She ran forward into the jungle, not caring anymore about staying on the path. She just wanted to finally get to that dungeon and butcher those tribal monkeys.
Holding her spear up, pointing its sharp edge at rustling bushes, she ran.
Her keen senses eager for noises from the jungle, she ran.
Her eyes searching for tiny cannibals among the roots missed the giant tree that suddenly came to life. The Amazon halted, and wondered how effective a poison javelin is against the tough bark of a demon tree.
In the long moment she stood pondering with every one of her muscles tensed, the ground split before her and white bones emerged, forming a barricade between her and the cracking tree.
That damned Necromancer again. He must have been following her. The Amazon imagined how he must have stumbled in the high grass and messy roots in this jungle trying to follow her route. She smirked at the thought and threw the deadly javelin right at the assumed heart of the tree.
They've met at the strange smith. Both of them visited the man in robes to enhance their armors with magical attributes to make them more able to withstand attacks. They headed out the same time from the dock to the deep, humid jungle. While keeping an eye on their surroundings they talked and soon realized they fight for the same goal.
When this became clear it only took a day for the Amazon to ask the Necromancer to join forces with her.
- Very well, if that is your wish, I will let you come with me. – answered the man after a long, grouchy silence. The Amazon straightened her back, seemingly offended.
- I never asked for that. I asked if we could go together. – she hissed, and their relationship has not improved a bit since that minute.
At night, they felt the jungle creeping towards them. The Necromancer sat by the river and used his magical cube to improve his health potions. The Amazon stood a few meters from him, and while keeping an eye on the man she searched for scars on her body to remove any poisonous gobs.
These savages are truly disgusting, she sighed to herself.
- I couldn't be more certain of the direction of your thoughts. – said the Necromancer in an indifferent tone.
- Oh…? – the Amazon pinched her skin on her left thigh so she could see that blue spot better.
- You are having bloody fantasies about grubbing up the fetishes.
- I've never seen a species as annoying as those! Not only do they hide behind the leaves in their green rags but they spit poison on us!
- And a very lethal one at that – whispered the man, glancing at the sturdy legs of the woman. The Amazon caught the glance and looked daggers at him.
- Don't even think about it…
- You might want to do something about that. – the Necromancer got up and came closer. His silver locks fell in his face, looking wet from slovenliness. Up this close the Amazon began to understand the Necromancer. She had thought the man was swift, smart and a good teammate, but he lacked experience in real combat. Now, she looked in his droopy eyes, and discovered the wrinkles on his white face he has always been hiding from daylight. This man is old, she thought to herself. He knows a lot more about magic and serious fights than me, she realized. He is wise and knowledgeable. It would do her good to listen to his words when he finally says something now and again.
- This poison is lethal. The fetishes probably use a plant or a mushroom that's only known locally. – the Necromancer decided to go into details in case the Amazon argues about the poisoning.
- And what exactly should I do besides taking the gob out of my wounds? – she flared up. The Necromancer kneeled down and put his gloved hand on the naked skin of the Amazon.
- I'm not a poison expert. – he whispered – I specialize in spirits and their leftover bones. As far as I know, you should wear plate armor that covers more of your skin. You're very much vulnerable this way. The battlefield is not for flashing your charming body.
The Amazon felt the blood run into her head. Not only he makes sarcastic remarks, but he thinks he is in a position to flirt with her!
- Here, drink this – added the Necromancer quickly, pulling a suspicious vial from his belt. The Amazon felt the trace of the Necromancer's palm on her skin. She eyed the black vial silently – It's an antidote for various poisonings. Once it has saved me from a spider's venom.
The Amazon looked at the small vial that was only slightly bigger than the man's middle finger, then looked in the empty eyes of the Necromancer. She searched and searched, but couldn't find anything in there.
- You should know that you are talking to a fighter – she took the vial forcefully – not a damn lady. And you would do well to consider what your fate will be if you poison me with this slop! – she popped the seal and poured the liquid into her mouth. She swallowed the sour beverage in one gulp. Her muscles tensed in pain as she tasted it. – Because you will die in this damn jungle alone! – she finished fueled by the terrible taste.
The Necromancer smiled. They haven't spoken another word that day.
The next day, after the Necromancer wrapped a couple of those living trees with bones and the Amazon threw her javelins in what could be called their faces, they finally found the village of the cannibals.
- Please cut back on those bone walls of yours. I don't want to find myself in a bone-trap among a horde of blowpipe cannibals.
- I will use magical spirits. – answered the Necromancer behind the woman's back – Just remember to stay away from them. You don't want to be torn apart by them.
- Torn apart? – smiled the Amazon – That sounds like a nice fitting finish for the fetishes!
The first ones already came running towards them screaming in their annoying high voice. The Amazon threw a javelin without hesitation. The poison slashed through the hazy air and the small creatures fell onto the ground in its wake. The strong poison evaporated quickly.
- Keep on coming! – she shouted fiercely and the bushes rustled around them. The Necromancer lifted his wand behind her, and stepped closer.
They pushed to the center of the village, among wooden huts and hot cauldrons.
- There's so many of them! – chuckled the Amazon. She watched the Necromancer unleash spirit after spirit, but he couldn't keep up with such a large number of enemies. She greased the point of the next javelin with her strong scented poison, and launched it from just behind the man. He looked back at her furiously.
- Next time warn me if you don't want to pierce through my shoulders!
- At least I can get away while they cook you for dinner! – laughed the Amazon.
After cleansing the village the Necromancer waited at the entrance of the cold stone dungeon for the Amazon to finish collecting whatever valuable lay on the floor of the huts. She was quietly humming a cheerful tune. When she strolled closer she handed him a muddy ring.
- Your share – she said and started adjusting her armor. The Necromancer brushed the dirt from the ring with his gloved fingers and examined the jewelry.
- You sure you don't want to keep this?
- I found plenty for myself. Most of this is for sale anyway.
The Necromancer put the ring into his pocket and left his gaze on the Amazon. They weren't fighting together for a long time, only for four days to be exact. Despite their short acquaintance the Amazon and the Necromancer worked together very efficiently and quickly. The Necromancer knew that even if he could have found and cleared this village on his own also, it would have taken him more than a week. And speed is of utmost importance now. The Amazon is really a beast of mass destruction.
Down in the dungeon, the darkness ruled the chambers and surprised fetishes armed with knives ran towards them. Things went so smoothly the Necromancer almost found the fights boring at the third level of the dungeon. He conjured a wall made of bones of long dead people, fetishes, and flayers, which guarded them from the angry blades and blowpipes of the cannibals. Next came the deadly flying javelin of poison, which killed off the creatures quickly in the tight, airless rooms.
And after a group of angry fetishes there was nothing left. Only the hollow rooms. Just when the Necromancer opened his mouth to say something sarcastic the Amazon screamed.
- What the hell is that? – she was looking into a corridor. The Necromancer stepped beside her only to see a little fetish sit on another's shoulders, wearing a ridiculous mask decorated with colorful wings and stripes.
- That must be the witch doctor…
They heard noises behind them. Looking back, another group of cannibals jumped on them flailing their blunt knives. They threw the little ones against the wall.
- I thought we've killed them all already! – panted the woman grabbing a cannibal that bit into her leg and stabbing a javelin through its body. When she got rid of the mincemeat she looked at the witch doctor.
- Look! – she drew the attention of the Necromancer who held the blunt knife of a cannibal in his hand. They both watched the doctor murmur words and wave with its hands, and an already dead cannibal rose to its feet once more. The witch doctor stepped to another corpse.
Seeing the ritual the Necromancer immediately lifted his wand and at his gesture the corpse of the small cannibal burst like a bubble, scattering bloody shreds of meat on the wall of the chamber and into the face of the witch doctor and its carrier. The screams echoed in the empty corridors and hurt the Necromancer's ears.
- Now! – he said firmly. The shocked Amazon grabbed a javelin, aimed it at the wobbling witch doctor and threw with all her might.
The carrier died the moment the javelin pierced its heart, and the witch doctor fell to the floor coughing. The Necromancer once again lifted his wand. The fresh corpse exploded, sprinkling blood on the masked fetish that rolled screaming on the floor until it finally died.
The Necromancer walked up to the dead fetish, poked it with his boot then pointed at the chest in the corner.
- I guess you can cause surprises with that toothpick of yours… - said the Amazon, stepping over a cannibal, watching the dripping blood on the stone walls.
- And here's the treasure. – whispered the Necromancer with a smirk on his face. The Amazon stepped beside him to look into the chest. There lay on the bottom of the otherwise empty chest, lit by a single torch, a brain.
The Amazon turned around and walked to the corridor without a word, than she just stood there. The Necromancer wrapped the brain in a cloth he found on the floor, must have been a rag of a cannibal, and went to look the Amazon in the eye.
- What's the matter? – he asked. The Amazon kept on staring into the darkness with an emotionless face.
- You won't tell anyone… that there are things that are too much for me. – she said finally and put her hand in her bag to get a portal scroll.
- I won't. If you never do to me what you did to that fetish that bit your leg.
- Why would I…?
- I might accidentally touch your leg in the future.
The Amazon lightened up at the thought of impaling the Necromancer with a javelin and throwing him at a wall. But this time, the pure thought was enough to satisfy her.
- Deal.