by Eric Vall
“Wow, that’s fantastic,” Rana breathed as she gazed up at the top of the sphere.
“Yes, it is quite useful in combat,” I nodded. “Especially if you time its use just right. Try moving around Rana. The fox looked down at the floor hesitantly but then took a careful step forward. When she moved forward, the sphere moved with her.
“Wow,” the fox woman murmured, and she continued to walk forward.
“You see, no matter where you move, the shield will move with you and protect you from all angles. I’m sure that you’ve also noticed that it’s weightless as well.”
“Yeah, I did notice that,” Rana said. “This is perfect. This thing should even be able to keep up with my speed.”
“It will indeed,” I said to the fox. “Not only will it move as fast as you do, your hands, erm, paws will remain free so that you can launch attacks from the safety of the sphere. So, for example, you could throw your daggers at an assailant without any concern of being attacked in the meantime, well, for five minutes anyway. You must be aware of the risk that comes with using such an object. I’m sure that you recall that back in Valasara I informed you that every magical barrier has a weak spot. Even the immense magical defense that surrounded the palace had a weak spot, your ring is no different. If you are facing someone that wields the same level of magic that I do, they may be able to break through the defense with a missile attack. So be careful.”
“I understand,” Rana said with a nod “Okay, so you said whenever I want to activate it, I just twist the opal. How do I deactivate it?”
“You don’t have to worry about deactivating it,” I shook my head. “Since the power of your force field ring only works for a limited amount of time, the effects will wear off after the five minutes are up. Now, you’ll have to use it wisely when you’re engaged in combat. You’ll have to wait a day for the magic to recharge before you use it again once the shield is spent, so only utilize it when you feel you absolutely must.”
“Gotcha,” the fox-tailed woman said. “Sounds good to me. I wouldn’t want to use this thing as a crutch and hide behind it all the time anyway, but it’s good to know that I have it if I need it.”
“Can I throw something else at you, Rana?” Carmedy said with a giggle. “I want to see the shield work again.”
“So would I,” Annalíse chimed in.
“The force field should have about two minutes left, so sure, go ahead,” I said with a chuckle. “Fire away.”
Annalíse grinned and picked up a small scepter with an emerald encrusted handle, reeled back her arm, and threw it toward Rana. This time, instead of cringing and shielding her face with her arms, Rana stood confidentially with her paws on her hips and a smirk on her face. Just like before, the shield deflected the object, and the scepter bounced off and fell to the floor.
“Force field ring: 2, Minions: 0,” Rana pumped her furry fist in the air. “I’m absolutely loving this thing.”
Carmedy took another turn and threw a gold crown trimmed with diamonds and rubies at the shield, and it too bounced off and clattered to the ground.
“These attacks are all very amusing,” Morrigan spoke up as she stood to her feet, “but these assaults are with mere trinkets. Can this mystic shield withstand more potent attacks?”
“Of course.” I nodded as I turned to Annalíse. “Annalíse, why don’t you try to break the force field with your weapons?”
“Alright,” the swordswoman said as her lips curled into a smile. The female warrior drew a dagger from her belt and flicked it toward the fox-girl. The dagger tumbled end over end before it struck the pink ball, and while the sphere let out a buzzing sound, it held strong, and the dagger clattered to the ground.
“Ha!” Rana laughed triumphantly. “Now I can really go toe to toe with anyone who’s wielding a sword.”
“This is useful information,” Morrigan said blankly. “However, when I asked if the force field could withstand more potent attacks, I was referring to those of a magical variety.”
“Alright,” I said to the tattooed elf with a smile. “Try utilizing your death fog.”
“Give me your best shot, elfy,” Rana said with a mischievous grin and beckoned to the white-haired woman.
“That won’t work,” I said as the pale elf raised her hand.
“What? Why not?” Rana asked as they both turned to me.
“Death fog moves through the air,” I explained. “It is not a missile attack. However, your theory is sound. The barrier would block simple magical attacks like a fire arrow or acid dart.”
“That is still impressive,” Morrigan said as she nodded to Rana.
“I’ll say,” Rana said happily. As the words left the curly haired woman’s mouth, the oval-shaped opal on Rana’s ring then rotated back to its original position with a clicking sound. “Let’s see if there’s any more cool stuff in here or, better yet, one of the sacred objects.”
Our party continued to sift through the treasure but unfortunately, none of us came across anything that resembled one of the sacred objects or anything else of interest. Rana’s ring was the only notable find of the day, but it was a good one.
“We sure have a lot of stuff,” Carmedy said as we all started to place the treasure back into the chests. “Shouldn’t we try to find a nearby town so that we can sell some of it?”
“Yes, I think it would be best if we did,” I said to the feline alchemist. “After all, we only have the basic supplies that we got from Jallah and the ship, and I sense that the next dungeon in our path will take several days to dig into. We’ll need to replenish our supplies.”
“Well, I’m not able to travel outside, remember?” Annalíse pointed out. “I’ll have to stay behind.”
“That’s fine. Are you aware of the location of the closest town or village?” I asked the swordswoman.
“If we make our way to the dungeon’s entrance and I take a quick look around, I’m sure I’ll be able to determine our exact location and figure that out,” the freckle-faced princess replied.
We quickly finished packing the chests, and I placed them into my void pocket. Then, using the map that we had found, Rana navigated through the network of icy polished tunnels and guided us to the dungeon’s actual entrance. Before long, we arrived at the mouth of the dungeon.
Rana poked her head out to look around and then walked out into the snow with the rest of us behind her. Judging by the sun’s position, it looked to still be early morning, and the yellow light shone down on the glistening snow. Before us, there was a massive forest of snow-dusted pine trees as far as the eye could see.
Annalíse turned to look back at the dungeon from which we had just emerged, and her gaze panned upward. We had just surfaced from under a towering snow-capped mountain with a tip that curved into a curled shape.
“I know where we are,” the female warrior said as a smile spread across her face. “The closest town is Tarmsworth. It’s about a ten hour’s walk due east through this forest, so you’ll probably get there around dinner time.” The human woman gestured toward the tall pine trees.
“Alright then,” I said to my minions. “Some of us should stay inside the dungeon with Annalíse while the rest go into town to trade in our loot and get our supplies. Who wants to go into town?”
“Well, I obviously have to go,” Rana said as she took a step forward. “You guys may have learned a thing or two about haggling, but I’m still the navigational expert around here. You’ll get lost in a forest that big.”
“Very well,” I replied. “I’ll be going along as well. Anyone else?”
“I want to go to!” Carmedy bounced on her toes and raised her hand, excitement in her green eyes. “I want to get more ingredients for the mixture that I made to keep us warm. There’s also a few other herbs and things that I’m looking for as well. I have an experiment that I’m working on, and there are a few things I need for it that are native only to Tamarisch.”
“Fine then.” I nodded to the alc
hemist. “So, Morrigan, you will need to stay here with Annalíse. We will probably not be back until late tomorrow.”
“I have no objections to this arrangement,” the elf replied unenthusiastically. “I will provide Annalíse with companionship while the rest of you carry out your business.”
“Um, thank you, Morrigan,” Annalíse said with a chuckle. “I’ll be glad to have you, or rather you three here to keep me company.” The swordswoman nodded to Fea and Macha.
“Okay then, let’s get going,” I said to Carmedy and Rana. “We’ll be back as soon as we can.”
“I will need to summon the ice demons first so that they can begin their tunneling work,” I said. Then I gestured to the ground beside the opening to the dungeon. A few moments later, the pale-skinned monstrosities with the twisted antlers had risen from the frozen earth. The four figures half-moaned-half-growled at me, and then they turned at my unspoken command and disappeared into the depths of the tunnels.
“Damn, those things seem to get uglier each time you summon them,” Rana said with a shiver.
“Super spooky,” Carmedy agreed as she hugged her arms across her ample chest.
“I do not see a problem with them,” Morrigan commented, and the other three women chuckled.
We spent a few minutes reviewing our food and water supplies for the split groups, and then we said our goodbyes to Morrigan and Annalíse. Then Rana led Carmedy and I through the massive forest of trees that towered over our heads, and we trudged through the snow on our way to Tarmsworth.
As we traveled, the brisk wind blew through the fur on our clothing, and our skin became rosy from the chill. As we walked amongst the snow-coated trees, white-haired rabbits with thick coats hopped by, their fur rendering them almost invisible against the snow.
Carmedy cooed at the little animals as they jumped by and moved to touch one when suddenly a long low howl sounded in the distance.
“W-was t-that a…?” Carmedy stammered as she glanced around nervously.
“A bánwolf,” I said darkly. “It certainly sounds like it.”
“Don’t worry pussycat,” Rana said as we continued to make our way through the forest. “I can sense that they’re many miles away. If they start to come toward us, I’ll know right away.”
“Okay,” Carmedy said with another fearful glance in the direction where the howl had come from. We hurried on all the same since ten hours of walking through the forest might give the wolves plenty of opportunities to catch up to us.
Then again, if they did, I would use my new powers to claim them.
The air was chilly, and we started a fire at midday so that we could warm ourselves for half an hour. Carmedy and Rana ate some of our dried rations, but my body wasn’t experiencing hunger, so I declined. The two women amused themselves by talking about taking warm baths and having a warm meal in the imagined inn we would find in the town, so they were excited about continuing the second leg of our journey.
The forest turned into tundra, then into another forest. The wind picked up a bit, and both women shivered despite their warm attire. The hours of walking did pass quickly though, and soon we came upon a stone paved road that was wide enough for a wagon. Another half hour of walking on the path led us to the town of Tarmsworth. It lay at the center of a valley and was surrounded by a circle of snow-laden mountains. At the edge of the snowfield was a large stone bridge which was covered in white just like everything else in Tamarisch.
After we made our way across the field, we walked over the bridge which arched over a frozen river. We looked down below to see children laughing, skating up and down the body of ice racing each other, and pulling each other on sleds.
Upon crossing the bridge, we arrived at the edge of the town. We were greeted by countless buildings crafted of gray stone and dark colored wood that lined either side of the street. The structures stood side by side and were packed tightly together with only the occasional narrow alley. Some were only a few stories high and others were tower-like structures.
Each of the pointed roofs was covered in a thick blanket of snow, and occasionally flakes would slide down to sprinkle over the streets. From each of the roofs sprouted a broad stone chimney, and billows of thick grey pillared out of each one and into the frosty air. From the windows of each building, the orange glow of fire from fireplaces and torches could be seen while more torches were attached to the outsides of the buildings. The orange light that emerged from each of the windows bathed the town in a warm and cozy glow.
The town seemed to be quite large, and the relatively quiet nature of our ten hour trek through the wilderness was immediately replaced by the bustle and chatter of townsfolk, traveling livestock, and wooden carts as they rolled and crunched through the snow. The street was filled with people clad in ensembles of thick fur of varying shades of grays, browns, black, and flawless white. Some rushed about in and out of businesses, some casually lazed about chatting idly with their companions. Those that weren’t walking rode atop large brown horses with fur covered feet and long manes while a few rode large creatures that resembled polar bears that calmly zigzagged through the throngs of passersby. Children raced around throwing snowballs at each other and weaved through the crowd occasionally hitting strangers with a poorly aimed snowball. Every few yards, there was a peddler’s cart filled to the brim with everything from fur clothing and accessories, to roasted meat, to magic talismans.
The brisk winter wind blew through the town, tossing up snow and causing the torch fires to shudder or become extinguished altogether. Many of the businesses had wooden beams that extended from the tops of the buildings for painted wooden signs to hang from. The air was lively, and the people seemed to be in good health and good spirits unlike some other villages that we had come across.
Not only that, but the town was in good condition. None of the buildings were falling apart, the cobblestones beneath the snow seemed to have been kept well, and the people didn’t seem to be suffering from poverty. Despite the wrongs that the High King had committed against Annalíse, at the very least he made sure that his people were well taken care of. Once he was overthrown, I would ensure that they continued to live as such.
Carmedy, Rana, and I navigated our way through the snowy streets receiving warm greetings from passersby along the way.
“Everyone here is so nice,” Carmedy whispered to us after a fourth person had bid us a good day. “I like it here. Definitely a complete change from those gloomy folks back in Jallah.”
“Yes, they are quite friendly.” I nodded.
“Since everyone is in such a good mood, I think I’ll ask someone directions to the nearest place where we can trade our loot,” Rana said as she looked around for someone to ask.
After a few moments of inspecting the townspeople, the fox woman walked over to a young couple standing in front of a clothing shop. I couldn’t hear the discussion that took place given their distance away from me, but I saw the man nod his head and point down the street as he spoke to Rana. The curly haired woman nodded her head as well and raised a paw in thanks, and the couple smiled and waved as she walked away.
“Okay, so they said to go down two more blocks and turn right at the building with the sign of a painted horse. The very next building will be a trade shop.”
“Alright then, let’s get going,” I replied.
The three of us continued on our way through the jolly snow-laden town. A few boys that looked to be about ten raced through the crowd of people in the street tossing snowballs at each other. One of them ran past us, and his companion tossed another snowball and missed his friend hitting Carmedy’s leg instead.
“Sorry, miss,” the little boy giggled. “I didn’t mean to.”
Carmedy said nothing in response but quietly bent over, scooped up some snow, packed into a ball and tossed back at the boy hitting him in the shoulder.
“Gotcha!” The feline laughed. “Now we’re even.”
The boy giggled again and ran off into
the crowd in pursuit of his friend.
“I wanna play too,” the cat-girl laughed. “Looks like fun.”
“Later Carmedy, we have to… Hey, look at this,” Rana said suddenly, and she walked over to one of the buildings.
There, posted on the wall, was a large poster with a picture of Annalíse’s face on it. The poster offered fifty gold coins for any information deemed useful on her whereabouts and five hundred for her return.
“Hey, that’s Annalíse!” Carmedy pointed to the poster. “It looks like a wanted poster or something like she’s some sort of criminal.”
“She wasn’t kidding when she said her father was offering a large reward for her return.” I shook my head.
“Good thing she stayed back at the dungeon,” Rana mumbled. “Look, there are even more posters on those buildings up ahead.”
Carmedy and I looked to where the fox pointed as saw that each of the buildings ahead of us had at least a few of the posters tacked to their walls, their edges curling in the wind that threatened to tear them away.
We continued on our way down the road on our way to the trade shop. The direction that the couple had given Rana were perfectly accurate, and we soon found the tiny shop. Upon entering, we were helped immediately as we were the only customers. Rana handled the negotiations, and unlike many of the proprietors that we had dealt with in the past, the man was fair and gave us reasonable prices for our goods for sale. Before long we left the shop, my void pocket filled with multiple sacks that bulged with gold coins.
We went about the town to purchase various goods that we needed to stock up on like additional food, blankets, salt and other spices. The sun was almost setting by the time we finished, so Rana guided us toward the town’s nicest inn.
“Wait just a second.” Carmedy pulled on my arm as we passed by another building whose sign indicated it was an apothecary shop. “I’d like to go in here really quick.”
