by Phoenix Grey
The last thing that Azure felt like doing right now was making amends with Uden, especially when he was so ticked off about the entire situation. But the half-imp was right. Whether he liked it or not, they would have to work together if they wanted any chance of defeating the demon.
“I feel like you don't trust my judgment on things, likely because I am so new to all of this.” Azure cast his gaze around. “If this is going to work—if we are going to work together effectively, you need to trust me more, too. I am not just some idiot who fell from the sky. While I may not be seasoned in battle, I do have a good idea from time to time.”
“I know. I underestimate you a lot. My pride gets in my way. I am not always right, and my impulsiveness gets the best of me sometimes. It's something that I need to work on.
“Now that I've apologized for being a douchebag and we've shared all of these gay ass feelings with one another, can we just move on from this.” He urged Azure to clasp wrists.
A smirk crossed Azure's lips at Uden's not so subtle wording. “You have quite the mouth on you sometimes.” He finally submitted, his hand wrapping around the cold skin of the half-imp's wrist.
“If you need a further apology.” Uden winked at him, making Azure immediately let go and hold his hands up.
“Sorry, bro, but I don't swing that way. I don't have a problem if you do, but just saying.”
To that, Uden guffawed. “You don't know what you're missing out on.”
“Girls. That's what I'm missing out on,” Azure said quickly.
“Ah yes.” The half-imp smiled. “If it's any consolation, you're not really my type anyway. I prefer the fairer of both sexes. Not much for the ruggedly handsome.
"Anyway, perhaps when this is all over, and we go to the mainland, you'll allow me to buy you a night at one of the pleasure houses to make up for my latest batch of mistakes.”
“I might take you up on that,” Azure said as he watched Uden walk away, waving over his shoulder and disappearing into the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY
THE REALM – Day 26
They traveled the next morning back to Cragbell. Ruthren was happy to see the three companions together, but he was even happier to see that they had actually come to do business. Trading in everything that he had Lonnell keep in his bag of holding, Azure had enough money to purchase the goblin bow with a little bit left over. Unfortunately, not enough to buy a sword, though luckily Lonnell still had the Crude Goblin Sword on him.
You have received the following item:
Goblin Bow
Attack: +8
Range: 1
Durability: 12/12
Item Class: Common
Quality: Poor
Weight: 1.3 kg
By the time they finished shopping, Azure was down to two coppers. He was poor all over again, he thought with overwhelming disappointment. There was no point in even looking in the bag of holding's direction. He should just be happy that Manny seemed to have an unlimited supply of arrows, so he hadn't needed to purchase any.
With their business concluded, they headed towards Baremire. Azure hadn't realized how much he had missed hunting. Just the little bit of experience he gained from killing rabbits felt like a lot compared to how much time he'd wasted without a ranged weapon. He couldn't count how many animals had crossed his path when he was trying to return to Cragbell. Each missed opportunity to rack up some XP left him feeling ill. It also reminded him of the frustrations of trying to whittle and string his own homemade bow. Fuck that bow.
By the time they stopped to camp for the night, Azure had killed three rabbits. He took care in skinning them, wanting to save the pelts to sell for later. It still annoyed him that he had to start from nothing again, but it was common to lose items when you died in most of the games he had played. Except he hadn't lost his items because he had died. He'd lost them because he'd been captured. Somehow, that didn't feel entirely fair, but it is what would have happened if this were real. And it was real. As real as anything could be for him.
They slept in shifts as usual. Azure found himself sleeping more soundly, not like he had when they first all journeyed together. Back then, he hadn't appreciated the safety of company as much as he'd despised only getting a few hours of rest before it was his turn. Since traveling on his own and never having a real moment of peaceful sleep, Azure had a new-found respect for their arrangement. Maybe he was finally starting to get used to the way things worked in this world.
The next day, they continued on to Baremire. When the sprite guards met them in the forest and offered to escort them in, Uden gave hesitation, saying he would rather wait outside of the settlement.
“What's wrong with you?” Lonnell asked him. “Haven't you learned by now that it's better if we all stick together.”
Uden glanced up at the trees, seeming uncomfortable. “It is safe out here. Azure is only going to retrieve his armor. There is no need for all of us to go.”
“The Tree Queen may have more insight on how to defeat the demon. You should at least go listen to what she has to say,” Azure told him.
“You can relay it back to me. I'm fine out here.” Uden crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly, obviously not wanting to budge.
Lonnell stepped closer to him, lowering his voice. “No offense, brother, but every time we leave you alone, you seem to get yourself into trouble. I would feel much better if you came with us.”
Uden huffed, casting his eyes to the side. “I am tired of facing the ridicule of those around me. Once they know that I am the reason why this creature exists, they will hate me all over again. I have endured enough prejudice these past few months to last a lifetime. I'd rather not have to deal with the disdainful stares and whispering behind my back.”
Now it made a bit more sense. Thinking back to how Uden had been treated at the tavern, Azure realized that he hadn't really considered how hard things must have been for the half-imp since his heritage had been discovered by the townspeople. Being scorned and rejected all the time had to take a toll on a person.
He placed a hand on Uden's shoulder, trying to soothe his nerves. “The Tree Queen isn't like that. She will understand.”
“But will the others?” Uden pierced him with his gaze. “The sprites know me less than the townspeople, and the townspeople no doubt will believe that darkness breeds more darkness. I know that this seems cowardly, but please grant me this one request. I promise that I will stay put and will not get into any trouble. You can even have one of the guards stay here and keep watch over me if you trust me so little.”
Lonnell and Azure shared a look before nodding in agreement.
“Fine,” Lonnell said with a sigh. “You can wait out here. I just...wish you didn't feel this way.”
“I wish they didn't feel that way.” Uden nodded towards Baremire.
“They won't feel that way forever,” Lonnell assured him.
“They won't have to feel that way forever. Once this is all over, I'm leaving this island. I look human enough that I should be able to blend into human society on the mainland,” Uden informed his brother.
“Perhaps that is for the best,” Lonnell agreed before turning to Azure. “Let us not waste much time here. We have many more miles to travel.”
The two men followed the guards into Baremire, leaving Uden behind. It felt strange to glance over his shoulder and see the forest shroud the half-imp from view. Azure felt an instant detachment from him, and there was admittedly some worry that things would go horribly wrong, as they often seemed to do when Uden was left on his own.
“Do you think we should have left a guard with him?” Azure whispered to Lonnell in case Uden could still hear him through the trees.
“He'll be fine. Just let him mope about. I'm the one to blame for all of this, but he still feels responsible just for being born. I don't think he realized that the townspeople hated him so much. Heck, I didn't even realize it. Needless to say, it has taken an emotional toll on him.
I cannot imagine having so many negative feelings towards me that it was able to create something as horrible as a demon. That says a lot about how the townspeople perceive him as a threat and a pest. Once this is all over, I will do whatever it takes to help him leave this place. Even after we vanquish the demon, I doubt he can carve out any type of life here. Things will be better for him on the mainland.”
Azure hadn't realized that things were that bad, but he was happy to hear that Lonnell supported his brother's desire to leave the island. Knowing how much the townspeople despised Uden, Azure couldn't imagine that Manny would have much to argue about in regards to letting his son go. If he truly loved Uden, then he would understand that a better life awaited him elsewhere.
The forest gave way to the grove of sequoias. Lonnell and Azure were escorted all the way to the Tree Queen's domain. She greeted them pleasantly but didn't seem to have much more information to offer them about the demon beside that it would have a weakness to light magic.
Hearing that, Azure felt like he had progressed wrongly somehow. Like he should possess light magic at this point. If not, then what else was the purpose of her divulging that information.
But Azure had no money for spells, and even when he had, he'd been too busy obsessing over obtaining the bag of holding. That had proven to be a mistake. If he had been smarter, he would have taken the time to see what other soulbound things Ruthren was selling. From what he understood, once learned, spelled could not be unlearned. Oh well. Failures often offered hard life lessons, and in The Realm it was no different.
Several sprites fluttered off to retrieve his armor, coming back with a garment that was a vibrant green color and appeared to be tightly woven with leaves. Azure couldn't decide whether he would look badass or stupid once he put it on, but it didn't matter.
You have received the following items:
Cowl of Light
Defense: +4
Type: Light Armor
Durability: 30/30
Item Class: Rare
Quality: High
Weight: 1 kg
Traits: +5% resistance to Dark Magic
Vambraces of Light
Defense: +4
Type: Light Armor
Durability: 25/25
Item Class: Rare
Quality: High
Weight: 0.2 kg
Traits: +5% resistance to Dark Magic and +10% damage to ranged attacks.
Pants of Light
Defense: +4
Type: Light Armor
Durability: 20/20
Item Class: Rare
Quality: High
Weight: 3 kg
Traits: +5% resistance to Dark Magic and +2 Agility
Shirt of Light
Defense: +10
Type: Light Armor
Durability: 28/28
Item Class: Rare
Quality: High
Weight: 2 kg
Traits: +10% resistance to Dark Magic.
Holy shit!
While the defense stats of the armor weren't particularly impressive, everything else about it was. These were the first Rare and High Quality items that Azure had received. Unlike other items of lower quality and class, the backdrop of the item notification screen showed up as light green. Azure could only assume it was because the items were something special. It was also the first time that he'd seen items that had their own traits. Altogether, they gave him a 25% resistance to dark magic! Hopefully, that would keep the demon from getting inside of his head.
Unable to hide his gratitude and excitement, Azure quickly equipped the items. As soon as he finished slipping the vambraces onto his arms, another notification popped up.
Congratulations! You have equipped an entire set of matching armor: Armor of Light. Bonuses awarded: Defense stats of armor increased by 20%. Resistance to dark magic increased be an additional 10%.
“Oh my God, this is amazing,” Azure vocalized what he was thinking. “I can never thank you enough.”
Karma beamed at him, pleased with his reaction. “It is but a small contribution to the cause. If you would hand over your quiver, we will happily imbue your arrows with light magic as well.”
Azure did as she instructed and they waited around for about thirty minutes before one of the sprites returned the quiver. All of the arrowheads now had a soft white glow to them.
You have received the following item:
Bronze Arrows of Minor Light Magic
Quantity: 15/15
Durability: 1/1
Item Class: Common
Quality: Average
Weight: 0.7 kg
Bonus: +4 Damage Against Dark Magic
Once again, he thanked the sprites for their hospitality. The Tree Queen bade them to be careful, giving them both a gentle kiss on the forehead before sending them on their way.
As they walked away from Baremire, Azure felt like a new man. He was filled with more hope than he had been in a long time.
They found Uden outside of the sprite settlement sitting on the grass looking bored. If he had any fear of being attacked, it didn't show. Maybe the outskirts of Baremire were as safe as he had claimed. He certainly hadn't hesitated to let his guard down.
Upon their arrival, Uden looked up at Azure and smirked. “It's like the Jolly Green Giant had a baby.”
Fuck's sake. Azure rolled his eyes. He did look stupid, though he had kind of guessed it. One didn't exactly exude manliness when they were dressed like the woodland version of Peter Pan.
“This is some sick-ass armor,” he told Uden. “You should see the stats.”
“Of that, I have no doubt.” The half-imp pulled himself from the ground. “But you still look like a fairy, and I don't mean the fluttering kind.”
“I thought you liked fairies.” Azure gave a chuckle, too happy to let the mocking tear him down.
Uden took a step forward, pinching one of the leaves on the front of Azure's shirt. Though he gave it a good tug, it remained firmly planted. The armor was much sturdier than it looked. “I suppose you've grown on me. Since I almost let you die, and all.”
“Would you two stop it,” Lonnell groaned in exasperation.
“I didn't start it,” Azure reminded him. “It was all him.”
“I don't care who started it. I'm ending it.” Lonnell gave them both a look to suggest that the time to crack jokes was over.
“Always so serious.” Uden tutted at him. “All work and no play...”
“You never work,” Lonnell cut him off.
“Well, that's about to change,” Azure said, looking toward the future. “We got what we came here for. Are you guys ready to go kick some demon ass?”
“Never readier,” Uden replied with a grin. Then the three of them headed off into the forest to face a threat far greater than they had ever imagined.
The adventure continues in book two. Coming soon...
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Phoenix Grey is the super secret nerd pen name of a USA Today bestselling author. She currently lives in a secluded podunk town outside of San Antonio, Texas where she can hermit away working on books and playing video games. When she's not busy plotting her world domination, she can be found hosting tabletop game nights at the local comic book store or checking out the latest recommended anime.
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Azure's end of book stats:
Name: Azure
Race: Human
Level: 4, 54% of the way to next level
Health: 160 / 160
Mana: 130 / 130
Stamina: 140 / 140
Vitality: 13
Intelligence: 10
Strength: 11
Agility: 12
Dexterity: 11
Charisma: 10
Luck: 12
Skills: Archery Lvl 2; 65% of the way to next level
Stealth Lvl 2; 80% of the way to the next level
Analyze Lvl 4; 37% of the way to next level
Cooking Lvl 5; 10% of the way to next level
Alchemy Lvl 3; 0% of the way to next level
One-Handed Weapons Lvl 4; 0% of the way to next level
Tracking Lvl 1; 70% of the way to next level
Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue
Uden's end of book stats:
