“Okay, I'm sorry for implying anything. I can see that you've lived through many things that are just as bad as anyone else. Please accept my apologies.” Rita reached out and touched his arm, smiling sweetly. She was noticeably purring too.
“Thank you,” said Kek. I'm sorry for getting upset about it, but it's a touchy subject.” While they had been talking, Kek had absentmindedly collected the rest of the ingredients. It was much less exciting now that he knew what to look for and where they could be found. At least there were no giant wasps to deal with this time, because he was almost certain there were no jungle creatures living in this version of the jungle.
He mixed up the potion and put it in the wooden pods just like he had before. The jungle seemed to provide everything to those who allowed it and knew what to look for. “Okay,” he said. “And I have the skill of fire starting, so I'll just grab some sticks and some tinder from my backpack.” Kek had forgotten what he’d taken from the woodshed at the mercenary camp.
“You make this all seems so easy,” said Rita. “I'm honestly impressed. It actually gives me hope for what I might be able to do with my life. I think that you and I are quite similar in many ways. I'm glad that you found me.”
“Thank you. I'm glad that we found you too.” Kek made a small fire and began to heat the pods until there were just right. He could sense when they were done by the smell. The day he had first made that potion was utterly ingrained in his memory forever.
“Eureka!” shouted Kek.
“Your what?” Rita laughed a little. “Do you know another language?”
Shaking his head, Kek brought the pod of liquid up to his nose and was satisfied that he done it correctly. “No, that's just something Hendrik used to say when he made something he been particularly proud of. Well, let's hope this works…” He drank his portion and immediately knew they had done it properly. It wasn't just a taste, but it was also a sensation that went through his body and into his brain, down throughout all his organs and into his very core—his soul, if he had one. His eyes were wide, and he felt like he was full of electricity and energy. “It's worked! Faye! Where are you?” He called out to get the fairy’s attention.
“You've made so much. Are you hoping to store some of it in case you lose your power again?” Rita referred to the several pods full of the potion Kek had bunched in his hands.
“No,” he replied. “Here, drink this and get ready to understand everything.”
Rita didn't seem like the type to worry too much after all she'd been through, and she took the pod of liquid from Kek and drank it in one gulp, licking her full lips and smiling. “That's not bad,” she said. Will there be any side effects?”
“You are going to want to sleep, but I am confident this is a safe place. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, I think.” Rita went and sat down on a rock that was covered in moss. The jungle here was quite warm and humid, but not uncomfortable because there was no sun to add any extra heat. And without any harsh wind or rain, it wasn't as damp or cold like it could sometimes be, especially at night.
“What's wrong?” Faye approached with a panicked look on her face. “Don't tell me you've been bitten by a poisonous snake.”
“Haven't you noticed that there are no jungle creatures here? I suppose you don’t know where to look for them all, if a place like this is nothing but an ancestral memory to you. There are no snakes here. There is no fauna at all, in fact. It’s strange, but it also makes this underground jungle much less deadly than the real thing up top. Trust me.”
“I do trust you, but what have you got your hands on there?”
Kek held the pod out to the pretty muck fairy. She was too small to drink a full portion, but a smaller amount would be enough for her.”
“This is the portion that gave me the power. Rita's had one as well, and I have my power back. My HUD is back and everything, even my skills. And now it's your turn. Are you ready?”
Faye thought for a moment. “I'm not sure if it's such a good idea for a fairy to take this. I mean, I already am magical and everything. What if it doesn't mean different to me? You sure this is a good idea?”
“Hendrik had magical abilities, with him being a druid and everything. I don't think having magic will automatically make something bad happen just because you have a magical potion. That it wouldn’t make any sense, right?” Kek pause for a moment and noticed the hesitation in her. “But I really don't want you to take if you're not sure,” he added.
“No, I know it's my decision, and I will take responsibility for the outcomes of my action. I trust you, but I won't blame you if something happens.” She flew over and drank from the pot as Kek held it up to her mouth. She made delicate gulping sounds that were quite adorable. “Well,” she said, “that tasted like butt. Well, not literally. I don’t know what a butt taste like—but you get what I mean, right? I feel weird though.”
“Oh no,” he said. Maybe you shouldn’t have drank it. Do you feel anything?”
“I'm starting to feel a little bit strange, but I think it’ll be fine if I go sit down for a moment. I'd really rather remain flying in case something sneaks up on me. I just, I feel kind of tired though. Do you think that if I took a nap you would watch over me? Hey look, Rita is taking a nap now.”
31
And sure enough, the cathard was lying down on a nice grassy patch and purring quietly.
“I'll just cuddle up next to her. She looked really cozy and soft,” said Faye with a little laugh. She fluttered over beside Rita and bundled up in the little spoon position in front of her. In her slumber, Rita wrapped a furry golden arm around the fairy.
Kek wasn't worried, because had confidence in his actions now. This was the second time he'd use his own knowledge to create a potion that gave him great power that few would ever know. It was the power he would use to free his people from servitude and a life of horror. It was the power that he would use to destroy the dungeon lord and undo a great many wrongs. And finally, it was the power he would use to free Hendrik and pay him back for a lifetime of kindness and guidance.
And when his two beautiful comrades finally awoke, they too would have the power. Their party of three would suddenly be as strong as ten times as many. Now they had a chance of taking on the dungeon lord.
More importantly, Kek finally had a sense of self-worth and leadership, and he felt like he was a part of a family with Faye and Rita, the beautiful cat woman who was starting to seem like more than just a friend to him. It was all very exciting and, although they all had a quest that most people in the world would consider crazy, Kek finally felt that he was more content with the state of his life and how things were shaping up than he ever had been before.
He actually felt like a hero! And that was damn good. He sat down beside his two friends and took a rest as he watched his lovely questing partners sleep. He would soon make a fire find some tasty plants to eat, coupled with some of the dry meat and fruit that he had in his backpack. Things were finally in his control. For now at least.
Also by MJ Kaltenbrunner
Mertho the wizard is transformed into a magical core and buried underground. Who did this to him—and why?
When Terra the wayward elf stumbles upon the strange dungeon core, a diabolical plot is set in motion that could put the entire mortal realm in peril.
Buy The Wizard (Dungeon Core Book One) on Kindle, or read for free on Kindle Unlimited. Book two, The Demoness, is also out now, and book three, The Trinity, is due out February 2018.
Kobold’s Quest 2 - Out March 2018!
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