Eloria's Beginning: A LitRPG/GameLit Epic (Enter The louVRe Book 1)

by Tom Hansen

  Chapter 21

  Are you the one that brought her in?

  I am. How is she doing?

  Well, we cannot identify her. You didn’t find any ID?

  No, like I said, there was nothing else. I just grabbed her and brought her here.

  Can you tell me what happened?

  I just found her in the street. She had a needle in her arm, her clothes were shredded, a couple assholes were just zipping up their pants before I chased them off. I couldn’t leave her there. I just need to know if she’s going to be okay.

  You should come with me. Someone wants to talk to you.

  All will look to you for guidance once the shadow falls over the world. When the hosts of death are discovered, it may be too late, but you will have to see past their suffering to the hope beyond. You will have to endure, when others have given up. It will be difficult, but nothing truly heroic was ever achieved the easy way.

  Scarhoof woke the next morning to a shooting pain through his right leg. He wanted to scream, but years had taught him to manage the outbursts. They did nothing but inflict his suffering on others. It was one thing to be disabled, but another thing to drag down everyone else around you because of it.

  He wasn’t that type. He would suffer, he would endure.

  Endure.

  The word sparked a memory inside of him. Deep recesses of his mind groaned and ached as he tried to recall details. They had been so fresh but so distant, and so painful.

  The dreams.

  They had been so vivid. Spiritmother talking to him, and that face, that face was so familiar to him.

  He looked around his little room. Mikasisse had kicked one of her children out of their room to sleep with the others so that he could have a bed to himself. He appreciated the gesture and after bunking with two sweaty bulls for most of this life, this was a luxury he wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

  He stretched, paying careful attention to his leg. If he didn’t stretch it daily, it would be killing him by the end of the day. A little bit of maintenance went a long way with an injury like his.

  He then knelt on the floor, drawing his legs together and placing his hands palm-up on his knees. He closed his eyes and began to breathe slowly, in and out. He concentrated on his breath, before pulling his mind back to the question, the one question at the forefront of his mind.

  She had said he was one of the chosen. He didn’t care about that. Fame was never anything he had sought. Maybe when he was younger, but he hoped he had grown out of that by now.

  Duty though, was a different thing. He cared deeply about those around him, and if it were possible for him to help end suffering, and improve the situation of his clan, his race, he knew he needed to do it. Things would be different now, he knew that, but he wouldn’t be alone.

  Besides, he wanted answers. Why did he have these strange dreams?

  What are the shards? Will they continue to be a problem for his race? Can their magic be harnessed?

  He took one last breath before opening his eyes to a world of new possibilities, new adventures, and more responsibility.

  Quest Update! The Fight for the Eternal Plains:

  After a good night’s sleep and some deep meditation, you have decided your path. Inform the Chieftain. (Gained 250 XP!)

  Level Up! You are now Level Six!

  +100 Health. +100 Stamina. +100 Mana. +1 Talent Point (Note: Talents will not be unlocked until Level 10). XP Needed for next level: 700.

  Pace Yantra (Utility Skill):

  Cost: 50. Maintain: 1/sec. Range: 5m. Increases all movement speed by 10%

  Mitigation Yantra (Utility Skill):

  Cost: 50. Maintain: 1/sec. Range: 5m. Reduces all incoming Physical Damage by 10%

  “Good morning.” Mikasisse danced between a pot, a pan, and a cauldron while she made breakfast for the family. In the corner, her oldest rolled out dough while the youngest did her best job at thwarting the efforts of the oldest’s progression by grabbing the rolling pin whenever it came close to the edge, roaring like a lion each time she swiped.

  “I hope you are hungry, because I have a big meal cooked up. It’ll be out in just a few minutes. Gaagii’s already in the dining room, I think he wants to talk to you.”

  Scarhoof nodded deferentially. “Thank you, ma’am. And thank you for the fine meal.”

  She smiled. “We’ll see if it’s fine or not once you’ve eaten it.”

  Scarhoof wanted to say that her cooking was amazing, but he just smiled in retort and headed into the dining room.

  “Sir.”

  Gaagii was reading a book, and wearing glasses while doing it, something Scarhoof had never seen on him before. He wasn’t sure if it made his Chieftain look more knowledgeable or just older.

  “Scarhoof.” Gaagii folded the book, laying it gingerly on the table before him. “I trust you slept well? I hope the bed wasn’t too small for you.” He took off his glasses, folding them carefully as well, and placing them on top of the book, angling the glasses to point at two of the corners. He folded his arms and studied Scarhoof’s face, wrinkling his brow slightly.

  Scarhoof glanced at a seat.

  “Oh, please, sit. You are a guest. Sit.”

  Scarhoof took the seat. “The bed was quite fine, I want to thank you for all that you have done for me.”

  Gaagii frowned. “This is your roundabout way of telling me that you’re going back?”

  “Oh, no Sir. The opposite in fact.”

  Gaagii narrowed his eyes, leaning across the table. His braided beard bumping into the closed book on the table. “Now why would you go about starting off a conversation like that if you didn’t plan on giving me bad news?”

  Scarhoof suddenly felt uncomfortable. “I’m sorry, Chieftain, it’s just that I don’t … I haven’t gotten out much. Most of the last twenty years was living and sleeping at the guard gate at Sunset Cove. Other than the occasional refugee and the two guards, I never had much to talk about.”

  Gaagii narrowed his eyes again and began studying Scarhoof’s face.

  Scarhoof felt suddenly self-conscious. “Do I have something on my face, Sir?”

  Eyes still narrowed, the other bull shook his head slowly. “No, I’m just looking at your eyes. They’re brighter today than they were yesterday.”

  Scarhoof turned, like he could see his own eyes, then realized how stupid a move that was. “What do you mean my eyes?”

  Gaagii leaned back, furrowing his eyebrows and folding his arms across his chest. “You don’t know?”

  “Know what?”

  “Your eyes.” He nodded his chin at Scarhoof. “They glow ever so lightly. Has no one ever told you about this?”

  “What do you mean my eyes glow?”

  Gaagii’s jaw flexed back and forth, like he was chewing something hard and rubbery. He then reached over to a small curio cabinet to his right and opened the drawer, extracting a small hand mirror. He weighed the object in his hand for a time.

  “Before I show you this, I want you to promise to stay calm.”

  “Of course, Sir.” Despite his words, the suspense was killing him. He wanted to rip the mirror from the bull’s hands and see for himself.

  Taking the mirror, he brought it up to his face.

  Gaagii Bloodhorn was not lying.

  His normally black eyes had lightened somewhat and were giving off a faint grayish-white glow. Like smoke trapped in a glass bottle, something just under the surface roiled and churned.

  His hand began to tremble, but suddenly a soft hand cupped his, gently pulling the mirror away from him and up to his chest.

  It was Mikasisse. She glanced briefly at her husband before placing a hand on Scarhoof’s shoulder. “We’re sorry we didn’t say anything about it last night. We thought that you either knew and didn’t want to talk about it, or you were unaware, and it would be best to bring it up once you had a good night’s sleep.”

  She squeezed his hand, prodding him to release the mirror, which
he did.

  She patted his shoulder. “Are you okay?”

  Scarhoof nodded, his mind spinning. He counted the creatures that he’d seen with the white eyes. Most of the Kobolds, except those afflicted by Eldermother’s poultice; the king for sure, plus the boar he’d killed earlier in the day, all had one thing in common.

  Then he thought about the Nagos, who’s eyes glowed blue, not white. He remembered staring into the sapphire depths with fear and terror as the roiling color worked its way through the serpent’s eyeballs.

  Is this how people are going to look at me now? Am I going to become feral like the Kobolds? The fear tugged at his chest.

  “Sir, I need to —”

  “Soldier!” Gaagii barked. No longer was he the husband or the nice bull who shared his home with a soldier. He was the commander of the Tau’raj army, and he knew how to snap a soldier into attention.

  “Sir!” Scarhoof replied. Partially out of habit, partially in anger. He wanted to get up, leave this place, hide. He needed to think.

  “Soldier, I can see your thoughts spinning out of control. Whatever is going on with your eyes will not make you a monster. I know you’ve killed those with eyes of this color, but you are not like them. You gain power from the shards, it doesn’t send you into the depth of depraved ferocity like it does on other, lesser creatures. You are special, and that is why I asked if you would stay. That is why the Eldermother asked you as well. She literally saw it in your eyes, even if you didn’t.”

  Inside him, a war raged. So much had happened in the last two days, an enormity to comprehend. Too many unanswered questions, and no real answers. But what good would it be to turn tail and go back to his old life? He thought about Nitene, her soft brown eyes.

  “Scarhoof, I know it’s hard, but good things come to those who struggle. Rise up, heed Spiritmother’s call. I will send additional soldiers to protect the Cove. Trust me, I don’t want to see the Cove fall. Our Eldermother is there, along with many of our children. We all want them to be protected.”

  Scarhoof grimaced as he looked at his Chieftain. “I’m okay. It’s just a bit overwhelming. I wish someone had told me earlier.”

  Gaagii nodded. “For that I am sorry. I should have said something, but I didn’t know if you knew about it. Besides, we all have infirmities and differences about us. It does us no good to dwell on those. What I care about is the character inside my soldiers. Your actions, the choices that led you to that hall, and the choice to focus on the wellbeing of those that can’t protect themselves above your personal comfort and possible imprisonment. That was what impressed me.

  “Those choices are what will sustain you on your path, and I know you can succeed.”

  The Chieftain stood, putting his knuckles on the table. “Now you ready to eat? I think you need to see your Shaman trainer before much else happens, but before you head out to meet him, I want you to meet our shard researcher.”

  Chapter 22

  Just to the north of the Lawhouse stood a small nondescript hut that looked like any of the other ramshackle homes that filled up most of the city. The only thing that set it apart was a nervous looking Tau’raj pacing out in front. He’d presumably paced in that same spot for so long that there was now a permanent divot in the ground about five meters running from one side of the hut to the other.

  As they approached, Scarhoof heard the Tau’raj mumbling to himself. His hide was a smooth light brown, similar to Nitene’s. He was short, maybe three meters minus a couple hands. One of his horns pointed up, a sign of intelligence, while the other was broken off near its root.

  Scarhoof’s heart sank at the sight of the bull’s broken horn. Sometimes a sign of brawn in soldiers, it wasn’t usually a source of pride if you didn’t have a war story to back it up. Based on this bull’s skinny frame, he’d most likely never seen a battle in his life.

  The Chieftain introduced them once they were inside the gate. “Haliin Earthwhisper, I would like you to meet Matuk Scarhoof.”

  Before Scarhoof knew what to expect, Haliin grabbed his forearm and put his other hand on his shoulder. Stunned at the intimate greeting normally only given to good friends and family members, Scarhoof tensed for a moment.

  “Greetings, Matuk. Nice to meet you.”

  Scarhoof pulled away, releasing the bull. “Scarhoof is fine, thank you. I hear you’re the shard researcher?”

  The mousy bull nodded like his head was made of rubber. “Oh yes, yes, I’ve been working on these things non-stop for a while now and I—”

  He stopped, his eyes went wide as he stared slack-jawed at Scarhoof’s face.

  Feeling suddenly self-conscious, Scarhoof pursed his lips and tried to look away, but the bull grabbed him by both sides of his face and moved in so close their noses nearly touched. It made Scarhoof feel incredibly uncomfortable, being this close to another bull in this manner, but he didn’t want to offend the researcher, either. He was here to help, and the bull would have to inspect his eyes at some point.

  Scarhoof pulled away, shoving the other bull back a step. “Yes, I have glowing white eyes. Can we not do this outside?”

  Haliin jumped, like he’d been jolted by a prod. “Oh yes, I’m … I’m sorry about that. It’s just that—”

  Bloodhorn stepped up to the two. “Haliin, please take Scarhoof inside and let him tell you his story, then he will head off to train with Hillbender. I want the two of you to work together to find out more about these shards. Scarhoof is quite remarkable, so take care of him.”

  Haliin nodded in that strange bouncy-ball way. Bloodhorn clapped both bulls on the shoulders and squeezed. “You’re my team. I need answers to these riddles. I’m putting a lot of trust in you. Anything you need, anything at all, I’ll make sure you have it.”

  Once inside, Haliin insisted Scarhoof tell his story first, which he did while the host made tea.

  Scarhoof struggled to stay on topic as he was constantly interrupted to get more details. It was clear the process would take a while, and it did, but eventually they got through it.

  Scarhoof sipped the piping tea for a long moment while he composed himself, grateful to finally be through his tale. “So now it’s your turn, Chieftain tells me this whole shard business started up about six months ago?”

  Haliin shook his head. “No, well … yes, but no.”

  “Is it yes, or is it no?” Dear Spiritmother, give me patience.

  “Both.” The bull turned away from him and began pacing again, mumbling to himself.

  Spiritmother, give me calm.

  Rather than hit him with a different question, Scarhoof decided to wait. Maybe this was just the way this bull needed to process stuff. He understood. He used to be the life of the party, the center of attention, but twenty years with a lame leg can turn the most outgoing bull inward, shunning those around him that didn’t understand.

  He breathed in slowly, calming himself. He needed to be patient. This bull might understand better than most what it was like to live mostly in one’s head.

  “Oh, so yes, that it started six months ago, really started I mean, but the shards have been around for a lot longer than that. They just weren’t a problem until six months ago.”

  Scarhoof nodded. “Okay, that’s good information to know. Can you take me back to the beginning of the shards?”

  Haliin snorted, which seemed to be his way of laughing. “Oh, I mean they have been around forever as far as we can tell. They tend to grow in small clusters along ley lines across Eloria.”

  “Ley lines?” Scarhoof had heard the term used by others in the past but wasn’t totally sure what they were. He knew they had to do with magic.

  Haliin brightened at the question, his eyes wide with delight. “Oh yes, they are concentrations of magical energy that start from one particularly magical spot, and work across the globe to another magical spot. The line drawn between those two spots are called ley lines. The whole world is crisscrossed with them.”

  “So, the
se lay lines are all over the world, and prior to about six months ago, the crystals only grew along these ley lines?”

  “Yes. For hundreds of years these have been highly sought-after relics.

  “Wait, you mean to tell me these shards only form on ley lines??” He reached into his satchel as he spoke and pulled out one the drained, white objects, holding it between the two of them to punctuate his point.

  Haliin’s eyes went wide with alarm. He stopped pacing immediately and drew back like Scarhoof was holding a weapon.

  “How are you holding that?”

  “I just can. That’s why Bloodhorn wants us to work together. It’s not just my eyes. It’s also to find out why I can hold these without harm, that is the big question.” He put the shard back into his satchel and pulled out the smaller one contained in the Yantra. He put that on the desk. “That one is safe for you to touch, Nitene put a Protection Yantra on it.”

  “Nitene?”

  “Yeah, Nitene Softfeather, she’s back at Sunset Cove now.”

  Haliin’s eyes went hazy for a moment. His demeanor softened, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.

  “You know her?” Based on the dopey expression, Nitene must have made quite an impression. She does that.

  Haliin nodded, still lost in thought. “She and I worked together a long time ago.” He shook his head, clearing away whatever memory he had of her. “If she protected this one then I need to thank her. She was always good at that stuff.”

  “So, going back to these shards, if you’re saying these are formed in ley lines, how exactly does that happen?”

  “You have seen stalactites in caves?”

  Scarhoof nodded. He knew them far too personally.

  “Very similar to those. With stalactites, the water in the ground slowly filters through, dissolving the rock, and carrying minerals with it. Those minerals in the water drip down from a cave and little bits over time are deposited on the roof and floor from the mineral-rich water. This creates stalactites and stalagmites.”