Book 3: Chapter 7 - The Guide (RAW)

*Finally was able to spit out this chapter! I've been wrestling with a major plot point while feverish. If anyone wants a free copy of Book 1, please DM me! 

Often I had wondered at how my friend had such a firm grasp of strategy and tactics, ostensibly without any formal training. It was from games from his childhood, of all things, that had schooled him thus, or so he said. But what sort of games were they from his land, that could teach the principles of logistics, battle lines, the correct order of battle, and the importance of morale and so on and so forth?

At other times, he would speak with profound depth, though in his delivery I could tell that perhaps the words were not his. Yet, in all of my own studies, I have found a single work that could have been his source of wisdom.

- From the diary of Damien de Savant.

A lifetime of grime and dirt covered the troglodyte, who I could see at such a close remove, was female. Dirty crude skins covered the important parts and matted hair threaded small bones gave her a most primitive, and now, dejected aspect. So ugly was this thing, that were it not for the fact that I had already identified this dweller of the dark as human, I would have seriously considered trying to improve my Monster Taming skill on it.

One saving grace was that the creature had stopped struggling.

“Take me to the surface,” I commanded flatly in their simple tongue, infusing my voice with as much menace as I could muster.

Confusion struggled with terror, before meek curiosity won out. “Surface?” she questioned, eyes growing wide with the unfamiliar word. Oddly innocent, like a child speaking its parent’s name for the first time.

“Yes,” I responded, drawing out the single syllable before pointing upwards.

“The place of the Bright Bright?” she exclaimed, eyes growing even wider in incredulity. Now that she knew that I wanted something from her, she realized that her life was in no danger, for the moment at least. With the fear lessening, she was slowly clawing back a semblance of control.

“If that is what you people call it,” was my flat reply. I decided to not expand upon my answer. Hopefully she would fill that void for me.

“But that,” she gulped for dramatic effect before continuing, “That is the place of the fire that always burns, and the winds that cut like blades. No, no, no, only demons walk on this surface ever since the bad times. So it said,” she blurted the last, shaking her head forlornly.

Annoyed. Irritated. How these emotions could grow. Why was it that no one would give me a straight and answer? Why was it that they talked in riddles? Was it in a pathetic attempt to stir interest in their little lives?

Before I knew it, I had begun squeezing hard. In a passing thought, I realized that my shield had disappeared to wherever it had come from. Probably into me, I mused. Damn this world and its total disregard for the conservation of mass.

The thing was choking. I lessened my grip, it would not serve my cause for me to kill my only source of information for this place. Going forward, perhaps I could curb my slightly homicidal tendencies if I spoke out the creature’s name.

“Zala” I demanded, the command echoing down into the deep beyond.

Zala stilled her pointless spluttering. Trembling, she continued on for a while, muttering unintelligible sounds that grated on my ears. I realized that my Identify spell had run out and cast the spell anew, allowing me to catch the tail end of her explanation, “No one goes to the surface, the place of the deadly Bright. Even if you go there, metal man, even you will enter the Lonely Dream.”

This drew a snort from me. I deigned to grace her with an explanation.

“Surface I have come, and to the surface I will return. Show me the way, Lonely Dream or not,” I said firmly. Hopefully exasperation had not infected my attempt at being menacing.

Was the fool simply prevaricating, buying time while the rest of her people marshalled more of their forces against me? The voices within hesitantly agreed that it was so, but more to the point, I could feel them urging me to leave this place. I decided that this little interview had gone on long enough. It was time to expediate things.

“Zala,Take me to the surface, or I will skin and gut you. Slowly.”

*

Ten steps became a hundred, and a hundred became a thousand. My guide before me had been most talkative until we had walked a few thousand more. Throat parched, Zala begged me for water and rest. Even the threat of death could be overcome by the body’s demands. Graciously, I allowed her to drink from one of my recently acquired skins, noting that at the very least that the water was not poisoned. Not that I would have cared with my ridiculously high Constitution attribute.

Zala had spoken of many things that I had not paid attention to. She had shifted from entreating me to turn back, to speaking about her family, no doubt in an attempt to win some sympathy, to the occasional useful tidbit about the flora and fauna here. To all of this, I simply answered with noncommittal grunts and the simple terse command, “Keep moving.”

I took the time to chew on some of my own rations, careful with my portions. The Scout ate some of her own before curling into a fetal ball, whimpering for a few seconds before sleep took her. Seeing her like this made me to start to think of her as a person, and not just a potential source of experience. Like this, I built the foundation of the walls that would allow me to curb my darker impulses. At least, until we reached the surface at least.

I did not rest in the traditional sense of sleep. Clearing my mind, or making my best attempt it, I settled back against the wall into a dazed state of semi-watchfulness. Thanks to this, my Stamina and Mana were recovering and ticking steadily upwards, albeit at a much reduced rate. After an indeterminable amount of time I was granted a reward.

You have learned Rest (lvl.4)

This disrupted my almost trance-like state, and not a moment too soon, as I heard a slithering sound of smooth scales wandering upon stone. Taking my sword in hand, I kicked Zala, causing her to squawk and jump up with fright. Stealth was never an option here, not with the glow of my Holy Aura.

Zala, in the interest of self-preservation, immediately scuttled behind me. I had no time to give it a second thought, as forked tongue entered my halo of light followed lazily by a scaled diamond-shaped head that would not have been out of place on a large dinosaur. This new creature had sharp bony ridges along its snout and its eyes were just blind unseeing orbs. It was dull white, the color of bone left under the summer sun. I heard a muttered mention of Zlesh, the word sounding vaguely familiar to my ears. As my wont, I cast an Identify on the monster before me.

Zlesh Viper - [Reptile lvl.22]

Health: 528/528

Stamina: 47/51

Mana: 5/5

It had a full ten levels on me, and truly represented a real threat. Unlike the joke that was Iasis’s trial, this beast before me was a real and present danger. Slowly, I backed away, bumping into Zala. I had not come this far to die here.

Something made me stop. Perhaps it was the way that the creature did not immediately attack, or it could have simply been primal instinct, but something of this world told me that for some mysterious reason that the animal before was no threat. For now, at least.

I stilled myself as the creature came within striking distance of my sword, its tongue constantly tasting the air. I gripped my weapon, trying to still my breath, my nerves strung taut even as an obnoxious notification played across my vision.

You have gained 1 Luck.

Sinuously the ridged head passed me, followed by its smooth undulating body. It was a gigantic serpent. At around ten heart beats later, I saw a large bump in its midsection that caused me to breathe a mental sigh of relief. It seemed that the Zlesh had fed recently, and unlike man, and for that matter felines, it would not engage in wanton killing.

A part of me almost felt belittled that it did not view me as a threat.

Once I could no longer hear its slithering movements, I breathed out a true sigh of relief and felt the stress of the moment leave me. Zala was a trembling wreck behind me, but I soon corrected the situation by cuffing her across the head and kicking her to get her started. Whimpering, she continued to walk ahead. I could not afford to show further weakness.

With luck, the path ahead would be free from further dangers.