by Pirateaba
Olesm nodded.
“I kept my coffin open so I could see the undead moving around. Once they all left—a few came back, but the rest never did. I thought they were all destroyed or…or still out there.”
“And then of course we ran out of strength and couldn’t move the lids even when we tried.”
“Got it.”
Erin nodded several times, but then frowned.
“Come to think of it…where did all the undead go?”
Ceria paused.
“Weren’t they all destroyed?”
Erin shook her head.
“There were still hundreds of undead after that thing died. We thought they were going back to the Ruins. But they didn’t go there. In that case, where did they go?”
Everyone looked at Pisces. He raised his hands defensively.
“I didn’t do it.”
Olesm scratched at a flaking patch of dead scales.
“Could the Crypt Lords have commanded the undead to leave?”
Pisces shook his head.
“Doubtful. Those creatures, while intelligent, cannot control a large mass. Even if there were enough Crypt Lords, they would still separate into a thousand groups. No, something else called them away.”
Ryoka frowned. She was sitting next to Ceria, picking caked….stuff from the soles of her feet. Erin looked away.
“Could that have something to do with the empty treasure room?”
Ceria looked up sharply. Erin explained about the missing magical items Pisces had sensed. He rubbed at his chin and nodded several times.
“The treasure room. Of course. Something or someone came here and looted the place…and perhaps called the undead away as well.”
“That’s a pretty big someone. Who?”
Pisces shrugged helplessly.
“I can think of several [Necromancers] powerful enough to command a small horde like that. Any one about Level 30 might manage to direct them in a general sense. But to have them leave without fighting or splintering off?”
He began to count names off on his fingers. Ryoka wandered off – to pee, Erin suspected – while Pisces began to pontificate.
“The Krythien Sect, or perhaps the Magnus Corpsus could do it en masse. But as for individuals, it would take a mage like Az’kerash or The Putrid One to perform such a feat. Of course, there are quite a number of small-time cabals and covens that might—”
Pisces broke off when he realized his audience had left him. Erin raised her eyebrows.
“So you don’t know.”
“Not as of such, no.”
“In that case, there’s no use wondering. We can tell that Zevara and warn her once we reach the city.”
Ryoka had returned. She tugged at her pants and nodded at the others.
“Come on. We’re nearly out. Just a bit longer and we can all rest.”
They got up and began walking again. After a few minutes, Erin muttered to Ryoka.
“I sort of wish you hadn’t said that.”
“Why?”
“Well, now it feels like we won’t get out of here, you know?”
Ryoka did know, and she wished Erin hadn’t brought that up. She shook her head.
“Murphy’s Law.”
“Who’s law?”
Ryoka explained. Erin nodded in agreement.
“I mean, I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen. But it just feels like…you know those movies? Or those stories where the hero’s almost out and then the really bad thing happens?”
“I know.”
“Did you watch The Evil Dead? Remember the final scene right where Ash is about to get away and then that thing—”
Erin paused, ignoring Ryoka’s irate look.
“—Well, we don’t actually know what happens but I bet it wasn’t good.”
Ryoka eyed Erin. She was completely lost on how to properly respond. After a moment, she shrugged.
“I never watched that movie.”
“Good. Don’t. It gave me nightmares.”
Erin shuddered and glanced around the dark corridors nervously. Ryoka looked at her.
“Why’d you watch it, then?”
“Oh, one of my friends insisted we watch it when I had a sleepover. I think I was fourteen. Boy, my parents were not happy when they found out why were all screaming at midnight. But then they watched the rest of it with us which was totally cool.”
Erin trailed off for a few seconds and then regained her thread.
“Anyways, my point is that something bad is going to happen. Some evil monster’s going to jump out.”
That was ridiculous paranoia, and Ryoka almost said so. That sort of thing never happened in their world except by complete coincidence, and it wouldn’t happen here.
…Unless of course this world worked off of the same rules fantasy books and Hollywood movies were made of. If that was the case, they were all dead.
“And if that were the case, everyone would have plot armor.”
“What?”
Instead, everyone had vulnerable skin which cut and bled easily. But maybe they weren’t the main characters. If this was a story, it would be Erin and Ryoka and all of the people who came to this world who were the main characters.
That was right. Somewhere, out there, a scrawny white boy would appear out of nowhere and be crowned the chosen one. He’d probably get the [Hero] class, a magic sword, and a scar just to be on the safe side. Add in a female lead and a plucky side-character and you had a series.
More thinking like this and she’d go crazy. Ryoka shook her head again. She knocked at it with her fist to get her thoughts in order—
And nearly went blind as she walked into the sunlight.
“Ow! My eyes!”
Erin cried out and Ryoka heard Ceria and Olesm gasp as the group suddenly emerged from the ruins. She couldn’t see anything, but she felt the welcome sun on her skin, and the feeling of the wind on her face. It blew away the musty stale air of the ruins and made her feel alive again.
They were out.
When Ryoka could see, she looked up and saw the verdant green plains surrounding her, patches of wildflowers still blooming even in the beginning of the winter, and two ranks of guardsmen from Liscor facing them with weapons drawn.
Ryoka paused. Pisces immediately backed up and Rags stepped quickly behind Ksmvr. The Antinium regarded the group of guardsmen warily, while Ceria and Olesm only blinked in bemusement and the welcoming committee.
Erin was the last to recover her eyesight, but when she did, she treated the armed guardsmen as if they weren’t dangerous. Ryoka’s first thought was that Erin had clearly never been arrested before or hassled by any kind of law enforcement. Although of course in Ryoka’s case the hassling and suspicion was quite justified given some of the things she’d done. Blowing up a chemistry classroom tends to get you put on a list for the rest of your life.
“Hey, Relc! And Klbkch! What are you guys doing here?”
Erin smiled and walked forwards. That smile vanished as soon as she saw who was leading the group of guardsmen.
Watch Captain Zevara strode forwards as the Gnolls and Drakes around her lowered their weapons. Klbkch and Relc followed closely behind.
Zevara halted in front of Erin and pointed into the ruins.
“How many undead are down there? Are there any traps?”
Erin blinked at Zevara.
“What?”
“Tell us what we’re facing in there.”
Ryoka looked at the guardsmen and things clicked. It took only half a second longer for Erin to figure it out and then her eyes narrowed in outrage.
“Wait a second. Now you’re going in? You said you didn’t want to risk sending anyone in!”
Zevara dismissed Erin’s statement with a flick of the tail.
“I did say that. I wasn’t about to risk good warriors if the ruins were infested. But if you lot survived, my guardsmen can clear out the rest. We’ll be confiscating all the treasures we f
ind in there, along with anything else left behind.”
So they could take all the treasure before Erin’s group could come back for it. In theory. Ryoka hoped Erin wouldn’t mention the empty treasury just so Zevara could choke on dust for an hour or two searching. But Erin wasn’t concerned about sticking it to the man. She was more concerned about Ceria and Olesm. She pointed at them indignantly, raising her voice.
“Hey, we’ve got injured—well, starved people here! They need food and rest! Why don’t your stupid guardsmen help with that?”
Zevara shook her head impatiently.
“I’ve got no time for those fools who unleashed—”
She paused and stared past Ceria at Olesm. She frowned, took one step forwards, and then gasped.
“Olesm? You were down there?”
Olesm waved weakly at Zevera.
“Hi, Captain Zevara.”
“So that’s where you slithered off to! We were wondering what happened to you!”
Relc laughed and strode forwards. He slapped Olesm on the shoulder, so hard the other Drake fell down. Klbkch helped Olesm back up on his feet.
“Oops. But I kept thinking that a zombie ate you during the attack. But you were down there the entire time? How was it?”
“Hello, Relc. Um, it was—”
“Move aside, you idiot!”
Zevara shoved Relc aside as she moved towards Olesm. Her tail twitched anxiously as she inspected him.
“You’re a mess. But I am glad you’re okay, Olesm. If I’d known our [Tactician] was down there I would have sent help. But now they you’re here we’ll make sure you make a full recovery.”
He blinked at her a few times.
“I am quite grateful, Captain.”
Olesm was still clearly out of it. Zevara looked at him with genuine concern. She turned and started shouting, which made both Olesm and Ceria wince and cover at their ears.
“Get a mage and healing potions for him right now!”
“And for Ceria! She needs help too!”
Erin glared at Zevara. The Drake glared back.
“The adventurers who caused all this can eat dirt for all I—”
She hesitated and glanced at Olesm and bit back her worlds.
“—That is, we will discuss this later. For now, we’ll treat them. Both of them.”
Guardsmen approached quickly, holding healing potions. Zevara turned towards Erin and Ryoka, and began snapping orders.
“Now, I want you to tell me how many undead you saw, and how many are left. If there are any traps I want their locations. Better yet, one of you two humans or Ksmvr will come with me and show me—”
“Excuse me.”
Zevara ignored the soft voice. But Relc turned his head and tensed up. He grabbed at his spear and stepped back and Klbkch put his hands on his swords. Zevera was too busy arguing with Erin to notice, but when she realized Ryoka was staring right over her shoulder rather than at her, she turned around.
“Who in the name of Dragons is—”
She stopped. The angry words were sucked out of Zevara as if by a sponge made of sound. The guardsmen around her stared. There was something about her, some quality that attracted attention.
Perhaps it was her mottled brown armor, or the curved sword that looked expensive as it was deadly. Or maybe it was her unique appearance, or her status. It might have been all these things or nothing, but everyone stared at her. They couldn’t help it.
The person they were staring at stared back. She was quite good at that.
Gazi, the half-Gazer named adventurer smiled at the collection of guardsmen and the party led by Erin and Ryoka. Her main eye focused on both Erin and Ryoka longest before it swiveled back to Zevara. Gazi inclined her head politely.
“Good day to you, Watch Captain, guardsmen.”
Ryoka stared at Gazi. She barely remembered the adventurer’s name, but the place she had met her stuck in her memory. The dead Gnoll bodies, each one beheaded neatly, flashed before her eyes.
Erin had no such memory, and she smiled at Gazi, albeit with confusion. But the others were transfixed. The guardsmen and Olesm were in awe, Relc and Klbkch were in suspicion, and Ceria was suddenly in deep trepidation.
Gazi nodded at Erin and smiled again.
“Erin. It has been a while, hasn’t it?”
“Um. Yes?”
It took even Zevara a second to regain her voice. But when she did, she glared at Gazi. She didn’t quite shout or snap at her, but her tone was brusque.
“Gazi. This is official business of Liscor. We don’t need any adventurers. Please remove yourself from the area—”
“Hm. You are quite annoying.”
Gazi cut Zevara off. It took the Drake a moment to blink at her, but then she spluttered in outrage. She raised her voice, and Gazi unsheathed her sword.
Ryoka saw the blade flash out of its sheathe in slow motion. Slow motion, but Gazi still moved like a blur. In less than a second it was in her hand. She unsheathed it, seemed to pause and smile at Ryoka, and then turned towards Zevara.
Gazi raised her sword and stabbed Zevara in the stomach. The curved blade exited Zevara’s back and Gazi twisted the blade as she pulled it out.
“What do—”
Zevara choked on the words, as the shock of what had happened caught up to her. She stared down at the gaping wound in her stomach, blinked at Gazi, and fell down.
Shock and silence reigned. Everoyne stared at the fallen Watch Captain, save for Gazi. She turned back to Ryoka and Erin. Something was in her hands. A scroll, marked with shining golden letters that glowed even brighter in the light.
“Greetings, Ryoka Griffin and Erin Solstice.”
Gazi smiled even wider.
“I’ve been looking for you.”
2.06
For a second Ryoka’s heart stopped. The casual violence stunned her. But then her instincts and years of practice kicked in and she was raising her hands and moving away from Gazi.
Across from her, Ryoka saw the huge Drake’s eyes narrow. Relc stared in shock at Zevara as she collapsed for one second, and then his spear swung up and he roared at Gazi.
“You!”
Relc kicked off the ground and sprang at Gazi from behind. Ryoka barely saw him covering the ten feet between him and Gazi; he was just a blur. He made a striking cobra seem slow.
Gazi was still smiling at Erin, but she moved as Relc did. One of her smaller eyes was swiveled around in its socket, showing only the whites. She twisted out of the way as Relc charged, and the Drake blew past her, his spear missing Erin’s stomach only by inches.
Relc snarled and twisted, impossibly fast. Ryoka felt like she was moving in jello compared to him and Gazi. Again the Drake raised his spear and thrust his spear towards Gazi’s large central eye. She was still grinning as she raised her sword.
Fast as Relc was, Gazi had matched his timing. And she wasn’t aiming for him, but rather, his arm.
Gazi’s sword came down a moment before Relc’s spear reached her. Her sword bit deep into his arm even as he twisted to avoid, pushing his spear’s point down. Instead of striking her face, the tip skittered across the front of her armor, raising a shower of sparks.
Relc shouted in agony as the curved sword lodged into his arm, but he kept moving. His spear spun and Gazi raised a gauntleted fist to block.
Once, twice. Sparks flew as Gazi deflected both spear strikes at her face. She grinned at Relc as his face twisted in pain. She yanked her sword away and Relc leapt back, holding his arm. His body was tougher than leather, but the sword had still cut all the way into his bone.
And that was it. It was over. While Relc could still use his other hand, he was suddenly fighting with only one hand against Gazi. He twirled his spear, feinted twice at her face, but she caught his spear with her sword as it shot out for a third thrust. The wood split as she cut the spear in two and Relc leapt back, cursing.
The entire moment had taken seconds. Erin was jerking backwards f
rom the whirlwind of movement around her. She blinked and gaped as Relc dashed backwards towards the other guardsmen, covering his useless arm.
Klbkch covered Relc as he seized another spear and fumbled at his belt pouch for a potion. The Antinium was shouting orders, his voice a staccato megaphone as guardsmen around him drew their weapons.
“Fall back! Use bows only. You four will engage with me. Relc—”
“Give me a minute.”
Klbkch nodded. He advanced slowly towards the grinning Gazi as four other guardsmen spread out to encircle her. The others trained arrows on her.
“Gazi of Reim. Put down your weapon and surrender.”
She laughed.
“Demands are made of the strong to the weak, Klbkch of the Free Antinium. Not the other way around.”
In answer, Klbkch lunged forwards, both swords sweeping together to slice at Gazi’s neck. She cut twice—first battering down his leftmost sword and then locking blades with Klbkch, forcing his sword back with her larger weapon. She heaved and the Antinium went flying. Gazi raised her sword and flicked the tip almost casually, shattering an arrow as it flew towards her head.
The other guardsmen were already rushing her, but Gazi moved through them casually like a dancer. She stepped into a Gnoll’s charge, tripping him up, slapped a Drake and sent him stumbling into his friend, blocking the other Drake’s thrust, and slashed down at the third Drake. He fell, bleeding extensively from the massive cut down his chest.
“Feints and tactics are useless against me. I see the truth in your souls.”
Five more arrows thunked into the ground behind Gazi, missing her by only inches in one case. She didn’t even move her head, but she did when the jar of acid flew from behind. Gazi blurred out of the way and Rags lowered her hand and blinked at the empty air.
An armored foot kicked the Goblin off her feet. Rags cartwheeled away and landed with a thump on the ground. She didn’t move.
That was when Erin broke out of her stupefaction. She looked at Gazi as shock turned to rage. The adventurer smiled at her.
“Gazi! You—”
Gazi slapped Erin. It wasn’t a gentle slap either, but a metallic crack across the face. Her hand was armored in metal and the overlapping plates cut into Erin’s face.
