Vitea also bows and then turns to leave. “I thank you for that. I might take you up on that offer. If you will excuse me, I really must be off. We have delayed too long already.”
“Of course,” I say, then ask as she is walking away, “Out of curiosity, what's with the cloak and dagger of not letting me see what you look like?”
Looking back over her shoulder, she replies, “Because Jorthun told me not to, of course.”
With that, she disappears out the gate, and her armoured companions leave with her.
Something has been nagging at the back of my mind during this whole conversation, like I'm forgetting something. That's when I remember the quest I was given while I was dead.
Oh shit, Knax's soul fragment!
Bringing up my map, I see I'm in Tarnstead still, almost smack bang in the middle, and that the rest of my friends are halfway between me and the town gates. On wobbling legs, I leave the courtyard and start jogging as fast as I can in their direction down the street.
Looking at my debuffs finally, I see that I have Resurrection Sickness for the next hour. It's no picnic, that's for sure. I have no idea how long is left on the soul fragment timer, so no dawdling for me, res sickness or not.
Sybaal: Kazzrak! Can you see this?
Grace: Sybaal! I'm coming! I've been compelled to come to you for what feels like ages, but I didn't know which direction you were in.
Kazzrak: Sybaal! You're alive already! I'm so sorry, buddy. I know how much Knax meant to you. I couldn't stop it. We killed the other players though. They didn't have a lot of skills, just a few one-hit wonders with their relics.
Ifalna: The guards are here rounding up the thugs who attacked us. Apparently, they were paid to cause trouble by Vicky and her group.
Ezekial: Thankfully they attacked us first, so we didn't have our name tags change colour. That would have sucked balls.
Sybaal: Guys, I'm not worried about that right now. Listen carefully. Protect Knax's body with your life! Let no one touch it. I might have a way to bring him back to life!
Kazzrak: What?!
Ezekial: It will be done. Grace is on her way to you. Maybe you can hitch a ride even without the riding skill?
Dosan: Ratatoskr is sitting on Knax. Almost tea bagging him, but that's a bit crass for this situation.
Sybaal: I'm sure Knax will love to hear all about how your giant rat was tea bagging him while he was dead. I don't care how you do it. Protect him. I'm on my way.
Ifalna: Everyone, circular defensive mode. Ezekial, Lurra, get out of range of that bastard’s lance AOE stun if he happens to respawn and wants another go.
Halvard: Worry not, Sybaal. The remains of our brethren will be safe till you return.
Less than a minute later I see Grace's raid marker on the mini map, heading to me at quite a fast clip. Frowning, I don't see her as she moves right past me on the map before turning back around.
Grace: Sybaal, do you trust me?
Sybaal: Of course, why would I not?
Grace: Then will you stop lurching around everywhere and just stand still a moment?
Sybaal: I can't afford any delays, Grace; I have to get to Knax.
Grace: I know this. Do you trust me or not?
Sybaal: Yes.
Grace: Then bloody well stand still!
Not really understanding why, I stop my stumbling, weak-kneed hike through the streets and bend over with my hands on my knees, trying to contain a new bout of bile clawing its way up my throat.
A great gust of wind nearly knocks me over as a shadow covers the moonlit street where I'm standing. Giant claws latch onto my shoulders, and my stomach drops out my ass as I'm pulled into the air like a fly-by plane pickup. More claws latch onto my legs and lurch my body horizontal.
My eyes water and the bile that's been giving me grief decides to say fuck you to some poor bugger’s rooftop down below, burning my throat and mouth on its way out. Funnily enough, I feel heaps better. Enough so that I look around and realise I'm actually quite high up above the town, which looks pretty darn cool from this angle.
The wind pulls at the water in my eyes from throwing up, so it looks like I'm crying. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Grace's claws are getting quite large, and so is she if she can manage to carry my weight around on top of her own. This is certainly a bit faster than my stumbling. The buildings stream past, and before I know it, we are gliding into a slower descent.
Sybaal: Thanks, Grace. You really pulled through for me there.
Grace: Any time, Sybaal. I got your back.
Sybaal: Ha, literally!
Grace sets me down next to Ratatoskr as everyone makes room for us. The giant rat looks mournfully towards Knax's body as he gets off him to let me through. Realising all eyes are on me, that much will probably never change as they wait to see what I will do next.
Kneeling down beside Knax, I touch his corpse. A loot window just like a normal mob pops up, showing me all the gear he was wearing, along with a lone bar of mithril. The normally whitish green metal is now streaked with pure white lines in some sort of pattern of runes that I can't decipher. He must have smelted the two ores he mined and kept the bar for himself as an achievement memento when we handed them all in.
I get that. I've kept plenty of things in the past, especially if all the crap that was in my bank in DSR1 is anything to go by.
It seems as if his soul has been fused into this metal because of his attachment to it, unlike the rest of his gear, which is just standard stuff we all have. I think back to the joy he expressed when finally being able to mine this metal, which he never thought he would be able to do. Smiling, I find it is fitting that this mithril bar is the container for his soul.
Selecting the 'Take All' option in the loot window, everything drops automatically into my inventory. As soon as it does, Knax's body explodes into a million motes of light that are sucked right into my bag, where his mithril bar is now.
“Whoa! What was that?” exclaims Eloise in surprise.
“That, my friends, is Knax's body and soul becoming one with the bar of mithril he mined not too long ago,” I reply, then tell them about the quest I have, and while the details are vague, the failure conditions aren't. Now that I have looted the item, the only way I can fail is if I were to bring him back as an undead.
“You mean he isn't gone forever?” Jasmin says with a sniffle, zipping right up to me and looking me in the eye.
“You’d better believe it. Though I think we need to have a long discussion about whether or not the rest of you want to stay travelling with us,” I say, looking between Lurra, Halvard, Kendak and Eloise.
“I'm not going to go and hide behind your walls like a scared cat,” growls Lurra, her eyes narrowing to slits at me.
Raising my hands in defence, I shake my head. “I'm not saying you are one. I'm politely asking whether seeing Knax's death first hand has changed your point of view. I don't know if I can do the same quest for each and every one of you if you die.”
Hanging my head, I say quietly, “I don't want to lose anyone else.”
“It is not disrespectful for our leader to ask if we wish to return; however, it is disrespectful if he were to keep asking when we have given our answer,” rumbles Halvard, looking between us before lifting his hammer into the air. “I will stay. Honour bound to you or no, my place is here. It's what Knax would have wanted. We spoke at great length many times while you were sleeping about all the adventures he wanted to have with us. I will not disappoint his dreams.”
The sound of blades and other weapons leaving sheaths is heard from every single one of my friends.
Lurra raises her daggers into the air. “For Knax!”
“FOR KNAX!” we all roar as we shove our weapons into the air. The noise must have woken half the town or at least the neighbourhood, especially with Grace and Karma actually roaring and shooting streams of fire into the air.
When we calm down, Ifalna asks the
million-dollar question. “So, does anyone know where to start with trying to resurrect Knax?”
Blank stares and thoughtful faces accompany his question as we all go silent again.
“Excuse me for interrupting your reunion or whatever,” says a voice from behind me, and I turn around to see a half-giant guard towering over me. “But could we perhaps try not to wake the entire town? I'm sure everyone around here would like to get back to sleep, so I'll make the suggestion of finding a chapel devoted to Attis, the god of rebirth. Maybe one of his priests can help you, but that will have to wait until morning when they open their doors.”
“Thank you,” I say, nodding my head up at the half giant. “I am grateful for your assistance, and yes, we had best find some accommodation.”
Dosan pipes up and asks, “We heard that the Flying Cock has the best rooms and meals from one of your men on the gates, would he be wrong?”
The guard slaps his meaty hand against his leg with a loud guffaw. “Oh dear, I think that might not be the one you are looking for. Not unless you want some paid company joining you in bed? No? Then just down a bit further is an inn called the Lucky Nail. Best place in town for a meal and a cheap room. They just had a patrolling troop of Genasi soldiers come through, and they left today, so I doubt they have filled their rooms up again just yet.”
“Genasi soldiers?” Ezekial asks politely.
“You must be pretty new to the area if you don't know that you are currently in the Genasi kingdom. Their main city, Solime, is two or three days due east from here on horseback, depending on how fast you run the horses and whether you like sleep or not,” the guard informs us.
“Ah, yes, we are relatively new here.” Kazzrak laughs while holding out his hand to the half giant. “You have been a big help already, as we were looking for a major city to travel to soon. I'm Kazzrak, nice to meet you…?”
“Sargent Trundel, or just Sarge to everyone in town. I don't mind either way,” replies Sarge, engulfing Kazzrak's hand within his own and shaking it. Something passes between them as they hold hands for a bit longer than necessarily needed, until Sarge finally lets go.
“You have a surprisingly strong grip for someone of your stature. I had heard of dwarves being strong, but haven't had the opportunity to test the rumour,” Sarge says as he surreptitiously flexes his hand and gives it a bit of a shake.
“I get that a lot. You are pretty strong yourself.” Kazzrak grins, then shoves a thumb in my direction. “The dragonkin you've been speaking to is Sybaal and happens to be the new Duke of the Glade of Everhein. He's also the leader of our guild, Venatores. If you ever feel like this place isn't giving you what you need, feel free to contact me via the mail system, and maybe we can chat.”
Looking thoughtful, Sarge glances down at his hand and in my direction before looking at Kazzrak again. “You know, I just might. Apologies, my lord, no disrespect intended earlier.”
“None taken, Sarge. Just Sybaal is fine though. I'm not one for getting all high and mighty with titles and such right now.” I wave my hand dismissively.
“Very well. Unfortunately, these thugs won't walk themselves back to the watch house. Hopefully I see you under better conditions next time,” Sarge says with a nod of his head. He abruptly turns around and starts yelling for his slacking underlings to finish rounding up the rabble and take them in for processing.
Looking down at where Knax died, I feel like I need to agree with Sarge and call it quits for tonight. I still need time to process not having him around and how it feels like I've lost a friend in the real world.
“How about we head to the auctions, shops, bank and all that tomorrow?” I say, looking at the others. “I think I've had about enough excitement for one day.”
We all agree, amid sniffles and a subdued atmosphere. Heading off down the street, we make our way to the inn Sarge directed us to. Within five minutes, we are standing in front of the five-story stone building, and I notice the sign on the corner of it stating there is a stable at the rear down the alley.
Walking up to the large double doors, I push them open and I'm surprised at just how large the interior is. The room has a higher ceiling than normal and is mostly filled with tables and chairs of various sizes.
Either they have a variety of guests, or they have a lot of bar fights. The place has only a few tables filled with travellers and off-duty guards nursing tankards.
Motioning to Ezekial to come with me, I flick my head over to a bunch of empty tables in a corner near the stairs going up to where I presume the rooms to rent are. Dosan must have dismissed Ratatoskr, as he doesn't come inside with us.
Ezekial and I head to the gnome bartender, who is wiping down the bar with a cloth. Our companions shove some tables together and sit around them, Grace and Karma settling on the floor out of the way.
Looking up at us with a smile, the fellow calls out jovially, “Howdy there, fellas, what can I get ya?”
Smiling in return, Ezekial begins. “Well, we have been travelling for quite some time and wish to have a hot meal and drinks for everyone, including the dragon and salamander. Also, if you have rooms to spare, as judging by the emptiness of the place, it looks like you do, we will take nine rooms. Probably going to need two of them to be on the larger side of things.”
The gnome's smile broadens wider and wider as Ezekial lists more things off. With a glint in his eye, he says, “It's going to cost you. Are you good for it?”
I basically stop paying attention and let Ezekial do his thing, and before long Ezekial is sliding a gold coin and several silvers across the bar. They are snatched up quicker than the skirts of a nun who decides that kind of life isn't for her when faced with a full crew of male strippers.
Turning and sticking his head through the door behind the bar, he yells with a surprisingly loud voice, “Gilly, Pilly, Nilly and Sam! Get out here and fix these lovely fellas here with the works! Fresh tankards, cutlery, plates, bowls and all the rest. Give them the rest of the stockpot from dinner along with the rest of our bread and cheese.
He continues, “Sam! Roll a fresh keg of that elderberry wine to their table and tap it for them. Then take the entire pig off the spit we were going to slow roast for tomorrow's meal and get Nilly to help you bring it over to our guests. It's been going all day, so it'll definitely be done by now. When you've finished that, bring up another two pigs and two lambs from the cellar and get them started. It's going to be a late night for you kids, that's for sure.”
Glancing over at Ezekial, I murmur, “Just what did you swindle out of him?”
“Oh, nothing much,” Ezekial replies just as quietly with a smirk. “I only emptied his kitchen and cellar of food and bought a cask of a particularly nice vintage to wash it down and drown our sorrows a bit. Not to mention that everything that is being cooked tonight will be for our breakfast and the rest packed into prepared meals we can store in our bags for while we travel. Oh, and I had no idea how long we will be staying in Tarnstead, so I paid for our rooms for the next fortnight.”
Looking at him askance, I just shake my head as we wander over to the tables to sit down and wait with everyone else for the food and drink to arrive.
Conversation amongst us all starts out stilted and forced, but as the food and wine arrives and we indulge in copious amounts of both, our tongues become looser. None of us have known Knax for very long, but we recall all the stories we can of the little happy-go-lucky guy.
From the first moment we saw him hanging from the jaws of a massive rat by his foot, which received quite a few laughs, to the excitement of mining his first pieces of mithril ore.
The tales continue of his exploits and may have been slightly glorified. Though he handled himself quite well during the ursine battle, as he was seen saving quite a few melee from blows that would have taken them out of the battle, with sneaky Frost Spears.
Everyone gets a bit sloshed and I don't think anyone really cares. Even Grace and Karma are lapping up the wine after
basically devouring most of the slow-cooked pig. I don't know how many hours we sit around talking, but eventually I realise that only Kazzrak and myself are left awake, and I give myself a bit of a shake to clear my head.
“So, uh, how about we practise our skills of dragging drunk people upstairs?” I say, looking around at everyone conked out in their seats, on the tables or splayed out on the floor.
“Wouldn't be the first time, that's for sure. I'm just glad there isn't some 440-pound dude with a broken leg like that one time,” replies Kazzrak; then he lays eyes on Halvard. “Fuck. How are we getting the half-ton teddy bear upstairs?”
“No idea, but I'm wondering how he managed to go to sleep rocking backwards on two legs of his greatly undersized chair.” I chuckle.
“True, true,” Kazzrak says, getting up and swaying a bit before steadying himself with the table. “That wine really packs a punch. Say, I think we are going to regret this in the morning.”
“Why do you say that?” I ask, while simultaneously getting up and falling over onto the floor. I lie there for a moment, the room spinning around me. “I'm fine.”
The look on Kazzrak's face is quite funny, especially considering it is spinning around in circles. “Well, I just remembered that Ifalna doesn't have a Cleanse spell yet.”
Dream Stream Reality: Publisher's Pack Books 1-2: (A LitRPG Adventure) Page 44