Rose then looked to me and motioned to Barkley.
It took me a second to understand what she was communicating. I took the letter from my bag and held it out. “It’s from Mardi . . . she asked that I give this to you.”
Barkley accepted the letter. Unlike Loral, he tore open the letter like it was water to a thirsty man in the desert. I watched as his eyes scanned the letter then read it again and then a third time. Seemingly satisfied, Barkley folded the letter and stuck it inside his uniform coat. “Very well, sir, ma’am, I will be ready to leave following the funeral tomorrow.”
“Wait,” I said, trying to stop the man, but he completely ignored me and left the room. Again?
I looked to Rose for help, but she was gently smiling after the butler. “Are you really okay with this?” I asked.
“Mardi and Gras both wanted to help us, even in death. I think we should honor their wishes,” Rose said.
I flinched when Rose mentioned ‘death’. Oh, she was going to hate me.
“Come on,” Rose said, this time it was her turn to gently guide me along.
I thought it should have been raining the next day. Instead, it was bright and sunny, and birds filled the air with their jubilant chirping.
Colonel Grandmite stood on the stage that had been set up in the very center of the valley, exactly halfway between Anvilton and Hammerton. It felt uncomfortable to stand there, witnessing a scene similar to what my mind had conjured. A scene that had led me to make choices that would end up here and now.
“Our people have been at war for most of my life,” the Colonel began. “I believed I would die long before I saw the end of it. And yet, as if a dream has become reality, we now stand united in peace. The evil of the Duke has been ended. I only wish the cost had not been so high. Our victory was delivered to us through the actions of so many, our soldiers and the adventurers that helped us chief among them. But there are two who sacrificed everything for this peace. My Duchess, Mardi du Hammer, died fighting to defeat the Duke. And the Duke in Memoriam, Gras du Anvil, stood at her side and faced the same fate. They shall both be missed.”
Colonel Grandmite closed her eyes and bowed her head in prayer for a moment before speaking aloud, “Great God Ivaldi, I ask that you accept these two at your table. That you watch over your children until we are able to walk alongside them. We are born from stone and to stone we return.”
There was a rumble of the earth beneath our feet, the prayer had been heard. I had thought the rumble would settle quickly, a small acknowledgment from the God Ivaldi. But the rumbling intensified, the rock formations that filled the valley sunk into the ground, opening the terrain between the two cities. The ground on either side of the stage split open and stone grew upward, three, four, five stories tall. More stone erupted from the ground, adding to the new obelisks that were slowly taking form. It was just like I predicted in my ‘Meditation’. Mardi and Gras, their hands clasped in friendship.
When the ground stopped shaking and the panic subsided, the Dwarves looked on in awe at the statues that now dominated the center of the valley. It wasn’t long before a roar of noise built up. It was cheering and shouts of joy and Dwarves bowing in prayer. A spontaneous celebration had broken out with the Dwarves calling out ‘Celebrate, it’s Mardi Gras!’
How hadn’t I made that connection earlier? I laughed. Mardi and Gras would have loved this.
“We should go,” Olaf said, just loud enough for me to hear.
I nodded to my friend. Then I looked at his wife. Micaela was still despondent, and I felt such guilt over it.
We met Loral and Barkley by the city gates along with a wagon that was almost overflowing with leather goods. Titan and Perses were also there. Titan offered to let us ride with him, but I declined. Olaf, Micaela, and Baby all accepted.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Yes, sir,” Barkley said, standing next to the wagon.
“All packed and ready to go,” Loral said. She was sitting next to a rather grumpy looking Krangle.
“I still do not see why you insisted on leaving today. Do you not see the celebration back there?” the crotchety old Dwarf asked.
“As if you would even go,” Loral said.
“I might . . . it is for my boy,” Krangle said, sounding for an instant like he might actually care.
“Let’s go,” I said, moving ahead toward the portal.
“So, should we find a hotel for Barkley and Loral before we log out?” Rose asked, coming alongside me and taking my hand in hers. I should have pulled away and prepared myself, but I didn’t want to. I wanted to enjoy this for just a little while longer.
I just shrugged. “We’ll figure that out in a little while.”
Nothing attacked us between the city and the portal. I suspected it might have been because of Perses’s hulking form and high level.
An hour later, we were at the portal and ready to move on. I took a minute to look back at the valley where there were now fireworks bursting in the sky with brightly colored smoke. I felt glad that the two cities would prosper. My friends and I donated all our tokens for taking part in the war back to the city, we didn’t want or feel like we deserved to be rewarded after everything that happened.
A moment later we were back in Root City. The area around the portal was just as I remembered. I looked back at the portal, curious to see if the message had changed.
Hammer and Anvil Mountain Valley – Level 5-10
The Hammer and Anvil Mountain Valley is at peace after years of war between the City of Anvilton and Hammerton. The Rock Giant tribes are agitated and have begun attacking more frequently. If that weren’t enough, a tribe of Fishmen have taken up residence in the lake befouling the water both cities depend upon.
That was very different but there was nothing about Chaos. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“So, where are we going?” Rose asked.
“The Temple of the God Ivaldi,” I said, causing my friends to cringe.
“Bye-bye, you know the God Ivaldi is likely to smite us for stepping foot in there. We failed his quest,” Olaf said.
I kept a straight and solemn face. “We have to face the music,” I said. “It will be worse if we don’t.”
“Jack might have a point,” Rose said, not teasing me at all.
Olaf sighed. “I wish you were wrong about this.”
“I’ll go find a Portal Mage,” I said, letting go of Rose’s hand and disappearing into the crowd.
I returned about 30-minutes later and everyone was waiting for me, even Titan. I sighed, no doubt he was filming all this.
“Temple Ring, right?” the Mage asked, his nameplate read
“Yeah,” I said, paying him.
“Alright, one portal coming right up,” Victor said.
A few minutes later we stood outside the entrance to the temple. The moment of truth.
I entered first. I would know my fate first.
“Yo,” said Heath, giving me a small wave as I entered.
I breathed a sigh of relief, it worked.
“Heath, there you are, you son of a-” Rose started only to halt when she saw who was sitting with him.
“Hello,” Mardi said with a friendly wave of her own.
Gras just nodded.
“Mardi!” Micaela cried, barreling into the room and scooping the Dwarf up in a crushing hug.
I was happy it worked, so unbelievably happy. And then Olaf put two and two together and I felt a fist impact the side of my face. I had a feeling that wouldn’t be the last hit I took.
I was surprised when Rose got between us. “Stop, Olaf, stop it,” she tried to calm him. “What are you thinking?”
“You’ve put it together, haven’t you? He tricked us all. Made us think that Mardi and Gras died in that fight. Or did you know? Did he tell you?” Olaf raged. “Do you even care how much he hurt Mic?”
“Of course, I care, but we don’t know everything,” Rose said. “We shoul
d give him a chance to explain.”
“And give him the chance to lie, no,” Olaf said.
I was surprised to see Mardi interceding. “If you are going to hit him, then you should hit me as well. I agreed with his plan. Insisted it be kept a secret. You, as a military man, should know better. The more people who knew, the higher the chance it would fail.”
Olaf snorted angrily, stepping back and crossing his arms. “Fine, talk. Not him, you,” Olaf said, pointing toward Mardi.
“It began two days before the invasion,” Mardi started her story. As she told the story from her perspective, I tried to interrupt multiple times, but she silenced me with a look.
* * *
I was very annoyed with Heath as I followed him through the not-quite-hidden tunnels that ran through Hammerton. The Thief continually doubled back or went in a circle repeatedly. He said it was to lose anyone that might have followed but I thought it was Heath playing some kind of prank on me. That was until Heath opened a secret passage, one I didn’t even know existed.
The secret passage led to a small room where Bye-bye and Gras were both waiting for us.
“What is this about?” I demanded.
Bye-bye sighed. “Please sit,” he requested, motioning to the chair next to him and across from Gras.
“Do you know what this is about?” I asked, reluctantly looking to the Shale Dwarf I was forced to work with.
“No, they will not tell me anything,” Gras said, crossing his arms grumpily.
I took the seat and waited. Whatever it was, Bye-bye looked very nervous.
Finally, Heath took the only remaining seat.
“How much do either of you know about ‘Meditation’?” Bye-bye asked.
“Just what I told you this morning and what you told me,” I answered, looking to Gras.
“Same,” Gras replied.
“I think it does more than that. I tried it on the ‘Holy Crusade’ quest your father gave me,” Bye-bye started. “It showed me possibilities. Things that could happen, not for the quest itself, but after the quest.”
“What did you see?” I asked.
“Victory and your assassination,” Bye-bye said before looking at Gras. “And yours Gras.”
“Ha, so we kill each other anyway,” Gras said, amused by the idea.
“I also saw what might happen if we stop the assassination of you both. You Gras, are hunted down and killed after trying to kill Mardi. This was after your own people ousted you,” Bye-bye said, sobering Gras and stopping his amusement cold.
It was my turn to look amused, then Bye-bye spoke again. “Don’t look so pleased Mardi. You die, old and tired. Alone in your office. You never complete your quest. You never reclaim your status as a Goddess.”
“Did you see anything else?” I asked, not liking the possibilities so far.
“Your deaths fighting the Duke,” Bye-bye said. “And it was the best possible outcome.”
I felt sick when I heard that. “You mean to tell me . . . tell us, that it would be better for the province if the Duke wins?”
“No, the Duke is still defeated. I’m telling you the province is better off with none of you,” Bye-bye said, looking away. I could see it was difficult for him to even talk about.
“That does not make any sense,” Gras protested.
“Gras, you’re a good soldier, would you agree with that statement?” Bye-bye asked.
Gras contemplated Bye-bye for a moment before answering. “Yes, that is a fair statement.”
“And if you were to become Duke, would you be a good ruler?” Bye-bye continued.
“I would like to think so,” Gras replied.
“And the first time a political rival slanders you, opposes you in a measure you know with absolute certainty will help your people but hurt that politician's business, how would you handle it?” Bye-bye asked. “Don’t answer too quickly. Think about it. How would you, a soldier, a Guerilla by class, handle such a situation? Would you try to find a political compromise? Or would you simply eliminate the problem?”
Gras was silent for a long time as he considered. “I would not know how to find a diplomatic solution. I would probably fall back on what I know best.”
“Is that what your people need? Another dictator who kills anyone who opposes him, just like your father is doing now?” Bye-bye asked.
“No . . . you might be right. My people might be better off without me once they are free from my father,” Gras conceded. He suddenly straightened and took a long slow breath in and out. “I am willing to die for my people. If my death is what it takes, then so be it.”
Bye-bye looked to me.
“How does my death serve my people?” I asked.
Bye-bye looked to Heath. The odd Thief produced a pair of file folders and set them on the table in front of Gras and me each.
“Remember the assassination I told you about first?” Bye-bye asked, pointing to the folders. “Your own people are the ones plotting it.”
“But why me?” I asked. “I have given everything for my people, why would they betray me like this?”
“Why did this war start?” Bye-bye asked.
“Because of the Duke,” I said, the answer was so simple to me.
Bye-bye sighed. “The Duke might have been the one to start the war. But why? Why did it start?”
“Because I was tricked,” I said, getting angry with the line of questions.
“It started because you put yourself before your people. You surrendered your Godly powers and ability to protect your people to follow your heart. Some of your people admired you for that, but as time went on, as more sons and daughters failed to come home, more and more of them blamed you. If you had only stayed a Goddess, none of this ever would have happened,” Bye-bye explained, showing an angle that I had never once considered.
I had been so angry and wrapped in how betrayed I felt. I had never once thought that my people might have felt the same toward me. And now, so many more people were going to die because of my selfishness.
“I’m sorry, Mardi,” Bye-bye said solemnly
“So, I die,” I said sadly. “I cannot imagine my dad would be too happy with you if you let me die like that.”
“No, I don’t imagine he would like that,” said Bye-bye. “Which is why you are not going to die . . . well, not exactly.”
“You have a plan,” Gras said leaning forward.
“Yes, we’re going to fake your deaths,” Heath said excitedly.
“What do the others think about this plan?” Gras asked.
“We haven’t told them yet,” Bye-bye said. “We wanted to talk to you first. Make sure you were okay with the plan before we let them know.”
“No,” I said. “You cannot tell them. If anyone suspects, even for a second that we are not really dead, then all this death and pain will be meaningless. If Hammerton and Anvilton cannot be given peace without our deaths, then that is exactly what we shall give them.”
“We need to tell them,” Bye-bye insisted. “They will be heartbroken if they think you’ve died. I can’t keep this a secret from them.”
“You will, or we will make sure we die,” Gras said. “Our deaths are the only way if your vision is to be believed.”
“But they might not be. What I saw was only possible outcomes,” Bye-bye protested.
“And if they were not. If that was a true seer moment,” I said. “No, I will not put my people in any more danger than I already have. Either everyone but those in this room believes us to have died or we will actually die and that will be on your conscience.”
Bye-bye cursed both Gras and I out until he was red in the face, but we refused to budge.
“They will never trust me again,” Bye-bye said.
“Relax, mate. Once they know the whole story, they will forgive you,” Heath tried to reassure Bye-bye.
“No, they won’t,” Bye-bye said softly.
I felt bad for the burden I was placing on my friend. But when it
was all over, they would forgive him. I might need to do something extra to earn their forgiveness.
* * *
“. . . and that is the truth of it,” Mardi said, standing between the others and me.
The way Mardi told it made me sound like a hero, but I knew better. I could have ignored her request and told them in secret. I could have at least told Rose . . . should have told Rose. I couldn’t even look at them.
I was surprised when I felt a gentle hand on my cheek, lifting my chin to look at her.
“Oh Jack, you carried all that extra burden on your own,” Rose said softly before she hugged me. I returned the hug and held on tight, relief flooded through me. I hadn’t lost her. When the hug finally broke, she swatted me in the arm. “Next time, you tell me, no matter what Mardi or anyone else says, you tell me, and I’ll help you carry that burden.”
“I wanted to tell you so badly, I really did. There were so many times where I tried, I just couldn’t find the words,” I tried to explain. “But the thought of them somehow finding out and really losing them. I thought that would be even worse, that it would hurt you more, that because of me, they chose to really die.”
“Shh, it’s fine,” Rose said. “I understand.”
“I’m . . . I’m sorry, Bye-bye,” Olaf said sheepishly. “I should have known better. I should have trusted you would never hurt Mic like that.”
Micaela thumped Olaf in the arm. “WWBBJD, remember?” Micaela asked, looking at Olaf disapprovingly.
“Yeah, yeah,” Olaf said guiltily.
Baby sniffled from next to Olaf, her childlike arm wrapped around Titan.
“As for you Mardi,” said Rose, rounding on our Dwarven friend.
“I’m sorry, who?” Mardi asked, halting Rose in her tracks. “Last I heard, the Duchess Mardi du Anvil was dead. My name is Marie Tuesday, nice to meet you.”
Rose looked like she was about to argue when I put a hand on her shoulder.
“She gave up everything for her people,” I said, it was part of the reason I was even willing to go through with it.
Rose huffed. “Fine, Marie, never do anything like that again.”
I watched as Mardi’s nameplate changed.
World Tree Online: The Mountain Valley War: 2nd Dive Concludes Page 68