The Crystal Bard: A LitRPG Adventure (Kingmaker Saga Book 2)

by Thomas K. Carpenter

  From the wall across from him, Luna shook her head. "I don't know what was more disturbing. Seeing the centaur skeletons explode, or you screaming balls before each one."

  "It was working, so I didn't want to experiment with other words," Terran said as he leaned on his knees to catch his breath. He'd nearly hit level 10 during the skirmish.

  After climbing down from the well, he approached the box that Vievel had abandoned in the courtyard. He shifted from foot to foot as he examined the container, realizing it would require him carrying it back to Gneiss Glen by hand.

  Luna approached, sniffing around the exploded bones. When she reached his side, he tilted his head, squinting at her.

  "If you dare suggest treating me like a pack mule, I'll claw your eyes out," said Luna with her chin raised high.

  "You're not strong enough to carry it," said Terran with a shift of his shoulder.

  "Nice try, human." She turned away, kicking up bone dust. "Better get moving. We got a long way back."

  Terran rattled the lock, hoping he could open the box and put the contents in his personal sack, but it didn't open.

  "How is a piece of wood even fitting in this thing?" he asked no one in particular as he hefted the box to his midsection. It wasn't heavy, but the weight was enough that he knew he was destined for sore arms. He headed out, briefly feeling the ping of familiarity as he passed the dark opening, but decided that was a mystery for another day. He wanted to get the box back to Vievel so he could get his reward.

  At the crumbling drawbridge, he had to crane his neck to the side to see where he needed to place his feet. Going as slow as molasses, he made his way across. At the halfway point, as his left foot came down, he felt the wood sink, giving way and tilting him to the side. Before he fell, he pushed the box forward so he didn't take it into the water, but that catapulted him backwards so he slammed into the water like a flat board, knocking the air out of himself.

  The water shot up his nose as he flailed beneath the surface, disoriented by the plunge. He kicked forward, but the algae-covered bottom of the moat approached, making him realize he was pointed the wrong way. As he reoriented himself, he caught the sight of a boney hand in the muck with a silvery ring on an extended digit. Though his breath burned in his chest, he kicked his way to the broken skeleton, snatching the thick ring from its finger before returning to the surface for a lung-sucking breath of air.

  As he paddled to keep afloat, Luna crouched on the bank. "I need to teach you a thing or two about finding your feet when you fall. I've seen dead squirrels do a better job of landing."

  With a grin firmly planted on his lips, he thrust his hand out of the water. "Look what I found! Shiny loot."

  Vines grew up the outer bank, giving Terran a way out of the moat. After plopping into the grass and wiping the water from his face, he examined the ring he'd rescued from the water. The spark of magic emanated from the item, so he focused his attention on it until a pop-up appeared.

  You receive Signet of Wunderlust Keep.

  +1 Strength (+3 Strength for Hauling)

  +1 Endurance

  Charge: Speed to your target in the flash of an eye (once per day)

  Terran wasn't sure he'd ever use the ability, given that he preferred to stay far away from his enemies, but the ability boosts were well received, especially the Strength since he still had to carry the box back to the glen.

  "Hmm, it's made of platinum," said Terran as he ran his fingertip across the crest emblazoned on the flat spot on the front. It showed an armored centaur charging into battle. He slipped the ring on his finger as he stood up, coming face-to-face with a ghostly centaur in steel barding sporting an enormous handlebar mustache.

  "Stop! Thief! I'm being stolen by a soft foot!"

  Chapter Ten

  The translucent centaur towered over Terran, who stood in the grass with the ring in his grasp. The ghost was as big as a Crag Troll, with a warhorse-sized rear, covered in overlapping steel barding that hung to the ground. If this world had a tank, that centaur would be the equivalent, thought Terran. The extra strength on the ring had probably been added to help him carry his armor.

  "You heard me, soft foot," growled the ghostly centaur. "Unhand my signet, which should only be worn by one who commands this majestic castle."

  Terran swallowed and glanced behind him at the ruins. "That...majestic castle?"

  The centaur crossed his powerful arms. Scowled. "It may have fallen on hard times, but it still has good bones. No matter. You're nothing but a soft foot, who's probably soft in the head, too."

  From the low rise after the rotted drawbridge, Luna stared at him with her head tilted. "Who are you talking to?"

  "You don't see the ghost centaur?" he asked, gesturing before him.

  "Ghost centaur? Did you swallow some bad water in the moat? Maybe ate a psychedelic minnow or something?" asked Luna.

  The ghostly centaur grunted towards Luna. "Is that your pet cat?"

  Terran barely stifled a guffaw. A snort escaped as his lips strained to hold it in.

  Luna lowered her head and wrinkled her furry nose. "What did your ghost say?"

  "I think I'd better not repeat it," said Terran as the corners of his lips stretched wide. He looked up at the centaur as he backed to Luna. "Mister Ghost Centaur. Might I know your name? Mine is Terran."

  "I am Ostric Steelhooves, Lord of Wunderlust Keep, Scourge of Crag Trolls, Protector of the Western Hills, Keeper of the Autumn Flame," said the centaur with his head held high.

  "Nice to meet you, Lord Ostric," said Terran. "Is your soul stuck in this ring? Or can I only see you because I'm wearing it?"

  The enormous centaur leaned forward, squinting at the thick ring on Terran's finger. "I'm afraid I seem to be bound to this former trinket of mine, though I have no memory of how it happened."

  "So this keep was once yours?" asked Terran.

  "It was," said Lord Ostric proudly. "Pledged to the Empire of the Rock Leaf Elves, we protected the western flank from its enemies. In particular, I enjoyed hunting down Crag Trolls."

  Terran sighed. "Shame you're just a ghost. We could use your help."

  "Why would an offworlder need a centaur's help? Especially a soft-footed human," growled Lord Ostric.

  "Besides being a soft-footed human, I also happen to be the leader of the Rock Leaf settlement and Champion of the Mother Tree," said Terran.

  "What?" bellowed Lord Ostric. "How could this be? And why did you not announce yourself during your introduction, if such a thing was true? Surely you must be jesting."

  "No, I am not. I rescued the seed of the Mother Tree from the Crag Trolls, which made me the leader," said Terran.

  Lord Ostric leaned close as if he were sniffing him for signs of the truth. Eventually he pulled away, then bent his front knee in the semblance of a bow. "If you are the leader of the Rock Leaf Elves, then I am your vassal. Point me in the right direction and I will slay your foes! I have never been beaten on the battlefield."

  "Uhm, thank you, but how is that going to work now that you're a ghost?" asked Terran.

  Lord Ostric deflated slightly, his bushy mustache quivering. "This is a challenge I do not know how to defeat. Tell me, what of my brood? Have the centaurs served you well in your kingdom?"

  Terran groaned internally. "You're the, uhm, first centaur that I've talked to."

  "Talked to? So you've seen others of my kind?" asked Lord Ostric.

  "Alive? No," said Terran, jabbing his thumb back toward the ruined keep. "I was attacked by a group of skeleton centaurs in the courtyard while rescuing this box for someone. I'm very sorry but I destroyed them."

  Lord Ostric's ghost turned away and meandered into the scrub, the weight of the news resting heavily on his broad shoulders. Terran let him have his moment of silence. Eventually the centaur returned, the aching reflection banished from his face, replaced with steel resolve. He hammered his fist into an open palm.

  "My kin would not rise from the de
ad on their own. There must be some fell being propagating this travesty," said Lord Ostric. "Please, find whoever is doing this and destroy them. My people must be free of this cursed unlife."

  You have been given a quest: Find the source of the undead in Wunderlust Keep and destroy it

  Reward: Reputation with the Wunderlust Centaurs

  The quest reward seemed lackluster, considering there were no centaurs alive, but Terran was moved by Lord Ostric's anguish. He also thought it would be useful to have someone around who'd been alive before the Mother Tree fell.

  "I accept this challenge," said Terran, putting a fist to his shoulder in the Rock Leaf Elf salute, which the ghost returned.

  "What challenge?" asked Luna. "Let me guess, we're going back into that wretched place that smells like damp feet."

  "Is your pet cat afraid?" asked Lord Ostric as they approached the drawbridge.

  "Ha. No," said Terran, making his way across the narrow section of good wood. "She's brave but wary as the last of her kind."

  Luna, who'd sprinted ahead, turned her head, the tufts of gray hair in her ears twitching. "Is he talking about me? I don't like this."

  "Tell her not to be afraid. Even small woodland creatures can be effective, especially if they let those of us with the strength to win the battle lead. Tell her it is best that she stay out of our way, but she can follow if she wishes to come along," said Lord Ostric, confident in his magnanimousness.

  "What did he say?" asked Luna, who'd slowed to be at his side. "I see your face. You look like you're about to piss your leaf armor in laughter."

  With a grin plastered to his lips, Terran said, "Lord Ostric formally invites you to join us on this quest."

  Luna grumped, sinking low to the ground. "I seriously doubt that's what he said."

  Further conversation ended when they came before the dark opening at the entrance to the keep proper. The wide wooden doors had long ago rotted away, leaving rusty orange splotches where the hinges had been located. A familiar tugging on his breastbone made Terran tilt his head, trying to figure out what it was and why he vaguely recognized it.

  "What's wrong?" asked Luna.

  "I don't know. Something seems familiar, but I can't place it." Terran looked up to Lord Ostric. "Anything you can tell us about your home?"

  The centaur's arms hung at his side. His bushy tail twitched as he contemplated what he stood before. "Alas, my home, it is a ruin of its former glory." He looked down at Terran, his lips curling downward, making his mustache droop. "Forgive me a moment of melancholy. The last time I looked upon this place, it was a wonder to the eyes."

  "Maybe we can restore it," offered Terran. "Find your descendants, rebuild the castle?"

  "You would do that?" asked Lord Ostric.

  "If it is possible," said Terran.

  The enormous centaur bowed again, this time putting both knees against the soil. "If you can do such a thing, I will find a way to reward you. Even from my tortured existence beyond the grave."

  You have been given a quest: Restore the Wunderlust Keep to its former glory

  Reward: A legendary boon

  Not much use without the centaurs, but you do you

  When Lord Ostric returned to his hooves, Terran asked, "What can we expect inside?"

  "Beyond the front hall lies the throne room, a wide place full of warmth, a place for friends and companions to gather and regale each other with stories of their conquests. The apartments are attached to the main rooms, there are kitchens, storage rooms. It is a regular keep in structure, but not in heart. That was as big as a mountain."

  "You are quite poetic, Lord Ostric," said Terran.

  "Centaurs appreciate the value of verse," said the former lord.

  Terran stepped into the darkness. The magic of the Theris Stone turned the shadowy pitch to distinct shades of gray, outlining an entry hall that had fallen into disrepair. Old trophies of battle, once displayed on wooden scaffolding, had disintegrated to dust. Beyond the carnage, an inner door stood, miraculously intact.

  The door opened easily, not even creaking with age, suggesting that it'd been oiled for ease of movement. He shared a look with Luna as they both knew that this would not be a simple exploration.

  The grand hall was indeed grand. The ceiling rose high above while a metal chandelier, flecked with the rust of age, hung majestically from the center rafter. A massive fireplace that Terran could walk into was a cavern on the back wall, and an old oak table commanded the center of the room. Furthering the mysteries was an old metal ring on the right wall, covered in runes, with empty caches at three equidistance points that could hold a gem. Terran had the impression it was a portal based on the painting of a tunnel at the center, but his attention was drawn away because through a door to the left, towards the apartments, the sound of chains clanking could be heard. The familiarity that he'd felt outside grew until he vocalized what he'd been feeling the whole time.

  "There's an essence here," whispered Terran. He gestured towards the left door. "Or back there, to be precise."

  "An essence?" asked Luna. "Are you sure? Wouldn't you have felt it earlier? We tracked the peryton for days, when it was quite some distance away."

  "I...I don't know why, but I'm sure of it," said Terran, searching his thoughts. "It feels different though. As if it's behind walls, or warped in some way."

  Lord Ostric, on the other hand, stood before the long table, his head hanging low, lost in memories dredged from the past by his once idyllic home fallen on hard times.

  Terran listened at the door he felt the essence beyond. The sound of chains was clearer, along with the bubbling of liquid. He unlatched the door carefully, noting that it was oiled to silence, then slipped it open to find a long hallway with numerous doors.

  As he stepped ahead, two skeletal centaurs appeared from side rooms. They wore steel barding and carried steel battle-axes, neither of which were stained with rust like everything else. Unlike the cautious skeletons from outside, these immediately charged ahead before Terran could decide his course of action.

  He barely managed to throw himself out of the way as the two centaurs crashed into the throne room, their hooves like drums against the wooden floor. The huge room gave them space to circle around, bringing their battle-axes high.

  Terran launched a pine cone at the lead centaur, hoping to turn it to stone then explode it like he had the ones outside, but the creature swatted his missile away with the flat of his axe.

  "Uh oh."

  As he was standing against the wall, the two centaurs couldn't charge him, but they came up short, rising up on hind hooves to smash him. Terran threw himself between them, rolling forward and running towards the massive table before they could circle back around. He scrambled under the table and found Luna already there.

  "What do we do?" she asked.

  The two skeletal centaurs were level 11, and elite, which made them formidable foes. The table was wide enough that they couldn't get to Terran, but he was trapped.

  "Is this some new tactic I am not aware of?" asked the ghost of Lord Ostric as he leaned over to peer beneath the high table.

  "It's called not dying while I figure out a plan," said Terran.

  "Just charge them and defeat them in combat," said Lord Ostric. "If you are truly great enough to lead the Rock Leaf Elves, two boney centaurs should be easy for you."

  "Please be quiet while I think," said Terran as he pictured the whole room in his head. "Luna, can you lead them away, give me a chance to set a trap?"

  "Why am I always the bait? Can't you be the bait for once? Or how about Lord Ghostpants?" asked Luna.

  "Please," said Terran, imploring her with his open hands.

  With an exaggerated sulk, Luna slunk to the edge of the table. "Hey, bone breath, come get me."

  She sprinted into the wide room, and the two skeletal centaurs rushed after her. Terran climbed onto the table, which was no easy feat as it was built for centaurs and much higher than a human
table. The metal chandelier was off-center of the room, and much higher than he could reach even with a running start. He would have to leap a good fifteen feet to reach the hanging ornament. He ran the length of the table, leapt off the edge, and triggered the charge component of the ring, hoping it would work as he wanted.

  In the blink of an eye, Terran shot forward and slammed into the chandelier. It caught him right in the gut, and he folded in half as the air was knocked from his lungs. He almost fell off as he gasped for breath, but managed to hook his arms around it while he recovered. From his vantage, he watched Luna dodge between the centaurs, crashing them into each other. The impact of steel barding sounded like a gong.

  Terran climbed through the chandelier to the chain that held it to the rafters. He set himself on the wooden beam, straddling it with his hands around the chain.

  "Can you get them to stand beneath the chandelier?" asked Terran.

  "Are you crazy?" asked Luna as she sprinted beneath the table to get room. "I'm trying not to get murdered here."

  "Just do it," said Terran as he noticed Lord Ostric staring up at him.

  "Do you fear battle, Lord Terran? You should not. The rush of blood will smooth away any concerns. Let yourself revel in the clash of steel," he said.

  "It's my blood rushing out of my body that I'm worried about," he muttered to himself as he funneled his magic into the chains, turning them to stone as Luna rushed beneath the chandelier and then turned to face the centaurs, who charged towards her.

  As the links crackled with gray stone, the whole structure groaned as the connection weakened. Right before the centaurs reached Luna, she leapt between them, and the chandelier broke free, smashing them both beneath its enormous bulk. It didn't kill them, but with them trapped and unable to defend themselves, he was able to turn them to stone and shatter them with his voice.