The Adventures Of Julius Drywood (Patreon)

Here's the first short story I wrote in this universe, just in case you forgot, since I'm tasked with a new chapter every month now. The forest wasn't dense, at least not in this part of it, but Julius had been bumbling around for quite some time in spite of the map he was now peering at quizzically. A tiny dot was labeled with his own name and another with the word destination, and an approximate distance. Apart from that the map was blank. He took a step forward and watched the distance number climb slightly. Turning around, he took two paces in the opposing direction. The number decreased. Scowling, Julius brushed a leaf from his dark hair and began walking again. It had, perhaps, been a mistake to simply take the map without looking at it first, but when one is handed a map one expects certain things. Topography, for example. When the intermediary handed him the rolled up hide Julius had simply assumed, as would most anyone, that the map would be more than a simple enchantment on a bit of animal skin. This expectation had carried him a fair way into the woods with a confidence that was unwarranted. By the time the trail ran out he was too far in to even think of walking back for an additional map. He forged ahead and was initially pleased by the simplicity of the enchanted map, until the stream. He scowled at the memory kept fresh by his soaking pants. It looked shallow enough to walk across, and most of it had been. For reasons know only to whatever force controls geology a deep trench had been scraped along the bottom of the river bed. At first it sloped gradually, but near the center of the water it simply dropped off and he was partially plunged into ice cold mountain water. His love affair with the map began to ebb away from that point forward. Somehow Julius had managed to stay on schedule, although he was far more tired than he wanted to be because of his, magically inspired, straight path travel. Now he was very near his destination. A laborious scramble put him on a ridge that looked down into a wooded valley. He could make out a stone structure built into one edge almost hidden by the trees. At least this bit would be downhill. He attempted a step, but found his right foot held, quite firmly, where it was. A pair of roots were slowly tightening around his ankle. With a weary sigh he pulled his shortbow from his back. Scanning the ground he quickly found the source of his problem. A willowy tree, several yards away, had vaguely feminine features. A face was nearly obscured by drooping leaves, but he could clearly see a playful smile. He held up his bow so that it gleamed clearly in a ray of light. The tree grinned even wider. “I'm sorry” He yelled, with his free hand cupped to his mouth. “I'm kind of in a hurry. Maybe when I'm finished, okay?” The roots had stopped moving, but they hadn't released him either. The branches of the tree seemed to droop forlornly. The smile faded into a pout. Unfortunately patience Julius might have had for this creature earlier had been spent on a certain bit of cartographic equipment. He fumbled with his quiver for a moment. Two arrows later he found the one he was looking for. One with a sickly purple amber covering the head. He aimed it at the roots and looked towards his new friend. “I really must insist.” He called out. The woody face turned away haughtily, albeit much more slowly than would produce the same effect for a human woman, and the roots slowly released their grip. Julius replaced his gear, took a step away, then pitched a candy onto the ground near his former captor's “feet”, which began transporting it back to her immediately. The hits just keep coming, he thought to himself as he began stumbling down the slightly steep wall of the valley. After several long minutes of hazardous scrambles Julius finally found himself on mostly level ground. He glanced at his map just to make sure the stone structure was, in fact, his goal and trudged onward. As he moved closer signs of other architecture became more frequent. Bits of wall and road peppered the mossy ground where trees hadn't decided to be. The forest became more and more thin as he walked. Soon he could see a clearing in the distance, and at the edge of that clearing stood a woman in light armor. He slowed his pace even more. People in armor had a tendency to dislike him before getting to know know him on a personal level. Caution was in order. He crept a few more paces forward and crouched behind a log. Carefully he retrieved his bow again, taking aim with no arrow. He looked into the space where an arrow should have been and the tall, blonde, woman was suddenly brought into crystal clear focus. Her armor was blue with gold trim and of a style popular with Elven dragoons. Her mane of hair and green cape moved gracefully in the slight wind. She was leaning casually on a pike with a blade as clear as diamond... and she was looking right at him. There was no way she could see him. If elves could see this far they wouldn't need magical bows... Maybe it was happenstance. Yes, happenstance. Out of all the possible directions she could be facing she was looking directly at where he was crouching, and grinning wryly... for no reason. As Julius studied her face he couldn't help but notice that it didn't look exactly elfish. She was probably half or less, but her ancestors still must have been exceptionally attractive and passed it right down the line. Her whole face was involved in her adorable smile and he studied it intensely. A few stray hairs fell across one side and she brushed them away gently, then pointed at one of her sky blue eyes. She then flicked one of her very large ears and pointed at him. “I could hear you,” thought Julius, rolling his eyes at his own incompetence. There was no point in pretending he was hidden now. Hopping over the log, he set off towards this seemingly good natured person. She watched him make the entire, laborious, trek down the mild incline. He fussed and struggled with his cloak as it caught on brambles, stumbled here and there, and was remarkably entertaining. If he hadn't been flailing around so much she would never have been able to see where he was. His clothing perfectly matched the coloration of his current environment. The distinct sound of cursing and exasperation radiated away from him with every slight failure. In spite of all this he made good time and soon she could make out his features more clearly. His hair was shoulder length, and parted in the middle. It was managing itself quite well considering its master was whipping it to and fro, like and idiot, at random intervals. In the moments when he was struggling against invisible enemies she could make out weapon handles on each side of his hips. Whoever he was he was well armed in spite of how shabby he looked. Although she was having a hard time seeing this odd man as a danger to anyone but himself. Rather than stand and wait she decided to to go back to the shaded spot where she'd been sitting, before she heard him trampling the foliage. At length he marched, with as much dignity as he could amass, into the little clearing. She leaned forward, hanging on her pike, and grinned broadly at him. He couldn't help but notice her prominent front teeth, which were not very elf like at all. “Hello.” He said after a long moment. “Hello.” She grinned back melodiously. Julius held his map out. The two dots had been replaced with text. She read it aloud. “You have reached your destination.” She held out her own map. The same text stared back at him. “These things are terrible.” She said. “You should have used a proper map.” “We see most clearly that which has passed.” He replied, slumping onto a patch of moss. “Are you my client, or another member of the party?” “The latter. I'm an associate loremaster, or mistresse if you prefer to be specific.” And with a wiggle of her spear she added. “In addition to other potentially useful skills.” She rose and offered a hand. Julius did likewise, but found himself looking up at her which, at a tad over six feet himself, was atypical when greeting a woman. Up close she was more majestic than he was emotionally prepared for. He instantly felt shabby and the sensory perfection that was touching her hand didn't help this feeling at all. “Julius Drywood.” was all he managed to sputter out. “Niona Black.” She smiled down at him. “Black?” He said, desperately trying to gather composure. “So you're not an Elf?” “No, my grandfather was, but I'm too far removed for them to claim me.” She rolled her eyes. “You know how some families are. Granddad was the black sheep.” He did know know how they were. At least, he knew how the portion she was talking about was. Particularly old, well off, Elven families were wildly racist. Judging by the resplendence of her armor, which was likely enchanted to adapt to suit whoever put it on, Niona's relations were probably extremely rich and extremely horrible. It must have been quite a scandal when he married her grandmother. Up this close Julius could do nothing but empathize with him. If her grandmother was a quarter as enchanting as Niona she probably had him spellbound as soon as she said hello too. Suddenly Julius realized he'd been shaking her had longer, and more vigorously, than he had intended, and jerked it away awkwardly. She hadn't noticed apparently. “When grandpa left all he had was this armor.” Niona continued as she returned to her seat. “He made his entire fortune on his own. Well... not on his own exactly, I guess. Grandma helped.” She pointed at her spearhead. “She was quite the weapon smith in her day.” A thought arced across his mind as he gawked at the blade. “You're grandmother is Gretchen Black!?” He exclaimed, looking from her weapon back to her a few times before becoming self aware again. Niona nodded and grinned. “That spear... It must be priceless!” She nodded again. There was a long silence while his consciousness was overwhelmed these revelations and his reactions to them. Eventually one question managed to work its way out of his face. “Why in the world would the granddaughter of Gretchen Black be scavenging with the likes of me?” He blurted out. “Intellectual curiosity” she laughed. “I want to know why the last group didn't come back.” “Didn't come back...” Said Julius, turning towards the stone archway a few meters away. “Nobody told me anything about a prior expedition...” “Why did you take the job then?” She asked cocking her head to the side. “The guildmaster told me it was just some basic trap spotting and...” He hesitated. “Some reverse lock smithing...” “Uh huh...” She said. “Either he thinks very highly of you, or is trying to get you killed.” Julius considered this for a moment. “Could go either way really...” He smiled. She giggled. “So, you're what, a grave robber? A theif?” Julius winced a little at her candor. “How do you describe your talents to a client?” “Rogue is the diplomatic term.” His fingers fidgeted with themselves as he spoke. “But both of those things... And more... And worse... Have been accurate... To varying degrees and at various times. But I assure you, in spite of the negative connotations associated with my abilities, I am very trustworthy. At the best of times I'm more like a locksmith. I open things for the right reasons.” “A common thief would hardly use connotations in a sentence, I expect.” She grinned. “Quite...” He replied. “I'm a fair hand in a fight too. Though I prefer to avoid those sorts of entanglements.” By way of proof he drew an arm across himself and drew a weapon. Niona had never seen its like. It wasn't exactly a sword, but it was longer than a dagger. The closest thing she could classify it as would have to be a machete, but it was modified, if that was indeed what it started as. She held a hand out and Julius relinquished his strange armament. There was little elegance to it, but she had to admit it suited its master. Most of the blade was meant for hacking and was clearly balanced for that task, and precisely so, but the end of the blade was angled to the spine to a fine point. With enough force he could probably penetrate armor with it. Possibly far enough to give an aggressor pause. For some reason she got the impression he had fashioned the odd thing himself. Perhaps an interest in weapon crafting was how he guessed her lineage so quickly. “Did you make this?” She hazarded. “A long time ago.” He said. “Unfortunately I've gotten used to them. Don't know what I'd do if I lost one. Probably couldn't make another one after all this time.” She handed handed back his dagger, for lack of a better word and cast an eye towards his bow. “I take it you didn't make that.” She said nodding at it. “No, no, that would be a feat well beyond me.” He replied, handing it to her. “I found this on a job and was given it after.” She raised an eyebrow. “I swear to it” He said, raising a hand. “This was a princely gift...” She mused, turning it over in her hands. “Older than my armor... Enchanted too I shouldn't wonder.” “Draw it as if to aim.” He instructed. Niona complied and was noticeably startled by the telescopic effect. “How fantastic!” She smiled. “How did you ever convince the owner to part with it?” “He was a fool.” Scowled Julius. “Only wanted gold. No idea of the value of such a thing. I expect he thought he was cheating me.” “Serves him right then.” She laughed, returning the bow. “You could buy a plantation for the price of that.” “No.” He smiled. “This is a once in a lifetime get. I'm actually surprised you could identify it.” “Such are the incredible powers of the loremistresse!” She laughed, raising her arms above her head. “Well, you've certainly proven your story.” He laughed. “And you.” She replied. They returned to their seats and silenced filled the space between them for a moment. After considering the sky for a few seconds Niona spoke again. “What shall we do till the others show up?” She asked. Julius thought it over. “There's a dryad at the edge of the valley that seemed lonely.” he replied. “We could go ask it questions about the area if it speaks English, or you know whatever their language is called.” “Oh neat!” She exclaimed, and in moments he found himself struggling up the slope again after her, regretting having said anything. Niona did not know enough forest talk to be conversational, but the dryad knew an archaic form of Elvish that she could parse out. Julius felt a little like a third wheel,but every so often Niona would give him a synopsis of the conversation. The dryad's name translated to something like “the first ray of light passing through moring dew”. Which Niona mashed around into Dew Beam after his suggestion of Sunny Dew was voted down. Dew had been in that part of the forest for a very long time and seen much. Not the origin of the temple in the valley wall, but many things none the less. She didn't have an accurate count of time, or perhaps her perception of it was different, but Niona couldn't pin her age down. Generations older than either of them at any rate. More recently she had seen the first scouting party enter the temple gate, but they never returned. A bad sign to be sure. Of course, if foul play had been involved it was still possible that the surviving party members slunk away after backstabbing the rest. Julius had to admit, however, that theory seemed unlikely. In her loneliness Dew Beam seemed to have kept a close eye on the visitors. Once the conversation switched to being about things like how pretty Dew thought Niona's hair was, and displays of her ability to mimic the humanoid body, Julius excused himself. By the time the sun began to set he was sure the rest of the team wouldn't be arriving. It was doubly irritating since he'd gone to so much trouble to get there at the appointed time. Niona arrived at his makeshift camp as the last light of the setting sun faded away beyond the walls of the valley. Dew Beam had offered to guard the campsite on her side of the valley wall, so Julius put his back to it on his portion of the night watch. Niona stripped down to her small clothes with no outward consideration for modesty, and it took every ounce of Julius's will not to leer at her in hopes that her image would sear itself into his eyes forever. Once she was snugly rolled up in her noticeably clean and ostentatious bedroll he was able to settle in for a boring few hours. The forest was alive with sounds. Which is much better than a quiet one. When nature goes silent that means something isn't right and tonight every nocturnal creature seemed completely at ease, and willing to give away its general position to who ever might be listening. It was all Julius could do to stay awake. Eventually, as his mind began to wander, his eyes fell upon the crumbling temple gate. It was barely visible in the firelight. He'd set up camp as far away from it as he could in fact. Something about it was wrong. He was more and more sure of this feeling as the light had begun to ebb away. Being far from it seemed like a very good idea. Now, under the light of the stars, it looked the very picture of ominous dread. The longer he looked at it the more it seemed like he could hear the sound of slow breathing. Eventually he turned back to the forest at large, but some portion of his consciousness continued to monitor the gate from his periphery for the rest of his watch. Eventually Niona stirred and cheerfully relieved him, although she did so without putting on any more clothing, which made falling asleep a herculean task afterwords. Exhaustion eventually overtook him though, and he settled into a decent sleep. When he woke up he was on his side, leaning against a warm, soft, something that was doing likewise to him. He rolled over to see what it was and nearly passed out as Niona slid her back snugly against his belly in her sleep. Language fails to accurately describe the complex emotion soup Julius was feeling. Even through his clothing he could tell Niona had the nearest to perfect female body he had ever, and likely would ever, encounter. Conflict arose between factions in his mind. Part of it was just happy to be alive, to be experiencing this. Another part was annoyed, both with the embarrassment this situation would likely cause in the future, and about the fact that he had done his whole watch while Niona apparently decided it was okay to go to sleep. It wasn't done in a haze of drowsiness either. She had placed her blankets over his and slid her bedroll flush with his own. She had done this on purpose... The thought did a few laps in his head. Was this a hint? He was terrible at reading women, but they did seem to have a certain kind of connection. She smiled and laughed a lot more than was usual for a first encounter. Did that mean anything? Had he failed to pick up on the signals? Maybe she was impressed with his knowledge of armaments. Who would be impressed by that? What was going on here!? While the intelligent portion of his mind began its decent into madness the instinctual part offered up a course of action to the motor control centers. We should just put our had on her hip and see what happens. It suggested calmly. If she moves it we just get up and walk away. If she doesn't... Julius became aware of his hand moving. It reached Niona's waist and all the noise in his head was replaced by complete focus on what he was feeling there. It slid a little further down to the curve of her hip and stopped. She rustled a bit. He braced himself for having his hand broken, wishing now that they were reversed in position and he was using his off hand. She began to turn towards him, his hand sliding across her tummy as she rolled. Her sleepy eyes met his and she grinned her toothy grin. “I was cold.” Julius was at a loss. The expression wasn't one of seduction. She looked as if wadding herself up against whatever person was warmest was completely natural and not an invitation to amorous activity. At length he posed a question. “Why aren't you keeping watch?” Niona motioned her head backwards. He followed the movement across the imaginary line and saw a tree standing where none had been before. “She must have spent your whole watch wandering down here.” Niona explained. “I figured she would be more than enough protection, so I went to bed again.” Her logic was sound. Most animals had sense enough to give dryads, and indeed most treefolk, their personal space. Which is why it wasn't uncommon for the very rich to keep them as guards. That was also why Julius was familiar enough with them to know they were basically harmless unless stirred up. Much like with a dog you could get past them with the appropriate treat. This trusting nature was probably part of why there weren't a lot of them left. Dew Beam was swaying gently in the moring sun. Apparently oblivious of their awkward situation. Julius turned his attention back to Niona. “Is is time to get up? She asked. “Uh... I suppose it is.” He said after a brief pause. With that she spryly hopped to her feet, whipped the blankets around, separated them, and flung his gracefully back upon him. He blanket wrapped around her like a fluffy cape leaving her exquisite form disappointingly obscured. She retrieved a moist towel from a device that Julius guessed somehow collected dew and began sponging herself down here and there. “I'd kill for a shower.” She mused. On this point they were in agreement. The filth was one of his least favorite parts of this adventurous lifestyle. He gazed longingly at the little cloth as she rubbed it vigorously up and down her leg. Niona wasn't sure if it was the cloth he was staring at or not. Just as a test she held it away from herself for a few moments, casually, while pretending not to be following his eyes, which followed its movements. It was actually a little disheartening. He hadn't attempted to make a move on her, and now he was looking at her washcloth rather than her glistening leg, which she knew was really quite fantastic. “Do you want a go?” She said, wiggling the little towel at him. Julius nodded vigorously. Niona dipped it in its little reservoir and wrung it out a little. Then she whipped it at him with a degree of speed and accuracy he was not at all prepared for. As it impacted upon his face with a stinging, wet, slap he couldn't help but notice that the little washcloth smelled of Niona dipped in strawberries. There's was something weirdly intimate about wiping himself down with the little towel. Although at the same time he wasn't sure it was more sanitary than stewing in his own juices... That said it certainly felt better and smelled better, so whatever. There was some question in his mind about how thorough he should be with someone else's cleaning supplies. In the end he decided to keep things above the waist. That said, once he got started he wasn't shy about getting as clean as possible. Niona was nearly finished setting up for breakfast when she noticed Julius was still wiping himself down. It was pretty amusing. How this strangely awkward man was supposed to be a locksmith was beyond her. He was now trying to mime having his back scrubbed at Dew Beam who was enthusiastically trying, but clearly not understanding. When he handed her the cloth she simply looked at it for a moment then made a game of keeping it from him. By the time he had clambered up one of her arms Niona was laughing so hard she was feeling faint. It was distracting enough that Julius was able to retrieve the washcloth and wander back over to the little basin with dignity, or whatever it was he had left. After he finished up he strode casually over to the fire and sat down with as much confidence as he could scrounge up. Niona was on the ground in a little ball, weeping from laughter. At length she was able to compose herself and sit up. Julius was as red a humanly possible, but committed to his charade of casual disinterest. Niona did not make eye contact for a few moments while she adjusted strips of bacon in her pan. Once it was settled in she finally turned to him. “Are we feeling springtime fresh?” She asked, deteriorating into a fit of laughter before she was even finished. “As clean as a summer rain...” He replied, slumping forward, giving up all pretense of confidence. Niona eventually composed herself enough to converse naturally again. “You are very entertaining.” She offered. “I was afraid this trip was going to be dull.” “I bring a wide range of skills besides my mastery of traps, locks, and what have you.” He replied. “I feel that keeping the party entertained is crucial to morale and eventual success.” “Well, you're doing a cracking job!” She grinned. The rest breakfast was less eventful. Niona's camping set was far and away better than anything Julius had ever seen. It was practically a civilized meal. How she had managed to lug it all out here was beyond him. For an academic she was in uncommonly good shape was all he could say. Maybe the books she liked were exceptionally heavy. If her range of knowledge was any indication they had to the biggest books in the world. There was virtually no topic she couldn't speak about. He was beginning to wonder why they needed him at all. Niona seemed more than capable of understanding even complex mechanical locks, and disarming fiendish traps. Maybe he was just the spare. After the best outdoors meal he'd ever had the little band trekked to a high point and tried to see if anyone was coming their way. The most anyone could see was birds being disturbed here and there, but it seemed to be coming closer. If it was people they were making good time. It was approaching noon by the time their suspicions were confirmed. A dark haired elf with a hawkish nose strode haughtily into camp. He looked harried, but determined to take control of the situation. His bearing suggested he was of noble birth, but he was dressed in a manner that would have looked at home on Julius. His armor was well worn and leather mostly, dyed a sad blue green. At his side was a slim, thrusting, sword breaker, and there appeared to be a violin case slung across his back. “Hello Regalius.” (reh-gay-lee-us) Chirped Niona. His scowl had fallen on Julius and hardened considerably, but upon hearing Niona's voice it melted away as if he'd never even laid eyes on him. “Niona!” He exclaimed. “You beat us here. Even with your disability you manage to shame me again!” “Disability?” Julius mumbled at her. “He means my lineage” She snorted. “Backhanded is the only kind of compliment he's familiar with.” “I meant no offense, dear lady!” Regalius interjected. “It's okay.” Niona smiled. “You're so amazing you can be offensive without even trying.” “My apologies...” He mumbled. “My tongue outpaces my head where you are concerned.” “It kind of does that all the time actually, but you're getting better at least.” She replied. “Fancy some lunch?” “You are too kind.” He said, taking a seat in front of Dew Beam, apparently unaware that she was anything other than a tree. In his defense she had been doing little more than swaying in the sunlight for a while now and hadn't taken any notice of him either. “Make a fire, will you?” Niona asked Regalius, pointing at the pile of sticks Julius had tossed in the fire pit. He expected the dark elf to start fiddling with a tinderbox or something, but instead he readied his fiddle and rose from his seat. Regalius fixed a hawkish sneer to his face which he directed at the kindling and began to play. The tune was quick, syncopated, and Julius had to admit, reminded him of fire. A few seconds in the wood burst into flame so violently it made Julius jump and Dew Beam scream. The scream was so peircing and unexpected that Regalius nearly pitched into the fire in his mad scramble to escape it and observe the source. “By the stars! A dryad!” He gasped. “It was nearly upon us! You, thief, cover me! I'll make short work of it!” Julius stayed where he was, confounded partially by being addressed at all and partly by being addressed as thief. Regalius, however was already starting his song of flame again, but with more intensity than the campfire had been portioned. Dew Beam was simply scooting gingerly away from the fire towards Niona, who was the only one unmoved by the ruckus. She picked up her spear, and casually gave Regalius a light jab to the stomach, one armed, with the blunt end. He crumpled like a blanket. “She's a friend, doofus.” She scolded, barely looking up from the frypan. “Of course...” Coughed Regalius. “How... foolish of me... not to notice.... Even... the trees wish... nothing more... than to be near you...” Julius had to admit, in spite of his irritating nature, Regalius's overt devotion to Niona was kind of endearing. Against his better judgement he offered him a hand up. “For future reference,” He instructed. “my name is Julius.” “Of course, I'd forgotten.” Replied Regalius. “It was I who brokered your employment in our cause.” It suddenly occurred to Julius that Regalius was likely the one who saddled him with the useless magical map. He considered letting him fall back down again, but his better nature won out. As Julius helped Regalius to his feet he became aware of another presence in camp. How long she'd been there, was unclear, but no one seemed to have noticed in the commotion. The silent figure was apparently taking in the scene, arms crossed under her dirty white robes, features obscured by her hood. Once Regalius was righted he took notice of her too. “Commander!” He sputtered. “That was-” “Typical.” She said, cutting him off. “Once we're down that hole that sort of nonsense will not be a luxury we will have.” An arm flipped open one side of her cloak and took hold of a truly impressive mace. Except it appeared as though her arms were still folded across her front. His brain did the math and Julius gaped in spite of himself. If she took any notice there was no sign of it. The remarkably busty cleric simply tossed her weapon down, casually, next to one of their makeshift seats. Once settled she removed her hood and surveyed the campsite. She was redheaded, and said hair was cut in a boyish fashion. It was rebelling somewhat here and there, but overall the look suited her face perfectly. It was a face he recognized, but he could hardly believe it. He'd seen it before. He'd seen it on posters. In fact, he'd seen most of her, in various stirring images, all over the country, but he'd always assumed they were exaggerations. Two places in particular, but in actuality she lived up to those images and then some. He was completely unable to regain control of his face. Eventually her gaze lit upon him. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head, as if she expected him to give her a report. “You're... the hammer of god!” Was all he managed to blurt out. Her eyes moved past him and on to Regalius. “He's a quick one.” She intoned pleasantly. “Where'd you find him?” “He came very highly recommended!” Regalius said, sounding accused. “The best in his guild by all accounts!' Julius looked to Niona for support, but she was completely unmoved by the revelation that the commander of the entire land's military was just sitting there. Niona looked up from her pan briefly. “Want some lunch, Alina?” Alina nodded and let herself slide onto the soft ground. Once she was settled again she looked back to Julius, who had placed him self under the shade, and possible protection, of Dew Beam. “You gonna tell me your name?” Asked Alina. “You already know mine apparently.” It was true. Practically everyone in the country and almost everyone in all the others knew about Alina Redgrave. The youngest commander ever to lead the army and only the third female to do so. Promoted in battle when the previous commander fell, along with most of the elite guard, she had successfully defended the city gate with, basically, a group of students as backup. “Julius Drywood.” he replied hoarsely. All the moisture seemed to have left his mouth. It slowly began to dawn on Julius that they were all veterans of that battle, but Alina had been chosen as the face of the legend. A feeling of intense inadequacy began to wash over him. That was six years ago. She couldn't be older than 24. He had been in the capital that day. It would have been a slaughter if she hadn't turned aside wave upon wave of reanimated dead. They called her Redwall, The Crimson Thunder, The Hammer Of God, and many other names hinting at how unstoppable she was. None of them were exaggerations. He'd been close enough to see her fight. The ground shook when she struck it. Waves of force rippled away, making the ground look like water. She was a living legend, and to top it all off she was breathtaking. He was completely awstruck. Between her and Niona it was almost too much beauty to have in such close proximity. Even Regalius seemed to appreciate what he was experiencing. “I thought this might happen.” He explained. “But I could hardly tell the guild master who I was hiring him for...” Alina nodded. “He'll get over it in a minute.” She replied, casting her gaze back over Julius. “I don't think I could ever get over meeting someone as amazing and beautiful as you” Suddenly tumbled out of his mouth. He wasn't even sure where it had come from. He'd said it, but it was more like he was watching himself say it from outside his body. His face was instantly ablaze with embarrassment as the realization of what he'd just done sunk in. He half expected to be driven into the ground like a tent spike. Much to his amazement, however, Alina actually looked taken aback and went as red as he had. The note of sincerity in what he'd blurted out had taken her by surprise. “Well,” She replied, suddenly becoming interested in the dust on her robes. “I am pretty great... I guess.” Regalius looked at Niona and raised an eyebrow. She grinned her biggest grin. The three friends decided that it would be better to spend another night in the woods, rather than wander into the underground temple that afternoon. Julius didn't protest for several reasons. He was starstruck for a start, plus the temple seemed to radiate unpleasant energies more strongly the closer to evening that it got. He would have been outvoted anyway, so there wouldn't have been much point in protesting in any case. The other two obeyed Alina's slightest command, although it seemed to be out of loyalty rather than mindless consideration for her rank. She had an aura of confidence that made you want to trust her. It wasn't arrogant, or ostentatious, like Regalius, but somehow candid. At the same time you knew it would be unwise to cross her too. She was every bit a leader. Julius didn't do much talking that afternoon. The trend continued into the evening. He didn't like the sound of the temple at all. The first exploratory team never reported back, and they seemed to have been trusted comrades. This was unfortunate on a variety of levels that he didn't care to ponder. Niona had found a very detailed map however and Julius spent several hours of daylight listening to them talk while memorizing as much of it as he could. It was complex, a lot of places to hide triggers. Not only did he not intend to meet the same fate as the first team but he desperately wanted to impress these people. Two of them in particular... That night Niona displayed the same cavalier attitude toward propriety that she had the night before, as did Regalius. Although Julius noted that he only stole furtive glances at Niona while she acted as if she was the only creature on earth. The pair of them pranced around mostly naked right up till the bedrolls came out. In contrast, Alina changed into whatever it was she wore to sleep in the safe confines of her long cloak. If she'd changed at all it was almost impossible to tell. As night closed in around them Regalius played a soothing tune that carried all around the little valley. Niona assured Julius that there wouldn't be any need for a watch, but he decided to stay up for a while just the same. The idea of a magical song being the only thing between him and a knife in the dark was not quite enough. He had to admit that the disquieting aura of the temple seemed to have been pushed away however. After a few laps around the clearing he settled down at Dew Beam's roots and kept his ears open. The only thing that disturbed him from that point on was the sound of Niona crawling under Alina's blanket and the resigned protestations she put forth before Niona snuggled in good and tight. Julius was the first to wake up and he busied himself with the fire until the others rose. After a quick meal, and a cleanse with Niona's magic container, the group began their quest in earnest. He'd kept quiet for quite some time so Julius decided to venture a very obvious, yet still unanswered question. “What was the original team looking for?” “You've probably sensed it,” Alina began, as she slid open one of the massive stone doors. “the evil aura of this place, I mean.” Julius nodded. “It was built over something. What it is exactly isn't clear.” “The texts I found called it the vein of the demon.” Interjected Niona. “It's supposedly a site where an evil creature was slain, but its defeat cause negative forces to flow to this spot.” “And a bunch of stupid humans decided to dig down to it...” Regalius drolled. “I sent the first group here the see if it had been disturbed” Continued Alina. “I think places like this are where the skeleton king draws strength.” Julius almost asked what would posses someone to build something like this, but his brain caught up to his mouth before it spoke. There was always some group of jerks doing stuff like this. Making trouble for no good reason. This was just another one of those places left behind when trouble caught up to them. The long hall was faintly lit by round baubles stuck at intervals along the walls. The source of their light wasn't clear, but the sickly glow suggested it was the negative energy of the site itself. Their dim light was perhaps testimony to its waning potency. So much the better as far as Julius was concerned. Alina led the way for a fair while before Julius's wits came to him. Her natural leadership made him forget his function. “Hey, wait!” He exclaimed. “You guys need to get behind me.” The sudden outburst was enough to make the others obey without question. They quickly repositioned themselves behind him and made ready to fight. “No, no...” He explained waving their weapons down. “There's nothing around. I just need to be first in case of traps.” Niona laughed. “You know, I don't think we ever had a thief who went before the party before.” “Well you still haven't.” Julius corrected. “I'm much more like a locksmith. A craftsman.” “Do you pick pockets?” Alina asked. Julius considered his answer for a moment. “Yes.” He replied. “But only if they mark is a known jerk. I have standards.” The party laughed. Truth be told Julius had hardly pick-pocketed at all. He hadn't grown up in the profession, so to speak. He came to it later so he didn't go through the various ranks generally associated with being what was commonly called a rogue. Dwelling on that wasn't doing him any good at the moment though. The first few levels of the temple were essentially stripped. Other groups, or perhaps event the people who built the structure had removed anything that wasn't bolted down, or too heavy to lift. Plating had been picked off statues, jewels dug out of eyes, you name it. The easy pickings were gone. Every so often however there was evidence of an unfortunate who had been careless in their robbery. Skeletal remains of various types were scattered about in pockets here and there. Single thieves, groups, large parties, all laid low by cunning traps. The further they went the worse the carnage was and the older the remains. People had clearly survived to tell tales of this place. At least one had been in far enough to relate a very accurate map to someone. Niona relinquished it to his care as they moved briskly through deserted chambers and hallways. At length Regalius made note of something that was beginning to bother each of them. “Has anyone else noticed that the lower we get the brighter it is?” They had all been thinking it. The sickly glow coming from objects had been increasing steadily. It had gotten so bright by the time Regalius mentioned it that they had doused the torches from a few floors back. “What do you suppose is lighting everything.” Asked Julius to no one in particualr. “The source of the problem I expect.” Niona answered. “I think the close we get the easier it is to draw power from it. Who ever built this place must have tapped into it.” “But why did they put lights at the top when there wasn't enough power for them to work properly.” Asked Regalius. “I think there was once.” Niona said, inspecting a glowing bauble. “In fact I think there still is, but something is drawing off enough power that it's draining the source.” Julius glanced at Alina, who had remained silent. Her face hardened as she looked around. “We need to shut this down somehow...” She observed. Everyone nodded in silent agreement, although exactly how 4 people would shut down a temple that had remained operational for more years than anyone had an accurate count of was anyone's guess. They pressed on, Julius carefully leading the way, for a good long while before anyone spoke again. “I don't think we're going to be able to do this in a day...” Alina sighed. “These chambers just keep going and going...” “And we're running out of map.” Julius added. “What should we do then?” Asked Niona. “Just camp in the hallway?” “No, definitely not.” Replied Alina. “We need to seal ourselves in a chamber someplace. A safe one. Can you find one, Julius?” He studied the map for a moment. “I think so.” He replied. “There seems to be a pattern to the rooms. Every 13th one is basically just an empty room. Or, at least not where they were keeping something worth killing people over.” “That'll have to do then.” Alina said, leaning on her mace. “I'm sick of walking.” After that Julius counted their way to the next 13th room and scanned it for traps. He'd been taking note of the sorts of things that were in the other rooms, but these were always darker and mostly bare. They had already passed several. Each floor had a seemingly random number of rooms, but always at least 13. Depending on how you counted the 13th one was always a clean room. No artificial light, just a room. It couldn't be a coincidence, but the point of it all was beyond him. After he was convinced things were safe he motioned everyone inside. Niona lit a torch and they found that the room had a very standard, but also very sturdy, stone door. It was perfectly balanced to swing with ease. Once they moved it into place the door sealed itself. Trying not to look panic stricken Julius checked to make sure they could open it again. It opened up without the slightest snag. He said nothing, but was greatly relieved, and a little disturbed by the convenience. With the door shut the room was completely dark. If not for the torch they would be in total darkness darkness. None of them were keen to have the light extinguished, but the room was too small to leave one burning if it was truly sealed. Torch in hand Julius marched around the room trying to decide how secure it was. He could just tap the ceiling with the torch if he stretched his arm as far as it could go. It was while checking a corner he noticed that something was moving the flame slightly. Scanning around he noticed small vents where the wall met the roof. He held the torch in front of one for a moment. The flame waved to and fro rhythmically. Air was passing through the space from somewhere. It was a little unsettling that the movement of it resembled breathing, but he thought the others would sleep better not knowing that fact. He desperately wished he didn't. The room was quiet beyond quiet. It was little more than an empty square of stone. It was cold, dry, and a film of grit covered the floor. No person had been in this room for years without count. It seemed almost a crime to disturb it. In spite of the fact that the room was ventilated it was agreed that starting a fire was a bad idea. Niona produced a small lantern. That glowed with a small blue flame. It became their only light source. The idea of going without a hot meal didn't please Julius, but the three party members who had started the quest with an idea of what was going to happen had though to bring food that didn't require cooking. Niona, whose pack was the most burdened, seemed to have tried to pack for any eventuality. How she lugged the thing around without withering beneath its weight was beyond him. Hard breads, biscuits, cheese, dried meats, candy, jellies, jams, among other things were set out on her blanket for the group to enjoy. The nature of the food caused them to eat in silence for most of the meal. The sounds of their consumption reflected back and around the walls. They were all feeling uneasy about staying in the claustrophobic space, but no one said so. By the end of the meal all save Niona seemed jaw worn by the act of chewing the difficult food. Julius couldn't help but wonder if her prominent teeth had magical properties beyond her smile. Eventually Niona began making nervous small talk. Her familiarity with Alina and Regalius made it hard to continue finding topics so increasingly her attention turned to Julius. The others were not only glad to have attention drawn from themselves but also to learn more about their untested party member. “Have you lived in the city all your life?” Niona asked “No, I came there after my village was sacked.” Julius replied morosely. “It was the first place to be attacked and bore my family name.” “I knew I'd heard that name before!” Alina exclaimed, leaning forward quickly. “They say it was the first time anyone lay eyes on the Skeleton King.” “I don't know if that's true,” said Julius “but less than ten pairs of eyes lived to tell the tale, including mine.” “Did you get a good look? What was he like?” Regalius asked, unable to maintain his air of arrogant dissinterest. “He was just a boy as far as I could tell.” Julius replied, his responses sounding more and more distant with each question. “He could have been my age. Maybe younger, but men bowed before him as though he was a god. They obeyed without question. We had no idea what was happening until it was too late.” “A boy?” Regalius scowled. “I thought he was called the Skeleton King because he was one. That's what I've always heard.” “That was the only time he appeared on a battlefield, or so they say.” Alina explained. “I've seen reports from most of the survivors, even they don't agree on what he looked like. I doubt he he wandered into the town and declared himself Skeleton King and started ruining the place.” “You're right.” Said Julius “He didn't get that name until later. When he started sending the reanimated into battle instead of men. He was only the Skeleton King retroactively. I don't think even his closest minions know his true name. If they did they never spoke it.” “How could you know that?” Regalius asked with a hint of accusation in his voice. “I was guarding the shrine when he wandered into town.” Julius relied, emotionless. “The only person to actually face him in combat.” “Nonsense!” Regalius exclaimed. “I don't believe a word of it!” “No one ever does. That's why I quit telling the story.” For a moment Alina locked eyes with Julius. Deceit made no home there. Regret, perhaps, sadness... but not deceit. “What did he want?” Alina asked. “I think he thought our shrine held a weapon, but whatever secrets it kept they died with my family.” Julius explained. “I wasn't old enough to learn them. He had already killed most of the town before he thought to ask anyone what you were supposed to activate the shrine... and I didn't know. He beat me nearly to death trying to get me to tell him, but I couldn't.” “I've been to that shrine.” Alina said. “The alter is still there, intact.” “Yep... I still don't know how to open the damn thing.” His words hung there for a moment. The sincerity of his replies making even Regalius rethink his beliefs. The person known as the Skeleton King had become legend in the few short years since he had appeared. His bloody hand reaching into the lives of every person on the continent and a few beyond. His origins were unknown, his motives, virtually everything about him was a mystery. The only widely known truth was that he gave battle to every nation and gave it freely and well. Every altercation increased the size of his forces as the defeated warriors simply got up and followed him away. He was lord of purification. Many people had claimed to have seen him, but there was no way to prove it. Being alive was as much as anyone needed to suspect a lie. And yet... the words Julius spoke rang with the sound of someone burdened with the truth. “There was nothing for me there. It was as though he meant to grind the memory of the town from the soil.” Julius continued when no one else moved to fill the silence. “Except he couldn't destroy the shrine. Not the altar at least. But it's a useless to me as to he. So I moved on.” The others looked at one another. Even the oppressive darkness seemed pushed away by their racing thoughts. “It still... seems hard to believe.” Regalius offered. “Indeed.” Julius replied. Regalius suddenly found it hard to meet Julius's gaze. “I've heard enough of this nonsense.” He stated shakily. “I'm going to sleep.” Somehow the girls knew that the evening's conversation was over. With a little idle chit chat they made ready for sleep. Being mindful to keep combat essentials on hand. Julius made no move. His gaze was fixed someplace beyond the torchlight, beyond the walls, and it remained there long after Niona put out the light. None of them could be sure if it was actually morning when they woke. Alina had simply risen, lit a torch, and the others followed. What rest they each had was not quality, but it was a full measure of it. When all was ready Julius carefully released the chamber lock and moved cautiously outside. The pale light was only slightly less bright than the torchlight, but it bathed the walls evenly, unceasingly. Dread seemed to hang over them all as they moved still deeper into the temple. They were 11 levels down by Julius's reckoning. Now past the most detailed portions of the map. Things were beginning to no longer sync between their reality and the parchment. Soon they would be moving blind. The floors had been becoming more complex and maze like the further they went and number 12 was the worst yet. Even as Julius and Niona attempted to construct a more complete map it seemed as though the walls were shifting. Perhaps this was the fate of the original team. Lost in a still worse floor, no opposition besides starvation and navigation. Julius wondered if the others had considered this. In his opinion a death in battle would be a mercy compared to wandering endlessly until your body gave out. It seemed like hours before they found the stairs to the next floor, but it was hard to tell time properly. Neither Niona or Julius were satisfied with the accuracy of their map, but going back now didn't seem like a better option than going forward. The four of them desended again, but instead of another open room they found massive doors. Much higher than the ceilings of the previous floors. After they were checked for traps Alina swung the perfectly balanced doors apart. They swung silently, as though they were untouched by time or decay. The room that spread out before them was unlike any they'd encountered so far. It was vast, empty, and stone pillars were placed at widely spaced, but even intervals. It was lit with the same eerie light, but only in a band around the pillars, and even then only a few at a time. The room seemed to know where they were and adjusted the light accordingly. It was like looking into a dark, stone, forest. Blackness filled in beyond the limit of the light, making it seems as though the room spread out forever. The doors closed so quietly behind them that they didn't even realize they were trapped until the heard the sound of many somethings clattering closer and closer. Instinctively they readied themselves. Julius ran his hands quickly around the edges of the door looking for some kind of release mechanism. There seemed to be an indication running along the right side of the door, into the darkness. He decided to gamble on this chance. “This way!” He said urgently. “Keep them off me if you can!” Even as the group began moving laterally into the room a desiccated figure shambled into the unnatural glow that followed them. No one was surprised. The skeletal warrior, dressed in dusty armor, was followed by another, and another. Each one was dressed after the same manner as the first. As they stepped further into the lit circle they seemed to become more focused, aware of what was in front of them. Their jaws mouthed silent warnings at the group, their hands gesturing at them as if giving instructions. Julius was nearly running along the wall now. A smaller bubble of light began breaking off to follow him. The others couldn't keep up and keep an eye on the slow moving threat. He was too focused on opening the door, panic was beginning to take hold. He didn't notice the pile of bones and metal in his path until he was sprawled on the cold, stone, floor. Several feet away he heard Regalius beginning to play his song of fire. The others had been attacked in earnest now and he had gotten himself separated. Julius righted himself as quiclky as he could. There were several piles of soldier scattered around the area he could now see, and the one he tripped over was beginning to stir. He regocnized an arm bone and brought his heel down as hard as he could. It splintered into a two halves. The did the same with the forearm of the other side, but only split one bone. As the figure stood its hand lost hold of its weapon and hung there lamely. Julius watched in horrified fascination as the skeleton cast its empty eye sockets over its mangled limbs. Its mouth silently uttering curses. This was not normal even for a reanimated soldier. After a few moments of what appeared to be panting and sobbing the crippled thing noticed its attacker. Julius thought for a moment he could hear screaming from someplace very far away. HIM! IT WAS HIM! Julius was almost totally lost in the grim spectacle, but he became aware in his periphery of other figures heeding the call of their comrade. A short distance away the others were beginning to spread out as they were forced to parry more and more attackers. Regalius had switched to fighting outright as the others could barely keep themselves safe, let alone cover him as he played. He was still attempting to cast verbal spells but the onslaught was too much to concentrate through. More attackers were beginning to fill in the gaps between them. “Don't let them separate us!” Alina called out, and the others began trying to regroup as best they could. “These things are organized!” Cried Niona. “They're not supposed to be like this!” “This is powerful magic! I've never seen the equal of it!” Regalius replied. “It's like they don't know they're dead!” “It doesn't matter!” Yelled Alina, swinging her mace with thunderous force through a cluster of enemies. “They still crumble if you hit them hard enough!” Alina was wiping sections of their attackers away with every arc of her mace but the ones who weren't disabled simply rose again and resumed their charge. The pillars were making it hard to get enough room to close ranks. Both Niona and Alina required a fair bit of space to fight effectively and the skeletal warriors seemed bent on filling in where they moved apart. Julius began deftly weaving through the crowd, attempting to rejoin the group for a proper defense. After a few close calls he was close enough to Regalius to keep him covered. Without needing to be told Regalius began to play again. The tune somehow reminded Julius of the mountains. It was resonating through him somehow. He didn't feel as tired or afraid now. As another atack came he parried it effortlessly and the boney arm holding the offending weapon shattered when their blades touched. He chanced a look around and saw Niona's spear gliding through skeletons as easily as it might move through air. A cloud of splintered bone erupted in front of her and empty armor clattered to the floor. The tide had turned. “We need to move that way!” he called out, motioning in the direction Alina was fighting. Her blows were so destructive now the pillars near her were shaking and beginning to crack. The bands the cast the eerie glow appeared to be oozing whatever it was that caused their illumination. Then, suddenly, Alina lost her footing. Her swing went wild and she struck a pillar full on. It exploded like a pile of sand. The force of the error caused Alina to be blown from the point of impact as well as throwing Regalius into Julius. Niona rushed over to help them up. As soon as Julius found his feet he sprinted towards Alina's crumpled form, hoping the undead were as confounded my the situation as they were. He nearly pitched onto the floor too as his boot slid on a greasy spot. A trap of some sort? If so it had been effective. He tried to gather her weapon, but it was beyond his strength to lift it. How the Hell could she swing this thing!? With no time to deal with that he scooped up Alina and rushed back to the others to regroup. As he moved he noticed the scent of decay coming from someplace. It was out of place in this dusty chamber, wet and festering rather than dry and gritty. “Did we win?” Asked Alina, looking up at him. “It's a work in progress.” he replied, relieved that she wasn't unconscious. “Can you stand?” “Yeah, I'm good.” She said, shaking off her stupor. “Where's my mace?” Julius grimaced and pointed at the wall of enemies closing in behind them. “Fantastinc...” She drolled. Niona and Regalius were sorted, but his fiddle had been destroyed in the fall. He was whistling the tune from before while rummaging around in his pack. Niona seemed to be the only one benefiting from it, but it was enough to keep the hoard in front of her at bay. “I need that mace.” Alina said to no one in particualr. “Well, we have to go through them to get it” Julius replied. She looked around as he offered her one of his daggers. Pushing it aside she selected a chunk of pillar, or ceiling, said a prayer he couldn't make out, and threw it with such force it passed through several bewildered skeletons who fell to pieces. “Come on then.” She replied, hefting another stone. The group began working it's way back to the shattered pillar's base. It was only a few feet, but the enemies seemed to have redoubled their efforts. It also seemed to be getting brighter. As they closed the space between Alina and her weapon Julius understood why. The glowing substance was oozing out of the mangled structure in spurts. It was rhythmic, like watching something bleed. A glowing pool was spreading out across the floor. Somehow they all knew it would be very bad to touch it. Alina barely managed to gather her mace before it was overtaken by the expanding puddle. “We need to get away from that.” She said urgently. Julius made to follow her but stopped when Niona and Regalius didn't follow. His gaze fell on Alina as she too saw whatever it was they were seeing. The color drained from her face and tears began to form in the corners of her eyes. He followed her line of sight. As the greenish light spread further around he saw 3 people standing, lit from below, as the ooze reached them. They now knew the fate of the first party. The danger was too great to let grief take the rest of the party. Julius jumped forward, placing himself between them and their fallen friends. “We can't help them now!” He shouted. “Keep your wits about you or you'll share their fate! Keep moving away from the light!” Even as he finished speaking one of the rotting comrades lunged forward, swinging a huge sword overhand at Julius. He reacted in time, but the force of the blow was far more than he expected. Legs crumpling like paper he was forced down to one knee. This husk was no longer held back by the frailty of life. In death he was no more formidable than ever before. The icy chill of mortal fear washed over Julius. Rather than try to parry another blow he rolled away, causing the next strike to connect with the stone floor. The attacker's sword broke cleanly, nearly in half. He seemed taken aback by this and made the motions of cursing, which caused fetid blood to burp out of his mouth. This seemed to confuse him and Julius took the chance to make a break for it. By comparison the entire hoard of dry bones were less dangerous than these freshly dead. Still obviously horrified at this turn of events the others followed, batting aside attacks in a bid to put distance between themselves and their massacred friends. They charged headlong into the retreating darkness. More skeletal soldiers slowly rising to undeath as they ran. Suddenly Julius understood, and the other seemed to catch on as well. Niona voiced what they were all realizing. “It's the light.” She gasped. “Where ever we move it wakes them up...” “We need to stand our ground,” Alina said. “Finish off what we've woken up, then move on. It's the only way to cross the room.” “I- I think it might be too late.” Regalius observed. “We've activated too many. I don't think I can keep fighting this hard.” The sound of clattering armor was closing in all around them. Somewhere in the deeper darkness the gutteral moans of their unfortunate friends were also coming closer. For a moment Julius considered leaving them behind. He could probably get past the chamber door if he made a mad dash for it. Who were these people to him anyway? What did he owe them? “Everyone get behind me.” Came Alina's voice, clear and detirmined. “Niona, on my right. Julius to my left. Regalius, make a wall of that pillar. Cast whatever you think will aid us best.”