The Adventures of Julius Drywood P3 (Patreon)

“Uh... hold on to each other hard.” Twig began. “It's super important you don't let go... Master will be our guide since I never saw the outside of here.” “Can you do that, Julius?” Asked Alina. “I have over very short distances. Again, what have we to lose?” He replied. “Fair enough.” said Alina. “We need to do this now!” Shouted Herrin, as the slime crested the top step, a few disoriented skeleton warriors slipping around in it comically. Everyone linked themselves together. Julius in the lead, followed by Twig. “Fair warning,” Said Julius. “This is probably going to suck for you guys.” Before anyone had a chance to reply Twig shifted them into the shadow plain. Alina felt as though she was being smeared across the floor. Then, suddenly, she blacked out from the experience. Her last thought focused on the idea of clinging to her friends. Focusing on the little clearing they had camped at Julius strained to lead the group. Thought to someone observing outside the event it would seem like seconds inside the pathway the seconds stretched out like minutes. It was painful, like breathing dry air on a hot day. If not for Twig anchoring them all there would be no way he could have stayed phased out so long or far. After several agonizing moments he spilled out of the long shadow of a tree. Skidding to a halt, clutching Twig's hand, in the soot of their campfire. The air was cool and moist. The taste of green and soil was in it, mixed with the burnt taste of cold cinders. He might have been there for hours as far as he knew. Suddenly a spike of terror arced through his heart. The little hand he was grasping was much colder than his own. Without accepting the possibility he felt tears beginning to form in his eyes. They shot open and were assaulted by the light of afternoon sunlight. Stricken he pulled Twig's limp body into his arms. “Twig! Wake up, girl!” He gasped. “This is no time for jokes!” A long silence filled the spaces between the rustling of leaves. He began shaking, and clutched her chest to his ear. Somewhere to his right a bird sang it's cheerful call. Then, a heartbeat. Still panicking, Julius lept to his feet. Carefully he scooped up Twig and ran to the edge of the woods. As he pelted across the soft ground he noticed the others, laying at odd angles to one another, still dazed, but clearly alive and well. Julius ran until he found a patch of verdant grass and carefully placed Twig upon it, then, with on hand on her chest and one in the grass, he concentrated. Slowly the grass began to whither. All around his hand it wilted away and he quickly moved it to a fresh patch as each section was spent. Soon Twig was laying in a circle of brown grass, and she took a weak breath. For just a moment Julius allowed himself to feel relief, but after her intake of air she gave a weak cough and bright red blood drooled from the side of her mouth. Julius came apart. His mind now hung someplace beyond panic or terror. Then a voice. “Is everyone alright?” Asked Alina. Before she got a response from anyone else she was being half dragged across the ground. Julius, completely mute and weeping, motioned frantically at his little friend. Years of training focused Alina's mind. Everything else pushed back as she passed her hands over the Twig. “This is bad...” She muttered, turning to Julius. “Get the others!” Julius scrambled to rouse everyone else. Herrin was still completely out, but Regalius and Niona snapped to life at the site of Julius's frantic manner. A little way away Dewbeam had noticed the commotion and was making for the group of new friends as quickly as she could. Whatever they were doing seemed very important, and she hadn't seen them come out of the horrible cave from before. “It's not enough!” Cried Alina. “I don't have the strength to do heal this!” “Should we move her to the trees?” Asked Niona. “It wouldn't matter...” Said Alina. “I'm not strong enough to force the transfer.” “What do you mean force it?” Asked Regalius. “Healing magic doesn't work properly unless it's done willingly.” She explained. “When you do a regular spell you're giving part of your essence away. I can transfer essence from a tree, but it doesn't understand what's happening, so it resists. It makes it much harder.” “Can't you use one of us?” Asked Regalius. “I can, but these are magical wounds. I could drain all three of you dry and it might not be enough...” She replied. Julius reached out and grasped her wrist. “Try.” “I won't sacrifice 3 people to save one. I can't.” ”Just me then!” He begged. “No!” She said. “You're basically fine! It would be a waste!” “But she's special! You saw her when Niona showed her the spell!” Julius pleaded. “She's all potential! I'm nothing compared to her!” “I'm sorry Julius! I truly am!” Alina cried. “She sacrificed herself for us, and I won't piss it away!” Utterly broken, Julius slumped into a heap. Alina, now crying, stiffled a sob with gritted teeth. Even Regalius turned away, unable to force his mouth to make the shapes needed to play. “Alina wait! Don't give up yet!” Cried Niona. All looked to her. “I explained things to Dewbeam, she says she knows what you need her to do!” Dewbeam strode up to the party, in a manner equivalent to running for her species, and held out a limb to Alina. Grasping it tightly Alina concentrated. Dewbeam stretched herself into the sunlight, her leaves rustling in the gentle wind. The soft soil gave way easily as she sunk her roots deeply into it. Twig took another breath and couched up more blood. Alina bore down, her hair beginning to levitate from the power moving through her. Dewbeam's hand began to brown, but she made no move to withdraw it. The discoloration began creeping up her limb. “I don't think... this is going to be enough...” Alina muttered. “They're both going to die if I keep going...” She made to remove her hand, but Dewbeam's fingers moved, wrapping tightly around her wrist. Alina pulled her hand away from Twig's chest, but the dryad simply repositioned herself and forced her hand back in place. “She says you need to quit fighting her, Alina!” Explained Niona. “But... it's going to kill her...” “She says it won't and you need to stop being... not nice...” “Did she now? Fine then! I won't hold back anymore!” Sensing Alina's renewed commitment Dewbeam eased her grasp. Alina extended both hands and concentrated with all her might. Regalius played with renewed vigor. Dewbeam's leaves began wilting and falling to the forest floor, her bark turned brown, then gray. In places cracks began to form. Her movements stiffened then she stood, frozen in place. “I think...” Alina said, panting. “That should do it...” With that she fell limp, suspended in the dryad's withered, motionless, arms. Everyone gathered around Julius, who was cradling Twig in his arms. “Twig. Twig! Wake up! Can you hear me?” He asked. There was no response apart from her slow breaths. Julius looked around then back at Twig. Very quietly he whispered in her ear. “Athena... it's time to wake up.” A frown crossed Twig's face. She opened one eye partially. “Juuuuuliussss... don't call me that.” Animals of all kinds, and great distances away, were startled by Niona's triumphant whooping. “It's no good” Remarked Regalius. “We're going to have to cut her out.” Alina was still suspended in the frozen grasp of Dewbeam, who showed no outward signs of life since her healing of Twig. “I don't understand it...” Moped Niona. “She said she'd be fine...” “She seemed to understand perfectly well that I wouldn't trade a life for another.” Said Alina. “For whatever reason she lied to us.” “I guess so.” Agreed Niona, inspecting Dewbeam's withered bark. “She was one of the oldest creatures in this forest. What a loss...” “It's a shame.” Agreed Julius. “I'll never have a chance to thank her, nor will Twig.” “Honestly, it's tragic and everything, but she was still basically a tree.” Said Regalius. Niona gave him a glance so withering he felt he might end up like the dryad and spoke no more. “Just cut me down already.” Said Alina, trying to cut the tension. “As terrible as this has all been I don't think I can handle hanging here much longer.” Julius began hacking at Dewbeam's wrists, trying to mar her remains as little as possible. Niona pushed him away, gently. “Here, let me.” In two fluid strokes Niona cleaved both limbs in twain, leaving Alina to slump onto the ground. Regalius and Julius carefully slid the wooden hands away from her shoulders. She stood, stretched, and considered the creture whose grasp she'd been released from. “Maybe they can regenerate somehow.” She mused. “I've seen regular trees leaf after seeming to die like this. Honestly I don't know much about Dryads...” “Powers beyond what we know are certainly possible.” Replied Niona. “Even in captivity they refuse to reveal things like reproduction and what have you. Like any sentient being would...” Her gaze lingering on Regalius for a moment with the final words. He was inspecting the remnants of Dewbeam's hands with a clear eye to making new instruments. In spite of Niona's gaze he refused to let something as durable as dryad bark go to waste. “Se's not dead.” Twig remarked casually. No one had noticed her rise from her makeshift bed, or heard her approaching. “She's in the wood. Right here.” Twig pointed to the middle of Dewbeam's trunk. “How do you know that?” asked Alina kindly. Twig shrugged. “We should get her out.” “Out? How?” asked Julius. Twig indicated two places on the trunk. “Cut here and here.” She replied. “She'll do the rest.” Niona carefully positioned herself then gracefully split the bark where Twig had indicated. “It'll be easier for her now.” Twig explained, curling back up in her blankets. “Wait till morning.” In moments she was audibly snoring and sucking her thumb vigorously. Everyone looked blankly at one another. “Well, we can hardly set out now anyway. May as well see what happens.” Said Alina. Everyone settled in for a restful night, and Niona was in a much better humor from that point on, even towards Regalius who was now brazenly crafting with Dewbeam's severed hands. The next moring the party awoke to find Twig listening to Dewbeam's trunk. She motioned them over as the sound of cracking wood became more audible. “We should stand here.” She said, moving everyone into position. “How long it this-” was all Regalius managed to say before wood chips were blasted out of one side of Dewbeam's body. A pair of vaguely humanoid legs were sticking out of the hole. With another shattering spray of splinters a small woman slid out and landed solidly on her feet. Her skin looked like the moist inside of a tree, cream colored, and new. A mane of tiny green leaves hung around her face. She looked more or less like a sculpture of a woman that wasn't quite complete. Her eyes were big, bright, and brilliantly green. Unable contain herself any longer Niona rushed over and grasped Dewbeam's hands. They spoke briefly in her language before she turned to Twig, who also had a short conversation with her. Each one spoke in their own tongue, so the others only understood Twig's portion. “Twig,” asked Julius, “how can you understand her?” “Why would I not?” She asked in return. “She's talking normal.” “No, she isn't” corrected Julius. Twig gave him a quizical look. “Don't be dumb Master.” she continued. “She's talking people talk.” Dewbeam made a sound and Twig looked at her. She then turned back to Julius. “Nevermind. She say's you're right. It sounds like people talk to me though.” “Fair enough...” Said Julius. After a few pleasantries the groups finally made to part company. Dewbeam even seemed pleased when Niona explained that Regalius wanted to use some of her old body to make instruments. Saying that being part of something so beautiful was an honor, which made Regalius so smug he was barely spoken to from that point on. “What will you do now?” Julius asked Niona. “Report to our superiors.” Explained Niona. “After that I'm not sure even Alina knows. These events bode ill, obviously. For my part I intend to learn as much as I can from Dewbeam about her people and this forest. I suspect she saw a lot more than she understands right now.” “She's going with you?” “Indeed! She asked as soon as she realized we were leaving.” Said Niona. “I think she's been lonely here. There don't seem to be any others of her kind for miles and miles around. At least in the city she can mingle with the house Dryads and such.” “It was a pleasure meeting you.” Said Julius offering his hand. “I hope this isn't the last we see of each other.” Niona ignored the hand and gathered him up in a strong hug. “Till we meet again, master locksmith.” She said, her face decorated with her toothy grin. “Farewell wherever you fare.” “Till we meet again...” He answered. Alina watched them from a little distance away. When Niona turned to go Alina made as if to speak to Julius, then thought better of it. With a wave she turned away. “Alina, wait!” Called Julius. She stopped and turned back. “I wanted to say I was sorry.” She said, before Julius could speak. “About the affair with Twig, I mean. I just didn't want to part on a sour note. I'm not without compassion, you know? I just have responsabilities... People depend on me. When I make mistakes they die sometimes... It's not easy. I just wanted you to know that. I would have been heartbroken in you had lost your friend. It's just a luxury I don't get to have.” “I understand.” Said Julius. “I wouldn't have held it against you. Not after I had some time to come to terms with things anyway.” “I'm glad... Anyway I was going to have Niona give you these, but here.” She said, pressing two silver coins into his palm. “Those bear the seal of my command. I would be honored to consider you and your protege part of my team. Should you ever need to prove it those can be verified by any lawman in the country.” “I don't know what to say... It's an honor.” He replied bowing low. “The honor is mine, sir. I look forward to when next we meet. Till then, fare you well.” She said earnestly. “Farewell, my lady.” Replied Julius, quickly bowing low again to hide the look of embarrassment for saying such a ridiculous thing. Alina waved and took several steps away, then turned again. “Do you think I live up to that woman they paint posters of?” “If she could feel shame I think she'd fall dead in every one for falling so short of your magnificence.” He replied. His answer earned him a smile and blush that haunted his dreams for many nights to come. He watched her walk away for quite a while before turning to leave himself. Twig was resting in the shade at the edge of the woods, waiting for him. “Your hair looks longer, Twig.” He said. “Does it?” She replied. “All those different magics mixed together in such a short time, we're lucky it didn't turn white.” He replied. “I think I'd look striking with white hair.” She stated. “I think you would at that.” Laughed Julius. “Come on, Master. Let's go home.” “Okay, little one.” He replied. “Here, you read the map.” Twig looked at her name on the scrap of hide he'd handed her for a few moments. “This map is terrible, master!”