Mage

by L. J. Swallow

  “What took you so long?” asks Dean as he springs to his feet. “Are you alright?”

  “Of course, she’s alright,” says Damon. “I’m with her.”

  I scrunch my face up. He’s not much higher level than me and I don’t want protecting by him. “We didn’t take that long. Damon took me through a portal.”

  Jay points at the sky. “It’s almost noon. Look at the sun’s position.”

  “But we left at 8 a.m. We haven’t walked for that long.”

  Damon huffs. “I might have messed up time with my portal travel. I’m still getting the hang of this, you know? Besides, where’s the warrior you said you knew?”

  Nearby rock shifts with a crunch and dirt falls to the ground. I step away from the outcrop, closer to Jay and Dean. What the hell is in there? A foot in a metal boot kicks out and the boulder moves further to one side.

  A door.

  Zara emerges. Wisps of hair have escaped her ponytail and she swipes a hand across her forehead, smudging a dark stain across her skin. Her knuckles are white where she grips the shield and broadsword. Her last shield was crude wood, this one is bronze, although dented in places. Her sword is definitely bigger and better—and I know little about quality. Both are covered in a sticky substance.

  “Talk about an entrance, Zara,” calls Dean with a laugh.

  “She’s level 10. How the hell did Zara manage that in a day?" asks Jay.

  "Is that paladin your defence?” asks Damon and purses his lips. "She's a chick! This gets bloody worse by the second."

  "Ahem." The temptation to hit him with the stave tucked into my backpack grows.

  "I heard that," snaps Zara and she strides over to meet him eye to eye. "This chick wiped half the enemies in the first room, because your asses took so long." She jabs a finger at the cave entrance. Damon’s mouth opens and closes like a goldfish.

  Damon. Silenced. Hah.

  She squints at me. "Oh crap, the clueless mage and her cleric boyfriend too. At least Dean knows what he’s doing."

  "Excuse me?" My voice rises. "You're only five levels ahead of me and just as new."

  "What the hell are you talking about? You make no sense," asks Damon. A nervous look crosses his face. "Are you talking in code? Are you going to hurt me?"

  "I knew you were all mouth," I say to his whine. "Nobody's hurting anybody. We have a task to complete, and then I'm out of here."

  "And if you guys don’t hurry up, so am I," replies Zara.

  "Just get on with it." Jay breaks his silence and walks towards the entrance. “Dean?”

  He nods and follows, glaring at Damon again. “No need to be this goddamn rude, mate.”

  "I'll go first. I already cleared the first room, remember?" Zara pushes past, her light chain armour sounding against her sword as she draws it.

  "What's in there?" I ask.

  "Not sure. Some kind of goblin creatures guarding a doorway to the cells. They're pretty damn stupid and not hard to kill. I piled some loot in a corner if you want to check through. I took the gold, though." She pats a pouch strapped to her leather belt. "Sorry. Saving for a horse."

  "There're horses?" I ask.

  She tips her head. "We're dumped into the middle of Medieval World and you don't think there're horses to ride?"

  "No, I mean I've seen them, I just don't know how to ride."

  "Best find a way to level up your riding skills, unless you want to walk everywhere." She steps into the catacomb’s dim. "Come on."

  I follow and adjust my eyes to the light. A rank smell fills the cool air, the silence as eerie as it was outside. Jay steps into the narrow space next to me and looks back.

  "Damon?"

  "Nope. I'm waiting here."

  "What?"

  "I thought your other person would be stronger—and a guy. I'm not risking my life."

  "Suit yourself, you dick,” mutters Zara. "Go."

  I watch as Damon gives Zara his signature look. This guy had better watch it; constant frowning and scowling will age him quick. If he doesn’t die.

  “Do you think you’ll survive, Zara?” he barks at her.

  She tips her chin. “I’m sure I will.”

  “You look new to this.”

  “So do you, initiate.”

  Damon remains in the entrance, blocking the light. His arms are crossed. Something about their exchange feels off, as if there’s an undercurrent between them I don’t understand.

  “Can we stop the arguing.” Dean unsheathes both daggers. “I don’t have time for this either.”

  “I will see you later,” says Damon. “If you survive.”

  Nobody is sad to see him go, although Reuben’s advice to group as five nags at me when we move onwards. The narrow space winds downwards, and I place a hand on the wall to feel my way through the gloom. My fingers slide, the substance is too thick to be water, and I wipe them on my robe. I don't want to look at what it is.

  We reach a chamber, roughly hewn from stone and with a low ceiling. Five broken bodies litter the floor, green blood oozing from them and covering their grey skin. The closest creature's eyes are open, mouth too, in a silent scream. Another nearby has a severed arm, a third with a deep chest wound.

  Goblins

  Level 6

  Aggressive

  I swallow. Blasting and hacking up boars and wolves is one thing but these... They're small, but humanoid. Their nose and chins are pointed, mouths overlarge for their faces, and the weapons dropped by their side are sharp and lethal, and dripping with a poison.

  I glance at the wooden door, barred by metal, and my stomach lurches. Will we need to kill humans too?

  Game characters. Not humans. But will that thought stick when I approach one?

  Jay squats down by Zara's treasure pile and pushes through, much the same way as he did the treasure chest.

  "Where are you from?" I ask Zara.

  "London. You?"

  "Same. Well, the States but I live there now.” She pushes her braid to one side. "Not that it matters right now. Hurry up with that, Jay, before anybody else appears."

  "These are for a mage only." Jay throws a pair of gloves in my direction.

  "Nice. I won't get my hands dirty now," I say with a smile nobody shares.

  Gloves of the Elders

  Level 5

  Quality: Good

  +1 spell damage

  I pull them on and wriggle my fingers. I meant it, I don't want to get my hands covered in blood, especially if humans are involved.

  Characters.

  Jay's back remains turned to me, the powerful muscles moving in his shoulders beneath the tunic as he looks through. What does he do when he’s not nursing? Is he one of those guys who poses around the gym? A sports player?

  But our real lives don't seem relevant. Skills from my real job won't exactly help, unless we want to clean up the mess Zara made, and there's a vacuum cleaner in the next locked chest we find. Maybe a power point. Haha.

  He stands with something in his hand, brow furrowed. "What's that?" I ask.

  "A hat."

  "Put it on and let’s go!" Zara shuffles from foot to foot and points to a low, scratched door at the opposite end of the tiny chamber. "Once I open this, who knows what lies behind it."

  Jay turns away and pulls on his striped hat, before turning back. He points at me. "Don't say anything about my hat. I haven't teased how stupid you look."

  Blue and white striped beanie with a red pom pom on the top. I bite down on my lip, hard.

  "Mythical item?" asks Zara.

  "Yeah."

  "Who gives a crap what it looks like, then?"

  "Just don't give him a robe to wear, they threaten his masculinity," says Dean. He roots through the pile and pulls out a leather tunic. Smirking, he drags the torn and badly stitched one he’s wearing over his head and pulls on the black armour. “Nice.”

  Which was exactly my thought when I caught a look at the lean body beneath his tunic. I grimace at m
yself. If the situation were reversed and he checked me out, I’d be pissed off.

  He catches my eye and winks. “I look good, right?”

  I reach out and run my fingers along the leather. “Superior quality compared to your other tunic. Thicker leather, with more protection against pointy objects.”

  “That’s not what I mean.” His eyes shine with fun and I refuse to show I’m embarrassed.

  “Dude, you’re attractive, but nobody’s interested in your muscles right now.” Zara shoves gold coins into her pouch. “I’m definitely not.”

  I bite my lip to suppress a laugh. "Zara’s right. Keep going." Zara places her hand on the door. "Oh! No. Stop a second."

  Zara pauses, fingers curled around the handle. "What now?"

  I delve into my bag. "Here."

  "You're giving me a lollipop? Why?"

  "They heal," I say.

  Jay snatches one. "Good by me."

  "Man..." Zara takes a couple and shoves them in her pocket. "This place... I swear a six-year-old invented this game."

  "I hear they teach programming quite early at school." Dean takes a lollipop from my hand. “These are tasty. And helpful.”

  Zara opens the unlocked door slowly, and I hold my breath, relieved when it doesn’t creak. She peers through and whispers, "Hallway. Empty."

  Each of us sidles through the small gap in the doorway and into a space lit by lanterns along the wall. The hallway is carved into the stone, and we need to move on in single file: Zara, me, Jay, Dean.

  A second, identical door a few metres forward stops us. Zara places her ear to the door. "Voices, but they don't sound like the goblins did."

  My mouth dries, stomach twisting with nerves.

  “Are we all ready?” whispers Dean. “Then go.”

  Behind the door, we find another stone room coated in condensation, this time interspersed with small areas cut into the grey rock. Metal bars stretch from floor to ceiling. Cells. At the far end, about fifty metres away, a man sits on the floor, sword by his side, eating. "Don't shut the door," I say.

  Zara pads forward, and I swear my breathing is loud enough to hear. In the nearest cell, a man lies on a thin and filthy mattress, back to the door. He's emaciated, hair tangled. The next cell is empty, but the one opposite contains another man.

  He struggles to his feet when he sees us and grips the bars. Sandy blond hair, filthy face and simple clothes matching mine from two days ago.

  I know for a fact he hasn't been here as long as the other guy.

  Aidan

  Level 2

  Warlock

  Specialisation: Unknown

  Chapter Nineteen

  "Aidan?"

  "El!" He grips the bars tighter. "Fuck, I thought I was going to die in this place." He holds out an arm, livid red burn marks are along them and I wince. "They won't believe I know nothing and keep beating the crap out of me."

  I drop forward and grip his hand. "Omigod, how are you in here? What happened?"

  "I have no clue. How are you here? Is this some sick cult?"

  I point at his wrist. "Don't you have a band?"

  "I did, the bastards cut it off." He holds up his arm, revealing a deep red line. "They weren't careful."

  "You don't know what's happening?" I whisper.

  He wipes both hands down his face, streaking his cheeks with dirt. "No. I woke up in this cell. Did someone slip me roofies?"

  "Tender reunion, but can we keep going?" asks Zara.

  "I need to get my friend out of this cell!" I retort.

  "Maybe on the way back," she replies.

  "Maybe?" I hiss. "No, now."

  "And how do you propose we do that? Is lockpicking in your skill set? No. We find a key. Maybe he has one." She points at the guard. "Use your common sense."

  Aidan pales and he turns a pleading look my way as he grips the bars tighter. "He's my best friend. I can't leave him."

  "I said, we'll find a key," she snaps.

  "Uh. Girls..." says Dean.

  Zara whirls around as the man charges along the hallway towards us. Ambushed, she staggers to one side as he uppercuts her to the face. Fury pulls at her features as she spins on her heel and slams him in the chest with her shield.

  "Leave me the fuck alone," she snarls.

  Underwatch Guard

  Level 7

  Aggressive

  A knife flashes between them as the guard raises a hand, and she counters with her shield again, this time slamming the metal into his face.

  "Dude, stop or I won't just knock you out, I'll kill you."

  Stumbling, the man holds a hand against his bleeding nose and his eyes dart between us. "If you've any sense, you'll leave. I'm the least of your problems."

  "We came here for something and we won't leave until we find it," I say. The familiar tingle begins in my arm, spreading to my fingers.

  Zara steps forward, pushing the man against an empty cell with her shield. She lifts her sword and points it at his throat. "Keys."

  "I can't give you—" The sword tip touches his skin. "In my pocket."

  "Jay," says Zara. "Get them. And the knife."

  My friend, beaten and confused in a tiny cell behind me. Is this man responsible? "What did you do to him?" I growl. "To Aidan."

  "Nothing. Nothing." His eyes widen in panic as the fire forms on my hand. "I just guard. I don't know anything about what happens."

  "It's true," says Aidan. "Not him."

  Jay holds up a metal ring containing a set of keys, then tries one in the lock to the empty cell behind the guard. Three keys later, his frustrated muttering grows.

  The metal bars finally swing open. Zara gives a hard shove to the man and slams the gate as he lands backwards on the floor.

  "You're insane if you go further into this place,” he retorts.

  I step away from Aidan and look again at the jailer's dagger.

  Keen Shiv

  (Very keen when it comes to slicing throats. Or arms. Or anything, really)

  +1 Dexterity

  Only usable by assassins.

  "Give me your dagger," I say.

  He sucks his teeth as he holds out the weapon, blade first.

  Dean reappears from where he stealthed and grabs the dagger from him. The guard steps back, muttering in alarm at Dean's sudden appearance and almost drops the weapon to the floor.

  "You're gonna need more than a few half-decent weapons and low-level spells."

  Without comment, Jay locks the door.

  "Open Aidan's cell," I tell him.

  Zara rubs her head and examines Aidan. "Are you strong enough to fight, warlock? I don't want to carry anyone."

  "Believe me, I'm fired up enough to take the bastards down," retorts Aidan.

  "Really? In that state."

  "Hang on." I pull out a pot and my handy, dandy lollipops. "Rub this salve on and eat one of these."

  "Did you rob a candy store?" asks Jay.

  "I told you, a Dryad gave them to me."

  Aidan looks at them dubiously. "Is this some weird LARP thing? You know I don't LARP."

  "Honestly, it isn't. I don't know whether having no wristband is a good or bad thing, but if we find out why you haven't, that might explain better."

  Jay opens the cell door and I wrap my arms around Aidan. As I squeeze him, I take hold of my past and we hang onto the fact my old world might not be the dream it's fading into.

  "Warlock, huh?" I ask. "Do you know any spells?"

  He blinks rapidly. "Like what?"

  "Can you summon demons?" puts in Jay.

  The shell-shocked look continues. "What the hell?"

  Zara taps her foot and grips her sword. "He has no clue. Dude, what are we facing in there?"

  Aidan pushes a hand through his dishevelled hair. "I’m unsure who their leader is, but there're a few dwarves who roughed me up a few times. There were a couple of taller guys I saw once or twice, when I was semi-conscious. They kept questioning me about who sent me. I
swear, until I saw you, I thought this was a nightmare."

  "Oh, it's a nightmare, alright," says Dean.

  “Who are you?” asks Zara. “How do you know El?”

  I give them a brief run down on our connection, short and sweet since our whole life story would take a while: just that he’s a friend from real life and a gamer too.

  “How are you here?” I ask him.

  “I woke here. How are you here?”

  “Same, though not in a cell.”

  “Can we have this conversation later?” asks Jay.

  The door that the guard sat near earlier requires a key, and I wince as the lock creaks. Zara pauses and cocks her head, listening.

  "When we get in the next room, blast down anyone you can, mage. I'll hold them off."

  The trepidation from before joins me again, as the second door opens.

  Dwarven High Priest

  Level 12

  Aggressive

  And another:

  Dwarven Initiate

  Level 12

  Aggressive

  Zara charges headlong into the two people half as tall as her. This time she has the element of surprise, the dwarves preoccupied by a conversation abruptly halted as Zara’s sword slices one across the neck. He staggers, hand going to the wound as blood gushes across his fingers.

  The two dwarves set on Zara, one kicking her legs from beneath her and the other bearing down with a sword of his own.

  Without a thought, I outstretch my arms and fire rains from the sky, interrupting the dwarves’ actions as their clothes ignite.

  “How dare you enter the chamber of Terwyn and touch the High Priest.” A voice echoes from across the room, and a tall man dressed in long robes steps from behind a carved pillar towards the rear of the chamber. His long black hair is middle-parted and the twist to his mouth mars his perfect features. Dark eyes stare back with pure hatred.

  He moves hands in front of him, blue energy crackling between his fingers which he draws from side to side as if stretching out wool.

  Luka

  Sorcerer

  Level 10

  Aggressive

  He pulls back his arms and blue fire sparks across the room in my direction.

  "Shit!" Zara charges across the room and the blue light hits her square in the chest, smacking her to the floor.