by Wolfe Locke
“We need a plan,” Celeste shouted. “Who’s in charge of the village?”
The matriarch, Rocktooth said. Look for the cat with a silver necklace at her throat. That’ll be her. If she’s any good at her job, she’ll already be trying to get people out of here.
“I don’t see her.” Celeste called out. "Rocktooth says look for a Meowperson with a silver necklace around her throat."
She might not be good at her job, then.
“The gray tabby!” Terra shouted. “Over there, by the river. She’s trying to get Meowpeople across.”
“Let me talk to her,” Zander said quickly. “I know how Meowpeople work. Stay behind me.”
They cautiously approached, not wanting to scare anyone, and not wanting to draw an Draugr their way as well.
“Who are you?” the cat matriarch said when she saw them. “Strange assortment. An elf, a nymph, a rock golem, and a—I’m sorry, dear, I don’t know what you are—and all traveling together? Where are you bound? What’s your purpose, these are dark times, we've been forced to abandoned our village.”
“Haven,” Zander said. “As quickly as possible. And as for our purpose—right now, it’s helping you get your people to safety.”
“Appreciated. I’m Ilsa." The cat matriarch replied, "I’m in charge now that the warriors are gone.”
“Speaking of,” Celeste said, “where are they?”
“On a raid,” Ilsa sighed. “But I think it was a trap. Our village is still new, and our warriors are all young men. Their blood is hot. When they heard news of a Monster of the Abyss haunting the woods around us, they all took off to attack it at once. Thinking they would all make names for themselves.”
Celeste finished the thought. “And now the Monster of the Abyss is here at your doorstep.”
“Yep,” Ilsa said. “Or at least, I assume it’s the same one. I’ll be having a talk with our warrior chief when he gets back, I can tell you that. I hope he comes back.”
“For now, though,” Zander jumped in. “What can we do to help?”
“I’m sending my people across the river. I don’t think the Draugr will cross running water. But we don’t have enough boats for everyone to cross at once. Can you go through the village send the survivors this way and get them to the boats? Can you protect them from the creatures and fight off Monsters as you go?”
“Consider it done,” Zander said, as Celeste started to transform into her frost spirit form. Ilsa looked up at her, surprised.
“Interesting companion you’ve got there, an Ice Spirit is quite impressive.” she said, eyebrows raised.
“Found her in Atlanta,” Zander said. "And Terra in the woods. Rocktooth has been with me since the beginning."
And don't you ever forget it.
Zander, Terra, and Rocktooth moved into the village, trusting that Celeste would catch up quickly once her transformation was complete. Everything was chaos. Cats and kittens fled shrieking as Draugr tore their houses apart.
“Do you have eyes on the Wendigo?” Zander said. “Let’s make sure we know where he is so we don’t get caught out.”
I see him, Rocktooth said. He’s over by the town hall. I can let you know if he’s coming closer.
With the golem standing guard and crushing any of the Draugr within reach, Zander and Terra started to evacuate the village. There were a few dead Meowpeople —mostly elders—but not as many as he’d initially feared.
“Ilsa’s been doing a good job,” he said. “She’s been getting everyone out, even before we showed up.”
The boats were moving quickly, dispatching their passengers on the other side of the river and turning around for the next load almost immediately. The cat matriarch stood on the dock, expertly directing each ship and telling it where to park. Some of the larger cats had formed a line between the village and the water. They helped fend off any Draugr who wandered over with their spears and metallic blades they attached to their claws.
“I think this part of the settlement is clear!” Terra said, shepherding a small group of kittens toward the docks. “Let’s move north, toward the town hall!”
I've spotted the Wendigo. It's on the other side of the village for now. But be careful.
They worked fast as they could to carefully evacuate terrified Meowpeople who'd been hiding and sheltering in place, but it was becoming more difficult. The Draugr were swarming thicker now. Draugr kept pouring out of the woods, and they attacked the village relentlessly.
“What do you think the cats did to provoke this?” Terra said. “This feels almost personal. I’ve never seen an undead attack quite this vicious.”
Zander was about to reply when he heard screaming around the corner. He sprinted toward the sound, with Terra hot at his heels. Rocktooth brought up the rear, one eye still on the Wendigo.
A Catgirl had tripped and fallen while trying to get to the boats. She was lying prone in the street, and struggled to get to her feet. A massive army of Draugr set their eyes on her. The girl was surrounded. The Draugr started advancing on her, their red eyes glowing hungrily.
“Terra!” Zander shouted as he rushed forward staff at the ready as he pulled a sword from his [Spatial Ring]. “Watch my back.”
The Catgirl looked up to see who’d spoken, and her eyes went soft with relief.
“Help!” she said. “Please! They’re going to eat me! I dropped my spear!”
He looked. Her spear was lying in pieces on the ground, smashed by hundreds of undead feet. It seemed unlikely she’d ever get it back.
“I’ve got you,” Terra said. The vines on her arms had grown vicious-looking thorns, and she was battle-ready. “Save the cat.”
Zander didn’t need to be told twice. He waded in with the sword he’d pilfered from Eight-Sided Die, throwing volleys of [Arcane Bolt] with the staff in his other hand. Draugr fell beneath his blade in droves, and he grinned. This new sword was great. Razor sharp, and lightweight. He’d have to remember that store for future raids.
The creatures fell back, hissing, as he reached the Catgirl.
“Here,” he said, extending a gloved hand out to her. She took it gratefully and leaped to her feet.
“Thanks,” she said, flashing her fangs with a grateful smile. She was lighter than he’d expected her to be.
Zander had managed to brute force his way through the undead blockade, but they were still surrounded by Draugr—and the Wendigo was getting closer. He could sense Rocktooth’s anxiety from here as the sounds of the creature’s heavy footsteps grew louder.
Better get out of here. That monster looks angry.
“Where’s Celeste?” Zander said. She should be able to help out with the situation finally. Her transformation should be done by now.
Right on cue, the village street filled with icy white light.
“Sorry,” she said, her voice resonant and echoing as she floated toward them. “I got hung up back at the boats. A pack of Draugr broke through the line and tried to drag a group of kittens into the water. Couldn’t let that happen.”
“Of course not,” Zander said understandably.
Quick as a flash, Terra shot a vine at a Draugr that had gotten too close to the Catgirl. The Draugr screamed as she dragged it toward her, then hurled it into the air. It landed hard, with a crunch, and didn’t move again.
“Speaking of boats,” she said. “Let’s move.”
They all jumped into action. Zander started to fight his way out, slashing wildly with his the sword. Terra’s vines took out any Draugr creature that got too close to him, but it was still a brutal fight.
Meanwhile, Celeste used her ice magic to take out the Draugr that were swarming in from the forest. Her powers seemed to be getting stronger. When she’d first awoken, a mass attack would have completely drained her. Now, she was able to freeze ten creatures at once with no apparent ill effects.
“Trying to keep numbers down!” she shouted. “Let me know if you need help cutting your way out. I can carve a path
to the boats at some point.”
The Catgirl was trembling. Her eyes were wide, and she was clearly terrified. With her spear broken, there wasn’t much that she could do to defend herself. Her claws wouldn’t do much against such large group of enemies.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “This is embarrassing. I’m normally a better warrior than this. I swear! It’s just that there are so many! I’ve never seen such a big group of undead before.”
“And they’re attacking your home, too,” Zander said gently. “I get it. It’s personal. If they came for Haven, I know I’d be really freaked out too.”
“You’re right,” she said. “Thanks for understanding.”
“I’m Zander.” He tried to calm her down.
She grinned. “Caroline.”
“Right. Would it be okay if I carry you on my back, Caroline? It might make things a bit easier. We need to get out of here quickly.”
“Uh,” she giggled. “Weird. But sure.”
He lifted her up, grateful as he did so that Meowpeople were known for being light. He wouldn’t have been able to carry an elf like this while still being able to fight.
There was still a long battle ahead of them. Celeste and Terra were doing their best to take out members of the horde, but the creatures kept swarming into the village relentlessly. They blocked their path to the water completely—and they looked ravenous.
Zander did his best to fight his way through, slashing and shooting volleys of magic as fast as he could, but it didn’t feel like they were gaining any ground. Rocktooth brought up the rear, shoveling Draugr out of the way with his enormous arms. The golem watched the Wendigo approach and got increasing worried about it.
Faster, faster. Or they’ll have to pull the boats and abandon us here. You do not want to fight that thing.
“Celeste!” Zander said, panting. “We could use that path now. As soon as possible!”
“On it,” she said, and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the light in the street went from bright to blinding. Every Draugr that stood in their way turned to ice instantly and shattered into pieces. The still-active undead behind them paused for a moment, looking terrified at Celeste’s power.
“Let’s go!” Terra said, and both she and Zander sprinted for the docks. Rocktooth lumbered along behind them, going as fast as he could—although that wasn’t that fast. Celeste hovered between them and the Draugr and continued to blast their enemies with volleys of icicles.
“I don’t have unlimited power!" she said. “But I’ll keep this going as long as I can. Hopefully that’s long enough.”
“Celeste!” Zander shouted. “You can’t get stuck here! We need you on a boat when we take off, okay?”
“I can fly,” she said. “I’ll just float across the river. Don’t worry about it.”
“Oh,” he said, feeling foolish. “Right.”
When they got to the river, Ilsa looked relieved to see them. There was only a small group of Meowpeople left, and they all looked exhausted. The rest of the villagers watched them anxiously from across the water from the relative safety of the other side..
“Thank you,” she said. “Thanks to your help, we got almost the entire village out. This is the last group here. They’ve fought bravely.”
“How many casualties?” Zander said, breathing hard. He set Caroline the Catgirl down.
“Fewer than there might have been,” Ilsa said. “But still too many. And I don’t know if all our warriors survived, either. We haven’t heard anything from them since the battle began.”
Zander had a bad feeling about that, but he didn’t want to mention it now. There was enough work to do just getting the remaining villagers to safety.
The last set of boats were gliding back toward them across the water, and while they waited, they watched Celeste destroy entire squadrons of undead. Even Terra looked impressed.
“You weren’t kidding when you said she was a frost spirit,” she said. "That truely is amazing.
“Why would I joke about that?” Zander said, and the nymph scoffed.
“Meowpeople first,” Ilsa said, when the boats pulled up on the shore. “Sorry, newcomers. It’s an old rule here in Meoxia. We take care of our own before we help others. You may need to wait for the next round of boats to make the crossing.”
“Matriarch,” Caroline said. “Please reconsider. This elf saved me from certain death among the Draugr. They would have eaten me alive if it wasn’t for him. He deserves a slot in this wave—and so do his companions.”
“But the stone golem—”
I can wade across the river, Rocktooth said. It’s easy for me. There should be room on the boats.
Ilsa nodded. “With the golem walking, we may be able to get everyone in one trip anyways.”
Once the Meowpeople had been loaded on, there was barely enough room for Zander and Terra to squeeze on. Terra had to sit practically on his lap, and he fought to keep from blushing. He tried to remind himself that she had basically forced her way into the party.
She fought bravely in the village just now, Rocktooth scolded him. Maybe she’s not so bad. Not as useful as Celeste, but still useful.
“Not helpful.” Zander muttered uncomfortably.
“What’s not helpful?” Terra said, eyes wide and innocent. Zander didn’t buy it for a second.
“Celeste!” he said as the boats shoved off into the water. “Come back!”
But she couldn't hear him. She was on a rampage, freezing every Draugr in sight, but he knew her strength couldn’t last much longer. She’d already used up a lot of power. But she either didn’t hear him or pretended not to.
“Celeste!” He shouted again.
I’ll try. Celeste! We’re leaving! Now! As your senior, I command you!
Rocktooth caught her attention, and she broke off her attack and flew toward them. But the battle had clearly taken a lot out of her. She was drooping, floating lower and lower as she got closer to the water. The remaining Draugr reached up for her with their claws, trying to drag her down, but they still couldn’t reach her. Yet.
“She’s going to pass out,” Terra said. “And when she does, they'll drag her down and kill her..”
“We have to help her!” Zander said. “Can we turn the boat around? Anything?”
Ilsa was already shaking her head. “I can’t put my people at risk like that. Sorry. This boat carries the remaining Elders of Meoxia. We’ll be needed to help lead the rebuilding effort. Your friend has done great work for us today, and we’re grateful for it. But she’ll have to take care of herself.”
They watched with horror as Celeste sank toward the ground. Rocktooth, already waist-deep in water, waved at her wildly.
This way. If you’re going to fall, fall this way.
Somehow, she must have heard him. With one last burst of strength, she flew toward the water—and fainted into the golem’s outstretched arms.
It's ok little sister. You can sleep now. I have you.
Notification: You have survived a Draugr invasion and helped those who would not have otherwise lived to safety. This selflessness has bee noted.
Chapter Twenty: The Wizard
When they finally arrived on the other side of the river, Rocktooth laid Celeste gently down on the grass.
“Is she all right?” Zander said, leaping out of the boat.
She’s fine. Just resting. She used too much power today. When she is able, I will have to try and train her up. I should have done this already. Having one master, we should be able to link and share power.
“She did a great job,” Terra said. Both Zander and Rocktooth turned to look at her, shocked.
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve said about Celeste since we met,” Zander said.
The nymph shrugged. “I’m just telling the truth. She’s a powerful warrior. I didn’t expect it. I was wrong.”
Maybe she’s changing her ways, Rocktooth said. He stood up with a crack.
“Who knows.” Za
nder muttered
“Who knows what?” Terra asked, frowning.
Ilsa saved Zander from having to answer the question. “You fought bravely, elf. All of you did. We owe you our thanks. We can’t offer you much, but if you want food and a hill to sleep on for the night—”
“We’ll take the food, gladly,” Zander said. “But I think we need to move on tonight. As soon as Celeste recovers.”
“I understand. I wish we could offer you more than a patch of grass. But as you can see—”
She gestured toward the village. The Draugr were still hard at work tearing it down. They could hear their gleeful shrieks from all the way across the river. In the distance, they could see the Wendigo’s antlers bobbing up and down as it pulled the roof off of the town hall.
“What’s this all about, anyways?” Zander said. “This doesn’t feel like a normal undead attack. They’re too focused. Too aggressive. It almost feels personal.”
Ilsa sighed. “It is. This is a wizard’s doing.”
“A wizard?” He hadn’t expected that response.
“Yes." Isla explained, "A few weeks ago, during the full moon, a dark wizard came to town. He offered us protection from the undead—in exchange for a sacrifice. He wanted us to give him three first-born kittens from the village. Of course, we refused. Even the thought of it was abhorrent to us. And the undead aren’t all that bad around here, anyways. We assumed we could handle any problems that came up. We sent him away. Insulted him. Ran him out of town. He didn’t come back, and we never heard anything from him again.”
“But you think this swarm of Draugr is his fault?” Zander asked.
“I’m almost sure of it. You’ve observed correctly: they’re too aggressive. There are too many. It feels like a punishment. We didn’t give him the sacrifice he wanted, and this is what we got in return.”
Zander watched the undead for a moment. “That’s horrible. They’re horrible.”
“It is what it is.” Ilsa responded."