The mountains dominate the horizon. We are at the crossroads that signals ten miles from the hermit's shack. Since the sun is beginning to set, we decide to set camp. Alex feels it would be rude to show after dark. "Todd, tomorrow, you will need to be serious. The hermit is notorious for having no sense of humor. He has turned countless people away for not being committed."
"I promise that I will do my best. I will do everything I can to finish this quest. I have decided that you are all my family."
"What he said. If we are going to be stuck here, it is not so bad while you are here." A smile spreads across my lips. "Hell, maybe when this is over, you will travel to our home. You can defeat our demon king. He is an orange man with terrible hair. Every day he makes decrees that sound like an over emotional teen."
"This demon sounds terrible. Will it be hard to destroy him?" Dolan looks concerned.
Todd laughs as I explain. "That was a joke. Our president is weird, but not really a bad guy. In our nation, it is normal to make jokes about the leadership. We don't usually mean it."
Darcelia doesn't seem amused. "If the president is not evil, should you really treat him so?"
"Most people feel that if it's a joke, it is ok. But there are too many that go too far. Our country is in a real mess right now. I hope it hasn't gotten worse while we are gone." As I finish, the mood loses its levity. "Todd, you know, we will get back. Stephanie is waiting. Mom is expecting grandchildren, and you know no one wants to marry me." The image of Alex kissing me flashes in my memory. The incident has not been repeated.
"Ya, I think that when we get back, I will ask her to marry me. This has taught me to not waste time. Also, you are right, no one will give you kids." As he laughs, I remember his stat sheet. Todd has a daughter. I debate again if I should tell him. I will wait until the Dark king is defeated.
First watch is mine. I set a few dozen yards away and work on sharpening my rapier. The blade has begun to show wear. I will need to get a new weapon soon.
I soft foot fall catches my attention. I turn to see Alex. "Do you mind my company?" She asks quietly.
"Never. You are always an improvement to a quiet night." I smile. Alex is just wearing her night closes. A light cotton shirt, over a skirt. It is weird to me that her armor covers a skirt. She told me once that it made her feel a little less masculine. Too often people mistook her for a man when in armor.
Setting, she looks to the stars. "I feel we need to finish a conversation we started. When we kissed, I felt scared. I have lost one family. I am worried, if I let myself try again, I will lose again." I begin to talk, but she holds her hand up. "Jon, if you can return to your world, I would request to follow you. Once the Dark king is taken care of, I have no other attachments. All of my family is gone. I was an orphan when I married."
"It's not true." I hang my head. "Darcelia told me to wait, but I can see your stat sheet." she nods. "It says deceased husband, but two children. I think they are still alive."
Alex sits, stunned. Tears fall from her eyes. "Are you sure?"
"So far, the stat sheets have been right." I concentrate on her stats. The boy's name opens. My analyze skill has went up. "Dale, 6, Greenwood county. Spring, 4, Greenwood county. Looks like they are." I close the stat box. Alex is frozen. The seconds tick by.
"Greenwood? They are less than a day's walk from our home? Who has them?" She leans to me. She takes my face in her hands. "Please, who has them?"
I concentrate. No more information shows. "Sorry, but that is all I can see. My skill is still low. Until my last level, I couldn't even see that much. Just boy and girl. I wish I could tell you more."
"NO, NO that is plenty. My children are alive." She pulls me to her, and we kiss. I feel bad that she is kissing me for telling her about her family. Alex pulls back. "Jon, I realize that this is sudden, but will you stay with us until we find my children?"
"Of course. If the nameless gods can't understand that, then we will need to have a talk with them."
Alex smiles, wiping a tear. "Sorry for crying on you. I meant to spend time with you, in a different way."
"I'm not upset. Your smile is enough for me. I..." I don't get to finish my thought as my lips are covered.
We cuddle and kiss until time to wake Malfor.
As Alex lays down, Malfor whispers, "About time. We have been waiting for you two. We all can see the attraction. Unlike my people, humans require feelings to mate. You should join her in her sleeping pad."
I shake my head. "I think others will feel awkward if we do that."
"I do not, but it is up to you. Either way, get sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day."
Sleep comes quickly. I feel warmth and have comforting dreams.
I wake to find Alex curled in my arms. She had the same idea as Malfor. I lay and take in her sleeping form. A tightness in my chest starts the thought, "Do I love her?" I know I like her a lot but is the feeling deeper. If I can't take her with me, should I stay here?
With the others stirring, Alex wakes. I can think about the future later. I smile, and kiss her, gently. "Good morning. How did you sleep?"
She rubs my cheek. "I haven't slept this well in years. Thank you."
"Come on, love birds. I got a hermit to meet. I can't get there with you two making doe eyes at each other."
I kiss Alex's ear, and whisper, "Should we make him wait longer?"
Alex pushes me away, "We need to get going. We will have time, later."
We are quiet as we make our way to the hermit's place. Even the wildlife stay silent. I have never been outside and experienced this silence. I look around, and the rest of the company seem to also be uneasy. Malfor, especially, seems on edge. His eyes are darting around. Does he sense something I do not?
I make my way closer to Malfor. "Do you sense something?"
"No." He hesitates. Looking forward. "The shack is in sight. Now we will find if the track was worth it. I have worked so long for this moment."
"So long?" I stop next to him. Todd leads the others closer to the shack.
The shack seems to not have been attended to for years. The grass has grown almost to my waist. The tree line is just yards from the back of the building. No windows can be seen, and the door is only a piece of leather. The wind gently moves the leather, hanging in the doorway.
Malfor touches my arm. "Do you know the truth of the gods?" His eyes bore into mine. "The nameless gods are not benevolent. Only the dragon who gave his life knows love. He gave life to the demis and the demon race. The gods of the humans tried to keep the world to themselves."
"What are you saying?" I am at a loss. Malfor's whole demeanor has changed. He has always been a loner, that keeps watch around us. Now he seems, mighty, almost ethereal. His eyes burn with hatred. "But you received the hero's message. Aren't you a follower?"
"Yes, I am, of the Dark king. He has promised me freedom, in exchange for the hero's life. We demis will finally know freedom from the humans. We will no longer be enslaved at their whim." He looks to the sky. "I am telling you this, because, I am going to keep you safe. You are not like other humans. You have treated me, and other demis, as equals. Lystrix has agreed to let you remain with me. We will drive the humans from the land."
I open my mouth to speak, but I am interrupted by a voice from the shack. "Welcome. I hope you had an enjoyable journey." Lystrix steps out of the shack. Her body squeezes out of the door. A menacing smile fills he face. "Malfor, you have done well. Thanks to you, the sacrifice of our fellow demis will not go in vain."
A gasp escapes Darcelia. "What is she saying?"
"That we have been duped." Dolan has his hammer drawn. "We have been led to this point to die. I will not go so easy."
"You had your chance to kill me before. How will now be different?" Todd steps in front of everyone. "I will destroy you with my bare hands.
"Of course, you will." Lystrix sneers. She raises a hand.
"Watch it" Alex's cry is too late. A pit opens below their feet. Alex, Darcelia and Dolan plunge into the hole. Todd turns at the sound and is pushed by the arachnid.
"It is better this way, Jon. She will let you join us. You can rise in the new world." Malfor's words are getting hard to hear.
Lystrix saunters to us. "Jon. Malfor speaks very highly about you. You are from a different world. You do not know the abuse that we have suffered at the hands of the humans. It is better this way. We will not kill everyone. We will establish settlements for small groups of humans to live."
"Sounds like every other tyrant's promise of a perfect world. But, when it is said and done, everyone suffers. The evil tyrant cannot stop killing. Eventually the world will burn." I close my eyes. "Might as well drop me in the hole with the others."
"No, I don't think so. Malfor staked his life for you."
Malfor jerks, stumbling into me. I feel a pressure in my chest. My eyes move from his, down to our chests. Blood is gushing. A sudden jerk, and the arachnid pulls her spear out of us. She had impaled me and Malfor. A burning sensation comes from the hole. Chimera venom. I have felt this before.
"I....I....thought we.... we're going to.... build...a....perfect world" Malfor falls to his knees. I kneel and hold him.
"Malfor, if you had only said something. I could have helped." The world is getting dim.
"Traitors cannot be allowed to live. I have heard that chimera venom is the most painful way to die. I hope you die slowly." Lystrix turns from us. Our doom is certain.
I hear voices from the pit. From the sound, there must have been spikes at the bottom. The arachnid is laughing as she walks back, to gloat over her prisoners.
A thought crosses my narrowing mind. Should I draw out Malfor's mana and life? Do I have the right? As if he is reading my thoughts, Malfor raises my hand to his chest. Blood runs from his mouth. "Please. Take."
Before his spirit can leave, I search for his soul. A dark shrouded ball comes into focus. With a slight hesitation, I pull. The ball effortlessly flies into me.
The screams and pleas of my friends disappears into the distance.
The pain leaves.
Malfor slumps, dead. His skin is already turning brown.
The world loses color.
Darkness swallows me.