Chapter 7: Get Along
Dearest Father and Sister—
Hi Dad, hi Sis—
I'm alive. I'm fine. Send money–
…
Hi,
I got a new traveling companion. We're partners, but I do most of the work. He yells and hits stuff. Yes, it's a guy. Don't worry Daddy, he hasn't tried anything, he's a good boy, even if he does look like a bandit. I think you'd like him. We've already slain a monster and crashed a wedding. He's on a quest for revenge but gets distracted a lot. I guess some people just can't focus. We're trying to cross some mountain range now so he can hunt down his target. I hope he doesn't get his revenge too soon though. He's just so entertaining when he gets all riled up.
It's been a while since I had a fr partner. I hope this one lasts longer than my previous partnership. Traveling alone can get sooo - boring. Anyway, I'll write again once we're through the mountains. I promise I won't get into too much trouble either, Little Sister.
Best wishes,
-G
Leodin studied his map closely as he trudged along the worn dirt trail between the mountains. The air was crisp and the sky was clear as the sun's rays shined down on him. The path was easy enough to travel, but if they were to make it through to the other side of the mountain range, they would need to overcome some rocky terrain. The only alternative was to take the long way around the mountains, and Leodin had spent enough time getting sidetracked. He was in a hurry now to catch Grohl, before the trail went completely cold.
The blond soon realized how quiet it was. Too quiet. He stopped a moment and turned to look back at Naga, who was following a ways behind at a leisurely stroll, gazing wistfully at the trees. Leodin felt a slight twinge of annoyance at her slow pace as he watched her. She had her hands behind her head in a way that, of course, showed off her chest. Her hips lazily swayed from side to side with each step…her smooth skin glistening in the midday light, highlighting all her curves-
"Something the matter?" Naga asked when she noticed him staring at her. Leodin snapped to attention and shook his head. He had not realized he had been spacing out.
"Uh, no, just, pick up the pace a little," Leodin replied sternly, looking away as his face turned rosy before he continued forward. "There's a checkpoint for travelers at the foot of the mountain. We should rest there first before we climb over. I'd like to reach before nightfall."
"Afraid of the dark, are we?" Naga teased as she caught up to him with a smirk. "You really shouldn't let something like the time of day stop you from traveling, it makes little difference."
"Except for the nocturnal predators and bandits… and maybe ghosts…" Leodin grumbled.
"All of which I could easily dispatch with but a few good spells. Don't worry, I will protect you."
"I'm not worried, and I can protect myself just fine! I just don't want to be slowed down."
"If you say so…"
The two continued down the path for some time as the sun moved behind the mountains and the sky turned red. Thick, puffy clouds began to roll in from behind as the wind picked up. The path became gradually rockier and steeper the longer they walked. Naga groaned and winced as she stepped over a large stone.
"Leo, can't we take a break? My feet are starting to hurt…"
"Come on, we're almost… there!" Leodin stopped and pointed. Naga looked up to see a large, wooden building made of logs built into the nearby mountainside, the path leading up to its front door. Torches were already lit on either side of the front doors, and from within shadows danced past the windows. Even from their distance, they could hear a raucous murmur from within.
Naga and Leodin made their approach. The voices from within were loud and gruff, with the occasional breaking of laughter. This was not a cozy little inn like the one from Berylberg. There was a sign hanging above the door, with a picture of a wild boar and the words The Trusty Tusk.
The two adventurers each grabbed one of the handles of the heavy wooden doors. Just as they pulled them open, a bottle went whistling through the air and shattered on one of the stones outside. The two looked inside to find a large dining hall filled with a drunken assortment of rough mercenaries, discreet merchants, shady sorcerers, treasure hunters, bounty hunters, and more than likely a few bandits in the mix. Antlers, horns, and taxidermied heads of all manner of beasts hung around the walls. There were iron lanterns lighting the area, and a roaring stone fireplace at the back kept the hall warm.
"Be on your guard… h-hey!" Leodin whispered, but Naga strutted inside like she owned the place. Leodin sighed and followed closely behind her as she walked with confidence between the rows of long tables and towards the bar at the back, turning every head she passed by.
The raucous roar of the patrons quieted down as Naga got their attention, turning to whispers with every turn of the head. Leodin frowned and glared at the men who shamelessly leered at the sorceress, and he had to wonder if Naga even noticed as they sat down on the stools made from simple log slices at the bar.
"A glass of brandy if you please," Naga said as she addressed the barkeep. "And the house special."
"I'll take a glass of whiskey and the special too," Leodin said, his eyes darting back and forth. The blond was going to need something a little strong. He was on edge as he felt everyone's eyes on them. They were not in polite company anymore. He knew these types, and he hoped they could just eat, sleep, and leave early tomorrow without any incident. It was too much to hope for.
"Heeeeyyyyy therrrreee…" Came a slurred voice accompanied by breath that stank of alcohol. Leodin silently cursed as an unkempt mercenary with shaggy black hair, a beer belly, and an unshaven face sat on Naga's other side. "You must be new around here… I'd have remembered seeing you before… legs for days, huge melons, and look at that getup!"
He gave her a lecherous grin as he leaned towards her. Leodin grit his teeth as he gripped his axe. A deep, burning anger grew in the pit of his stomach, along with, strangely enough, a mixture of… envy? All Naga did about the man's behavior, however, was smirk and hold her hand up to his face.
"If we did meet, I must have forgotten you, and I must say, I'm glad I did," Naga replied smugly. "And right now I'm hoping I can forget your foul breath before my dinner arrives or else I might just lose my appetite." Both Leodin and the drunk mercenary blinked in stunned silence a moment before the barkeep placed their drinks in front of them. "Now run along so I can hurry up and forget all about you."
There was a hush in the room, followed by a few jeers and snickers. The mercenary glared and bared his teeth as his face turned red in anger, all while Naga swirled her brandy without paying him any mind. "Why you uppity…!"
"Damn it Uther, just let it go," The weathered old barkeep muttered with exhaustion, as though he had seen this play out before. As Naga was about to sip her glass, Uther snatched it out of her hand and downed it in one gulp.
"Hey!" Naga shouted in annoyance. "How rude!"
"Still think you can forget me?" Uther said as a bit of brandy dribbled down his stubbled chin. "Ain't nobody disrespects Uther the Dragon, especially not some fresh-faced floozy who doesn't know her place."
"That was my drink…" Naga whispered as her eyes narrowed at the man coldly. "That…was…mine…"
"So what are you gonna-hey!" Uther was taken aback when Leodin reached from behind Naga and shoved Uther to the floor, surprising even the sorceress. "Bug out you shrimpy little-oof!" The mercenary had the wind knocked out of him when Leodin planted his heel in Uther's solar plexus.
"That was her drink," Leodin said as he glared down at Uther with cold fury. "That's crossing a line, so you better pay her back if you don't want to end up even uglier."
"What are you, her manager?" Uther asked mockingly as he grabbed Leodin's ankle with one hand. "I usually pay floozies in silver, but how 'bout I pay her back with steel?!"
Leodin quickly pulled his leg back just as Uther swiped at him with a dagger pulled from behind. He backed away as Uther got to his feet, but kept himself between the mercenary and Naga, who watched the scene play out with fascination.
"Kick his ass, Uther!" A drunken voice from the hall called out as the other patrons all watched, forming a semi circle around the bar. Uther pointed his dagger at Leodin.
"Aw Hell…" the bartender said under his breath as he ducked behind the bar. Leodin raised his arms and squared off with Uther. The mercenary was a bit taller and a bit bulkier, but Leodin knew he could handle him.
"What's the matter ya little punk, you think you can take me bare handed?" Uther asked in a mocking tone that just barely masked how irritated he was. Leodin just stared him down without a word, putting on a mask of collected calmness. The truth, however, was that Leodin was barely keeping himself from losing control and simply beating the man into the floor. His heart was racing and his limbs trembled, but he had to keep it together.
"Come on," Leodin growled as he tucked his chin. Uther sneered as he lunged forward and thrust his knife. Leodin stood his ground and parried the blade with his forearm, protected by thick leather armor that went all the way to his shoulders. He then followed up with a step forward and straight punch to Uther's nose, making the mercenary stumble back.
"Aarrgh, you…!" Uther said as he grasped his now fractured and bleeding nose, his voice muffled.
"Pay up!" Leodin barked, letting slip some of his anger. The crowd was hooting and hollering now, and Uther's humiliation grew by the second.
"Oooohohoho, well, maybe now I won't forget you after such a pathetic display! Ooohohoho!" Naga laughed at Uther. The mercenary's face turned red as he let out something between a growl and a squeal. He let go of his nose and this time ran for Naga, ignoring Leodin. The sorceress gasped and froze up when she saw the small red stain of blood on his mustache, her body refusing to move out of the way of the knife.
"Naga!" Leodin shouted as one hand reached out to grab Uther's dagger and the other went for his axe in its holster. He was not fast enough though, and Leodin's eyes grew wide as the blade point approached the smooth skin of Naga's abdomen. It was mere inches away when, in an instant, something whistled through the air and lashed itself around Uther's arm, stopping him.
"The hell!?" Uther growled as he noticed a length of braided leather cords wrapped around his arm, a small but sturdy metal hook with four prongs at the end. What he did not notice was Leodin's knee as it came smashing into his solar plexus. The mercenary let out a grunt as he was knocked out cold, his head bouncing off the bar before he fell face-first to the floor, dropping his dagger.
Naga blinked as she regained her senses and looked up. Leodin followed the leather rope, or whip rather, to its wielder, who deftly unraveled it from Uther's arm with a flick of her wrist. The crowd murmured as she smirked before they broke out into cheers that thundered through the hall.
Naga and Leodin locked eyes with their savior, a young woman who seemed just a year or so younger than either of them. She had evenly tanned ochre skin, and her eyes were a light amber. Atop her head was a lopsided mohawk that looked like a dancing lime-green flame, and she was dressed in dark, smooth leather that covered most of her save for her arms and shoulders. She had a toned, athletic body covered in lean muscle forged by years of combat and adventuring from the looks of it.
"Giving you trouble?" She asked as she approached and coiled her whip before holstering it on her belt, next to an assortment of bottles and vials of various hues. "Uther always does that to newbies."
"Thanks," Leodin said with a simple nod before crouching down next to the unconscious mercenary. He fished around in Uther's pockets until he pulled out a handful of silver coins and handed them to Naga. "Here, this should be enough." The sorceress raised an eyebrow as she took the coins and then let out a sigh.
"All this violence over a drink, how very uncouth," Naga said as she pocketed the money. "Not that I'm complaining." She turned back to the bar as she was handed a new glass of wine by the bartender, who had come out of hiding. Uther was dragged away and out the back door as the new woman sat beside Leodin.
"I'll have what Blondie is having, Alex," The tanned woman said, and a moment later the bartender handed her a glass of whiskey. She downed it in one swig to Leodin's surprise, though Naga was less than impressed. "Name's Tekanta. You handled Uther pretty well, Mr…?"
"Leodin," The blond answered as he took a large sip of his whiskey. "And this is Naga. Are you a regular here?"
"Eh, sort of," Tekanta answered. "I come through here every once in a while on my travels, but I've only been around this part of the world for a couple years, ever since the barrier disappeared."
"The barrier?" Leodin asked.
"You mean you're from outside the barrier?" Naga interjected. Tekanta nodded with a bright smile.
"You've got it. Ever since this continent opened up, I've been exploring it all over, seeing the sights, meeting new people, getting into fights…" She trailed off with a little chuckle. "All the magic you folks use took some getting used to, but you're no slouches when it comes to some old-fashioned fisticuffs either."
"Well, thanks again for the save," Leodin said just as Alex laid out his and Naga's house specials on the bar; two plates of sausage with sides of mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. "Hey, uh, since you're familiar with these mountains, I don't suppose you'd mind being a guide, would you? We're trying to get to the Western side."
"Maybe we could strike a deal," Tekanta said as she stroked her chin and eyed Leodin's axes. Naga meanwhile was already digging into her meat. "There's a little job I've been assigned to take care of by a group of adventurers I'm looking to join. I could use a hand, and you seem like a strong fighter. Help me on my mission and I'll get you and your woman through the mountains."
"His woman?" Naga blurted with her mouth full. Leodin blushed in shock. Naga swallowed and took a deep breath as she glared at Tekanta. "Excuse you, I am his mistress."
"...oh, so it's like that then?" Tekanta asked with a surprised expression.
"Not like that!" Leodin said, waving his hands defensively. "We're partners! Traveling companions! Naga's a sorceress, trust me, she can help too, she's, uh… she's capable…" Leodin trailed off sheepishly whilst Naga pouted.
"Just what is this job exactly?" Naga asked. Tekanta snickered quietly at their antics.
"A simple treasure hunt, more or less," said the woman. "In the ruins of an old mountain tomb, there's a hidden artifact I've been asked to retrieve by my group."
"And what's the catch?" Leodin asked before taking a bite of lightly salted potato mash.
"Aren't you perceptive… the catch is that the place may or may not be trapped and is probably haunted."
"Haunted, huh?" Naga scoffed. Leodin furrowed his brow. "It's probably some lesser or brass demon. Just what is this artifact anyway?"
"It's an eyepatch," Tekanta continued. "I'm not sure exactly what it does, but it's supposed to let you see the unseen or something like that. Point is, it's valuable. Help me get it, I'll pay you, and you can loot whatever other treasure you find in there."
"Hmm, I dunno," Leodin thought, not noticing as Naga pilfered a piece of his sausage. "I'm already pressed for time…"
"The ruins aren't too far from here," Tekanta whispered reassuringly. "Just a little detour down the western path, once we get out we'll be on the other side in no time."
"Well…" Leodin scratched his chin, then looked to Naga. The sorceress grinned and nodded enthusiastically while chewing his food. "Okay…we're in."
"Great!" Tekanta smiled and clapped her hands together. "We'll head out in the morning. In the meantime, you can sleep upstairs, once you're done eating."
"Upstairs?" Naga asked as she glanced up. There was a second story to the hall, but there were no doors, just what looked like a very large balcony. "I don't see any rooms. This isn't an inn though, is it?"
"Not exactly," Tekanta replied as she stood up and walked to the stairs. "Come meet me up there later."
Leodin quirked an eyebrow and just shrugged as he turned to his food. He narrowed his eyes at his sausage. "I thought I'd have more than this…"
"You really are a glutton," Naga chided as she shoveled some of her sauerkraut onto his plate. "Here, eat more veggies. You have too many proteins, and balance is the key to a good diet."
Leodin let out a long sigh before quickly devouring his dinner, wary of Naga's wandering fork but deciding not to pursue his suspicions. They chewed, swallowed, and guzzled down the rest of their drinks before paying for their meals and heading for the stairs. The two carried their belongings up to the second floor to find one large, spacious loft full of travelers all lying on their own personal sleeping bags and bedrolls.
"Hey, saved you a spot!" Tekanta called as she waved to them from the back corner. She was seated on a long sleeping mat with her boots off and her legs crossed. Leodin gave a small wave back as he and Naga approached and sat down in front of her, unholstering their weapons and laying them on the floor.. "Cozy eh?"
"Not much privacy though…" Leodin commented as he looked around the loft, noting the other mercenaries that eyed the three of them but specifically Naga.
"Don't mind him, he's shy," Naga said flippantly as she rolled out her own mat and blanket. "Leodin, you need to have more confidence." Naga proceeded to unfasten her cape and pauldrons before removing her gloves and boots. Leodin blushed as the leering men in the loft began to grin. He shot them all a dirty look as he scooted over to block Naga from their sight.
"My confidence is fine, you should worry about unwanted attention," Leodin hissed softly.
"Why would attention ever be unwanted?" Naga asked with a smirk. Their banter was interrupted when Tekanta let out an amused chortle.
"I like you two, I think we'll get along just fine on our mission," the whip-wielding warrior proclaimed. She produced an apple from her supplies and started to peel it with a large, curved dagger holstered behind her back. "But before all that, why don't you tell me what you can do?"
"I'm very glad you asked," Naga said proudly as she puffed her chest out. "You'll be happy to know that Naga the Serpent is not only the most beautiful but also the most powerful and intelligent sorceress in these lands! Oh, and Leodin is fairly skilled at fighting, even if he does look like your run-of-the-mill brigand."
"Oh can it," Leodin growled at Naga before clearing his throat. "I'm a good hunter and tracker. I've had my share of dungeon crawls and monsters slain. I also have these," He held up one of his axes, which Tekanta studied closely. "They're axes that can channel magic through them using caster gems. I've only got fire and air gems, but they're more than enough."
"I see, good to know," Tekanta nodded with a smile. "Besides the whip and dagger, I know a little alchemy. Between the three of us, there shouldn't be anything we can't handle in the tomb."
"Anything else you can tell us about the tomb?" Naga asked as she lay down on her mat.
"Just that it's over a thousand years old, older than the barrier was," Tekanta answered before biting into her fruit. "Sorry, I don't know much about your land's history. I just know the tomb used to be part of some ancient civilization that was destroyed during a demon war."
"Hm, alright," Leodin nodded before he stretched and yawned. He'd seen his share of old ruins on his journey, and this one sounded just like any other. "Guess we'll see what it's like when we get there."
"Sounds like a plan. We better rest up then," Tekanta said and swallowed another bite of apple. She turned her head when she heard a loud snore and saw Naga already snoozing, her belongings gathered up in a pile by the wall. "Someone's already ahead of us, hah."
"Oh come on Naga," Leodin sighed and shrugged. "Sorry, she's just… like that. Believe me, she's powerful, she just needs some… direction."
"Hey, don't worry about it," Tekanta waved dismissively with a grin. "Having a sorceress is good, especially if we do encounter any ghosts. Those things are pesky without magic."
"Right…" Leodin nodded thoughtfully. "I can take them down with my axes, probably, so long as I can touch them, but I guess spells would be more useful…"
"Those are no ordinary weapons, so they'll do fine," Tekanta replied. "You're lucky we're both headed in the same direction. By the way, why are you crossing the mountains?"
"Oh, uh, I'm looking for someone, someone who… owes me…" Leodin began to say uneasily. "Naga's looking for someone else, and we're just sort of sticking together, for now."
"Oh, I think I know what you mean," Tekanta replied. She took her last bite of apple, chewed pensively, then swallowed. "It doesn't hurt to have friends though." She gave him a playful nudge with her elbow before tossing her apple core into a nearby bin and laying down on her mat.
"I'm just gonna, um, polish my weapons a bit before sleeping," the blond said bashfully as he slipped his armor and boots off to get comfortable. "Don't wait up."
"Alright, just don't miss your beauty sleep." Tekanta shot him a wink and settled in for the night.
Leodin let out a quiet sigh and turned his back towards the two women. He glared around the loft at the other mercenaries as he took out a worn down rag from his supplies and began polishing his axe blades. They all seemed to get the hint and went back to minding their business. Not that Leodin thought either Tekanta or Naga needed his protection, but he was not just going to sit around doing nothing.
The night wore on, and soon enough, Leodin's eyes grew heavy, and his head nodded down…
"...that was scary…"
"And you were very brave… here, a little treat for you…"
"It looks like… a kitty…"
"Remember… when the world tries to tear you down or intimidate you… just take a big, deep breath and laugh in its face! Ooohohohoho…!"
Naga awoke with a soft snort. She blinked her bleary eyes and glanced around. Many of the hall's torches had been snuffed out. Some of the travelers were still awake, but many more were fast asleep. Through the windows, just the barest bits of light filtered in from outside. The sorceress looked to the right to see Leodin sitting with his arms and legs crossed, head hanging and motionless.
"Leo…?" Naga asked as she crawled to his front. She found him fast asleep, having dozed off while on guard, snoring softly and blissfully unaware. Naga let out a short laugh.
"Typical… hm?" She heard the stairs creaking and turned to see Tekanta climbing up into the loft. They locked eyes before Tekanta waved.
"Awake already?" The tanned woman asked as she walked over to her spot and checked her supplies to make sure nothing had been stolen.
"Yes, and it seems you're up even earlier," Naga remarked as she crossed her arms under her chest.
"Just needed the loo," Tekanta remarked as she began to put on her weapons and gear. "It's also good to be up before the breakfast rush starts…" She looked to the still sleeping Leodin and giggled softly. "Cute. How long have you two been traveling together."
"Hm?" Naga tilted her head curiously. "Almost two weeks, why?"
"Oh, no reason," Tekanta grinned mischievously. "So, you're a sorceress. Can you use white magic?"
"HA, of course I can, I've mastered the art," Naga said proudly. "As I already said, I am the most powerful in the world."
"Mmm hmm," Tekanta raised her eyebrows doubtfully but then shrugged her worries away. "Well, in that case I'm sure you should be able to handle a few ghosts. I don't think they'd be interested in stealing your drink, heh."
For once, Naga felt her face flush. She took a deep breath and pursed her lips a moment before turning to Leodin and smacking him on the back.
"Who's there!?" The blond woke with a start as he grabbed his axes, frantically looking left and right.
"Get dressed, manservant," Naga ordered firmly as she got her gear on. "We need to eat breakfast and head out, and don't you dare try to steal any food off my plate."
"O… okay…" Leodin stared in mild shock at Naga, still too sleepy to properly process what had transpired. His stomach was growling though, so he did not ask questions, putting on his boots and armor and following the ladies downstairs, all carrying their supplies with them.
Tekanta sat down at one of the long tables while Naga and Leodin sat across. They ordered their breakfast, a large smattering of potato omelets, sliced ham and poached eggs in mustard sauce, sliced pears and black tea.
"Aw, I wish they had cinnamon buns on the menu," Naga sighed as she poked her egg with her fork and let the yolk run over her omelet.
"Hah, I doubt you'll find many fine bakeries in these parts, princess," Tetanka said sarcastically, causing the sorceress to nearly choke on her ham.
"Hey, if this tomb is nearby, why hasn't anyone tried to, you know, raid it?" Leodin asked while cutting into his omelet.
"Thing is, it's kind of a secret and pretty well hidden," Tekanta answered and blew the steam from her tea. "Few people know of it, less know where it is, 'cept for a few, like me and my friends. And as you might have guessed, they say it's haunted. That's why it'll be so handy having you guys with me."
Tekanta beamed at Leodin, who smiled back awkwardly. Naga glanced between the two and was the only one frowning. For some reason seeing Leodin act so chummy with someone he had known less than a day simply rubbed her the wrong way. Why hadn't he been so friendly with her? Nevermind all the times she swiped treasure from him. And nabbed his bounties…
The three soon finished and paid for their food before heading out of the hunting hall and onto the path through the mountains, the morning sun's rays reaching from over the peaks with some dark clouds on the horizon. They stayed within the narrow valley, which only grew more narrow and more dense with foliage with each passing step.
"You're sure you know where this tomb is?" Naga asked as she fanned herself.
"Oh I know. In fact, we're pretty close…" Tekanta replied. Just as she spoke, they came to a dip in the foot of the mountain, an opening overgrown with thick, thorny vines and brambles, too thick to even see through. "And here we are. The temple is just through here."
"So we have to cut our way through huh?" Leodin asked as he pulled out his axe and sighed. "Alright, time to get chopping."
"Ohoho, these vines pose no problem for me," Naga proclaimed as she stepped forward and raised her hand out. "Flaaaare Arr- ow!" Naga flinched when Leodin grabbed her wrist and pulled it to the side.
"Don't just go casting fire spells in a forest!" Leodin scolded. "You could start a wildfire."
"Hey now, I can be careful," Naga pouted and crossed her arms. "You should have more faith in me…"
"Allow me," Tekanta said as she pulled a tall bottle from her belt pouch. In it was a dark green murky fluid. She stopped in front of the vines and gave the vial a shake before she covered her mouth and nose with a bandana around her neck. "I knew about the vines, so I prepared a little something. Stand back and try not to breathe."
Naga and Leodin watched as she carefully aimed the end of the bottle at the roots and opened the cork with a loud pop. Out of the bottle sprayed a green mist which spread through the thicket. They gazed in amazement as the vines all withered and shriveled, practically crumbling into dust.
"That's some strong champagne," Naga mused. Tekanta corked the bottle back, wiping the top off with a rag before putting it away. She turned to the other two, pulling her bandana down and smirked.
"Neat huh? My own recipe," Tekanta said. "And it works on more than just plants. Now come on, this is just the start."
She waved for them to follow and the three marched down the path, trampling over the dead vines that snapped under their feet and blew away as dust with the breeze. The forest around them was still dense as they brushed aside evergreen branches. Leodin's ears perked when he heard the ringing of a chime.
"Hm? You hear that?" The blond asked. They could see light ahead through the low hanging branches. Finally breaching the forest, they came upon their destination; a large stone archway situated within an alcove in the mountainside. At either side of it hung old wind chimes made from brass. The adventurers approached and saw steps leading down into a tunnel.
"This way into the tomb, I presume?" Naga asked as she took point. "Well come on then. Lucky for you I'm very experienced with navigating underground labyrinths."
"Riiiight…" Tekanta replied dryly. They walked further and further down until they came to a large stone door with the symbol of an eye surrounded by ornate swirling patterns. On it was a large wooden handle.
"No problem," Naga said as she stretched her arms and popped her knuckles. "Bephis- hey!" She stopped when Leodin once more pulled her hand aside.
"Naga, there's a handle," Leodin chided. "We can try pulling it first before resorting to magic."
"Rrrg, you're no fun," Naga huffed as the warrior stepped in front of her. "My way would be faster…"
Leodin grasped the handle firmly, and with a heave he pulled the stone door open. It slowly slid over the tiled floor, and as it opened a wave of cold, musty air flowed out, followed by a dim fluorescent glow. The three peered inside to find a narrow hallway lit by luminescent moss along the walls.
"Cool," Tekanta said as they walked inside. "Nothing like this in the deserts."
The hall opened up into a wide, empty room with an opening at the back. It had a floor, ceiling, and walls of smooth tiles in a checkerboard pattern of marble and onyx. There were four stone columns supporting the ceiling. At the top of the ceiling hung a large lantern filled with the glowing moss that had painted the walls, illuminating the room.
"Well this is rather unexciting," Naga said with mild disappointment. "And not even a single coin in sight. Alright, next room."
"Wait," Leodin said as he held a hand out to stop Naga from stepping forward.
"What is it now?!" Naga asked in annoyance. She was growing frustrated with her partner's constant interference.
Leodin carefully stepped on the tile in front of him, slowly pressing down until he felt it click and sink down. There was a rumble, and the floor began to split apart down the middle.
The three watched as each side of the floor fell open like a massive trap door and revealed a deep, dark pit filled with rusted spikes and the skeletons of unlucky explorers.
Tekanta whistled as she peered over the side. "Would hate to fall for this old cliche," the adventurer said as she unfastened her whip. "Hardly a problem though."
With a flick of her wrist, Tekanta flung the end of her whip at the lantern above, snagging it. Naga and Leodin watched as she tested the strength of the lantern and then swung across.
"Tekanta…!" Leodin gasped when it seemed Tekanta would not make it to the other side, but she was able to undo her whip's hold on the lantern at just the right time to let her momentum carry her to the other side, landing into a crouch before standing. She turned and grinned.
"Easy," Tekanta said. "But, uh, what about you two?"
"Ha, this death trap is hardly a challenge," Naga said haughtily as she stepped forward. "Levitation!" The sorceress began to float off the floor and effortlessly glided across the pit to the other side. Naga smirked at Tekanta. "Even easier."
"Very impressive," Tekanta said sardonically and looked past her. "But I think you forgot something."
Naga raised an eyebrow before she turned to look back across the room at an irritated Leodin, the vein in his forehead pulsing and his mouth drawn into a frown as he glared.
"Thanks for carrying me over, Naga," the blond said through grit teeth. He let out a loud sigh as he examined the four columns and walked over towards one of the walls. "Okay. Hang on, I've got this…"
"Leodin?" Naga asked curiously. Tekanta crossed her arms as they watched Leodin take a position. He bent his legs and leaned forward before springing into a dash towards the edge of the pit at an angle. "Leo!"
Leodin ignored Naga's shout as he leapt off the edge and towards one of the columns. He pulled his legs up, planted his feet onto the sturdy stone structure, then kicked off towards the other column diagonally across the pit. With another kick and a twist, Leodin backflipped off the second column and landed before the two women in a crouch. He sighed as he stood up straight, and looked to Tekanta to see her grinning at him.
"Nice moves," the fiery green-haired woman said as she clapped softly. "You weren't just trying to show off, were you?" Tekanta cheekily nudged his shoulder with her fist, eliciting a slight blush from Leodin. Naga rolled her eyes as she turned to the room's exit.
"Alright, alright, let's keep it moving," the sorceress said impatiently. "This isn't a jungle gym."
"And I thought you liked playing around," Leodin replied sarcastically with a smirk of his own. "Can't let you have all the fun."
Tekanta suppressed a chuckle as they followed Naga deeper into the tomb through another hallway lit by glow-moss. Naga clenched her fists and pouted more intensely. She was not used to being on the other end of the stick, and she did not like it one bit.
They came to another opening, and Naga stopped with a soft gasp, her eyes growing wide. Before them was a large room filled with sparkling gold coins and treasures, chalices and jewels, necklaces and idols of precious metals and rare materials.
However, it was what sat at the back which caught Tekanta's eye. On an ornate throne, wearing a bronze breastplate and helmet with a weathered plume sat a skeleton. Draped across its lap but held firmly in its bony hand was an ancient weapon from a forgotten time; a gladius, a short, broad sword with a large, round pommel, rusted over the centuries. There was a glimmer within the shadow of its helmet, and covering the skeleton's empty eye socket was a violet eyepatch with a flat, pale blue jewel situated in the middle, surrounded by golden embroidery.
"There it is," Tekanta whispered as she walked forward with an excited smile. "The Eye of Krom!"
"Did you say Krom?" Leodin asked, the name catching him by surprise. Tekanta nodded.
"Yeah, that's what it's called," Tekanta said offhandedly as the two made their way over to the skeleton while Naga poured over all the treasures, packing them into her pockets. "Dunno who this Krom guy is. Maybe that's him."
"...no," Leodin said softly. "I doubt it…"
"Well whoever he is, I doubt he'll care if we borrow his eye patch." Tekanta replied as they reached the throne. She went to grab the eyepatch, intending to rip it off, when to their shock, the skull snapped up to face them, the Eye of Krom glowing brightly with a ghostly aura.
"Who dares…?" The skeleton spoke in a dry whisper that chilled the three adventurers' blood. Naga dropped the ivory flagon she was about to pocket and stood to her feet while Leodin and Tekanta leapt away to gain distance. The armored skeleton rose to its sandaled feet and brandished its sword.
"It's possessed," Leodin stated. "I've read about these, better-whoa!" The blond quickly drew his axes and blocked a strike from the skeleton's gladius as it lunged for him first. Leodin deflected it to the side with one axe and smashed the back end of his other axe into its breastplate, knocking it back.
"I am Perotius, master of the Eye of Krom," the skeleton said as it held its ground, rib bones popping back into place from where Leodin had struck it. "You shall share this tomb with me, just as those raiders before you."
"Great, one more obstacle," Tekanta said as she drew her whip and uncoiled it. "Let's see how you like this, bonehead!" The woman lashed her whip at Perotius, striking it directly on the helmet with the hooked end, but it did little more than scratch the armor.
"I don't think a whip will do well against a skeleton," Leodin said as he flipped his axes around. "We're gonna need to smash this thing."
"Oh please, it's just a pile of musty old bones in a rusty old bucket," Naga said as she stepped forward and raised her palm towards Perotius. "Damu Bras!"
A bolt of blue light shot from Naga's hand and struck the skeleton warrior dead on, exploding in a shower of sparks and dust. Perotius was thrown back into the throne, his limbs and joints falling apart and his helmeted skull falling to the floor. Naga dusted her hands with a satisfied expression.
"There, I've taken care of your problem," Naga remarked. "Now let's get all the treasure we can carry, as well as that monocle or whatever it was."
"It's an eyepatch, not a… well, maybe it is sort of a monocle," Tekanta said as she picked up the skull and observed the Eye of Krom. The flat jewel in the center, upon closer inspection, did appear to be a sort of lens. It was simply stitched into a patch of cloth, rather than attached to a chain.
"Rrrraaaaaaahhhhh!"
Tekanta's pondering was interrupted when the skull's jaw opened wide and let out a howl. She quickly tossed it at the throne with the rest of the bones, which all began to float upward. One by one, the dislocated bones began to reconnect with dry, loud snaps and pops.
"Come on…" Leodin said with exasperation as he readied himself. "We're gonna have to do a little more breaking… what's that armor made of?"
"Don't worry about the armor, I have a plan," Tekanta said as she gave her whip a snap. "Just keep him busy."
"Hey, I don't take orders from youu-ah!" Naga began to complain but was interrupted when Perotius charged at her next. He swung wide, barely missing Naga with his gladius. Perotius swung again, but this time the sword was caught by the blade of Leodin's axe.
"Naga, maybe try using your sword, better for close encounters!" The blond shouted as he and Perotius began to clash blades. "I can't keep saving your ass, you know?"
"I would never sink so low as to draw my sword against such an inferior opponent," Naga replied as she got her foot and raised her palms. "Damu Bras!"
"Watch it!" Leodin yelled as he narrowly avoided Naga's spell, which once again plowed into Perotius' armor, blasting him into a pile of treasure and scattering the bones.
"Now, before he can put himself back together!" Tekanta shouted as she lashed her whip around Perotius' jaw and pulled the skull out of its helmet and into her grasp. "We need to smash the skull!"
The skull howled again as it tried to reattach itself to its spine. The rest of its limbs were already floating upwards, but rather than rejoining with the main torso, the arms and legs flew for the trio, the sword hand going for Leodin, the empty hand going for Naga, and the legs hopping towards Tekanta.
"Uhg, hey! Hands off!" Naga said as she slapped the bony appendage away when it made a grab for her top. Leodin meanwhile parried the gladius wielded by the other hand. He hooked it with his axe's beard, twisting the sword from the hand's grip, then flung it into a nearby wall.
"Put it on the floor!" Leodin shouted as she ran towards Tekanta. Tekanta placed the skull on the ground and as Leodin came near, he raised his axe and swung the back end down upon the skull, shattering it to dust. The howling stopped, the limbs fell to the floor, and a wisp of blue smoke rose from the fragments.
"Close one," Tekanta let out a sigh as she picked up the Eye of Krom. "Glad you didn't damage the artifact. Hmm, I wonder…" The woman studied the eyepatch curiously before placing it around her head and over her left eye. The lens glowed faintly for a moment as she adjusted it.
"What do you see?" Asked Naga as she tossed the skeleton's lifeless arm aside.
"I see… fire," Tekanta said as she gazed at the other two. "You both look like you're on fire. Those axes too. Not normal fire, it's all white and blue and yellow."
"That's all it does?" Naga asked as she put her hands on her hips. "Hardly seems worth the effort."
"Doesn't matter to me how it works as long as I get it to my gang," Tekanta said with a shrug. "Eh, maybe they'll have a better idea of how… wait a minute…" She turned her head, as though she were looking at some sort of pesky fly. Naga and Leodin followed her gaze towards the wall, but there was nothing to see.
"What is it?" Leodin asked. "I don't see anything. Hey!"
"Get down!" Tekanta said as she pulled Naga and Leodin to the floor with her. Just a second later, a spectral blade flew out from the wall and cleaved the air where their necks had been. The three looked up to see the ghost of an ancient warrior floating above, wearing the same style of armor and wielding the same kind of sword as their previous opponent.
"I warned you," said the specter as he raised his weapon. "Even in death, Perotius will not yield."
The ghost of Perotius was not quite so skeletal in appearance, having the illusion of flesh and skin. While he was brimming with muscles, his face still seemed gaunt. He had a chinstrap beard and a long nose with dark, sunken eyes.
Perotius glared down at the three before swooping at them for another attack. Leodin raised his axes and deflected the astral sword aside. The ghost flew near the opposite wall and let out a soft growl of annoyance.
"No ordinary steel I see. No matter…"
"Enough of this!" Naga shouted as she got to her feet. "Elmekia Lance!" The sorceress thrust her palm out at Perotius and fired off a bolt of astral magic, but before it could make contact, the specter phased through the wall behind him and the attack broke against the smooth stone tiles. "Damn, no fair!"
"I can still see him!" Tekanta cried out as her gaze shifted and her neck tilted. "He's coming from above!"
The three all dodged to the side as Perotius phased out from the ceiling and swiped at them again before phasing through the floor. They each took a stance, Leodin readying his axes and Naga chanting her next spell.
"We'll have to attack him just as he comes out of the walls," Leodin surmised, eyes darting left and right. "Tekanta, tell us which way he's coming. Naga, hit him with a spell. I'll block his sword."
"Got it," Naga replied as she held her next Elmekia Lance between her palms. Tekanta nodded in response as she kept her eyes on Perotius's form, looking like a blue comet as it flew outside their reach. The specter was not so careless though, it knew what the Eye of Krom could do, and so it made its movements as erratic as possible to try and confuse Tekanta. The adventurer tried her best to keep a bead on Perotius until the spectral warrior came too close.
"Below you Naga!" Tekanta called out. Naga hopped back just in time as Perotius stabbed his gladius upward through the ground where she was standing, just barely missing her slender calf.
"Elmekia Lance!" Naga fired her attack where Perotius was, but he was too quick and dipped back through the floor. "Urgh! You want to do this the hard way, Mr. Ghost? Fine then…unworldly one who wanders the depths of the Earth, wretched and pitiful…
"He's up to something," Tekanta said as she watched Perotius fly away and into the distance. "Be on your guard!"
"...may the light of purification…"
"Naga, what are you doing?" Leodin asked as he watched the sorceress chant. He could tell she was attempting to cast a very powerful spell. "You're leaving yourself wide open!"
"...cast thee down, beyond this world and the next!"
Tekanta watched as Perotius' spirit came hurtling at them with the speed of a falcon in full dive. "The wall! Move!" She barely had enough time to duck out of the way as the specter phased through the wall and flew at her, but she was not his only target.
"HOLY BLE-" Naga began to cry out her spell's words of power, but in that instant, she saw Perotiu's blade being thrust toward her. There was no time for her to react mid-chant. Time seemed to slow down as Naga watched the spectral sword's tip drawing closer to her heart. It seemed as though this was the end for her...until the point stopped short by only a centimeter.
"No you don't!" Leodin growled, his axe hooked around Perotius's elbow. The specter seemed shocked that he had been caught in such a manner.
"Curse yooouuuuu….!" Perotius began to cry out as he turned to try and swipe at Leodin, but the blond twisted his arm to the side and threw him off balance before striking him with his other axe blade. The weapon cleaved Perotius' form in two from shoulder to waist, leaving the spectral warrior in stunned silence as he looked down at the empty space between.
"Elmekia Flame!" Naga shouted as she blasted what remained of Perotius. The ghost cried out as he disintegrated in a flash of light, forcing Leodin to shield his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw Naga triumphantly flipping her long hair over her shoulder.
"Oooooohohohohoho! Falling for such a simple ploy! How embarrassing," Naga declared with a haughty laugh. "And all it took was one well-placed spell."
"Like hell Naga, you almost died!" Leodin shouted at her. "If I hadn't been there you would have been run through."
"Oh ye of simple mind," Naga said with a wag of her finger. "I deliberately left myself open to bait the ghost out into attacking, knowing you would be there to shield me from any harm, my loyal but dimwitted servant."
"I… I don't believe you." Leodin said incredulously. "Like, I literally don't believe you, you're just trying to save face, admit it."
"Ooohohoho, if you can fool your friends, you can fool your enemies," Naga said as she walked past Leodin and gently ruffled his spikey hair to his annoyance. "Don't feel too bad you didn't pick up on my plan, it all worked out anyway."
"That's great and all, but can we get a move on?" Tekanta said as she took the eyepatch off and pocketed it. "I think I've had enough of this tomb. Grab what you can and let's go."
The three grabbed all that they could carry and headed out the way they came. This time Naga remembered to carry them across the pit with a Rey Wing spell. As they reached the surface, Leodin glanced up at the sky, now blocked by grey clouds.
"Looks like it's gonna rain." Leodin said tiredly.
"Well if you say it out loud then it's definitely going to rain," Naga chided as she hefted her sack of gold. "Don't be such a jinx."
"I am not a jinx…" Leodin muttered at Naga as she skipped ahead of him, humming a happy tune with her treasure in tow. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see Tekanta smiling at him. "Hm? What's up?"
"Hey, I was thinking," Tekanta began to say as the two walked together down the path. "You were pretty good in the tomb taking on that ghost-skeleton guy. I know you would have taken him out anyway."
"Oh, thanks," Leodin said with a shy smirk. "I don't think I'd have done it without your support."
"See, that's what I'm getting at," Tekanta smiled brightly at him. "I think you should join my team. You'd be a great addition, and we can help you find that guy you're looking for. It's revenge, isn't it?"
"Huh?" Leodin was taken off guard by Tekanta's blunt yet correct statement. He nodded to her slowly. "Yeah… I want revenge…"
"Well my gang has some of the toughest fighters around these parts," Tekanta said proudly. "And a master tracker to boot. I promise you, we'll find your man, so what do you say?"
'Well, that does sound like a good offer…" the blond turned his gaze toward Naga. The sorceress was still marching along ahead of them, paying no mind to their conversation. "Hmm… let me talk to Naga about it. I'd like her to join too."
"Alright, but give me your answer soon," Tekanta said as she walked ahead of Naga. "We just need to turn left where the brambles were, then right and straight ahead."
"Hey, Naga, Tekanta wants me to join her group," Leodin said as he caught up with the sorceress. "She said they can help me. I think I should go with them, but maybe they could help you find Lina too."
"Me, join her party?" Naga asked and took a moment to mull it over before shaking her head. "Nonono, if she was assigned on this mission like she said she was, that means she has a boss, and I am my own boss, thank you very much."
"Oh, I see…" Leodin replied, feeling a twinge of disappointment. He then took a large sack of gold he had filled earlier in the tomb and offered it to Naga. "Here then."
"Hm?" Naga asked as she took the sack. "What's this for?"
"That should pay off the rest of what I owe you, right?" Leodin said matter-of-factly. "It's some of my share of the treasure. I need to make sure we're even before we part ways."
"Part ways?" Naga was taken aback. "You mean you're really going with her?"
"Yeah, I think her people might be just what I need," Leodin said. "It's been a wild couple of weeks, but I need to get serious about my mission. You'll do fine without me, you're powerful… I'm sure we'll run into each other again…I'll find you, once it's over."
"Yeah… sure…" Naga said as she allowed Leodin to walk ahead of her, holding the gold he had given. It was more than twice what he owed her. Naga could not say no to that.
They followed Tekanta further down the trail through the mountains, the sky only growing darker, the low rumble of thunder in the distance. Gradually, their path evened out and became less craggy, large stones turning to fine, flat dirt and sand until they finally breached over to the western side of the mountains. Tekanta pulled out a pocket watch from her bag to check the time and breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Phew, made it just in time," Tekanta said as they reached a four-way split in the path marked by an old signpost. One sign pointed back where they came, two pointed in both directions along the foot of the mountains, and one pointed ahead of them towards the plains beyond. "My people should be here any minute."
"What do they look like?" Naga asked as she went to lean against the signpost.
"I know one of them, she's a sorceress like you named Oullette," Tekanta replied. "Tall too, but wears white, and a cape with a big, feathered collar and strawberry blond hair. She said she'd bring others with her."
"Naga, you don't have to stay," Leodin said to the sorceress as Tekanta scanned the horizon for her other comrades. "If you want to continue on, you can. Don't let me slow you down."
"No, I think I'll just tag along with you a while longer," Naga replied as she casually flipped a gold coin in the air. "I'm curious to see what these friends of hers are like."
Leodin gave an awkward shrug as he crossed his arms and waited. While he had finally grown accustomed to Naga despite her annoying habits, Tekanta just seemed better suited to helping him on his quest for vengeance. While he… liked Naga, she had been distracting, and Leodin was not sure if he really wanted to drag someone as carefree as her into his mess. Tekanta was more on his level, and if things became as bloody as he expected, she would likely be more reliable than Naga in the long run.
"Oh, hey!" Tekanta shouted and waved to three figures coming from the southern path. "Oullette, over here!"
Naga and Leodin watched as the three approached. Two appeared to be rugged male warriors of average appearance, both carrying arming swords and wearing dark blue vests. The third was a woman, tall and strawberry blond, wearing a long white cape with a feathered collar just as Tekanta described. Her nose was narrow and slightly hooked. Her mouth was small, the corners of her black-painted lips drawn down in a perpetual pout of sorts. Under her cape she wore a snow white corset, a skirt with gold trim, and thigh high light brown boots with steel toes and heels.
"Tekanta," Oullette said with a slight tilt of her head. "You've brought… guests."
"Yeah, and check this out," Tekanta said as she pulled out the Eye of Krom from her bag. "They helped me grab the Eye!"
"What? You were ordered to wait for us," Oullette said with a sigh. "That was reckless."
"I know, but I wanted to prove I really have what it takes to be in the brigade," Tekanta replied sheepishly. "Grohl won't mind as long as we've got it, right?"
"Grohl…!?" Leodin let out a soft gasp that only Naga heard. She turned to Leodin to see his eyes wide, his body quivering. He kept his expression as blank as he could, but Naga could see the rage building within him. Leodin gripped his axe heads in their holsters, his knuckles turning white.
"I suppose as long as there are favorable results, insubordination can be… overlooked…" Oullette said. She turned her attention back to Naga and Leodin, her expression showing just a shade of bemusement. "So, what about these two?"
"Right, these are Leodin and Naga," Tekanta said with a smile and a gesture to them. "Without them, I don't think I'd have beaten the ghost warrior we ran into."
"H-hey there…" Leodin said with a wave, barely masking the emotions boiling just under the surface. "T-Tekanta said you guys could help… help me out with… uh…"
"Please, speak up," Oullette said irritably, making Leodin's already quick heart rate spike. "Do you have some kind of stutter?"
"Ooohohoh, please forgive my manservant," Naga said as she stepped forward, drawing their attention. "He's just shy around new people. Allow me to introduce myself, I am the all-powerful Naga the Serpent, genius sorceress extraordinaire. Yes, we helped your comrade secure this little trinket, a trifling matter for one as talented as I. I think you'll find-"
"Hey, I know her!" One of the two men accompanying Oullette spoke up, interrupting Naga. "That's that crazy sorceress that attacked us back at the ruins!"
"Yeah, I will never forget that laugh," said the other warrior as he drew his sword. "That witch froze a dozen of us– urk!" His sentence was cut off when a bolt of lightning zapped him in the chest. The paralyzed warrior fell unconscious to everyone's shock, and before anyone could react, the other warrior let out a pained grunt when the back of Leodin's axe slammed into his solar plexus with another surge of electricity. Leodin had dashed in faster than anyone had seen.
"W-what the… Leodin!?" Tekanata shouted when she saw blond standing between the two unconscious bodies, both axes crackling with electricity. Leodin glared up at Tekanta as he took a fighting stance.
"Where is he?" Leodin asked in a low growl as he moved forward menacingly, all friendliness gone from his eyes. "Where is Grohl!?" Without even waiting for the answer, Leodin charged at Tekanta and Oullette and swung his axe. The women barely dodged out of the way to either side, with Leodin fixing his gaze on Tekanta.
"The hell has gotten into you?!" Tekanta said as she put on the Eye of Krom and brandished her whip. "Wait a minute, Grohl's the guy you're after? Tch, figures…" As Tekanta gazed at Leodin through the Eye of Krom. She could see his fiery aura had turned into a white hot inferno, and she could not help but feel a little intimidated.
"How annoying," Oullette said to herself as she raised her palm. "Away with you. Blast As-"
"Freeze Arrow!"
Oullette smoothly glided to the side as if riding on air just as a bolt of ice struck where she had been standing. She looked up to see Naga approaching with a smirk.
"Did I forget to mention my servant can be a little hot-headed as well?" Naga asked as she flared her cape out behind her. Oullette was not amused. "Sorry, but I'll be your opponent."
The two sorceresses squared off and readied their next spells. Meanwhile, Leodin continued his assault on Tekanta, swinging recklessly while the woman dodged from side to side, striking back at him with her whip as best she could, but he was too close to land a good hit.
"I can't believe you were working with that bastard this whole time!" Leodin hollered in disgust and bared his teeth. "I can't believe someone like you could ever be friends with someone like him!"
"What is your problem, huh?!" Tekanta asked as she reached for a bottle hanging on her belt. "Here I thought you were cool, but you're crazy!" She tossed the bottle at Leodin, who struck it with his axe. It shattered against his blade and exploded into a green mist. Leodin covered his mouth and coughed as the toxic vapor threatened to fill his lungs, already making his eyes sting and water.
"Damn it," Leodin swung his axes, using the air magic from his caster gems to blow away the toxic cloud. "I don't know what Grohl or his goons said to you, but whatever they promised is a lie!"
"Piss off! Grohl's been good to me!" Tekanta shouted back. "I don't know what your beef with him is, but you sound like a whining brat!" She lashed her whip at Leodin, who stepped to the side to avoid it.
"Shut the hell up!" Leodin screamed and went on the attack again. "You don't know a damn thing!"
Meanwhile, Naga and Oullette traded spells, with neither gaining an edge over the other.
"Flare Arrow!"
"Windy Shield!"
"Freeze Birid!"
"Dil Brand!"
Naga was left panting while Oullette was still cool and collected, though the blond sorceress's hair was a bit mussed. Their spells were canceling each other out and all they had done was tire themselves. Unless something changed, they were in a deadlock.
"You're stronger than you look," Oullette said softly as she studied Naga. "I might have to exert myself to beat you."
"Ha, underestimating me was a mistake," the dark haired sorceress laughed and smirked, trying to ignore Leodin's angry screams behind her. "I haven't even begun to show what I'm really capable of!"
"I see. In that case…" Oullette narrowed her dark, glistening black eyes as she held her hands in front of her chest. "I'll need to be… strategic…"
"Come on!" Leodin shouted as he unleashed a blast of wind at Tekanta, blowing away another vial of chemicals she tried to toss his way. It shattered against a large rock in the ground, and the contents inside dissolved the stone into a frothy mist. "I'm not falling for your tricks!"
"How 'bout this one?!" Tekanta latched one of her bottles to the hooked end of her whip. It was filled with thick purple syrup, and she swung it like a flail in a large circle. Leodin tried to blast it away, but there was too much force behind the bottle and he could not land a direct hit. The woman flung the bottle of syrup at Leodin, and with a flick of her wrist, the whip cracked open the top.
Leodin had not been expecting such a maneuver, and the syrup splashed into his eyes, covering them in a sticky goop that impaired his vision.
"Now I've got you," Tekanta said as she lashed her whip. Unable to see well enough to dodge, Leodin was forced to huddle up and block with his axes, which proved difficult given the speed of the weapon. The hooked end of the whip lashed against his leather arm guards and pauldrons, and he winced when the metal sliced through his thigh. A superficial wound with mild bleeding, but it stung badly.
"Quit turtling," Tekanta sneered at his defenses. "Give up your weapons and I'll let you go!" She lashed her whip once more, this time snaring Leodin's left axe. Tekanta tried to yank it from his grasp, but he held firm.
"I'll never give anything to someone like you!" Leodin shouted. With a firm tug, the blond yanked on the whip and pulled Tekanta off balance. She fell with a grunt and looked up to see she was within Leodin's striking distance. He sliced off the end of the whip before he holstered his axe and grabbed the syrup covering his eyes. Leodin let out a pained growl as he pulled it from his face and then flung the gunk from his fingers.
"That was my favorite whip, you goddamn psycho," Tekanta snarled as she grabbed her dagger and prepared for close quarters combat. "If I'd known you were like this, I'd have left you to rot in that tomb,"
"And if I'd known you were working with a bunch of backstabbing brigands," Leodin growled as he raised his axe, the blade surging with lightning. "I'd have done this sooner…"
As Leodin and Tekanta prepared to make their final moves, they remained unaware of Naga and Oullette. The sorceresses were staring each other down, waiting to see what the other would do next. The sorceress in white spied Leodin and Tekanta, and she knew now was the time to turn the tide of their battle.
"Are you just going to stand there or what?" Naga asked after watching Oullette hold her spell. The corner of Oullette's mouth curved up only slightly as she stretched her arm out and aimed just off to Naga's side.
"Astral Break." A ball of white light crackling with energy formed in front of Oullette's hand. Naga readied a counter spell, but as the Astral Break fired off into two swirling beams, it flew right past the dark haired sorceress. Naga turned and gasped in shock when she saw the spell flying directly for her ally.
"Leodin!" Naga cried out, but he was too focused on Tekanta. Only when the flash of spiraling lights caught his eye did he turn his attention away, but by then it was too late. He had no time to dodge and barely enough time to guard himself with his blades. The spell struck Leodin, and he cried out as he became enveloped in white light.
"AAAAAAAaaaaaaaahhhhhh…!"
Naga watched and listened in horror as Leodin's cry of pain faded along with the light. He stood there for a moment, stunned, his physical body unharmed but the life in his eyes gone. A moment passed, and then his legs buckled and he crumpled to the ground.
The spell was an offensive astral magic attack, meant to target a living being's astral body, their very soul, and tear it asunder. Naga was well aware of the spell Oullette had struck Leodin with, Astral Break. It was highly effective against demons and evil spirits, much like Elmekia Lance, but much stronger. To use it on a human might be considered… overkill…
"Thanks for the save," Tekanta said casually as she inspected the frayed end of her whip where Leodin had cut through. She clicked her tongue and sighed. "Man, it'll take me forever to make a new one like this. Thanks a lot, asshole." She spat on Leodin's motionless body.
"We're not done yet, Tekanta," Oullette called out. "Help me deal with this one and we can… hm?" The sorceress stopped short when she noticed Naga holding her hands to her chest, eyes cast down and expression unreadable as she whispered under her breath. There was a flash of lightning in the distance, and then a light drizzle of rain began to fall on the battlefield. Oullette narrowed her eyes and readied herself. "What are you…"
"CHAOS STRING!" Naga shouted as she looked up at Tekanta, tears streaming down her cheeks, an expression of wild, frantic fury in her eyes, her lips curled into a snarl. Oullette studied Naga's spell closely, but all she saw was the smallest glimmer of something moving through the air. Suddenly, the leather strands that made up Tekanta's whip began to unravel and twist on their own.
"Huh?!" Tekanta shouted as the leather strands snaked around her, wrapping around her limbs and neck tightly. She gasped as she felt herself being bound and choked by her own weapon. Naga then turned her attention to Oullette, her eyes filled with a murderous rage.
"BOGARDIC ELM."
"Damn!" Oullette gasped when she felt the earth beneath her turn to thick mud and she began to sink into it. "Levita-ah!"
"DIG VOLT!" Naga placed her palm to the ground and a bolt of lightning arced through it toward Oullette. The water in the mud helped to conduct the electricity, and Oullette let out a shriek as her body was shocked into paralysis. The blond sorceress fell to her knees and looked up to see Naga preparing for one last spell.
"VLAVE HOW-hah?!" Naga stopped when she heard a groan. She turned to look at Leodin as his body began to writhe. The blond warrior rolled onto his stomach and let out a haggard breath. Leodin pushed himself up and reached out for Naga before falling back to the ground with a grunt.
"How is he still alive?" Oullette asked as she winced in pain. "No ordinary human could survive a spell of that magnitude."
"Leo!" Naga shouted as she flew to him, ignoring Tekanta and Oullette. She pulled him up and saw his eyes rolled back. He was barely registering Naga, his mind scrambled as his head lolled back and forth and his muscles spasmed. He tried to speak, but could not manage a single word, his jaw opening and closing with no sound but labored breaths.
"Just hang on!" Naga grabbed Leodin's other axe and placed it into its holster before slipping her arms under his legs and back. "Rey Wing!" The air whipped around them as Naga took off with Leodin in her arms.
Oullette watched them fly off into the distance away from the mountains. After a moment, the leather strands which bound Tekanta unraveled. She coughed and took a deep breath as she rubbed her throat.
"What kind of a spell was that?" Tekanta asked as the rain gently fell, soaking and flattening her fiery green hair. "Is that one you know?"
"No, I've never seen it before," Oullette replied. "Wake up the men. We still need to deliver the Eye… and report those two to Grohl. If that man is still alive and out for revenge, he could prove a thorn in our side…"
Naga's heart was racing as she rocketed through the air with Leodin in her arms. The droplets of rain were blown away and scattered as they raced through the clouds. His weight was mitigated by her Rey Wing spell, making his body light as a feather. Leodin's writhing and twisting still made it difficult for her to hold onto him however, and the sorceress was already exhausted from her fight with Oullette. Naga had cast so many spells. The last few had spent so much of her magical energy, and now she was pushing herself to get them as far from danger as fast as she could.
Finally, once they had flown a good distance from the mountains and across the plains, Naga spotted an old shack just at the edge of a forest. Taking it as a sign, Naga dove for the wooden structure and floated inside. She stumbled as she touched the ground and dropped Leodin onto a pile of musty hay, letting out a yelp as they landed hard.
"Leo!" Naga shouted as she rolled him onto his back. Leodin grit his teeth and arched his back, letting out a pained groan. "Please… don't leave me," Naga choked out her words as her tears fell on his face. "I can't… I can't… not again…"
Suddenly, Leodin let out a loud gasp, and then fell still. Naga placed a hand on his chest…and felt nothing. His lungs were motionless, and his heartbeat had slowed and weakened. The sorceress panicked and began to beat her closed fist against his sternum.
"Wake up!" Naga screamed. She remembered how Leodin had caught her from falling off her golem. The blades he had blocked from cutting her perfect skin. Defending her honor from Uther. How he had let Grohl go to save her life. The cute lion lollipop he had given her after the wedding incident. No matter how angry she made him, he never let her get hurt or put her in harm's way.
"Please…" Naga sobbed, her body fraught with fatigue. "You're my only…" Naga stopped as an idea came to her, one last ditch effort, but she had to try.
"Blessed, humble hand of God, life and breath of Mother Earth…" Naga whispered as she raised her hands over her head, fingers intertwined. "...I pray thee come before me, show your great compassion to this person…"
A bright, brilliant light shined from her palms, casting rays all around the room. She did not know if this would even work. It was a spell meant to heal critical injuries, but Leodin's astral body had been the one harmed, not his flesh and bones. Still, Naga had to try something…
"...and deliver them back to us!" The sorceress pressed her hands to Leodin's chest, and the light grew larger, covering his whole body. Naga felt like she would faint at any moment.
"RESURRECTION!"
The intensity of the light became almost blinding. Naga squeezed her eyes shut. She felt the last ounces of her magic draining away as she put all she had into the spell. It called upon the life force of the surrounding life forms, the trees and the animals, but it still required the caster's own energy to make the call.
With her magic finally spent, the light faded and Naga collapsed beside Leodin, panting and on the verge of falling unconscious. She reached a hand for his chest, but was surprised when Leodin suddenly grabbed her hand. He did not open his eyes, but he took a deep breath and squeezed Naga's hand before breathing out.
The sorceress let out a long sigh of relief. Without a second thought, Naga pulled Leodin close and tearfully nuzzled him, burying her face into his hair and holding his head against her bosom. With her task complete, fatigue finally overcame Naga and she fell asleep, exhausted but deeply relieved she had kept her friend alive…
Oullette and Tekanta walked up the long, tattered red carpet towards the iron throne situated on the stone dias. Around the room milled the members of Grohl's brigade as they ate and drank and relaxed. The wind and the rain howled outside the windows, the torches flickering and casting shadows on the worn out walls. On the throne seated before them was their leader Grohl, his bardiche in one hand and a mug of ale in the other. By his side was the archer Vulk, looking as serious as ever. Grohl studied the two women with interest.
"Hm, you're here sooner than I thought," Grohl said as he lounged. "You got what I asked for, didn't you?" He downed the rest of his drink as he waited for their answer
"Right here, boss," Tekanta said as she produced the Eye of Krom from her bag. "And it works too. There were some complications though." She walked up to Grohl and handed him the relic. Grohl set his mug down on the floor and took the Eye from her, examining the blue lens in the middle of the violet patch.
"Then you've earned your place in our brigade," Grohl said with a smirk. "But what about these… complications?"
"We, shall we say, encountered two acquaintances of yours," Oullette began to explain. "A loud mouthed sorceress with terrible fashion sense calling herself Naga, and a twin axe wielding fighter named Leodin."
"Leodin?" Vulk asked in surprise. Grohl raised the shaggy eyebrow over his missing eye.
"Yes. According to our chaperones, you met them before, when you acquired that weapon," Oullette continued. "They put up quite a fight."
"Yeah, that Leodin guy was nuts," Tekanta added. "Him and Naga actually helped me get the eye, but when we met up with Oullette, he went totally berserk. Oullette almost killed him with a big spell too, but they got away from us."
"So the runt is still kicking…" Grohl whispered as he stroked his chin. He took a moment to place the Eye of Krom over his own scarred and blinded eye. A wide grin spread across his face as he chuckled softly. "Well I'll be damned…"
"Grohl?" Vulk asked with a tinge of concern. "Is this going to be a problem?"
"It just might," Grohl said as he stood up with a grunt. "That's thrice he should be dead. Maybe I underestimated the little cockroach's will to live. Alright then, here." Grohl handed Vulk the Eye of Krom. The archer took it warily.
"You're giving it to me?" Asked Vulk. "I thought you would want it because, well, you know."
"Nah, you'll make better use of it," Grohl replied with a smile at his comrade. "Imagine how deadly a master archer who can see through walls can be. Besides, I think you'll need it for your next hunt."
"Grohl, just what exactly are you planning to do?" Oullette asked. "Do you believe those two will interfere?"
"I don't want to leave it to chance," Grohl said and he loudly tapped his bardiche on the cold stone floor, grabbing the attention of all in the room. "Listen up. I'm putting a bounty on the ones called Leodin and Naga. Bring me their heads, and I'll grant you a chest of gold and a place in my inner ring, assuming any of you can do it before Vulk gets to them. Happy hunting!"
The rest of the brigade gave a cheer before they went back to their meals. Grohl smirked as he stepped down the throne and up to Oullette and Tekanta directly.
"I hope these distractions can be dealt with quickly," Oullette said softly. "We need all resources available. I don't need to remind you how important this is."
"Don't you worry your pretty little head," Grohl said with a toothy grin. "Vulk takes his tasks very seriously. He'll be ready in time, as will the rest of us."
"Ready for what boss?" Tekanta asked curiously. "You mean the big plan?"
"That's right Tekanta," Grohl said with a nod. "Now that you've earned your place, it's time we let you in on what's in store. It all starts and ends with a little kingdom called Saillune…"
"Leo…!"
He felt himself tumbling and flailing powerlessly through the swirling abyss, no sense of direction, of time or space, but he felt a pull from two directions. On one side, oblivion…
"...please…don't leave…I can't…"
The other, a voice, and then a light. He struggled as if swimming against a rushing current, an undertow threatening to drag him under. He reached out towards the light, towards the voice calling to him, fighting with all his strength to grasp salvation…
"...Wake up…!"
Leodin shot upright with a loud gasp. His eyes darted left and right, trying to get his bearings. He was in a small, derelict shack filled with old hay, with only one small window and an open door. Leodin could hear rain falling. He checked to see he still had his axes…and then he remembered Tekanta. The blond warrior's adrenaline spiked as he grabbed his weapons and rushed out the door to find himself at the edge of a forest.
"Where are they?!" Leodin shouted angrily as he gripped his axes and looked all around, but all he saw were the trees and the dirt road running through the middle of an empty field, the mountains far in the distance. "Where… where…" Leodin slowly turned around when he sensed a presence behind him.
Leaning against the wall of the shack was Naga, her cape drawn tight around her slender frame. The usual mischievous twinkle in her eyes was gone, now dull and tired with only the smallest glimmer of relief when they met Leodin's gaze. Her face was damp, perhaps from the rain. The two stared at each other in silence as Leodin remembered what had happened. He had been struck by a spell and knocked out cold. No, he had been more than simply knocked out.
"Leodin," Naga broke the silence, her voice a monotone as she spoke one simple sentence. "...you still owe me..."
The warrior wanted to say something to her, anything, as they continued to hold each other's gaze. Leodin could not think of the right response though. All at once, he felt anger, gratitude, and shame over all that had transpired and all he had done in such a short amount of time. Leodin looked away from Naga, back towards the mountains. The rain fell over his eyes and blurred his vision.
"Yeah…" Leodin finally replied, his voice hoarse and on the verge of cracking, his body trembling. "I guess…I do…I'm sorry…"
The warrior slowly sank down to his knees as he no longer had the strength to stand. He gazed out at the rain and the mountains a moment longer, filled with a great sense of emptiness. Leodin had failed again, failed to control himself, failed to find Grohl. Worst of all, he had once more lost a friend…
Leodin sat in the rain a while longer until he felt a light touch on his shoulder. Flinching, Leodin turned to see Naga, still with the tired look in her eyes. She gestured with a nod back toward the shack. Leodin nodded back sadly, standing up and letting Naga gently lead him inside and out of the rain.
Author's Note:
Sorry about the long wait, I took some time off to read more of the Slayers light novels. I'm up to novel 13, and I'll likely focus on finishing the rest along with reading through the various Slayers manga. It's mostly for research for this fic, but I also feel I owe it to myself as a Slayers fan to try and consume as much media as I can after all these years. My longest chapter so far. I considered splitting this one, but I could not find a decent place for a break, and it flowed better as one full chapter.
Another reason this chapter took so long is that I was unsure what I wanted to do next after the previous arc. I had considered doing more episodic adventures before getting back to the main plot, but this one in particular was always on my mind. I was afraid it might have come a bit too soon, but at the same time I didn't want to drag things out too long.
This chapter was a little personal for me, and the last fight was tricky for me to write.
Something that I always have to keep in mind is how much focus I want to put on Naga. Her being something of a mystery is a major part of her appeal as a character, you never know what exactly is going on in her mind or what she's really feeling. I always have to be very coy when writing her, but I'm also afraid of not giving her enough focus. Thanks to some advice from my wife, I decided to pull the veil back for the last part of the chapter. Not completely, but just enough that if you know her backstory you can infer what isn't being said.
A little about Tekanta and Oullette; Tekanta is partially inspired by June the bounty hunter from Avatar mixed with the Gerudo from Zelda. Oullette's design is heavily based on Emma Frost from X-Men with more of a barn owl motif. I might do sketches of them along with the rest of Grohl's Brigade at some point.
I dropped a few easter eggs that I hope fans will pick up on. What exactly does Gohl want with Saillune? Keep reading and find out.