Lightfoot

by Joe Kuster

  “Stop! Please, I’m begging you. I couldn’t help directly until my contract was destroyed and the church was desecrated. I’m no longer channeling divine energy to Timarat. I can’t just kill everyone, but they’ll have to fight their way out like normal,” the dungeon said, voice in near-panic.

  TJ growled. “Not good enough. You almost killed us, and Serina still might die.”

  “Look, I used to be an apprentice librarian until some asshole wizard managed to lock my soul in here and scrambled my memories. I don’t want to be a stupid murder cave. I made agreements so I didn’t have to kill people. Timarat would keep me going with sacrifices while I hid from this world. This New Order bullshit was never part of our agreement. I just wanted to read my books in peace, but I can’t even do that now that you stole them,” it cried out.

  TJ paused, lessening the pressure. His eyes bore down into the little blue gem.

  “If Serina is in that bad of shape, she won’t be able to tell you how to sanctify the church. If I do that, can we make a deal? I can’t survive on my own. I’ve tried. Unless I have a steady stream of life essence to absorb, I’ll die. If she is unanchored, I can fix that. Surely your goddess wouldn’t want you passing up an offer like that,” it said.

  Faith cocked her head at the stone then turned her golden eyes on TJ.

  Stone not lie.

  Serina must live.

  Chapter 38

  TJ was still burning with anger at the little rock, but he forced himself to swallow it down. Sucking down a calming breath, he said, “Swear it. Give up everything, and I’ll spare you. Put conditions, or wiggle room in there, and I’ll just smash you and hope we can figure it out.”

  “TJ, that’s not even close to workable. I’ve got… well, rules I have to follow, or it hurts me,” the gem said.

  He replied, “Don’t care. Not after the damage you and Timarat have done. I’ll make you little more than a tool for Serina, and she can decide what allowances you’re given.”

  There was a long sigh from the rock. “Now that I’ve cut ties, I need to seriously downgrade to conserve energy. I may not be all that useful for quite some time. I can’t do much about it. She won’t take that out on me, will she? Is she at least reasonable to work with?”

  The shift in tone caught TJ off guard. Thoughts of Serina wrapped around him bubbled up, and he found most of his anger dissipating. “Yeah, she’s actually pretty awesome. She takes good care of us and doesn’t ask any more than she has to.”

  “So, I won’t be forced to break the rules? That will kill me just the same as you crushing me,” the dungeon asked.

  TJ replied, “If you can make yourself useful to her, then she’ll probably look out for you. I can’t say as I understand what a dungeon needs, but she’s not frivolous. She’s only come into her role recently and is still figuring things out. She’s not power-hungry, or irrational, or anything. I’ve got oaths I’ve got to keep up, but the others haven’t been asked to do anything other than assisting me here and there.”

  “Are your oaths really about sex? The succubi used dreams to leach you. If I’m going to swear to your patron, I’d like to know what I’m getting into. If it’s raping, murder, and mayhem, you may as well end me now.”

  TJ shook his head. “Positive aspects only. She wanted me happy and to enjoy life. That’s pretty much it. We’ve got a complicated relationship, but it’s not unpleasant.”

  She gave a thoughtful noise. “Huh. That doesn’t sound so bad. If you’re any indication of the people she will make her followers, I suppose I should consider myself lucky. Most of Timarat’s followers are barely literate. They seem almost allergic to learning anything beyond a few spells. Other than that, they are relatively disillusioned young men who envision dominating women to make their wives. They seem to have little aspirations beyond that.

  “You, however, brought several books with you, and you even stopped to read several times. As astoundingly ignorant as you are, you seek to better your mind. As someone who no longer has a body, I can appreciate that. Perhaps we can work out a few trades. I can’t exactly go shopping or attend the academy any longer.”

  TJ pondered her words. Her motivations seemed somewhat transparent, but there wasn’t any reason not to play to them. If she were a bookish introvert, that sounded a lot more docile than a dungeon of bloody chaos or some such poorly overwrought nonsense.

  He pulled the pocket navigation and cartography books from his pocket. TJ had read them cover to cover at least twice but had kept them around for reference materials. He placed them next to the plinth as a sign of his willingness to work with her.

  “One of my tasks is expanding my knowledge of magic, but admittedly, I know little of it or this world. I don’t think it’d be much of an ask for me to bring you any interesting reading I run across. To be honest, we’re not short on money either, so I could probably buy out a bookstore or two if it means gaining your cooperation. I suspect we’d largely leave you to your own devices, so you could probably get quite a lot of reading done,” he said.

  There was a long pause that seemed to stretch on for minutes before the dungeon spoke again, “That, TJ, is a very compelling argument. I’ll hold you to that. After pledging my support, I may not be able to harm you directly, but I swear I’ll find every opportunity to make you regret it if you don’t.”

  TJ nodded.

  “Very well, let’s do this,” the dungeon said. “On divine covenant, I swear all at I am to Lady Serina. May she prove kind and merciful.”

  A massive pressure grew in the air, and a giant tendril of power began probing at his chest. Not wanting to pass out, he took it in his mind, gathered it into a firm grip, and slowly guided it into place. The dungeon, not being unfamiliar with bindings, didn’t force the issue. Instead, he was able to wrap it in snug one layer at a time. There were still several moments where he was nearly overwhelmed, but the dungeon seemed to sense his intent and slowed the flow. Only once it was completely wrapped up did he finally relax.

  “To sanctify the church, the quickest way is to place bones of her first champion inside the pedestal. The glyphs are already there. Ignore the window dressing, they aren’t specific to a deity,” the dungeon said.

  TJ frowned. “She doesn’t have a champion. I’m her first follower.”

  “Oh. Uh… I hate to tell you this, but she flagged you for just about everything. Champion, herald, wrath, paladin, assassin, harbinger, arbiter, you name it. She obscured it all, but I’ve had time to pick bits of it apart. There’s some higher plane stuff too. It’s almost like you’re… sorry, I’m getting distracted. What is important is that you’re her one and only divine representative on this plane. You just haven’t used those other roles, so they are inert to help hide you. If you don’t do the bone thing, the next easiest option requires days of prayer and an artifact imbued with her aspects.”

  TJ groaned. “You’re going to make me cut off a finger, aren’t you?”

  “Unless you want to crawl inside that little box, yeah. I’ve seen your magic; you’ll be fine. I’ll take care of the casting; it’d take you hours to prepare the ritual,” the dungeon said.

  Having broken his dagger on the force field, he slipped back to where Rachel, Kallista, and Abby lay huddled together. Since it had only been a few minutes, they still looked in rough shape. The exhaustion had faded, but the mental fatigue was clearly still in full force. He placed a gentle kiss on each of their foreheads. Kalli batted him away, but seconds later there was a small smile on her lips, so he assumed she wasn’t too mad.

  He eased Rachel’s sword from her grip. He replaced it with one of her daggers, just in case.

  I’ll guard them.

  Finish this.

  Then many scritches.

  Turning to Faith, he nodded his appreciation and returned to the core room.

  Sucking in a long, slow breath, he eased his magic into his hand, deadening his senses. Resting his pinky finger on the pedestal next to the d
ungeon core, he forced himself not to think about what he was doing. There was a sickening crunch and metal rang on stone as he slammed the blade down. TJ struggled not to throw up. Dropping the sword, he immediately pushed his healing magic into his hand.

  Shimmering auras of golden light flowed from his skin, but he disregarded it as he closed his eyes and focused on regrowing the digit. Only once his magic told him the task was complete did he risk a look. The idea of seeing his own flesh regrow was simply too creepy.

  He’d bled far more than he’d expected. The white altar and the dungeon core were liberally splashed with crimson, as was the surrounding floor. The blood seemed to fizzle as it was absorbed into the gem.

  “Uhm… TJ, what the hell are you?” the dungeon asked.

  TJ blurted out, “Breeze Dancer.”

  “No… I mean… your blood, it… Never mind, it’s like asking a toddler why the sky is blue, isn’t it? You really have no idea, do you?”

  TJ mumbled a non-committal response. He was far more worried about completing his task. As he moved it aside, he noticed that Rachel’s sword seemed to have acquired a shimmer and glow as it rested on the ground.

  Not having time to think about it, he retrieved his severed finger and grabbed the open drawer on the back of the stone pedestal. It was absolutely packed with clutter. Bundles of hair, a small bottle, a wand, and bits of things he couldn’t identify were dumped on the floor as he shook it. Inserting the bloody finger, he slid the compartment back in place. The stone clicked as it sealed shut.

  There was a brilliant flash of golden light that rippled through the dungeon.

  “It’s done. Both the area I take up, and the church above are now dedicated in Lady Serina’s name,” the voice said.

  Taking the little jar from the pedestal in hand, he removed the stopper and dumped the contents. An impossibly large amount of salt poured out of the small container. Only once the heap had reached ridiculous proportions did it taper off. There was a soft glow as an ethereal spirit rose from the haze over the pile. It had been so distorted he hadn’t been able to make out any features.

  Task complete, TJ knelt near the wall and bowed his head, hands folded. Looking inward to his magic, he began pushing and pulling, trying to find his connection to Serina. She was unresponsive, and only a whisper of her presence remained. Holding the vial of her divine essence, he pressed it against his forehead and tried in vain to make it flow to her.

  For the first time in her service, he sincerely prayed. He willed with every part of his being for her to reach out and guide him. Still, she remained as she was.

  Dying.

  As soon as he touched their bond, he knew their efforts had all been for naught. He felt the moment the slow thud of her heart stuttered to a stop. Her mind was there, but her body had shut down. She was too far gone to handle her side of the connection.

  He still couldn’t get the essence to her.

  Tears dripped from his eyes as he remained inside his core. He didn’t want her to fade from existence alone. TJ could give her that. He’d hold her hand as she exited her realm and crossed over. He could tell it would only be moments before her soul separated from her body.

  Memories of the first time they’d met swept into place. She’d slipped the watchful eye of her family and had gone exploring. He’d been flying overhead and noticed her moving through the underbrush. She had snuck around the bushes outside the village as she surveyed the mishmash of villagers going about their day. Landing, he’d quietly watched her from the boughs of a nearby tree.

  Despite being in an elegant dress that would have cost more than he made in a year, she’d leaped into the tree branches of an oak and began scaling it, absolutely fearless of injury and without a mind to preserving her clothes. She climbed higher and higher until she had nowhere else to go. Only then had she looked around and spotted TJ in the adjacent branches.

  Upon seeing him, she’d given him a brilliant smile and waved him over. Moving to join her, he’d unfolded his simple lunch of a solitary baked potato and few carrots wrapped in a handkerchief. They sat in the tallest branches as he shared his meager meal while she talked a mile a minute. The world held such wonder to her back then.

  That was how he decided to remember her. A young, adventurous woman. Not as a Deva. Not as a goddess. But his friend.

  He knew he’d die once the bonds collapsed, and the magic on his phylactery faded. The magical container would slowly drain until it failed, but he couldn’t bring himself to think of such things.

  He had to hope that somehow his and Rachel’s souls would find peace. Perhaps Suvbus would take pity on them. The others would live on. He debated if he should warn Rachel or not, but he could feel her soul pressed against his. She knew. She also knew that he needed to be at his friend’s side as she passed.

  At the thought of seeking Suvbus’ aid, there was a whisper of foreign magic. TJ smelled stale smoke, exotic spices, and could have sworn he heard chanting of some type. Somehow it felt warm and inviting.

  A taloned hand brushed his shoulder as a familiar tail looped around his arm. Others followed, and he felt the brush of another shoulder against his, a long braid falling against his robes. Another knelt in front of him, pressed in close, and took his hands in theirs.

  Unable to pay attention to the physical realm, TJ ignored the movements of the others. He could feel Serina’s soul beginning to struggle as its tethers to her body loosened. Soon she’d emerge like a butterfly from a cocoon to rejoin the flow, then she’d be lost to him forever.

  Gentle hands took the small vial from his grasp and instead replaced it with one of the jugs. There was a sound of a cork being removed, then his finger was dipped directly into the container of liquid.

  Fear and panic instantly welled up inside him as his body began absorbing the essence. A few drops of the stuff had been too much to handle, and he was now submerged in it. A tsunami of golden energy surged into his being, with seemingly nowhere else to go.

  A gentle touch of unfamiliar magic directed his attention away from the conduit that Serina used to reach him and instead to his prayer itself.

  Shifting the crushing force, TJ focused every part of his being on his desire for her to live. The energy kept flowing into him, and the room grew so bright that it was blinding even with his eyes closed. He began to scream as his chest heated like he had been dipped in liquid metal. Still, he continued aiming the explosion of power at his one wish.

  Somewhere in the brilliant glow, bells tolled, and the essence began to coalesce into something TJ was never meant to understand. Breaking through barriers he hadn’t known were there, a new bridge between him and Serina formed. As the sound of bells dissipated, there was a small intake of breath and the slow thud of a single heartbeat.

  Currents formed as the magic rushed into the breach. Every speck of essence seared his being, overwhelming him wholly and utterly. Every nerve ending he had was scorched by the intensity.

  Just when he thought it was over, a bottle was brought to his lips. The pain was unbearable, but he didn’t resist. He swallowed the contents, chugging it as fast as he could. He became a waterfall as the raw power of the divine flowed through him. Each mouthful threatened to erase everything he was as it passed through his body.

  The bottle was replaced with another and another after that. All that TJ knew was the pain of the golden glow. Finally, the torrent tapered off. The agony faded as the last drop was pushed into the ether.

  A familiar soft hand pressed to his cheek, one that he hadn’t felt in what seemed like a lifetime. A kiss was placed on his lips. There was a whisper, and the presence was gone. In its place, the bond to Serina glowed. He could feel it connected to everything around him, passively absorbing the flow of divine energy.

  It was slowly pulled to her, and TJ’s mind struggled to deal with the insights into things he was never meant to know. He saw clusters of stars far away. Dark voids that obliterated anything they touched. Behind it all, th
ere was a connection. His mind brushed against it, and… in a blink, it was all gone. He was back in his core, looking at his tie to Serina.

  She was impossibly weak but alive. Through it all, she hadn’t given up on him. She could have severed the bond to protect herself, but whether she’d known he’d pull through, or simply didn’t want to live on without him, he’d likely never know.

  Swaying unsteadily, TJ opened his eyes and saw everyone circled around him, looking expectantly. Kallista held the empty essence container, her dark eyes full of hope.

  “It worked,” he said in a hoarse, weak voice.

  Despite his success, his mind had been run through a wringer to the point everything felt muddled and raw. His heart ached in his chest. Looking upward, he whispered, “Thank you for the guidance, Suvbus.”

  The dungeon coughed like it was clearing its throat.

  TJ wiped at his eyes. “Thank you, too. I… I’ll make sure you get a fair deal with Serina, but uh… do you even have a name?”

  “I think it started with a ‘J,’ but that’s all I’ve got,” the disembodied voice said.

  Despite himself, he found himself smirking. Needing desperately to cheer himself up, even if it was hopelessly lame, he innocently suggested, “How about Jewels? You know, like a twist on Julia?”

  “I… don’t hate it. I suppose that’ll work,” Jewels said.

  He winked. “Thanks for the help, Jewels. You’re a gem.”

  “Asshole. You did that on purpose. What the hell did I get myself into?” Jewels complained.

  Kallista momentarily looked like she wanted to comment, but instead placed the container to the ground and shuffled uncomfortably. TJ reached out and gave her a hug.