Gentra’s last thought before dying was a fervent prayer to Dread Asag that the little bitch was dead now.
Just Another Life on Ludus, Chapter Three
Back when she’d been a foolish little girl playing in the streets of Mensk, Roa had once been kicked by a draft yukka. That injury had almost killed her. As she slowly woke up now, the pain she felt in her whole body was several orders above being kicked by the huge yukka.
Still, the pain meant she was alive. She was also lying on something remarkably soft. After a few more moments to think and two foolhardy attempts at painful motion, she finally realized where she was; lying on her bed in the very same room she’d just fought the cultist Gentra in. Judging by the light, it was dusk, or maybe the next dusk perhaps? She felt a weight on her arm and glanced over to discover the soft brown curls from Ahlija’s head on her arm. The twelve-year-old was slumped against the bed, snoozing against Roa’s side with her lower half barely still supported by a chair.
“He-ah!” Roa tried to speak and failed, coughing hard instead, but the movement was enough to rouse the tired child keeping watch over her. Ahlija snapped her head upright, her long hair still half pressed into her face.
“Roa?” the girl asked. She threw herself onto the bed for a hug. During the crushing embrace, the two shared some mutual tears of relief, and exclamations of pain from how tight the hug had gotten before they withdrew from one another. Finally, after several firm declarations that yes, she was awake, and no she was not going anywhere, Roa managed to get the young girl to help her sit up and to tell her what had happened.
“We came back inside after hearing you fight. It was really bad. That horrible woman was dead and we found you crumpled on the floor. It took five of us to get you on the bed!” Ahlija was both excited and somber as she told her story.
Evidently very shortly after her duel with Gentra, the Guard had finally gotten their thumbs out of their asses and made it to the square to help. With even more help from some of the adventurer companies aligned with the remaining Swords and Sins, they’d cleared the street and rushed into the orphanage.
Ahlija exclaimed, “They killed all the demons and started digging back into the building! They even found Donovan downstairs!”
“Donovan’s alive?” Roa couldn’t keep the note of surprise from her voice. She had seen how hard he had been thrown through the wall, and the unnatural stillness of his body afterward.
“Yes!” The girl’s eyes widened and she hit the side of her head with a palm. “Oh, yeah! Donovan wanted me to go get him as soon as you woke up! Hang on.” Ahlija bounded up to rush from the bedside and out the door.
Roa reached for the girl but couldn’t stop her before she escaped. “Wait wait wait! We aren’t done quite yet—ow.” Damn I hurt all over, she thought.
Ahlija flinched at the pain in Roa’s voice, immediately sobered, and slowly returned to the bed, her hands fidgeting like she expected to be scolded. Roa saw her anxiety and softened her tone as she continued, “Hey, it’s okay, I’ll be fine soon, I’m just a little sore.” That was a lie; even sitting up was incredibly painful. She actually half wondered how she was even conscious.
Roa took a deep breath and asked the question she wanted—needed the answer for right now. “What exactly happened after I passed out?”
Ahlija twisted her fingers and swayed side to side. “We all heard the fight, but when things went quiet for a while Joge and I climbed back in.” Turning, she pointed to the doorway. “We found you unconscious there and that other lady dead.” Despite being young, the words dripped venom at the mention of Gentra. “We called the others in and dragged her back to the stairs.”
After a pause, Ahlija eventually brightened and peeled her eyes off the floor to look directly at Roa again. “After that we all got you up on the bed and locked ourselves in here for a while. Then the guards made it up to us.”
“And the attack on the city?”
“It’s all over. We won and the monsters ran away.”
Resting her head back against the pillows with a smile, Roa closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, good. That’s good. Anything else?”
Ahlija went quiet and moved her mouth, her fidgeting increasing. She said, “Well, uh, yeah. There was one thing.”
“Come on, you can tell me,” Roa quietly encouraged.
The child reached into her pocket and drew out a familiar-looking box, then held it out to Roa. Everything went flash, then this appeared while Joge and I were looking around, right near the rotting whore on the floor!” Ahlija’s lower lip trembled after her outburst.
Roa was a bit shocked by the sudden swear but Ahlija was getting close to being grown, and this experience was destined to leave scars.
When Roa didn’t say anything, the girl huffed and opened the box, revealing an opaque silver sphere. “It just kind of appeared there, honest. I figured it belonged to you, since you killed that lady and all. That’s how it works, right?”
Roa nodded slowly, her eyes on the small orb. Her hand trembled as she took the box. “Yes,” she said softly. “That’s the bounty.”
When Ahlija’s hand moved forward again, Roa was almost startled; her focus had been entirely on the box in her hand. Ahlija placed something on the velvet lining of the box right next to the orb, and as she drew her hand away, Roa was shocked to see the spirit stone.
“This was lying on the floor near you too.”
After a few moments of staring at what amounted to two fortunes right before her eyes, Roa snapped out of her stupor. She asked Ahlija, “How long was I out?”
“Almost a whole day. Things are still crazy out there!” Underneath all the grime and fear Ahlija was still her sweet, animated self, something that came as a relief to Roa. At least the demons hadn’t broken this child—maybe wounded, but not broken.
“So all the demons are gone now?” Roa asked.
“Kind of,” Ahlija stretched out the answer before explaining, “the Guard are out hunting them down but they are telling everyone to stay indoors if they can. Nobody is listening to them. A lot of the city is burning. I’m glad our building didn’t burn.”
Roa shared a small smile with Ahlija before looking down again at the precious objects she held in her hand. She knew what she truly wanted to ask now, but asking could ruin what little composure the girl had. Finally, she decided she had to know and chanced the question. “What happened to the others? Everybody okay?”
“That’s, I—I, uh.” Ahlija’s face crumpled as she tried to keep a brave front, but her words became stilted and difficult. “T—the others who, um. If they were with us they are fine bu—” Ahlija cracked at last and began to cry. Unable to do more than bring the girl close and let her sob, Roa waited for her to calm.
She knew she’d likely be breaking down later, too. This just wasn’t the time.
It was several moments until Ahlija’s crying had quieted and a gentle rap came at the door.
“I think I should take over from here, Ahlija.” Donovan’s low husk of a voice came from the door. Roa glanced up to see the man using a slat of floorboard as a makeshift crutch. It took some coaxing, but Ahlija finally peeled away and left the room, saying she’d go get them some food. Her exit allowed Donovan to sit down with some difficulty across from Roa. The two sat there in silence for a while, both lost in their own thoughts and content not to break the quiet.
Roa, at last, reached out and placed her hand atop Donovan’s. “I don’t, I can't imagine what—”
Donovan huffed, “Kallei went out like the badass she was. Meas too. I am proud of them both.”
Roa breathed deeply. “Yeah. Who else made it?”
“Shandre, Louri, Jung You, and Ezekial made it out somehow.” Donovan counted as he sat back as far as he could, looking to the ceiling.
“That’s good.” Roa was busy taking stock of who he hadn’t mentioned. She asked, “Noma, Jaqui, and Talleeda?”
Donovan nodded and said, “
Talleeda was hiding under her bed, but Noma and Jaqui were on the second floor, and—”
“That bitch!” snarled Roa, a sudden flash of rage lighting up her entire body. “I wish I could have made her suffer!” Roa had to stop herself from drawing blood as she clenched her hands in fury. The tension in her body faded and she folded her hands in her lap. “I couldn’t though. It was all I could do just to kill that rotting whore!”
“Aye, lass, I know just how you feel.” His voice was soft as Donovan reached around and took a silver necklace from his back pocket. “I lost Kallei and Victoria in this attack, and we all lost a lot more, too.”
Roa’s calm finally broke and the words from deep in her heart broke loose. “It was my fault, though.” She couldn’t help it, she was bawling now. News of everyone who’d been murdered plus with the knowledge that she hadn’t left when Meas had told her to, the pressure felt like it was crushing her. She gasped, “He told me to get them out!”
Donovan didn’t argue with her. He wasn’t the type to talk during these moments, he just let her cry it out. After the worst of it passed, he said, “You know, if you’d not taken that shot in the lobby I’d be dead right now. It seems to me that it’s impossible for a person to know who all they let down, and who they saved after a battle. The math is not worth thinking on since there isn’t even evidence for an answer.”
Roa nodded slowly at that, and finally got hold of herself again. There was more she needed to know, even if it hurt.
For the next few minutes, Roa questioned Donovan about who had survived, who had died, and who was missing. That done, he asked the story of what had happened after he’d lost consciousness.
Eventually, Ahlija returned with bowls of green soup and bread. The three ate quietly before Ahlija left the room again. Once she was alone with Donovan again, Roa broached the last subject on her mind.
“Donovan, I—with Meas gone—uh—” She couldn’t quite put her thoughts into words and tried again. “I have something that can help, and I know you all will need some help with the Sins, and-”
“Now stop right there, Roa, I know what you’re getting at. Ahlija already told me what you’ve got under that blanket there.” He jerked his thumb at the edge of the bed where Roa had poorly hidden the small wooden box.
Donovan shook his head. “This place will be fine. Meas was near three centuries old, and he’d long since made plans for his family, including the kids here, including you. That orb and the other thing is your reward for killing that cultist rotter. Take them.” He had a glint in his eye and a very serious expression.
Roa shook her head and pushed the revealed box toward him. “Donovan, you’re the most senior member of the Sins now, you should have it! Or at least we could sell them for a huge amount of—”
“Not a chance, lass, that orb is yours by right,” the man interrupted her again. “The stone, too. Didn’t you listen to Meas talk about Dolos orbs? He always thought being rank one was a waste of an orb. Of course, the bloody hypocrite never would take any of the spirit stones we found for himself.” Donovan pushed the box firmly into her hands. “Meas would want you to have that spirit stone, Roa, to give you the chance he never took to be something more than just an unknown adventurer.”
Roa frowned, wanting to argue further and trying to decide how. Donovan must have figured this out because he sat back and rubbed the back of his head with a sigh, then said, “Truth is, we’d all agreed that the next orb we found we’d keep, and planned to give to you or Xander.”
He chuckled as Roa’s jaw dropped and said, “You two had the most potential of anyone in this dump for decades. He didn’t make it through last night, so you’re number one on the list now by default. Congratulations, you’re the next generation.” He reached out and picked up the orb, rolling it in his palm before pressing it into hers.
“You earned this orb, in typical Roa style, while focusing on others. You weren’t after a bounty, or going for revenge. You got that bitch to chase you instead of the kids.” Donovan chuckled softly. “You have one major fault, lass, and it’s that you give too much, just like Meas.” The big man reached out for the spirit stone this time and also placed it in her palm. “This is Meas’ last gift to you.”
Roa shook her head. “That orb, maybe, but the spirit stone is—”
“Valuable?” Donovan really had a thing for interrupting during this conversation. He said, “Yeah, which is exactly why you should take it. There are thousands of ways to make money, lass, but spirit stones are rare!”
The lecture was a bit stilted, as speeches were never his strong suit, but Donovan was trying. Roa knew this man, and felt humbled that he was giving her a talk like this so soon after his wife had been killed, prioritizing her future over his grieving.
Donovan put a finger under her chin and gently brought her eyes up to meet his, just as Meas had in the past. “For once, Roa, think of the future. These kids don’t need the money as much as they need hope. Money is hard to come by, but not uncommon, but an orb? A spirit stone? You’ll never have this chance again! Rot, most nobles don’t get this kind of boon!” He stood and awkwardly leaned on his crutch. “Take them.”
Glancing down at the two small spheres on her palm, Roa thought about every conversation she’d ever had with Meas. She thought about the children she’d saved, and those she hadn’t. Finally, she thought about how things would have gone if her Force school magic was more powerful, if she was more powerful. Could she have saved everyone last night if she hadn’t been Novaroa the orphan, and instead had been Roa the orb-Bonded?
She knew it was reckless, dangerous to swallow an orb and a spirit stone at once, but she was not going to wait another day after being orb-Bonded to rank up. Donovan had been right, this is what Meas would have wanted, maybe minus the risk-taking part, but Roa refused to ever be helpless again.
As night settled and she lay down to rest, Novaroa, an orphan from the streets of Mensk, swallowed the orb she’d earned in a life-or-death struggle with the follower of a dark god who had sought to destroy everything dear to her.
***
Roa woke feeling far better than she ever had before. Her entire body felt light, the pain of her injuries had vanished, and for the first time in her life she felt like her magic was truly surrounding her very soul. She had always been aware of her force magic at the edge of her awareness, however now she felt as if it was flowing into her, through her. She didn’t need to search for it anymore.
Well, I’m still alive, she thought, then flexed her hand. Better than just alive. Wow. She had the presence of mind to put on a scarf that concealed most of her face. She was not quite ready to let the world know that she was a new orb-Bonded.
Roa had learned to be cautious.
She moved downstairs and greeted all the children, sharing a heartfelt reunion with each and reassuring them that she was fine. The realization of the missing faces, gone forever, was something she tucked away to deal with later.
After getting the children settled, she headed to the square, knowing everyone would need food and other supplies before too long, and there would likely be nothing left soon. She carried her broken bow, having fixed it as best she could, but she knew it was all but useless now. At her side was a familiar, and disliked, blessed steel dagger. She’d wanted to throw the thing away or sell it, but pragmatism had won out.
The square was fairly lively considering there had been a war there the day before. People bustled about because they had to, but people there still had had sullen or frightened expressions. Roa didn’t hold it against them, how could she? Even Berbans had a limit to what they could deal with all at once.
But the world was still spinning, and Roa had mouths to feed. The other older tenants and the head of the orphanage, Momma Kirrland, were still outside the city on a farming job, leaving her to care for the others.
As she stepped out onto the road she hadn’t been expecting any trouble, not now, not after a night-long fight with true-dem
ons. So when she heard a scream, Roa jumped in surprise.
Two women were fleeing from a building on the far side of the square as a large, black, familiar figure slithered out of the structure after them. She recognized it as a true-demon, the same kind of centipede-like nightmare that had injured Meas in the attack. Roa had been unable to injure this type of creature before.
Without hesitation, Roa drew her bow and notched one of a handful of arrows she’d scavenged before heading out. Her bow itself had little to no power, but her aim was swift and precise as she flooded the arrow with magic, dumping a large amount into it. In a second, she had filled the shaft with more force than she could ever have managed before, all oriented backward to increase its speed, and loosed.
The air twisted as the arrow flew from the string, a loud crack echoing through the square as the shot rang out. The arrow slammed into the head of the demon and buried the point deep, the impact taking the large monster off its many feet, shattering its armored hide in a spray of green ichor.
Roa wasn’t sure who was more surprised, her or those in the square as the demon twitched in death. She’d accidentally put way too much power into the attack, and felt a wave of exhaustion hit her, but she was almost too elated to notice.
Then she noticed the stares, and heard the murmurs.
She felt color rise to her cheeks as she slung her bow and tried, awkwardly, to simply walk away. No one stopped her but she could swear she felt every eye in the square on her.
Roa had always felt invisible, but as she walked, she wondered if this was an opportunity to reinvent herself. Finally, she decided to embrace any future attention, at least a bit. Meas had never hid from such things, so why should she?
If that didn’t work for her, she could always try something else, too. Everything had changed. As an orb-Bonded warrior, she had a lot of time now, and had to start considering what to do with it. She did have to remember the bounty on her head now, though. That might be a problem.
Delvers LLC- Surviving Ludus Page 32
