Chapter 18
Push on the button and wave bye-bye
"It is going to be a problem," I admitted, looking the group over.
"But you can do it, right?" Malachite asked.
"You got here with a spell," I reminded him. "Only we came in through the portal. Oh, quick tip for the future. Don't everybody jump through mysterious portals!"
"A lesson learned to be sure," Hanz agreed. "I have upgraded my firewall rules to disallow passing through portals if I am the last one to do so."
"Great!"
"But you don't know the spell or you would have used it already?" Malachite went on.
"Let me worry about that." For the record, I'm extremely worried about that.
"I trust you. Do what you need to do."
"I will. It hasn't come to anything too drastic yet. I'm going to pray for a bit, see if that helps us any, and keep thinking about things."
"Prayer? Well, okay, if you say so. I'll keep looking around."
If it comes to it, I can at least get you all out. It won't be pretty, but there is always calling upon wild magic. I can do basically anything, once. But the mana doesn't like being used that way. It'll rebound on me. Best case I get a spell that takes us out of here, and it rebounds on me to take me back here. Worst case I get a spell that takes us out of here and it simply kills me. But you all will be free to continue the fight. So naturally that's the desperation move. For now I'll say a prayer and hope for the best.
I did so, and felt a little better. Like all hope was not lost, and that our story would continue from here. But I had to report no golden portal was probably on the way to rescue us.
We checked and checked the place over, and I wracked my brains for some way to use a spell I knew in some new and novel way to help get us out of here. Like that hygiene spell a minute ago. Now there was some quick thinking, 'thanks Orchid, that really would have been a problem if it had stuck around.' 'Oh, you're welcome everyone, just another miracle performed by little old Orchid. No, no, please no applause. Oh I'm blushing, stop!' But no, not even a mention. Sigh. There was really no way to twist my dimension jump spell, or if there was I didn't know it. I had made no real study of other dimensions, after all, I just used the spell. We ran our hands along all the walls, making sure nothing was covered by illusion, but finally we had to stop. Malachite and Snarly had some of their rations, and we lay down to get some rest. Hanz assured us they would watch over us, and kept their ax at the ready. One by one we succumbed to sleep.
"You're not going to believe this!" Hanz woke us up, rushing to each of us and giving us a shake. And another, in the case of Malachite. And another. And a kick.
"Huh?" I managed, blinking in the sunlight and looking around. Wait, sunlight?
We were back in the real world, right by the entrance to the cave. I was laying next to a dead stone dog, and jerked back, scrambling to my feet.
"What happened?"
"Beats me. I suddenly realized we were here," Hanz admitted. "Strange. My internal cronometer is… returning a strange value."
The voice we had heard in the wherever we had been echoed up from the nearby entrance. "Know that I have spared you, as your actions have intrigued me. I invite you to break yourself against me. It will be more entertaining than the last time I brought Gloom to this world."
"Whazat?" Malachite muttered. "Let me sleep."
Oh boy.
"Thath that I gueth?" Snarly decided. "Hooray? We're alive!"
Hold on, 'brought Gloom?' I thought that voice was the voice of the Gloom? Shouldn't it say something like "more entertaining than the last time I came to your world?" Something like that? Is it bringing Gloom or is it Gloom? Have we not actually met "Gloom" yet? I'm so confused. And a whole group opposed it last time, with the Enlightenment and everything. Was that not entertaining enough for you? I mean, really now.
"Hey, we're out!" Malachite finally announced.
"Little late to the party," Hanz told him. "Welcome to consciousness once more, biologic creature."
"Thanks, I think? What's going on?"
"We've been spared, apparently. A critical mistake on the part of the Gloom, or so we must work to prove."
"Fantastic! Think we were gone long?" He was looking around and also spotted the corpses.
"We must gather further evidence before I can answer that question."
"Fair enough." He got up. "Let's check the place over, and head back to town for some breakfast. I'm starving."
We headed down the stairs again, expecting to see the two cultists surprised to see us on this side of the locked door, or gone, having given up and left. We saw them all right, but they were slumped over, dead, no marks on them.
"What in the world?" Snarly asked, poking the one's cheek.
"I am not here anymore, I have left these vessels behind. My roots are now deep, you will soon encounter my endless power once more. I look forward to the day."
Yeah, us too, jerk.
"Awful chatty lately, our Gloom," Malachite remarked, looking around. "One might think he was bored. Maybe don't destroy your world, you might have a few people running around doing entertaining things. Just a thought."
So we phased back into the room and yes, it was untouched from when we had left it. The oil was still there, barrels and barrels of it, along with general supplies, an odd assortment of candles and such probably meant for rituals, and one glowing potion. Yes. Our only treasure from this room was a single glowing potion that for all I knew at the moment was poison. Almost made me not want to bother, these cultists certainly were poor.
I'll look that over later.
What we didn't find was any real indication of what they were storing all this oil for. Sure they had a few lamps down here but this was enough oil to drown a horse. It didn't make sense. But we phased out of there, deciding to keep it locked up just in case some other random bandit faction happened by and stole it again. With that we headed back to town, and by that time it was getting dark.
"Aw man, my sleep schedule is going to be all messed up now," Malachite complained.
"Oh, so you'll be up for other activities then?" I asked with a wink.
"I'm sure we could think of something," he agreed with a grin.
"I'll go report to the Thleeping Lion," Snarly announced. "They'll be around. I'll tell them tha good neth about the oil."
"Figure out where they want it," Hanz agreed. "How are we getting such a large quantity back to town, by the way?"
"I'll just enlarge the cart, and Athame can grow in size to match," I decided. "All hooked up we can simply phase the whole thing (I hope) and not have to worry about trees. We'll figure something out. Some barrels of oil should be a cake walk for us."
"Oh, have to get thome cake at the lion," Snarly perked up, licking his lips. "Thatth like dinner right?"
The next day we spent moving the barrels of oil and otherwise looting the place. I buried the bodies of the cultists, unsure if they really were doing this of their own free will at this point. I prayed for their souls, but of course the Lord would know if they had free will while they were cultists. It depressed me, how the Gloom had simply thrown them away. Did that mean it didn't need cultists anymore? The words it had spoken troubled me. "Roots had gone deep?" Was it established here now, as a physical presence like the Enlightenment? But it would still need 'servants' and such right? Why not just walk them someplace else? Did it have so many cultists or did it simply care so little that two were inconsequential at the moment? Either way was troubling.
The next day Malachite vanished fairly early so I got to work studying the elemental body spell. I was unclear what exactly "move through their element" meant, the spell itself was light on details (pardon the pun) but I figured it would allow me to at least fly when the sun was out. If I was literally light I could probably pass through windows, under cracks in doors, but could I move at super speed? Hanz told me light was the absolute fastest thing there was, apart from magic which could in theory take one from one end of the continent to another with teleportation. I was eager to try it out. But it took hours of study and I didn't want to mess up such a high grade spell, so I took it slow.
"You've been studying for hours!" Malachite whined. "Let's go out for dinner tonight!"
"I do have some nice clothes I haven't shown off," I mused. "And honestly we deserve a night out. Let me get ready and- we're not going to that music place again are we?"
He laughed. "No way! After what happened last time? Nope, let's go to the place we had our first date!"
"Your prison cell? Seems an awful long way to go for dinner, but I guess if you want."
He smacked me playfully. "You know where I mean."
"Okay, okay, let me change."
I took on the looks of an Undina, or half water elemental. My skin was more gray and textured than normal, and my features were a bit more exotic. It was mostly habit at this point, but I figured I knew the spell, had spent effort learning it, I was going to use it! I spruced up my outfit a little too, but mostly left it alone.
On the way there Malachite seemed a little more nervous than usual, and twice I caught him patting his pocket as if to check if something was there.
Spell tokens, no doubt. I'm a little worried about the Gloom as well. Who knows when it's going to come popping up at this point. Or what form it might take. He's unarmed, and we're down two party members. This would be the perfect time to attack one or the other of us. Of course if I'm being honest, eliminate Snarly and Hanz first. Do an area magic denial spell on the house and bust the door down. Their spell symbols fail, leaving them with only their natural abilities. No augments. Hanz can't fire their weapon all that much without-
"What are you thinking about?" Malachite asked, looking over at me.
"Not how I would take us out now that we're separated!" I squeaked. "I mean, uh…"
He laughed. "No Gloom tonight, dear. Just us two."
"Okay, okay. No work stuff. But maybe in a lighter topic, let me tell you about that spell I found. How would you like to become light itself?"
We were met at the restaurant by a young dark elf woman, who said there was a room set aside for us and to please follow her. I glared at Malachite but he put on an innocent expression and shrugged.
"Our reputation maybe?" He looked me up and down. "Well, mine, anyway."
"Huh…" We both followed her into the back to a private room, covered with plant life and even had fireflies flitting around. "Wow, this is romantic. And you didn't have anything to do with it?"
"Don't know what to tell you," he insisted.
"That's… actually a bit troubling." I looked around, opening up my magical senses, but finding nothing. After we were seated and the woman took our drink order I did a quick "Detect Enemies" spell but got no response. Then did another when the musician came in and started softly strumming his lute.
"Wow, this place has great service, 5 out of 5 would eat here again," Malachite announced.
My eyes simply narrowed.
We were just finishing up when Malachite went quiet and looked over at the musician. He started in on another song, and I soon realized it was about me!
Into my cell entered an orchid fair,
A woman who then graced my life with care.
Her beauty shone, a beacon in the night,
Softening edges where darkness held tight.
She fights beside me, hand in hand we stand,
Through trials faced together, round the land.
Her strength empowers, fuels my fiery soul,
With her by my side, I'm stronger and whole.
For she was made of crystal pure and bright,
Reminded me of what was true and right.
Magical essence fills each breath she takes,
Enchanting all with the wonders she makes.
My heart beseeches her sweet presence near,
To share our lives as one, forever clear.
O gentle flower of grace and tender hue,
Will you honor me? Will you say "I do"?
I looked over at him in shock as the last notes faded, and he had a ring in a box that he was presenting me. "You set me up!" I managed, delighted. "You acted like this was all some mystery, but it was you all along. I've been expecting the Gloom to jump out of the walls at us or some other hideous creature to have been the table all along but-"
The musician cleared his throat and I looked over at him. He jerked his head in a "get on with it" sort of way. I turned back to Malachite who I was was drooping a little bit.
"Of course I'll marry you, you big goof! Yes! Yes, I'll be your wife!"
The musician strummed as I grabbed him up in a hug.
"Kinda wondered where you were going with that," he admitted, sounding relieved.
"I had to get you back somehow. Do you know on edge I've been?"
"You? What about me?"
"You were in control of the whole thing! What did you have to be nervous about?"
"Oh, you know. All of it!"
I broke off the hug. "Well," I said, holding my hand out. "Put a ring on it, then."
"Gladly!" he agreed with a smile.
The ring was silver, with two vines twining around the whole thing towards the center. Leaves sprouted from the vines, and there were thorns (or perhaps the claws of a dragon?) holding a large stone that seemed to shimmer and throw colors every which way. "I love it!" I told him, holding it up. "It's perfect."
"Now comes the other big question," Malachite announced. "The wedding."
"That's going to be a whole thing," I agreed. "Do we even invite our families? I mean part of your family is an enormous dragon! I suppose I could shrink him…" Though he was the one that gave me that spell in the first place. He can shrink himself.
"Whatever makes you happy," he agreed. "It's your wedding."
"Uh huh," I waggled a finger at him. "It's our wedding. We both get a say."
"Yes dear."
I giggled. "You're a quick learner!"
"Should we have it soon? A couple of months from now? What kind of ceremony do you want?"
"I want a big production, and a fancy gown, and at least some of the important people in my life, and a big party." I sobered. "But realistically there's a war on. Even if we're the only ones who know about it and are fighting it. I can't be selfish."
"You can be a little selfish. There must be some middle ground?"
"Then I guess we'll just have to have two!" I explained brightly. "One just for us, with Snarly and Hanz, and one later after we've won the war and stand triumphant over the broken body of the Gloom's avatar in this realm. It can double as our victory celebration."
"And we just pretend the first one didn't happen? That we only had the big one?"
"Exactly. No one gets their feelings hurt they didn't get invited and we have the time to plan once we're no longer in danger. I mean can you even imagine? Our guests are all there and the Gloom attacks us while I'm walking down the aisle?"
"That would totally happen," he agreed seriously. "Hey you can be even more radiant now, you can walk down the aisle as light, right?"
"I can!" Or I can once I feel I have the spell memorized.
"I can't wait to see it."
"So get busy defeating the Gloom then."
"I'll get right on that!" He sobered a bit. "It's why I asked now, actually. I've been planning it for some time. I finally decided we're going to be in danger either way. You cleared your curse, you can finally be yourself, but the Gloom isn't going anywhere fast. I figured I should ask now, rather than have any regrets later."
"Yeah…" I grimaced. "If it hadn't 'let us out' the Gloom could have won back there. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow." I just hope our souls are pure enough to meet in Heaven when that day comes.
"You could have gotten us out! I had faith in you."
"Yeah, sure." I would have gotten you out, for sure. Not so sure about me. But you'll never need to know how close I came to that. Had it worked, yes, a mage could have been hired to work on the problem of getting me out. I could have lived there indefinitely after all. But enough about that depressing topic.
"I also wasn't sure you would say yes. I am seemingly becoming a dragon. You'll be alive if the process continues at this rate."
"So learn a shape-shift spell," I scoffed. "Remember I said you have a proto-mana-core, if you become even a small dragon I can help you manifest a proper one. Then we get you that spell. Even if it's the only one you learn, you can be whoever you want."
"Oh yeah." He rubbed the back of his head. "I did forget about that. Guess it was pretty dumb of me, huh?"
"It's not dumb to worry, but not discussing your worries with your fiance? Yes, very dumb."
"Heard and understood! I guess in that vein, what sort of priest would we have? I'm not a big believer in your God, I just wasn't raised that way. We're raised to pray to dragons, or I guess just one in particular… not that he's any better. Plus They sort of screwed me over in childhood… What I'm saying is I'm not really as devout as you are."
"Perhaps we can find a draig priest? There must be one around here somewhere. They can throw in some phrases relating to treasure, and long naps, and being the biggest and strongest thing around-"
"You're my treasure!"
"Oh stop!"
My head was filled with images of wedding dresses and Malachite in formal wear and Snarly as a flower girl (he could pull off a dress, right? Sure he could) and music and seating and a million other things. I was engaged! I couldn't wait to tell the others.