I’m not sure how long I sat there staring blankly ahead, but after a while, I finally regained some measure of myself. The ever-increasing list of my fuckups seemed to have no end, and with each addition, the scope of my ineptitude grew by leaps and bounds. At the rate things were going, I’d most likely alienate every single person in the entire world. Either that, or I’d probably get myself killed before too long. A sense of dread came over me as I turned my attention to the one last piece of equipment I had to look over, and I steeled myself as I brought up the description of my armor.
Ashíel’s Ward – Crafted from the armor Dreya Sintári herself once wore, this set of leather was enchanted by the Goddess for her daughter, Ashíel. In addition to providing a 20% increase to all Armor and defensive Skills, the armor also resists piercing and slashing attacks while offering minor resistance to blunt impacts.
I couldn’t believe I’d been walking around in the same set of leathers Dreya had once worn. I’d always thought the strange looks that had sometimes been cast my way had more to do with how closely the armor fit me, but I realized that had never been the case. Others more perceptive than me had recognized its significance; the knowing glances had been an indication of the armor’s importance, not mine. I suddenly felt completely unworthy of everything that I’d received—not only for the value of it all but also the obvious intention behind each and every item I’d been given.
Her purpose in holding back was suddenly all too clear. The wait I’d been forced to endure before Dreya would bestow her true gifts upon me had never been about taunting or even testing me. It had nothing to do with what she wanted; I was the one who needed to be ready to receive them from her. Only after I’d discovered who I truly was and finally recognized our profound connection was I able to appreciate that. Unfortunately, that understanding had come a bit too late.
All I could do was close the window and stare straight ahead at the rocky outline of the wall in front of me, not daring to look at either of my companions for fear of losing my composure completely. The bare thread it was dangling from threatened to break at even the slightest breeze, and I clung to it with all my might. Scar’s wet nose rubbing along my arm roused me from my near-catatonic state, and when he nestled his head against my chest, I grabbed hold of him tightly.
‘Are you alright?’
“N-n-no,” my voice trembled almost uncontrollably.
“What’s wrong, Ash?” The note of genuine concern in Kyrah’s words was unmistakable.
“I’m an idiot.” Finally speaking the truth lent me the strength I needed to go on. “Everything I told you about Dreya was a lie. She loves me; she always has. I’ve just been too blinded by my own anger to see it.”
“Oh, Ash, I’m sure that she’ll forgive you.” Kyrah reached out, laying her hand across my shoulder as she tried to comfort me. But even though her words were quite sincere, they rang hollow in my ears.
“That’s just it. She can’t.” I hung my head in shame as I laid bare my deepest sin. “There’s no way for me to return home, and she can’t find me here—I made sure of that.”
Actually, it had been Noxyl who’d ensured that I was beyond Dreya’s reach, but I’d willingly accepted her… bargain. The Trickster Goddess had certainly taken advantage of me, but I refused to deny the role that I’d played as well. Noxyl might have used my misdirected anger to fulfill her vengeance against Dreya, but that was a weapon of my own creation.
“We have to start moving again in the morning,” a resigned, almost defeated sigh escaped me as I shifted the course of our conversation dramatically. “Until then, I’m going to need some time to think.”
I knew that I still had a great deal to consider, but we couldn’t afford to delay our journey any longer. Besides, despite how badly I’d fucked up, now that I was trapped in Runía, there was nothing I could possibly do to make amends. Getting Kyrah to the promised safety of the Free Lands had to be my top priority; it was certainly more important than wallowing in the mire of my past mistakes.
‘You will always have us,’ Scar’s words echoed inside my head.
That little… bastard always seemed to know exactly what to say to me, and his words almost caused me to lose hold of the tiny shred of composure I’d regained. With him already in my arms, it didn’t take much for me to simply pull Scar down to lay alongside me, and I began running my hands through his smokey gray fur as I tried to focus on the road ahead. Although that path was far from certain, the one thing I did know was that I was done lying to myself—I simply couldn’t afford to indulge in that sort of self-deception any longer.
14
Despite the disturbing thoughts that plagued my mind, I somehow fell asleep. The comfort of Scar’s reassuring presence beside me obviously had something to do with that, and when I woke the next morning, I couldn’t help but smile as I felt the warmth of his body lying next to me. While I knew that others might describe his coat as ‘coarse,’ as I began stroking Scar’s fur, all I felt was a profound sense of contentment. My hands wandered over the rough outlines of the old wounds across his shoulders, and I was startled by how much larger they seemed to be. Opening my eyes, I realized that wasn’t the only thing about him that had changed during the night.
Scar had somehow more than doubled in size while I’d been asleep. The small wolf pup that had laid down beside me now looked to weigh about forty pounds. Beyond the sudden increase in his size, I was shocked to see traces of dried blood around Scar’s snout and a pair of sharp canines protruding from his mouth.
‘You have grown, and so have I,’ Scar’s eyes opened a fraction as I gawked at him.
I knew the tales of Bane’s metamorphosis from Rhastoren to Dragon, but the changes in him had been a gradual affair. In contrast, Scar’s rapid transformation had literally taken place overnight, and nothing in those old stories offered any hint about how that was even possible.
“Are you injured?” Taking in the dark stains on his face, I searched for any indications that he’d been wounded.
‘I am well… Mistress,’ there was an increased sense of reverence in his words that made me extremely uncomfortable. ‘I only needed to make a kill of my own for the changes to take hold.’
I couldn’t help letting out a sigh of relief, not only because he hadn’t been hurt, but also because something about the situation finally made sense to me. Some of the transitions Bane had undergone had also required him to hunt on his own, and it seemed likely that the stark difference in the rate of his growth had something to do with the fact that Scar was a wolf and not a Dragon. Pulling a cloth from my pack, I soaked it in water and began gently washing away the lingering evidence of his midnight hunt.
Having passed out quite early the evening before, I’d awakened well before dawn. Although I was eager to get started, considering everything I’d put Kyrah through, I allowed her to continue sleeping while I ate and then packed up our gear. Scar wasn’t quite as patient, however, and Kyrah let out a startled yelp when he began licking at her face. More than just the rude awakening, she wasn’t quite prepared for the much larger version of Scar that was staring back at her when she opened her eyes.
“It’s alright, Kyrah.” I offered my reassurance as she lay frozen in place. “Scar’s just grown a little, that’s all.”
“Is that really him?” Her disbelief was more than understandable.
“Yes, it is,” an amused sigh escaped me as I nodded in confirmation. I was glad that I’d taken the time to clean his face; his size alone was distressing enough for her to come to terms with—I didn’t want to consider how she might have reacted to the sight of his bloodstained muzzle.
While Kyrah stowed away our few remaining bits of gear, I took advantage of her distraction to carefully look her over. She appeared quite well, to my relief, with no indication of the dark circles under her eyes that had always heralded the return of her… appetite. After everything that had happened and all I’d disclosed, I knew she might be hesitant to feed
from me, but I was determined not to allow her to suffer in silence again. At the first sign that her hunger had returned, she’d have whatever she needed from me, even if I had to force it down her throat.
Once we emerged from the shelter of the cavern, we resumed our journey north. We’d gone almost an entire mile before I remembered that I now had more than just my eyes and ears to protect us from ambush. With so many new talents at my disposal, it was no wonder I’d forgotten, and I hastily cast Reflection on both Kyrah and Scar before placing the Spell upon myself as well.
“What was that?” Kyrah came to an abrupt halt, and her inquiry echoed Scar’s curious expression.
“One of the things I gained access to yesterday is a Spell that offers protection from ranged attacks.” I clarified the reason for our unexpected stop. “I just cast it on the three of us.”
“You what?” Kyrah’s mouth hung open as she stared at me.
I wasn’t sure why she seemed so shocked. “It’s only for your safety, Kyrah. I promise it won’t cause you any harm.”
“It’s not that,” she sighed, shaking off my attempt to explain.
“Before yesterday, I never dreamed of meeting anyone like you,” Kyrah elaborated. “People who could cast spells and wield magic weapons were only legends to me. Now I find myself not only traveling with one of those people, but she’s already blessed me with her magic twice.”
“It’s… almost too much for me to comprehend,” she finished, wrapping her arms around herself as she avoided my gaze.
Yeah, tell me about it.
Having had my own fair share of unexpected surprises over the last few days, I certainly understood where she was coming from. My own mind was filled with a jumble of conflicted thoughts; I could only imagine how confused she must have been. Yet despite everything I’d learned about myself and all the doubts I had, there was one thing I was absolutely certain of: I was no hero. After all the mistakes I’d made and the terrible things I’d done to her, I didn’t even deserve Kyrah’s friendship, let alone the honor of her admiration.
“I’ve gained some Abilities, Kyrah, that’s all.” I couldn’t let her continue to perceive me as something I clearly wasn’t. “I’m still the same person I was before.”
“You’ve always been exactly who I thought you were.” The corners of Kyrah’s mouth curled up in a faint smile.
So much for that…
I didn’t bother responding to her, figuring that convincing Kyrah just how wrong she was about me would have to wait. I simply turned away and started walking again.
Things gradually returned to normal over the next several days, or at least as normal as wandering through an unknown forest while being pursued by ruthless, bloodsucking overlords could be. Although I led the way most of the time, Scar often ranged out ahead of me, and his keen senses helped us avoid more than one encounter with the orcs that seemed to inhabit the region we were passing through. I was certainly grateful for his help. After my last ill-advised attack against the green-skinned creatures, I wasn’t quite so eager for a rematch.
Once we’d made our camp each evening, I continued Kyrah’s training. She took to the blades well, picking up on my lessons quickly as she gained confidence with both her weapons. Scar was also becoming more dangerous with every passing day; his sudden growth spurt had apparently only been the beginning of his transformation. He set off into the darkness to hunt alone every night, only returning once he’d made a kill. Although it was nothing like his initial doubling in size, each time Scar came back even larger than when he’d left, and I could only wonder just how massive he might eventually become.
As we continued north, we practically stumbled upon the orcs’ stronghold in the forest. Tucked away in a hidden valley, the large, fortified settlement boasted a population of several hundred—far too many for my comfort. We’d been lucky enough to avoid detection, so I made a hasty retreat, making sure we’d left the orcs far behind before I even dared to consider stopping for the night. Unfortunately, the orcs’ village was directly in our path, forcing us to make a long detour around them before we’d be able to turn northwards again.
Still, it was better than having to fight our way through the horde. Even with the weapons I had and the new powers that were at my disposal, I didn’t dare challenge the might of an entire orc settlement. My sense of discretion might have been a little late in arriving, but I’d finally learned that I wasn’t quite as invincible as I’d once thought.
Our camp was a quiet one that evening, and we skipped our usual sparring session in favor of keeping a more diligent watch. I even managed to persuade Scar to forego his nightly hunting foray and remain by my side instead. It wasn’t that I was fearful of his safety anymore; he’d grown large enough to fend for himself in the wilds—I just wanted him to stay with me that night.
I’d been toying with some of my new talents over the previous few days and discovered that I was able to maintain Detect Life almost indefinitely. The barrier that prevented me from using the Spell while I was awake had vanished, and I’d been keeping it in place almost constantly. I also took advantage of Create Trap to place numerous snares around our camps at night. Between the security those two Spells provided and the protection of Reflection, the three of us were far safer than we’d ever been before.
Unfortunately, the blatant use of my new powers only enhanced Kyrah’s already overly generous perception of me. I’d been hoping for some opportunity to persuade her that I wasn’t the… being she thought I was, but she looked on in amazement every time I cast a Spell or experimented with one of my Abilities. My actions spoke far too loudly to her—nothing I said could change her mind.
The next morning, we began tracing the long, circuitous route around the orc settlement. Although it would add at least a full day or two to our journey, safety was far more important. Besides, it wasn’t as if we had a schedule to keep.
As we pushed forward, the sound of rushing water echoed through the trees long before the river came into view. Investigating the swift current as it flowed past, it was readily apparent that we had no chance of crossing there. With the orcs’ settlement to our west, we had no choice but to follow the river’s course eastwards in hopes of finding some safe place where we could make it to the other side. My usual ‘luck’ came into play when we spotted a narrow bridge spanning the surging waters below only a short distance away. Just as always, my good fortune came with a rather large caveat, this time in the form of four burly orcs guarding the crossing.
Perhaps I could have been more patient and continued further downstream in search of another place to ford the river, but I nocked an arrow instead. Although there were four of the brutes to contend with, I was far enough away to get off at least a few shots before they could reach me. Combined with my new Skills and having both Kyrah and Scar to back me up, I was certain that this battle would go much more smoothly than my last. I expected Kyrah to offer some objection, but all I heard was the soft scrape of metal as she drew her blades.
‘This will be a good fight,’ Scar’s words were filled with anticipation.
I certainly hoped so, or at least I hoped it was going to be a good fight for us. Taking aim at the fiercest looking orc in the bunch, I drew a bead on the center of his chest and let my arrow fly.
The shaft struck him cleanly, and the force of the impact flung the orc’s lifeless corpse backwards several feet. I found myself momentarily distracted by the display of power; despite having the Bow of Impact for many years, my arrows had never demonstrated such an incredible effect before. I wasn’t sure whether it was the discovery of the Bow’s true nature, my own personal revelations, or some combination of the two that had finally unleashed its potential, but my musings were cut short as the three remaining orcs surged towards us.
Quickly drawing a second arrow, I aimed at the closest of my foes and sent the shaft flying at her. I caught the briefest glimpse of the snarl on the orc warrior’s face morphing into a grimace of pain befor
e she too was thrown to the ground by the sheer force the Bow imparted to my shot.
With their numbers halved, the remaining pair of orcs hesitated at the sight of the bodies lying between them, and I took advantage of their moment of indecision to fire a third arrow, this time remembering to imbue it with one of my new-found talents. Despite the addition of Ignore Armor, the impact of that shaft wasn’t quite as dramatic as the first two—it simply sailed right through the orc’s skull after catching him squarely in the eye. The death of his last companion seemed to help the lone orc make up his mind, and he turned tail and ran in an effort to escape me. The creature’s headlong rush towards the safety of the forest was brought to an abrupt halt, however, when a gray flash intercepted his flight.
Scar bore the orc to the ground beneath him, and despite the green-skinned monster’s larger size, the orc was powerless to resist—just a single quick slash of Scar’s razor-sharp teeth tore a bloody hunk of flesh from the monster’s throat. Crimson bubbles formed around the gaping hole in the orc’s neck as he struggled to take his last breath, but the wound was clearly a mortal one, and he died within a matter of seconds.
With the fight over and no more orcs in sight, we left the dense underbrush and began walking towards Scar. In addition to checking the bodies for any loot, I also wanted to ensure Scar hadn’t been injured. But as we drew closer, Kyrah and I both froze in place when he turned his gaze on us.
Second Skin: Wayward: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 7) Page 13
