I sat on the bed where Nentai had been only a few moments before and contemplated the incredible events that had just occurred—in the span of a few short moments, I had met a pair of Goddesses, learned that my quest had received the blessing of an entire Pantheon, and been gifted with two God-forged Artifacts with the promise of still more to come. It was almost more than I could comprehend.
After sitting there for a while, I remembered that my companions were waiting for me downstairs, so I placed the Quiver over my shoulder; once I felt it secure itself in place, I left the room and made my way down the stairs.
I heard my companions hushed voices as I descended towards them and they fell silent as I entered the common room. Each of them stared at me in amazement, awed not only by the events they had witnessed, but by the power that they recognized in the Artifacts I wore.
Khorim reached out to touch my armor, clearly seeking to feel the Artifact and determine if what his eyes were telling him was real, but I had to stop him before he regretted where his absent-minded hand was heading.
“I won’t appreciate that, master dwarf,” I admonished him. “And Broda will like it even less.”
Khorim flushed crimson when I stopped his hand just inches away from my chest. The sound of him bursting into a series of coughs and sputters broke the rest of my friends from the trance they were under, and they began pummeling me with questions.
“Stop!” I had to shout to end their flurry of inquiries. “You know as much as I do. Nentai only helped me get into my armor before she left.”
While that wasn’t completely true, it was the limit of what I could tell them safely.
“Dreya,” Venna’s voice trembled in awe. “The Gods have blessed your quest. Not just one of them, but all of them. You have done many amazing things, but this is truly unprecedented.”
“The Gods have blessed our quest,” I reminded them all. “You joined me on this mission, and their blessing falls on you as well—never forget that.”
“Still, Sintári, you cannot deny the special role you play in all of this,” Stel replied, echoing Venna’s sentiment.
“As much as I’d like to do just that, you’re right, I can’t,” I conceded reluctantly. “I’ve fought against it for so long that it’s hard for me to admit that I have been given a great responsibility, but more than anything, this night has reminded me that I need all of you in order to fulfill that role; most importantly, I need you to stop looking at me like that!”
The sudden change in my tone caught my friends off guard, and they startled in surprise. Tási had the good sense to at least appear embarrassed while the rest of them remained off balance by my outburst.
“It’s still me inside this set of armor,” I said, as I stared each of them in the eye in turn. “I need you to treat me the same as always and not like I’m the damn Artifact.”
“We will try, Sintári,” Stel answered on their behalf. “But you do make it difficult sometimes.”
The reemergence of his trademark smirk offered me some reassurance that they would at least try, and I accepted his promise with a resigned sigh. Unfortunately, I had to admit that he was right—if things like this kept happening, I had little hope that they would be able to see me as the same person they once knew. I only prayed that any similar events occurred far enough apart that our bonds were able to recover in between.
“I think I’ve had enough excitement for one night,” I sighed again. “I’m going to try and get some sleep before anything else happens.”
I left my companions behind and climbed back upstairs, assuming they would continue discussing the night’s events endlessly, either with or without me. Once I reached my room, I shut the door behind me before I pulled the Quiver off my back and sat down on the bed once more.
I had only just changed into my night dress and slipped under the covers when Tási opened the door and crept inside. After she changed and laid down beside me, I felt compelled to speak to her before we fell asleep.
“Promise me you won’t treat me differently,” I implored her. “I need to know that I can count on you, even if I lose everyone else.”
“You’re not going to lose any of us,” she reassured me. “They may be a bit overwhelmed, but they’ll snap out of it. Broda’s already ripping Khorim a new one for almost groping you before.”
We laughed at Khorim’s misfortune, and I could only imagine just how badly Broda was tearing into the unfortunate dwarf for his near blunder. When our laughter subsided, Tási’s hand grazed my cheek and she kissed me softly on the lips as she maneuvered beside me.
“This has been a rather momentous evening, even before the Goddesses descended upon us,” she said in a mischievous tone that I’d come to recognize. “While I’m not going to treat you any differently, I do intend to treat you rather spectacularly tonight.”
Her promise turned out to be quite a bit of an understatement, and although Tási fell asleep quickly after our intense liaison, I lay awake for a while longer, still struggling to come to terms with all that had transpired despite Tási’s obvious attempt to divert my attention.
As I lie there, I missed Bane’s soothing presence and the calming effect his purr had on me. He had not returned from his scouting before we had retired, so he had been locked outside. It was not an unusual occurrence, but I felt his absence keenly that night. Eventually, my eyelids began to sag, and Tási’s soft snoring finally lulled me to sleep, despite the heavy thoughts that were running through my mind.
12
When I woke the next morning, I immediately dressed in Melía’s Armor. While I was not planning to venture beyond the fortifications that day, and had no need of its protection, I still felt almost compelled to wear the Artifact. My desire to put on the Armor came from more than just the way that it fit me so perfectly, and as I slipped into it, I remembered Nentai telling me that the armor was made for me in the ‘truest sense.’
I wondered if I had forged yet another bond, like the ones that had been created between me and Bane, Tási, and even with the land of the valley. Had Melía crafted an Artifact that also linked itself to me on some level? It was not a question that I could answer, but perhaps the next time the Goddesses came to visit me, I could ask them about it.
The thought of meeting Nentai and Set again sent a shiver through me when I remembered the implications behind it—gifts from the Gods. A blessing from the entire Pantheon on my quest. The burden that I had felt on my shoulders had been heavy before, but the weight seemed to grow almost unbearable with the added impact of that responsibility. Tási had already left when I woke up, so after I threw an outfit on over my armor, I sat down on the bed to contemplate the incredible turn of events.
My ultimate goal was to unite Arrika into one nation, and then eliminate the threat of the Dark Lands. With the realms united, and all external dangers eradicated, peace and justice could return to the lands. The realms could focus their efforts on enforcing the law and preventing the abuse of their people, rather than having to waste their resources fighting petty wars or defending against attacks from the Dark Lands.
But at that moment, I was still just trying to establish my own base of power—my own tiny realm. One that I hoped would provide an example for all the others to follow. For me to do that, I needed to bring in more people. People willing to believe in the promise that I was offering them.
I suddenly realized that the Gods’ blessing and their gifts to me were not an added burden that I needed to bear, they were tools that were meant to help me succeed. I just had to figure out how to use them correctly.
I couldn’t simply announce what had happened to the world. Such a proclamation would only spur my enemies to attack, and I didn’t want to face another assault at that time, but perhaps I could use what had happened in a subtler manner. It was an issue that would require some consideration on my part, but with the smell of breakfast wafting through the air, I set my deliberations aside and headed downstairs.
Wh
en I reached the common area, I saw everyone sitting around the table as Tási was just setting platters of food in front of them. I had heard them talking among themselves as I walked down the stairs, but as soon as they noticed me, a hush had fallen over the table.
“So,” I said as I took a seat and began piling some food onto my plate. “Anything interesting happen lately?”
Khorim almost choked on his mouthful of eggs when I made my casual offhand comment, while the rest of my companions chuckled in response. My dismissive tone had broken the uneasy mood, and Stel replied to me in kind.
“No, not much to speak of,” he deadpanned.
“But I do have an idea that I would like for you to consider,” Stel continued. “A second foray to follow up on our recruitment efforts. It’s probably too soon just yet, but in a week or two, I would like to go back out and try to persuade as many people as I can to join us.”
“And have you run this idea of yours past Venna,” I asked him pointedly, “or are you intending to make me bear the brunt of her wrath when you depart yet again?”
“I assure you that he has not,” Venna said icily.
Stel sunk back in his chair and practically withered under the intense glare that Venna cast his way as she spoke.
“I was going to,” he replied almost meekly.
“I think it’s a good idea,” I jumped in before Venna could rip her husband to shreds. “But I also think that the timing needs to be worked out a bit. Come back to me after you discuss the issue with your wife.”
Venna’s eyes still smoldered as she stared back at Stel, but she nodded her head when I finished speaking, so I let the matter drop.
“I’m planning to make my usual rounds again today,” I announced, changing the subject to more mundane matters. “If anyone needs me, you know where to look.”
While my companions were anxious to know more about what the Gods had in store for us, they also knew that there was nothing more for me to tell them. They had witnessed almost the entirety of the events as they had unfolded, so our discussions remained focused on the day-to-day concerns until Broda asked about my attire.
“Will you be running around in that all day or will you be changing into something more discreet?” Broda asked as she gestured at the sections of my Armor that remained exposed outside my casual outfit.
“I’ll be keeping it on, Broda,” I replied to her.
I had actually thought about this very issue during our conversation around the table that morning—while I wasn’t ready to let word of what had happened spread throughout the realms, I decided that it wasn’t a bad idea to let my own people have some indication of what was going on. Although I wouldn’t be making any ostentatious displays, I didn’t intend to hide the gifts I had been given either. And while the extraordinary quality of the Armor would be readily apparent to anyone who saw it, I also figured that only a bare handful of my citizens would be able to recognize its true nature. My people were mostly ordinary folks: farmers, miners, hunters and the like, so very few of them had any of the talents that would reveal the properties of the Artifact that I wore. The ones that could, however, like Hilgreth, Renn, and possibly Donnell, would undoubtedly spread the word, accomplishing the task for me without me having to seem like I was flaunting anything.
I explained my thoughts to everyone, and they agreed with my decision; parading about in two God-forged Artifacts might have been just too much, and they approved of the subtler approach that I had chosen. Then, once we finished with our meal and discussion, we each headed off on our usual daily errands. As Venna left to tend to the infirmary, Bane jumped onto my shoulder to join me before I went off to inspect the various projects that were being worked on.
‘I don’t think you can stay there today,’ I sent to him as he struggled to perch on my shoulder. ‘Not only have you gotten much heavier, but you’ve definitely gotten bigger as well.’
I could sense his disappointment as Bane slid off my shoulder, folded his wings against his sides, and began walking beside me as we wandered through the trees that surrounded our house.
Bane and I had discussed the changes that had been occurring to him, and while neither of us understood what was happening, the fact that they had begun almost immediately after I’d first been able to speak to him with my mind was not lost on us. The notification I received at the time mentioned that the method I’d used to strengthen our bond was something that had not been done in a very long time, and we could only surmise that it was that action which had instigated Bane’s transformation.
‘I’m sorry, Bane—truly I am,’ I sent to him with as much reassurance as I could impart to my thoughts. ‘But you’re just too big to sit on my shoulder anymore.’
I know, my Sintári, he sent back, and I could feel the regret in his words. I think that I have been for a little while now.
‘I wonder how big you will get.’
Hopefully not too big to rest my head on you and feel your heartbeat, my Sintári.
‘I don’t think that’s possible, Bane,’ I sent him with a hint of amusement.
Let’s hope not.
‘I do have some good news that I hope will brighten your day.’
Bane was quite upset when he learned that he had missed the previous night’s visit from the Goddesses, and fell into a state of shock when he saw the armor I was wearing underneath my clothes.
Truly I have a very special Sintári, was all that he could send to me.
Once I’d caught Bane up on what had happened, I made my rounds in the valley and found that all was going well. The farmers had planted the seed that Stel and Khorim had brought back, and the first sprouts were just breaking through the fertile soil. The paddocks and pastures had been finished as well, and the small herds of sheep and goats seemed to be adjusting well to their new surroundings.
The miners were also making great progress and had begun excavating a few living chambers in the caverns to make things a bit more comfortable for themselves. With the addition of Renn’s forge, their treks to drop off the ore they mined were much easier, and they used some of the time saved to work on their quarters. If things were more urgent, I would have sent Ridge to help them with the task, but they begged off my offer to provide his help, claiming that it was important for them to do the work themselves.
Before leaving the valley to inspect the work at the outer fortifications, I stopped by Renn’s forge to see how his work was progressing there. He had only been in the facility a short time and had just received the much-needed tools required to make full use of it a short while ago when Stel and Khorim returned from their trading mission.
“How are things going in the new forge, Renn?” I asked him as I stepped into the confines of the smithy.
“Really well, Dreya Sintári,” he replied without looking up from the glowing red hunk of metal he was hammering on.
Renn was always a bit shy around me, and most other women as well, as I had noticed, so I didn’t feel slighted by his failure to look at me. In fact, his reaction had been exactly what I’d expected.
“Keep up the good work,” I told him as I left. “Hilgreth tells me good things about what you’ve been sending her.”
As he blushed at the compliment, his hammer missed a stroke, and the piece he’d been working on clattered to the ground. Renn was clearly flustered, and fumbled for a moment before he was able to pick the metal up with his tongs and thrust it back into the blazing heat of the forge.
I didn’t want to add to his discomfort, so I pretended not to notice as I continued on my way. His response puzzled me though, because even though he was a bit embarrassed on occasion when I praised his work, his shyness was usually most pronounced in his dealings with women. I hoped that his awkwardness wasn’t getting worse—he was an excellent smith, and not only did I want him to succeed, but he was critical to our efforts. I decided to visit Hilgreth’s forge next to see if she had noticed any change in Renn’s behavior, and sent Bane off to begin his sco
uting for the day as I headed into the canyon.
Hilgreth looked up from her work as I entered the forge, and she started to smile at me for a moment until a look of astonishment came over her face. Ironically, she too dropped the red-hot hunk of metal she was working on as she stared open-mouthed at the boots and gloves that stuck out from the cuffs of my clothes.
“Close your mouth, Hilgreth, and I’ll tell you the story,” I said to her as I approached the smith.
“Is that really what it looks like?” She whispered back to me in awe.
“It is, Hilgreth,” I confirmed. “A gift from Melía, to help us bring peace to Arrika.”
I extended my hand to let her examine the glove I wore, and Hilgreth’s fingers trembled as she ran them across the smooth leather of the Artifact. The smith spent a long moment taking in the sheer power of the God-forged armor before I finally pulled my hand away from her.
“Dreya Sintári,” Hilgreth began as she looked at me in wonder. “No one has seen anything like this… ever. Let alone been gifted with such an item.”
“Hilgreth,” I cautioned her as I realized where her thoughts might be headed. “This was not given to me for my own sake, but so that we could accomplish something—together. I may wear it, but I count this armor as a blessing that has been bestowed upon all of us.”
“You may be right about that, my lady,” Hilgreth replied, obviously still reeling from what she had just seen. “But none of this would be possible without you. Everyone appreciates your efforts to include us in the incredible things that happen here, but make no mistake, we all know who is truly behind them.”
I knew that I had no hope of dissuading her, so I didn’t bother to try. Instead, I attempted to blunt the impact of what I had just revealed to her.
“I don’t want to hide the nature of what has been bestowed upon us,” I cautioned Hilgreth. “But I also don’t want people to forget what we need to do here. No matter what help we may receive or what boons might be bestowed upon us, ultimately, we still need to do the hard work—we can’t afford to lose our focus and think that the Gods will do our jobs for us.”
Second Skin: Unified: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 3) Page 29