The Good Guys Chronicles Box Set 2

by Eric Ugland

  “This winter is going to be painful.”

  “That it could. Harmut was talking about setting up a greenhouse of sorts. Something inside we can use for growing during the winter months. Or all year round. You might want to touch base with him on that.”

  “That could be a lifesaver.”

  “If we can get it up and running in time. Which, another thing you probably should look into, some of the farmers making their deliveries to us got stuck here thanks to the siege. You might want—”

  “Shit, seriously?”

  “Yes. There are three of them. Brought in quite a bit of feed for the animals and delivered a number of animals as well. Something Darius put together on his way out here.”

  “And now they’re stuck here.”

  “Unless you’ve got some way to get them out.”

  “We could use the secret tunnel.”

  “That seems to be a bad idea. Ideally that tunnel should only be used in the most desperate of circumstances, and should not be public knowledge.”

  “It’s not public knowledge—”

  “It will be if you let some random farmers go through. I doubt you can get their wagons through anyway.”

  “We could buy their wagons—”

  “Still doesn’t solve the problem of the tunnel being public knowledge.”

  “Are they super pissed?”

  “Not super, though I haven’t exactly had long conversations with them. They seem to be satisfied for this evening, at the least. Happy to be fed, happy to get a bed, that sort of thing.”

  “Something I can tackle tomorrow?”

  “Ideally. I think it should be something you handle personally. Having the duke come speak to them about their problem will likely go quite the distance to placating them.”

  “Placation is our main goal here?”

  “Certainly better than pissing off the people who might be feeding your community this winter—”

  “I mean, should we try and convince them to stay here, join Coggeshall?”

  Lee frowned, looking up at the ceiling and the magical lamp embedded within. He leaned against the wall. This, in terms of Lee, meant deep thoughts raged.

  “They certainly seem like good people,” he finally said. “And they definitely have a skillset we are in desperate need of. I think it’s fair to say that I wouldn’t turn them away should they come calling. But, that’s different than me saying I’d go out of my way to convince them to join our little family. Although…”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “One of them is an old man whom I had a very interesting conversation with. He was curious about the land around here, about the animals and plants that inhabit this valley. He seemed to know more about nature in this world than he was letting on. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has a deeper understanding of Vuldranni in that regard. Perhaps he could do some good for us if he were to remain.”

  “Explain in fewer words.”

  “I think he knows plants and animals well. I’m betting he can tell us what to grow here, and what animals will do well on the plants here.”

  “So he’s a farmer.”

  “There’s more to him than just that — that’s what I was trying to say. He’s got something else going on with him.”

  “Name?”

  “Timurlan. I didn’t get his last name, but he’s the one with white hair.”

  “Okay. Have you seen Emeline?”

  “No. Not for a few days.”

  “Days?”

  “I last saw her, maybe, four days ago? She’s been very quiet ever since Titus came through. Keeping to herself. I think she took a room in the mountain — you might want to talk to Helmgard about it.”

  “Fuck, man, I’m having trouble keeping track of all these people. Sometimes I wish we were still the caravan. Who’s Helmgard?”

  “Dwarf, took the job of keeping track of rooms in the mountain. Knows who’s where and who has what.”

  “Awesome. Where can I find her?”

  “If you go down to the residential area, you’ll see an office of sorts there. She’ll be behind the desk if she’s awake.”

  “She’s got an office?”

  “She does. And before you say anything about needing more sleeping quarters first, trust me, we need it. In the mountain, it’s a bit like living in a dorm, because we’re all in such close quarters, it makes sense to have someone who is there to look at housing matters. Deal with problems that arise before they turn into feuds. I asked about it when I looked into getting my own place. Apparently it’s something that’s very common in dwarven holds.”

  “I feel like there’s a lot happening here I don’t know.”

  “There’s a lot happening here,” Lee replied. “I think it would be difficult for anyone to keep track of everything going on. Especially with the recent incursions of those trying to kill us.”

  “Do you think I’m doing a good job?”

  “I think you’re doing better.”

  “Not exactly what I asked.”

  “That’s the best answer I can give you.”

  “Thank you for your honesty?”

  “Would you prefer I just compliment you so you don’t feel bad or give you the criticism you need to continue improving?”

  I nodded at him. “Yeah, that’s a better way to look at things. Thanks.”

  Chapter 118

  It took me a few minutes to find a dwarf who wasn’t too busy to point me towards Helmgard’s office. And naturally, once I got there, it was empty. There was a little sign saying when she’d be back: tomorrow morning. Which wasn’t super helpful.

  I tapped my fingers on the desk for a moment, running through a few things in my mind. I wanted to find Emeline, make sure she was fine. I could also go outside and wait for an attack to happen. Or, you know, post up on the wall and shout expletives at the Ursus until they got mad enough to attack. But that wasn’t really a productive use of my time. I wanted to talk to Harmut, make sure we were on the same page in regards to building projects, as well as make sure he had all the prinkies he needed. Which reminded me that I needed to summon more.

  A quick check of my mana told me that only a single prinky was out and about, the one with the Imperial Historian. Her new pet. And that reminded me that I probably needed to have a talk with the princess. And I needed to speak with the poor farmers who were trapped in Coggeshall. I had a lot of talking to do. I didn’t want to do all that talking. Not that I’m against socializing, but this wasn’t exactly social. It was politics and decision-making that could potentially impact hundreds of lives. Not my cup of tea.

  I also needed to sleep. It’d been a long set of days, and I hadn’t bothered to take much in the way of rest. Even though I didn’t technically follow the rules of stamina any longer, I still needed sleep.

  I went through the mountain tunnels until I found an unfinished room that was somewhat clean. I whipped out my bedroll and tucked myself into an almost comfortable corner.

  It was weird sleeping inside. I’d been outside for so long, or at least in a hotel where I could open the window and look out at the sky. Now, though, I was deep underground, and it was disconcerting. I wanted to hear animals doing their thing in the night. I wanted the breeze to sweep across my face. I wanted to look out at the stars and try to figure out where my old home might have been. Instead, it was pitch black. And silent. Not quite stuffy, but a far cry from the wide open space of outside. I started to wonder if I should sleep somewhere I could be found, in case of emergencies. What if another ursus attack happened and the Quick Reaction Force was taken out? No one would know I was sleeping in some empty room in the safety of the mountain. Hell, I could sleep through the destruction of my people.

  So I got up, grumbling, and walked outside. The night guards were standing on the wall, and the hot hole in the ground still provided a bit of a glow. Which surprised me until I realized that the guards had been tossing wood into the pit to keep the fire going. I found a bit o
f an overhang and wrapped myself up in my bedroll, leaned against the cold rock, and wished I had a cell phone. Or even a pager. Something to give me the ability to be contacted without being in sight of other people. Then I closed my eyes, felt the frigid wind across my face, and decided that I’d been an idiot. Being in the rock of the mountain was way superior to this shit.

  And I fell asleep.

  And immediately woke up in an entirely different place.

  Instead of leaning against a wall, my back was against bark. Above wasn’t sky, but tree. Dark green needles up as far as I could see. I saw a small slice of land in front of me before everything turned into water. Calm water, a deep azure, with tiny waves lapping at the grass along the edge. It was incredibly peaceful all of a sudden. I felt fundamentally safe in a way I hadn’t for a long long time.

  A ripple formed out in the water as something moved closer to the island. I sat up a bit straighter. This all seemed awfully familiar.

  An elegant woman in a beautiful green gown strode forth from the water, her long brown hair completely dry. Her dark brown eyes locked on mine, and a gorgeous smile spread across her pretty face. Her golden skin without a single wrinkle or flaw.

  “Eona,” I said softly, bowing my head to her ever so much.

  “Montana,” she replied with a laugh. “It has been quite a time between visits.”

  “Regrettably,” I said.

  Another smile, the kind that allowed me to think maybe she was flirting with me.

  “You have been very busy,” she said, looking me over.

  This time, I was clothed. Rather heavily, what with it being a cold night, and a day I’d been fighting. I still had on my heavy armor.

  “Yeah,” I replied, “that’s true. Still trying to find a spot to just fish and relax.”

  “I believe you have found a spot to fish at least,” she said.

  “You know the fishing in this area?”

  “I know many things about this area. Many of my followers have passed through here in times past.”

  “This isn’t, like, a holy ground is it?”

  “All ground, in some sense is holy. But this is not overly so. That I know of at least.”

  “Whew,” I sighed. “Kind of my nightmare to build a house on top of an old graveyard.”

  “That would be bad.” Her smile faded, and her face took on a serious look. “But there is a definite evil presence in your valley—”

  “The corrupted ursus.”

  “Yes. It is because of them that I am here to speak to you.”

  “You want me to wipe them out?”

  “I wish it were not the case. But before we speak on that,” she said, her smile returning, “I must, once again, reward you for saving some of my children.”

  “I guess I did that, didn’t I?” I said, though I had no idea who she was talking about.

  She nodded.

  “I am here to offer you another blessing,” she said.

  “Why thank you,” I said. I was tempted to deny her, to say that I didn’t need anything since I would’ve saved anyone in that situation, but I remembered Cleeve telling me the importance of allowing others to bestow their gifts when you did something for them. And since I was trying to be better at this whole game-world thing, I just accepted that sometimes I’d be rewarded for actions I’d have engaged in without the promise of anything.

  RECOGNIZE: The Goddess Eona offers you an Indicium. Choose:

  1) The Blessing of the Flight — You receive +20 skill levels in Stealth, +15 skill levels in evasion, +10 skill levels in light armor, +10% movement speed, +3 Agi

  2) The Blessing of the Fight— You receive +20 skill levels in Spear, +15 skill levels in Axes, +10 skill levels in Sword, +10% better balance, +3 Con

  3) The Blessing of the Hunt — You receive +20 skill levels in Archery, +15 skill levels in tracking, +10 skill levels in fletching, +10% harder to detect while moving, +3 Dex

  “This is a hard choice,” I said.

  “A girl cannot make it easy,” she replied.

  “Are you allowed to give advice?”

  She seemed to consider that for a minute, then shook her head.

  “I believe it would be against the rules,” she said, “as it might be seen as me using my powers to provide you with information you might not have otherwise. If I were to say, for example, push you towards the third blessing because you would be facing enemies over a distance soon, then that could be portrayed—”

  “Negatively. I understand.”

  I chose 3) without another thought, hoping that I was accurately picking up what she was putting down.

  She smiled. “Now, if I am to put my mark upon you again, I need to see what else has sullied you in the mean time.”

  As she walked towards me, all of my clothing and armor was tossed aside with a simple wave of her hand. I stood before her naked.

  “The pants I gave you,” she said, stunned. “Is there—”

  “They were sadly destroyed when, uh, some asshole ripped off my leg. And, you know, the pants I was wearing at the time.”

  “And yet you still have two legs.”

  It took all the restraint I had to not make a joke about three legs.

  “Yes ma’am. Two working legs.”

  “You have quite the set of powers.”

  “And legs.”

  She smiled, and whirled her hand around. A new set of pants covered my naughty bits.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  Eona pushed slightly against my chest, causing a pulse of energy. My Indicium popped up all over my body.

  She took a step back and looked over my torso. There were quite a few different elements all vying for attention. The other gods who’d marked me had done nothing in terms of aesthetic integration.

  “Busy,” she said. “I almost thought it was a joke that Typhon marked you, and yet—”

  She ran her finger across Typhon’s black paw-print. I felt my skin shiver exactly where her finger traced.

  Then, she examined all the other marks, peering closely at them. Finally, she closed her eyes, and laid her hand over my heart.

  With a thump of power, I felt a great warmth.

  BE AWARE: You have received Eona’s The Blessing of the Hunt — You receive +20 skill levels in Archery, +15 skill levels in tracking, +10 skill levels in fletching, +10% harder to detect while moving, +3 Dex, Some might look upon this blessing with joy, others with anger. A side has been chosen.

  I looked down at my stomach, and I saw an arrow nestled up against the spear I’d already gotten, both pointing at my heart.

  “Montana of Coggeshall,” she said, stepping back and assuming a more formal approach, “I have need of you as a hero. I need you to either eradicate the corrupt ursus or save them. Whatever you might accomplish, there must not be a single one remaining.”

  You have been offered a quest by the goddess Eona:

  The Cleansing of the Valley

  Eradicate the corrupt ursus, either through death or curing.

  Reward for success: Unknown

  Penalty for failure (or refusal): The end of the known world

  Yes/No

  “That’s a rather challenging task,” I said. “Mildly genocidal.”

  “Do not think these are natural creatures. They are abominations, and they are able to spread their darkness to others. Leaving them alive is opening the entire world to horrible destruction. These were my children — do not think I take their fate lightly. I would certainly prefer to wave my hands and pull the vile darkness from them, but that is not possible. Rather than have them spread their disease across the lands, I task you with saving this world from them.”

  “Is it really a world-ending problem?”

  “Not as of yet. Should you fail, I have no doubt it would grow to a true threat to the world. Left unchecked, this corruption will spread faster and faster.”

  “Okay, let’s just say I’m willing to kill all these Corrupt ursus. How would I know, l
ike really know, that I got them all?”

  “I would not send you on a quest such as this unprepared, Montana of Coggeshall.” She plucked a stone from the air, and handed it to me. “This will glow in the direction of the nearest corruption. When you have cleansed the last of the ursus, the glowing will cease.”

  It was a simple disc of stone, very natural looking, almost as if it came from a river and would be excellent for skipping. It fit perfectly in my hand, and I was very tempted to actually skip it.

  Eona raised an eyebrow. Instead, I tucked the stone into my waistband.

  “Does this mean you will accept the quest?” she asked.

  “Of course,” I said, accepting the quest and swallowing the host of reservations I had. Or knew that Nikolai would have.

  She smiled. Then she plucked a bow out of the air, and presented it to me.

  “So you knew you were going to give me the gift of a bow. Why not—” I tried to ask, but she merely held up a hand.

  “There are rules I cannot tell you about,” she said. “This will help you in your quest.”

  The bow was nice, I mean, as far as bows go. It was very smooth, with an ivory color to it. Tall, maybe six feet in length, and — I mean, I didn’t know much about bows. I’d always preferred guns back on Earth. And, so far at least, I had chosen a more close-up approach to dealing with the nasty motherfuckers on Vuldranni.

  “Do I need to take the bow?” I asked. “I haven’t worked with archery at all. I’m probably pretty shit at it compared to other things. Like, maybe we should just rewind this and I’ll take the axe stuff, and you can give me an axe—”

  “If I am giving you a bow, perhaps there is a reason for it,” she said.

  Eona’s Bone Bow of Cleansing

  Item Type: Mythic

  Item Class: Two-handed Ranged

  Material: Celestial Bone

  Damage: 200-600 (Piercing), Double Damage to Corrupted Enemies