Bridge Quest

by Pdmac

  She scooted a chair back and plopped down, reaching for a piece of pork and tearing it in two. “Elena isn’t a warrior and she’s with you.”

  He was about to say ‘it’s not the same,’ but realized the argument wasn’t valid. “What skills can you bring to the team?”

  “I can cook, perhaps not as well as Elena, but I can sew and mend and I know some healing arts. Why don’t you want to take me? Are you disappointed with me?” Her lower lip protruded as she pouted.

  “No,” he exclaimed, “not in the least. It’s your safety I’m worried about. We get into some pretty severe scrapes and I and the others won’t always be around to protect you.”

  “Elena’s still with you,” she pointed out.

  Damn. I knew we should have left her back where we found her. How can I get rid of this woman without jeopardizing my escape? How do I tell her that I don’t want her with me? He then thought of how her presence would settle with Raquel and Annabeth… about as much as Gwen and Mavie did.

  “Let me think about it,” he said, taking a slow sip of ale.

  Felix stood at the window in his office, cursing the weather gods. For more than ten days in a row, the wind and temps were down to comfortable levels and the sun blazed brightly across clear blue skies… and he was stuck inside his office, vicariously swinging his five iron with the rare golfer across the river.

  The door opened and Scott walked in. “You wanted to see me?”

  “Yes,” he said, not turning as he watched a sole golfer playout from the fairway. It was a good hit. Probably a six or seven iron. “Take a seat.”

  Wondering why the display of authority, Scott sat down in one of the overstuffed chairs facing Felix’s desk.

  Turning, Felix stared at him a moment before saying, “I understand we have an NPC who wants to go with Karl.”

  “Yes,” Scott said with a weak smile. “Her name’s Gillien.”

  “I know,” Felix said, cutting him off. “She’s a maid at the castle in Tal Olca, and she intends to accompany Karl on his trip across the bridge. Your thoughts?”

  “Uh,” Scott hesitated.

  “I remind you that your recommendation was to let nonessential NPCs cross the bridge. I agreed to allow Elena to cross. Tell me what the benefits of allowing this NPC to cross, especially, as I understand it, Karl does not desire her to cross.”

  “Uh, hmmm.” Scott pondered the wisdom of letting Gillien cross. “The way I see it is that it has two possible benefits. This Gillien could be a distraction and thus we could see how Karl deals with unwanted distractions. Or,” he quickly stated, seeing the undisguised disapproval in Felix’s eyes, “we let her cross, place her in a town somewhere and have her act as a sort of quest aid for future bridge crossers.”

  “Or we leave well enough alone,” Felix flatly stated. “I saw a benefit with Elena crossing as Dieter had formed a bond with the character. Karl has no inclination for this woman other than to relieve sexual urges. Therefore the woman stays on the island.”

  “But –”

  “No ‘buts’,” Felix interrupted. “The woman does not cross. Is that clear?”

  “Suppose Karl tells her the password to cross?” Scott objected.

  Felix narrowed his gaze at him. “I repeat. She does not cross. Kill her if you have to. Let her respawn back at the castle. I don’t care what you do with her, but she does not cross.”

  “I understand,” Scott said. “What if Karl tells her the password?”

  Felix huffed and rolled his eyes. “Puh-lease. You’re the designer. Fix it.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Dawn had yet to appear when Karl stood at the door to the apartment, Gillien behind him. He was tired. They were both tired. After finally agreeing to allow her to accompany him, they had adjourned to a wild session in the bedroom. Though exhausted, they were both too keyed-up to sleep, preoccupied with thoughts of the journey to the bridge.

  Now, their adrenaline pumping, they hesitated one last time at the door.

  “Ready?” Karl asked.

  “Yes,” she replied, eyes wide with excitement.

  “You’re sure no one other than the guards are up.”

  “Yes.”

  “And you know the way once we get outside the castle?” Karl knew that not only would the mist be heavy, it would also be dark.

  “Yes.”

  “Then let’s do it.” Opening the door, he led the way down the dimly lit hallway. Gillien carried the previous evening’s left overs on the tray.

  Turning the corner, they came to the first set of guards outside Mavie’s quarters.

  “You’re up early,” one of the guards said, quizzically looking at Karl.

  “Yeah,” Gillien replied with a sigh, rolling her eyes. “I forgot to clean up last night and figured I’d better get it done before I get in trouble.”

  The guard flashed an understanding smile thought studying Karl. “Say, aren’t you –”

  “I am,” Karl acknowledged. “Do you know Nervel?”

  “Yes,” the one guard said. “He’s a friend of mine.”

  “Then you know he was charged with escorting me to Durness. We were attacked on the way there by sorcery and I ended up here again. I don’t know who or why we were attacked, but,” he ticked his head at the door, “I don’t want her to know I was here, otherwise it would get Nervel and the others in trouble. I’m heading back out to try and catch up with him. I would consider it a favor if you would keep my presence here to yourselves.”

  “Of course, m’Lord,” the guard readily agreed. “You have our word.”

  “Good. Also, this wonderful lady was kind enough to feed me. I’d also appreciate it if you kept her involvement likewise a secret.”

  “Of course, m’Lord. We understand.”

  “When I get to Durness, I will be sure to remember your actions and your professionalism. And I don’t need to remind you that Gwen is now your queen, which makes me…” He left it unfinished, silently chuckling at their response for both immediately straightened to full height and bowed.

  “One more thing,” Karl said with a regal tone. “I am without a weapon. The sorceress who attacked us flung me here, defenseless. I do not wish to deprive warriors like yourself of a weapon, but would consider it a kindness if you could procure me a suitable sword so that I can properly defend myself as I work my way to find Nervel and the others.”

  “Take mine, m’Lord,” the younger guard said, holding his sword out.

  Karl gazed at him with approval. “You are a fine warrior. However, how would you explain to your sergeant or captain that you are on watch without a sword. No, I will not put you in that position. You are already protecting me and I do not want to get you into more trouble should someone untrustworthy relay my presence here. Is there another means of procuring me a sword?”

  “The armory,” the older guard said.

  “But it’s locked,” the younger guard said.

  “I know where the keys are,” the older man said with a grin, touching his finger to his nose.

  “Excellent,” Karl praised. “How soon can you be back here?”

  “In no time at all, m’Lord.”

  “Good. Be quick about you then. I’ll stay here with your compatriot until you return.”

  The older guard hustled down the hallway, returning not more than five minutes later, breathless, but holding a new sharp sword.

  “Perfect,” Karl lauded. He twirled the sword, feeling its balance. “This will do just fine. I am in your debt, gentlemen.” Placing a finger to his lips, he whispered, “Remember, I was not here.”

  Both guards placed a fist over their hearts and bowed. “We swear we will keep your secret.”

  “I won’t forget this,” Karl said as he led Gillien away.

  It wasn’t until after Karl and Gillien disappeared around another corner that the one guard turned to the other, giving him a confident grin that abruptly disappeared. “He didn’t ask our names.”

&nb
sp; “Aw, don’t worry about that,” the other replied. “We been here enough that he knows who we are.”

  “Yeah,” the first one perked up. “When he’s king, we’re gonna be in for some good stuff.”

  Karl and Gillen raced down the remaining hallways, stopping only twice more to relay the same story with the same results. After the last set of guards, Gillien jettisoned the tray when they emerged into the shrouded courtyard. The faint illumination of dawn rimmed the mist.

  “Take my hand,” Gillien said, holding out her hand then feeling Karl’s strong grip. Creeping slowly, Gillien led the way, cautiously venturing along the cobbled streets. A few times they bumped into parked wagons, but for the most part arrived at the closed main gate without incident.

  Karl found a spot close to the gate and leaned back against the wall, sliding down to sit on the ground. Gillien sat next to him, wrapping a thin blanket around them both.

  Chapter 11

  The gate guard startled when Karl and Gillien emerged from the shadows and plowed through the entrance. The guard puzzled for only a moment thinking he had seen the tall man somewhere, but quickly forgot him when the normal merchant traffic began building.

  The pace was quick as they sought to put the castle and city far behind them. So quick in fact that twice Karl had to slow down for Gillien to catch up. Finally, after two hours’ forced march, Karl slowed and turned around, walking backwards. The city was far enough away to be but a tiny display in the distance.

  “We can slow down now,” he said. He observed that she was perspiring then thought with admiration that she hadn’t complained once during their flight. “You doing OK?”

  “I’m fine,” she cheerily replied, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “How long is it until we get to the bridge?”

  “Day after tomorrow,” Karl assured her.

  Gillien’s eyes lit up. “This is so exciting. We snuck out of the castle and the city and no one is the wiser. You are so clever.” She hugged his arm. “I wonder what life on the other side of the bridge is like. Do you think they’re like us?”

  “I would think so,” Karl replied, resuming the march, but at a slower pace.

  Gillien slipped a hand into his. “This is going to be so much fun. I’m going to make you so happy that those other two women on the team will be so jealous. But I don’t want to make them angry. You’ll explain everything won’t you?”

  “Explain what?” Karl said, his attention focused on the terrain and getting them safely to the bridge. Yet most of his thoughts dwelt with what to do with her. Should he take her with him? Did he really want that headache? Was there a benefit to having her along? What were the downsides? And what were the likely repercussions gonna be with Annabeth and Raquel?

  “That you and I are together, that you don’t need anyone else. They’ll understand.”

  “Understand what?” he asked, realizing that he was missing out on part of a discussion where he was a prime participant.

  “About us.”

  “What about us?”

  “That we’re together,” she dreamily answered, “that we’re united in a holy bond that even demons and angels can’t break.”

  Karl’s eyelids fluttered as he suddenly understood her meaning. “Let’s not get carried away here,” he admonished. “Maybe you need to go back. We don’t know how dangerous this all could be.”

  “Oh no you don’t,” she laughed. “You’re just testing me, seeing if I really mean it.” She stepped quickly in front of him and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him with all her might. “You’re the best. You’re always caring about me. You don’t need to worry. You can sleep with those other women sometimes. I won’t be jealous. They’re the ones who are gonna be jealous when they see how much in love we are.”

  “Love?” Karl sputtered, prying her away. “Who said anything about love?”

  “Oh don’t be such a silly,” she smirked knowingly at him. “Men. You’re all alike, afraid to say how you really feel. That’s OK though, because I know deep inside what you really feel.” She slid around to his side and pulled him forward. “C’mon, Mister I’m-afraid-to-show-my-feelings. We got a bridge to cross.”

  For the next day and a half, Gillien smothered Karl with her devotion and attention while Karl worked through various schemes on how to get rid of her. Unfortunately, none came in time for the forest swooped in upon the road and Karl knew they were getting close.

  He relaxed, closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of the sea. He knew they were not far from the bridge and was about to tell Gillien when he opened his eyes and saw the half rotted corpse of a man to the side of the road. Shifting a glance at Gillien, he saw her shock and horror. She pointed beyond the corpse to another set of bones.

  Karl followed her gaze and counted another six bodies in various forms of decay, leading up to a gap in the trees. The farthest body had been reduced to skeleton, the carrion birds having long ago torn and ripped the flesh from its body.

  Cautiously proceeding, they stepped over and around bodies until they emerged from the forest into a clearing. Directly in front of them was the granite archway of the bridge leading across the sea to the next island. Yet their focus latched on to a silent creature in the middle of the gate, sitting on a wide chair made of dark marble with shimmering veins that moved like snakes. It wore an iron helmet with pointed horns. The creature lifted its head to look up as soon as they entered the clearing. A glowing like the fire in smithy’s forge pulsed behind the eye slits in the helmet.

  Karl activated the gaming screens and his shoulders slumped when he read the stats: Hill Giant, Level 40. He didn’t bother reading the rest of the stats. What did it matter? If he was wrong, he would be respawning back in the guest apartment in Mavie’s castle, which meant another painful journey back to a naked resurrection… which meant he would still be stuck on this damned island.

  The giant ponderously pushed himself to standing, his mighty hands resting on the pommel of his great longsword. Thick vaporous clouds swirled behind him then twined around the sword morphing into angry asps that slithered and hissed.

  Strewn around his feet and throughout the clearing were more bodies and bones of those who were not allowed to pass. Vultures plucked and fought, rose briefly then resumed their feast on a body at the edge of the clearing.

  The giant stood three times Karl’s height and at least twice his width, spreading himself across the gate. With a sneer, he stared down at the Viking and his smaller partner.

  “What business have you here?” he asked, his voice a deep growl.

  “We wish to cross the bridge,” Karl replied.

  “No one may pass without the key.” He held his cudgel ready.

  Momentarily flummoxed, Karl blurted, “The key? I know the password. No one said anything about a key.”

  The giant snarled at him. “Do you have the key?”

  Karl hesitated and pulled up his gaming screen again.

  To cross any bridge in Bridge Quest, a player must know the password for the next island. Clues to passwords are provided on each island during various quests and/or by NPCs. Once a player crosses a bridge, it is expressly forbidden that he or she return to the previous island. Any player attempting to return to a previous island will die and respawn at the entrance to the current island. Further, a player may NOT give, share or otherwise provide the password to a NPC, regardless of circumstances.

  “Do you have the key?” the giant growled louder.

  Karl looked at the giant then at the intimidated Gillien who had attached herself to him by tightly wrapping her arms around his left arm. She stared up at him, her eyes pleading for safety.

  “Do you have the key?” the giant asked one last time. Grasping the handle of his broadsword, the giant took a step closer and pointed the tip at them.

  Twisting his head to focusing on Gillien, Karl pleaded, “Go back.”

  “No,” she cried. “I want to be with you.”

  “It’s to
o dangerous. If I’m wrong, we’re both dead.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” she melodramatically answered, “as long as I am with you.”

  Unable to extricate himself from her delusional devotion, Karl pondered telling her the wrong password, fully knowing the giant would beat her to a bloody and gruesome death. Could he live with that? Would her death be permanent? The rules said he wasn’t allowed to tell the password to a NPC. Yet it didn’t say what would happen if he did. But what about Elena?

  He quickly glanced around at the bodies strewn about, yet couldn’t identify any of his team. Though relieved, it didn’t help. Then he remembered that Nervel said they had all crossed, which meant that Elena had crossed too.

  “I ask one last time before I destroy you, like all the others who came here thinking they could pass,” the giant snarled. “Do you have the key?”

  “Yes,” Karl answered, gazing at Gillien, accepting that he would not allow her to be hurt. Not because he loved her, which he didn’t, but because it was the right thing to do, regardless of what the game rules said.

  Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, “The password is ‘Innis Torr.’ Do you understand? ‘Innis Torr.’ It’s the name of the next island.”

  Gillien nodded and softly repeated the two words. Her eyes brimmed with devotion as she reached up and gently touched his cheek. “Thank you.”

  A large raven, black as agate, wretched and mean, settled on the left shoulder of the giant who then addressed the two bridge crossers.

  “You will tell the bird the key. If he likes you, you may cross. If not… you die.”

  The bird flew up and circled around Karl, waiting for him to stretch out his arm. When it landed, Karl was surprised how light it was.

  “The key, the key,” the bird chirped, cocking its head side to side.

  A swirl of wind immediately surrounded Karl, effectively separating him from Gillien.

  “The key, the key,” the bird repeated.