“Do you think he can finish it tonight? I’d like to get out of here in the morning,” I replied. “We’ve spent too much time here already.”
“I’ll make sure that he does,” Venna smiled.
The remainder of the day passed almost normally; at least as normally as possible considering that we were camped inside a bandit slaughterhouse surrounded by untamed wilds that might threaten to kill us at any moment.
When dusk fell and night drew near, I began placing traps at the stockade gate and around our tiny campsite. Venna objected to my exertions and I shooed her away. She retaliated by kicking Tási off her night watch, ensuring that no one would disturb my sleep while waking her for a shift. While I appreciated her concern, I needed to start pulling my weight again. Even so, I wasn’t going to object to one final night of undisturbed rest.
Once I had finished, I returned to my tent where Tási was already getting ready for bed. I started taking off my excess gear and then kept on removing things until I was down to just my undergarments.
“Tási,” I called to her softly.
She turned, and her eyes widened in surprise at my state of near complete undress.
“I think you should cast your silence Spell, or we’re going to disturb the neighbors,” I whispered as I slowly crawled towards her.
She cast the spell quickly, nearly fumbling it in the process. Once she finished, I was on her in a flash and we fell into the soft blankets together.
22
I opened my eyes in the morning to find Tási’s head resting on my chest. The warmth of her body radiated into me and a smile crossed my face as I recalled the passionate night we had spent together.
It had been very different this time. My added control allowed me to moderate the effects of my Sintári nature, and instead of being dominated by the unrelenting flow of passion, I had been able to direct them. Controlling the ebb and flow, I had used the intense sensations to arouse and entice both of us. Only at the very end did they overwhelm the two of us, bringing us blissfully beyond our limits together.
Tási had been more correct than even she had known—pushing beyond my boundaries had granted me more control than I ever imagined. As the quest note had said, I was far from mastering my control, but I had come a long, long way.
“Time to get up,” I nudged Tási awake.
“Don’t want to,” she mumbled.
“Alright,” I replied. “But I’m getting dressed and taking the tent down. When you’re outside naked in front of everyone, it won’t be my fault.”
“So mean,” Tási complained as she rolled over and started throwing on her clothes.
Stepping outside, I saw Broda at the campfire throwing together a quick breakfast for everyone. I hadn’t seen much of her since I let my vision flow into her the day before, and I walked over to see how she was doing.
“Good morning, Broda,” I offered. “What’s for breakfast today?”
“The last of our eggs and bacon,” she lamented.
“How are you doing?”
It was not an unusual question, but she knew the hidden meaning of my query, and answered directly.
“Better,” Broda replied without a hint of her usual discomfort with such topics. “I have a hard time accepting that the person you showed me is really me, but it’s settling in more and more.”
“Do you want me to show you again?”
“No,” she replied thoughtfully. “You did your part. Now I need to do mine.”
“I understand. But if you change your mind, I’ll be here for you.”
“I know Dreya,” Broda said warmly. “And I thank you for that.”
By then, the smell of the food cooking over the fire had drawn everyone else and we dropped our conversation as they gathered around. Broda served heaping piles of eggs and plenty of bacon to each of us, and we relished the luxury of a hot meal. As dreadful as this place was, once we left the relative safety of its stockade walls, there would be no more hot food for as long as we remained in the wilds. Despite the comfort it provided, the risk of attracting unwanted attention was too great a chance to take.
“How did your packing go?” I asked Stel.
“Ungh,” he mumbled through a mouthful of food before swallowing. “I set aside the most valuable items for us to carry in our packs. I also made up spare packs, like we had before. I didn’t make them too heavy, and we can drop them if needed, but it will let us take away a good deal more of the most valuable things.”
“The rest I moved off to the side and covered in trash. Hopefully, anyone finding it will take it for a midden heap. With any luck, should we be able to return, it will be waiting for us.”
“Excellent,” I replied. “Well done.”
Stel tilted his head in a mocking bow and I laughed at his display. He frequently demonstrated an unpredictable mixture of respect and friendly mockery that often caught me off balance. I truly appreciated the levity he was able to create with his subtle words and gestures.
After breakfast, we broke camp and Stel divided up the loot and distributed the extra backpacks. True to his word, they were far lighter than the ones we had dragged away from the undead lair back in Lorida—a wise precaution, considering the dangers we now faced in the untamed lands.
Looking over our map, we debated the course we should follow to reach the final Token. In the end, we thought it best to follow the bandit trail back to the main road. If we were lucky, we might encounter another caravan to take us the rest of the way we needed to travel along the trail before heading off into the forests again. Even if we didn’t, the well-traveled road would be the quickest path for us to reach that point. With Venna, Stel, and Broda all in heavy armor, speed was far more valuable than a fruitless attempt at traveling stealthily through the trees. With our path decided, we made our final preparations to depart. That was when I first noticed Stel’s armor.
“Is that new?” I asked, pointing to his breastplate.
“Yes,” he replied, somewhat chagrined. “Venna and I were able to find some better gear among the salvaged equipment.”
I looked the two of them over quickly, noticing the shiny new armor they both wore. Glancing at Broda and Khorim, I realized the two of them still wore the same protection they had been wearing when we arrived.
“Was there nothing for Khorim or Broda among the gear you found?”
“No,” Broda replied. “We looked, but it was all sized too large for either of us.”
“Alright then,” I declared. “Top priority when we have a chance is to get some better protection. Use the funds we get from this to upgrade everyone, regardless of the cost.”
“Very well, Sintári. I will see to it myself.” Stel replied. Although there was no hint of his usual mockery, I detected a tone of something else that made me certain there was more to his reply than the mere words he had spoken, but before I could pursue the matter, everyone hoisted their gear and headed off for the gates.
Closing the wooden doors behind us, Khorim and Stel secured them as best they could. While their efforts would not prevent any serious attempts to enter the camp, they would be sufficient to keep out any creatures that happened to stumble by.
Once we finished, Khorim and I took the lead, scouting ahead for any danger. The return trip to the road went much faster, as we already knew the route and had eliminated the bandit threat. Following the outlaw’s trail, we made it back to the caravan road late in the afternoon.
When we’d left the caravan, they had only been a few hours travel from the next campsite, so we decided to push ahead and try and reach that location before dark. We were able to march much faster than the ponderous pace of the wagons, and not only did the campsite offer better security for us, but also the opportunity to join up with any caravan that might be taking advantage of the protected location that night. Forging ahead, we marched rapidly down the road, determined to make it to the campsite before nightfall.
Walking in a staggered line, Khorim and I mai
ntained our lead positions. He took the left side of the road, and I walked a few paces behind on the right, each of us alert for any threats. The others marched several paces back, staying close enough to support each other if attacked, while maintaining sufficient distance to avoid presenting themselves as a group target.
Luck was on our side that day, and we made it to the caravan campsite well before dusk. While the fortifications would offer us security for the night, we were disappointed to discover that there was no caravan waiting there for us to join.
Looking over the simple fortifications, we decided to make our camp in one of the squat guard towers. Its elevated position offered only limited access to any attackers while providing us a high vantage point to observe any approach. After surrounding the base of the tower with traps, we climbed up and made ourselves as comfortable as possible within the confines of the small watch tower.
When we had all claimed our own little corners for the night, I tried an experiment with one final trap. Placing my hand on the ladder that led up to the tower’s platform, I attempted to cast an entangling trap on its rungs. Much to my surprise, it worked, and the ladder’s outline glowed with a soft red light, signifying the presence of one of my snares.
“Nice trick you picked up there,” Khorim said as he looked over my shoulder.
“Not sure if I could always do that or if it’s something new,” I confessed. “It never occurred to me before to even try.”
“Aye, either way, it’ll help,” he replied. “Now get to sleep, first watch is mine.”
“As you command, master dwarf,” I replied with a smirk.
I could hear him grumble as I curled up in my corner of the tower. Tási bundled herself up next to me and we leaned against the tower’s low wall as we tried to fall asleep.
Since Khorim was on watch, Broda was wrapped up in her own blankets alone, while Stel and Venna huddled together across from us. I was surprised to see Venna smile as Tási snuggled up against me. She saw my expression and her smile only widened as she silently mouthed to me.
‘We both have our place, Sintári.’
Her acceptance took me by surprise; while Venna had expressed it to me, I hadn’t been convinced that she was truly comfortable with the bond that was growing between Tási and me, but her genuine expression of happiness as she watched us gave me pause to reconsider just how correct her unspoken words might truly be.
I needed both of them and even more, I loved them both as well. If the three of us could find some way to be at peace with each other, I knew that they would be able to help me through the difficult times that lay ahead. Venna and Tási had each proven themselves to be invaluable to me in their own unique ways. Not only on a personal level, but as advisors, confidants, and together in battle when necessary—I couldn’t imagine going forward without either of them.
I offered a silent ’thank you’ back to Venna before curling up to sleep. The hard floor and walls provided little comfort, but the long day was all the incentive my body needed to quickly pass into sleep.
Stel had the last guard shift that night, so he woke us in the morning. We remained in the squat tower while we shared a quick meal before preparing to head out once more.
“Something ran by a while ago,” Stel reported as we gathered our belongings. “It didn’t come near the campsite, but I heard the thing crashing through the woods. With any luck, whatever it was, it is long gone by now.”
“How’s your luck been lately?” Khorim grumbled at the news.
“Not bad, considering,” Stel replied with a smirk.
“Hmm, let’s see,” Tási mused. “Traveling with a legend, you two just got epic weapons after we defeated an ancient dwarven spirit, killed some bandits, got a fortune in coin… shall I continue?”
“No,” Broda laughed as Khorim grumbled, “I think you made your point.”
We all had a laugh at Khorim’s expense as we stored our final few items. His caution was not unfounded however, so we proceeded carefully, marching down the road in the same staggered formation we had used the day before.
By late afternoon, we reached the next campsite. At this point, we were very close to the location where we would be leaving the road behind and heading off into the unknown wilderness, leaving us with a difficult choice: set up camp here and start off again in the morning or push forward and be forced to spend our first night in the wilds.
Both options had their merits, but eventually, we decided it would be wiser to take advantage of the protections afforded by the campsite while it was available. Claiming one of the guard towers, we set up as we had the night before, huddled together in the security of its raised walls.
I was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of snapping branches coming from the forest. Broda had the watch, and I crawled next to where she stood peering into the darkness.
“What is it?” I whispered.
“Don’t know,” she replied. “Been doing that for a while, but whatever it is, it doesn’t come close enough for me to see it.”
I continued to watch with her for a while but the creature, or whatever it was, never made an appearance. I finally gave up, realizing I was unlikely to see anything and returned to the comfort of my warm blankets.
In the morning, both Broda and Khorim, who had the watch after hers, reported that the snapping and crashing sounds had continued through the night. Although they never approached close enough to see what was causing them, the sounds had come from various locations within the tree line, indicating that whatever caused them had been moving through the forest.
We ate a quick breakfast as they relayed the ominous news; whatever it was, the cause of the disturbance was coming from the direction we needed to travel to reach the next Token. Hopefully, our journey further down the road would ensure that our paths did not cross with the mysterious noise maker. Eager to leave the unknown creature or phenomenon behind, we left the campsite hastily as soon as we finished our meal.
We only marched for a few hours before reaching the turning point off the road; from here on, we would be venturing through the unknown wilds of the forest, lands inhabited by beasts and creatures that would be eager for our blood. Caution was the wisest course, and we made our way slowly and carefully through the trees, alert for the slightest indications of danger.
Our pace was much slower now—the fact that we lacked any clear road to follow and took nearly every step with careful consideration slowed us down tremendously, but our caution was rewarded when the day drew to a close and no evils had befallen us. As the sky darkened and night approached, we were able to find a somewhat sheltered campsite and took refuge there for the night.
Considering the danger, Venna altered the watch shifts. She assigned us in pairs, with Tási and I on first watch, followed by her and Stel. Broda and Khorim were given the final shift. Her caution was more than warranted, and there were no complaints, so after placing as many traps around us as I could, Tási and I settled in to watch over the camp as our friends tried to sleep.
The loud crack of snapping branches began shortly after full darkness. The sounds drifted around, echoing and bouncing through the trees around us, making it difficult to determine precisely where they came from. We kept a vigilant watch as the crashing sounds of shattering wood provided a constant reminder of our precarious situation throughout the night. Whatever it was out there was obviously extremely powerful, and being caught unaware by such a force would mean near certain death.
No one slept well that night—even when our shift had ended and Venna and Stel took over, the constantly repeating sounds of cracking wood echoing through the forest allowed us no respite. Finally, as the light of dawn crept into the morning sky, the crunching noises stopped, and I was able to get a single hour of decent sleep before it was time for us to move on.
Although we were tired from our sleepless night, we still did our best to maintain our alertness. Khorim scouted slightly ahead, and we trailed behind cautiously. As we
approached the trunk of a tremendous fallen tree, Khorim scrambled atop the massive hunk of wood, seeking to peer ahead from the high vantage point it offered, but when he clambered along the thick bark, the tree suddenly shifted beneath him, throwing him to the ground below. When the ‘tree’ continued to rise above the ground, the ominous nature of its true form came into view.
What we had taken for a fallen trunk was only the broad back of a much larger creature. It rose up on four thick limbs and turned its baleful gaze upon us. Dull orange orbs glared at us malevolently from within the dark sockets of its eyes, and standing over twenty feet high at the shoulder, its body was covered in thick plates of bark-like armor. The beast howled in rage, unleashing a rasping torrent of hate that shook the forest all around us.
The creature lifted one of its massive arms and took a swipe at Khorim as his body rolled to a stop on the ground. The dwarf was too nimble though and tumbled away as the beast’s fist crashed into the forest floor. Broda and Stel rushed forward, shouting loudly to draw the creature’s attention and I drew an arrow, preparing to fire.
Tási’s fire bolt shot passed as I took aim, but only bounced harmlessly off the monster’s thick armor plates. Realizing that blindly attacking the beast would do no good, I cast my newest Spell, Find Weakness, hoping it would provide some guidance.
Subtle red outlines formed around the armor plating of the creature’s four extremities, and pulling back on my bow again, I aimed for its forelimb and channeled Penetrator into my arrow. Releasing the string, the arrow impacted the thick armor plate, and with a loud ‘crack’ a small section of the bark-like armor flew off into the trees.
“The limbs!” I called out now that I was certain of its vulnerability. “Take out its limbs!”
My companions danced and darted around, trying to avoid the deadly strikes from the creature’s massive fists. Although they landed multiple hits on its extremities, none seemed to do as much damage as my arrow; even Broda and Khorim’s magical weapons seemed to cause more annoyance than real harm.
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