by Noah Layton
‘I didn’t mean to cross a line, master, but that is technically the definition. He is carrying out forced labour without payment-’
‘As punishment for trying to murder us.’
‘Indeed.’
I saw it one way. I had given him mercy, and in exchange he would do as I said.
In the meantime, we had other business to attend to.
I had already built my Water, Stables, Defence and Harvesting Totems. Two more remained.
Build storage – 15GP – Provides 500 slots of storage space
‘Only five hundred slots?’ I said. ‘Considering the cart alone has 300 I would have thought that I would get more for my money.’
‘For 15GP it is a good beginning price, although with the sudden jump in funds that we have made it now seems like a drop in the ocean.’
I pressed build and saw the storage house, a squat thatched structure similar to the blacksmiths, pop up before me.
‘Structures and services built from the totems can, of course, be upgraded,’ Alorion said.
‘Seriously?’
‘For the right amount of gold, Master Jack, anything can be bought in these lands.’
‘Interesting…’
I was more interested, though, in the Building Totem. After spending 20GP creating it, I found myself before another small structure.
Inside was a large, heavyset wooden table, upon which sat the largest book I had ever seen. It was a leather-backed volume the size of the kitchen sink in one of my old apartments, spanning to twice the size as I pulled back the cover and looked at the first page.
The parchment was blank until a few seconds passed and ink scrawled itself magically down the page. Pressing my hand against it, another window popped up before me.
Build small livestock pen
Build basic shack
Build wood family home
Build stone family home
By each of the four options were requirements – varying quantities of wood and stone, and various other materials.
‘I don’t need to worry about this until we have some more members in our tribe, but it’s good to know that we can house people should the time come.’
‘The brick will be expensive to purchase, though.’
‘Right… Guess we’re just going to have to harvest a whole lot of corn. At least I’ve got somebody to help with that now.’
‘It would seem that this assassination attempt was not the worst thing to happen to us.’
‘Right,’ I smiled. ‘There’s something else, too.’
I retrieved the three items from my inventory that Alorion had found and set them down on the table.
Map x1
Potion of Haste
Spell: Arcane Blast
The map comprised of a worn, tattered piece of parchment, similar in size to the book. It was covered with messy scrawls indicating various locations.
‘There’s the trading post,’ I pointed out, seeing it marked at the edge of the map. ‘Which means that we’re over here off the edge.’
I studied it further. Expanses of forest separated us from other small sections of land claimed by other tribes, but based on the key the closest was fifteen miles away, and nothing to worry about.
Based on that I could figure out that the map covered around fifty square miles, including something that caught my attention more than the other markers.
‘Ichabod’s Cove,’ I read. ‘It doesn’t seem to belong to a tribe based on these markings.’ I returned to the other objects. ‘And what about these? Potion of Haste and Spell: Arcane Blast.’ The first the form of a vial of glowing blue liquid, while the latter was a scroll of parchment consisting of a series of words written in another language.
‘My knowledge regarding specific potions is limited, but they tend to do as they say. Spell scrolls can be used to learn magical abilities, but they require a necromancer in order to be learned.’
‘There’s one person I know who can fill us in.’
As we returned to the heat of the early morning we crossed paths with Ariadne, who was doing a damn fine job of directing Coron to the second of the four bodies.
‘You move pretty slow, huh?’ I said.
‘You ever tried to carry a corpse several hundred yards before?’
‘I have. Pick up the pace. But before you do, I need some information.’
Coron proceeded to divulge everything that I wanted to know. The map was accurate, he said, and the potion and the scroll had been acquired during one of their previous lootings, and did exactly as they said.
‘The potion lets you run quickly for a short period of time, depending on how much you drink. And that spell scroll can be used to learn Arcane Blast. One of the others told me about it. It’s like an attack. I don’t know anything else about it.’
‘And this Ichabod’s Cove place,’ I continued. ‘You ever been?’
‘Once, a few months back.
‘What can you tell me about it?’
‘It’s a neutral zone, like the trading post a few miles out. Filled with mercenaries and drunks and traders and sailors.’
‘So it’s an actual port?’
‘It gives passage to the Torken River. Allows movement through half of Agraria.’
Ideas were already forming in my head for our next movements, but I had to be smart about it.
While Coron continued with his duties, burying the bodies in the forest beyond our lands and cleaning the stables out, I got to work harvesting another batch of corn from the fields.
It was honest work, and I wasn’t going to be the kind of leader who ordered his minions about while putting his feet up.
I hoped not, anyway.
A few hours later the work was completed, and I afforded Coron some corn and water. It was still before midday.
‘Here’s the plan,’ I started. ‘Coron is going to continue harvesting corn while Alorion keeps an eye on him.’
‘Am I the best person for such a job? My combat abilities are quite limited.’
‘Not to worry. I repositioned the remaining bombs to line the next section that needs harvesting. If he tries anything, feel free to set them off.’
Coron’s eyes went wide with fear. The truth was that I hadn’t set the bombs up at all. That wasn’t even how they worked. I had disabled the remaining bombs in between harvesting corn and stowed them in my inventory
But Coron didn’t know that.
‘Which brings me to my next point,’ I continued, turning to Coron. ‘What can you tell me about this camp of yours? The one where you and your bandit friends were holding up.’
‘There are a three still on guard. They will be wondering where we are at this point.’
‘Definitely three? A few hours ago you told me that they were all dead. If you’re lying I’m going to come back here and make you dig your own fucking grave.’
‘Definitely three, master.’
‘Okay. Grab the sickle and start swinging.’
Coron did so while Alorion kept an eye on him, but I caught him before he took off to sit atop the blacksmiths.
‘Ariadne and I are going to raid the bandits’ camp and see if there’s anything of value that we can take. It’ll give me a chance to brush up on my sword skills too. Keep both eyes on Coron.’
‘Yes, Jack.’
‘And if he manages to fill the cart before we get back, feel free to head to the trading post to unload the corn. A little more gold never goes to waste. The kid won’t dare to make a run for it.’
After stowing away the items in my inventory, I finished getting dressed, equipped my sword in its scabbard at my waist for a quickdraw, and headed to the trail with Ariadne by my side.
‘This is a first for me,’ I said.
‘What is?’ Ariadne replied.
‘Fighting alongside somebody who I just had sex with.’
‘In the bedroom I am yours, Master Jack. But when it comes to the wilds I can be a formidable fighter, at least at a d
istance. Up close I am not as sharp but still able.’
‘I’ll keep that in mind.’
I retrieved the map from my inventory and examined it.
‘It’s around six miles that way,’ I pointed into the forest to the North-West. ‘There’s a path a mile or so before the trading post that goes in that direction, so hopefully we should be able to find our way there without running into any trouble. And we should be able to do it quickly, presuming this thing works.’
I pocketed the map in my shirt and retrieved the Potion of Haste from my inventory.
‘How long can you run for?’
‘Miles, master.’
‘Me too, but usually with 80lbs on my back. Without all that weight I should be fine, but I’m probably nowhere near as fast as you.’ I unstopped the bottle and smelled the liquid. It was odourless.
I had no idea how much of this mystery substance I was supposed to drink. I trusted nothing in this world completely.
‘Bottoms up.’
I drank down a quarter of the vial and handed it to Ariadne, who drank another quarter.
I stoppered it again and stored it.
‘How do you feel, master?’
‘Okay… I think. Let’s just get moving.’
We started at a jog along the path. For Ariadne it was a leisurely pace, but I knew my best speed and I was fast reaching it.
Ariadne laughed as she sped up a little, looking back at me cheekily. I may have been her master, but she was a foxgirl at heart and playful in that respect.
And then it hit me.
A surge of energy coursed through the muscles in my legs. I drew a deep breath which seemed endless, my lungs continuing to fill with air without hitting a peak.
I caught up with Ariadne as an impressed laugh escaped my lungs with the inevitable exhale. Suddenly we were sprinting along the path at an insane speed, kicking up dust behind us in waves with every one of our innumerable footsteps.
A mile passed without me even noticing – this was Olympic level speed, but somehow I was maintaining it.
The forest around me turned into a green and brown blur. We only just managed to veer off north-east along the path before the trading post.
We sprinted until the trail began to fade, eventually pushing against leaves and shrubbery. It had been a straight shot since taking the new path, and to the best of my knowledge we weren’t far from the bandits’ camp.
In the last few days I had only moved between the land of my tribe and the trading post, and now that we were moving through the thickness of the forest I finally realised just how untamed this world was.
The tribes that were scattered across these lands may have commanded their own varying levels of power, but the land that surrounded my own was unoccupied – at least by beings that could speak.
‘Alorion told me that there are creatures out here,’ I said to Ariadne as we pressed on through the undergrowth.
‘This is true, Master Jack. Most are pleasant and harmless so long as you do not disturb them. The predators are a different matter.’
‘Predators?’
‘Of course. There are beasts at the top of every food chain, and the forests of Agraria are no different. Let us hope we do not run into them.’
‘Let’s hope,’ I repeated, holding my breath.
After another half a mile the forest began to thin a little. Past the trunks ahead I could see a relatively large clearing.
We slowed and scanned the view ahead, brushing past more trunks and low branches before getting a clear sight of the space.
Amongst the trees were a few tents surrounding a lightly smoking campfire. Just as Coron had said, there were three bandits in sight, two eating around the fire and a third taking a piss on the other side of the clearing.
‘Two knives, two bandits. Think you can take them?’
‘I shall try. What about the third?’
‘I need to do some of the work, don’t I? Besides, I need the practice. I don’t have my gun anymore.’
Ariadne readied her knives, I drew my sword, and we burst through the treeline.
The potion had worn off, but Ariadne didn’t need it. She was five yards from the camp when the men saw her, by which point her shot was clear.
The first knife left her hand. The blade struck one of the bandits square in the forehead before he had any idea what was going on, sending him crashing back into his tent and ripping it down.
The second flew but missed its mark, whipping over the second bandit’s head and taking a few hairs with it.
‘By the gods! Raoul!’
The pissing bandit spun around and yelled out incoherently, pulling up his breeches.
The other seated bandit drew a woodcutting axe from his side, staggering to his feet and making his way towards me. He stood a few inches higher than me and at least a foot wider, bearing a brute strength that could take me on.
One thing you never see in the movies is how fights actually go down. They’re never choreographed or smooth or aesthetic. They’re messy and awkward and bloody.
Especially when you don’t have a gun.
Ariadne sprinted past us and snatched up the knife from the head of the dead bandit. She took aim at the bandit pulling up his breeches on the other side of the clearing.
‘You little bitch!’
He was tall and skinny, giving much less surface area to strike. Ariadne was a damn good shot, but she wasn’t that good.
Especially when the target was okay with getting hurt.
He threw up a hand as the knife went for his chest. It sliced straight through his palm. He released a yelp, but he was still standing.
The bandit yanked the knife from his hand with a spray of blood, took command of it and made towards her.
She had no trouble keeping him at a distance, which left me to deal with my guy.
Her second knife was lost somewhere in the tent that belonged to the other remaining bandit – the huge one staggering towards me with his woodcutter’s axe in hand.
‘Let’s go, big guy,’ I said, commanding the weight of my sword. I felt stronger and more alert this time compared to my first fight on the trail.
He swung the axe back over his shoulder and swiped at me. I dodged back and went forward with my sword, but on the rebound I caught his weapon instead of him – the axe flew from his hands. I had an opening.
I mustered my strength and swung again. This time I made contact with his hands rather than his body. He grabbed hold of the blade in his huge hands, taking control of it.
I tried desperately to rip it from his strong grasp as blood trickled over his hands and dripped to the ground, but the anger in his face was too intense.
He gritted his teeth and seized total control. The sword pulled from my grip, and he threw it behind him.
Reaching up his bloody hands, he wrapped them around my neck and lifted me into the air.
Already I could feel the life being choked out of me.
There was no way I was going out like this.
Grabbing hold of his overshirt, I pulled myself to him and slammed my forehead against his. The hit left him in a daze long enough for me to bring my legs up and kick him in the chest.
I pulled free from his grasp and we both went in different directions, slamming against the ground.
I jumped up fast and dashed for my sword. The moment my fingers clamped around the handle I turned, swung and sliced my blade at him. The tip of the blade slashed through his face and into his neck, and blood began to spurt into the air.
The pissing bandit was still chasing Ariadne. In contrast to the man about to die by my feet it was almost funny – he was desperately chasing after Ariadne in his drunken state, but he was no match for her. She was literally running in casual circles, and the bandit was struggling to even walk after her.
I approached them, hoping that I would be able to talk it over with him, but I was having no luck along that course of action.
Seeing a new target ap
proaching, he turned to me with the throwing knife raised like a dagger and made for me with a drunken yell.
I swung my longsword and sliced his arm clean off. It and the knife hit the ground and he fell back, squealing like a pig – not that I exactly blamed him.
‘I think it is my turn to do the honors,’ she breathed. She took up her bloody knife from the bandit’s severed arm and stood over him, looking him dead in the eye as she plunged it into his chest, puncturing his heart.
‘Holy shit…’ I muttered quietly to myself.
I may not have been a stranger to death, but that was beyond cold.
Ariadne pulled her knife away and retrieved the second from the tents, cleaning them off with a rag she had recovered on the way back to me.
‘You okay?’ I said.
‘Well, thank you, master,’ she said casually.
‘That was… Impressive.’
‘What was?’
‘Killing that guy.’
‘There is no sense in letting someone suffer, even if they are an enemy.’
She had a point. Even if it had been brutal to watch, there was a real empathy hidden somewhere in her actions. And who was I to judge, anyway – I had done the exact same thing back at our land.
Through the rustling breeze I suddenly heard something cry out. It hadn’t come from one of the men – they were all dead, and it was too calculated to belong to an animal.
‘Do you hear that?’
Ariadne turned her head to the side, her long fox ears twitching.
‘There is something nearby.’
I wasn’t crazy – the cries were real.
‘Hello?’ I called out. ‘Is somebody out there?’
I listened intently until the quiet of the clearing was broken.
‘… re over here!... Woods…!’
Keeping my sword drawn, I headed towards the forest in the direction of the shouts.
This section was the thickest area that surrounded the clearing. Leaves and branches were bulked together copiously.
‘These were placed here,’ I realised. ‘They’re covering something up.’
Together we pulled away the vines and leaves and broken branches that covered whatever the bandits had been trying to hide. The more we removed the louder the cries of help grew.