by Stone Thomas
Crunch.
Vix had stepped on a pinecone. That’s all it took to draw the bird’s attention, scare the living daylights out of it, and send it on a teetering sprint through the tree trunks.
I would not be evaded so easily. Cindra, Vix, and I had a long day’s work, and if they were as hungry as I was we risked some Hannibal Lecter-style danger if we didn’t bag this bird for our dinner.
Vix and I ran, weaving between the trees and keeping twenty feet away from each other. It was a natural, seamless kind of teamwork, like she could ready my body and intuit where I would move next.
We closed the distance between us and our meal. Vix Walloped the ground with her mallet, sending vibrations from the ground that took the bird by surprise. When it slowed down to get its bearings, I pulled my arm back and launched my spear like a javelin. The stone tip sank into the bird’s side and knocked it down.
We jogged to the animal. I knelt down. “Gods above and gods below, we praise the gifts that you bestow. Bless us now before we dine, in the name of thee and thine.”
“What was that?” Vix asked.
“And old habit,” I said. “Head Priest Cahn never fed me; I had to fend for myself. I knew the prayer of grace he recited before meals, and I started saying it too, whenever and wherever I happened to find food.”
“Aw,” Vix said, “like you were always destined to be a head priest one day.”
“Destiny,” I said. “I never thought I’d have one of those.” We laughed and dragged the bird behind us. We’d have to pluck it, drain it, and cook it, but I didn’t want to spend more time away from the temple than necessary.
When we got back inside, Cindra was nowhere to be found.
+7
“Cindra?” I called. My voice echoed into the dark. We left our dead bird by the entrance and stepped further inside. My first thought was the jewels – that she had taken them and run. I shook that thought aside. She didn’t seem like the type. I had never been overly cynical when I had nothing worth losing, I didn’t want to become that way now.
She’s here, Nola said. Listen.
We quieted and then heard someone crying gently in the dark. I followed that sound until I couldn’t see anything for the darkness. I was inches away from her now, though I couldn’t see her.
“Cindra?”
“I’m so embarrassed,” she said.
“Why?” I asked.
“Old wounds close slowly I suppose,” she said. “When Mercifer left me, he said he’d be back soon. He knew it was a lie, he must have, but I believed him. The same way I believed you, but the second you left I remembered what that felt like, being alone in a strange place, hoping the only companion I had ever known wouldn’t abandon me.”
“I’m sorry, Cindra,” I said. “We shouldn’t have left you here. That was insensitive after what you’ve been through.”
“No,” Cindra said. “Don’t apologize. You came back for me. No one’s ever done that before.” I felt her brush past me as she walked toward the center of the temple. Then a spark ignited a small flame and she put a handful of burning twigs into one of the stone basins that sat next to the altar.
A flickering flame illuminated the temple. “How did you do that?” I asked.
“There was a pile of kindling here,” she said, “and I found some flint.”
Now that the temple was lit up, I realized it wasn’t as shabby as I had first thought. The front of the temple, which I had seen before, was rough rock that was never finished. The altar was a simple slab flanked by fire pit urns. The rear wall, however, was smooth, polished stone with intricate carvings. A door was set in the wall there, though I didn’t know where it would lead. Two sets of shelves were carved in the wall on either side of that door.
A pull string bag sat flat and empty on one shelf with the handful of jewels Cindra had noticed earlier. There were a few old books, and a wooden chalice.
“I’d love to know what’s back there,” I said, running my hand across the engraved pattern on the stone door.
Cindra lifted a handful of burning sticks from the urn she had lit. “Then let’s go,” she said.
“You go,” Vix said, a touch of resignation in her voice. “I’ll cook the damn bird. Now that we have fire that shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Thank you, Vix!” I said. Cindra and I opened the stone door at the rear of the temple.
A short corridor ended in a T-intersection. Long dark hallways extended to either side. It looked like they wrapped around the temple’s perimeter. We turned right, and after following the tunnel’s contour for some time, we found a set of stairs that led down.
We kept walking until I saw light ahead. There was a small room, but the floor was made entirely of sharp stone spikes. Cindra shrugged. Neither of us knew what this room was for.
“Look,” she said. “There’s a sign.”
Sure enough, a carving in the stone said, “Meditation Beds.”
“So people are supposed to lie on these spikes and what, think about how the pointy side of a stone spike is its least comfortable?”
“What a strange room,” Cindra said. “And there are a few pinpricks of light coming in from the ceiling, like the builders had almost carved right through the rock that forms the path to the temple’s entrance.
“Which would make the temple totally inaccessible,” I said. “Let’s head back. I don’t think I need a meditation nap just yet.”
We traced the tunnel back to the door we had come through first, then tried the other side of the long hallway. This one led to another door. Behind it was a large room with eight stone slabs. A carving in the wall said, “Recovery Beds.”
“Ha,” I said. “Recovery from what, meditation? I have a lot to learn about being a head priest.”
The smell of barbecued bird lured us back toward Vix. She had finished plucking and roasting the bird we hunted, and it smelled delicious.
“It doesn’t taste how it smells,” she said as we approached. “Not even by half.”
She was right. The meat was gamey and tough to chew. I was hungry enough to eat my share of it though, and I knew better than to complain after all of Vix’s efforts.
“I’m sure it was the most delicious a forest hen could be,” I said. “You outdid yourself.”
Actually, Nola said, it tastes much better if you burn berries in the fire while it roasts. It absorbs the evaporating juices and gets more tender. Fun fact!
You couldn’t have told us this when we brought the bird in here?, I asked.
Hey, Nola said, I’m still evolving. I’ll get the timing right one day.
“Sorry we still don’t have a door,” Vix said. “I thought I’d be well on my way by now.”
“On your way?” I asked.
“To the elven lands to look for work,” she said. “Humans don’t have enough paying jobs for a fox like me, and they’re a little… judgmental. Present company excluded, of course.”
“Mercifer was an elf,” Cindra said, “perhaps I’ll join you if you don’t mind company. I’d like to find my maker.”
“Let’s get some rest before we make future plans,” I said. I had just met these girls, but the thought of losing them so soon really bothered me. I felt like we all had a connection. “It’s dark now, and there are some stone beds in the back.”
“I’d rather sleep here,” Vix said, “by the fire.” She curled up next to the flame and wrapped her long tail around her body and across her eyes.
“And I’m not going anywhere alone,” Cindra said. “Not after spending years by myself.”
“Okay,” I said. “Here it is.” I lay on the stone floor and waited for exhaustion to do its thing.
+8
I woke up the next morning to something soft tickling my nose. It was Vix’s tail. Somehow, in the middle of the night, she had cuddled against me and I threw an arm over her. Her tail was pressed between our bodies and its tip brushed against my nose.
“You two are so cute,” Ci
ndra said. Vix stirred at the sound of her voice, and I blushed. I quickly pulled my arm away, not sure how that contact would be received.
Vix just stretched and yawned. “Time to get started on that door.”
Good, Nola said. Two of Duul’s warriors are near.
What?!, I asked. How near?
More than a day’s trek, but they approach. They know not all of the gods reside in the cities. I don’t know where Duul himself is, but he has managed to assassinate two more minor gods while you slept. It’s only a matter of time before they find me here.
I’ll protect you, I said.
Not dressed like that you won’t, Nola said. Go to the city of Valleyvale, to the east. Equip yourself properly for the battle ahead.
“Cindra,” I asked. “You said you’re a negotiatrix, right?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“I was thinking about taking a trip to Valleyvale. With Meadowdale off limits, it’s the nearest city. I’ll need supplies for what’s ahead. Would you be able to help me get a fair price for what I need?”
“Perhaps,” she said, “if you were negotiating with cockroaches. I couldn’t even bend that brockerball’s sympathy, how would I help with experienced shopkeepers?”
“If you’ll allow me,” I said, “I can upgrade your skills and attributes so that you’ll be better equipped to do just that.”
“Oh,” Cindra said. “Do make the necessary adjustments then.”
I opened the menu before me. Cindra had clearly been created and then abandoned without any skill adjustment whatsoever, but years of negotiating with insects had provided her a lot of XP to work with.
My first thought was that it was odd that she had no last name, a situation I could empathize with. I still wasn’t sure my own surname felt real, having just discovered it yesterday. I got to work improving Cindra’s attributes and unlocking some skills.
Δ
Skillmeister View of:
Cindra
Base Attribute / XP to Next / Intended Change / Total XP Cost
-
1 Constitution / 25 XP to Next / 1 –> 5 / Total XP Cost: 250
-
1 Vivacity / 25 XP to Next / 1 –> 4 / Total XP Cost: 150
-
1 Strength / 25 XP to Next / 1 –> 4 / Total XP Cost: 150
-
1 Hardiness / 25 XP to Next / 1 –> 3 / Total XP Cost: 75
-
1 Focus / 25 XP to Next / 1 –> 6 / Total XP Cost: 375
-
1 Resolve / 25 XP to Next / 1 –> 3 / Total XP Cost: 75
-
TOTAL BASE ATTRIBUTE XP COST: 1,075
Stats Affected by Change
-
[Constitution] Health Points (HP): 100/100 –> 500/500
-
[Vivacity] Action Points (AP): 20/20 –> 80/80
-
[Strength] Phys. Damage Inflict Range: 10-12 –> 40-49
-
[Hardiness] Phys. Damage Block Range: 5-8 –> 16-23
-
[Focus] Mag. Damage Inflict Range: 10-12 –> 60-73
-
[Resolve] Mag. Damage Block Range: 5-8 –> 16-23
-
Skills For Weapon Class: None
-
[Null]
Intended Change: None
Cost Subtotal: 0
TOTAL SKILL XP COST: 0
Skills for Special Class: Negotiatrix
-
Locked. Eye of Beholding 1. Lock eyes with your target for 30 seconds to gain uncanny perception from which to base negotiation tactics. [Passive] [Requires: Strength 4, Focus 6] [375 XP to unlock].
-
Improve to Eye of Beholding 2 to reduce gaze time to 26 seconds. [Passive] [Requires: Strength 6, Focus 9] [750 XP to improve].
…
Intended Change: 0 –> 1
Cost Subtotal: 375
-
Locked. Flirt 1. A coy smile. A gentle touch. A deal to seal. Spend AP to endear your target to you, improving the outcome of any exchange. [5 AP / second to cast] [Requires: Hardiness 3, Vivacity 4] [375 XP to unlock].
-
Improve to Flirt 2 to reduce AP cost. [4.7 AP / second to cast] [Requires: Hardiness 4, Vivacity 6] [750 XP to improve].
…
Intended Change: 0 –> 1
Cost Subtotal: 375
TOTAL NEGOTIATRIX SKILL XP COST: 750
Summary
-
Available XP: 1,954
Cost of Intended Changes: 1,825
Precision Training Discount (1%): 18
Total Adjusted Cost: 1,807
Total Projected Remaining: 147
Confirm?: Yes / No
∇
“There,” I said, confirming Cindra’s new stats and skills. “That should do the trick. When you negotiate from now on, hold eye contact for 30 seconds and see what happens. You can also spend your internal energy to Flirt while negotiating to improve your success.”
“Here I thought my flirting game was strong as it was,” she said.
“I just don’t get why you have no combat class,” I said.
“I don’t know anything about combat,” she said. “I’ve never held a weapon in my life. I’d be happy to try. Maybe a nice long pole like yours.”
“Polearms aren’t for everyone,” I said. “Maybe we can find something you’re suited to when we get to our destination. Speaking of which,” I turned to Vix next, “can I pick anything up for you in the city?”
“Are you serious?” she asked.
“If these jewels are worth as much as I hope they are,” I said, “I should be able to help equip you before you leave. It’s not getting any safer out there.”
“Armor would be nice,” she said. “Something that improves my stats without making me look like a tomboy. I’d rather have a new hammer though, since it’s not only my weapon but also the tool of my trade. No wait, an axe! That takes first priority.”
“You shouldn’t change weapon class,” I said. “You’ve already started building up your hammer skills.”
“It’s not to fight with,” she said, “it’s to chop down trees. Just a hatchet would do. It would take having wood on hand to construct a wooden horse or a worktable as needed, just so that I’m not grinding good stone against the temple floor and wearing it down.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll see what I can do. Will you mind holding down the fort while we’re gone? Nola says there aren’t any threats nearby.”
“I will be fine. Besides, I could use some alone time. It’s that time of the month.”
“Ah. Say no more,” I said.
“Not like that, you dumb human,” she said. “I’m in heat. It happens every month, and after waking up with your morning-self pressed against me, it’s going to take me some time to cool off.”
“My morning… Oh no! I’m sorry.” I blushed again. I never realized how awkward and embarrassing women could make my life.
“It’s not something you can help,” she said. “Just like I can’t help the insatiable craving coursing through my body right now. You two should head out to the city before I pounce on one of you.”
Excuse me, Nola said. You can’t just leave a stranger here unsupervised.
You’re telling me this now?, I asked. What am I supposed to do?
She hasn’t pledged fealty to me, Nola said. She’ll have to do that first.
This was going to be awkward. “Hey Vix,” I said. “So, Nola was hoping you would pledge your, um, fealty to her. Before I leave.”
“I’m surprised she let me sleep here without doing that,” Vix said. “Sure thing.”
“Really?” I asked. “Just like that?”
“I’m here to fix the door,” she said. “It would be rude to think I could hang out here without a binding promise that I have no ill will. Besides, she’s been good to you, and to me so far. It’s fine.”
Vix turned toward the altar and got on her knees. “Holy Nola, worthy of devoti
on. I promise to stay without causing commotion.”
“That’s the pledge?” I asked.
“The words don’t matter,” Vix said, “so long as my meaning is true and the words rhyme. I don’t make the rules.”
She’s right, Nola said. I accept her pledge. It is binding.
“She accepts your pledge,” I said.
Cindra knelt next, which surprised me. “Goddess Nola, queen of mind. I wish you only thoughts most kind.”
I accept hers too! This is fun.
“Nice job,” I said.
Next, Vix faced me and knelt again. “Arden Hochbright, Nola’s pastor. On these grounds you are my master.” I was shocked, and then Cindra repeated the same words.
“What was that?” I asked.
“Don’t let it go to your head,” Vix said. “It’s the customary follow up to the first pledge. It’s just a formality.”
“It’s still binding,” I said.
“Yes,” she agreed, “it’s still binding. Now get out of here before I jump your bones and Cindra’s… firm gelatinous curves?”
“That’s accurate,” Cindra said.
“Okay,” I said. “We’re leaving. Good luck with the door, and I’ll see what we can do about some new gear.”
+9
I paid little attention to the trees as we set out for Valleyvale. My gaze was transfixed on the five shining gems we had found in the temple. They were cut at strange angles, like diamond. They could have been diamonds for all I knew, or any other rare and expensive jewel that rich people would set in earrings and pendants. We were going to be rich.
“Will you allow me to carry the gems?” Cindra asked as we walked. “I’ll stash them someplace safe.”
“Sure,” I said. I slid the precious stones back into their pouch and handed it to her. She placed it in the space between her breasts. I watched as the pouch sank into her skin and all but disappeared, still slightly visible through her translucent body. As the bag gently slid downward out of view, I had the feeling it was sinking into a dense, warm jello.
“They’re cold,” she said. “But they’ll warm up as we walk.”
“What else can you fit in there?” I asked.
“What else do you have?” she asked. She arched an eyebrow, letting me know that she was, indeed, being suggestive. I wasn’t sure what to do with that innuendo though. She had just pledged fealty to me, and I didn’t want to take advantage.
