But Death is Not Forbidden

by Kip Terrington

  In the corner of his eye, Joe finally noticed a light blinking so he clicked on it.

  Plus 7 XP

  Plus 7 XP

  Plus 7 XP

  Joe wasn't sure why he was receiving experience. If it had to do with his healing it would have said something. One more thing he would need to ask Spooky about.

  Sitting there, Moes and Joe tried to talk in between casts.

  “I can sense seeds of magic in her. I bet she's Bridcha’s daughter,” Moes postulated.

  “What makes you say that? He has a large tribe, why would the presence of magic seeds indicate she is his?” Joe asked.

  “Magic runs in families. Not all halflings have magic like I do. But my parents did and their parents did as well. Sometimes it does skip a generation, or more than one. Every once in a while a magic seed will form in someone with no magical heritage, but it doesn't happen as often as the fairy tales would make us believe. That's why political power usually stays within the same families. The aristocracy never loses its power because it resides in their very bodies, in the magic that flows through their blood. The fact that she has magic seeds in her means there's a good chance she's at least related to the yeti chief. I saw Bridcha using force magic against you during your fight,” Moes said.

  “Aristocracy, huh? A small group of elite controlling the masses. The Motherland used to be like that, but now it's the people who choose their own way, with a simple yet elegant system of checks and balances. Now, the people rule the people,” Joe said.

  “How?! That's impossible. First, it would be chaos. Second, the aristocracy would never give up power,” Moes objected.

  “Years ago most of my countrymen would have agreed with you, but then there was a hero of the republic who revealed his new government. Ultimately, by his design, he gave power to the people, and then guided them in making wise choices,” Joe said.

  “He sounds a bit too good to be true,” Moes said.

  “Hey, if it looks too good to be true, it probably isn’t,” Joe said with a wink.

  “No. But, what's wrong with your eye?” Moes asked.

  Lil gave out a loud grunt, startling both Moes and Joe, and then promptly fell off the bed she had been lying on. She stood up too quickly and almost lost her balance. Joe jumped down to steady her. She looked up at him and smiled.

  “I not dead? I have more grow to do,” Lil said with a wide smile on her soft furry face. As she continued to feel a bit unsteady, she carefully walked toward a pile of newly mined iron ore. She took a big bite and swallowed down the broken rock. Before she took her next bite, she decided she wanted to inform this Joe of some things. Once her mouth was clear, she began to speak.

  “This rock, regular rock, thank you. Rock before, too good. I no survive. You helped! You powerful healer! Why help?” Lil asked as she took another bite and listened.

  “I made a deal with the chief of your tribe. He is now part of my kingdom and has responsibilities to me. I also have responsibilities to him. Protecting the tribe's children is highest among those responsibilities,” Joe explained.

  “Kingdom?... Who gave you yeti face? You face baby yeti face,” Lil said between bites.

  “This is what yeti skin looks like under the fur?” Joe asked touching the skin of his face. Lil just nodded the affirmative and kept eating.

  “I can understand some of what you guys are saying, but not all of it,” Moes said. Then there was a large crack that came from inside Lil’s body. She screamed a true scream of pain, but oddly kept forcing rocks down her gullet. Another large crack came, almost like an explosion, and then another. Spooky flew in and began examining Lil.

  “Keep healing her, Joe. Her ribs are breaking as they expand. She is growing and changing much faster than you did. I can tell that the density and structure is very different from how your bones reformed. I don't think she's going to lose consciousness again. She's obviously in pain, but she's also showing several signs of happiness and pleasure,” making eye contact with Lil, she asked, “How can you be in horrible pain and be happy at the same time?”

  “When you're almost finished with the DMV?” Joe winked.

  “You need to get that eye checked out,” Moes said.

  CRACK. CRACK. Joe took a step forward wanting to help in some other way. Lil put her hand up to stop him.

  “It normal! You great healer. Me will be magnificent. Huge! Hahaha,” Lil chuckled maniacally. Her laugh sounded like a boulder splitting from multiple lightning strikes. She was very excited. None of them understood the gift that they were giving her. Because of the healing that Joe was performing she didn't have to hold back how much she ate. She could grow as large as her father, if she could stand the pain. She still didn't understand why this half yeti man was helping her, but it didn't matter. She couldn’t turn an opportunity like this down. Every so often, she ate one of the ingots that came from Joe's bag. She knew she couldn't handle many of them, but they would make her powerful. Her mother and father would be proud and those who stole her fellow kinsman would have a new reason to fear the yeti.

  She ate and Joe healed her.

  She ate and Joe healed her.

  It went on like that for quite some time. Joe began to feel rather bored and wishing he could do something else.

  GONG

  The Abiogenesis Bunny Generator has made the Midnight bunny.

  Joe was shocked. Six hours had gone by. Lil was almost nine feet tall, though she did seem to be growing slower now. He was ready to tell her that she had grown enough and that he had things to do, when Joe received a wonderful surprise.

  Hybrid Magic

  Spell acquired

  L5 Trance Cast- This spell allows the caster to cast spells they truly understand, continuously while in a trance state. This state allows the caster to lower the mana cost of the spell by 10%. Warning: for the caster, time does not appear to move. It is as if one is unconscious, and must be woken by an outside force.

  Current spells available for Trance Cast:

  L1 Psi Blast

  L1 Lesser Healing

  Time does not appear to move for the caster? Joe figured it must be a game mechanic, the kind of thing where you just warp to the end. She was going to be part of his kingdom, and he wanted a strong kingdom, one that could stand on its own. He called Spooky over, explained the spell he had just acquired, and how he was planning on casting it. For Spooky's part, she recognized that it would mean Joe stayed in one place and would, therefore, be safe. She told him to go for it. Moes was no longer there to object because, by this point, Spooky had sent him down to work on the runes again.

  “Wait, one more thing, Spooky. I noticed that there were some random times when we received 7 XP. Was it something I did, or you?” Joe asked. Spooky did not want to tell him the truth, but this situation did not meet the minimum requirements set in her protocols to lie. She would tell the truth, but only elaborate if forced.

  “Oh that. In the process of helping the angels get ore, I killed three low-level creatures down on the lower levels,” Spooky downplayed.

  “I dinn't dun der know there was vermin in this here castle,” Joe drawled in his version of an American West accent.

  “There's a lot of things we don't know about this castle,” Spooky said, knowing that it was a safe truth.

  Joe sat comfortably on his altar and selected Lil as a target. He then cast two spells at the same time: L1 Lesser Healing and L5 Trance Cast. As he continuously cast his magic, his body pulsed with three colors. Blue, silver, white. Blue, silver, white. It was a slow methodical pattern. Spooky left a six-inch angel to watch over him and Lil, and then she left to go work on her project. If either Joe’s or Lil’s health got below 80%, Spooky would be notified immediately.

  Joe was motionless. The only way one could tell he was alive was by the pulses of light. Lil continued eating and the stone angels continued to bring more ore. Lil was single focused and not at all concerned that everyone, but Joe, was busy elsewhere.
/>   GONG.

  The Abiogenesis Bunny Generator has made the Morning Bunny.

  Chapter 8 - Roll the Dice

  The Wild Mountains.

  The top floor of the Champion’s castle.

  Day eleven, in the early morning, before daylight.

  Joe awoke from the trance with a start as Moes threw a bucket of soapy water over him. The soap stung Joe's eyes, but he could still see Lil lying on the floor sleeping soundly. She was big. By the judge of it, even a little bigger than the chief. Success! They had done it! He went to wake her when Moes stepped in his way.

  “Joe! Stop! You shouldn't wake her. I put her to sleep on purpose. Right now, if she's awake, she's a danger,” Moes said.

  “What? Why?” Joe asked. Moes pointed outside of the dome and Joe saw with his own eyes. The whole of the yeti tribe had come, and they weren't in a parade. They were arrayed for war. They had built crude war machines and siege engines. One didn't bring those to pay homage to their king. Joe could see fifteen of Spooky's angels hovering in front of the army and one big black golem, with two curved scimitars drawn and standing tall on the mound before the castle trench. Joe couldn't see her, but believed Spooky was probably trying to parley with the yeti tribe. Bridcha was at the front of the loose formation. He raised his hand toward the angels and a purple wall of force shattered one of them. It was official. The yeti chief had betrayed his king.

  “Why didn't you wake me when you saw them coming down the mountain?” Joe asked as he stood, mentally preparing himself to fight in a hopeless battle.

  “They hid their approach somehow. Spooky went out to meet them, and told me to make sure Lil stayed asleep. Truth is, I'm not sure if she meant sleep forever. I tried to wake you by pushing on you and kicking you, but it didn't work, hence the bucket. Plus, you were starting to smell. What are you going to do?” Moes asked.

  “I guess we'll see,” Joe said.

  “Wait, one more thing. Before Spooky left, she told me to tell you to allocate your points before you came out. Combat skills or magic, no singing. Also, quickly dress in the new uniform she made for you,” Moes recited. That’s when Joe realized he had gained some levels while in a trance.

  “How long was I in that trance?” Joe asked.

  “Over a week. And, Spooky was not idle during that time. Wait till you see Obsidian One up close,” Moes said.

  “Fun, it's like I time traveled. That was one crazy game mechanic. Wait, forget I said that. I’m going to go help Spooky. I’ll allocate while I'm putting on this new uniform. I wonder why it isn't camouflage,” Joe said.

  “I'm glad you're awake. I'm going to get out there and try helping Spooky the best I can. See you there,” Moes said as he ran down the stairs. In all the confusion Joe didn't even notice the steady blue words above Moes head.

  Player, Moes

  Halfling Mage

  At the edge of Joe's vision he saw a red light. As he quickly began to get dressed, he clicked on the red light.

  Alert: You have failed to assign your points of power in a timely manner. Because of this oversight, the UI has assigned the points for you. All available points have been allocated toward Life Magic and gaining the skill: Journeyman bather.

  Apparently Joe wasn’t given a choice this time. He shrugged his shoulders as he cinched up his belt. Trying to do two things at once, he slipped on the black uniform top as he worked his way through his HUD interface.

  You are now an apprentice in Life Magic and a journeyman in bathing.

  Joe was in a hurry. He tried not to let the fact that he just became a journeyman bather bother him, but it was difficult. On the bright side, even though he was only an apprentice in Life Magic his list of spells was extensive. Quickly counting the spells he had in Life Magic, Joe realized it was more than the rest of his spells combined. Apparently the constant use of his Life Magic had paid its dividends. He had so many low-level life spells. Spells to help bones slowly re-grow. Spells to help fortify oneself against the common cold. Not all of his new life spells were protective or healing in nature. He noticed one that caused the random growth of tumors, and another horrible one that encouraged the growth of gangrene. Joe shook his head and considered how even bacteria were alive.

  His mind felt clear and his thoughts seemed to flow smoothly. Then he remembered that well over 72 hours had passed. The debuff he had received the first day had worn off. Going through his HUD, he saw the short message.

  Fast thinking ability now restored.

  Joe felt a little stiff and remembered how he had just sat in one position for over a week. He would not be surprised if he had lost some dexterity. As Joe put on his last boot to complete his ensemble he saw Moes running outside in the distance. Something had changed in Moes. He was running toward danger, toward the yeti army. Joe started to head out and help himself, but then took one last look at Lil. He raised his hand and it began to glow white. As he cast the spell L3 Recovery, Lil began to gently mown.

  “This will help your body wake from the unnatural sleep that Moes has put you in. I don't know what Spooky is thinking. We need your help down there. I'm sure when you’re conscious, you'll come let your tribe know they made an error,” Joe said as he turned to head down the stairs.

  GONG

  Congratulations! The Abiogenesis Bunny Generator has created an animal after the king’s own heart.

  This stopped Joe short. He spun 180 degrees and looked back at the stainless steel toaster-like bunny generator. He thought of how this was not the best time for a new pet. The top of the Abiogenesis Bunny Generator opened and out shot a blue twenty-sided die. It bounced toward the stairs where Joe was still standing. With slightly too much kinetic energy, it gently bounded upward and landed right in front of him. Joe smiled. He loved dice. He bent closer and looked at it. It had landed on the number twenty. As he reached for the die, he couldn't help but think that the twenty was a good omen. Picking it up with two fingers, he examined it closely. It was a deep sea blue with shadows that seemed to flow through it. Gently, as though speaking to a child, Joe began to address it.

  “I can feel life flowing through you little die. You really are some type of animal, a living being. Congratulations on your first day of life. Where I'm heading is going to be pretty dangerous. No place for a newborn. I'm going to leave you here where it's safe,” Joe said.

  The little living twenty-sided die didn't want to be parted from Joe. It was born specifically for him. It loved Joe like a puppy loves its master. Before Joe could set it down, it melted into his hand. Joe's eyes widened as the living liquid quickly absorbed in his palm. Because of his new sensitivity to Life Magic, Joe could feel the new entity within him. Joe wasn't afraid, but more curious. Rather quickly, the liquid die found his bloodstream and hitched a ride. Joe felt the liquid pump through his heart and then up his jugular where it paused, almost as if finding its bearings, then carefully made its way to Joe’s right ocular cavity. Joe closed his right eye. It felt warm. Gently, the twenty-sided die made its way through the veins of Joe’s eye and wrapped itself around Joe’s iris. Then it solidified. Joe felt a sharp pain, quickly followed by relief and new sensations.

  Congratulations!

  The twenty-sided eye has appeared. Joe, you and your new twenty-sided eye are now symbionts. Work together in your symbiotic relationship to discover what you can do for each other. Note: you and your symbiont are now joined together on more than just a physical level. Nothing can permanently remove the twenty-sided eye, even in death and rebirth you will remain together.

  Blinking, Joe felt the die slowly rotating within his eye. His vision out of his twenty-sided eye was now broken up in triangles with what looked like backwards numbers. This was not the time to lose his stereoscopic vision, but one dealt with what they were given. His twenty-sided eye was drawn to the mithril covered box. Just for a second, he saw an image of himself standing by the box casting a buff.

  “That's a good idea. Good call,” Joe said. Quickly, he
ran to the mithril-encasted place of power and sat on top it, then cast Regen. By doing this, he didn't deplete any of his mana but instead used the place of power to cast all the buffs that he had for the upcoming confrontation.

  Chapter 9 - While the Boss is Away, the Fairy will Play

  The Wild Mountains.

  Inside the Champion’s castle.

  Day two, after the Evening Bunny.

  Spooky was in a rush. She needed more impure ore. Her angels had gathered plenty of granite and other rocks, but if Joe's metamorphosis was anything to go by, she would need a lot more ore. She could not allow Lil to die. Not only for the girl’s sake, but for fear the yetis would betray them. It was frustrating that the yeti couldn't handle the pure ore they had brought from Earth. She knew where some ore was, but she really didn’t want to get it.

  Down she went, right up to the barrier she had placed before the entrance to the ancient Dungeon of Os (pronounced O.S.). The barrier was her creation, with a thought and a flick of her wrist it opened. The entrance to the dungeon had changed slightly. There was a black rod iron lattice outlining the entryway. The iron sparkled and glittered in the exact same light spectrum frequency as Spooky’s body. This new detail caused the ebony fairy to shutter, and then wall off the unfamiliar code. Four of her stone angels walked in front of her. They all crossed the threshold together. A message popped up in Spooky's HUD.