Elves and dwarves shared toasts and danced with each other freely. Even the musicians that played for us that day were a mixed group, having come together to combine their varied styles into a new band with a truly unique and festive sound.
Tási sat beside me, having long ago returned to her normal routines, and we took in the celebration together. Although I was somewhat surprised, she had been right, and no one had commented on her blue eyes when they saw her.
We glanced at each other, just as we had done many times before during the festivities, but this time it felt very different—I can’t say whether it was the happy atmosphere, or the way the failing sunlight reflected in the deep blue of her eyes, but I found myself overcome with a sense of pure joy and contentment just being there with Tási. My hand reached out, seemingly of its own accord, and I gently drew her face to mine. Our lips met, and I kissed her warmly, melting in the sensation of her softness. We smiled at each other as we pulled apart, and I knew she had shared my sudden inspiration.
We had always been discreet regarding the intimate part of our relationship—not because of any sense of shame or embarrassment, but simply because it wasn’t anyone else’s business. Although there were some narrow-minded people who might disapprove of our bond, we cared little for what anyone like that might think; yet now that we had openly displayed our affection so publicly, a certain sense of apprehension crept over me. The elven people generally had no issues with such things, but many dwarves still held more traditional views. I wouldn’t undo my action even if I could, and I hoped that my people would accept me for who I was.
After our kiss, I nervously took a deep sip of ale as Tási and I resumed our observation of the festivities. I noticed a few raised eyebrows, but they only seemed surprised or curious, not judgmental. More importantly, were the many glasses that I saw lifted in our direction, offering a salute to our shared affections.
With a sigh of relief, I took Tási’s hand in mine, deeply moved and comforted by my citizens’ support. We were trying to build something better here, and the willingness to accept other people and their personal choices was key to the future that I envisioned. Our community had not existed for very long, yet we had already taken major strides in that direction. The progress we had made gave me hope that my goals were not unrealistic. I knew that the better future I hoped for was no mere fantasy—it was a reality within reach, if only we worked hard enough.
The party went on for a few more hours before finally breaking up. During that time, many people wandered over to offer a few words of thanks for all we had done for them. I thought it was odd, since all of them had previously made their appreciation know to us, until Tási clued me in.
“They’re not really thanking you, Dreya,” she explained when she saw how I was puzzling over the situation. “It’s just a subtle way of letting us know we have their support.”
“Why don’t they just say so?”
“Because that might seem a bit crass,” Tási replied bluntly. “They don’t want it to seem like they’re saying that our relationship is something they’re willing to tolerate or overlook, they’re trying to tell you that it doesn’t matter to them at all.”
Tási smiled as she saw the look of comprehension come over me. I had hoped to cultivate an environment of tolerance for others, but if what she was telling me was true, my people had gone far beyond that meager goal, all the way to open acceptance.
The realization was incredible, and my spirits were high for the rest of the night. Then, when a young dwarf came over and offered a simple word of thanks, I was finally able to hear the subtle subtext of his words clearly for myself. I was so moved that I stood up and hugged the young man, surprising him with my gesture.
“Thank you,” I said as I let go of him. “I appreciate all your efforts in helping build this place and making it what it is today.”
“You are most welcome, Dreya Sintári,” he replied humbly. “It is my honor to offer whatever I can to contribute to the future you have shown us, if I may, I’d like to offer you my congratulations. I hope the two of you find happiness together.”
The young dwarf quickly retreated after speaking his kind words, and I wiped away a tear as I sat back down. My people continued to amaze me, and I felt incredibly lucky to have their love and support.
“I didn’t expect anything so open,” Venna commented, having snuck up behind us.
“How long have you been lurking around?” I smiled at her as she took a seat alongside us.
“Long enough,” she replied with a smile of her own. “I was curious how people would react to your display. I admit, I was even a little concerned, but it appears you have more than won them over.”
The rest of my companions soon joined us, and we sat together watching the celebration until it began to finally wind down. With the sun slowly setting, we walked through the canyon on our way back to the home we shared.
“So, does this mean we can stop pretending not to notice you two flirting with each other all the time?” Khorim blurted out as we passed from the narrow confines of the canyon and into the valley.
His comment, like so many I had heard that night, was an attempt to let me know that my relationship with Tási wasn’t an issue for him. While I appreciated his more direct approach, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to respond to his jab.
“Maybe the question you should ask, master dwarf, is how Broda feels about you watching two other women so closely,” I retorted.
Broda’s eyes lit up, and she pounced on Khorim.
“I certainly didn’t know until tonight,” she berated him. “How much time did you have to spend ogling the two of them to figure it out?”
Khorim sputtered and tried to defend himself, but Broda wasn’t about to let him off the hook and continued her assault for quite some time. When he wasn’t looking, she made a point of flashing me a quick wink, letting me know she was enjoying the opportunity to put Khorim on the defensive and make her husband uncomfortable.
Broda finally relented as we approached the small stand of trees surrounding the clearing where our house had been built—we then walked under the shade of the leaves before crossing the open ground that led to our doorstep. When we opened the door and entering the common room together, we were surprised to discover two unfamiliar women waiting for us there.
The closer of the two wore a combination of green and brown leather armor, in a style I had never seen before. The leather looked more supple than calfskin, and seemed to offer little protection, but the confident air she projected betrayed no sense of vulnerability. Her long brown hair trailed behind her in a thick braid, and she looked at me with a sense of amusement. Oddly, I couldn’t tell what race she was—while her face was quite striking, with delicate features and distinct, high cheekbones, her elegantly pointed ears were unlike any I had seen before, and clearly not elven.
The other was tightly wrapped in all black. The fabric of her outfit wound around her curves like a snake, tracing her figure closely. She wore high leather boots, and a pair of thin gloves covered her fingers. Her pale skin was a stark contrast to the dark eyes that glared at me not only confidently, but also with a hint of curiosity.
Although neither appeared to be armed, they seemed unconcerned for their safety. In fact, the two projected an aura of authority that was unmistakable.
“We’ve been looking forward to meeting you, Dreya,” the one in leathers offered.
“Who the fuck are you?” I demanded, as I drew my dagger from my belt
I expected my companions to have a similar reaction to the intruders, but I was shocked at how they had responded—all of them were down on their knees with their heads bowed deeply in respect. I saw Venna’s hands trembling as she tried to hold herself steady, and it was clear that Tási was similarly affected by the two strange women.
“I assure you we mean you no harm—quite the opposite, in fact,” the black-clad woman responded.
I recognized her voice ins
tantly and my mouth fell open. The woman immediately realized the connection I had made, and a single word rang inside my head.
Later.
Just as before, when that voice had spoken to me atop the fortifications, the single word was layered with additional information. In it was a promise of a more complete explanation to come, and a plea to keep the secret between us.
“Who are you?” I repeated, now thoroughly confused. “My companions may recognize you, but I have no idea who you are.”
“I began following your exploits some time ago,” the black-clad one replied. “You came to my attention when you avenged a young woman who had been horribly wronged. I have watched you since then and have come to admire not only your tenacity, but your commitment to justice as well. You may not recognize me, but you already know my name. I am Nentai, and this is my sister, Set.”
My knees buckled as the Goddesses introduced themselves. I tried to kneel before them as my companions had, but the muscles in my legs didn’t seem to be working. Nentai strode forward and placed a hand on my shoulder when she saw me struggling and whispered softly in my ear.
“Your friends do well to show us respect,” her words filtered into my mind. “But there is no need for such a display between us. Stay on your feet, Sintári.”
The Goddess of Vengeance looked into my eyes reassuringly, and I nodded back at her, acknowledging what she had said.
“Dreya Sintári,” Set, the Goddess of Nature pronounced as Nentai stepped back beside her. “Your mission has received the blessing of the Pantheon, and we have been charged by Uthalan, the All-Father, with aiding you in your quest. To help you succeed, you will be gifted with boons crafted by my brothers and sisters. Nentai and I are here today to bestow the first of those gifts upon you.”
“I am pleased to present you with the first of our gifts,” Nentai said as she offered me a stunning ebony quiver. “I had a hand in its crafting, and I think you’ll find that is suits you quite well.”
My hands shook as I accepted the quiver from her. The jet-black artifact was obviously crafted with skill far beyond the ability of any mere mortal. Banded with pure Khelduin that had somehow been altered from its usual silvery color to a dark black finish, the entire object practically echoed with power as I held it in my hands.
Although it had appeared empty when the Goddess handed it to me, as soon as my fingers grazed the surface of the quiver, it was suddenly filled to capacity. Twenty deadly arrows sprung up within its confines with equal numbers fletched in red, blue, green, and brown. Then, before I had time to contemplate the gift I had received, its description appeared in my vision.
Quiver of the Elements – God-forged Artifact – This Quiver was crafted for Dreya Sintári by the Goddesses of Fire and Earth and the Gods Air and Water, along with the Goddess of Vengeance. It holds five arrows imbued with the power of each element. These arrows are indestructible and will return to the Quiver immediately after they are used. While the arrows effects have been provided by the Deities, they also draw upon the Essence of the Sintári, and will grow in power to a certain extent as she does. The Quiver is irrevocably bound to Dreya Sintári and neither it, nor its arrows can be used by another.
“Put it on,” Nentai coaxed me.
I was still stunned by what was happening, and tried to follow her command, but I struggled to do so since the Quiver had no strap or harness that I could see.
“No, Dreya. Just put it on,” Nentai smiled in amusement. “It will fasten itself to you.”
Numbly, I did as she told me, and the Artifact clung to me when I placed it over my shoulder where I usually put my quiver.
“You have had your fun—now it’s my turn,” Set said almost petulantly.
From out of nowhere, a bundle of black leather appeared in the Goddess’s arms, and she offered it to me. My hands continued to shake as I nervously accepted it from her, and before I could unravel the strings that bound the bundle together, another message flashed before my eyes.
Armor of Melía – God-Forged Artifact – This set of armor was crafted for Dreya Sintári by Melía, Goddess of Shadow. While its leather may appear thin, it is almost impervious to slashing or piercing damage from any weapon of less than magical power. The armor’s protection against the impact of such attacks or other blunt forces is limited, however. This Artifact is self-repairing and has no effect on Encumbrance. During its construction, Melía also imparted the Armor with a limited ability to protect against shadow magic. This Armor is irrevocably bound to Dreya Sintári and cannot be worn by another.
“Yes, fairly impressive work,” Set commented dryly as I reread the description.
“I would have liked to present you with my own gift, but alas, it is not quite ready yet,” the Goddess of Nature added.
“There’s m-more?” My voice cracked as I asked.
“You will receive something from each member of the Pantheon,” Nentai answered. “Though some of the gifts, like the Quiver, are collaborations.”
“Come sister, it is time for us to go,” Set announced impatiently. “We have done what we came for, and Dreya’s companions are probably growing quite uncomfortable kneeling on the floor for so long.”
“You go along, dear sister, I’ll be right behind you,” Nentai replied. “Dreya will probably need to be shown how to put on Melía’s Armor. I want to make sure she can get into it before I leave.”
“Very well,” Set answered, although she seemed somewhat suspicious.
The form of the Goddess of Nature wavered briefly before she vanished from the room entirely, and I stared in disbelief at the spot where she had been standing until Nentai’s familiar voice broke me out of my trance.
“Wait here while I help the Sintári with her gifts,” Nentai commanded my friends as she pulled me up the stairs.
The Goddess dragged me to my room and shut the door behind us. I was still trying to recover from the incredible events when she began speaking to me.
“Never tell anyone what I have been doing to help you,” Nentai warned me. “Some of the things I have done to aid you are forbidden—especially the way I have communicated with you.”
“Why then?” I asked. “Why did you do it?”
“There is much I cannot tell you,” Nentai replied, as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. “But mostly it was because I saw how hard you fought to avenge those who had suffered abuse. All of us, the entire Pantheon, chafes at the injustice that goes on across our world. You are one of the few who dares stand against it, and your willingness to fight evil and protect the innocent is admirable.”
“Come,” she said, dismissing any further discussion of the matter as she stood up again. “Let me show you how to get yourself into this armor my sister Melía has crafted for you.”
Nentai unpacked the armor and laid it out on the bed. The leather looked almost insubstantial, but featured thin plates of blackened Khelduin along all of the more vulnerable areas.
“You will not need to wear padding beneath the leather,” Nentai told me. “In fact, doing so will only decrease the protection of the Armor. It is made for you in the truest sense and will perform best when it is in direct contact with your skin.”
I nodded my head reflexively as Nentai picked up the leather shirt and held it up for me.
“Take off your clothes and I’ll show you how to put it on.”
“I think I can figure that part out,” I replied, flushing with embarrassment.
“Dreya, I don’t have time for this,” Nentai sighed in exasperation. “You don’t have to get completely naked, just strip down to your undergarments.”
Reluctantly, I did as the Goddess suggested and stood before her as she began instructing me.
“You only need to undo the clasps along one side,” Nentai told me as she finished loosening one of the sets of small buckles that ran along the edges of the leather shirt. Then, with one side of the shirt spread open, she slipped it across my body. I started to tighten the first of
the straps, but before I could, the armor began adjusting itself to me.
I watched in amazement as the clasps Nentai had carefully opened slipped shut and buckled themselves closed, fitting the shirt to my body perfectly. The soft leather fit like a glove and the metal plates pressed against my skin. I thought the hard Khelduin plates might feel awkward, but when they melded themselves to my shape, I found them to be surprisingly comfortable. As I marveled over the shirt, Nentai passed me the leather pants; when I slipped into them, they practically melted around my legs.
I had no way to evaluate myself, but once I donned the matching boots and gloves, Nentai smiled and summoned a full-length mirror for me, and I stared into it in amazement.
The leather armor did little to hide my figure, but thankfully fell short of being overly revealing. The soft material covered me completely below my neck, and the knee-high boots and gloves combined perfectly with the armor. In fact, as I donned the final piece, I felt the entire set stitch itself together into a single element, leaving no gaps or seams between its parts. I tried to stretch and twist myself around in attempt to test the limits of the bonds, but no matter what I did, the armor flowed with me and revealed no openings in its protection.
“It will not fail you, Dreya,” Nentai chuckled as she saw what I was doing. “Melía’s work is very thorough.”
“So, I only have to worry about protecting my head?”
“Not even that,” Nentai replied confidently. “The armor may not cover you completely, but its protection does. As I said, my sister’s work is very thorough.”
“Thank you, Goddess,” I offered her sincerely. “And please extend my thanks the others who have been so generous.”
“Call me Nentai,” she replied. “Your companions may feel compelled to kneel in our presence, but you should not. Nor should you call us by anything other than our names. You have earned that right, Dreya.”
“Until we meet again,” Nentai added as she wavered and then disappeared from the room just as Set had earlier.
Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3) Page 28
