Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3)

by M Damon Baker

  Both of them simply acknowledged my orders before hurrying off to see them carried out. I was still uncomfortable with my role as leader of all these people, but having such loyal companions willing to help me made it much easier to bear the burden.

  I knew that I needed to reassign Ridge—his work outside might place him in harm’s way once the orcs arrived. While we needed as much forest cleared as possible, the effort wasn’t worth sacrificing him. But before I headed outside, I first paid a visit to Hilgreth. She would need to be prepared for the upcoming battle as well. While she had finished her work on the spears the day before, she was still busy repairing some of the lesser quality armor that some of the dwarves had brought with them.

  “Hilgreth, I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” I said as I entered her forge. “The orcs have been spotted, and they will likely be at our door sometime tomorrow.”

  “Ungh,” she grunted as she swung her hammer down one more time.

  “I suppose I should show you what we’ve been making in our spare time,” Hilgreth replied as she put aside her work.

  “I wasn’t aware that you had any spare time?”

  “Ha! True enough,” she smiled. “But I’ve managed to find some anyway. Mind you, the work is not pretty, but they’ll do the job.”

  Hilgreth brought me to a large tarp-covered pile hidden away in the back of the forge. She grabbed a corner of the heavy canvas and hesitated a moment before revealing what was hidden beneath it.

  “We put a lot of extra effort into making these,” she began, and her voice took on an odd tone as she continued. “I want to ask you to let us be the ones to set them up, Lady Dreya.”

  “Consider your request approved,” I smiled at her, despite not knowing what exactly she had planned. The woman had proven invaluable to us over the past days, and I was not about to deny any request that seemed so important to her.

  Hilgreth returned my smile with a broad one of her own as she whipped the tarp away from the odd shaped heap it had been covering. What it revealed was a mystery to me, looking at first like a mismatched jumble of short, sharp spikes randomly welded together in places. Hilgreth’s grin seemed to only widen as she noticed my confusion.

  “Caltrops, Lady Dreya,” she explained, as she pulled one of the devices free from the pile and handed it to me.

  The barbed metal contraption had four sharp spikes, welded together in a rough pyramid-like shape. I had never seen anything like it, but the dead man’s memories recalled what it was used for. Spread across the ground, the caltrops were designed so that one of their spikes would always face upwards. Placed over an area where an enemy might approach, the devices would impale the foot of anyone who was unfortunate enough to tread on one of them. Considering the number of the devices that Hilgreth had fashioned, we would be able to spread them over quite a large patch of ground.

  “I have already ordered that all outside work is to be halted at dusk today,” I told her as I continued looking over the device. “You have until one hour before then to finish placing them. You and your apprentices are too valuable for me to allow you to risk yourselves any further than that. I also want two guards accompanying each of you while you work. Go find Broda ask her to get you the protection you require. Once you have it, you may begin.”

  Hilgreth’s eyes lit up and she thanked me profusely before rushing off. As I left the forge, I heard her shouted commands as she ordered her apprentices to load up the caltrops while she set off in search of Broda.

  On my way to find Ridge, I stopped for a while to speak to the members of the watch that were on duty. They were already aware of the orcs’ approach and despite the dire news, were in good spirits. The dwarven people had been in near constant conflict with orcs for longer than anyone could remember. Battles between the two races were such a common occurrence, that an attack of this nature was certainly not unexpected. Several of them even seemed to look forward to the coming conflict, viewing the occasion as an opportunity to avenge a fallen relative or comrade.

  With morale not an issue, I left the guards behind and sought out Ridge. He was far from difficult to locate, as all one had to do was follow the sound of crashing timbers to find him. As soon as he had finished the barracks, Ridge began working tirelessly to clear the forest as quickly as possible. Although he had built up an incredible pile of lumber inside the canyon, the dense forest yielded itself slowly to his efforts and only a relatively small area had been cleared of its thick cover. As soon as he noticed my approach, Ridge halted his efforts and we spoke.

  “I have some bad news, Ridge,” I informed him. “Bane has spotted the orcs. They will be here in force sometime tomorrow, but some of their scouts may reach us much sooner than that. For your own safety, I need you to stop working out here before sundown. Make sure everyone else is inside as well and then pull in the bridge.”

  “I will do as much as I can before then, Mistress.”

  “I know that you will, Ridge,” I replied. “The wall you built is quite high, but offers little protection for those who will be fighting on top of it. Do you think you can add some battlements to it before our enemy arrives?”

  “I should be able to do that during the night, Mistress.”

  “Thank you, Ridge. Your efforts have been critical to our safety and I cannot tell you just how grateful I am for your help,” I told him sincerely.

  “It is my honor to serve you, Sintári.”

  His use of that title startled me. He had never before addressed me as anything other than ‘Mistress,’ and I was certain that I had not revealed my true nature to him, yet somehow, he knew. I felt Bane tensing on my shoulder as he also realized the implication of Ridge’s disclosure.

  “How long have you known, Ridge?” I simply responded.

  “I have always known, Mistress, though I understand your need to keep the truth hidden. But there is no need for such secrecy between us, Sintári; the people of stone have awaited your return for a very long time.”

  Having said his piece, Ridge returned to his work, uprooting the trees and clearing away the dense forest. As I turned back towards the wall and made my way back to the canyon, Hilgreth and her apprentices were already beginning to place her wicked caltrops. I watched as they seemed to take great pleasure concealing the devices with small branches or in shallow depressions. The vicious spikes might not kill any of the orcs outright, but they would certainly take them out of the fight for a while.

  The three of them seemed to enjoy the task, and even their guards appeared to be eagerly helping them search out the most treacherous locations to hide the barbs, so I left the blacksmith and her apprentices to their work.

  Once inside the wall, I could see that preparations were continuing in earnest. While one group of defenders fired our few precious crossbows at targets set up against the canyon walls, another drilled with the spears that Hilgreth and Dellon had crafted. Others busily lugged heavy rocks and other makeshift missiles up the stairs, piling them along the entire length of the wall. I found Tási among the hectic bustle and dragged her off with me.

  “Your time will be better spent working on your spells rather than carting rocks up those stairs,” I said to her as I led her away.

  “I was just trying to help,” she protested.

  “I know you were Tási, and I appreciate that,” I replied as I took her hand and began walking towards the valley. “But I need to spend some time with you, and this is the only way I can justify that right now.”

  The last few days had been difficult for me—the stress of suddenly having so much responsibility thrust upon me was practically suffocating. The only peaceful time I had were the fleeting moments before I fell asleep each night, and although I found Tási’s presence with me during that time reassuring, I missed spending my days with her.

  Tási smiled back at me in understanding. She too had been frustrated by our forced separation. Not only that, but I knew the unknown nature of the secret she harbored deep within
herself weighed heavily on her conscience. But uncovering that mystery would have to wait until the orc threat was eliminated and the rest of our companions returned, Venna in particular. We would be relying on her healing talents to rescue us if anything went wrong during the potentially difficult process of unravelling the threads of Tási’s past.

  Once we reached the valley, Bane left us alone. His feigned excuse was that he wanted to scout the approaching orcs one last time before dark, and even though his reason for departing was a good one, I knew that he wanted to allow us at least a little time alone as well. Although we did manage to practice our talents, we wound up spending most of our time sitting in the soft grass together.

  “It’s waiting for you,” Tási said abruptly during one of our many breaks. “Whatever it is, it has stopped trying to emerge. I can feel it inside me, and it knows that you’re coming.”

  “You have that much awareness of it?” I said, astounded by her revelation.

  “No,” she replied. “I can’t sense it at all. The only things I can feel are what it wants me to know.”

  “That’s a bit disturbing, Tási,” I confessed to her.

  “I thought that you were confident that it could only be something helpful?”

  “I was,” I replied before correcting myself. “And I still am, but the fact that it seems to have an awareness of its own is at least a bit unusual, don’t you think?”

  I was startled when Tási burst out in laughter in response to my concern.

  “Let me see if I understand you correctly,” she said in an amused tone when she finally regained herself. “You’re both a Deathless and a Sintári. You have a Rhastoren for a companion, and an Earth spirit has bonded to you. You rejoined all the pieces of an Amulet that has been lost for millennia and are currently building a base from which you intend to conquer an entire continent, but this is the one thing you find unusual?”

  She broke out in another round of laughter and this time, I joined in with her. When she laid it out for me so starkly, the ridiculousness of it all was just too much to ignore. We laughed until our sides began to ache, not only in amusement but also with the simple joy of finally having some real time together.

  The levity lightened our mood for the rest of the day and even when it was time to head back to the fortifications our spirits were still high. There would be much work for us to do that night in preparation for the coming assault, but we were in a better frame of mind to handle the responsibilities.

  I was surprised to find that most of the tasks had already been finished by the time we arrived. Ridge was pulling back the log bridge as we reached the gate and the dwarves on watch assured me that everyone was inside and accounted for. The archers were cleaning and oiling their crossbows while the rest of the combatants saw to the last-minute maintenance of their own weapons. It was the veritable calm before the storm, with the peaceful lull belying the conflict that loomed ahead of us sometime the next day.

  I took Tási with me as I toured the entire area. We spoke to as many people as we could, ensuring that they had everything we could provide for them. Everywhere we went the people seemed relaxed—despite the hardships we were about to face, the dwarves went about their business calmly. While those who would mount the fortifications and defend against the orcs’ attack made their weapons ready, the rest of the people tended to their everyday chores, including caring for the few children that had been brought along.

  Those too young or infirm for battle would take shelter within the barracks Ridge had carved out. As I looked over at the young dwarves playing together in the failing light, I offered a silent prayer for their safety to anyone that might be listening. We would more than likely lose some of our people in the coming battle, and I didn’t know if I could handle the loss of one of the innocent children who had been entrusted to my leadership. Finally, when we had done all we could, we headed back to our own campsite, exhausted but satisfied with our efforts. No matter what might happen the next day, I knew we had done everything we could to protect our people.

  The dwarves may have been calm, but I spent the night restlessly. Despite Bane’s presence and the comfort of Tási lying next to me, I slept in fitful bursts, waking repeatedly through the night until dawn finally broke. Daybreak was almost a relief from my practically fruitless attempts to sleep, and I hurried out of the tent, eager for something other than worry to occupy my mind. As I rushed to reach the fortifications, Bane caught up with me and perched on my shoulder.

  Shall I seek out the orcs again, Sintári?

  ‘Soon, Bane. Stay with me for a while first.’

  Not only did I want Bane’s company, but the dwarves also apparently viewed him as some sort of portent. While he was with me, they seemed to derive a certain sense of confidence from his presence. I was hoping that little boost in morale might be helpful in the face of the coming battle.

  I greeted each and every person I came across as I climbed to the top of our defenses. I may not have been able to remember all of their names, but I made sure to let them know that I appreciated them, nonetheless. Bane did his part as well, flashing his golden eyes and gazing about menacingly as we made our way up the stairs. The effort was worthwhile, as I could hear the dwarves chattering about Lady Dreya and her little dragon as we left them behind. I didn’t bother correcting their mistake—at this point, it was better for everyone to think of Bane that way. The inspiration he provided was far too valuable for me to even consider jeopardizing it with the truth.

  As I crested the stairs, Ridge was putting the finishing touches on the last of his defensive improvements. Now, instead of a flat surface, the top of the wall had an impressive, if crude, set of battlements shielding the defenders from attack. The breaks in the protective barrier would allow our own archers to fire on the enemy from safety and even provide some protection for our defenders should the orcs somehow manage to climb the high walls.

  “You are amazing, Ridge,” I offered him as he placed the last few blocks. “This will save a lot of lives today.”

  “What would you have me work on next, Mistress?” Was his only response.

  There was nothing more he could do to the fortifications that day. We needed the area clear for our defenders, and any attempt to work on them would only get in the way. I considered the plans for the area behind the wall and came with a good alternative for him.

  “The garrison plans for these fortifications included a blacksmith’s workshop, if I remember correctly. How long would it take for you to get that built?

  “It is a fairly simple structure, Mistress. No more than a day at the most,” Ridge replied plainly.

  “Then that is what I would like you to build next,” I told him. “Hilgreth has been extremely helpful; we should reward her efforts.”

  He dipped his head and left to begin the project. With my final planned task done, I sent Bane off on his scouting assignment and returned to my campsite to grab some breakfast.

  Broda and Tási were the only ones there when I arrived. I scrounged among their leftovers and put together a small plate of food before taking a seat on one of the stones we had arranged around the campfire. But with nothing to preoccupy my mind, the lack of sleep began to take its toll, and I slouched in exhaustion as I began to eat.

  “You tossed and turned all night, Dreya,” Tási offered sympathetically. “Did you get any sleep?”

  “A little,” I replied weakly.

  “I’ll see to anything that remains to be done,” Broda said, rising to her feet before turning to address Tási directly. “Make sure that she eats, and then put her back to bed. We’ll need her at her best when the orcs get here.”

  Tási nodded at Broda and then looked at me sternly, daring me to contradict their plan. But Broda was correct, so I knew better than to do so and let Tási lead me back inside once I had finished my meal.

  She stripped off my gear and laid me down gently before covering me with several blankets. Once Tási was satisfied, she la
id down beside me and I closed my eyes. I knew for certain that we had made all the preparation possible. With that assurance, and my complete exhaustion from the night before, sleep finally came for me and I dozed off quickly this time.

  I woke up to the sound of whispering just outside the tent flaps. Tási was no longer with me and I heard her among the hushed voices. Although I couldn’t make out every word, they were clearly debating whether or not to wake me. Seeing as I was already up, I made the decision for them.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, emerging outside once I had replaced all my equipment.

  “We’ve spotted a few of their scouts among the trees,” Broda answered me. “Nothing serious.”

  “Let’s go have a look, shall we?” I replied as I headed off towards the wall.

  Broda and Tási followed me as I returned to the fortifications, muttering between themselves the whole way. Each one seemed determined to blame the other for disturbing my sleep, and I amused myself by eavesdropping on their argument. I wasn’t sure how long I’d slept for, but I felt refreshed and didn’t resent the interruption at all.

  When we reached our defenses, I was glad to see that the dwarves were keeping to our plan and remaining out of sight. The last attackers had only seen Tási and I, and I wanted to keep the orcs unaware of the increased number of defenders we now had. So, while everyone was in position, they kept themselves hidden, concealing themselves behind the battlements as best they could.

  I climbed the stairs and made a show of looking out from atop the wall. Tási stood by my side, and we let ourselves be seen by anyone who might be observing. The flashes of movement within the tree line were obvious, and I made no pretense of missing them. I pretended to be alarmed while Tási and I took up our defensive positions guarding the gateway.