by Grey Arney
His business with the elves completed, he thanked them heartily and packed his things. Calling for Lyle to join him, he set out on the animal trail to his first and nearest point of interest: the unknown cave to the south along the river.
The two elves watched him depart, but after he had tread a few hundred feet from the hunting lodge, the illusion set in again, and they seemed to melt into the aether. Turning to look back once more, he saw that the hunting lodge was once again nothing more than three large conifer trees.
***
The short hike south along the river was uneventful. With a Stealth skill of 10, Arcturus was no longer the clumsy wanderer he had been just two days before. Not long into the hike, he noticed that Lyle had snapped to attention and was staring at something in the distance. After focusing for a minute, Arcturus saw nothing. Then he did something he had been meaning to try: he invested 5 points in perception. His lack of perception had already been a hindrance.
With the boosted perception, he set his gaze ahead. His vision didn’t change, and he began to doubt his investment. But before long, he saw a faint glint of a small animal’s eyeball. The increase in perception gave him a very subtle hint as to where he should look. Then he made out the shape of some sort of rabbit, and a juicy one! Seizing the chance, Arcturus loaded a bolt into his crossbow and wound it to tension. If he missed, he wouldn’t be able to reload fast enough to get a second shot. The rabbit was unaware of him. It was chewing slowly on something but holding mostly still in that silent paranoia peculiar to this type of rodent.
Arcturus sighted down the crossbow and lined up his shot. Knowing that the rabbit was a little bit further than the ideal range of the crossbow, he lined it up straight and then tilted up just two degrees to allow the projectile path to form a slight curve. Satisfied that his shot would fire true, he released the bolt. The rabbit suddenly twisted in an electrical spasm and lay dead.
You are unseen! You strike the Jack Rabbit for 157 points of damage.
The Jack Rabbit has died. You earn 50 experience points.
The damage from the shot was spectacular. The goblins had much less than 150 hit points, and so of course it was plenty of damage to take out the rabbit. It seemed that as long as he struck a target unaware, he would do much more damage. Perhaps that was why the elves had been able to drop so many goblins the day before.
He sent Lyle to go collect the prize, and moved down by the river to prepare. He was able to skin the rabbit in just a few minutes. He discarded all but the meat, and skewered the carcass on a stick. Gathering up some brush, he cast Burning Touch and quickly had a sizable cooking fire. Within about ten minutes, the rabbit meat would be cooked. He used the time to fill his water canteen and pet Lyle’s head. Lyle looked about nervously, and Arcturus couldn’t help but feel that he was being watched.
After sharing the rabbit with his dog, he was about to set out for the cave again when his intuition told him to check the rabbit’s remains. On a hunch, he cut off one of the feet.
You have found: Lucky Rabbit’s Foot
This Crafting ingredient can be used to increase luck.
He cut off the other foot, but received no notification. Must be one lucky foot per customer today. Arcturus washed and dried the foot, rolled it in some cloth, and placed it in his bag, where it could be stored indefinitely. Then he whistled to the dog and the pair headed down towards the cave.
***
Within an hour they heard the unmistakable rush of a waterfall, and the river widened. It looked like the water level was lower than usual because a loamy mixture of wet soil spread around the mouth of the waterfall on both sides. Due to the many rocks here, it would have been possible to cross the river without getting too wet, but the elves had warned not to approach their settlement without an invitation.
Following the cliff face east for just a few minutes revealed a large cave entrance in the side of the rock. The opening was not flat but rather descended steeply to an unknown depth. Arcturus found a green branch from one of the younger trees, then wrapped a piece of cloth around the top of it to form a torch. It took awhile, but he was able to find a tree with thick resin. Scoring the outside of the tree with his kukri, he rubbed the cloth of the torch until it was thick with tar. Then he used Burning Touch to ignite it. After asking Lyle to be quiet and follow close behind, he headed into the cave.
The entrance to the cave descended rapidly. The echoes of dripping water quickly immersed him, and he started to feel a nagging sense of claustrophobia, or maybe just a fear of the dark. His Nightvision skill helped him to see further in the low light, but without the torch, neither him nor the dog would see anything. He wondered whether he was alone in the cavern, and felt cold perspiration accumulating on his forehead.
Finally, the slope down began to flatten, and they were at the mouth of a large chamber with stalactites hanging like big stone icicles from the ceiling. Arcturus had to crouch down low to proceed. This would not be a good place to get into a fight.
The ceiling got higher again, and he could stand up straight once more. However, if he encountered anything dangerous, his ability to escape would be limited. Lyle was getting more excited now, and had moved ahead to where the tunnel broke off at an angle. Suddenly, Arcturus could see that Lyle caught wind of something. His ears straightened up and his tail flattened backwards. The dog ran ahead into the darkness.
“Wait!” Arcturus whispered urgently. Not wanting to shout inside the cave, he hurried after the animal. As he rounded the bend, he saw the first beams of sunlight. The next chamber was huge with a ceiling higher than any church. Arcturus didn’t know what direction he was facing, but he presumed he was somewhere inside the cliff wall, and that the light was coming in from openings along the cliff face.
Lyle had darted ahead into the center of the chamber and was now sitting expectantly. Arcturus joined him. “What’s wrong with you, dog?” he asked. No sooner than he had finished speaking, the hair began to rise on the back of his neck. He experienced the primordial terror of being vulnerable to a predator. And he could feel eyes staring at him and his dog, even though he still saw nothing.
Arcturus froze in place for a long moment as he considered his options. Fight or flee. As silently as he could, he crouched down beside Lyle and peered around from this new angle. That’s when a furry mass shifted from one of the shadows and approached.
The four-legged creature had two eyes that pierced through the dark, and black fur. Another wolf. Soon he spotted another movement and realized he was surrounded by over a dozen of them, all the same pitch-black color.
It was then that Arcturus realized that the animals had not attacked his wolf because they would not attack one of their own. And, because he was Wolf-Blooded, they wouldn’t attack him either, unless provoked.
Wolf society is not something that Arcturus knew a great deal about, and he didn’t want to test the limits of this tenuous relationship. The wolves had only approached when he knelt down to their level. He would take great care not to intimidate or slight them. His surprise was multiplied when the largest one, perhaps the pack leader, approached him with ears back and tail between its legs. He understood this to be a gesture of submission. Rising to his feet, he spoke to the wolf in a calming voice.
“That’s a good boy. Let’s be friends,” he said, carefully reaching to pet the creature. Just as Lyle once had, the creature snarled in fear, but after experiencing the well-intended touch on his head, his demeanor changed. He opened his eyes, which glimmered in the dark, gazing at the man.
You have forged an alliance: Wolves of Blackfang Ridge
The friendship of man and canine is immortal, but for you, it is something even more. Your Wolf-Blooded trait has allowed you to bond with this pack of thirteen wolves. You are welcome in their lair, and if you continue to develop the bond with them, you may be able to call on their aid in the future, as well.
My own wolf entourage, serving as my body guards? Yes, please! Thought Arcturus
. But he said nothing out loud. He was still terrified.
After the initial diplomatic delegation, the wolves seemed happy to disperse and return to their own activities. Some chewed bones, others tussled in play. Most, however, settled down somewhere comfortable, monitoring the area with darting eyes.
Arcturus noticed that he could now examine a wolf closely and learn more information. He could see an indication of each wolf’s level, as well as hit points. This was something new, and he suspected it was related to his higher perception. He tried it on Lyle. On one visualized screen, he could see the dog’s level and hit points, or on another, he could see more information such as his Vital Stats, much like his own Character Display.
Ally Display
Name: Lyle
Level: 7
Race: Wolf/Dog Hybrid
Hit Points: 75/75
Mana: 15/15
Vital Stats
Strength: 17
Perception: 13
Endurance: 15
Agility: 12
Dexterity: 5
Intelligence: 3
Wisdom: 5
Luck: 5
Skills
- Distract Enemy. Create a diversion, causing enemies to focus elsewhere.
- Take Down Enemy. Strike silently, with lethal force.
Traits
- Bonded (Level 2). This animal has formed a bond with a player.
Scouting around the chamber, he found that there was a pile of bones where the wolves ate. There was another chamber, thankfully very far away and around a corner, where they evacuated their bowels. There were also several openings that led to the outside of the cliff face. The wolves did not access the chamber via the cave he had used to enter, as the light level was too low there. There were several smaller tunnels that they seemed to use to enter and exit. In an emergency, a human could fit through them as well, but Arcturus would never consider crawling on his stomach through these unknown tunnels.
Another feature of the cave that surprised him was a large stone arch on the far side. It looked out of place, perhaps even man-made. But with no other hint at human activity, Arcturus concluded that it was a natural formation.
With nothing left to see in the cave, Arcturus headed back out the way he came. The cave could serve as a safe harbor if necessary. Although he didn’t relish the thought of sleeping with a dozen wolves, he would surely be well-protected.
Back outside by the riverbed, Arcturus visualized his map and pondered where to go next. Heading back to any of the other landmarks would take a long time, and he would be forced to spend the night either at the rocky alcove he awoke at, or the campsite nearest to it. Neither position seemed safe anymore.
***
The next stop after exploring the cave was the Faerie Spring. It was north of the ransacked goblin outpost. Arcturus was reluctant to return to that area so soon.
According to the map, hiking to the Faerie Spring would mean following the trail to the goblin outpost, and then skirting around that settlement and continuing north. From there, it should take no more than an hour to reach his destination.
Arcturus was not surprised to find that there were already more goblins in the outpost. He heard them sawing and hammering long before the tents came into view. They were now expanding the palisade, as evidenced by a long row of framing logs. The place was teeming with the little men, and there were guards posted all around the perimeter. Arcturus approached just close enough to see the blurry outlines of green-skinned figures through the trees, and then he veered east, being sure to stay well out of sight. Even if it took much longer to arrive at his destination, he would give the goblins a wide berth. They seemed to be on high alert.
In a time, the sight of the outpost and the sounds of carpentry inside faded into the distance. Another trail appeared, leading north in the direction of the Faerie Spring. However, the trail was long and flat, and he would be easily spotted if he took to it, so instead he traveled quietly through the woods, following parallel to the trail and at a safe distance.
About twenty minutes after the goblin noises faded away, he noticed Lyle’s body stiffen as the dog stared up ahead. This time he suspected it wasn’t a rabbit.
“Down,” he whispered. “Quiet.” In an instant, the dog dropped down low, concealing itself as Arcturus did the same. Peering into the distance ahead, he saw several green blurs approaching, following the trail south. Both breathed slowly and evenly as the party of goblins passed by. The goblins weren’t in a rush, and both the man and his dog stayed concealed for what must have been at least five minutes. As the goblins began to pass out of view, Arcturus received a notification.
You have improved Stealth (Level 11)
Your movements are quieter, and you are less likely to be spotted.
The Stealth skill seemed to increase quickly when the stakes were high, as they certainly were when outwitting a hostile patrol. That must be why he hadn’t increased his level much just by walking through the woods, or even exploring the cave earlier.
After another thirty minutes of travel, a small clearing appeared in the distance. There were concrete structures covered in moss that looked like bird baths and other garden decorations. The place looked like it had been the workshop of a sculptor long ago, one that had fallen into a disarray over time. Weeds sprang forth from the ground, and some of them were taller than a man.
In the center was a large oval pool attended by a tall spire that must have once drawn water from below to form an active fountain. It lay dormant over the tainted pond of algae. On top of the water floated lilies of every hue, from champagne pink to an icy blue.
“Welcome, traveler,” came a girl’s voice. “Would you lend me a hand?”
Scanning about in the light of midday, Arcturus could not find the source of the voice.
“I’m right here!” she said. “On top of the fountain!”
Looking up to the top of the spire, Arcturus saw that there was a ringed shape around its peak where the water must once have flowed. On the ring sat a winged girl, about the size of the man’s thumb. He leaned forward slowly as his eyes focused on the tiny figure. She was the definition of cuteness. Her face was inviting and simply adorable in its proportions with large, come-hither eyes and a petite chin. And her beauty didn’t end there. She wore a white outfit that was downright sexy. In fact, she looked almost like she was dressed in lingerie. It invited the eyes on a journey from the neck to the tiny round breasts, and then to the “V” shape where her clothes ended, and her bare thighs began.
Surprised at the allure of the micro-woman, Arcturus noticed that his predictably male mind began forming sexual machinations. But as soon as they appeared, they evaporated like impotent puffs of smoke. The difference in size was so enormous between himself and this beautiful thing, of course he could not seriously entertain such a fancy; men could never know the love of faeries. But they would still gladly let themselves be manipulated by their flirtatious charms.
The faerie cleared her throat, and affected a cutesy gesture with her hand on her chin as she waited for him to stop staring. “As I was saying, would you lend a hand?” Arcturus decided he would do anything for this girl.
“Yes, of course, how can I help?” he asked, using a tone of voice that no man would ever use on another.
“My garden is a mess. The sculptures have fallen apart. And there are weeds everywhere that need to be pulled! I don’t have the strength to clean it up, but you look big and strong enough. Would you help me out of the kindness of your heart?”
Arcturus was a little bit annoyed. He didn’t come here intending to do landscaping. There were goblins nearby, and he still needed time to hike to camp for the night. However, he recalled that magical creatures would often test a traveler’s character, and reward or punish them accordingly. And besides, there was no way he could say no to this adorable little thing. His suspicions were confirmed when he saw the quest prompt.
NEW QUEST: FIX UP THE FAERIE FOUNTAIN
You have met a faerie who has tasked you with helping her to tidy up the garden around her fountain. She has asked you to reassemble the broken sculptures and remove the weeds. This quest comes with unknown rewards, but the beautiful creature will surely continue to flirt and bless you with her affection, at least as long as you are useful to her. Do you accept this quest? (Yes/No)
Arcturus got to work right away. He started by pulling all of the weeds out, making an effort to grasp each plant by the base and pulling up to remove the roots from the soil. The faerie followed behind him, flirting and chatting, as promised by the quest prompt. As he pulled up each weed, she used subtle magic to close the earth and to sprout grasses, clovers, and tiny wild flowers.
As he worked, she told him that the goblins had visited her, but refused to help her clean up the garden, and had left just as soon as they came.
When the weeds were all removed, it was time to reassemble the sculptures. There were only three statues needing attention. They all depicted ambiguous, faceless humanoids in different poses. As he picked up the broken pieces and placed them back where they belonged, the faerie used her magic to mend each one.
Within forty-five minutes, Arcturus was done cleaning the garden. Lyle had spent the whole time curled up on a patch of grass waiting patiently for his master to finish.
As soon as the garden was ready, the faerie lazily waved her hand at the fountain, activating its magic. The water began spraying out of the top of the fountain, where errant rays of sunlight now refracted into tiny rainbows.
“Oh, it’s beautiful! Thank you so much!” the faerie said. “My name is Brynn, what is yours?”
“I am Arcturus.” He felt a throbbing in his chest, along with hopeful anticipation for some reward that he didn’t even dare imagine.
“You are kind, and you helped me even though I didn’t offer you anything. But I would like to reward you. Will you accept?”
He agreed without hesitation, and could now hear the thumping of his heart in his ears. What was she going to do?
The faerie flitted up to his face on butterfly wings. She put her hands on her hips and leaned forward, kissing his cheek with lips the size of a sesame seed. Arcturus’ heart melted, and he felt fireworks exploding in his stomach.