by Eden Redd
The severed slime tentacles crawled back to the cooing ball of slime. Val slashed at anything that moved too close before a tentacle wrapped around her ankle. She attempted to pull away, but the tentacle yanked hard and she landed on her back. Will rushed ahead, hammer up. With a push of his legs, he was airborne, his hard gaze on the ball of slime. Hammer swinging down, it hit the ball with a loud 'SPLAT!'
Thick slime burst in all directions, covering the floor under and around the hammer head. Will huffed as he lifted his hammer up, his blood going ice cold. The pieces of slime began to crawl together, reforming.
“Use fire!” Val shouted as she was back to her feet.
Will pulled up his inventory and took hold of a torch. Tentacles shot out and wrapped around his limbs as the head of the torch blazed to life. Val darted forward, made a slide across the stone floor and slashed at the tentacles wrapped around Will’s arm. Will’s arm free, he turned the burning torch and stabbed it into the red ball of slime. Coos turned to muffled shrieks as the slime tried to pull away. Will stayed with it, burning at its surface, slime turning to chunks of delicate ash. The slime shrieked until the sounds weakened. Will stayed with it, burning it until it stopped moving and turned to ash.
Val stood up and watched as a glowing stone appeared where the slime was a moment ago. Will stared down at the soul stone before he knelt and picked it up. Calling up his inventory, he placed the soul stone next to the one he picked up from the lizard creature before.
“What is that?” Val asked.
Will turned to her, shadows under his eyes, “A soul stone. Some creatures drop them when you defeat them.”
“What do use them for?” Val asked as she stepped closer.
Will’s mind went to Milly. He missed her, but a deeper meaning touched him. Jova was a savage place, but what if he could turn it from savagery to something else. The creatures and monsters seemed to be living on primal instincts. What if he could wake them up to something better? Inspiration colored his thoughts as designs filled his mind. For the first time in his life, he felt he could do something better than the shadowy past he left behind.
“I’ll explain later. We should wake up whoever is in the tomb,” Will said as he stepped past Val and approached the sarcophagus.
The player looked to his hammer in hand. The durability bar was yellow. The slime must have caused it to weaken as it swung it around. Knowing he didn’t have much copper left to repair it, he hoped they had a chance to find some more before reaching the mountain of the Idol.
Val stepped towards Will, eyes drinking in his form as he stood before the sarcophagus. She couldn’t help but be impressed with his fighting skills. It didn’t take a genius to know they fought well together, almost as if they could read each other’s actions and work together in tandem. He was no ordinary man and she felt a spark that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Let’s see who we have here,” Will said and touched the hard stone.
Lines of light appeared, snaking and glowing with supernatural light. Val stood by Will’s side, the pair watching as the lines of light formed patterns along the sarcophagus. The top lid rose up an inch, dust shifting into small clouds before fading away. The lid slides away as Will and Val looked down with curious eyes.
Eight
The lid to the sarcophagus tipped and hit the stone floor with a crash. Will and Val looked over the edge, a man with his hands folded over his chest, floating on water. Black leather covered his body as gentle ripples bounced around him. Will noticed he had the same peaceful expression, his eyes were closed and short, dirty blonde hair covered the top of his head. Skin was pale and Will wondered if he was something like Val.
The man’s eyes opened, black as pitch. Lips parted, showing pointed, razor sharp teeth. Will and Val took a step back as the man sat up, hands clamping onto the sides. He turned his head to them, confusion filling his brow.
“I’m awake,” the man said simply.
Will looked to the man with glassy black eyes. “Do you know who you are?”
The man nodded. “My name is Morgan Strange. I dreamed of this place…called Jova.”
Val crossed her arms against her belly. “He knows more than I did when I woke up.”
Morgan turned his upper body and climbed out of the sarcophagus. Water dripped down black leather before it faded away. Will and Val stood their ground as Morgan turned his head, eyeing the temple around him.
“My name is Will Asher and she is Val Alucard,” Will said, a strange comfort filling him as he saw Morgan was not entirely human.
“Good to meet you,” Morgan said with a small razor smile.
The trio stood as Morgan went back to looking around like an astronaut on a brand-new planet. Thin eyebrows rose up as he reached into his breast pocket. Will watched, his eyes glancing to the dagger at Morgan’s hip. The black-eyed man pulled out a scroll and held it out to the player.
“I dreamed of your coming. I have a gift for you,” Morgan said in a dreamy state.
Will nodded before taking the scroll and unfurling it. Arcane words flashed before the scroll turned to ash. An alert filled Will’s vision and he gave a small smirk
You have gained +2 to Intelligence!
Will checked the corner of his vision, seeing his Intelligence stat go from 5 to 7.
“I was told to give it to the one who would free me from my slumber,” Morgan said as he seemed to become less dreamy and more centered.
“Who told you?” Val asked with a suspicious tone.
Morgan hesitated. “They…did.”
Will and Val looked around, but there was no one there, the sun beaming over the entrance glowed with yellow light.
Morgan shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m a little confused.”
“Join the club,” Val half smirked.
Will clamped a hand on Morgan’s shoulder. “It’s okay. We are all finding each other in this world.”
Morgan nodded.
Will pulled his hand away and looked to Val and Morgan in turn. “It's too late to go back out. It’s only a few hours until nightfall so I think we should set up camp here before we continue in the morning.”
“Continue? Where are we going?” Morgan questioned.
“Will has a map to something called an Idol and we are going there. Afterwards, I assume we are going back to Will’s home,” Val said with a fanged smile.
“We should be there by tomorrow afternoon, if you want to join us?”
Morgan nodded. “Is your home by the sea?”
“It’s a short distance from the beach and the ocean.”
The black-eyed man gave Will a small smile. “I will join you.”
Val clapped her hands. “Now that that is out of the way, we need to make some arrangements. I’m very tired from not resting all night and all day. Will, we should close up the entrance to the temple and you should put your bed out. I’ll rest for a few hours and when night comes, I’ll take night watch.”
Will chuckled. “I didn’t know you were in charge?”
“Someone has to be if we are going to get anything done,” Val said and blew a kiss.
Will sighed before pulling his bed from his inventory. Morgan watched with fascination as Will placed it on the floor and it grew to normal size. Val sauntered over to the bed and slid in fully clothed. Closing her eyes, she fell fast asleep.
Will walked over to the entrance and accessed stone blocks in his inventory. Placing them one by one, they grew to 3 by 3 blocks and snapped into place next to each other. The player made a 9-foot wall before pulling a torch from thin air and placing it standing up on the floor. The light didn’t add much, but as it became darker, it would bring a comforting glow.
“How did you do that? You pulled those items and blocks from thin air.”
Will sighed again. “It’s a long story.”
Morgan nodded. “And Val?”
Will gave a condensed version of how they met just yesterday and telling a little more ab
out the world of Jova. The black-eyed man listened intently as Will explained what little he knew from arriving in the world a week earlier. When he finished, the player sat down on the stone floor. Morgan stepped back to the sarcophagus, pressed his back to it and slid down until he was sitting.
The sun moved slowly in the afternoon sky and Will found himself wanting to break the awkward silence.
“Is there anything else you can tell me? Something you may remember? Val has little memory before waking up here, but as you said, you dreamed.”
Morgan gave a quick nod. “I can’t tell you much because I’m not sure. My dreams are jumbled and…I feel like a piece of myself is missing. I see a woman’s face and I want to go to her, but I don’t know where she is or who she is. I wish I could be more helpful.”
Will’s head dipped a little. “I understand. I don’t have much memory from before I arrived, but I know some things are important. It feels like I’m trying to put together a puzzle, but I don’t have all of the pieces in front of me.”
“You mentioned night time and ghouls. Does it get as bad as you say it does after dark?”
“Every night they seem to crawl out of nowhere. I forgot to mention the Stalkers too. Nasty things that run at you and explode.”
Shadows lengthened under Morgan’s eyes, “It seems this world is as strange as you mentioned earlier. I don’t have any real memories, but there is a calling in my soul. I don’t know what it means, but since I’m awake now, I suppose it will be in our best interest to help each other.”
Will nodded. A silent relief washed over him as he saw he needed allies. Talking about Jova cemented the fact that the world was dangerous. Thoughts shifting to Milly, he wondered if she was okay. The Idol mountain was a day’s journey away and he hoped he would get some answers.
With no pasts, Will felt like they were children bumbling along to faint memories of what they should do. It did bring a sense of purpose even if the lack of experience frustrated him. Plans swirled in his mind, wanting to get back home so he could begin and maybe make something great in this savage world.
Will looked down to the dagger at Morgan’s belt before looking up, “The dagger seems nice, but I can create a stone sword for you.”
Morgan gave a razor smile. “I would accept a sword if you show me how to make one as well.”
Will nodded and stood up. “Sure thing,” he smiled.
***
Night fell and ghoulish moans rose up from the surrounding forests. Val’s eyes opened and she slipped out of bed to see a Crafting Table, Will and Morgan discussing how to craft items. The conversation carried on until the pale beauty stood by them. Both men smiled at her as they pulled her into the conversation, showing all the small items they created.
For an hour, they talked before Will felt a weariness in his bones. Taking a piece of cooked beef from his inventory, he chewed it before moving to his bed. Val urged Morgan to get some rest, but the black-eyed man shook his head, saying he had slept enough and he would stay up to help watch.
Will finished his meal and laid down. He saw Val questioning Morgan, the two of them falling into small conversations before sleep overtook him and he fell into a deep slumber.
There were no dreams, just a blessed, restful sleep.
First rays of dawn caused Will’s eyes to snap open. Sitting up, he saw Val and Morgan still talking. Flinging the blanket aside, he touched the bed and it shrank. Placing it in his inventory, he stepped closer to the two new friends. They turned their heads and smiled.
Val spoke first, “Morgan here has some knowledge on military tactics. We were comparing what we could remember. Talking it out seemed to jog our memories a little.”
Morgan nodded. “Val understands some alchemy, various fighting styles and how to be stealthy.”
“You both found out just from talking?” Will asked with lightness in his heart.
The two nodded.
Val stood up and brushed the dust from her leather pants. “It was odd at first, but we soon managed to pick up on a few things. Maybe if we talk some more, we can find out more pieces to our pasts.”
“Sounds like a plan, I think.”
Morgan stood up next. “I assume we don’t want to waste any more of the day than we have too. I’m curious about the Idol you both mentioned and exploring Jova.”
Will nodded as he secured his weapons to their sheaths. “No time like the present. Let’s go.”
The trio nodded before moving to the walled entrance. Will wasted no time knocking it down with a pickaxe, the materials returning to his inventory. Stepping out into the morning light, it soothed rested nerves. Morgan stepped out next, unaffected by the light, but Val’s demeanor changed to haggard shoulders.
“I despise this part,” she moaned as they all set off.
Entering the forest once again, the trio moved with ease over the terrain except for Val. The pale woman tried to keep up before stumbling a few times. Will and Morgan took turns, helping her along. Val often complained but Will noticed the gentle squeezes she gave his arm as she held onto him, like she was saying thank you.
The primal forest spread on, but through the trees, the trio could see a large mountain in the distance. It stood tall with jagged edges and a snow-capped top. The sun reached its zenith, but even the blazing light could not hide the long shadows, giving the mountain a sinister edge.
Will was first to notice no birds singing. The forest was eerily quiet. Slowly looking around, he didn’t see any movement from forest creatures. The only thing moving was leaves in the breeze. No rabbits jumped or birds flew. Will felt a touch of cold caress his senses as a foreboding gloom wrapped around him.
“Do you feel that?” Morgan said in a hushed tone.
“I just want to get inside,” Val groaned as she winced in a shaft of sunlight.
“It’s like every creature in the forest left,” Will added as he helped Val along.
“Usually an apex predator causes this, especially if it is its hunting grounds,” Morgan stated, his hand falling to the pommel of his new stone sword.
Will looked past the branches and leaves to see the mountain drawing closer with each step they took. “I’m willing to bet it lives right where we are going.”
“Delightful,” Val said with a tired edge.
The trio continued walking until wisps of white hung from trees. The further they walked, the more the strands grew thicker, some forming simple webs. Will’s eyes narrowed as his heart beat faster in his chest. He was about to say something when a bleating cry whispered ahead of them.
The three froze. Val pulled her arm back as Will drew his copper blade. Looking to the white strands, a sharp weapon was better than his hammer. Morgan drew his stone sword, black eyes sharp. The muffled cries grew before dimming once again. Without a sound, they marched forward. The thick white strands grew thicker, bulges of webs attached to tree trunks. One bulge shifted, Will and Morgan pointing their swords at it. Val stood up straighter, hands out by her sides.
The bulge shuddered again. Will looked up to see a canopy of webs running from tree to tree. The gloom of the covered area sank into digital bones as they stepped closer. A section of the bulge pulled and a snout broke free, bleating loudly. Morgan hesitated, but Will stepped forward and drove his sword into the bulge. The bleating stopped and the wrapped thing stopped moving.
“What are you doing?” Morgan asked with sword in hand.
Will pulled his sword out and slashed hard across. A sheep’s body hung, tongue out and eyes closed, blood dripping from the wound. Will slashed at the webs again and the body fell to the forest floor. A long second ticked by before the body melted into the ground and 3 pieces of wool and 2 pieces of raw mutton floated. Kneeling, he scooped them up and added them to his inventory.
“We need supplies. With the wool I can make another bed for our return trip. Meat is always useful,” Will said as he wiped the blood on the sword against his leg and re-sheathed the weapon.
Morgan lowered his sword. “Now that you mention it, I am a little hungry.”
Will smiled as he pulled out a piece of cooked mutton. Morgan looked at it before shaking his head. Will instantly understood what he meant and pulled out a raw piece of mutton and tossed it to Morgan.
Morgan sheathed his sword with one hand and caught the mutton with the other. He bit into it and his black eyes closed shut as he savored the taste. Pale skin turned pink for a second before turning white again. Val watched with amused eyes, seeing the sharp toothed man eat with such relish.
“We can’t stay here too long. We should get to the mountain before anything comes looking for us,” Will stated.
Val made eye contact with Will, “You mean before the spiders get us.”
Will nodded his head slightly, “I’m not a fan of spiders, but I’m not going to let them scare us from the prize.”
Morgan licked his fingers clean before clearing his throat. “I’m not a fan of small spaces.”
Val smiled. “You know I’m not a fan of the sun, or being bored.”
Will couldn’t hide his smirk. “I’m glad we got that out of the way. Let’s keep going so we can end this little quest.”
The three made their way through the web covered forest for another hour before the trees parted. Stepping out into a massive clearing, the mountain stood like a thorn stabbing into the sky. A cathedral-sized rocky entrance stood, small patches of webbings clinging to its sides.
Will took a step forward before the stench of decay assaulted his nose. Morgan and Val’s noses wrinkled as they followed. With each step closer, the smell grew. Cold air drifted out from the immense entrance, inky darkness writhing like a living thing.
Will continued to look up until his boot hit something. Looking down, he saw bones scattered along the clearing, half buried in the ground. An inhuman skull looked up; its jaws open in a silent scream. Morgan and Val noticed the bones too, stepping over them with care as to not make any noise.
