Roland took up his new position right behind Mateo. The drake brought back his head from the last strike and immediately struck again. Mateo and Roland took the clash well. Damari had been waiting, and now Roland heard the familiar scream of Damari heading into battle. He struck true and the spear went into the beast’s left eye. Damari quickly ducked back behind the shield of Mateo.
The drake was screaming in pain. The spear was visible to everyone watching. It was buried halfway up the shaft into the creature’s eye. The drake’s mouth was wide open, screaming in pain and outrage. This was when Roland stepped back away from the shield and released an arrow into the back of the drake’s throat. That put an instant stop to the scream. His head began to shake from side to side.
The water drake pulled himself back into the lake. He was on top of the water now, shaking for the next five minutes. When he finally stopped shaking, he looked back at the group watching for him. He began moving at a high rate of speed toward the group. As he was getting closer, Shadow spoke to Roland. There is a wave of water right behind the drake. It’s going to knock all of you down if it hits you.
Roland realized that the wave was visible if you looked for it, but with the drake headed toward them all eyes were on the drake and not the wave forming behind it. Roland yelled out, “Watch out for the wave coming behind the drake!” He yelled as loudly as he could. He could see Mateo plant his shield into the ground and lean it back at a 45-degree angle, ready for the wave. Damari, on the other hand, took out his hammer and prepared for a battle with the drake.
Damari was concentrating on was killing the beast. He had made the most definitive strike of the fight. Now he would kill it by bashing his head in. Roland was screaming behind him. Whatever Roland was yelling might have been important, but Damari was ending this now. That was when the drake stopped just out of striking range. The wall of water hit him full on.
Roland jumped behind Mateo and helped hold the shield in place. He was in place just as the wall of water hit them. The shield worked better than Roland would have thought possible. He looked back as the wall of water subsided and saw Damari lying on the ground, choking on water. That was when the drake struck down at him biting Damari in two. He was dead before anyone could act.
Mateo screamed and rushed the beast. The drake was looking down at Damari, who was valiantly attacking it, and cast several spells at him. The spells were all absorbed by Mateo’s shield. When Mateo hit the drake with the shield he actually pushed the beast backward, again taking off a huge chunk of scales and causing more bleeding.
The creature didn’t have the scales of a dragon which made him susceptible to regular attacks. Roland pulled out his arrow that had the Manticore poison on the tip and added Dragon’s Bane to it as well. He threaded the arrow and released it, aiming for the drake’s heart.
It pierced the side and disappeared into the drake’s body. The effect was immediate. The drake stumbled to the side and then fell down. His head came up for a moment, as if he was going to cast another spell, then it fell backwards.
Vena ran to Damari’s body. Well the remains of his body. She was crying uncontrollably, Mateo and Odelia were right behind her. They were devastated. Roland was heartbroken too, but he needed to make sure the drake was dead. He knocked another arrow and went around to the front of the beast’s head. The eyes were completely white now. No movement could be seen. The thing had gills and they weren’t moving. It was over 20 feet tall. Roland took out his knife and cut the head off.
Roland went around the body again and met up with his friends to grieve the loss of their friend.
As evening encroached, Roland went back out to the drake. He harvested one of the biggest mana glands he had ever seen. No wonder it possessed a lot of magic. With the help of Mateo and Shadow, they drug the body and dumped it into the lake. No reason to bring scavengers too close to the building where they were staying.
The next day they buried Damari. The old man who had been a priest for all those years showed them a place he had planted containing the most beautiful orchids. It was a fitting place for their friend. Vena said a few words and then everyone spoke of Damari in the best terms they knew. Life seemed so unfair sometimes, but in the end, no one can escape death. Some just face it sooner than others.
That night Roland viewed his status panel. This was the first time he looked at his panel without any real excitement. Anything adding to his status was tainted by his friend’s death.
Status Panel
Level
28
Age
19
Health
340
Title:
N/A
Mana
790
Heath Regen
0.001/Second
Stamina
535
Mana Regen
0.0005/Second
Vitality
34
Stamina Regen
0.01/Second
Strength
38
Race
Half-Elf
Endurance
69
Bonus
Dexterity +2 per level
Dexterity
90
End +5 and Str +5
Wisdom:
78
Active Status Conditions
Intelligence
80
Animal Bond
Charisma
12
Available Points
0
The events with the evil drake had boosted him up another level. He placed his five available points into endurance because after trudging through the swamp, he realized he needed more endurance. His intelligence and wisdom were good enough and he didn’t worry about running out of mana. He even though he might add to strength and vitality after the next level.
When he first glanced at his panel, he couldn’t imagine having attained the level he was and he really didn’t comprehend the statistics being as high as they were at the moment. He wasn’t sure, but he was thinking that he was probably way ahead of many older adventurers.
The next day Roland was up and wondering if he would ever find an amber slime. They had come to this swamp for that purpose and discovered the Lost City, a swamp town built by a mad water drake. The group was very down. They had even talked about leaving the next morning. It would take weeks to get out of the swamp and maybe they could find an amber slime on the way out.
Roland was eating his meal thinking his dream of owning an elite bow was gone, when the old man walked up and began to eat his breakfast with Roland. Roland looked over at the old man who seemed in a good mood. “We have been calling you priest and now we are calling you old man. What is your real name, if you recall?”
The old man chuckled. “I’d almost forgot it. The drake always called me priest. The few unfortunates who arrived here called me the same thing. I was born Albert Farmerson. What is a bit ironic is that the drake wanted me as a priest and I’m more of a farmer. I maintain a very prosperous garden, and you’ve seen my flower garden now. I feel more at home working in the garden than I ever did casting the few spells I knew for that evil drake.”
Roland thought maybe Albert knew where to find some amber slimes. “Have you ever seen an Amber Slime around here? It was the one reason we came to the swamp in the first place, then we got sidetracked and now I’m wishing we hadn’t.”
Albert looked up and smiled. “I do know where to find them, but they are a menace. Their slime is like glue. Don’t get it on you, believe me. I left some of my skin out in the swamp. You can find them on the west side of the stone city. There are about 10 to 20 of them at any given time. They are smaller than most slimes, but still deadly.”
Roland was relieved. He could finally get his amber slime, then they could head home. As he thought about returning to the capitol he wondered what Albert would do. “What are your plans Albert? Do you want to go back to civilization?”
Albert just smiled. “I
’ve been away from society too long to think I can just go back and expect things to be normal. All I really know is this swamp and deserted city and I am comfortable here. I have my garden and I have my spells. That is enough to keep me going. If any adventurers come through here, I can give assistance instead of sending them to their doom. I always hated doing what I did, but it was either the drake eating them or he would be eating us all.”
Albert had a look of concern on his face before he spoke again. “I was beginning to lose my mind before you got here. I was thinking about ending it all by walking into the swamp. The drake was oppressive at times. When your group arrived, and prepared to fight the beast, I was hopeful but I had my doubts about you surviving. The drake never had to fight after I had cast the persuasion spell. You were the first group to overcome it. Now that I am free, I can’t think of any place I would go other than to stay here. This is my home. At least it has been for over 30 years. The swamp may overtake this place in the long run and when it does I’ll be here.”
Roland felt sorry for Albert. When he had cast the persuasion spell on them he wasn’t feeling anything but anger. When the truth finally airs, sometimes people aren’t as bad as first thought.
Roland retrieved his distillation of resin and his spear. Shadow and he left before anyone knew they were gone. Sure enough, the slimes were on the west side of the city. It was weird calling a city built of rock a city when the population was one man. The slimes had a beautiful amber look to them. They were smaller than the other slimes they had previously seen. These spent most of their time covering the creatures who were caught in their glue-like slime. They would go back later and consume the creatures that were preserved in the slime.
He killed three of the slimes right off the bat. They seemed to be always in groups, and this was the smallest group he could find. He spent the next two hours collecting the slime and then cleaning the slime off himself with the distillation. They were back by midafternoon.
Mateo was waiting for them when they returned. “Where have you been Roland? We were worried about you. I don’t think I can take another loss at the moment. You had us all worried.”
Roland held up his jars of amber slime. I have what we came for. I even took an extra jar of the stuff just in case I needed more than the one jar. Albert told me where to find the slimes.”
Mateo frowned at him. “Who is Albert? Is someone else here we don’t know about?”
“Albert is the old man or priest here. His full name is Albert Farmerson. I think he is planning on staying here. He has called this home for over 30 years he told me. I don’t hold it against him that he was casting spells on us. He was pretty much held as a slave here for 30 years. I forgive him. What about you and the others? Do you forgive him?”
Mateo was grinning again. “Vena is always forgiving. She would forgive anyone really. Odelia was ready to kill him at first but she has relented to her desire for justice. I’m sure Damari would have forgiven him too. Damari just wanted to be part of the quest and jump into the thick of it. Probably what got him, really. He was always wanting a good scrap. This is the one time I wasn’t close enough to save him.”
Roland could accept that. Damari was always happiest when he was in a fight. It was good that the rest of the group didn’t want vengeance on Albert. His life had been taken from him when the drake captured him. He should be able to take what little life has left for him and live as he desires.
The next day they headed back the way they had come. It was still a hard trek. The grass they had chopped through had already grown back. The only reason they knew they were on the right path was that the grass where they had previously cut was now all green and just slightly less tall than the surrounding grass. Going back through this time, it was a little easier to chop their way through.
They stopped off at Matty’s house on the way out. She was happy to see the group, acting like nothing was wrong when she noticed that one person hadn’t returned. She waited until they had told her the tale to say how sorry she was for their loss. She was even more excited to receive the herbs that Roland had brought back for her. She was also impressed with the screech furs that Roland had collected. The group planned on telling other adventurers about Matty and her house with the elixirs she had for sale.
They stayed up late that night going over all they had discovered. Matty took the map back from Roland and she updated the map to include the city made of rock in the deep swamp. She added a note showing the amber slime location if anyone was going to harvest some.
The next morning they said a quick good bye and were off, anxious to get home again. This last leg of the trip back to the capitol was easy. After trudging through the swamp, anything was an easy walk by comparison. When they finally stood in front of the gates of the capitol, Roland paid Mateo five gold pieces. “Take this and break it up as you see fit. It was my job, so I don’t need anything. Take this gland from the drake, also. I’m sure the Alchemist Guild would pay dearly for this.”
The group split up and went their own ways. Roland and Shadow headed to Gnorbit’s house. Once they reached their destination, Shadow stayed outside while Roland went inside. Roland dodged the two traps and entered Gnorbit’s lair. “Gnorbit, are you here?”
Grumbling could be heard down the hallway leading to the gnome’s secret palace. Well, palace was the best word he could describe for the elaborate looking place the gnome had created. When the gnome appeared, he recognized it was Roland and his demeanor changed immediately.
“Roland, it is so good to see you back. You’ve been gone so long I thought something might have gone wrong.” He was all smiles until he saw Roland holding two jugs. His demeanor changed again almost instantly. He became serious. “Roland, are you holding two jars of amber slime? I didn’t think you would find any and you come back with two jars. Oh, joy. This is great. I’ll get to work immediately.”
Roland pulled back the jars from Gnorbit’s grasp. “What do you mean you didn’t think I would find one slime let alone two?”
“Well I’ve only ever known one person to have actually found an Amber Slime. He was the one who wrote up the definitive explanation of what the creature was and what it could produce. It was an impressive paper written over a century ago. No one has seen the creature since then and it was suspected that they no longer existed. Well, that is what most people think. I had a sixth sense about this and since they lived in the deep swamp they had to still be there. Someone just needed to look harder for them. Only gnomes with desperate needs like mine would ever send someone out to find an Amber Slime. It just so happened I needed it for your bow. You are the one person I knew wouldn’t let it go until you found it.” He pointed at the jars and smiled. “See, I was completely right. I sent the right man to do the right job.”
Roland handed over the jars to the gnome. He also sat what was left of the distillation of resin jar on the work bench. Gnorbit saw the jar. “Thank you for giving me what remains. It will come in handy.” The little guy turned around and began his work.
Roland didn’t feel the need to wait around and he had obviously been dismissed, so he went home. That word rang home to him when he thought about the word and what it meant to him. Home was where he stayed. His friends lived there with him and he was more than pleased to see Hazel again. Somehow the house in the capitol had become his home. He wondered when his home went from being the house where he grew up in Alondale Forest to the house in the capitol where he now lived. Life was still changing.
Roland and Shadow turned the last corner around the warehouse and suddenly his home stood before him. It was almost like before, but there was something different. It looked cleaner. The house still hadn’t been painted but it was definitely cleaner. The lawn looked greener and the tree where the owl lived looked like it had been pruned. Through the windows he could see new curtains had been hung. It was the same but definitely different. The lock on the front gate was the same lock they had placed on it before he had left.
They opened the gate and stopped. A trap door next to the gate popped open just a bit and something chittered a welcome to him and Shadow. “Nipper, has there been any problems since I left?” He bent down to get close to the trap door.
Nipper opened the door just a bit more. “We had a thief try and enter about a month back. I rendered him helpless and placed him at the door for Miss Hazel to find him. The next morning, we unwrapped him and the guards came and arrested him. What happened to him after that I don’t know. Miss Hazel thanked me.”
Roland stood up. “Thanks Nipper, I appreciate your help in this matter. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No, Mr. Roland. I am happy to serve you.”
They continued on and up to the house. It was late afternoon so Hazel and Vivi wouldn’t be home yet. Roland went to his room, cleaned up, and put on some fresh clothes. He felt like a new man when he heard the front door open.
Hazel could be heard throughout the house. “Roland, I know you’re home! Nipper told me. Come out and tell me how it went. We have been very worried about you since you and Shadow were gone for so long.”
Roland met her and Vivi in the living room. They talked throughout dinner preparation and continued over dinner as he told them about his adventures in the Endless Swamp. It was late by the time the questions ended and the tale had been fully told. They would get back together the next day about the new elixirs and the spider fur, then Hazel could tell Roland what had been happening in the capitol while he had been gone.
The next day Roland was thinking about what needed to be accomplished. He probably needed to check in with Eli. Hazel had sent his clothes and gear out to be cleaned. She was doing very well with her apprenticeship and was hoping to become a journeyman merchant within the next year or two. Once that happened, she would be able to start her own company that, traded outside the capitol. She was already planning on what products to move and what products she would have manufactured.
Caged: Book 2 Of the King's Hand Series Page 20