by Eden Redd
The air seemed to lighten as the group walked. The attention was nice but Wynter wasn’t sure what she wanted. She thought about how after each break up she would go months before dating anyone, promising herself that this was the time to change for the better. Just as she would get her life together, a guy would sense it and slide right in, dazzling her with charm. She fell for it nearly every time. The process had to stop but the player hesitated on making that fabled promise to herself again. Deep down, she couldn’t trust herself. The only voice that came crawling into her mind was that this time she had to be more careful. If not, she would fall down the rabbit hole and be right back where she was.
The love and understanding from her fellow guild mates was intoxicating. How easy it would be to just let go and be with them. The obvious feelings they showed for her was tempting but the player wondered if her real life bad luck would spill into her game life. Part of the excitement of Lewd Saga was that she could enjoy her desires with no strings attached. If things became too real, she could unplug and stop playing for a while. But the way the guild came to her side, it sparked something she wasn’t sure was real, a sense of belonging.
Kai put up an arm and the group stopped, ready for anything. “I see the stairwell down to level 88.”
“We’re really doing this,” Daven stated with excitement rolling along his nerves.
“Let’s keep it tight. No telling how bad it’s going to get. There could be anything down there and we cannot afford to take any chances. Are we ready to face it?” Kai asked with is head half turned to the group behind him.
“I’m ready,” Nikki said with conviction.
“I’m ready,” Daven said as his grip tightened around his staff.
“We’re ready,” Captain Vell and his troops called out in unison.
Wynter looked to the troll ranger with a warm smile on her lips. “I’m ready,” she said as her heart pumped in her chest.
Kai nodded. “Keep it by the numbers,” the ranger smiled at first before he shifted into work mode.
The party converged on the staircase, eyes wide and senses open. The last number of levels lay below them and they were about to make game history. Wynter kept her spells at the ready while feeling the warmth of her friends and guild mates, as they descended down the cracked stone stairs to the horrors below.
Seven
The stairs coiled around, dust motes floating in blue light. Kai made mental notes of every crack and strange root hanging from the walls. Eyes sharp, he used his Detect Traps skill as they progressed down. Wynter was behind him, eyes searching and ready to cast a spell the instant trouble brewed. Daven was behind her, eyes darting down into the darkness. Vell and his two troll soldiers stepped down next, weapons in hand. Nikki had her sword drawn and turning back to the stairwell behind them to see if they were being followed.
The turning spiral of the staircase filled them with dread. Anything could be lurking just out of sight and on the stairs. They had run into numerous giant rats and often the lead was taking most of the damage. Nikki and Kai took turns with their positions. The troll ranger kept his hands frosty for the unexpected, for this time it was his turn to lead the group downward.
Each step down was slow going but the group didn’t want to risk an encounter going bad and unraveling all their hard work. Sniffing at the air, Kai checked if he caught the scent of any monsters lurking below. So far, only dusty air filled his nose as he moved with measured steps. The ranger caught the soft glow of light just out of view. With another step, the light grew slightly brighter.
“I see it too,” Wynter whispered from behind the ranger.
The raid party made their way down, the light growing brighter with every step. Soon it filled the stairwell, replacing the blue glow of Wynter’s floating ghost flames. The necromancer whispered a word and the little balls of blue fire blinked out of existence. After another dozen steps, the group reached the bottom. A wide opening greeted them as blinding light spilled in.
Hands up and eyes blinking, they moved to the opening as their vision adjusted to the brightness. Kai and Wynter stood side by side as they stared into a great cavern, at the very top a ball of light as bright as the sun shined down onto trees. Small waterfalls spilled from cracks in the walls and the faint sounds of birds chirping mixed with rushing water.
The size of the cavern was astonishing as the group walked out onto the high landing, admiring the green beauty lying before them. Birds flew up, circling in the air before landing on tree tops. The air was fresh and contained a hint of mist from the flowing waterfalls. In such a contained space, the noise should have been deafening but Wynter noticed that the sounds of the waterfalls were merely a low static hum against such a breath-taking background.
“This is amazing,” Daven said as his jaw hung slightly.
“How could such a beautiful place be here so deep underground,” Nikki said as she gazed out into the emerald beauty.
Kai’s eagle eyes stared out to the other side of the great cavern. Another wide opening on a dais stood in the bright light. Even at this great distance, he could see there were stairs leading down.
“There is another stair well at the other side of the cavern. I think we can all agree there is something dangerous between here and there,” Kai said as he surveyed the underground forest and taking a quick sniff of the air. It tasted of something unnatural.
“I could send a skeleton into the forest. I don’t have much of a range but enough to see if there are any surprises,” Wynter suggested.
“Can you summon several skeletons and have them spread out?” Kai asked.
Wynter shook her head, “The more I summon the harder it will be for me to see. I could summon two but more than that, my vision will get foggy. You will have to lead me by the hand because I won’t be able to walk and split my vision too much.”
Daven stepped to Wynter’s side and entwined his fingers with hers. “I’ll be your eyes,” the druid smiled.
“Nikki, stay close to Wynter and Daven,” Kai ordered.
The knight nodded, “You know I will.”
The ranger looked over to Captain Vell, “Cover the rear. We can’t afford any surprises.”
The captain smirked, “It seems you will not be joining us.”
Kai eyed the troll before looking back at the underground forest, “I’m going to scout on my own. I’ll be close but I have to investigate a strange scent in the air.”
“We shouldn’t split the group,” Wynter said with her gaze on the ranger.
“Normally I would agree but there is something in the air. I can easily camouflage my movements if I’m on my own. I won’t be far. Stay together and protect each other,” Kai said before leaping off the edge.
The raid team moved to the edge to see the ranger already landing on the floor thirty feet down. The troll bolted for the tree line, and in moments he blended into the forest and was gone. A solemn silence fell over the team as they took their positions and moved down the stairs. Nikki moved to the front with Wynter and Daven standing side by side as they descended. The trolls took up the rear. When they reached the bottom, Wynter lifted her staff. Arcane symbols circled her hand, glowing from gray to green. Two symbols appeared on the ground and a pair of skeletons rose up.
Daven’s grip tightened a little, holding Wynter close. The necromancer closed her eyes and swirls of light rose up from behind her lids. Faint pictures appeared, fuzzy at first but then solidifying into a moving image. The skeletons faced the group and Wynter could see herself in their hollowed eyes. The skeletal servants turned and began stepping toward the forest. The group waited until the skeletons entered the brush and moved further in.
“I can see what they see. We can start walking in about twenty seconds,” Wynter said with eyes closed.
The team waited until the necromancer gave the signal by pointing her skull staff. At once they moved and entered the shadowy brush as the magical sun glowed overhead.
Wynter concentr
ated as her skeletons spread out a little but continued their march forward. Small animals scurried away and low hanging branches were pushed aside. The mist in the air grew as the vibrant waterfalls to the left and right of them roared on. It was a strange contrast compared to the decayed stone corridors and rooms they passed on nearly every level. Wynter liked the change and enjoyed the view as her skeletons stepped through tangles of branches and vines. Despite seeing through their eyes and controlling them, simple skeletons were a little brash in their movements. What they couldn’t push aside, they broke and stripped it away. Vines snapped and were pulled down while branches were broken by boney hands.
The trail left behind by one of the skeletons was easy to follow. Daven kept his pace measured as he guided the necromancer. Nikki kept her knees bent and sword drawn. The sounds of paradise filtered through the trees, trying to persuade the party to relax. They all knew if they took one second to breath, a trap would spring.
“I hope Kai knows what he’s doing,” Daven said in a low tone.
“I’m sure he’s watching us right now, ready to jump in if we run into anything,” Wynter said calmly.
“I should speak with the trees. They can tell me if there is something we should worry about,” Daven whispered as he eyed each passing tree.
Wynter nodded with her eyes closed, “Will it take long?”
“About a minute,” The druid said plainly
The necromancer stopped and a moment later, so did the group. Nikki looked back as Daven pulled his hand from Wynter’s and stepped closer to a tree. Vell eyed the trees around them. Wynter kept her attention on keeping the connection to her skeletons. Both moved through the brush and in the distance, the shine of water sparkled past the trees in the distance. The closer they moved, the more the sparkling water shined back. Ignoring everything around her, Wynter focused.
Daven stood in front a tree trunk, hand out. Whispering a few kind words, a connection bloomed between himself and the tree. When his hand touched the bark, the connection strengthened and black spiraling madness rammed his senses. The druid let out a grunt as his vision was assaulted by spirits screaming and howling in pain. After another moment, the druid cried out as he tried to pull away. Instead, fingers curled into the bark as insane screaming crashed into him over and over again.
The skeletons just cleared the edge when the connection was broken. Wynter opened her eyes to see Daven falling to his knees but his hand still clutching at the side of the tree, fingers digging into hard bark. Nikki turned and rushed to Daven’s side, free hand taking hold of his robe. With a heave, she yanked him from the tree and sent him to the forest floor. Wynter fell to her knees, grabbing the dazed druid into her arms.
Daven’s eyes were size of saucers as he looked up at nothing, “The forest…the whole forest is screaming! There is a poison in their roots and flowing through their trunks.”
Nikki stood over the necromancer and fallen druid, “What does that mean?”
Daven fought for control as he pushed away the horrid screams, “The water….something vile is in the water.”
Wynter eyed him with concern, “Daven?”
The druid turned his eyes to Wynter, drinking in her pale beauty. Embarrassed, Daven curled his body up and was to his feet. He brushed himself off and held out a hand for the necromancer. Wynter took his hand and he gently pulled her to her feet. The group stood on edge as the druid tried to compose himself.
“I think I’m okay but we have to get out of here like now. Something here is keeping the forest alive with foul, unnatural magic.”
Nikki turned back to the forest, “Let’s pick up the pace.”
Wynter took hold of her staff and closed her eyes, “Wait, I saw something before the connection was broken.”
Images appeared once again behind Wynter’s eyelids. The skeletons were standing at the edge of a large lake. It seemed to spread out to the left and right of them, nearly separating the cavern in two sides. The sound of splashing caused one of the skeletons to turn its head. In the distance, two women frolicked in the water, not far from shore. On the ground by some trees, a man lay with a woman draping herself along his body. Wynter focused as strange differences became apparent. The four people were nude but that wasn’t the strange part. Their skin was an ashen gray but their hair was an abyssal black. She couldn’t see strands or locks of hair but instead saw the general outline of what hair should be and nothing more.
“There are four people by a large lake. I’m not sure if they see my skeletons or don’t care that they’re there,” Wynter said in a low voice.
“Can we go around them?” Nikki asked.
“The lake is big. It will take us a while to circle around,” Wynter said as she watched the four people carry on.
“I don’t recommend swimming across either or we may end up like the trees,” Daven said in a demure tone.
Wynter opened her eyes, the connection fading away, “From what I saw, we may have no choice. The trees are sparse on the left side of the lake. One way or another, they’re going to spot us.”
“We could try and take them on?” Nikki said simply.
Wynter shook her head, “We are deep in the dungeon. We have no idea what they are or how powerful they may be.”
Daven scooped up his staff from the floor, “Can you spy on them a little longer. Maybe they will show you something, a hint on what they are?”
Wynter thought about it and then nodded in approval. The druid did have a point. If they could watch them, then they can plan accordingly. The necromancer closed her eyes and reestablished the connection. An image unfurled before her and the player gasped.
A gray skinned woman smiled wickedly directly in front of the skeleton, her eyes a sickly yellow. Sharp teeth filled her mouth as smooth hands reached up. Wynter tried to command her skeleton to pull back but the creature’s slender hands blurred towards it and the connection was lost.
“Shit,” the necromancer whispered as she opened her eyes.
Brush rustled close by. The raid group fell into battle stances, ready to take on the threat. Gray hands appeared in the air, fingers spread and palms out. Wynter watched intently as a man stepped from the brush with a disarming smile, his nude body in full view before the team.
“Please, I come in peace,” the man said as he looked at the group with yellow eyes.
The team kept their stance. The man walked a few feet closer before stopping. Wynter kept her eyes on him, strange, pure black hair writhing in the air, almost as if he was under water. Nikki had to glance down as she couldn’t help but notice the man’s rather impressive member dangling between his thighs.
“My name is Bryce and I wish no harm. I merely came over to investigate after we destroyed two skeletons by our lake. We had no idea there were adventurers in our forest.”
“Those were my skeletons,” Wynter said with a hard stare.
Bryce lowered his hands and gave a simple smile, “That would explain it then. We thought some of the undead had wandered onto our level. You can understand our readiness to defend ourselves.”
No one budged as the strange man stood before them.
Bryce looked on with amusement before speaking again, “It has been so long since we’ve had company. Please stay awhile before you move on. We can even show you the safest way to the other side in exchange for some of your time.”
The bushes trembled before the three gray skinned women appeared around the raid group. Daven turned, pressing his back to Wynter’s. Nikki held her ground as Vell and his soldiers turned around and pressed their backs to each other. The pleasant vibration in the air died and the cavern grew quiet.
“Thank you but we’re in a hurry.” Wynter said with an edge.
Beware…….
The necromancer didn’t flinch as the voice rolled through her mind like warm water. The women stepped from the bushes, gray nipples pointed from large round breasts. Black hair moved unnaturally around their heads as toned bodies flexed wi
th each step. Bryce kept his stare even as he crossed his arms, the smirk still apparent.
“It has been so long since we have had real company. I must insist you stay and spend time with us. We promise many delights to sooth your weary bones.”
Daven looked up to see several birds on a tree top eyeing them. With a whistle of bird song, he asked them a question. The birds sang back in sharp tones and melodies which ended in small shrieks.
Daven’s brow darkened, “They’re Gazers. We don’t have a chance.”
Wynter kept her cool as Daven’s words stabbed deep. They had all heard the stories from fellow guild mates at their gatherings. Gazers were monsters from the abyss, unnatural creatures with a thirst for light. They are often solitary creatures with a need to drain their victims before they consume them. Strong and filled with thousands of hit points, they also used status attacks to weaken their prey. It often took a small group to take one on but now, four stood, surrounding them on all sides.
Bryce let his smile fade, “If only you accepted our invitation. We would have pleasured you until exhaustion and then make your deaths painless but now you leave us little choice. Your light will feed us for many cycles until we consume you.”
Nikki licked her lips as the familiar battle thirst filled her heart. Knees bent, she stared like a wolf, ready to take down big game. Daven firmed up his shoulders and his resolve, staff in hands. Wynter eyed the gazer, spells at the ready.
Bryce’s body remained motionless but his eyes vibrated. Two eyes pulled closer together, meeting in the middle and merging into a single eye. The eye grew bigger and bigger as his nose melted away. Black liquid appeared from his hands and crawled up his arm, covering it up to his elbows. Black liquid rose up around the knees and spilled down, covering it in a thin layer of wet darkness. The three women standing along the edge changed, mirroring Bryce. Bodies heaved and breasts bounced as the black liquid covering their hands sharpened at the finger tips into five-inch talons.
