“Why doesn’t fire just pick me?” I blinked at the blackened dome above our heads. “He’s already blessed me, as many of the others have.”
A warmth washed over me, and I could feel the heat of the eternal flame on me. You are indeed who I would choose, little flame, for I adore your spirit mightily. But your ties to the others weaken my ability to fully enkindle you and bring your heart to true flame. The same can be said for the others in your party, such as my dwarven child. I require someone else, forgive me.
Gooseflesh, weird with fur, but it was okay, covered the back of my neck. “I’m honored, Great Flame.”
Find our champions, as you have the others, and I will bless you and that new child of yours, druid. The air primordial whispered through my mind.
QUEST ALERT!
Elemental Recruitment Specialist – The primordial elements of fire, wind, and light search for their champions and have requested that you track down suitable candidates.
Reward: Suitable blessings from the elementals assisted, per champion found.
Failure: Potential loss in elemental aid.
Do you accept? Yes? / No?
I accepted and shared it with my brothers; they went through it as I listened to the earth prime.
I have one more request of you, tiny druid, and if you will humor me, I will bless you and yours greatly.
“What can I do for you?” I asked, now more curious and power-hungry than I had felt in a while.
My champion, Fainnir, and his friend ‘Pebble.’ The earth prime rumbled with a grating chuckle at the name and I grinned. I would like you to take them with you on this expedition. I think they will be of service to you.
“Is that okay?” I blinked rapidly. “He’s still a kid!”
Child or not, tiny druid, he walks with the strength of the earth, and you will be nestled in his element; the elemental chastised me gently. Bring him and help him to come into his power. Do this, and he will be able to assist you in things you do not yet know you need.
“Is that a quest?” I asked aloud and tried to keep an eye open for a notification.
It is a request, as I will not force you to decide on whether to take another life into your hands on a highly important mission. He gained a lot of respect from me at that moment. But his people coddle him, and he cannot grow in the company he is in properly. He needs you, tiny druid. He needs a mentor who understands the elemental ways but will not force him to contain his strength without reason, or out of ignorance.
I sighed. That makes sense, Z. I thought to myself, my left hand tapping on my metallic arm. The kid was a little badass, and he was an adult now by dwarven tradition.
You will find him among the monks who took in your friend. He is not weak, but they are not familiar with what he should do to proceed in his training, and that stifles his growth.
“Yeah, I think we can do that. Thank you for entrusting him to us.” The pressure of their individual minds left, which eased my mind.
I glanced at the others. “We’re going to have one more with us, and I think it’s time that we let the dwarves know that you’re back, Balmur.”
“Oh, they’ve known, man.” Balmur grinned at me, “I’ve been talking to them magically ever since we got back. They want to have us back for a feast so that we can tell our tales and that Farnik can skin you for not telling him all was well sooner.”
My eyes widened, and my heart sank. I was going to have to fight the old fucker, and he was gonna beat my ass.
“I’m teasing, he understands that we’ve been busy, but asked that we do come back soon—they miss us.” A slight smile crept over his face as he said it, and I had to admit things were simpler around the dwarves.
“Who’s the extra body?” Yohsuke eyes narrowed my way.
“I’d guess it’s Fainnir,” Muu stated in a surprisingly knowing tone that made me look at him questioningly. “You mentioned ‘one more’ and the dwarves after talking to the elemental Primordials. Seemed to make the most logical sense.”
“Who’s that?” Yoh asked once more, looking a little more irritated.
“He’s the only Elemental Earth Mage, and the only dwarven mage in recent memory,” Muu explained, flashing the other man a large grin. “He’s a good kid. Well, man now.”
“He any good in a fight?” James smiled hopefully.
“He will be because he is training with all of you.” Maebe made her presence known. We glanced over to her, and she nodded at me. “Go collect this dwarf, I am eager to meet him.”
“Why?” Yohsuke frowned, then looked at me. “Are we seriously entertaining this?”
“Yeah, it was a request from someone who could possibly give us more power, or at least chances to earn it, and we will be underground—straight up his alley.” I crossed the distance between the two of us and lowered my voice. “The earth primordial said that he could be useful, and that he needs training. If mages are to continue to flourish here, we need powerful mages on our side. Before and after we leave.”
“So long as he can pull his weight, fine.” Yohsuke shrugged after a moment in thought. “But no one else. It’s bad enough that we will have Maebe, but her presence serves a known purpose.”
“Thank you, Yohsuke.” Maebe purred from over my left shoulder, her fierce green eyes lighting up as she watched him realize she was there. “Come, you and Balmur will train while Zeke goes to collect this Fainnir.”
I kissed her on her shoulder and focused on the monastery where James had spent the first few weeks of his time in Brindolla, then before I loosed the spell, I looked over to James. “You wanna come with? He’s at the monastery, you wanna see Elder Leo?”
“Sure, man, that’s super cool of you!” He came over to me, and I tapped his shoulder before casting Teleport.
The jump through space was less disorienting than it usually was as I blinked and took in my surroundings. Even in the fading light, the valley the monastery inhabited was gorgeous.
We stood outside the halls carved into the walls of the valley that resembled catacombs. The large valley floor was home to huts and small buildings throughout. Looking out toward the valley, on our left side, was the section of the valley that served as the monks’ training grounds. Enemies, creatures of differing types and levels, ventured forth from an underground source of mana every new dawn. It wasn't a dungeon, per the Monks telling, but a blessing from their deity. A place they could channel their monastic abilities safely and learn to combat the darkness.
The place was quiet as dusk faded, kids and families returning to their homes and dinners after a day of doing…whatever it was they did there. I glanced back toward the monastery proper, and it seemed a little more quiet than normal, as well. There were monks outside, sure, but they appeared subdued.
A rolling crack of stone and a shout of triumph reached my ears, and James took off toward the training grounds. A huge boulder lifted from the side of the valley wall and sped toward the ground.
“Fuck.” I spat and moved, casting Aspect of the Hare as I sprinted.
My legs stretched, and my ears lengthened. My dense muscles grew leaner and longer, but I moved faster than I would without the spell.
I hopped twice and then on the third I launched myself over the large fenced in area, small creatures moved en masse toward the entrance to where they sprang from, in fear, as the boulder bounced causing other large sections of stone and rubble to break free as well.
You get anyone in the area away from it, I’ll get the kid! James called to me as he rocketed forward.
I whipped my head toward where the rubble fell, three monks were in the area. I might be able to make it to two of them, shit. Focus!
I exhaled forcefully, took a deep breath, and bounded forward, snatching the first man up by his arm and throwing him to safety as gently as I could manage. I grabbed the other monk around the midsection in a sort of flying tackle, a large chunk of debris cracking into my right leg, just on the inside of my knee. I tried to
put pressure on it so that I could make a mad dash for the final figure, but the leg gave out on me.
A boulder the size of a Buick careened toward the still, meditating figure. “Look out! Move!” I roared.
I pushed my will out into my shadow and the darkness around me to forge a line between us. Just before my improvised rope could connect, the boulder crashed into the figure, then split into several pieces from the weight of it.
“Well, tha’ dinae go as planned, did it, lads?” A stout figure walked toward me with an angry-looking James hot on his heels. “Zeke! So glad ta see ya again!”
I ignored the voice behind me and made my way toward the boulder that had crushed the monk and started to try and push the stone away when a voice called out, “Leave me to my meditation, Zeke!”
I blinked, Elder Leo? I poked my head around and spied the elderly halfling who still sat serenely in a meditative trance. Well, he could whip my ass, and he wasn’t even so much as scratched, so I left him be. I turned to address the boy.
Fainnir, because this could only be him, he looked like an almost eleven-year-old kid, but stoutly built and with the beginnings of some good muscle on him, likely from his father, Granite. His unruly mop of brown locks was a little slick with moisture and…were those whiskers on his chin?
“Fainnir, well met—what the hell are you doing bringing down the mountain like that?” I advanced on him and he stood still while I came closer. “You could have hurt any of those monks, or yourself!”
“They all be swifter’n me by more’n half, Zeke.” The boy spread his hands out. “An’ Elder Leo be right as rain. Aside, Pebble be up there fixin’ the integrity o’ the mountain as we speak. Tha’s why the boulder fell, I had things in hand.”
“And since when do you speak so well?” I growled as I leaned closer so that I could look him directly in the eyes, I reached out and tugged gently on one of his little whiskers. He yelped. “You think because you’re closer to true adulthood that I won’t bend you over and spank you here and now, mage or not?”
“That will not be necessary, tiny druid.” Pebble grew out of the ground, now slightly larger than Fainnir, but still the same roughly humanoid shape as he had been. His diamond gaze passed my way, and his misshapen mouth smiled. “I have been teaching him to be a little less harsh sounding in his dialect. I am glad to see that my work has been noted.”
“I talk fine, ye pile a rubble.” Fainnir growled, then smiled. “Did ye get it all fixed up, then?”
“Yes, Fainnir, I did,” Pebble turned to address him. “Did you uphold your end?”
The dwarf scratched his head. “I just cannae seem to get it figured. I try an’ reach into the earth with me mind, but when I do it, all that happens is shakes.”
“It will come easier with time.” Pebble turned back to me. “Why have you come, tiny druid? Has father asked you to intercede on our behalf and see to Fainnir’s training?”
He closed his eyes, a little bit of the luminosity behind the diamonds in his face bleeding away. I knew he was checking in, so there was no need to answer.
“You will be in better hands with Zeke, than you are here, young Fainnir.” Elder Leo sighed sadly. “Zeke, James, it is lovely to see the two of you once more. How fares the rest of the group?”
I turned to see the bald, elderly looking Halfling smiling at us, his simple, light robes colored orange without sleeves. His hands were folded in front of him, on top of the red sash across his left shoulder and hanging down to his right hip. His feet had simple black slippers covering them, and the brightest thing about him was his smile and storm-gray eyes.
It had been a while, but he didn’t look to have changed in the slightest. Monks and their tempered bodies, or souls, or what have you. It was weird. I found myself wondering when James would become basically immortal, but then again—it wouldn’t really be needed.
“While he’s distracted, Leo, they’re good, and it’s King Zeke now.” My gaze whipped to a grinning James, while the other two looked awe-struck.
“Ye be a king now, Zeke?” Fainnir whispered, then he looked over to Leo. “Ain’t never met a king afore, Leo, what do we do?”
Leo glanced from James to me and smiled knowingly. “Judging from his reaction to being outed like this, I would say nothing.”
“Thank you, Leo.” I sighed in relief, then put my hand out for him to shake. A firm practiced squeeze later, and he let go, “Everything been alright here on your end of things?”
“It’s alright, my boy, go on and collect your things from the guest quarters.” Elder Leo kind of shoved Fainnir toward the monastery, then looked to us as the dwarf sprinted away, with Pebble lumbering behind him. “Things have gone well; we have informants among the populace here and there that feed us what intelligence they can in secret. I hear more than you might think, and I am happy to know that you were able to assist the people of Zephyth.”
I blinked, trying to keep my surprise contained, making him grin. “I told you, we have our ways. Also, I hear tell of a Fae who travels among you?”
“Zeke’s wife, and also Queen of the Unseelie Fae, Maebe.” As he said her name, goosebumps covered the nape of my neck, and her awareness shifted onto us.
“Hello, my love,” I whispered into the deepening twilight, which took hold of the sky in the west over the mountain-enclosed valley.
Her affection warmed me, and then her attention was gone.
Elder Leo’s eyes widened in shock. “My informants mentioned nothing of the Queen herself coming to the Prime realm.”
“We don’t like to advertise it if we don’t have to,” I explained with a wry smile, the memories of her exploring and experiencing life here in child-like wonder. “It kind of ruins her fun if everyone is all stuffy and whatnot around her. Reminds her too much of home. Though there have been quite a few times where we have to, and it gets a bit out of control.”
The halfling man snorted and slapped his knee as his chuckle turned into a full-on belly laugh. “Oh, you boys, and the crazy things you get into. A Fae Queen! And this one here is more dragon than elf it seems!”
Now it was James’ turn to look bashful, ha! “Yeah, he ran afoul of some strange magic in a book, no big deal.”
He eyed me dangerously, and I just flipped him off.
“Well, I am glad that things are still going well for you all, tell me; what will you do next?” Elder Leo waved us toward the monastery as well, we turned and made a leisurely stroll toward it.
“We have plans to get into the Great Below so we can try and hunt down the drow,” James stated as we walked, then I took over.
“What he means to say is that we heard a rumor that the drow have recently begun behaving oddly, and we wanted to be sure that it wasn’t a general or some kind of minion driving them to act that way.” I smacked him on the arm, and he shrugged. “You know it’s not some hunting expedition, man. And then, taking Mae there to meet them and whatnot as well. It’s two-fold.”
“They will be hunting you.” James and I whipped our heads around to stare at the older monk as he stopped to look at us gravely, before speaking again, “The drow elves do not take kindly to interlopers, and they care less still for elves of other varieties. Their queen is a harsh and terrible creature who drives them to madness on her own. I doubt that there will be something there that does not belong, but it would be wise to investigate regardless. You will need to be careful, and do not take anything for granted down there.”
We walked on in contemplative silence. I had known it was possible there would be things down there that would seek us out, but the whole of the drow people? That was going to be rough with seven crazy-ass outsiders, a Fae Queen with some serious firepower, a bird, panther, and a baby raptor with no idea what not to try to eat.
“Have you any idea where else you might go to seek out the enemies of Brindolla?” Elder Leo nodded his head to a disciple as we passed, and the young man took off at a sprint.
“Not really, no
, but I think it would be a good idea to search the world,” James shot a glance at me as I finished that thought. “Think about it, they have a whole world to corrupt—why would they all stay on one continent?”
“Ah, you speak of the continent of beasts. To the east?” Elder Leo grinned as he spoke, nodding sagely and clapping his hands. “We have no information collectors there, and I have been wondering if it would be possible to get some. If you were to go, I would appreciate some insight as to whether the network needs spread so far....”
James scratched his head. “I mean, sure, that’d be fine, I guess. Is travel to that continent all that common?”
“Takes about a month and a half or two months by sea to get there at times, but there are those who make the journey regularly,” We had entered into the front halls of the monastery now. We stopped outside so that we could speak without interrupting the meditating monks inside. “All you have to do is find the right place to start!”
“Got any suggestions?” I said as he watched the sky serenely.
“How should I know; I’ve never sailed on the seas before.” His face, when he got to say that, was priceless, as he was genuine, but his grin said he had known I would ask, and he wanted me to think for myself.
“So, I guess that means we scour the east coast until we find someone to take us there safely,” I added that last bit hastily. Didn’t want some yutz who didn’t know what he was doing, taking us into all that unknown territory. Over water and whatnot.
I shivered at the thought of it.
After that, we spent a good fifteen to twenty minutes bullshitting and filling in Elder Leo on some of the highlights of our forays into the annals of Brindollan history. All the cool things we had done, killed, fixed, and royally screwed up.
It was during the story about how we had been trying to get Kayda to stop with the storm magic before having to go to the jungle in the south that Fainnir returned. He looked flushed and a little out of breath.
“I take it that they haven’t beaten cardio into your body yet, then?” I grinned as I spoke. I hated running too. At least at home, anyway.
Into the Darkness: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Axe Druid Book 4) Page 32