Grimoire Bound

by Jeff Sproul

  So far, Chaxin was only able to conceptualize that he was on a world called 'Wake,' which seemed to have people, which he was grateful for, but also monsters? And everyone arrived by waking up in a mausoleum? But how? And why? Where had he been before he was here?

  "You said you came from the mausoleum on the shore?" asked Tiris.

  Chaxin directed his attention to the female archer. "Yeah! I woke up on the stone slab in that place. Then I came out and saw that ship on fire."

  "That doesn't make any sense!" said Tiris. "That mausoleum has been powerless for over ten years! There's no way you could've appeared there!"

  Chaxin looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "What do you mean? Powerless?"

  At this point, Tiris reached up and pulled her hood back. Her golden hair flowed behind her head as their horses raced through the narrow passage between the trees.

  "Magic!" she said. "There's no magic left in that place. None! A mausoleum can't function without magic. It's almost impossible that you could've appeared in a powerless mausoleum!"

  "I don't know what to tell you," said Chaxin. "But I woke up there!"

  "Doesn't matter now!" said Deloris. "You're here on Wake, so you better get used to it, fast, and I gotta say, you're in for one hell of a night. We all are!"

  Chaxin clenched his fists. His left arm burned, as if the veins in his arm were heating up. "I took a bit of a scrape from that creature, is there a doctor in your town?"

  "Yeah, we'll get you there, it's on the way to the town hall," said Deloris. "It's not long now."

  Chaxin kept quiet, mulling over the answers he'd gotten to his questions. His head was spinning. The bouncing of the horse's gallop wasn't helping the ache that had seeped into his head. He just wanted to rest for a bit. Running up the shore must've taken a lot out of him. Was he used to physical exertion like this? Where had he come from? He seemed to know how to speak, so he hadn't come from absolutely nothing, had he?

  After a short while of riding, the three horses breached the outer edge of the forest.

  With intense curiosity to learn anything new about this world, Chaxin tilted to the side so he could see ahead of them. A town loomed a short distance away. The moonlight illuminated some of the surrounding plains, and the town itself stood in stark contrast. It had an encompassing wall of stone, with small watchtowers at various points. There was a main gate, which they were headed for. The dirt road came from the tree line of the forest and stretched out to the gate. There was another road that extended off far to the right of them.

  "That's Kamber?" asked Chaxin.

  "That's it," Deloris confirmed.

  Most of the buildings were no taller than the three to four story wall. It was much more impressive than the ramshackle village they'd passed through.

  Another couple minutes saw them nearing the main gate to Kamber. Upon closer inspection, Chaxin was able to discern the myriad of various stones that had been mortared together to make the makeshift stone wall. The gate was made of wooden planks with two halves that were mostly closed, only allowing enough space for a horse and rider to go in one at a time.

  Two guards were stationed outside the gate, but there was a single watchtower above with another guard. The guards were dressed in much lighter armor than Deloris. They also wore a gray patch of cloth on their left arms, with a circular white symbol that Chaxin couldn't make out in the darkness. There were various torches lit around the wall. Even from the outside, Chaxin could tell that there were more lit within the town, mostly as street lights.

  Deloris took the lead with the two other riders falling in single-file behind her. She slowed her horse as she neared the gate. "We have incoming merfolk. Dozens, perhaps a hundred," she said to one of the guards who had stood up from a wooden bench.

  "Alert the town hall!" the guard said. "We'll alert the barracks!"

  With that, Deloris whipped the reins and took the horse into the town, as the guard barked orders to the other that had been outside.

  Deloris's horse sped through the street, passing by street torches and buildings made mostly of wood, but some of stone. The architecture was better than that of the village at the shore, but Chaxin had expected something more substantial.

  There were several people on the streets, all commonly dressed in single-color pants and tunics. They turned their heads to watch the riders rush by.

  Just as the horse slowed down near a well-lit one-story building, a streak of pain rushed through Chaxin's arm, and he winced. "Ah!" he groaned as he released his grip on Deloris's cloak and clutched at his arm.

  "You alright?" asked the armored woman, as the horse came to a complete stop. "Doc! We need you!" she called in the direction of the nearby structure, which had a sign outside that was painted in red with a white 'plus' symbol.

  The two archers rode up beside, but as they did, Deloris turned to them. "Warn the town hall, I'll make sure he gets inside. Go!"

  "We're on it!" said Tiris, as she and Vol rushed off further down the street.

  With relative ease, Deloris turned and dismounted the horse, leaving Chaxin upon it. She reached up and offered her silvery gauntleted hand. "Come on down, let's see that wound you got."

  Chaxin turned and gripped Deloris's metal fingers and eased off the horse to take that long step down to the street. He pushed with his left hand, and when the muscles in his arm were used, another sharp pain shot through him, causing him to seize up and fall to his knees. If Deloris hadn't been gripping his hand, he'd have fallen flat on his face.

  "I'm not feeling so great, I'm really dizzy," Chaxin said in a low voice, as he shifted to pull himself to stand. The cloak that Vol had let him borrow was at least enough to keep his naked body concealed for the time being.

  "Let's get you inside so the doc can take a look at you," said Deloris.

  Just then, the door to the clinic opened. A well-muscled middle-aged man with a bald head and a white moustache appeared in the doorway. He wore a pair of plain brown pants and brown boots, with a gray tunic. "What's wrong?" he asked in a deep voice as he stepped out towards them, while Chaxin stood back up.

  "He got hit by one of the merfolk," said Deloris as she released his hand and took a firm hold of his good arm to help him stay standing. "He doesn't have a lot of stats, I'm sure. He just appeared out of the mausoleum by the shore."

  The white-moustached man stopped in front of him and sized Chaxin up in just a few moments. He reached out to pull Chaxin's arm into the light. "No one's arrived there in over a decade," he said. "No magic left. It's been abandoned."

  "Tell that to him," Deloris sighed.

  "Well I don't know how you—" The man's voice cut short as the nearby torchlight glimmered over Chaxin's raised arm. "Oh no, this ain't good," he murmured.

  Chaxin looked around slowly. The lights seemed to swim in his vision. He couldn't focus. He just wanted to close his eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked in a low voice. "Can you help me out? It's starting to really hurt."

  "How bad is it, Huril?" Deloris asked.

  Huril shook his head. "You said it was merfolk?" he asked, looking up to Deloris.

  "That's right. They're heading onto shore, and it's likely that they'll be here within an hour," she said.

  Huril's gaze went back down to Chaxin's arm. The previously deep red wounds had already given way to a sickly green pallor within the gashes. Thin gray lines had appeared, stretching throughout Chaxin's arm and up towards his shoulder and into his chest, near his heart.

  "He's been poisoned," said Huril. "I can heal the cuts and close them up… but it looks like it's poison from one of their alpha warriors. You know how bad their poison can be, and I'm sure you're well aware that we haven't had the remedy for it in months."

  "Shit," Deloris murmured from within her helmet. "I couldn't tell from the distance. There's nothing you got that can give him a chance?"

  "Help him inside," said Huril, as he turned and rushed back into the clinic.

  "What's he… what's
this mean? Poison?" asked Chaxin.

  Deloris helped Chaxin into the clinic, her armor clanging with each step. "Looks like it's just not your day," she said a bit cryptically.

  Once inside, Chaxin could just barely make out the layout of the room. There were several counters, a dozen or so beds, and other various cabinets and equipment.

  "Get him to one of the beds," said Huril, who was investigating the contents of one of the cabinets nearby.

  Deloris helped him over to one of the beds, which he was mostly able to get onto himself. He kept the cloak closed, still feeling that he should keep some semblance of modesty.

  Deloris took a few steps back as Huril came over with some herbs and a mortar and pestle. He began to crush them on at a counter beside the bed. He added some liquid from a jar and continued to work the herbs with the stone pestle.

  "I'm afraid this is all I've got for you, son," said Huril. "It's not what you need, but it's all we can do." He then collected the poultice and applied it to the long gashes that the merfolk alpha had left him with. "This will heal the wound and help stabilize your health. But without any stats, since you just arrived and all… well, looks like you might end up in Purgatory sooner than most folk usually do. And without any levels to speak of—" he trailed off and shook his head. "Well, I guess it doesn't matter now. You probably won't make it till morning. A real shame."

  Chaxin stared at the ceiling, his vision blurring. He kept blinking, trying to clear it up, but it wasn't getting any better.

  "Stats? Levels? What are you talking about?" he asked. The words seemed out of place with what Huril had said. He understood that whatever this poison was, it was likely to kill him. "What's Purgatory? I don't understand."

  "Do what you can," said Deloris. "Be prepared for more wounded. I've gotta head back out there and help with defense. That's Vol's cloak, I'm sure he'll be back to pick it up. I'll catch up with you later, Huril," she said, and promptly turned to leave.

  Chaxin tilted his head. There were several candles burning inside the clinic. The light shined off Deloris's armor as she walked back to the door and promptly left. She'd said nothing to him before leaving.

  Huril sighed and wiped his hands on a nearby cloth on the counter. "I'll have another look around, to see if there's not something I can give ya," he said as he turned and walked off.

  "Wa… wait, what about… that stuff?" he asked again, as neither of them had answered his questions.

  "Don't worry about it, son. Just close your eyes," said Huril, whose voice seemed to be getting quieter as Chaxin's pulse beat in his ears.

  Chaxin's eyes slowly slipped shut, bit by bit until they were closed. He felt heavy. He didn't move much at all, and his chest rose and fell rather slowly. The pain was still there, but now it was all throughout his chest and not just in his arm. It wasn't as sharp as before, but he wasn't really using his muscles now either.

  Time quickly slipped away as Huril moved about the clinic. Chaxin couldn't see him, since the thought of opening his eyes seemed like far more effort than what he wanted to give. His senses faded bit by bit.

  An hour passed. At one point, Chaxin thought he heard commotion outside, but all the sounds were fleeting. He felt warm, and wanted to remove the cloak to get some air, but his body just didn't want to respond.

  The door to the clinic creaked open.

  "Huril," said an unfamiliar female voice.

  He could just barely make out Huril's footsteps thudding softly towards the door.

  "What's this?" Huril asked, apparently talking to whoever was at the door. "Are you sure?"

  "Just take it, he deserves as much of a chance as any of us. No?" the woman spoke again.

  "If you're sure," said Huril. "Then I'll see to it. But in his condition, he still might not make it. He's in for a tough night."

  "Do it," came the woman's voice.

  That was the last thing Chaxin heard before the sounds around him faded and unconsciousness claimed him.

  Chapter 3: Stand

  Chaxin's senses returned to him. He was still in a bed. With opened eyes, he found himself staring up at the ceiling of the clinic. His chest ached. He leaned up slowly, only to find that his muscles were stiff. His torso was still bare, but he now had on a pair of brown pants. He looked around and spotted the cloak he'd been wearing, which was bundled up on a nearby bed.

  He looked around the room some more, but didn't see anyone around.

  "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone there?"

  He took in a slow breath. He reached up and rubbed at his eyes, but after he did, he took a closer look at his left hand.

  Dark greenish-black lines resided just under his skin, where his veins should be. His gaze ran up his arm. He turned and looked to where he'd been caught by the monster's claws. The gash was gone, but it seemed as though the poison was still within him. Had he not been cured? How long had he been unconscious?

  As his eyes ran over his body, he noticed that there was writing on his chest, just above his heart. The blackness beneath his skin was heavily present in his chest area as well, but more prominent was the silvery metallic lettering on his skin. He brushed his fingers against the letters, noticing that the letters were somewhat raised, as if it was some sort of… ink? Some form of tattoo? He wasn't sure. He couldn't explain how it got there, or what it was made of, but he could read it.

  It took a few moments to decipher the words upside down, but the lettering read 'Time_Slow_Poison+Cost_Mana_All.' The letters were all connected, as were the words. A line ran through the bottom, with all the letters and symbols written upon it.

  He knew what time meant, and he was obviously poisoned, but what was mana? Why was this written on his chest?

  A guttural scream pierced the silence.

  Chaxin's head whipped to the side. The familiar monstrous scream came from outside, and it sounded far closer than he was comfortable with.

  He slid out of bed, his muscles complaining with every inch he moved. He looked around again for a weapon to defend himself with. There was nothing.

  He moved to the door, his bare feet causing the floorboards to creak with each step. He slowed his movements and neared the door, listening for anything he could hear outside.

  With the light ebbing in from the small windows, he knew it was daytime, but all he could see outside was a hazy white fog. His heart raced with each passing moment.

  He placed his ear to the door, feeling the cool touch of the wood against his cheek.

  Thump thump thump thump.

  Shlick.

  Thump thump.

  Shlick.

  Another gurgling scream emanated from somewhere out on the street.

  Chaxin grabbed the handle of the door and eased it open slowly so he could peek out. He opened it about an inch, and peered outside.

  A thick mist had set in around the town. He couldn't make out anything on the other side of the street.

  A hunched form, easily several feet taller than a man, lumbered towards a more human-like silhouette.

  Chaxin couldn't make out any details, only the loose form of the two figures.

  The larger entity swung at the smaller one.

  The shorter human-like figure ducked beneath the attack and swung their arm. The schlick sound was made again, then once more as the smaller figure dodged to the side and swung their arm again.

  A gurgling groan came from their direction, as the larger silhouette lurched forward and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

  Chaxin swallowed and mustered his courage. He pulled the door further open and stepped out onto the street. He looked from side to side, but didn't see any other figures around.

  "Hello?" Chaxin called. "Are you human?" He wasn't sure what to say, he just hoped that there weren't more creatures around. Had the town been attacked while he was asleep? Was it still under attack?

  "Who's there?" came a man's voice.

  "I'm Chaxin, I was in the… the clinic! What's going on?"

 
The figure turned and walked towards him. Once he was within ten feet or so, Chaxin could make out his features. He wore a pair of black boots and pants and a white tunic. He had a sword in his right hand, and some sort of shiny gray crystalline stone clutched in his left. He had brown hair to his shoulders, and weathered features. Around his neck, he wore a pale white crystal, affixed to a silver attachment. The crystal seemed to emit a dull pulsing glow, but within a few blinks of the eye, the glow abated entirely.

  "I'm Tagrin," said the man. "You were in the clinic? Have you seen Huril? I could really use his help. I'm pretty banged up, and there's others who are going to need him, I'm sure."

  Chaxin shook his head. "I just woke up, I have no idea what's going on. I haven't seen the doctor."

  Tagrin neared him and looked him over. His gaze rested on Chaxin's arm and chest. "One of them got you?" he asked. "Wait… rune magic?" The man stepped in closer, his brow furrowed as he looked at the writing above Chaxin's heart.

  "You know what this is?" Chaxin asked, pointing to the silvery writing, desperate for answers.

  "Aye," the man said. "That's rune magic. A bit powerful too—anything dealing with time is pretty powerful stuff. At least, in my understanding. But we can't be worrying about that now. If you're able to fight, let's find you a weapon."

  Chaxin's eyes widened. "Fight? Me?"

  A hazy shadow formed quickly from behind Tagrin. Chaxin glanced over the man's shoulder, unsure of what he was seeing until it was too late.

  "Yes, fight," said Tagrin. "What do you think is going—"

  Schlick.

  Tagrin seized up, his mouth hanging open for several long seconds, before he coughed. Blood filled his mouth and trickled down the corners of his lips. Tagrin's eyes were wide as he looked down.

  Chaxin followed the man's gaze and saw a cluster of long grayish claws sticking out of Tagrin's stomach.

  Tagrin's voice was little more than a gurgle as his throat filled with blood. "Not… not now… not like this." His sword clattered to the street, and his hands grabbed at his stomach. The claws pulled out and Chaxin looked up to see the fish-like skull of one of the monsters from the shore.