Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the D&D series and I merely write for the thrill of it, there will not be any sexual content but some of the violence might not be suitable for the sensitive, comments always welcome. I own Megan ask if you wish to use her.
No Regrets
By
Day Dreamer
Copyright © Day Dreamer2000. All rights reserved.
The day was hot, as expected what with having four suns. A figure in a red cape and carrying a shield is trudging through a forest occasionally mumbling to himself.
"Scout duty blows! I would have never got it if I hadn't have yelled at Bobby but that stupid unicorn was getting on my nerves, heck everything here gets on my nerves" The black haired cavalier stopped for a second to wipe his forehead, he didn't notice a thin, light mist creeping about him until it was too late and engulfed him.
Hank suddenly looked ahead he was blinded by a bright light he and the others ran forwards getting there just in time to see Eric getting sucked in to the light.
"ERIC!" Presto called. From above they heard a swishing of wings and they saw Venger riding on the nightmare.
"Venger! What have you done with Eric?!" Sheila called to him.
"Merely taken him to my fortress in the frigid desert of the Swirling Sands, you would be fools to try and rescue him" Venger responded kicking the nightmare and riding through the sky. When the evil mage-lord had left Diana had turned to the others.
"So anyone know the way to this desert of shifting sands?" Diana asked.
"It's the desert of Swirling Sands Acrobat," A familiar red robed figure said as he stepped from behind a tree.
"Dungeon Master? Dungeon Master! Tell us how we can find Eric!" Bobby said running up to the balding man.
"Blleah" Uni bleated.
"Indeed I must for the young cavalier is in great danger as long as Venger has him you will all be forced to do as he says, you must carry on to the town of Dexton though it is under Venger's power one of the inhabitants holds the key you seek to the Cavalier" The Dungeon Master said as he began to walk off "But beware someone will face a heart wrenching decision" Uni followed him behind a nearby tree and emerge from the other side alone. Hank sighed and turned to his friends.
"Well that's all the help we get from him today, so lets head on to Dexton and find Eric" He called encouragingly while his mind, however was thinking less encouraging words I hope Eric will be ok! .
Eric woke up with a start something cold and wet was touching his forehead, he tried to sit up but four chains effectively kept his body pinned where it was. He could sense a figure near his head.
"Er….. Hello?" Eric called uncertainly. A movement near his ear caught his eye and a hand came besides it squeezing a cloth in to a bucket there.
"Hello don't move at all save your strength for when Lord Venger interrogates you" A youngish female voice came from just out of his view sight. "My name is Megan I'm a slave to Lord Venger but I live down in the town just west from here" Before Eric could answer her and ask where his shield and top part of armour had gone a loud bang from the other side of the room made him and the girl freeze on the spot.
"That is enough Megan, what have I told you about getting attached to my prisoners?" Venger boomed at the shaking slave girl.
"I'm sorry Lord Venger…it will not happen again" Megan stuttered and half-stumbled out of the room. Once the door was shut Venger turned to his prisoner who was trying not to shake with fear.
"Fool! You think that by acting brave you will impress me and I will go easy on you that will not be so" Venger stated coldly at Eric, "Now tell me what Dungeon Master last said to you and I might spare you and your pathetic band of friends" Venger ordered. Eric sneered slightly at the mage-lord he may be his prisoner but he still he had some pride.
"Come on Horn-Head did ya seriously think ya'd get me to talk so soon? You must be dumber than I thought" Eric snarled at him which he soon realised wasn't the smartest thing to do. Venger let loose a couple of lightening bolts that knocked the breath out of Eric.
"Fool! No matter I have time I'll see if this can't change your puny mind!" Venger scowled and threw an energy ball at Eric, he could feel the blinding pain spread from his chest as he fell unconscious.
Hank looked up slightly at the gate that they had to go through if they had any hope of getting Eric back. He turned to the others.
"Well how are we going to do this?" Hank asked.
"Well I could pull some disguises from my hat" Presto offered, Hank nodded "Abracadiddle abracdee help me twiddle some costumes for my friends and me!" Presto chanted, he reached in to his hat and pulled out five jester's outfits.
"I guess they're better than nothing" Bobby sighed as he started to change in to his outfit. The orc guards fixed them with suspicious piggy eyes as they crossed the bridge but let them go through anyway. They entered the market place to a scene of hustle and bustle but for every human they saw there was at least two more orcs.
"Aww man! How are we going to find someone who knows where Eric is here?" Diana asked. From the far side of the market they saw the crowd start to part as a young girl, no older than Hank, entered the city from what seemed to be the back gate. The girl had long flowing black hair, which was plaited, and the plait lay over the girl's right shoulder although she was dressed in simple clothes hers weren't torn or ragged. It was clear to the gang that she was important and whoever knew where Eric was she was likely too. They were about to approach her when they spotted Shadow Demon coming over to her and talking to her. The girl visibly sighed and walked back the way she came.
Pain……Venger……Hank help me!………can't hardly breath.
These thoughts had been ping ponging their way around Eric's mind even since he had woken up. A soft creak from a door stirred Eric from the wallowing despair."Megan?" Eric called hesitantly.
"Yes, Venger called me to treat your wounds" Megan answered.
"Huh? He injures me then he cures me, I don't get it!" Eric said confused.
"Well obviously Venger expects you to be with him for a very long time other wise he wouldn't care if your wounds got dirty and infected. I'm only here to clean them I'm not allowed to give you anything else" Megan explained. Megan started to slowly clean Eric's chest using a soft cloth soaking it in warm water then gentle rubbing away some of the blood and dirt which was collecting on the boy's chest. Though she worked very carefully Eric flinched every time the cloth touched him because Venger's energy ball had burnt him and brought him out in blisters
"Sorry, maybe talking will take your mind off of it, so where are you from? I can tell you're not a normal Realm traveller" Megan asked a hint of curiosity in her voice.
"Well I come from another world, we don't have orcs running around and we don't have evil sorcerers trying to take over the world. We don't have giant dragons flying around or unicorns we don't even have magic in our world" Eric told her flinching slightly as the cloth brushed a bigger blister.
"How awful! Not to live in a world with magic and magical creatures" Megan stated genuinely horrified.
"Well I guess we do have a certain type of magic, we call it technology. We have technology that can take us all around the world with out us having to move an inch, that's called a computer. We have ways of seeing pictures from far away places they're called televisions and we have technology that allows us to wash our clothes with out getting our hands wet" Eric spoke with an air of wistfullness his eyes staring as if looking at what he was missing.
"Imagine being able to wash clothes with out getting wet what do you call it?" Megan asked Eric very interested.
"A washing machine you just put the clothes in add washing powder flip a switch and you're set" Eric responded. Megan removed the cloth and set it down.
"Well that's you all cleaned up I have to be going down to the town now I'll probably see you later" Megan said the candle that she had been working by went out and Eric heard her walk to the door. Eric suddenly felt cold, colder than he had ever been in his life he knew who was there even before the terrible voice rumbled.
"Well Young Cavalier, have you decided to tell me what I ask?" Venger asked Eric fixing him with an un-shaking stare.
"Well let me think…. NO!" Eric yelled his pain turning in to anger. Venger glared at the boy then snapped his fingers a tubby orc came waddling up.
"You must stay by this boy and make sure he doesn't fall asleep if he does poke him with your spear" Venger commanded he them turned to Eric "Well let's see if no sleep and no food can change your mind" He laughed evilly and left, leaving Eric all alone expect for the orc sitting by his side.
Hank was sitting at the base of a mountain just on the outskirts of the town, which had been their home for two days now. Presto had managed to conjure up some more convincing disguises that didn't make them look out of place. Twice they had tried to talk to the strange girl that seemed to be more important than the rest of the people but she only stayed in the town for a few minutes buying some food or picking something up for Venger before heading back to the fortress. Hank heard the sounds of someone approaching him he turned round to see Diana with Presto, they had found an old spell book and Presto wanted to gather some ingredients for the spells Diana went to keep him company.
"Hi did you find anything?" Hank asked.
"Yeah did you know this part of the Realm grows the best plants needed for this rescue spell I'm working on?" Presto asked really excited. Hank perked up at this.
"Really?! So when can you finish the spell?" Hank asked also excited.
"Ahhh…… I kinda need one more ingredient a single drop of dragon's blood and I don't have a clue where to find any" Presto admitted. Hank just shook his head and looked towards the fortress.
"Well we'll just have to try and find some for Eric's sake" Hank said quietly.
Eric's stomach growled again he squeezed his eyes shut and hoped the noise didn't wake up the orc last time he had it had earned him a hard stab in the side with his spear. Megan visited him everyday to clean the blisters on his chest and she had even managed to sneak him some bread, they always talked while she worked, Eric told her everything about his friends and all the adventures they had had together she seemed particularly impressed that he had been Dungeon Master for a day. In turn she told him of how her town had been overrun by Venger and he seemed to take a fancy to her and she became the spokesperson for the town and a slave for Venger. Every time Eric looked in those ice blue eyes he felt his heart twinge a little, every time they talked he slowly felt the barriers that he had built to protect himself fall away and one day he guessed he had been in Venger's castle for about 5/6 days he gathered up what little courage he had and prepared to tell her how he felt. Megan came in as usual and started to clean his chest.
"Megan…." He started, but she hushed him with a hand gesture.
"Be quiet…. That orc has been telling Venger what we talk about I'm afraid we cannot talk until that orc stops guarding you" Megan whispers shooting a glare in the orc's direction. Eric didn't know whether he was happy or sad, he was happy because he got more of a chance to think of what he was going to say to Megan, and sad because he wouldn't here her talk for a few days.
"MEGAN!!" A sudden voice boomed Megan shot up and bobbed a curtsey to Venger "Go Megan and prepare my evening meal and make it a good one for I feel I shall have something to celebrate" Venger ordered, Megan walked out of the room followed by the orc.
"Well now foolish Young one, four days with out food or sleep you must be desperate to tell me what I seek" Venger assumed.
"I'm sorry, you are the weakest link, Goodbye!!" Eric called stubbornly.
"I thought you might be stupid enough to be defiant, Brak! Brak enter now!" Venger called, Eric spotted a large Bulliwog enter carry what he recognised to be a cat o' nine tails, his eyes widened in fear as he felt Venger's spells turn him over so his bare back was showing.
Megan stopped and sighed heavily as she heard the first scream of pain from the boy she had been taking care of all week, the very handsome boy she had been taking care of all week, the very handsome, sweet boy she had been taking care of all week. 'Stop it!' She scolded herself for thinking like that a relationship with a prisoner would never work, especially with him he was one of the rebels which had been giving Venger trouble for months now and to love him would never do, and she doubted he returned her feelings anyway. She winced at the familiar sound of a swish-crack and the even more familiar cry of agony as she walked quickly to the kitchen to prepare her master's supper.
Venger held up his hand for the bulliwog to stop, the boy had passed out and there was no use in beating him if he couldn't feel it. He smiled in his twisted way at the blood covering the young boys lower back and shoulders, the cat o' nine tails was a very good torturing device as it's many straps of leather were edged with just a strip of metal making it even more painful.
"Leave him now Brak, we will come for him later" Venger commanded as he left for his dinner and so Eric was left unconscious and barely breathing. As soon as she knew the coast was clear Megan snuck in she knelt down besides Eric's still body and gently caressed his cheek that was wet with sweat and tears. His eye's opened for a moment them he closed them again as the incredible pain washed over him.
"Oh Eric…. I'm so sorry I wish there was something I could do to help" Megan said her voice filling with her own tears.
"There is…… go find my armour there should be a necklace with my family name on it go in to town and see if you can find a baby unicorn with a bright red mane, get her to take you to the people she's with and tell them where to find me show them the necklace and they'll know you're telling the truth.
Bobby looked up in surprise as he heard Uni bleat.
"Uni??….. Hey guys come on something's happened to Uni!" Bobby called to his friends who were still trying to figure out how to get hold of some dragon's blood. When they found Uni they were surprised to see the girl they had been trying to track down all week standing there obviously distressed.
"Are you Hank?" The girl asked there was a sense of urgency in her voice that made Hank nod straight away,
"Good now listen carefully I know where Eric is and I want to help you get him out but you have to come with me to Venger's fortress" Megan said in a rush. Sheila eyed the girl sceptically.
"How can we trust you? You work for Venger!" Sheila asked bitterly. Megan held something in her hand and the other's crowded round to see it. On a gold chain there was two letters EM beautifully entwine and set with rows of emeralds and rubies.
"Eric's necklace he swore he'd never give that away for as long as he lives" Diana stated breathlessly. Megan handed the rest of Eric's stuff to them and motioned for them to follow her and this time they didn't argue. When they reached the fortress they were taken aback for the building was made, or so it seemed, entirely out of sand Bobby thought that if he tapped it with his finger the whole thing would come tumbling down. The orcs at the gate stopped Megan and spoke to her it what the gang guessed was orcish, she answered them back in their own language and they let them pass through. When the gates had fully closed behind them, Megan turned to them briefly.
"We must hurry before Venger decides to start the torture again!" Megan whispered and carried on walking.
"Again?" Hank asked his bow growing warm as he reached for it behind his tunic. Megan didn't answer as she broke out in a run as she heard Venger's voice loud but muffled and a sound of a whip and the sound of a scream.
"HURRY! THROUGH THOSE DOORS!" Megan yelled pointing to a small door straight ahead. Presto spurred his feet on.
Eric screamed again as the cat o' nine tails was brought down again on his already bruised skin, he felt as though his skin was being taken off layer by layer. He tried to brace himself as he heard the swish but something exploded near the bulliwog and the blow never came. Four more explosions released him of the bonds that had been keeping him in place these past 6 days. He felt overwhelming relief as two pairs of hands pulled on his arms willing him to get up.
"Eric! Come on let's get you out of here!" Diana encouraged trying to hold on to Eric and not touch his injured back either.
"I'm afraid not foolish Young Ones, the young Cavalier will never leave here alive!" Venger cursed his hand glowing into a fireball. Eric saw a flash of white skin, black hair and brown cloth rush forward only to fall in a heap as the fireball hit it.
"MEGAN!!!!" Eric yelled her slipped out of the hands that were holding him and half-crawled, half-staggered towards the still body. He reached out a touched her face bleeding and burning, Eric tried to hold back the tears, as he smelt burnt flesh. Megan moaned and opened her eyes a small tear escaping, she reached for Eric's hand and whispered.
"I love you" Before she fell silent and her hand went limp.
"No!…. No! Megan No! Don't leave me I love you too! No! Don't leave me!" Eric whispered to her silent body trying, hoping that she'd wake up again. Presto seeing that Venger was on the brink of overwhelming his friends took off his hat.
"Come on hat, by the Realm and all the moral tape all I want now is a quick escape!" Presto chanted. The hat glowed and a mist came out surrounding all his friends and Megan there was a bright flash and when Presto rubbed his eyes he found himself and the others a good deal away from the fortress made out of sand.
"Presto!" Eric's urgent tear-choke voice called "Give me something to heal Megan quickly she's barley breathing!" Presto frantically searched through his hat and pulled out a whole box full of medical bandages. He handed some to Hank.
"You do Eric, I don't think I could calm him down when he's like this" Presto whispered. Eric was reluctant to move from Megan's side but being too weak to argue and resist he didn't have much choice. Hank tried not to swear when he observed all of Eric's injuries, he had vast blistering on his chest, stab marks in his side and he didn't want to even look at his back as the redness and blood seemed overwhelming.
"I'm sorry Eric I should have found a way to get to you sooner" Hank apologised his voice full of regret. Eric stopped straining to see Megan and looked Hank in the eyes.
"Don't be sorry, if I hadn't have been captured I would never have met Megan" Eric replied. Hank bandaged the whole of Eric's torso front and back using nearly the entire roll. Eric limped over to where Megan was, he didn't know where we was getting his strength he guessed it was all the adrenaline coursing through his veins. Presto was rubbing some salve on to her burns.
"How is she doing?" Eric asked fearfully. Presto wouldn't meet his friend's eyes instead he looked pleadingly at Sheila.
"Presto's doing all he can but he can't save her the most we can do is make her comfortable" Sheila told Eric as gently as possible.
"No! It can't be she has to make it!" Eric falls to his knees and grabbed on to her hand tightly.
"Maybe she can still hear you Eric it's worth a shot!" Bobby called encouragingly. Diana shooed the others away to give Eric a bit of privacy.
"Well what can I say? I suppose thank you would do for a start, thank you for taking care of me and talking to me I would have been so lonely with out you and most of all thank you for saving my life, I hope you can hear me because I'm really gonna miss you and I will always remember you and I could almost thank Venger for throwing our lives together but than I could kill him for what he did. Oh Megan I wish I could here your voice one last time" Eric told Megan, rubbing away his tears with Megan's own hand against his cheek. He looked up as a very weak croaky voice whispered to him.
"I don't regret what happened as long as you are ok" Megan's chest rose and fell for the last time. Eric dropped her hand in shock.
"How can I be ok with out you?!" Eric yelled ramming his hand in to the ground. The pain that shot up his arm was nothing to the pain in his heart. He got up and started punching a near by tree his pain and heartache needed to be let out. To his dismay the feeling of loss grew with each punch. His knuckles were bleeding and his face was red from the tears that had been un-knowingly running down his face. Something tightened around him, effectively pinning his arms to his sides, he struggled against Hank's energy bow before collapsing in to an exhausted heap as the adrenaline he had been riding on left him.
Hank pulled the string back on his bow but relaxed when he saw it was Diana.
"I'll take over watching Eric if you want, there's a pool just near by go and have a swim" Diana offered.
"No you're all right" Hank declined. Diana sighed Hank hadn't moved two feet away from Eric since he had collapsed a day before. Presto had wrapped Megan's body in silk sheets from his hat and Bobby and Uni had been collecting large rocks to put around her in a tomb like grave. Diana was about to turn back around when she heard the familiar clinking of Eric's boots.
"Hey guys come here I think Eric's waking up!" Diana called. The others came running and Sheila bent down besides Eric's head and whispered in his ear.
"Hey Eric wake up!" Eric grunted and tried to roll away.
"Buzz off! I'm sleeping!" Eric groaned. Everyone started laughing which snapped Eric in to full alertness.
"What?!?!" Eric asked rubbing his eyes. Before any one answered his eyes found Megan all wrapped up and ready to be buried.
"We wanted to wait till you were up before we buried her we kinda figured you'd want to be there" Presto said nervously pushing his glasses up his face.
"Well you kinda figured right" Eric snapped. Part of him had hoped that Megan would have awakened while he was sleeping but part of him knew she would never get up again and no matter how much he pretended it would always be true. He cursed himself for loving her if he hadn't of fallen for her it wouldn't have hurt like this. He thought he was going to cry again but even as Hank put the last rock in place the tears still wouldn't come. He refused the food Bobby offered him saying he wasn't hungry when in fact he was starving he hadn't eaten anything proper since before Venger got him after about the sixth refusal Diana tried to coax Eric out of the silent shell he had become ever since waking up.
"Come on Eric! You have to eat something you don't want to starve do ya?" Diana asked gently.
"No I don't" Eric responded tightly and more to please everyone than because of what was just said he took a bit of bread and ate it, well once he started he couldn't stop and soon finished his share of the rations.
"I guess I was hungry" Eric joked though his heart clearly wasn't in it. He rolled over on to his stomach as if going to sleep but he knew he wouldn't fall asleep any time soon because Megan would be there haunting his dreams.
Eric was bored he hadn't been able to get to sleep so he silently got up and sat down besides Megan's grave. 'No one would know who you are or even know that this is a grave' Eric thought. He then took up a sharp stick and slowly and laboriously started carving a message in to the stone. No one was particularly surprised when they found him slumped over Megan's grave fast asleep and everyone smiled as they read Eric's sentiment.
Megan,
a voice in the darkness that kept me sane.
I will never forget or regret you my friend
Eric.
They decided to break camp that day, Eric's wounds were healing slowly and so it seemed his heart, though Presto and Diana knew that it had taken them a long time to get over their loves and they were still alive but at least the gang was back on the trail home but this time a lot more wiser than before.