Darkness Fallen

by Dave Willmarth

  Turning to the others he said, “Any of you. We’re almost positive this has nothing to do with his condition. And you know he wouldn’t want you sitting around here staring at him. Let’s leave him to his rest. Jules, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you stayed. He seems to… enjoy having you here when he sleeps.” Richard grinned at her as she blushed deeply. Brick snorted. So did Sasha.

  Melanie whispered something in Jules’ ear, and then she and Richard disappeared. Brick took the lead with the others. “Alright, ye looky-loo’s. Ye heard the boss. Git yer arses movin’.” He motioned for the others to leave and followed them out, closing the door behind him.

  Jules looked at Alexander. He was still laying on his back, motionless except for the rising and falling of his chest. She reached and pushed some of his hair back behind his ear, then softly touched his face. Tears flowed from her eyes, though she made no sound.

  Laying down and placing her head on his chest, she listened to his heartbeat and the rhythm of his breathing. After a moment, she said, “Alexander! Wake up and come back to me! I know you’re in the dark place right now. I’ve spent too much time there myself. There’s nothing there for you. We need you here. I need you. Come back to me!” Jules shouted the last bit, and she poked him in the ribs for emphasis.

  A small moan of pain escaped his lips. But his eyes did not open, and he was soon still again. Jules snuggled up closer to him, sharing her body heat. A few minutes later she closed her eyes and slept.

  ******

  Alexander could hear voices drifting through the darkness. Not what they were saying, just vague sounds that fluctuated in tone and paused in places that translated in his mind as being voices. Several of them, speaking near him. He tried to care what they were saying, but his mind was fuzzy, and he just wanted to sleep.

  He remembered cracking his head against the wall. And somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that sleeping after a head injury was bad.

  But my injury wasn’t real. I was hurt in the game. I mean, it hurt a lot. But my real body’s floating in a pod right now. I’m not really hurt. It won’t hurt me to sleep for a while…

  As he thought this, the voices seemed to drift away. Until there was silence. Then a single voice spoke to him. He still couldn’t understand the words, but the voice tugged at him. It was a voice he wanted to answer.

  Jules! That’s Jules. His fuzzy brain presented him with a picture of the beautiful elf. As he struggled against the darkness, he felt a sharp pain in his side. He tried to complain, but all he could manage was a low moan that was mostly just an exhale.

  Then the last voice went silent. Alexander floated in the darkness.

  Chapter 6

  A Kiss is Just a Kiss

  The next morning Jules awoke to a still unconscious Alexander. But she was encouraged by the fact that sometime during the night his arm had wrapped around her.

  She poked him in the chest, then more gently in the face as she spoke to him.

  “Wake up, sleepyhead! I know you’re in there. You’ve had more than enough sleep. Time to get up! You’ve got stuff to do!”

  Getting no response, she reached out in party chat. Alexander, having been unconscious, had never dissolved the party from yesterday.

  “He’s still not awake. I’m not sure what to do.”

  Sasha responded immediately. “We’ll be up in a minute. I’m bringing you breakfast. Dork boy never sleeps through the smell of pancakes. Or bacon.”

  Jules smiled at that, despite her worry. She was glad Alexander had such good friends and happy that they’d all adopted her so quickly. And she was never going to turn down room service breakfast! She stepped into the bathroom quickly to freshen up, using a splash or two of cold water to wake her up and to wash the trail of tears from her cheeks.

  A moment later there was a knock on the door. She opened it to find Brick and Max each holding large trays of food. Behind them were Sasha and Lainey, each carrying pitchers and cups. Jules stepped aside, and the group filed in.

  As they set up the food on a small table near the window, Sasha asked, “Has he moved or said anything at all?”

  “He hasn’t spoken. Or made any noise since I woke up. He did put his arm around me while I slept, though.” She gave them a half-hearted smile. Lainey stepped closer and hugged her.

  Sasha waved her hands over the platters of bacon, eggs, pancakes, and fruit, trying to waft the scent of the food over toward their sleeping friend. “This always works at home. Even when he was little, he would be sound asleep, and as soon as his mom started breakfast, he’d magically appear in the kitchen.” She grinned at the memory.

  The others waited in silence for a few moments, but there was no response from Alexander.

  “Bah!” Brick reached down and grabbed a strip of bacon. Stepping over to the bedside, he reached down and patted the crispy breakfast meat on Alexander’s lip, just below his nose. “C’mon! Ye know ye wants it! It’s BACON!” he urged his unresponsive friend. Still seeing no reaction, he stood straight, leaving the bacon under Alexander’s nose. Shaking his head, he looked to the others.

  Max got a mischievous grin on his face. Grabbing a strip of bacon and popping it into his mouth, he chewed thoughtfully for a moment, then said, “Maybe it’s like a sleeping beauty type of thing? Maybe he just needs a kiss to wake him up?” He winked at Jules, who blushed furiously.

  Brick snorted at Max’s suggestion. “I think ye be daft! This ain’t no fairytale!” Then he looked at Alexander and shrugged, “But ye never know. What the hell!”

  The dwarf reached over and grabbed the bacon from Alexander’s face before leaning down and planting a big red-whiskered kiss on the elf’s lips. He even made some smooching sounds for emphasis. Turning his head a bit, he winked at his friends. The ladies all gasped in surprise, while Max guffawed.

  “GAHHH!” Alexander’s eyes opened wide as his face puckered in disgust. “What the hell was that? Felt like an angry squirrel attacked my face! A squirrel that just ate bacon!” His hands pushed Brick’s face away before moving to wipe at his own face.

  “BWAHAHAHA! I be Prince Charming!” Brick bellowed. Max was now collapsed in a chair by the table, barely able to breathe.

  Jules dove onto the bed and wrapped herself around Alexander, burying her face in his shoulder, crying. Sasha and Lainey moved closer to the bed but gave her some space.

  “Bout time you woke up, lazy-arse!” Lainey scolded Alexander.

  Alexander hugged Jules close to him, rubbing her back comfortingly. “How long was I out?” he asked as he looked around.

  “Most of yesterday afternoon, and all night,” Sasha answered. “We healed you, but you wouldn’t wake up. We were getting worried.”

  Alexander squeezed a now sniffling Jules once more for reassurance. “I’m feeling okay. Nothing feels broken. No pain. Do I smell pancakes?” he looked around hopefully.

  “HA!” Sasha laughed. “I told you it would work!” she said as she moved to dish up a plate for her best friend. Lainey just shook her head.

  Max, who had recovered from his fit of laughter, dove onto the bed and wrapped Alexander and Jules in a big hug “Ohhh… we missed you SO much! But I’m a lil jealous. Brick got a smooch, and I didn’t! C’mon… give us a lil kiss!” he teased.

  Jules growled at the interloper and shoved him hard enough to roll him off the bed onto the floor, causing Brick to howl with laughter. Max laughed right along with him as the dwarf helped him back to his feet.

  “Wait, what do you mean Brick got a smooch?” Alexander looked suspiciously at the dwarf. “The bacon-squirrel was you? I thought it was Rufus! You mean you… kissed me?”

  “Right on the lips. For a really long time,” Jules said as she wiped at Alexander’s mouth with her sleeve. Then she firmly planted a kiss of her own, reclaiming her territory. Alexander didn’t mind a bit.

  “It were Max’s idea,” Brick said a bit defensively “He telled me ye were sleepin’ beauty ‘n’ needed a kiss
ta wake ye!”

  “I’m pretty sure he was talking to Jules when he said that.” Lainey nudged the dwarf playfully.

  “Well, it worked!” He grinned at Alexander. “And from now on ye can call me Brick Charming!”

  Alexander rolled his eyes, then sat up, still holding Jules with one arm. “Thanks, buddy, I think. But going forward, how ‘bout you let one of the ladies handle the smooching?”

  Jules slapped the back of his head lightly. “One of?” She gave him a dirty look.

  “You. I meant you.” Alexander spluttered. Looking around he said, “Jules is the official smoocher of me from now on!” Realizing how silly that sounded, he blushed. “Dammit. You know what I mean!”

  His friends all chuckled at his expense as he rose and moved toward the breakfast table. Max and Brick brought in more chairs from the other room, and the group all enjoyed a light-hearted breakfast. Max repeatedly made smoochy faces at random people. Sasha asked Brick how it felt to kiss a boy, causing the dwarf’s face to blush as red as his beard.

  Jules, sitting next to Alexander, reached out and took hold of his hand. Giving it a squeeze, she kept hold while they both ate their breakfast. Eventually, she said, “Now that you’re back with us, what’s next?”

  “Antalia,” Alexander replied. “PWP was based there. So is Chaos Nation. And the queen has a bounty on our heads. Too many of our problems are centered in Antalia. We need to find out what’s going on there. And we can start with the PWP guild house.”

  Alexander looked at Max. “You looted several teleport scrolls from Henry and the other PWP members we’ve killed. They should take us to their guild house. And if our count is correct, there shouldn’t be many of them left. Even if whoever’s left has been recruiting, there shouldn’t be too many of them to handle.”

  Max winked at Alexander as he reached into his own bag, pulling out a set of keys. “These are the keys I looted from Henry. We can clear the guild hall and lock it down from the inside. Then raid the vault a-”

  “No.” Alexander cut him off. “I intend to help Martin and the others rebuild PWP the way it was originally intended. Priests and healers. They’ll need whatever’s left in their guild vault to help them re-establish themselves. You can take a look inside to make sure there’s nothing dangerous, but we leave the loot for them.”

  “Nothing dangerous?” Lainey asked

  Brick answered for Alexander. “PWP were controlled by the Dark One. There could be one o’ them mirrors there. Or one o’ them black portal globes like in the goblin caves. Even a lich gem. Best we get ‘em under control.”

  Alexander added, “We’ve got one day before Dayle and his group end their current immersion. And then three more days before we log out ourselves. If there’s going to be a fight in Antalia, I’d prefer to do it while we’re all still here.”

  Sasha opened up guild chat “Right! Alexander’s awake and as stupid as ever. He wants to raid the PWP guild house in Antalia today. Who’s up for it?”

  Dayle was the first to reply. “My group’s in. Get some last minute xp before we log out!”

  Helga was a bit more enthusiastic. “HELL yeah! Let’s take the whole city!”

  Lugs chimed in. “Me and Benny are in. And Beatrix is winking at me. Either she’s in, or she wants an ogre-back ride…” This got some grins from the friends at the table.

  Sasha began to organize the group. “Okay, everybody make sure you’re all repaired and stocked up. I’ve got plenty of potions. Grab a drink of the Dire Water before we go, to get the buffs. We’re going via teleport scroll in one hour.”

  Alexander thought of something. Speaking out loud to the officers at the table, he said, “I should check with the king before we go. See if he has heard back from the queen.”

  When the others nodded their heads, he teleported himself to his room at Greystone Manor. Heading down the stairs and outside, he checked in with the master smiths at the dragon forge. “Master Ironhammer. Good morning to you. Everything going well here? You have all you need?”

  Ironhammer stepped out of the forge, holding a newly crafted dwarven steel sword with a long, slender blade. “Aye, lad. This forge be a thing o’ wonder! And with the expansion, we be turnin’ out rare and wondrous items faster than a goblin afire!” he indicated the sword in his hands. “But we be runnin’ short on material. We’ll be needin’ to make a trip to Broken Mountain ta get more.”

  Nodding his head, Alexander said, “I can open a portal for you when I get back. Say, twenty minutes? How long will you need at Broken Mountain?”

  “I should take care of some business while I’m there. Can ye bring me back tomorrow?” Ironhammer asked.

  Alexander reached into his bag and withdrew one of the little obsidian dragons with the Far-Speaking enchantment. Handing it to Ironhammer, he said, “I don’t know if this will work as far away as Broken Mountain, but this is a good chance to test it! Use it to contact me when you are ready. If it doesn’t work, I’ll open a portal for you at noon tomorrow. How does that sound?”

  “Perfect, lad!” Ironhammer dashed back into the smithy and began shouting instructions to the various apprentices inside.

  Grinning to himself, Alexander made his way out the gate and to the palace. As usual, the guards simply saluted him and waved him through. But as he began to step through the outer bailey gate, he noticed a pair of familiar faces in the line of citizens awaiting entry.

  “O’Malleys! Good morning!” He smiled and waved as he turned and approached the line.

  “Alexander! Good to see you, boy!” Martin O’Malley reached out and shook hands. Alexander bowed his head to the man’s wife. “Lady O’Malley.”

  “Pshaw! You call me Rose!” The innkeeper’s wife patted Alexander on the cheek.

  “Alright, Rose. Have you business with the king today? Anything I can help with?”

  “Aye, but not with the king,” Martin answered. “We’re here to see the captain. There’ve been more adventurers gathering in the pub the last few days. Been whispering about you lot. Talking about collecting the bounty on yer heads.”

  Alexander nodded. “Same as that last group. We know about the bounty. But I don’t like them gathering at your place. They might get out of hand and hurt somebody. You should let them overhear you saying that we’re out at Dire Keep. You could even give them directions. Send them on their way. We’ll take care of them when they arrive. If they arrive. The last group didn’t do so well in the forest. Only one got through, and our moat monster ate him!” He gave his best evil grin and winked at Rose O’Malley.

  “Ha! Ya best keep that beastie away from my Mattie!” Rose scolded him with a smile. “She’s actually the reason we came. Martin said you’d handle any stupid adventurers that came for ya. But this group’s hired Mattie’s husband, the dungsnuffler, to guide ‘em. He’s been sniffin’ around the Ogre all week asking after her.”

  “Ex-husband,” Alexander corrected her. “We got her a divorce. Father Alric performed the ceremony for us. Mattie’s free of him. And safe inside the keep’s walls.”

  Rose gave him a hug. “I knew you’d watch out for her. Just know that when we come out to open up the Ogre II at the keep, I’m stealin’ her away from ya! And don’t ya dare try ‘n’ stop me!”

  Alexander laughed. “I wouldn’t think of it! And I’ll let her know you’re thinking of her. I’m going to be seeing the captain shortly. I’ll mention the bounty hunters and the dungsnuffler to him.” He waved goodbye to the O’Malleys as they left the line to head back to the Ogre, not having business with the captain any longer.

  Alexander made his way through the double gates of the palace. One of the guards had already alerted the captain to his presence, and he was met just inside the main doors. “Good morning, Alexander!” The captain clapped him on the back as they shook hands. “Here to see the king?”

  “Maybe. Though I may not need to bother him. I just came to find out if the messenger has returned with an answer from the q
ueen. We’re planning to raid the PWP guild house in Antalia in about an hour.”

  The captain shook his head. “No, he’s not arrived yet. Though we expect him today.”

  Disappointed, Alexander replied, “I figured as much. Just thought I’d check. Oh. I ran into the O’Malleys outside. They wanted you to know that some more adventurers seeking the bounty on my head have been hanging around the Ogre. And that Mattie’s dungsnuffler ex-husband is working with them.”

  The captain chuckled at the use of dungsnuffler.

  Alexander continued, “I told Martin to send them directly to Dire Keep. Give them a map if necessary. I don’t want them hanging around here where they might hurt citizens.”

  Captain Redmond put a hand on Alexander’s shoulder. “Thank you for the warning. I’ll put a couple of discrete men on them. They’ll not cause trouble within the city. As for the dungsnuffler, that coward’s likely to run from any fight. Unless there’s beer involved. That, he’ll fight for.”

  “Please give the king my regards, then. And if you would, send word when the messenger arrives? If the queen’s not willing to release the PWP leader, we could maybe try to free him while we’re there.” Alexander said.

  “I’ll be sure to pass on the message,” Captain Redmond answered. “But be careful, lad. If Antalia is indeed in league with the Dark One, then war with them may be in our future. But we’re not ready to start it today. Raiding a guild compound is one thing. But you are Knight-Advisor to my king, and any actions you take against the queen directly would be assumed to be carried out at the king’s order.”