by Jason Cheek
“We’re in,” she said, stopping me with a shout.
“Then what are you waiting for, get your asses moving,” I hollered back as I waved her forward. With heavy feet, she started for the exit. Her hard eyes silently held mine until she’d passed by and was heading down the corridor to the steps. Watching the grungy beaten soldiers trailing after her weighed on my soul. They all had open festering wounds and bloody gashes from the fighting. Over half were lugging the corpse of a comrade that had died in the dungeon. I did my best to heal as many as I could, but there were simply too many for us to handle without resting in-between.
Hopefully the food and water would help the majority of them recover so I could focus on the worst of the wounded once I was up top. As the last trooper made his way out the door, I gave the dungeon a last once over before I leaving, which was when I saw a hunched over figure in the corner against the far wall. Frowning at the oddness, I stepped out of the torch light to let my Darkvision kick-in so I could see what was up.
The man was clearly an Elf. He had dark short-cropped hair and a slim build. Similar to my halfling heritage, his ears were smaller and not the overtly long anime ears that you’d naturally have on Light and Dark Elves within The World. Unlike my Half-Elf heritage, his facial features otherwise were completely Elven. In his arm, the man held the corpse of an Elven female. Even in death, she was stunningly beautiful.
I mentally paused at the oddness of that thought. In the back of my mind, I could hear Domenic’s sarcastic voice berating me. ‘What’s up now, Jay? You looking at corpses? You really need to find yourself a girl, a guy, or whatever it is that floats your boat. I’m not judging you or anything, but … just do all of us a favor and keep away from the corpses, unless that’s a necromancer thing?’ Rolling my eyes, I shook the thought away and focused on the pair.
The man was obviously distraught from whatever had happened to his companion as his information suddenly appeared over his head, Krishna Uknuselig, level 30 Warden, Moon Elf, Uten Syn guild leader. The oddness of the man’s race made me immediately think player. Not that it mattered one way or another, but I was always somewhat on guard when meeting other players, especially when in a PVP town like Darom. Giving a nod to my companions, I sloshed through the deeper muck towards the pair. Coming to a stop, I gently rested my hand on the man’s shoulder.
“Hey there man, we’re getting everyone out of this hole.” I said, speaking softly. This close to him, I could see the tears streaming down his face as he sat on his knees cradling the woman on his lap. “Come on, let’s get you both out of here and get your friend healed up.”
“Don’t touch me, see-er!” the man shrieked as an electric current momentarily shot through my hand. Swearing angrily, I ignored the pain and the slight damage it caused as the man continued to yell. “Just leave us alone!” the man yelled as the tears streamed down his face. Hurriedly, I waved my companions back before they could attack as the man’s anguished words continued. “There’s nothing you can do to help us!”
‘Yeah, she’s dead, Jim,’ I silently thought as a low whine came from his throat. I know the thought sounded cold, but humor was the way I dealt with grief. Besides, corpses weren’t pretty after they were a few days old. This I knew quite well. As he gasped for air rocking his companion back and forth, I glanced back at Fylreh trying to imagine how I’d reacted to her death. How I’d feel if she’d been slaughtered and I didn’t have the ability to resurrect her from the dead.
I don’t know what it was with women, but there was a softening of the filly’s stern gaze as she studied my face. It was almost as if she could hear my thoughts. Silently, I hardened my emotions. There was no going there now, I silently chastised myself as I forced my eyes away from her supple lips and soul-drowning eyes. Turning back to the man lost in his grief, I did the only thing I could do.
My hands began going through the long one minute needed to cast my Resurrection spell. There was a part of me that was curious as to what he would do once I brought her back from the dead. Helgath gripped my arm to lend me her strength just before I completed the cast, making the thousand point mana cost bearable in my weakened state. As the shaft of golden light lit up the Moon Elf woman’s body, I smiled and instantly followed up the cast with a Regeneration spell.
I didn’t bother to stay around for her revival as I nodded to my companions and shuffled out the door with a little more strength in my limbs, while the woman sat up behind us with a gasp. Neysa was already waiting for us at the base of the stairs and immediately bounded up ahead to watch for threats. Standing close behind me, Fylreh nearly carried me up the steps after her while Helgath clung to my arm as she did her best to keep a step ahead of the fast moving centaur. I sighed at that little bit of drama. Fylreh knew we were both exhausted from healing. Thankfully though, the Half-Orc was in a little better shape since I’d refused to take all of her mana, even if I’d gone ahead and emptied most of my own.
The sun light hurt my eyes as I staggered out into the open. Finding a clear area on the grass next to the structure, I plopped down onto the grass cross-legged to catch my breath, only to be joined by Helgath a second later. Her face was noticeably pail as she leaned her head heavily against my shoulder panting heavy. It took the last of my strength to pull my backpack down into my lap and pull out a water flask and the smoked Cuttle meat that Mother Mylbim had prepared for me.
Taking a long pull on the waterskin, I let the water run down my chin and under my armor before handing the skin over to Helgath. I missed the look of silent adoration in the Half-Orc’s eyes as she put the flask to her lips and took a long pull, her eyes never leaving my face. I’d later learn that my actions of sharing food and drink had a very different meaning in Orc slave culture than our own, but I get ahead of myself.
My hands were shaking as I hurriedly unwrapped the Cuttle meat and wolfed down several still warm strips chewing nosily. Within moments, I could feel my body recovering its energy as it hit my system. Closing my eyes, I savored the feeling of strength returning to my limbs. Did I eat more than a snack this morning? Honestly, I couldn’t remember. The exhaustion was more than likely from zeroing out my mana so many times in a row. Before I could offer the meat to Helgath, we were slightly shoved apart as Neysa laid down behind us and squirmed her snout in-between us. Happily, she laid her massive head on both our knees as she eyed the package of wrapped meat pointedly. Rolling my eyes, I took a couple strips out and handed the rest over to Helgath.
Feeding the Silver Dire Wolf like this was ridiculous. Rolling onto her back, her long legs bumped me in the back as she acted like a puppy happily snapping up the meat from my fingers. It took only a few moments for the meat to disappear, but the simplicity of it all helped to clear my mind of the ugliness of the dungeon as I cast Regeneration on all those that needed it around me. As I took a moment to let my mana regenerate back to a hundred percent, I had a private message pop-up from Thomas.
Thomas Anderson: I hope you’ve got some good news, because they’re getting close.
Startum Ironwolf: What’s the time frame we’re looking at?”
Thomas Anderson: Fifteen minutes tops.
Startum Ironwolf: Well damn, we just might make it in time. What’s taking them so long?
Thomas Anderson: I don’t freaking know. They seem to be sauntering down the hill.
Startum Iron: Sauntering? That’s some highfalutin words for a Marine, isn’t it?
Thomas Anderson: …
Startum Ironwolf: Just messing with you, man. We’re looking at another seven hundred and forty-six troopers plus the Dark Elves. I’d have more but there’s no way I’m going to be able to resurrect anyone in the time we’ve got. Just getting them healed up enough to fight is kicking my ass.
Thomas Anderson: How many of them with pets?
Startum Ironwolf: Just the Dark Elves.
Thomas Anderson: Well shit on me.
Startum Ironwolf: That’s a little more than four times their
number. If we can’t take them down with that, then we’re sucking big time.
Thomas Anderson: You haven’t seen these guys in action. They’re tough as all get out in close quarters.
Startum Ironwolf: Well, we’ve got control of the graveyards. If it starts getting ugly, we’ll hit them with plan B.
Thomas Anderson: What’s plan B? Zombies?
Startum Ironwolf: Zombies.
Thomas Anderson: Later.
Startum Ironwolf: See you on the other side.
Refocusing back on the world around, I saw Neysa and Helgath climbing to their feet as Fylreh trotted over to us looking alert. I don’t know what it was, but Zocuth and Nivirth were already heading my way with Team Leader Butcher and Team Leader Ridgely in tow. Before any of them could reach us, the two Moon Elves exited the room that held the stairwell. Looking around at the crowd of grimy soldiers getting ready to move out, their eyes instantly focused on me as they strode in my direction with a purpose. Coming to a stop in front of me, Krishna angrily demanded.
“Why did you help us?” For a second, I didn’t know what to say as I looked down at Helgath and Neysa questioningly for help before looking up at him again.
“Why wouldn’t I help you?” I shot right back, the confusion clear on my face.
“Because you’re a see-er.” He said, spitting the word out like a curse. “Why would a see-er do anything to help another?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what a see-er is nor do I particularly care. Whoever pissed in your cheerios this morning, it wasn’t me,” I snapped back in the same tone as the man shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t lock you away in the dungeon nor did I kill your companion, and, believe it or not, not everyone in the game are a bunch of asshats. There’s actually a number of good people on the server.” The man seemed to physically flinch at my words as I continued full bore. “Did I ask you to pay me back? Did I say you owed me anything? No,” I spat in indignation. “I just lent a helping hand and nothing more.”
“You’re not with Chaos Storm or the Dread Pack?” Krishna asked hesitantly.
“Am I trying to slaughter everyone I see?” I shot back irritably. “Don’t you have your identify leveled up?”
Seeing his dubious look and his obvious confusion, my good-natured personality finally kicked in as I realized the man was a complete noob. Calming down somewhat, I gave him a brief walk-through of how to view a monster’s or player’s levels, name, and general status. Talking to him was a little bit odd, because he kept looking to the side of my face and not meeting my eyes. I did my best to ignore the odd behavior, figuring it was a cultural idiosyncrasy and nothing more. As he tried to figure out how to use identify, I turned back to the command group that was listening in on our conversation. Catching everyone else’s eyes, I nodded towards the group of recovering soldiers.
“Walk with me.” I said, making my way through the ranks of the ex-prisoners casting Regeneration. “We need to be moving out in no later than five minutes. Even then, we’re going to be hard pressed to reach the battle in time to help our comrades.” As soon as those words left my lips, Scout Captain gave Zocuth a nod to get moving. Within seconds, the Sub-Leader had left us and was issuing orders as the local raid chat exploded with commands being passed down to the different combat groups. Team Leaders Butcher and Eevro heads were looking back and forth between Nivirth and myself in shock as I continued nonplussed.
“How is everyone looking gear-wise?”
“Surprisingly well,” Nivirth said, nodding to the two Team Leaders. “Everyone has at least a chainmail vest, dagger, sword, and shield. Most of the gear is of surprisingly good quality.”
“Good work.” I said giving the Scout Captain an appreciative nod. Looking to our new Team Leaders, I asked. “Are you’re people ready to move out?” Laurie Butcher’s eyebrows squinched together at my words as she spoke up first.
“What about our dead? You said you’d resurrect them,” she angrily spat, getting into my face. “It’s just like a newfar to offer false promises to get whatever they want. You help each other, but you don’t care anything of the people of this world. All that you want is for us to fight and die for you. Dark be dammed, you Dark Elves aren’t any better for supporting this beguiler either!”
Nivirth immediately blew his stack as he laid into the Royal Army Team Leader shouting at the top of his lungs. He bashed her for being a prejudiced bigot, saying that half of his surviving company had been resurrected by Startum and, besides that, there was a battle that was coming to a head. There wasn’t time to raise the dead until after the fight. Across the courtyard Humans and Dark Elves stood up, looking at each other uncertainly as their leaders fought and swore at each other.
I sighed to myself thinking quickly. It took me only a moment to switch gears. After everything these soldiers had been through, I could definitely understand where Butcher was coming from. I needed something to calm the survivors’ fears and make them want to fight. No, not just fight. I needed something to make them want to win. Usually, it was hard for people to suffer for themselves.
For many, that struggle was viewed differently if it was needed to save a close friend or companion. Usually, we’d go through hell and high water for a loved one or a close companion. As they fought, my eyes took in the entire altercation; the Dark Elves who felt their honor had been impugned, the angry troopers who felt generally betrayed by everything that had happened to Darom, the anxious stance of my companions, and the line of corpses laid out nearby. My eyes widened suddenly as they fell onto a possible solution.
Immediately, my hands began to move in the intricate gestures needed to cast Resurrection. Around me, both leaders’ voices had risen in volume until they were screaming. It wasn’t until the spell was nearly complete that everyone noticed what I was doing. Butcher was just stepping back to get into my face, when a shaft of golden light came from the sky. The survivors’ faces looked around in surprise as there was a pained gasp from the pile of dead as I quickly cast a follow up Regeneration spell.
Any thoughts of me being unwilling to hold my side of the deal disappeared as Butcher rushed to the groaning guardsman’s side. Falling to her knees, the tears ran down her face as she helped the blood-covered soldier to sit up. For a second, there was only confusion in the younger man’s eyes as he looked at the woman holding him in a daze, when suddenly the light of recognition lit up his face.
“Sis?” he asked unbelievably. “How did we get here?”
“Everything’s going to be fine, Troy,” Butcher said, clutching him to her chest as her breaths came in rasping gasps. As the scene continued to play out, I took Helgath’s hand in mine as we began casting Regenerations on the injured soldiers around us.
Linked like we were, I was unable to drain my mana completely this time around due to the Half-Orc fighting me. Instead, she stopped us both at a hundred points of mana each to reduce our mana exhaustion. I knew she was right as I plopped down on the grass again with Helgath to recover our mana. While that was going on, Krishna was speaking to his companion in hushed words.
This whole drama was taking way too long to play out. I was just looking around to see what had happened with Team Leader Butcher and her younger brother, when two pairs of grimy boots came to a stop in front of me. Looking up, I saw two sets of red rimmed eyes staring down at me. Dropping to his knees before me, Troy spoke in a halting voice.
“Thank you,” the young man said, earnestly gripping my forearm. “My sister and I are the last surviving members of our family.”
“It’s the least I can do for everything you’ve both been through,” I said, somewhat embarrassed by their attention.
Clearing her throat, Butcher caught my eye, before standing up straight and giving me a fist salute. A half-second later, her younger brother had joined her.
“We’re ready to move out, Commander,” she said somewhat stiffly. It was obvious she was unsure of how to address me, but was willing to recognize my command title at lea
st for this attack. Not that titles ever mattered to me one way or another. The only thing I cared about was performance. As I stood up to return the salute, I was startled to see the rest of the soldiers we pulled out of the dungeon turn to face me and give me a fist salute too. Even the Dark Elves were joining in on the action as I looked around at the serious faces looking back at me.
“I give my word to you here and now. If we win, I will do my best to resurrect everyone I can in Darom,” I said, returning the soldiers salute. Looking into their eyes, I could see my promise had touched something deep inside of them. There was a burning determination that I hadn’t seen before. Helping Helgath to her feet, I began striding towards the port-side gate as I called out to everyone.
“Let’s do this!” As the troopers began hurrying after me, I caught the Scout Captain’s eye. “When we attack, I want the Dark Elves on the rooftops. Your job is to keep those assholes’ shields down, while the rest of us shove our fists down their throats.” Seeing Butcher and Justin joining the command group, I leaned closer to the Royal Army Team Leader lowering my voice.
“Troy should stay back and recover. Being resurrected takes its toll on the body.”
“Thank you, Commander,” the hard-faced woman said giving me a nod. The sudden softening of her voice caught me off guard as she gave me an apologetic smile. “We both have paybacks owed to these murderous bastards.”
“Understood,” I replied simply, giving her a nod back. We were just nearing the gate when Krishna called out behind me.
“Can we join you?” he asked with his companion at his side. Seeing the dubious look on my face, he hurriedly explained. “The Chaos Storm guild are the see-ers who slaughtered all of my friends and took over our castle on the Isolde Line. If the Dread Pack guild is aligned with them, then we want in on this. Besides,” he added sheepishly holding his companion’s hand, “we owe you.”