Chapter 287: A Day in the Life of a Mentor (Patreon)

You have left a safe zone.

“Alright,” I said, stopping the twins at the edge of the village. “Time to decide where we’re going.”

I looked at the two questioningly.

“Don’t look at us,” Terence said. “We’ve died every time we left the village.”

“I’ve been out of the sector for over a year,” I said patiently. “You two must know the valley better than me by now.”

The pair exchanged glances. “We know the location of a few lairs,” Teresa began hesitantly, “but nothing with monsters we’re up to fighting.” She glanced down at her new gear. “Even in this.”

“Don’t worry about the creatures’ levels,” I said. “I’ll do the tanking.”

That earned me skeptical looks.

I laughed. “Don’t worry, you’ll see. Now tell me.”

The two started speaking, cautiously at first, then more confidently, describing all the monster dens and lairs they’d been to or heard tell off from the tavern’s patrons.

It made for a long list, but not one minute into their recital, I knew where we were going. I didn’t stop them, though. I listened attentively throughout but heard no mention of dire wolves. It boded well, and I began to feel better about the pack’s chances.

“So where should we go?” Terence asked as they ran down.

“East,” I responded laconically. Turning in that direction, I headed for the treeline.

“Where east?” Teresa asked as the twins hurried to catch up.

“East east,” I said, not above exacting a small measure of revenge for the pair’s early morning obstinance.

“That’s not an answer,” Teresa snapped.

Ignoring the girl’s glower and betraying no sign of my amusement, I kept walking. I noticed, though, that Terence had lost interest in the conversation and was eyeing the nearing treeline with visible concern. Casually, I let my gaze slide to Teresa. She, too, was shooting the approaching forest unhappy glances.

They’re afraid, I realized.

“We’re heading to the valley’s eastern mountain slopes,” I said, taking pity on them.

The twins’ gazes jerked back to me.

“But there is nothing there except…” Terence’s brows drew down.

“… the fire lizards’ lair,” Teresa finished, her eyes growing round. “We can’t fight those things!”

“You can,” I said firmly. “And you will.”

I had two reasons for my choice of hunting grounds. The eastern mountain range was where the pack had taken refuge from the wyvern mother the last time, and I expected if the dire wolves were to be found anywhere in the valley, it was there. No harm in doing a little scouting while I help these two.

The second reason, of course, was that if I was going to spend the day shepherding the youths, there was no reason why I couldn’t get in some training too. And the fire lizards sounded like the ideal creatures with which to build up my elemental resistance.

Teresa opened her mouth—to lodge another protest, I expected—but fell silent as a squad of players exited the treeline. I tensed before realizing they were not Marauders.

The soldiers, dressed in unrelieved black, walked—no, marched—in a disciplined column and wore a recognizable insignia on their arms: the raging bull of Tartar.

Legionnaires, I thought.

At the head of the column of nearly one hundred soldiers was a half-orc, also familiar. Ultack. Did that mean Cecilia was around too? I couldn’t spot any sign of her, though, and I returned my attention to the company commander. By the look of it, Ultack was doing well. Not only was he a full member of the legion, but he was also an officer by all appearances.

I wonder if he still remembers me.

Ducking my head, I watched the soldiers draw closer. They wouldn’t get near enough to recognize me if they kept on their current trajectory. Still, I wasn’t reassured.

“You know them?” Teresa asked in a worried whisper.

“Quiet,” I ordered in a low voice, and for a wonder, she fell silent as we maintained our heading.

I needn’t have worried about being recognized, though. No one in the legionnaire company spared us a glance, and in hindsight, I understood why. Three lone players posed no threat to a group one hundred strong—at least not on the face of it.

The tartans passed us by, and I relaxed. “I knew some of them,” I said, finally answering Teresa’s question, “from when I was in the valley before.”

“You think they’ll recruit us?” Terence asked hopefully.

I rolled my eyes at the boy’s obsession with joining a faction. “No, and before you ask, I will not put in a good word for you.”

Before either youth could think of how to respond, I hurried my steps and slipped beyond the treeline.

✵ ✵ ✵

The village’s immediate surroundings were quieter than expected, and while more than one group of soldiers drew close to our small party, I successfully steered us past without being spotted.

After we put a few miles between us and the safe zone, we ran into no other groups, and I began to relax. The valley’s southeastern side seemed as abandoned as its southwestern one.

“You sure we’re heading the right way?” Terence asked me for what felt like the hundredth time.

I nodded easily.

Both youths had grown unusually tight-lipped once we entered the trees—not that I minded the silence—and I could tell they were tense. The dense underbrush, the looming trees, and the constant cries of predators and prey had them on edge.

“What are you looking for?” I asked after Terence stared too-long stare at an inoffensive piece of shrubbery.

“Threats,” he said, not looking away from the bush.

“There’s nothing there,” I told him mildly.

“You can’t be sure of that,” he retorted.

“Actually, I can,” I said, tapping my head. “My hearing is better than yours, and on top of that, I have other abilities to detect the approach of hostiles. We’re safe.”

Despite my words, Terence did not look reassured.

“Trust me,” I said gently. “There was a reason you asked me to accompany you on this trip. I know what I’m doing.”

Reluctantly, Terence broke his standoff with the bush, and we continued on our way. The exchange kicked off another flurry of whispers between the twins, and this time, I declined to listen in.

After a moment, Teresa spoke up. “I’m sorry, Michael, we’re not normally this jumpy. It’s just...” She exhaled mightily. “The forest has not been kind to us.”

“I understand. Having your entire company wiped out would give anyone cause for nerves.” I smiled reassuringly. “Just try to keep it together a little longer, and we’ll be out of these woods.”

“I hope so,” Terence said fervently.

Cutting short further conversation, we resumed our hike east.

✵ ✵ ✵

Nearly an hour later, we reached our destination. Both twins exhaled audibly as we broke out of the trees.

“We’re here,” I said.

“We are?” Terence asked, studying the empty mountainside.

“The lair is about half a mile north, but yes, we are.” I pointed out a shadowed cavity in the mountainside. “There. That looks exactly like the cave entrance your tavern patron described.”

The twins squinted in the direction I pointed. “I don’t see anything,” Teresa complained.

“It’s there,” I assured them.

“Are you sure about this?” Terence asked. “The fire lizards are rumored to be rank six creatures. We’re nowhere near ready to face that.”

“Don’t worry. That’s what I’m here for.”

“You still planning on tanking them?” he asked, nonplussed.

I nodded.

“But how?” Teresa asked. “They do as much fire damage as physical damage, and you’re no mage.” She made a show of peering behind me. “Unless you’re hiding a magic shield somewhere I don’t see.”

I chuckled. But despite my amusement, I realized I would have to reassure the pair. Otherwise, they would be too on edge in the coming skirmish, and instead of focusing on their own roles would be worrying if I was doing my part.

“I have a type of fire resistance skill that I plan on training. I will draw the lizards’ attacks and hold their attention while you two strike from the flanks, scoring the kills. How does that sound?”

“Sounds easier said than done,” Terence muttered. Teresa nodded in agreement.

Ignoring their ambivalence, I led the pair up the mountain slope. “It will be fine,” I assured them again.

It seemed like I was doing a lot of that today.

✵ ✵ ✵

It was a short walk to the cave mouth, although more correctly, it was a tunnel entrance. The fire lizards were nesting inside the mountain itself, and the cave we’d spotted was only the start of a long, dark winding tunnel to get there.

Predictably, the twins were not enthused by the idea of exploring inside.

“Won’t it be better to draw the creatures out?” Teresa asked. “That’s what Hengis’ party did.” Hengis was a former tavern patron and the twins’ source. He was how they’d known about the lair in the first place.

I shook my head. “That won’t work.” I gestured to the wide-open mountainside. “Out here, the creatures can come at us from multiple directions. We’ll be overrun in no time, and I won’t be able to protect you two.”

“But it’s dark in there,” Terence protested. “How will we even be able to see?”

“I can see well enough in the dark, and there is plenty of brush and kindling lying about. Create some torches if you must,” I said, striving to be patient. The pair were young and had seen more death than they should have. Understandably they were fearful, and they knew little of my abilities. “Besides,” I said, grinning, “once the fire lizards start attacking, there will be enough light to see by.”

That did not earn me any answering smiles. I sighed. I don’t think I’m cut out for this mentoring business.

“Hengis said it was too dangerous to enter the lair,” Teresa said. “Are you sure about this strategy?”

I didn’t roll my eyes, but I wanted to. Hengis and his party had fled the valley before they ever returned to the lair, which is why no one but the twins knew about the fire lizards. Still, from everything I’d heard about the ‘great’ Hengis, I doubted his party had been up to the task of clearing the lair. I said none of that, though.

Deciding the time for talking was done, I drew ebonheart and faithful. “I’m going in. Follow me if you wish.”

I stepped into the tunnel. After only a few feet, it turned sharply, cutting off the light from the entrance. I paused to listen. The twins were still talking, the sounds of their furious whispering at the cave mouth carrying clearly to me. Leaving them to it, I advanced farther.

Finally, I heard a match strike behind me, marking the sound of two torches being lit. I snorted softly. For all the pair’s complaints, they’d come well prepared. Drawing to a halt, I waited for them to catch up.

The twins took their time, alertly scanning their surroundings before taking each step. I did not admonish them for their slowness. With danger so close, their caution was warranted.

Both youths moved in lockstep with one another. Terence held his shield in his offhand and Teresa, one of her blades. They function well as a unit, I thought.

“Good. You came,” I said as they drew to a halt before me. “Now, you two hang back. I don’t want the lizards to be alerted to our presence before we are ready for them. Understood?”

Curt nods were my only response.

Even better, I thought. Now that the fight was nearly upon us, the pair had given up on their incessant questions and arguments. This might just work, after all.

Opening my mindsight and wrapping myself in shadows, I resumed my careful advance.