Into the Darkness: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Axe Druid Book 4)

by Christopher Johns

  Maebe’s hand was suddenly on my stomach. “He was my first friend. I have gained others, but none whom I trust to hold his, or my interests above their own. Not until I met you and learned where you were coming from. That is why I gave you my permission. That is why I trust you. Both of you.”

  “You do know that you can trust the party, right?” I raised an eyebrow at her. She just looked at me stoically. “We can address that later, then. Carry on.”

  Vrawn chuckled at that, her smile widening. “Thank you, M—Mae, I trust you as well. I have seen how you treat the villagers and the children. How you treat him. I am jealous at times, but he has come out of his shell a little, as you said he might.”

  The level of talking the two of them had been doing was beginning to dawn on me. And I had to admit; I was more than a little disturbed that Maebe had known I might eventually allow Vrawn to be more forward? Or that I myself might— let’s just leave it there.

  “The fact of the matter is that neither of you is what the other initially thought, nor are your motives.” I offered. The women both looked at me, so I continued. “Vrawn was coming from a good place in trying to make sure you weren’t just going to throw me aside when, or if, you got bored. Or I wasn’t convenient for you and your power. And Maebe, you had to be sure that Vrawn wasn’t using me as a way to get to you, to harm your throne or your power. Am I right?”

  Then I added, “Or to hurt me.”

  Both of them nodded, and I did the same. “So what do we do now? With all this mutual trust?”

  “We forge on.” Vrawn stated. “Nothing has truly changed. I am here, as I will always be. I will support you both, and when Mae is not here, I am who will watch over you and ensure that you are taken care of on her behalf.”

  “No.” Mae shook her head and put a hand on the other woman’s shoulder. “You showed last night that you could be trusted to hold yourself in check when he was vulnerable. You are a part of this, now. You can do this for yourself, too.”

  “You were here,” I stated flatly, my eyes narrowing slightly.

  “I saw everything.” she bowed her head. “I knew I could trust you both, but instinct is a hard thing to fight when you have lived as long as I have. I hope you will forgive me?”

  I wasn’t mad. Not really. I was happy she trusted us, but that dream had been so real. So very real. And the fact that she had seen my reaction to it and not stepped in hurt a little. But realistically, what could she have done? Nothing.

  Stop being such a baby, Zeke. I ordered myself. Handle your shit.

  “There’s nothing to forgive,” Vrawn answered before I could, but I could almost feel the hurt in her tone. “I trust that you had good reasoning for not coming to either of our aid when his nightmare turned violent.”

  Maebe nodded once, and I felt like their gaze held a conversation on a level of understanding I would likely never know. Vrawn visibly relaxed and so did Maebe, then both women looked down at me, and I had to admit, the searching in their eyes left me with one question.

  “You guys just had a whole life-altering conversation without me understanding any of it, didn’t you?”

  Their smiles, both so vastly different, said the same thing. They had.

  “What’s it mean, for me then?” A heavy, exaggerated sigh escaping my mouth. “Being the second, or is this third time that you both seem to have decided something all on your own without me, assuming that I will just go along with whatever your whim is?”

  “That you belong to both of us now,” Maebe’s matter-of-fact tone surprised me.

  “If you’re alright with that?” Vrawn’s voice wavered, worry within her tone and suddenly in the line and hold of her body. A slight quiver.

  I could hardly help the gentle eye roll that was so hard to break. “If my queen and the lieutenant of the guard of Sunrise have spoken, I have to listen, right?” A wry smirk crossed my face. I would try this.

  “Excellent.” Maebe touched my chest to get my attention. “You need to eat and explain that nightmare to us. Preferably sooner rather than later. I have news for you as well. But the whole of my champions should be present.”

  “Your friends, Mae.” I growled in a tone of warning. “Those guys like you. Okay? It’s okay for you to call them your friends.”

  “But they have not invited me to be their friend.” She shook her head. “I would not force that on them.”

  My mouth opened. Shut. I blinked several times, trying to force my thoughts to the fore and out of my mouth, but nothing came.

  “I think you have broken him, Mae.” Vrawn laughed out loud at the sight of me.

  “I seem to have this effect on him at times.” She looked proud, and then disappeared into the shadows. She reappeared near the door. “Shall we go?”

  Finally, my brain fired off, and my mouth worked again, “We most certainly will not! You get your ass back in this bed, young lady!”

  Vrawn gasped audibly. A dark look passed over Maebe’s face before she stepped back into the shadows and then sat on the bed.

  “Yes?” Her voice was stoic, light, and held a note of indignation.

  “You’ve been here all night, and haven’t given me a single kiss.” I sat up and moved so that I sat on the bed facing both of them. “You just had this conversation about trust and love, and emotions that I didn’t entirely get, but the two of you seem to. And while I find the prospect of being with you both slightly alien, and daunting, I’m willing to give it a try, but gods dammit you better love me right now!”

  Maebe’s face had been covered slightly by the slowly retreating shadows in the room crept toward mine. Her intense eyes blazing and her face a blank mask.

  Her face stopped in front of mine, mere inches away, before she spoke, “How I have missed you.”

  She grasped my head in her hands and pulled me close enough to kiss me, leaving me breathless after a moment, then stopping. My vision swam a second longer, and a warm grin split my face.

  Mae wagged a finger and pointed behind me, Vrawn shyly came forward, and her bulky figure engulfed me, a kiss from behind.

  Well damn. This could be much nicer, after all.

  We went to breakfast a little while later than we had thought. Our minds clear, and our stomachs growling.

  Hey, hey—let’s be adults here, okay?

  We sat with the others; all of their faces plastered with varying looks of grumpiness.

  I had to ask, “You guys have a nightmare, too?”

  They nodded, James pointing out the obvious, “It was way too personal, and they know we’re here, now.”

  “But that does confirm one thing.” Yohsuke growled. “They’re scared. They want us to back off because they’re afraid.”

  Jaken smacked the table, his face a mask of anger. “We find who this is, and they die. Period.”

  I looked at him, gauging his reaction against my nightmare. “They messed with your daughter, didn’t they?”

  He just nodded. And that was enough. The others had loved ones, wives, fiancées, or friends that had come forward bleeding. Broken. Dead or dying to beg them to stop. Then, the voice had come with a warning. To quit and accept our deaths.

  “Fuck that.” Bokaj spat. “We’re going. As soon as we can.”

  “Balmur, it is good to see you again.” Maebe cut in lightly, throwing all of us off our tirades.

  The dwarf nodded to her. “Majesty. It’s good to see you once more, as well.” Balmur smiled and offered his hand to her. She took it and nodded back to him. “Thank you for taking such good care of our friends while I’ve been…interred.”

  I looked at her, smugly. “See what I mean?”

  “He does not speak for all of them,” she hissed.

  “You’ve been traveling with us for how long, and you still don’t see us as friends?” Bokaj raised an eyebrow. “Maebe, you wound us.”

  She blinked, the others watching her closely, before she spoke, “You all feel this way?”

  The othe
rs nodded slowly, as if she were a little daft, and Yohsuke flipped her off. “You’re family now, Maebe. You’ve treated my brother well, despite us trying to fuck with him. You’re our friend. Period.”

  “I’ve seen that gesture tossed around amongst all of you, is it meant to be a sign of encouragement?” Maebe didn’t turn her head, but I knew she was talking to me.

  “It normally depends on the meaning of what is behind the gesture.” My frown of disapproval made the other man drop his hand. “It ranges from very confrontational and insulting, to a friendly reminder that you’ve been stupid.”

  “I’m going to take this as the latter, and we will move on.” Maebe raised herself to her full royal bearing. “If you would all, please, join me outside?”

  We all looked a little confused, the guys looking to me and me having to just shrug and join the Fae queen as she walked toward the exit.

  Do you seriously not know what’s going on? Muu wondered at me through our earrings.

  No clue, man. Sorry. I know that we did a lot over the past couple weeks, but she may just need to speak to us. I tried to remain hopeful, but we would only find out when she was ready to tell us.

  The sun was on its way into the sky, still early enough in the day that only a few vendors were en route to the square to set up for the day’s sales.

  When all of us were outside, each of us fanning out a little from the others, Vrawn standing over my left shoulder with more bearing in her features than I could hope to have at that moment.

  Maebe held her left hand aloft and gripped the sky. I watched in fascination as the shadows around us flitted toward us and built into a barrier similar to the one that had been our shelter most nights while she traveled with us.

  “Now that we are alone and will not be disturbed, all of you, please kneel.” She motioned for us to obey, then turned her gaze to Vrawn. “Vrawn, will you join me, please?”

  The orc woman stepped around all of us, carefully avoiding breaking the ranks, and stood next to Maebe on her left. I looked to the others, all of them confused, but obeying at different speeds. Once all of us took a high knee on the ground, Maebe reached into her inventory and produced a sheathed sword.

  The craftsmanship was much fairer than anything I had ever seen in my life, at home or here. The sheathe radiated beauty, the dark purple base with silvery filigree shaped like delicate leaves and stars. The hilt was simple, a crossguard shaped like icicles and a golden, wire-wrapped handle.

  Maebe took the sheathe in her left hand and freed her blade; the midnight metal shimmered in the light, somehow, despite the matte black coloring. Then I realized that the shimmering light came from stars in the metal with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, topaz, and other small, precious stones. It didn’t look like a practical weapon, but rather one of station. Ceremonial.

  “As you all kneel, in observation of the power before you, I would ask that you think on your service to this crown, and my appreciation.” Maebe handed the sheathe to Vrawn who held it reverently. “Your deeds have served the Unseelie Fae in ways that even I did not foresee. You have gained us a powerful ally, and though I have named you champions of my realm—of a new cause and era—that was given in name only.”

  She stood solemnly in front of Jaken, her sword resting on his left shoulder. “I stand now before Jaken, a paladin in service to a Light that I do not understand, but he has served my people well.” She tapped each shoulder going over his head with the blade as she spoke, “I now Knight you in service to my crown and bid you rise, Sir Jaken. May you hold your station ever more and with the same commitment as you have before.”

  Maebe nodded to the newly named knight and turned to step toward James.

  “I stand now before James, dragon of his own making, and monk trained, who has served my people well.” She performed the same motion on James. “I now Knight you in service to my crown and bid you rise, Sir James. May you hold your station ever more and with the same commitment as you have before.”

  Moving to Bokaj, she stated, “I stand now before Bokaj, one of the finest rangers I have ever known, and a bard whose talent I find endearing. He has served my people well.” Tap. Tap. “I now Knight you in service to my crown and bid you rise, Sir Bokaj. May you hold your station ever more and with the same commitment as you have before.”

  Step, step, step. Smart turn, then, “I stand now before Yohsuke, hated by demons and a spell blade of devastating skill whose own legend is becoming known. He has served my people well.” She tapped his shoulders slowly. “I now Knight you in service to my crown and bid you rise, Sir Yohsuke. May you hold your station ever more and with the same commitment as you have before.”

  Muu was next. “I stand now before Muu, a fierce fighter and self-styled dragoon, the weakest in level, but strong of heart and drive to do better. He has served my people well. I now Knight you in service to my crown and bid you rise, Sir Muu. May you hold your station ever more and with the same commitment as you have before.”

  As Maebe stopped in front of Balmur, she knelt in front of him and lifted his chin to stare into his eyes a moment. She stood as she spoke, “Gaze upon me, Balmur, rogue.”

  Balmur’s face was an unreadable mask at that moment, but he listened to her and looked up at her as she stood.

  “Your sacrifice and service to my people was unwitting, brutal, and long. Your suffering was great. You hurt, and there is nothing that I can do, but I tell you that your service is most appreciated, and I gift you with this.”

  She reached into her inventory and pulled out a small package. “Please, after our business is concluded, open this and know that you are well loved, and I am elated at your return.”

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Balmur bowed his head and spoke softly.

  Maebe nodded once and began her speech. “I stand now before Balmur, a rogue, but possibly the noblest and honorable person I have met in my years as Queen of the Unseelie. He has served my people well. I now Knight you in service to my crown and bid you rise, Sir Balmur. May you hold your station ever more and with the same commitment as you have before.”

  Finally, she stepped in front of me, her feet probably shoulder width apart as she spoke. “I stand now before Zekiel, druid in service to Mother Nature and beloved friend. He has served my people well. I now Knight you in service to my crown and bid you rise, Sir Zekiel. May you hold your station ever more and with the same commitment as you have before.”

  Each of us stood, one by one, as we had been ordered. A thrill sailed through my body. A notification popped up into existence.

  Congratulations!

  You have been awarded the title of Knight among the Unseelie Fae. There are benefits to titles like these. Speak with the one who gave it to you to learn more!

  Okay. Seemed a little self-explanatory, but whatever.

  “As knights of my kingdom, the Unseelie Fae will see you and give you aid as befits those of your ranks. They may still resort to trickery in an effort to gain power from you somehow, so mind yourselves, but they will treat you with the respect due your station.” Her voice took on a more guttural cast. “Should they not, you have my express permission to cut them down. But only if they would be a hindrance. I will know if you lie to me.

  “With this, you will now have some of the power of a Fae. It may take time to manifest, some of you more attuned to us than others, but you will gain from this, I swear it. The Seelie will also take it upon themselves to thwart you in any way they see fit. Be careful.”

  I received a notification of her oath and dismissed it out of hand. I wondered what would happen, or what I might gain, but who knew when it would come about.

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Jaken smiled at her, his winning grin radiant even to me several feet away.

  “Nothing has truly changed among us, you and I, other than elevating your station.” Maebe looked a little bashful at that moment, so cute, but reached out and took her sheath from Vrawn to put her weapon away. “We are all stil
l friends, and though I like the idea, it will take me time to become more used to it. To think of you all as such more swiftly and easily. Forgive me.”

  “We understand.” Jaken put a comforting hand on her shoulder, and she put a hand over it gently with a smile in return. “Right, guys?”

  “Maebe, what’s that weapon called?” Muu pointed to the weapon just before the others could answer Jaken, and the blade was safely home in its sheath.

  “This blade is called Morningstar, and she has been passed from Queen to Queen since the conception of my people eons ago.”

  “Is it a ceremonial sword?” I turned and glared, cutting Muu off.

  “It is used for those occasions deemed necessary for ceremony, but it is just as capable a weapon as Magus Bane, or any other weapon you all hold.” Maebe brought the weapon out once more for us to look at.

  James was the first to speak after that, “Leave it to the Fae to make something so beautiful into something so deadly.”

  Maebe seemed to take that as a compliment because her smile widened. “Beauty is capable of many things, Sir James. Beauty inspires, creates, takes, and kills. As the Fae do. You would do well to remember this.”

  “Well, I’m hungry, who else is starving? Let’s go eat, yeah?” I raised my eyebrows and ushered the others out of the dome that dissipated around us as we finished. “Food sounds good now that we aren’t all stuck in our feelings, what’s for breakfast?”

  We piled inside to our table, Yoh having let the chef do all the cooking in his lessened mental state due to the dream he’d had. Chef brought out several steaming plates of food. Eggs, toast, ham, bacon, sausage, rolls, and fruit all piled high. The table was a little crowded, but we ate heartily as we went over the events for the day.

  James was going to see if he could try and piece together a map of rumored locations that the drow had raided in recent history. One thing we agreed on during the meal was that with whoever it was out there contacting us knew what we were doing. With that knowledge there was no way we could bring the Dwarves in on it without their lives being put in jeopardy.