Into the Darkness: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Axe Druid Book 4)

by Christopher Johns

  I called her attention to me, but Nick spoke first, “Wow! What is she?”

  He leaned closer to the cage and eyed her with apparent wonder in his eyes.

  “She’s a gust raptor hatchling.” I pulled out a piece of meat, and her attention was instantly on me. She sprinted at me, but I put a hand out to stop her, she skidded to a halt, tapping my hand with her nose excitedly.

  Damn, she was so cute.

  “She be a real cute one,” Nick muttered with awe, he smiled around the mouthpiece to his pipe as smoke filtered out of it.

  “You want to give her a treat?” I offered him a slice of the meat.

  He waved it away with a shake of his head. “Do nae wanna harm her, lad. I appreciate the offer.”

  “I’m not worried about you.” I smiled at him and threw the meat in my hand toward the dwarf. He snatched it out of the air, and Bea’s attention was on him and him alone. Well, really the meat in his hand.

  She eyed me when I attempted to get her attention mentally, turned her head toward him, then back to the meat. Her questioning thoughts brushed mine, and I pointed toward Nick, You be easy, and he will feed you that. Do not bite him.

  She ran full tilt toward the cage and smacked into it with a thump that made me groan. She was stunned, laying on the ground frozen, blinking dazedly, so I cast Regrowth on her to help out.

  Nick was standing above her with concern on his features. “Oh no! Ye a’right, lassie?”

  She shook her head and tried to climb to her feet. The process was slow, but she did it.

  “I’m going to coach you through this, okay?” I told Nick, and he listened intently. “Follow my instructions, and you can learn to be gentle with animals.”

  “A’right.” He looked to be concentrating as he stared intently at Bea.

  “First thing, is relax,” I spoke softly, so that Bea would relax, too. “Animals can sense when you’re tense, and that makes them tense. It’s a predator-prey kind of thing.”

  I watched as he took two deep, calming breaths, and his body visibly relaxed.

  I smiled and slid closer, at least as close as the silver would comfortably allow me, “Excellent. Now, take the back of your hand and slowly present it to her so that she can get your scent. This is important for her comfort and for her to be able to identify you by your scent.”

  He did as he was told and slowly offered her the back of his hand. I sent her an order to sniff him, just to sniff him.

  She did so, but her eyes were still on the meat in his other hand.

  “Okay, now, show her the meat, and before you give it to her…” I raised my voice slightly, changing the pitch to a lighter and more playful tone. “Reward her with a praising voice like this, and say something like, ‘good girl,’ okay?”

  He blinked at me, the absurdity of my behavior clear on his face. I raised my eyebrows and pointed to her, Bea’s eyes on the meat, her mouth open and reaching but being stopped by the bars.

  Her nostrils flared and he did too, so he cleared his throat and adopted a funny praise voice, “Tha’s a good lass!” He brought the meat over in his hand and flashed it in front of her, the blood of it dripping slightly onto the floor. He offered it to her. “Easy now, there’s a good lass.”

  I commanded her to take the meat gently, and she wasn’t sure how to do that, so I showed her a memory of Kayda gingerly taking food scraps from my hand, and some of the boys as well.

  She thought it tame, beneath her, but she did it anyway after I growled at her through our connection.

  She stuck her snout out of the bars and gently snatched the meat from his fingertips without biting him.

  “Well done!” I clapped, and Bea’s tail swatted the air behind her. She chirruped happily, a slight barking sound to it, and pranced around the cage.

  “That were remarkable!” Nick clapped his hands and leaned back, obviously delighted. “Reckon I’ll be bringin’ her a mess o’ food ta be her friend, the wee beastie.”

  “She would appreciate that, and so would I.” I chuckled. “You know, I believe you guys don’t mean any harm by this. And I appreciate you being so forthcoming. If there’s anything I can do to make this all a bit easier, I’d be happy to help.”

  “Mighty kind o’ ye, master Zeke.” He nodded and winked as he took a puff of his forgotten pipe. “We’ll be keepin’ yer kindness in mind, do nae fret, but we’re professionals, lad. Been at this game for quite some time.”

  I nodded, a little deflated, but Nick rapped the bars softly. “Ye mind if I work with ye, though? With the bein’ gentle with the animals? Never had one nae bite me afore. Were nice.”

  I had to laugh. “Yeah. You come on in here, and I’ll help you learn. If Manly will let us borrow some of her animals, I can help you even more.”

  “I’ll talk ta her this eve, thank ye!” He hurried out of the room; the tray of food forgotten and left me to feed Bea. She was happy to eat some more and then nap in my lap as if it were her nest. For a while, it would be.

  At regulated times, Nick would return with food and light conversation, then disappear for a while until the next meal. The food was good, and I purified it all. It didn’t matter that they seemed cool—I wasn’t going to just give up on testing to be safe.

  That night, I slept alright. Bea out with me for company as she snored noisily next to my face.

  Chapter Seven

  Shortly after my agreement with Nick, Manly brought Kayda into the room with me, chained to the wall where she could get to me, but not close enough to try and get to the door. The next couple of days were spent in a similar pattern as the first. In the mornings, I would do push-ups and sit-ups so that I wasn’t losing too much of an edge physically. After that, it was meditation and spell creation. I had managed to blend fire and shadow together to create some interesting attack spells.

  Black Flame – Caster ignites the target’s shadow and burns them for a small amount of damage over time. Range: Touch. Cost: 123 MP. Duration: 15 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

  Nether Implosion – Cast a ball of pure void energy at enemies that expands to a 60-foot radius, then implodes on impact. Range: 120 feet. Cost: 150 MP. Cooldown: 1 minute.

  After that, I would work with Manly and Nick in trying to get the fighter to be less of a brute with animals. It was slow going at times, and he was a little thick when it came to larger beasts. But he was learning, and that was what was important.

  “No, no!” I corrected as the ham-handed dwarf went to pick up a stubborn weasel. “You have to respect the animals as much as they have to respect you. There are times a heavy hand will work for you, but that’s only if you have the rapport built up and sparingly. Offer him some kindness and a treat with a soft and reassuring tone. Go.”

  Nick took a steadying breath and reached out with his palm down, I’d taught him that earlier on as well with smaller animals. Bea was one thing, but a lot of other smaller animals felt the same way.

  “Come now, wee fella,” Nick tittered at the weasel from a foot or so away. “I got ye a nice wee snack here, an’ I be meanin’ ye no harm, aye?”

  The weasel glanced up, then at me, uncertainty in his eyes, and I shrugged. I had promised not to interfere with my druidic abilities so that Nick could learn properly. He snuck forward a bit as Nick smiled and reassured him sweetly until, finally, he’d heard enough and bolted up onto the shocked dwarf’s shoulder and chittered crazily until his treat came.

  “Well, ain’t that somethin’?” Manly clapped with a grin on her face. “That was some right nice animal handlin’ there, Nick! Soon enough, I may be able to leave some of the critters to your care.”

  I laughed at his shocked expression, and we carried on the lesson for a little longer, then I would be left to my own devices until mealtimes. Bonnie stopped in rarely, I think it was because I was a little less entertaining than the others, but she did stop in to say hi and see if she could tease me a bit. It was harmless, and the company appreciated at times.


  It was the third day, and right now was my “free time.” Cramped as it was, I could actually sleep without fear of the nightmares in here. I wasn’t sure if it was the extraplanar area, but I was grateful for it.

  I was currently working on another new spell incorporating my shadow magic.

  I was busy taking the base of my Heal spell and trying something with my Regrowth spell as well as adding shadow around both, like a cool blanket, building them up. Mana siphoned from my pool at a rapid pace, then began to dip into Mage’s Well.

  My heart began to pound rapidly as I began to tighten the tendrils of darkness tighter around the two ideals to give them shape and form as one. I pushed the doubt eating at my nerves aside as I felt the spell form. 1,497 MP later, I had an interesting new spell.

  Void’s Respite – Temporarily heals a single target for 60 HP until that amount of HP is healed. Then if the target is in shadow or darkness, they regenerate 6 HP per second for a short time. Duration: 30 seconds. Cost: 83 MP. Range: 60 feet. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

  Warning: If HP is not recovered fully before the duration of the spell ends, the target loses that temporary HP regardless of how much they have. Be careful.

  I had heard about abilities like this before in games at home, but I’d never seen one, here. That was interesting as hell. I was curious to try it out on someone. If I used it in conjunction with Heal, or even Renewing Flames, it would be well within the time limit, and they would be fine. And the added regeneration if we were in shadow and darkness?

  Hello, nighttime heals!

  I couldn’t help the smile on my face despite the mana headache I had. The figure who walked through the door to my compartment in the cart made my smile fade a little.

  I hadn’t seen her before, and she looked like she was the serious type.

  Her armor was silver, with a tree and moon-shaped crest embossed on the front, silhouetted against a field of stars over her lithe, kitsune figure. I had seen other kitsune in the Fae realm, but not here. It was interesting.

  Her fur was auburn in color, with white that ran from the base of her throat down to meet her armor and slide below. Her eyes were hazel, her features no less vulpine than my own, but she only had one tail.

  “Well met, Zekiel Erebos,” she spoke softly, and I recognized the voice as the one they called Dawn.

  “Well met, Dawn,” I returned, and eyed her as she crossed the room to stand before my cage.

  “We have not yet had the pleasure of speaking, and you know my name? I am Dawnstar of Simioln.” She took the stool behind her and moved it easily to the front of the cage where she could sit and see me at eye level. “Though my companions state that you and your friends are a force for good, they have yet to be able to provide any evidence of this to me.”

  “I don’t see why we should have to, considering that we’ve been hunted down like common criminals for a crime we didn’t knowingly commit,” I grumped, and she just stared at me. “So, what is it that I can do for you?”

  “It is what I can do for you, master Erebos, that brings me here today.” She finally blinked and noticed me staring at the symbol on her chest once more. “This is my goddess’s banner, her name is Seraestar, goddess of cosmos and magic, and it is she whom we owe our spell-craft and abilities where magic is concerned.”

  File that away for later. Out loud, I asked, “and I take it that you wearing her banner means that you are something of a cleric or paladin of hers?”

  She nodded her head once, not speaking, but smiling in affirmation. “Back to my original statement, I am here to assist you and your friends, if you would allow me.”

  “How, exactly, do you plan to do so?” It was difficult to hold back my anger. Helping us would have been leaving us the hell alone.

  “I have a spell that will force you to tell the truth, anyone within the radius of it really, and you can use it to confirm your story,” she looked like she had more to say, so I stayed quiet. “But that means you will not be able to lie. Obviously.”

  I blinked, more than a little confused. “Isn’t that the point of a truth spell?”

  “It is, but there is nothing that you can hide from this spell.” She seemed concerned, her features drawn.

  Then it dawned on me—no the pun wasn’t intended—. “You know.”

  She nodded once. “I know. My Lady told me that our saviors had come to being in our realms.”

  I couldn’t contain my excitement. “Then you know that we’re here for a reason! That this is a waste of time, and that we’re innocent.”

  Her composure slipped, anger bursting forth. “Do you not think I know that? The laws are what they are for a reason! I am bound by my oath to my goddess to see that justice is done in all ways that I can see it be done. I cannot turn a blind eye, even if the gods favor you.” She growled to herself and reigned her emotions back in. “We are taking you there to prove your innocence if that is the case. My offering this service is to help you in providing evidence! There is nothing more I can do aside from that.”

  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t salty, but it was necessary. She was bound by her oath. And they needed to flee before Maebe got here. Word or not, she would likely kill them for sending her home without her say.

  That sent a shiver down my spine, I would hate to be them.

  “Thank you. If that’s all you can do, then so be it.” I sighed. “I appreciate it.”

  “You are welcome.” She held her head higher. “Your companions say that it was you that this Pharazulla chose to mind control into doing her bidding?”

  “It was,” I answered honestly.

  “We are a few hours outside the city,” her lids closed, and she muttered a few words, with accompanying gestures. “I have cast the spell, neither of us can lie to each other, now. I cannot use it again for two hours. Let us begin.”

  “How can I be sure you’re telling me the truth?”

  “I don’t care enough to tell you a lie, not that I would, anyway.” She blinked and smiled sweetly.

  “Alright, I get that the truth hurts, but damn, no need for the hostility.” I grumbled. “Fine. Ask what you will, but I’m going to ask you some things, too.”

  “Good.” She steepled her fingers before her. “Where are you from?”

  I fought to say Sunrise Village, but I opened my mouth and couldn’t, the air was sucked from my lungs. “You are learning that not even misdirections will work in this zone. Fae truths will do you no good here.”

  I growled; my voice having returned. “Fine. I’m from Earth. Where are you from?”

  “None of your concern.” She smiled sweetly, “I’ve already told you. It’s not my fault if you don’t remember.”

  I gasped. “How is it that you could dodge the question, and I couldn’t?”

  “I’ve told you where I was from, and you do not have to answer the questions presented to you. Misdirection will not work, but you do not need to speak if you do not want to.” Her smile grew ever larger. “For now, let us dispense with that. It is imperative that you know your mind before we go to your trial. Were you truly ensorcelled and made to attack those men outside of your own free will?”

  I blinked, damn. She was getting right into it. “Yes, Pharazulla cast some kind of spell over me that made me attack those men and my friends.” I closed my eyes as I searched myself. “But with the way it was done, it was as if I wanted to do those things for her.”

  “Why?” She cocked her head to the side.

  “I don’t know.” I would have said because of the spell, but the one with influence over me now wouldn’t allow me. “I had been so used to people seeking us out and attacking us, hurting the people that I cared for, that I had assumed that these men would have done the same. If I had truly thought that they meant us harm, I would feel no guilt about destroying them. But her spell took that reasoning from me, and I know for damn sure I would never attack my friends in cold blood like that.”

  She frowned deeply. “That cou
ld be taken many ways in a trial. I would be careful how you answer those questions.”

  “How? You literally made it so that I can’t lie or tell half-truths.” It was harder to deal with my anger at having to confront the fact that I had become so callous that I could kill someone for doing their damned jobs. Spell or not, if I were to look in the mirror at that moment, I would see a monster.

  “You did not need to add all of that. You explained it to me, you found the heart of it, now you can use that. It is not a lie or half-truth to say, ‘I thought they could mean us harm, and her interference stole my judgment’ it is the truth. The rest was calculated and unneeded.”

  “Fine.” I growled. “Why are you with these people?”

  “I like them, and they have a worthy mission for one as blessed as I.” She stated matter-of-factly. “Why were you helping Pharazulla?”

  “We weren’t. She was helping us. We went to her to seek bardic training for a friend, and when she originally refused, we were going to move on.” I frowned. “Then the next day, she shows up to help, and we accepted her with open arms.”

  “Without suspicion?”

  “No.” I shook my head, still frowning. “I suspected she was on the run from something or someone because someone had been trying to kill her in her room the night when we first spoke to her. I had assumed it was a jilted lover, I think, but the exact reasoning escapes me.”

  She smiled and clapped her hands. “Very good! Using deductive reasoning helps as well, and the killer thing, leave that, too.”

  And on we went for half an hour before she left me with a bow and not another word.

  Nick brought in one more good meal, with nary a word as well, and I was left to my own devices.

  Time to buck up and see what was going to go with the Governess.

  ***

  When we arrived at the location where we were to stop, Manly came and collected us one by one. Bokaj, Jaken, and James had been brought out before me. As I walked into the open air for the first time in days, I truly appreciated how beautiful and magical this environment was, even with the stench of Lindyburg around it. I had taken my human form, Dawn as well it seemed, her long auburn hair tied into a tight bun. Her features seemed decidedly stern for a human, but that was likely for a cleric. Or was she a paladin? I still didn’t know.