by Elian Tars
“WIZARD!” Grock exclaimed during one of the rare moment of silence, attracting curious gazes. “YOU SAID THAT THERE’S A WAR GOING ON! YOU’RE GOING TO FIGHT, AREN’T YOU? TAKE US WITH YOU!”
The loud chatter grew even louder, if that was even possible. The Ogroids started shouting, interrupting each other, and jumping up from their seats. Some of them even tried to climb on the tables, showing in every way that they agree with Grock.
I shifted my gaze from one Ogroid to another, thinking how to avoid hurting their feelings, as I had already decided that they shouldn’t get involved in a human war. That is, while there was a chance to win without anyone’s help. I didn’t want them to shed human blood.
“What are you going to tell them?” Una whispered in my right ear. She was enjoying this too much. She was acting like she was watching an episode of her favorite show!
“SILENCE!!!” Nurgia, who was sitting between Drohen and me, roared at the top of her lungs. “SHUT YOUR MOUTHS! NOW!”
“CALM DOWN, YOU IDIOTS!” Drohen ordered so loudly that my left ear popped.
This immediately silenced the Ogroids. Nurgia stood up, looking at her brothers and sisters with a steel gaze.
“Sit down,” she said dryly and everyone hurried to fulfill her order. “And now listen to me. Very carefully. The Wizard is capable of deciding for himself who he’ll take with him.”
“WE… EH… UNDERSTAND!” Grock said at once, sounding guilty. Was he making excuses? “I SIMPLY…”
“EVEN OINKSTERS DON’T REPRODUCE SIMPLY!” Nurgia snapped, interrupting him. “YOU KNOW FOR YOURSELF THAT IT’S A DIFFICULT AND LONG PROCESS!” She chuckled. “WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS — DON’T SPEAK OF THINGS YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT, YOU SMARTASS.”
“I GOT IT.” Grock lowered his head.
Nobody dared argue with Nurgia, who was probably the second after Drohen in the hierarchy of the tribe. I couldn’t help but wonder if the Mad Chief had a place in it at all.
“My friends, thank you for your generous offer.” I stood up and lifted my mug. “I’m honored and glad that you’re ready to fight for such a noble cause. I know how strong and brave you are... And that’s precisely why I have to decline.”
“WHAT?!” Grock, who had decided to speak on behalf of all those who wished to fight, shouted in surprise. “THAT MAKES NO SENSE, WIZARD!”
“Hear me out, then judge,” I replied and smiled. I was sure that my Magnetism would make my words more convincing. “You’re too skillful and I need noble warriors like you as backup. If things go downhill and the Ancient and I need mighty and loyal warriors, that’s when we’ll turn to you. And then you’ll help us save the world.”
“BUT WHAT IF YOU MANAGE WITHOUT US?” Varg asked.
“Then we got lucky,” Drohen answered instead of me. “It’ll mean that the world will be saved.”
“BUT,” Grock started but immediately stopped.
“I understand that you want to thank us,” I answered calmly. “But don’t think that this war is your only chance to do so. Remember the Ancients and their teachings, and be ready to stand up to defend them — that’s how you’ll show your gratitude. I know you wish to repay your debt right away, I’m like that, too. But don’t think that you owe us anything! We wanted to help you, and we’ll accept your help when we need it, not before. We aren’t allies, no. We’re friends and comrades!” I exclaimed and lifted my mug high. For a second, heavy silence hung in the air. Even the birds and the insects seemed stunned by my speech. And then, an emotional storm broke out.
“YEAH!!!”
“FOR THE ANCIENT!!!”
“FOR THE WIZA-A-A-RD!!!”
And so on.
“What a wonderful speech.” I felt Una’s lips brush against my earlobe. She was way too close. “You’ve become a real leader. I’m proud of you, Ken.”
“Thanks,” I replied, moving a little away from her.
The sun came down pretty soon after that, but the party was far from over. Only when the moon and the stars took their rightful seats in the sky did the Ogroids begin to drag themselves home. Those who left were mostly low-leveled Ogroids and it was usually their wives who decided that they’ve had enough for today.
And they weren’t wrong. I was ready to go to sleep myself.
Standing up, I lifted my mug, the contents of which I had been drinking for more than half an hour, making the rest of the Ogroids fall silent and stare at me with curiosity in their drunk eyes.
“My friends! Thank you for this wonderful feast! It was an honor to eat and drink with you! Thank you!”
Suddenly, Una stood up as well.
“If you don’t mind,” she said, shaking her mug and looking at us, “I’ll join him. It was also an honor for me to be with you here. Let the Followers of Rugus live side-by-side with you. We failed to understand each other till this day. We were afraid of each other… We didn’t trust. But grief brings people together. Both you and the humans felt the same grief. Both you and the humans, thanks to Ken, his patron, and the Great Rugus felt the same happiness. Happiness brings people together, too, my friends. And I sincerely wish that you and the people of the Duchy of Oruel won’t be afraid of each other anymore and that you’ll become good friends. I hope that you’ll welcome all the lost strangers the same way as you welcomed me today. Because despite our differences, we’re very much alike. Let’s drink!”
“YEAH!!!”
And so the noise and clamor broke out again.
“LET’S NOT FORGET RUGUS!”
“FOR UNA!”
“FOR YOUR PATRON!”
Despite praising her, they mentioned the Old Man and me more.
I was astonished by Una’s behavior. No, not astonished. A little bit jealous. Yes, she and Rugus helped us save Biergein’s life, but she was too quick to shift the spotlight to herself. From a rational point of view, it’d be good if the Ogroids and the people of the duchy formed a good relationship, but I didn’t like it that they were thanking Rugus, too.
I really hoped that I was just being jealous and that Una wasn’t plotting something.
“Thank you for your warm words, Wizard, Una,” Drohen said, getting up. “And thank you again for your help. Our gratitude can’t be expressed with words. I hope that we’ll be able to express it with our actions,” he said, stopping his gaze on me. For a few seconds he was silent and then he added with a bow: “With sincere actions of true friends.”
“And let’s start with this,” Nurgia said, suddenly leaving the table. “We’ll take our dear guests to their house! My home is your home, my dear friends! I’m sure that you can’t wait to stretch on the soft hides!” Tipsy and merry, she glanced at Una from time, like the two were best friends and up to no good. During the feast we danced, walked, and talked, so I wondered when did they had the time to get so close. Unfortunately, following the etiquette, as a guest I hadn’t asked for a separate bedroom.
I really should have.
Turning to Una, I noticed the sly gleam in her eyes immediately turn into shyness. I really wanted to know what was going on in her head. Was she just playing or…?
“Well, Ken, let’s go to our bedroom.” Taking me by the hand, we left the table.
I decided not to refuse her offer.
We could finally talk in private.
Chapter 17
An Evening with a Gleam
“My home is your home,” is what Nurgia said at the table, and she really meant it. The dilapidated, three-storied, roofless mansion with empty windows was the “best joint” in the settlement (as the drunken Ogroids claimed) and also the home of several families as well as Nurgia and her children. And they were all so kind to give it to us for the night. Thinking that it’d be inappropriate to ask where the residents of the mansion would spend the night, I had no option but to accept their kind offer. To refuse or ask would put the hosts in an awkward position.
“Good night to you, my friends.” Smiling impishly, Nurgia waved at us after Una
and I had been led into one of the rooms like sheep into a pen. “Don’t worry, no one will disturb you. The house is yours for the night. Enjoy yourselves.”
“YEAH!” grunted one of the ladies. “I’VE HEARD THAT HUMANS ARE VERY SHY. THEY CAN’T DO THE OOH IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE!”
“YEP!” one of them agreed. “THEY SAY THAT THEY CAN DO IT ONLY AT WEDDINGS.”
“NAH,” the first one shook her head. “THEY ONLY LET YOU LISTEN AT THE WEDDINGS.”
“REALLY? WHAT A BUNCH OF COWARDS. LISTEN, GIRL,” they said to Una. “AT OUR WEDDINGS, THE ENTIRE TRIBE WATCHES AS THE NEWLYWEDS DO THE OOH AT THE SQUARE. THE OTHERS CAN JOIN THEM, IF THEY WA—”
“ENOUGH!” Nurgia roared at the top of her lungs, making the ladies shudder and lower their gazes. “Let’s say goodbye to the Wizard and Una. We shouldn’t bother our guests!”
A couple of minutes later, they left. We could hear only their indistinct voices.
I glanced around the spacious room. It didn’t have much in it, but it was pretty clean. Of the furniture, there was only a massive table and two big benches. Hides were hanging on the walls and lying scattered on the floor. Three strange-looking candles were the only source of light. They looked like rolled-up tufts of brown hair, coated with something transparent to keep them cylindrical. Despite their unusual appearance, they smelled nice — brownish smoke tickled the nostrils with a weak smell of burnt wood.
“Nice place, isn’t?” Una materialized a bottle made of dark glass and two onyx goblets. “It’s really pretty,” she said, nodding at the wide window, next to which was a hide hung on a nail that could be attached to a nail on the other side. Nurgia had offered to cover the window with the hide, but Una assured her that there was no need. And I was glad that she did for the view was a wonderful one — the cloudless, starry sky was deep blue and the moon full. Here and there, thick branches would obscure the view.
“It’s quite relaxing,” I said, listening to the cicadas and their song. I realized that the house was big enough for me to find a room for myself. However, I feared that that’d be impolite. Nurgia would probably be offended, and Una did mention that she wanted to talk to me. And though I had an idea what she wanted to talk about, I wasn’t a coward to run away from a conversation. Who knew, maybe she might want to discuss something else. Something I didn’t know about. It wasn’t every day that I had a chance to talk to her in private.
Una poured wine into the goblets and walked over to one of the gray hides. Placed atop of a pile of other hides, it served as a bed. And since it was the only elevated place in the room, I assumed that Nurgia slept here, while her children slept in another room.
Una sat down on the bed and suggestively looked at the spot beside her. She then smiled, so that her hint didn’t look like an order.
I nodded and sat down as well. She handed me a goblet.
“Let’s drink to peace and quiet. We rarely ever get a chance to rest and relax.”
“That’s true.” We clinked our goblets and sipped the tart wine. Una exhaled, slicked back her dark hair, and reclined on the hide, propping on her elbow. She took another sip of wine.
“You and I have so much in common, Ken. More than anyone...”
I nodded. “For better or for worse, I haven’t met any Gleams beside you.”
“Maybe you have, but you just don’t know it,” she drawled thoughtfully. “But let’s not talk about that now.” She shook her head. “Let’s...” she began but suddenly fell silent and averted her gaze. Was she playing with me? “Let’s talk about us,” she suddenly said, sitting up, and moving closer to me. She downed her wine and put her goblet aside, then took my hand.
“You’re rather straightforward. Especially for a Gleam of Rugus,” I said, not wanting to beat around the bush.
Una pursed her lips and frowned, but didn’t let go.
“Is that all I am? A Gleam?” she asked, looking me in the eyes. “What? You think that he’s doing everything through me? Taking a piss? Eating breakfast? Using my lips to kiss the man I like? Or is it me who’s doing all of that?”
She spoke quietly and calmly. Her eyes didn’t leave mine even for a moment. For a second, her words made me feel like a real jerk.
“I’m sorry,” I said, overcoming my confusion. However, I immediately launched a counter-attack. I wasn’t sorry about what I’ve said, but about the way I’ve put it. “But you do know that our patrons control all our actions. So...”
“So we can’t trust each other?” Una chuckled, interrupting me. Suddenly standing up, she went to the table to get the wine. “So, you’re trying to say you’re not the one avoiding me, but your patron? In other words, he’s running from his ally. Is such behavior appropriate considering that we’re on the verge of a great battle?”
I couldn’t help smiling in admiration: she twisted the situation so skillfully! Say what you like, but I admired Una. She was strong, smart, cunning, and, of course, beautiful.
“See, you get it,” she smiled in reply, pouring herself more wine. Goblet and bottle in hand, she came over and filled my goblet, too. “Let’s drink to that.” Putting the empty bottle in her inventory, she toasted and we clinked our goblets. Having drunk, she kneeled so that her face was in level with mine. “Not all of our actions are controlled by our patrons. We’re their assistants, not slaves. It’s okay for us to have free will and desires. And about being straightforward... Believe it or not, I’m too valuable to the Great Rugus for him to ask me to use my charm on someone. Do you understand? I can get what I want using other methods. Push comes to shove, I can make a person do what I want using my skills. I don’t have to rely on seduction. But I have...” She stuttered again and looked away. “Ken,” she whispered, “I haven’t met anyone I wanted to... Seduce... For a long time. So I lack such experience. But you’re different!” she exclaimed, staring at me with blazing eyes. “You have captured my heart! You’ve been occupying my thoughts! You’ve saved me from torture! And now I want to be with you, Ken! I want to have someone in this world, someone with whom I’ll be able to share pain and joy... Someone who’ll always support me and who’ll give me faith that tomorrow will come, that the world will survive. I want you to be that person, Ken. I want you to be the one to give me strength to... live on.” Each word was quieter than the last and she soon fell silent. Albeit for a little while. “Please, don’t drive me away. I’m tired of carrying this burden alone. I just want to love and be loved.”
I was struck by her sincerity, the sadness in her eyes, and the pain in her voice. None of that fit the tough warrior and strong leader Una. However, it did fit a lonely teen that had too much on her plate. I was so stricken by her confession that I failed to react in time when she leaned forward. The kiss, timid at first, grew stronger and more passionate with every second. Una pressed against me with her whole body and held me tight, but our armor, as was to be expected, got in the way. With the grace of a lioness ripping an antelope’s throat off, she unfastened her cloak and pinned me down on the bed, straddling me. Squeezing my hips with her thighs and smiling slyly, she unfastened the belts of her armor and threw it on the floor. Slowly, almost teasingly, she pulled up the hem of her shirt, revealing her firm stomach and...
Twilight Wanderer.
I didn’t wait to see the rest. A lot of men would say that I was an idiot and that it was stupid to run away from a woman who was throwing herself at me. Perhaps it was, but I didn’t want to sleep with Una. It seemed wrong. It was different with Tiara — when trying to use each other came to nothing, we relaxed and just enjoyed each other’s company. But this... If Una’s feelings were genuine, then what I did was rude, but it was the right thing to do. I didn’t share her feelings and I didn’t feel right using her. The second option was that she was still playing and wanted to have sex with me for reasons known only to her. So it was best not to give in to her provocations.
“Hey! Where are you?” Una asked, groping air. I was still there, but her hands went right throug
h my chest. I should’ve run away from the very beginning, but I was surprised to find out that we had so much in common.
Synchronization with the body: 50%
Bon, damn you, are you are still alive?
Chapter 18
A Quiet Night
The last time Bon made his presence felt was when he took control over his body and killed (that is, saved) Una. I hadn’t seen hide or hair of him since then.
This made me recall my relationship with him...
At the very beginning of my adventure, back in Bon’s burning house, I happened to feel his presence, and he even gave me a quest. After that, each time I did something that he’d approve of, the synchronization level would increase. For example, collecting Burdock Roots and digging a grave for Ilsa’s parents.
And then I heard his voice. Striking my mind like lightning, he pushed me aside, taking control over the body, and killed.
And that was it. He disappeared after that. No matter how many times I called for him, Bon didn’t answer. I thought a lot about him, but the Old Man, who was constantly watching what was going on in my head, never said anything about him. I didn’t ask him to tell me more, because I was certain that he’d remain silent.
Approving of my decision not to sleep with Una, Bon made his presence known once again.
“Ken! Why are you doing this?” Una asked the air. Looking at her, I decided to leave. I didn’t want to risk it. Standing up, I bolted toward the exit. Grayness stretched around me, and soon I found myself in the woods. Having returned to my corporal form, I climbed a tree. I had gotten so good at it that I didn’t even have to use Joy of the Acrobat anymore.
Sitting on a thick branch and swinging my legs, I pondered.
