“What happened after that?” Krug said. “Where did Estelar go?”
“I don’t know what happened. When the attack started, a few of the dryads snuck me out a secret exit we built in the arboretum’s throne room in case something like this ever happened. The rest of the dryads held off our attackers while I was led to safety. I wanted to stay behind and fight, but the dryads that were with me wouldn’t let me go back. I wanted to be with them…” Lurupine’s voice grew tight. “I could've done something, I could’ve stopped them.”
“I don’t think there was anything you could’ve done,” Krug said. “You were vastly outnumbered.”
“But I’m their queen.” Lurupine wailed and buried her face in her hands. “It’s my job to protect them and...I didn’t.”
The entire party hopped up from where they were sitting and wrapped Lurupine in a hug.
“But it’s your peoples’ job to keep you safe, so you can continue to lead them,” Cleave said. “If you’re dead then there’s nothing you can do for them.”
“But I can respawn. I lose some experience, but I can still respawn. Many of those dryads were NPCs. They’re gone now. Sphiel told me about an NPC dryad friend she had that was killed. He vanished from the game. I actually got to know them. They were really nice, I know they were just NPCs but...they were nice to me.”
Cleave never worried about NPCs that much because, after one was killed, another was spawned somewhere in the world to make up for the loss. The NPC got a new personality, as determined by a random generator, according to the forums he’d read, but he thought of them as replaceable props in the world of Unexplored. Some people thought of them as more, however. There were ways to get permanent NPCs, which was a practice started after the beta test of Unexplored.
Tarka frowned. “Aren’t we nice to you? How about the rest of the members of the guild?”
Lurupine bit her lip. “I...I don’t want to sound mean but uh...since our last adventure together, you guys aren’t around much, and we don’t spend much time together. Everyone does their own thing, even Bitterroot and I barely see each other. So when I play, I have to spend most of my time with NPCs.
A spiky weight dropped into Cleave’s chest. Lurupine had been a member of the Fey Wilder before Cleave, Tarka, and Krug had. All of the members of the guild valued Lurupine’s company and enjoyed spending time with her. However, Cleave’s adventures took him and his closest friends away from the guild. When they had free time, they normally just spent it in their own rooms screwing each other’s brains out. Estelar and his close circle joined in, but Lurupine was left out.
“I never knew you felt that way, you should’ve told us,” Cleave said.
A guilty look found its way on Krug’s face. “She uh...she told me. I visit Lurupine sometimes between our adventures. I never said anything because I didn’t want to make you guys feel bad, and at the time, we were dealing with all that stuff in Clearwater. So I didn’t think it was the right time.”
“I wish you would’ve said something sooner. You could’ve come with me and Sphiel to see my sister. My sister is kinda mean, but you’d still have fun, Sphiel and I do at least.”
“I’m sorry we left you out of our adventures,” Tarka said. “I guess since you were the almighty queen of the dryads, we thought you were too busy to adventure with us.”
Lurupine dried her eyes. “I...I guess it’s my fault too. I thought because I was a queen I had a responsibility to my people, so I stayed behind and did all the administrative stuff a queen is supposed to do. Maybe I could’ve gotten out more.”
Cleave smiled. “Well we’re all together, and we have a score to settle with the people who attacked our guild, so how about we start now. You up to crushing the bastards that burned our guild house to the ground?”
A small smile came onto Lurupine’s lips that made her dirty face blossom. “Sure, that sounds like fun.”
“Good, now let’s find a stream so we can get ourselves cleaned up,” Tarka said. “We need to pay some green robed assholes a little visit.”
ELEVEN
The party found a brook near their location. The normally clear water was very murky and had an off-purple filmy substance. They still were able to use it to wash, but they declined to fill their canteens.
The party headed north toward their guild house. Lurupine declined to go because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle the sight. Tarka led the group through the trees, avoiding several people wandering the main pathways, until they came to the location of their old guild.
They found the guild house and arboretum completely burned to the ground; nothing remained but the foundation. A few half-melted leather outfits could be seen among the ashes, and several pieces of BDSM equipment lay in complete shambles, unrecognizable pieces of charred wood and blackened chains was all that remained. A mixture of sadness and excitement filled Cleave when he saw the scorched equipment. He and Tarka had enjoyed several little adventures with those machines. He was pulled by desire when he thought about them. But as the memories played through his mind, he became angrier. Cleave rested his hand on his forehead. The BDSM equipment could always be rebuilt, but he would make those responsible pay for destroying the things that brought him and his friends so much joy.
The group searched the guild, but the fire had damaged all that was left. During their search, they noticed the purple gunk in the soil was thickest in this area, as was the purple and black that coated the tree bark. If what the guild members in green robes said was true, there must’ve been a massive concentration of warped magic in this area.
The party met back up with Lurupine and went east to search for the encampment of the guild members that wore green robes. The group fanned out and searched for the encampment. They went the entire afternoon without finding anything. Night was falling over the forest and the party got back together to set up camp for the night. As they came to a clearing, they heard voices.
Krug stayed back while the rest of the group snuck forward and looked past the tree line that led into the clearing. Four people in green robes were sitting around a campfire. They laughed and talked among each other, paying little attention to what was going on around them.
As his party surveyed the scene, Cleave noticed something odd. There was no wood on the campfire. It was just a fire, lit above the black dirt, burning with nothing to feed it. There were little blue sparkles surrounding the flame, cluing him in on the flame’s magical nature.
Tarka poked Cleave and pointed at the grass. The ground closest to the tree line was green. However, the area surrounding the four robed players was purplish black. The flames pulsated and the green grass nearest the fire joined the rest of the blackened vegetation. Out of the corner of his eye, Cleave’s night sensitive eyes saw the tree next to him grow darker.
Lurupine screwed her eyes shut and tears leaked from the lids. She pressed her hands over her ears and shuddered. Tarka looked at her, threw her hands up and shrugged her shoulders, as if to ask what was wrong.
Lurupine took in a ragged breath and pointed around her. “Trees screaming…” she mouthed.
Beyond these players, the party could see a larger clearing with several tents set up. Many green robed players milled among them while others sat in a large circle sorting through several herbs and other plants they’d collected.
Tarka strained her eyes and could see a few bright green dryad crystals among them. She snarled, pointed at the green robed players and drew a line across her throat. Krug took up the rear while the smaller, faster members of the party got their weapons ready. Lurupine placed a hand on the four-foot tall tree she carried with her and whispered a command. A white staff, marred by a few splotches of black, was pulled from the bark.
The party looked to Cleave as he configured their best option for attack. There were several potential opponents, and as soon as he and his friends were seen, he knew a lot of magic would be coming their way, if their initial encounter with these robed pe
ople were anything to go by. There probably would be some undead to deal with as well.
“As soon as we attack these first four guys,” Cleave whispered, “go back into the trees. We’ll stand a better chance if we’re in cover.”
The rest of the party nodded, and Cleave pointed forward. He, Berryl, Tarka, and Lurupine rushed the four sitting around the fire. The party was on the robed players before they had a chance to react. Berryl raced to the first and laid several deep slashes across his body before slamming her claws into his neck. Cleave took two quick swipes at a woman with his sword, but she ducked his blows. Tarka took advantage of the prone opponent, jumped up and slammed her sword into the woman’s spine.
The other two called out, but were quickly silenced when Lurupine grabbed the center of her staff and brained them both with two quick strikes from either side of it. They fell to the ground and the dryad finished them off with two more hard strikes from the ends of her weapon that caused pink matter to seep into her opponents’ robes.
The sounds of the battle brought the party’s presence to the attention of the other green robed people. They looked in their direction in time to see Cleave’s snarl. Berryl kicked some thick goop on the ground at the magical flames and they went out, leaving the area in darkness.
The party rushed toward the tree line as several bolts of fire came after them. They fanned out, and the many bolts of magical flames missed their marks.
The group came back into the woods to find Krug waiting for them. Cleave, Tarka, Berryl, and Lurupine positioned themselves around Krug to where they formed a tight semicircle around the area where they ran through the woods. A white light came from beyond the tree line and four robed men and women came through. Before they could act, the party was on them and cut them down. Three more robed figures came through and were cut down like the rest.
A large group came through the tree line, except this time it wasn’t green robed figures. They were two skeletons wielding spears. The creatures rushed the party with vigor that only the undead could manage. Despite the superiority of their numbers, these skeletons were just as difficult to deal with as the ones the party faced before. However, by distracting the skeletons while Krug attacked, the party was able to take them out without taking a hit.
The party waited for more to come through the tree line, but after a minute of waiting the party backed away.
“What do you think they’re planning?” Tarka said.
“I don’t know, but we shouldn’t take it head on. We need to hide,” Cleave said.
“Lurupine grimly shook her head,” I want to make them pay for what they did to the arboretum.
“I do as well,” Krug said.
Berryl tapped her chin with a bloody claw. “Hmm, I think Cleave and Tarka have a point. If we stay here, they’re liable to all gang up on us, or do something else. I think we’ll fight better if we hide. If we stay out like this, we’re eventually gonna bite it.”
“I don’t care,” Lurupine said. “My friends bit it and I’m willing to die for them.
“Yeah but dying in vain is stupid. I think your dryads would think more of you if you fought as effectively as you could,” Tarka said.
Krug’s eyebrows were sewn together in frustration. Rage boiled inside of him. He knew if he stayed there, he’d probably get killed, but his size made hiding an issue. An idea popped into his head. “Lurupine, go hide with the rest.”
Lurupine shook her head. “I’m fighting beside you.”
“Please Lurupine; I have a plan, trust me.”
The dryad hesitated but eventually nodded. Several fire bolts came at the party from beyond the tree line. One of the bolts brushed past Cleave and singed him.
Cleave:
HP: 95% (-5%)
Stamina: 100%
Mana: 100%
Character Status:
Healthy
Cleave gritted his teeth as the burning sensation seared through his arm. His cloth armor didn’t provide any protection against burn damage. He bolted into the forest, finding a small copse of trees to hide behind. Tarka hid near him and activated her ring to make herself harder to see.
Lurupine stopped a few feet from them, put down her tree, and whispered to it. The tree stretched out and grew to quadruple its size, becoming large enough for both her and Berryl to hide behind.
Krug gripped his warhammer and raised his shield when he heard the brush beside the trees rustle. Three skeletons, each holding a scimitar, shambled toward the giant. He brought his warhammer down on one and left a small dent in its skull.
The other two rushed forward, and the half giant took a step back to dodge their attacks. The skeletons came forward as one and attacked Krug. He got out of the way of their combined attack again and laid another hit on a skeleton, barely harming it with a powerful strike.
From behind the skeletons stepped a man in green robes. He was a little different from the others they’d seen. His robes seemed a bit more opulent, with small skeletal adornments sewn into the fabric. Around his thin neck was a golden necklace with a skull.
He saw his dead comrades at his feet and touched the golden necklace. The necklace glowed, and the dead pushed themselves off the ground and started walking with the skeletons.
The skeletons moved toward Krug again, and he pushed them back. One of the recently killed people in green robes walked up to the half giant. He slammed him with his hammer and gore splattered in all directions.
“At least these are easier to take out,” Krug mumbled.
The living person in the green robe heard him and nodded. “My goodness, you’re right. Let me fix that.” He held up his hands, and the six remaining zombies glowed with a dark red aura. It vanished, and the zombies came at Krug with greater vigor.
Krug attacked one of them, and while his strike did significant damage, the zombie was still standing. It drew a sword out of its green robes and slashed at Krug. He managed to block it with his shield, but the others came on him and attacked. Two attacks got through, and he found himself with two deep cuts in his armor.
Krug cursed and slowly retreated in the direction where his friends were hiding. Two more robed figures crossed the tree line accompanied by six skeletons. They commanded their skeletons forward, and the creatures shambled in the half giant’s direction.
Krug quickly found himself overwhelmed and retreated more quickly. He was soon in the vicinity of his party’s hiding spot. The undead were doing exactly what he wanted. Soon his friends would jump them. He just hoped their combined strength might be enough to take these creatures out.
When Krug drew the undead back further, the party sprang into an attack. Cleave rushed from his tree and slashed at a zombie. It didn’t even turn around as he slashed a deep cut across its back. It took three more quick slashes with his sword before the creature finally died again.
Lurupine attacked one of the skeletons with her staff and found it took very little damage. Three skeletons came after her, and it took all of her agility to keep from being hit. She created a bit of distance between herself and the skeletons before holding up her hand and mumbling a spell.
A green glow surrounded six of the skeletons and cracks formed in their bones. Krug saw this and immediately attacked them. He struck two with powerful blows, and they shattered on impact.
Cleave and Tarka worked on the zombies. They struck the creatures as hard as they could but weren’t doing too much damage. The zombies fought back, and the pair were taking small hits as they fought. Three zombies came at Cleave and overwhelmed his defenses. A skeleton shambled behind him and slashed him in the back, striking through his armor.
Cleave:
HP: 87% (-8%)
Stamina: 93%
Mana: 100%
Character Status:
Healthy
Cleave bore the pain and fought on, pumping his sword in front of him as fast as he could. Another skeleton walked beside him and slashed his arm. The sword easily penetrated his armor.
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Cleave:
HP: 79% (-8%)
Stamina: 86%
Mana: 100%
Character Status:
Healthy
Cleave knew he was overwhelmed and needed some distance. He backed up and bumped into Krug. This jostled him a bit and lowered his defenses enough for one of the zombies to strike him.
Cleave:
HP: 74% (-5%)
Stamina: 78%
Mana: 100%
Character Status:
Healthy
Berryl found herself hard pressed as well. She fought with her usual speed and tenacity, but she was having difficulty getting around the huge numbers of enemies. She landed a few blows on a zombie and managed to fell it. One skeleton came too close, and her claw swipes took apart its skull. However, that exchange cost her a few wounds that left her bleeding.
One of the skeletons struck her with a powerful blow that sent her reeling into a tree. She fell on her butt and looked toward the necromancers controlling their skeletons. Four more robed men and women joined the group, bringing with them six skeletons. Two of these mages raised their hands and black bolts crackling with purple lighting rushed toward the party. One struck Krug in the back, and he stumbled, taking two more blows from skeletons. Another hit Cleave, and he crashed into a tree, taking a blow from a zombie.
Cleave:
HP: 73% (-6%)
Stamina: 73%
Mana: 100%
Character Status:
Healthy
A skeleton trudged up and hit him with another blow.
Cleave:
HP: 65% (-8%)
Stamina: 73%
Mana: 100%
Character Status:
Healthy
Cleave managed to regain his footing and slip behind a tree as two scimitars struck where he had been, cutting the bark of the dead black and purple tree. This was getting to be too much. They’d have to run.
“Everybody, retreat,” Cleave yelled.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Krug said as he fought off a small hoard of skeletons.
The Tainted Wood Page 8