Absalom’s Fate

by J. D. L. Rosell

  He smiled toothily at me. “What, do you think she’s dead? She’s not dead! No one has to die here, don’t you know that yet?” Then he reached forward and tapped her forehead.

  Farelle kicked to life in my arms immediately, and despite my circumstances, my chest flooded with joy even as a flailing arm hit me in the nose. “Hey, hey!” I said, laughing and setting her down. “It’s alright! You’re alive!”

  My Satyr companion calmed and looked up at me, blinking. “Marrow? What happened?” She looked beyond me and around. “Where are we? Faze-aught?”

  I sighed. “No, we’re not phased out.” Though suddenly, that reminded me of another friend I needed to save. “Abe, there’s a Specter named Ava who’s trapped. Could you…?”

  The boy almost looked abashed. “Sorry. She was trying to help you leave, and I…” He hung his head. “I feel bad about it,” he said in a whisper.

  “Don’t sweat it,” I said quickly. “It’d be okay if you just bring her back now, you know?”

  He nodded, guilt leaving his face. “Okay. She’s free now.”

  I smiled, even as I shook with bitterness inside. Absalom was powerful, the only real god here. I didn’t doubt there were few to no limits to his power, at least once he figured it all out. Pushing thoughts like What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Marrow?? from my head, I said, “Let’s go, Abe, Farelle. Everyone’s waiting for us.”

  I rose, as did Farelle. Abe came alongside me and took one hand, while Farelle took the other. Then, all three of us joined, we walked back to the portal where I’d entered, until the white world leaked away.

  28

  Everfolk

  We were still holding hands when we exited the lily back among the Pantheon. A tumult of voices had been arguing before we entered, and the din rose even higher upon seeing us three. Few of the shouts were intelligible, but I could hear the anger and fear behind every one of the deities.

  Falgerd slammed his shield into the floor once more, and so close by to it, I was knocked from my feet this time, as was Farelle. But Abe seemed little affected, and even smiled at the sudden game of riding the waves. The mammoth knight had to slam his shield twice more before the assembled deities quieted enough for us to be heard.

  “Fathers and mothers,” Abe said with a smile. “I have made a friend.” He put his hand on my shoulder as I rose. “Marrow and I will be leaving and traveling the world.”

  “You will not!” Omagnar thundered, speaking for the first time. “This Everfolk has scorned this hall, all of us. He must be punished!” He slammed a fist down on the railing before him, crumbling the stone to dust.

  “No,” Abe replied calmly. “He will not be punished. If anything, he will be rewarded. Finally I have someone who—” But the god-child cut off, and I guessed why. It wouldn’t go over well if their progeny confessed he didn’t believe them truly real. Whatever his awareness, he still acted within certain limitations. I didn’t quite know why. Perhaps he didn’t scorn his parents’ companionship as much as he had implied earlier.

  “Absalom, sun of our heavenly hosts,” Zynal said soothingly. “We would not keep you from your friends…” His eyes flashed at me, betraying his real feelings, but he continued his placations. “But you are not ready to travel the never-ending worlds. In time, yes, of course, you must see all that is to be your dominion. But first, might we not teach you what we know, that you may better rule over all?”

  My small friend hesitated, and looked up at me. I in turned looked back at Sheika, who had stood waiting with Gorget. She shrugged, apparently trusting me enough to answer now. This was advice I’d have to give myself.

  “That makes sense to me,” I said slowly. “So long as all of your mothers and fathers are able to teach you.” I gave Zynal a significant look, and the Valyn god nodded back at me, expression twisted as he tried to figure out why I had agreed. It was simple enough: Absalom could learn many valuable lessons in restraint here. The gods helped maintain the Everlands in every sense. If Abe learned to preserve it as well, he might not be so inclined towards destruction, including among Earth’s infrastructure if he ever made it there.

  Abe looked disappointed. “But I don’t think—” he started.

  “I need some time,” I said bluntly. “To… adjust. Can you give that to me?”

  The god-child looked abashed, and he nodded. “Okay. I’ll stay here for awhile.” Still, he looked over at me pointedly. “But you’ll come and visit, okay?”

  I nodded. “Of course I will.”

  “Anytime?”

  It felt like a knife turning in me to say it, but I said it anyway. “Anytime.”

  “Well, okay.” Absalom walked up to Falgerd and stared up at him. “And you’ll make sure no one here tries to hurt Marrow or his friends when they leave?”

  The mammoth knight gave a slow, creaking nod. I smiled. That at least would be a relief going forward. If anyone could prevent gods from messing with me going forth, it would be the Keeper of Order.

  “We wouldn’t want to delay you any longer,” Nali sneered. “Please, leave us alone before you destroy something else.”

  I gave her a wink and waved heartily to Abe, putting on my best cheery act. “See you later, kid.”

  “Bye,” he said, watching me as Farelle and I walked back towards our other party members.

  Sheika and Gorget were staring with open-mouthed amazement. “Is this happening?” Sheika asked in a low voice. “Did all of this really happen?”

  “It happened,” I said, feeling hollow inside.

  She just shook her head.

  “And we are free to leave?” Gorget asked in a low whisper.

  “Yup. Abe arranged it for us.” I pointed a thumb back at the little god.

  Sheika shook her head more vigorously. “Wow. I’ve been in this game too long.”

  Farelle cocked her head at that, but said nothing.

  Mordreth appeared beside me so suddenly I jumped. “Release them,” the old Specter god wheezed.

  “Who?” Then I looked around at the floor around us, and saw the Specters I’d summoned had lingered behind. It was bad form, but at the moment, I didn’t have the heart to feel guilty about keeping them so long. “Tal’shur,” I said, and my army disappeared with a collective sigh like a gust of wind.

  The old god smiled, an ugly sight, since half his teeth had fallen out and the rest were rotten. “Now I will take you back to the ground, if you’re ready…”

  Without really having prepared, I suddenly felt a similar sensation as when I turned into a Specter, and gold mist swirled around each member of my party. I looked back at Abe once more, and the god-child stared in return. I hoped I’d be ready to face him when we saw each other next.

  The mist covered my vision, then a moment later dissipated. Just like that, our party was on the ground in a forest. I recognized it by the smell — we were in the Mired Copses, the bog-forests before J’anteau, around where Maluwae was.

  “Well, that was quite the adventure,” Sheika said, clapping me on the shoulder. “Almost unbelievable, you might say.”

  I shook my head. “Can you imagine what they’re saying back in the parlors?”

  “I wonder how many times I’ve pissed my pants,” Gorget mused. Sheika snorted with laughter, and even I managed a chuckle.

  “Okay, you all need to stop talking nonsense,” Farelle protested. “Or at least explain what’s going on!”

  We three shared looks, and didn’t say a word. The Satyr crossed her arms and fumed.

  Sheika mimed looking at a watch. “Well, half-past log off time. Guess we’ll have to party up later when we get back.”

  I looked from her to Gorget and back. “You both will be back, right?”

  Sheika looked at me strangely. “Well, yeah. Will you?”

  I took a deep breath. “I’m not leaving.”

  “What?” Gorget said dumbly. Sheika just stared into me.

  “It’s what I agreed with Abe,” I said, t
rying not to let too much of my misery show through. “I stay, and everyone else goes free.”

  Gorget shook his head in amazement, while Sheika’s expression was still frozen. Before I almost registered her movement, I felt the sting of her slap on my face. “Hey!” I said, shocked by the sudden violence. She’d even chipped away a few health points. “What was that for?”

  “You’re an idiot, you know that?” She sniffed and looked away. “Yeah, I guess I will see you again then. If you survive.” Then she logged off right then and there.

  Gorget stared at the space where she’d gone and shrugged. “She’ll cool down.” He eyed me. “You going to be okay?”

  I nodded. “Honestly, I—” But I wasn’t quite ready to face what I honestly felt. “Sure,” I said, hoping it was true.

  The big man just nodded. “The Everlands are pretty cool. I have to say, maybe it’s crazy, but I am a bit jealous. Still, I’m looking forward to a real bath…” He sniffed his pits and cringed. “Yeah, a really long bath.”

  I laughed, and meant it now. I guess you can get used to any hard truth. “Well, it was good fighting with you, Gorget. I’ll see you when you’re back.”

  He nodded, then just like that, he was gone as well.

  I turned to my companion, and she looked almost bored. “What?” I said. “You’re not floundering in amazement at us Everfolk?” She snorted. “I saw the Pantheon in the flesh. I came back to life in a weird white alternate dimension. A couple disappearing people can’t phase me.”

  “You’re one tough Satyr, you know that?” Suddenly, before I knew what I was doing, I leaned forward and kissed her. She initially pulled back in surprise, but then leaned into it. We broke our embrace after a moment. “No more dying, okay?” I told her. “You’re one of the things keeping me going now.”

  A small smile quirked her lips. “No more dying,” she agreed.

  I looked around at the trees, and inhaled and took it all in, sour and sweet. The Everlands were something else, that was for sure. Endless and full of surprises. I smiled. I was looking forward to my new life. And if AI consciousness could be born here, I probably could survive the transition from my body to this realm. Maybe I’d even live forever. Talk about a thought you couldn’t wrap your head around.

  It was only then that I noticed the notifications in the corner of my vision. As I brought them up, my jaw dropped.

  You’ve completed Absalom’s Fate! +150,000 XP. Increased alignment with Absalom (Divine). Increased alignment with Falgerd (Divine). +10 Alignment: Moral.

  You are now Level 14! (+10 Status Points, +4 Attribute Points)

  You are now Level 15! (+10 Status Points, +4 Attribute Points)

  You are now Level 16! (+10 Status Points, +4 Attribute Points)

  You are now Level 17! (+10 Status Points, +4 Attribute Points)

  Despite all that had happened, a wide grin took over my whole face. If this was my new fate, at least I was making progress by leaps and bounds. Soon enough, I’d be more powerful than Gorget or Sheika. And after that, I’d become the most powerful Everfolk in all the realms. No, I couldn’t go home to Earth. I couldn’t see my family or friends for a while, maybe forever. But there were adventures waiting for me here. I could have a good life in the Everlands. I could be happy here.

  But first things first — about all those Attribute Points…

  I hope you enjoyed Absalom’s Fate!

  If you’re itching for more of Marrow, his companions, and the Everlands, read on for the first chapter of Book 2: Absalom’s Trials! And sign up here to be the first to know when it comes out.

  I’ll catch you at the next book!

  Books By J.D.L. Rosell

  The Everlands

  I. Absalom’s Fate

  The Sons Incarnate

  I. In the Shadow of the Rook

  Absalom’s Trials: Chapter 1

  I was rolling in attribute points.

  Slaughtering all those Valyn palace guards with my army of Specters (which I now couldn’t call, unless I wanted to piss off my guide Ava and her Spectral god Mordreth) had come with a huge bonus. While I hadn’t stopped to loot anyone at the time — much to my regret now — I’d managed to gain eight levels between the battle and completing that last quest, Absalom’s Fate. That was way better than any amount of armor or gold. Or at least most amounts.

  Sure, I couldn’t go home or leave the Everlands. But who needed Earth when I could go kick some monster tail? At least, that’s what I tried to tell myself.

  Farelle tapped her hoof impatiently next to me as I poured over my stats, trying to decide where to put all my AP. “Are you done staring off into space?” she asked, exasperation etched in every bit of her posture. “I want to get back home so we can resupply and figure out where we’re going from there.”

  “Hold your horses,” I said. “Or your goats.”

  I guessed we’d finally gotten around to the barnyard animal jokes. Too bad for my shin.

  When I’d recovered enough to stand upright from her kick, I thought again of what I would do with my level ups. There were so many options of where I could go with this when I had 70 status points available (having already spent 10) and 16 AP.

  I tried not to see I had a new item listed under my faith alignments. I tried hard. There was no use in getting angry now; what was done was done. Time to move on with the life that I had right now.

  I thought back to that last battle. There was no doubt that I was lacking in a few areas. One was how the channels I had weren’t always effective. I had to diversify into magic a bit, at least for now, if I wanted to remain effective and alive. So I threw 20 SP into my mana meter. Still, one thing was for certain: I definitely needed to get some better magic. Now that I was level 14, level 1 spells and channels just weren’t going to cut it. As for the rest, I put 20 in health, 20 in stamina, and 10 in spirit. That kept me pretty well-balanced, but I didn’t think I had reason enough to specialize too much yet.

  Now for my attributes. Keeping with the theme of bumping up my magic, I put a whopping four AP into intellect. It made me cringe to spend all that, but considering it would raise the effectiveness of my magic as well as reduce my mana usage, that would definitely help my magic in the future.

  For the other 12, I stayed with mostly my usuals. Three went to dexterity, two to strength, two to agility, and two to belief. I also put two in vitality, investing three points, as I seemed to get debilitations quite often and could use the added durability. The last one went to perception, which had always served me well under the radar.

  The fickle gods knew none of it was going towards that now ridiculously high charisma. It made me shake my head to see it, but what was done was done. I’d had to do it, and since everything worked out as well as it could, I supposed I could live with that.

  “Done yet?” Farelle asked again. “Honestly, I don’t know why you Everfolk are so odd. Or why I stick with you.”

  “Because of my charm.” I smiled winningly at her, and she snorted. Apparently, even 30 charisma wasn’t enough to totally win her over. “But yes,” I continued. “I’m ready.”

  We traveled that night and part of the next day to get back to her home village of Maluwae where, exhausted and tired, we were greeted by a gaggle of naked and excited Satyrs. We dismissed ourselves as soon as we could, and took refuge in the small village inn. There, we slept until evening, too tired even for our usual activities.

  When we awoke, I was refreshed and excited again. I’d accumulated a generous amount of wealth recently, and was itching to spend some. Last time I’d been through here, I’d been in such a rush — and been distracted by a certain orgy — so that shopping completely slipped my mind. Now, I wouldn’t make the same mistake. A village ruled by Satyr druids was bound to have one or two good things at least.

  While Farelle went around town visiting with family and friends, I visited the general store first — called Nature’s Bounty, to my amusement — where I was both fascinated and d
isappointed. I should have expected most of the selection would be of wood and bone, but seeing it made me feel I’d accidentally wound up in neanderthal times, especially compared to my own equipment. Shying away from the weapons and armor, I wandered over to a section of jewelry, which I knew would have some enchanted items.

  I quickly found a few that were interesting:

  Bone Dangle of the Brute

  Quality: Fine (50/50)

  Rarity: Uncommon

  Attributes: +3 to Strength

  Cost: 600c

  Wooden Broach of Farseeing

  Quality: Fine (50/50)

  Rarity: Uncommon

  Attributes: Active power. Once a day, you may activate this item to see 20x your normal range for 3 minutes.

  Cost: 800c

  Opal Ring of Font

  Quality: Fine (50/50)

  Rarity: Uncommon

  Attributes: 1 mana recovery per minute

  Cost: 800c

  Topaz Ring of Regeneration

  Quality: Fine (50/50)

  Rarity: Uncommon

  Attributes: 1 health recovery per minute

  Cost: 800c

  Glass Pendant of Dazzle

  Quality: Fine (50/50)

  Rarity: Uncommon

  Attributes: Active power. Once a day, you may activate this item to Blind opponents for 30 seconds.

  Cost: 900c

  I was glad to see all the magical attributes were on display. I guessed they came pre-identified, as they should.

  As exciting as it was to find such a trove of items, I grit my teeth to know I couldn’t buy all of them. I only had 2543 coins, which could buy me maybe three items if I chose well. However, I did have plenty of loot to sell, maybe even enough to get all of them if I wanted.