Aphrodite's Acolyte

by J. E. Spatafore

  He glanced down at his axe, laying beside his cot, and saw a large notch in the handle where the minotaurs blade made contact with the axe handle. He couldn't help but wonder if the fight with the minotaur was real or some nightmare. He stood there, befuddled.

  Abby emerged from her tent and looked at the dwarf. She smiled at the dwarf's confused look. “Yes, it was real. Looks like you're feeling fine.”

  Noxater nodded at the human woman and smiled himself. He walked over to the pot of food and requested if he could have some. Abby said she made it just for him and he could have as much as he could eat. He pulled the kettle down and gulped down his food, barely chewing.

  Fidel and Cap returned to camp with a fresh kill from their hunt, a buck that would surely feed the three of them for a week. They both walked up to the camp fire and dropped the buck on their makeshift skinning rack. They looked at the dwarf and smiled wide at the dwarf's veracious appetite as well as his quite animated eating style.

  Fidel sat down by the dwarf. “Well met to you too, Noxater of Deeder's Pass. So, this minotaur, how did you stumble upon such a magnificent beast?”

  Noxater stopped eating for a second, then put down his spoon. He reached up and touched his head, panicking. He jumped up and ran to his cot, picking up his helmet and slamming it hard on his head. “She will violate me thoughts, 'specially with yer presence." the dwarf explained while walking back to the fire. The dwarf described the camp of Pravas Medeis, the thousands of silver warriors and minotaurs. The trio was listening intently to the dwarf as he told the tale of the camp.

  After the dwarf finished the tale, the group decided they were not ready to assault the camp of Pravas. Cap agreed to warn Lord Fineal's regiment in the north and Abby agreed to go to Captain Sizod's regiment in the west. Fidel notified Lord Fineal and Methvas of the decision over the magically linked rings.

  As the group was preparing to depart the camp, Fidel noticed Noxater rubbing his arm and staring at it. The dwarf had a perplexed look on his face. “What did ye give me?” Fidel explained the salve and how they applied it. How they had to cut open his arm and his chest to apply the healing mixture. The dwarf looked at his chest with the same perplexed expression on his face. “Look at thee color. Light brown patches amongst thee silvery dead skin. It's me normal color, elf.”

  Abby overheard the conversation and rushed over, closely inspecting the areas treated with the life-giving salve. She looked up at Fidel with a grin. “Perhaps this salve can give this man his life back. It may be dangerous. This salve was created for external use, but if ingested, it may return him to his previous form.”

  Noxater, not caring much for the likes of magical constructs, sighed heavily as he pondered the possibilities. Abby and Fidel consulted for a few minutes and brought two vials of the salve to Noxater.

  Fidel held out the two vials to Noxater. “We believe this would be all you need to return to your normal self. Do know that there is a risk here. We do not know if this will kill or help. The mixture was not intended for this purpose. However, the looks of your arm, your chest, and your nose tell us this is worth a try. Your chest, arm, and nose were all fixed with just half of one of these vials.”

  The dwarf grabbed the two vials and looked to Abby first. She nodded her head in agreement. He looked to Fidel who also nodded. The dwarf took a deep breath and let it out slowly, apparently battling against his own instincts and opinions on magical concoctions. “Cheers!" Noxater unplugged the vial of the first bottle and sucked down the liquid, his face twisting in a look of disgust at the flavor. He uncorked the second bottle and downed it faster than the first, urgently wanting to get the situation over with. The dwarf looked to the two and shrugged, indicating he didn't feel anything different.

  Abby and Fidel watched the dwarf closely for a few minutes. Abby, noticing nothing happening, decided to leave camp to meet with Captain Sizod. Fidel asked if there was anything he could do should something go wrong. She said there was nothing except to lay the dwarf down and let the potion do its work. Cap and Abby both departed the camp. Noxater continued to eat his food and Fidel kept a close eye on the dwarf as he consumed the remainder of his stew. Fidel attended to the unpleasant task of skinning the buck he and Cap hunted earlier. He kept glancing back at the dwarf, hoping for some type of transformation to take place.

  About an hour later, Noxater's eyes snapped wide open as he felt the potion take a hold on his very being. Fidel, just finishing the skinning and portioning of the buck, saw the dwarf's head snap backwards. He ran over to the dwarf.

  As he approached, Noxater placed both arms up, indicating for Fidel to stop his advance. “Elf! I think it's working! I can feel...” the dwarf's words stopped for a second as his arms started to shake and convulse. “I feel...better..." the dwarf's lips quivered. "...like power...coursing...veins..”

  Fidel stood back and watched the thrashing dwarf as he fell to the ground. He observed as the gray skin turned tan. The gray skin changed color in small circular patches at first. The patches grew outwards and connected with each other. Fidel came in closer and looked deep into the dwarf's eyes. It appeared as if the dwarf was frozen.

  He noticed the pupils of the dwarf's eyes change. A small orange speckle of color poked through the gray tint, then grew slowly. Fidel stared intently into the dwarf's orange eyes, just as he did in the Rivolus desert a few months prior. Fidel smiled at the frozen dwarf, until he noticed the dwarf's lack of any movement. He grew concerned.

  Fidel raised the dwarf's left arm above his head, and let it go. The arm dropped lifelessly at the dwarf's side. He grabbed the right arm and did the same, with the same result. He placed his hand on the dwarf's chest, feeling for a beating heart and felt nothing move. He put his nose to the dwarfs, feeling for some warm air to exit the dwarf's elongated nose. None was felt. Fidel began to panic and pushed the dwarf down on his back.

  He raised the dwarf's legs and let them drop to the same result of the arms. For what seemed like hours, the elf tried to find some life in the tan skinned dwarf's body. He beat on the dwarf's chest, he dragged the dwarf around on the ground, he rolled the dwarf over. He tried everything he could think of to try to bring the dwarf back. He stayed next to the dwarf as he gave up and sobbed into his hands.

  Fidel sat next to Noxater's lifeless body for a while. His mind took him back to the sands of the Rivolus desert. Recalling his first major fight since departing Harlow's Hovel and the bravery of the dwarf that now laid lifeless beside him. He smiled at the dwarf's refusal to give in to the merchant caravan that clearly outsmarted his bandit clan. He let a few more tears go for this stubborn and brave warrior.

  He regained his composure and collected the dwarf to prepare him for a proper burial. Fidel grabbed the dwarf under his arms, dragging Noxater backwards with the dwarf's head positioned into Fidel's chest. Fidel fell backwards after losing footing from a rock, the dwarf's weight burying Fidel to the ground.

  Fidel looked down at the dwarf again, noticing his amulet had somehow unlatched and came to rest on the dwarf's chest. As he reached down to retrieve his amulet, he thought he saw the amulet's faith-filled section grow brighter, as if absorbing the rays of the mid-day sun. He stared at the necklace for a few seconds, debating in his mind on whether or not his perception was a reality.

  The amulets brightness intensified, the light surrounding it being pulled in. Within a few breaths, it appeared as if a beam of light of was radiating from the amulet to the heavens above. Noxater's lifeless body shuddered and the dwarf quickly sat up, sending the amulet to the ground and severing the faith linked connection to the heavens.

  Noxater, noticing he was sitting between Fidel's legs, jumped to his feet and looked down at the sitting elf. The elf's eyes were wide with bewilderment of the dwarf standing before him. The tan skin of the dwarf paired with the orange orbs made Fidel smile immensely.

  Noxater picked up the amulet from the ground and looked hard at it. He placed the necklace around Fidel's n
eck, “I believe this belongs to ye.” The dwarf offered a hand to help Fidel to his feet and the elf gladly accepted.

  Once he was standing, Fidel looked down at the dwarf, “How do you feel?”

  Noxater, staring at Fidel's amulet, moved his eyes up to meet Fidel's. “I do not feel 'er intrusions into me mind anymore.” The dwarf smiled broadly, “I could not be better!” The dwarf dropped to one knee in front of Fidel. “Mr. Austempes o' Harlow's Hovel.” the dwarf said with his head bowed toward the ground. “I, Noxater Praeli, Knight o' Deeder's Pass, Marauder o' thee Rivolus Desert, and ex-champion o' Pravas Medeis,” the dwarf swallowed hard on his last declaration, “do hereby swear me life to yer service. I am of sound mind with full control over me will. I enter into this life debt with ye. Do ye accept thee offer?” The dwarf looked up at Fidel and smiled, whispering, “Ye really don't have a choice to accept or not.” He then bowed his head down again. “I await yer answer me savior.”

  Fidel smiled down at the dwarf and placed his hand on the dwarf's red head, “I accept your offer of friendship Noxater. Nothing more.”

  Noxater looked up at Fidel. “Then ye accept!” The dwarf jumped to his feet and clutched Fidel in a hug. Fidel returned the hug in kind and smiled wide at the absolute declaration of friendship.

  Fidel informed Abby and Cap of the dwarf's return to the living. They each celebrated in their own way. Cap shouted a loud “woohoo!” into his magical ring and Abby made a comment that she needed to note the effects in her journal.

  Fidel and Noxater spent a few more of the daylight hours cooking the hunted buck and packaging it for travels. They packed up the camp and moved further west to avoid detection by the larger than expected silver army. They knew Pravas would send a scout or two to investigate the broken link between the dwarf and the minotaur.

  Abby made her way west to find the army of Harlow's Hovel. Cap headed east to the coast then north, circumventing the silver camp to make contact with the Puldechran forces. Fidel knew the goal of the next few evenings was to remain on the move and avoid detection. They were awaiting the Lords of Harlow's Hovel and Puldechra to either dispatch more troops or decide to delay the demise of Pravas Medeis.

  Fidel and Noxater decided to use the time to become better acquainted. They shared their stories of their lives. Fidel shared his stories of his childhood. His time spent in Maritera, Marides, and Harlow's Hovel. Noxater showed great interest in Fidel's upbringing as a human but heritage of an elf.

  The dwarf shared his stories of Deeder's Pass. Fidel learned the dwarf was just over 180 years old. The first century and a half of his life was in service to the kingdom of Deeder's Pass. His profession was normal for a dwarf. He forged weapons and armor since the first day he was strong enough to lift a hammer.

  When explaining the industrious lives of dwarves, Noxater commented, “Such is thee life of Hephaestus' children.” Fidel found great interest in the hardy little peoples lifestyle. An industrious and forever producing race of creatures. He learned of the underground mines the dwarves worked tirelessly. He learned how every piece of rock had a value and every pound of the hammer produced a result. Fidel questioned the dwarf on what he meant when he said he was a knight.

  Noxater grinned and stared down his long nose at the elf. “Ah, that, Yes, we were in a cavern about seventy years ago, mining some titanium ore. One of me fellow workers heard a hollow sound when he struck one of thee walls. We all grew curious. We broke through thee wall to find a very large den, couldn't have been less than a hunnere'd feet tall and wide."

  Noxater continued his story. "We started to explore thee area and found a very large hoard of treasure. After awhile of packing up thee treasures, our elder dwarf Sniervin, deduced thee cave belonged to a winged lizard of sorts.” Noxater paused and leaned forward. “I believe they're called dragons."

  Noxater leaned back. “Anyway, we continued packing up thee cavern when a loud roar was heard up one of thee several large tunnels. A very large red dragon appeared and thee battle was on. Our warriors fought hard against thee lizard and we ultimately felled the beast. More than a dozen of me comrades fell in battle that day. I was knighted for thee event because I was thee one who drove thee killing blow by jumping on thee lizard's head and dropping me axe through its skull.”

  Noxater took in a deep breath, reliving his victory but frowning as if something bugged him in the glory. “Let me tell ye this Fidel, killin' a dragon don't feel right. Even when ye win, ye can't help but feel like thee world lost something grand. Bein' knighted in me kingdom is a grand honor. But thee reason for knighthood didn't feel very honorable.”

  The dwarf continued on with his tales, explaining why he left Deeder's Pass for a life of freedom away from service to the king. He described how he ended up with the bandits out of need for community.

  The dwarf laughed hardily as he realized the irony behind his actions. Fidel asked why he laughed. “I left Deeder's Pass because I didn't like thee responsibility of thee community. While on thee road, I grew lonely an' sought out community without responsibility. I thought I found it with thee group of bandits and never realized that I was still obligated to 'um.” the dwarf chuckled, “Do ye see it? I ran to thee very thing I despised.”

  Fidel pondered the dwarf's statements and chuckled himself, “And now you have vowed that same responsibility to myself!” Fidel continued to laugh at his jab to the dwarf. Noxater stopped laughing and looked at Fidel with concern in his eyes. Fidel shook his head in Noxater's direction. “Noxater, you do not have a holding bond to me. You travel with me if you like. When you choose to leave, I hold nothing against your decision. Know that to be true.” Fidel then held up his mug in a toast to the dwarf.

  Noxater considered the elf's words. “But I gave ye thee oath, Fidel. An' ye accepted.”

  Fidel's eyes went wide in astonishment. “I did no such thing, Noxater! I told you that I accepted your friendship and nothing more. You said I accepted your vow.”

  The dwarf considered the elf's words for a minute and raised his mug. “To friendship 'en!”

  Their mugs clunked together and they gulped down their drink. Fidel watched the dwarf's newly tanned arm slam the mug on the tree stump they used as a makeshift table. He then looked in the dwarf's fiery orange eyes and smiled as he slammed down his own mug, wiping his chin to clear the liquid that escaped his lips. They turned in for the evening shortly after.

  Chapter IX

  The Oricampan Massacre

  The past few months have been quite interesting. On my first night of departing my last human home, I caught a thief trying to rob me. She is one of my closest friends. In the Rivolus desert, I faced a dragon killing dwarf. He is my newest found brother. In my birth place of Puldechra, I rejoined with my childhood companion. Our friendship was apparently never lost. In the very desert I met the dwarf, I interrupted a cataclysmic ordeal. I acquired probably the most formidable foe one could obtain. This adventuring life I sought surely is a changing and powerful lifestyle. Every day brings forth new challenges and tests my convictions.

  The streets of Marisali reminded me of my nature. A nature I must choose to embrace or refuse. I judged an entire town of people who were different from myself and my upbringing. I treated them as lesser beings. Thankfully, I had a friend who reminded me of this folly. Abby, I would say she is my truest friend today. Being one of the least emotional people I have met so far, she allowed herself to get upset with my apparent slight toward humanity. I appreciate her interjection to my apparently condescending analysis of the people of Marisali. I do not disregard her motivation in that event, her undying passion toward justice, even if she prefers to keep such motivation hidden.

  I find my old friend Cap as fun-loving as I remember him when I was a child. I find it rather odd that he, one of such free thought, would join the guard of Puldechra. Of course, I have not grown with Cap over the past eight decades, so I am not privy to his thoughts. I intend to dig deeper into his motivations. His action
s during my travels show that he will do anything to save my life and I would save his. Such loyalty is plenty for one such as myself.

  That brings me to this dwarf sharing my camp. We met as enemies, polar opposites of justice to each other. We came together on a field of battle due to warrior's pride. Abby ended his life in a non-poetic way and he was refused his peace by a wicked sorceress. The same person that took his life created the concoction that restored it, the paradoxical nature of such leaves me perplexed on how this world functions. Are the gods really out there manipulating our actions?

  If I was to believe Aphrodite, the gods cannot provide such interference. Am I to believe these things happen because of the very nature of our desires and decisions? When I consider just the dwarf: A man killed in a desert, raised back by my bitter enemy, then tended to by his original killer...I can only wonder how much coincidence this world can possibly have. There is no direct evidence the gods are playing with us mortals, so I digress. But I cannot let go of the possibility.

  I grow concerned over the forthcoming battle. By Noxater's reports, Pravas is at least four times more powerful than I originally thought. She has thousands of silvery minions to do her bidding. I fear the territories of the northern region won't raise up against this foe as she has not taken to directly attacking these realms. The realms would be completely justified in not taking action against this evil. But if they do not take action, it would be a matter of time before she attempts to gain power over these governed lands, and ultimately the entire world of Maserun. She holed herself up because she knows we are coming for her. A battle on her territory would result in many casualties.

  Whether or not the realms will be joining the fight will not sway my decision to eliminate this threat from our world. While it would be nice to have support from thousands of troops, I will find another way to infiltrate this devil's lair. I'm certain my friends will be willing to assist in this matter. But even so, it matters not. Pravas Medeis is a threat to our land. I am bound by my conviction to see this vile sorceress to her grave. While I did promise Abby I would be less judgmental of the people of this land, Pravas Medeis has proven her lack of worthiness to continue in this world and so I must see her defeated. I place that judgment on her. Now I just need to figure out how to see it through to an absolute end.