《ARMOR (STUBBED)》


 Ch 1. Fourth Meal

    The instant the warrior placed my head over his, he was gone, leaving only the suit of full plate that made up my body. He was the fourth adventurer I¡¯d eaten. I stood still for a few moments and savored his essence. I was lucky this time, this had been his first quest and the group he was with didn¡¯t know him yet. I lifted his sword and shield with the same practiced ease he would¡¯ve and went to join his companions further into the dungeon. I didn¡¯t have to go far before I encountered a lightly armored dwarf balancing a large hammer carefully on his shoulder.


    ¡°Looks like a perfect fit,¡± he said. I searched the memories of my most recent victim. Stone in the River Bed was his name, Stone for short. I gave a thumbs up. I¡¯d be able to mimic my meals voice, but not his diction or manner. It was best to avoid talking to keep up the ruse. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you couldn¡¯t wait until we were leaving this forsaken hole to put it on.¡± I shrugged. I didn¡¯t understand either, but all three previous adventurers immediately donned me after I was found. They were understandably excited to find armor so fine as me, but it seemed an unnecessary risk to put me on in the middle of a dungeon. My theory was that my master had placed some sort of glamour upon me that drove them to do it. ¡°Well, let¡¯s rejoin the others.¡± I nodded and followed him through the dusty halls, my steel feet clanging on the stone floors.


    I could¡¯ve led the way myself of course. This was my home after all, but that wouldn¡¯t suit my master¡¯s game. For now I had to keep up the facade. As I walked with my faux compatriot I took note of the lifeless forms of my fellow residents. We passed ten slaughtered goblins, a horribly mutated bear, several large spiders and a blind cave drake. The drake was new, I noted, my master was always innovating fresh ways to torment adventurers. It was his favorite form of recreation. I was the crux of that amusement, something I might be proud of, if I was capable of such things.


    We crossed into another section of the dungeon and into a large hall. Sconces lit with blue flame lined the walls and illuminated stains of dried blood. A large, muscular woman sat against a wall sharpening a menacing looking axe, while across from her sat another woman, as petite as the other was powerful, wearing a simple white dress that had somehow avoided the myriad potential stains that lurked around them. She was mumbling softly to herself. She would be the biggest risk, both to me and my master. The holy ones were always trouble.


    ¡°You done getting all dressed up for the ball?¡± asked the large woman, Hrig was the name according to my last meal. I surprised myself by risking a bow and holding out a hand toward her.


    ¡°And would you care to dance?¡± I asked. She laughed and took my hand, using it to stand.


    ¡°Let''s head for the ballroom.¡± She gestured down the hall with her massive axe as if it weighed nothing, and tilted her head toward our still mumbling companion. ¡°Coming? or does your god need you to babble incoherently for a bit longer?¡± The other woman stood slowly and sighed.


    ¡°You know that prayer is important to my spells, Hrig.¡± She gave me a once over. ¡°The armor suits you Sevald. May it protect you in the coming fights.¡± I tensed momentarily under her gaze, but sensed no attempt to look beneath my surface. She was the trusting type. That suited me fine.


    ¡°Thank you Kyren.¡± I gave a slight nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way this time,¡± said Stone, taking his place in front of us, ¡°I¡¯m tired of being left behind by your overly long legs and lack of consideration for an old dwarf¡¯s constitution.¡± Hrig shrugged and gestured for him to lead the way. I fell in line behind him with Kyren behind me and Hrig taking up the rear.


    After a few winding paths through dimly lit halls we came to the trapped hallway. Of course, only I knew that¡¯s what it was. I watched as Stone¡¯s foot struck the pressure plate. I waited for the inevitable thud of the arrows into him, but it didn¡¯t come. Instead I heard the crash of armor hitting the ground as I tackled him and the whistle of arrows just over my head. I heard cursing underneath me and slowly picked myself back up.


    ¡°Yer¡¯ damned heavy Sevald, why the hell did you do that?¡± asked Stone. I pointed at the wall to our left. All ten arrows lay in a shattered pile where they¡¯d hit the stone wall. ¡°Oh, well¡­ thanks. Ye¡¯ve the keen senses of a Dwarf.¡± He gave me a firm pat on my pauldron. I felt something warm swell in my cuirass as he did so.


    Why had I done that? I¡¯m not meant to interfere with the traps. I¡¯d watched two women and a man be felled by that trap before and felt nothing. Something was wrong. I¡¯d have to report it to my master after this group was finished.


    ¡°We should¡¯ve expected traps. With everything else we¡¯ve encountered it was foolish not to,¡± said Kyren.


    ¡°Eh, I say we just push forward and don¡¯t worry about it. It was just a few arrows.¡± Hrig flexed as she spoke as if to say her tremendous biceps made her arrow proof.


    ¡°No, the sorceress is right. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± the dwarf began muttering under his breath in ancient dwarven. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again they¡¯d changed from blue to slate grey, sclera and all. He looked around the room, into and beyond the walls with his stone sense. I was familiar with the ability. My second meal had been a dwarf who also possessed it. ¡°There are four more traps in the room. Follow me close behind and tread carefully. I think I can guide us all through here.¡±


    We fell back into formation and followed him. We avoided the pitfall, the pendulum axes and what my master referred to as the ¡®razzle dazzler¡¯ , a flamethrower hidden in a wall. I hardly noticed, I was too focused on determining why I¡¯d saved Stone. Perhaps it was a directive that had been placed into me without me knowing? Master often spoke of his growing boredom, perhaps having more adventurers make it through to the end was a way to increase his pleasure? The dwarf held up his hand for us to stop.


    ¡°Everyone quiet down. That¡¯s the end of the traps, but there''s something in the room up ahead. Something big." I raised my shield in preparation and readied my sword. The troll was next. I kicked open the door to the dark room and charged.


    ¡°Wait, you idio- !.¡± I charged into the room with a roar, doing my best to draw the troll''s attention. I succeeded, and after a moment of surprise he knocked me across the room with an almost casual swing of his massive club.


    I slumped against the wall, feigning unconsciousness. This was part of the routine of course. I rush in and am struck down only to miraculously recover after the fight ends and my short-term allies are softened up.


    I watched as Stone charged, rolling between the troll¡¯s legs at the last moment. Before the troll could turn around, Hrig was in front of him, and he narrowly avoided having his guts exposed by her axe. Already off balance he was knocked to his knees by a swift hammer strike to the back of his legs. He swung his club in a wide arc to buy space, but just as he started rising to his feet chains of light sprung from beneath him and brought him back down to the ground where they bound his hands and feet. Kyren had entered the room, her eyes ablaze with light and her dark hair drawing sharp contrast with the halo of white that surrounded her.


    Another strike from Stone¡¯s hammer caused the troll to let out an animal cry. Hrig closed on him, her axe held high, but she¡¯d made a fatal mistake, she¡¯d forgotten his teeth. Before she could bring down her axe, he stretched out his neck and wrapped his teeth around her waist biting hard. She dropped her axe. There was a loud and terrible crunch, but she didn¡¯t scream, instead she started striking the troll''s head with her bare fists even as she coughed up blood.


    I was on my feet and across the room before I knew what was happening. I dropped my shield and leapt the last six feet, taking my sword in both hands. I brought it down on the troll''s neck, severing it in a spray of viscera. I realized after a few moment¡¯s that I¡¯d been yelling. I felt a fire deep in my breastplate. A kind of internal heat I hadn¡¯t felt before.


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    I moved toward Hrig and pulled the troll''s jaws from her.


    ¡°You¡¯re a great dance partner Sevald, you just need to work on those first few steps,¡± said Hrig as she spat blood from her mouth.


    Kyren ran to her muttering under her breath, the light had not yet left her and I watched as it began to flow over Hrig, stitching her wounds and sealing her innards back into her stomach. By the time she was done the light that had surrounded her had faded completely.


    As Hrig¡¯s wounds healed I felt yet another new sensation. Almost as if I was a clenched fist that was easing its grasp. I searched for an explanation from my previous meals. Relief? Where was that coming from? ¡°Thank you Kyren,¡± said Hrig, wiping blood from her mouth.


    ¡°You''re welcome, but be careful. I can seal your wounds, but you lost a lot of blood. You¡¯ll likely feel a bit weak.¡± Hrig responded by launching herself back to her feet and picking up her massive axe with a single hand before giving it a few test swings.


    ¡°Eh, I didn¡¯t need that extra blood anyway.¡± Kyren sighed, Stone chuckled and I stood there enjoying what my meals told me was a sense of camaraderie.


    ...


    As we descended down to the final room of the dungeon I continued to reckon with the new sensations that were overtaking me. I felt as if heavy stones were rattling around inside me, clanging against my hollow interior. Dread, according to the essences I¡¯d absorbed. This was always my master''s favorite part, the conclusion of his grand design.


    The room was high ceilinged, held up by six thick stone pillars. The walls were covered in rich tapestries and lit by a massive chandelier. At the far end of the room sat my master on his throne. He was draped across it with one foot hanging playfully off one of the arm rests, his right hand held a golden chalice from which he took a generous sip as we entered the room. He smiled at us, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes.


    ¡°I see you made it to my inner sanctum.¡± he swirled the wine in his cup, ¡°I¡¯m impressed.¡± The party was close enough to make him out at this point. He appeared as a young handsome man wearing red silk embroidered with gold thread and covered with jewels.


    Instead of responding we fanned out, readying ourselves for a charge. He wouldn¡¯t like that, he always preferred to banter. I¡¯d try some myself, but he wouldn¡¯t really consider that satisfying. It would be like a child speaking to their toy.


    ¡°Nothing to say? Not, ''stop killing villagers?'' Or, ''we¡¯re here to end your reign of terror?'' Come now, I¡¯ve been terrorizing this area for years, I¡¯m sure you could come up with something!¡±


    ¡°Oi, I¡¯ve got something,¡± muttered Stone, hammer held menacingly in his hands. The lord smiled and nodded for him to continue. ¡°This!¡± he charged the throne, raising his hammer to strike. The lord sighed, but didn¡¯t move. The hammer fell, cracking the throne, but my master was no longer in it, he was behind Stone, facing the rest of the party, wine chalice still in hand, not a drop spilled. He drained it, crushed it with his bare hand and threw it aside.


    ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll skip to the part where I kill you.¡±


    Hrig threw herself at him, her axe high in the air, but he raised his hand and she was thrown back by a wall of force. Stone was back on him, sweeping at his knees with his hammer, but he lost his footing as the tiles beneath his feet rose in pillars underneath him, launching him into the air.


    Next was my turn. I followed the usual pattern he¡¯d made me practice. Downward strike, left, right, shield bash, he moved the bare minimum necessary to avoid each strike, yawning as he did so to emphasize his overwhelming power. Finally he gave me a wink as he lightly struck my chestplate with an open palm and I launched myself backward dramatically.


    As I clattered across the floor an enormous ray of light engulfed the lord and I was momentarily blinded, despite my lack of eyes. Holy light would do that. When it cleared the lord was standing, visibly singed. His expression changed from amused to annoyed. Kyren was standing, surrounded by the light that accompanied her spells and preparing another one with rapid mutterings under her breath.


    He began to move toward her menacingly, but before he could close the distance both Stone and Hrig attacked him simultaneously. This time, he wasn¡¯t prepared and both strikes were true. He stood there for a moment, unmoved by either strike, but bleeding from a tiny cut where the axe had hit.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± He yelled and force propelled his attackers backward. He raised a hand and the floor beneath Kyren shifted and enclosed around her, he made the same gesture and both Hrig and Stone were similarly trapped. Now it was showtime.


    I stood up and charged my master with a primal yell. He smiled calmly, enjoying the pageantry. Just before I brought my sword down he raised his hand and I stopped, seemingly frozen by a spell, but truthfully stopping out of routine.


    ¡°You cannot defeat me, warrior. I¡¯m too powerful.¡± he clenched his hand in a fist and I brought my hands to my side as if I was enclosed by an invisible force. I pretended to struggle for a moment before sucking in my armor to give the appearance that I was being crushed. He opened his hand and I fell to my knees. ¡°Do you wish to live?¡± I stayed there, unmoving, pretending that I had been winded by the force of his spell. He liked this part to be particularly dramatic.


    ¡°Yes... I do.¡± He smiled widely.


    "I shall let you live¡­ on one condition.¡±


    ¡°Anything,¡± I said quietly, but loudly enough for my fellow adventurers to hear.


    ¡°Kill your companions.¡± I pretended to be startled, and looked over my shoulder at my allies. Hrig and Stone looked furious, but Kyren¡¯s face was calm.


    ¡°Do it,¡± she said, and that actually did surprise me. My master''s face told me it surprised him too. ¡°He¡¯ll kill us all anyway. There¡¯s no shame in saving yourself.¡± In all of the times I''d done this, this hadn¡¯t happened. This was new.


    ¡°She¡¯s right. Do what you need to do,¡± Hrig¡¯s expression had changed from angry to sad. ¡°I already owe you my life for earlier."


    ¡°As do I, lad, do what you need to do,¡± said Stone.


    I felt in that moment another new feeling building in my empty suit. I looked up at my master. His mouth hung open. He¡¯d never had things go this far off script. He lived to savor the terror and misery in adventurers'' eyes as someone they thought they knew betrayed them and killed them one by one. He enjoyed it so much he¡¯d created me to ensure it would play out that way every single time.


    Unfortunately for him, this change of script would be the second biggest surprise of his day. I raised my sword and drove it hard and fast straight into the small cut he¡¯d received from Hrig¡¯s axe. I felt his legs give out as I lifted him above my helmet and let the sword slide up through his chest. The look on his face was one of surprise and fear. Two expressions it was completely unused to. I threw him off my sword and watched his body roll across the floor, leaving a trail of blood behind it.


    The spell holding my companions was released by my master¡¯s death and before I knew it Hrig had swept me up in an embrace. I dropped my sword and shield as she twirled me before putting me back on the ground, though not quite letting me go. Stone gave me a firm pat on the pauldron and Kyren gave my left gauntlet a gentle touch and my helmet a warm smile.


    ¡°Now that was spectacular!¡± said Hrig, smiling ear to ear.


    ¡°Y¡¯know lad, I had my doubts about you when you joined us for this, but you¡¯ve done a great job addressing them,¡± said Stone as he went over to begin looting my former master¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°Agreed. You seemed a bit brash and unsure when we met you, but we couldn¡¯t have done this without you. You were a real asset,¡± said Kyren.


    ¡°Uh, thank you. I¡­ I¡¯m surprised I wound up being so useful,¡± I said.


    Hrig looked at each of her companions.


    ¡°So, shall we have him join us for the next one?¡± Stone and Kyren smiled before speaking simultaneously.


    ¡°Aye,¡± said Stone with a smile.


    ¡°Absolutely.¡± agreed Kyren.


    Hrig, looked back at me.


    ¡°So, what do you say? Want to join us for another one, Sevald?¡± I stood silently for a moment and looked over at my master, whose jeweled tunic was already more lightly jeweled than before. I took a moment to try and process what had happened and all the new sensations and feelings I was experiencing.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I would like that very much.¡±

 Ch 2: An Oath and a Joke

    I¡¯d never left the dungeon before, and it took me a moment to adjust to sunlight. I¡¯d only ever experienced the light of torches or the arcane glow some sorcerers could summon for illumination. Sunlight felt different, it felt warm.


    We hadn¡¯t found much in the way of loot in the dungeon. There was a small pouch of gems, a smattering of coins and some old equipment that I knew had belonged to the parties who¡¯d explored the dungeon before. My former master enjoyed the finer things, but his skill in conjuration meant he had no need to carry much wealth and his raw power had made him feel that enchanted objects were beneath him. Still, in spite of the lack of loot everyone was in high spirits.


    We stood a short way from the dungeon¡¯s entrance as Kyren climbed a nearby tree to recover the travel gear she¡¯d hidden there earlier. The sight surprised me, but searching Sevald¡¯s memories I recalled she was a quarter wood elf. Still, the image of a holy woman bounding up a tree in white robes took some adjustment.


    ¡°Entden¡¯s just a day and half away right?¡± I asked. Sevald¡¯s voice had been deep and fine. I took a moment to be grateful that it was the one I would be stuck with.


    ¡°Aye, we¡¯ll likely travel a bit before making camp for the night. Even if we¡¯ve cleared the dungeon for now, all sorts of beasties tend to gather around them. Best not to tempt fate.¡± Stone¡¯s words mirrored my own thinking. I¡¯d been awakened more than once to roust goblins that had assumed my master¡¯s dungeon was free real estate. Monsters in general are drawn to certain places. I was still feeling a pull to return to the dungeon myself.


    Three traveling bags thumped on the ground next to me, followed by Kyren who had already secured hers over her shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I grabbed Sevald¡¯s bag. It contained a week''s travel rations, a bedroll, some travelling clothes, a holy symbol of Dur and some etchings which I sincerely doubted Dur would have approved of. Sevald had been travelling alone until he¡¯d reached Entden, hard to blame him for a little self care.


    Hrig took her small pack and belted it over her waist. It was the smallest of them, from what I¡¯d seen of her so far I assumed she preferred to live off the land when she could. Stone added the small amount of loot we¡¯d collected to his own bag.


    ¡°Try not to ¡®lose¡¯ any of the loot this time, Stone. I¡¯ve taken notice of how often your purse seems heavier than mine.¡±


    ¡°You wound me Hrig. You really think I¡¯d ever steal from my companions? I only carry the valuables because I get the best prices from the merchants. Besides, if I ever ¡®lose¡¯ anything the additional coin I earn you by my haggling more than makes up for it.¡± Hrig grunted in response and Kyren rolled her eyes before leading the way back to the trail that led to town.


    By their tone I could tell the argument was a familiar one. I¡¯d had very little interaction with others, but between the four adventurers I¡¯d eaten, I found that the nuances of people¡¯s speech and movement weren¡¯t too difficult to discern with a moment¡¯s effort. Luckily Sevald had been quiet when travelling with my new companions, so they wouldn¡¯t be expecting me to talk too much. I realized that at this point I''d actually spoken more to them than he had. That makes them more my companions than they ever were his.


    ...


    We stopped along the trail a little before sundown and made camp. We laid out our bedrolls and Hrig left to see if she could find a rabbit or two to attempt a stew. Kyren set water to boil and Stone brought out the gems he¡¯d recovered from my dead master¡¯s tunic and looked at them with a small magnifying lens. He seemed pleased with their grade.


    I took out Sevald¡¯s symbol of Dur and pretended to pray. This was where things could go wrong. I didn¡¯t eat, well not anything my comrades would approve of, and when I don¡¯t take off my helmet to eat or my armor to sleep they would certainly get suspicious. Sevald had changed out of his armor on the night he¡¯d spent with the party and hadn¡¯t even worn a helmet until he¡¯d found me. I could simply not address it and keep the armor on, but both Hrig and Stone didn¡¯t seem the type to let that go without comment.


    If they saw through my ruse it was quite possible that I would be able to defeat them. Kyren was out of spells, Hrig had lost a lot of blood and Stone wasn¡¯t too strong in a straight up fight. I wasn¡¯t tired, I didn¡¯t think I was capable of it and I was at least as strong as Hrig, though I¡¯d never had occasion to test myself to my limits. With the element of surprise and a little brutality I could be free of them, collect the reward from the village and be on my way.


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    I didn¡¯t want that though. I wanted to be an adventurer and travel with my newfound party. Wanting was new for me, and I''d prefer not to feel the disappointment of not satisfying it.


    I searched the essences I¡¯d collected, trying to think out a solution when I realized it was already in my hands. I looked down at the symbol of Dur, god of order, balance and fidelity.


    ¡°Kyren... Would you do me the honor of bearing witness to a sacred vow?¡± She looked up from the boiling water that was now swirling with wild onions and chopped mushrooms.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m obligated to, in fact. Stone, can you watch the pot for me?¡± He nodded and took her place. She approached me, gave a quick prayer in elvish and nodded for me to start.


    ¡°As penance for feeling the temptation to kill my comrades, I take a vow of penance in the name of Dur. I shall not be seen outside of my armor until the weight of my sin is less than that of my armor.¡± I felt satisfied for a moment, that should give me the cover I needed. Then something unexpected happened. The symbol of Dur started glowing. Then Kyren¡¯s eyes began glowing and she spoke in a voice that was not her own.


    ¡°Your oath in the name of Dur is witnessed by the servant of Sidi, and accepted.¡± for a moment the entire camp was bathed in holy light, then it was gone.


    That concerned me greatly.


    ¡°That was a true godly pact. Those are rare,¡± said Kyren, predicting my question before I asked it. ¡°Gods hear bargains all the time. ¡®If my crop yield is good I¡¯ll never drink again, I¡¯d give my soul for ten bars of gold, I¡¯d kill to get rid of this headache¡¯. These words are usually spoken jokingly or desperately, but sometimes a god will answer and bind them to it. Looks like yours was just answered by Dur.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose I¡¯m honored¡­ though surprised.¡± being locked into a pact by a god I wasn¡¯t even aware of until I ate one of his devout followers was definitely surprising.


    ¡°Well, the gods are fickle and often motivated by whimsy, though Dur doesn¡¯t seem the type to usually indulge in that, he must be keeping an eye on you.¡± Her words sent a shiver through the steel of my back. A god of order and balance watching a monster masquerading as a man seemed unlikely to end well.


    ¡°Y¡¯know I made a godly pact once,¡± Stone said, looking up from the soup pot he was still stirring dutifully for Kyren. ¡°I was lost in a deep forest near my hometown. I¡¯d not seen a landmark I¡¯d recognized for two days and rain had been falling on me constantly. At one point, when I was feeling particularly desperate I said I¡¯d give my left nut for a mug of ale and a dry chair. I thought I heard someone laughing and went towards the sound. After walking just a short while longer I came upon a town that neighbored my own. A barmaid took pity on me and gave me a blanket, a corner table and a tall glass of ale. When the rain cleared she offered to guide me back home since she was headed that way anyway. I went to help her saddle her mule when it startled and kicked me square in the jewels. It was the most painful thing I¡¯ve ever experienced. You can guess what the kick cost me¡­ Anyway, during my long recovery the barmaid took a liking to me and that¡¯s how I met my first wife. That¡¯s also why I only have daughters. Everyone knows that boys come from the left one.¡±


    I felt something bubbling up in my breastplate. I tried to hold it in, but before I knew it the strangest sound was coming from my faceplate. Holding it down only seemed to make it worse. I was laughing, I realized. The sensation was new to me, but I found I rather liked it. After a moment I recovered, then laughed some more, recovered again and just I thought I was done I had a final fit. Stone was looking pleased that he¡¯d elicited such a reaction and even Kyren had a small smile though she was doing her best to hide it. I found that the laughter had tremendously relieved my concern for my new godly pact. Whatever it may bring, it was surely worth it for the new experiences I¡¯d be having.


    Just then Hrig emerged into the camp with three fat rabbits dangling from her hand.


    ¡°I heard your laughter from a league away, what was so funny?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Stone was just telling Sevald the story of how he met his first wife,¡± responded Kyren.


    ¡°Ah, from when the Dwarven trickster Jeiri supposedly played matchmaker? I¡¯ve heard better.¡±


    ¡°It always kills in the taverns Hrig,¡± Stone¡¯s voice was filled with indignation.


    ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s the kind of story that amuses drunks, that isn¡¯t really a mark in its favor.¡± She sighed, ¡°I just realized that with Sevald travelling with us, Stone will have an excuse to tell all of his stories again¡­¡± her and Kyrens expressions grew grave as Stone¡¯s eyes started twinkling.


    After bluffing my way through a bowl of rabbit stew by gently spooning it into my faceplate and absorbing it the way I had the corpses that had worn my armor, I took the first watch. I didn¡¯t sleep or tire, so it made the most sense to me, and my companions were too tired to argue over it. ¡®Eating¡¯ had been interesting. I don¡¯t have a mouth, but I could taste the soup in the same way I could see without eyes, smell without a nose and hear without ears. I could tell from the lives I¡¯d absorbed that my senses were in some ways keener than theirs had been. I could sense things within a field around myself that let me tell what was going on behind me and even around corners. I could even taste the soup that was left in the pot if I focused hard enough. It was going to take awhile to get used to. I hadn¡¯t ever explored what I was capable of before, as I¡¯d never needed to. I¡¯d only existed to follow my master¡¯s script, this was the longest I¡¯d ever even been consious.


    After two hours I woke Hrig to let her take watch. I could¡¯ve done it the entire time, but it was best to maintain the illusion that I slept. I lay there, listening to the sounds of owls, and each of my companions taking their turns at watch until I felt the sun start to shine down onto my armor.

 Ch 3: Odd Reunions

    After an uneventful night I feigned waking and stretching with a yawn and helped break down the camp. Once it was cleared we got our packs and started toward Entden. It wasn¡¯t long before we could see it in the distance.


    Entden wasn¡¯t quite small enough to be a village or large enough to be a town. It was surrounded by a wall of tree trunks that were patrolled by guards. It sat on the border of two kingdoms and was wedged near the center of the forest. Coming through the gates and seeing the buildings gave me an odd sense of familiarity. It was deeper than the familiarity brought by Sevald¡¯s brief time in the town. I thought about it as I continued walking and something about the sensation of the steel boots that were my feet sinking into the mud of the street sparked something.


    My first meal Byn. He¡¯d been born here to a tanner named Fyn and his wife, Tanda. His memories began to flow uncontrollably through me. His mother holding his hand as they walked to market, his father helping him weave a small bracelet out of leftover strips of leather, an adventuring party offering him a chance to join them to clear a dungeon that had long been a plague on the village.


    I started recognizing people in the town. I saw the baker¡¯s daughter Aubrey, now opening the bakery herself, twice as old as Byn¡¯s memories recalled. A guard passed by closely that I remembered throwing rocks at squirrels with as a child. Before I knew it I was the one leading the party to the town headman¡¯s house.


    The Headman was sitting out front, watching the comings and goings of people through Entden. I recognized him as the same man that had led Entden in Byn¡¯s day, though he now sported a head of white hair and a face full of wrinkles.


    ¡°Hail, Jusuf!¡± I said as I approached.


    ¡°Hail¡­¡± He looked me up and down, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m not sure who you are, ser?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, B- Sevald. You tasked me and my companions with clearing the dungeon nearby.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right," he sighed deeply, "you gave up I suppose? I can¡¯t blame you. Dozens of adventurers have tried it, and none have returned. I fear that Entden is doomed to suffer regular terrorizing and harassment by the grim creatures who reside there and the dark sorcerer who leads them.¡± Hrig stepped forward, opening a melon sized bag and removing the head of my former master from it by his hair.


    ¡°You mean this sorcerer?¡± she asked. I was starting to sense that she enjoyed dramatic flourishes as much as Stone enjoyed off color humor. The headman¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I can¡¯t belie- You actually did it!¡±


    ¡°That we did, ser, out of the goodness of our hearts and of your town¡¯s generosity with the listed bounty,¡± said Stone, his mind on profit.


    ¡°Of course dear sers, I¡¯ll put it together at once! In the meantime please make your way to our inn, I¡¯ll send word that you are to eat and drink for free for the night and they should provide you rooms.¡±


    ¡°Thank you ser, we shall head there now,¡± said Kyren. We turned around and I led the way to the tavern. It was still called ''The Thirsty Tree'' is sign showing a tree root dipped into a beer mug.


    It was early morning and the tavern was empty. A few travellers sat eating breakfast in a corner and a logger sat at the bar enjoying a pint before work. We all sat at a corner table and Kyren walked up to the bartender.


    ¡°Here we go¡­¡± said Hrig, letting out a sigh.


    ¡°Aye, perhaps we should¡¯ve timed things so that we arrived later and she couldn¡¯t get started so early.¡± said Stone.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Kyren is a bit of a drinker. Being given a free pass to drink ''er fill for free¡­ It¡¯s going to be a long day.¡±


    ¡°Kyren? Really?¡±


    ¡°Aye lad. She¡¯s devout as anything, but the goddess she worships couldn''t care less about vices. Still, she steers clear of most of them, gold, men, women, rich food, but drink is the one she allows herself¡­ and she tends to go a little overboard.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s overboard for her? She can¡¯t weigh more than 8 stone, a pint is almost the size of her head.¡±


    ¡°Well lad, prepare to be surprised.¡± he said as Kyren continued her negotiation at the bar.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d have expected you two to be the drinkers,¡± I said. Hrig smiled.


    ¡°I only drink wine, I can''t stand the taste of beer and that¡¯s usually all there is to be had in a place like this.¡± She paused, her mouth twisting in disgust. ¡°Just because I¡¯m a barbarian doesn¡¯t mean I like the taste of piss.¡± Stone chuckled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind drinking just about anything, but Kyren¡¯s soured it a bit for me. She¡¯s just drunk me under the table a few too many times.¡± Just then Kyren returned to the table balancing four mugs filled to the brim with frothy beer. I expected her to distribute one to each of us, but instead she put them all in front of herself, lifted the closest one to her lips and drank it as quickly as I could¡¯ve consumed someone who¡¯d donned my armor. If I had a mouth it would¡¯ve been agape. She gently wiped a froth mustache from her upper lip and let out a long satisfied sigh. She looked up at me.


    ¡°Oh I¡¯m sorry Sevald, did you want one? Normally Stone and Hrig aren¡¯t up for it this early so I just assumed you wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You uh, assumed correctly. Feel free to enjoy those all on your own.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Oh, I will.¡±


    ...


    While bearing witness to Kyren downing more beer than should¡¯ve been physically possible I settled in and people watched while listening to Hrig and Stone snip at one another. Eventually the Headman arrived with a sturdy pouch of gold coins of which my cut was 25 pieces.


    ¡°Lad, care to come with me while I go fence the rest of our loot?¡± said Stone, rolling a single gold piece between his fingers.


    ¡°Fence? But we didn¡¯t steal anything,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh, yer right. I mean sell. Old habits.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but why me?¡±


    ¡°A man in a suit of armor standing behind me may give my negotiations a nice edge.¡±


    ¡°If intimidations the goal wouldn¡¯t Hrig be a better choice?¡±


    ¡°He wants to show off Sevald, he knows me and Kyren aren¡¯t impressed by his haggling anymore.¡± Stone looked a little embarrassed, ¡°We¡¯re appreciative, mind you, but not impressed.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll join you. I don¡¯t have a lot of experience with merchants.¡± I had none in fact. We stood up and left the tavern, which was still relatively empty at just past noon. I let Stone lead the way, though I already knew where the market was. We stopped in at the jewelers first. The shop owner sat behind a counter carefully polishing a small gold ring. He was a portly fellow, with little hair left on his head, but his eyes were keen as he sized us up.


    ¡°Hail. You must be the adventurers who finally cleared up our dungeon problem.¡±


    ¡°Aye, that we are. We were just looking to improve your inventory with some of what we found.¡±


    ¡°Oh really? Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve got.¡± Stone produced a small pouch from somewhere and started laying out the gemstones we¡¯d found. There were a few amethysts, a rather large garnet, and two sapphires. Stone then began to lay down the gems he¡¯d taken from my master¡¯s tunic, but just after the Jeweler had taken notice of them, he put them back into the pouch.


    ¡°Ah, not those actually.¡±


    ¡°Wait, ser, those looked... rather interesting.¡±


    ¡°Oh they are, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready to sell them yet. I feel that for gems of their quality they may do better in a larger city.¡± The jeweler frowned.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find no fairer price than what I offer in my own shop, I assure you of that ser.¡±


    ¡°I believe,that you believe that, but I¡¯ve travelled a ways, and it¡¯s always been good policy to save the best pieces for the richest cities.¡± As Stone talked the shopkeeper was slowly turning red.


    ¡°I do not doubt that richer cities seem like they offer better prices, but my shop has stood for one hundred years of family owned apprenticeship and in that time we have never been outdone in terms of the quality of our business and the fairness of our dealings.¡±


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case ser, what would you say the gems that I¡¯ve already laid out are worth?¡± The merchant took up a small magnifying lens and began looking through the gemstones. After a few moments he put them down.


    ¡°For this lot I¡¯ll give you sixty gold pieces. And I dare you to find a better price than that in any city.¡± Stone contemplated the offer for a moment before laying out the remaining gems he¡¯d taken from my masters tunic. They were rubies I noticed, and seemed very fine to me, though I lacked the skills to truly tell. The jeweler took a few moments with each of them.


    ¡°For these I will offer another hundred.¡±


    ¡°Ye¡¯ve got a deal.¡± Stone held out his hand and they shook to seal the bargain. Items were exchanged and then we were back on the street. Stone let out a satisfied sigh before looking up at me as if he¡¯d just asked a question and was expecting an answer. I thought for a moment, trying to put together the thoughts and memories I had access to in order to figure it out.


    ¡°You knew you¡¯d get a better price on the less valuable gemstones if you could distract him with the nicer ones.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I dangled a carrot out of his reach so that he¡¯d give me a higher offer to get to it. Along with a little bit of needling to his pride I probably managed to make us almost 30 gold more altogether,¡± I stood there for a moment, thinking over what he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about fairness by the way, I know you¡¯re a Durite, he¡¯ll be able to sell those gems for almost double what he bought them for once he works them into some jewelry. I just wanted to make sure we got our due after almost dying in that damned dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I understand.¡± I didn¡¯t, but he seemed to know what he was talking about. After that I watched him sell the equipment we¡¯d found for double its value to a pious man by pretending he was giving away his adventuring gear to join a monastery and then I watched him convince a man that the foods he was selling were near expiring, but he''d take them off his hands for a steep discount. By the end of it he was smiling ear to ear and his pockets were jingling as we walked.


    We reentered the tavern as the sun started to set. The entire atmosphere of the Thirsty Tree had changed. There was dancing, singing, a fight in the corner and a cow behind the bar. Kyren was sitting in the same spot they¡¯d left her, but the four pints she¡¯d had had multiplied into roughly twenty and there were four men passed out around her. Hrig was asleep, or more likely passed out, leaning against the table with her thick blonde braid as her only pillow.


    ¡°She challenged you again, eh?¡± Stone asked Kyren.


    ¡°Yes, it turns out they had wine too.¡± Kyren¡¯s speech seemed totally unaffected. The only indication that she¡¯d had a drink at all was some redness in her cheeks.


    ¡°And these lot challenged you as well?¡± He gestured at the small pile of men on the floor.


    ¡°Yes. And it seems all that led to more drinking in general.¡± Stone chuckled, shaking his head.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be turning in to count our profits and make sure they¡¯re fairly distributed.¡±


    ¡°Fairly, eh?¡± she cocked an eyebrow.


    ¡°Fair to me, at least, yes.¡± he smiled and made his way through the tavern goers and up to the room he¡¯d been provided. I sat quietly, watching Kyren finish yet another pint. As she did she looked up at me.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be careful, you know.¡±


    ¡°Careful about what?¡±


    ¡°About your oath. Some people may take it as a challenge.¡± She gestured meaningfully toward Hrig.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean some women may enjoy the satisfaction that could come from being enticing enough to make a man break his oath to a god.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± suddenly the room seemed too hot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry though, I¡¯m sure you can handle it.¡±


    ¡°Will you help me to uh, avoid such challenges?¡± I asked. I was sincerely curious about having that virtue taken, but it wasn¡¯t exactly an option for one whose physical form was a void with armor for skin.


    ¡°Oh don¡¯t worry, us worshippers have to stick together and a godly oath in particular should be upheld.¡± I let out an imitated sigh.


    ¡°Thank you Kyren.¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Then again, I also suppose it wouldn¡¯t be much of an oath if it wasn¡¯t tested now and again.¡± She smiled and returned her attention to the next pint. She was joking. Probably.


    I took a moment to glance around the bar. There were some men playing dice in the corner, the fight had ended with both men being tossed outside, and a few men were asking the cow for another round. A man at the far end of the bar raised his head for a moment, and if I¡¯d had a heart it may have stopped. It was my, or rather Byn¡¯s father.


    He looked much older than Byn¡¯s memories of him. His hair had gone white and his skin wrinkled, his face had gone red and irritated in the way of men who drink too much too often and his clothing was dirty and soiled. It didn¡¯t take much to realize how he¡¯d gotten to this state. He¡¯d lost his child.


    I suddenly felt very heavy. I hadn¡¯t regretted anything before, but a search through my meal''s experiences told me that''s what was happening. I didn¡¯t care for it. I felt a need to do something to relieve that weight. I reached deep into myself and slid my hand into the seam between my knee and my thigh plate. Out of that I pulled a small bracelet of woven leather. It looked the same as it had when I¡¯d eaten its owner. I stood up and approached the man sliding onto the stool next to him. He looked up at me into my faceplate and I felt a sharp pang in my chestplate as memories of him raising Byn flooded through me. I took the leather bracelet and held it out to him.


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have wanted you to suffer this much. He was a man and he made his own decisions. There¡¯s no reason to put yourself through this.¡± His eyes widened. He took the bracelet and turned it in his hands. Tears welled in his eyes.


    ¡°How''d you?¡±


    ¡°I''m one of the adventurer''s that cleared out the dungeon. I heard about what had happened to your son when I was investigating what the townsfolk knew about it.¡± The man looked down at the bracelet.


    "Thank you ser. I''ll treasure this." He pushed away his drink and stumbled out of the room. I felt lighter then. I wasn''t sure if it was guilt that I''d felt for eating his son. I didn¡¯t know good from bad until yesterday and I still wasn¡¯t clear on the finer points of it. What I definitely felt was indebted to those whose lives I¡¯d eaten. They still lived in a sense, but not in a way that they¡¯d chosen and their absence from the lives of those that cared for them was my responsibility.


    I walked back toward Kyren. She regarded me with a strange look.


    ¡°I can see that the gods work through you,¡± she said, and I was profoundly uncomfortable with the implications of that. I went and lifted Hrig. She was light, at least to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take her to her bed, this can¡¯t be a comfortable way to sleep.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s never complained about it before, but it¡¯s probably a good idea. If she wakes up on the way, do remember your oath.¡± I felt a heat in my faceplate and moved to carry her to her bed, Kyren regarded me with her usual small smile as I made my way up the steps.

 Ch 4. Brutally Cunning

    I was the last one down to breakfast. My companions were eating and engaging in light chat. Kyren, despite her enormous consumption the previous night, seemed completely fine. Hrig on the other hand was squinting and clearly forcing herself to eat any breakfast at all.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said as I approached the table. They responded warmly, though Hrig could only really manage an affectionate grunt in my direction. I sat and began the careful dance of pretending to eat breakfast. As we finished Stone removed a letter from his coat.


    ¡°Ye can read, right?¡± I nodded, ¡°Then ¡®ave a look at this.¡±


    I took it and made a show of holding it in front of my faceplate, though I could¡¯ve read it even before he handed it to me.


    To all Enterprising Adventurers


    A Goblin encampment has been discovered halfway between Entden and Cirros


    A reward is being offered of 20 gold to assess the threat or 80 gold to end it


    Goblin left ears will be accepted as proof of success


    ¡°A new quest?¡± I asked, excited.


    ¡°Aye lad, and we¡¯re planning on leaving today.¡± he took the message and rolled it up before placing it in his pack. ¡°We figure we¡¯ll head straight for the encampment and then swing up to Cirros to meet our fixer and collect our reward.¡±


    ¡°Fixer?¡±


    ¡°The person who sends quests our way. Ours is a woman named Clara. She collects quests and sends them to the adventuring parties that employ her for a small cut of the profits. She sent this letter by raven this morning.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a fixer before.¡±


    ¡°Well don¡¯t worry too much about it, now that yer with us, Clara is your fixer too.¡±


    ¡°You are still with us right?¡± Kyren asked.


    ¡°Of course he is. What kind of a man helps to slay a troll and a wizard, then chickens out when it comes to a few goblins,¡± responded Hrig.


    ¡°She¡¯s right, of course I am.¡± The table grinned.


    After a little more breakfast and a divvying up of profits that left a suspicious look on Hrig¡¯s face and one of mock innocence on Stone''s we collected our things and headed for the town gates. Entden was just starting to come to life. Stores were opening, men were making their way to their jobs in the logging camp, and the previous night''s drunks were being roused by the town guard and told to go home.


    I felt a peculiar kind of melancholy as we made our way out of the town and took a moment to place my hand on the outer gate. For a moment I felt as if I was Entden. I felt people walk across my paths, I knew the names of everyone who lived there and I could feel the rooftops starting to warm from the morning sun.


    I removed my hand from the gate and rejoined my group on the path to Cirros.


    ...


    After travelling for a few hours we stopped to rest at the edge of a river. The sun was still high overhead and we sat in the shade taking a short rest while eating a lunch of travel rations. Kyren went over to the edge of the water for a moment letting it flow over her hands.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll wash in the river.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of all that?¡± Hrig scoffed. ¡°We¡¯ll be covered in goblin blood soon anyway.¡±


    ¡°I think you probably should too, and I imagine Sevald is feeling pretty ripe from being in his armor all the time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine actu-¡±


    ¡°A bit of dirt is good for you, right, Sevald?¡± said Stone.


    ¡°Well I don¡¯-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more sweat that he should be concerned about, you can go ahead Sevald. We¡¯ll stay upstream so you don¡¯t have to worry about your oath,¡± said Kyren.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t thin-¡±


    ¡°Unless you need some help washing your back, I¡¯d certainly help with that if you¡¯d like,¡± said Hrig, and suddenly bathing at a distance downstream became a good idea.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ll do that. Thank you Kyren.¡± She gave him one of her small smiles.


    ¡°And next time maybe we¡¯ll let you finish a sentence or two,¡± she said. I let out a small chuckle. There was a unique satisfaction to a chuckle, it was different from a laugh, but it had a similar flavor to it.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Stone give you some privacy?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they¡¯ve got nothing to worry about from me lad. They¡¯re much too young. Besides, only dwarven women are worth looking at.¡±


    ¡°He means it too, and it¡¯s nice to have someone nearby with a hammer in case anyone unwelcome comes around,¡± said Kyren.


    I nodded at that and made my way downriver.


    After I felt I was far enough away, I decided that instead of just standing around for a while and leaving, I should actually give this bathing thing a try. I began walking into the river, letting the water flow over my greaves, then my chestplate and finally over my helmet. I made my way towards the center and stood there feeling the flow of the water around my steel frame. I stood there and watched as curious fish approached before leaving, attracted to the reflection of the sun off my plate.


    Remembering the leather bracelet I produced the previous night, I decided on a small test. I opened my faceplate and started letting water into myself. At first I just let it flow naturally, but after a moment I started actively sucking it in faster and faster. Eventually I was creating a small whirlpool at the surface of the water with the force of my inhalation. After a few moments I felt myself begin to reach my capacity. I took an inventory. About a small lake''s worth of water, 20 fish, a frog and a particularly unlucky duck. I opened my faceplate again and this time I pushed the water back out. It was harder to push out than to suck in, but after a few minutes I¡¯d managed to put everything back where I''d found it, mostly. I watched the duck kick furiously back to the surface of the water with a frog clinging to its back for dear life and decided I should get out of the river as well.


    As my head surfaced I noticed my sword and shield weren¡¯t where I¡¯d left them. I moved further out of the water until it was only waist high. Suddenly there was a roar in the distance coming from upriver. I started to run that way when three arrows shattered against my helmet. As I turned to look for their origin I found myself surrounded on three sides by goblins. They were armed with crude weapons and armored in worn leather that I could tell, from Byn¡¯s memories, was terrible quality. They clicked and growled at one another in undercommon displaying rows of sharp teeth, their red eyes emanating hunger and hatred. One of them was wielding my longsword like a claymore and another had my shield strapped to its back. One of them spoke again in undercommon to the others and they all chuckled and started to close in. They must¡¯ve thought I wasn¡¯t as much of a threat without my weapon. How unfortunate for them.


    I felt a new sensation bubbling up in me. I was tense and my senses all felt red. It was anger, I realized. Anger at having my weapons stolen, and being delayed in returning to my party. I let that new emotion guide me and struck the goblin nearest to me with a kick that had all the force I could muster behind it. His face caved in with a crunch and he spun backward into a nearby tree that shuddered, splintering at the impact.


    The other goblins hesitated then, looking at the shattered form of their companion. I took advantage of their surprise, grabbing two of them and smashing their bodies into the ground where they crumpled like wet rags. Another of them jumped onto my back, attempting to bite at where my neck would be, but I simply fell backward, crushing him under my weight. Two more jumped at me swinging crude pickaxes. I rolled under one, grabbed him by his weapon and threw him into the other one. His pickaxe pierced his fellow ambusher through the skull with his hands still around the handle. I walked to his prone form and crushed him beneath my boot. The one with my sword attacked next. I simply caught it in my hand and casually shook him off of it. Once he was off I struck him with the sword''s hilt and he collapsed dead.


    The last goblin made a run for it, likely assuming that I wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up running in fullplate through woods. I followed him through the brush for a few seconds then leapt, landing on top of my shield and crushing him beneath it. I dragged my shield off his back and sunk my sword into his skull for good measure. I took stock. Blood coated my armor, along with thick chunks of viscera and there were several teeth embedded in my neck plate. I needed another bath.


    I started running upriver. When I reached the spot I¡¯d left my companions I was greeted by a pile of goblin corpses, their blood running into the river. A quick scan showed that Hrig, Stone and Kyren weren¡¯t among the dead. I walked over to a severed head and lifted it by one of its long green ears. Time for another test. I removed my head and placed it over his, absorbing its essence. What came to me wasn¡¯t the usual crystal clear absorption of memories, skills and thoughts. It was more like flickers, little impressions of who the goblin was and what he knew.


    ¡­


    I sensed brutality and a low cunning. An ambition for more without the capacity to obtain it without violence. I saw a camp, crude to more developed races, but much advanced from what I knew goblins were capable of. There were fences, domesticated dogs for riding, attempts at agriculture and smithing rather than looting. There was resentment tied to these memories, this wasn¡¯t the old way. Things were meant to be taken, looted and despoiled. I saw a high tent in the center of the camp. With the tent came a flash of fear and golden eyes.


    More recent memories were clearer. I saw a raiding party, my raiding party, and a lucky find. A napping dwarf and two women bathing. My first instinct was to kill, to bathe in blood and revel in violence, but I knew I¡¯d be rewarded for capturing them. We charged, focusing on the dwarf first. He was not a very heavy sleeper it turned out. His hammer felled one of my group before I knew what was happening. The larger of the two women let out a roar I didn¡¯t think a human should be capable of, much less a woman. She charged my men and started striking them with her bare hands and feet, the cracking of bones accompanying each blow. The smallest of them raised her hands and started muttering something. Suddenly an axe of pure light was in the larger woman¡¯s hands. I directed my party to focus on the smallest one. As I did so I realized the large woman was standing in front me. Then a moment of being blinded by light and the sight of my own back as my head landed behind me.


    ...


    I placed my head back onto my shoulders. They¡¯d been captured. The goblin was smart. Disabling Kyren would mean the axe she¡¯d summoned would fade and it would distress Stone and Hrig. It was exactly the strategy I myself would¡¯ve chosen when I was thinking with my more monstrous instincts. I could remember the way back to the goblin¡¯s camp, but even if I went, rescuing them would be difficult. It was possible that I could simply charge the camp from the front, slaughter the goblins and free everyone, but that may lead to uncomfortable questions about how strong I am and why even the weapons that slide between my armor plates never seemed to hurt me. No, I¡¯d need to approach this quietly, I needed a plan.

 Author Update

    Hey Everyone!


    Just wanted to let everyone know that I''ve started the two new series I''d mentioned in previous author''s notes.


    Deadman- A dystopian litrpg with a non-human MC, inspired by Fallout


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Young World- A more traditional portal fantasy litrpg with a sword and sorcery feel


    Both have 7 chapters out now. I wanted there to be enough to read that people would know what to expect from them. They''re linked in the author note at the bottom, and also in my profile of course.


    You may have also noticed the new cover! I''m really happy with how it turned out. Editing is ongoing, there should still be plenty of time to finish this iteration of the story if you''ve already started it. I''d appreciate it if you could throw a rating on this one, I''d like it to have as much visibility as possible so people have a chance to read it before it''s stubbed.


    Thanks as always!

 Amazon KU and Audiobook Announcement

    Hey everybody! I''m pleased to announce the release of my first book on Amazon KU and Audible!


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    I want to thank everyone for following the story! I really appreciate it.


    The audiobook is narrated by Heath Miller, the same narrator for HWFWM!


    Here''s the EBOOK</a>


    Here''s the Audiobook</a>

 New book! (Not an ARMOR Sequel, dont want to mislead anyone)

    Hey everyone, I''m happy to announce the Amazon release of book 1 of my series DEADMAN!


    I''m posting about it here because I thought that while people may not have been interested when it was new, now that the series is complete and being released on amazon, you might want to give it a shot. If not, that''s cool, I''ll always appreciate you for reading ARMOR and helping me find my footing as an author.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Here''s the link: DEADMAN: WALKING</a>


    The audiobook is narrated by Heath Miller, who narrated my first book ARMOR, but is better known for He Who Fights with Monsters.

 New RR Story

    Hey everybody,


    I started posting a new story for free here on RR!


    Here''s the blurb:


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Betrayed by his former gang and thrown into the Rendhold Underprison, Dantes has spent the last five years scraping by. A whoreson of orcish, human, and elvish blood, he''s lived on the periphery of the periphery, lying, cheating, and stealing to survive. After a run of bad luck, he''s made a powerful enemy. Luckily, he''s also gotten all the tools he needs to turn things around.


    A slow burn progression fantasy focused on rising through the criminal underworld of a city-state using newfound powers and quick wits.


    MC''s powers will develop slowly, but he will use them in creative ways to get ahead, and in the meantime he''s not above just braining someone with a club.


    Anti-hero MC with a code.


    1500+ words per chapter


    Daily updates for now, eventually switching to Tues-Thurs-Sat


    It''s available HERE</a>

 Downtown Druid is Complete and New Story Announcement!

    Hey everybody,


    I just wanted to take a moment to announce a couple of things starting with my new story Penitent</a>


    Here''s the blurb:


    Michael didn''t want to die. He didn''t deserve to die. After a lost battle with cancer that started only a year after he retired, he''d lived what many people would call a full life, but it wasn''t enough. He wanted more time. Time with his wife. Time with his kids. Time with his grandkids. When he found himself drawn toward the light, he fought his way away from it. Unfortunately, that didn''t take him back to the life he wanted to live.


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Reincarnated in another world, Michael is forced to be a Penitent, a soldier in the country he was reborn into in order to pay a debt to society he owes for taking the life of the child whose body he inhabits. It''s not the life he wants, but it''s the only one he has.


    An Isekai with light litrpg elements


    MC will gain powers similar to those of a paladin


    Book 1 spends a lot of time in a military academy. MC does not stay a child for very long.


    Daily updates for now.


    I''d love if you could give it a shot, but if it doesn''t sound like your kind of thing I completely understand.


    You can find it on the link above or HERE</a> if you don''t feel like scrolling up.


    My other story, Downtown Druid, is now complete and available in its entirety here on RR until it''s stubbed in mid April.


    You can read it on RR HERE</a>


    I''ll be doing another post when the story is out on Amazon and Audible if you''d prefer to get the best, most polished version of it.


    Thank you all for reading!


    - Seer