by Han Yang
“Okay, so we need Z, which we have to kill animals or strivians to gain. But we have a healer, a water mage, and a miscee,” I said with a groan.
“Yup, Caitlyn said we’re starting on hard mode.”
She wasn’t kidding.
CHAPTER 11
Foothills of the Targee Mountains
“Uh… Bell,” I said, hesitating to tell her the bad news.
While I waited for her to arrive at the back of the wagon, I thought over what had led to this point.
Four days after our long talk, we rode hard for the mountains. After the rain, I bought bows at an outpost with our dwindling funds. Occasionally, we tried to hunt a few times. Not only did we not find any prey, I realized why my aim score was a one.
I struggled to even hit a tree from twenty yards. I quickly learned that no one ventured north for battle because the strivian hordes never spawned up in the mountains.
Even after the mist evaporated, these lands stayed quiet with a sparse population.
I had to imagine this trip would be like Northern Canada. You could walk days without seeing anything the further you got from civilization.
Each day we encountered fewer farms, and this morning we left the last outpost on the map. We had paused at a creek to find a ford and I went to give Benny his water.
I swore he had turned a corner, kept asking for a Smela gal. Had no idea who she was, but I was happy to see him recovering, and now this.
We had been driving for hours, so I figured he was sleeping again. I glanced down, seeing his chest wasn’t rising and falling. A colorful orb hovered over his body.
“Alright, I guess I can revive him,” I said.
Bell arrived at my side with bow in hand. She had to pee and was at least a lady about it by finding a private spot. I grabbed Benny, pulling him out of the wagon.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
I snickered and said, “I kinda explode when this happens. I’m not a master mage.”
“Oh, right. I’ll wait to boil some water then,” she said, heading to the shore to collect some sticks.
“If you can get any fish -” I started to say.
“I’ll try,” she replied before I could finish. “We’re not too far from Tafo Outpost, so this area is likely heavily fished.”
“Is this the river you’re wanting to use?” I asked.
“Uh, no. This one goes south, according to the map. Three more days west there’s a river we’ll use,” she said.
I laid Benny down, not really understanding what plagued him. Drugs were never a vice of mine. I had tried weed, and it was okay. I never went beyond that.
Sugar had ruined this miscee’s life, and I felt terrible about it. Really was sad to see him frozen in death. He must have passed only a few hours ago because his body was still warm.
The unique things I had to learn on Nordan amused me.
Feeling ready to revive him, I hoped to get level 3 as a healer from this.
My hands splayed out, coaxing his orb to come to me. The slightest of tugs released his Zorta spirit. The cultivation was beyond easy.
When I received the prompt, I frowned in confusion.
Claim or Consume Zorta?
“The hell? Where's the resurrect option?” I muttered. I glanced over to see Bell had dipped below my line of sight, going to the shoreline. I raised my voice. “Hey Bell, I can’t resurrect him.”
“Yeah, when he dies, he’s given an option to deny resurrections. He wants to stay dead,” she shouted back.
Interesting. People wanting to suicide could do so freely.
I didn’t say anything back and selected claim.
The body has no Ostriva points and is therefore ineligible to become a minion.
I grunted, not happy. Why give me the option then? The only thing I could deduce was the system wanted to tell me this existed. If I was a pure soul, the undead could not bring me back to life.
I guess that ruled out killing a bunch of priests to become my minions.
I selected to consume his Zorta.
Zorta: 1.33 - Consume (Yes) - (No) - (Drop)
He was worth about the same as a ratkin. I selected no, seeing his orb materialize in a golden light then drop down to his body.
I picked the Zorta up and stuffed it in my coin purse. Scanning the area, I saw nowhere to bury him. The sloping terrain consisted of large gray moss covered rocks atop plenty of gritty pebbles. Sporadic trees clung to life and thinned the higher up the mountain I looked.
“I guess we’ll build a big lunch fire and burn you after. Sorry for your troubles, Benny,” I said, leaving the corpse for later.
I shuddered, finding myself perturbed by how easily I had accepted his death. I never knew him, had barely said a few words to him, and then he was gone. Deep down, yeah, I was a smidge sad I couldn’t turn him into a minion.
“Eek!” Bell cried out, and I rushed to the riverside, flinging gravel as I sprinted.
I arrived at the crest point to see an alien looking catfish with three barbs waddling on the shore. Instead of rushing to get back in the water, tiny feet allowed the amphibian to slowly chase after Bell. I grabbed the hilt of my sword and tugged to free it of my sheath.
The blade didn’t come free like in the movies or books. The damn thing stuck in the sheath, and the harder I pulled, the more stubborn the sword became.
I paused, inhaled a deep breath, and calmly extracted the weapon.
“Stab it!” Bell shouted, running by me.
A second creature slithered from the shoreline, eager to see if it was feasting time.
The first amphibian chomped at Bell’s heels in a truly frightening lunge. I cringed at the sight of black jagged teeth filling the mouth of the beast snapping inches from her calf. That was their power, the jump.
This wasn’t a simple catfish. Oh, no. It was a freshwater shark with feet.
My hesitation pulled the creature away from chasing Bell and caused it to rush for me.
With a hasty overhead chop, I swung with all my strength. Thankfully, the dumb creature waddled right into the path of the blade and my sword caved the soft skull with a smush sound.
Black skin parted, and the semi sharp blade sent bits of gore flying.
“There’s another,” Bell said, leaving me alone on the shoreline.
“Where are you going?” I asked, squaring up to the second beast.
This one hesitated, as if -
Two more dripped water down their dark slimy sides as they breached the water. I started to get concerned when a massive landshark joined the trio.
An arrow zipped over my shoulder, missing the four targets out in the open.
“Dammit, I hate this weapon. Stall them,” she said, channeling a spell for the orb.
I rotated, placing myself between the four beasts and Bell.
“What are they?”
“Lacrva,” Bell said. “They’re natural predators that have to migrate river ways because they’re so aggressive. Pa lost a fishing buddy to a pack who snuck up on him from the land side. He always warned me of them. Never seen -”
She paused as five more joined the first four. The orb over the dead one vanished, and Bell cried out, “To the horses.”
“But Benny,” I shouted, turning to run.
“Benny’s dead. It’s not going to matter what happens to him,” she shouted, jumping onto the wagon.
I glanced over my shoulder, seeing the nine landsharks cresting the slope that led down to the river.
I reached the wagon and said, “The horses are faster. We should shoot and string them out.”
“Uh, yeah, I’m overreacting with fright. I’m not used to combat like you are,” she said.
I went to argue that I was a noob too but grabbed my bow instead. I set the sword down and attempted to nock an arrow.
With an uneven tug, I jerked the bow back, struggling to even draw the damn thing. The nine targets hesitated, and I released.
Twang!
>
My arrow raced forward, fell short, skipped off a rock, and buried into the neck of a smaller landshark.
It squealed in pain, enraging the pack.
Twang!
Bell fired, driving an arrow into the spine of the wounded landshark.
“I hit it!” she exclaimed with pride.
The squeals ended and the grunts rang loud.
The mares didn’t panic, but they turned to get distance. I walked through the wagon bed to the back, setting my arrows down.
Bell managed to get the mares to stop when the pack hesitated to chase us further.
While the alpha questioned his surroundings, I launched three arrows in a row, none getting lucky but all coming close. The alpha struck his head into the air, smelling Benny’s body.
I tossed down the bow in frustration, grabbing my sword from the front. The pack shifted for Benny as Bell secured the horses to a nearby tree.
I ran for Benny’s body. The landsharks ignored me, not caring, probably because I represented a minimal threat and Benny was free food.
The alpha clamped onto the dead miscee’s leg, and a moment later, the pack helped drag his body for the water across the rocky terrain.
“What’s the plan?” Bell asked.
I regretted putting myself in charge.
“Get close, wound one, and I’ll kill it,” I said.
She didn’t argue, rushing toward a lagging medium sized landshark. Her smaller bow drew smoothly, and she released from on a few paces away.
Thwack.
The arrow drove into the midsection, causing the beast to crash. When the landshark rolled down the hill slightly, I knew it was dead.
She pulled out another arrow as I closed in on Bell’s side, ready to defend her.
When her arrow reached her ear, the landsharks spun with loud hissing.
Twang!
The arrow zipped forward.
Thunk!
The arrow embedded into the alpha. It unleashed a furious roar.
I expected a charge or an intense fight. Instead, it dragged Benny quicker, and two of the minions peeled off the pack to attack us.
I braced myself with knees bent and awaited the faster of the two. Bell fumbled and dropped an arrow. When she failed to snatch the shaft off the ground twice, I shouted, “Back up and leave it.”
The further of the two turned and retreated, leaving the sacrificial minion and me to have a one on one.
I used my same overhead chop, but it dodged with an odd roll. The slimy body corrected itself with loose dirt covering the beast’s skin.
I swiped sideways at the right level.
The damn creature hopped back with surprising dexterity, and my blade slid through air. By this point, Benny and the pack had started to descend into the water.
I’d never save his body, and it riled me into a fury.
I thrust the tip of my blade at the mouth of the final landshark. Black teeth snapped down on the blade, and a loud crack erupted from the bite.
With a hard push, I drove the blade deep into the beast until it tried to retreat.
A hacking cough from the creature resulted in jets of black blood spraying the gray gravely terrain.
As it stumbled in death, I yanked the blade free.
My run to try to free Benny of a gruesome finality failed. I watched his hand sink below the surface with a bubbling disturbance.
Bell jogged to catch up to me and said, “They’re gone. Phew, good job. We each killed two.”
Her positivity felt flat, and I groaned in disappointment.
I stood there for a few minutes, hoping they would return his body. Bell shifted to yank the first dead fish away from the shore.
“It's only a few hours back to Tafo Outpost. These bodies are great for farmin’ and store well if a curing mage gets to them in time. If not, best to just collect the Z and move on minus what we eat for lunch,” she said.
“I - I - I wanted to bury or burn him,” I grumbled.
“Understood, but we both need you focused. He’s dead. His body is food for the next generation of the pack, and we get to eat. A dozen gold to lose a half day or press on. We certainly could use more rope, get you a new sword, and additional preserved food,” she said.
I didn’t like the idea of backtracking, but honestly, her idea kind of made sense.
“I take it we won’t be able to buy Z?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Normally, outposts are rich in supplies and Z while low on crafted goods. It certainly wouldn’t hurt to ask, but we need coins, not Z, after getting these kills.”
I walked to one of the three bodies with orbs floating over them.
Before I hovered my hands, I asked, “How do we split loot of these landsharks? Don’t want you to get more upset with me.”
“Um… our success rests on you becoming powerful. When I intended to run, I absorbed the first lacrva or landshark, in a panic. The .429 Z is waiting for me to upgrade my core stats. For instance, I’m up to a three with aim.”
“Well, I didn’t have a chance to tell you, but I have Benny’s orb. A full Z plus,” I said.
“Poor Benny,” she said, finally showing remorse. “Ingest those three, please. I wouldn’t claim them if we’re going back to the outpost to sell the bodies.”
“Kinda surprised they’re three gold per,” I muttered.
She didn’t answer, heading back to the wagon. While she drew the loading bed closer, I harvested the first orb.
Claim or Consume Zorta
Zorta: .47 - Consume (Yes) - (No) - (Drop)
I ingested the first one, not wanting a dead fish minion, especially since we were going back to humanity. A moment later, I stood over the next body. “Do me a favor and take the other for one. Stick the orb in your purse, just in case,” I said. “If I get robbed or whatever, it’s best to have split finances.”
The mares trotted over, and I eyed them sadly.
“It’s going to take a while to build a barge big enough to use the wagon down river,” I said.
“Few things. We need the wagon. It's our home for now. I have some actual experience with making a wagon float. Pa used to like to fish down the river, taking us a few days away.
“Yeah, build a barge, which yeah, is tedious but not impossible. I can use water magic to loosen the soil, and the mares can yank the trees out. If we hire an earth mage or fire mage, even better,” Bell said.
I grunted, not sure what to say.
“Once the barge is on the water, I can increase the buoyancy and then we drift down the current. Getting back means we have to normally ditch the barge and ride home. In our case, we simply just leave it and keep going,” she said.
“I mean… does it really save us that much time and what about waterfalls?” I asked.
She shrugged and said, “A day or two building, and we get a guaranteed progress. But you’re right, I have no idea how the river bends, narrows, or falls. The maps beyond a few leagues are all of old Nordan. The terrain is all new.”
“We have time to think about it,” I said, returning to my task.
Using the cultivation spell, I summoned the orb into myself.
Claim or Consume Zorta - Yes
Zorta: 1.33 - Consume (Yes) - (No) - (Drop) - Yes
You have increased Burst, Reflex, Strength, Aim, Melee Combat, and Dexterity. Are you ready to invest in upgrading these stats? (YES) - (NO) - Yes
“Alright Bell, Tafo Outpost it is. I don’t care if the clerk says I shouldn’t shoot a female bow. I want something I can draw and aim easily,” I said.
“Really?” she blurted.
“Yeah, I don’t care if it takes away chest hair. I need to hit what I’m aiming at,” I grumbled and cursed when I lifted a dead land shark for the wagon bed.
“Not that, kinda surprised you’re willing to listen to me. I… We need help, Damien,” she said despondently.
“You never say my name,” I said.
“Yes, well, I’m still not a fan of yo
urs. However, we’re both adults. We can act like it,” she said.
“Glad to see you turning a corner. Your mother seduced me, and I never thought I’d see you again. If I could go back in time, well, I’d like to think I maybe, just maybe, would have waited,” I said honestly.
She nodded. “Thanks for being direct. This doesn’t make us any closer, but more civil. Thank you for saying you still might sleep with her, Damien.”
“No problem, Priestess Bell,” I said, fetching the last body. “Now, there were a lot of adventurers looking to party up, who will be dumb enough to join us you think?”
“Ha, who knows? Hop on up,” Bell said, patting the seat beside her.
I finished loading the wagon and secured the hitch. I did a last sweep for loose arrows and then almost got to the bench.
“Stand right there,” Bell said, swirling blue magic. I groaned, knowing what was coming. “Don’t be a baby.”
Water shot out of her hands, cleansing me of fish slime. A second later, and she too dripped with water after drenching herself.
I hopped up onto the bench and said one final, silent goodbye to Benny.
CHAPTER 12
Tafo Outpost
The trip back grew tiresome, but thankfully the warm breeze of the sunny day dried us off fairly quickly.
I felt Bell and I had turned a corner in our odd partnership.
No two ways about it, I need help because Nordan is so alien.
A bright sky revealed circling birds over an outbuilding a mile or so from Tafo Outpost. The outpost itself reminded me of Yew Wood in size but with a different composition.
The walls were stone with empty parapets and guard towers. The interior consisted of mostly wooded structures and a portcullis was raised as the sparse population worked outside the walls.
Cleared trees around the outpost held farms, not unlike the cities, except here you saw more barns for livestock. The smells were stronger, but water mages did a decent job of turning the river’s blue water to brown further downstream.
