ¡°Basil, you know the city, right?¡± Arche asked. ¡°Well enough,¡± Basil replied. ¡°Never really been to the Hull.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re expecting us to run, they¡¯ll expect us to go to the Hull.¡± Arche massaged his broken finger. ¡°So we need to go somewhere they won¡¯t expect us to go, but that they also can¡¯t easily move against us if they find us.¡± ¡°What about the Keel?¡± Basil asked. ¡°It¡¯s next to the Hull. Not as rich, not as safe, but still pretty close. Plus, it¡¯s on the far side from Mizzenmast docks.¡± ¡°Sounds perfect. We¡¯ll need a place to stay.¡± ¡°There¡¯s an inn called Styx and Stones. We can stay there.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s the plan. We split up and lose our followers in the city. We meet up at Styx and Stones and conduct our business from there.¡± ¡°It could work, but the timeline could be a trap to get us to drop our guard. They dropped you off, so they know we¡¯re here. They could be ready to attack us as soon as we leave,¡± Cora pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s why you lot are going to be our distraction.¡± Arche smiled. ¡°Tess and I will leave out the window. The four of you will go out the front door and lead a merry chase through the city.¡± Cora scoffed. ¡°You realize we¡¯re on the second floor, right? You really want to go climbing around with no sight and a broken finger?¡± Arche lifted his injured hand, showing off what he hoped was a mostly straight digit. ¡°It¡¯s practically better already,¡± he lied. ¡°Besides, this is our best option, unless anyone has a better plan.¡± No one spoke up. ¡°All right. Gather your things. We¡¯ll be moving quickly.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 24 Charomera The 15th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°What about Callias Buteo?¡± Lyssa¡¯s blood flowed like ice through her veins. Callias was a poor example of humanity, reminiscent of those that had led to the isolation of Dawnwood, but for Vik to bring him up now, something had to be dreadfully wrong. ¡°I followed him, naturally.¡± They faced each other under the moonslight. The night had not stopped during their hunt and it would soon be morning. Myriatos would start its day and their absence¡ªor hers, at least¡ªwould be noticed. With the stark reminder of her duties, the night hunt seemed ridiculous. A frivolous risk, the kind that she would have chastised anyone else making. ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°He was starved and half-dead when I found him. It took two weeks to catch up with him. I don¡¯t come near your skill when it comes to tracking in the woods, but he took little care to hide his passing.¡± ¡°Is he dead?¡± Lyssa asked. Vik tilted his head and cocked an eyebrow at her. ¡°Did you want me to kill him?¡± He was gauging her reaction, he had to be. When the village had elected her to lead it, she¡¯d said Callias should be exiled for his negligence, not killed. She hadn¡¯t wanted to start a new chapter of the village drenched in the blood of the former leader, especially not when she had little confidence in her own abilities. Now, with the mention of him once again, she was beginning to feel that she¡¯d made a mistake. ¡°No. I only wanted him gone. If the Sylv killed him, it is not my concern.¡± Vik nodded, as though confirming something to himself. ¡°Then you should know that he lives still. He was met by something I¡­do not know how to describe. It took great care to hide itself from sight, but it had a presence that could not be stifled. I was able to glimpse it, if only just, before it disappeared.¡± ¡°And what of Callias?¡± ¡°He was gone as well. They spoke, but I was unable to hear their words. The situation was¡­unsettling.¡± ¡°What did the entity look like?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure. I saw a lot of red. Do you have any idea what it was?¡± Lyssa frowned and turned away, wondering how much was safe to share. ¡°Not with so few details. It sounds like trouble. Trouble we¡¯re not presently equipped to handle.¡± ¡°Agreed. I¡¯ve traveled far across Tartarus, but I¡¯ve only ever felt power like that once before.¡± Lyssa turned back to Vik with wide eyes, waiting for him to continue. ¡°Far across the ocean, much farther than most vessels can safely cross, we came to a land we believed had never been inhabited before.¡± ¡°What were you doing out there?¡± Lyssa interrupted. ¡°Exploring. Captain¡¯s orders. Regardless, we were there, traipsing over a new land, when we found a hovel. The Captain brought me with him as he investigated. I¡¯m not entirely sure why, but I suspect he thought there might have been an Oath to be made. The Blackdog is clever about such things. Inside the hovel was a most curious person. He looked human, but he wasn¡¯t. Of that, I am certain. There was nothing inside the hovel, no furniture or food stores or any other signs that it was anything more than a shelter from the elements. He greeted us as though he expected our arrival. When we spoke with him, he was jovial, but unhinged, as I imagine anyone living in such isolation would become. We traded stories and his were unlike any I had ever heard, though their details slipped away from me as soon as we departed. As we left the hovel, I felt an intense press of power and magic, and when we turned back to look, it was gone. Completely vanished. The Captain told me to stay quiet about the situation and I did, but the power that I felt in that moment still makes me shiver on a hot summer¡¯s night.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°But that being was friendly to you.¡± Vik gave a short laugh devoid of any mirth. ¡°Every rabbit knows to fear the hungry wolf. Even if the wolf ignores a careless rabbit that crosses its path in one moment, there is no guarantee that it will not strike the next. In that moment, I felt the glimpse of something far beyond my comprehension. In the woods, finding Callias, I felt it again. These things, these entities, they are not for us to understand. They are for us to fear that they ever take our notice.¡± ¡°We have a people to look after,¡± Lyssa said, trying to inject as much steel into her voice as she could. ¡°We do not have the luxury to turn away from the horrors in this world. We must face them to protect our people from their brunt.¡± ¡°Against such things? Were I as young and hopeful as you, perhaps I could believe such fantasies.¡± Lyssa scowled at him. ¡°I gave into despair once before. I was shown, in the middle of my defeat, another way. I will not make the mistake of despair twice. If there is an enemy, we will face it. If victory is possible, we will secure it. That is our responsibility. If Callias returns, we will deal with him. Whoever this benefactor is, we will deal with them. All things in their own time. We will prepare, we will be ready. There is no other choice.¡± Lyssa straightened her back and looked to the sky, which grew pink with the first dustings of morning. ¡°We have idled enough here. There is much to do back home. Can I continue to count on you?¡± Vik bit his lip, his brow drawn tight. Lyssa had never seen him look more uncertain. ¡°That power outweighs understanding or resistance, but you have a point. It is better to die on one¡¯s feet than on one¡¯s knees. Yes, you have my services, Archousa. I will fight to protect Myriatos, pointless though the struggle may be.¡± His words, and face, lacked conviction, but Lyssa would take what she could get. ¡°If such power exists, then power can be cultivated against it. Long has it been that the elves grow slowly, working incrementally toward perfection with life immortal to hone craft. Such is our gift and hubris. We must work faster to grow our power. Push ourselves as the rest do. Take their risks and reap their rewards. Perhaps we two can bridge the gap.¡± Vik was shaking his head before she¡¯d even finished. ¡°Such a way means death. Risk must be managed, else our peoples would be extinct.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you been listening, Vik? Progress must be seized, not waited upon. If Myriatos faces a threat, then we must rise to meet it. Our enemies will not afford us the luxury of time. That tradition risks all we have now.¡± Vik held her gaze for a long time, his face twisted in wistful sorrow. ¡°I will mourn your death, young one.¡± ¡°Enough of this.¡± Lyssa threw up her hand to stop further comment. ¡°If you will not be convinced by words, then watch my actions in the days to come. Ambition is not only for the mortals. We can show them why elves once ruled.¡± Without waiting for a response, Lyssa turned toward Myriatos and began to run. The pace was faster than necessary, but the exertion for Vik to keep up was enough to keep any further conversation at bay. The sun crested over the trees by the time Myriatos came into sight. Their return was heralded by a pair of scouts that watched over the western side of the valley. As Lyssa approached, they both threw up a salute, the right fist raised to the heart. One of them sported a grimace. ¡°Elpida¡¯s been looking for you, Archousa. She¡¯s rather upset.¡± Lyssa nodded at the guard and kept moving. She didn¡¯t turn, assuming Vik would attend to his own matters once back in the village, and was mildly surprised when he fell into step beside her. The sound of raised voices came from the front of the village hall. Lyssa rounded the corner and found Elpida shouting at the door guard who, upon spotting Lyssa, pointed a finger in her direction. Elpida turned mid-tirade, anger hot on her face. Her eyes locked with Lyssa¡¯s for a brief moment, then flicked to Vik. Elpida¡¯s face lost all emotion, schooled into impassivity with more precision than an elven woodsinger. The guardswoman brought her right arm up in a quick salute. ¡°Archousa.¡± The words were painfully cold and disinterested, as though she might have been commenting on an askew painting or pointing out a weed in a bed of peonies. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°My apologies, Captain. I did not mean to worry you,¡± Lyssa said, opting for Elpida¡¯s formal title. ¡°In fact, I have a matter we should discuss.¡± ¡°Respectfully, there is another matter which I must attend to.¡± Elpida¡¯s voice did not change in tone or inflection, each syllable flat and unyielding. ¡°Can it wait?¡± Lyssa considered her for a moment, more than a little taken aback. ¡°Very well.¡± Elpida rendered another salute before she turned and walked away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry yourself. I¡¯ll speak to her,¡± Vik reassured before heading after her. Lyssa watched them go, mouth slightly open. She was left with the bemused door guard, her only reassurance that she wasn¡¯t the only person hopelessly confused. Book 2 | Chapter 25 Charomera The 15th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche didn¡¯t consider himself a particularly anxious person. The last two months had been filled with an undue amount of stress, pain, and trauma, but he had never felt that his worry was unwarranted. He still didn¡¯t feel it was unwarranted, but he could do nothing to quell the rising tide of fear within him as Tess led him through the city. He was surrounded by strangers, any one of whom could be a member of the Hekatonkheires. Any moment could end with steel in his back, made all the more worrying by the fact his armor sat useless in his inventory. His hood was up, but the fabric did nothing to stop the overwhelming wall of sound that crashed against him. He was out of his element and was fighting against the churning pit of panic roiling in his stomach. ¡°Do you think the others are alright?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk,¡± Tess replied. ¡°Just keep moving.¡± Her voice was low and steady against the roar of the city. The only hint of solid ground in the world. She led him on a winding route through the city for over two hours. After, of course, having crawled out of the inn¡¯s upstairs window and made the treacherous journey to the ground below. He¡¯d lost his grip three times, his broken finger disallowing him from proper handholds. It was only his now considerable Strength that had kept him from falling with only a single hand¡¯s grip, dangling above a chasm he couldn¡¯t see. The descent had drawn attention, some of the passersby making offhand comments about Arche¡¯s sanity. Some suggested that Tess was his mistress and that they were fleeing so as not to be caught by Arche¡¯s jilted wife. That particular theory made Arche¡¯s cheeks burn with embarrassment, but once he ensured his hood was low over his face and activated Stealth, the attention dissipated. A new problem presented itself almost immediately, however. Stealth in a forest or underground environment was very different from Stealth in an urban area, let alone a crowded city. Arche was jostled and bumped in every direction, each contact breaking his Stealth and often eliciting oaths from those who knocked into him. One had even shoved him, mistaking him for a thief. It was at that point that Tess grabbed his arm and held him close. ¡°Don¡¯t use Stealth. It¡¯s too crowded here and it will draw too much attention. You must meld into the crowd. Join it, don¡¯t hide from it.¡± In theory, it was good advice, but it was difficult to blend into an environment that he couldn¡¯t see. Arche had no sense of direction, no concept of what was near him other than Tess¡¯s hand gripping his bicep and the occasional jostling of the crowded streets. Once, he had the brilliant idea of using his Psychic awareness to avoid the people around him. Activating it nearly brought him to the ground. Pain bloomed in his mind like a meadow after a Spring rain and blood dripped from his nose. There were too many consciousnesses and his Mana channels weren¡¯t strong enough to support the effort. Tess noticed him sagging and dragged him into the stoop of a business that had yet to open. She didn¡¯t say anything and he couldn¡¯t see her expression, so they waited the few short minutes it took Arche to recover in silence. At blessed last, they were off, down yet another street and away from the crowds. There was still the sound of shoes scuffing stone and the occasional cart or horse going by, but the roar of conversation was dull and distant, and no shop criers shouted out the day¡¯s best deals. ¡°We must be nearly there, no?¡± ¡°Nearly there?¡± Tess echoed. ¡°Arche, we¡¯ve gone a kilometer at most.¡± ¡°One day, I¡¯ll make you people understand that I don¡¯t know your stupid fucking measurements. One day.¡± Arche couldn¡¯t see her, but he could feel her rolling her eyes at him. She muttered something under her breath that he decided to ignore. ¡°How much farther to go?¡± he asked, trying to move the conversation along. ¡°Six kilometers, give or take. We need to keep heading east.¡± ¡°Six?¡± Now it was Arche¡¯s turn to echo her. ¡°It took us two hours to go one and we still have another six?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t walking in a straight line, before. We were throwing off tails.¡± Arche stiffened. ¡°Did you spot any?¡± ¡°Nothing definitive. Saw a couple that were possible, but we lost them pretty well. I haven¡¯t caught sign of any followers, potential or otherwise, for the last half-hour. That¡¯s why I decided it was time to make a break for it.¡± ¡°Hope our good luck sticks,¡± Arche muttered. ¡°The sooner we can find a healer, the better.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll find one, but we¡¯ll still need to pay for the services. There¡¯s much to be done. The Hekatonkheires complicate matters but not beyond repair.¡± ¡°They want you dead. Doesn¡¯t that scare you?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t want me dead. They want me in their service. Again.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡± ¡°No, Arche. The Hekatonkheires don¡¯t scare me.¡± Her pace quickened, faster than Arche could comfortably go so he was forced to shamble along after her for a block before she slowed her speed again. ¡°I don¡¯t like that we had to split up,¡± Arche said. ¡°I¡¯m worried something will happen to the others.¡± ¡°It was your idea.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m worried. I was given an ultimatum. If even one of our friends gets grabbed, that ultimatum will be that much easier to follow through on.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Tess said, her voice was harder than the stone streets they walked on. ¡°Your focus is on getting better. The Lyceum has the best healers in the city. If anyone can save your eyesight, they can. Focus on getting there, all right? We can work the rest out later.¡± ¡°Some thief you must have been,¡± Arche grunted. ¡°A child could see that you¡¯re hiding something. Unfortunately, you¡¯re right. I can¡¯t afford to wait any longer. I need my vision back. I can¡¯t fight without it.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t keep you safe¡¯ is what he wanted to say, but she wouldn¡¯t want to hear it. Tess was not a damsel in a story waiting for him to rescue her from a gang of murderous thieves. He opened his mouth to say something further. Some explanation of his feelings that he would figure out before he got to the end of his sentence, or perhaps some clarification on the threats they faced, but before he could get the first syllable past his lips, Tess tugged him along a little faster and, just like that, the spell was broken. They walked in silence for a long time. Arche used the opportunity to eavesdrop on whatever snippets of gossip happened to be nearby. Taxes were being raised again, one of the scholarchs of the Lyceum was an eight-thousand-year-old biomancer, someone¡¯s neighbor woke up with red spots all over, a corpse was found outside the Shattered Pint. Arche nearly lost his footing, only propelled along by Tess¡¯s guiding hand that refused to let him fall behind. An icy pit enveloped him, spreading from his gut out to the tips of his extremities. It burned with whispers and doubts and a thousand failings. His head swam and he clutched at Tess¡¯s hand, ignoring the pain of his still-broken finger. ¡°Tess.¡± His voice was barely a whisper. ¡°Keep moving. Don¡¯t slow down, don¡¯t dwell on it.¡± ¡°But what if¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t, Arche. We don¡¯t know. We have no way of knowing. We will get to the inn and we will meet the others there. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll know.¡± She pulled him along, his feet suddenly leaden and sluggish. It took minutes for him to get his body under control, to fight down the lump that had risen in his throat. Every beat of his heart seemed an act of betrayal. They walked for an hour in silence, ruminating on the dead body, wondering if it was one of their friends. Wondering which one it was. ¡°How much farther?¡± ¡°We¡¯re nearly there. The inn isn¡¯t far from the Lyceum. We can probably see the biomancers today, but we¡¯ll need Helwan. The Lyceum isn¡¯t normally open to the public.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°There¡¯s bad blood between the mages and the city folk. The latter blame the former for every odd pestilence and the former dislikes the latter because the thieves¡¯ guilds occasionally pull heists.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the magic school have magic protections?¡± ¡°It does, but the guilds also have magic users. Usually disgruntled, former students who¡¯ve been expelled for one reason or another. It¡¯s hard to learn magic outside the Lyceum unless you¡¯re born into it or have a rare profession.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°Does that mean all the mages in Tartarus have gone to the Lyceum?¡± Tess let out a quick, barking laugh, before choking it off. ¡°Sorry, that was rude. No, not by far. Tartarus is enormous. If this was the only school of magic, Ship¡¯s Shape would be large enough to house millions. No, there are many schools of magic. The Lyceum just happens to be one of the better schools and the closest to Myriatos.¡± ¡°Knowing that I may very well not have the capacity to understand whatever metric you use, how big is Tartarus?¡± Tess thought for a moment. ¡°Some three thousand years ago, some mage measured it out to be about forty-three thousand kilometers in circumference. A thousand years later, that number went up to forty-four thousand two hundred. About three hundred years ago, another mage determined it was forty-five thousand one hundred.¡± ¡°Well, which is it?¡± ¡°It was all of them, at those times.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me Tartarus is growing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what the Lyceum claims.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s crazy, right? How would it grow? Why?¡± ¡°Magic, maybe. Or something to do with the Titans, if you¡¯re superstitious.¡± Arche¡¯s ears pricked up. ¡°What are those? I¡¯ve heard mention of them before, but no one will tell me anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m the most qualified person to tell you.¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Arche could hear the grimace in her voice. ¡°At this rate, you¡¯d be the only person to tell me. That makes you most qualified in my book.¡± Tess took a few moments to gather her thoughts. ¡°Long ago, well before the dawn of the Era of Mortals, and even before the era before that, it¡¯s said that the Titans lived. Immense beings of destructive power. Each represented an aspect, but sources vary on what. It¡¯s said they were banished here for crimes they committed elsewhere, but no one knows who did the banishing or where it was done. They raged and all of Tartarus quaked with their fury. Eventually, they fell asleep and the world grew around them. Now, the mountains of Tartarus share their names. Some say the mountains contain the sleeping Titans, but I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d go that far. They¡¯re just stories meant to scare children but, still, folk don¡¯t like to talk about it. Nothing good can come from drawing that sort of attention.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t suppose there are descriptions of any of them?¡± Arche asked. ¡°None that have merit, and none that describe those things you met.¡± ¡°Damn. Just when I thought I might have a lead.¡± ¡°If anyone knows for sure, though, it¡¯s probably one of the librarians at the Lyceum,¡± Tess pointed out. ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll add it to the list.¡± ¡°Save it,¡± Tess said. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± They walked into the Styx and Stones inn to find that it was largely empty, the only noises coming from across the room at the bar. Even the murmur of the outside was largely muted, giving the area an almost reverent feel. That feeling was broken, however, by the friendly greeting of the bartender. ¡°Hello, there! Welcome. Can I interest you two in lunch? A place to stay, perhaps?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Tess replied. ¡°Room first, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Certainly. Rooms are two drachmae per night, eight for a whole week, and come with one meal a day.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Tess placed the money on the bar with a small clatter of metal against wood. ¡°We have some friends that will be coming soon, if they¡¯re not here already. Two women, a man, and a satyr. Have you seen them?¡± Arche heard a soft scratching sound and assumed the man was stroking his chin. ¡°Can¡¯t say that description rings any bells. If they show up, shall I let them know you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Yes. Other than them, however, we value our privacy.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the innkeeper was smiling. ¡°Folks round these parts call me Pyrrhos on account of the hair, you see. Oh, sorry there, friend.¡± Arche shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Why does your hair make them call you that?¡± ¡°It means ¡®red-haired¡¯,¡± Pyrrhos said. ¡°Not a name I¡¯ll get away from. Not that I want to, it¡¯s loads better than the one my pater gave me.¡± ¡°Which was?¡± Arche asked, curiosity getting the better of him. ¡°Ah.¡± There was a smile in Pyrrhos¡¯s voice. ¡°Careful there, lad. I only let people in on that secret after the third date.¡± ¡°When can we expect the food to be ready?¡± Tess cut in. ¡°Expect it in a half hour, if you like. Want it delivered to your room?¡± ¡°That would be appreciated.¡± ¡°Certainly. Up the stairs, third on the right.¡± Arche followed Tess¡¯s and soon enough they were safely in the room. While she shut and locked the door, he walked around the edges, one hand touching the wall. ¡°Seems nicer than the Shattered Pint,¡± he remarked. ¡°More expensive, too, I think.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not hurting for money,¡± Tess replied. ¡°And we¡¯re closer to the Lyceum. It¡¯s half past noon right now. It shouldn¡¯t take more than another half hour¡¯s walk to reach the campus.¡± Arche opened his mouth to tell her they should go there immediately but, at the last moment, changed his mind. ¡°You¡¯re in charge,¡± he said instead. ¡°What¡¯s our next move?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Her surprise was evident. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you aren¡¯t pushing me to take you to the healers straight away.¡± ¡°I want to, don¡¯t get me wrong, but it¡¯s ultimately your call. We¡¯re separated from the rest of our group with no idea what their condition is. Reuniting with them is important.¡± ¡°True,¡± she said. ¡°And it would be annoying to miss them while we¡¯re out at the Mages¡¯ College. We¡¯ll need Helwan to get through, as well, considering he attended.¡± Arche nodded and settled onto the bed. He removed his boots and socks, stowing them in his inventory, and was glad to be off his feet for a while. The linen shirt and pants he wore were a rough on his skin, long since in need of a wash, but it was hardly his worst concern. A check on his broken finger showed his high Fortitude had gone far in healing it, but it needed more time before the bone would be sturdy. Arche sprawled out, his good hand resting behind his head, idly fingering the bandages around his eyes. He heard running water and shifted slightly. ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m tired and dirty,¡± Tess said. ¡°I¡¯m taking a bath before lunch arrives. I didn¡¯t get an opportunity at the Shattered Pint.¡± A waft of floral soap caught in Arche¡¯s nostrils. It was sweet and enticing. ¡°Lucky for you, I can¡¯t see,¡± he joked, letting a smile spread across his face. ¡°Double lucky,¡± she replied. ¡°Because I¡¯m making you take a bath before bed.¡± ¡°Sure, fuck it. Everyone kept following me to the river in Myriatos when I wanted to bathe. Why would civilization be any different?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you stinking up the bed. Which is what you¡¯re doing right now.¡± Arche stood, feeling solid wood floorboards beneath his feet. ¡°Shit, sorry. There¡¯s only one bed?¡± ¡°Pyrrhos seems to have taken us for a pair.¡± ¡°Well, you did only order one room.¡± ¡°Considering your condition and our situation, I didn¡¯t want you out of sight.¡± ¡°Too late,¡± Arche tapped a finger to the side of his head. ¡°Do you want to stand there making jokes? Or do you want to make yourself useful?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think that I can¡¯t do both. What do you need?¡± ¡°Wash my back?¡± Arche struggled to make his mouth work. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Water sloshed and a wet rag pressed into Arche¡¯s good hand. ¡°Just watch those wandering hands,¡± came Tess¡¯s wry reply. Arche slowly approached the basin, one hand gingerly outstretched until he found the wooden lip. He knelt before it and Tess took his wrist and guided him to her shoulders. With one hand he rubbed up and down, taking care not to go too far in any direction while simultaneously struggling to not picture what he was doing. The latter was a losing battle. ¡°You¡¯re distracting me, aren¡¯t you?¡± he asked. ¡°Keeping me from getting caught up in my thoughts.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Now shut up and rub my shoulders.¡± ¡°Yes, dear.¡± Arche laid the soapy rag over the lip of the basin and used his hands to press gently into Tess¡¯s shoulders. Her skin was soft beneath his fingers and slippery from the water. She let out a contented murmur as he pressed his thumbs into tight muscles. He worked back and forth in slow circles until they were interrupted by a knock on the door. Arche stood immediately, the Tridory flying to his outstretched hand from where it had leaned against the wall, the move causing a tinge of pain through his head. He moved toward the door, one hand outstretched to prevent himself from walking into it. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he called out. ¡°Pyrrhos.¡± Came the reply. ¡°I brought food.¡± Arche turned his head in Tess¡¯s direction, tilting it in a silent question. ¡°Go ahead,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m behind cover.¡± Arche laid the Tridory against the wall and opened the door. The scent of roasted lamb, olives, and fresh berries washed over him, bringing a hungry smile to his face. ¡°Just hold out your hands and I¡¯ll place them,¡± Pyrrhos said. Arche did as he was instructed and felt the food pile up. A flagon was also placed into his good hand, luckily. ¡°This one¡¯s on the house,¡± Pyrrhos whispered conspiratorially. ¡°Thought you and your lady might enjoy it.¡± ¡°Thanks. Any word from our friends?¡± ¡°None yet, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll come round.¡± Arche thanked the innkeeper again and shut the door with his foot. ¡°Is there a table?¡± Arche asked aloud. ¡°I didn¡¯t find one earlier.¡± ¡°Bring it over to the bed. We can eat there.¡± Water sloshed as Tess stood up and the tub began to drain. Arche set the plates onto the bed and, carefully, retrieved an olive from a small bowl. He was about to toss it into his mouth when Tess grabbed his hand. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°Just wait a moment.¡± He waited as asked, her wet hand still on his, listening to the patter of water droplets landing on his shirt. ¡°It¡¯s not poisoned,¡± she said finally. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°That was a risk?¡± Arche frowned. ¡°Not really, but old habits die hard. Especially in the city. Especially in this city.¡± Arche bit down on the olive, letting the vinegar spread as the salt filled his mouth with saliva. He moved to sit down but Tess stopped him. ¡°I think not. I don¡¯t want you dirtying the bed any more than you already have. It¡¯s time for you to bathe now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fair that you get relative privacy while I have to be on display,¡± he grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s not so much that I haven¡¯t seen before,¡± Tess said, a smile evident in her voice. Her hand brushed against his side, tapping a small line of silver scar tissue beneath his shirt. Arche recalled the night they met, where she had seduced him at a party before she had dragged him off to the woods, stabbed him, and hung him by the leg from a tree for monsters to come eat him. He had, however, kept his pants on during that encounter. ¡°I beg to differ.¡± ¡°And here I thought it would be so much harder to make you beg.¡± Heat flooded Arche¡¯s face so intensely, for a moment he thought the room had caught fire. ¡°But,¡± Tess continued, ¡°seeing as you¡¯re the sensitive sort, I¡¯ll turn my back while you get ready.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see you,¡± Arche said, hesitating. ¡°How do I know you¡¯ll actually turn around?¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯ll finally have to trust me. Here, I¡¯ll even get the bath started for you.¡± Water sloshed into the basin and the fragrance of floral soap filled the room again, mixing pleasantly with the smells from the lunch on the bed. The thought of bathing away the dust and grime of weeks¡¯ worth of journeying was irresistible. ¡°I do trust you,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m less certain I trust myself.¡± He shucked his clothes and lowered himself into the warm bath. After a moment of sitting and getting accustomed to the temperature, he reached for the washrag. It was no longer on the edge of the basin where he had left it, so he twisted, checking behind him. Tess¡¯s hand landed gently on his shoulder, turning him back to the front as the wet rag pressed against his cheek. He sat still, hardly trusting himself to breathe as she wiped gently at his face. Then, with slow and careful movements, as though she were worried she might startle him, he felt her dexterous fingers untie the bandage wrapped around his eyes. The cloth peeled away slowly. The grime from the road acted like a makeshift adhesive that clamped his hair and stuck to the thin skin of his face. As the last strip came away, Tess removed two metal discs that held space between the bandages and his eyes. Arche had not allowed himself to hope that he would be able to see when the bandage was removed. He had not allowed the simple wish to foster that his vision would return, blurry, painful, and unstable. He had not allowed himself to hope that the trip to a healer would only expedite a process that his body was already conducting. Arche hadn¡¯t let himself hope for such things, yet his throat still burned with need when his vision remained as dark and unchanging as ever. The washrag pressed against his forehead as Tess¡¯s hand moved to hold his head from behind. Arche closed his eyes. Not for fear of getting soapy water in them, but for memory of what Odelia had said, or rather hadn¡¯t said, about their horrible appearance. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide them. Not from me.¡± Arche hesitated. Was it kindness? Pity? Was she bearing witness to the carnage of his face to wean herself from whatever ill-conceived feelings she might have developed about him? ¡°My face was taken from me, first. Now my eyes are gone. I¡¯ll never be something to look at and appreciate, but I¡¯m not sure I can stomach the reaction of what this world¡¯s turned me into.¡± Her hands cupped his face. ¡°The world may think what it will about any number of topics,¡± Tess whispered, low and breathy. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to change for me. For everything you¡¯ve done for me¡ªsacrificed for me¡ªthat, at least, is one gift I can give you.¡± Arche opened his eyes. He had no words, only a tight knot of emotions that worked its way from his stomach to his chest. He wanted to say something, anything. He wanted to assure her that she didn¡¯t have to hide from him, either. That he would accept her in whatever form she wanted. To tell her how he felt about her and how the playful distance they¡¯d had since his injury was killing him inside. How the memory of her lips was his only solace between nightmares. But try as hard as he could, not a single word would bring itself past his tongue. So it was that with Tess carefully washing his face, Arche stared into nothing, feeling salty tears mix with the water running down his cheeks. Book 2 | Chapter 26 Charomera The 15th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals ¡°You wanted to see me, Archousa?¡± Lyssa turned away from telling Theodorous about the centaurs to see Elpida standing at attention nearby. It was early afternoon, well past lunchtime, and it was the first she¡¯d seen of the guardswoman since she¡¯d stormed off. ¡°Yes. Both of you come with me.¡± Lyssa led them from Theodorous¡¯s desk near the entrance of the village hall to Lyssa¡¯s own desk at the back of the building. She was silent during the short walk, thinking only of how she was going to say what needed to be said. Lyssa took her seat behind the desk and waited for the others to be seated in front of her. Before she spoke, she gave a quick, cursory glance around to make sure there were no others within earshot. Satisfied that they were, in fact, alone, she began. ¡°I want to start by thanking you both for your exceptional services to Myriatos. Without the dedicated work of both of you, I am certain we would be far worse off. However, there are existential threats that require a change.¡± Theodorous shifted uncomfortably. Elpida only stared, her face a mask. ¡°Tartarus is not safe. We all know this, but never have a people been more unsafe than when isolated. We have noncombatants to look after, children to protect and raise, and we do all of this without assistance. The Sylv is full of monsters. Old, powerful, and dark. These trees likely hide creatures that have not been encountered by the mortal races in millennia. Some, even the elves have not catalogued. But all creatures respect one thing: power. Thus, for the continued protection of Myriatos, I cannot confine myself to this hall and this desk.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t follow your reasoning, Archousa,¡± Theodorous said carefully. ¡°I am the highest-level combatant in the village,¡± Lyssa tilted her chin up. ¡°I am also an elf. This means many things, but it means I have the time to grow truly powerful. Time is, I fear, not on our side. I sense a threat, growing and shaping. One that might go far beyond our humble village. In order to face that threat, I must grow stronger. I must cast aside the careful practices of my people and embrace that which has long empowered the mortal races.¡± ¡°I cannot condone you needlessly risking your life,¡± Elpida interjected. ¡°You are the leader of this village. What kind of example does that set to your people?¡± ¡°That their leader will do anything to protect them.¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice was strong and unyielding. ¡°Do not mistake me. I am not asking for permission, nor am I seeking to hoard power for myself. I have seen horrors in the Sylv, both known and unknown. If a kykl¨­ps breaks through that treeline to make a meal of our people, even combined we could not stop it. If an erinys wings its way out of the sky to make off with our children, I doubt a single one of us has the strength of limb to stop it. If a minotauros crawls out of an undiscovered cave system and decides to gorge itself on our people, who among us could contest it?¡± ¡°Arche,¡± Theodorous said. Lyssa cut her eyes toward the mousy man and waited a long moment before speaking. ¡°Perhaps he could. You have both seen the feats he has accomplished, but he is one man and a mortal, at that. You have both born witness to his injuries. For as much as he has accomplished, he has a long path to recovery ahead of him. More importantly, he is not here. We cannot place all of our trust in a single person, not even me. Myriatos will be strong, and I will lead by example. Power I obtain will be power I share.¡± ¡°I think you have made your intentions clear, Archousa,¡± Theodorous said. ¡°What would you have us do?¡± ¡°Hire however many hands you need to ensure the administration of the village, Theo,¡± Lyssa said, her voice softening slightly. ¡°We will meet daily to discuss ongoing events, but I am placing the majority of administration onto your shoulders. Elpida, I want you to take your guard retinue and transform them. I want them to become our elites. Make them warriors, hunters, scouts, and spies. Send them to whoever is best equipped to train them. Have them learn magic if they are able.¡± ¡°What of you? Who will protect you?¡± ¡°From here on, I provide my own protection,¡± Lyssa¡¯s voice hardened again. She had to make them understand. ¡°I have lived and hunted for two hundred years without aid. I have made a mockery of myself this last month and wasted the limited supply of our warriors. I will be coddled no more.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Lyssa,¡± Elpida said. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s come over you, but this is reckless. If something happens to you, Myriatos is without a leader.¡± ¡°Myriatos has many leaders,¡± Lyssa replied. ¡°You are a leader. Theo is a leader. Gigator and Vik are leaders. Arche, Helwan, and Tess are leaders. Leadership is the one thing Myriatos has no short supply of. I am not special ¨C but I am skilled. I have been neglecting what I should be doing for what I thought needed doing. My abilities do not lie in reading reports and resolving disputes, they are for doing what Tartarus has made of me. I am a Huntress and I will protect my home.¡± ¡°And you would disallow me from doing the same?¡± Elpida spoke through clenched teeth, the only outward sign of emotion. ¡°On the contrary. I want you to lead your unit. Compete with Arche¡¯s, work for the betterment of the village, not for my protection. I know your reservations on the matter and I understand, but there are more pressing concerns than my safety.¡± Elpida stood from her chair. Lyssa held her eyes, daring further objection. The guardswoman rendered a stiff salute and headed for the door. ¡°May I ask what caused this sudden shift?¡± Theodorous¡¯s voice was gentle, as if trying to coax an angry animal. ¡°I have not been true to myself these past weeks, Theo,¡± Lyssa said, rubbing her eyes in sudden exhaustion. ¡°I have allowed myself to become too distracted with papyruswork. Myriatos doesn¡¯t need an archousa who sits behind a desk. It needs resources, connections, and to claim a stake out of the Sylv. I intend to do something about that. Personally.¡± ¡°I understand, Archousa. I will make the necessary adjustments. If I might ask, what are you going to do now?¡± Lyssa gave a weary smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Finally adjourned to her bedroom, Lyssa let out a quiet yawn and stretched her arms over her head. The bed, completely ignored the previous night, called to her like a neglected lover. She melted into its embrace, burying her face into the soft pillow. Here, in the quiet darkness of her room, she could pretend that the worries of the world were far away and happening to someone else. That they were manageable and could be dealt with in their own time. She had almost slipped into sleep when a scratching noise broke the silence. At first, Lyssa ignored it, but it was persistent. She lifted her head from the pillow, trying to get a sense of where it was coming from. Something scraped against wood, but it was too quiet to find. A bird, perhaps. With more than a little reluctance, Lyssa got out of bed. Her feet hit the floorboards, louder than intended due to her weariness, and the scraping stopped. Lyssa narrowed her eyes, but a knock on the door interrupted further investigation. She opened it to find Theodorous standing next to one of her guards. The guard was holding himself to attention, but his face was flushed and his breathing was strained. He had clearly run a long way. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Lyssa demanded. ¡°Sorry to interrupt your peace, Archousa, but there¡¯s been an incident at the mine,¡± Theo reported, turning to the guard. ¡°Archousa,¡± the guard gasped. ¡°The emergency beacon at the mine has been lit. They need aid!¡± ¡°Theo, escort this man to Gigator. I want ten guardsmen to meet me at the mines as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, Archousa!¡± ¡°Good work,¡± she said to the guardsman. ¡°We¡¯ll take it from here.¡± The man nodded wearily between breaths. Lyssa did not stay for further conversation. All thoughts of sleep abandoned, she broke unto a run, barreling out of the hall and through the village proper. Heads turned and some called out, but Lyssa ignored them. Agility was her third highest attribute, below Dexterity and Perception, and she used every point of her considerable arsenal to propel herself forward toward the mountain. After five minutes of sprinting, her Stamina flagged, falling beneath fifteen percent. She slowed her pace, having already made it to the base of the mountain across the meadow. She stole a glance over her shoulder to see the Gigator was leading the guards after her. They were well behind her, however, and even at her reduced pace the distance between them was only growing. The walk between the mine and the village normally took about two hours, one of which was spent navigating the treacherous slope up the mountain to reach the base camp for the mine. Some effort had gone into developing the path for carts but the work was ongoing and the way was still fraught. Sweat clung to Lyssa¡¯s clothes, dripped from her brow, and breath tore out of her in great, painful gasps, but she didn¡¯t allow herself to slow further. Instead, she kept her pace, leaping up the mountainside with the skill and grace only an elf could demonstrate. On this new terrain, her Stamina fell quickly, but she forced herself to carry on. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she considered the need for a village apothecary to make restorative potions. That was far down the line of development, however, and they had no facilities that such a trade could make use of. Lyssa nearly made it to the encampment when she collapsed, body shuddering and heaving with exertion. Her Stamina was dangerously low, dangling beneath five percent, which meant injury or loss of consciousness was a very real possibility. It was only through years of training and discipline that she was able to keep the contents of her stomach from making a surprise appearance. Her legs trembled and refused to carry weight, so she scrabbled with her arms and hands to pull herself up the mountain. Her Stamina regenerated slowly, more slowly than it should have due to the extreme stress, but as the minutes ticked by, she was back up to thirty percent and her legs were once more willing to bear her, so she continued upward. Another five minutes of quick moving and she arrived.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Lyssa heard Grimmolt before she saw him. The dwarf barked orders at the other members of the Sidergrothia clan clamoring to organize themselves. Everywhere, the dwarves armed themselves with huge pickaxes and shouted, practically frothing with rage. ¡°Grimmolt!¡± she called out over the din. Grimmolt spun around and, upon catching sight of her, spat onto the rock next to him and said something in dwarvish. ¡°You¡¯d best be here to help,¡± he growled out. ¡°I¡¯ve no time to waste.¡± ¡°I am. Guards are on their way. What happened?¡± Grimmolt spat again. ¡°It was a thrice-damned basilisk. Six of my dwarves are trapped behind a cave-in.¡± ¡°Have you cleared a way in?¡± ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s petrified the stone, it won¡¯t abide our songs. My kin have made a gap but not large enough for us to fit through. Another twenty minutes at least. Time my kin don¡¯t have.¡± ¡°Let me try. I¡¯m slimmer than you, I might fit.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be daft, elf. It takes a crew to kill a basilisk. Going in alone is suicide.¡± ¡°Not going in is fratricide,¡± Lyssa retorted. ¡°I know the stories, I accept the risk. Send help as soon as you¡¯re able.¡± Grimmolt held her eye for a long moment, then spat a third time and extended his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with it ¨C but shave my beard if I don¡¯t respect it.¡± Lyssa took Grimmolt¡¯s forearm, then turned toward the entrance to the mine. From her inventory, she withdrew a waterskin and took a long pull. Then she checked her equipment. She had her kopides and her bow, but both options were less than ideal. Basilisks had a deadly gaze. If she met the creature¡¯s eye then its inherent magic would wash over her. At best she would be stunned, at worst she would be killed. To make matters more difficult, the creature¡¯s skin was said to be covered in stones from their environment. Being able to find a fleshy part to strike would prove difficult, especially if she was forced to avert her eyes while fighting it. ¡°I¡¯ll need a mirror,¡± she said before Grimmolt turned away. ¡°Something reflective.¡± ¡°No mirror,¡± Grimmolt said. ¡°But will this do?¡± From his own inventory, he produced a flat shield made from steel. It was smooth and free from decoration, looking fresh and unused. ¡°I was planning on getting it enchanted, but if it saves my kin, it¡¯s a worthy sacrifice.¡± ¡°It should do.¡± Lyssa placed the shield into her inventory. Her Stamina regenerated quickly, now that she was no longer actively exerting herself, and had already reached eighty percent. It would have to do. She entered the mine, running down the straight path until she found the cave in and the dwarves working to clear it. A small gap peeked at the top of the rocks, showing through to the other side. From the hole, shrieking hisses and the sounds of metal against stone rang through the space. The echoes of dwarven shouting and hollering filled the air ¨C but that came from both sides of the blockage. Lyssa didn¡¯t bother trying to get the dwarves¡¯ attention to get them out of the way. She spent all of her focus on the gap, knowing it would be a tight fit. She jumped over two surprised dwarves and jumped again from a rock at the bottom of the pile. This floated her up to the opening where she leaned forward in a dive, arms out in front of her just in case she had misjudged the size and ended up stuck halfway. The rocks scratched at her armor as she passed through but, aside from a slight knock in her trajectory, she made it to the other side. Lyssa tucked into a roll as she hit the ground and produced the shield by the time she regained her feet. She shut her eyes tight, listening to the noises bouncing off the rock around her as she tried to pinpoint the basilisk¡¯s location. It let out a particularly angry hiss and Lyssa felt that it was farther down the mineshaft. Still with eyes closed, Lyssa activated Stealth. She hadn¡¯t drawn her weapons, hadn¡¯t planned that far. Her goal was to find the creature and save the dwarves if they were still alive. The ¡®how¡¯ was still a work in progress. Shouting in the tunnel ahead drew her attention, but did not guarantee that they were still alive. There were more than a few creatures in the Sylv that mimicked voices to lure the unsuspecting into traps. Some would take the voice of a loved one, calling you away, while others would let loose bone-chilling screams in the middle of the night to terrorize their prey into fleeing. Knowledge of the basilisk¡¯s deadly stare was common, but Lyssa didn¡¯t know what other tricks the creature might hold. As much as she wanted to move quickly, she couldn¡¯t risk running in and getting killed by errant haste. Another angry screech echoed off the stone walls, so loud that Lyssa winced with pain. She was getting closer to the source, careful to keep her eyes down to avoid accidentally meeting the creature¡¯s gaze. The clash of metal against stone could be heard, ringing through the mine. Footsteps pounded against the stone in her direction. Lyssa flattened herself against the wall, pulling out a kopis. The shield felt heavy and awkward in her hand, but with luck it would do more to protect her than her small swords. The sound of footsteps reached a crescendo before a dwarf appeared, sprinting around the corner. ¡°Here,¡± Lyssa hissed, catching the dwarf by surprise. He let out a soft yelp and turned toward her. Seeing that she was an elf and not a basilisk, he pressed himself against the wall. ¡°Archousa,¡± his voice was low and fervent. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°Helping. How many are left?¡± ¡°Two have been turned to stone. Three others fight still. They¡¯re backed into a corner and have formed a shield wall. I was knocked away from them and made a run for it.¡± ¡°Is it wounded?¡± ¡°No, our weapons are useless against its hide. A pickaxe would be more useful than a blade.¡± Lyssa grunted, thinking to herself. ¡°Is it visible around the corner?¡± ¡°It should be. I tried not to look at it.¡± ¡°I have an idea, but I¡¯m going to need your cooperation to make it work.¡± ¡°Whatever it takes, Archousa. That¡¯s my clan in there.¡± Lyssa passed him the shield. ¡°Hold this out in front of you and keep it as steady as you can.¡± The dwarf did as he was told. Lyssa inventoried her sword and pulled out her bow. Then, with a hand upon the shield to guide the dwarf, they stepped together around the passage. Lyssa kept her back to the room, peering into the reflection from the shield. The first sight of the basilisk nearly made her freeze, though the creature had its back to her. It was large, easily seven meters from tail to tongue and three meters high at the shoulder. It crawled on four mighty limbs with a hide of rock covering its back. A long tail swished back and forth in anticipation. As Lyssa watched, the tail swept through the frozen statue of a dwarf, shattering it into rubble. Lyssa knocked an arrow to her bow and drew it, aiming toward the basilisk but with her head turned the wrong way, fixed on the shield. There were some in Dawnwood who had practiced show-archery, performing incredible tricks for an admiring audience. Some of these had included knocking an arrow out of the sky or shooting at a target while looking through a mirror, much as Lyssa was about to do. She had never joined these attempts, seeing them as frivolous. A part of her wished she had made the effort as the instincts of nearly two centuries of hunting screamed at her to look at her target. With a considerable effort of will, she quieted her mind, sighted her shot, let out a breath, and loosed an arrow. She had aimed for the center mass of the creature, hoping that its great size would allow her an easy strike to gauge it, but the height difference between herself and the dwarf was greater than she had expected, and the arrow went high. It skittered off the ceiling well before the basilisk, tumbling to the ground with no more threat than a sharp stick. Not pausing for recrimination, Lyssa nocked another arrow and sighted again, making corrections. Less than a second later, another arrow flew toward the basilisk, this time striking against the rocky hide above its tail. Lyssa grimaced as the arrow skittered off to the side. Her arrows lacked the penetration capacity to break through the rocky hide, which was likely magically hardened. That meant she was going to have to be a lot more careful with her shots. If the basilisk noticed her attack, it didn¡¯t care, intent as it was on getting to the three trapped dwarves. Lyssa readied a third arrow, aiming well below her previous shot. Her heart pulsed at a steady pace, her breathing was slow and rhythmic. At the bottom of her breath, she let the arrow fly. It sailed through the air and sunk into the heel of the basilisk¡¯s left hind leg. It let out a roar and turned around, catching sight of Lyssa and the dwarf for the first time. The face of the creature was long and angry, somewhat resembling a cross between a horse and a lizard. It had a prolonged snout that split in half to reveal huge, flat teeth. Angry yellow eyes focused on Lyssa. Lyssa stared at the creature through the shield¡¯s reflection for only a moment, then drew out yet another arrow. Her hunch had been correct, thankfully, that the creature could not affect her with its gaze through reflection. The magic it used to hunt required an unimpeded connection. Lyssa drew the bow back as the basilisk charged. As the arrow left her string, she drew another. She had not seen the creature move more than a meter since the battle had begun, and hadn¡¯t expected it to have a strange, loping gallop. Her arrow bounced harmlessly off its shoulder, serving only to enrage it. The ground shook under the force of its weight, threatening her balance, but she swayed with the vibrations, keeping her focus on her work. The dwarf was not as lucky. He stumbled and the shield dipped as he struggled to regain his footing. As the metal lowered, the dwarf glanced up and saw the basilisk charging toward them. His face twisted into a mask of fear as his eyes flashed yellow, then his body began to change. Stone crawled outward from his eyes, rippling across his face, and moved down the rest of his body until he was nothing more than the stone statue of a dwarf, clutching onto a stone shield. Lyssa bit back a curse, knowing she didn¡¯t have the time. She had no mirror, now, and still could not look at the creature. Forcing her heart to calm, she drew the bowstring back and closed her eyes. She activated one of her archery maneuvers, figuring that if this was to be her last attack, she may as well try to do all she could with it. Drill Shot greatly increased the penetration of her attack but came at a cost to accuracy. As she couldn¡¯t look at the creature in the first place, the difference didn¡¯t matter. She felt the wood against her hands, pressing against her palm and fingers. Where there should be song from the life in the wood, there was only silence, as there had always been. She attuned herself to the nothing, dropped her aim a centimeter, and let the arrow fly. A roar of pain met her, so loud and close that Lyssa fell backward, her hands clutching at her ears. The bow clattered to the ground, forgotten, as she screamed, her own voice lost in the noise. Worse even than the underground thunder of Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium, the sound seemed to catch inside of her. Blood spilled between her fingers as the roar faded into a persistent ringing that drowned all.
Deafened ¡ª Tier 6 -100% Hearing
Deafened ¡ª Tier 6: 9:59
When more than enough time had passed for the creature to have killed her, Lyssa opened her eyes. The basilisk was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the three dwarves who¡¯d been trapped in the corner ran to her. It was difficult to focus on anything with the horrible ringing in her head. Lyssa looked back at the dwarf that had held the shield for her. His face frozen in a caricature of terror. She didn¡¯t even know his name. Lyssa struggled to her knees. Her hand found her bow and she stored it away in her inventory, but further movement was beyond her. The dwarves reached her next, clearly talking to her by the up-down motion of their mouths, but she couldn¡¯t hear them. The world had gone mad with ringing, which faded into a flat tone. Green blood dripping down her cheeks and spattered the stone. Two of the dwarves grabbed her by the arms and lifted her to her feet. She was as unsteady as a newborn deer. The dwarves were too short to really allow her to throw her weight against them, but her strength returned with each passing moment. They ushered her out of the mine, the way freshly cleared, and back toward the camp. The dark passage ahead gave way to reveal a circle of shining sunlight, like a lantern placed in a home¡¯s window after a long journey. Lyssa found herself yearning for it, though under the stress and fear of near-death, she found it wasn¡¯t just the light¡¯s embrace she wished for. Book 2 | Chapter 27 Charomera The 15th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Night fell on Ship¡¯s Shape, ushering in a completely new feeling to the city. During the day, vendors loudly called their wares, advertisers tried to convince passersby to enter various shops, people milled about from place to place, chatting and conducting everyday errands. When night fell, however, the city turned over and became an entirely different place. Performers cropped up everywhere. People danced in the streets. Very few businesses remained open if they were not serving food and drink. Lights lit up the sky and reflected against the clouds above, bathing the city in a kaleidoscope. It was like the whole world had gone suddenly and irreversibly mad. At least, that was how Tess explained it to Arche from the view granted by the small window in their room while he sat on the bed, carefully sipping a bowl of stew beneath the fresh bandages that covered his eyes. As much as he burned to fix his sight, they needed to reunite with the rest of their group before moving onward. Though they had both agreed to it, Arche chafed at the thought of a potential cure being so close, yet still out of reach. The descriptions of the city did little to brighten his mood. He wanted to see the floating lights for himself and experience the fullness of the nocturnal agora. The distant hum of music sent vibrations through the building and he felt it most keenly, a world just outside his door that he was not privy to. At an hour past nightfall, allegedly, Arche was beginning to wonder at the sleeping arrangement when someone knocked at the door. It sounded three times in quick succession. Arche stood from the bed, food forgotten as he gripped the Tridory. Tess laid a hand on Arche¡¯s shoulder and called out. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Tess?¡± a familiar voice called back. ¡°It¡¯s us.¡± The door opened. ¡°Helwan! You made it.¡± Arche moved forward with one hand outstretched to find the satyr. Helwan found him instead, giving him a hug around his middle. A foolish grin spread across Arche¡¯s face, but it didn¡¯t matter. They were here. They were safe. ¡°Who else?¡± he asked. ¡°Basil and Cora are with me,¡± Helwan said as the others stepped into the room. ¡°We were separated from Efterpi shortly after leaving the inn.¡± The smile disappeared, leaving only an aching hole in Arche¡¯s chest. ¡°What happened?¡± Arche heard the door to the room shut and Basil picked up the story. ¡°The Hekatonkheires followed us. We tried to give them the slip, but Efterpi got lost in the crowd. One of them split off to follow her while the other two came after us. We had to move quickly. That was the last we saw of her.¡± ¡°We heard a rumor,¡± Tess said quietly. ¡°A body was found near the inn.¡± The air thickened as everyone digested the news. ¡°We don¡¯t know that it¡¯s her,¡± Cora said. ¡°It might be the Hekatonkheires.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°Something must be done.¡± ¡°Something will be done,¡± Tess said. ¡°But not now. Do you three have rooms?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Helwan said. ¡°The proprietor¡ªPyrrhos, I think¡ªhe gave us the room next door. He also pointed us in your direction. I, for one, am glad it wasn¡¯t a trap.¡± Arche lowered himself to the bed and took another bite of stew. ¡°What do we do?¡± he asked, his thoughts quickly turning back to his own situation. ¡°What time does the Lyceum open? For that matter, what time is it now?¡± ¡°The Lyceum doesn¡¯t close,¡± Helwan said. ¡°It operates in limited capacity at night but it doesn¡¯t truly close. We could go now, if you¡¯re up to it, or we could wait until morning. The daylight may limit how openly the Hekatonkheires can move against us but it might be easier to lose them in the bustle at night.¡± Arche turned his head in Tess¡¯s direction. He needed to go but, as he was forced to learn, things weren¡¯t always up to him. Her hand touched his cheek. ¡°Go.¡± He¡¯d have kissed her if they hadn¡¯t had an audience. Instead, he turned toward Helwan. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time. The sooner I can see, the sooner I can help.¡± Arche¡¯s dinner laid forgotten as they prepared to leave. Arche left his pack of dwarven treasure in Tess¡¯s room. Cora and Basil would stay behind to keep an eye on things and wait for Efterpi, should she show up. The rest of Arche¡¯s things would be coming with him in his personal inventory space. It didn¡¯t amount to much. Trail rations, the sword made from the revenant¡¯s rib bone, his bow, two quivers of arrows, fresh bandages, two sets of clothes, and his armor. He continued to wear his cloak due to the Stealth bonus it offered, but it was agreed that his armor was too recognizable for him to go walking about the city. Armor wasn¡¯t necessarily out of the ordinary, but it tended to denote someone as either an adventurer or a guard and both drew attention in Ship¡¯s Shape, sometimes from each other. What was more, the Hekatonkheires knew him by his bandages and red armor, without the armor, he was slightly less recognizable. The Tridory, naturally, came with him. After Helwan had the chance to eat¡ªwhich he used to scarf down a salad and slurp a meaty broth in record time¡ªthe three set off. Leaving the inn was an affront to the senses. Arche felt the beat of music vibrate through the air and through the ground beneath his shoes. People whirled nearby in a flutter of fabrics, often stamping their feet, laughing and singing. ¡°Is there a holiday? Some kind of celebration?¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Most of Ship¡¯s Shape is like this,¡± Helwan shouted over the noise. ¡°The people here believe life itself is a gift worth celebrating and they dance each night to give thanks for the day gone by and the new day to come.¡± ¡°A gift from who?¡± ¡°Nobody knows!¡± Helwan laughed. ¡°But it feels good to do, all the same.¡± The air was electric. Perfume and sweat mixed in nearly equal measure, making the whole place feel alive and sensual. Arche was very aware of the grip of Tess¡¯s hand on his arm as they skirted the outsides of the frolicking throng. It brought to mind the memory of her wet back beneath his hands, the way her shoulders moved under his fingers. Without bright lights to occupy his vision, his mind¡¯s eye was quite distracted by other imagery. Their pace was faster than a walk but not quite a run. It was impossible to move slowly with the music playing all around them, whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Arche heard Helwan¡¯s hooves tap against cobbled stone as the satyr danced along, staying close but joining in. The whole thing was mesmerizing. Arche wanted to dance, to take Tess in his arms, to join these people in primal celebration, but he continued on, doing his best not to trip for fear of being trampled. They left the festival and entered a courtyard of some kind. Arche could only tell it as such because he could hear the sound of the music behind them echoing back to him. The sensual feeling that had overtaken him faded and he found he was sweating. Next to him, Tess gasped heavy breaths, a sound that seared into his mind as her fingers relaxed their tight grip on his bicep. Before he had quite recovered from the experience, Arche felt himself ushered through a door and into a building. ¡°Can I help you?¡± a kindly, feminine voice said. ¡°My friend had an accident some time back. We were hoping that the asklepieion would be able to help him. We¡¯ve come a long way.¡± ¡°Is it an injury or an infection?¡± ¡°Injury.¡± ¡°Is he a member of the Lyceum?¡± ¡°No,¡± Helwan hesitated for a moment. ¡°But I¡¯m a former student and he¡¯s a prospective future student.¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll admit him for care, then. We have some documentation for you to sign. Are you his wife, miss?¡± ¡°No!¡± He couldn¡¯t see her face, but Arche would have wagered the entire dwarven hoard that Tess¡¯s cheeks were cherry red. He¡¯d have given away half the hoard to see it. ¡°My apologies. We only allow family in the patient rooms.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have family,¡± Arche said. ¡°But they¡¯re as close as I¡¯ve got. I¡¯d like you to let them in.¡± ¡°Very well. If you¡¯ll follow me.¡± The attendant led them through a door, down a hall, and into a vacant room. Arche was made to lie down in a strange, uncomfortable bed while Helwan and Tess took chairs nearby. ¡°I¡¯ll fetch a physician to see you,¡± the attendant said, then left them alone. Arche felt anticipation rising in his chest. He had been dealing with his blindness for weeks, hoping that a healer would be able to restore his vision. Now, with nothing left to do but wait, he felt restless. It was only when Tess put her hand onto his that he realized he had been clenching and unclenching his fists. After an eternity, or about five minutes, someone entered the room. ¡°Hello, everyone. My name is Polybus, I¡¯ll be your attending physician. Now, what seems to be the problem?¡± A masculine voice with a subtle accent that sounded vaguely elven. Arche cocked his head in Polybus¡¯s direction and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three guesses.¡± Polybus laughed. ¡°Humor may not be one of the four humors, but I believe it to be better than most biomancy for curing what ails you. If you¡¯ll allow me, I have some examinations to perform. Your friends may wait outside.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to keep them with me, if it¡¯s all the same to you.¡± ¡°No.¡± Polybus¡¯s voice was polite but firm. ¡°This is not a menagerie and I do not perform with an audience. I assure you; you are quite safe in our care. Your friends may return when I am done.¡± Arche grit his teeth. For a moment, he thought about refusing ¨C then he considered if his sight was worth his pride. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be close by,¡± Tess whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The door opened and shut, and Arche was left alone with the physician. Polybus moved to the bedside humming and murmuring under his breath. Arche did his best to stay still as the bandages around his head were swiftly but delicately removed. ¡°Now this is fascinating. How did you come by this injury?¡± ¡°A building fell on me.¡± Polybus snorted. ¡°I appreciate your good attitude, but I¡¯m afraid I need accurate details if I am to ascertain the best way to treat you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. A huge wall fell onto me. It crushed most of my bones, especially those in my face. I was told that my eyes were pierced by my orbital bones.¡± ¡°Orbital bones,¡± Polybus repeated, more to himself. ¡°And who told you this?¡± ¡°A biomancer. She told me she lacked the requisite skill to heal me and directed me this way.¡± ¡°You are lucky to be alive, if that is the case. I am surprised that this is the only injury you bear from the matter. Have you gained a level since then?¡± Arche grit his teeth. ¡°No, and I¡¯m quite a ways off from the next one.¡± ¡°Your biomancer has done a remarkable job patching you up, then. One moment, I¡¯m going to scan you.¡± Polybus muttered a few arcane words and Arche felt the air in the room shift, prickling his skin. Magic filtered through him, reaching deeper into his body, and the prickling sensation turned to one of mild discomfort. Before the discomfort could grow, it stopped. ¡°Oh dear,¡± Polybus said, his voice sounding troubled now. ¡°You have some pretty extensive Mana scarring. Are you a mage?¡± ¡°Not exactly. I have a skill that uses Mana. It was overtaxed during the accident.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Polybus¡¯s voice made it clear that he was thinking hard. ¡°Well, the good news is that I do believe I can restore your eyesight. The bad news is that it may come with side effects.¡± ¡°What kind of side effects?¡± ¡°Your facial structure has been altered, somewhat. You have spurs of bone that jut into your eye sockets, pressing against the nerve at the back of your eyes. This may get better over time, if you have a high Comeliness, but such changes are gradual. Your eyes themselves have been filled with blood for a long time. I will be able to remove much of it during the procedure, but it is likely your eyes will remain stained. This might affect your vision or it might not. Regardless, your eyes will make you an oddity. Though, with the extent of scarring you have, it may not be anything you aren¡¯t used to.¡± Arche felt his mouth go slack. There were so many threads he wanted to pull on, but he had to stay focused. ¡°Can you reset the bones? Put them back into the proper place?¡± ¡°Yes, I believe I can. We do offer anesthetic, which I would highly recommend taking advantage of. The cost is high but worth it for a procedure like this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. What about the Mana scars?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do for that, I¡¯m afraid. There may be others in the Lyceum that deal in such things, but it is not within the realm of biomancy or the medical arts.¡± Arche had to manually unclench his jaw to ask his next question. ¡°Very well. How soon can we start the procedure?¡± ¡°I will prepare some assistants. We can start within the hour. Don¡¯t worry. With no complications, we¡¯ll have you seeing dawn¡¯s light.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 28 Charomera The 15th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The fury of Grimmolt Sidergrothia did not rage like an inferno or burn like cold steel. It did not express itself in mindless destruction or make itself known through venomous words. Instead, as Lyssa stood before the dwarf in the dwindling light of the setting sun, she bore witness to a kind of rage she had never known before. A rage that throttled a soul and made it wholly new. ¡°That beast attacked my clan. I will see it dead.¡± Every word rang with the calm assuredness of a heliast delivering a decree. ¡°And how many more lives will you spend to see that judgment placed?¡± Gigator rumbled. They had gone back and forth on this point for half an hour, turning the basecamp¡¯s planning tent into a verbal battleground. Enough for the sky to turn from blue to orange to purple. ¡°Every life. I will spend every stone-cursed life to avenge my kin.¡± Grimmolt did not back down from Gigator, despite being less than a third his size. Gigator, meanwhile, had been trying to talk the dwarf down from sacrificing the rest of his clan in a petty desire for vengeance. The change that had overcome Grimmolt was remarkable and strange to Lyssa. Upon her arrival, he had been level-headed, if furious. He had understood the situation and reliably directed his clan to act. Now that the threat was not immediate, his rhetoric had turned raving in an unnaturally calm way. ¡°When your family is turned to stone and crushed into gravel, you can dictate to me the reason of my actions, lizard. Until then, my people are my own.¡± ¡°Our people,¡± Lyssa corrected, joining the conversation for the first time since it started. ¡°I may not have been as close to your dwarves as you, Grimmolt, but they were citizens of Myriatos. I mourn with you.¡± ¡°Save your mourning for the weak, elf. My kin will rest easy in the halls of memory when the monster that slew them is dead.¡± ¡°And if you join them instead? Who will avenge you? Who will send you to your rest? Who will read your rites and sing your songs?¡± Grimmolt scowled, anger burning into his countenance. Strangely, the effect was almost a comfort to Lyssa. Anger was familiar, a manageable emotion. The rage displayed earlier was far more disconcerting. It aroused memories in her that were better left forgotten. Memories of a boisterous hunt in the Sylv some ten years ere. ¡°I will not sit here and be lectured on my people¡¯s customs by an elf.¡± ¡°Good, I am no lecturer,¡± Lyssa said flatly, meeting Grimmolt¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have every interest in hunting down that basilisk. We can either formulate a plan to do so safely or I can have my guards withdraw, let you run your entire clan into extinction, and we can figure out a way to kill it after you¡¯re dead.¡± Grimmolt¡¯s scowl deepened but, beneath her answering glare, he was the first to break eye-contact. ¡°Curse it thrice. I take it you have a plan, Archousa?¡± ¡°I do. We track the beast down and kill it. Its gaze is deadly but I believe I have injured one of its eyes. We must find a way to engage with the beast without meeting its remaining eye.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you ambush its other eye like you did the first?¡± ¡°Unlikely. I was lucky to make the shot I did. There is too little chance I will be so lucky again. We did not have time, before. We have time enough, now.¡± ¡°Bring the mages in, then. I hear your healer woman, Odelia, has skill with gaiamancy.¡± ¡°We will send for her,¡± Gigator said. ¡°Though I do not expect her to render aid in that capacity. She has made clear that she intends to heal only and does not wish to contribute to further fighting.¡± Grimmolt¡¯s face twisted into a snarl. ¡°Six hours,¡± he said. ¡°You have six hours before me and mine take our vengeance. Make whatever plans you will.¡± With that, the patriarch of the Sidergrothia clan left the tent. Gigator took a deep breath and watched the dwarf leave.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°His grief is making him foolish.¡± ¡°And who among us can blame him,¡± Lyssa replied. ¡°It¡¯s a wonder we were able to stop him at all.¡± ¡°He does not want his people dead, despite his words. Nor does he wish to appear weak. Having an elf as an authority cannot be easy for him, no matter how sound the judgment and advice.¡± ¡°Cannot be easy for him?¡± Lyssa echoed. ¡°The conflicts between our people were settled millennia ago. It is nearly out of the memory of my own people and there are still those alive today who fought in those wars.¡± ¡°Dwarven experience is wholly different. You elves may have long memories, but the dwarves are longer still. Mountain and stone remain long after your forests have thinned away. Unlike your precious wood, a stone cannot change what it is. It always remembers.¡± Lyssa frowned. ¡°I am surprised they elected to remain with Myriatos at all, if that is the case.¡± Gigator gave a grim smile. ¡°And where else would they go? The mountain homes they abandoned? Ship¡¯s Shape, the city that claims to be tolerable to all and yet would abuse them at every turn? I think not. They have thrown their lot in with you, Archousa, but that does not mean they have to like it.¡± Lyssa rubbed two fingers against her brow. ¡°Do you know many dwarves, to be so wise to their ways?¡± ¡°My childhood home was neighbored to a kingdom of dwarves. There was great sympathy between our peoples.¡± ¡°Sympathy?¡± ¡°Anything that is too ¡®other¡¯ is degraded in the world of humans. Ask your friend Abraxios if you doubt my words. My people relocated themselves at the dawn of the Era of Mortals to a land where they would be free to cultivate themselves outside of the reach of men. Deep in the marsh and bog, away from marching armies.¡± ¡°And yet you stand here.¡± Gigator smiled. ¡°And yet. If you will excuse me, Archousa, I have a runner to send.¡± ¡°Of course, Captain.¡± Lyssa exited the tent and looked up at the sky. The sun had crept behind the horizon, though there was still purple in the west. Selene was bright and full, but Agrotera was barely a crescent in the dark, giving the land a sapphire tinge. Lyssa grimaced. Agrotera was lucky for hunters, but that moon wouldn¡¯t grow full again for another seven days. Much too long to wait before they faced their foe. Lyssa¡¯s gaze landed on the mouth of the mine, where four guards watched for threats, two looking inward, two outward. Close to them stood a group of nine dwarves, foremost among them was Grimmolt. He spoke to his clan but turned and caught her eye. She did not approach, not wanting to intrude. After a few moments, Grimmolt separated from his kin and joined her near the cliffside ledge that looked out over the valley. ¡°I hate you for what happened, elf.¡± Lyssa said nothing. There was nothing she could say that would change his feelings on the matter, but the anger was something she understood. She had made the decision to use the dwarves to create the mine. She had haggled down their guard accompaniment, knowing that the work was dangerous. She was the leader of the village. She held threefold the blame. ¡°I hate you,¡± the dwarf repeated. ¡°And at the same time, I am grateful to you. You saved the rest of my kinfolk. Three lives were lost, but three were saved. Without you, all six would be dead.¡± ¡°Without me, all six would be spared. The mine would not exist.¡± ¡°Neither would the village. The beastmar would have hunted us for sport. I am not blind to my own part in this mess, there is hate enough to be shared. Do not argue with me when I show my gratitude.¡± Lyssa arched an eyebrow but otherwise said nothing. Grimmolt grumbled wordlessly for a moment, then produced a small pipe. He took the time to fill it, light it, then huff it before he spoke again. ¡°You acted as a leader. I respect that ¨C but I am a leader, too. My people have died for yours, now. I would have that debt from you.¡± ¡°Your people are my people, Grimmolt,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°You are Myriatosians, the same as I and everyone else in the valley. I will grieve your fallen and avenge them with my own hand. If there are ways sacred to your remembrance, I will follow them out of respect. You have trusted me and I will honor that.¡± Grimmolt huffed his pipe for several seconds, blowing a cool cloud of smoke into the night air. ¡°I did not expect you to arrive so quickly and without escort,¡± he said. ¡°Nor did I expect you to enter the mine without support. When you did, I could not fathom your purpose. You are an elf. You could not save my kin.¡± Grimmolt grumbled unintelligibly for a moment, clearly struggling to voice his thoughts. ¡°I could not fathom an elf risking their life to save a dwarf. I have heard your big words about your hopes for Myriatos but I never before believed that you factored us into those dreams. After today, you have convinced me. While I hate you for what has been lost, I am grateful to you for what has been saved. These things are true.¡± The last words were spoken with such finality that it sounded less like a statement and more like a capstone. Grimmolt, however, was not done. ¡°You have said that you will join our hunt, that you will fight this creature with us personally. Is this still true?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Then, upon our success, I will name you a friend of my people. The first elf to be so in Sidergrothia Clan¡¯s history. What say you, elf?¡± ¡°You honor me, dwarf.¡± Grimmolt grunted and continued smoking his pipe. The silence stretched out before them as they stared over the valley. The lights of Myriatos were like fireflies in the distance. Small and twinkling but shining bright against the dark forest beyond. Myriatos. A city to last ten thousand years. Her home. A lovely dream threatened every day. Book 2 | Chapter 29 Persepera The 16th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals It took an hour for the physician, Polybus, to gather the assistants he¡¯d promised. An hour for which Arche could feel nothing but the drumming of his heart, hear nothing but the blood pulsing through his ears, and think of nothing but the myriad ways in which something could go wrong. The procedure could botch, Hekatonkheires could break in and kill them, he could be blind forever, he could be worse than blind. The thoughts spiraled ever downward, broken by a soft hand taking his. Tess. Her touch was flotsam in the storm of his fear. He was sure she was talking to him, but he couldn¡¯t process anything more than the touch of her skin. With anxiety coursing through him, it was all he could do to just hold her hand. Pathetic. He had fought battles, defeated fearsome foes in single combat, and stood his ground against unfathomable entities with immeasurable power, yet the thing that finally unnerved him was sitting in a physician¡¯s bed for an hour, waiting for a service that would help him. It was humiliating. There was no pity in Tess¡¯s touch, however. It was simple reassurance and, for that, he was grateful. When Polybus returned, Tess and Helwan were ushered out. Someone held a glass to his lips and told him to drink, so he did. His face tingled and went numb; his thoughts became dull and infrequent. After that, it was difficult to tell what exactly was being done to him. Fingers prodded his face, magic tingled against his skin, and, at one point, something poked at his consciousness, but in his addled state he couldn¡¯t tell if the last was real or was his own mind trying to respond to what was happening. Pain abounded but it existed in a detached sense. It was like a screaming child that had calmed itself into a tearful gurgle. It still demanded attention, but it was not all-consuming in that effort. At the end of the second hour, Arche was fed another potion. The procedure continued. Prodding, poking, magicking, and, in some instances, cutting. It was exhausting, but the constant stimulation wouldn¡¯t let him sleep. Every touch was underwater, every flash of pain was a distant candle. Arche felt, somehow, wholly separate from himself. His consciousness folded in on itself again and again, too exhausted to remain, and he found himself inside his mindscape. Even there, his addled senses made things slip and shift, more akin to paint than place, and, for a moment, Arche thought that one of the strange entities had spirited him away for cruel mockery of his condition. The grass beneath his avatar flowed like a river, but it was all an illusion. The color gradient of the grass itself shifted from root to tip, only appearing to be in motion. The ground was solid enough, but that proved little comfort as his conscious avatar could move in any direction. More than the grass, the walls of his consciousness were disconcerting. The lion¡¯s share was still a collection of mud and sticks but, in his addled state, the walls were moving. At first, he thought it was a simple gradient change, like the grass, but it was more than that. The walls shifted and flowed, creating gaps and holes before plugging them up again. Wherever the gaps occurred, a thin, crimson light filtered through, wisping into his mind like visible wind. Arche witnessed all of this with a sort of quiet bewilderment. Here, in his mind, he was guarded from the concerns of his body. He was aware of the procedure continuing, but it was a cerebral awareness. His immediate concern was the light filtering through his walls, but this, too, felt distant. Perhaps the potion they¡¯d fed him caused the effect. Arche approached the light. It was brilliant; beautiful in a way that inspired fear. He touched it with a spectral hand and felt energy arc through his mental construct, searing into him.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. He jerked away, pulling back toward his center. The light was Mana, filtering into his mind. More than that, it was alien Mana, belonging to someone else. Arche tried to focus his consciousness and close the gaps, but as soon as he started exerting his will over the walls, horrible pain gripped him. The pain didn¡¯t center itself in any one spot. Arche felt it in his avatar, in the grass and walls and sky. He felt it permeate throughout, infecting the whole. The pain gave no thought to the potion coursing through his system, allegedly supposed to keep him from feeling such things. For a moment, Arche thought it might shatter him, then it passed. He looked down at the ever-shifting grass and saw the black striations. Mana scars. Arche¡¯s anger rose, swift and terrible. The ceiling of his mental dome, normally blue to reflect the sky, turned a violent orange. The ground shook and Arche¡¯s avatar lifted into the air. He reached out a hand and took hold of the sky. His other hand held the flowing ground beneath. His avatar, a ghostly representation of his physical body, frayed. He was unraveling. His conscious mind was slipping between his mind¡¯s construct and his waking body. Snatches of words fell upon his ears before dissipating into mindless noise. ¡°Watch¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªseizing.¡± ¡°Prep¡ª!¡± Arche¡¯s rage burned above it all. In the center of his mindscape, deep within the recesses of his Mana pool, the jewel of his Divine Spark burned. Red flared from the orange like cracked glass. It was not a jewel of solid mineral but of oceanic fluctuations that stormed and raged in time with him. The black lines pulsed like necrotized veins. They swelled and shrunk with one another like a living thing. His avatar fell apart and his consciousness flooded the entire space. Arche forced the broken gaps of his mind to close, tearing the walls where he had to. The only thing that matched his rage at his own impotence was the pain. The walls broke apart, drifting inward and outward to the great negative space between minds. Cracks formed in the ground as he fought against his scars. His Mana was an impediment at every step, but he was not so easily cowed. He dug into the rot and tried to rip away every blackened thing he found. He scratched and clawed with every weapon he could think to conjure, but the scars blunted his attempts at every turn. Unwilling to admit defeat, Arche delved deep into his Mana, searching for something that would give him the strength to overcome the scarring. The Spark of the Divine. His last vestiges of centralized consciousness formed around the crystal. All around him was power and magic, fury and despair. Every emotion Arche had ever felt was here, flooding him, influencing him, and foremost among them was rage. He saw the Spark, the crystal, floating in the center of his Mana pool. A blood-orange sphere with tendrils that anchored it to the rest of his mental construct. More than half of the tendrils were necrotized flesh, but some remained healthy and vibrant. Arche grabbed hold of the blackened tendrils with a mind to tear them apart at their source, but before he could bring his rage to bear, a sensation like cold water flooded him, freezing him in place. He was stuck in thought and time. The orange and red rage of the world faded into a calm blue and a voice that was not his own spoke to him, slow words of comfort. ¡®It is all right, friend. You are safe. You are well. Rest easy.¡¯ The voice was old, masculine, and kindly, like a grandfather reassuring a favored grandchild. Arche wanted to fight back, but on a deeper level, he didn¡¯t. The voice promised peace. It reminded him of how tired he was, how tiring it all was. The voice promised sleep. ¡®Who are you?¡¯ ¡®My name is Hippokrates. You are in my asklepieion. I am here to help you. Will you return to the physical world so we may speak? You¡¯ve given the others quite a scare.¡¯ Regret poured through him at the thought of Tess and Helwan waiting, worrying. ¡®It¡¯s all right,¡¯ Hippokrates said again. ¡®I suspect we have much to talk about.¡¯ The voice went quiet. The mindscape faded to darkness, familiar and ever-present. Arche opened his eyes. Book 2 | Chapter 30 Persepera The 16th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals It took five hours for Odelia to arrive at the mining camp. During those five hours, Lyssa, Gigator, and Grimmolt argued and debated their way through a half dozen plans on how to hunt the basilisk. The principal problem was that of the creature¡¯s gaze, which could turn those who met it to stone. It could be looked at in reflection, as Lyssa had proved, but that did little to help their situation in the dark underbelly of the mountain. The only reflective shield they¡¯d had was now stone, clutched in the hands of a dwarf that had given his life to help Lyssa hurt the beast. Blinding themselves was also not an option, as the creature was dangerous enough in its own right to tear straight through them, stony gaze or no. They needed ingenuity. ¡°A trap,¡± Grimmolt said dryly. ¡°You want to lay a trap to catch a basilisk. It¡¯s no mountain hare to be caught up in the grass. It¡¯s clearly a beast of some intelligence.¡± ¡°I never said it would be safe,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°But I fail to see a better option. If you have one, present it.¡± Grimmolt grumbled but refused to elaborate. Lyssa tilted her chin up and eyed the rest of them. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡± The next two hours were spent in careful deliberation of how they would set a trap for the basilisk. If Grimmolt noticed they¡¯d passed his deadline, he¡¯d said nothing. Details of the creature¡¯s appearance were revealed piecemeal. The dwarves had discovered a natural cave system the day before and had been ambushed while searching it. The cave was extensive, going deep into the mountain and, should they be able to dispatch the threat, might save them months of work. It wasn¡¯t clear exactly how the basilisk had caused the cave-in but, considering the beast¡¯s stony hide and the timing between the rockfall and the attack, it was a fair assumption that the creature had some degree of gaiamancy. To set a trap, they needed bait. Lyssa volunteered, pointing out her high Agility and that she was likely the only one who could outrun the creature should things go wrong, but Gigator and Grimmolt both shot the suggestion down. It was too risky for her position and she was the only fighter skilled enough at range to blind the creature. This last fact was the key upon which all their planning rested. Lyssa hadn¡¯t been able to verify that her previous encounter had blinded the eye of the basilisk, but she was confident it had. There seemed no other reason it would turn and run when it could have easily killed her. Their goal was to lure the basilisk into an area where Lyssa was already hiding, giving her an opportunity to take out the monster¡¯s other eye. Once blinded, the dwarves and guards would hack through the hard shell of its body with hammers and pickaxes, felling the creature before it could use magic or fang against them. This still came with a great deal of risk for Lyssa, as she would have to be looking at the creature in order to make the shot, but the lion¡¯s share of danger lay with Grimmolt, who refused to let anyone else take the job of bait. ¡°They were my kin, my responsibility. I¡¯ll be thrice-cursed if I let anyone else take the position in my place.¡± There was no arguing with him after that. When they finally came to a consensus, dawn was peeking up over the eastern horizon. Lyssa fought to stifle a yawn as they emerged from the planning tent. She¡¯d barely slept the last two days and could feel a headache coming on. A small icon of tier one Exhaustion blinked below her vitals. Still, it was best to press forward. No one wanted to risk the camp getting attacked by the basilisk while they waited and Grimmolt certainly wasn¡¯t going to give her time to sleep while the basilisk still lived. The air deep into the mine was stale. Lyssa drew her cloak closer around herself, fighting the urge to shiver though it wasn¡¯t cold. Grimmolt walked ahead, sturdy and uncowed, while Gigator, two squads of soldiers, and the rest of the dwarves followed well behind. Lyssa moved in the middle, searching out potential hiding spots and ambush points. These were few and far between where the dwarves had carved out the mountain. Their workmanship was concise and clean, leaving smooth tunnels behind. The only ambush points were when the passage branched, and even then the benefits were slim. Once they reached the natural cave, things looked much more promising. Jagged rocks jutted out at odd angles. Stalactites and stalagmites littered the ceiling and floor respectively. Lyssa took position on a high shelf, about three meters tall and partially covered by stony protrusions. This put her close to the ceiling, which would hopefully be out of the natural eyeline of the basilisk once it came. Gigator and the others waited inside the dwarven passage. Grimmolt stood in the middle of the cavernous room, pointedly ignoring the branching passages on the far side as he produced an intricately detailed shield and warhammer. In the quiet of the cave, the ringing of the warhammer against a stalagmite made every hair on Lyssa¡¯s body stiffen. The sound was high-pitched and carried in the air, like a blacksmith¡¯s strike had been drawn out. Even after the noise faded, Lyssa could hear echoes as the sound traveled down the adjoining passages.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Grimmolt struck the stalagmite again, producing another sound. This time, a screeching howl came in response. The dwarven leader set his back to the rocks and held his shield up, covering his face. Lyssa activated Stealth and applied tension to her bowstring, waiting for the monster to appear and hoping nothing else would show in its place. The basilisk didn¡¯t keep them waiting long. Lyssa struggled to keep the breath moving in her throat. She had hoped that the basilisk would rush forward to attack. A moving target was difficult to hit, but the creature would be distracted. Instead, when the basilisk appeared, it was careful. It slunk into view, scaly hide blending well with the stone walls of the cavern. It was an ambush predator, Lyssa realized, mentally kicking herself. It was going to calculate an attack, not blindly rush forward. She watched it carefully, spotting the broken shaft of her arrow sticking out just above its left eye. That spot was a bloodied mess, but the arrow hadn¡¯t struck the eye itself. Due to the nature of Drill Shot, the eye was likely injured ¨C but it was not a certainty as she would have liked. If she managed to blind the right eye and, by some dark luck, its left eye still worked, there would be casualties. There was little point in contemplating that possibility. Lyssa held the tension in her bow, trying to stay as still as possible. The creature glanced around the room and she moved her stare to Grimmolt. She didn¡¯t know if the basilisk could turn her to stone by accidentally meeting her gaze or if it had to be conscious, but she had no desire to test the limitations of its abilities. Grimmolt, still behind the shield, struck the stalagmite behind him with the warhammer, producing another ringing sound. The basilisk crouched, ready to spring, and Lyssa released her arrow. She had applied the Drill Shot maneuver, hoping to bring about a similar effect as before, but had underestimated the basilisk¡¯s speed as it lunged forward. The arrow sank into the creature¡¯s face, burrowing as it spun, but it struck the basilisk¡¯s cheek, not its eye. It roared, continuing its charge toward Grimmolt. The dwarf crouched and slammed the bottom of his shield into the ground. In a flash of light, Grimmolt was surrounded by a cube of metal. The basilisk crashed into the shield-cube a moment later, knocking it backward through the stalagmite. Lyssa had another arrow nocked but no angle on her target. It struck back and forth with its head, trying to fit its mouth around Grimmolt¡¯s protection. The cube of metal glowed blue, then a shockwave of energy erupted from it, knocking the creature back. Lyssa stumbled as the energy washed over her. It wasn¡¯t enough to hurt, but it did knock her out of Stealth. She hissed her displeasure and averted her eyes as the basilisk¡¯s head snapped upward in her direction. Below, Grimmolt was roaring his anger. ¡°I will tear you apart! I will peel your scales away and use them as a loincloth! I will¡ª¡± Lyssa tuned out the irate dwarf and focused on reactivating her Stealth. Her position was compromised and she doubted that the basilisk was going to let her get an easy shot. She threw herself off the shelf and onto a stalactite a few meters away. The stone was slick and moist, altogether not a good place to cling to. She kicked away from it, landing six meters from Grimmolt. The dwarf¡¯s shield had reverted to its normal size and he banged his warhammer against it to draw the basilisk¡¯s attention. Lyssa chanced a look at the basilisk and saw that it was, thankfully, otherwise occupied. Its focus centered entirely on Grimmolt, deadly eyes locked on the ringing shield. The creature¡¯s front claws dug into the stone ground. A moment later, a sharp crack sounded through the air and a stalactite above Grimmolt fell from the ceiling. The dwarf patriarch jumped sideways but was forced to drop his guard. The basilisk ran forward, mouth agape, ready to swallow the dwarf whole. There was no time to aim, Lyssa pulled the bow back and let the arrow fly. It wobbled in flight, seeming almost to move in slow motion, then sank into the basilisk¡¯s eye. The creature bellowed its pain and bowled into Grimmolt, crushing him against a stalagmite. ¡°Now!¡± Lyssa shouted. Battle cries echoed off stone as guards and dwarves flooded into the space, surrounding the bucking basilisk. They swung with vengeance, coordinating their attacks against the creature¡¯s limbs to render it immobile. With sword, hammer, and pickaxe, they broke through the stony hide and ravaged the creature¡¯s soft limbs. Lyssa ran for Grimmolt. She placed one hand on his shoulder and the other beneath his helmet, trying to move him into a position that would allow her to check his condition. He was heavier than she expected for one of his size, but still within her capability. His eyes were unfocused but moving, swimming in their sockets. She turned her head and put what remained of an ear to his mouth. A wheezing rattle sounded, barely audible above the din. ¡°Gigator! Quickly!¡± The sauros separated from the fighting and was at her side in a moment. ¡°He needs Odelia. Take him!¡± Gigator scooped the dwarf up with more tenderness than she¡¯d expected. Without a word, the sauros took off back through the mine. With Grimmolt out of her hands, Lyssa returned her attention to the basilisk. The others had broken its stance, wounding it enough that it could no longer support itself on its legs, but it snapped at them blindly with its enormous head. None could get close to it without risking being bit in half, a fate they were not particularly keen on. Lyssa nocked an arrow and let it fly straight into the creature¡¯s maw, then sent another. Taking slow, measured steps, she sank arrow after arrow into it. The guards and dwarves backed away as the basilisk thrashed helplessly on the ground, roaring its defiance, but Lyssa continued her steady march toward it. The shafts mounted in number, grouped tightly in the top of its mouth, its throat, its eyes, anywhere a weakness might be. The basilisk grew sluggish, its cries mournful. It was close to death and knew it. All fight had left it. Lyssa stood in front of its head, staring down at the bloodied, reptilian face. It was piteous, limbs smashed into pulp, arrows jutting out at odd angles, but Lyssa couldn¡¯t bring herself to feel for it. It had killed her people. There was only one justice for that. She drew out her kopis and plunged it deep into the basilisk¡¯s forehead. The creature spasmed, trying to squirm away, but it was too late. It shuddered once and went limp. A notification appeared in her vision but she ignored it. She turned to find the guards and dwarves had gathered behind her. Every single one covered in mud, blood, and grime. Every single one held a salute. Book 2 | Chapter 31 Persepera The 16th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Light. Glorious, wonderful, overwhelming, excruciating light burned Arche¡¯s eyes and he had to shut them again. Tears spilled from beneath his lids but whether in pain or in relief, he couldn¡¯t rightly say. It took several agonizing minutes of trying to keep his eyes open before they adjusted enough to see around him. The light came from a small, hooded lantern across the room. Nearby stood a tall man, presumably Polybus. Arche shifted his head around, but couldn¡¯t see anyone else. There was no sign of Tess, Helwan, or anyone else anywhere in the room. ¡°You worried us there, Arche,¡± Polybus said with a smile. He was a middle-aged human, likely nearing fifty, with soft, reassuring features. Dark hair swept over his head in gentle curls and he wore white, sleeveless robes that belted around the middle. ¡°Where¡¯s Hippokrates?¡± He hadn¡¯t meant to ask it. He had meant to mutter through an apology and comment on his sudden ability to see again, but when he opened his mouth, the wrong words came out. Polybus froze. He opened his mouth to speak but, before he finished the first syllable, he froze again, cocking his head to one side. The physician nodded, seemingly more to himself than to Arche. ¡°I will show you to him as soon as you¡¯re able to walk.¡± Arche pulled back the blanket of the bed and stood. His legs felt sturdy enough, though he had a headache from the light, dim as it was. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Excellent. Then follow me.¡± Arche¡¯s vision swam and his eyes hurt ¨C but he could see. The harsh light, the constant pain, all of it was worth it to have the haze in front of him. The relief was undercut somewhat by the knowledge his Mana scarring had worsened while in his crazed, drug-fueled state. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what he¡¯d done, but he knew one thing; that was the last time he would willingly drink something without full knowledge of what it was going to do to him. Strange it had to happen twice to reach that decision.
Mana Scarring ¡ª Tier 2 -75% Mana Flow -75% Mana
The procedure lasted the better part of four hours, time Arche could scarcely comprehend. It had all blended together in a strange web of consciousness. The asklepieion had provided beds for Tess and Helwan, who slept away the rest of the night, or morning, or whatever time it was. Arche¡¯s body shivered at the thought of a comfortable bed to sleep in, but it wasn¡¯t yet time for him to rest. Instead, he followed Polybus down a windowless corridor somewhere deep within the Lyceum. The tapping of the Tridory echoed off the stone as Arche walked. The weapon¡¯s covers were still in place, appearing like a staff for any who would notice it. Having a weapon was a small reassurance in such a strange place, though undoubtedly most of the occupants of the Lyceum could tear him apart with magic before he could raise the spear. No one had threatened him, yet, but there was still time. Polybus stopped in front of a nondescript iron door, almost lost between two fabulously sculpted internal pillars that looked no different from the hundred or so they¡¯d already passed. Polybus raised his fist and knocked three times. Before the echo of the third knock faded, the door opened. Inside was an ancient man, small and thin with wisps of white hair that stood up from his head at odd angles. Polybus bowed at the waist and took a step back. ¡°Welcome,¡± the old man said. ¡°Please, Arche, come in.¡± Arche looked at the old man, then at Polybus, who was still in his bowed position. ¡°That will be all Polybus, thank you for escorting him.¡± Polybus straightened from his bowed position and walked away without a word. Arche¡¯s brow furrowed but he did as he was told. The room was much more homely than he had expected. Much of the asklepieion had been clean and efficient, little care given to aesthetic or comfort. With that in mind, he¡¯d expected the room to be cold, sparsely decorated, and ascetic. To his pleasant surprise, a roaring fireplace took up the majority of wall opposite the door, several colorful tapestries covered the stone walls, and massive stacks of books, papyrus, and parchment filled the room, nearly concealing a large bed and a few comfortable chairs. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Arche paused, feeling some half-remembered thought nibble at the back of his mind. ¡°Hippokrates, I presume?¡± ¡°The one and same,¡± the old man replied. ¡°Sit. You¡¯re making my old bones hurt just looking at you there.¡± Arche moved to take a seat but found himself unable to take a step. An invisible wall pressed against him, preventing him from going deeper into the room. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll have to leave your weapons, especially that spear, by the wall. An old man must have some protection, after all.¡± ¡°How did you know it was a weapon?¡± ¡°You bring an artifact like that into the Lyceum Apokryfos and are surprised that people recognize it?¡± Arche was about to point out that it had a dampening bracelet attached to it specifically to hide its magical signatures but decided he had already shared more than enough. It was time to get some answers. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Arche rested the Tridory against the wall next to the door, then tried to walk forward. The strange force stopped him again. ¡°All weapons, Arche.¡± Arche sighed and removed the sword, bow, and arrows from his inventory and set them next to the Tridory. ¡°Should I cut off my hands, too?¡± Hippokrates chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think we need to go that far. Just a few safety precautions. I haven¡¯t lived to be this old without being careful.¡± Arche paused. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°How old is anyone?¡± Hippokrates winked, then waved the question away and gestured toward a chair next to the fireplace. Arche sat, feeling bare without anything to defend himself with. Hippokrates took a few moments to move to the chair opposite and sat down. Once he had, the old man conjured a glass and held it out. ¡°Martini?¡± ¡°Sure?¡± More than a little hesitation bled into the word. Not even an hour and he¡¯d already reneged his own promise. Well, third time was the charm. ¡°It¡¯s a lovely drink. Someone brought the recipe to Ship¡¯s Shape more than three hundred years ago. Simply marvelous.¡± Arche accepted a glass and watched as the old man produced another and sipped. Slowly, Arche brought it to his own lips. It was smooth, tasting of olives and something else he couldn¡¯t quite name. He was tempted to knock the drink back and finish it but decided it would be more polite to sip it like the old man did. ¡°Wise choice,¡± Hippokrates said. ¡°It packs a punch if you let it.¡± Arche froze, narrowing an accusatory eye at the old man. ¡°You¡¯re a Psychic.¡± ¡°I thought that was established. You are one as well, after all.¡± Arche said nothing. Lyssa had warned him that those with Traits, like Psychics, would often hunt and kill other Trait-bearers for the chance at obtaining those Traits. In addition to Psychic, Arche had a Trait called Slayer of the Mighty, which gave him a huge experience boost when slaying creatures a higher level than himself. She¡¯d been adamant that he keep his Traits secret and he was of no mind to disagree. Instead, he focused all his concentration on Hippokrates¡¯s nose while simultaneously counting the liver spots around his eyes. Hippokrates smiled. ¡°A wise approach. Unnecessary, but wise, nonetheless.¡± Arche kept counting, letting his words form naturally instead of thinking through his questions in advance. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± ¡°I am a healer. You are injured.¡± ¡°Plenty of people are injured. I don¡¯t get the feeling you help them.¡± Hippokrates smiled and gestured with his hands at the room. ¡°I founded the asklepieion. I trained the Master Biomancers. I did all I could to share my knowledge of physiology with the inhabitants of Tartarus. I am old. I have earned my retirement.¡± Arche frowned. He hadn¡¯t exactly been given a history lesson on the Lyceum, but he had the feeling everything about the place was ancient. The passages they¡¯d walked through definitely seemed like they had been there for longer than a single lifetime. The old man, however, was human ¨C or very much looked like one. Narrowing his eyes, Arche tried to Examine him.
?
Arche¡¯s eyes narrowed further. His Examine skill didn¡¯t fail often. ¡°You have a suspicious nature. Quite natural, I suppose.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being misled.¡± ¡°I have invited you into my private room and given you an exotic¡ªand expensive, mind you¡ªdrink to freshen you. Do those sound like the actions of someone who intends to mislead you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hippokrates laughed, an honest, genuine sound. ¡°Excellent! Oh, my, I do appreciate your candor. You have no idea how insufferable some of these other healers can be. Even Polybus treats me more like a relic than his father.¡± Arche blinked in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re his father?¡± ¡°Stepfather, much the same. I love the boy, but he always acts like he has something to prove. That¡¯s his life, at any rate, let¡¯s talk about yours.¡± ¡°What about mine?¡± ¡°Your Mana scars, to start with. You are not a mage. How did you come by them?¡± Arche hesitated, then tried to throw his mind laterally, counting the books piled next to Hippokrates¡¯s chair. ¡°Clever. Distracting your waking mind to prevent yourself from giving away information,¡± Hippokrates said conversationally, as if teaching these techniques had been his plan all along. ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate you invading my mind.¡± ¡°Why not? You are a Psychic, after all. Keep me out.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Clearly. How did you gain your Mana scars?¡± ¡°By using Mana.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°How.¡± It was no longer a question. The word burned with power. Arche tried to resist, but the knowledge of his Divine Body skill was pulled to the forefront of his mind. ¡°I see,¡± Hippokrates whispered, releasing the mental pressure. ¡°Curious. Curious and disturbing.¡± Arche glowered at Hippokrates. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that,¡± the old man snapped, taking another sip from his martini. ¡°You came to me for aid, remember? You¡¯re the one being difficult. I don¡¯t care about your secrets except for when they stand in the way. I haven¡¯t even asked you how you came by that godforged spear, now have I?¡± Arche¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Wait, you know about that?¡± ¡°Know? Of course, I know! You think I spent my life dealing with¡­¡± Hippokrates trailed away, a look of distant regret crossing his face. ¡°Ah, of course. You wouldn¡¯t know. They stole that knowledge from Tartarus, I almost forgot.¡± ¡°Stole what knowledge?¡± ¡°Knowledge of the gods, boy.¡± Arche felt the familiar tug in the back of his mind, a memory half drawn from the aether, but still just as elusive. Hippokrates peered at him, seeming to bore a hole straight through his head. ¡°Interesting. It looks like you¡¯ve also had something stolen from you.¡± ¡°Memories, I think.¡± ¡°You think? You don¡¯t know?¡± Arche shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Not for certain. I have different mannerisms from everyone else. I woke up a few months ago with no experience and no memories.¡± ¡°An outsider, then?¡± Hippokrates mused. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen one of those in a while. I thought we were done with them after the last breach.¡± Arche ignored the tantalizing distractions and clung to his last kernel of hope. ¡°Can you restore my memories?¡± Hippokrates squinted and cocked his head. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± ¡°What? No. Of course not.¡± ¡°That is what would happen if I attempted to unlock your memories.¡± The kernel popped and drifted away. Exasperation crept into Arche¡¯s voice. ¡°Then what can you do for me?¡± ¡°Mana scars. We¡¯ve gotten off topic. You have a skill called Divine Body that uses your Mana to reinforce your body, is that correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mana travels through pathways throughout you. When these pathways sustain permanent damage, we call those Mana scars. Understand?¡± Arche frowned. ¡°I thought Mana was in the mind.¡± ¡°It is concentrated there, but not all of it. Mana suffuses your entirety. When you pull on Mana, it is pulled from all of you. Further, when you use your skill, it flows through your entirety as well.¡± ¡°So when I try to use Mana-related skills or abilities, I get hurt?¡± ¡°Because your personal leylines are damaged, yes. There aren¡¯t enough healthy leylines for the Mana to travel down, so they surge against the scarring, forcing their way through like blood in a clogged vein. The pressure increases, the damage worsens, and if you¡¯re not careful¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a Mana-fueled stroke?¡± The old man¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Something of the sort, yes. Or your head might explode.¡± ¡°Fucking huh?¡± ¡°Mana is not the most stable of vital energies. That would be Health, actually. But I digress, you need to have your scarring healed; not by disconnecting those pathways from their source, as you were attempting, but by applying healing energy directly to the scars.¡± Arche stared at the old man. ¡°Healing energy? How would I even do that?¡± Hippokrates smiled. ¡°How indeed. Sadly, it will have to be your own doing. This kind of damage has to be fixed by your Mana signature or your body will have a foreign object response. As much as I would like to wave my hand and heal you, the result would likely kill you by way of a volatile Mana reaction, not to mention destroy many of my precious books. No, this is work you¡¯re going to have to do yourself. You¡¯ve healed magically before, a similar thing happens when you activate your Divine Body skill, I can tell. You must tap into that energy and direct it amongst yourself. Meditation is the best way to do this. Enter your mind¡¯s construct and focus on the change you wish to enact. You will have to learn to interact with the healing forces of your vitals.¡± Arche clenched his jaw. ¡°I was really hoping you would be able to do it for me.¡± ¡°Such is life, my boy. If you thought the connections in your eyes were complicated, the connections in your Mana make your eyes as simple as skin. An outside force can too easily taint it and you would be lost.¡± Arche sipped on his martini, eyeing the smiling genarian. Answers, riddles, Mana-strokes. He was too tired and his eyes hurt too much for this. ¡°What happens now?¡± Hippokrates leaned back in his seat and swirled the martini. ¡°Now I answer your questions. I¡¯ll give you three to make it interesting.¡± Arche paused, considering. ¡°Divine Body is too powerful not to use, but I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll always be in situations to use it safely. I know about Mana Manipulation already, but how do I prevent Mana Scars?¡± ¡°An excellent question!¡± Hippokrates stood with surprising speed. Arche stood as well, muscles tensing, but the healer had already moved on to a tapestry hanging above the fireplace. He brushed aside the fabric to reveal a writing board. With a flick of his wrist, he produced a stick of chalk and began to draw. ¡°Mana scars occur when Mana is flooded through a pathway without proper guidance and control. The Mana is wild, it doesn¡¯t want to be corralled, and so it presses against whatever container it exists in. For most people, this isn¡¯t an issue as they never learn how to harness their Mana into magic; it never flows for a spell, only naturally. For the untrained who wield their Mana, like you, this often results in scarring. Do you follow?¡± Arche squinted at the diagram, watching the lines swim in front of him. The words made sense; the drawing, less so. ¡°I think so.¡± ¡°Then tell me how you think you would prevent them.¡± Arche scratched his chin. ¡°Control the pathways. Adjust them to be able to withstand the force of the Mana pushing through them. Direct the Mana where to go.¡± ¡°Wrong!¡± Hippokrates smiled. ¡°That was tried several millennia back, and every few hundred years since. Trying to manually control the pathways takes up too much concentration and ultimately distracts from what is most important: keeping the spell together.¡± Arche knitted his brow. ¡°So the pathways can be adjusted, then. Why can¡¯t you just adjust them permanently? Make them larger so the magic can flow, that way you don¡¯t have to focus on it consciously.¡± ¡°Do you know what the dangers are of running out of Mana?¡± ¡°Mana Burnout and scarring.¡± ¡°Most commonly. And if you run out of Stamina?¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know. Exhaustion? Heart attack?¡± ¡°Quite likely. And Health?¡± ¡°Death.¡± ¡°Ah, finally you are correct without caveat. If you run out of any of the three vitals, you risk death. Health is easily the plainest connection, but if you run out of Stamina, your body risks shutting down all function. This appears most commonly in the form of Exhaustion. If your tier rises high enough, you will die. If you run out of Mana, your mind can die. Health is fickle. Difficult, relatively, to lose and slow to heal, though magic can speed the process. Stamina is easier, taxing the body through physical tasks or by use of certain skills or maneuvers. Mana is the most easily swayed. Widening your pathways would allow you to rapidly diminish your stores, sometimes pouring more Mana into spells than intended. Spellcraft is not so formulaic as the system would have you believe. Many mages have died this way.¡± ¡°Then how?¡± ¡°You must control the Mana itself. You¡¯re aware of it, but tell me, do you have the skill Mana Manipulation?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Excellent! And your rank?¡± ¡°Novice.¡± Hippokrates sniffed and produced another martini as he reclaimed his chair. ¡°Your rank could be worse, considering your lack of training. Mana Manipulation is directly tied to your control over your internal Mana. At high ranks, it can be used for some truly incredible feats that modern spellwork has yet to replicate. Most importantly, however, it prevents your chances of sustaining Mana scarring. You are well on your way, but you must keep up your practice. The stronger your skill, the less likely Mana Scarring will occur. One question down, ignoring your sub-question, there. Ask your next.¡± Arche frowned and looked away, trying to think. His eyes landed on the Tridory leaning against the wall. ¡°What is a god?¡± Hippokrates sucked at his teeth. ¡°What, indeed?¡± he muttered. ¡°A god is a domain and that which rules over it. Beings of immense power. Men used to worship them and crave their favor. Many did not exist in Tartarus that later came to it, nor do they seem to be confined to it as we are. A long time ago, they disappeared, taking nearly all knowledge of their existence with them. I don¡¯t believe they¡¯re dead, not as you and I might understand it, but I also don¡¯t know why they disappeared. They were not to be trifled with, when I knew them, and they were known for punishing mortals who slighted them. They were singularly powerful and singularly dangerous entities, each embodying different aspects of life and death. I don¡¯t know why they left, but I think it¡¯s for the best that they did. One question left.¡± At least a dozen popped into his head. How old was Hippokrates? Where did the gods come from? What did it mean to have a Divine Spark? None of them felt like the right question to ask. Arche downed the last of his martini and asked, in his opinion, the most important question. ¡°Will you teach me magic?¡± Hippokrates didn¡¯t answer immediately. Arche wasn¡¯t sure if that was a good sign or a bad one. ¡°Magic takes a long time to learn properly. Months, if not years of instruction, practice, and meditation. I don¡¯t think you have the patience for that. Some spells are granted differently, born of awakened magic, not magic learned. That practice is dangerous, but faster. The understanding is less and the risk is more.¡± Arche¡¯s heart fell. It must have shown on his face because the old man smiled. ¡°However,¡± Hippokrates continued. ¡°I have in my collection three spellbooks I am willing to part with. Each one will teach you a spell. Your knowledge of it won¡¯t be as complete as if you had studied and learned it yourself, but I encourage you to pay attention to the spell whenever you cast it. You may use one of the spellbooks. Choose carefully.¡± Arche¡¯s eyes went wide. His heart leaped into his throat, rebounding so quickly he was almost dizzy. ¡°What are the spells?¡± ¡°Flare, Darksight, and Minor Heal.¡± Arche nodded at each one, considering them in turn. ¡°Will you tell me what each one does?¡± Hippokrates held up an expensive-looking, red, leather book. ¡°Flare belongs to pyromancy, the school of fire. It allows you to conjure a ball of flame over your hand, which you can shoot at a distance. Useful for setting fires, lighting your way, and sending signals. Leveling the spell will increase the brightness, distance, and the damage the spell deals.¡± Hippokrates turned his hand over and the spellbook changed into one with a black binding and black pages. ¡°Darksight, a spell of eremancy, the school of darkness. It gives you or someone you touch the ability to see in darkness. Leveling it will increase the distance you can see and the spell¡¯s duration.¡± Turning his hand over again, Hippokrates displayed a third book, bound in yellow leather. ¡°Minor Healing is, of course, biomancy, the school of life. It allows a steady and safe transference of Mana into Health. The rate is slow and not particularly efficient, but leveling the spell will improve both. You should know, it will do little to actually heal wounds. At best, it is a temporary salve. The more complex the damage, the less effective it will be. In those cases, the best you will be able to do is flood the patient with life energy and hope their body can use it in the right way.¡± With a flourish, Hippokrates produced all three books and splayed them. ¡°What will I owe you?¡± ¡°Owe me?¡± Hippokrates asked. ¡°More than you already do? I have not asked you for anything.¡± Arche raised an eyebrow. ¡°Nothing is given without a price. I expect I will be made to pay for my sight, what for this?¡± ¡°Very well, if you are unfamiliar with the concept of a gift, then this is my price.¡± Hippokrates drew himself up, straightened his ancient back, and fixed his gaze firmly on Arche. ¡°Train yourself. Fight for those who cannot. Treat healers with respect and courtesy, no matter where they come from. And, most of all, honor those who stand by you. That is my price.¡± Arche met the old man¡¯s eyes, looking for some hint of a smile or joke, but there was no humor in Hippokrates¡¯s face. ¡°Gladly paid. I will.¡± Arche felt the barest flicker against his mind, then the feeling retreated. Hippokrates nodded. ¡°Good. Then consider the balance between us evenly distributed. Now, choose.¡± Arche looked down at the books. He was at a crossroad, not unlike the Professing, where he had struggled past dozens of possible paths to find himself the right one. Flare was easily the most utilitarian option. Fire was always handy, if not for outright combat then for camping or sending messages. With it, even if he had no weapons left, he would not be unarmed. On the other hand, Myriatos was in the middle of the Sylv, inside the larger Forest of Mycenaea. Too much fire was dangerous. Then, there was Arche¡¯s job. Lyssa had placed him in charge of clearing dungeons and other dangerous dens around Myriatos. That meant slogging through any number of dark, treacherous places. The ability to see without needing torch or lamp would put stealth back into his toolset, not to mention it would allow him to travel at night in the forest. After so much time not being able to see at all, the chance to see in the dark was intoxicating. Healing, however, would help him help others. His Divine Body skill would turn his own Mana into Health but he couldn¡¯t extend that to others. With the ability to heal, he could be the difference between life and death until Odelia was able to render her far superior aid. His frustrations of the last month bubbled up, the utter helplessness he had felt. His vision was required for everything and his sight could be taken again. He had to go beyond its limitations. He would not be useless. ¡°I¡¯ll take the book of Minor Healing.¡± The old man smiled, leaned forward, and placed all three books into Arche¡¯s hands. Arche looked down, then back up, frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°You made the right choice for enough of the right reason. It¡¯s about time someone in Tartarus rewarded that. You will make better use of these than letting them sit here, gathering more dust.¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± ¡°You have already said what you needed to, though most would offer thanks, I think.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Hippokrates smiled again. ¡°A word of caution, however. Focus on healing your Mana scars before you use the spellbooks. To do otherwise would be¡­ill-advised.¡± Arche nodded and stood, hearing a dismissal in the old man¡¯s voice. ¡°One more thing, Arche. You would do well to spend time strengthening your mind and its defenses. You have another¡¯s mark upon you. Be careful.¡± Arche¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°I know. It¡¯s one of several things on my to-do list.¡± Hippokrates stood and gestured toward the door. ¡°Thank you for giving these old bones a nice conversation. It was a pleasure, Arche. I hope to see you again, some day.¡± ¡°Likewise, Hippokrates. Thanks for everything.¡± He retrieved his weapons and left. At long last, perhaps he could get some sleep. Book 2 | Chapter 32 Persepera The 16th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Lyssa emerged from the mine weary but triumphant. Nothing in Tartarus was sweeter than the thought of bath and bed, but one matter was worth attending to first. Odelia stood on a stool, in the middle of a complicated spellcast, when Lyssa walked into the planning tent. Rather than risk disrupting the spell, she stood off to one side, watching the halfling woman work. Grimmolt laid on a table, barely breathing. His armor and shirt had been removed, revealing a thick, hairy chest that somewhat obscured the horrible bruising and lumpy protrusions of broken bones up and down the dwarf¡¯s torso. Lyssa didn¡¯t avert her eyes from the sight, but she was careful not to let her looking turn into staring. Even small acts could have large effects. Magic was a tricky business and she wanted no part in disrupting it. The spell¡¯s light faded and the small woman gasped a ragged breath. She was drenched in sweat, as though having run a great distance on her short legs. Lyssa stepped forward, not quite sure what to say but not wanting to startle the healer. Her fears were unfounded as Odelia did not react, even as Lyssa moved to examine Grimmolt. The bruising on the dwarf¡¯s chest and side remained but the bones there were no longer misshapen. ¡°Will he live?¡± Odelia waited to catch her breath before responding. ¡°Yes. Though he will be in pain. Without someone to mix the proper potions, there is little I can do for that.¡± ¡°He will be glad, I think, for some pain. It will give him something to grip while he comes to terms with what has happened.¡± ¡°Is the beast dead?¡± Odelia met her eyes. ¡°By my hand.¡± ¡°And the others?¡± ¡°Uninjured. The plan was sound.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Odelia carefully climbed down from the chair and rubbed her eyes. ¡°Normally, I would request an escort back to the village, but I need some time to recover. Is there somewhere I can rest?¡± Lyssa thought about it before replying. ¡°I can instruct the dwarves to make this area more accommodating, if you would like.¡± Odelia nodded. ¡°Nothing fancy. A soft chair or a cushion will do. I¡¯m not used to staying up through the night.¡± Lyssa moved to the opening of a tent and flagged down a nearby dwarf. After a quick exchange, the dwarf returned, bringing a small, wooden bed with a feather mattress wrapped in a soft sheet. Odelia thanked the dwarf before testing out the mattress for herself. ¡°You seem different than before, if you don¡¯t mind my saying so,¡± the halfling said, her eyes closed. Lyssa cocked her head. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You were reserved, in the Vivitorium. Quiet. You seem less so, now.¡± ¡°I was in less familiar territory. Caution was prudent.¡± ¡°There may be some truth to that. I have seen you when lives are at stake. Caution is not a word I would use to describe you during such times.¡± Lyssa¡¯s mouth tugged sideways into a facsimile of a smile. ¡°Perhaps. When death is near, there is little time for second thoughts. Hesitation may cost unnecessary lives and that is not a sacrifice I am willing to make.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Odelia¡¯s voice grew soft and distant. ¡°A leader must be swift to act.¡± Lyssa looked over the unconscious form of Grimmolt, feeling a spark of annoyance. ¡°Everyone knows what a leader must be. Few, however, rise to meet that ideal.¡± Odelia offered no response; she¡¯d fallen asleep. Lyssa left the tent and stepped out into the bright light of mid-morning. Weariness sank into her marrow. Sleep was a wish, a dearest desire, but ever out of reach. If she started now, she might get back to Myriatos and her bed before the midday meal.
Exhausted ¡ª Tier 1 -50% Vitals Regeneration +15% Chance to make Mistakes +50% Stamina Drain of Physical Tasks
Lyssa cursed beneath her breath. It wasn¡¯t unexpected, but it was frustrating, nonetheless. She turned, intending to head for the rough path leading down the mountain, and found herself face-to-face with a set of angry, brown eyes. ¡°Elpida,¡± she said, her voice thick with surprise. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Elpida¡¯s face, normally an impassive mask, was struggling to keep up a casual veneer. It twisted, roiling with emotions too strange and human to identify. ¡°I heard what happened. I came to see if you were¡­¡± Elpida clenched her teeth shut, her fists opening and closing as she started again. ¡°I came to see if you needed anything from me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m uninjured. But there were others who were not so lucky. Three dwarves were killed and Grimmolt suffered grave injuries.¡± ¡°You look tired.¡± A strange look appeared in her eyes before she blinked and added, ¡°Archousa.¡± A moment of vulnerability passed between them and was gone. Like a candle snuffed beneath a douser, Elpida composed herself. Her face slid back into the familiar mask of impassivity and her eyes grew guarded once more. The transition was as sudden as it was jarring and Lyssa frowned in response. ¡°What are your orders?¡± Lyssa didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, she watched other woman carefully for any sign or explanation. ¡°Walk with me.¡± Lyssa turned on her heel and headed toward the mine, any last hope of beds or baths withered and died. Elpida fell into lockstep beside her but made no further attempt at conversation. Lyssa, for her part, was fine with the silence, as her Exhaustion had swelled her minor headache into a sharp, pulsing pain that coursed through the entire right side of her head. She wished for sleep, might even have begged for it, but there was always something to do first. They entered the mine, passing two guards stationed outside, one keeping an eye on the dark interior while the other watched the camp. Both saluted, which Lyssa and Elpida returned. Once into the mine itself, Elpida¡¯s surefooted gait grew uncertain and she had to press one hand against the wall for guidance. Lyssa frowned, then realized the issue. ¡°You can light a torch, if you need to. The dwarves have made no mention of coal.¡± Instead of a torch, Elpida produced a large broach and pinned it to a strip of fabric over her shoulder armor. With a whispered word, the broach glowed, shining dim, blue light in front of her for a space of about three meters. ¡°Impressive,¡± Lyssa said, brows arched. ¡°It comes in handy,¡± Elpida replied. ¡°Coal or no, you never know if the air is combustible. Are you going to tell me what we¡¯re doing here or would you prefer me to start guessing?¡± ¡°Investigating. There¡¯s more going on here than the eye can see.¡± ¡°How do you mean?¡± ¡°A basilisk sealed away inside the mountain? It doesn¡¯t make sense. How did it get there? What has it been eating? The dwarves mentioned the attack occurred after they found a natural cave system and what little I saw seems to corroborate that, but I have a bad feeling that I want to get to the bottom of.¡± Elpida twisted as she turned a corner, turning her face and broach away from Lyssa. ¡°And, naturally, you¡¯re doing all of this before getting the rest you need?¡± Lyssa clenched her jaw. She knew she needed rest, she wanted it badly, but the village¡¯s safety was at stake. Someone had to figure out what was going on. ¡°I¡¯m fine ¨C and will be for a while yet.¡± ¡°Barely functioning isn¡¯t optimal. What¡¯s your Exhaustion?¡± ¡°Tier one.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re jumping headlong into danger again. What if there¡¯s another basilisk? What if we run into something else?¡± Lyssa felt her lips pull back over her teeth and had to fight to keep her voice from snapping. ¡°I am aware of the risks. Do not think that I am walking meekly to my death. If the long dark scares you, then return. I intend to have my questions answered and I will do what it takes to reach that end.¡± Elpida turned toward Lyssa, her own eyes flashing with anger. ¡°What, abandon you like¡ª¡± she shut her jaw halfway through the sentence with an audible clack, biting off whatever words were coming next. Lyssa stopped and stared at the other woman, unflinching. ¡°Finish it.¡± Elpida didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, she held Lyssa¡¯s eye for several long seconds before spitting the words like rotten food. ¡°Abandon you like you abandoned me?¡± A half dozen angry replies died on Lyssa¡¯s tongue, replaced by absolute confusion. She thought back to their interactions. The quiet conversations, the shared meals, the occasional hunting trip. The look Elpida had when Lyssa had returned from the forest with Vik. The anger and forced impassivity that had welled up in Elpida since. The fury that had come when Lyssa dissolved her personal guard. Laid out before her, it was almost simple. The magnitude of the miscommunication was staggering. She didn¡¯t know where to begin. Elpida, however, seemed to take the silence as a guilty admission, because she continued onward. ¡°I¡¯m not an elf. I can¡¯t change that. If I¡¯m not the person you need, just tell me. I¡¯ll leave, for both our sakes. Don¡¯t just reassign me because you don¡¯t like my company. I deserve more than a quiet dismissal.¡± Halfway through, Elpida¡¯s anger boiled away, revealing the pain beneath. Still, she held Lyssa¡¯s eye. Brown eyes and green searched one another for answers to questions not quite voiced. ¡°Two hundred years of life and I have never known so little,¡± Lyssa breathed. ¡°Nothing I did was ever intended to punish you. Nothing I said was meant to reproach. I did not take your thoughts into account for my decisions and that was my mistake. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Elpida¡¯s normally hard face held more vulnerability than Lyssa had ever seen there. There was a want bordering on need. A passion buried beneath a shroud of professionalism and discipline. But to what end? ¡°Then tell me plainly. Here and now and onward still. If you want me, I am with you. But say you don¡¯t and I will leave. I won¡¯t waste my life on a happiness forever out of my reach.¡± Lyssa¡¯s breath caught in her throat. The pain in her head pulsed, angry and red. Every interaction they had shared in the last two months sprang into her mind. Elpida¡¯s quiet, calculating manner, her swift evaluation of everyone she met, the way she had stomped through the woods while learning how to sneak with such a grim expression on her face. But the thoughts were not all pleasant. In fifty years, if they were lucky, Elpida would be an old woman. Her mind and body would fail her. In a hundred, she would be dead. Lyssa would remain, unbent by time, unmarked by seasons. Elpida would pass, her life merely a chapter in the long book of Lyssa, but the grief of loving her, of bonding her, would last far longer. The elves kept their own company for a reason, even before tensions had risen between Dawnwood and the humans. The mortal races lived short, bright lives. The elves persisted. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± The words felt small and wrong on her tongue. She struggled to find better ones. Ones that would convey her concern, her fear, her doubt. It was as though they had tangled themselves into a ball in her throat, making it difficult to breathe, let alone speak. Elpida watched her, studying her face. Then, with a gentle touch against her broach and a whispered word, the soft light dimmed to nothing, and they were bathed in darkness once more. Lyssa watched her face, soft despite the hard lines. ¡°Then I will wait for you to learn ¨C but I will not wait forever.¡± Elpida turned and walked away, her steps heavy and certain despite the darkness, one hand held against the wall, though whether it was for guidance or support was impossible to say. Lyssa watched her leave, mouth still trying to form the right words. Her mind reeled, pulsing with pain. Tears wetted her cheeks and she found herself sitting, back against the wall, hugging her knees. Her words were wrong. The right ones wouldn¡¯t come. The world seemed suddenly a large and cruel place. Was this to be her future? To lose every chance for happiness she clawed at? To be alone, always? Was that what exile truly meant? Grief gave way to exhaustion and, in the depths of the mountain, far from the comfort and safety of village and bed, Lyssa fell asleep. Book 2 | Chapter 33 Persepera The 16th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche met Polybus in the stone passageway outside Hippokrates¡¯s chambers, admiring the architecture of the internal columns. The dark-haired man held a guarded expression, much of his earlier levity gone. With an inclination of his head, he indicated Arche to follow, then left. The path out seemed even more convoluted than the path in. A strange energy filled the air, tense and shifting. Arche checked behind him, but the passage seemed to change when he wasn¡¯t looking. Perhaps it was more protection for the old man, perhaps it was simply the building¡¯s nature. The Lyceum itself was a maze of architecture. To call it stone was not justice. The Lyceum¡¯s walls were smooth and hard, a soft white with dark striations. ¡°What is this?¡± Arche ran a hand over a section of wall. It was smoother than he expected, barely any friction to it, but it was as solid as a mountain. ¡°Reinforced marble. The entire building is made of it.¡± Pride was heavy in Polybus¡¯s voice; the stuff must have been expensive. ¡°Seems difficult to work with.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it was, but this place was ancient long before I arrived.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Arche did his best to keep his burning curiosity from showing. ¡°How old is it?¡± ¡°Hard to say, exactly. It¡¯s claimed to have been built in the last era, before the cataclysm and ensuing apokalypsis.¡± Arche stopped walking. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the what?¡± Polybus turned and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, are you unfamiliar with Tartarus¡¯s history?¡± Arche stared at him, wide-eyed. ¡°Very.¡± ¡°Hm, shame. There is a reason I¡¯m in the asklepieion and not teaching academics, but here¡¯s the simple version. At the beginning of this era, some four-and-a-half thousand years ago, there was a great flood, the cataclysm, that destroyed much of the world as we knew it. It destroyed most of the records of the previous era, so what knowledge remains is limited and highly guarded. When the waters receded, new lands and new people were left behind. Cultures that had never existed in Tartarus before were everywhere. Thus, the apokalypsis.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t follow. Why does new people make an apocalypse?¡± ¡°The wars, for starters. Each addition added knowledge that Tartarus didn¡¯t have before, but it wasn¡¯t a peaceful transfer. It seemed all of Tartarus was plunged into conflict, for a time. Kingdoms rose, alliances forged, but each was quick to fall apart. We are in an uneasy peace, currently, but it is only a matter of time before the fighting begins again.¡± ¡°What caused all of it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s difficult to say. Herodotos, our head historian, believes that there were once powerful rulers that held dominion over Tartarus, but some outside force either killed them or locked them away. What ensued was the natural result of a power vacuum, but the absence of these rulers was so profound that it dawned a new era.¡± ¡°And the Lyceum existed before all of that?¡± Hippokrates had claimed to be even older. Four thousand years¡­the thought was unfathomable. ¡°So it¡¯s said. Personally, I don¡¯t know. All of that happened a long time ago. I prefer to focus on the present and the future.¡± ¡°What¡¯s in the present and future for me?¡± ¡°Several things, depending on your wishes. First and foremost, however, aid has been requested and rendered, and so payment is in order.¡± Arche hesitated before answering. ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of money on me, right now.¡± Polybus laughed. ¡°You have time to pay, Arche. Ten days¡¯ time, specifically.¡± ¡°Two weeks still seems a rather fast turnaround. What do I owe you?¡± Polybus ran a hand through his dark hair. ¡°A complex and delicate procedure requiring two aides, more than three hours of work, and two bottles of anesthetic.¡± Polybus counted the items off on the fingers of his left hand, while the fingers of his right waggled in silent calculation. ¡°I imagine it will be about a thousand drachmae.¡± Arche choked. ¡°A thousand?¡± he repeated weakly. His grasp of currency in Tartarus was still tenuous at best, but from his very basic understanding, that price was about what a skilled tradesman made in a few years. ¡°Each, though I may be forgetting to factor some things. Never fear, it need not all be paid at once. One of the secretaries can draw up a contract detailing a payment plan.¡± Arche was at once immensely grateful for Odelia and her clinic. ¡°How long does it normally take a person to pay off a debt like that?¡± ¡°A long time.¡± Polybus shook his head. ¡°Years, generally. A word of advice: don¡¯t just make the minimal payments. That barely covers the interest.¡± ¡°Why is it so expensive?¡± ¡°The training required is quite extensive. It takes years to become a physician. Decades to improve biomancy to a degree to even perform the operation given to you. Not to mention compensation for time, use of facilities, the overhead the asklepieion takes, and the not-inexpensive anesthetic potions required for the procedure.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°It still seems exorbitant. Almost extortionary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a perfect system,¡± Polybus admitted. ¡°But it is the one that was set in place. I have no control over the cost, I¡¯m simply a physician. The prices are set by the Lyceum, which is directed by a council. Not even Hippokrates could budge them on this. It¡¯s not all bad, though. You get the best medical care this side of Tartarus.¡± ¡°And work the rest of your life paying for it.¡± ¡°The Lyceum cares for its own interests first and foremost. Tell me, what do you think the average tuition per term is for a student?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°A sponsored student is required to pay a price of forty drachmae for a two-month term. An unsponsored student can pay one-hundred-eighty for the same term.¡± Arche¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°That¡¯s insane. Who could afford that?¡± ¡°Scholarships are available to ease the price. Jobs are available at the Lyceum to help students pay off the weight of their tuition. Moneylenders in the city are all too happy to help desperate students make the last few drachmae to get into the next term. Some of the traveled students have been given money by their entire town to attend, with the promise that they will bring their newly learned arcane skills back for the betterment of their society. They say it takes a village to raise a mage.¡± Arche let the magnitude of that sink in. He was still mulling it over when Polybus led him into a room filled with writing desks and shelves of rolled papyrus. Polybus walked up to a desk with a sky elf woman seated behind it. Half circle spectacles hung on a narrow nose in front of eyes that were a dark blue with no iris or pupil. Her skin was pale with a light blue sheen and her black hair was plaited and braided in exotic designs all over her head. She wore a simple, orange dress that highlighted the blue of her skin and eyes, but the lack of ornamentation did nothing to stifle the sheer air of regality that the woman carried in her posture. Seeing her reminded Arche of Cora. This was likely what the Ranger aspired to be. ¡°Polybus.¡± She tasted the name slowly, as though she hadn¡¯t quite determined if she liked it. ¡°You¡¯re up late.¡± Arche glanced sideways at a window letting in the sun. By the angle of the shadows, it looked as though it was either nearing or shortly after midday. He¡¯d been up the entire night. ¡°There was a late procedure last night, Lapisallia. We¡¯ve come for billing.¡± The elf woman nodded once, then wetted her stylus in ink and waited for Polybus to continue. He detailed the procedure down to the last minutia, each of which was recorded and tallied. At the end, she turned the document over and held out the stylus to Arche. ¡°Total amount owed equals one-thousand-four-hundred-seventeen drachmae and five obols. Interest on the debt compounds at three percent monthly. Your signature shows that you understand the details as I have read them to you and agree to pay at least the minimum price of two drachmae, three obols, two weeks from now and every two weeks hence until your debt is paid or forgiven by authorized Lyceum officials. Please sign on the line. If you are unable to sign, we will accept your fingerprint signed in ink.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was flat, as though she read from a script and was tired of reciting it. Arche took the stylus and dipped it into the ink as he¡¯d seen her do. He placed it against the parchment and began to sign. The ¡®A¡¯ came easily, but when he moved on to the next letter, his hand jerked, forming a sign that looked more like an ¡®L¡¯ than an ¡®R.¡¯ ¡°Sorry, not used to writing,¡± he mumbled, then struck through the botched signature and signed next to it, taking care to not let his hand slip again. Lapisallia did not remark on the signature. Instead, she retrieved the stylus and papyrus from Arche and set the latter aside to dry.
You have sworn an Oath to pay your debt to the Lyceum Apokryfos. Current debt: 1,417DR, 5OB Minimum Payment: 2DR, 3OB Tennightly Interest: 3% Monthly (Compound)
¡°The document is magical in origin, as is the ink. You are bound to the debt you owe. Do not attempt to circumvent these bindings. If you need assistance in paying, please reach out to the department. Thank you, have a nice day.¡± With that, Lapisallia dropped her gaze back to her parchment stack and promptly ignored him. ¡°You, too,¡± Arche replied, more than a little uncertain. He turned back to Polybus. ¡°What now?¡± Polybus smiled and gestured toward the door. ¡°Your friends left some time ago. You¡¯re welcome to wait for them to return. Additionally, if you¡¯re interested in joining the Lyceum, I can show you to the Admissions Hall.¡± Arche entertained the idea for a moment ¨C but it was only a moment. That decision, while enticing, had already been made. It wasn¡¯t in the cards for him. Not now, at any rate, and certainly not at their prices. ¡°Thank you, but no. Do you have a map of the city I could have? Or give me directions?¡± ¡°Certainly. Where are you staying?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to see the map first, if you don¡¯t mind. I don¡¯t quite remember the name.¡± Polybus nodded and led the way deeper into the Lyceum. Arche felt bad for lying, but after his run-in with the Hekatonkheires, he had no desire to share where he was staying with anyone. He didn¡¯t think Polybus would sell him out, but he also didn¡¯t know the man. They came to a cozy looking office with several diagrams of anatomy hung around the walls. Arche was surprised at the complexity and level of detail as muscles and nerves were displayed and named in fabric stitching. Polybus crossed to the other side of the desk and took out a scroll of papyrus. Unfurling it to show a map of the city. Arche ran a finger along one edge, inspecting the craftsmanship.
Map of Ephyra Rarity: Uncommon Quality: Excellent Durability: 3 / 3 Weight: 0.1 kilograms Traits: Interactable
¡°It¡¯s a beautiful map,¡± Arche said. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it read ¡®Ship¡¯s Shape,¡¯ though?¡± ¡°¡®Ship¡¯s Shape¡¯ is what foreigners and the uneducated call it. Ephyra is the city¡¯s ancestral name.¡± ¡°I fucking knew it!¡± ¡°Beg pardon?¡± ¡°Sorry, that was rude. Is the map for sale?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t rightfully sell it. It was a practice map drawn up by one of our students. Consider it a gift.¡± ¡°Thank you, I appreciate it.¡± Arche picked up the map and was met by a notification.
You have obtained an interactable map for the location you are currently in. Display map?
Yes No
Arche indicated yes and the map disappeared into his inventory. In front of his eyes, the map displayed the entire city, with a small icon indicating his location inside an enormous building labeled ¡®Lyceum Apokryfos¡¯ in delicate calligraphy. As he blinked it away, it resized itself into a translucent circle in the corner of his vision, unobtrusive unless he focused on it. ¡°This is amazing. Thanks!¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite welcome. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I am quite exhausted from my shift and need to sleep before my next one starts. Turn right down the hall and at the end you will find the asklepieion¡¯s waiting room. From there, you may leave the Lyceum and go wherever you wish.¡± ¡°Thank you for all your help, Polybus. You gave me back my eyes, I won¡¯t forget that.¡± ¡°I should imagine not. Farewell, Arche. Take care of those eyes! They may be healed, but they will still require care.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 34 Persepera The 16th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The dwarves delved deep when creating their mine. The temperature should have grown colder the further into the stone they dug, but the passages they carved were warm. Even in the early hours of morning, after a long night with no sun shining, the rubble and stones were warm. Inside, the change was difficult to notice immediately, the air was too stagnant. Over time, the heat was undeniable. When Lyssa woke from her Exhaustion-fueled sleep, she noticed three things simultaneously. The first: her Exhaustion debuff had disappeared. The second: she was covered in a fine layer of stone dust. The third: she was drenched in sweat. The second and third had mixed to form a stony mud across her face, neck, and hands, which she smeared away with more than a touch of disgust. A bath seemed the most wonderful thing in the world, but she was awhile away from such creature comforts. She stood from the hidden crook that had been her resting place, still wiping the sleep and muck from her eyes. A small cloud of stone dust rose with her and she stifled a sneeze. It was impossible to tell exactly how much time had passed, but her best guess was five or six hours, which put her on the other side of midday. No doubt her absence had been noticed. It was growing annoyingly difficult to get away from people without concerning them. Of course, she hadn¡¯t been the only one leaving. Elpida. Sweet, stoic, and foolish. Humans were incapable of comprehending an elven perspective. Any courtship would end in heartbreak. Later, if not sooner. It was simple fact. Elpida was young, relatively, but her lifespan was a candle next to the Everlit Lantern of an elf¡¯s. There was a reason, after all, that the elves were not counted among the mortal races. Whatever happiness they found would be momentary. Transient and fleeting. A smile today and buried tomorrow. Lyssa couldn¡¯t afford to give out her heart like that. But then, hadn¡¯t she already done so in other ways? Arche was bound to her as her Companion. Despite the few months they¡¯d been together, she had already come to regard him as something like a brother, though he was not an elf. His relationship with death was tenuous, to say the least, but that did not mean he would be granted an elf¡¯s lifespan. His time would come to an end, eventually, and she would bury another piece of her heart. Time would tell if she had the strength. Then there was Myriatos. She had agreed to become archousa. To do that effectively, she needed to develop working relationships with the people of the village. She had to care for and about them, knowing that, with few exceptions, they would all die before the century was out. Could she love a thing knowing it lived to someday die? Could she say with any honesty that she was any different? Lyssa did not have answers, so she embraced distraction. One readily appeared as she exited the smooth-cut mine and into the rocky cavern of the natural cave system. Nothing remained of the basilisk now but a dark stain against the ground. The dwarves had carted the body out for meat and materials. Lyssa didn¡¯t know if basilisks carried rare resources but, considering the hardiness of the creature and their difficulty to kill, she had no doubt that some of its parts were highly desirable. The eyes, perhaps, or the tongue. On the far side of the cavern, about fifty meters away, was a passage. The basilisk had come from somewhere further in, so Lyssa headed toward it, determined to test her hunch. She wove her way between stalagmites, all the while keeping an ear out for any sounds that were not her own. For good measure, she activated Stealth, choosing her steps with care. Before she entered the passage, she listened in front of it for a full minute. No sound echoed to her, and no breath of air blew against her face. This passage was as dead as the rest of the mine, but she did not trust it to be shallow.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
You have entered Hyperion¡¯s Tangle. This is a Proficient Dungeon. Recommended Level: 40
Lyssa stopped breathing and listened again. The sudden roaring of her own blood was all that met her ears. Taking even greater care, she backpedaled until she had reached the smooth stone of the mine, then she raced along the passages, not stopping until she reached the basecamp. Throughout it all, her heart leaped like a hare outrunning a fox. The guards at the mouth of the mine raised their weapons and quickly lowered them again when they recognized her. Lyssa didn¡¯t slow. She burst into the planning tent and caught herself on a table. Grimmolt, bruised and bandaged, jumped at her sudden entrance and swore heavily. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± he demanded, clutching the bandages over his chest. ¡°We need to block the mine,¡± Lyssa said, her voice hollow and breathless. ¡°There¡¯s a dungeon. A Proficient Dungeon.¡± Grimmolt¡¯s face turned ashen, his annoyed expression giving way to fear. ¡°What? Here? How?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we have to block the entrance before something worse gets out.¡± Grimmolt¡¯s eyes grew wide, and he dragged himself out of the tent on legs that clearly hadn¡¯t healed. Within a minute, he returned, looking ragged. ¡°My kin are closing the mine. We¡¯ll collapse the entrance. Nothing will get in or out.¡± ¡°I want to know the moment it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°It shall be so.¡± Finally at rest, if only for the moment, Lyssa allowed herself to breathe. She would be the first to admit she didn¡¯t know much about dungeons, but she knew they were dangerous and commonly under-communicated that danger. To be a Proficient Dungeon meant an adventuring party of five dungeoneers would need to all be between levels forty and fifty to have a better than equal chance at surviving. Lyssa was the highest level in Myriatos at only thirty-one. The basilisk they had killed was level thirty-four and that had taken careful planning and a group, and even still it had killed three people and nearly killed Grimmolt. A Proficient Dungeon would have monsters just as dangerous as a standard inhabitant. If they left the mine open, one of those creatures would inevitably wander outside and notice the largest nearby sign of life: Myriatos. If that happened, nothing they did would be enough to stop it. It was too dangerous and too much of a risk. ¡°We¡¯ll have to make do with what stone and iron we have,¡± Grimmolt said. ¡°What cursed luck we have, that there would be a Proficient Dungeon right next to the village,¡± Lyssa spat. ¡°What cursed luck we have, that it would be my kin who stumbled across it.¡± A crash of stone outside drowned out any response, not that Lyssa tried to make one. Grimmolt¡¯s grief at the loss of his kin was one she identified with all too well. Once the noise outside settled, a dwarf appeared to inform them both the mine was sealed. ¡°Let¡¯s return to Myriatos. We¡¯ll have to find resources elsewhere.¡± ¡°You can do that without me and mine,¡± Grimmolt replied, his voice firm and harsh. ¡°We will work the material but we will collect no more. We have enough to bury as it is. I was willing to throw my lot in with you, elf, but I will not bury my entire clan for you.¡± Grimmolt¡¯s pain was self-evident, but there was a burning anger inside that had not dimmed with the death of the basilisk. ¡°I can ask no more of you. Words are hollow after a day like yesterday. My gaze is fixed toward tomorrow. I hope one day you will join me in looking for it.¡± ¡°We shall see.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 35 Persepera The 16th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Ship¡¯s Shape, or Ephyra, as Arche now knew it was called, was full of beauty. The city stretched out against the coast, with a huge dock system that extended outward into what the map called the Ionian Sea. There was little wonder as to how the city had come to be called ¡®Ship¡¯s Shape,¡¯ as not only did the expanse resemble a classic sailing ship, but the city districts were also named after such a ship¡¯s various parts. Alone, the city was overwhelming. Buildings sprouted up like trees, casting the streets into shadow, and people were everywhere. A single city block could have more foot traffic at any given time than the entire population of Myriatos. It was suffocating. Most of the buildings held simple designs, made from white stone and dark wood, though the Lyceum was clearly built as a work of art. The architects had carved murals into the walls and columns depicting ancient people of power and skill. The school also stood atop a hill, with the roads around it all sloping up to its doors, something Arche hadn¡¯t noticed when arriving. Another hill within the city limits caught his eye, almost entirely covered by a single, massive structure, and only recognizable due to the odd shape. Consulting his map, Arche was curious to find that there was practically no information about it. Just a small label that read ¡®The Palace.¡¯ He dismissed it from his thoughts, figuring it must be the residence of the city-lord or king or whatever they called themselves. His eyes found the Keel district and he scoured it for the Styx and Stones Inn. It wasn¡¯t far from the Lyceum, which made sense, but it was farther than it seemed the night before. It would take an hour of walking to get back. Perhaps more, if the crowds stayed thick all the way. Proximity to the Lyceum was apparently in high demand, as much of the open areas were occupied with merchants operating a bazaar the map called ¡®The Grand Agora.¡¯ For the first time in a while, Arche had the time and capability to look around. He didn¡¯t have much by way of money, as most of his things were left with the others, but he could at least see more of this section of the city. Men and women of all recognizable races¡ªand several unrecognizable races¡ªwandered around. Most wore robes or togas, though some had long, tunic-style garbs that belted at the middle and ended at the knee. Some wore more exotic attires, outfits made of wrappings that covered the entire body, suits of leather or steel indicating those with battle experience. One man stood head and shoulders above the crowd and swaggered about with a foppish tricorn hat. There was enough disparity in appearance that, thankfully, no one looked twice at Arche¡¯s own clothing, a simple linen shirt, dark pants, and his cloak, the Emerald Ghost. Being around so many people felt oddly vulnerable without his armor, but he had his sight and the Tridory, disguised though it was. If trouble came, he could meet it head on. Arche wandered through the stalls, beneath bright fabrics that blocked out what little sun peeked through the buildings. The scent of spiced meats and salted olives filled the air, replaced by fresh fish and baked bread as soon as he passed. Jewelry was in abundance, everything from rich designs of gold and silver to modest crafts made from bone and wood. Some held a gleam that Arche recognized as magical without having to Examine them. He stopped at a fletcher to examine some arrows on display when he caught sight of a flash of blonde hair through the crowd. It wasn¡¯t a particularly rare sight in the city, but it caught Arche¡¯s eye nonetheless and he left the stall to follow it. He lost sight of it just as quickly, but when he reached where it had been, he found a covered wagon displaying a host of dwarven crafts. Walking around to the other side, he found a three dwarves in conversation with Tess.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Relief flooded through him at the sight of her, the first glimpse he¡¯d had in over a month. She was in the middle of negotiations. The set of her brow, the slight smile, the cunning glint in her eye. All signs that she was properly fleecing them. The dwarves, for their part, put on a good show of being shrewd businessmen, but even from his vantage a stone¡¯s throw away, Arche could see the hunger on their faces. At last, the dwarves produced a large bag of money and Tess handed over a rucksack. One of the dwarves took the rucksack inside a covered wagon and reemerged about a minute later, handing it back. Negotiations concluded, Tess turned and spotted Arche immediately. Her face moved from triumph to surprise to joy faster than he knew was possible, and the sight of it made his heart flutter inside his chest. Then she was in front of him, one hand gently touching the skin around his eye. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be out of the Lyceum yet,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I would have stayed if I could.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. There was quite a bit for me to do after the surgery. I learned a lot, too, but we should talk more privately about that.¡± ¡°Did it go well? Is everything working as it should?¡± ¡°My vision, yes. My Mana, no. But I have a lead on how to fix it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s left quite a striking image, I must say.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen?¡± ¡°Well, no. What is it?¡± ¡°The whites of your eyes have turned red.¡± His heart sank. ¡°Oh. Fuck.¡± That sounded like something out of his nightmares. ¡°It¡¯s not terrible. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll fade, somewhat, but it does give you a rather piercing stare right now.¡± ¡°Great, just what I needed. More things to make people uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I never said it made me uncomfortable.¡± Tess smiled, her eyes bouncing between his, and his knees nearly buckled. ¡°What have you seen so far?¡± ¡°The Lyceum and the Grand Agora up close. I saw the docks and the Palace from atop the hill.¡± ¡°Excellent.¡± She looped her arm around his. ¡°Then I can show you the rest of the city. We have hours until we¡¯re set to meet with the others. Helwan wants to take you to see his old boss tomorrow. He thinks you two might hit it off.¡± Arche cocked his head. ¡°What did he say her name was? Rune something?¡± Tess swatted his arm. ¡°Honestly, you think you¡¯d remember more about your friends¡¯ lives. Rune Oyl of Bits and Baubles Enterprises. It¡¯s not a small industry, by any means.¡± ¡°I remember things! I remember that it deals in magical artifacts and antiquities. I just didn¡¯t remember her name.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll want to. She¡¯s an important person in the city. They say she has a secret magical artifact that keeps her forever young, worth more than all the treasures in the city combined.¡± Arche gave a low whistle. ¡°Any of that true?¡± ¡°Probably not.¡± Tess shrugged. ¡°Even if it was, her shop is harder to break into than the palace. More dangerous, too. Last time someone tried to rob her, it took a week to scrub the red off the streets.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s terrifying.¡± ¡°Why? Do you plan to rob her?¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± ¡°Smart boy. Now, come with me. I¡¯ll show you the ships down at the docks. I think you¡¯ll like it. There¡¯s water for as far as you can see.¡± Her hand slipped into his and she led him into the crowd. Book 2 | Chapter 36 Hadespera The 17th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The dwarven wake began at dawn, at the first bloody sight of morning sky. The bodies of the honored dead were clothed in finery and draped in glittering stones. Their kin made their grief known to the world, lifting voices in a dirge while beating their chests for rhythm. Others in the village came to show their respect. Friends and strangers became one in the face of grief. Lyssa stood with Grimmolt as he led the dwarves in their dark song. As the leader of Myriatos, she had a responsibility to honor the sacrifice of all her people. Especially when it was by her order. Grimmolt bore his lamentations before all. He beat his chest along with the other dwarves and sang mournful songs in his native tongue. His tunic was torn and, a sign of grief above all, his beard was shaved away. The other dwarves had followed in their leader¡¯s footsteps, tearing their clothing and shaving their beards. Their custom was strange, but their grief was as familiar as the first drops of spring rain. The elves had no internment for the dead. They held no wake to pay respects, there was no procession, and there was no final rest. Once an elf died, they were gone, and the body was reclaimed by the forest to nurture life. Twice, Lyssa had witnessed a reclamation, and both times it was done without ceremony or weight. Both times it had been wrong. She was to blame for the death of her brother, Gregorinandiir. Her people were right to blame her, but they were wrong to act like he had not existed. Gregori had done more with his life than lose it, and to have his existence summed up by its termination was a dishonor to his memory. To see the dwarves bear their grief so openly tore at her heart. They did not hide from the pain, they greeted it with song that shook the ground. They did not lock the pain away, holding it to be released in bursts in quiet, dark spaces, it was proclaimed in front of all, for all, and for all to join. The song drew on, at times low and sad, at times high and fervent, a testament and memory of the lives that had been stripped away. Lyssa raised a hand to the jagged edge of her ear. Her blood price, her token to his memory. Tears slid down her cheeks, dripping to the ground below. She could not mourn them like the dwarves ¨C but she would not ignore their deaths like the elves. There were other elves in attendance. Vik was nowhere to be seen, but the few others in Myriatos were gathered in a small group, not more than ten, standing slightly apart from the crowd and watching on in confusion and interest. They were not Children of the Forest, these elves had come from the city or beyond. They knew mortals, had been around them for years. Their confusion seemed directed at her, her reaction to the wake, but the day was not for them or their understanding. The wake lasted all day. While the sun soared through the sky, there was no peace for the dwarves and no peace for Lyssa. Others came and went throughout, offering respect in their own ways. As the sun fell past the horizon, the dwarves went to their fallen dead and carried them away. A pyre waited for them, constructed from the hewn wood of the forest, filled with tinder, and decorated with carved stones. Grimmolt stepped forward, holding a torch high. The rest of the dwarves surrounded the pyre with torches of their own. As the last glimmer of light disappeared from the dusk sky, Grimmolt finished his dirge and spoke in a voice that was raw and tired. ¡°Here lies the fallen of Clan Sidergrothia. Boder, sound of sense. Velir, sweet of voice. Gern, clever of mind. Today, we lay them to rest. Brothers, sisters, parents, partners. We know not where they go, but we know what they have left behind. When the world forgets¡­¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! The dwarves answered as one. ¡°Stone remembers.¡± ¡°When the world breaks¡­¡± ¡°Stone remains strong.¡± ¡°And so shall we.¡± Grimmolt placed his torch in the center of the pyre. The dry sticks and grass caught quickly, aided by oils from animal fat, and the flames roared. The other dwarves placed their torches one by one, then stepped back, heads bowed. It took an hour for the pyre to burn down to a smolder, for the bodies laid there to become dust. The dwarves stepped forward and filled three urns with the ashes. Then they relocated themselves to the long, meal tables, and began to set it with food. There was a place for everyone and everyone took their place. The long song of the dwarves was over and the feast to the memories of the slain began. Lyssa watched them from her position by the pyre. Though her stomach ached with a hunger that had been denied all day, it didn¡¯t feel right to join in. Grimmolt stood beside her, watching the rest of his clan through hooded eyes. ¡°Your participation in our rituals is appreciated, Lyssa, but my clan will not reenter the mine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to. I am here to grieve with you. Nothing more.¡± Grimmolt grunted, his eyes not leaving the feast. ¡°Who did you lose?¡± his voice was surprisingly gentle, for once. She swallowed before answering. ¡°My brother.¡± ¡°Kin always hurts the most. Was it a good death?¡± ¡°He died saving me from a situation I caused. His blood covers me.¡± ¡°Then I am sure he died proud, protecting one he loved.¡± Lyssa stared at the grass beneath their feet. ¡°It does not feel that way.¡± ¡°Do you think so little of your brother?¡± Lyssa flinched. Her fists clenched and her mouth curled into a snarl. ¡°I loved my brother.¡± ¡°Then do not dishonor his memory by discrediting his sacrifice. Come, we will break bread together, you and I.¡± The dwarf stalked off toward the feast while Lyssa, frowning, followed behind. The tone had turned jovial. The dwarves played the largest role in lightening the mood, as the other villagers were, initially, uncertain how to act. Once the music played and the dwarves began singing happier songs and telling stories, laughter suffused the air. With their freshly shaven faces, the dwarves could almost be mistaken for halflings, if not for their oversized proportions. It was a strange sight, to be certain, though one dwarf had reassured a boldly curious child that dwarven hair grew quickly, and that the beards would be back within the month. During the meal, Lyssa spied Elpida eating with Gigator at another table. The guardswoman did not look at her and, if she was honest with herself, Lyssa didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do if Elpida had. She could feel the tension between them, even at this distance, but had no idea how to respond to it. She didn¡¯t yet know the words to say, so she held her tongue. She listened to the stories the dwarves told, ate with them, and withdrew to her room as the hour grew late. It was the first time she could rest in days. The previous night was spent helping the dwarves prepare their funeral rites. Though sleep ensnared her mind, she was covered in the stony muck of the mine, so she drew a bath and washed it all away before crawling into bed. Sleep was a restless thing, plagued with dreams of the darkest sort. Dreams of her brother calling out to her, of the dwarves dying in front of her, and of the basilisk fixing her with its deadly stare. When she woke, some hours later with her heart racing, it was almost a relief. Almost. Because that¡¯s when she heard the screaming. Book 2 | Chapter 37 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The Ionian Sea was beyond anything Arche could have imagined. A flat, gently rolling expanse that stretched to the horizon and beyond, promising sights and secrets. Ships rose from the waters, long, tall, and proud. Sails of every kind and color proclaimed their captains, their companies, and their kingdoms. Even hours after they had left the docks, Arche¡¯s thoughts were filled with the wonders of the sea. He hoped to cross it some day and find what sights lay on the other side of those waves ¨C or beneath them. When Tess brought him back to the Styx and Stones, long after dark, Efterpi still hadn¡¯t arrived. She¡¯d been missing for days. No news had surfaced about the body found near the Shattered Pint, not that he¡¯d necessarily been looking. He had to trust that the strange woman could take care of herself. That, or he was certain the Hekatonkheires would hold it over him if she were captured. Without a way to find her or the first idea of where to look, she was on her own. Arche had passed out on a bed in Basil and Helwan¡¯s room. When he woke, it was still dark outside and a smiling Helwan told him he¡¯d slept the entire day away. At first, Arche chuckled the joke off ¨C but it hadn¡¯t been a joke. An entire day wasted, spent asleep. Helwan took it upon himself to cheer Arche up with a drink as they found themselves in the taproom in the wee hours of the morning. Basil had joined them for the first round but gone to bed early; the stress of the last few days was getting to the young Warrior. Arche, on the other hand, had wasted enough time unconscious and had no desire to spend more of it asleep. Much of the evening crowd had returned to their homes, cognizant of work the following day, but no such restraint was held against Arche and Helwan. So it was that long after the responsible citizen had donned a cloak against the night¡¯s chill, the two of them made good use of the taproom¡¯s ¡®open ¡®til dawn¡¯ policy. Helwan raised his ale. ¡°I never did thank you properly for standing up to those thugs for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do it again,¡± Arche said, knocking his mug against Helwan¡¯s. ¡°Never did realize how much people seem to have against satyrs. Is it really so bad?¡± ¡°Not generally, no. Mine are typically a forest people. You won¡¯t see many in the city, but I had interests besides chasing dryads.¡± ¡°Dryads?¡± ¡°Tree nymphs. Lovely things. Not particularly fond of satyrs, sadly.¡± Helwan scratched a horse-like ear. ¡°Anyway. Many only know of us from old stories that don¡¯t exactly paint us in the best light. You may recall our first meeting.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Lyssa called you ¡®perverts of the forest¡¯ or something.¡± ¡°Largely propaganda, I would like to point out.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°We are no more prone to dark acts than humans, we just spend more of our time in pursuit of the beautiful. Because we are not beautiful, others don¡¯t quite understand when a person falls for us. To them, we must have done something untoward.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°That¡¯s awful.¡± ¡°It is the way of things. Mine are not a sociable people outside our own kind. We are killed by most societies on sight. You saw the reception I received in Dawnwood. I must be the first satyr in a thousand years to have entered an elven city and returned alive and well. If I could tell my pater, he wouldn¡¯t believe it for a moment.¡± ¡°Your pater?¡± Helwan took a long drink, his eyes lost in memory. ¡°Old baba passed away about six years back. He moved with me to the city after mater died. Never was the same after she did, but he was kind enough to come live with me after I graduated from the Lyceum. I still remember the day I told him I was hired at Bits and Baubles. Oh, he was so proud. He wouldn¡¯t stop telling people. Bragging to pure strangers out on the street.¡± Arche smiled at the thought, but Helwan wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°We were out celebrating after my first pay and we attracted the wrong sort of attention. They attacked us outside the restaurant. Had a knife to my throat before I knew what was going on. Said they¡¯d heard our bleating and decided we had enough to share. I was just going to hand it over but pater shoved one of them and told me to run.¡± Helwan¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°They¡­killed him. They killed him and they laughed.¡± Arche¡¯s eyes prickled with tears. He didn¡¯t know if he had parents, but the thought of having someone that loved him torn away was an unexpected gut-punch. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Helwan.¡± Helwan ran a finger around the wooden rim of his drink then raised it toward the ceiling. ¡°I think about him a lot. I wonder what he¡¯d think of what I¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°I think he would be incredibly proud of you. You¡¯ve done some amazing things.¡± Helwan snorted. ¡°Like what? Run away? Get fired for chasing a half-baked dream of being someone important?¡± ¡°All right, hold on.¡± Arche got the tavernkeeper¡¯s attention and held up two fingers for more drinks. ¡°You are selling yourself way short. You are a graduate of the Lyceum Apokryfos. You worked for a prestigious magical antiquary. You found a dungeon home to a godforged spear, whatever the hell that is. You said yourself that you¡¯re the first satyr to enter and leave an elven city in centuries. You kept your head when Myriatos was attacked and got people to safety. You¡¯re going to run the magic school Lyssa cooks up when we get back. You¡¯ve been an endless supply of joy and optimism, even in the darkest of times, and you¡¯ve been a loyal friend through it all. You¡¯re a fucking hero, dude.¡± The satyr¡¯s face went cherry red and his ears flattened against his hair. ¡°It means a lot to hear you say that, thank you.¡± ¡°Your dad obviously loved you a lot. Don¡¯t think for one second that he would be anything other than proud at what you¡¯ve accomplished, man.¡± They clashed mugs, banged the table, and downed another round. Then they turned to happier topics. ¡°How goes the sales?¡± Arche asked. ¡°They go well. Tess is remarkably good at bartering. We¡¯ve been able to sell about a quarter of what we have.¡± Helwan said, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve. ¡°Why can¡¯t we sell it all in one place?¡± ¡°City policy is to levy hefty taxes on sales of goods over five hundred drachmae.¡± ¡°I take it you¡¯ve been negotiating sales for less than that?¡± ¡°Indeed, which takes time because we have to find new buyers. If the same buyers buy more than eight hundred drachmae worth in a week¡­¡± ¡°More taxes.¡± ¡°Exactly. Ship¡¯s Shape is a trade city for its access to the sea but it takes its dues. Even as things are, I¡¯d wager we¡¯re losing about fifteen percent.¡± ¡°Fucking taxes. How long should it take, then?¡± Helwan cocked his head, fingers twitching as he counted. ¡°Two weeks or so. How much was your bill from the Asklepieion?¡± ¡°Fourteen hundred drachmae. Give or take.¡± Helwan whistled. ¡°They¡¯ve raised prices since I was a student. Still. Should be easily payable. Payment due tennightly, still?¡± ¡°Every two weeks. I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s what tennightly means? ¡°Indeed. Two weeks, ten nights. Glad to see they haven¡¯t changed their billing patterns. Makes me nostalgic, almost.¡± ¡°Have we already made enough?¡± ¡°Oh, goodness yes. Several times that. We found a half dozen buyers at just below the increased tax price.¡± Arche blinked, frowned at his mug, then looked back at Helwan, eyes wide. ¡°Three thousand? Three thousand drachmae and that¡¯s only a quarter?¡± Helwan smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve also been sourcing supplies for the village. Tess has a list. We should be right on schedule.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear it. The city is amazing but I¡¯ll be glad to be gone.¡± Helwan nodded. ¡°It can be overwhelming. The criminal element doesn¡¯t help either. The guards do what they can but I often wonder if they¡¯re really trying. They¡¯re never around when you need one.¡± Arche grunted, flagging down the bartender for another drink. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡± Helwan gestured for him to continue as he nursed another ale. ¡°When you were at the Lyceum, did you ever meet a man named Hippokrates?¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Helwan chuckled. ¡°What, the founder of the asklepieion? No, I never met a man who¡¯s been dead over six thousand years.¡± Arche met Helwan¡¯s eye and raised an eyebrow, his face completely serious. Helwan¡¯s smile turned to suspicion, then disbelief. ¡°No. No! That¡¯s not possible. He was a human!¡± ¡°He certainly wasn¡¯t an elf.¡± ¡°But how?¡± ¡°Presumably he was a master biomancer. Maybe that had something to do with it?¡± ¡°Grandmaster, definitely. I don¡¯t believe it, though. Someone was having a joke at your expense.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He seemed genuine. And ancient. Knew things no one else did.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he was Hippokrates.¡± ¡°He gave me three spellbooks.¡± ¡°Fuck off.¡± Arche¡¯s eyes grew wide and his expression shifted into one of unadulterated joy. Both he and Helwan erupted into laughter, much to the annoyance of a drunk sleeping on a nearby table. The man grunted and waved them off, then turned his head to the other side and placed an arm over his ear. ¡°What books did he give you?¡± ¡°Flare, Darksight, and Minor Heal.¡± ¡°How much did it cost?¡± ¡°A promise to stand by my friends and respect healers.¡± Helwan laughed again. ¡°I take it that billing didn¡¯t know, did they?¡± ¡°No, why? How much do spellbooks cost?¡± ¡°Those three would be worth about five times what they charged you for the procedure. Each.¡± Arche grabbed the table to steady himself. The world started sloshing like he was shipbound in a storm. ¡°Have you used them yet?¡± ¡°No, he told me not to until I had fixed my Mana Scarring. He said to do otherwise would be a bad idea.¡± ¡°So not even he was able to help you, there?¡± Helwan frowned. ¡°That¡¯s troubling.¡± ¡°He gave me a place to start but it¡¯s super vague. It¡¯ll likely take a while. In the meantime, I¡¯ll just have to rely on the skills I have, because I won¡¯t be able to use my secret weapon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be enough. You¡¯re a talented fighter.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a lucky fighter. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing ninety percent of the time.¡± Helwan shrugged and let it go. ¡°So how are you going to fix your Mana Scarring?¡± ¡°I was told that I¡¯m the only person who can fix it. I¡¯ve got to somehow direct healing energy into the scars. I¡¯m really not sure how I¡¯m going to pull that off.¡± Helwan frowned into his mug, thinking hard. ¡°You¡¯ve got the Mana Manipulation skill, maybe there¡¯s a way to do Health Manipulation or Stamina Manipulation. It¡¯s all vital energy, right?¡± Arche would have dropped his drink if it hadn¡¯t already been sitting on the bar. He turned toward his friend with wide-eyed amazement. ¡°You¡¯re brilliant. I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t consider that. But I also don¡¯t really know how to start. Any suggestions?¡± Helwan shrugged. ¡°My former employer, Miss Rune, knows a great deal about magic. Maybe she has some insights. We can go tomorrow, if you have no other plans.¡± ¡°Sounds great. What do you know about her? I heard some pretty gnarly stories from Tess the other day.¡± ¡°She runs a very respectable business that happens to align with a very dangerous trade. Hers is the best when it comes to dealing with magical artifacts, but not everything can be made on site. Some antiquities have to be acquired. I daresay she may have some insights about your spear.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°Sounds great, but what do you know about her?¡± Helwan stroked his goatee and thought about the question. ¡°She¡¯s human, I think. Certainly looks like one, but she¡¯s got a gleam in her eye that says she¡¯s forgotten more than you will ever know. Some folks say she¡¯s a witch, getting strange powers and eternal youth for conducting dark rituals and ill sacrifices below the moons. Ridiculous, of course, but she does have powerful and strange magic, though she doesn¡¯t often use it. She¡¯s also incredibly well connected, not just inside Ship¡¯s Shape, but all over Tartarus. I think her enterprise even extends across the seas to far off places, like the homes of the tengu and the saurians.¡± ¡°She sounds like someone who¡¯s constructed rumors around herself to hide the truth.¡± ¡°Very probably. I¡¯m not certain what her Profession is, but I do know she¡¯s an Enchantress.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be her Profession?¡± ¡°Her Trade, certainly. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s her Profession, though.¡± ¡°When you say ¡®Trade,¡¯ is that like an actual thing, like a Profession? Or do you mean it¡¯s just what she does for a living?¡± ¡°Well, a bit of both. Different Trades have different prerequisites, like having a certain number of skills related to the trade or having the trade skill at a certain rank, usually Journeyman. Once you¡¯ve got your Trade, you unlock trade quests, which allows you to earn Trade Points, which you can use for all sorts of things to improve your craft.¡± ¡°Journeyman is skill level in the forties, right?¡± ¡°Fifties. Forties is Proficient. It¡¯s not easy to get there, but most can accomplish it within a few years, depending on the trade. Some offer more experience than others, and innovation and tutelage always let people grow faster.¡± Arche nodded, remembering how several of his combat skills had started out higher than they would have otherwise due to Lyssa¡¯s instruction. He lifted the mug to his face and finished the last of it. ¡°Right, I¡¯m going to bed before I trip and knock my lights out again. You got the tab?¡± Helwan placed a few coins on the bar and waved him off, gesturing for another round from the bartender. The drunk, who had looked perfectly content to sleep the night away on one of the tables, was roused by a splash of water thrown by the bartender¡¯s assistant. The rough man woke and spluttered, trying to throw a punch that spun him off the table and onto the ground. ¡°Go on, get out,¡± the bartender grumbled, coming out from around the bar. ¡°Get back home to that wife of yours. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s waiting to tear you a new ear.¡± The drunk grumbled unintelligibly as he picked himself up and stumbled out the door. Arche watched this unfold with the mild expectation of a fight, but it was not to be. The barkeep was a grizzled veteran of his trade and knew how to handle his patrons without it getting physical. The drunk swayed unsteadily on his feet outside the door, still visible through glass panes. Arche turned away to climb the steps but a muffled sound made him turn back. The drunk was gone. Arche grunted and put it out of his mind, shifting his focus to climbing the stairs without losing his balance. The going was slow, aided heavily by the banister. Things had fine before he¡¯d stood up. Now, everything swayed and a pleasant numbness quieted his thoughts. He walked until he was in front of a door he recognized, then tried his key on it. The key slid in but wouldn¡¯t turn. Arche frowned and tried again, but it was no good. Arche lifted a fist and knocked once, followed by a soft thump as he placed his forehead against the door to stop the world from spinning. With any luck, Basil would wake and let him in. There was a noise from inside the room, but Arche processed this passively. Thus, when the door opened inward, Arche was caught unprepared and fell forward onto his face. He grunted and rolled himself over onto his back, trying to force his eyes to focus. When they did, he saw the distinctly unimpressed face of Tess staring down at him, one eyebrow cocked. ¡°What are you doing in Basil¡¯s room?¡± he mumbled. ¡°What are you doing in my room? And what happened to you?¡± Arche blinked a few times, then shifted his head to look around. Everything was canted but there was clearly no sign of Basil. In fact, there was no sign of anyone else, as there was only a single bed in the room. Arche frowned, then refocused on Tess, who stared at him expectantly. ¡°I may have made a mistake.¡± Tess sighed, trying and failing to hide a tired smile. ¡°You¡¯re a mess. Come on.¡± He gave her an unsteady smile and she grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet. ¡°You really need to learn how to handle your alcohol.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he mumbled. ¡°It has a pretty good track record of leading me to you.¡± ¡°That didn¡¯t work out so well the first time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a little attempted murder amongst friends?¡± ¡°Can you walk?¡± ¡°Well enough, I think. Can you point me in the direction of Basil¡¯s room?¡± ¡°Let the boy sleep. At least someone should.¡± Tess pointed him toward the bed while she shut and locked the door. Arche sat down on the edge and fumbled with his boots. After twenty seconds of struggling, he remembered he could just unequip them directly to his inventory. Freshly unshod, he laid back, legs dangling off the side of the bed as he stared at the dark, thatched ceiling, feeling the world shift and tilt around him. Tess¡¯s fingers stroked his hair. Her touch was calming, intimate, and he felt strangely exposed. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± he asked. The stroking paused, then restarted. ¡°I¡¯m wondering how best to deal with the Hekatonkheires.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The stroking paused again. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s best if we went to bed.¡± ¡°You can talk about it if you want. I¡¯m not all here, but I¡¯m not all gone.¡± Tess sighed and he could imagine the drawn pinch of her face. Her lovely, lovely face. How many drinks had it been? ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just my lives colliding into one another.¡± Arche blinked and tried to organize his thoughts. ¡°I should have asked you about it before. Are you doing all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. They want me back, but I don¡¯t want to go back. That¡¯s not how the Fifth Hand works, though. He won¡¯t stop until he finds me.¡± ¡°I thought you enjoyed your time with them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­complicated.¡± Tess screwed up her face. ¡°I did enjoy it, but I didn¡¯t. There¡¯s a fear in me, one I can barely give voice to. It says to return is to die and I don¡¯t understand, but my instinct has gotten me too far to ignore it now. It¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll be fine. I just have to think my way out of this.¡± Arche snorted. ¡°It¡¯s all right to not be all right, Theresa.¡± Tess brushed a finger against his cheek. ¡°Theresa caused a lot of trouble for this city and for me. She was a scared, abused girl who grew up too fast.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve abandoned her for Tessalyn?¡± ¡°Not really. Tessalyn was a mask I used for running. Tess is closer to who I want to be, I think.¡± ¡°I can call you that, then. If you prefer.¡± ¡°Theresa sounds good on your lips. You don¡¯t say it like the others did. I appreciate your discretion about it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I take it you¡¯re not willing to let me meet the Hekatonkheires at the docks?¡± Arche sat up and spun around. He immediately regretted it, as the world shifted violently and he almost lost his balance, sitting though he was, but he did his best to find and hold Tess¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you to them. Not ever. No fucking way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the cause of the trouble with them. I can end it.¡± ¡°I have my eyes back, now. I¡¯m not letting you go without a fight.¡± ¡°And your Mana Scarring?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t use Divine Body. We can handle whatever they throw at us.¡± ¡°Oh, Arche. You have no idea. Even if we were stronger than their most powerful members, which we¡¯re not, we would never be able to get past them. Poison, magic, traps. They use them all.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll outsmart them. How long until next Nyxpera?¡± ¡°It¡¯s past midnight, so¡­tomorrow.¡± ¡°Shit. That¡¯s not a lot of time.¡± ¡°So you see the problem.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll figure something out.¡± ¡°Optimism is not a plan.¡± Arche patted around the bed until he found her hand. ¡°I mean it. I¡¯m not handing you over. We¡¯ll find a way.¡± Tess caressed his cheek. ¡°I know you mean it.¡± Arche opened his mouth to argue more, but Tess¡¯s lips pressed against his and words became a difficult concept. Everything slipped away, replaced by the taste of strawberries and mint. Book 2 | Chapter 38 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Any dregs of sleep fled Lyssa when the screaming started. She sat upright, heart pounding, eyes flashing. She wasn¡¯t alone. Three small, humanoid things stood near a gaping hole cut into the floorboards. One of them was next to the bed, brandishing a knife. Everyone froze. The one with the knife lunged for her. Lyssa threw up her arm to block it as she struggled to pull free from the sheets. The knife sank into her forearm, skipping between the bones. Lyssa snarled as pain flashed through her, white and hot, then struck out with her other fist, catching the creature in the temple and sending it reeling. Legs finally free of the sheets, she kicked out before it could recover. There was a sickening crunch as a large nose gave way beneath her foot. The creature stumbled backward and fell into the hole as the other two brandished knives and rushed forward. Lyssa rolled across the frame and fell to the floorboards on the other side, putting the bed between them, but the creatures kept coming. One circled around while the other scrambled over the top. She deflected a strike from the one on the bed, pulling her kopis from her inventory. Her blade slid past the simple guard of the knife and severed the creature¡¯s hand, spraying dark blood across the sheets. Her second strike snaked upward through the creature¡¯s neck and exited out the top of its skull. She snatched the knife as it fell and flung it into the face of the third, where it buried itself to the hilt. The first, having crawled back out of the hole, attacked her from beneath the bed, sinking a knife into her thigh. Lyssa cried out as her leg buckled. She dropped her sword and clutched at the final foe, who was not as fast in getting away as it had been in getting close. Her hand closed around its throat and it gasped, eyes bulging. Spindly fingers grabbed her own, but its strength was no match for hers. She drove its head sideways into the bedframe, then down onto the ground, squeezing until it hurt. The creature raked long nails over the back of her hand and along her forearm, but she kept her grip tight until its movements became sluggish. It trembled, full body shakes against the floor, but Lyssa didn¡¯t loosen her grip until it had gone deathly still. Even then, she summoned a second kopis from her inventory and stabbed it through the chest. A quick look at her vitals showed that the wounds, though painful, were not life-threatening. She¡¯d lost thirty percent of her Health and it ticked lower with every drop of blood that pattered to the floor.
You have slain 3 Goblin Sneakthieves. You gain 1,080 experience.
Lyssa spat on the corpse. A more in-depth look at the notification told her their levels averaged out to twenty. She eyed the hole in her floor with a snarl. How they had managed to sneak beneath her room unnoticed was beyond her, but that was a question for a different time. With a thought, she inventoried her sword and equipped her boots. The rest of her armor would have to wait as it required pulling the knives out. As it was, shooting a bow was going to be painful to the point of useless. She scooped up the kopis and staggered toward the door. Not for the first time, she wished they had an apothecary. A healing potion would have been lovely, but it was not the reality. She didn¡¯t even have herbs with her to help numb the pain. There was no sign of Theodorous in the main room. She dragged herself over to his room, the only other on the ground floor. A loud crash came from the behind the closed door. Lyssa threw her shoulder into it and it burst open. Theodorous laid on the floor, desperately trying to keep the goblin on top of him from driving a knife into his eye. Lyssa dropped her sword and summoned a knife out of her inventory. The goblin looked up at her just in time to see steel embed itself into its forehead, killing it instantly. Theodorous shoved the dead goblin off and scrambled to his feet. His clothes were torn and bloody, but his injuries looked superficial. When he saw Lyssa, two knives sticking out of her, his already ashen face paled even further. ¡°Come. It isn¡¯t safe here!¡± she barked. It was getting difficult to move her leg. The muscle was growing stiff around the knife, but it would be worse to pull it out. Still, there was more to be done. She put one foot on the dropped kopis, added it to her inventory, then pulled it back out into her hand. ¡°Grab the knife and come with me.¡± Theodorous, to his credit, didn¡¯t hesitate as he ripped the knife free from the goblin¡¯s head. They barged out of the village hall and took stock. Myriatos was in chaos. The insulae were on fire. People screamed and roared and howled. Scores of goblins ran amuck; hundreds of them. The guards tried to rally but were at a clear disadvantage. The goblins had attacked from inside the village, not outside, so it was impossible for the guards to get between the threat and the villagers. To their credit, the guards were making short work of the goblins whenever the two groups encountered each other, but there were easily three goblins to every one villager and six villagers to a guard. A goblin flung itself at a woman nearby. Its sharp teeth latched onto her shoulder and ripped out a bloody chunk. She fell and more goblins joined in, tearing at the woman. Lyssa didn¡¯t wait to see what happened next. She joined the fray, a sword in each hand. Every step and slice were agony, but it was drowned by the fury that tore through her veins instead of blood. A goblin with scarlet, meaty chunks dripping from its mouth saw her coming. It detached and barked a warning in a high-pitched language, but it was too late. Lyssa¡¯s kopis cracked teeth as she slid her blade through the goblin¡¯s open mouth. She spun to the side, ripping the sword out sideways as she worked to clear two more off the fallen woman. The last lunged for her, mouth gaping and full of fangs. She brought the hilt of her sword up into the goblin¡¯s jaw, snapping its mouth shut and severing the tip of its tongue. It howled in pain until two cuts from her blades separated its head into three equal parts. Lyssa didn¡¯t stop to help the woman, it was too late for that. Instead, she surged ahead, bloodied and in pain, injured arm and leaden leg, but rage seethed within her, demanding death.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. The next group of goblins wielded crude spears, which complicated things. There were four of them and they were skilled enough in coordinating their attacks that she could find no openings to get through them. Both kopides were forced to work defense as the goblins encircled her. Snarling, she dropped a sword and flung a knife at one of them. It sunk into the goblin¡¯s chest but didn¡¯t kill it. Still, it backed off, one hand clutching at the hilt of her knife. Now that she had an open hand, she deflected a spear thrust upward and grabbed hold of it, yanking the goblin off balance. Her sword severed its arm and carved a deep strip out of its flank before she turned her focus on the last two. She inventoried the sword at her feet and the spear, which was too small for her anyway. Before she could press the attack, she was forced into defense. One of the goblins harried her face, forcing her backward. The other took the opportunity to dart in close. Lyssa swung her sword upward, slashing the goblin across the chest, but not before it got a hand around the knife embedded in her leg. As it fell dead to the ground, the knife came away with it, causing a burst of searing agony that cut through the bulk of Lyssa¡¯s rage. Green blood spurted from the wound and she stumbled. The last goblin, sensing weakness, pushed the advantage. It stepped forward, intending to run its spear through her stomach, but before it could extend, Theodorous tackled it from the side, slamming his knife down into the goblin¡¯s face again and again with a savage cry. Lyssa¡¯s leg gave way completely and she fell to the ground, the world darkening around the edges. Then, Theodorous was there. He took the sword from her hand and placed himself underneath her good arm, supporting her weight across his shoulders. ¡°Come on, Lyssa. The healers¡¯ tent isn¡¯t far. Stay with me.¡± Her anger sparked again as she was forced to take in the devastation, but a dread cold had settled into her limbs. With every step, she was forced to put more weight on Theodorous, until she could no longer move her injured leg. Odelia wasn¡¯t at her tent but one of her healers was, a tall woman Lyssa didn¡¯t know with ears like that of a bear. Theodorous helped Lyssa to the ground and stood guard over her while the healer quickly examined her injuries. A soft, golden glow emanated from the woman¡¯s hands, flooding over Lyssa¡¯s wounds. The drain on her Health slowed, then crept upward. Rage and spite were the only things keeping her conscious. That and the knowledge that if she fell now, more would die. ¡°Fix my arm,¡± Lyssa demanded. The healer hesitated, having already focused the majority of effort on her bleeding leg. Lyssa grabbed hold of the knife in her forearm and wrenched it free, spurring the healer into action. Thanks to the quick intervention, the move barely cost any Health, even if the pain of it threatened to overwhelm her. Lyssa¡¯s arm was almost completely healed when two more goblins appeared. One engaged Theo while the other dodged around to get at the healer. Lyssa pushed herself into a sitting position and equipped her bracers, using them to catch the goblin¡¯s shoddy sword blade and redirect it into the ground. She dug the fingers of her other hand into the goblin¡¯s eyes, her sharp nails drawing blood as the goblin reared back. Before it could get out of her reach, she grabbed its abandoned sword, spun it around, and planted it into the goblin¡¯s chest. Turning, she watched Theodorous suffer a deep cut to his thigh. As he fell, the goblin rushed forward, eager to finish the job. Lyssa¡¯s bow appeared in her hands, an arrow nocked and loosed. The shaft hit the goblin with enough force to knock it to the side and it landed next to Theodorous. ¡°Help him!¡± Lyssa shouted at the healer, turning to find a third goblin had snuck up on them and driven a dagger into the woman¡¯s belly. The goblin sneered at her and ripped the knife free, stepping forward to strike her as well. It fell to the ground with Lyssa¡¯s fletching sticking out of its forehead. She moved to the woman¡¯s side, pressing her hands against the wound in a desperate bid to apply pressure. The healer¡¯s own hands were shaking as she attempted to make the gestures necessary for her spells. A gold light flickered to life, then died as the woman lost control. The light flickered five times as she kept trying to recast it. ¡°Stay with me. You can do this. Cast the spell.¡± The sixth time, the light didn¡¯t even appear. Lyssa met the woman¡¯s eyes. They were glassy with fear and pain but Lyssa had no comfort for her. ¡°Keep trying. You have to keep trying. We need you.¡± The woman¡¯s shaking hand brushed against Lyssa¡¯s face. Her face drew tight with emotion, but the light was already leaving her eyes. ¡°No! Stay with me. We need you!¡± The healer¡¯s hand fell away, leaving a wet imprint on Lyssa¡¯s cheek and forehead. She stood, gritting her teeth against the pain in her leg. The healer had stopped the bleeding, but that was about the extent of it. It would have to be enough. Bow in hand, Lyssa took in a deep breath and let it out. In one swift motion, she drew back her bow and released an arrow. Her hands worked automatically, pulling the string and letting it go. Arrows appeared in her hand almost of their own accord, surging forth through the air to land in mottled gray-green flesh. Each release was rewarded with a soft, flashing glow of a kill notification. There was no joy as her enemies fell. Nor could she feel the hatred that had burned just minutes before. A hollowness had enclosed her. She felt only the pain in her leg, the blood on her face, and the flexing muscles in her back as she pulled her bowstring again and again and again. Lyssa tried to draw an arrow from her inventory to find that she had none left. She ripped the arrow from the skull of the goblin at her feet and aimed it toward a group near the insulae. It clipped a goblin¡¯s head, not a killing shot but enough to give a guard the opening to run a spear through its chest. The rest of the village hadn¡¯t been idle during her salvo. Gigator rallied most of the guards and villagers into a defensive position where they could protect each other. Elpida had practically formed a ground calvary unit, breaking any defensive line the goblins formed with four other warriors as they sprinted through the battlefield they once called home. The goblins were in full retreat. Hundreds lay dead; gray blood pooled over the saturated dirt and mixed with the mostly red blood of the villagers. The rest fled toward various pits that Lyssa hadn¡¯t noticed. What was worse, some of the goblins were dragging bodies of the fallen, both goblin and villager, into the pits with them. Without any more arrows and with her injured leg, she could do nothing but curse them. She turned back to the dead healer and tore a strip of cloth from the woman¡¯s chiton. Theodorous clutched at his leg, letting out small, pained gasps, but she made him remove his hands. Once bound, she made sure he wasn¡¯t in further danger of bleeding out, then handed him a sword and limped away. The dark of night combined with the burning rooves of the insulae made it difficult to see, but Lyssa¡¯s vision was better than most. Any goblins outside were no longer above ground. ¡°Gigator!¡± she called out. ¡°We need to put out those fires.¡± The giant sauros called out orders, organizing guards and villagers alike to douse the flames. ¡°The rest of you,¡± Lyssa called out. ¡°Seek the wounded. Travel in pairs. Save who you can, leave the rest.¡± As people moved to follow her orders, a crack of thunder sounded overhead. Lyssa looked up to see storm clouds had gathered over the village. A flash of lightning lit up the sky for a moment, then another peal of thunder rang out, so loud it seemed to split the sky in two. Then the rain fell. Big heavy droplets that quickly drenched everything in their wake. The fires roared against the rain, but between the deluge and the bucket brigade, it was quickly under control. Lyssa fell to her knees, bow falling from numb fingers as the rain dripped down her skin. They had survived the attack, but the cost had been heavy. They¡¯d been caught by surprise, attacked from below. Their response was unorganized and haphazard. No doubt many had died avoidable deaths. One thing was certain, however. The next time they met, Lyssa would bring the battle to the goblins¡¯ doorstep. Book 2 | Chapter 39 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The morning sun cast rays through the window to reveal a very groggy Arche, arm and leg hanging off the side of the bed to brush against the floor. There was a dull ache in his mind and an uncomfortable, fabric taste in his mouth that begged for water. He also had a vague sense of discomfort, a phantom pain in his arm and leg. He sat up, rubbing at the sore spots, and found Tess sitting at the table dressed in a simple tunic with a towel wrapped about her hair. ¡°Sleep well?¡± she asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction. Arche ran a hand through his bed-hair and frowned. ¡°Not really. Bad dream. Myriatos was being attacked again, but not by beastmar. Strange, little creatures. A lot of people died.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She frowned. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it was just a dream.¡± ¡°Sure didn¡¯t feel like one.¡± He grimaced and stood, stretching the stiffness out of his neck. ¡°I wish we had some way of getting in touch with Lyssa. Can¡¯t shake the feeling something terrible happened.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much you can do about it from here,¡± Tess pointed out. ¡°The sooner we finish what we came here for, the sooner we can get back.¡± ¡°Right.¡± He paused for a long moment. ¡°Anyway, are we going to talk about last night?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to talk about?¡± ¡°Well, I remember a kiss. After that, it¡¯s a bit blurry.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Tess¡¯s expression grew guarded. Even dangerous. ¡°Please tell me I didn¡¯t make a fool of myself. Again.¡± There was a long, pregnant pause before Tess¡¯s demeanor cracked. She let out a loud, hearty laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your honor is intact. Besides, you¡¯re cute when you sleep.¡± Arche grunted and rubbed his head. Tess raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not much for banter this morning?¡± ¡°Mouth feels weird. Still thinking about the dream.¡± ¡°Hmm, a shame. We can¡¯t exactly send a message to Lyssa. No courier would be able to get there.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Arche threw on a shirt and rubbed the stiffness in his leg. Tess stood as well and removed the towel from her head, letting wet hair fall down around her shoulders as she walked toward him. Arche froze, completely distracted, as she slid a finger from his shoulder up his neck and tapped him on the cheek. ¡°As for the kiss,¡± she said, her breath hot against his face. ¡°I hope that memory isn¡¯t too blurry for you.¡± Arche blinked but couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer. Her lips were right there. He could feel her breath on his skin, sending shivers up his spine. Tess winked, then pulled away. ¡°You¡¯re a cruel woman.¡± ¡°Life¡¯s more fun that way. Besides, we have work to do. We could have had some fun, but you had to go and get drunk last night.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not drunk now.¡± ¡°No, but you need a bath, now, and something to mask your breath. And even if your schedule is open, I have business to attend to. Now, go on. I need to continue getting ready.¡± She gently pushed him toward the door with one hand. He wanted to say something witty before he left, but his mind was too foggy, so he savored the sight of her smiling at him and walked back to Basil¡¯s room with a grin on his face and a nagging worry in the back of his mind. Basil, as it turned out, was already awake, having gone to bed early the previous night. Helwan, on the other hand, was snoring loud enough to be heard down the hall. As Arche slipped into the room, Basil raised his eyebrows and gave him a conspiratorial look. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what?¡¯¡± Basil countered, a grin spreading across his face. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve barely said anything.¡± ¡°Then do me a favor and get me a glass of water.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any?¡± Arche thumped his forehead with his palm and opened his inventory. ¡°I do, don¡¯t I? Wow, this morning is rough.¡± ¡°I take it you had a good time, last night?¡± ¡°Good enough. Better than the last time, certainly.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see a broken finger, so I¡¯m inclined to agree. You also had a grin on your face when you walked in, so it can¡¯t have been that bad.¡± Arche took a drink from his waterskin and smacked his lips. All he could taste was strawberries and mint, and he savored it, completely forgetting to respond. Basil took it in stride, adjusting the fitting of his vambrace. ¡°At least we don¡¯t have to relocate. I¡¯m just surprised you¡¯re back this early. I would have figured you and Tess would have a lie in.¡± Arche paused. ¡°What?¡± Basil rolled his eyes. ¡°I mean, you were pillowing, weren¡¯t you? It¡¯s been pretty obvious something¡¯s between you.¡± Basil¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Unless it wasn¡¯t Tess. Was it Cora? Titan¡¯s Blood, Arche, do you have a death wish?¡± ¡°Whoa, stop. Nobody pillowed anybody. Who even calls it that? No. We are not talking about this.¡± Basil put his hands up but still had a twinkle in his eye. ¡°Good plan. Chances are high that I want no part of it. The less I know, the less can be used against me.¡± ¡°Nothing happened, Basil.¡± ¡°A great cover. I¡¯ll remember that one. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, I went to bed early.¡¯ Best lies have a hint of truth.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Arche did his best to put on a disinterested face as he drained his waterskin. He rubbed absently at his leg and smacked his lips again. Basil gave him a shit-eating grin and went back to polishing his sword. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m not doing this. Let Helwan know I¡¯m going to Bits and Baubles to do some shopping and wait for him to get there. I¡¯ll check in later.¡± ¡°Wait, what do you want me to do?¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Go see your family. Tell them I said hi. Do whatever you want, but bring Cora with you, just in case.¡± ¡°Just in case of what?¡± ¡°Exactly. And no more talk of pillowing!¡± Arche shut the door to the room, Tridory in hand, and practically ran down the stairs and out of the inn. The sun had disappeared, covered by an overcast sky that bathed the city in a gray, washed-out tone. The streets hadn¡¯t yet filled with their daily overabundance of people but there were still quite a few milling about. Arche checked his map, searching for and quickly finding Bits & Baubles Enterprises. It was surprisingly distant from the Lyceum, located on the south western side of the city. It was, Arche noticed, solidly within Hekatonkheires territory. That alone nearly made him stop and go back to get Helwan ¨C but then he would have to deal with Basil. Thieves or jokes about his love life? Thieves. Definitely thieves. He adjusted his grip on the Tridory and set off at a fast pace. They were just people. What were people to him after he had faced down monsters? If they came for him, he would make them regret it, and if they killed him, he would return the favor. Ephyra was not the easiest of cities to navigate, not that Arche had much experience to begin with. Because the entire city wrapped around the coast, streets curved if you followed them long enough. The straightest path from the inn to Bits and Baubles would take him through the docks. It would also take him by the palace, however, and that was a place his instincts were telling him to avoid. He couldn¡¯t put a name to the reason, but until someone else came up with a damn good one, he had no desire to go there. Two hours and a road snack later, Arche found himself in front of a small, homely building with a freshly painted sign proudly displaying Bits & Baubles Enterprises. Now that he stood before it, he was hesitant to enter. What would he say without Helwan to make the introduction? Though he was sure her collection was impressive, despite the rather modest building, he didn¡¯t have any money on him. Especially not since he was indebted to the Lyceum. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like much, does it?¡± Arche turned to find a young woman, barely past twenty, next to him. Dark hair and a round face, her hands were clasped behind her back and she wore boots and trousers below a fitted shirt and jacket. Her attire seemed at once alien and familiar, as it was a far cry from anything anyone else was wearing. ¡°Do I know you?¡± Arche asked, trying to ask the question in a way that wouldn¡¯t be rude. The woman shook her head, hair falling over her face before swinging to the other side. ¡°I just like stuff. Weird stuff they¡¯ve got in that shop. Want to see the inside?¡± ¡°I should probably wait for my friend.¡± The young woman turned to look at him and cocked her head. With surprising speed, she grabbed Arche¡¯s hand, shook it up and down once, and let it go just as quickly. ¡°There, now we¡¯re friends and I¡¯m going in. You can join a friend inside or wait for a friend outside. Equal choice.¡± Without waiting for a response, she skipped across the street and pushed open the door. Arche hesitated, glanced down the road, then started after her. A small bell rattled as the door opened but that was the only simple thing about the store. There was only one word to explain the inside of the building: magic. It was a huge, multi-story circle with a maze of shelves. It stretched up and down, the ceiling easily ten floors above them. Everlit Lanterns hung in strategic locations, giving light with no risk of fire. Where Arche and the strange woman stood, they could see out over the banister at all the different floors. Two levels below them was the base of the shop and where the bulk of the shelf maze was located. From their vantage, they would be able to see anyone wandering around, but those inside would find it difficult to find their way out. The woman leaned over the banister, taking it all in with the excitement and breathlessness of a child. She gestured Arche forward, barely tearing her eyes away from all the stuff. Arche felt the slackness of his jaw as he tried to conceptualize the sheer size and volume of magic that had to be in the building. He joined the woman by the banister and stuck his head out, trying see as much as possible. ¡°It¡¯s incredible, isn¡¯t it?¡± she asked. ¡°I never get tired of it. There¡¯s no building like it in all of Ephyra.¡± ¡°I doubt there¡¯s anything like it in all of Tartarus. Is everything magic?¡± The woman smiled. ¡°Most of it, I think. I don¡¯t think many of the books are, but if they¡¯re here, then they¡¯ve got to be important.¡± Arche craned his neck, trying to look at the floors above them. ¡°I don¡¯t see any other customers here.¡± The woman shrugged. ¡°Lucky us, then. We can browse in peace. Unless, of course, you¡¯re waiting for your friend before you look at anything. In which case, I admire your restraint as much as I refuse to imitate it.¡± Arche looked at the huge display of items around him, each one placarded with a name and description. ¡°I don¡¯t think many would accuse me of restraint, but this place is huge. I don¡¯t even know where to start.¡± The woman gave him an appraising look, then tapped him on the arm and chest. ¡°You look like the brawling type. Want to go to the magical equipment section? Or perhaps you¡¯re a secret artist, a lover¡¯s heart hiding in there somewhere, begging to be shown where the magic quills and brushes are.¡± Arche snorted and pushed his tongue into his cheek. ¡°Your first guess was better. I¡¯m not particularly skilled in the arts.¡± ¡°Nonsense, you just haven¡¯t found your passion yet. Not to worry. You¡¯re young, you still have time.¡± The woman gave him a roguish wink, then skipped off before Arche could point out that there was no way she was older than him. To prove that point, he Examined her.
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Arche frowned. Either something in the city was messing with his ability to Examine people or a strange number of people were resistant to his skill. Or he needed to dedicate more time to leveling it. It was useful, but it still only gave him the most basic information. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch your name.¡± ¡°But you tried to take it anyway.¡± Arche blinked but the woman had already moved on. She picked up a blue orb wrapped in metal filigree. She smiled at Arche, then whispered a word into it and tossed it into the air. The orb stopped above their heads and began glowing and spinning. Above them, the night sky was projected, though it was still daytime outside. ¡°Cool, huh?¡± she asked. ¡°Very. Is that the layout of the stars right now, if we could see them?¡± She shrugged. ¡°How should I know? We can¡¯t see them.¡± Arche frowned, mouth slightly open in bemusement, then shrugged. ¡°Fair enough.¡± Before he could ask her anything else, she raced off to a different section, plucking things out of it. The floating orb gradually dimmed and descended back to the basket it had rested in. As Arche followed the woman through the strange array, he noticed some interesting names on the placards he passed. Foldable Trireme. Ever-Weeping Willow Cup. Bardic Quill of Gaudy Verse. Sadly, if he was to keep sight of the woman racing off in front of him, he had no chance to stop and read what any of them did. They went down a flight of stairs and Arche found the combat section. Armor and weaponry of every conceivable type lined displays all around them. ¡°Everyone¡¯s always interested in these but nobody buys them much,¡± the woman said. Arche looked at a set of armor that appeared to be made from the scales of a green dragon. It seemed a heavier, more expensive version of the blue-scale armor that Tess often wore when things got dicey. ¡°I doubt many could afford them. I notice there are no prices listed.¡± The woman shrugged. ¡°Prices change. I certainly wouldn¡¯t want to have to go through all the inventory and change prices just because the worth of a drachma went up or down on a given day.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t that be done by magic, though?¡± ¡°Oh, so now you¡¯re an expert in magic, are you?¡± ¡°Well, no. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking.¡± The woman snapped her fingers. ¡°And fairly asked it was! It probably could.¡± Arche could feel a small pressure build behind his eyes as the eccentric woman¡¯s mood pivoted faster than a dancer. ¡°Should we be trying to find an employee or something? Seems strange that customers would be allowed such free reign inside the store.¡± The woman shrugged and thumbed the dull back of a dagger as she skipped along toward the stairs leading down to the maze of bookshelves. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t they be?¡± ¡°What if they steal something?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. Would you?¡± ¡°Well, no. What if they want to buy something?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s going to stop them?¡± Arche didn¡¯t know how to respond to that, so he gave up trying and followed the woman down to the books. There was no filing system Arche could recognize. Theory was next to history, study next to biography, and magic tomes were interlaced throughout. The shelves themselves stood head and shoulders above him. The woman rushed forward, almost running as she disappeared into the maze. After a moment¡¯s deliberation, Arche followed. His hesitation cost him, however, as he lost sight of her around a bend and when he came to the turn himself, he was met with three distinct passages. ¡°Hello?¡± he called out. ¡°Where¡¯d you go?¡± There was no reply. Arche turned around, intending to leave the book maze the way he¡¯d come, and found a shelf had appeared, blocking off his escape. He was trapped. ¡°Fuck.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 40 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals It was a day of blood. Twisted and mangled corpses covered Myriatos like scattered seeds. The grass disappeared beneath a red lake, ankle-deep and filled with the drowned. Rain fell, mixing with blood atop the oversaturated ground. Lyssa stumbled through the village. She should be organizing her people, but there was a hollowness around her heart. The wound in her leg was still hot and walking was difficult. Thinking was difficult. Dawn came with only a subtle shift in light as the storm raged on. The flash and clash of lightning and thunder pantomimed a battle far above, but whatever blood they had to spill could not compare to all that lay below. Below was an empty place, an abandoned place. The wounded raised their ragged cry over the splash of rain and peals of thunder. They screamed their injuries to the sky above, begging for life, for death, for mothers and mercy, but the silence of their cries was worse, for there were far more who did not weep and wail, but lay with eyes unseeing, waiting to be collected; forever gone. Once the fires had been quenched, the survivors added their voices to the call. Grief settled around Myriatos, a veil as thick and shrouding as the storm surrounding them. Wives clutched at the bodies of their husbands. Husbands beat the ground in front of the corpses of their wives. Those that died without family were held by their friends. In this tiny place, no life was without cherishment. The dissonant cries rose, as though the whole village was a wounded, dying animal. Lyssa swayed on her feet. She heard every gasp, every pained cry, and every muttered oath. Her own blood, green amongst the red, trickled down her leg to join the rest. Whatever guilt she carried with the death of the dwarves had born itself a hundredfold. There was no end to the dead. A voice called her name ¨C but what did it matter? Such senseless violence, such gore. No hate in all the world could redeem the dead. No anger could avenge them. Arms surrounded Lyssa and a face appeared before her. It was speaking to her, but she could only hear the lamentations of the bereft. Hands landed on her shoulders but she hardly felt them. The world roared around her and the edges of her vision faded. Something struck her cheek, twisted her face to the side; the sting of fresh pain brought the world back into sharp focus. Lyssa blinked once and sound restored itself. Elpida stood before her, drenched in blood and water, shouting her name. Lyssa put her hand on the back of the woman¡¯s neck and brought their foreheads together. The gesture lasted only a moment, but she hoped it contained all the words she could not find. ¡°What are your orders, Lyssa?¡± Orders. She was in charge. Responsible for the slaughter.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Gather your team and contact Vik, if he¡¯s alive. They came from underground. I want to know how they infiltrated us and where they came from. This isn¡¯t over.¡± Elpida nodded and, lingering only for a moment, stepped away. Lyssa turned toward the insulae. Gigator was marshaling his guards, stationing them around every tunnel. As Lyssa approached, the sauros broke off his orders and rendered a salute. ¡°Archousa.¡± ¡°They broke into the village hall as well. There¡¯s at least one entrance in my bedchambers, possibly one in Theodorous¡¯s as well. The whole building should be searched, as should the insulae. I also want guards with the healers, if you can spare them. A least one died tonight. Have you seen Odelia?¡± Gigator shook his head. ¡°No, but I¡¯ll get on it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find her. Focus on keeping our people safe. Elpida, and hopefully Vik, are looking into how this happened.¡± A triage sat outside the healer¡¯s tent. Bodies were dragged or carried by those still well enough to move. Lyssa made her way toward it with gritted teeth. She had failed to protect them. Failed them like she had failed her brother. It was a weight around her neck, one that pulled up and back instead of down, but she still had a duty to fulfill. A responsibility to the dead and injured. There were too many wounded to bring them all inside the tent, but those without serious wounds and medical training fashioned canopies to fend off the rain. Lyssa looked over those administering aid and her heart fell. Odelia was not among the healers. Of the half dozen that the halfling woman had trained, only three remained. She searched the rows of injured, but the biomancer was nowhere to be found. Lyssa stopped one of the healers, grabbing the man¡¯s arm. ¡°Odelia. Where is she?¡± ¡°When you find her, send her here. We¡¯re not equipped to deal with this.¡± The man tore himself away to treat another casualty. A knot formed in Lyssa¡¯s stomach. She whirled around, trying to find some trace of the halfling woman. Instead, she saw the crumpled and bloodied form of Abraxios, lying on a blanket in the triage. Blood soaked through his bright feathers, staining most of them crimson. Lyssa ran to him, falling to her knees next to one of his shredded wings. The tengu was conscious, though only just. His breath was ragged and bandages bound his torso. His eyes focused on Lyssa, the only thing about him that remained sharp and alert. ¡°They¡­took¡­¡± he rasped, bile heavy in his throat. Lyssa held his hand and met his eyes. ¡°Odelia?¡± Abraxios¡¯s head dipped a single degree. His grip on her hand was tight. Desperate. ¡°Children.¡± Lyssa¡¯s blood grew cold. Abraxios sagged and went limp; his eyes rolled back until no hint of color was left. She held her cheek above his beak and sighed in relief as she felt the faintest puff of air. He was still alive. The relief fled as the impact of his words hit her again. The children. Someone screamed. Lyssa whirled and stood, bow drawn. Two guards struggled to hold a woman back from one of the pits. She pushed against them, reaching desperately toward something on the ground just beside the opening. An arm. A very small arm with a blue, blood-speckled bracelet. The woman tore free from the guards and sank to the ground, cradling the limb. She let out a moan, low and keening, almost animalistic. Other voices joined the cry. Names were called, none answered. The magnitude of what the goblins did struck the village all at once. The children of Myriatos were gone. Book 2 | Chapter 41 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Arche was thoroughly annoyed. He had wandered through the bookshelves, idly glancing at the titles, for over three hours. Most of the books were written in strange languages and even the ones he did know were either too specific to make sense or too vague to be interesting. He had little interest, for example, in the Effects of Selene and Agrotera on the Mating Habits of Persesian Brown Bears. He had hoped for a book on magic but there was no such luck. The filing system was insane. Any book containing any material by any author could be next to one another on a shelf. It was maddening to the point Arche had to assume it was intentional. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± he called out, not bothering to keep the annoyance out of his voice. He didn¡¯t expect an answer. No answer had come the previous thirty times he¡¯d called out but he was extraordinarily bored and starting to get hungry. ¡°Well, well. It seems there is a fly caught in the honeypot. How unfortunate.¡± A woman¡¯s voice sounded from nowhere and everywhere at once. It was mature, almost sultry, and entirely predatory. Arche tensed. He removed the Tridory¡¯s cover, revealing the spear¡¯s point as he moved in a slow circle, keeping his eyes on the balconies above for signs of anyone else. There was nobody there. ¡°A thief. A murderer, too. Where did you come across such an item?¡± ¡°A dungeon in the middle of fucking nowhere. Let me out of this stupid maze.¡± ¡°Many in this city would sell their fortunes for the chance to wander unfettered among these books. Only a fool would have no appreciation for the treasure in front of him.¡± ¡°Maybe you should get more interesting books.¡± A noise behind him made him jump and whirl. One of the shelves had shifted, revealing a tunnel of books. Arche took a hesitant step toward it, wondering how the books on the ceiling stayed in place. After two dozen steps, the mouth of the tunnel closed and he was left with no other path than forward. The tunnel twisted and turned, leading him in strange directions and changes in gradient. Then, the tunnel began to grow smaller until Arche was forced to crouch. Then crawl. Then squeeze. After nearly getting stuck, he finally emerged into a circular room. It was surprisingly cozy, with a large, crackling fireplace set into an empty shelf. Books lined the walls, and the ceiling was painted¡ªor, perhaps, enchanted¡ªto mimic the stars. Two leather chairs clad with blankets sat on either side of the fireplace, which was the primary source of light for the room. The secondary source of light came from soft yellow globes connected to the chairs. ¡°Your reading room, I take it?¡± he asked aloud. There was no one else in the room but that didn¡¯t mean he was alone. ¡°Do you enjoy it? Or are you already trying to decide which books here look the most expensive?¡± ¡°Look, lady, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve got against me, but I¡¯m not here for your books. I actually came to talk to you, but if this is the treatment you give all your customers, consider me unimpressed. What¡¯d you do with the girl?¡± ¡°The girl is fine. She enjoys the maze for its intended purpose. You, on the other hand, are no customer.¡± Arche slammed the Tridory¡¯s sauroter into the floor, wedging it into the wood. ¡°If you¡¯re such a fucking expert on me then why don¡¯t you come and enlighten me.¡± There was the faintest scuff of a shoe against wood next to him. Arche spun, but no one was there. Something heavy hit his chest and he stumbled backward. A figure came into view, materializing in the shadow like they¡¯d been there the entire time. They were dressed in all black and their face was obscured by a mask of fabric that only left their eyes visible but Arche had the distinct sense that this was the woman he¡¯d been speaking to. He put his fists up. ¡°You want to fight? Let¡¯s fight.¡± The woman cocked her head, then mimicked his stance. ¡°You want to learn?¡± she asked. ¡°Lesson one: pain.¡± Arche stepped forward and threw a jab. It was exploratory, meant to test her response, and the woman didn¡¯t consider it for a moment. She stepped forward as well, bending around the punch, and slammed an open hand into his chest. At the same time, her leg kicked his inner thigh, forcing his stance wider and leaving a stinging pain. Before her leg had touched the ground again, she planted her foot on his chest and shoved him back. All this before he was even able to pull his jab back. Arche tumbled to the ground and rolled. He grunted as he got to his feet and Examined her.
?
Examine was officially on his shitlist. Arche raised his fists again, but the woman made no move toward him. Instead, she watched him. She was faster, clearly, but the difference was not insurmountable. He had made the mistake of trying to gauge her, he needed to engage her. Commit to his actions. He attacked with a snapping front kick, which the woman easily rebuffed with her forearms. She was strong, but not quite as strong as he was. He followed with a low roundhouse, hoping to catch her leg and slow her down, but she turned into the kick, raising her knee against his shin. Pain bloomed along his leg and his toes tingled like they¡¯d been jabbed with pins. Still, he pressed the attack. He brought his newly hurt leg behind him and stood southpaw. The woman stood before him with arms half bent and held in front of her, palms open. Arche feinted another jab and turned it into an elbow, hoping to catch the woman off-guard if she tried to sway around it like she¡¯d done before, but this time she blocked it using her own elbow. He followed it up with a quick combination intended to pepper her torso and face, but she redirected each strike with infuriating precision. Hoping to take her by surprise, he tried to stomp on her foot. She picked hers up and kicked him in the jaw. Arche flailed back, grabbing for her leg as he fell, but it was already out of reach again. His head cracked against the wooden floorboards and dark spots appeared in his vision. He lay there, stunned. The exchange had cost him twenty percent of his Health. ¡°You called me a murderer,¡± he said as he pulled himself to his feet again. ¡°Care to explain that one?¡± ¡°You wield the Tridory and you reek of death.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t smell so great yourself, unless that¡¯s my blood I¡¯m smelling.¡± He snorted and a glob of snotty red hit the floor. ¡°Yep, definitely my blood.¡± Arche pulled a blanket from one of the chairs and flung it at the woman, hoping to distract her. As soon as he was obscured behind it, he went low, trying to sweep her legs out from beneath her. He never made contact, but the blanket somehow reversed trajectory and surrounded him. Something crashed into his side and he felt a rib crack as he was knocked into a shelf. Books tumbled to the floor in a heap of paper. He tore the blanket away in time to catch the woman¡¯s shin with his face. ¡°You pretend yourself a kind man, but there is a monster beneath it all. One given a longer and longer chain with each life you¡¯ve taken, waiting to strangle your last pretense. Show me your monster and I will do all of Tartarus a favor by slaying you both.¡± The fire flashed and deepened, the flames growing from orange to a deep red. The whole room was bathed in crimson as Arche felt his anger rise. He longed to use his Divine Body, to tear her apart, but he was still all too aware of the consequences. He was far from dead, despite a cracked rib, and the damage caused by using the skill was too great a risk. It wasn¡¯t the only trick up his sleeve, after all. Arche grabbed a handful of books off the floor and threw them. Not at the woman, but at the fireplace. The woman let out a surprised gasp and lunged forward. Taking advantage of the distraction, Arche grabbed hold of her wrist as she passed and pulled, knocking her off balance as he sank his fist into her face. Before he could land another strike, she twisted in his grasp. Her arm tore free from his fingers and then her hands were around his own. Before Arche could push her away, she maneuvered around him and pinned his arm behind his back. A strike to the back of his leg forced him down to a kneeling position as she applied a painful torque to his wrist, elbow, and shoulder simultaneously. The pressure amplified but Arche refused to submit. He struggled against her grasp, trying to worm his way out, but it was no good. Keeping his arm in place, the woman set her foot on the back of his neck and forced his head into the ground. ¡°Any final words, murderer?¡± The pressure on his neck eased slightly, giving him a moment to breathe. Arche took a moment to center himself, then did something desperate. He pushed back against the pressure on his arm. It snapped in two places and he didn¡¯t bother trying to suppress the scream that followed, but he didn¡¯t stop. The woman recoiled in surprise and disgust, her grip loosening. Arche rolled away and came to his feet, clutching his broken limb, which hung a little too low and faced the wrong direction. The woman raised her hands and crouched, ready for more, but Arche just grimaced and leaned against a bookshelf. He raised his good hand in a sign of supplication. ¡°Can we just talk for a minute first? I¡¯m very confused right now and if I¡¯m going to go through the trouble of dying again, I¡¯d at least like to know what for.¡± The woman hesitated, her eyes squinting and distrustful, but she lowered her hands and straightened. Arche inclined his head, taking the time to check his vitals. He was sitting at sixty percent Health, which wasn¡¯t a comfortable place to be. She was devastating with her attacks and he had no doubt that if he had not gotten free from her grip, she would have broken his neck as well as his arm. ¡°Speak.¡± The word was suffused with magic. It echoed around the room but, as it washed over Arche, he felt strangely unaffected. ¡°You got my arm pretty good. I¡¯m going to need a minute.¡± The woman cocked her head, as if considering him, then produced something from her inventory and tossed it to him. Arche caught it with his good hand out of reflex and looked at it. It was a small vial with a purple tincture inside.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Poison?¡± ¡°Hardly.¡± Narrowing his eyes, he Examined the vial, ready to give the skill up forever if it failed him again.
Vial of Numbing Rarity: Uncommon Potency: Excellent Durability: 3 / 3 Weight: 0.3 kilograms Effect: This numbing agent acts as a general anesthetic. Consuming it reduces pain by 68% for one hour. -15 Dexterity for the duration.
Arche opened the popper and poured the vial into his mouth. There was a faint aftertaste of cloves and he was surprised at how pleasant it was. He tossed the vial back. ¡°Thanks.¡± The woman didn¡¯t respond, but she did catch the vial and make it vanish away to her inventory. ¡°I¡¯m to assume you work for Rune Oyl, then?¡± The woman gave a single nod. ¡°May I know your name?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Why did you call me a murderer?¡± ¡°Because you are.¡± Arche sighed. The numbing agent had just started to kick in, thankfully, so he was no longer in crippling pain to go with a poor conversation. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the back and forth where I insist I¡¯m not and you insist I am. Why do you think I am a murderer?¡± The woman pointed at the Tridory, never taking her eyes off Arche. ¡°The spear? So what?¡± ¡°You have bound yourself to the Tridory.¡± ¡°Again, so what?¡± ¡°To do so, you are a murderer. It is a cursed weapon and should have stayed buried.¡± Arche considered that. ¡°So you¡¯re saying in order to have bound myself to the spear, I had to be a murderer. Like some sort of weird moral prerequisite?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make any sense. What if I had killed someone in self-defense? Or fairly in battle?¡± The woman shook her head. ¡°No. The Tridory is a weapon attuned to that which commands Death. To bind yourself to it, you must sacrifice yourself for power. To murder another, you lose yourself.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make sense. I didn¡¯t kill anybody before I bound myself to the spear.¡± ¡°Then you are lying.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°I lost memories, a few days before I found the Tridory.¡± The woman lifted her chin, suddenly paying very close attention. ¡°What memories?¡± ¡°All of them. I was a blank slate. That was about two months ago. I woke up in the woods wearing weird, uncomfortable clothes. Almost got eaten by a rabid, half-dead wolf.¡± The woman cocked her head and narrowed her eyes at Arche. ¡°You are a murderer,¡± she said at last. ¡°And you are not a murderer.¡± ¡°How am I both? Seems like a binary thing.¡± ¡°Murder marks your soul, but you have not committed it.¡± Arche stared at her. ¡°What the fuck does that mean, lady?¡± The woman made a strange gesture to one side, frustration clear in the movement. ¡°You are the one that does not make sense. Do not blame me for being unable to explain yourself to you.¡± Arche blinked, more surprised he¡¯d gotten a reaction out of her than anything else. ¡°Sorry?¡± The woman glared at him a moment longer, then gestured to one of the chairs by the fireplace. Arche hesitated, then limped over to it. Despite the numbing agent, he was still in quite a bit of pain and was grateful for the opportunity to sit down. ¡°I think we got off on the wrong foot. Can we try again? I¡¯m Arche. Sorry for burning your books.¡± The woman glanced toward the fire and shrugged. She muttered something to herself in a language unfamiliar to him, then placed both hands on her face and wiped toward her ears. Her image flickered and shifted. Black clothing colored into tan, then yellow. The mask around her face disappeared, and blonde hair fell around her shoulders. Her shirt settled into the color of daisies while her pants warmed to a clay brown. She was younger than Arche expected, likely in her late twenties or early thirties, but she carried herself with an easy confidence and the glint in her eyes spoke of more years than her face let on. ¡°Lady Rune, I take it.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Her voice was different as well. Less harsh, a slightly lighter timbre. She gave a half smile, more out of courtesy than amusement, but the action made Arche blink in surprise, as she suddenly looked very familiar. ¡°Wait a minute. Were you the girl from outside the shop?¡± She was years older, had different hair, and there was a subtle difference around her eyes and cheeks, but the resemblance was uncanny. Rune¡¯s smile became genuine. ¡°Perhaps. Tea?¡± A small cup appeared in her hand, full of liquid. She held it out to him and he accepted it belatedly. ¡°Thanks.¡± He sipped at it. It was honeyed. ¡°I¡¯m very confused right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re an outsider. Curious.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that before. What does it mean?¡± ¡°It means you are not from Tartarus.¡± ¡°Then where am I from?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but you¡¯re here now.¡± Arche set his tea to the side and placed his good hand over his eyes. ¡°Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be fed hints and glimpses of your past, only to be constantly denied any actual answers?¡± Rune¡¯s smile faded, leaving an almost haunted look. ¡°It is a fate worse than death, to lose oneself. But who you used to be is not the person you have become. To learn more of your past may risk the death of your current self.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t accept that. Whoever I used to be is still me, right? Remembering what I¡¯ve done and who I was isn¡¯t going to erase everything I¡¯ve done and become since.¡± An emotion flashed across Rune¡¯s face, so fast Arche barely had time to register it, let alone identify it. As soon as it appeared, it was replaced by a business-like expression. ¡°This conversation is not productive. We should discuss things that matter more to the present and the future. What you need and what you are willing to part with. So, what brings you to my shop?¡± ¡°I meant to come here with another. Someone who used to work for you. A satyr named Helwan Panysk.¡± Rune¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I am delighted to hear he is alive. I feared the worst for him. Is he well?¡± ¡°He is. I imagine he¡¯ll be along shortly. I don¡¯t mean to interject myself into the specifics of the conversation you two will have, but I wanted to say that I came here as his friend.¡± Rune tilted her head back. ¡°You tell me this to ingratiate yourself with me. You think that if I know that you have befriended an employee of mine with few allies, I will be less willing to resort to my earlier aggression.¡± ¡°No, I¡­¡± Arche paused. ¡°Yeah, I guess I do.¡± ¡°I appreciate your honesty, and your news, but it does nothing to answer my question. Why are you here?¡± ¡°Several reasons. For one, I hoped you could tell me more about the Tridory. What it can do, who made it, and why it seems to be such a big deal.¡± ¡°I can tell you these things, yes.¡± ¡°Will you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Arche would have broken the armrest off his chair if his own arms weren¡¯t already protesting the slightest movement. ¡°Why won¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Because knowledge of that weapon is nearly as dangerous as the weapon itself. I had hoped that the forebearers would have had the sense to lock it away more securely, but it seems they were not blessed with more than a few grains of caution.¡± ¡°Forebearers,¡± Arche echoed. ¡°You mean the people from the previous era? Before the apocalypse?¡± ¡°Enough. I will not tell you of the spear. I encourage you not to seek out information on it. You have bound yourself to it, so you should consider it your life¡¯s work to hide it away from the world.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not going to tell me why, then I¡¯m not going to follow your directions.¡± Rune¡¯s head cocked slightly, her expression carefully neutral. ¡°Your death is a small price to pay to safeguard this world.¡± Arche opened his mouth to retort, but Rune¡¯s face twisted and his words died on his tongue. Her eyes went wide and she blinked several times, as though trying to clear her vision. Her guarded expression pulled into a frown as her eyes darted around Arche, clearly taking in something he couldn¡¯t see. ¡°What?¡± she whispered, more to herself than to him. ¡°How is that¡­oh. I see.¡± Arche contented himself with glaring at her in silence, waiting for her to finish whatever trance she was undergoing. Half a minute later, her eyes refocused onto his own. ¡°I see now what I could not before,¡± Rune said. ¡°You are right to ask. You will need the knowledge of the spear, but not yet. There is other knowledge that you need more. Do you know of what I speak?¡± Arche ignored her question and posed one of his own. ¡°Are you some kind of fortune teller?¡± Rune raised a single eyebrow but did not deign to respond. Arche sighed. ¡°I have Mana Scars that I need to recover from. I was told that to fix them would be difficult and time consuming. Something about pushing healing energy directly into the scars, like Health Manipulation or something, but I don¡¯t know how to do that.¡± ¡°It is a complex process and not one I imagine you have the time for. Depending on the extent of the scarring and your ability to heal it, it might be years before you recover fully.¡± Arche¡¯s heart sagged, coming to rest somewhere around his toes. ¡°Luckily for you,¡± Rune continued. ¡°I know another way.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I warn you. You may want this path ¨C but you will not like it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. With what¡¯s coming, I need everything I can get to keep my friends safe.¡± Rune¡¯s mouth twitched upward at the corners. ¡°Very well. I have in my collection an orb made by a powerful Psychic enchantress, capable of affecting the pathways inside your mind. If you use it, I suspect it will allow you to connect your current mind to your previous mind.¡± ¡°I want that,¡± Arche said. ¡°But how does that help me with this?¡± ¡°Because it is also a mental cleanse. The enchantress intended to use the orb to keep her mental state sharp and focused. In doing so, she used it to separate and remove the parts of herself she deemed¡­unnecessary. This strengthened her Mana channels at great cost to her mind, though she might argue differently.¡± Arche digested this for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re saying that this would heal my Mana Scars, but I might end up removing a part of my mind to do so?¡± Rune shook her head. ¡°No matter what happens inside your mind, you will not be the same. I only tell you of this option because I have seen the forces at play in your life. I would tell you to focus on healing your damage naturally, no matter how long it takes. That is the only safe method.¡± The blood-like visage of Ares flashed in Arche¡¯s mind. ¡®You would wage war against me? You will serve me in the end.¡¯ Those words had followed him ever since. In the face of something like that, what choice did he really have? It wouldn¡¯t just come for him, but for the others, too. Lyssa, Theresa, Helwan, Vik, and all the others. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 42 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The children were gone. Lyssa¡¯s breath came shallow and quick. The children were gone. Myriatos didn¡¯t have many children by mortal standards¡ªa little under two dozen out of a population of about two hundred, a population now significantly reduced¡ªbut compared to an elven village, it was crawling with them. Dawnwood had no children. Not since she and her brother were born. Progeny was rare among the elves, being so long-lived, and offspring were sacred. Now, the same monsters that killed so many of her people had stolen the village¡¯s children. Stolen Myriatos¡¯s very future. Someone brushed against her, knocking her to the side and out of her spiral. She was still in the triage. The people around her bled and wailed and moaned, holding onto life with ravaged hands. Else, they were still, and the unconscious were indistinguishable from the dead. Lyssa staggered out, clutching her leg, and found herself limping for the nearest goblin hole. Three guards stood around it, spears at the ready to stab anything that came out of the dark. Lyssa¡¯s wound made the walk slow and painful. The healer who¡¯d attended her had staunched the bleeding before she¡¯d died, but Lyssa would not be running for quite some time. Still, the pain was manageable in the face of what they¡¯d suffered. Deserved, even. Before she¡¯d even approached the guards, someone intercepted her from the side. They snaked an arm beneath hers and pulled up and back, arresting her movement and forcing her back a step. Lyssa snarled and turned, ready to bite and claw, but stopped when she saw it was Elpida. Blood and rain mixed in the woman¡¯s hair, turning the normally blonde locks crimson. ¡°I know,¡± Elpida said. ¡°But we can¡¯t do it this way.¡± ¡°They took them. They took the children.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Lyssa struggled against Elpida¡¯s grip, but it was no use. The armored woman¡¯s hold was too strong and Lyssa was too injured. Elpida guided her toward Gigator, always visible in a crowd. Vik stood next to the sauros, looking unharmed, but his sword, Starlight, was out of its sheathe and dripped with dark blood. Gigator clenched and unclenched massive fists as though he were hardening dirt into rock. They turned as Elpida and Lyssa approached, the motion revealing Theodorous standing with them, a formerly white bandage covering most of his head. Lyssa stepped past the other two and drew Theodorous into a hug. ¡°I¡¯m glad you survived.¡± Theodorous returned the gesture a moment later. Tears mixed with rain and blood as they splashed down his cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I could not do more, Archousa. I¡¯ve learned I¡¯m¡­no, it¡¯s not the time.¡± Lyssa separated and turned to the group. ¡°They have taken the children. Time is of the essence. We must pursue them.¡± ¡°They will be expecting that,¡± Vik said, ¡°and will have laid traps to cover their escape.¡± ¡°Then we bypass their traps and pursue them anyway.¡± ¡°Not feasible.¡± Vik shook his head. ¡°It would be the simplest thing in the world to stage a cave-in. Then, not only would any pursuers be buried, but the way would also be blocked. The only reasons they haven¡¯t already blocked off the tunnels are either because they want us to follow that way, or they¡¯re planning on returning.¡± Lyssa bared her teeth and tried to repress a snarl. ¡°Then how do we save them?¡± ¡°One of my scouts did manage to follow a tunnel for quite a while, before returning with a missing hand. She said they lead into a dungeon. Something called Hyperion¡¯s Tangle. Does that mean anything to you?¡± ¡°Blight the tree that bore you,¡± Lyssa cursed, the elvish running swift from her mouth before she returned to the common tongue. ¡°They¡¯re certain?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I know it. The dwarves uncovered an entrance on the mountain. The goblins must come from the same dungeon.¡± ¡°Good. Then we round up as many fighters as we can spare and go crush them,¡± Gigator said. ¡°Can¡¯t,¡± Elpida replied. ¡°They closed up the mine. Brought down a ton of stone on it.¡± ¡°It would take too long to get there anyway,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Every minute we waste is a minute they¡¯re in danger. We have to act fast.¡± ¡°Ask the dwarves,¡± Theodorous said, surprising Lyssa. ¡°What?¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°The dwarves can widen a tunnel, bury or circumvent nearly any mundane trap the goblins left behind. They can give you enough room to get through.¡± Lyssa considered it for a moment, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure they could. I¡¯m not so certain they will. Regardless, I will ask Grimmolt.¡± ¡°My resentment toward you does not mean I will stand by the slaughter of children, Archousa.¡± Lyssa turned to find Grimmolt approaching, flanked by two of his clanmates. He was without his breast plate, as it was still damaged, but he appeared unmarred by any new injuries. ¡°My apologies, Grimmolt.¡± Lyssa inclined her head. ¡°I did not mean to imply that you would turn a blind eye, only that your people have suffered much recently and that I have no right to ask you for further help. I ask you anyway. Will you help us?¡± Grimmolt gave her a hard look, then blew rainwater out of his face. ¡°You elves sure do like to talk in circles. They¡¯ve got the kids. What are we waiting for?¡± Lyssa nodded, then turned to Elpida and Gigator. ¡°Call your best warriors. Anyone lesser will only die.¡± Both rendered a quick salute and ran off. ¡°I¡¯ll join you,¡± Vik said. ¡°You may have need of my skillset.¡± ¡°Then make yourself ready. We leave as soon as we are gathered.¡± Lyssa turned and walked away. A heavy weight had settled into her gut and she was more than a little unsteady on her feet. She stumbled, the foot of her injured leg slipping against the wet grass. A hand caught her by the arm and held her steady. ¡°Just a little farther,¡± Theodorous whispered. ¡°They need to see a strong leader right now.¡± As soon as she had her footing, his hand let go. Lyssa put her own on his shoulder as they walked, as though she were giving him some comfort instead of the other way around. After fifteen meters, Theodorous produced a chair from his inventory and gestured for her to sit. ¡°Your leg is going to need some proper attention before you go. I¡¯m not a healer, but I do have some training.¡± Lyssa sat, watching her steward carefully bind her leg and tie it tight. He gave a grim, self-satisfied smile when it was finished. ¡°This should hold you over until your Health regenerates.¡± ¡°There is more to you than you reveal.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t always a steward, you know.¡± He gave a hollow smile. ¡°That life is behind me, now. What¡¯s ahead is more important. Myriatos needs you, now more than ever. I will handle things here until your return.¡± Lyssa stood and tested her weight. Her leg held. The pressure was uncomfortable but manageable. ¡°Myriatos wouldn¡¯t last a day without you, Theo.¡± ¡°Any old fool can push parchment.¡± Theodorous adjusted his spectacles and cleared his throat. ¡°But I appreciate it, all the same.¡± ¡°See to the wounded, would you? We¡¯ll need all hands until we return.¡± ¡°Of course, Archousa.¡± Theodorous vanished the chair into his inventory, then saluted with his fist to his chest. She returned it, then headed toward one of the sinkholes in the center of the village. Elpida and Gigator were already there, two human men and an elven woman at their sides. Lyssa recognized the woman as a former member of her personal guard but the humans with Gigator were strange to her. She had seen them instructing but did not know their names. Before she was put in the awkward situation of having to ask, they stepped forward and rendered a quick salute, introducing themselves. ¡°Iosif Apostolelis, Archousa.¡± She wasn¡¯t good at guessing human ages, but he looked older than Arche, streaks of gray in otherwise black hair. ¡°Eleftherios Terzallis, Archousa.¡± Eleftherios was older still, with hair that had gone entirely silver. He was a large man, clearly valuing Strength and Fortitude as attributes of choice. Both men held their spears, a silent signal that they were ready for combat at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°Thank you for joining us.¡± The men inclined their heads and stepped back. The woman Elpida had brought did not need introduction. ¡°Despoina, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here.¡± Despoina was a high-elf with light-blue skin and hair dyed a bright yellow. She was younger than Lyssa, a surprise, but she was very capable when it came to bladework, having already reached the Journeyman ranks in Axewomanship. She was quiet at the best of times, but the long slash down her left arm and the grim set of her jaw bespoke she felt as Lyssa did about what had happened. Vik stepped into view next. He nodded at each of them in turn, but his expression was masked, revealing nothing of his thoughts. The last was Grimmolt, who arrived without escort. He scowled as Lyssa cocked her head at him. ¡°My kin are better served plugging the other holes. I can get you through. Don¡¯t think my injuries are enough to keep me from caving in goblin skulls.¡± ¡°Sensible.¡± Grimmolt chuffed and, without waiting for further comment, dropped into the hole. A moment later, his voice rang out in a deep bass melody. The tune was haunting and, as he sang, the ground shifted and grated together. Stone scraped against stone, dirt fell away and packed itself tightly, and the tunnel widened to accommodate them. Lyssa sent an Adventuring Party invitation to each member and lowered herself into the hole, taking most of the weight on her good leg. She held her bow at the ready, already anticipating an ambush at any moment. Before her, the tunnel widened. Dirt fell away and the walls packed themselves to allow them more room to pass. The downward slope was steep but, as Grimmolt sang, eyes closed and hands raised, steps formed to allow them an easier path. Lyssa made room as the others joined them. With each of the dwarf¡¯s footfalls, the ground seemed to reach out toward him, caressing him. He connected to the natural world in a way she never could. It was a small thing of beauty, lost in the horror of the night. Lyssa led the way ahead as, with the exception of Vik and Despoina, she had the best vision in the dark. Grimmolt followed after, singing the path forward into shape, then came the rest with Gigator, the largest of them, guarding their aft. Grimmolt¡¯s stone-singing meant stealth was out of the question and Lyssa had no doubt the goblins expected them. Still, they had to keep pushing forward.
You have entered Hyperion¡¯s Tangle. This is a Proficient Dungeon. Recommended Level: 40
Lyssa tightened her grip on her bow. Grimmolt¡¯s song wavered for only a moment, then continued carving their path forward. Not one of their party stopped their march into the long dark. Book 2 | Chapter 43 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Rune held a black orb lined with blue-metal filigree. It was a swirling mass of darkness, as though its color was a liquid held inside. It called to Arche. He wanted to hold it, to explore it, to know it. It was half the size of his head, barely large enough to be held in two hands, but it had a presence, an undeniable weight of magic. Half expecting the skill to fail, Arche Examined it.
The Agony of Psyche Rarity: Legendary Quality: Masterwork Durability: 2,000 / 2,000 Weight: 5 kilograms Traits: ?
¡°The Agony of Psyche?¡± Rune¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°You know of it?¡± Arche paused, cursing inwardly. Lord Cypress of Dawnwood had warned him to keep his Examine skill a secret. ¡°Not exactly,¡± he hedged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound pleasant.¡± Rune¡¯s expression dampened, turning more thoughtful. ¡°It won¡¯t be. Psyche was horribly mistreated and stored much of her pain in this orb. It fed on her enchantment and mutated it.¡± Arche grimaced. ¡°Lovely.¡± ¡°Quite. Are you ready?¡± He nodded and Rune placed the orb gently into his palm. It was heavier than he expected, given its size. He held it up to his face, squinting at the inky blackness of the orb. ¡°How do I activate it?¡± ¡°Will it.¡± Arche was about to make a very witty retort when the world broke apart. He was left floating in darkness, no sensations except his pounding heart. The orb lifted out of his hand and floated away from him. He clutched at it, trying to snatch it back, but it was beyond his reach. It morphed and shifted, no longer spherical, but now a flexing, growing thing. Long protrusions broke out of it. Detail was refined, texture added, and color changed, until he was no longer looking at an item but at a clone of himself. Almost. This version wore strange clothes. A simple shirt of fine thread, a jacket of leather, tan pants, and black leather boots. His hair was short on the sides, nearly to the scalp, and the slightly longer hair on top was styled to one side in a way that looked crisp and effortless. Most notable of all, however, was the distinct lack of scarring on the doppelganger¡¯s face or throat. The skin was smooth, perfectly intact, with a thin, handsome layer of stubble wrapping his jawline. Arche frowned, immediately unsettled. His double regarded him with a mixture of boredom and disdain. ¡°Are you the orb or are you me?¡± Doppel-Arche sneered. ¡°I¡¯m hardly either, at this point. What have you done with yourself?¡± Arche looked down. He was still wearing the simple clothes he had entered Rune¡¯s shop with. Dark linen pants with a lighter shirt, a simple but well-fitted pair of closed-toed shoes. ¡°Embarrassing,¡± Doppel-Arche continued. ¡°Fuck you. Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m you, genius. The real you. The one you forgot.¡± Arche clenched his fists and glared at the other version of himself. ¡°Are you going to explain?¡± Doppel-Arche shrugged and pantomimed a yawn. ¡°Sure, I can do some charity. But I¡¯m going to take you on a journey, first. Trust me, it won¡¯t be pleasant.¡± ¡°Or you could not.¡± Doppel-Arche gave a wolfish smile. ¡°That would defeat the purpose. You see, by the time this is over, you¡¯re going to return my body to me and you¡¯re going to be fucking thankful for it.¡± ¡°Return? What are you talking about?¡± Doppel-Arche rolled his eyes. ¡°I hope I was never this stupid. I¡¯m you. The original you. You were born out of a freak accident that happens when you take an explosion to the face and get soul-snatched. You were not meant to exist. You¡¯re just a defense mechanism that I fully intend to override. By the end of this, we will merge and I will regain what I lost.¡± Arche brought his fists up. ¡°I¡¯m not letting go without a fight.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have to fight you. You¡¯ll see. The truth won¡¯t just set you free, it¡¯ll break you.¡± Doppel-Arche gestured to the side. Arche looked and saw a wolf snarling at him. Big, brown, and half its face missing, revealing white streaks of bone beneath. Arche took a step back out of instinct but he had no time to run. The wolf was barely a dozen paces from him and it charged. He threw up a defensive hand as the wolf jumped. It soared over him and continuing running through a forest that had sprung up from nowhere. Trees surrounded him, each glowing with soft light. His double had disappeared. Instead, Lyssa was next to him, dressed in her Dawnwood armor. She had her bow leveled at the wolf but didn¡¯t shoot. Someone ran from the wolf, tearing through the woods ahead of them. A human. Him. He crashed through the woods in a wide arc, circling back toward Lyssa¡¯s position in his blind dash. Arche remembered. He remembered the wolf catching up to him, bearing him to the ground. Here, he watched it all as a spectator, but most of all he watched Lyssa. It had been over a month since he¡¯d left for Ship¡¯s Shape and he missed her. This version of her was clearly wracked with indecision, her bow drawn taut. At any moment, she would shoot and kill the wolf, saving him, but she didn¡¯t. She drew the bow tighter, then slowly released the tension. Arche frowned and turned back toward the wolf and the past version of himself. The wolf had gotten its mouth around his arm, sharp teeth mangling the limb. Then, it released his arm and bit down around his head. He heard his own screams, hoarse and terrified. The bones crunched and the screams went silent. ¡°This didn¡¯t happen,¡± Arche murmured, staring in horror as the wolf started eating his face. ¡°But it should have.¡± Arche whirled to see Lyssa face him directly. ¡°Bringing a human back to the village, ushering him through our sacred home. This was the final straw for the council. Ten years they deliberated. Ten years they argued and debated the severity of my crime, the merits of my penance. Then you appear. I should have let the wolf kill you. I should have killed you myself for trespassing on our lands. A human, an outsider, let into Dawnwood, ushered through our gates by my hand. You are the final reason for my exile.¡± Arche took a step back. It was her face, her voice, but it wasn¡¯t her words. It couldn¡¯t be. ¡°You don¡¯t mean that.¡± Lyssa¡¯s face twisted in derision. ¡°You have brought me nothing but pain. You have assured my destruction and my death, as you have with all who associate with you. I killed my brother ¨C but letting you live is undoubtedly my greatest mistake.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t you. You¡¯re not real.¡± Arche wiped his eyes, finding his cheeks wet. ¡°You¡¯re not real!¡± The world around him shifted, spinning in a blur of color. He was underground, next to the rotting, bloated corpses of three arachtaurs. The giant spider-women oozed dark blood as the webs around them crackled with flame. Next to him Helwan stuck his fingers into the pockets of his once vibrant waistcoat. ¡°You¡¯re quite easy to manipulate, you know,¡± the satyr said. ¡°Twelve hired adventurers died against those arachtaurs, but you and the elf come in and kill them without much trouble at all. I knew you¡¯d be perfect for retrieving the artifact and you were too eager to agree. You bonded to it, which was a mistake to allow, but you were so ready to let me study it. It¡¯s marvelous.¡± Arche didn¡¯t say anything. A wicked chill spread through him, a heavy weight hung from his neck. ¡°You were so eager to take me with you everywhere. To give me position and responsibility. Who wants to be a simple bookkeeper when I can become the headmaster of an entire school of magic. Do you have any idea the power you gave me? Even better, you thought it was your idea the whole time.¡± Helwan gave an evil, denigrating smile. ¡°Stupid boy. You have no idea what you¡¯ve given up. What you¡¯re still giving up.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not real.¡± He meant it as a shout, but it crawled out a whisper. The satyr laughed, loud and cruel in a way Arche had never heard Helwan laugh before. The world shifted again. A different underground area. This time, he was in a long tunnel. Tess lay bleeding against a wall; unconscious, dying. Odelia and Abraxios looked at him with disgust and utter hatred. ¡°A mind mage,¡± Odelia said. ¡°You may be weak, but you¡¯re still a monster.¡± ¡°If the people of Myriatos knew what you really were, they would butcher you and feast over your corpse. They would sing songs and tell tales of your demise.¡± ¡°They only tolerate you because Lyssa wills it. You¡¯re just a dog on her leash. Good dog. Sit. Play dead.¡± The words pressed in on him. He held his hands to his ears but it did nothing to stop the flow. They hated him. They all hated him. They were using him. ¡°Stop it!¡± Arche shouted. The world shifted again. He stood on a hillside, watching the construction of the insula in Myriatos. Basil stood next to him. ¡°I idolized you because I thought you were strong. I wanted to be like you. Now, I want nothing to do with you. All the power in the world and you would still be weak. It¡¯s who you are. You¡¯re incapable of doing anything the right way. All you do is fail; if not now, then next time. Don¡¯t worry, though, someone else will pay the price. When the ones you pretend to love die, how much do you think your presence will comfort them? Especially when it¡¯s your hands holding the blade? You¡¯re pathetic.¡± Arche shut his eyes, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°You¡¯re not real.¡± The world shifted again. A half-naked version of him was strung up from a tree by a rope wrapped around his leg. A knife stuck out of his ribs, creating bloody dribbles that streaked up his body and dripped to the ground. A beautiful woman in blue-scaled armor leaned against a nearby tree. ¡°Not you,¡± Arche murmured. Something in his chest tore at what he knew was coming next. The captured version of himself said something, but there was no sound. Tess stepped forward, grabbed the knife handle, and twisted. Pain and surprise registered on the hanging Arche¡¯s face, then his body went slack. ¡°I took pity on you that day,¡± Tess said, looking back at the real Arche. ¡°But then, you¡¯ve always been easy to pity. Like a lost little pet trying to find its way home. You hurt so much inside and you don¡¯t even know why.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not real.¡± He didn¡¯t want to hear this. Couldn¡¯t hear this. Not from her. ¡°Not real? What would you know of real? Did you think I really cared for you? I know you want me. I can see it in your eyes when you look my way. I can see it in the way your gaze lingers, the way your fingers itch. Longing to hold, to be held. Your desperate loneliness. Did you really think I would love you? Did you really think I could?¡± ¡°Stop. Please.¡± The weight around his neck was like an entire world had dropped onto his shoulders. It bore him to the ground. The wall of the insula was a dinner plate by comparison. A thin whisper in his mind told him to let go, to give up, and he would be free from the burden. ¡°Tortured souls aren¡¯t my thing, but you¡¯re so earnest that I couldn¡¯t help but tease you. You¡¯re a plaything. Something to pity for a bit of fun but, like all playthings, you¡¯re growing boring. I wonder how it will feel for you to watch me play with someone else. Will it tear at your little heart to see me take another man to bed? Another woman, perhaps? Will it make you burn? Will you imagine yourself there instead?¡± Arche opened his mouth but the words wouldn¡¯t come out. It was like a boulder had been placed onto his chest, driving out all air. He tried to breathe but it came fast and shallow. The world faded around him. It was too much, it was all too much. An axe appeared above him, gripped in a mighty hand, pressing down into his chest. ¡°Ready to give up, yet?¡± his own voice called out to him. Arche didn¡¯t react. He couldn¡¯t. ¡°Too bad. I¡¯ve more to show you.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. A dark room appeared around him. Stone walls, dirt floor, sand near the corners. A window set into the wall revealed more sand outside, choking a few small, dead bushes. The air was dry and hot despite the night. A light flickered on the ground and Arche moved toward it, through the doorway and out into the night. Dark figures approached the house, moving strangely and holding odd weapons. The flickering light was a flashing indicator on one of their chests and they wore strange helmets with tubes over their eyes. One moved forward, next to the wall, and crouched. He made hand gestures and the other two circled around. Someone moved behind Arche and he spun, backing away. A little boy stepped out wearing a large, tan shirt that went down to his knees, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. The boy froze as he caught sight of the man, confusion clear on his face. The man lifted up the tubes over his eyes and pulled down a wrapping around his mouth. It was Arche. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± the other Arche said. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna hurt you. Come here.¡± The boy stayed rooted where he was. Fear had frozen all thought, but it wouldn¡¯t last forever. At any moment he would scream or shout, and whatever the other Arche was there for would be ruined. But the boy didn¡¯t scream. The other Arche pulled a brightly colored something from his pocket and held it out. ¡°Here. You have candy in this godforsaken place? Take some candy.¡± The boy took a hesitant step forward, then another. ¡°That¡¯s it. Come get the candy.¡± The boy reached out a tentative hand and the other Arche pounced. One hand covered the boy¡¯s mouth, the other gripped the back of his head. A loud crack split the night as the boy¡¯s head twisted to the side and Arche laid the body against the ground. ¡°Stupid fucking kids. Always in the wrong place and they never fucking learn.¡± He lowered the tubes back over his face and entered the house, leaving the real Arche to gape at the gasping, convulsing, still-twitching corpse of a child in front of him. ¡°Very tragic, isn¡¯t it?¡± Doppel-Arche¡¯s voice dripped with false mourning. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Arche couldn¡¯t speak, couldn¡¯t vomit, couldn¡¯t breathe. The boy¡¯s glassy eyes pierced his soul, accusing him, and they were right to. ¡°He wasn¡¯t the first, you know, and he wasn¡¯t the last. I was there for his daddy, some local police chief who took too much money from the wrong people. If that boy¡¯d just stayed asleep, we might have let him live. It¡¯s funny how whole lives can end because of a decision as small and insignificant as going outside for fresh air because you had trouble sleeping in the heat of a summer¡¯s night in the middle of Bumfuck, Egypt.¡± ¡°You killed him.¡± ¡°We killed him. My actions are yours. You don¡¯t exist without me. You¡¯ve been playing the hero these last two months, impotent as you are. Do you want to know what real heroism is? Do you want to know what real change looks like? Let me tell you, it¡¯s full of blood. I¡¯ll let you in on the last little secret. The moment of your birth. You excited? You should be. I had big plans. Big, big plans.¡± Hands grabbed Arche¡¯s shoulders and hauled him upright. The world shifted around him. Open sea sprawled before him as he stood on a small cliff edge. He wore a heavy vest over strange clothes, with something hard covering his chest and back. ¡°I don¡¯t like this, Alex,¡± someone said. ¡°They should have been here by now.¡± ¡°Give them a few minutes.¡± The voice came from Arche¡¯s mouth but he almost didn¡¯t recognize it. ¡°Crete¡¯s bigger than most islands around here. They¡¯re probably just trying to dodge patrols.¡± ¡°Still feels like a stupid place to do this trade. The Americans have a base here. Couldn¡¯t we have picked a more neutral ground?¡± ¡°The Americans are too busy spying on farmers in the desert to bother searching their allies¡¯ backyards. They¡¯ve been pussyfooting this war for almost three decades now. If things are going to get better, then they¡¯re going to have to get a whole lot worse, first. Besides, we¡¯re the Sons of Ares. Its only right we do this in Greece.¡± The other man shook his head. ¡°Seems sketchy. Too much reliance on other groups. Too high a risk for getting double-crossed. I¡¯m telling you we should drop this and go to the Russians.¡± ¡°You worry too much, Isaac. The Russians talk a big game, but when the cards fall into place, they won¡¯t do a fucking thing. The Iranians are the only ones with a dirty bomb on the market big enough to actually cause an international response, and the only ones stupid enough to actually sell it. Once their proxies get here, we¡¯ll be off scot-free.¡± ¡°I hope your plan is worth the cost.¡± Arche smiled. ¡°War is the only language this world understands. The weak will die, a culling to strengthen the herd, and a better world will be built from the ashes. Ah, here they are.¡± A boat arrived at the beach below them and several men jumped off, wielding weapons of iron and wood. Words echoed through Arche¡¯s head. Guns. AK-47s. Kalashnikovs. Weapons that dealt death from afar, faster than any arrow, as sure as any blade. Arche made his way down the cliffside. Two of his men came with him, including the one called Isaac, but the other five stayed back on the cliff. As they approached, Arche kept one hand on the handle of a pistol and lifted the other in greeting. ¡°Welcome, friends.¡± Isaac translated Arche¡¯s words into another language. The men responded warily and Isaac translated their response. ¡°They say ¡®peace be upon you¡¯ but that¡¯s just their way of saying hello. They asked if you¡¯re Alex Dazend.¡± ¡°The one and only. Nothing wrong with a little peace. We¡¯re fighting for peace, after all. Eventually. Do they have it?¡± Isaac rattled off a question, then nodded at the response. ¡°They do. They want to see our part next, though.¡± Arche took something out of his pocket and held it up. Arche¡¯s mind reached for the word: phone. He opened the phone and navigated through a series of applications and numbers. Then, he held the phone out to show the other men. ¡°There. Half now, half upon retrieval.¡± Isaac translated and the man in front gestured behind him. The other men produced a metal container the size of a small fridge. ¡°Ain¡¯t she a thing of beauty. There¡¯s enough radioactive dust on this bad boy to kill half of D.C.¡± Arche manipulated the phone and showed it to the other men again, who smiled broadly and gestured at the metal container. ¡°Alright. Jorge, grab the other side with me. Isaac, thank them for their business and wish them a safe ride home.¡± Arche bent and grabbed one side of the container while Jorge did the same on the other. It must have weighed over a hundred pounds, but together they lifted it without much trouble. Isaac was still translating the message when a loud crack rang out and the lead man dropped to the ground, blood pooling from a hole in his forehead. Arche cursed and dropped his half of the container. The others started shouting as soon as their leader was killed, and they opened fire on Arche, Isaac, and Jorge. Isaac took six bullets to the chest before he could pull his own gun and fell to the ground, dead. Arche was quicker on the draw and, using the container as cover, shot three of the gunmen. Then a bullet lodged itself into his shoulder and he was forced to duck. This gave the perfect view to see men in dark uniforms emerge from the treeline where his own men had been hiding. Arche cursed and ripped something small and round off his belt. He pulled a pin on it and lobbed it toward them, ignoring the pain and grinding sensation in his shoulder. The treeline exploded a few moments later, men and limbs sent flying. Arche shot at the others as they ran toward the beach. Something bounced off the ground next to him and landed on the container. Arche turned and saw they¡¯d thrown a grenade of their own ¨C which had landed on top of the dirty bomb. ¡°Fuck.¡± The world went white. Arche reeled as the white eventually faded into gray, then into black. ¡°As it turns out, taking a grenade and an imperial fuck-ton of radioactive dust to the face does wonders for your complexion.¡± Arche turned around and found Doppel-Arche watching him. Alex. ¡°You. You were going to kill civilians. Innocent people.¡± ¡°The price of doing war.¡± Alex laughed. ¡°A necessary sacrifice. The world tried to play nice, but their indifference was causing the suffering of billions. One little war and the world would have been a better place for everyone who survived.¡± Arche felt revulsion rise up in him. ¡°You¡¯re psychotic. I would never have done that.¡± ¡°But you did. You killed hundreds before that little meeting, Alex. Thousands. You founded the Sons of Ares, based on that old Greek god of war. You drafted the plan to kill most of America¡¯s leadership and blame their enemies for it, plunge the whole world into war. You were behind it all.¡± ¡°No. No, you did it. That wasn¡¯t me.¡± ¡°We¡¯re the same person, Alex.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not my name. My name is Arche.¡± ¡°Christ, you really have gone native, haven¡¯t you?¡± Alex growled. ¡°Arche doesn¡¯t exist. There is only me. Me! My mind, which has been broken until now. Until you put it back together and reformed me. You¡¯ve done a pathetic job here on this world ¨C but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m going to have a lot of fun with it.¡± Breathing was getting difficult, but Arche snarled through it. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you control.¡± ¡°Why not? Go back to your friends who wish you were dead? Leech off of their goodwill until they kill you themselves? Some of them already tried.¡± ¡°You showed me nothing but lies.¡± ¡°Those things are your truth. You believe it, each and every one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you kill more people.¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s fine when you do it? It¡¯s fine when they don¡¯t look exactly like people? It¡¯s fine when it¡¯s done to protect those you have a personal tie to? Spare me the ¡®holier-than-thou¡¯ bullshit. We both know you don¡¯t really mean it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll kill myself.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Good luck. Or are you forgetting? Thanatos won¡¯t let you die. You negotiated that yourself. Bravo, really the only intelligent thing you¡¯ve done so far.¡± Arche¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. We¡¯re ticking to a close here. I know you can feel my memories combining with yours. I see you¡¯ve fucked up doing magic, somehow. Really, I never would have thought I¡¯d be this pathetic. Healing energy, eh? Just takes a bit of applied willpower. Should be as simple as¡±¡ªAlex snapped his fingers¡ª¡°that.¡± A spasm trickled through Arche. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you take over.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t stop me. I am the natural way of things. I am who is supposed to be here. You¡¯re not about to sweep my afterlife out from under me.¡± Alex stepped forward. One hand stretched out toward Arche. ¡°You don¡¯t have to fight. You don¡¯t have to hurt. You¡¯ve done enough, I¡¯ll take it from here. It¡¯s all right, Hyde. Jekyll¡¯s home.¡± ¡°No!¡± The word tore from Arche¡¯s throat in a gasp. Alex cocked his head. ¡°Oh? You think you¡¯re different from me? The world is poison, Alex, you¡¯ve always known that. It has to be burned down to make something new, to make something better. There will always be sacrifices for the greater good, there will always be casualties. Look at yourself.¡± Alex swiped the air with his hand and the world shifted again. They stood in front of a pile of burning beastmar corpses, the frozen figure of Callias Buteo snarling at him with a finger raised. ¡°Barely a few weeks in and you were itching to tear down this bastard, you knew things could be better, but you also knew that we are not the ones who make things better. We don¡¯t build paradise, Alex. We are the burners. We are the ones who will sit in the shadows of the silver city while those around us reap the benefits of our sacrifices.¡± Alex waved a hand dismissively. ¡°You¡¯ve spent these months in your fantasy world, believing these people love you, fearing that they don¡¯t. Return my body to me and you can keep living your fantasy life. Do whatever you want. Bang Tess, marry Lyssa, kill whoever you like. None of it will matter. You can be a god ¨C but you will give me what is mine.¡± Arche¡¯s breath came fast and short. Alex held out his hand, waiting for him to take the deal. ¡°Get the happy ending you want, leave the rest to me. You know this will only end in blood. Only I can do what needs doing. You don¡¯t have the spine. Give in.¡± People materialized around him. Basil, Odelia, Abraxios, Helwan, Tess, and Lyssa. ¡°We don¡¯t need you. You¡¯re too weak to help us.¡± ¡°Do something good for once in your life, monster.¡± ¡°Be useful. Let go.¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± Arche pressed his hands over his ears. ¡°So na?ve, such a fool.¡± ¡°Take the deal. Don¡¯t be so pathetic.¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be better for all of us.¡± They crowded around him. Towered over him. Their words drilled into his skull with unrelenting pressure, carving themselves into his brain. Above them all rang Alex¡¯s voice. ¡°You were never meant to exist. Your whole life is one mistake after another. Make the right choice, now. No more pain, no more regret. I¡¯ll let you live out your existence here, in this sphere. I¡¯ll even give you some good memories to hold onto. You want that girl? You can bed her every night. You can have her exactly as you remember her. Your own personal paradise. All you have to do is surrender.¡± Arche felt his teeth crack under the strain of his clenched jaw. They hated him. They hated him. But did it matter? War was coming. An unstoppable war. A world war. If his allies abandoned him, he would fight it alone. Alone. Always alone. His friends gathered around him, but they weren¡¯t his friends. Faces full of hate. Their fists clenched, their weapons ready, prepared to strike. There was no light, no comfort, no forgiveness, no pity. He had no one. No one but himself. It didn¡¯t matter. Arche rose and locked eyes with the dark version of himself. ¡°This is my life. I¡¯m not going to let any of you take it from me.¡± Alex¡¯s face twisted into a snarl. ¡°You stole it from me!¡± A hand closed around Arche¡¯s throat, lifting him into the air. Arche tried to break free, but Alex¡¯s grip was strong, unyielding. Arche dug his fingers into Alex¡¯s eyes, anything to make him let go. Pain ignited in his right hand as Alex bit his thumb off. ¡°I tried to be nice, but you just had to make things difficult.¡± ¡°Fuck you and everything you stand for.¡± Using his leg as a pivot, Alex twisted and slammed Arche into the ground, hand still around his throat. ¡°Submit.¡± Arche felt his life ebbing away like water down the drain. It was difficult to speak, to think. ¡°Never.¡± ¡°Fine. The hard way, then.¡± Alex released his throat and placed both hands on Arche¡¯s head. Arche felt the pressure of a psychic attack, but it was different. Whether it was due to being in a mental space or because the attack was coming from himself, the psychic pressure expanded from inside his mind. Alex didn¡¯t have to try to break into it, he was already there. Arche slapped Alex¡¯s hands away and shoved, giving himself a moment to breathe. He scrambled to his feet to see the apparitions of his friends approaching him. They surrounded him on all sides, each looking at him with loathing and disgust. Arche froze, unable to think. Odelia reached him first and sank a knife into his thigh. Arche¡¯s entire leg seized and his breath caught in the back of his throat. Basil caught his other leg. Abraxios and Helwan stabbed his arms before he could push them away, pinning them to his torso. A blade entered his back, severing his spine as he watched Tess step up in front of him. She grabbed him by the nape of the neck and slowly drove a knife into his stomach. ¡°Die,¡± she whispered. Arche stared into her eyes, looking for some recognition. Some acknowledgement of what they had. Something he could hold onto. All he found was hatred and contempt. ¡°Please¡­¡± His voice was a whimper, a desperate thing. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°These are the people you surrounded yourself with. All turn on you in the end,¡± Alex said. ¡°You have no one but yourself. No one but me. You never have.¡± Arche sank to his knees. The others crowded around him, staring down at his mangled body. No one moved to help him. It was hard to think. The pain had numbed most of his body and he could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness. If he did, he would never wake up, never leave this cursed place. He couldn¡¯t hold on. A strand of Arche¡¯s consciousness receded inward. It barricaded itself away as far into his soul as he could reach. There, panicking, searching desperately for something to use, Arche found a glowing bead of orange embedded directly at the center of his being. He connected to it. Power flooded him. The apparitions around him were blasted into nothingness by the light that burst forth from him. The light was not a glow but a powerful and living thing. It stretched outward, seeping into the darkness and pushing it back. Strength returned to Arche, and with it, clarity of thought. Alex snarled. ¡°You won¡¯t survive this world. It killed you once already. Give yourself to me and I will make us safe.¡± ¡°There is no ¡®us,¡¯¡± Arche said. ¡°You had your time and you squandered it. It¡¯s my turn, now.¡± ¡°No. No, you¡¯ll see. You¡¯ll see how easy it is to become me. It might not be today or tomorrow, but one day you¡¯ll see. You can¡¯t run from who you are. We¡¯re killers, you and I. Willing to do whatever it takes! One day soon, you won¡¯t be enough, and on that day, you¡¯re going to let me out. You can¡¯t put this genie back in the bottle.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Alex.¡± Arche raised a hand.
You are trying to leave the Agony of Psyche. Do you want to leave?
Yes No
¡°No!¡± Alex lunged toward him, grabbing his throat. He felt his consciousness move, propelled through space unseen by metaphysical forces. When he opened his eyes, he stood in Rune¡¯s hidden reading room, holding an orb that shifted quickly from orange to black. Rune stood in front of him, watching him intently. ¡°Did it work?¡± A blast of orange light lit up the room. With barely a thought, he crushed the Agony of Psyche into powder and rent metal. Book 2 | Chapter 44 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Many hours passed before Lyssa¡¯s group had to stop. Grimmolt was sweating and shaking from exertion. His voice quavered when he spoke and he was unable to sing the path ahead of them. It was impossible to judge distance underground but they were headed toward Mount Hyperion. Their journey was at an incline, the goblins having tunneled up from below. They¡¯d been lucky thus far, with Grimmolt¡¯s song setting off every goblin trap that blocked their way. ¡°They¡¯ve been planning this for a while,¡± Gigator said. ¡°Months, I¡¯d say.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Vik replied. ¡°Goblins don¡¯t have access to magic, generally speaking. This would all have to be done by hand. Carefully and quietly.¡± ¡°For what purpose?¡± Iosif asked. ¡°To attack the village, clearly,¡± Vik said. ¡°Lyssa, do you hear anything from the passage ahead?¡± Lyssa crouched low near the unsung tunnel, straining to pick up any sounds. After a moment, she shook her head. ¡°No ¨C and that worries me. Arche suspected Hek¨¢te¡¯s Vivitorium had an enchantment that dampened sound from echoing off much of its tunnel network. If this dungeon is the same, then it will make tracking by sound nearly impossible unless we¡¯re close by.¡± ¡°If we find one, we¡¯ll find them all,¡± Eleftherios said. ¡°One will sell out the others to save its own life.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Vik agreed. ¡°An excellent way to be lured into a trap and massacred. Quite brilliant, really.¡± Eleftherios scowled. ¡°You have a better plan?¡± ¡°As a matter of fact¡ª¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°Grimmolt, are you recovered?¡± ¡°Partially,¡± the dwarf wheezed. ¡°I can go a bit farther, but I am near my absolute limit.¡± ¡°We will take what you can give us.¡± The dwarf stood and began his song anew. His voice faltered and it took three tries before the ground shifted. They made it another twenty meters, then Grimmolt¡¯s voice spluttered and died. The dwarf sank to his knees, coughing and hacking. When he came up, blood speckled his lips. He tried to say something but the effort devolved into more hacking. A gob of his spit landed against the dirt. ¡°You¡¯ve done your part,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to figure out a way forward.¡± Gigator scratched his head and tapped the floor with a foot claw. He shuffled forward, then to the side, tapping the ground in each spot. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elpida asked. ¡°The ground sounds strange.¡± ¡°Strange how?¡± Lyssa tensed, but it was too late. The floor crumbled out from beneath them and they fell. The tunnel had been dug over a larger, hollow space, through which they plummeted. Lyssa held her arms out to either side, trying to peer down at what they were falling toward. It was difficult to make out, but with the combined light from Elpida¡¯s glowing pendant and Eleftherios¡¯s torch, she could see something glitter below them. ¡°Water! Go vertical!¡± she shouted, rearing backwards herself. She drew an arrow back and loosed it, breaking the surface of the water just before impact. It likely saved her legs, but twenty percent of her Health drained in an instant and the air punched free from her lungs. She struggled through the water, kicking and waving her arms, then broke through the surface just as her body forced her to take a breath. She gasped in air with deep, desperate gulps. The water was cold and dark, untouched by the sun. Lyssa peered through the darkness as best she could, but to no avail. Though her dark vision allowed her to see well even in absolute darkness, she couldn¡¯t make out the walls of the cavern around them or the bottom of the basin they were in. It was like they had been dropped into an underground ocean. All she could see was her companions and her arrow floating nearby. She grabbed the arrow and stowed it into her inventory along with her bow, then took stock of their group. ¡°Is anyone injured?¡± There was a small chorus of groans, but no one responded significantly. ¡°Is everyone here?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all here.¡± Gigator replied. ¡°Stay together. I¡¯m going to take a look around.¡± Before Lyssa could say anything, the sauros took a breath and submerged himself. Lyssa frowned and shot a questioning glance at Vik, whose naturally calm demeanor was looking rather miserable. ¡°He swims really well,¡± Vik said by way of explanation. ¡°I wish the dwarf did,¡± Iosif grumbled. Grimmolt clutched onto the larger man, clearly uncomfortable in the water. Lyssa laid eyes on them just in time to see Grimmolt backhand Iosif. ¡°Oi! Watch it!¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Despoina hissed. ¡°If we are truly in a dungeon, I doubt we¡¯re alone.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re the elf,¡± Iosif said. ¡°Do you see or hear anything?¡± ¡°No, so you should be even more cautious.¡± Lyssa peered upward, trying to make out the ceiling, but it was too far away to see. Vik followed her gaze then shrugged at her.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°A hundred meters is my guess,¡± he said. ¡°I can see a hundred and fifty in the dark. I don¡¯t see the ceiling,¡± Lyssa replied. Vik¡¯s eyebrows shot up. ¡°Your Perception must be higher than I realized.¡± Lyssa glanced at the moon elf but didn¡¯t say anything. Gigator chose that moment to resurface among the group. The non-elves of the group muttered foul curses in their surprise. ¡°There is a light and a current. It will be a long swim but it¡¯s the only promising thing I found.¡± ¡°Did you find something unpromising?¡± Eleftherios asked. ¡°Yes.¡± When no further answer was forthcoming, Eleftherios continued. ¡°What did you find?¡± ¡°If you knew,¡± the sauros rumbled, ¡°you would not want to.¡± ¡°What direction do we go?¡± Elpida asked. ¡°This way.¡± Gigator surged forward, the water around him seeming to bend out of the way without rippling. The others were not nearly as graceful, splashing about as they dragged themselves along after the sauros. After ten minutes of swimming, Lyssa saw the light Gigator had mentioned. Considering he had been gone less than five, his skill in the water was clearly unparalleled. The light came from below the surface, but the water was too murky to make out details. ¡°There¡¯s something below us,¡± Despoina said. Lyssa looked down. Three soft, blue lights shone in the depths. Lyssa submerged her head, trying to get a better look. The lights swayed side to side, growing bigger and brighter. Something glinted behind them, a reflection caught at the perfect angle for a single moment. Lyssa felt cold fear grip her stomach. She surfaced. ¡°Brace yourselves! Foes below!¡± She dove again, pulling out her bow. Her archery was less effective in the water but the arrows would still travel farther than her swords could swing. The creatures were close, revealing the horror of them. Haunting, dead eyes inlaid above a gaping mouth of huge, sharp teeth. The bodies of the creatures were russet and bulbous, with spined fins and a massive tail propelling them through the water. At a glance, each creature was about half the size of the village hall and any one of the three could easily fit their entire group into its mouth, which made up the majority of its body. Between the dead eyes of the creature was a single, fleshy stalk that held up a glowing bulb. Despite their massive size, the creatures moved swiftly through the currents. When they were inside of thirty meters, Lyssa readied a Penetrating Shot. She¡¯d never had cause to use maneuvers underwater and she struggled to hold proper form while aiming. When the closest monstrous fish was twenty meters away, she loosed the arrow. It tore through the water, leaving a trail of bubbles behind it. The creature did not move to dodge. Whether it understood the threat or had simply dismissed it was unclear, but there was a strange lack of reaction even as the arrow tore through its eye. The monstrous mouth opened and Lyssa stared at the approaching abyss. She floundered , trying to push herself sideways through the water, but the creature¡¯s maw was too large and she was too slow. The only saving grace was that she was far enough away from the others that none of them would be swallowed up with her. Something huge and solid impacted Lyssa¡¯s right side, practically shoving her through the water and out of the path of the huge fish. Once she was safe, for the moment at least, the thing detached from her and launched itself toward another of the monsters that aimed for Eleftherios and Grimmolt. Despite the intensity of the situation, Lyssa was taken aback. It was Gigator, wielding a trident easily four meters long. He had doffed all clothing and armor, anything that would slow him down as he propelled himself into battle with terrifying speed. He impacted one of the monstrous fish with enough force to crush bones, pushing it off its path. That wasn¡¯t the end of it, however. Gigator worked his trident in a devastating display, carving and tearing whole chunks out of the monster¡¯s head. It twitched, but did not recoil or react in a way Lyssa would have expected, given the damage it was sustaining. But she did not have the luxury of time to wonder at it. There were three monsters and only one Gigator. Lyssa surfaced with a gasp. She stowed her bow and tried to get a sense of her surroundings. To her right, Eleftherios swam desperately for the light, Grimmolt holding to the man¡¯s back for all he was worth. Elpida and Despoina sank their spears into the side of one of the monsters and held on as the fish surged through the water, dragging them along with it. Iosif, however, was the worst off of all of them. Lyssa¡¯s fish had swerved and reoriented toward the man, approaching from behind. ¡°Iosif!¡± Lyssa cried out, but it was too late. The man twisted and tried to bring his axe to bear, but there was no use. He disappeared inside its mouth and the monster dove beneath the water. Lyssa dove as well, trying desperately to reach the creature, no idea at all what she would do if she caught it, but it was far faster than her. It was not faster than Gigator. The sauros abandoned the fish he¡¯d been filleting and focused all his efforts on tearing a hole into the side of the new monster¡¯s mouth. With a few dexterous swipes, he made an opening large enough to get through and disappeared inside. Lyssa forced her arms and legs to work faster, trying to catch up and help, but it was no use. She wasn¡¯t a fast enough swimmer. The fish dove more quickly than it had risen, and with its bulbous mass hiding the glowing stalk on the front of its face, it was soon gone even from Lyssa¡¯s enhanced sight. She let out a frustrated cry that only served to blow bubbles in her face and waste her air. No choice left but to surface and focus her efforts where she could actually make a difference. Elpida had somehow worked her way onto the forehead of her fish and stabbed at it with a spear. It took half a dozen strikes to break through the creature¡¯s thick skull but, once she did, the whole fish twitched violently, throwing both Elpida and Despoina free, the latter of whom had clung to a spear in its side. The fish thrashed violently for a few moments, creating huge waves that crashed down on their heads. Then a notification appeared, followed immediately by a golden flash around Elpida.
Your party has slain a Managorged Deep Angler. You gain 490 experience.
It was a hefty amount, given the size of their group, but there was no time to delve into more details about their foe. There was still one fish attacking them. Attacking Lyssa, to be precise. The angler broke through the surface and closed its gigantic mouth around her. Her kopides were in her hands in an instant. As the amorphous inside of the fish tried to crush her, she drove her blades into everything she could reach, paying special focus to the roof of the creature¡¯s mouth, trying to carve upward through the bottom of its skull to attack its brain. The race was on. For as much damage as she was doing to it, the pressure inside the mouth increased constantly. Lyssa felt herself squeezed from every direction. All she could do was point her swords and push. At last, her blades penetrated the bone and she felt them sink into the squishy mass of the fish¡¯s brain. The pressure abated immediately. She stabbed upward three more times before the fish spasmed and she was thrown from its mouth. A notification showed the extent of her damage.
You have slain a Level 55 Managorged Deep Angler. You gain 3,850 experience.
Lyssa nearly choked and it wasn¡¯t from the water. The monster was over twenty levels higher than she was. Lyssa broke the surface once more, gasping for wonderful air.
Your party has slain a Managorged Deep Angler. You gain 480 experience.
A few moments later, Gigator surfaced with Iosif in tow. The human was limp, but the fact he was still recognized as a party member by her interface told Lyssa that he was merely unconscious, not dead. Gigator once more proved his mastery over the environment by wrapping Iosif in a hug from behind and holding him out of the water. The sauros squeezed a few times in quick succession and Iosif convulsed. Water expunged itself from his lungs in a coughing fit that would have put Grimmolt to shame. ¡°No more dallying,¡± Gigator said. ¡°We need to leave before more come.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more of those abominations?¡± Eleftherios demanded. ¡°And probably worse.¡± No one wasted any more time on words. They swam as hard as they could for the orange light in the distance. Lyssa¡¯s only hope was that it wasn¡¯t another lure. Book 2 | Chapter 45 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Rune¡¯s reaction to the destruction of the Agony of Psyche was immediate. The woman cupped her face with both hands and wiped toward her ears. The face left behind was not the one she¡¯d wore the moment before, but the one behind the mask. Her clothes darkened and morphed into a tight-fitted, black, combat robe. Three metal orbs took to the air behind her, swarming threateningly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His voice sounded different, even to his own ears. There was a weight to it, now. A heaviness brought about by all the lives he¡¯d taken. By the knowledge of all the lives he would continue to take. The dam of his memories, now undone, would never be in place again. Rune hesitated, orbs still hovering behind her. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What I left behind in there was everything you accused me of. I couldn¡¯t risk him getting out.¡± He didn¡¯t know if it was true, but he hoped it was. Too much had happened, he couldn¡¯t begin to process it. He shoved it all away, locking it tight in a prison in his mindscape, knowing it was only a temporary solution. ¡°That was not yours to break.¡± ¡°Consider me in your debt.¡± Arche met Rune¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight you. How can I repay you?¡± Rune shifted her stance and the floating orbs combined into one, which settled onto her palm. With a turn of her wrist, she made it disappear, then did her strange face-wiping gesture, returning to her previous look. ¡°The Agony of Psyche was a unique item. It was irreplaceable.¡± ¡°Then the debt I owe is steep.¡± ¡°Indeed. You owe me a powerful, unique magical artifact. Those are not easy to come by.¡± Arche took a deep breath. ¡°You want the Tridory.¡± Rune gave him a look of such derision, he thought she might actually spit on him. ¡°Keep your murderer¡¯s spike. I have no use for it here, especially as it is bound to you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to offend.¡± ¡°No, only to destroy what you don¡¯t understand.¡± Arche gritted his teeth and tried a new tactic. ¡°What item would you like me to get for you?¡± Rune glanced around at the many books on her shelves, clearly thinking it over. Arche didn¡¯t believe it for a moment. She was making him stew with uncertainty as additional punishment for breaking her toy. He was hard-pressed to blame her. Eventually, she had mercy. ¡°There is a dungeon beneath the palace that is said to hold the treasury of Ephyra. I have no need for the money there, but there is an object rumored to be among the collection that is of interest to me. A fleece of gold. Retrieve it for me and I will consider your debt eliminated.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Arche shook his head. ¡°The palace is the second most difficult place in Ephyra to break into, after your shop. What you¡¯re asking for comes at great personal risk on top of replacing one item for another. If this is going to be the deal, then I want something more. A counteroffer, if you would.¡± Rune tilted her chin up, eyes glinting with avarice. There was a deal to be made. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°I want to learn how to enchant things.¡± Rune blinked in surprise. ¡°What?¡± ¡°My village has no enchanter and we are in a dangerous part of the Sylv. We¡¯ll need to create magic items if the people there are going to have an honest chance at survival. Since I doubt you¡¯d be willing to part with any of your enchanters, I want you to teach me.¡± ¡°Enchanting is a difficult skill. Even if you understood the theory behind it, failure brings with it a constant risk of death.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that risk.¡± Rune frowned at him. ¡°Very well. You bring me the fleece and I will give you one week of enchanting lessons. If, by the end of that week, you are unable to break into the Novice rank, then that is your failure, not mine.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Arche held out his hand and Rune reached past it, shaking him by his forearm. A notification appeared.
You have accepted a Quest. Equivalent Exchange As repayment for breaking a unique magical item that did not belong to you, you have agreed to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Ephyra¡¯s Palace for Rune Oyl. In return, she has agreed to give you one week of Enchanting instruction.
Objective ¡¤ Acquire the Golden Fleece ¡¤ Deliver the Golden Fleece to Rune Oyl Rewards ¡¤ All debts cleared with Rune Oyl ¡¤ 1 week of Enchanting instruction from Rune Oyl
Rune gave a grim smile, and a pop-up appeared beneath the quest line.
Penalty for Failure ¡¤ Rune Oyl will hunt you down, lock you in a hole, and throw away the hole
¡°Tough, but fair,¡± Arche said. ¡°When this is over, I hope we can come to a more amicable acquaintanceship.¡± ¡°I would focus on your heist first, if I were you. You can plan for the future after you make it out alive. I don¡¯t expect I¡¯ll see you again.¡± Rune snapped her fingers and Arche was no longer standing inside her shop, but instead on the street outside, next to a very surprised Helwan. ¡°Thrice blast and curse you!¡± the satyr exclaimed, clutching at his chest as he staggered away. ¡°Oh, Arche, it¡¯s you. What happened? Why are you bloodied? You didn¡¯t hurt yourself again, did you?¡± Arche only stared. Helwan¡¯s expression was the perfect mixture of shock and concern, but Arche couldn¡¯t help but think of the sinister smile that had transfixed the satyr¡¯s face in the Agony of Psyche as he learned how he¡¯d been played. It wasn¡¯t true, of course. The Agony had only shown him lies. Lies that Alex manufactured to manipulate him. Nonetheless, a little bell of warning had been raised in the back of his mind and, try as he might, looking into his friend¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t quiet it. ¡°Met your boss. Seems nice.¡± Arche rubbed his arm, freshly healed from its break. ¡°She kicked the shit out of me.¡± A moment later, the Tridory appeared next to him. He grabbed it out of instinct, eyes flashing at Helwan as he did so, as if he expected Helwan to attack. The satyr blinked in confusion, momentarily taken aback. ¡°Why did you not wait for me? I told you I would make introductions.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Arche thought back to Basil¡¯s goading. ¡°It¡¯s not important. You should go have your talk with her. I¡¯ll find my own way back. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What? Arche, are you feeling all right? You¡¯re acting strange.¡± Arche shifted his weight between his feet. ¡°Never better. Go on, I¡¯ll catch up with you later.¡± ¡°Arche¡ª¡± ¡°Go.¡± Helwan frowned, but lifted one hand slowly up to the door. Arche forced a smile as the satyr disappeared inside, the uneasy feeling didn¡¯t quite fade until he was entirely out of sight. The visions had gotten to him, that much was clear. He could feel the distrust sown into him by what he saw. It wasn¡¯t true. None of it was true. He knew that, but knowing and feeling were worlds apart, and what he felt was that he couldn¡¯t be near his friends. He needed time to process, to come to terms with what had happened to him, with who he was. Alex Dazend. Monster. Terrorist. The man who tried to end the world. A man who slaughtered children. Rune was right, there was no end to the blood on his hands. The justifications were there, sitting in his mind, but they seemed a poor excuse. The world was bad, so end it and start over. The strong bullied the weak, so kill them all and set the rest on even footing. Arche felt the bile rise in his throat and ducked into an alley. Sick splattered against stone. His head spun, the whole world twisted around him. Monster. What had he done? Hundreds dead by his hand. Civilians. Innocents. All to start a war. A pointless war that wouldn¡¯t have solved anything. The sick gurgled up his throat again and Arche fell to the ground, panting. Violent tremors shook his whole body. He shut his eyes but that only make it worse. Images crawled out of the black; slack-jawed, bloodless faces twisted in fear with gaping wounds. Bullet wounds. Men, mostly, but not only. Women join the growing crowd flashing in front of his eyes. Children. The boy¡¯s neck in his hands. A dozen more necks, just as soft, just as small. Arche retched again, but his stomach was nothing but a writhing knot. His hands were bathed in blood. His voice was death for thousands. There was nothing in him worth saving. A knife appeared in his hand, glinting silver in the sunlight, sharp point angled back toward him. There were a thousand ways to kill a man and a million more to break one. He knew them all. How easy it would be to turn the blade on himself. How many times over had he earned it? A nick to the femoral artery, the brachial, the carotid. A swift plunge to his heart. A gash down his forearm. A nice, long knife like this, he could even take it behind the jaw and the tip would scratch the top of his head. It would be over in moments, barely any pain. Probably. But that was the quick way. The coward¡¯s way. He had killed like that. Quickly. People who deserved it and people who hadn¡¯t. There were much slower ways to kill a man. Much more painful. Arche held the tip of the knife against his neck, where throat met jaw. The world above had suffered him enough. Death had not had the kindness to wipe clean the evidence of his existence but he could remedy that mistake. A flash of the blade and it would be over. Alex would never hurt anyone again. Arche would never hurt anyone again.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Tartarus would be saved from his good intentions. Ares¡¯s war would never come to pass, not with Arche as his instrument. This world, this underworld, would be spared him. All it took was a refusal to play the game. One deft stroke with a knife. One more body in the gutter. One more monster slain. Tess¡¯s face flashed before him, then Lyssa¡¯s. A trickle of blood ran along the knife¡¯s edge. They would never understand, never know what happened to him. What would they even care, anyway? He was the reason, after all, that Lyssa could never go home. He was the sad puppy Tess had adopted. They¡¯d known him for what, two months? What had he expected? He was nothing to them. Nothing but a bad bet, held onto for far too long. Tess should have finished the job when she¡¯d had the chance, done them both a favor. Now it was up to him. He held the blade higher. A single stab wouldn¡¯t be enough, Thanatos would send him back. It would have to be extreme. He¡¯d have to take his head off, if he could. That should do it, probably. It wouldn¡¯t be pretty, or fast, or painless, but it was what he deserved. Nothing left but to do it. He let out a shaky breath. Now was not the time for second thoughts. Now was the time for action, for doing. There was no place for fear. No place for regrets. No place for the soft touch of a friend¡¯s hand on his shoulder. No place for the taste of strawberries and mint on his lips. His cheeks were wet, but that was stupid. Monsters didn¡¯t cry. What would he even cry for? This was justice. This was righting so many wrongs. This would be peace for so many. The blade was hot as it pressed into his skin. Blood pooled around the tip, ran down the edge of the blade and over his hand. It wasn¡¯t enough. He couldn¡¯t hesitate. He had to do it quickly, take off as much as he could so Thanatos couldn¡¯t send him back. It was the only way, it had to be. A shadow fell over him and the knife ripped free from his grasp. Arche¡¯s throat bled but the cut wasn¡¯t deep enough to kill. He tried to look at the shadow but all he could see was a dark cloak, silhouetted by the sun. Then the figure was on him. Arche struggled, though he wasn¡¯t quite sure why. Some primal instinct to survive, perhaps, or maybe he was just taken by surprise. The figure grabbed his head and slammed it against the stone street of the alleyway. The world blurred before him, then went dark.
It was night when Arche opened his eyes. For a single, terrible moment, he thought he¡¯d been blinded again, but the wall of the building next to him came into view a moment later. He held a hand to his throat but the wound had closed without a scratch. The skin wasn¡¯t even wet and, as he pulled the hand away, there was no blood on his fingertips. Like it had never happened. ¡°Won¡¯t let me live, won¡¯t let me die.¡± The knife was gone. That was probably for the best. He didn¡¯t know who or what had attacked him but they had probably saved his life. He was still wearing his clothes and cloak, still had no money, and the Tridory laid on a trash heap next to him. For a moment, he considered putting his neck through the tines and switching the spear into mode one, but the thought fled. He¡¯d had his moment and he¡¯d failed. For better or worse, he was too much of a coward to try again. There was nothing to do now but hobble his way back to the Styx and Stones and try to figure out his next steps. Lights hung across the streets. Musicians played and people danced, but Arche felt hollow amid the noise. He stayed on the edges, away from the throngs. Too many emotions, too much strange magic. He could feel it in his chest. A hum, lower than even the booming drums. Those near the center of the crowd were manic, flailing as they lost themselves entirely. The stench of their sweat mixed with the salty sea air, making a pungent mess. The party consumed most of the city. Arche was forced to take a long, meandering way back, but anything was better than trying to get through the crowds. The stink was less powerful near the alleys, though the sour smell of trash and waste presented an issue all its own. When at last the Styx and Stones came into sight, he felt no relief. The others would be here, watching him as they schemed how best to make a fool of him next. How to take advantage. How to betray him further. Still, he had no other options. Without money, he couldn¡¯t stay anywhere else. Without daylight, getting out of the city would be difficult, and he still owed Rune and the Lyceum. Dying might have been a way to get out of debt, but living certainly wasn¡¯t. He pushed open the inn door, ignoring the curious looks from various patrons, and trudged up the stairs. He stopped in front of Basil¡¯s room and slid the key into the lock. He peered around the door as it opened, but the room was blessedly empty. He slipped inside, turned the lock, and was about to set the Tridory down against the wall when the hairs on the back of his neck bristled. He spun round, spear at the ready, and found Tess sitting on one of the beds, her face full of angry concern. ¡°Where have you been? We were worried about you.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t know I needed to report in.¡± The words were low, rough in his new voice. They seemed to belong to someone else, entirely. Tess¡¯s eyebrows drew together and she searched his eyes. He didn¡¯t know what she found there, but her face grew guarded, almost haunted. Arche said nothing, just stood there. It was hard to look at her without seeing the memory of her laughing and sneering at him, mocking every last feeling he had for her. All the solace he had found in her presence had been torn to shreds and being near her now was like dragging himself over the sharp edges of what remained. ¡°Are you going to run me through, or can you lower the spear?¡± The Tridory was still pointed at her. Arche dropped his eyes to it, then tossed it into the corner and turned his back to her. The tip dug into the wooden wall and stuck, quivering at an angle. Everything was wrong. ¡°Where are the others?¡± ¡°Helwan went looking for you after you never showed up. Basil and Cora went to visit his family. They aren¡¯t back yet.¡± Arche didn¡¯t turn, didn¡¯t look at her. Couldn¡¯t look at her. He wanted to hold her but couldn¡¯t meet her eyes. Wanted to kiss her but couldn¡¯t bring himself near her. She was playing him, but did he deserve even that? It had all gotten so muddled. What was real? Had she really looked at him with such scorn, or was it a dream? ¡°Was it the Hekatonkheires?¡± Tess asked in a low voice. ¡°Did they get to you again?¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Helwan told me you went to Bits and Baubles without him, then you were gone all day with no word or explanation. Now you¡¯re back, but you¡¯ve never felt so far away.¡± ¡°No, your gang didn¡¯t get to me.¡± If only. ¡°They¡¯re not my gang.¡± Irritation broke through her mask. ¡°Right.¡± Silence reigned between them, but he could feel her anger filling the other side of the room. ¡°Did you buy a whore?¡± Arche froze. ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve given me nothing to go on, what am I supposed to think?¡± ¡°So you immediately jump to that?¡± She had a low opinion of him, indeed. Perhaps there was more scorn there than he knew. ¡°If you would just talk to me, I wouldn¡¯t have to guess.¡± Her voice rose as she stood from the bed, the floorboards creaking beneath her feet. Arche turned back to her, finally meeting her eyes. Hers full of fire, his full of ice. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it. I¡¯m working through some shit. Alone.¡± She was close. Too close. Her face was scant inches from his. How could he have ever thought that she was impassive? A million things burned in those eyes. He could smell her in the space between them, practically taste her lips, but his ears were full of her mocking laughter. He could see the whole world in her face ¨C but behind hers were the dead faces of the families he¡¯d butchered. ¡°Then you say that, Arche. You let me know. Because I¡¯m not the mind reader.¡± And there was the rub. The thing that had connected them came to light, yet again. ¡°What is it that really bothers you? Is it that our minds connected or is it that you couldn¡¯t hide from me?¡± Her eye twitched. ¡°Excuse me for being a bit conflicted about having my entire life opened up and put on display to a stranger.¡± ¡°A stranger.¡± Arche put as much venom into the words as he could. ¡°You saw as much of me as I had to show. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t make that mistake again.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid.¡± ¡°What, like I always am? Because I wore my heart on my sleeve and was honest with you about how I felt? Because I¡¯ve kept chasing you when you¡¯ve given me nothing but empty promises to go on? Because the most attention I¡¯ve ever gotten from you was when I was crippled?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°No, I know what I am to you. Just a toy for you to pity and play with, seeing how far I can bend before I¡¯ll break. You¡¯re too late. I¡¯m broken. Save your pity and your promises for someone who deserves it.¡± ¡°How dare you¡ª¡± Tess raised a finger to jab it into Arche¡¯s chest but, before she could, the door flung open. Wood shattered and flew in a spray as the lock tore free from the wall. As they turned to look, Cora and Basil collapsed into the room, sprawling across the floor. ¡°Help,¡± Cora cried. Tess pushed Arche away and was at Basil¡¯s side in a moment, her hands moving to cover a dark stain. ¡°He¡¯s been stabbed. Arche, get me something to stop the bleeding.¡± Arche hucked his shirt over his head and handed it over. Tess wadded it up and pressed it against Basil¡¯s chest. ¡°Who did this to you?¡± Basil¡¯s blue eyes lifted to meet Arche¡¯s. ¡°They have¡­my mother. My sister.¡± His body convulsed, shuddering like a tree in a storm. ¡°Said they¡¯ll kill them if we didn¡¯t deliver you,¡± Cora finished, staring at Tess. ¡°Hekatonkheires,¡± she snarled, then spat to the side. ¡°Damn it, I needed more time.¡± ¡°Docks,¡± Basil gasped. ¡°Tonight. Before dawn.¡± Tess glared at Arche. ¡°We¡¯ll finish this later. Can I trust you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s never been the question, has it?¡± Tess grunted and turned her attention back to Basil. ¡°Help me move him to the bed.¡± Arche scooped Basil up, trying to be mindful of the stab wound beneath his ribs. Tess tore one of the bed sheets into a long strip and used it to tie Arche¡¯s shirt around the wound. ¡°He¡¯ll be laid up for a while. We¡¯ll have to do this without him.¡± ¡°Hang on.¡± Arche held out his hand and summoned the spellbook of Minor Heal from his inventory. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± Tess demanded. ¡°It was a gift.¡± Cora snorted. ¡°Some gift.¡± Arche looked down at the book as Hippokrates¡¯s voice drifted into his head. ¡®Most of all, honor those who stand by you.¡¯ Arche clenched his teeth. He¡¯d failed enough people, killed enough people. It didn¡¯t matter what they thought, they didn¡¯t deserve to die. Not right now. Not tonight. ¡°Hold on, Basil.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to keep him stable,¡± Tess said. ¡°I have no idea how long you¡¯ll be out.¡± Arche opened the book. Flowing script and diagrams shifted on the pages, outlining the theory and anatomy in the spell.
You are attempting to use a Spellbook of Minor Heal. Do you want to attempt to learn Minor Heal?
Yes No
Arche selected ¡®yes¡¯ and the knowledge rushed into his head. Years of theorems and magical manipulations entered his mind, filling him with awareness and understanding. A new channel opened in his Mana pool, like a river had been carved into him.
You have successfully learned the Spell: Minor Heal ¡ª Level 1 Touch is important throughout the entire scope of a person¡¯s life. Yours is now more comforting than most. You can now convert Mana into Health through direct contact. Channeling this spell requires concentration. +0.5 Health per 20 Mana Current conversion rate: 0.55 Health per 20 Mana
You have learned Biomancy. Life is as nebulous as it is important. You have started down the esoteric path of understanding and manipulating it. The quality of Spellbook you have used has granted you the Novice Rank in Biomancy. Novice Bonus +10% Effectiveness of Life Magic +10% Spell Stability of Life Magic
The room came back into view gradually. Basil was still laid up in bed, Tess and Cora stood over him, arms covered in blood. Arche joined them, trying to assess the damage. ¡°About time,¡± Tess snarled. ¡°I can¡¯t stop the bleeding.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been in your cursed trance for half an hour.¡± Arche pressed his hands against Basil¡¯s side and concentrated on his new Mana pathway. He focused on the spell and felt his Mana drain away into Basil. Whatever Alex had done inside the Agony had worked. His Mana scars were gone. That demonstration of control was terrifying. Arche gritted his teeth and shoved those thoughts away before they could distract him and break the spell. The conversion rate truly left something to be desired, but it was working. Arche kept a close eye on his Mana. It dropped at twenty Mana per second, which didn¡¯t give him a lot of time to actually channel healing out of his limited Mana Pool of only three-hundred-sixty. He focused on trying to use his Mana Manipulation to ease the flow and pressure on his Mana Channels, ensuring the Mana ran smoothly and without too much force, and he stopped after fifteen seconds, leaving about sixty Mana left. ¡°How¡¯s the bleeding look?¡± ¡°It¡¯s stopped. Was that you?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Arche bent the fingers on his left hand, doing some mental calculations while he waited for his Mana to regenerate. ¡°I gave him back about eight Health and that was almost my entire Mana pool. Not much, but it might kickstart his natural healing processes. I¡¯ll get back to full Mana in a little over eight minutes.¡± Arche looked down and Examined Basil, focusing only on his vitals.
Health: 84 / 560 15% Stamina: 122 / 480 25% Mana: 100 / 100 100%
Arche shook his head. ¡°Too long.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s lost too much Health. It¡¯d take over four hours for me to heal him completely. If we wait a half hour, I can give him about thirty more Health. That should put him in a good spot but he¡¯s still low.¡± Tess scowled but nodded. ¡°Do it. Cora, gather medical supplies, anything that might help. I¡¯ll find Helwan.¡± She stopped at the doorway and looked back at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with you, but I need my Arche back tonight.¡± He said nothing. He wasn¡¯t sure that was an option. Book 2 | Chapter 46 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The orange light turned out to be a cluster of bioluminescent micro-creatures gathered around an underwater cave. Lyssa and the others treaded water, watching for more monsters while Gigator explored it. They¡¯d been lucky, so far. After the Managorged Anglers, nothing else had attacked them. The water itself was proving hazardous, however. Their Stamina regeneration was incredibly slow and Grimmolt could not swim at all. Lyssa¡¯s own stamina was still relatively high, sitting around sixty percent. A look at the others showed that they had not dedicated as much time to swimming as she had. Most of the group had latched themselves onto the wall, trying to give tired legs a break as they kept themselves above water with their arms. Despoina looked to be the second worst swimmer of the bunch. Clearly her upbringing had been spent far away from water, as she panted the hardest of all of them. There was no room for conversation. None of them wanted to risk attracting undesirable attention. Gigator resurfaced in their midst without a ripple, eliciting muffled curses from Iosif and Eleftherios. ¡°It goes for some time, but there is air on the other side. It leads deeper into the dungeon, toward the mountain.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± Grimmolt croaked, his voice having recovered somewhat. ¡°The water,¡± the sauros said, as though the answer was obvious. ¡°Then that¡¯s the way we¡¯ll go. Gigator, can you bring Grimmolt?¡± Lyssa had no patience for any petty back-and-forths. Gigator nodded and, with a single hand, lifted Grimmolt from Eleftherios¡¯s back and placed the dwarf onto his own. ¡°I don¡¯t like being dwarf-handled,¡± Grimmolt grumbled. ¡°Then learn to swim.¡± The dwarf muttered something under his breath that made Gigator chuckle, a husky, hissing noise that didn¡¯t quite communicate pleasure. Lyssa prepared her nerves and lungs with a few deep breaths, then dove. The tunnel was three meters below them but reaching it turned out to be the easiest part of the dive. Once inside, Lyssa used the walls to kick off and propel herself forward, but the tunnel extended much further than she expected. The pressure built in her chest. She knew the sensations, counted them as they came. First, her lungs would beg for air. The need to breathe would incite panic, which would only complicate her situation. She would fight it for as long as she could, dragging herself forward through the water, and either she would reach the other side, or the need for air would force her to suck in water and she would be lost. Once water entered her lungs, she would lose control of her body, shake and convulse, then she would die. It was a horrible way to go. Her jaw flexed as she forced her lips shut against the water, keeping an eye out for any glimmer of air above. At long last, she found one. Lyssa broke the surface and gasped, throwing herself halfway onto a rocky shelf as she struggled to work her lungs. Gigator broke through the water next, depositing the dwarf onto the rock beside Lyssa. The sauros didn¡¯t even have the decency to look winded, he simply resubmerged and headed back to get the others. Grimmolt, however, was doing about as well as Lyssa. He rested on his back, his large hands wiping the water out of his fresh stubble while he stared up at the glimmering reflection of the glowing micro-creatures. After a minute to regain her breath, Lyssa pulled herself up onto the shelf and looked down at the water below. For perhaps the first time, she was glad Arche wasn¡¯t with her. His acquired fear of water had not been kind to him in the last few months, and this swim would definitely have exacerbated that fact. Still, his optimism and natural leadership would have been nice to take into the inevitable battles ahead. Instead, it fell to her to lead them; woe to them all. One by one, occasionally moreso, the others arrived. Gigator ended up helping Despoina, who was not a strong swimmer, and Iosif, who had been injured in their fight. Both were wild-eyed by the time they were holding onto land again but neither complained. Five minutes after the last of them surfaced, Lyssa stood, indicating it was time to carry on. The tunnel extended ahead of them, dark and menacing. She held her bow at the ready, an arrow nocked but relaxed. There was no telling what lay ahead. As it turned out, walking was ahead. A lot of it. Lyssa tried to keep watch for traps but it was difficult to stay vigilant when she found nothing of the sort. In fact, there was no evidence of any goblins at all. The tunnel dried out as they ventured deeper. It was clearly a natural tunnel, as it changed direction often and varied in size. Through much of it they were able to walk three abreast but, in some portions, Gigator had to squeeze to get through. ¡°Don¡¯t suppose this area floods, do you?¡± Iosif muttered. ¡°Now I do,¡± came Eleftherios¡¯s annoyed reply. ¡°Quiet.¡± Spirits were low. In an hour of walking, they hadn¡¯t seen any sign of the goblins and they were well behind in their pursuit. Lyssa tried not to think about what the goblins might be doing to the children. She didn¡¯t know much about the hateful things, but what she¡¯d heard wasn¡¯t good. They were greed and consumption, not terribly dissimilar from humans in that regard but without the capacity for kindness. To be a goblin was to kill, eat, and dominate all in your path. The only good goblin was a dead goblin. These dark thoughts ground to a halt as they came to a large cavern, light spilling forth into the tunnel. Lyssa stopped short, forcing everyone else to halt behind her. A couple grumbles came from the back, but they were silenced by a sharp gesture as Lyssa stalked toward the opening. A massive, white sphere floated ten meters above them, illuminating the room. Two smaller spheres¡ªone blue, one green¡ª rotated around the central orb at various speeds. On the floor of the cavern, arcane sigils were carved into the stone. ¡°Is that the sun?¡± Despoina asked, walking into the room after Lyssa. ¡°And the moons,¡± Vik breathed. ¡°Let me through!¡± Grimmolt pushed his way forward until he was at the front of the group. ¡°Oh, would that my forefathers could have seen a sight like this.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°This is a celestial chart. It¡¯s not just the sun and moons, look there.¡± The dwarf pointed toward the distant ceiling. ¡°Those dots are stars and constellations. But there¡¯s more. Look at the ground, here. This whole cavern has been rigged into an arcane seal.¡± ¡°To what end?¡± Elpida asked, eyeing the glowing spheres distrustfully. ¡°To get through those doors, I imagine.¡± Lyssa gestured at two large doors set into the opposite side of the cavern, some hundred meters distant. ¡°Do you know how to solve it, Grimmolt?¡± Grimmolt shrugged. ¡°We¡¯ll have to input the proper date to get everything to align, but how to do that and which date, I don¡¯t know.¡± Lyssa turned her eyes to the inscribed ground. ¡°Is it safe to walk on?¡± Vik knelt next to the outer edge of the inscription. After a minute of close investigation, he straightened back up. ¡°It¡¯s safe. It¡¯s magical, but it shouldn¡¯t affect us.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t?¡± Lyssa raised an eyebrow. Vik stepped onto the seal. ¡°Doesn¡¯t,¡± he amended. Lyssa stepped forward as well. ¡°We need to find the control mechanism as well as some clue as to what date we¡¯re searching for. Split into pairs, everyone.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. The others quickly broke off into pairs, but Grimmolt stared at the floating sun and slowly drifting moons. His face was soft and his mouth was slightly open as he took in the sight. ¡°Never in all my days,¡± he said quietly, ¡°did I imagine something like this existed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not certain anyone would expect to find the sky underground,¡± Lyssa pointed out. Grimmolt waved her comment away distractedly. ¡°Not that. A celestial chart. Do you understand what this means? The secrets this could unlock?¡± ¡°I was not a Starwatcher.¡± Grimmolt pointed at a cluster of stars, far above. ¡°That there is a constellation as old as the era itself. It¡¯s called Orion, after one of your people. If we can find out how to manipulate this device, we could see the sky as it was in the past. We could learn histories, see the astrological connection, but we could also model for the future.¡± ¡°Signs and portents?¡± Lyssa scowled. Future-guessing was a game for the very old and the very mad. ¡°That and more. I believe the celestial bodies influence magic, both crafting and casting, for the Rank of Legend and above. I have long tried to push my theory through the Technocratic Society, but they refused to heed me. They said the stars could not affect those who dwelled below the surface. With access to this, I could prove them wrong. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Not entirely,¡± Lyssa admitted. ¡°But I can see that it is important to you. When this hateful business is over, perhaps we will find an opportunity to return and study this contraption.¡± Grimmolt tore his eyes away from the lights above them and met Lyssa¡¯s. If her Perception had not been so finely tuned over her long life, she might have missed the slight softening of his eyes. ¡°Found something.¡± Elpida stood over something in the center of the sigil, directly beneath the floating sun. Lyssa joined the others as they congregated there. ¡°It¡¯s a hand dial,¡± Elpida said. ¡°You place your hand inside and turn it in the direction you want it to go. Left for backward, right for forward, I reckon. Not sure how the date is told, though.¡± ¡°It¡¯s these markings, here,¡± Vik jumped in, pointing to a set of runes above the dial. ¡°See how these are glowing softly? That¡¯s not a reflection from the sun. This is the current date.¡± ¡°What language is that?¡± Iosif asked, peering at the strange runes. ¡°That¡¯s the interesting part,¡± Vik said. ¡°It¡¯s the secret calendar of the Moon Elves ¨C but I¡¯ve never heard of other Moon Elves being this far south. This is either very old or it was put here by someone very secretive.¡± ¡°Or both,¡± Despoina pointed out. ¡°Or both,¡± Vik echoed. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve found the control mechanism, we just need to find the hint.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not quite all,¡± Elpida said, gesturing back toward the dial. ¡°You see those spikes? This mechanism is designed to extract a sacrifice.¡± ¡°What kind of sacrifice?¡± Eleftherios asked, scratching his head. ¡°Looks like blood.¡± Lyssa bared her teeth. ¡°I hate sanguimancy.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any getting around it until the mechanism is unlocked. Part of the sigil on the ground is disrupted.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elpida gestured at one of the distant lines carved into the floor. Lyssa moved to take a closer look. Sure enough, the pattern didn¡¯t quite fit. A sharply curved section failed to connect to the nearby lines. The sheer complexity and size of the sigil had kept them from noticing it before. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a riddle to solve,¡± Lyssa called out. ¡°I think we have to find the date that fixes the sigil.¡± ¡°But that would be gaiamancy,¡± Eleftherios said. ¡°How would the sun and stars affect the ground.¡± ¡°Tartarus is also a celestial body,¡± Grimmolt said. ¡°Gaiamancy is just a more basic and specialized application of a deeper field of Celestial Magic. I will make the sacrifice to operate this. I am owed this much.¡± Lyssa nodded her assent and turned to the others. ¡°Vik, you stay with Grimmolt. You¡¯re the only one who can read the dates. That might be significant. The rest of you, I want you to spread out and find areas where the sigil doesn¡¯t quite fit together. Once this starts moving, call out whenever things begin to line up.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Elpida asked. Lyssa pointed at one of the craggy walls. ¡°I¡¯m going to look at the sigil from above.¡± They moved to find their respective locations. When all signaled they were ready, Grimmolt put his hand into the dial and stifled a cry. Then he twisted his hand to the left and everything shifted. The sun meandered a lazy circle around the center point of the sigil, which was perhaps the subtlest of the changes. The moons picked up speed, whirring around so quickly that they blurred into rings of blue and green light. The stars, however, moved most of all. Streams crossed the ceiling of the cavern like a waterfall of light as constellations whipped past far too quickly to recognize. However all that happened above them paled in comparison to what happened below. The sigil moved, lines of complex runes and symbols flailing about in a barely coordinated manner as Grimmolt turned the calendar backward. Lyssa saw it all from her perch, fifteen meters up the wall. Those on the ground stumbled and had to catch their footing as stone and dirt beneath them shifted. The speed increased, the moons whipping about the air until the artificial wind threatened to unseat Lyssa. She dug her hands into a crack in the wall to keep from being dislodged. The sun dipped lower until it was practically touching the ground, its light searing into Vik and Grimmolt who crouched next to it, unable to hide from its piercing attention. Then, just when it seemed they would be crushed, the sun and moons disappeared and everything stopped with a jerk, like an insect captured by a web. There was no pull or slowing of motion; it was like time itself had stopped to catch its breath. The first among them to react was Grimmolt, who let out a pained groan and collapsed sideways. Vik caught the dwarf¡¯s head, keeping it from smacking against the stone floor, but there was little else he could do. Even from her vantage, Lyssa could see that the dwarf¡¯s right arm was desiccated, the strong muscles wrung and drained until there was little left but bone and skin. Guilt bloomed in her gut but she forced herself to quash it. He had volunteered, unbidden, knowing that there would be a cost. She only hoped that Odelia would be able to restore him once they rescued her. Looking past Grimmolt, the sigil on the floor was complete. It seemed that the correct date for the celestial chart wasn¡¯t an exact date at all, it was simply the beginning, as far left as the device would go. Lyssa dropped down to the ground and rejoined the others. ¡°I don¡¯t believe it,¡± Vik was saying as she approached. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± ¡°The date.¡± Lyssa looked at the glowing runes. ¡°What does it say?¡± ¡°It says it¡¯s showing the day before the beginning.¡± Lyssa frowned. ¡°The beginning of what?¡± Vik bit his lip and looked away, clearly undergoing some inner turmoil. He grimaced and shook his head, clearly having made some decision. ¡°The beginning of Tartarus.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be daft,¡± Iosif said. ¡°Tartarus has always existed. Everyone knows that.¡± Vik fixed the man with such a look of disdain, Iosif shut his mouth with an audible snap. ¡°The Moon Elves keep a secret history that dates back to shortly after the beginning. What we know of the beginning has been told to us by Selene herself. She taught us the calendar.¡± ¡°Selene is just a floating rock in the sky, held on course by Tartarus¡¯s gravity,¡± Despoina said softly. ¡°It¡¯s not a person.¡± ¡°Our histories say otherwise and I am inclined to believe them. You do not have to believe me. In fact, I would rather prefer it if you didn¡¯t, but I am telling you the truth. This is history, as it has been recorded by the moon elves.¡± Lyssa looked at the center of the sigil, where the sun had disappeared. It had been hard to tell, with how quickly they had moved, but she could have sworn it had something to do with the moons as well. ¡°What do your histories say happened in the beginning?¡± ¡°That the sun and moons were born from the child of ground and sky.¡± Lyssa knelt at the center of the sigil and placed her hand against the ground. It was warm to her touch and a prickle ran across her palm as sweat beaded on her skin. She closed her eyes and kept her hand in place. ¡°What are you trying to tell us?¡± she whispered.
The Celestial Chart has been successfully deactivated. Remove Celestial Core?
Yes No
Lyssa glanced at the door in the far wall and saw that it was still closed. Considering that the notification said they had ¡®successfully¡¯ deactivated the celestial chart, Lyssa felt this was the right course of action. A small cylinder of sunlight pushed its way up from the dirt, coming to rest beneath her fingers. She touched it, ready to pull her hand away, but it was cool beneath her skin. It gave off quite a bit of light, now that the sun wasn¡¯t around to deliver its brilliance to the cavern. Turning back to the others, she let them see what she held. Not one of them could find the words to say. It was like she held a ray of sunshine in her hands, solid yet ephemeral. Lyssa moved with carefully measured steps, not wanting to do anything that might jostle the wonder she held. ¡°Grimmolt Sidergrothia,¡± she said, coming to a halt in front of the dwarf. ¡°For your sacrifice and your service, I bestow this gift to you.¡± Grimmolt¡¯s face slackened with shock. He held out his left-hand, timid and shaking, as though he expected her to snatch it away at any moment. Lyssa placed the solid sunshine into his hand and he held it tight to his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know what a celestial core is, but if anyone can find a purpose for it, it¡¯s you,¡± Lyssa continued. ¡°Myriatos thanks you.¡± Grimmolt did not respond. He cradled the sunlight, marveling at it, then placed it into his inventory and the light disappeared. A deep stony grating noise drowned any further conversation. They all looked back toward the door on the opposite side of the cavern. ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± Lyssa said for the benefit of those who could not see in the near dark. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 47 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Basil did not regain consciousness. For the next half hour, Arche channeled Minor Heal as often he could. Despite the seriousness of the situation and the mindfuck the day had brought him, he felt a quiet thrill as his Mana cycled. No pain, no tearing, just magic. Alex had restored his Mana pathways in an instant. The murderer understood magic on a level that Arche couldn¡¯t begin to fathom but, somehow, he had to. Alex wasn¡¯t completely separate, no matter how much Arche wished he was. He wasn¡¯t the same, either, but Arche remembered most of what Alex had known. Remembered the blood and the killing, the planning and the scheming, but there was more to Alex¡¯s life than murder. There was a glimmer of happiness somewhere in his past, before all the horror started. The problem was, in order to go back that far, Arche had to confront all the horrors again. That wasn¡¯t going to happen, not now. Arche pumped more Mana into Basil and, when he hit his self-imposed limit of sixty Mana remaining, checked his flashing notifications.
Minor Heal increased to Level 3. +0.5 Health per 20 Mana (+1.5) Current conversion rate: 1.65 Health per 20 Mana.
His healing capacity had tripled since his start. Pouring three-hundred Mana into Basil each time meant he went from healing just over eight Health to healing twenty-four. A quick check of Basil¡¯s vitals showed that the young guard¡¯s Health was sitting at thirty-one percent. A much more comfortable range, especially since the bleeding had stopped and his Health had stabilized. The bed sheets were ruined, but that was a small price to pay for Basil¡¯s life. Arche sat back in his chair and wiped the sweat from his forehead. ¡°So much for being weak,¡± he muttered. The process of draining Mana and waiting for it to regenerate had left him drenched and exhausted. His mind felt stretched despite his Mana not going below twenty percent. The constant use was exhausting in a way that had nothing to do with Stamina. He was starting to see why Odelia always looked so ragged after using her magic. The door opened. Arche jumped from his chair and summoned the Tridory into his hands, crouched into a combat pose. Tess, Cora, and Helwan walked in, each regarding the situation with more than a little concern. Arche looked between the three of them, searching for any sign of ill-intent. ¡°Did you lose your sight again? It¡¯s us,¡± Cora said. Arche hesitated, then lowered his spear. He gestured one hand toward Basil. ¡°He¡¯s stable, if unconscious. His Health¡¯s about a third of his maximum but he¡¯ll live. I didn¡¯t see any permanent injuries, so he should hopefully recover quickly.¡± Cora moved to Basil¡¯s side and placed one hand against his forehead. ¡°He¡¯s cold.¡± She produced a camping blanket and wrapped it over him. Arche watched with passive interest. For the entire time that he¡¯d known her, she had been distant and argumentative every step of the way. Despite that, she¡¯d volunteered twice to go with him. It seemed he had his answer. Arche turned to find the other two staring at him. ¡°What?¡± The word snapped out, hardly sounding like him. ¡°Are you feeling all right?¡± Helwan asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. Tess, where do you think Basil¡¯s family is being held?¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be at the docks or very nearby. I imagine they¡¯ll want a trade.¡± ¡°A trade? For whom?¡± Helwan¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°For me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Tess gave the satyr¡¯s shoulder a gentle squeeze. ¡°For me. The Hekatonkheires and I have history together. I wanted to leave it behind; they clearly disagree. This is my fault. My responsibility.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± Cora raised an eyebrow. ¡°Ambush the ambushers? Get the guards involved?¡± ¡°We¡¯d never be able to sneak up on them and they would kill Basil¡¯s mother and sister the moment they saw guards sniffing around. No, I¡¯m on my own for this.¡± Helwan¡¯s ears perked at that. ¡°No, you¡¯re not. You have us. Just tell us what to do.¡± Tess shook her head. ¡°Helwan, you¡¯re no fighter. The best place for you is here. Cora, I need you to protect both of them. If you were followed back here by the Hekatonkheires, they may try to finish the job once I leave.¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Cora cut her eyes sideways at Arche and cleared her throat. ¡°Arche would be better at fighting indoors. I should go with you, where my bow will be of more use.¡± Tess shook her head. ¡°They¡¯ll expect the two of us. They won¡¯t fight us immediately; we¡¯ll be able to negotiate. If they find you, they¡¯ll kill the family.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be outnumbered,¡± Cora warned. ¡°I always am,¡± Tess sighed. ¡°But I don¡¯t have another choice.¡± She glanced in Arche¡¯s direction and he heard the unspoken accusation. Whatever trust had formed between them in the last two months was falling apart. She didn¡¯t really believe he would go with her. The set of her mouth, the angry glint in her eyes; she was ready to die if it meant getting Basil¡¯s family back. That¡­didn¡¯t seem like something Alex¡¯s version of her would do. Arche cycled through his inventory, equipping his mantikhoras armor over his town clothes. He placed a hand on Basil¡¯s forehead and channeled more Mana into the guard, a parting gift. Then he stepped around the bed and moved to the door, which Tess still stood in front of. Her eyes looked up at his, hard and unyielding. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting outside,¡± he said and stepped past her. The night air was cold and there was a bite that promised a storm. Arche shuffled his feet and pulled his cloak closer around himself. Down the street, lights hung from streamers that stretched from building to building. The music carried across the air, fervent and full of strings, riling people into a frenzy before the oncoming weather. It was difficult to say whether the promise of rain would wash the people home or if they would continue their manic celebrations heedless of the deluge. They would likely find out before the night was over. Arche stared at the sky. The Tridory was affixed in its staff disguise and he leaned against it. A crow gave a loud caw from a nearby rooftop before taking flight, winging its way toward the sea. For a moment, Arche felt a pang of envy. That crow had a freedom he would never know again, unburdened with concerns of past, present, and future. A crow could simply be, with no thought given to its actions or the actions of other crows around it. Tess walked out the door and he looked away from the bird. She passed him and started down the street. A flash of annoyance sparked but he swallowed it down. It was neither the time nor the place. ¡°Do you have a plan?¡± he asked as he caught up to her. ¡°Or are you just going to ask nicely?¡± ¡°I have a plan.¡± ¡°Care to share?¡± ¡°You know, Arche? I really don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot,¡± he snapped. ¡°This is more important than us, right now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Lives are in danger, but you¡¯ve been off ever since you came back from that stupid magic shop and I can¡¯t trust you, so I don¡¯t want you there.¡± ¡°Then be glad I¡¯m not doing it for you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know these people like I do. If you blunder in, you¡¯ll get Basil¡¯s family killed. My only chance at getting them out alive is to negotiate.¡± Arche scowled. ¡°You¡¯re going to give yourself up to get them back? That¡¯s it? Hope that they keep their word?¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do? Sacrifice Basil¡¯s family?¡± ¡°You think of a third option, damn it.¡± Tess let out a frustrated sigh, turning her eyes toward the stormclouds above. ¡°I¡¯m out of options and I¡¯m tired of running. This was always going to happen, one way or another.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t accept that.¡± ¡°What do you care anyway?¡± she snapped. ¡°You made your position clear.¡± ¡°What do I care?¡± Arche fought the urge to scream. ¡°God damn it, woman. The whole fucking reason I¡¯m upset is because I care. I can¡¯t stop caring, no matter how little you seem to, nor how little I deserve it. Everything I see is death. I won¡¯t watch you die, too. Not again.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m the idiot,¡± Tess muttered sarcastically. ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it is to not be able to trust your own feelings? Your own thoughts? To know if I love you because I chose to or if it was because you planted that thought in me?¡± Arche stopped walking. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I tried to tell you before. What you did¡­I know why you did it but I can¡¯t trust my own feelings. Not about this, not about anything. I think I never could. And you acting like this is not helping things.¡± ¡°You¡­love¡­¡± Arche felt blood roaring in his ears, drowning out her words. In his mind, two Theresas stood in front of him. One with a cruel smile, staring down at him with mocking pity, but the other had such a look of fierce vulnerability that he couldn¡¯t help but believe her. Pain streaked through his head. Arche gasped, one hand covering his eyes. A second flash of pain forced him to his knees. Both versions of Tess were equally solid, equally real. Both stared at him with rich, brown eyes filled with completely different emotions. Behind both of them, he saw Alex¡¯s grinning face. ¡°Stop.¡± Arche looked up, the ghosts of his mind had vanished, leaving him to stutter through reality. Tess froze at his word, hand half-extended toward him. He stood, teeth clenched against the low throbbing of his head. ¡°I remembered who I am, Tess.¡± Her mouth opened in shock but he kept talking, he couldn¡¯t stop. ¡°I can¡¯t talk about it yet. Not here and not now, but it¡¯s bad. It¡¯s worst-case shit. Getting that knowledge, I lost things as well. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s real anymore. I look at my friends and I see enemies. I look at open air and I see ghosts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m real, Arche.¡± Tess¡¯s voice was soft and low, like she was speaking to a wounded animal. ¡°Yeah, but which you? That¡¯s the part I can¡¯t figure out yet. You can¡¯t trust your thoughts? Neither can I. But it doesn¡¯t matter right now. Basil¡¯s family is in danger. We don¡¯t have time to deal with my issues.¡± Arche felt Tess¡¯s hand touch his cheek. He craved her touch, but if he let himself get wrapped up in it, it would only hurt. He gently pulled her hand away. ¡°I can¡¯t trust anything right now, least of all myself, but I¡¯m not willing to lose you. Even if you do hate me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate you, Arche.¡± ¡°You will.¡± He swallowed. ¡°Now, do you have a plan?¡± Tess bit her lip and stared at Arche for a long moment. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you on the way. Come on.¡± They raced down the street, headed for the docks on the other side of town. Around them, the revelers leaped and twirled, lost in their own worlds and the magic of the dance, completely oblivious to the blood that was to be spilled. Book 2 | Chapter 48 Hermera The 18th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals
You have completed the Trial of Stars.
The notification hung in Lyssa¡¯s vision as she stepped through the doors. It revealed little, other than to let them know they were on the right track, as far as the dungeon was concerned. It was a strange color, a purple she hadn¡¯t seen before, but there were no answers waiting and more pressing concerns. She dismissed the notification and kept moving forward. The other side of the large, locked door was not as exciting as the celestial chart. Twelve statues of black stone stood in a circle, facing inward. Five male, seven female; each unarmed and disrobed. Each no less than three meters tall, though the largest was closer to four. Lyssa stepped closer to one, a woman, while her party spread out among the room. With a raised hand, she gently brushed the arm of the statue, feeling the smooth stone beneath. Grimmolt was similarly inspecting one of the others. ¡°This stone,¡± the dwarf said slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know it.¡± Lyssa took a closer look. There was no coarseness to the stone at all. It flowed in a single, unbroken piece throughout the entire statue. It pulled at her memory and she recognized where she¡¯d seen it before. It was remarkably similar to the plinth sealing the Tridory in the Necropolis of Pygmaia. ¡°Some sort of black marble?¡± Elpida asked. ¡°Hardly,¡± Grimmolt scoffed. ¡°You think I wouldn¡¯t know marble? No, this is something I¡¯ve never seen before. Who do you think these statues are?¡± Vik reached up and tapped the hip of one of the taller males. ¡°No idea,¡± he said. ¡°Do you think these are actual size? Descendants of the Gigantes, maybe? Or the Gigantes themselves?¡± Gigator walked up to one and stretched himself out, standing as straight as he could. ¡°They are not so tall.¡± ¡°If you say so,¡± Elpida said. ¡°They seem plenty huge to me. What do you reckon we¡¯re supposed to do in here?¡± Lyssa turned away from the statues and looked around the room. There was another set of closed doors set into the far end, opposite the side they¡¯d come through. In front of the doors were twelve bowls on raised daises, set into a semi-circle, and a final bowl placed on the floor in the center. Getting closer, she found that each was empty, save the one in the middle. Inside were black beads that looked to be made of the same stone as the statues. Lyssa picked one of the stones up and inspected it, trying to see anything special about it.
Place a Waking Stone in a Sacrificial Bowl to begin the Trial of Strength.
¡°Everyone, stop.¡± To her mild surprise, everyone stopped. ¡°Has anyone ever heard of a Trial of Strength?¡± No one spoke. ¡°It seems to get through, we¡¯ll need to undergo it.¡± Lyssa looked at the bowl once more. ¡°There are twelve beads of dark stone, twelve bowls, and twelve statues. I think the path forward is obvious, but I don¡¯t know what following it will bring.¡± Iosif summoned a spear from his inventory. ¡°We¡¯re ready, Archousa. I want some redemption after those weird fish.¡± Lyssa nodded her appreciation and looked to the others, waiting for their responses. Each drew their weapons. Lyssa rubbed her fingers across the stone one more time, then dropped it into the bowl on the left side of the door.
You have one hour to complete the Trial of Strength. Time remaining: 59:58
The doors behind them slammed shut. The statue Gigator had measured himself against began to glow. It was one of the taller men with long hair. The statue seemed to take a breath, shifted slightly in place, then raised one of its arms. Gigator dove out of the way as the statue brought its fist down, cracking the stone floor. A moment later, an arrow skittered off the statue¡¯s head. Lyssa cursed and drew her bow back again, this time channeling a Drill Shot. The statue barely noticed, changing targets to Elpida, who was now closest to it. Elpida let out a war cry and brought her warhammer to bear against the statue¡¯s ankle. The clash of metal on stone echoed off the walls and floor, but the statue showed little sign of damage. Instead, its backhand sent Elpida spinning off to the side, a chunk of her armor crumpled inward. Lyssa¡¯s Drill Shot scratched at its back but found no purchase against the strange stone. Iosif and Eleftherios nodded to one another, then ran forward, shouting obscenities.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Hey! Over here, you malakas boulder!¡± ¡°Look who¡¯s cranky after a nap, you pebble-balled bastard!¡± Whether it was their goading or their proximity, they got the statue¡¯s attention. It swiped downward at them but was too slow. Both men dodged out of the way, but kept close enough to keep its attention as they hurled abuse and profanities that would have made even Arche blush. Gigator tackled the statue from the side. The statue easily weighed hundreds of kilograms but the sauros had a brain behind his brawn. He¡¯d waited until the statue had extended itself for one of its strikes, then aimed for the head. The statue toppled to the ground, the impact threatening to take them all off their feet. Gigator immediately rolled away, not wanting to get caught in the statue¡¯s questing hands. Elpida took his place, slamming her warhammer down onto the statue¡¯s face while Vik darted forward, Starlight held aloft as he attacked the statue¡¯s torso. The magic blade pierced the stone but did not slide very far inside. Seeing that attacks to the trunk of the statue were getting nowhere, Vik redirected his attention toward the statue¡¯s right hand, which was trying to grab Elpida. She swung her hammer horizontally, but only succeeded in pushing herself out of the way as it reached for her. Starlight left a small hole through its oversized wrist, then three more holes before the hand moved out of reach. Despoina moved forward next, bringing a slender battle axe to bear. The haft glowed with a shimmering, teal light and the blade was coated in a layer of ice. She brought it down onto the statue¡¯s injured wrist. The thick stone threatened to turn away her blade but she managed to pin the hand to the ground for a few precious moments, the icy enchantment coated the stone in a layer of hoar frost. The statue pushed itself upward and swiped a hand at Despoina, who barely spun out of the way in time. Grimmolt came around the other side, his own hammer in full swing with his one good arm. It connected with the statue¡¯s hand and blasted it away. The statue shuddered and took a step to the side, looking as though it might fall, then it rallied itself and focused on Grimmolt. Lyssa shot at the statue¡¯s glowing eyes, but her arrows had no effect, only serving to ricochet. She cursed and inventoried her bow, thinking through her options. She had swords but not magical ones, which seemed the only surefire way to hurt the statue. The only magical weapons in their group were Vik¡¯s Starlight and Despoina¡¯s magical axe. Iosif and Eleftherios regained the statue¡¯s attention, but its movements were quicker now and it was using its feet in conjunction with its hands. Eleftherios took a round kick to his upper torso that shattered his spear and sent him flying. Gigator latched himself to the statue¡¯s back, trying to beat its head in with its own severed hand. Despoina and Vik took the opportunity to attack its legs while Iosif and Elpida focused the entirety of their efforts on keeping its attention and dodging its attacks. The statue fell forward and twisted in a roll, forcing Gigator to disentangle himself before he was squashed. Vik and Despoina had damaged its legs, but not enough to truly unbalance it. Lyssa cursed. Against a creature like this, she was nearly useless without a magical weapon. Still, she watched its movements carefully as her mind raced to find some solution. As she watched, two areas on the statue flashed a familiar golden light. Its neck and a small spot over its chest. Her anatomy skill highlighted the statue¡¯s weaknesses. ¡°Aim for its throat and heart, they¡¯re vulnerable!¡± The statue opened its mouth and its throat glowed with a threatening white light. Lyssa¡¯s arm hairs stood on end but there was nothing she could do. Light burst forward, out of the statue¡¯s mouth in a line that seared the ground. Elpida shoved Iosif out of the way, catching the brunt of it on her shield before she fell out of the path. Her shield glowed; a melted mess reduced to dripping slag. Elpida herself let out a low moan and didn¡¯t stand. Vik withdrew from the melee and grabbed her collar, dragging her away from the fight. Lyssa found herself in motion before she had consciously made the decision to act. Seeing Elpida hurt had pushed her past the point of planning. She rushed toward Vik who, seeing her coming, held Starlight out to her. She took the sword and turned the full force of her fury against the statue. It was readying itself for another light blast, the rest of her party taking evasive maneuvers. Lyssa slid in from the side, below its notice, stabbing through its ankle with as much force as she could muster. Its foot was already damaged, thanks to Despoina¡¯s efforts, and with a quick triple thrust, Lyssa severed it. The statue stumbled, its light attack striking the ceiling as it lost its balance and tumbled to the ground. Lyssa was on top of it in an instant. The tip of Starlight snaked downward into the statue¡¯s throat three times before it was able to swipe at her. She dodged the strike, rolling over the back of its hand, and brought Starlight down to bear against its chest, directly in the center of where her skill told her it was vulnerable. When she withdrew the sword, magma bubbled up out of the hole. As she watched, magma flowed from the wounds in its throat as well. Rather than wait for the statue to recover, she pressed her attack, delivering two more strikes to its throat and one more to the chest before a body spasm threw her free. She rolled across the ground, snarling. The statue tried to push itself to its feet but failed as more molten stone poured from its wounds. Its movements grew sluggish, then stopped altogether. The light in its eyes dimmed into blackness. A notification provided final proof.
You have slain a Level 75 Construct of Hyperion. You gain 8,250 experience.
Lyssa saw a few flashes of light as the others received notifications with their experience shares as well. Iosif, Despoina, and Elpida had all leveled. Lyssa rushed to the fallen woman. Vik was supporting her, keeping her in a sitting position as she took a few deep breaths. As Lyssa drew near, she could see Elpida¡¯s pink skin showing across her left arm and side where the light attack had destroyed her armor. ¡°Lucky that,¡± Elpida muttered, clearly out of breath. ¡°That was going to ruin my whole day.¡± Lyssa let out a heavy breath, her body feeling suddenly weary. Starlight dropped from her fingers, only for Vik to catch it before it hit the ground. ¡°Careful,¡± he muttered. ¡°I won¡¯t let you use my things if you don¡¯t respect them.¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± Lyssa asked. Elpida nodded. ¡°Got me pretty good with that light attack, but I¡¯m all set now.¡± Lyssa nodded, not quite able to tear her eyes away. After several long moments, she was able to turn her attention to the rest of her group. ¡°Is anyone injured?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ve seen better days,¡± Eleftherios said. The older man clutched his side but he was standing. His breastplate had dented inward from the strength of the statue¡¯s kick and he was clearly favoring that side. ¡°Broken ribs?¡± Lyssa asked. ¡°Three, but I¡¯ll manage. I won¡¯t be running about like I was a minute ago, though. Not before I get a level, myself.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have the opportunity,¡± Lyssa said, checking the timer in her notifications. ¡°We have fifty-one minutes to kill the other eleven.¡± ¡°What are we waiting for, then?¡± Gigator said. ¡°We know how to kill them now. Let¡¯s begin.¡± Lyssa nodded and moved to place a stone in the next bowl. Book 2 | Chapter 49 Nyxpera The 19th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Midnight came and went as Arche and Tess ran through Ship¡¯s Shape. Their plan was simple, for all that could go wrong with it. Tess would stall the Hekatonkheires while Arche tried to find Basil¡¯s family. With luck, they would be nearby. Without luck, well, neither of them wanted to dwell on that. The storm broke as they entered the Mizzenmast Docks. Heavy rainfall soaked through their armor and muffled their footsteps, driving all passersby home. Tess hesitated before walking onto the vast array of interconnected boardwalks that comprised the majority of the docks. ¡°Arche, whatever happens out there, whatever you hear,¡± she faltered, seeming to not know quite what to say. She shook her head. ¡°Find Basil¡¯s family.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± His sense of unease rose, but whether it was the situation or being near her, he couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Take care.¡± ¡°You, too.¡± They walked out onto the docks. Tess led the way, seeming to know which direction the Hekatonkheires would be waiting for them. Covered lanterns lit the walkways in a soft, yellow glow; ghost-lights in the storm. They gave the docks an ethereal feeling, like they were walking into another world. It occurred to Arche that he was in another world. He hadn¡¯t quite processed all of Alex¡¯s memories, but enough was clear. He had lived, he had died, and now he lived again. Technically speaking, he had died twice. New context framed every strange meeting, every impossible encounter. One thing was crystal clear: he was in Tartarus because of Ares, the God of War, and they were destined to fight. The realization shot cold through his bones, deeper than any rain or moisture could hope to reach. He didn¡¯t fear the Hekatonkheires, not anymore. Not since he regained his eyesight and his ability to use Mana. But the God of War was an entirely different scale. He had brought Ares¡¯s wrath down on the entire village. None of them knew what they were agreeing to, many hadn¡¯t agreed at all. Something had to be done. He wouldn¡¯t be the cause of so much death again. But nothing could be done at that moment. He was a month¡¯s journey from Myriatos. All he could hope for was that it would take time for Ares to put his plans into motion. Time that they could spend to get stronger. Time to prepare. Time to plan. Arche looked up, letting the raindrops splatter against his face, drawing him back into the moment. Water crashed against the dock posts and covered them in spray, depositing sea salt into their clothes and hair. ¡°I see one.¡± Tess¡¯s voice was low, barely a whisper above the storm. ¡°There¡¯s no point pretending we don¡¯t know why we¡¯re here,¡± Arche said. ¡°They took Basil¡¯s family to get a response.¡± Tess didn¡¯t answer immediately but she continued walking toward a lone figure waiting in the shadows between two lanterns along the dock¡¯s waterside. Arche took a breath and cast his awareness outward, feeling the negative space between minds. As he did, he was almost shocked by the level of clarity that returned to him. Without looking at her, he could pinpoint Tess¡¯s exact position next to him, down to the swing of her arms and shifting of her feet. The awareness rippled outward and he became aware of the man a dozen yards in front of them, could sense the foot tapping with barely contained patience, the fingers twiddling with the handle of a knife. More than that, he felt the presence of half a dozen of the thieves among loading supplies, ready to surround them at a moment¡¯s notice. Beyond them, the quality of detail dropped sharply. ¡°Six more, hidden around us. If this goes to a fight, we¡¯re hit on every side,¡± he muttered. As each of their locations entered his mind, a notification appeared.
You have learned a Skill. Psychic Sight ¡ª Level 1 Gone are the days that you need your eyes to see. Where others see only clouds, you will never fail to find the stars. Using your inherent Psychic abilities, you are able to detect the presence of people and things in your vicinity. Each level in this skill improves the distance and clarity of your sight. This is a subskill of Psychic Link. Every 5 levels in this skill increases your Willpower and Charisma by 1. +3 Meters of Sight (+3) +2% Clarity of Sight (+2%) Current Distance: 33 Meters
Arche grunted in surprise. All that time trying to train his bruised psychic awareness in the woods had apparently counted for something. The reparation of his Mana pathways must have been the final push to codify that work into a skill. It became much easier to concentrate on the net of awareness around him. He was even able to get dull feedback on the rain, docks, and water. It wasn¡¯t as sharp or clear as the people in the area but he could sense faint outlines. Arche focused on the one in front of him and used Examine.
Amphios Eliades
Level: 33 Race: Half-Elf Age: ? Height: ? Weight: ? Profession: ? Trade: ? Traits: ? Companions: ? Adventuring Party: ?
Health: 860 / 860 100% Stamina: 635 / 635 100% Mana: 500 / 500 100%
¡°It¡¯s the Fifth Hand,¡± Arche said. ¡°Amphios.¡± He dismissed a follow-up notification telling him his Examine skill reached Level Seven. Beside him, Tess stiffened. They stopped twenty steps away. Close enough to talk, even with the rain, but far enough to keep things civil. ¡°Any sign of Basil¡¯s family?¡± Tess whispered, her voice barely audible. ¡°Not yet.¡± Of all the minds he brushed against, none of them expressed fear or felt similar to Basil. Ahead of them, Amphios gave them a slow, sarcastic clap. ¡°I was beginning to think you wouldn¡¯t show up. I expected you an hour ago. I thought, perhaps, you didn¡¯t care as much for your friends as I initially judged.¡± Arche said nothing, the bulk of his focus on searching for any sign of Basil¡¯s mother and sister. ¡°Where¡¯s the woman and the girl?¡± Tess demanded. ¡°Quite safe, I assure you. I told them they had until dawn¡¯s first light for you to show up. Lucky for you, a storm blew in. Still, I was getting rather impatient.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here now.¡± Anger bled into her voice. ¡°What more do you want with me, Amphios? What is there left for you to take?¡± ¡°Take?¡± Amphios laughed. ¡°Oh, how hindsight colors all. You begged us for admission, don¡¯t you recall?¡± Arche frowned, but mostly ignored the comment. There was movement around the edge of his awareness. Somewhere off to his left, toward the city. He also had to keep an eye on his Mana. Psychic Sight was a relatively Mana-intensive activity and his Mana stores had already dropped ten percent. ¡°A poor girl, running from her father and a life she didn¡¯t want. Straight into trouble.¡± ¡°I was a child. I sought escape, not another leash.¡± Arche had never heard Tess like this, not even during their fight. Her voice trembled with rage, pain, and fear. ¡°You made the bindings. You swore the Oaths and forsook them,¡± Amphios shouted, his own anger unconcealed. Lightning flashed, making everything look ethereal for a moment before plunging them back into near darkness. Amphios brandished something above his head. For a moment, Arche thought it was a blade, but his Psychic Sight revealed something small and circular. A ring. ¡°But all can be forgiven,¡± Amphios said, his tone forcibly calm. ¡°Nothing has been broken that cannot be reforged. Come back to me, wife, and reclaim your place by my side.¡± Arche¡¯s Psychic Sight snapped back to the limits of his own mind. He looked sideways at her, hoping for some indication that Amphios was insane, but he saw the truth written on her face. Her mouth hung open and her chest heaved like she couldn¡¯t catch her breath. Her eyes were wide and wild. Terror and rage stamped in equal measure across her features. ¡°Come back.¡± The words had the magical whisper of command. Tess¡¯s whole body tensed like the bend of a taut bow, ready to strike. Then she took a single step forward. Arche caught her by the hand, holding her back. He¡¯d moved before he¡¯d really processed what was going on, but feeling her skin beneath his, cold and slick from the rain, everything fell into place. Amphios had a mental manipulation ability. That was why she¡¯d run to a start-up village on the frontier, why she had been so back-and-forth with Arche after learning of his Psychic ability and their mind-meld. That was why, even still, she held back. When they¡¯d connected their minds, he¡¯d seen her life play out before him. Her time with the Hekatonkheires had been shiny. He¡¯d thought that was because she enjoyed it, but that hadn¡¯t been it at all. The memories were altered, manipulated, either by the man in front of them or by her own meddling.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Tess looked back at him, her eyes still wide and wild, boring into him with a plea that went deeper than words. It was in that moment, swept by wind and soaked by rain as the storm howled around them, that the cruel, taunting version of Tess washed out of existence. She wasn¡¯t a cruel seductress playing with his heart; she was a survivor, doing whatever it took to be free from a fate he couldn¡¯t begin to imagine. ¡°Come back.¡± She pulled against him, turning back toward Amphios as she tried to break his grip. Arche held on tighter, trying to think of what to do. ¡°Look at me,¡± he said, his voice low and reassuring. ¡°Look at me.¡± The muscles in her neck tensed and strained, but she did. ¡°You¡¯re all right. I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Ar¡­che¡­¡± His name slipped from her gritted teeth and he took her wrist in both hands. ¡°Leave him!¡± ¡°I¡¯m right here. You¡¯re stronger than him. His power is all gimmick. You can break free; I know you can.¡± Tess shut her eyes. Her face twisted with pain. ¡°Obey!¡± A line of blood dribbled from Tess¡¯s nose but when she opened her eyes, they were clear and focused. She squeezed his hand. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I will kill them both!¡± Arche glanced back at Amphios and saw he was no longer alone. He held a girl¡ªno older than fifteen¡ªby the hair, a knife pressed to her throat. Next to him, another Hekatonkheires had appeared, holding a woman the spitting image of Basil, if older. ¡°Shit. Any ideas?¡± ¡°Can you invade his mind?¡± Tess asked. ¡°Too long. They¡¯d die.¡± ¡°Time for Plan Delta.¡± ¡°Plan D? What the fuck were B and C?¡± Tess ignored him, raising her voice for Amphios. ¡°Release them and I will come to you.¡± Amphios¡¯s smile was practically manic. ¡°Come to me and I will release them, dearest.¡± Tess gave a final squeeze of Arche¡¯s hand, then took ten steps forward, closing half the distance between them. ¡°There,¡± she said. ¡°Release them now or lose me forever.¡± Amphios let go of the girl and shoved her forward, nicking her neck slightly as she fell past the knife. The girl cried out and scrabbled forward on her hands and knees. Arche could see Tess¡¯s hands clench but she made no move to help the crawling girl as she passed. ¡°Half the prize for half the distance,¡± Amphios said. Arche knelt down as the girl came to him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re friends of your brother. You¡¯re safe now.¡± ¡°B-Basil? He¡¯s alive?¡± ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t worry.¡± He put one hand on the side of her neck and cast Minor Heal. Within moments, the skin knit itself back together, only a thin silver line revealing she¡¯d ever been cut. ¡°Get behind me and stay low,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re doing great.¡± The girl did as he instructed as he turned his attention back to the situation in front of him. Tess walked toward Amphios again. Each step slow and torturous. ¡°There¡¯s a good girl,¡± Amphios said, the sinister smile back on his face. He held Tess¡¯s jaw between thumb and forefinger and made a show of turning her face left and right, as though she were a prized animal of which he was checking the quality. Arche itched to break those fingers. Amphios said something but it was too quiet for Arche to hear across the distance and the storm. Mana crackled in the air. The thug next to Amphios released Basil¡¯s mother. She ran forward, crying out in a wordless shout of fear and worry. Something metal glinted in the thug¡¯s hand, reflecting the light from a nearby lantern. ¡°No!¡± Arche shouted, reaching out as though he could somehow close the distance between them. Before Basil¡¯s mother had made it a dozen steps, a knife planted itself between her shoulder blades with a sickening thud. She stumbled and fell, blood staining her clothes red. Behind Arche, Basil¡¯s sister screamed. Lightning flashed overhead and thunder crackled in the same moment. Arche raised the Tridory to the sky and the lightning responded, arcing down into the spear. Arche felt the energy course into him.
Innervated +50% Reaction Time +15% Movement Speed +25% Lightning Resistance +100% Stamina Regeneration
Innervated: 9:58
The lightning sparked off him, sizzling in the rain. He sprang forward, clearing the distance between him and the woman in a single bound. In one clean motion, he threw the spear. It sped off like a screaming arrow, punching a hole straight through the thug¡¯s chest and frying him from the inside out. He¡¯d imbued half of the lightning energy into the attack, an impossible feat before learning Mana Manipulation, and was left with five minutes of innervation. Arche knelt and placed his hands around the knife wound, channeling Minor Heal. Mana poured out of him but it was of little help. The placement had nicked the woman¡¯s heart and her body was struggling to pump blood. His spell was helping a little, trickling Health into her, but her heart couldn¡¯t heal while the knife was still in her. Praying it wouldn¡¯t kill her, Arche pulled the blade free, channeling his spell the entire time. The woman didn¡¯t react at all, which scared him more than if she had screamed. She was already unconscious, sliding toward death. Arche tried to focus his spell on her heart, using every bit of control he¡¯d learned, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do. The spell wasn¡¯t meant to heal internal damage. Arche pushed past his self-imposed limit of sixty Mana, letting the spell drop when he hit fifteen, a mere four percent of his total. His head throbbed in pain, but he hadn¡¯t damaged his Mana pathways. It would have to be enough; he couldn¡¯t do anything else for her. Arche stood and brought his forearm next to his face. A knife glanced off the vambrace, unable to bite through the hardened mantikhoras hide. The improved reaction time had just saved his life. Unfortunately, the innervated effect did nothing to regenerate his Mana, so he was left to deal with the threat physically. Three Hekatonkheires stood, pulling out crossbows and aiming at him. Arche managed to retrieve his shield from his inventory just in time. Three bolts thudded into the barrier, their heads punching through the metal but failing to advance farther. Arche summoned the Revenant Rib Kopis into his free hand and ran toward the nearest thief. The thug backstepped, armed with only a pair of daggers. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be blind!¡± the thief protested. Arche bashed his shield into the thief¡¯s face, snapping the bolts in the process. The man fell to the ground, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. A single stab to the chest put him out of the fight permanently. It was the second person Arche had killed in as many minutes ¨C but all he felt was a terrible sense of familiarity and ease. Two more bolts thudded into his shield, raised just in time to protect his face. The third bolt nicked his leg just above the knee, where the armor didn¡¯t quite cover. Arche grit his teeth. The damage was minimal but it wasn¡¯t the only concern.
Poisoned -8% Reaction Time -4% Movement Speed 4 Health Lost per 5 Seconds
Poisoned: 4:58
Two more thieves armed with shortswords and small shields engaged him before he could close on the crossbowmen. They had clearly practiced fighting in tandem, attacking from different directions and covering each other¡¯s openings. Arche was put on the defensive under the combined assault as they pushed him back. The poison ate away at his speed, counteracted by his lightning buff, but the loss in Health still threatened to be extensive if he let it go too long. Arche punched out with the shield, trying to catch one of the attackers off balance, but the thief stepped back out of reach. As he did, three more bolts hit Arche¡¯s shield, the last one nearly slipping beneath it. It wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand much more abuse. Slipping his hand from the shield strap, he threw it at one of the sword thieves. They stumbled back, taken off-guard, and Arche focused his attention on the other. He feinted a thrust, goading the thief into defense. It worked. Arche planted his boot on the thief¡¯s shield and launched him off the dock and into the churning water below. The other thief recovered and came in swinging. Arche caught the swing on his own blade, then stepped sideways and kicked at the thief¡¯s leg. He caught the inside of the thief¡¯s ankle, forcing their stance wide, then dropped his shoulder into their shield, knocking them against a crate. A quick slash opened up the thief¡¯s belly, nearly slicing them in half. He left the man trying to stuff his innards back where they came from and turned to the crossbowmen. His hand jerked of its own accord, rising toward his face. Something hit his shoulder and another skittered off his ribs as it punched a hole through his armor. His hand held a bolt that would have killed him. As it was, his Health dropped down to sixty percent and the poisoned debuff became a lot more potent.
Poisoned -16% Reaction Time -8% Movement Speed 8 Health Loss per 5 Seconds
Poisoned: 8:47
Arche let out a pained breath and ducked behind the crate. He stored the sword and tried to think. His Mana had only regenerated about twenty points but it would have to be enough. He focused on his connection to the Tridory and summoned it to his hand. The spear dug itself out of the dock and flew to him. Even with the buff, he wasn¡¯t faster than three crossbow bolts. What he really needed was a way to take them out from a distance or close it before they could strike him. His attention turned to the body lying on the crate next to him. He grabbed a handful of the dead thief¡¯s breastplate and heaved it to the side. Two bolts sank into the body before it hit the dock. It would have to be good enough. Arche rolled from behind the cover and launched the Tridory at the closest thief. A bolt slammed into his hip, eliciting a snarl of pain, but he was rewarded by the sight of the Tridory catching the offending Hekatonkheires in the face, practically tearing the man¡¯s head off. Arche stood, drawing his bow and two arrows out of his inventory. The bolt tip scraped against his hip bone as he stood. His shoulder screamed in protest as he drew the bow back and shot the first arrow. It hit the thief center-mass and they crumpled to the ground. The last thief, seeing they were alone, dropped the half-wound crossbow and ran. Arche pulled the bow taut again, sighting down at the fleeing thief. His breath came in short bursts and his vision was getting blurry. A thought crossed his mind, did he really want to be the kind of man who shot someone in the back? He started to relieve the tension in the bow, then thought of what they¡¯d done to Tess. His arrow sank into the back of the thief¡¯s head. Arche put away his bow and turned to the women. Basil¡¯s sister crouched protectively over her mother, hands clamped against the wound to staunch the bleeding. Tess and Amphios stood like statues, staring at one another and seemingly oblivious to all that was happening. His hand still held her face, his mouth barely moving, the words lost amid the storm. Arche limped toward them, summoning the Tridory back to his hand. The fury in his heart almost drowned the pain. Amphios lifted his other hand and stroked Tess¡¯s face, brushing a strand of soaked hair out of her eyes. His words became audible over the rain. ¡°I knew you would be mine. The fire in you burned so bright ¨C but there is no fire that cannot be wielded.¡± Tess said nothing, only stared. ¡°I did not fret when you left. I knew you would return. This was a passing fancy, a dalliance. I understand. You needed change. But you are back now and that is all that matters. You are mine, again.¡± The words carried the weight of magical command but still Tess didn¡¯t move. Arche limped closer, using the Tridory to support his injured leg. ¡°Tess! Snap out of it!¡± Amphios leveled his gaze at Arche at last. ¡°If it isn¡¯t the blind warrior. Recovered, I see. It¡¯s too late. Theresa is mine. Leave with your life and what¡¯s left of them.¡± Arche staggered forward, ignoring Amphios entirely. He had eyes only for Tess. Amphios sighed. ¡°Leave!¡± Arche felt the command down to the marrow of his bones. He wanted to follow it, to leave this wretched place and find somewhere warm and dry to curl up and recover. He almost obeyed, but the sight of Tess standing there with Amphios¡¯s fingers still cupping her chin drove him onward. ¡°So meddlesome,¡± Amphios growled. ¡°Fine. Darling, kill him.¡± Tess pulled a knife from her belt and half-turned toward Arche. She was fast, faster than him by a large margin. She lashed out, blades blurring in her hands. Without a shield, he was forced to rely on his vambraces to stop her questing strikes, and even then it was close. The lightning no longer coursed in his veins and he could feel every painful throb of his heart pushing poison further along his system. Her technical brilliance was undeniable. Her blade found every unprotected inch of flesh, took advantage of every error. In moments, Arche¡¯s arms were little more than a bloodied mess, barely holding the strength to stay raised. She forced him back against a railing, bearing down on him until he couldn¡¯t defend himself anymore. Arche looked up at her, the rain almost blinding, and met her eye. ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± he said, his voice hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Tess. I¡¯m here.¡± Her knife plunged forward. It tore through the mantikhoras hide and stuck halfway into his chest, sliding between his ribs. Arche gasped, but air was beyond his grasp. Tess¡¯s eyes were close to his now, glassy and dull. His Health plummeted at a frightening pace, excerbated by the poison in his system. ¡°Do what you have to, Tess. It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± Amphios shrieked. ¡°Of course.¡± Tess¡¯s voice was flat, almost mechanical. A trickle of blood seeped from her left nostril. ¡°This is what you deserve.¡± Arche closed his eyes and waited for Thanatos to deliver him. It was a fate befitting a monster. It was only right he would die at the hands of a friend. The blade ripped free from his chest and he gasped, air available at last. His eyes shot open to see Tess¡¯s hand white-knuckled around her knife, embedded in Amphios¡¯s chest. Her expression hardened as Amphios¡¯s turned into a mixture of pain and confusion. He fell to his knees. ¡°But¡­why?¡± ¡°Because of the girl you took advantage of when she needed help. Because of eight years of torment you put me through. Because of the woman lying there and all the women like her. Lives shattered by your whims. Because if there is anyone who deserves to die in this accursed world, it¡¯s you.¡± Tess twisted the knife, pulled it free, then slammed it up behind Amphios¡¯s chin, sending the blade into his brain. The severed tip of Amphios¡¯s tongue fell out of his open mouth to land on the dock. His body hit the wood, as lifeless as the rest. Tess¡¯s chest heaved as she stared at Amphios¡¯s corpse. She screamed, an angry, pained scream as lightning crashed and thunder boomed overhead. Arche sagged against the railing, barely able to keep his feet under him. Blood wetted the wood, mixing with the rainwater, each pulse of it taking his strength. ¡°Tess?¡± She raised her face toward the sky. Lightning flashed again. She shoved Amphios¡¯s corpse into the water. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Book 2 | Chapter 50 Nyxpera The 19th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Lyssa sucked air, bent double above the shattered remnants of the tenth Construct of Hyperion. Eleftherios and Despoina sat on the ground on the other side, each breathing as heavily as she was. To her right, Gigator took deep, steady breaths in some kind of meditation while, to her left, Vik was as composed as ever. Elpida, Iosif, and Grimmolt had sat out the last fight, so they were fresh, relatively. Each bore wounds from previous fights, but there was no option to turn back. They had quickly determined it was best to keep the constructs¡¯ attention on the faster members of their group while those with magical weapons dismembered them as quickly as possible. They¡¯d fallen into a fighting rhythm, but it still took precious minutes to take each one down. They¡¯d whittled it to under five minutes per construct but their time dwindled with only six minutes and two constructs left. ¡°We¡¯ll have to fight them both at the same time,¡± Lyssa gasped. ¡°Not doable,¡± Eleftherios protested. ¡°We can barely take down one without injuries. We¡¯ll never get two.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice,¡± Elpida said. ¡°She¡¯s right. We¡¯ll have to split them. Before, we didn¡¯t know which statues were going to come alive, but we should be able to hit them immediately if we prepare this right.¡± They¡¯d tried to damage the statues before activating them but the dark stone was invulnerable until the pebble was placed in the bowl. There was no discernable pattern to it either, so they couldn¡¯t set an ambush for any of the statues as they came alive. So far, they¡¯d been unlucky in guessing. Lyssa dragged herself to her feet, listing to one side. Her Stamina was at less than fifteen percent. The thought of running gave her stomach a turn but there was nothing for it. They didn¡¯t have time to waste. ¡°Get ready.¡± Vik clambered awkwardly onto one of the constructs, angling his sword to puncture its throat as soon as it came alive. Despoina tried to do something similar, but her axe was less suited for quick cuts, so she settled in to take out one of the construct¡¯s legs instead. The rest got into various positions nearby, ready to distract and grab attention where able. Lyssa picked up the final two stones and placed them into the sacrificial bowls. Chaos broke out almost instantly. Both constructs jerked to life with sudden movements, not at all like the smooth awakenings of the ones before. Vik -rolled with the motion as his construct bucked forward. Starlight punched a hole straight through the statue¡¯s throat, releasing a stream of molten slag. That fight was far from over, however. It grabbed Vik around the middle with one hand and threw the moon elf into the ground at its feet. Vik gave a strangled cough and blue blood splattered out of his mouth to land on his own face. Despoina was hardly faring better. She had landed a single, solid blow against the heel of her construct before it kicked backwards, sending both her and her magic axe flying. Gigator threw his full weight at the construct, trying to bear it to the ground now that its balance was compromised, but it rolled with the impact, tossing Gigator to the side as its focus settled upon Iosif. The man dodged left and right, weaving between the construct¡¯s sweeping strikes. Vik¡¯s statue slowed as more and more molten slag dripped to the ground. Vik himself wasn¡¯t moving at all. His presence in the party interface was the only evidence he was still alive, but that didn¡¯t mean he was stable. ¡°Eleft!¡± Lyssa shouted. ¡°Get Vik!¡± ¡°On it!¡± The brawny man slid beneath one of the construct¡¯s arms to reach Vik¡¯s side. Elpida grabbed attention by smashing her hammer into the construct¡¯s face. It didn¡¯t do much damage, but it wasn¡¯t mean to. She ducked and spun out of reach, pulling it away from the others. Lyssa ran for Starlight, sweeping the sword up as she took stock of the situation. The construct with the injured foot knelt and punched the ground, throwing up a spray of stony chips that Iosif couldn¡¯t avoid. He was knocked off his feet, cuts lining his face and arms as he struggled to clear his vision, and the construct closed quickly in. Lyssa pushed her flagging Stamina to its limits, aiming not for its vulnerable spots, but its legs. With her focus decided, her anatomy skill highlighted joints and pressure points. Starlight¡¯s tip pierced the strange, black stone of the construct three times. There was more resistance than she expected, knowing how sharp the sword was. The effect, however, was undeniable. The construct¡¯s leg collapsed underneath it, completely immobile. No longer out of reach, Grimmolt swung Despoina¡¯s axe over and over into the statue¡¯s neck with a furious bellow. By the fifth swing, the head detached and rolled across the floor. Lyssa changed directions and refocused on the remaining construct, only to find it had trapped Elpida beneath its foot. She had managed to get her shield in front of her and was using it as a brace, but the construct was too heavy. Gigator wrapped his great arms around the statue¡¯s leg and was trying to shift it away, but the foot still descended. There was no time. The construct was fifteen meters away and Lyssa¡¯s Stamina was almost completely gone. She brought the sword up over her shoulder and reversed her grip. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered. She didn¡¯t know why she said it or who she was even saying it to. All she could see was the desperation on Elpida¡¯s face, the defiant set of her teeth, the blood staining her armor. The hairs on the back of Lyssa¡¯s neck stood on end and her skin rippled with gooseflesh. She threw the sword overhand, collapsing afterward as her Stamina hit single digits. The sword wobbled through the air, then struck the statue¡¯s chest, directly over its weak spot. Slag bubbled out around the blade but the construct still moved. Despoina rushed forward, wielding a shield with both hands, and threw herself into the fray. The shield hit Starlight¡¯s pommel and pushed it deeper until the tip poked out the other end. The construct collapsed to the side, releasing Elpida, who gasped and coughed. Lyssa¡¯s vision spun, tossing the whole room about. Her stomach churned, but she bit back the bile that crept up her throat. Stamina depletion was dangerous and nauseating, but she had dealt with it many times before. She was lucky, in fact, that she hadn¡¯t lost consciousness. She was at less than two percent of her Stamina maximum. Most of her old training partners would have faded at ten percent, their bodies rebelling the stress. After several deep breaths, she was able to focus enough to pull open her waiting notifications.
Your party has slain 11x Constructs of Hyperion. You gain 18,562 experience.
You have completed the Trial of Strength.
The experience was not insignificant. Lyssa had leveled after the third construct, having killed it personally, and now she was a significant way another level. Most of the others had gained several levels throughout the hour-long fight. Vik, strangely, hadn¡¯t leveled at all. She wasn¡¯t sure how strong her spymaster really was, as he was the only person in Myriatos who had refused to give his status information to Theodorous. That he was able to contribute to the death of twelve level seventy-five constructs in a party of eight and not receive a single level gave her pause, especially as she recalled his warning about Callias and the power of the entity he had seen. A warning she was, ultimately, forced to ignore. Surrender was not an option. They could only grow their power and prepare as best they could. It would have to be enough. Lyssa found herself once again wishing for Arche¡¯s presence. His optimism and humor were sorely missed. He would have known how to rally them. ¡°Is everyone alive?¡± She had meant it to come out strong and reassuring, a leader¡¯s query, but her voice croaked. ¡°Vik¡¯s unconscious but stable,¡± Eleftherios said. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything for him. We¡¯ll have to wait until he wakes up.¡±This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°A few broken ribs.¡± Elpida spat to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll live, but I won¡¯t be much help if there¡¯s more fighting.¡± The others mumbled their own injuries, mostly minor or superficial ones. Lyssa had been lucky so far. Her increased Agility had given her enough of a speed advantage to avoid taking any direct damage. As they took accountability, a scraping noise of stone on stone drowned out their words. As one, they turned and watched the stone doors blocking their passage open, beckoning them deeper into the dungeon. ¡°Fifteen minutes and we go,¡± Lyssa said. ¡°I¡¯ll scout out the next chamber.¡± ¡°We should stay together,¡± Elpida argued, further words choked away as she was wracked by a coughing fit. ¡°I¡¯m not asking. Stay here and recover as best you can. I¡¯ll be back in ten minutes.¡± Lyssa ducked into Stealth and made her way forward. Her Stamina didn¡¯t recover as quickly when she was sneaking but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make to see what was waiting for them. She placed Starlight into her inventory and made her way through the stone doors. The room was considerably smaller than the last two, standing at twenty-five meters deep by fifteen across. Lyssa took slow, calculated steps as she looked for any sign of life. At first glance, the room was empty. Large doors on the opposite side implied there was a challenge that would be completed, but there were no statues, sacrificial bowls, or artificial suns to interact with. Lyssa brought her gaze upward and saw the ceiling was carved, but the images were mostly oriented away from her and were difficult to make out in the low light of the room. Lyssa moved, trying to get a better look at the carvings, and found herself near the center.
You have started the Trial of Light.
Lyssa cursed, turning toward the doors to the Trial of Strength in time to see them grind shut. She drew her bow and nocked an arrow in the same breath, waiting for an adversary to appear. After three minutes she released the tension on her bowstring. She was alone. The secret of the room would not be yielded so easily. She turned her gaze to the ceiling once more. It was the only thing that stood out, so it was her best option to pass the trial. As she looked, she realized it was a rolling story, with a progression of events as it was read. It circled the ceiling, each image oriented from the center of the room, spiraling outward in a great work of art. Lyssa inspected the floor carefully, looking for any hidden traps or threats. None found, she stood in the middle of the great cavern and gazed at the ceiling, her mouth falling open as the images glowed and moved. The story unfolded before her. A large man sat upon a throne of wood with a harpe sword tied to his waist. It was an outdated choice, leaf-bladed xiphe and gently curved kopides were the current fashion and had been for over a millennia. A woman appeared, carrying a swaddled babe in her arms. She handed the wrapped child to the man, who looked down upon the infant for only a moment before he opened his mouth and consumed it whole. Lyssa tasted bile as her whole body convulsed, yet she could not tear her eyes away. The scene played before her six times before the light moved to the next scene. A boy delivered a meal to the man upon his throne. Upon consuming the meal, the man retched and began to vomit, falling off his throne to lie fetally beside it. The first thing to come out of the man¡¯s vomit was a stone shaped like a baby with swaddling cloth bunched next to it. After, people emerged from the man¡¯s mouth, two men and three women. They, along with the boy, fled the man while he cursed them all. The scene changed again and the boy had grown into a man. Together, the six of them stood against the throned man and all his allies. A war was fought, utilizing every weapon and magic above and below the sun. Years dragged on and battles raged but no side could find victory. Lyssa saw kykl¨­pes and hekatonkheires fighting on behalf of the six, forging weapons and armor that were able to overcome the child-eater and all who stood with him. They were cast down and imprisoned behind darkness in tombs of stone. The mural went dark and Lyssa was left with nothing but racing thoughts. A presence pushed against her awareness. It was there ¨C but it was not. Something formless in the dark. Lyssa drew her bow back once more, searching for the source, but found nothing. She whirled about, checking the corners. She was alone. ¡°Show yourself!¡± The mural above her glowed, not in pieces like before, but entirely. The light intensified until Lyssa had to shut her eyes against it, then the light pulled itself away from the ceiling and collected downward like motes of glowing dust. ¡°Lyssanderyli.¡± The light pulsed with each syllable. ¡°What are you?¡± ¡°I am the Light. Mine is the sun.¡± The presence pushed against her. She felt it press against her skin and mind, but it was even in its approach, as though it was an effect of the light existing rather than a conscious effort. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± She had no way of fighting this thing. She was not an eremancer, capable of swallowing light. She doubted even Starlight, her only magical weapon to hand, could do anything without a physical form to strike. ¡°You struggle for power, seeing it bestowed so easily upon your friends while you remain helpless. You cannot save them. You cannot face the Olympians by strength of will alone.¡± The words hummed within her, seeming to come from her own mind as much as the space around her. ¡°I will defend what I can. I have no quarrel with these Olympians.¡± ¡°War is coming and you have already aligned yourself with one side of it. There will be no escaping it, now.¡± Lyssa bared her teeth. The presence was steadily gaining in strength and it was taking conscious effort to stay standing. ¡°What are you?¡± she hissed. ¡°You know what I am.¡± She did know, she just hadn¡¯t wanted to say it. ¡°Titan.¡± ¡°I am Hyperion, The One Who Stands Above All.¡± ¡°You are the mountain and the dungeon.¡± ¡°I am what they are meant to contain. They, a prison. Myself, inmate and warden. Jailor and jailed.¡± ¡°I will not free you.¡± ¡°You could not if you tried, as you are.¡± ¡°Then I ask again, what do you want with me?¡± ¡°A deal. I will give you a path to power. A way to earn what has been out of your reach for two hundred years.¡± Lyssa shifted. ¡°What would you receive in return?¡± ¡°Loyalty.¡± Lyssa clenched her fists, forcing herself to stand against the pressure. She would not kneel. ¡°I will not be beholden to you or any other.¡± ¡°It would not be wise to refuse my offer.¡± ¡°It would be more foolish to accept it. I will not be yours. Servant, slave, or champion. If I fall, I will have done so by my own power. I will not capitulate to the schemes of you and those like you.¡± ¡°And when your friends and loved ones are being slaughtered and driven before you, will you still hold to that same pride? When your children are torn apart and consumed, will you cradle and nurse your ego? I have seen sons rebel against fathers, witnessed the end of an eternal night. Mine is the light that shines upon the world. You think you have known true grief and pain? The murder of your brother? What lies behind is but a taste of that which is yet to come.¡± The pressure increased again and her legs nearly buckled beneath the weight, but she kept her footing, spitting words from clenched teeth. ¡°Enough of your threats. I will not be cowed into submission.¡± ¡°I speak only of what is to come.¡± ¡°Then silence your falsehoods,¡± Lyssa snapped. ¡°The future is unwritten. No being in time or out of it can guarantee what is next.¡± Hyperion laughed, the sound coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. ¡°I recall a time when that was not true.¡± ¡°You mock me.¡± ¡°I am fascinated by you, little elf. So small, so proud, so angry¡­so weak. Will you not even consider my offer?¡± Lyssa hesitated. The presence had withdrawn somewhat, or she had become accustomed to it. Hyperion¡¯s tone had changed as well. It was less overbearing, more curious, like Lyssa was a strange, new toy that the Titan had yet to fully understand. One that he might break to learn how it worked. ¡°My responsibility to my people forbids me to subjugate myself to a being I cannot begin to comprehend.¡± ¡°Your people. You mean those humans and other smatterings of creatures that live on the surface?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You could protect them with the power I offer.¡± ¡°But I could not protect them from you.¡± ¡°You cannot protect them from me now.¡± ¡°But I can try.¡± Hyperion laughed again. ¡°Very well. Go forth on your own accord, daughter of the Huntress. When you change your mind, my offer stands.¡± The doors rumbled open as the light faded. A notification flashed in Lyssa¡¯s vision.
You have completed the Trial of Light.
Book 2 | Chapter 51 Nyxpera The 19th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals Rainwater coursed through the streets of Ephyra, washing days¡¯ worth of muck and trash down into the sewers to flow back into the sea. The night revelers had forsaken their festivities, choosing instead the comfort of a rain-proof roof and a warm hearth fire. Some manic few continued their frolic, their wild motions kicking up curtains as they danced beneath flashes of lightning and swaying lanterns. They were caught up in the frenzy of the storm and so taken by it that they failed to notice the small group racing past, coloring the rainwater red in their wake. Tess led the way, carrying the Tridory as they sprinted through the streets. Arche carried Basil¡¯s mother, trying to keep her as steady as he could, but his injuries made using his arms difficult. The woman hadn¡¯t regained consciousness, always a bad sign, and the wound in her back spat blood with every step. Whenever Arche could, he channeled Minor Heal into the woman, hoping it would be enough to keep her alive until they got to wherever Tess was leading them. Basil¡¯s sister ran with them. The girl had gone quiet and, by the all-too familiar far-away look in her eyes, it would be time and effort before she was able to rejoin them fully in the present. Time and effort they didn¡¯t have. It was by luck alone that the girl had enough presence of mind to follow them as they raced through the storm. ¡°This way!¡± Tess called over her shoulder, moving from the main thoroughfare to a small, side-alley. They were still in Hekatonkheires territory, as far as Arche was aware, but he trusted Tess to know what she was doing. She had earned that of him. They stopped before a nondescript door, almost indistinguishable from the wall beside it in the dark of night. Tess used her fist to bang out a series of rapid, off-tempo knocks. A second passed. Then two. Then five. Tess banged on the door again, halfway through her strange rhythm before it opened. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± a croaky voice snapped as the door opened. ¡°I heard you the first time. Get in!¡± They pushed inside, finding a small, cramped room packed full of medical equipment. Knives, needles, and more than Arche knew to name were scattered about the place. Once inside, Tess pushed a pile of clutter off of a table and gestured for Arche to set the woman down. He did so, laying the woman down on her front to keep the wound up. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve brought me,¡± the voice croaked again. Arche turned to find a positively ancient woman with spectacles an inch thick bending over the table to examine Basil¡¯s mother. He stepped out of the way, letting the woman work as he tried to catch his breath. ¡°This is Thalia,¡± Tess said. ¡°She¡¯s a fixer and a friend.¡± ¡°A fixer?¡± ¡°Healer. If anyone can help her, Thalia can.¡± Thalia¡¯s eyes darted to Arche, taking in his wounds, then flashed to Tess before settling on Basil¡¯s mother. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in a while, Theresa. Heard you were dead.¡± Tess paused. ¡°I haven¡¯t been around in a while. I only recently got back.¡± Thalia snorted. ¡°Liar. You got yourself out. Well, good for you. Always said you were too smart to be running with those thugs. You were either going to get out, get killed, or get ahead.¡± ¡°Can you save her?¡± Arche and Tess turned toward Basil¡¯s sister. Even Thalia looked up at the girl before resuming her examination of the wound. ¡°¡®Can I save her,¡¯ she asks. Of course I can. Come over here, you¡¯re going to help me. Now, stand here and hand me these things when I ask for them.¡± The girl moved to do as she was told and the two of them got to work. Arche moved to a less cluttered corner of the room and tried to catch his breath. His arms dripped blood, cut to pieces under Tess¡¯s knives. She sat next to him, leaning the Tridory up against the counter within Arche¡¯s reach. ¡°I think we¡¯re overdue for a conversation,¡± Arche whispered, half to not distract Thalia and half not to be overheard. ¡°I think we are,¡± Tess agreed. ¡°Come on, a bit more rain can¡¯t hurt.¡± He followed her outside, back into the storm. The high walls of the buildings around them provided shelter from the worst of the downpour, but rain still pelted through from above and the wind would whip up a frenzy around them, tunneled by the walls, before dying down again.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°I owe you an apology and an explanation,¡± Arche said. ¡°But the apology comes first. I¡¯m sorry for what I said, how I acted. It wasn¡¯t fair and it wasn¡¯t right.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly forthcoming with you, either. I should have told you about Amphios. What I remembered, at least. I¡¯m sorry I kept it from you.¡± Arche shook his head. ¡°You have a right to your secrets. Even from me.¡± ¡°As do you. You said you had an explanation?¡± Arche hesitated, then shared everything that had happened at Rune¡¯s shop. Right up until he used the Agony of Psyche. ¡°I learned who I am. What I am.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not from Tartarus. I¡¯m from somewhere else. Somewhere completely different. Different technology, no magic at all. I can¡¯t begin to explain it, but that¡¯s not really the worst of it.¡± Tess frowned. ¡°Not from Tartarus? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Arche¡¯s breath hitched in his throat. The rain pelted down, running into his eyes and dripping off the back of his neck. ¡°I was a monster, Tess. A monster in human form. I wanted change. Justice, I called it, and I didn¡¯t care who I had to hurt to get it. And I hurt a lot of people. Killed a lot of people. And I wasn¡¯t going to stop. I was just going to keep killing and killing until I got what I wanted.¡± Arche shut his eyes. He didn¡¯t want to see her reaction. Didn¡¯t want to see the disappointment in her eyes or disgust twist her face. Other faces stared back at him from the black. Drawn and gaunt, some terrified, others slack. His victims. Too many to count. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, we call it acts of terror. Attacks against a civilian populace designed to instill fear for political purpose. And I was good at it. I had a plan. Thousands were going to die. Maybe millions. Maybe more. But before I could pull it off, I¡­I died. And I woke up here.¡± ¡°Millions¡­¡± Tess echoed. The word was soft, like she was trying to grasp the concept of a number that large. ¡°I met that version of myself inside my own headspace. He was terrifying and intense. All the memories came flooding back with him, but he changed some of mine. There are multiple versions in my head and things got jumbled. I lost track of which ones are real.¡± Arche took a shuddering breath and pressed on. ¡°I thought I beat him. I thought I pushed past his manipulations and came out the other side. The Agony was supposed to keep him trapped but I don¡¯t think it worked. I think he¡¯s still inside my head, even if it¡¯s just in memory. I¡¯m terrified I¡¯ll become him, but I know that¡¯s the wrong way of looking at it. I¡¯m already him, just as he is me. I did those things. I am that monster. I killed those people.¡± The world spun and his breath came in gasps. Arche felt the wall behind him and pressed himself against it, trying to keep hold of something firm. Something to keep him from spiraling. ¡°My father is one of the wealthiest merchants this side of Tartarus with trade partners as far away as Krete. He has more drachmae in one of his alternate accounts than Myriatos is likely to see in a hundred years. Every single coin is born of blood.¡± Arche opened his eyes. Tess¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t of disappointment or disgust. It was something close to empathy. ¡°He owns the largest mercenary guild in Tartarus,¡± she said. ¡°Built entirely off of slaves.¡± His shock must have shown on his face because she tilted her head to the side and gave him a small smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t see that coming, did you?¡± ¡°No. I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I started running early. I ran to the Hekatonkheires because I thought they could hide me and I was right. But doing that connected me to Amphios and, with them, I did terrible things. His voice is¡­difficult to resist. I lost years with them. I have no idea what actually happened during that time but I know what I remember is wrong. When I felt like myself again, I had his ring on my finger. That¡¯s when I had to leave. Heard about some rich noble funding an expedition out to the wilds. Thought it might be far enough away that no one would come looking for me there, so I signed up as a mercenary once I was sure my father¡¯s people would have no part in it.¡± ¡°He called you his wife.¡± ¡°A lovely word for a prison worse than death.¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful you¡¯re telling me this.¡± Arche frowned. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Because I know monsters, Arche. I¡¯ve been around them my entire life. You are not a monster. You did awful things and you died for it, but I have known you since and you have fought and died for better. It is the fear of becoming a monster that will keep you from it.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t pay for what I¡¯ve done. What penance could possibly absolve so much pain? So much death?¡± ¡°Do the good you can.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I deserve the chance.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but you owe the effort.¡± Arche nodded. ¡°I owe the effort.¡± He raised his face to the sky and let the rain wash over him. He was grateful for the storm, it masked the tears running down his cheeks. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing,¡± he said. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I destroyed the Agony of Psyche. I panicked. Thought it was the only way to stop Alex from taking over. Who knows, maybe it was. It put me into a situation with Rune. She demanded I replace the artifact with another of equal value.¡± ¡°Which other?¡± ¡°The Golden Fleece.¡± Tess stared at him for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re going to steal the Golden Fleece?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lightning flashed. ¡°From the palace?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Thunder shook the walls, rattling glass and stone. Beneath it all, Tess¡¯s hysterical laughter broke the night like a possessed witch cackling away her spells. Book 2 | Chapter 52 Nyxpera The 19th of Thargelion The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals The doors of the trial swung open and Lyssa stood in the midst of a fading glow. The presence weighing against her receded entirely, though she had no doubt Hyperion continued to watch from vantages unseen. The others rushed in, weapons drawn and ready for a fight. Seeing only Lyssa, bow in hand but otherwise unarmed, they calmed. Vik had regained consciousness but moved slower than before, keeping pace with Grimmolt, who still nursed his desiccated arm. ¡°What happened?¡± Elpida demanded. Lyssa retrieved Starlight from her inventory and handed it to Vik, who accepted it wordlessly. ¡°I activated the trial by accident. It seems to have been set once I crossed a certain distance into the room.¡± ¡°You should have waited for us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. The trial is over and the path ahead is clear.¡± ¡°What was the trial?¡± Grimmolt asked. Lyssa hesitated. How much was safe to say? If she refused the power, would one of them take it? Could she trust them with it? ¡°Temptation. Better left unsaid.¡± Elpida¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly and a few of the others coughed, but Lyssa had already turned toward the far doors. ¡°Are you all ready to travel?¡± A chorus of hasty agreement met her ears and she led the way. The next room was the smallest by far but easily the most unsettling. The stone floor was scuffed and scratched. Dust and rubble were piled high along with shattered, rotten wood. Most noticeable of all, however, was the crude tunnel carved into the wall. Lyssa sniffed as she eyed the scene. ¡°Goblins.¡± ¡°They must have dug their way in,¡± Gigator said. ¡°This tunnel is larger than before. Perhaps they were carrying something?¡± ¡°Treasure, most likely,¡± Despoina said. ¡°This is a dungeon. We passed three trials. This room was supposed to be the reward, I think. The goblins must have made off with it.¡± ¡°Then we have our vector,¡± Eleftherios replied. ¡°Only question left is who¡¯s going first.¡± Lyssa stalked into the tunnel, bow in hand. Though it was wider than the other goblin tunnels, she still had to stoop to avoid the ceiling. Behind her, the others had similar issues, aside from Grimmolt. Gigator went last, bent nearly double as he fit his large frame into the passage. The path ahead crept upward. A welcome sign for all of them, despite the many twists and turns. Goblin tunnel design, it seemed, was modeled after a drunk squirrel escaping a swarm of bees. It was as though the tunnel tried to confuse and disorient them, despite never actually branching off. More than once, she heard Grimmolt¡¯s muttered curses about the sheer inefficiency of it all, and Lyssa had to agree. By her best estimate, despite the hour they spent going through it, they had traveled less than half a kilometer in actual distance. All grumbles fell to a halt when voices echoed ahead, pitched high and croaking in a strange language. Lyssa picked up her speed. With the stone warping the sounds, it was difficult to tell how far away they were, but it was definitely goblins. Behind her, the others quickened to keep pace, doing their best to stay quiet. The scuffing of their boots was thunderous in Lyssa¡¯s ears. The goblins ahead must have heard it as well, as their conversation quieted abruptly and one let out a screeching cry. Lyssa emerged from the tunnel into a small cavern, barely six meters by four, to find three goblins clearly in the middle of some crude game involving bones and dice. One had a fist cocked back, ready to strike another in the face, and all three stared at Lyssa in shock. Too close to reliably shoot them, Lyssa used her bow as a club instead, bowling two of them over with blows upside the head. The third pulled a knife and stabbed at her, but she caught the goblin by the wrist. In two quick motions, the goblin was on the ground with a broken arm, the knife clattering harmlessly against the stone. Elpida and Iosif placed weapons at the throats of the other two as the rest of the group filled the room. Lyssa knelt and picked up the fallen knife, holding the blade very close to one goblin¡¯s eye. ¡°You¡¯re going to lead us to the children.¡± The goblin¡¯s mouth opened and shut a few times as it tried to form the words. ¡°I bring,¡± it said in the common tongue, clearly lacking mastery of the language. One of the goblins croaked something in their language, at which point Gigator placed a single clawed finger between its eyes and began to press. He rumbled something in the goblin tongue and the three made a low, keening noise. Lifting himself up, Gigator spoke to the rest of the group. ¡°They will behave.¡± ¡°You speak goblin?¡± Elpida asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°My swamps were infested. You tend to learn your neighbors¡¯ tongues.¡± There were three other tunnels leading into the cavern in addition to the one they had come through. Once the goblins were properly bound with rope and lifted to their feet, they began down the middle passage. Lyssa cursed goblin design as they once again entered the labyrinthine network of switchbacks. Soft grunts of aggravated wounds echoed off the stone around them.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Minor injuries abounded throughout their small group. Lyssa had been lucky so far in avoiding them, but their fighting capacity was significantly diminished. Grimmolt¡¯s arm was still useless from the Trial of Stars, far beyond the help of leveling, and, though it had regained a little of its form, it was still unable to hold anything. Vik, too, moved gingerly after his injury. He had refused to share the extent of the damage, but Lyssa suspected broken ribs at a minimum. Elpida nursed broken ribs of her own and her armor was damaged, greatly reduced in its durability. Further attacks would be a lot more dangerous. Despoina¡¯s breath hitched when the slope became steep, speaking to her own chest wounds. Iosif had fully recovered from his minor injuries with the Managorged Anglers, putting him with Eleftherios and Gigator for the only other members who remained unharmed. To make matters worse, the tier-one exhaustion debuff flashed in the corner of Lyssa¡¯s vision. She had no doubts the rest of the group was suffering a similar fate. There had been no time to rest in their hours of pursuit, not when the fate of the little ones was so uncertain. All they could do was press on and hope they would arrive in time. Nearly an hour after the goblins began leading them, the tunnel widened. Soon, Lyssa didn¡¯t have to stoop to get through anymore. Even Gigator was able to walk upright. Noises echoed back to them, carried by stone. Goblins talking, laughing, and squabbling together. The three they had captured grew restless. They fidgeted, casting glances at their captors, who continued to hold them at blade-point. Lyssa called for a halt when an opening into a larger cavern came into view. Two of the goblins tried to bolt for the opening, screaming a warning as loudly as they could. Elpida and Iosif yanked their ropes, throwing both goblins to the ground, and Lyssa dispatched all three with the knife, leaving it rooted in the last. All sounds from the cavern ahead quieted, then a battle roar grew and echoed off the stone. ¡°The ruse is up,¡± Gigator said, pushing his way to the front. ¡°Quickly!¡± He led the charge out, Lyssa fast on his heels with bow in hand. The cavern was enormous, farther across than she could reach with an arrow or measure at a glance. Spread throughout was a colony of goblins. They seemed tribalistic, having split off into various groups that bunched together in a more complex societal network than Lyssa would have given them credit for. Many gathered around fires and shelters made from stone, pelt, and bone. Lyssa quickly scanned them, calculating their odds. More than five-score goblins gnashed teeth and brandished blades at them. In the center of it all, a tall goblin with a bone staff and a deer-skull helmet raised his voice in a loud, trilling war cry. The goblins charged and Lyssa¡¯s group ran to meet them, shouting war cries of their own. Just before the two clashed, Lyssa caught sight of what sat at the tall goblin¡¯s feet: the children. ¡°They¡¯re in the center!¡± Then the fight was on. Lyssa parried a goblin¡¯s sword with her kopis and opened a line on its neck in the same motion. She danced back, disengaging as her allies took up their position on the line, branching slightly into a semi-circle so as not to be surrounded. With the momentary respite, Lyssa nocked an arrow and sighted the tall goblin¡¯s forehead. She pulled the string back even further, activating her Penetrating Shot maneuver for increased speed and power. The arrow flew with a loud snap as the bow was brought back to rest. The goblin barely had time to twitch, but it was enough. A stone barrier sprang from the ground, intercepting the arrow before it could strike true. Instead of skittering off, the arrow punched into the stone and stuck there, quivering. ¡°A mage,¡± Lyssa called out. ¡°Keep going!¡± The stone barrier had blocked the strike entirely, but it also blocked the mage¡¯s sight. If she could find the right angle to attack from, she could slip past his guard and put an end to him. Then, it was a matter of getting the children out. The rest of the goblins weren¡¯t particularly powerful or skilled, but they had numbers on their side. Lyssa strafed the mage, swapping out her bow for her swords. She crashed into a line of goblins trying to surround them, forcing four back as she skipped to the side and ran around. Most goblins focused on the others, but over a dozen now trailed her. She swapped for her bow again, quickly drawing and firing at the goblin mage. She pulled up short as a shard of stone whizzed in front of her, propelled by magic. It sliced open her cheek and hot blood streamed down her face. The delay let the goblins catch up to her, putting her on the back foot as she tried to disentangle herself. They fought like rabid animals, no thought to tactics or safety as they flung themselves at her, scratching and biting as much as they used their crude swords and knives. Lyssa pushed herself back and gasped for breath. The heavy stink of magic caught her nostrils. ¡°They¡¯re enchanted!¡± Lyssa shouted as a goblin kept throwing itself at her even after she severed its arm. She ducked away, dodging another launched rock as she took stock of the situation. Her allies had positioned themselves in front of the tunnel, in case a getaway was necessary. They were fighting strong, but the sheer mass of bodies pressing against them was adding up in injuries. It was only a matter of time before one of them fell. Her own situation was more precarious, without a clear exit strategy, but she at least had her speed to rely on. She twisted and ran away from the goblins amassing at her feet before they could overwhelm her. Another rock shot by, exploding on the cavern wall next to her. The mage had clearly identified her as the most prevalent threat and was intent on taking her out first. Lyssa loosed two arrows mid-stride, not really expecting either to do much against the mage¡¯s defenses but hoping that they would at least buy her a few seconds. The mage threw up another stone barrier, blocking its sightline of Lyssa entirely. Lyssa turned and made a Drill Shot backwards, toward the mass of goblins behind her. The spinning arrow tore through three of her pursuers, but the rest crawled over the fallen as they gave chase. ¡°Cease your fighting or I will slay your children!¡± The magically amplified voice echoed throughout the cavern. Many of the goblins took a step backward, blinking in surprise and clutching at wounds that had been otherwise ignored. The goblins chasing Lyssa stopped and turned toward the mage, who held a dagger against the throat of a small, human girl. Hot rage seethed in Lyssa¡¯s chest, crawling up her throat, but she forced her hands to stay idle. Her arrows wouldn¡¯t reach the mage before the knife moved. ¡°Surrender yourselves,¡± the goblin mage said. Lyssa watched as, one-by-one, her friends were forced to their knees, their hands bound before them. She clenched her teeth and nearly struck the first goblin that approached her, but the mage was watching her carefully and had adjusted the angle of the knife. Despite the distance, she could see the thin line of blood trailing down the girl¡¯s throat. Lyssa dropped her bow. Something struck the back of her legs and she fell to her knees. Rope bound her wrists and ankles. Impotent rage and shame washed over her. They had failed. A day of tireless pursuit, and they had failed. She had led them all to their deaths, allowed the children to be captured in the first place. Nothing would stop the goblins from killing all of them. There was nothing she could do. The goblins dragged her forward until she and her friends were before the goblin mage. Lyssa tensed, ready to spring. If nothing else, her sharp teeth could tear through goblin flesh before they killed her. As if sensing her defiance, four goblins grabbed her shoulders and legs, forcing her flat to the ground. The mage pushed the little girl away and lifted his arms. He shouted something in the goblin speech and the rest howled. Before him was a wide bowl, easily over a meter in diameter. With a quick slice, the mage opened his palm and sprinkled blood into it. Dark lines of glowing red came to life, not just in the bowl but on the ground around them as well. Some sort of magic ritual or runecraft. The goblins chanted something in their foul language. Four syllables, over and over again. Lyssa didn¡¯t know the word, but she felt dread creep through her veins. The need to do something, anything, was unbearable, but she had been effectively restrained. There was nothing she could do. The mage stepped toward them and scooped a child off the ground. A baby, still young enough to cry for mother¡¯s milk. Lyssa watched in mounting horror as the goblin lifted the infant high with one hand, leaving a bloody red imprint on its swaddle, while the dagger poised to strike. In the heartbeat before tragedy, Lyssa broke.