This is going to be a good day…
Once I was up, I took a few moments to truly clean my equipment. Although I’d brushed off most of the dirt before entering town, my shit was still a filthy mess, and I didn’t want, um… anyone to see me in such a shabby state. After I managed to get my things more presentable, I got dressed and wandered downstairs in search of some breakfast.
The main room was empty, so the waitress was able to bring me a full plate of food and a cup of tea right away. When I finished, I settled my bill with her, also arranging to keep my room for an additional night.
“So, is there anything of interest around here that I might explore?” I carefully probed her for some information on the area.
“Oh, you’re the adventuring type, are you?” She smiled back at me. “In that case, you might want to head over towards the ruins east of town.”
She leaned in a bit closer, lowering her voice just barely above a whisper.
“I hear they’re haunted,” the young woman’s hushed tone conveyed her utter conviction in that belief.
The opportunity she’d mentioned was definitely one I wanted to investigate, but I also couldn’t resist the opening she’d left to inquire about the local situation.
“Don’t you have some Lord to take care of things like that for you?”
“Pffft,” the barmaid offered a dismissive wave as she scoffed at my question. “The nearest Lord is several days from here, so we seldom see one of the Nér-vrogan. They only venture this way when they get bored enough of their local cuisine to come searching for a bit of fresh meat.”
I thought that was certainly a… colorful way to describe forcing themselves on one of their subjects, but I understood her point clearly enough. Not only that, but I’d also managed to learn the name the local oppressors went by. While the term ‘Nér-vrogan’ meant nothing to me, I’d definitely pay close attention if I ever heard them spoken of again. Now that I knew none of the vile nobility resided anywhere nearby, I figured it would be safe to stick around this little town long enough to check out the ruins she’d mentioned. While I fully intended to keep to my initial plan and continue traveling north, it seemed safe enough for me to enjoy a short diversion for a little side-quest—perhaps even two of them.
I left the inn and headed east in search of the supposedly ‘haunted’ ruins the waitress had told me about. I didn’t believe for a second that the place was actually the home of any specters, but I had no doubt that some nefarious creatures had taken up residence there. I thought it most likely that some small group of bandits used the place as their hideout, bolstering their protection by spreading rumors about its ‘supernatural’ inhabitants. Keeping curious eyes away from their lair with such tall tales was a fairly ingenious strategy, but I was used to seeing through such falsehoods, so I wasn’t about to fall victim to yet another fanciful lie.
Knowing there were enemies somewhere ahead of me, I traveled cautiously through the forest, ever alert for any sign of either my hidden foes or their refuge. Other than knowing that the ruins lay somewhere to the east, the waitress had little information to offer about its exact location or the distance I’d have to journey to reach them. I was hoping I wouldn’t be forced to spend another night in the wilds, but as the day grew old, I resigned myself to that fate.
Just as I began searching for some likely spot to make camp, I noticed a figure stumbling through the trees ahead of me. After observing him for only a moment, it became obvious that the idiotic bandit was so damn sure of the security the so-called ‘haunted’ ruins provided him that he was wandering around drunk! I shook my head in disdain for his carelessness as I followed a discrete distance behind the fool, letting him guide me straight back to his ‘safe’ hideout.
The place was almost exactly how I’d imagined it would be: A dilapidated stone building overgrown by decades—if not centuries—of thick forest growth. Although the ruins were somewhat smaller than I expected, seemingly just a few rooms rather than some more expansive structure, that was probably a positive development. A few bandits were one thing; taking on dozens of them was well beyond my capabilities.
The lone drunkard had vanished inside before I was able to get a good look at the place, but judging by its dimensions, there couldn’t have been more than a handful or so crowded inside the single story of the squared-off structure. Perhaps it had been taller once, maybe a short watchtower or something, but all that remained was a tiny portion of the first floor with scattered blocks of stone littering the ground all around its perimeter.
I felt the corners of my mouth curl up in anticipation of the fight to come—this was exactly the sort of opportunity I’d been waiting for. My brief skirmish with the goblins hadn’t been a real test of my abilities, but slaughtering these bandits would certainly demonstrate just how ready I’d been to face the challenges of the world beyond the Imperial District’s safe confines. The chance to finally prove just how wrong the arrogant Goddess had been about me was irresistible, and as I advanced towards my destiny, the increasing need to kill every single bandit inside the ruins burned within me.
As I drew close, I noticed the pair of bodies lying on the ground just outside the lone entrance to the building. The putrid stench of the rotting corpses filled my nostrils and set my eyes watering; obviously, the bandits who’d taken up residence there had gone to great lengths to bolster the image they’d crafted for their ‘haunted’ hideaway. Yet I wouldn’t allow myself to be deterred by their ridiculous fiction, so I ignored the obvious façade they’d left outside and stormed into their refuge.
Three sets of eyes turned towards me as I made my entrance, and while I’d prepared myself to be outnumbered by my foes, I hadn’t anticipated anything like what I found. Every single presumption I’d made about them was instantly proven wrong as I quickly glanced from one pair of dead orbs to the next and found myself staring at the zombies who’d taken up residence in the ancient ruins.
I’d truly fucked up, but it was only when I remembered that I had also left two more of the undead creatures outside that I recognized the full depth of my failure. With three of the horrid abominations in front of me and another pair of them hemming me in just beyond the doorway, I’d managed to well and truly screw myself.
The reek of rotting flesh was nearly overpowering as the monsters closed in on me, seeking to add my corpse to their numbers. I might have been badly outnumbered and probably overmatched, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let them have me without a fight. I pivoted to put one of the crumbling stone walls at my back, and when the first of them got within reach, I struck out at… it.
The thing was so decayed that I had no idea what species it had been in its former life. Killing a living creature was a somewhat simple matter, but I knew that in its current state, there were only three ways I could put an end to it: piercing its brain, decapitation, or by inflicting an almost ridiculous amount of damage to its rotted corpse. With five of the disgusting things coming at me, only two of those methods were even remotely viable options, however. By the time I’d hacked away at the thing enough to finish it off, the others would have already torn me to pieces.
With a quick jab, I managed to slip the tip of my short sword into its fetid eye socket, and with a sharp kick, pushed the now truly dead creature backwards into the closest pair of zombies. My desperate maneuver provided me with the scant bit of breathing room I needed, and I took advantage of the opportunity to strike at another one of my foes.
I wasn’t in position to make a killing blow, so I slashed at the zombie’s arms, slicing both of them off just below its elbows. Although the wound didn’t take the creature out of the fight, it did manage to make that one much less of a threat to me, increasing my odds of survival from near zero to something I might actually be able to measure.
By the time I’d done that, the two that had been ‘resting’ outside had joined the party, and the inside of the small building was becoming a bit too crowded for my comfort. Unfortun
ately, the four animated corpses were blocking the lone exit—the only way to remedy the situation was to fight my way free.
I’m not sure exactly what happened after that. Well, actually, I am. What I’m still uncertain of is how I managed to survive those next few moments. As the zombies closed in on me, I swung my swords in frantic arcs, keeping the blades neck-high while praying that my blows would strike home. Apparently, they did, and within a short time, each of the mindless abominations had somehow guided themselves to their own final demise. I think it took me a while to realize that I’d won the battle, but once I did, I rushed back outside, gulping in deep breaths of the fresh air as I escaped the putrid confines of the stone ruins.
There might have been some loot within the ancient structure, but my stomach threatened to heave up its contents at the mere thought of venturing back inside with that horrible stench. I’d heard all my mother’s stories about facing the undead, and she’d made sure to describe the awful smells that went along with those battles, but I never truly appreciated just how horrific it was until the foul odor had seared its way into my own nostrils.
My ‘adventure’ exploring the ruins ended right then, and I hurried to make my way back to town, glancing over my shoulder with nearly every step I took. Even with how late it was, I resolved to travel through the night until I was safely back at the inn—I’d had more than enough excitement to last me for quite a while.
Moving through the darkness wasn’t a real issue for me; although I was technically only half-elven, my vision was nearly as good as my full-blooded brethren. Of course, the dimness wasn’t the only hazard the night had to offer—the denizens that came out during those hours presented their own dangers as well. Yet despite hearing a few ominous howls, after several hours, I somehow made it back to town without encountering any hostile creatures.
I was tired, hungry, and probably still reeked of death, but once I was back, I went straight upstairs and collapsed into my bed. Lying there and staring up at the ceiling, I couldn’t help but feel a profound sense of disappointment as I wrapped myself up in the covers. The excitement I’d been searching for had been nothing like what I’d anticipated; the ‘thrill’ of exploration and discovery had an… unsavory side I simply hadn’t expected. Killing one’s enemies wasn’t the glorious thing I’d once imagined it to be either, and it was even less so when those foes were of the undead variety.
I didn’t even know the name of the Gods-forsaken land I was trapped in, and with no other options available to me, I had no choice left but to make the best of the situation. After a good night’s rest, I resolved to take some time to carefully consider my next move. Perhaps I’d continue making my way north to the ‘Free Lands,’ or maybe I would settle down in this little town—it certainly seemed safe here.
6
I slept like the dead… Okay, bad joke, but once I finally succumbed to my exhaustion, I really did sleep well for the rest of the night. It was already fairly late when I woke, but I felt pretty good, so I got dressed and headed downstairs in search of a bite to eat. I was already seated at one of the tables when I realized I’d forgotten to wash up, but I didn’t seem to be too dirty and was absolutely starving, so I didn’t bother to rush back upstairs.
Breakfast was positively amazing, and I took my time savoring every last morsel, even enjoying a second mug of tea once I’d scraped my plate clean. With my belly full and having no desire to venture even beyond the confines of the inn, I took advantage of the opportunity to figure a few things out.
I still had no idea where I was, but asking, ‘Hey, what continent am I on?’ seemed like a really good way to draw attention to myself—in a very bad way. Although I didn’t need any equipment, I broke with my earlier plan and left the inn to wander over to the town’s lone shop.
The place didn’t seem to cater to adventurers; most of the goods were useful for ordinary people in their daily lives, but the shelves lacked anything even remotely resembling a weapon. Still, there had to be something that could help me figure out where I was.
“Do you have any maps?” I asked the bespectacled older gentleman behind the counter. “I’m looking for something as complete as possible.”
With any luck, he’d have a map of the entire continent, perhaps one that might even include its name. Or, at least that was what I was praying for.
“I may have an old one in the back,” he looked me over carefully, taking particular note of the weapons strapped across my shoulders. “Give me a moment to take a look, um… Sentinel?”
I wasn’t sure what that meant, but the inflection he’d imparted to that last word made it sound like some sort of title; one that carried with it a certain amount of respect, or at least invoked a bit more effort on his part than he might have otherwise offered. I didn’t exactly confirm his suspicions, but neither did I deny them—I only inclined my head slightly towards him before he practically scurried away in search of the map I’d requested.
While the shopkeeper was busy with his errand, I took another look around the place. Although the shop was meticulously organized, I found nothing of interest. My review of the merchandise was cut rather short, however, when he returned far more quickly than I imagined. The old man held a tattered parchment, a large paper map that seemed more than big enough to display an entire continent. I knew literally anything could be depicted on the ancient scroll, yet I also couldn’t help the rising sense of anticipation I felt when he began to carefully unravel the map on the shop’s broad countertop.
A thick band of black outlined the perimeter of the large landmass shown on the parchment, with bold letters in the upper right corner marking the land as ‘Runía.’ The name was a familiar one, but I’d only heard it before in the context of a time when travel across the oceans was still possible. The departure of the Gods from the world allowed the monsters of the deep to regain control over the seas—sailing beyond sight of the shoreline had soon become too treacherous for anyone to dare.
Quickly scanning the parchment revealed nothing noted as the ‘Free Lands,’ or even a single political boundary of any sort. Although I’d discovered the continent I was on, there was little else I could decipher from the old map. After having deceived the shopkeeper into believing I was a Sentinel—whatever that was—I had to be careful about my inquiries, but even if I decided to resume my trek northwards, it would be useful to at least know where I was.
“This is somewhat embarrassing for me to admit, but I’m a bit lost,” I tried my best to impart a mixture of both authority and chagrin to my words as I stared forlornly at the map between us. “You see, I’ve been on a very long mission, and I have no idea where I am right now.”
“I understand, Sentinel.” The shopkeeper nodded back at me in comprehension. “Without one of the Lords’ towers to mark them, a little town such as this offers nothing to guide your path.”
“You’re here.” He helpfully pointed to a spot near the very center of the map. “I hope that is enough to show you the way back to your Master.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” I replied. Although there was much more I wanted to know, I was wary of pushing my luck any further.
“Yes, well, as much as we honor those you serve, we also enjoy the… anonymity of our little village.” He wrung his hands, filled with an obvious sense of caution. “You would best show your gratitude by not disclosing our location to any of the Nér-vrogan.”
“Your secret will be safe with me,” I offered the man a genuine smile, one he returned with a clear look of relief.
As I left the shop and returned to the inn, I considered what I’d managed to learn from the old man. Not only had I discovered which continent Noxyl had transported me to, but also where I was in that vast land. Although I had no idea how far I’d have to travel if I decided to resume searching for the Free Lands, I had discovered there were hidden villages that were apparently somewhat free from the nobles’ deprivations. His incorrect assessment of me had also revealed that something abou
t my appearance resembled those who served the Nér-vrogan overlords—ones he’d called Sentinels.
Although it had worked in my favor with the shopkeeper, I didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing. In fact, he’d been the only person so far to make such a connection. Maybe there was really nothing to it, merely a bit of mistaken identity, perhaps, yet it was also another thing that I was probably better off being aware of.
Once I arrived back at the inn, I made sure to pay for a few more nights in my room. The information I’d just gained only served to highlight the need to carefully plan my next move. Whatever that might be, my actions had positively ruled out staying in this sleepy little town; for as much as I’d learned, deceiving the shopkeeper had also ruined that option.
I spent the next few hours considering things but failed to decide on any course of action. There just wasn’t enough information for me to work with, and it seemed that no matter what I did, the odds would be stacked against me. Frustrated and having achieved nothing, I finally left my room and went downstairs to drown my worries in a few mugs of ale.
I sat at one of the empty tables and ordered my first drink, and as I took a deep sip of the frothy brew, my eyes caught sight of the handsome stranger I’d noticed the other evening. He seemed to share my interest, and I glanced away uncomfortably after he’d held my gaze for a long moment. I wasn’t quite used to being the subject of such genuine affection; my only prior experiences had been with the contemptible suitors who’d only seen me as a means to bring their families closer to the Goddess.
My attention was devoted to the depths of my mug when he slid into the seat beside me—I’d been so unsettled that I hadn’t even noticed him crossing the room. His sudden closeness set an entire swarm of butterflies loose in my stomach, alongside a sense of both nervousness and anticipation for what might soon follow. I took another deep sip from my mug, suppressing a bout of anxious fidgeting as I tried to hide my unease. The return of his charming, lopsided grin immediately settled the worst of my growing anxiety as he offered his name in greeting.
Second Skin: Wayward: A litRPG Adventure (Second Skin Book 7) Page 4