by Wolfe Locke
“You were the elf?” This was making less and less sense to Zander.
Terra chuckled. “Weird. Doesn’t sound like the kind of thing I’ve ever thought about doing.”
“Well, it was fun,” Celeste said, looking deflated. “Even when my life was sort of lame, it made me feel like I could escape into a place with different rules, where I was important. Where I mattered. Where, with nothing but a couple of batteries, I could save the world.”
Terra and Zander looked at each other. “What’s a battery?” Terra said.
“No idea what a battery is, but Celeste, you are important,” Zander said. “You do matter. And you’ve got real magic now. You don’t need to play a game to get that. It’s all real.”
“Yeah,” Celeste sighed. “But it’s not the same. I mean—yeah, I’ve got these powers. They’re pretty cool. I can fight like a total badass. But all we’re doing is looting abandoned buildings and taking the junk we find back to sell. It’s not like being that warrior elf guy at all.”
Ouch. That one stung.
“I’m not going to be a scavenger forever,” Zander said, a little defensively. “I’m just doing this so I can get more training. After that, we can go adventuring. See distant lands. You know, I bet we will save the world.”
“Humans,” Terra said scornfully. “They always have to be the most important person in the room.”
“Yeah,” Celeste said sadly. “I don’t know.”
She took one last look at the banner in the window and turned away, back toward Rocktooth.
“You know, it’s funny,” she said. “That entire store is full of games. I used to save up for them. Would take me a month or two to get the money for just one, and I’d play it until I got sick of it. I would have killed for a moment like this—full store, totally unguarded. I could just walk in and take whatever I want. But there’s nothing to play it on. So what would be the point?”
“Do you want to go in and get one as a souvenir?” Zander said. He didn’t fully understand what was going on, but he could tell she wasn’t happy about it.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Forget it. Let’s just move on.”
Rocktooth led the way as they moved on out of the city. She’s gone through a lot, the golem said, turning back toward Zander. Maybe let’s do something nice for her when we get to Haven.
“You think?” Zander muttered.
Yeah. Give her some elf food, or something. I don’t know what people like her like. I’m just a humble golem.
“Yeah,” Zander said, mulling it over. “Let me think about it. I bet we could do something for her.”
He sighed. He’d probably need to get Terra something equally nice when he did, just to keep the peace. This was exhausting. Part of him wished they’d never stopped in that park, although he knew she’d be useful in battle.
He looked back at the wood nymph and she smiled sweetly, betraying nothing of her prickly nature. Maybe the nymphs of the Haven Woods would be a good influence on her—if she could be influenced at all. He’d just have to hope the journey there would open her mind.
Chapter Eighteen A Dream
As the day rolled on, they eventually made the decision to leave the road and head out into the forest. It was an instant relief to be among the trees. The sun had beaten down relentlessly on the hot pavement, but here in the shadow of the leaves it was cool and pleasant.
Zander could feel his nerves settle and his shoulders relax now that he was back on his home turf. He never realized how anxious the city made him until he left it again. It was exhausting having to be on guard for Draugr at all times. The other seemed to be in a better mood, too. Terra was looking around brightly.
“The trees are so big!” she said, sounding almost awestruck. “Reminds me of the time I visited the Red Woods with my family.
“This is nothing,” Zander said. “We’ve barely gotten into the forest at all. It gets a lot more impressive the closer you get to Haven. Trust me.”
“Are there any other wood nymphs around here?” Celeste asked.
“I don’t know. None I’ve ever seen, not in these parts. But we’re in a weird place. Even though this is a wooded area, its still pretty close to the city. They might be hesitant to come out.”
Terra ran ahead and vanished into the forest—presumably to look for other nymphs. Part of him wondered whether she planned on coming back.
Rocktooth and Celeste took point up front, and they set a steady pace as they pushed deeper into the forest.
“It’s so green,” Celeste said. “In my time this whole forest was dying. Brown and gray anywhere.”
Rocktooth turned around and spoke in a raspy and winded sounding voice. “Why? It is hard to imagine this area sick from human corruption.”
She looked at the golem, surprised. “You can talk like this? I’m surprised.”
I rarely talk out loud. It is not easy. That is deliberate. I normally only talk to Zander directly, and never out loud. But as our party grows, it is difficult to divide my attention. I’ve decided to include you in our communications as well.
“Wow. I guess.” Celeste replied. “This seems like a big honor. What changed?”
I trust in your abilities now. I didn’t know you before, and I do not care for the nymph.
“Does Terra get to understand you too?” Celeste asked, feeling confident the golem would be honest with her now.
The golem kept its face very still. Not yet. The situation with the nymph is very different then the situation with you.
“What’s her deal?” Celeste said. “Are all nymphs like that?”
I don’t know. I know little of nymphs. We don’t have them where I’m from.
They walked for a while in silence, keeping a careful eye out for Draugr and other monsters. None appeared. This part of the forest was safe, it seemed.
“How long have you been working with Zander?” Celeste said.
He shrugged. That is a very human way to phrase that question. It has been a while though. The creatures of the Nether do not keep time the same way you do. You might ask Zander. He’ll have an answer that means something to you.
“Do you like working for him?” Celeste asked after a bit of a pause between them.
It’s not about liking or disliking. I’m bound to him, same as you are. But he’s a good master. I generally enjoy myself. When he called forth a summon from the Nether, I was the one who stepped forward to answer his call.
Celeste laughed. “You like running around and stealing garbage from abandoned buildings?”
The golem shook its head. I don’t think of it that way. I see it as a means to an end.
“To what end? What could a golem want? I can only imagine." Celeste responded.
I have freedom. Though my skin is stone, I still feel the air. I see the sky. I hear. The Nether is not like that. But it is not about my goals, but Zander's. He told you earlier. Maybe you weren’t listening. He doesn’t want to be a scavenger forever. This is just temporary. Something to get him the training he needs.
“Does training cost a lot?" She asked, "Before the Harrowing, school was a big expense for almost everyone. It was hard to find a way to pay for it."
The golem sighed. I don’t know much about elf currency. Or human, for that matter. But yes, it seems so. Zander doesn't come from money. He’s not one of the wealthy elves in Haven connected to the Old Bloods. What he has, he has to scrounge for himself or raise the money to finance himself.
“I know the feeling,” Celeste said ruefully.
Then you know how it feels to have a dream, and not know whether you’ll be able to achieve it. To feel like you have to work hard at it, stop at nothing until you reach your goal.
“I guess. Wait, what is Zander’s dream?” Celeste asked curiously.
He wants to be a master summoner. Summon more creatures like me—and even more powerful ones, if he can. It is ambitious. He wants to use us to fight evil, protect people, and even save the wo
rld if he has to. He’ll talk about it more, if you ask him. I'd assume he knows more about his own dreams than I do. I know he'd like to try and get rid of the Draugr and the other monsters in the dark.
“Heh,” Celeste said. “A master summoner. It sounds impressive.”
It is. There aren’t many in the world. Summoners that is, and even less that become masters.
“Do you think he can do it? Or is it just—I don’t know—magical thinking? I pipe dream as people used to say back in my time. I used to know a guy who always said he’d be a rock star. But he never did it, he never chased it, he never made it. Now he’s probably a Draugr, actually, or dead. Not that it matters anymore.”
Rocktooth thought about the question for a moment before answering. It’s hard to say. Master summoner—it’s very rare. I think he has the potential. Part of it is luck, though. He has to attract the right summons at the right time. That’s something he can’t control. We choose within the Nether to answer the call, not the summoner.
Celeste thought for a minute before answering, “Potential, though. I’m sure not everyone even has that.”
They don’t. But Zander is not the false idol who never became a Rockstar. He is somebody who will live to see his dream realized, or die chasing it. His is not to idly claim a dream and never reach for it.
Celeste turned to look back at Zander. He looked so unassuming—average, somebody in the time before that she'd never notice. He certainly didn't look like the kind of elf who’d be able to control powerful creatures from the Nether World. But he clearly had already done it. His magic was strong. He'd summoned Rocktooth, he'd revived her. And he’d been so kind to her, even when he didn’t have to be.
She didn’t say anything to Rocktooth, but she made a silent promise to herself that she’d help him become a master summoner. She’d support his dream whatever it took. And maybe, if she ever had a dream again in this new world, he’d support hers in exchange.
“Do you like it here, Rocktooth?” she said.
I don’t understand the question. Or your intentions behind it.
“Up here." She answered, "In what used to be the human world. Not sure what it’s called now.”
Oh. Sometimes, but not always. The Nether can be a harsh place. But here can be just as harsh.
“What do you mean?” Celeste asked, wanting clarity.
It’s hard to explain. Things just work differently where I’m from. It’s what I’m used to. My magic flows more freely. That’s the easiest way I have to describe it. As I said before, we do not feel wind in the Nether.
“I know the feeling,” she said. “Not with magic. But with everything else. Life can be complicated, no matter where you're from, or when.”
I can imagine. This is true. Do you want to ride on my back?
“What?” She looked at the golem shocked.
See a little more of the forest. Take a break. It’ll be fun. Come up. Besides, it'll be safer.
“Wait, seriously?” Celeste repeated.
I won’t offer a third time. Don't ruin the moment, we have been bonding as team mates.
He didn’t have to. Celeste sprinted up the golem’s leg and curled up on his shoulder, legs crossed. She gleefully turned to look back at Zander who was engaged talking with Terra. The wood nymph saw Celeste and glared back at her, completely scandalized.
“I don’t think Terra likes this,” Celeste said gleefully.
Good. I don’t like Terra. Wood nymphs can be a headache, she's going to be a bother.
Since Zander wasn't looking, Celeste stuck out her tongue at the nymph and laughed as Rocktooth took off. She felt like she could see for miles from the rocky perch of the golem's back. "Sometimes," she muttered, "This new world can be pretty cool."
Sometimes.
Chapter Nineteen : The Village of Meowpeople
As it got close to the evening, the group saw columns of smoke rising above the trees in the distance. The smell of ash and soot drifted on the wind, as if many fires were burning at once just ahead of them. Celeste immediately leaped off of Rocktooth’s back and took a fighting stance.
“Easy,” Zander laughed, pulling out his map. “Easy. It’s a village. Demi-humans.”
“Haven? Already?" Celeste asked.
“No. Not yet. Take a look.” Terra pushed her way over to check out Zander's map.
He spread it out in his hands and she hunched over to examine it closer. They were in the woods just north of Atlanta, not too far from the city. Zander was pointing to a rough sketch of a house labeled “Meoxia”.
“Meowpeople live here,” he explained. “They like being close enough to the ruins that they can run in and raid easily. Elves like being deep in the woods—so I don’t really understand it. But different people like different things.”
“Mewpeople?” Celeste said.
“Yeah. They’re people, but they’re cats. They look similar to us, but not." Zander explained.
That explains nothing Zander. Help Celeste to understand.
He sighed. “They are vaguely humanoid, possess catlike features. Walk on two legs. Have a tail. You might just need to see one to fully understand.”
Heavy smoke drifted towards them. “Why does the entire town seem to be on fire?” Terra said, coughing. “Do they really need that many fires to cook on? This smoke is awful.”
“Cats are creatures of habit,” Zander explained. “They eat at the same time every day. I guess there are a lot of people home in the village today, rather than out traveling. Maybe with all the Draugr riled up they decided to cancel raids in the ruins.”
The nymph didn’t seem convinced. Neither did Rocktooth.
“Are you sure?” Celeste said. “This doesn't seem normal? It seems like a lot—”
“Totally normal,” Zander said confidently. “Trust me, guys, I’ve seen it all before.”
An unholy screech pierced the air, and everyone besides Rocktooth was forced to cover their ears. They passed worried looks to each other.
Monster of the Abyss, and where there’s one, more are sure to follow. This bodes very ill. They rarely venture away from the ruins.
Celeste and Terra glared at Zander. “Totally normal? Right Zander?
“Okay. Yeah. Seems like I might have spoken hastily.” He replied apologetically.
They heard two more loud screeches, followed by the panicked cries of villagers trying to escape from whatever it was.
We should get there as fast as we can, Rocktooth said. See if we can help. The little ones are likely under attack. We CAN help them.
Terra was looking back and forth at them, clearly irritated. “What’s he saying?” she said. “The golem. Can you both understand him now? This is so annoying!”
Celeste grinned as Rocktooth winked at her. “He’s saying we should help these people out. See if there’s anything we can do.”
“Oh,” Terra said. “Well, obviously.”
“Clearly not so obvious.” Celeste responded. "If you couldn't figure that out."
“No more!” Zander interjected. “We’re going in! Plenty of time to argue later.”
Notification: Now Entering “Forested Area– Village of the Meowpeople”
Details: Long ago, the humans kept felines as pets. While the Harrowing warped many humans into twisted and monstrous forms, it did differently for cats. Instead imbuing them with new intelligence, their bodies were forever changed, becoming what they are now.
They took off on an almost dead sprint. When the four of them got to the village, everything was in chaos. Draugr were everywhere. The monsters swarmed in between the buildings, destroying everything in their path, and the villagers were fleeing from them in all directions.
“Where are their warriors?” Terra said, looking troubled. “No one’s defending the village at all. Surely they have someone here who knows how to fight. Do Meowpeople not have claws?”
“Maybe they’re out on a raid,” Zander said. “Or fighting the Draugr somewhere else.
It is weird, though. Does anyone see the Monster of the Abyss we heard earlier?”
“I'm looking,” Celeste said as she glanced around before climbing up on Rocktooth's back to get a better view. “Looking. Don’t see anything. Oh—ugh—there it is!”
She pointed in the direction of the town hall in the center of the village. The building was already on fire, and Draugr were scrabbling at the windows. Behind them stood the Monster of the Abyss: a massive deer that walked on its two powerful hind legs. Its teeth were sharp, and its eyes were blank and dead. The monsters torso had two muscular arms that dragged and reached almost to the ground. Instead of hooves it had sharpened claws like hands.
“Ok, I hate that. Nightmare fuel, I'll be lucky if I sleep at all this week,” Celeste said, as the powerful monster turned toward them. Its bloody ribcage was fully visible, jutting out of its chest.
“How do we kill that thing?” Terra said. “It’s way more powerful than any of us. I might be able to stop use vines to trap it.”
“We don’t fight it if we don't have to,” Zander said. “We can’t beat it. We need to work together to evacuate survivors. Get them organized and take them into the woods. Meoxia Village is gone—I don’t think it can be saved. But we can save the survivors.”
“What’s the creature?” Celeste asked. "I've never heard of anything like that."
“It's called a Wendigo." Zander replied. "An incredibly powerful subtype of the Monsters of the Abyss. They live deep in the most rural of ruins and eat the flesh of the dead. I’ve never seen one out this far, actually.”
“And you saw we can’t beat it?” Celeste asked again.
Zander shook his head. “No way. If we try, it will kill us. I can tell you that much.”
The Wendigo sniffed the air and took a few steps towards the group. They scattered, though the monster did not pursue them. When they'd run far enough away, they tried to coordinate.