by Kevin Culp
I knew Christina was out running. She tended to circle almost the entire edge of the woods a few times a day. She was in surprisingly good shape before all of this started, but in the past week and a half, she had probably doubled the distance she could run without a break.
I went to the Elves home and found Korana first. She was outside chanting and waving her arms as if she were casting a spell but nothing was happening. It seemed to be a form of training. I watched for a moment, but she stopped when she saw me.
“Hello, Archaeus.”
“Hello, Korana. We will probably leave tomorrow. We need to prepare for our departure, so I’d like for you to come with me while we find the others.”
She followed, and we headed for the edge of town.
It was actually Phillip who we encountered first. He was spending a lot of time working on his archery and was still training with us in the evening but had continued his patrols. Jason was actually with him. They stopped when they saw us. Phillip put his hand on the hilt of his sword when he saw us as if he was expecting bad news.
“Is there something happening?” He asked.
“We will be leaving tomorrow and need to have one last gathering here before we go. Have you seen Christina?”
“She ran by just a few minutes ago. By now we probably need to cut all the way across town if we want to catch her.”
“Let’s go then. Jason, can you let Vincent and Kayden know there will be no training today?”
He nodded. “Can do.”
Eventually, we caught up with Christina. Maybe it was odd given the circumstances, but my first thought was how beautiful she was. She was wearing a brown sleeveless shirt and breeches with her black hair tied back in a ponytail. Ironically, she kind of reminded me of a female from the army as I watched her run.
“Christina, let’s head back to town. We will be leaving tomorrow, and I want to have one last meeting.”
“We’re leaving so soon? Can we do our daily training before this meeting?”
“We aren’t training today. We’re going to the tavern.”
She seemed confused. “Okay. I understand there is probably a lot for us to talk about, but why the tavern?”
“You’ll see.”
Christina insisted on going back to the house and at least rinsing the sweat from her body and changing which I understood. Going somewhere and trying to sit down and eat when you’re all sweaty just starts feeling gross after a short while. She insisted on going to the house herself and meeting us there. I decided since we had a moment to pay Gregory a visit, but he wasn’t home, so we went on to the tavern.
Almost as soon as we sat down, Irene was at the table. “Good afternoon, Archaeus. What can I get for you?”
“We are waiting for Christina, but once she gets here, please bring us a round of mead, and we will order.”
“You want mead also, Archaeus?” She questioned.
“Yes, please.”
Korana and Phillip looked a little surprised. It was no mystery that I didn’t drink alcohol, but I had a few times so far, so I didn’t feel anyone should make a big deal of it. I actually felt that they should recognize that this was an important occasion and understand that was why I wanted to have a drink with my allies.
It apparently didn’t take long for Christina to get ready. She had run off to the house, and we had only been sitting here for about fifteen minutes. The door opened, and it brought me back to those nights in the ballroom of the palace. Her hair wasn’t as intricate and rather than the fancy blue dress. She was wearing the pink sundress that had been a gift from her mother. The tailor had refitted it in the capital and looked amazing on her. She didn’t have all the makeup on either, but she was more beautiful than I had ever seen her. She saw us and came to the table. I stood up, gave her a kiss, and pulled out her chair for her.
“Thank you, Archaeus.” She was blushing as she said it.
“You look beautiful, Christina.”
She was quite red and brushed her hair behind her ear with one hand. “Thank you.”
“That dress is beautiful, Christina. I can’t wear anything like that because of my wings and tail, but I wish I could.” Korana said.
“Thanks, Korana. You’re so pretty that you really don’t have to dress fancy to look good.”
About that time, Irene came by with the drinks. “What can I get for you?”
The night’s special was what they called a chicken and bread soup, and we all ordered it. How they made the dough really made it taste almost identical to chicken and dumplings, but I never wanted to suggest they change the name.
We sat there, drank, and just had a good time. Phillip ordered a second and third drink, but the rest of us just stuck with the one and drank on it slowly over the course of the next few hours. The goal wasn’t to get drunk but just to spend these few moments with comrades before we went into battle. It was impossible to say what we would find there. Nothing had threatened me much in this world yet, but who knows, maybe even I wouldn’t return from this trip.
Around dinner time, Rin and Kayden finished their patrols and ventured into the tavern. Rin took a seat between Korana and me.
“Man, I can’t believe you were having this sendoff dinner, and I wasn’t even invited. That hurts.” Rin said.
She was clearly joking, but Korana looked apologetic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know either until we got here.”
Kayden sat down on the other side of Christina. “I heard you guys were leaving tomorrow. Is that true?”
“Yes. The army will arrive tomorrow, and we need to depart as soon as possible.”
Kayden’s face got serious. “Good luck, Archaeus. Definitely make sure everyone comes home.”
I nodded at him and the mood got a little darker for a moment.
Kayden broke the silence by standing up and saying, “Hey, can we get some service over here!?”
They hadn’t been here long, and Irene was definitely preoccupied. He was obviously just doing it to break the tension. I’m sure Irene was a little annoyed, but it served its purpose. We started reminiscing over our months of training and talking about the good ol’ times like friends will do. Korana and Rin had been getting along really well ever since Rin agreed to give her a chance, so I was happy to see that.
After his third drink, I told Irene to cut off Phillip. He wasn’t really drunk, but I didn’t want him to be hungover during our travel the following day. I told him and Korana to go home and get a good night’s rest because it was probably going to be the last chance they had to sleep well for a while. Christina and I headed back to the house hand in hand.
We got back to the house and before she could go to the room, I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to me. I kissed her as long as I could and rubbed the side of her face and neck with my hand. When I pulled back, Christina seemed short of breath, and we just stood there for a moment staring into each other’s eyes. After a moment, I moved to take off her dress.
Christina put her hand on my arm as if to stop me. “Archaeus, I…”
I looked at her and gently brushed her cheek with the back of my hand. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to do anything that you don’t want or aren’t ready for.”
We stood there for another few moments, and she moved her hand. I took off her dress right there and picked up her. I carried her into the bedroom where I sat her gently on the bed. Then I turned around and closed the door.
Chapter 11
The night was amazing. It was everything I had expected it to be and more. Unfortunately, I awoke to an exceptionally early knock on the door. I say early, but it was actually later than I had been waking up. Christina didn’t seem to hear it, and I managed to get out of bed without waking her.
I put on a pair of pants and a shirt and went to the door. When I opened it, Gregory was standing there.
“Good morning, Archaeus. I apologize for calling at such an early hour. I understand that after General Mare arrives today, you will be depart
ing. I do need you and those accompanying you to come by my house this morning before you set off on your travels.”
“I do appreciate your help, Gregory. We will be there soon.”
He nodded and took his leave.
I closed the door and went back to the bedroom. Christina was sitting up in bed with the cover tucked beneath her arms. She smiled when she saw me. I walked over to the bed and leaned over to give her a kiss.
“Who was at the door?” she asked.
“Gregory.”
“I guess we need to get ready to go, don’t we?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
She brushed her hair behind her ear again and started turning a little red. “I really enjoyed last night, Archaeus.”
I put my hand on the back of her neck and gave her a long kiss. “As did I. It was a night that I will never forget. That being said, it’s looking like it may be a long time before we get another like it.”
She grabbed my arm and moved to kiss my hand. “I guess you are right about that.”
She looked down at herself. “Um… Archaeus?”
“Yes?”
“Can you leave the room while I get dressed?”
I looked at her and chuckled a bit. “Even after last night?”
She looked down and turned even redder. Truthfully, it was adorable. “I know… It’s just… kind of embarrassing.”
I wanted to tell her there was nothing about her to be embarrassed about, but as little experience as I had with women, even I realized that would just embarrass her more. I just looked at her, chuckled a bit then exited the room and closed the door.
After a few minutes, the door opened. She was wearing an outfit similar to yesterday. A plain brown sleeveless shirt and breeches. She had on sturdier-looking shoes this time though. She was also carrying a bag that I assumed was full of clothes and things she felt she might need.
“Can you put this in your bag, Archaeus?”
“Of course.”
“I’m going to say bye to Mary while you let Korana and Phillip know to meet at Gregory’s house?”
“Alright, I’ll see you there.”
She gave me a kiss and walked out the door. I couldn’t help but think it was going to be her last time in this house for a while. We would come back to it though. That much I would be sure of.
I finished packing my clothes and put Christina’s bag in my magical backpack. The thing really was amazing for instances like this. Once I was packed, I went to get Korana and Phillip. By the time I got to Gregory’s, I could see Christina exiting the main road from town and heading this way, so I waited for her before knocking. Pretty much as soon as I raised my hand to knock the door opened.
“Come in. Come in.” The old man said from within.
We walked into the room, and I immediately saw there were several items laid out on the table. It was the same location that the map had been rolled out weeks before, but the table was much bigger. A lot of it was weapons, but there were some other assorted items as well.
Once we were all inside, he began speaking. “So, the prince asked me to make sure you were all well equipped for this journey. He said to consider it an advanced payment.”
I could tell that all the items were of exceptional quality and likely magical. “This is too generous, Gregory.”
He waved a hand. “Now, you asked me to get a bow for Phillip.”
He picked up a very nice looking composite longbow. It was probably the most intricate craftsmanship I had seen in this world yet and was a dark wood with ivory ends. “Honestly, I probably didn’t get as much time as I would have liked enchanting this bow, but it is a +1 Composite Longbow.”
He handed it to Phillip. I was kind of surprised to hear him refer to it as a +1 weapon. Sure when I looked at my weapons, I could see in my notepad the + modifier on them, but I guess that meant this world recognized those levels of enchantments.
Gregory proceeded to pick up a long solid tube with a leather strap, which he also handed to Phillip. “This item is a special version of an Everlasting Quiver. As the name implies, anytime you attempt to draw an arrow from the quiver your hand will never come up empty. It can create an unlimited supply of wood or steel-tipped arrows. What makes this one different is that it can also create an arrow that will explode on impact. Once this is done, however, it cannot be used like this again until the following day.”
I questioned how powerful the explosion would be, but either way, a quiver that didn’t run out of arrows was certainly an awesome item.
Next, Gregory picked up a small silver ring with a green band around it. He handed it to Phillip as well. “This ring will cast Cure III twice per day. I understand you don’t intend to be exclusively an Archer, but either way, if you find yourself separated from Archaeus, it could be an item that can save your life. Also, if something happens to Archaeus, it could be useful to help him back up or even heal someone else in need.”
Phillip took all the items gratefully and then addressed Gregory. “Thank you so much. I will be sure to put these items to great use.”
Gregory nodded. He then picked up a small circlet and turned towards Korana. “Korana, I have not known you long, but I have great hopes for you as a student of magic. I never want you to forsake your heritage, but it can sometimes be necessary for you to blend in. Using this will allow you to take on a human appearance for as long as it remains worn. Please only use it when necessary. I don’t want you to lose yourself in feeling normal.”
He then picked up a large piece of what seemed to be quartz and handed it to her. “I have enchanted This stone in a way that allows it to generate its own mana. It can only be used once per day but transfers all of its mana to the wearer when used. This can be used if you are running out of power to help replenish and continue casting spells.”
Then he pulled out a choker that seemed to consist of a white ribbon with a brilliant emerald covering the clasp. “As I said before, you cannot rely entirely on magic and because of that, I felt you needed something to enhance your weapons. It is a +1 Amulet of the Claw. It will make your claws sharper, deadlier, and also help them penetrate the skin of creatures with resistance against non-magical attacks. Use these items well and make sure you come home to continue your training.”
“I will. Thank you, Master Gregory.”
The items on the table were dwindling down, but he turned back and picked up a pair of bangles and handed them to Christina. “The way you move in battle, armor does not suit you. These are probably the most powerful item here and the prince wanted me to tell you they are both payment for the mission you are going on as well as compensation for the incident you faced in the palace a few months back. They will create a protective barrier very slightly above your skin that will serve as armor. They are rated as +5 Bangles.”
That was a really impressive item and probably stronger than any other magic item I had seen in the kingdom. Truthfully, they were nearly on par with my weapon which they practically believed to be an artifact in this world. Based on what I saw her stats to be, wearing those would make her Armor Rating the same as when wearing my armor and wouldn’t restrict her movements in other ways.
“Thank you, Gregory. Leovald should know, however, that I don’t hold any grudges for what happened.”
He nodded and turned back to the table where he picked up a very fine-looking short sword. “I understand you faced a troll that was weak to fire in your initial investigation of the cave. This weapon has a burning effect. It is a +1 Burning Short Sword. That being said, I may not be a fighter, but I have seen many over the years and your deft moves combined with the fact that you seem able to switch hands indiscriminately means you could likely learn to wield two blades with ease. Furthermore, not all trolls are weak to fire. Cave trolls are actually weak to acid. Troll or not, I think this will be of use to you. It is a +1 Acidic Short Sword.” He turned and grabbed the last item from the table and handed it to Christina.
“This is am
azing, Gregory. I’m certain I don’t deserve such gifts, but I will use them well.”
“I’m sure you realize, Archaeus, how valuable each of these items are. The Prince is very distraught that they can’t let the Royal Army march on this encampment without starting a war. Leaving so many lives in the hands of four people is not something he takes lightly, and he wanted to spare no expense in doing so. Unfortunately, procuring items as powerful as yours would be nearly impossible even if we had a year to prepare let alone when we only had a few weeks, so I have very little for you. The Prince did, however, give me one last item that I was to give you.”
The old mage carefully reached into his robes and began digging in an inner pocket. He found what he was looking for and slowly extracted his arm. He held out his fist and slowly opened it to reveal what was resting on his palm. It was an enormous diamond of superb quality. Archaeus slowly extended his hand and took the diamond from the old man. He then glanced at his notepad, but where he saw that he had acquired the diamond, it said:
Diamond (Value Unknown)
I looked back at Gregory. “This looks superb, and I am extremely grateful, but are you certain it will work?”
He shrugged slightly. “The Prince wasn’t sure if there were any other requirements, but he said this was as close as he could find to what you requested. He stated the value was appraised at 6280 gold.”
He seemed to be telling the truth, and I had no ability to appraise a diamond which now seemed to be a flaw. Even though I had just looked, I wondered if things had changed now that he told me this. I focused my vision and opened my character sheet. When I looked in my items, it now showed:
Diamond (6280gp)
I smiled. “This gives me much greater confidence and hope for our mission. I will be sure to write the prince and thank him for this outstanding gift.”
As I moved to put the diamond in my bag, I noticed that the other three were all staring intently at it. If it was the thought of how expensive it was that surprised them, then they clearly didn’t know how expensive all the items they were just handed were. Each of the swords that Christina now held at her sides were around eight thousand gold each, and an item that could create arrows indefinitely was probably even more expensive. Don’t even get me started on those bangles and how much they would cost.