by Phoenix Grey
“It is a regrettable thing that we have done, and we took no pleasure in it. We could not have done anything to prevent what happened then, but that is why we're here now. We have come with the hope that you may know of how your people became infected so that we can help you stop whatever is causing it.
“We all need this curse to end before we're driven from this island. From what I have seen, no race has gone unaffected. We have sent an envoy to speak with Finborh and beg for forgiveness for whatever offense we have committed, of that which still remains unknown. That envoy never returned.
“My brother and our companion and I have decided to take it upon ourselves to investigate what may be causing all of this. And I felt that coming here was as good of a place as any to start. Stopping whatever is causing your people to become magicked will benefit us both.”
Karma hummed in thought before speaking. “I, too, have sent an envoy to speak with Finborh, and he did not return either. This is rather worrisome.”
“Do you have any idea who might be magicking your people?” Uden asked.
“For all we know, it could be you, Imp,” she snapped with disdain.
“Would I be here if it were me?” Azure could almost feel Uden fighting back an eye roll. “This stupid curse has made my life a living hell, too. You think I want all of this extra work?” He pointed to himself. “Do you think I actually want to be here?”
“That's enough,” Lonnell chastised his brother, effectively silencing him before casting a side glance at Azure. “We have brought you the wings of the fallen dark sprites as a sign of good faith.”
Taking the cue, Azure dug into his pouch for the dark sprite wings he had collected. Carefully, he placed them on the edge of the platform.
Tears filled Karma's eyes as she looked upon them. “This gesture is appreciated. And you are right, this curse affects us all, not just my people.
“Unfortunately, I fear this curse cannot be lifted until someone speaks to Finborh. It is deep-rooted in the land around us.”
“What do you mean?” Lonnell furrowed his brow.
“It took us a while to figure it out, but the sprites who became infected all drank from the same water source, Fair Rill River that flows to the East. It is as if the island itself wants us gone.”
“That doesn't make sense,” Uden spoke up. “If that were true then all of the water sources would be polluted. Not just one.”
Looking to Uden, Lonnel said, “My brother has a point. The corruption must be coming from somewhere else. Probably something upstream. Have you sent anyone to investigate yet?”
“I did not feel it worth the risk. My sprites have been forbidden from drinking from that river.”
“Let us go investigate. There may be something other than the wrath of a god at work here.”
Karma thought on this for a moment. “Very well. I will accept your aid in this matter. Go to Fair Rill River and return with your findings. I will have my scouts draw you a map of the area, and you will be granted safe passage through Baremire and the surrounding areas while you are set to the task.”
Congratulations! Quest: Investigate Baremire has been completed.
You have successfully managed to reach Baremire and been lucky enough to speak to the Tree Queen without getting murdered. It seems that Lonnell's suspicions were right. There might be more to the curse on Crescent Island than meets the eye. For the moment, you have earned the Tree Queen's trust and 40XP.
As soon as the message faded, a notice popped up.
Quest: Investigate the Polluted Water
The Tree Queen has traced the source of infection to a polluted river. Go to Fair Rill River and see if you can figure out why its water is making the sprites ill.
Difficulty: Medium
Success: Discover the source of the polluted water.
Failure: Die
Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?
Feeling like acknowledgment was necessary, Azure said, “We will do our best to find the source of this curse.”
With his acceptance, the notice disappeared.
The three adventurers were allowed to wait on the outskirts of the settlement while a map was prepared for them.
Kicking at the dirt as he looked back at the sprite settlement, Uden commented, “That went better than expected.”
“I told you it would be fine,” Lonnell said.
“That's easy for you to say. You're not the one who participated in genocide.” Azure had to side with Uden on this one.
Lowering his voice, Lonnell whispered, “Speak of it no more. Let's not chance stirring the pot while we're in earshot.”
“Indeed,” Azure agreed, and they stood there waiting until one of the sprites fluttered over to deliver the map to them.
Lonnell took the tiny map with a gracious nod and then scanned it over. “It is not far. About a two-hour walk, if I had to guess.” He glanced up in the direction of Fair Rill River.
Forcing a smile at the sprite who was, for some reason, still hanging around, Uden said, “Let us not waste time then.”
CHAPTER NINE
THE REALM – Day 4
The walk to Fair Rill River was uneventful. Not an animal crossed their path. Nor did Lonnell give pause to harvest anything in the surrounding area. It seemed that he was set to the task, determined to help the sprites solve their problem.
Compared to their trek to Baremire, the journey to the river seemed to take no time at all. It wasn't long before they could hear the rushing of water. Making the final turn on the map, they broke through the trees to see the riverbank. The water looked deceptively clean, the scene serene with a small mountain rolling up in the backdrop.
The men stopped at the river's edge, and both Uden and Lonnell crouched down to get a better look at the water.
Azure had no idea what they were checking for, but he kept his gaze upriver, knowing that their journey didn't end here. “It looks unassuming enough.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” Uden muttered before scooping up a handful of the water and bringing it to his nose for a sniff.
Lonnell gave him a look of concern. “I'm not so sure you should even be touching that.”
The half-imp opened his fingers, allowing the water to drip through them back down to its source. Then he shook off the remnants with a jerk of his wrist. “Something smells amiss. The water is definitely tainted.”
Now curious, Lonnell threw caution to the wind and dipped his hand into the water as well, though he only wet his fingers enough to smell the liquid. “It smells fine to me.”
Uden stood, his gaze following Azure's upstream. “I have an idea as to what might be causing this.”
Surprised, both Lonnell and Azure turned to him at the same time. “You do?”
“There are few things capable of polluting an entire river, and only one which leaves behind a smell such as this. If I had to guess, there's a silver nether up ahead.”
“A silver nether,” Lonnell parroted before shaking his head. “We don't have those on Crescent Island.”
A sigh of annoyance at his brother's doubt passed Uden's lips. “Well, either it's a silver nether, or Finborh truly has cursed us. I'm hedging my bets on the silver nether though.”
“What's a silver nether?” Azure asked.
“A silver nether,” Uden began to explain, “is a large, gluttonous beast that feeds on the minerals and small organisms that live in and around rivers. They typically dwell at the mouths of caves where the source of water is at its purest. The cool water helps to regulate its body temperature. They're part amphibian, so they have to be around water at all times. They are not typically aggressive, but the issue is that their skin secretes a toxic poison that tends to infect whatever water source they're guarding. Trace amounts don't typically cause adverse effects to larger mammals. Sprites are far more sensitive to it because of their smaller stature. If you'd like to test my theory, you could drink from the river.” A wicked smile crossed his lips.
“I think I'll pass. Perhaps you should drink from it instead.” He gestured to the water.
“Perhaps I shall since I'm fairly certain of my assessment.” Uden bent to scoop up more water, but Lonnell quickly knocked it from his hand.
“You most certainly will not.” Lonnell gave his brother a warning look. “We can't be sure until we go upstream.”
A trace of aggression took over the half-imp as he straightened himself. “Am I not the one that everyone thinks caused this? Even you have your doubts. If I drink from the river, perhaps it will erase them.”
To be honest, the fact that Uden was willing to drink from the river did erase most of Azure's suspicions. He did not wish to see the brothers fight. “It's not worth the risk. Let's just go upriver and see for ourselves. I don't know anything about this silver nether thing, but I imagine we'll need you at your best to help defeat it.”
“He's right. Don't be an idiot,” Lonnell continued to chastise him.
His mood obviously still sour, Uden pushed past them to follow the river upstream. “Let's get going then.”
They spent the day moving single file along the winding riverbank. It curved towards the hill, the terrain growing progressively rockier until the climb began to become arduous. Though there were no critically steep spots or waterfalls, it was still exhausting walking with no end in sight since the mouth of the river was not depicted on the map that the sprites had given them.
As the sun set over the horizon, the men broke free from the river for a few yards to make camp in a small clearing protected by trees. They supped on leftover boar and then settled in for the night. Azure stared up at the stars. There seemed to be an overabundance of them, like freckles on this girl that he had liked in middle school. Clustered together, they lit up the night, a beautiful sight, something he would never have seen in his own world.
With a frown, Azure began to wonder if he'd ever see that place again. There was no doubt that he had been inside of the game way longer than his human capacity would allow. Perhaps his headset had malfunctioned, sending an electronic pulse to his brain so intense that it had him trapped. He'd seen a few animes where that had happened. It was as good of an explanation as any as to why he was still here.
Or maybe he was dead. Perhaps Uden had been right, and this wasn't a game at all. Maybe this was his afterlife, being reincarnated in an alternate universe. That didn't make much sense though. If he had been reincarnated, he would have started as an infant, not woken up in Manny's barn. Or perhaps he just had amnesia and didn't remember what had happened to him prior to the barn. The plot thickens, he thought with a sarcastic smile. Whatever the case may be, one thing was for certain. This was his reality now.
CHAPTER TEN
THE REALM – Day 5
There was a sound. Guttural, like someone choking on phlegm. A cold that never seemed to cease. The pitch was up and down, so throaty that it was almost strangling.
Azure's brain couldn't place it, and for a moment, he thought he was dreaming. His eyes fluttered open, and he groaned awake.
The weight of a hand clasped over his mouth caused him to fly into full alertness. He was being attacked! Panic coursed through his veins, springing his muscles to life. He pushed at his aggressor, only to be forcefully slammed down. Long black hair and pale skin loomed above, the face turned away from him.
That bastard finally showed his true colors. He made his move, and now I'm dead.
The thought passed only a second before Uden turned and mouthed for him to shush. A silent word fell from his lips, and it took Azure a moment to process it before he finally understood what was going on and stopped struggling.
“Goblins,” he had said.
A quick turn of Azure's head showed Lonnell standing with his back pressed against a tree looking out towards the river. Uden removed his hand from Azure's mouth, whispering to him, “Do not make a sound, and be ready to fight.”
Breaking away from him, Uden joined his brother's side. It still amazed Azure how silently the half-imp moved, but there was no time to be impressed. Activating his Stealth skill, he only hoped that he could be as quiet as Uden.
Thankfully, the trees provided good cover. Azure could hear the goblins, but he couldn't see them until he too was standing against a tree, glancing around its trunk. They were drinking from the river, apparently as oblivious to the danger as the sprites had been. Naked except for a few random scraps of armor, they stood about 4 feet tall. One was wearing a bronze helmet with a rent in the side of it, a cutlass strapped to his back. The other only a pair of leather bracers. A spear rested on the ground beside it. Their skin was the color of ripened limes, their eyes beady, and their ears sticking up at a point a few inches above their squat heads. Short jagged fangs showed as they opened their mouths, making the crude sounds that Azure now associated with Goblin-tongue, a language he didn't understand. All he knew was that they were a threat. Both showed as yellow when he Analyzed them.
Lonnell and Uden exchanged glances, whispering to one another. It felt like they were waiting for something, either listening to the conversation or holding out for the best opportunity to strike. Excitement caused Azure's heartbeat to quicken as he saw the two brothers draw their weapons.
Uden moved with the stealth of a cat over to where Azure was standing to lay out the plan. “Shoot the one with the sword,” he whispered. “We will take the other one.”
With a nod, Azure quietly nocked an arrow and took aim for the swordsman's head. At the same time that he let loose though, the goblin moved to the side and the arrow whizzed past it, landing on the outer bank of the river and alerting the goblins of their position. Azure cursed under his breath, but there was no time to linger on his failure. In an instant, the melee was on.
The goblin that Azure had shot at drew his sword just in time to cross his blade with Lonnell's staff. Uden had made it to the other goblin just as he was picking up his spear. He lunged at it with the dagger he had bought at the market, but the goblin jumped quickly to the side, avoiding the blow. There was no room between the combatants to take another shot with his bow, so Azure drew his blade as well and rushed towards the spearman. Seeing that Azure was joining the fray, Uden turned his attention to snatching up the spear before the goblin had a chance to get to it. The creature was nothing, if not stupid, clutching onto the bladed end while Uden grabbed the pole and engaged him in an unfair battle of tug of war. With a quick, sharp tug, the half-imp pulled the goblin off balance, causing it to stumble forward. It was the only opportunity that Azure needed to come in from the side and sink his dagger into the creature's neck. Red blood sprayed out from the arterial wound, covering Azure's face. The smell of iron filled the air, and he blinked rapidly to clear the crimson haze from his vision, putting his weight into driving his dagger down to the hilt. The goblin dropped the spear, making a weak attempt to claw at its aggressor before a pitiful gurgling sound escaped its throat, blood dripping down the side of its mouth as it gasped its last breath and then slumped to its knees.
Congratulations! New skill learned: One-Handed Weapons Level 1. You can now use all manner of one-handed weapons to defeat enemies. What you do with your other hand is up to you.
Defeated Level 5 Goblin. 40XP rewarded.
Knowing that Lonnell needed help defeating the other goblin, Azure quickly pushed the notifications away. Uden had already redirected his attention, circling behind the goblin to try to find a good place for entry. With Azure joining in, they created a small circle around it. The pitiful creature hissed at them like a cornered animal, swinging its sword every which way to keep them back, knowing that there was no escape from the death that awaited it.
As Uden distracted the goblin by lunging in for an attack, Lonnell took the opportunity to slam his staff on the creature's sword hand. It let out a sharp cry bef
ore dropping its cutlass. Knowing that it was screwed without it, it bent for the blade. That's when Azure went in for the kill. Using both hands, he drove his dagger into the back of the goblin's neck. The blade connected with bone, and Azure's stomach rolled from the gore of it. Sometimes, he didn't appreciate quite how real everything was.
The goblin's hand gripped the cutlass, and he weakly flailed it out towards Azure's legs, though there was barely enough force behind it to do more than a shallow cut. The goblin fell forward, and Uden quickly finished it off by slitting its throat. Crimson blood seeped out from the wound, covering the grass and creating a small pool.
Defeated Level 6 Goblin. 48XP rewarded.
The three adventures simply stood there catching their breath for a few moments as they watched the goblin bleed out. Then Uden got to work stripping the bodies of their armor, handing both of the items over to Azure along with the cutlass. Lonnell slipped the spear away into his bag of holding, making Azure once again eye the bag jealously. Was there anything that wouldn't reduce if he tried to stick it in there? A sex joke crossed his mind, but it was gone just as quickly when a notification popped up.
You have received the following items:
Bronze Spangenhelm
Defense: +3
Type: Heavy Armor
Durability: 2/25
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 0.9 kg
Leather Bracer
Defense: +1
Type: Light Armor
Durability: 28/30
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 0.3 kg
