Zectas Volume VI: The Delusive Realm of Mictlan

by John Nest

  Salace was taken aback. “But who might you be?” he added quickly, resuming his creepy grin. “Didn’t catch your name there.”

  “Oh, right,” replied Mamelon, squinting her eyes. “Could you just tell her that Sierra’s friend is looking for her?”

  “Sierra? Don’t know anyone by that name,” answered Salace. “Wait. Are you perhaps refugees from Sawtorn?” he asked, sounding all concern. “Heard that the Ork Horde defeated the allied the kingdoms and are now ravaging the entire southern continent.”

  “Sawtorn? No, we’re from Wysteria,” replied Ardu, his voiced raised. “Why would a Sawtorn refugee travel all the way up to the Nordland Continent?”

  Without a word, Vrai’s knuckles hit Ardu’s chest, hard.

  “I suppose you’re right,” replied Salace, ignoring the interaction of the two Druids. “It would be better for them to run to Wysteria or to Ishtar.”

  “Anyway, is Magikera there?” repeated Mamelon.

  “Sorry, there’s no one here by that name,” replied Salace. “But you’re more than welcome to stay.”

  Mamelon shook her head. “Nah, that’s okay. We’ll try somewhere else,” she said politely and rushed towards the war carriage.

  “But it’s really dangerous out there,” said Salace. “Just stay for the night.”

  “It’s fine,” replied Ardu as he followed Mamelon and Vrai. “We can handle ourselves.”

  Salace scowled at the young man. “Get me a glacial horn,” he hurriedly commanded.

  TOOOTT TOOOT TOOOTT TOOOT

  “What was that?” asked Vrai, worried.

  “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s not good,” replied Gandiva, rushing to her driver’s seat. “Come on, let’s go!” she said to Ardu, who was the last one to get in.

  Before their war carriage could leave, they were surrounded by four massive glacial bears. These carnivores were completely made out of ice. Except for their nose, which was black and squishy. Even on all fours, it was clear that they were bigger than Sierra in her Werebear form.

  The glacial bears growled, exposing their sharp canines.

  “See?” called out Salace from on top of the log wall. “Told you it’s dangerous out there! Why don’t you come in, and wait till they leave?”

  This time, it was Vrai who responded to the creepy Salace. “Thank you. But this is fine.” She then got out of the war carriage and held her Druid staff at the ready.

  “Seriously? You really want to fight them?” asked Ardu, annoyed.

  “Oh, come on, Ardu,” chimed in Mamelon, stepping off the carriage as well. “This’ll be quick,” she added as she stood next to Vrai with her elegant sapphire lance at the ready.

  “Alright, we’ll take one each I suppose,” added Gandiva, removing the tug of Bilis and Tulin which tied them down to the carriage.

  An irritated Ardu joined in and said. “It’s okay to go wild, right? I’ll be done in five seconds.”

  “Don’t you dare!” warned Vrai. “Remember what Lady Sierra told us.”

  “Fine! I won’t use my Werebear form,” replied Ardu.

  Without warning, Bilis and Tulin ran off with Gandiva standing on top of Tulin’s back. Equipped with her modified long bow, she stood firm despite the stag moose’s rapid gallop. She pulled her bow and her specialized arrow pierced the glacial bear’s squishy nose.

  The monster cried out in pain. With its front ice-paws, it desperately tried to pull out the arrow. Yet, the glacial bear found it difficult as the arrow head had specially crafted backwards-facing barbs, which made it harder to pull out once they’re stuck in.

  Grabbing this opening, the unmounted Bilis charged forward and rammed its blade-like antlers into the glacial bear’s stomach, launching it backward.

  Yet, seconds later, the three-meter tall monster lunged forward as the second pair of antlers penetrated its spine. Tulin and Bilis locked their antlers together with the glacial bear skewered in the middle.

  “Hold it steady,” said Gandiva, who stood on top of Tulin. She then pulled out flaming arrows from the quill. She struck arrows on the back of the monster’s head until its final hit points turned zero, killing it.

  Meanwhile, Vrai stood firm in front of the stampeding glacial bear. She pointed her wooden staff at the beast and roots sprang out of the thick snow. The powerful glacial bear moved five more meters until more roots intertwined and held it firm.

  Then, Vrai began chanting her spell. “Nature’s Blessing heed my call, decimate this enemy with your squall!”

  Tiny green orbs surrounded the captured beast. They then began swirling around it, enveloping the monster in an orb of green light. All the glacial bear could do was cry out in pain as the tiny green orbs pierced through its icy body. The minuscule lights only stopped when the glacial bear was silenced forever.

  Simultaneously, Ardu held the same stance as Vrai. He pointed his staff at the glacial bear and roots sprang out in the same manner. He then began chanting the same spell as her. “Nature’s Blessing heed my call, decimate this enemy with your squall!”

  However, not a single green orb appeared. He tried again, chanting the spell word for word but still there was nothing.

  The glacial bear growled and it began to tear up some of the roots that had ensnared it.

  “Oh, to hell with it,” grumbled Ardu. He dropped his Druid staff and ran straight for the glacial bear. He jumped towards the monster’s right side and leaped onto its back. Once on top, he transmogrified his right hand into that of a Werebear. Raising it over his head, he plunged it deep below its thoracic vertebrae and into the glacial bear’s heart. He grasped it with his transformed hand and crushed it. He squeezed it until the life bar of the monster was depleted.

  While the Zectian Vigilantez fought their respective glacial bears, Mamelon faced her own monster. Unlike Vrai and Ardu’s fur coat, hers was not as thick which made her shiver in her Aqua armor. Yet, despite quivering in the cold, she held her sapphire lance firm.

  Before the glacial bear could draw closer, Mamelon launched eight aqueous spikes from her lance. The spikes glistened as water droplets caught the afternoon sun as it whizzed through the air.

  However, all of her attacks left the monster unfazed as the glacial bear looked to be impervious to her aqueous spikes.

  “That’s just great,” she muttered as her water attacks were ineffective. She turned to the side and checked on her friends. She grinned when she saw that they had their own glacial monsters handled. “This should be easy,” she said, pumping herself up.

  After taking a deep breath, Mamelon matched the glacial bears charge and ran up to meet it. She leaped sideways and smashed her sapphire lance against the monster’s skull.

  Sadly, the glacial bear took minimal damage as its life bar displayed that only 5% was reduced from her frontal attack. The monster retaliated with a claw swipe which threw Mamelon into the thick pine trees, breaking some branches with her back.

  Despite the pain in her spine, seeing the rushing glacial bear made her stand up. She looked around the abundant trees and found no passable exit within them. Left with no other option, she started climbing up the branches. Fortunately, she was given a few seconds more as the glacial bear still had to break the branches which blocked its path.

  Looking down at the monster from the branches, Mamelon pointed her lance at the glacial bear. Realizing that the monster had sturdy defense, she searched for a sweet spot to hit.

  But before she could launch her attack, the glacial bear swiped its claws up and broke the branch Mamelon was on.

  She fell downward. She pulled her lance close to her chest, pointing it at the glacial bear’s soft, black nose and pierced it straight through the back of its neck. Mamelon took advantage of the critical strike and continued aiming for the monster’s head. She only stopped when a notification window popped up.

  + You’ve dealt a fatal blow to the glacial bear

  + You’ve killed the glacial bear

  + You’v
e gained 250,000 EXP

  Mamelon grimaced at the experience reward but hoped that the monster dropped something worthwhile.

  + Acquired common item: glacial eye

  She let out a deep sigh and brushed the snow off her armor.

  Mamelon emerged out of the thick pine trees after collecting the glacial bear’s eye.

  “No! You’re supposed to ask for our help!” angrily shouted Salace from on top of the log wall. He grabbed his glacial horn and was about to blow on it.

  But before the middle-aged Sonstwelter could do so, Gandiva rode Tulin and jumped on one of the pine trees near the encampment’s walls, landing on top of it. In one swift motion, she then shot the glacial horn with her arrows.

  The first arrow knocked the horn from Salace’s hand, while the second one pierced a hole through the horn before it shattered against the log wall.

  “Do that again and the next one’s going straight through your eyes,” said Gandiva pointing her arrow at Salace.

  “Gandiva, don’t,” called Mamelon from below. “We’re not here to make trouble.”

  “Fine!” replied Gandiva, still pointing her bow and arrow at Salace. She lowered her weapon and stared Salace right in the eye. “Don’t scream and I won’t kill you,” she said to him in a whisper.

  “What?” asked Salace, confused.

  Blocked from Mamelon’s line of vision, Gandiva shot an arrow into Salace’s knee, knocking him down on the floor of the log wall. The Merchant’s personal Zectians did nothing but watch as Tulin threatened them with its antlers.

  Gandiva then had Tulin leap off the wall to one of the pine trees and rejoined her comrades.

  “What happened up there?” asked Mamelon.

  “Nothing,” replied Gandiva, hurriedly hitching Bilis and Tulin to the war carriage. “Let’s go. We still have a long way for the next encampment.”

  * * * * * *

  Fifty thousand strapping young men and women, equipped with leather armor and long spears, were assembled in the expansive plains of Lehre. The youthful Avendre Mercenaries stood in front of a stone wall over eight meters in height—The outer most wall of Verbrannt. Where they all looked up and waited for the red haired HighElf to speak.

  “You must be wondering why you’re all gathered today and have been recalled from your current missions,” began Sierra. “Before anything else, let me just say that I’ve never been prouder in seeing anyone’s growth like you all have shown,” she added, smiling at all of them below. “You’ve all endured the harsh training and even harder missions, but you’ve all survived and grown stronger.”

  The Avendre Mercenaries yelled out and cheered at Sierra’s praises.

  “In the end, everything that you’ve accomplished today is because of your own effort. And I’d like to congratulate you on that.” She paused and her smile was replaced by a frown. “But the reason you’re all here today is because of our special guest.”

  An elderly man in long brown robes stepped forward next to Sierra.

  At once, the Avendre Mercenaries fell into an ominous silence, like all of life had been drained out of them.

  “Please welcome the leader of the Avendre Mercenaries—Solliciter,” declared Sierra.

  The young Mercenaries fell into a monotonous clapping.

  “Oh! Come now, that’s not a proper welcome,” said Solliciter, who now blocked Sierra’s view.

  In complete unison, the gathered Avendre clapped faster and louder.

  “That’s better!” said Solliciter, grinning. “Listen up! I’ve come to see how you’ve all grown.”

  Hurriedly, a massive reinforced steel carriage was pulled up at the side of the assembly. It was drawn by two war elephants and was brought to the front for everyone to see.

  RATTLE RATTLE

  The steel carriage shook violently. The Avendre Mercenaries near it reflexively pointed their long spears at it, unfazed.

  Four Mercenaries got off the carriage. They looked up the wall and saluted Solliciter.

  “Open it up, Boys,” ordered Solliciter.

  The Mercenaries nodded and proceeded as instructed. When they opened it, two caged Orks rattling their steel enclosure were revealed.

  “Fatyonir tamir!” screamed one of the Orks.

  “Valay maka eskapur!” shouted the other.

  “Now, pay them no mind,” said Solliciter. “I want six volunteers to fight these monsters from Sawtorn. If you don’t perform as expected, I will pull all of you out of here and revoke their post as an Avendre Satellite.”

  “Wait! I don’t mind being a satellite, but you can’t send just six,” interjected Sierra. “Those monsters aren’t Ork grunts.”

  “Um… they maybe stronger than your average Ork,” began Solliciter. “But, they’re still below the level of an Ork Colonel.”

  “I don’t care,” argued Sierra. “That’s still too much.”

  Solliciter nodded at her. “I see.” He paused and yelled out to the gathered Mercenaries. “Make it four Avendre! Attack now, unless you want me to end your contract with them.”

  Before Sierra could respond, four of their personally trained Mercenaries stepped in front of the caged Orks.

  Sierra tried to stop them but Solliciter held her back.

  “See?” said Solliciter to Sierra. “They’re not afraid. So, why should you?”

  Without another word, the steel cage was opened by Solliciter’s men. Both Orks charged out and immediately went after the men who released them. The green giants grabbed them by their necks and broke them like they were twigs.

  “Kamunir sundir,” threatened one of the Orks at Sierra’s Avendre volunteers.

  At once, all four Avendre scattered. They paired off but made sure to force the two Orks to stand back to back with their synchronized footwork.

  Unarmed, the Orks laughed. One of them tried to grab the long spears but the Mercenary pulled it out of the Ork’s reach. Simultaneously, the paired Avendre leaped towards the monster and impaled his spear straight through its throat, piercing the shoulder of the Ork behind it. He grabbed the Ork’s shoulder and pushed his spear farther in. Using both hands, the Avendre Mercenary pushed with all his might, stabbing the Ork with the spear in his throat.

  In retaliation, the Ork squeezed the Mercenary with his arms, quickly reducing his life bar.

  The Ork in the back cried out in pain, surprised by the sudden back attack. He turned to face the source of its injury, only to have his stomach penetrated with a long spear.

  With one of the Avendre hanging on to one of the monsters and the Orks skewered together, both green giants found it difficult to move forward or back.

  However, the Mercenary caught in the arms of the Ork only had 10% left on his life bar.

  With one Mercenary holding on to the spear stuck in the Orks’ stomach, the two remaining Avendre hurriedly aimed for the Ork who was crushing their comrade to death. Their rapid stabs with their spears drastically reduced the Ork’s life bar. Yet, it was all for not, for their comrade’s life bar was already depleted.

  After the body of the Ork and the Avendre disappeared from existence, the battle had become three-versus-one.

  The Mercenary holding on to his spear inside the Ork’s stomach persevered. The Ork had taken a few jabs at him with his fists. Fortunately, he dodged most of them and retained a life bar of 65%.

  Whereas, the two Avendre remained on the Ork’s back and continued to gorge holes out of the monster’s green skin.

  Inflicted with the Bleeding status, the Ork survived less than three minutes against the punishing attacks of the three Avendre Mercenaries.

  CLAP CLAP CLAP

  The three exhausted survivors looked up and saw Solliciter giving them a slow clap.

  “Well done!” said Solliciter. “Alright, everybody’s dismissed for now.” He then turned to Sierra. “My Lady, can I please have a word with you in private?”

  “Of course,” replied Sierra. “Please follow me,” she added and led him to
their closest strategy room. Where a blonde man and a brunette WoodElf were waiting for them. Sierra had instructed Thyrsus and Vijaya to be ready for their arrival.

  Once inside, Solliciter ignored the Hunters. He parted his brown robes and sat down on his own. “Good. Let me get right to it,” he said, putting up his feet on the table. “I’m taking all of the Avendre back.”

  Sierra was just about to sit across him but stopped when she heard his reason for being there. “What? What are you talking about?” she exclaimed. “We have a contract and we’ve trained them well.”

  “I know and I thank you for that,” said Solliciter. “Which is why I’m sending them to my client that offered thrice their monthly contract here.”

  “You’re not going to give them to Burmistrz!” said Sierra, her voice raising.

  “Of course not!” replied Solliciter. “Like I told Smoke, I want to see his downfall as well. Relax, They’re going to Sawtorn.”

  “What?” asked Thyrsus, who was silently standing in the corner until now. “You don’t mean to have them fight against Orks?”

  “That’s none of your concern,” replied Solliciter without looking at him. He then snapped his finger, put down his feet and leaned towards Sierra. “How about this? I’ll send another batch for you to train at half their monthly contract?”

  “No,” said Sierra.

  “No? But, my dear, they all belong to me,” said Solliciter.

  “Not anymore,” said Sierra. She walked towards the door and called out. “Perdant, come here.”

  A plump Merchant with gray hair entered. He was pushing a cart full of sacks.

  “What’s this supposed to be?” asked Solliciter, intrigued.

  “Show him,” Sierra said to Perdant.

  “Master Smoke had me do some business on his behalf,” began Perdant. “And this is the money we’ve come up so far.” He opened one of the sacks, revealing that it was filled to the brim with zecs.

  “This is nice,” said Solliciter, grinning. “But what’s this for?”

  “I’m buying their freedom,” declared Sierra. After we pooled all our earnings from the Avendre Satellite Quests and Smoke’s business enterprises, We’re now finally able to afford all fifty-thousand Mercenaries debts. “The Avendre are staying here,” she added with finality.