After the pyre had been arranged, the bodies were laid out carefully atop the pile of dry wood. They left their friends still dressed in full armor, with Stephanie’s shield lying at her feet and her heavy mace across her chest. Khael and Runil were prepared for the journey to the next world with their weapons close at hand as well, just as Endreí knew they would want to be. Yet with only the task of igniting the pyre remaining before him, Endreí hesitated, frozen in place when he was unable to commit the final act that would acknowledge their loss.
Casting about as he delayed, Endreí saw Venna also making her last preparations. The first tendrils of a low flame were already licking at the edges of the much smaller pyre she’d built, and he was surprised to see only Tási’s body resting on the smoldering heap. While nothing had been left of Broda save a few scattered ashes, Endreí had expected Venna to deal with Dreya’s remains as well. Instead, her body lay on the ground where she’d fallen—Tási’s staff still impaling her through the chest.
Venna turned away as the flames of Tási’s pyre rose, her face a vacant mask as she stalked slowly towards Dreya’s corpse. Endreí thought perhaps she had some other method in mind for… disposing of her former Mistress’ remains, but Venna only picked up Dreya’s bow before tossing it into the fire. She then gathered up the woman’s twin swords and threw each of them far into the dense forest, likely never to be seen again. Having disposed of the weapons that had wreaked so much evil, Venna sat down hard on the ground and watched in silence as the flames began to consume Tási’s body.
With nothing left to distract him from his purpose, Endreí invoked Blaze, casting a glowing ball of fire into the kindling in front of him. Unlike the pile of wood Venna had ignited with a small bit of tinder, the dry logs burst into flames with the intense heat of his magic. In a matter of seconds, the fire rose into the sky, sending a cloud of smoke and ashes to the heavens above. Hopefully, accompanied by the souls of his friends.
Rissa leaned into him heavily as they watched the flames, and Endreí could see Kara and Nate holding each other’s hands just a short distance away while Daisy stood a few paces apart from them, shedding her tears in silence. The fires burned hot for a time, but soon there was almost nothing left, only a pile of slowly cooling embers marking the location where they’d bid their friends farewell.
Despite the victory they’d won, the wildlands were still a hazardous place, one where they had just given away their location for all to see. Reluctant to leave so soon, yet mindful of the danger that was all around them, Endreí followed when Kara signaled that she was ready to begin leading them back towards home—whatever that might be now.
Endreí wasn’t completely surprised when Venna trailed along as well. Despite her strength, the forest wasn’t a safe place for anyone to be traveling alone. Even the five of them weren’t truly secure in the wilds, and Endreí welcomed having the powerful Curate with them for this portion of their journey. She might have been an enemy only a short while before, but with Dreya’s hold over her gone, Venna may have become their greatest ally—at least for a time.
The thought of their unlikely triumph over Dreya reminded Endreí to check his notifications. He’d been involved in the deaths of three very powerful adversaries—which had likely also resulted in three fairly impressive XP rewards—and Endreí opened up his UI with a sense of anticipation, the first truly positive feeling he’d had since witnessing the deaths of his friends.
Experience gained – You have gained 3950 XP.
Experience gained – You have gained 7150 XP.
Quest completed - You have completed the hidden quest Deliverance. In ending the reign of a would-be despot, you have not only saved yourself but many others as well. You have been rewarded with 6600 XP.
You have gained a level! – You have earned sufficient experience to advance to level 48.
You have gained three Attribute points. Two of your points have been automatically assigned to DEX and CHA. You may assign the remaining point to any other Attribute as you see fit.
The level-up menu took Endreí by surprise for half a moment, but when the Attribute selection window paused in the middle of his vision, he took only a second before making his decision. Wisdom was his most important stat by far, serving not only to expand his Aura pool but also as the Modifier for both Imbue and Empower, so he slid his single point into it before the prompts continued again.
Experience gained – You have gained 4250 XP.
Quest completed - You have completed the hidden quest Tási’s Bane. Taking Tási’s life was perhaps the only way to break free of her influence, yet it was an unfortunate necessity—her obsession with you would not have ended well. You have been rewarded with 1100 XP.
Quest assigned - You have been assigned the quest Venna’s Redemption. Having spared Venna’s life, you are now at least partially responsible for her future actions. The rewards for this act of ‘mercy’ are variable—as are the potential penalties.
Rissa nearly walked into him when Endreí stopped dead in his tracks as the two Quest messages appeared. Although he heard her trying to talk to him, all Endreí could do was focus on the words floating in front of his eyes. Up until that moment, he’d been comfortable with his actions, but piecing together the information before him left Endreí with a profound sense of unease.
The message about Tási was disturbing enough; Endreí couldn’t escape the feeling that there was a subtle undercurrent of disapproval hidden in the notification, hinting that there might have been some other way to resolve the situation—or that he may have even made the wrong choice. Despite the message seeming quite unequivocal at first, the word ‘perhaps’ fairly radiated with an air of… admonishment in his mind. But Endreí could live with that; he’d done the only thing that had made any sense at the time.
The Quest he’d been assigned, however, was quite different. While he knew that his decision to let Venna live involved a certain amount of risk, having the danger spelled out for him so clearly was extremely disconcerting. Endreí had seen many different Quest notifications, both directly and posted on the forums when those had still been a thing, yet this was the first he’d ever heard of that promised the possibility of some sort of penalty for one’s actions. Venna might not have taken advantage of the blade he’d let her press against his throat, but knowing that he might pay the price for any of her future transgressions put a keen edge on the one Endreí felt pressing against him as he read the notification once more.
“What’s going on?” The deep note of worry that permeated Rissa’s words finally broke through Endreí’s state of shock, and he closed the UI to see not only her but the rest of his friends crowded around him as well.
“I… sorry,” Endreí fumbled for an answer, not wanting to disclose the truth when he saw Venna among the concerned faces staring back at him. “I was just looking over my notifications and got distracted for a moment.”
“Next time, wait until we camp for the night,” Nate responded by prodding him in a friendly manner—quite a step up from the hostile tone that had dominated their recent discussions.
“Yeah, I’ll do that,” he replied sheepishly as Kara set off ahead of them again, glancing back at him only once before vanishing into the forest.
After that, Endreí followed along quietly, nearly stumbling occasionally as his mind was completely absorbed with the implications of what he’d done. Not only the Quest itself, but the actual toll in real suffering should Venna return to her old habits. He couldn’t help but look over at her from time to time as they traveled, noticing that despite how many levels he’d gained, the bright red letters that hovered over her head indicated that Venna was still much more powerful than he was.
Almost tripping when yet another tree root snagged his foot, Endreí tried to focus on the path ahead, yet his mind kept drifting back to the same uncomfortable thoughts. He had no doubt that they’d only managed to defeat Venna because Tási had aided them in that struggle; without her help,
she could have killed them all—probably quite easily.
Everyone else seemed to be equally consumed by their thoughts, and they traveled in near silence. Yet as the day drew on, and Endreí continued to glance at Venna periodically, he noticed that she always seemed to be only a few paces away from him. At first, Endreí found her constant proximity unsettling, and he had the distinct impression that she was almost stalking him. When the sun fell low in the sky, and they began looking for a place to spend the night, he became even more concerned—imagining that Venna was only waiting for darkness to fall before lashing out at them in revenge.
She caught him trying to sneak a peek at her yet again, and Endreí suddenly felt trapped when their eyes met. Endreí’s gaze froze, and he was unable to look away while Venna held him there for a long moment, seeming to relish in the control she had over him. Endreí expected to find some hint of menace lurking in the depths of her bright blue eyes and was surprised when Venna only smiled and winked at him before returning her attention to the path ahead. Her playful actions made Endreí suddenly question his apprehension, but rather than provide him any solace, the uncertainty they brought only served to deepen Endreí’s sense of discomfort.
Once they’d found a relatively safe place to spend the night, Endreí distracted himself as he set up the bedroll and blankets he’d share with Rissa for the night. Assigning watch shifts proved to be a painful reminder of the losses they’d suffered, however; without Khael and Runil, he and Rissa were the only ones with any night vision. Venna might have shared that trait with them, but knowing that her offer to take a turn on sentry duty would only be rebuffed, she didn’t bother with the fruitless gesture. Resigned to splitting the assignment with Rissa, Endreí cast a forlorn look at the bedroll where he’d spend only half the night—alone.
Rissa took the first shift, and Endreí surrounded their camp within a series of Traps before laying down by himself. Even though he kept Detect Life up at all times, considering the ever-present danger of the forest around them, no one disputed the need to have a real pair of eyes actively watching over them. The magic was certainly a useful tool and had saved their lives more than once, but it was no substitute for a living guardian.
With his troubled mind, Endreí only managed a few fitful hours of rest before it was his turn to take over. Once he was in place, Endreí watched as Rissa curled up in the warm blankets he’d left her and quickly fell asleep. While he was focusing on her almost completely, Endreí nearly jumped out of his skin when Venna’s voice took him by surprise.
“You’re safe, you know,” her quiet whisper came to Endreí as Venna sat down beside him. “I won’t go back to being the person I was before.”
“I… That’s good to hear,” Endreí found himself unsettled by her closeness.
“What you did, testing me, making me choose my path,” her head shook slightly as she seemed to relive the moment again. “It forced me to consider what I wanted for the first time in years.”
“I won’t betray your trust in me, Endreí,” Venna’s stare took on an almost uncomfortable intensity as she held his gaze. “There’s no need for you to worry about any penalties or that I may try to hurt you in some way.”
For a moment, Endreí sat there, dumbstruck and completely taken aback by what Venna had revealed to him. How the fuck could she have known about the Quest he’d received, Endreí wondered. The expression on his face was apparently enough for Venna to understand his confusion.
“I received the same notification you did,” Venna offered a faint smile as she explained. “Well, at least it was a similar one, I imagine.”
With her disclosure, Endreí finally understood. Of course, the Quest he’d been assigned wasn’t his alone; it was one he shared with Venna, each of them having a role to play in its ultimate success… or failure. Yet he could tell by the way Venna spoke to him as much as the earnest look in her eyes that she intended to take advantage of the opportunity to reclaim her future.
Despite the reassurance he felt, Endreí couldn’t help but remain a bit suspicious, however. Venna had been under Dreya’s influence for years and committed some truly heinous acts in her name during that time; it wouldn’t be an easy thing for her to instantly become a completely different person. Just one slip or even a single poor decision might be truly disastrous for her—for them both. Endreí also hadn’t forgotten about Stel’s death at the hands of his magic, and he doubted very much that Venna had overlooked that either. Even if it had been justified under the circumstances, killing her husband wasn’t something he thought Venna would be able to forgive quite so easily. Once again, Venna responded to the conflict she read on Endreí’s face.
“I’ll need your help, Endreí. In fact, I’m counting on it,” Venna sighed, although he was unsure if it was in resignation of that fact or acceptance. “With Stel gone, I have no one else.”
Rather than find any comfort in her words, Endreí scooted just a hair away as he immediately became uneasy. It was more than just the way Venna seemed to almost gloss over Stel’s death. After what had happened with first Trish and then Kara, Venna’s abrupt change from bitter enemy to her apparent… desire to be something quite different set off every single alarm inside his head.
“I killed your husband, Venna,” despite the danger, Endreí couldn’t contain either his disbelief or his need to know what it was Venna wanted from him. “Even without everything else you’ve been through, that fact alone should make you hate me forever.”
“You’re mistaken if you think that a part of me doesn’t,” a bitter edge crept into Venna’s tone when she responded to his stark reminder. “When you handed me your knife, I almost slit your throat without thinking. But killing you won’t bring Stel back, and if I want any future at all, I really will need you to help me keep my darker impulses in check.”
“I can’t say that it won’t be difficult,” Venna held his gaze uncomfortably as she finished. “But like it or not, we’re going to be tied to each other for a very long time.”
The thought of being tied to Venna summoned a few images to Endreí’s mind, unhelpful things that he banished instantly before replying once more. Although she’d clarified the issue for him somewhat, after what Tási had done, Endreí needed to know if there was anything more involved.
“You know about Tási’s curse,” Venna nodded slightly as Endreí responded. “The pain she caused has haunted me for years, so I hope you understand if I’m a bit... suspicious.”
For a moment, it was Venna’s turn to be confused, until the meaning for Endreí’s caution finally became clear to her. A broad smile creased Venna’s lips as she slowly shook her head, and she let out a soft laugh when she answered his unspoken question.
“I do hope we can become friends, Endreí,” despite the more lighthearted tone Venna spoke with, he heard the sincerity that was also there quite clearly. “Nothing more than that.”
They sat beside each other in silence after that, each of them having come to a full understanding of what the other needed from them now. For Venna, it was Endreí’s support when she required it, but for Endreí, it was a little more than that. He needed her to succeed in redeeming herself—no small feat after years of utter depravity. Yet once Dreya’s hold over her had been released, she’d already managed to overcome so much of that in a very short span of time. Just being able to have the difficult conversation with him was an important milestone, one that boded quite well for her future. When Venna finally left him after a while to return to her bedroll, Endreí knew that they’d at least set themselves up as best they could—the rest would simply have to play out over the months ahead.
Chapter 17
The former enemies traveled together for several more days, managing to avoid any danger that might have threatened them. Despite encountering no opposition, the journey was not without its challenges. Although they all recognized the wisdom of having Venna accompany them through the hazardous lands, that didn’t prevent any of the lingeri
ng resentments from shining through. Nate, Daisy, and Kara were clearly uncomfortable with Venna’s continued presence, not only keeping their distance from her but also never speaking a single word to the elf. Rissa only managed slightly better than that, yet even she barely acknowledged Venna at all. Still, she was a powerful Curate, and having used all their healing potions and crystals in the aftermath of the final battle with Dreya, the need to have a healer present allowed them to… overlook their concerns—at least for the time being. Yet no one missed the implication behind their need; Stephanie’s death was the only reason for their complete lack of healing magic.
The entire time they traveled, Venna never seemed to stray too far from Endreí, leading to a difficult conversation with Rissa one night once she too noticed the beautiful elf’s constant proximity. Endreí was forced to reveal the Quest he’d been given, one he’d hoped to be able to keep to himself. The decision to withhold that information from Rissa backfired on him spectacularly when his secrecy only fueled her well-earned jealousy once again, and it had taken every ounce of Endreí’s meager persuasive abilities to reassure her that the situation was nothing like it had been with Trish or Kara. Yet despite her reluctant acceptance of his explanation, Endreí caught Rissa staring daggers in Venna’s direction on more than one occasion after that.
Venna didn’t miss those glares either, and she came to sit beside the two of them one evening after they’d made camp, only a single day’s march from the walls of their old village. Having defeated Dreya and with no more enemies to threaten them, Nate had decided to check things out there, hoping to be able to bring the rest of their people home once they’d made sure that it was safe for them to do so.
“You’re so pretty, Rissa,” Venna opened the conversation. “But Venna’s memories don’t seem to recall anyone quite like you. Just what sort of elf are you?”
Echoes: A Second Skin Novel (Second Skin Book 6) Page 19
