by Taj McCoy El
…..
Malcipher was pulled up to his knees by his hair. A blow landed in his stomach and his vision burst into bright stars and then sweet blackness. The stars returned with a slap across his mouth bringing him back into painful focus. He inhaled sharply when the cold water hit his face, a large amount of which went down his throat and into his lungs. His body forced the water to reverse course quite suddenly. It caused his world to swim, then racked his body with gasping hacking coughs as he expelled it.
The stone floor was cold, wet, and hard against his knees. It had been for quite some time now. His body ached and his mind was numb. He had slept, some… Now he understood why he needed it. But they continued to wake him and beat on him mercilessly. He had lost track of time. He had gained a malnourished, dehydrated, and plagued debuff. He thought his body was a weak construct before, now he was certain of it.
If he fought back they would kill him. He had tried at first. But he always came back strapped to the chair, all three times. After the second time, they had dragged him back to this cell and continued to beat on him until he respawned. Then they beat him almost to death for hours after that. Malcipher decided that fighting would only be more painful.
The first creature he had seen in this world was always in the room with the chair. He would come lean over him and touch him with a claw or two, examining him. The thing, for it was not human, looked like a man-shaped lizard with tufts of hair in random places. Its scaly skin was mottled with sores and decay. It was just over six feet tall and broad of shoulder. Its long, crocodilian face jutted forward on a powerful neck. Tatters of shedding skin hung from its face and well-muscled arms. Its robes, black as shadow covered neither his arms or neck. They moved unnaturally as if in their own breeze. Thinking back to how the creature stared at him with those cold dead eyes, Malcipher now understood fear as well.
The experiments he did upon each resurrection lengthened in their duration and pain. Malcipher did not want to return to that chair. So, he sat there, meek as he could be. He asked no questions and took the beatings. After the beatings, they would give him food. Not enough food to end his hunger, but some was better than none. He thought, none would be better than that chair again.
As he prepared to be beaten again, the men pulled him to his feet. They shuffled him out of the door and down the hallway towards the room with the chair. His new instincts triggered fear and his stomach began cramping with anxiety. His feet became leaden and stopped working. The men continued to drag him forward. He had no strength to fight them, and if he did he’d get to his destination much faster.
There was a strange purple cast to the light shining around the room. As he entered he saw a tetrahedron of sickly, purple energy floating in the middle of the room. Small arcs of power coursed over its surface. He was so entranced by this oddity that he was only distracted from it when he was slammed backwards into the chair. He put up as much struggle as he could in those few seconds before the straps were tightened. But even he knew that there was no fighting this.
The lizard man came into his view, then turned his back to Malcipher to stare at the purple gem.
“Vee sssstole a piessse of the fathersss prisssson and haf been gathering hisss energy here. Asssss hissss prissson veakensssss, hisss power growssss.” He turned from the purple energy construct and walked over placing a hand on Malcipher’s forehead. He turned Malcipher’s head from side to side and tsk’ed, his large black tongue flicking. He suddenly slammed Malcipher’s head back into the headrest of the chair. Malcipher felt like his head was being stepped on by an elephant. The lizard man tightened the straps that kept his head and neck pinned to the chair. Malcipher winced at the pressure of the straps. The lizard man stepped around him, checking all of the straps and retightening most of them. He spoke as he went about his work.
“The father changed me. I vassss vonssse a kobold until hissss energiessss coursssed through my body and I became vhat you ssssee before you.” He turned one eye to Malcipher. “I vassss the firssst of a new breed. Vee vere called the Vobrold and there vere never more than twenty of usss. After fatherssss imprissssonment, vee ruled in the fatherssss ssstead. Long haf vee been plotting and planning for hisssss return. But over the Millennia our numberssss haf diminishhhhhed to me alone, and ssssoon I too vill perishhhh. Sssso, you vill be the beginning of a new breed, loyal to the father and powerful beyond measssure. I, High Alchemisssst Caltura the lassst Vobrold, will bessssstow upon you the blesssssingsss of the father. You vill lead hissss armiessss and shhhhatter hisssss prissssson.”
Malcipher didn’t understand everything that was said, so he said nothing in return. All of his previous questions had only been answered with pain. He did not want any more answers from this thing. He began to search for his own answers. His eyes searched the room looking for some escape.
“Do not worry Mallllsssssipher, when thissss isss ofer you vill thank me for thissss gift.” He blindly stuck out his arm behind him, “Bring the ssssssiphon. It really issss a shhhhhame you couldn’t follow the ssssimple orderssssss vee gave you. Thisss, howeffer, vill make you very happy to comply”
A box sitting underneath the glowing gem was opened revealing a pyramid of black stone etched with golden runes that began pulsing with power. An arc of purple energy shot from the bottom of the tetrahedron into the point of the black stone. Arcs jumped from the gem out into the room like the inside of a plasma ball. The Vobrold grabbed a narrow, pointed, two-foot long, inch thick silver spike and weighed it in his hand.
“Thisssss vill be the beginning of your legassssy.” He walked towards Malcipher. “Vith thissss you vill begin your journey.”
He placed the pointed end of the rod in the center of Malcipher’s brow, just above his eyes. Malcipher didn’t understand until he saw the hammer in the alchemist’s other hand. He tried to run every escape script he could. The door he entered to get into this world was gone. He had known that fact for some time now, but the primal instincts he had learned while in this world urged him to keep checking.
Caltura raised the hammer and practiced the swing he was about to use. As he swung the hammer back, Malcipher tensed his whole body and squinched his eyes shut against the oncoming blow. But no blow came. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Caltura staring directly into his, hammer still raised.
“Thissss issssss going to hurt.”
The last thing Malcipher remembered was the wicked smile curling up onto Caltura’s face and the arc of the hammer descending.
Day Eight
What The…???
I think there's a part in each one of us that wants the impossible to happen, and that's what surprises are.
- Gina Carano
8.1 Dungeons, Rewards, and Relief
Mayah awoke feeling refreshed and not pressured for once. She sent Grax and Margaret a message reminding them to get any supplies they needed before the awards ceremony and got busy herself. She looked fondly at her empty room for the last time and walked out of the door. She made her way to the market and stopped at Tissu grabbing more needles and thread and some higher quality fabrics. Everything was grade A. Maam gave her an excellent deal and they hugged. Then Maam wished her the best of luck.
Next, she picked up the last of the trade books she hadn’t purchased. She also took every book on Majestan lore she could find, and spoke to Ibn Daw for a few minutes. They Clasped hands while sharing a laugh before Mayah left.
She messaged Margaret to see where she was, and Margaret responded that she and Cloutus were getting ready to go shopping and she would meet her at the ceremony. She messaged Grax and waited for 10 minutes before she figured out he was still asleep and went to wake him up.
She knocked on his door as loudly as she could. Payback is always sweet when served cold. All she heard was a thud a groan and some muttered words. She knocked loudly again, just for fun. He opened the door holding his side.
“What was that noise?” she asked with a smile.
“Got wra
pped up in my sheet and fell out of bed.”
“Theory disproved.”
“What theory?” he asked, annoyedly.
“That cats always land on their feet.”
He palmed his face and shook his head. “I don’t know why I suffer our friendship—especially this early.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m the only one that suffers you.”
“Maybe…”
“Cmon, let’s load up on supplies before we head out.”
“I wish we had time to get more daggers.”
“Maybe we can order them and get them sent to us in whatever town we find ourselves.”
“Good idea.” Grax picked up his bag and it disappeared as soon as it was in place.
I really need to ask Margaret what special abilities her bag has, Mayah reminded herself.
They made their way back to the square stopping at the magical & general supply store where they were welcomed warmly by the shopkeeper. “Hello there, champions. You battled well yesterday and you’ve given me a leg up on the competition,” he winked. “That Cloutus fellow is a lot nicer than I thought a necromancer could be. We’re supposed to be starting this venture together with you, I believe.”
“That sounds about right.” Mayah beamed with pride. I’m gonna be rich, rich, rich. “By the way what’s your name?”
“Oh my, we haven’t introduced ourselves. My name is Hollister, Hollister Grapwright.” He heartily shook both Mayah’s and Grax’s hands as they introduced themselves.
“It’s a pleasure to formally meet you, and I look forward to doing business with you. Now, onto more pressing matters. What can I do for you today?”
“I’m going to need more paper ink and empty books. Three sets of your best rations for a month, and 30 days of your second-best rations, a gallon jug of fabric paint or dye, three pickaxes, shovels and any other tools you have back there.”
“I think I can find that for you. And you sir, is there anything that you need?”
Your best whetstone, anything you have for repairing leather armor, and a nice, stiff boar bristle brush.”
“Make that three whetstones and repair kits. Also, three sets of your best engraving tools.”
“More engraving?” Grax whined.
“You like your swords, right?” She towered over him and he shrank back a little.
“Shutting up,” he said as she nodded at him, ending the conversation.
“The best I have are novice level. I believe I’ve already sold them to you.”
“Well, we’ll just take the sharpening kits for them instead.”
“Good choice. Anything else?”
“Do you have a ten-foot by ten-foot tarp?”
“Yes, we do.”
“Also Hollister, any way you could slip us a few healing potions—since we’re on our way out?”
“unfortunately, no. You’ll be able to purchase them after you teleport away from the village.”
“Shaz… In that case, I think that’s it then.” Mayah thought about it for a second.
Hollister saw her in thought and said, “I’ll be right back with your things.”
Fifteen minutes later, the counter and some of the floor were piled high with everything they ordered. They gave Hollister the gold and made a large runeagram out of the tarp and the fabric paint from the store. She activated it and it swallowed all of their belongings, leaving a token behind. She grabbed the token and the fabric and stuffed them both into her bag.
“I can’t wait to get my own runeagram.” Hollister looked at the runeagram she made with conspicuous envy in his eyes.
“Soon enough Hollister, everything in due course.”
Hollister nodded ruefully in acceptance of that fact.
“Safe travels to you, Royal Death Claws.”
“And to you Master Grapwright,” Grax replied.
Mayah clasped Hollister’s hand once more and walked to the door. “Let’s go see John.”
Hollister waved goodbye a final time as they left and walked across the square over to the smithy. There was some hammering but nothing compared to the two days before the tournament. They walked in and looked around for John. Not seeing him, they walked back to the office.
When they knocked, they were surprised by the sound of a heavy thud against the door. That was rapidly followed by John bellowing, “Go away!!! Everybody has their jobs and I’ll check on them in the afternoon.”
“...John?” Mayah said, and there was silence. A rustling began in the room and became the sound of someone walking to the door. It sounded odd, though. There was a thud of a boot followed by a slapping sound and then another thud and slap.
John slowly opened the door looking extremely haggard.
“Whoa,” Grax muttered.
“Not so loud, ya lousy cat.” He opened the door and let them in. He bent to pick up his shoe and when he stood he spread his arms as if catching his balance.
“Are you alright?”
“I will be, once these blasted debuffs wear off. Had too much fun at the celebration last night.”
Grax laughed, “Yeah it was weird seeing you smile so much.” John glared at Grax through a scowl that seemed darker and more malevolent than ever. It also promised retribution. Grax stopped laughing.
“Now that the cat is back in the bag, what can I do for you?” he hung his head into his hands and with his elbows propped on the desk.
“We just wanted to order more knives. Is there any way you can send them to us later?”
“Sure there is, but I figured you would need more so we already got some ready for you.”
“Thank you, John,” Mayah almost squealed with delight. John covered his ears and groaned. “Oops. Sorry.” she whispered.
“It’s fine, just ask one of my guys where the stilettos are. And be a dear and pay them too.”
“Thanks again, John. We’ll have more orders soon I’m sure.”
“Yes, yes… now get out. I got pain to deal with.” Mayah ran over and gave him a hug he returned it with surprise on his face. “And one last thing you two, congratulations.” he started to smile and then his headache must’ve belted him something fierce, as his head drooped and his scowl reappeared. He waved them off and Mayah shut the door as quietly as she could.
They picked up the stilettos and settled their account. Mayah threw the sheet over one of the tables and stored the cargo. She took the token and tossed it to Grax. “Your knives, your engraving.”
“You’re not gonna help me?”
“Depends.”
“Depends on what?”
“Depends on whether I’m making something cooler than knives or not.”
“Ooooh… what’s cooler than knives?” he asked.
“You’ll see my little moppet, you’ll see.” She wrung her hands like a mad scientist. Grax didn’t like it at all.
“Why do you always have to make it creepy?”
Mayah threw her head back in a mad scientist laugh. “Mwahahahahaha….”
Grax shook his head and walked away. “Total creeper.”
Mayah caught up with Grax outside of the smithy and they made their way to the arena. Halfway there, they spotted Cloutus and Margaret. They were walking arm in arm, their heads leaned in close as they bantered. They turned to the side to speak and even from a distance Mayah could see their faces were covered with giant grins as they walked towards the stadium. Mayah put her finger to her lips warning Grax to be quiet. She snuck through the crowd behind them and pulled on her hood. She was so close to them she could easily nudge either one with her elbow. She dialed up her best hissper.
“Hey guys, what’cha doing?”
Margaret nearly jumped out of her skin and Cloutus turned around ready to strike, his armor fully activated.
“Whoa, whoa…. Take it easy guys.” Mayah held up her hands placating any attacks. “Just checking to see how you guys are making out.”
“Making out? Who’s making out?” Margaret’s whole face turne
d a deep shade of red.
“Yeah, making out. Like did you buy all of your supplies?”
“Oh, how did we make out with preparations.” Margaret let out a deep breath of relief. “I did okay. Cloutus helped me get some specialty necromancer items.”
“That’s good. Cloutus thank you so much for helping our little necro-ranger along.” She curtsied to the gnome.
“It was truly my pleasure to be of assistance. She should be leveling up her Resurrection Doll fairly soon with the things we’ve talked about.”
“That’s good. She’s been handicapping herself.”
“Enough with the scolding,” Margaret railed. “I get it now. To be successful in Majesta, I need to be as powerful as I can be.”
“Now you’re getting it.” Mayah nudged her with a shoulder.
“So where are you thinking of going after the dungeon?” Cloutus asked
“Jensen showed us a few spots to check out,” Grax answered.
“We’ll decide after the dungeon. We all have people to check in with and we want to choose a central location to do that. After that, my vote was gonna be for Techros. I want to level up my Class Skill.”
“Isn’t that interesting?” Margaret’s eyes widened, “We were talking about Techros last night. Cloutus says he has some friends there who might be able to help us level up.”
“Just a few acquaintances.” He quickly waved off her words with a hand. “And I can’t promise anything. They may not even be there anymore.”
“It’s okay, Cloutus, you’ve helped us plenty and we’ll never forget it. But we’ll definitely take anything you throw our way.”
“Speaking of, I’m going to need your signature on these patent forms and a formalized contract of our business.”
“How are you planning to run this storage business?”
“At first, we are going to lease the equipment. That way we can hide the runes and keep it proprietary to the newly formed Princess Storage Company.”
