God of Land
Date: 2020-09-11 04:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Fantasy; Fiction
Description: Killing monsters. Quaffing potions. Completing quests. And solving mysteries. Azure and the gang discover the Keeper's identity and begin their ultimate quest of collecting all the Stones of Blessing. There will be more than a few hiccups along the way, though, literal ones. A drinking quest has Azure and the gang testing their mettle against a bunch of ale swilling dwarves. Who has the highest alcohol tolerance? Find out in this exciting installment of the best-selling LitRPG series, The Realm Between.

The Realm Between

Book 7: God of Land

PHOENIX GREY

Text copyright 2020 by Phoenix Grey

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.

Sign up for Phoenix Grey's mailing list to find out about her latest releases, giveaways, and more. Click here!

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

About the Author

Special Thanks

FREE BOOK

CHAPTER ONE

THE REALM – DAY 255

The tavern was bustling with people. If not for the fact that Uden had beaten Azure there, he might not have found a seat at all. Uden was sandwiched between a man in full set of armor and a man wearing a red robe, all of them raising their horns cheerily, conversing as if they hadn’t a care in the world. Azure didn’t understand how the half-imp could look so happy.

Finding out the Lesser Minotaur Core’s low value had drained him of the enthusiasm he would have normally had from being able to shop. Prior to arriving at the tavern, Azure had stopped at the first merchant he could locate that sold Potions of Minor Stamina. At 4 gold apiece, buying just ten of them had cost almost half of his savings.

You have received the following item:

Potion of Minor Stamina

Quantity: 10

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 0 kg

Uses: Restores 25 Stamina.

Now, all Azure wanted was to find a nice quiet corner of the tavern to sit in and drink his discontent away. Quiet was not going to happen tonight, though.

The half-imp turned his head to the side to ask the armor-clad man to move over a few feet to make room for Azure.

“Did you do any shopping at all?” Azure eyed Uden as he squeezed in next to him.

“Nope. What’s the point when we’re probably going to die anyway,” the half-imp replied nonchalantly before waving down the barmaid to make right on his promise of buying Azure an ale.

Azure thought he must be serious, because Uden wasn’t typically generous with his money. Half the time when he offered something, he’d pretend to forget when the time came for him to pay up.

“Do you really believe that?” Azure raised an eyebrow at him.

“Ten more levels. Ten more chances to die. We better hope there are enough monsters for us to all level up by the end.”

The barmaid returned and placed a horn of ale in front of Azure, her ample bosom practically brushing his cheek as she leaned over him. A coy smile played across her lips, and she made it a point to touch his shoulder before walking away. Azure had had her before—before he had entered the Neverending Dungeon. For as short a time as it had been since then, it seemed like a lifetime ago. Just thinking about going back into the dungeon made him uncomfortable—and it was all he could think about. The half-imp’s pessimism certainly wasn’t helping to put his mind at ease.

You have received the following item:

Pint of Beer

Item Class: Common

Quality: Average

Weight: 1.0 kg

Uses: Makes your worries feel less harrowing

Effects: Increases strength by 3% for one hour

Decreases attack of all weapons and magic by 20% for one hour

Decreases Agility, Dexterity, Charisma, and Luck by 3 points for one hour

“You going to have a piece of that again?” Uden nodded in the barmaid’s direction as she sauntered away.

Azure kept his gaze forward, lost in thought. If the pattern continued, by the time they reached the next boss level in the Neverending Dungeon, they’d be facing a level 20 monster. All three of them were far from level 20. Uden was right; it didn’t seem possible for them to survive.

“There’s got to be another way.” He ignored the half-imp’s question. Sex was the farthest thing from his mind.

“There is, but that stupid archer is too stubborn to listen.” Uden sank down over his horn of ale.

Azure turned to him. “I’m willing to listen.”

The half-imp lowered his voice. “I still think we should kidnap Princess Zadori to get to the king. I’ve heard she goes into Underland once a week to do charity work. It probably wouldn’t be that difficult.”

Azure exhaled a breath of disappointment and shook his head. “That’s suicide.”

“And returning to the dungeon isn’t?” Uden cast an annoyed glance in his direction.

“Someone else has to know about the Keeper.”

“Well, it’s Jin’s idea or mine, and neither of you is on board with my idea, so back to the dungeon we go.” Uden lifted his horn to his lips.

The sky had grown dark, and the bottom of Azure’s cup was long dry before the archer joined them. Though he wanted to get wasted, he didn’t want to have to deal with the nearly debilitating hangover that would come with it.

Luckily, the tavern had mostly cleared. Ten more horns of ale sat empty in front of the half-imp, and over the course of Azure spending the afternoon ignoring the advances that the barmaid kept making at him, she had somehow ended up on Uden’s lap. Azure hadn’t paid attention to how it had happened, nor did he care.

“It took you a while,” he grumbled at Jin.

“I was busy,” the archer replied before ordering some food. “Seems like you’ve been busy, too.” He cast a glance at Uden, who had barely noticed him and was whispering something undoubtedly inappropriate into the barmaid’s ears that made her cheeks flame, before returning his attention to Azure. “Did you get all of your shopping done?”

“I picked up ten Potions of Minor Stamina,” Azure replied.

“And you?” The archer turned toward the half-imp.

“I saved my money for ale, you droll sod.” Uden frowned at Jin before slapping the barmaid on the ass to send her away.

The archer inhaled deeply, perhaps to stop himself from saying something he might regret. Instead, he replied, “Of course you did.”

Once Jin had finished eating, he and Azure retired back to the inn, though Uden elected to stay behind. They paid Ancient Aegis Inn’s exorbitant fee of 1 gold and 2 silver apiece for their own rooms for the night.

The archer clapped his hand on Azure’s shoulder before they parted ways, drawing his attention. “It’s going to be all right, Azure.”

“You keep saying that.” He shrugged Jin’s hand off. “Have you ever lost anyone you care about?”

The archer was still for a moment before he replied, “I have lost more than you could possibly fathom.” Then he walked away.

If Azure had cared more, he might have spent the night pondering Jin’s words, but he was solely focused on what lay ahead—ten more floors of the Neverending Dungeon and the large possibility that they might not make it out alive.

CHAPTER TWO

THE REALM – DAY 256

The morning came far too early, as it always did when the archer insisted that they wake at the crack of dawn. Azure had been thoroughly enjoying have a nice, soft bed all to himself. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept on one without the half-imp cramped by his side.

“Have you seen Uden?” were the first words out of Jin’s mouth when Azure opened the door.

“No.” For half a second, Azure wondered if the archer was actually concerned about the half-imp. That was until Jin said they should leave him behind.

The sleepy haze seemed to clear slowly from Azure’s brain as he gathered his belongings. Stepping out into the hall, he found the archer waiting for him, his back pressed against the wall, one leg crossed over the other and his arms folded over his chest. As soon as Azure emerged from the room, Jin reanimated.

“Let’s go.” The archer motioned before taking off down the hall.

“We’re not leaving Uden.” Azure followed behind.

“We’ll check the tavern. If he’s not there, then he’s not coming with us.” Jin reached the stairs, then began descending them at a hurried pace.

“I’m not going into the Neverending Dungeon a two-man team.” Azure furrowed his brow.

The archer ignored him and continued to the tavern, which was relatively empty with it being so early in the morning.

“Let’s have breakfast before we leave,” Azure suggested, trying to buy more time for the half-imp to show up.

“I’d like to enter the dungeon today, if possible. We already wasted time by coming back here.” Discontent was plain in Jin’s voice.

“We won’t have a chance to eat anything besides bland meat for a while. We can afford the time to fill our bellies.” Azure found his way to one of the benches and plopped down to order breakfast.

The barmaid that had occupied the half-imp’s lap the night before was absent. In her place, the tavern owner walked around fulfilling all his duties, plus hers. He did not appear to be happy.

“It looks like they’re off asleep somewhere,” Azure noted. The same girl always worked this particular tavern, so his theory made sense.

Jin had no comment. He scarfed down the eggs and starchy biscuit placed in front of him with haste. Azure wondered if he’d even bothered to chew.

Refusing to be rushed, Azure took his time—or tried to. It wasn’t long before the archer grew impatient.

“You’re done. Let’s go.” He grabbed the edge of Azure’s plate and pulled it away from him.

There was still about a quarter of an egg and half a biscuit left. Azure was most certainly not done. He reached for his plate to reclaim it, but the archer pulled it further away before standing.

“Are we really in that much of a hurry?” Azure scowled up at him.

“Yes,” Jin replied pointedly. “Do you really want to risk your life on the whims of someone undependable? He knew we would be leaving this early.”

“I could ask the same of you.” Azure finally stood. “If you’ll remember, I wasn’t much use against most of the humanoid creatures in the Neverending Dungeon. It’s not safe for us to go in without him.”

“It is a problem that would be remedied if your hand was forced. You would not allow me to perish if you could save me, because that would mean you would die, too.

“Uden is a crutch for you. You’ll let him do the dirty work in your stead because you know he can. If you want to get stronger, you have to shed your apprehension about killing humans and similar races. You won’t be able to do that until you change your way of thinking.”

“I can kill if I feel threatened,” Azure countered, “but I prefer reason over slaughter. If violence can at all be avoided, it should be. I will never understand why you see things the other way around, and I refuse to kill creatures that are no threat to me.”

“Game is no threat to you, yet you kill that.” Jin wiped the lard from his breakfast off his fingers with a cloth before setting it on the table.

“Game is food. There’s a purpose behind killing it. It doesn’t go to waste.” Azure cocked his head to the side, waiting for the archer to make a counterpoint that they had been slaughtering animals without reason all the way from The Welcoming Summit to Noseon. He was not sure he’d have an argument against that.

“Monsters are experience. There’s a purpose behind killing them. If it’s in a dungeon, it’s a monster, whether creature or man. It doesn’t go to waste.” Jin turned away to walk out of the tavern.

Azure sucked in a breath. The archer was infuriating at times. It was as if no life mattered but his own and the people he aligned himself with. Briefly, Azure wondered how Jin had gotten so cold. There was definitely a story behind it. There always was. But there was no point in asking. The archer shared nothing about himself if he could avoid it.

Their argument had consumed about as much time as it would have taken for Azure to finish his breakfast. Taking one last longing look at the remnants of his uneaten food, he sighed and followed Jin out the door.

They left Noseon and walked toward the Neverending Dungeon, mostly in silence. Azure occasionally grumbled about it not being smart for them to go in without more party members, but the archer ignored him, clearly done with the conversation. He took long strides, conveying a sense of urgency. It felt more to Azure like he was making sure they left Uden behind.

Then again, Jin had been grouchy to even have left the Neverending Dungeon in the first place. Maybe he really did just want to get back, worried that they wouldn’t be able to accomplish everything they needed to in time to save Azure’s life. Two months had already passed since the archer had made a deal with Finborh to bring Azure back from the dead in exchange for half of his levels.

Tiny Owl flew over and alighted on Jin’s shoulders for but a few minutes of their walk before taking back off into the trees. It was a bit startling seeing him. He made appearances so infrequently that Azure often forgot he was the archer’s pet.

Despite their quickened pace, they reached the clearing surrounding the entrance to the Neverending Dungeon as the sun was setting.

It was the same scene as before, with Adventurers camped around the magically suspended door, preparing for their journey into the dungeon. This time, instead of the door being plain brown, it appeared to be painted white. Azure had briefly noticed the change when they’d left the dungeon two days prior. At the time, he’d been more focused on getting away from the dungeon than fascinated by the magic that had taken place when they had cleared the first ten floors. The color change had marked the dungeon saving their place. It was a color that only they could see.

“Are you ready?” Jin asked as they approached the door.

“No. I’m not.” Azure planted his heels into the ground. They’d been walking all day. He was absolutely exhausted and not in the mood to have to deal with monsters.

The archer was almost to the door when it opened, and two Adventurers came tumbling through. A woman clad in green robes had her arms wrapped around a man in armor. One of his legplates was missing, and so was about half of his calf, the wound going all the way to the bone. Tears poured down both of their faces, and the man kept muttering, “I couldn’t save them,” repeatedly while the woman tried desperately to console him and keep him standing upright.

Jin made way for them, and several other Adventurers stood to come offer them aid. It was apparent that the two had run out of healing potions while they were in the dungeon. Activating Analyze showed Azure that they were both a much higher level than him. The look on their faces was enough to tell him that more than one of their party members had died in that boss fight. It also filled him with an immense sense of dread—one that made him take several steps forward and grab Jin by the arm.

“Let’s wait until tomorrow,” he said, more a command than a suggestion.

The archer’s gaze followed the man and the woman as several Adventurers helped to lay the man down and take off his armor while others generously reached into their bags for healing potions. Azure was admittedly impressed by the sudden camaraderie between strangers—something incredibly rare to witness in The Realm.

Jin turned to him, his tone smooth and not mocking. “Are you afraid now?”

“Yes,” Azure admitted. “There were more than two of them when they went in. There are only two of us now.”

“They’re a higher level than us,” the archer pointed out.

“Just…let’s go in in the morning. I’m already tired, and seeing this has only mentally drained me further.” He could not tear his eyes away from the man as he screamed and winced on the floor from the provided help.

“Let’s away.” Jin nodded toward the opposite side of the field.

Several Adventurers were camped on that side as well, though they were only watching from afar, not offering aid.

The archer made sure to lead Azure behind a large tent that obscured the gruesome scene from view before stopping. “We’ll make camp here,” he said, then knelt to start digging supplies out of his Bag of Holding.

Though Azure could no longer see what was going on, he could still hear the Adventurers around them chattering about what had happened to the unfortunate pair.

“Here. Let me help take your mind off it. It’s time for me to teach you a new skill,” Jin said gently.

While Azure was grateful for his compassion—something the archer typically lacked—it was hard to concentrate with so much other excitement happening around them. Trying his best to keep Azure focused, Jin exhibited uncharacteristic patience as he instructed him one step at a time on how to tan hides, then waited for him to follow along and corrected him where it was needed.

The process was long and dirty, and Azure wasn’t able to give it much of his focus. All that kept going through his mind were the people he had seen die in The Realm: Uden, Sir Nash Thornton, and Harlow. Though he hadn’t witnessed their deaths with his own eyes, he could imagine Janine’s and Franziska’s death as well. Both horrible. And then there were his own near-death experiences. The waterfall after escaping from the lesser demon, the bats and shadowlings that had attacked him on the road to Squall’s End, and then his actual death when he’d been swallowed by the chaoscrackle. It seemed like there were a million different ways to die in The Realm, and they were all awful.

“And then you dip it in the water one more time,” Jin explained, then waited for Azure to follow the last of the steps.

Like a ghost that barely even understood what it was doing, Azure mimicked the archer and received a notification as a reward.

Congratulations! New skill learned: Tanning Level 1. You can now process pelts into hides. This is the first step toward crafting your own light armor.

You have received the following items:

Rabbit Hide

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 0.1 kg

Uses: Crafting.

The archer walked over to assess Azure’s work, taking it from his hands and holding it to the fire’s light. “Not bad.” He nodded, clearly just trying to placate his friend.

In his distracted state, Azure had accidentally poked a few holes through the hide. He’d be lucky if it was good enough to use for scraps.

“Now, I want you to make ten more. Then I’ll start teaching you leatherworking,” Jin said, his voice full of satisfaction.

There wasn’t enough time for Azure to make ten more hides that night. Of course, the archer knew that. He had just been setting Azure up with busywork to keep his mind off what he’d witnessed. Working on one hide at a time, Azure could only finish one more before exhaustion began to overtake him.

One of the things that made it challenging to sleep around the Neverending Dungeon was that the place never really settled. Even as Azure shut his eyes, he could hear Adventurers talking with one another at their camps. Occasionally, the door to the dungeon would open and close. It was a lot of noise that kept him focused on what might be to come in the following days once they entered the dungeon.

He still didn’t like the idea of the two of them going in alone, but Jin seemed pretty confident that they could make it to level 20 without any casualties. And what did Azure really know? To be honest, the first 10 levels had been more mentally taxeing than anything else.

After struggling for about an hour, Azure was finally able to go to sleep. It would not last long, though. A short while later, he was being shaken awake.

Azure groaned to life, wondering if the morning had already come. The scenery around him was dark besides the glow of campfires. Two black leather boots blocked his view of the fire that Jin had made to keep them warm. They did not belong to the archer.

Azure followed the boots up, immediately recognizing the cloak behind them. When his eyes landed on Uden’s face, the first thing he noticed was a deep scowl.

“You left me behind, ass.” The half-imp kicked him in the ribs.

Azure curled over slightly. He’d removed his armor as soon as they’d made camp, hoping to find some comfort.

“I’m guessing it wasn’t your idea.” Uden didn’t even wait for him to respond, his eyes scanning the area for the archer. “And I bet he’s off hiding somewhere as usual.”

Azure sat up. Judging by the twinkling stars nestled in the black ocean above, it was still a few hours before morning.

“I’m glad you made it.” He smiled up at his friend.

“Oh, are you?” The half-imp nodded with a tight expression. “Seems to me like you were just as eager to leave me behind.”

Azure’s lips dipped into a frown. “You know I tried to get him to wait. I don’t want to go into the dungeon just the two of us.”

“He shouldn’t want that either. You’re a coward sometimes,” Uden stated harshly.

Azure was getting tired of people telling him that, in one way or another, but perhaps it was true.

“You should get some sleep before we leave. I’m guessing you battled a hangover all the way here.” He laid back down, still tired.

The half-imp snorted. “And let you guys leave me again, I don’t think so. I’m in this for the wish, too, you know.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Now that you’re here, we’re not going to leave you. He just didn’t want to wait for you.” Azure tried to wave Uden’s concern away.

“We should leave him.” The half-imp scoffed toward the forest. “That would show him. He needs us just as much as we need him.”

“My fate is linked to his,” Azure pointed out. “I can’t leave him.”

Uden raised an eyebrow at him. “Sure you can. That motherfucker is too stubborn to die. He’ll be fine on his own. Heck, we could probably just go back to Finborh and wait for him to bring the Keeper there. I bet he could get it done all on his own.”

“He probably could,” Azure acknowledged, “but it wouldn’t be fair. I’m not doing that to him. Just go to bed.” He rested his arm over his eyes, blocking out his view of the half-imp and trying to make him go away.

“Negative. I’m going to stay right here and keep you up for the rest of the night. If I can’t sleep, you can’t either,” he said before sitting down next to Azure and leaning back against him. Then he began singing obnoxiously, his voice not keeping to any specific pitch.

“It began on a hot Autumn evening.

I was the most sly rogue around,

She was the most buxom barmaid.

She was my lover,

My buxom lover,

My barmaid.

I stole her from Azure.

It was awesome.

He was so scared of the dungeon.

She was my lover,

My buxom lover,

My barmaid.

He missed out.

It was my gain.

She said I was better.”

“Oh, for the love of all the Gods, would you shut up!?” Azure glared at Uden.

He turned to Azure for a fraction of second, said, “No,” and then continued with the song until the Adventurers camped around them became annoyed and began shouting at him. Then he fell into silence, instead opting to poke Azure in the ribs repeatedly to keep him awake.

For the first time, Azure thought that Jin had been right—they should have gone into the Neverending Dungeon as soon as they had arrived and left the half-imp behind.

CHAPTER THREE

THE REALM – DAY 257

Not surprisingly, Uden won, successfully denying Azure the few precious hours of sleep he could have gotten. For the first time since Azure could remember, he was awake when Jin emerged from the forest.

The hood of the archer’s cloak was trained on the half-imp as he took long strides toward them. “I see you managed to catch up,” he said to Uden, not sounding pleased.

“I did.” The half-imp puffed his chest out proudly. “You didn’t really think I’d allow you to leave me behind, did you?”

“You would have if we would have entered the dungeon last night,” Jin shot back, this time, his discontent directed toward Azure, though it quickly faded away. “Have you guys had breakfast yet?”

“We were waiting on you,” Azure told him as he dug into his Bag of Holding for pieces of cooked deer meat to share with the group.

As expected, Jin didn’t want to take much time to eat. They were allowed fifteen minutes before they had to pack up camp and prepare to head into the dungeon.

Azure felt a deep sense of dread as they walked toward the white door. Once they entered, the archer wouldn’t allow them to turn back, and they’d probably even get to a point where they couldn’t.

For as much as Azure had tried to forget the gruesome scene from the previous afternoon, the man’s screams still echoed in his head. People had died in this dungeon just yesterday. It was a harrowing thought.

Knowing better, Jin didn’t even bother asking if they were ready. He simply opened the door and walked through, forcing them to follow. Uden went in next, far braver than Azure, in this instance. But he hadn’t been there the night before. He hadn’t witnessed what Azure and Jin had witnessed, and Azure hadn’t bothered to tell him about it, too focused on trying to go back to sleep despite the half-imp’s best effort to keep him from it. Would Uden have walked through that door with as much confidence if he had seen the pair of Adventurers mauled and grieving? There was no way to know, and perhaps that was a good thing. Being uncertain was no way to enter the Neverending Dungeon.

Taking a deep breath, Azure closed his eyes and stepped through the door. The gentle breeze from outside faded and was replaced by stagnant air. His boots left soft grass and set down on smooth stone.

As Azure opened his eyes, he found himself in a large, dimly lit square room. Phosphorescent fungus clung to the hewn stone walls, casting an eerie blue-green glow that barely did the job to illuminate the entire area. There was a patch of wall directly across from them that had been cleared of the growth. In its place, words were chiseled in the stone, and fungus had been pushed into the indentations, creating almost a natural neon sign that said Condition of Completion: Kill all enemies.

Let the slaughter begin, Azure thought morosely, thankful that there were no enemies in the room. What there was, though, were choices—three paths they could take. On the east wall was a wooden door. A few feet down from that was a wooden portcullis. At the far corner of the western wall was another wooden door. Azure wasn’t sure where they should begin, but he was fairly certain that Jin would make that choice for them.

“Eeny meeny miny moe.” Uden pointed to the doors and portcullis one at a time.

“I wonder if we can open this.” Azure strode forward to inspect the portcullis, immediately regretting it when he caught the attention of a gnome clad in armor holding a mace on the other side.

The gnome raised the mace threateningly, charging toward Azure with a scowl on his face. He appeared to be a knight of sorts, his bald pate ringed with red hair, his eyebrows white and bushy. He spoke in a language that Azure didn’t understand, his words ending with a harsh, almost gargled uptick.

Azure held his palms up and took a step away from the portcullis. “We mean you no harm.”

“You know that’s a lie,” Uden mumbled with a roll of his eyes.

As if to prove the half-imp’s point, the archer nocked an arrow and prepared to fire at the gnome.

Azure quickly stood in his way. “Stop!”

“Get out of my way,” Jin snarled at him, raising his bow as if he would shoot right through Azure if he had to.

“He can’t get through the portcullis.” Azure gestured back to it.

It was true. For all the ruckus the gnome was causing, he didn’t seem interested in raising the heavy wooden grating.

“If we don’t kill him now, more will come.” The archer stepped to the side to shoot past Azure, but Azure moved right along with him to block his view. Realizing that Azure was going to continue to be stubborn, Jin redirected his attention to the half-imp. “Kill him, Uden.” He nodded in the direction of the gnome.

As soon as the half-imp began to move forward, Azure raised a hand to stop him. “Don’t!”

Uden gave pause, a smirk playing across his face. “Are you guys about to resort to fisticuffs?”

Understanding that he would get no help from the half-imp, who was gleefully waiting to see how things would play out, Jin lowered his bow. “Did you not read the writing on the wall?”

“I did, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s an enemy,” Azure argued.

“What appears when you Analyze him?”

Azure hesitated to turn his head, worried that it was a trick—that Jin would shoot the gnome as soon as he was distracted. Still, he cast a quick glance over his shoulder and activated Analyze.

Level 11 Austral Gnome Guard.

As soon as he had gained the information, he promptly returned his attention to the archer. “He’s a gnome. What of it?”

“The name is generic. That means it’s an enemy,” Jin calmly explained.

“That’s not necessarily true.” Azure searched his memory for past experiences. “I’ve encountered many an ‘enemy’ in the past,” he made air quotes around the word, “that was nonhostile. If we just talk to it—”

The archer let out a long-suffering sigh and drew a hand up to his face as if his frustration over the situation was becoming too much to bear. “I can’t believe you still don’t understand how dungeons work after this long.” After a moment, he dropped his hand, using it to point to the gnome instead. “That,” he shook his finger for emphasis, “is an enemy. It was put here for us to kill. We don’t get to advance until we kill it.”

Realizing that they were at a stalemate, Azure turned his attention to Uden. “Can you understand what language he’s speaking?” He glanced back at the gnome, though he dared not tear his gaze away from Jin for too long.

“Nope,” the half-imp replied simply, a bemused look still stretched across his face.

Now it was Azure who sighed, wishing he would have taken the time to learn Gnomish. All the gnomes he’d encountered so far in The Realm spoke Common Tongue, though.

“Do you understand him?” he asked Jin.

“He says we can’t be here,” the archer informed him.

“It sounds like he’s saying a lot more than that,” the half-imp noted of the gnome’s unwavering one-sided conversation.

“Is he saying why we can’t be here?” Azure pressed.

“Because we’re trespassing.” Jin shifted his weight. “If we do not leave, he will inform the others.”

“Tell him we’re just here to kill monsters.” Azure nodded toward the gnome for the archer to relay the message.

Jin was still for a moment. Then he walked past Azure with purpose.

Trusting that the archer would do the right thing, Azure made no attempt to intervene, though he felt tension in his shoulders as Jin passed. That tension doubled when he watched the archer raise his bow. Azure moved to stop him, but Jin was too quick. With nearly imperceptible speed, he planted an arrow between the gnome’s eyes, replacing its incessant rambling with a grunt, followed by a clanking sound as the gnome fell forward, clutching onto the portcullis until the weight of its death dragged it to the ground.

“Bravo!” Uden nodded and golf clapped in the archer’s direction.

Azure’s mouth fell open, though part of him didn’t know why he was so surprised.

Ignoring his reaction, Jin went to retrieve his arrow from the dead gnome’s skull. “Well, that took care of that. And hey, lookie there, I leveled up.”

“Congratulations.” The half-imp bowed his head to the archer.

As soon as the shock had left Azure, his body stiffened. They were clearly at an impasse, neither willing to bend on their stance concerning killing. Azure would not suffer ten more levels of this—would not wander deeper into the dungeon knowing he’d likely be forced to do things he’d later regret. It was not worth all the gold in the world to him.

“I’m leaving,” he said plainly.

The archer turned to him, the blood-soaked arrow still clutched in his hand. For a moment, he didn’t speak and they simply stared at one another. Finally, he was able to form words, but it was nothing that Azure hadn’t heard at least a dozen times before. “There is no other way to do this, Azure.”

“You say that, but we haven’t even tried finding another way. If you really believe that, then stay here. I am going back to Noseon.”

“Well, I am staying here.” Jin would not be dissuaded from the path he had chosen. “Our fates are linked—”

“Then I put my life in your hands,” Azure cut him off before turning his attention to Uden. “And what about you? What will you do?”

The half-imp’s expression went serious as he looked from the archer to Azure. It was not difficult for him to make a decision. “I am with you, brother, until the end.”

Azure’s gaze shifted to the archer once more. “That means you’re outvoted. We are leaving. We will find another way.”

“So be it.” Jin’s tone was firm and unyielding. “I will stay here and do what needs to be done.” He quickly disbanded from the party. “If you suddenly drop dead, you’ll know my fate. And if you live longer than a year, then you’ll know I succeeded.” The archer made it sound like he was the only one capable of obtaining the Land Stone.

Azure wanted to argue with him, but the tension was stifling, and he didn’t have time to waste on pointless bickering. His mind was made up, and he would deal with the consequences of his decision when they came. Though his chest was tight from the weight of his choice, in his heart, he knew it was the right one. It wasn’t worth sacrificing his morals just to survive this. He would not become someone like James Bower, murdering everyone who got in his way.

“I wish you the best of luck,” he said stiffly before nodding to Uden. “Let’s go.” Then he turned and walked out of the Neverending Dungeon, swearing that he’d never return.

CHAPTER FOUR

THE REALM – DAY 257

“I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do, but I’m proud of you for standing up to him,” the half-imp said as they walked back toward Noseon. “I was born to kill, so I don’t really agree with your morals,” he used the word morals with a bit of distaste, “but every man must walk his own path.”

“Thanks,” Azure replied halfheartedly, wondering if Jin would be able to survive the next ten floors of the Neverending Dungeon on his own. It seemed highly unlikely.

Not a moment would go by from here on out that Azure wouldn’t wonder what the archer was doing. If Jin ended up mortally wounded, would Azure sense his death before it came? Thinking about it made him want to turn around, but his feet only carried him forward.

“We will go to Underland and speak to the princess.” Azure took charge of the situation.

It was nice to be the one calling the shots again. For the longest time, he’d been trailing behind the archer, thinking that Jin knew better than him of what needed to be done. After all, Azure’s fate was directly linked to the archer’s success, and Jin always seemed to have a plan. Now, Azure’s fate was in his own hands. As long as he brought Finborh the Land Stone before a year was up, he was fairly certain he’d be allowed to live. Surely, the archer didn’t need to be a part of that equation.

“Do you really think she’ll speak to us freely?” Uden glanced over at Azure, matching his quick pace. “Even if she does, she probably doesn’t have the information we seek. We need to be able to get to the king.”

“One step at a time.” Azure wasn’t in the mood to be questioned. He still felt overwhelmed by everything that had just happened and everything he had yet to accomplish.

“We should kidnap her.” The half-imp continued to give voice to his own plan. “It’s the only way to guarantee that the king will tell us what we want to know.”

Azure shook his head. “It’s too risky. First off, we’d have to spend weeks watching what Princess Zadori does in Underland. I doubt she goes there unguarded.”

“That’s true.” Uden nodded.

“We don’t have that kind of time. And besides, if we did somehow manage to pull off kidnapping her, we’d become outlaws. That would create even more problems for us.”

“But what if she’s not willing to help us?”

“Noseon is a big place. I refuse to believe that no one else in the kingdom knows about the Keeper,” but even as he said it, Azure had doubts.

Silence passed between them for several minutes before the half-imp spoke. “We’ve tried Jin’s way. Next, we’ll try your way. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll try my way. How does that sound?”

Azure chuckled. “Your way sounds more like certain death than Jin’s way. If we can’t get anything out of the princess, then I say we spend a good week searching the city for leads.”

“And then we try my way.” Uden bobbed his head decidedly.

Even though the half-imp was dead serious, Azure couldn’t help but smile. They were all stubborn in their own way. Of course, Azure would never go along with Uden’s plan. There had to be other options. At least, he hoped there were.

They reached Noseon a little before nightfall. Azure wanted to stay at Ancient Aegis Inn, but the half-imp insisted that it was too expensive, forcing them to travel on until they found cheaper accommodations.

It wasn’t so daunting being out on the streets after dark with lamp light illuminating their way. If not for the exhaustion of walking all day, Azure might have wanted to press on. Underland was still over a full day’s journey away.

They proceeded through the city single-mindedly. There was a small bit of comfort in knowing that Jin was working toward the same goal, even if they were no longer working together. Azure now had two chances to save his life. Even if he failed, the archer might succeed. As long as one of them did, that was all that mattered.

Once they reached Underland, it didn’t take much asking around to discover that Princess Zadori visited the local temple once a week to pass out provisions to the less fortunate. The residents of Underland spoke fondly of her, charmed by the princess’s generosity. Azure just hoped she’d be so generous when it came to his own plight.

With a few days to waste before she would arrive, it was time for a much-needed break from the hectic life they’d been leading ever since reaching Finborh. Uden chose to spend most of his time at Underlove’s, but Azure thought better of wasting his money, allowing himself only one visit before he turned his attention to searching the surrounding area for more leads.

No one had heard of the Keeper.

Finally, the day arrived when Princess Zadori would make her trek to Underland. The temple was at the edge of the sector nearest to the castle, tucked away from the riffraff of the more public areas. It stood as a beacon of hope among the dilapidated residences around it, in better repair than the rest of the buildings, yet still not impressive. A single steeple topped by a spire stood as the only sign of opulence on the otherwise drab structure. An open gable wooden roof capped white stone walls housing windows of various shapes and sizes, as if the architecture hadn’t been well thought out. They lacked the mirrored glass of the wealthier temples in Noseon. Several arched doorways led in and out of the building. Though the temple appeared structurally stable, the stonework on the outside was a bit eroded in places. It was a humble place of worship.

Uncertain about when the princess would show up, Azure and Uden made sure to arrive early. By the time they got to the temple, there was already a line of people wrapped all the way around the building. Azure and the half-imp shared a glance, both letting out a sigh at the realization that it was going to be a long day, before filing in behind everyone else.

Despite the line’s length, at least fifty people outside of the building—who knew how many were inside—it flowed rather smoothly once it did begin to move. Within less than an hour, they were crossing the threshold of one of the arched doorways, which boded well for the dozens of people who had lined up behind them. Brief conversation with the man in front of him told Azure that it would be like this all day, a constant influx of people until Prinzess Zadori ran out of food to serve and left. Azure just prayed they’d reach the front of the line before that happened.

The inside of the temple was equally unimpressive. About a dozen wooden pews with a walkway in the middle faced a raised platform where two tables had been set up, one with clean wooden bowls, the other ready to receive the empty dirty ones that people would return. Between them was a pot full of stew that the princess stood hunched over filling bowls and placing them on the table for one of her servants to hand out to the peasants in line. All of them thanked her as they passed by, bowing their heads respectfully, and she acknowledged each and every one with a smile that warmed Azure’s heart.

The line snaked around the space between the pews and the platform. Many of the residents looked on hungrily, their eyes glued to the steaming filled bowls, probably hoping they’d still be hot when they reached them. As people were served, several took to the pews to eat their meal. With a seating capacity of a little less than one hundred people, the temple was quite full.

Though Azure and Uden had skipped breakfast in an attempt to be some of the first people in line, Azure had no intention of taking stew from the mouths of the hungry. His mission was simply to get to Princess Zadori and request an audience with her. There were plenty of workers and guards who could step up to fill in her position serving the poor.

It was another thirty minutes before Azure and the half-imp reached the front of the line. As they approached, a knot formed in Azure’s stomach. The princess was far more beautiful up close than she had been when he’d stood at a respectable distance in the castle.

Her large blue eyes were set to the task with focus, though her expression softened every time she looked at one of her people. Long flaxen bangs covered her forehead, though her hair was otherwise tied back and woven into a thick braid. Instead of the full skirt she had donned at the castle, Princess Zadori wore a simple blue dress, the bodice embroidered with golden thread, the skirt plain. With its long sleeves and a neckline that ended right at her throat, Azure thought that she must be uncomfortable. Even though it was several degrees cooler in the temple than outside, he was sweating in his armor.

When they were finally allowed to approach the table, Uden reached out his hand to grab a bowl of stew, but Azure quickly slapped the top of it to stop him. “That’s not what we’re here for,” he grumbled under his breath.

The display caused everyone around them to go on alert, the guard standing behind the princess taking a step forward and reaching for the hilt of his sword.

“Apologies for my friend,” Azure said to Princess Zadori once he realized he had her attention. “We did not come for food. We came to seek an audience with you.” Nerves caused the words to spill forth from his mouth with a jumbled lack of confidence.

The princess paused for a moment before offering them a smile. Azure could not tell if it was genuine or forced. “I am sorry, but if you have matters that need addressing, you will have to take it up with the king’s court.”

“This is a matter of life and death, Your Highness.” A familiar voice came from behind Azure.

He turned to find Jin standing there. Where he had come from, Azure had no idea. The archer hadn’t been in line.

“Many matters are of high importance.” Princess Zadori’s friendly disposition faded away as she stared at the robed man.

“None are as high as this, and your father set us to an impossible task. I see that you remember.” Jin’s voice was steady.

Azure looked back at the princess. How could the archer tell that she remembered them?

“I am sorry, but I cannot help you.” She handed her ladle off to one of her servants, preparing to retreat.

“Allow me a private audience, and I promise you will not regret it,” the archer said as if he had something to offer.

This intrigued Princess Zadori enough to make her stop. She eyed Jin with suspicion before responding, “I do not treat with men who hide their identities. That is a recipe for a quick death.”

“I will reveal my identity to you once we are in a private space.” Even though he was on the verge of losing her, the archer showed no fear or apprehension. “I promise that I mean no harm. Surely, you can see that I would be outmatched by your guards. Treat with me alone. Place your safety in the hands of your men. I only need but a moment of your time. It is of the utmost importance.”

Her body slowly turned in his direction, and she held her head up high. “I know what information you seek. My father’s quest for retrieving it still stands.”

“But you don’t know why I seek it, and I cannot tell you with so many ears around. I beg you to give me an audience.” Jin dropped down on one knee before her. “Only me. No one else. If what I tell you does not move you or if you cannot help, I will bother you no further. I only ask you to listen.”

Though the people of Underland stared at the interaction, their hungry bellies persuaded them to continue moving through the line. Those who had already been served kept eating, watching over their bowls like people entranced in a television show.

Azure’s mind was spinning with questions, and he felt blindsided by a mix of anger and relief. On the one hand, he was happy that Jin was safe. On the other hand, how in the hell had the archer just waltzed right in without having to stand in line and spoken to the princess? That was some bullshit. And on top of that, he was ready to reveal his identity to her after having just met her, yet he’d been traveling with Azure and Uden for months and wouldn’t dare show his face to them. More bullshit. Even more insulting, he wanted to speak to the princess alone. It was like he had just shown up and hi-jacked Azure’s plan. No, Azure was definitely more pissed off than relieved. And the worst part was that he couldn’t even say anything because he was too afraid of scaring Princess Zadori away when Jin had almost won her over.

“Fine,” the princess responded. “Five minutes. If I don’t like what you have to say, not only will you never bother me again, but you will promise to abandon my father’s quest and leave this city.” Her gaze flicked from Jin to Azure. Clearly, she meant that all of them would be banished from Noseon.

“Fine.” The archer stood, giving a curt nod.

“Fine!?” Azure mouthed the word at him, but no sound came out. Jin wasn’t even looking in his direction anyway.

“Let us find somewhere quiet and private, beyond prying ears.” The archer walked around the row of tables, leaving Azure and Uden behind.

“You two can wait over there.” Princess Zadori nodded to an empty pew.

All that Azure and the half-imp could do was stare at Jin and the princess as they quickly walked away with two of her guards. It wasn’t long before one of Princess Zadori’s servants told them to move along, and they were forced to retreat to the pew and wait.

“That is some fucking bullshit!” Azure tore his eyes away from the room that Jin and the princess had entered into to abate some of his anger.

“That was most definitely unexpected and not at all what we had planned,” Uden said a bit more calmly. “And I didn’t even get stew.” He scowled at the table with the bowls.

“Where did he even come from?” Azure lifted his hands to the sky as his eyes scanned the room for some recess in the walls that Jin could have been hiding in.

“Well, one thing is for sure, he didn’t stay in the dungeon for very long without us.”

“No, he didn’t.” The relief that Azure had been feeling earlier slid back in, but only a minuscule amount. At least now, he knew that Jin was safe, which meant that his life was safe.

Things began to seem promising when five minutes had passed and the archer and the princess still hadn’t emerged. Five minutes turned to ten. Then ten to fifteen. Then Azure began to worry.

“I wonder if something happened.” He kept his eyes glued to the door at the back of the temple, questioning if the room had its own exit. Perhaps Jin had been arrested and carted off.

At twenty minutes, Azure began getting antsy.

“I’m going to go knock.” He stood, tired of waiting.

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” Uden followed, though he didn’t try to stop Azure.

As Azure approached the door, one of the guards standing at the entrance where peasants were filing through left his post to detain the two men. Luckily, before they had a chance to collide, the door opened, and both Jin and Princess Zadori walked out practically side by side.

The princess was smiling at the archer, looking up at him as if smitten. “Complete this task, and you will gain my father’s trust. I will do what I can from my end of things.”

“I thank you, Your Highness.” Jin respectfully bowed his head to her.

Pink bloomed on Princess Zadori’s pale cheeks. She opened her mouth as if to say more but then noticed the two men waiting for their friend. Giving them a polite nod, she then turned to gather her guards and servants and depart from the temple.

“What did you say to her?” Uden asked while Azure’s eyes trailed after the princess.

“We have a new quest,” Jin announced, “one I think you’ll be more pleased with.” He directed that last part at Azure.

It took a moment for Azure to draw his focus back. He had many questions, but this was the most important. “What is it?”

“Let’s party, and you should get it, too.”

Jin Umewraek is requesting to join your party. Will you accept?

Upon accepting the request, another notification immediately assaulted Azure’s vision.

Quest: Rescue Rerdam Richbrooke

Rerdam Richbrooke is the man that King Algrenon sent out to find information about the Keeper. He is a trusted ally and beloved friend of the king. Unfortunately, he never came back, and it is suspected that foul play might be afoot. He was last seen heading down Shepherd Road about fifteen miles outside of Noseon.

Difficulty: Hard

Success: Rescue Rerdam Richbrooke

Failure: Die or cancel quest.

Reward: King Algrenon’s trust and 80 gold

Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?

“Shephard Road is to the southwest of Noseon. The location is marked on my map. If we leave now, we can make it in about two days.” The archer walked past his comrades to head outside.

Azure jogged to catch up, leaving Uden to pick up the rear. “Wait. I have so many questions. What did she say? What did you tell her? Where have you been?”

Cherry-picking and not bothering to stop, Jin replied, “I spent two days in the dungeon before realizing it was probably best for us to stick together.”

“Which is to say that he couldn’t handle the dungeon on his own,” Uden muttered.

“Not true.” The archer shook his head. “I leveled up two more times after you guys left. I would have continued to do so until I reached the tenth floor and conquered the boss. I would have been fine on my own.”

Out of curiosity, Azure quickly pulled up Jin’s stats.

Name: Jin Umewraek

Race: Human

Level: 17

Health: 330

Mana: 225

Stamina: 325

He’d come a long way since losing half of his levels—farther than both Azure and Uden had gotten. But that was because the archer was far more of a killing machine than even the half-imp was. Azure didn’t even want to imagine the slaughter that had taken place in the Neverending Dungeon for Jin to level up so quickly.

He wasn’t sure how he felt about everything. On the one hand, Azure was elated that they’d been given an easier quest to complete—one that actually seemed reasonable and achievable. On the other hand, he didn’t like the loss of leadership that Jin’s return caused. Going to speak to the princess had been his plan. He was proud that it had worked, but now he felt like he’d have to take a backseat again.

“You never answered how you got her to agree to help,” the half-imp pressed. “You have the Charisma of rock, so I doubt much persuasion was involved. What is your wish?”

Jin inhaled deeply. “I will tell you once we complete this quest. I fear that my days of living in secrecy are numbered.”

“Did you actually take off your hood for her?” Azure raised an eyebrow in the archer’s direction, hardly able to force himself to believe that Jin would go to such lengths.

“Yes,” he replied simply.

“See. Now that’s what really pisses me off!” Uden jogged a step to walk beside them. “We’ve traveled with you for months and you won’t share your identity with us, yet the first time you get alone with a pretty face...I see how you are.” It was half-teasing and half actual offense.

“It was necessary to get her to agree to help us,” the archer confessed.

“Then you are someone she already knew. Someone important,” Azure concluded.

“Yes and no.” Jin wove down a side street, cutting through a residential district to take the shortest path toward the western gates of Noseon.

“So which part is the yes, and which part is the no?” Uden asked.

“Leave it to your imagination.”

CHAPTER FIVE

THE REALM – DAY 264

Shepherd Road lived up to its name. Several times as they were traveling down it, Azure and the gang saw various shepherds herding their sheep across it, though few actually followed the road. It was a spur route connecting to the main road, one they’d passed on their way to Noseon but had paid no mind to because it appeared to lead toward the sea.

There was nothing ominous about the road. Forest lay on the left side of it while golden fields landscaped the right.

The men didn’t even know what they were supposed to be looking for until they came upon an unexpected sight. Cresting a hill, they spotted an ornate chest in the middle of the road.

Greedy as ever, Uden picked up the pace as soon as he saw it. “Ohhh, free loot!”

“Wait. Something doesn’t feel right about this.” Jin tried to stop him, but the half-imp was not listening.

While Azure didn’t get the same sense of foreboding, he saw every reason why the archer was suspicious of the chest. It was not on its side, nor did it show any signs of wear from falling off a cart. Instead of tumbling off to the side of the road, it was set perfectly in the middle of it facing Noseon. A glance at the dirt showed footprints leading toward the forest.

“Uden, stop! It’s a trap!” Azure called out only a moment before three goblins appeared, two emerging from behind the cover of the trees. Another sprouted from the field beside the road.

Wielding a short sword, the one coming from the field made a beeline for Uden. Before it had a chance to reach him, a ball of pink electric energy whizzed past the half-imp’s head, its target Jin. The archer was too busy unshouldering his bow to dodge, the blast hitting directly in the center of his chest. His entire body spasmed for a moment, and then he remained still.

Azure had no time to worry about Jin, and he was less concerned with the goblin approaching Uden than he was with the ones hiding behind the trees. Knowing that ranged was his best option, he unshouldered his Obsidian Recurve War Bow and took aim at the magic caster, half expecting to miss in his haste. The arrow sailed true, hitting the enemy square in its forehead.

It would have been a kill shot if not for the fact that the goblin was donning a wooden mask. Graphic red and orange markings were painted on the front, reminding Azure of something that a luchador would wear. The mask cracked in half from the impact of the arrow, falling to the side and revealing the goblin’s face. Its beady obsidian eyes widened with fear from the near-death experience, and it retreated behind a tree.

Moving in to pick up the slack, the second goblin using the forest for shelter nocked an arrow and shot at Jin. Still affected by the spell, he was unable to dodge. The arrow lodged itself deep into his chest, causing him to gasp in pain. Azure watched as his health bar dipped by about 70%. It must have been a critical hit for the goblin.

Blessedly, the spell wore off before the goblin archer had a chance to take another shot. Shocked by the nearly fatal blow, Jin stumbled behind Azure for cover as soon as he could move again, clutching at the arrow protruding from his chest.

“Kill the archer,” he wheezed out a command, but Azure’s focus was split. Both goblins seemed equally dangerous, and he feared that he wouldn’t be able to fight them both on his own. He needed to create a distraction.

Meanwhile, Uden went head to head with the goblin with the short sword. Metal clanged against metal as the goblin’s blade clashed against the half-imp’s dual-wielded daggers. He could not find purchase on his enemy, though, the goblin having impressive skill.

To Azure’s dismay, another goblin popped up from the golden foliage on the side of the road. However, it was much further away from them than the other goblins. It wove its hands to cast a spell, sending a pink heart floating across the road toward the goblin whose mask Azure had broken.

“Kill the healer!” Jin shouted before refocusing on his wounds. In one hand, he held a healing potion. In the other, the shaft of the arrow protruding from his chest, ready to pull it out. Azure was glad he wouldn’t have to watch.

As soon as the pink heart had been absorbed by the masked goblin, it sprang back into action, its fears surrendered. It whispered a word and blew into its palm, sending a thin pink cloud jetting toward Azure. He was busy casting a spell of his own, though, and had to jump out of the way to dodge almost before it was completed.

Another cry of pain erupted behind Azure as he removed Jin’s cover. The spell collided with the archer, causing him to double over. Somehow, he had managed to rip the arrow out of his chest and down a healing potion first, but the effects of the potion were negated by the new spell, and he was still left with only 30% of his Health Points remaining.

A puddle of grease lay on the floor in front of him, the product of Azure’s Grease spell. Azure quickly cast Greasy Summon to bring it to life. The autonomous blob immediately sludged its way toward the spell-casting goblin. Currently, he seemed like the greatest threat.

Jin moved back behind Azure, reaching into his Bag of Holding for several more health potions. Preserving his life seemed to be more important than joining the battle. And it should be. If he died, Azure died, too. With that thought in mind, Azure resolved not to let the archer get blasted again, even if it meant taking a blow in his stead.

It seemed that Uden was struggling with his foe. No marks had been landed on the goblin with the short sword, and it was taking all the fancy footwork that the half-imp had to avoid getting stabbed or sliced.

The goblin archer knew better than to take his eyes off the two men. With Jin hidden behind Azure as best as he could be, the goblin had one target. He fired at Azure, causing him to make a split-second decision. His choices were to dodge and risk Jin getting injured further or let the arrow hit its mark. The goblin archer was too skilled to miss.

Searing pain sliced through Azure’s forearm as he did his best to protect Jin while taking the arrow in the least detrimental area that he could raise to chest level. Focusing on kill shots only, the goblins clearly had no intentions to take prisoners.

Seeing its buddy in potential danger from the approaching distraction, the cleric goblin cast another spell in the direction of the previously masked goblin. A blue grow surrounded it for a fraction of a second, clearly a buff of some sort.

Azure groaned internally, feeling like they were already at a disadvantage. His brief analysis of the goblins showed that they were all level 15, which was higher than he and Uden. They were clearly outnumbered. This would be tough to win, but adrenaline was keeping doubt from entering Azure’s mind. He had not come this far to be killed in the middle of the road by a band of goblin bandits. That would just be embarrassing and an anticlimactic end to his journey.

At least, his plan had worked. The previously masked goblin was definitely distracted by Greasy, though it was short-lived. Weaving its hands and speaking a few words in very broken Elvish, the ground rumbled as a tangle of roots shot forth from the earth and wrapped around the base of Greasy. By the laws of physics, it should not have worked. Greasy, composed entirely of grease and the bits of dirt clinging to it, should have been able to slip right through the entanglement. Yet, the spell seemed to give the summon solidity that it had not possessed before. The summon stopped dead in its tracks, held in place by the roots.

It didn’t matter. The distraction was all that was needed. Despite the pain in his arm, Azure raised his bow. There was no mask to deflect his attack this time. With the goblin concentrating on the summon, it wasn’t paying attention to dodge the arrow racing straight for its face. The point hit where the first arrow had missed, slicing through skin and skull. Letting out a surprised gurgle, the goblin reached for the tree to brace itself, then it slid down it in death.

Critical hit! Defeated Level 15 Goblin Bandit Caster. 105XP rewarded.

It was a better victory than Azure had hoped for. As soon as the masked goblin expired, the roots fell away from Greasy, and it changed course to go after the goblin archer. By that time, Jin had mostly recovered and was standing by Azure’s side. The tides had turned.

“Let’s finish this,” Jin said to Azure, nocking an arrow to his bowstring and aiming it at the goblin still battling Uden.

The half-imp had taken a good share of blows. Blood stained his left shoulder, though it seemed he had done well to avoid any debilitating injuries.

Despite Jin hoping to catch the goblin off guard while it fought Uden, it seemed hyper perceptive. It saw Jin aiming at it and managed to jump out of the way of his arrow while also avoiding the half-imp lunging in with his daggers raised.

Azure was about to shoot an arrow at the goblin archer when he noticed the cleric making purchase across the road. Redirecting his focus, Azure shot right between the sword-wielding goblin and Uden, catching the cleric in the thigh and causing it to tumble over. It scrambled toward the other side of the road, clawing at the ground as it tried to regain its footing.

The goblin archer was now engaged with Greasy, looking at it as more of an annoyance than an actual foe. He shot the summon at close range with ease, putting an end to a life that was already about to expire.

Greasy Summon has been defeated.

Knowing that it was a much greater threat than the cleric, Azure turned his attention to the goblin archer while it was still distracted. It saw the arrow coming a moment too late, its pointy ears standing straight out to the sides of its head in shock as Azure landed a hit to its chest. The goblin lowered its bow, then immediately tried to retreat behind the tree. Azure nocked another arrow but wasn’t fast enough. Refusing to let the goblin get away, he shouldered his bow and unsheathed his Zweihander of Vengeance to run after it.

Jin was still trained on the goblin attacking Uden, hoping to help him out. Their current game of dodge and parry was getting old, with the goblin whittling the half-imp down a little at a time. Uden was slowing now, having sustained a multitude of additional injuries, though none of them vital. If Jin wasn’t able to find an opening soon, the half-imp would probably run out of luck.

His second shot at the agile sword wielder was as successful as the first. The goblin seemed to have crazy good reflexes, moving just in the nick of time. Uden tried to take advantage of the distraction, but the goblin would not be caught off guard.

Meanwhile, the cleric was busy casting healing magic on itself behind the safety of the trees, having managed to make its way across the road.

Azure was too focused on his quarry to worry about it. With the goblin archer now out of sight, rounding the corner could be dangerous. It was a chance he was willing to take, though. He could not allow the goblin archer to recover. Hopefully, if he stayed in pursuit, the goblin wouldn’t have a chance to drink a healing potion and rejoin the battle.

Azure rounded the corner, and his breath hitched. The goblin archer was waiting for him, its body supported by the tree while its bow was raised and ready to loose. Its mistake was trying to go for a headshot. With shaky limbs from the injury it had sustained, the arrow wobbled as it left the bow. Azure was able to move to the side just in time to avoid being hit.

He thrust his sword forward, running the archer through its stomach. Using his strength, he pushed it against the tree, keeping it pinned in place. The goblin dropped its bow and reached for the blade, but it was no use. A gurgling sound erupted from its mouth in desperate protest, blood spilling from its lips instead of words. The light slowly faded from the goblin’s eyes, and its body went limp, sliding from Azure’s Zweihander of Vengeance.

Defeated Level 15 Goblin Bandit Archer. 105XP rewarded.

By the time Azure turned from the tree, Jin had finally vanquished the goblin that had been fighting Uden. The half-imp stood hunched over the body panting. Jin’s attention had already fled toward the goblin cleric. Realizing that the rest of its party was doomed, it had retreated into the forest.

Azure and the archer shared a look before running after it. If there were more goblins in the forest and it was able to reach reinforcements, they would be in big trouble.

As soon as they entered the woods, the trees seemed to close in around them. Luckily, in its haste, the goblin cleric had not been careful to cover its tracks. A myriad of footprints of different sizes could be seen in the dirt. Azure activated his Tracking ability to not easily lose them. However, that probably would not have been an issue with the perceptive archer in the lead.

“There will be more of them up ahead,” Jin warned quietly.

They took a circular path through the forest, with Azure right on Jin’s tail. It wasn’t long before the archer began to slow, though.

“What’s wrong?” Azure asked, looking past him.

“He got away.” The archer came to a stop. “I can’t tell how many goblins these tracks belong to. It would be better if we went back and collected Uden. There could be an ambush waiting for us up ahead. I would not want to proceed carelessly.”

Azure nodded in agreement, and they turned around to go collect the half-imp.

They were about halfway back when they ran into him. Most of his deeper wounds had closed, but he was still covered in superficial scratches from his melee with the sword-wielding goblin.

“Did you catch him?” Uden asked, his eyes traveling past his companions.

“No.” Jin shook his head. “I fear he made it back to the others. I suggest we stage an ambush of our own, should they come back through this way.” He looked up to the trees just as Tiny Owl descended to land on his raised wrist.

The archer and the owl seemed to stare at each other for a second before it took back off into the forest, flying in the direction that the cleric had fled.

“Let’s take cover and wait. I don’t imagine it will be long before the goblins come back through this way,” Jin suggested.

It seemed like a solid plan, so there were no arguments. The men scattered away from the trail of goblin footprints to lie in wait. Jin took to the woods on the right side of the path, quickly disappearing out of sight, and Azure and Uden faded away on the left side some several yards apart from each other. There, they bided their time, hoping to get the drop on the band of goblins when they passed back through.

Azure spent the first ten minutes leaning against one of the trees, his sword in his hands, the blade resting on his shoulder. If a goblin came into view, he wanted to be ready. Tension played in his muscles, adrenaline fueling his rapid heartbeat at the thought of another tough melee.

After ten minutes, he began to relaxe a little, listening to the birds chirping in the trees. There were no signs that the goblins were making their way back. Perhaps there weren’t more after all. Maybe it had just been the four, and the cleric had smartly thought to escape and not come back.

It was a full thirty minutes before Azure heard Jin softly calling his name. When Azure came out of hiding, he found that the archer and the half-imp had already reunited.

“Did you see anything?” Azure asked, letting his sword drop from his shoulder to rest on the ground.

“The goblins aren’t moving. There are five camped a ways up ahead, four new ones, plus the cleric. It appears to be a similar mix. An archer, a spell caster, a melee fighter, and another cleric,” Jin told him.

“How do you know that?” Azure narrowed his eyes.

“I took a calculated risk.” Jin turned toward where the goblin archer had fled. “They are waiting for us as we have been waiting for them.”

“We should make them wait longer, so they drop their guard. I don’t like the five against three odds. We almost got our asses handed to us.” Uden frowned.

“And whose fault was that?” The archer’s head swung back around, his voice full of disapproval. “You walked right into their trap.”

Azure held a hand up. “To be fair, they probably would have launched it even if Uden hadn’t gone up to the chest. And us being bunched together when they had two ranged attackers wasn’t exactly to our benefit.”

“Speaking of which, the chest was empty. Definitely a trap,” the half-imp added.

“Of course, it was empty.” The words came out of Jin’s mouth with exasperation. “But that doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that I’m pretty sure these goblins have something to do with Redram’s disappearance, so they have to be dealt with.”

“Even if they don’t, they’re clearly harming people who travel on Shepherd Road. I can’t let that stand,” Azure agreed.

Uden just shook his head. “You two wanting to be heroes.”

“If they’ve been robbing people, there’s probably loot to be gained,” Azure reminded him.

The half-imp cocked his head to the side, and a soft smile spread across his lips. “This is true.”

“All that aside,” Jin said with a sigh, “Uden is right. Attacking now would be stupid. We should wait until nightfall and get the drop on them.”

“Agreed.” Azure nodded.

“Sounds good to me. Just means more rest until then. And if they have a camp set up, that means we won’t have to worry about building a fire tonight after we’re done with the slaughter. Maybe they even have some food.” The half-imp seemed keen to point out everything that they could take from the goblins.

“First, we should get closer. I’ll lead.” The archer turned and headed back toward the path cut through the forest by the goblins. It wasn’t very long until it split into two paths, but Jin continued forward, clearly knowing the way.

“I wonder where that one goes,” Azure muttered, but no one paid him any mind.

About a yard ahead, they heard something snap. Less than a second later, a large spike on a stick came swinging their way. With no time to react, there was no time to dodge. The spike rushed forward, lodging into Jin’s shin. He cried out in pain, sending birds and other nearby wildlife retreating from the sound.

“Well, shit. There went our element of surprise.” Uden pulled his daggers from their holsters.

More concerned for his friend, Azure was quick to be by Jin’s side. The archer had gone down from the impact. Without even taking time to think, Azure jerked the spike out of his leg. Another cry of pain erupted from Jin, but he continued to work quickly to drink a healing potion. The goblins had most definitely heard him.

“I can’t believe I didn’t see that.” The archer cursed himself while he accepted Azure’s help to pull him to his feet.

“You have definitely been off your game today,” Azure admitted, wondering if something was wrong.

“There’s no helping it now. We have to fight,” Jin said just as they heard footsteps approaching.

This particular band of goblins didn’t seem stupid, all taking up positions behind the trees for cover. Likewise, Azure and his party retreated for safety, but not before the goblin caster was able to get a spell in. Focusing on Jin, the goblin sent a ball of pink electric energy. The archer would not be caught off guard again, though. He glanced back just in time to see it coming and was able to make a weak attempt at dodging to the side, barely avoiding being hit. A crackling sound passed by his ear, and then the pink ball hit a nearby tree and disappeared into nothing.

Pissed off from everything bad that had happened to him, Jin turned to counter with his own ranged attack. He nocked an arrow at lightning speed and sent it sailing toward the goblin caster. The goblin didn’t seem to have the same dodging skills, and the point of the arrow found its way into the creature’s throat, causing it to fall back choking on its own blood.

One of the goblins poked out from behind one of the trees as it wove a spell with its hands. To have the spell hit its mark, it needed to be exposed to Azure’s line of sight. Azure was not about to let the opportunity slip past him. He unshouldered his Obsidian Recurve War Bow and took a shot at the goblin’s head. With only about two inches of space to hit the goblin, Azure was surprised that he was able to make the shot.

Critical hit! Defeated Level 15 Goblin Bandit Cleric. 105XP rewarded.

Killing the goblin came as even more of a surprise. Perhaps this wouldn’t be as difficult of a battle as they had thought.

In the chaos of things, Uden had stealthed himself to sneak up on the goblin with the sword. The goblin had seen him break off from the group, though, and was on guard. There would be no getting the drop on it.

As soon as the half-imp rounded the corner, the swordsman goblin was ready for him. They matched blades, steel clanging against steel as Uden crossed his daggers to keep the goblin’s sword from cleaving him in half. The moment the goblin let off the pressure, the half-imp spun to the side and plunged both of his daggers between the goblin’s ribs. Its sword still raised, its eyes went wide in shock. Uden was too close for it to make another attack. The half-imp knew that and twisted his daggers inside the goblin’s body before pulling them back out and dashing away. Mortally wounded, the goblin dropped its sword to clutch onto the torrent of blood seeping from its sides. It coughed, bringing more up from its punctured lungs. With nothing left to do but die, the goblin retreated a few feet toward one of the trees, peeking out from behind it to look for its cleric friend. Uden knew better than to give the cleric a chance to heal the sword wielder. He quickly ended the goblin’s hopeful plight by slitting its throat.

Hoping to get a shot in, the goblin archer had been watching the fight between the two. Distracted by keeping the swordsman from being healed by the cleric, the half-imp didn’t see the archer standing twenty yards away. It nocked an arrow and loosed, but Uden stepped back just in time. The sharpened blades of the arrow grazed his throat, causing injury without severing anything important. His eyes widened as he gripped his neck, and it took the half-imp a moment to realize that it had been an arrow, not a blade that had assaulted him. By the time the goblin archer had nocked another arrow, Uden had retreated behind the protection of one of the trees, quickly stealthing himself to disappear from sight.

Meanwhile, Jin was trained on the other goblin cleric. It hid behind a tree, shivering from fear as it watched its comrades get slaughtered. Jin nodded to Azure to make his way around the tree while the archer held his bow on the goblin in case it tried to escape.

Before Azure even had a chance to reach the tree, the goblin darted from behind it, running like a coward instead of staying to help its remaining party member. Jin was not going to let it get away. With eagle-like aim, he put an arrow through its back before it had even made it three feet away. It fell forward, its body splaying out as it relinquished its life to the land.

The goblin archer was still focused on its hunt for Uden, stalking carefully around the forest, hoping to find the tree he was hiding behind. With the last of the goblin clerics dispatched off, Azure went in pursuit, weaving through the trees until he had the archer in his sights. Luckily, the archer didn’t see him coming. Azure tried to sneak up behind it, but just before reaching the goblin, a twig snapped beneath his boot. He swung at the archer with his sword anyway, but the goblin was able to jump out of the way, suffering only a glancing blow.

The distraction had Uden sloughing off his cover and running at the goblin archer at full speed. Though it hadn’t expected the attack, the goblin saw the half-imp out of the corner of its eye and jumped away from the slashing of his blades. Uden’s daggers swept through open air, missing completely.

The goblin raised his bow, but at close range, he didn’t have a shot. Jin had moved into position to help his friends if needed, but there were too many bodies in front of him to have a clear line of sight. It was up to Azure and Uden to finish the goblin off.

The goblin’s last-ditch effort was its close range shot. Azure moved to the side to avoid it, raising his Zweihander of Vengeance at the same time and sending it slamming down on the goblins head. Wood cracked as the bow split in half while the blade descended. There was more shock than fear in the goblin’s eyes—eyes that now had a line of blood running between them. The two halves of its body slowly began to part, blood and brain matter sludging down the center. With nowhere else to go, the goblin crumpled to its death.

Defeated Level 15 Goblin Bandit Archer. 105XP rewarded.

“That was another close one,” Uden complained, rubbing his neck.

“Not really.” Jin shouldered his bow and walked up to them.

“It was certainly easier than the last battle,” Azure agreed, “which I wasn’t expecting considering that they had the advantage in both battles. More people in this one.”

“Goblins,” the archer corrected him.

“You know what I mean.” Azure made a circular gesture in the air with his hand.

“Let’s loot these bodies and then go see what they have at their camp.” Uden was already walking off toward the goblin he had slain.

On the goblin cleric, Azure found a small pouch containing a tiny jade shard. He doubted it would be worth much.

You have received the following item:

Shard of Jade

Item Class: Common

Quality: Average

Weight: 0.0 kg

Uses: Jewelry Crafting

The only thing of value the archer had was his bow, but Azure had broken it during their melee, so it was now worthless.

Once the three men had finished collecting their loot, they regrouped to head toward the goblin camp.

“Watch out for traps,” Azure warned as the archer took the lead.

They made it to the camp unmolested but didn’t find much of interest. Tents had been set up around a ring of stones used to contain a fire, the embers extinguished some time ago. Using his Tracking skill, Azure noticed several sets of footprints heading in and out of the camp in various directions, though most appeared to lead toward the path they’d taken to get there.

“It looks like they’ve been camping here for a while.” Jin crouched next to the dead campfire.

“I’m not seeing any loot, though.” Uden emerged from one of the tents emptyhanded.

“No.” The archer stood. “They must be taking it somewhere else.”

“There was another path back there.” Azure thumbed toward where the trail had split.

“Then that’s where we should go. There’s nothing else to be found here.”

Azure expected him to immediately take the lead, but Jin waited for several seconds. The soft sounds of wings beating against the breeze announced Tiny Owl flying down from the trees. It seemed like the owl was often watching them.

A few moments after alighting on the archer’s arm, he sent it back into the forest again.

“He seems to be stopping by a lot today,” Azure noted. Twice in one day was a lot for the owl. Sometimes, they wouldn’t see it for days.

“That’s because he’s telling me what’s ahead.”

Uden’s mouth dropped open for a moment. Azure was less surprised by this news, though he wondered why Jin had decided to share it now. The archer had adamantly insistent that the owl could not speak to him when confronted about it before.

“You lied to us.” The half-imp’s eyebrows pulled together. “I had said before that you speak to the owl, and you denied it.”

“I did.” Jin nodded. “But that’s because I didn’t trust you then. It is not common for someone to naturally be able to communicate with animals in The Realm.”

“So you are a Druid.” Uden shifted his weight.

“Think what you will.” The archer waved the half-imp’s conclusion away.

Uden’s eyes widened. “Oh, Lonnell would be so jealous right now. I will have to take you to meet him when all of this is over.” He took a step closer to Jin. “He’ll have so many questions. Speaking of which, now that we know you’re a Druid, you could tell us more about yourself. Where were you born? What happened to your parents? To your people? Were your parents both Druids, too?

“How exactly does communicating with the owl work? Can you see through its eyes? Does it speak in hoots? What other cool Druid powers do you have? I bet that’s why you’re so good at Archery and Stealth.”

The barrage of questions that the half-imp pelted the archer with made Azure grin. Jin let out a long-suffering sigh and quickened his pace. Despite the new revelation, he was doling out no more information. After a moment, he called for silence, warning that there were likely more goblins around.

The three men made their way back to the fork in the path, changing directions. Jin paused not too far down it, throwing his arm out to stop his comrades from proceeding forward.

Azure’s eyes immediately shot toward the surrounding trees, and he listened for signs of approaching danger.

“Use your Tracking ability and let me know what you see.” The hood of the archer’s robe was poised down at the floor.

Azure did as he was told, but all he saw were more goblin footprints.

Uden was a bit more perceptive. “Human footprints,” he said. “They’re faint, but I see them.”

“That’s what I thought.” Jin nodded in approval before progressing. “Let’s keep going.”

They hadn’t made it very far before he stopped once more.

“What is it?” Azure whispered.

“Trap. Be careful.” The archer pointed to a barely visible wire running across the path. It took Azure several seconds to even see it.

His eyes followed it to where it had been tied off, then back to the tree it had been wired from. Looking up, he observed that it was attached to a large scythe affixed to a log. Had they tripped the wire, it would have swung down on whoever was unlucky enough to be in its way.

“Glad you noticed that one.” Uden gazed up at the scythe.

“Yeah. No kidding.” Azure gave the scythe one last wary look before they carefully made their way over the tripwire, successfully avoiding setting it off.

There was a bend in the trail up ahead, and Jin slowed as they approached. Before they reached it, he stopped. “Let’s wait for Tiny Owl.”

It took about five minutes for the owl to return and alight on his arm. Azure observed their exchange with far more interest than ever before, but he definitely could not tell how they were communicating. It must happen telepathically.

After a moment, Tiny Owl took off into the forest again.

“What did he say?” Azure asked.

“There are two more goblins up ahead guarding the entrance to a cave. One is an archer, the other wielding an axe.”

“No more magic casters. Thank the Gods for that.” Relief was palpable in Uden’s voice.

“Can he see what’s in the cave?” Azure pressed for more information.

“No. The opening is low. I dare not send him in.”

Azure nodded, grateful for the insight.

“We can still travel a ways before they see us. They are spaced out on either side of the entrance, waiting to ambush whoever enters the clearing before the cave. Once we get about halfway down this path, we should split up and make a wide half-circle toward the end of the path. The archer is on the righthand side. I’ll take care of him. You two handle the fighter.”

With their plan decided, they went to enact it.

Though Azure didn’t know the axe-wielding goblin’s exact location, it didn’t take very long before he was in sight. Not seeming particularly concerned that there would be intruders, the goblin leaned on the butt of its axe, using it more for support than as a weapon while he chatted across the way to the other goblin in their harsh tongue. From what Azure could tell, it was just general banter. Perhaps they were both so laxe because they had two extra lines of defense before anyone would reach them. At least they used to before Azure and his friends had come along. Whatever the case, it would not be hard for them to catch the goblins unaware.

“I’ll go,” Azure mouthed to Uden as he unshouldered his bow and nocked an arrow.

Not wanting to miss, he activated his Focus subskill at the axe-wielding goblin’s heart. Just as he let the arrow sail, though, the goblin bent over, having accidentally dropped its weapon. The arrow stuck into its shoulder, and it let out a loud cry of pain as it clutched at its wound.

Knowing that it only had precious seconds before Azure would reload and shoot again, the goblin quickly recovered, taking up its axe and running toward the forest.

All of this was enough to alert the other goblin of their presence. It nocked an arrow to its bowstring, then scanned the tree line looking for enemies, but they were well hidden.

Azure had switched from his bow to his Zweihander of Vengeance, waiting until the axe-wielding goblin had almost reached the forest before charging out to meet it head-on.

Jin shot at the archer but missed. His attempt to draw its attention away from Azure failed. An arrow came sailing toward Azure, hitting him in his side and deflecting him away from the axe wielder.

Critical Hit! Level 15 Goblin Bandit Archer delivers 100 damage.

Azure stumbled to the side, his sword lowering as he bent toward the injury. Thankfully, Uden was there to jump in and take his place. The half-imp blocked a downward swing of the axe that had been meant for Azure, but he wasn’t strong enough to hold the goblin off and was quickly pushed aside.

Knowing they were in trouble, Azure forced himself to recover. Adrenaline pumped into his muscles, and the sheer fear of losing caused him to push forward, crossing the blade of his sword with the goblin’s axe again. He suppressed a scream, his heels digging into the dirt as he pushed his blade closer to the goblin’s face. When outmatching it in strength didn’t seem to be possible, Azure headbutted the goblin instead, causing it to stumble back.

Realizing that the two foes could easily take advantage of its momentarily dropped guard, the goblin swung its axe in a wide arch to keep them at bay while it shook the throbbing from its head.

Jin fired at the archer again, but it moved out of the way just in the nick of time. His arrow flew past the goblin archer’s head. It turned around, focusing on the more dangerous threat to it. Refusing to give Jin time to grab another arrow, the goblin archer loosed the one he had nocked in Jin’s direction. Jin’s gaze was fixed on the goblin, though, and he possessed the dexterity to grab and nock another arrow while dodging at the same time.

Uden slashed wildly at the axe-wielding goblin, but it was able to knock his daggers away with its axe. While the half-imp kept it busy, Azure wrenched the arrow out of his side, eliciting a cry of pain, though he muffled it as best he could. There was no telling how many enemies were in the cave or how far away they were. The last thing they needed was for sound to travel and alert the rest of the goblins of the melee carrying on outside.

Jin and the archer goblin seemed to be doing a dance. Both equally perceptive, when one would fire, the other would dodge. Neither seemed to be able to land a hit on the other.

Azure and Uden backed the axe wielder up against the outside of the cave, feeling advantageous now that they had it cornered. For as lazy as it had looked leaning on its weapon outside of the entrance, this goblin was definitely a fighter. In an unexpected move, it turned the blade of its axe upside down to swing at Uden when he rushed in to slash at it with his daggers, effectively chopping through his right arm.

The half-imp’s wail of pain carried through the forest, his nearly detached appendage flying back and practically slapping him in the face. Blood spurted from the wound like something you’d see in a horror movie. Uden’s eyes went wide, clutching at his mangled limb as he fell back, allowing the goblin out of the tight space it had been in. His health depleted at a rapid rate.

“Forget about your arm. Drink a healing potion,” Azure called to him, unable to leave the battle.

Before, Azure had been worried that the goblin might flee into the cave and alert its buddies. Now, he was pretty sure that Uden’s scream had the same effect. It was only a matter of time before more goblins spilled forth from the mouth of the cave.

In what could only be described as a fit of insanity, the half-imp took the remainder of his severed limb and threw it at the axe-wielding goblin. Not knowing what to make of it, the goblin was thrown off guard long enough for Azure to take advantage of the situation, driving his Zweihander of Vengeance forward into its gut.

The goblin turned its attention back to its attacker, flailing its axe a few times to no avail.

Worried that Uden wouldn’t do what he needed to save himself, Azure twisted his blade, wanting to end the goblin quickly. It finally relinquished its life after a few moments of staring into his eyes, the light slowly fading away and the breath leaving its lungs in a long sigh.

Defeated Level 15 Goblin Bandit. 105XP rewarded.

The goblin archer knew better than to take its eyes off Jin, but it was also in a bad position, caught between the two injured men and the very focused human archer. It would not be long before the distractions became overwhelming.

Uden’s continued cries of pain served as a momentary diversion to Jin’s attention. That was all that the goblin archer needed to land a hit. Jin looked up just in time to twist his body and take the arrow through his left forearm.

Perhaps it was because of the intense pain of losing his arm, but Uden was not being sparing with his healing potions. Azure watched the cells in his severed appendage begin to regenerate. Grunts and cries of pain fell from his lips as the healing took place, but he was back at 100% Health in a matter of seconds.

Thankful that he hadn’t needed to baby the half-imp, Azure turned his attention to the goblin archer. He was far enough away from it that a bow would be more effective than his sword. It would be difficult for the goblin to keep both he and Jin at bay when they were shooting at it from opposite sides.

Unfortunately, the goblin archer proved to be every bit as nimble as the axe wielder had been. Azure missed his first shot, alerting the goblin of his presence and intentions. These goblins were definitely worthy of having been made guards for this hideout.

The dance of fire and dodge continued until two daggers came from the trees and hit the goblin archer in the chest. Being so engaged in their three-man battle and having practically counted Uden out once he’d been injured, no one had seen him slip into the forest and find a better position. With the goblin archer distracted by Jin and Azure, the half-imp swooped in from the front to end the seemingly endless ranged battle.

Azure picked up Uden’s arm, then walked over to throw it to him. “Need a hand?”

The half-imp had already strode forward to retrieve his daggers and had nearly missed the tossed appendage. Not catching the terrible joke, Uden looked his severed arm over. “Don’t mind if I do. I wonder if I masturbate with this later if it will feel like a stranger?”

“Gods!” Azure rolled his eyes as he watched the half-imp stick his detached limb into his bag.

Jin joined them, hissing from pain as he broke the fletching off the arrow sticking out of his arm before pulling it the rest of the way through. “We’re all in bad shape. We need to heal up before we go in.”

“Speak for yourself. I’m as fit as a fiddle.” Uden puffed his chest out.

“How can you be so casual?” Azure quirked his head back. “You just lost an arm.”

“It grew back.” The half-imp held up his new appendage, curling his fingers into a fist and flexing his muscles.

“Don’t expect to understand him,” Jin tried to dissuade Azure from his disbelief. “He’s not like us.”

“Hey! What do you mean I’m not like you?” Uden’s voice was full of offense.

“You’re special, kid.” The archer walked up to him and tousled his hair.

This seemed to placate the half-imp, not used to Jin being affectionate or physical.

Before entering the cave, they all healed up the rest of the way before retrieving what projectiles were salvageable and looting the corpses. Azure took the axe from the goblin he had slain, placing it in his Bag of Holding.

You have received the following item:

Rusty Goblin Axe

Attack: +5-13

Type: One-Handed Weapon

Durability: 33/35

Item Class: Common

Quality: Average

Weight: 1.5 kg

“Well, let’s do this.” Uden stretched in front of the entrance to the cave. “But you guys go first.” He gestured for Jin to take the lead, then winked at Azure. “Cause I just lost my arm and all, so I’ve suddenly turned into a big ol’ pussy.”

Azure shook his head as he passed by the cheeky half-imp.

Beyond the cave entrance was a long narrow tunnel lit by torches in sconces attached to the walls. The floor sloped downward into the earth and was covered in loose stones that made it a bit difficult to traverse.

The three men proceeded with their weapons drawn, and Jin didn’t slow until he reached the corridor’s end, where it opened into a 50 by 50-foot room.

“What in the heck?” he voiced what they were all thinking.

In the middle of the room, set up in a triangle formation, were three crude scarecrows. Bulbous burlap heads sat bowed atop lumpy bodies in a variety of peasant clothing. Straw stuck out of the ends of shirt sleeves and pant legs. A face was painted on each head, the artwork looking like that of a child who had just discovered crayons.

The men would have to pass them to get to the next tunnel.

“Oh, man. Those are freaky,” Uden commented, taking an apprehensive step forward to stand side by side with his comrades.

“I’m pretty sure I can sense dark magic in here.” The archer kept his gaze locked on the scarecrows.

“I don’t imagine these things would just be here for no reason.” Azure mirrored their sentiment, an uneasy feeling pooling in the pit of his stomach.

“Blast them with your Volatile Bolt spell,” the half-imp suggested. “That will get rid of them.”

“And probably cause a cave-in as well.” Disapproval was strong in Jin’s voice.

Azure shook his finger. “He may be onto something. I mean, you’re both right.” He quickly corrected himself. “I don’t want to use Volatile Bolt in here, but I could still use magic to detect if they’re dangerous.”

Without laying out his plan, Azure cast Grease, then followed it up with Greasy Summon. Reading his mind, the autonomous blob made its way toward the scarecrows. When it reached one, it simply sat there for a moment. Then it poked the scarecrow with a slimy appendage.

“Looks like they’re harmless.” Azure gave Jin a quizzical look.

“Have it go all the way to the other tunnel. They might not activate until we reach a certain point,” the archer instructed.

Azure sent Greasy further into the room. It made it to the other tunnel opening, then turned back toward them and shrugged. A smile pulled the corners of Azure’s lips from the summon following his every thought.

“Nice.” Uden chuckled.

“Seriously, I think it’s safe,” Azure told them.

“Now, we just have the muck to cross.” Jin scowled at the grease trail that the summon had left behind in its wake.

“Better safe than sorry,” Azure said before sending the summon into the far-right corner of the room to expire where its greasy remains wouldn’t pose as a nuisance for them to traverse.

“True.” The archer nodded before retaking the lead. “Let’s go, but do not lower your guard.”

The three men proceeded through the room, avoiding the grease. Azure’s summon’s time ran out in the corner, and it exploded into a greasy mess that splattered the walls but thankfully didn’t reach them. Parts of it did, however, land on the scarecrow on that side of the chamber.

As soon as Jin had stepped foot in the center of the room, the scarecrow directly in front of them moved, its head tilting in the opposite direction.

All three men froze.

Uden’s voice filled with dread as the scarecrow began convulsing on its stick. “Oh, no.”

“I was afraid that something like this would happen.” The archer took a step back to cluster in with his comrades. “They probably only react to an organic trigger.”

“Well, we tried.” Azure raised his Zweihander of Vengeance before activating Analyze on the scarecrow to his right to see what they were up against.

Level 14 Living Scarecrow.

“We probably should not give them time to come down from their sticks,” Uden said before charging toward the scarecrow closest to him. It fell from its stake and moved out of his range with surprising quickness.

“Divide and conquer.” Jin focused on the scarecrow straight ahead, shooting it with an arrow that stuck out of its burlap head as if he had been target practicing at an archery range.

The injury did not put the scarecrow down, nor did it slow it. Instead, the scarecrow fell from the pole it had been stuck to, teetering like a drunk man toward the archer. Then it began to spin, shooting shards of straw out of its sleeves like projectiles. Several struck Jin’s arms and chest, slicing through his cloak and skin and sticking out of it like organic needles.

Azure ran forward to slice his scarecrow in half, but it used the same maneuver that Uden’s had, jumping back out of his way as it removed itself from the pole it had been resting on.

The scarecrow fighting the half-imp dashed away at his every advance, then began to spin. At close-range, Uden ended up getting slapped with its arms, the straw raking across him like claws. Azure noticed a similar dip in his Health to what Jin had experienced.

Realizing that bows weren’t going to be effective this time around, Jin shouldered his and pulled his blades from their sheaths. The time it took was enough for the scarecrow he was fighting to start spinning again, and he endured another barrage of needle-like straw to his arms. With less than a third of his Health remaining, the archer retreated toward the tunnel they had come from to quaff several healing potions, but the scarecrow pursued.

Azure’s scarecrow began to spin as well. He raised his arms, hoping his armor would keep the straw from penetrating through, but it didn’t.

Level 14 Living Scarecrow delivers 70 damage.

A hiss escaped his lips. It felt like a dozen wasps had all stung him at the same time.

More annoyed than injured, Azure swung his sword at the scarecrow, but it dashed away with ease. Weighing practically nothing, they were able to move faster than he could in his heavy armor.

Uden was the only one currently matching pace with the nimble scarecrows. At the tail end of the scarecrow’s spin, the half-imp sliced down with both of his daggers, cutting off one the scarecrow’s arms. It retreated slightly, though Uden couldn’t tell if it was because the creature was in pain or if it was gearing up to spin again. The drawn-on expression on its face never changed.

Once Jin had drunk three Potions of Minor Healing, he was back in the battle. It wasn’t enough to heal him up anywhere near a safe level, but he didn’t have time to drink anymore. With the scarecrow in hot pursuit, it was only a matter of time before it spun at him again.

Slashing at it with both blades, Jin caught the front of the scarecrow’s shirt. Ripping down, he hoped to spill whatever was inside of it that kept it alive all over the floor. Straw peeked out from the open wound, much of it shredded from the attack. Still, the scarecrow continued after him, only faltering for the moment it took for Jin’s attack to land. Then it countered, spinning at close range and raking across the archer’s arms. It dropped his Health Points back down to almost what they had been before he had healed up.

“If you have a spell to burn them, then burn them!” Jin shouted out in desperation.

Azure knew better than to use his Volatile Bolt spell. With its unpredictability and the closed-in space, there was just as much of a chance of it harming them as there was of it doing any good. Instead, he turned his attention to helping the archer, ignoring the scarecrow chasing him.

Azure swung his sword at the scarecrow attacking Jin, but it moved out of the way, seeming to have eyes in the back of its head, and he almost ended up hitting the archer instead.

“Careful!” Jin chastised him, then followed it up by shouting at Azure to focus on his own enemy. Two projectile-shooting scarecrows in range of the archer were far more dangerous than just the one.

Whether Jin liked it or not, it was better for him to try to handle this on his own. Surely, the scarecrows had to have a weakness. Stabbing upward this time, the archer caught the burlap of the scarecrow’s face and tore it open. More straw gushed out, the twisted cloth marring the scarecrow’s painted-on expression and making it look even more sinister. There was nothing inside but more straw, and the scarecrow did not fall from the wound.

“Are they invincible?” Jin asked no one in particular, now really beginning to worry.

The scarecrow spun at him again, painting the archer with projectiles. His Health fell to a critical level, the bar blinking red in Azure’s peripheral vision.

That was when panic set in.

“Run!” Azure yelled to him. If Jin died here, they both would.

Without a second thought, Azure cast Grease directly onto the scarecrow pursuing the archer to slow it down, buying Jin precious seconds to escape. Though none of his wounds looked mortal, the front of his cloak was in shreds, and bloody tattered skin was exposed. Obeying, the archer retreated.

Uden was having an equal amount of luck dealing with his own scarecrow. He had tried various tactics from ranged to getting in as close as possible, even if it resulted in getting hit. Still, he didn’t seem to be making any progress, taking way more damage than he was dealing. His Health was about halfway depleted.

It seemed that they were fighting a losing battle.

With Jin removed from the room, the scarecrow covered in grease turned its sights on Azure. Now sandwiched between two enemies, Azure didn’t feel particularly hopeful that he wasn’t about to get massacred.

The scarecrow that had been fighting Jin did its best to spin, but the grease coating its body kept most of the straw in place. What few stalks were able to dislodge from the creature’s body fell harmlessly to the floor. That was when Azure had a revelation.

As quickly as he could, he turned and cast Grease at the other scarecrow, engulfing it in the thick black substance.

“I don’t know if we can beat them, but I’ve figured out how to stop them from spinning,” Azure announced excitedly.

The distraction was enough for the scarecrow attacking Uden to catch him off guard, pelting him with the needle-like straw again. He was beginning to look like a pincushion.

“I could definitely use help over here,” the half-imp called out to Azure between clenched teeth, though the reaction was more from pain than frustration.

The first scarecrow that Azure had doused tried spinning at him again. However, this attempt worked and sent straw rocketing in his direction, sticking into his bracers.

Level 14 Living Scarecrow delivers 70 damage.

The scarecrow behind Azure tried the same attack to no avail. Apparently, the Grease spell only prevented them from attacking for one round. Azure wasn’t sure if it was worth running over to cast it on the one fighting Uden, so he decided to focus on his own enemies instead.

Feeling like it was fruitless but taking a chance anyway, Azure swung his sword at the scarecrow blocking the tunnel door. In its slowed state, it was unable to dodge, and Azure’s blade severed it completely in half. The top half tipped over, and the bottom half followed it to the floor, dispersing into a pile of straw and clothing once it reached the ground.

Defeated Level 14 Living Scarecrow. 84XP rewarded.

The victory was so exhilarating that it took everything in Azure not to shout. As it was, he was worried that enemies deeper in the cave had already heard their melee.

With two more scarecrows to vanquish, there was no time to celebrate.

“Cut it in half,” Azure told Uden. “That’s how you kill them.”

“Easier said than done.” The half-imp was busy doing the boxer shuffle in front of his foe, unsure of whether he should attack or run. It wouldn’t be much longer before running was the only option.

The scarecrow that Azure hadn’t vanquished had recovered. It charged him, spinning at Azure at close range. The blade-like stalks of straw cut deep.

Critical hit! Level 14 Living Scarecrow delivers 140 damage.

Azure saw red as his Health dropped to only 10 points. He was about to die. Again.

Taking his advice, Uden reached in, risking a direct hit from the scarecrow to slash his daggers across its stomach. The scarecrow geared up to spin, but it was a moment too late. Uden’s blades cut clean through the foe, causing straw to pour out of its top half onto the ground. A sigh of relief left the half-imp’s lips as he realized he had finally defeated it.

Azure’s death was imminent. He had traded Jin’s life for his. Maybe it didn’t even matter. All that he knew was that he didn’t have the strength to make it to the safety of the tunnel.

It felt like someone had run him through a paper shredder. Blood dripped from the frayed skin of his arms and the tiny wounds in his chest. While none of them were deadly on their own, it was the sheer number that had overwhelmed him. Azure fought just to keep standing. He could do little more as the last of the scarecrows approached him, ready to spin and deliver the final blow.

Something obstructed his vision, which was quickly becoming bleary. It took a moment for Azure to realize that Jin had put himself between the scarecrow and Azure, acting as a human shield.

“Heal yourself. We’ll take care of this,” the archer told him in a calm voice.

Azure’s hands shook as he reached into his Bag of Holding for his Potion of Heal All. Nothing less would do. He drank the contents, grateful when he immediately felt relief.

The tides of battle turned as Uden and Jin ganged up on the last remaining scarecrow. It could not avoid them both, though it made a good effort by jumping to the side. Uden was still able to slash through its chest, but his blades entered too shallow to tear it in half.

The scarecrow spun, pelting both men with projectiles. Even alone, it was still a very dangerous foe. The fact that it could attack from all sides made it even deadlier than the higher-level goblins.

Having had enough of it, Jin dashed in, accomplishing with his longer blades what Uden could not with his shorter ones. He sliced the scarecrow in half, signaling the end of the battle.

The relief that washed over the room was palpable. If not for Azure having just healed up, all three men would have been in bad shape. As it was, both Jin and Uden were more focused on drinking healing potions than searching the defeated scarecrows for anything of value.

“That was tough,” Jin confessed once he had finished quaffing his potions.

“Figuring out how to kill them was the hardest part.” Azure bent to sort through the straw of the scarecrow he’d slain, but it had nothing of value.

“I hope things don’t get harder further in,” Uden mumbled, clearly disappointed that there was no loot to be gained from their effort.

“Regardless, we have to keep going.” Jin set his sights on the tunnel leading deeper into the cave.

They proceeded with caution, keeping their weapons in hand. The width of the tunnel was barely enough for three people to walk side by side. It would not make fighting easy if they came upon enemies.

Thankfully, the tunnel seemed clear. There was a long stretch before it turned, and nothing of note until they came upon a section of floor that was different than the rest. Where most had been natural stone, this part was made up of different colored tiles. Each was about a foot in size, and they extended about five feet down the length of the corridor. There was no passing without stepping on them.

“This is clearly a trap.” The archer sighed down at the tiles.

“I’m surprised they made it so obvious.” Uden’s eyes searched the tiles for a pattern.

“I’m not sure it needs to be hidden when there’s no way to get around it,” Azure said.

“Let’s see what it does when stepped on.” Jin bent to pick up a rock from the ground, then tossed it onto one of the tiles. It clattered across before coming to a stop on top of a red one. Nothing happened.

“Maybe it’s not a trap after all,” the half-imp said, but it was evident in his voice that he wasn’t sure.

“It could be another organic trap,” Azure surmised. “Or perhaps the rock just doesn’t weigh enough to trigger it.”

“That one is more likely,” the archer said.

“So how do we handle this?” Uden asked.

“You should go first.” Jin looked at the half-imp.

“Why me?” Uden’s brow pinched together and his voice rose an octave.

“Because you’re the most expendable. Now go.” Without any warning, Jin grabbed the half-imp by the shoulder and pushed him.

As soon as Uden’s feet landed on the tiles, his body immediately began to stiffen. For several moments, he simply stood there.

“Well?” the archer asked.

The half-imp didn’t respond.

“Something is wrong.” Azure quickly noticed.

“Yeah. He’s paralyzed. I think that’s the purpose of this trap,” Jin said.

“Well, that’s no good. Now we have to wait until it wears off.”

They waited for several minutes, mulling over ideas of how to safely pass, but the status effect did not seem to be expiring.

“This is a problem.” The archer stated the obvious.

“Yeah.” Azure sighed.

“Let’s knock him over and use him as a bridge to get across.”

“What?” Azure’s mouth fell open.

“I didn’t stutter. Let’s knock him over and walk across him,” Jin repeated his plan.

Azure gestured at Uden in disbelief. “He’s a human being, not a piece of wood.”

Jin leaned in to talk to the half-imp. “Do you mind if we lie you down and walk over you?” When Uden didn’t respond, he turned back to Azure. “See. He’s fine with it.”

“He’s fine with it because he can’t fucking speak to object right now.” Azure shook his hands at the archer.

“I’m knocking him over and using him as a bridge. You do what you want.” The archer began pulling a length of rope from his Bag of Holding.

Azure didn’t know whether to stop him or just watch. Honestly, he couldn’t come up with a better plan, but he knew this was wrong. If they did something like this to him, he would be pissed. There was no way that they would hear the end of it from the half-imp if they managed to make it out of the cave alive.

Not arguing further, but also unwilling to help, Azure watched as Jin threw the rope around Uden’s ankles and then used it to knock him down.

“Now here’s the real test,” the archer said as he reached across the tiles for Uden’s feet, grabbing them and dragging him so that he was face down on his stomach, his back in the center of the mass of tiles.

“You’re kind of insane. You know that, right?” Azure side-eyed Jin.

“I do what I have to do to get the job done. Wish me luck,” he said before leaping onto Uden’s back to cross the tiles.

Azure did no such thing. It would serve the archer right to end up paralyzed as well. But somehow, his out of the box thinking had worked, and he made it safely across the tiles with no ill effect.

Once on the other side, Jin spun to face him. “Your turn.”

“Sorry, Uden.” Azure cowered slightly as the apology fell from his lips. Then he followed suit, using his friend as a bridge to get across the trap.

If stepping on him caused any discomfort, the half-imp couldn’t speak to protest. He simply laid there, as still as the dead.

“We’ll have to leave him behind.” Jin looked down at Uden’s body.

“Shouldn’t we at least pull him across.” Azure felt bad about just abandoning him there.

“No.” The archer shook his head. “We might need to use him to cross again.”

“We might need him to fight up ahead.” Azure nodded in the direction they were headed. “Nothing about this has been particularly easy thus far.”

“I think we can handle it on our own. Unless you want to volunteer to be the bridge next time.”

With a long-suffering sigh, Azure volunteered his services to be walked across, and Jin finally relented to helping Azure pull the half-imp the rest of the way across the trap.

They set him up against the wall and waited for five more minutes, hoping he’d recover. When he didn’t, they elected to continue on without him.

CHAPTER SIX

THE REALM – DAY 264

The goblins in the next area were loud. Azure and Jin could hear them chattering long before they neared the end of the tunnel. Then again, what did the goblins have to fear with so many traps and lines of defense separating them from Shephard Road?

Where the tunnel ended, the wall of the room continued. Azure and Jin stealthed themselves, for whatever good it would do them, before the archer peeked around the corner. The goblins were so relaxed that none of them even noticed.

“There are four of them,” Jin whispered so low that Azure could barely hear him. “One is cooking something in a pot over a fire in the middle of the room. There’s an archer, a swordsman, and one without a weapon. It’s probably safe to assume that the cook and one without a weapon are spell casters. All of them are gathered around the fire. Only the archer and cook are standing.

“There are crates lining the back wall and a few paths to the left of them. There may be more goblins not far away, but I can’t tell. I think if we both jump out shooting, we should be able to take care of them before they can alert the others.”

“We’re down one man. Let me create a summon as a distraction before we go out there,” Azure said.

The archer nodded, and Azure went to work casting his spells, making Greasy wait until he had unshouldered his bow before they rounded the corner.

Knowing that the magic casters and archer were the most dangerous at range, Azure targeted the cook. Unfortunately, the lack of time he had to get his bearings kept it from being a kill shot. His arrow hit the cook in the shoulder, sending it staggering back and the ladle in its hand to fly up into the air. Stew sloshed everywhere, landing back onto the goblin to dot its green skin in tiny burns.

Jin aimed at the archer, having similar luck. His first arrow struck it in the chest, but the wound missed any vital organs. For a moment, the archer was stunned, but it wasn’t injured badly enough to keep from unshouldering its bow.

Greasy was slow to make it into the battle, but Azure sent it after the other presumed caster. The goblin stood upon its approach, all four goblins clearly surprised by the intrusion.

As soon as the goblins realized what was going on, the sword wielder rushed toward Jin. The first to respond to the invasion of enemies, it was on Jin before he had time to nock another arrow. Perhaps too confident in his ability to kill the archer before the swordsman reached him, he kept his focus on it. That proved to be a mistake. The sword-wielding goblin swung at him, causing him to misfire and have to block simultaneously. Jin was forced to use his bow as a shield, but the goblin’s blade still touched his flesh, slicing into one of his fingers and then severing it completely off as the goblin pulled back its sword. Jin cried out in pain, jumping away from his attacker and finding only wall behind him.

Instead of staying to fight, the goblin cook fled toward one of the passages to the left. Azure wasn’t about to let him get away, though. He put an arrow in the back of the goblin’s head, stopping it just a few feet short of its escape.

Defeated Level 15 Goblin Bandit Cook. 105XP rewarded.

Guess it wasn’t a caster after all, Azure thought briefly. Killing the goblin now seemed like a waste of his effort, especially when there were more dangerous ones in the room, like the archer, who had changed its target to him.

The goblin archer need only turn slightly to make the readjustment, loosing an arrow directly into Azure’s stomach. A burning sensation bloomed in his center as the projectile struck its mark.

Critical hit! Level 15 Goblin Bandit Archer delivers 150 damage.

Azure wasn’t sure if it was acid or blood assaulting his stomach, but the sensation made him want to both cough and vomit at the same time. He knew he had to hold himself together, though, if they were going to make it out of this alive.

The remaining unarmed goblin that Jin had assumed to be a caster seemed torn between running for the tunnels or helping its comrades. For several seconds, it merely stood there watching the battle raging on around it. Then it decided to make a run for it. No longer seeing it as an immediate threat, Azure commanded Greasy to attack the goblin archer instead.

Relentlessly chopping at Jin’s bow, the goblin with the sword was giving him no chance to escape or switch weapons. With surprising skill, it faked out a slash that looked like it would break the archer’s bow in half, and instead swept its blade to the side, slicing open Jin’s stomach. Again, his Health fell to a critical level, causing Azure to panic.

Greasy had made it to the goblin archer, blessedly working to keep it busy. Initially not threatened by the summon’s presence, the goblin archer tried to keep its focus on Azure only to be speared through the side by one of Greasy’s magically morphing appendages. To add insult to injury, the summon’s time expired, and it exploded all over the goblin, covering it in grease.

Knowing his life was in danger, Jin found the first opening he could to run out of the room. With Azure not far away, he moved to block the path into the tunnel, creating a barrier so that Jin could safely escape.

Azure dropped his bow to the ground to unsheathe his Zweihander of Vengeance. The goblin swordsman stabbed forward to run him through, concentrating on the same place where the arrow was giving him grief, but Azure was able to block the attack. In a desperate attempt to end the fight faster, Azure spun to the side with a flourish, using his momentum to try to slice the goblin in half. It worked. His blade dug into the swordsman’s side a foot, spilling its intestines all over the floor.

Critical hit! Defeated Level 15 Goblin Bandit. 105XP rewarded.

Congratulations! You are now Level 15! Your base stats have been boosted. You have earned 3 points to assign to your characteristics. Please note that adding points to some characteristics (Vitality, Intelligence, and Strength) will further boost your base stats. You may also advance any 1 skill of your choosing by 1 level.

Azure was relieved by the upgrade, but he didn’t have time to assign his points. There were still foes to deal with. Well, one foe. The cowardly goblin had managed to escape down one of the paths. Now, it was just the archer left behind, and his bow was covered in grease, practically useless. Realizing its plight was futile, the goblin archer made after its buddy that had escaped. Unfortunately, Azure couldn’t switch weapons fast enough to catch it, and it was able to limp away. He cursed, looking after it for a moment before turning his attention to Jin.

Jin was just inside the tunnel they had come from, still busy downing healing potions.

It was then that Azure realized how much pain he was in. His nausea from having an arrow lodged in his gut had only subsided due to adrenaline from the fight.

“Did you kill them all?” Jin asked, not bothering to look for himself.

“No. The archer and another goblin got away.”

Azure held his breath, trying to think of anything pleasant to distract his mind before ripping the arrow out of his stomach. He could not suppress a cry of pain. Warmth surrounded the area as it bled profusely. What he’d felt as bile turned up in his mouth as a distinct copper taste. Azure washed it back down with a Good Quality Potion of Minor Healing.

“They probably fled to alert the others.” Jin walked back out into the room.

And he wasn’t wrong. No sooner than he had said it, the unarmed goblin reappeared behind a much larger goblin.

“Oh shit,” Azure muttered, chugging another potion while he still had the opportunity.

This goblin was different from the others. Taller than any goblin Azure had ever seen, it stood thick with muscle, a sizeable bone-bladed axe clutched in its meaty fist. Goblins did not have hair, and this one was no exception. What he did have, though, was a man’s scalp secured to his bald pate. It looked to be that of a dwarf, the hair kinky and red. With a little bit of crude bladework, it had been cut into an uneven mohawk. Two silver rings dangled from the goblin’s bottom lip on the left side, further showing that it was the badass of this cave. Azure Analyzed it and only received confirmation.

Level 18 Gilk.

“Why you trespass in my cave?” Gilk stood just beyond the fire, tapping the butt of his oversized axe in his palm.

The smaller goblin cowered behind him, seeming almost to be using him for cover.

“We’re looking for a man named Rerdam Richbrooke,” Azure called back to him.

“Maybe I seen him. Maybe I don’t.” Gilk’s gaze shifted to his wasted comrades spread out on the floor. “What worth to puny humans?”

“Not worth to us. Worth to King Algrenon.” Jin took a step up to stand next to Azure.

Gilk spit on the ground. “Goblins have no king.”

“You live in Patheana. You most definitely have a king,” the archer assured him.

“Don’t argue right now,” Azure chastised Jin under his breath. “This guy is clearly stronger than us and seemingly willing to negotiate.” He then turned his attention back to Gilk. “You seem to know about Rerdam.”

“Maybe. May not.” The goblin leader tilted his head to the side. “You seem capable. Perhaps you do favor for me, and I share…information.”

“Do you have him or not?” The archer’s voice was charged with irritation. “We’re not going to do any favors for you unless we have proof that the man is here.”

Gilk nodded back to the cowardly goblin, and it quickly fled into one of the tunnels behind it. Several minutes later, it reappeared, leading a captive man. The man looked to be a knight in his later years. He wore the same armor as the Noseon guards, but he was severely battered. One of his eyes was swollen shut, and it seemed as if it was taking everything in his power to remain conscious. Teetering back and forth, he had to lean on the smaller goblin for support. His short white hair was matted to his forehead with blood.

“This man you seek.” Gilk pointed to the prisoner, though it sounded somewhere between a statement and a question.

“Are you Rerdam?” Azure asked the captive, realizing at that moment that they had never gotten a description of the man.

The knight simply nodded in confirmation.

Jin inhaled, dreading the answer to the question leaving his mouth. “What do you want for him?”

A smile graced Gilk’s lips. “There rival gang. Hujoks. Taken up on Road of Moon. Better road. More loot. Kill leader. Rug Skull Crusher. Then I give you this man.” He nodded back toward Rerdam.

Just then, a notification popped up.

Quest: Goblin Rivalry

It has been confirmed that Gilk has Rerdam Richbrooke in his possession. There need be no further bloodshed between you if you are willing to complete a task for him. Gilk requests that you travel to Moon Road and find the hideout of Rug Skull Crusher. Kill him and bring back his severed head, and Gilk will give you Rerdam in return.

Difficulty: Hard

Success: Kill Rug Skull Crusher

Failure: Die or cancel quest.

Reward: Rerdam Richbrooke

Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?

Before Azure had a chance to accept, which he was most certainly willing to do, Jin grabbed him by the shoulder, though his words were directed at Gilk. “Could you give us a moment to discuss this?”

Gilk frowned and growled but said nothing as Azure and the archer turned around to talk about the proposition in private.

“We don’t have time for this,” Jin whispered to him.

“What other choice do we have? We need to get Rerdam.” Azure cast a glance over his shoulder, worried that Gilk would soon run out of patience and attack.

“Think about it. If we go on this quest, not only will we waste more time, but we’ll have to fight however many more goblins are in the new location, including a boss. Here, we just have the boss and a few more goblins.”

For as much as he didn’t like to admit it, the archer was making sense. Rerdam was right within their grasp. The problem was that he was still in danger in the clutches of the goblins. Clearly, he was in no condition to defend himself. Even if his hands weren’t tied behind his back, which they were, he would be no use with a sword.

“It will take a little more time, but I think it’s best if we take Gilk up on his offer,” Azure decided finally. “Protecting Rerdam is our utmost priority right now.”

“There’s not even a guarantee that Gilk will keep his word. I don’t trust goblins.” Jin nodded back toward the goblin bandit leader.

“What say you?” Gilk’s patience had finally run out, and he took an aggressive step forward, demanding their answer.

Both men turned to face him, sharing a look before Azure spoke. “We will accept your quest.” He did so immediately.

“He accepts your quest,” Jin said before raising his bow and grabbing an arrow from his quiver, “but I choose to fight.”

And just like that, Azure’s world was plunged into chaos once more.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THE REALM – DAY 264

Quest: Goblin Rivalry has been failed.

Jin launched an arrow straight for Gilk’s face, but he moved his head to the side, and the arrow shattered against the back wall of the cave. Any sign of friendliness left the goblin leader as he charged at the two men with his bone axe raised.

Focused on his attacker, Gilk swung his axe down at Jin, but the archer deftly jumped out of the way, easily avoiding the blow.

Now, Azure had no choice but to fight. He cast a quick glance in the direction of the goblin holding Rerdam captive. It watched the battle from afar, seeming to have no desire to jump in. This came as a relief to Azure. If he and Jin both focused on Gilk, and the other goblin didn’t intervene, this should be an easy fight. Perhaps Jin had been right, and the other quest was unnecessary. Whatever the case, Azure had failed it the second that Jin had loosed that arrow.

Drawing his Zweihander of Vengeance, Azure joined the battle, swinging his sword at Gilk, though the much larger goblin seemed every bit as deft as his smaller counterparts. Although Azure didn’t land a hit, the distraction gave Jin enough time to switch from his bow to his blades.

This time, when Gilk swung his axe, it was in Azure’s direction. Easily knocking Azure’s sword aside when he tried to block, Gilk swung back around and hit Azure in the shoulder.

Level 18 Gilk delivers 85 damage.

The bladed end of the bone axe was blunt. Though it didn’t slice through Azure’s flesh, it did put a dent in his armor and make him stumble.

Thankfully, the goblin leader was forced to switch targets when Jin jumped in with his dual blades to attack. Gilk seemed to have issues dealing with two opponents at once, and Azure was almost effortlessly able to rush in and stab the goblin leader between his ribs.

Critical hit!

The goblin guarding Rerdam began to cast a spell. Noticing this and feeling that Azure had things covered with Gilk, Jin disengaged from the goblin leader and switched back to his bow to fire at the other enemy. Though he aimed at the creature’s chest, its weaving hands helped to block the shot. Jin’s arrow sliced through the caster’s forearm, interrupting its spell.

Gilk was surprisingly resilient. He grabbed the blade of Azure’s Zweihander of Vengeance and wrenched it out of his body with such force that the pommel of the sword slammed back into Azure’s chest, knocking the wind out of him. Then the goblin leader swung around with his bone axe, hitting Azure square in the head and knocking him to the ground. For a moment, the world went dark for Azure before fading back into view.

Critical hit! Level 18 Gilk delivers 170 damage.

It was a devastating blow, and one Azure wished he had more time to recover from. As it was, he had lost his bearings, and the fear of Gilk making a second attack had Azure’s heart nearly beating out of his chest.

Despite being injured, the casting goblin began weaving its spell again. This time, it finished casting right before Jin put an arrow in its forehead. The floating heart reached Gilk, effectively healing some of his injuries.

The archer cursed, jumping to the side to narrowly avoid being hit by the goblin leader swinging his axe.

Azure used the distraction to pull himself back up, stumbling a few feet before reaching into his Bag of Holding for a Potion of Minor Healing. Jin should be able to hold Gilk off long enough for that.

“Stop!” came a garbled voice from the back of the room.

Everyone looked in its direction to see the goblin archer that had previously fled from battle standing over Rerdam with his bow pointed at the man’s head, an arrow nocked and ready to be fired straight through his skull.

“One more move and this man dies!” the goblin archer threatened with a hiss.

Azure’s muscles tightened and he swallowed a painful breath of air that seemed to have a lump in it. This was precisely what he had wanted to avoid by accepting the Rug Skull Crusher quest.

Jin already had his own arrow nocked. Though he knew the goblin archer wasn’t bluffing, he also wasn’t about to give him the advantage. With lightning speed, he raised his bow and shot. His arrow hit a fraction of a second before the goblin archer released his own bowstring. Jin’s arrow penetrated the creature’s shoulder, causing him to plant his arrow into the ground next to Rerdam.

Within the span of a heartbeat, the fight was back on.

Gilk swung at Jin, but he ducked under the bone axe head.

Azure picked up his Zweihander of Vengeance. Trying the same tactic that had failed him once already, he drove the point of his sword between Gilk’s ribs. This time, he put all his weight into it. This time, the blade made it through to vital organs.

Gilk’s eyes went wide, and he stumbled to the side. When he tried to grasp Azure’s sword this time, Azure only drove it in deeper, refusing to be thrown off balance again. The exhilaration of a win just at his fingertips made him let out a mighty war cry as he did his best to twist the blade while it was planted inside his foe.

The two of them went down together, with Azure refusing to relent until he knew the goblin leader was dead. Finally, after what seemed like forever but was probably closer to twenty seconds, he received the notification he had been waiting for.

Critical hit! Defeated Level 18 Gilk. 180XP rewarded.

Azure rolled over onto his back, completely exhausted and almost forgetting that a fight was still going on between Jin and the goblin archer.

Seeing its master defeated seemed to have triggered the creature’s survival instincts. Any thoughts of negotiation fled as he turned his bow on Jin. Hyper-focused from the fear of pending death, the goblin archer tracked Jin as he tried to dodge, shooting him just below his ribs. Jin gasped from the pain of one of his lungs rupturing and went down on one knee, his Health instantly halved.

Noticing this in his peripheral vision, Azure quickly found his way to his feet and unshouldered his bow.

The goblin archer shot at him but missed.

Though he was in horrible pain, Jin used the distraction to take aim at the enemy. This time, his arrow sailed straight and true, lodging in the creature’s throat. It fell to the floor with a high-pitched gurgle, clutching at the arrow until it slumped over next to the barely conscious Rerdam in death.

“Another close one.” Jin choked on his own words while looking down at his injury and trying to decide between pulling the arrow out or drinking a healing potion first.

“I’m not enjoying these close calls,” Azure confessed before downing a healing potion of his own. “With the amount of damage these guys do, I think it’s time to start buying stronger healing potions. These minor potions aren’t cutting it anymore.”

“Agreed,” Jin said just before gritting his teeth and ripping the arrow from his body, suppressing a cry of pain.

“I hope there aren’t more of them.” Azure looked to the tunnels at the back of the room with dread.

“It doesn’t matter.” Jin shook his head, then quickly quaffed a potion. “All we have to do now is get Rerdam out of here and back to the castle.”

“Thank the Gods for that.” Azure was more than ready to be back outside.

“We need to heal him, or he’s not going to be able to walk.” The archer walked over to where Rerdam lay, then knelt down to dig into his Bag of Holding for more healing potions to offer the injured man.

Surprisingly, one potion seemed to be enough to return the light to his Caribbean blue eyes and have him sitting up. He thanked Jin and Azure profusely as the archer got to work cutting his bonds.

“I thought I would die here,” Rerdam confessed in a parched voice.

“Are there more goblins?” Jin asked, ignoring the man’s gratitude.

“Not back there.” Rerdam nodded to the tunnels that Azure and the archer had not yet explored. “You vanquished them all, Finborh be praised.”

Finborh had little to do with it, Azure thought, then was immediately glad the words hadn’t left his lips. In truth, Finborh had everything to do with it. Azure would not be in this cave right now if not for the God of Land.

“We need to get you back to the castle.” Jin offered Rerdam his shoulder for support.

“We won’t make it back to the castle tonight.” Now that the fighting had concluded, exhaustion settled over Azure like a lead weight.

“No. We won’t.” The archer simply stood in place for several seconds, his eyes scanning the room as he thought. After a moment, he led Rerdam to the fire and set him down in front of it. “We’ll camp here for the night, then return to Noseon tomorrow.”

“Are you sure it’s safe?” Azure raised an eyebrow.

“If we killed all the goblins, then it should be. But there’s no way to know for sure.” Jin shook his head.

Azure inhaled deeply. Part of him didn’t like the idea of sleeping in the cave, but he also couldn’t argue that it was probably safer than sleeping outside. Besides, it would be less work for them if they stayed here. There was already a fire going, and if they were brave enough, they might try whatever the goblin had been cooking. All they needed to do was sleep. Well, for the most part.

“I should go back for Uden,” Azure said.

“I’ll stay here with Rerdam.” The archer sat next to the old knight.

With a quick nod, Azure headed back down the tunnel they had come from to retrieve his friend. Going alone made him feel uneasy, even though he was mostly convinced that they’d taken care of the goblin menace.

Blessedly, Azure encountered no more enemies on his trek back to Uden. The half-imp was still sitting against the wall, staring straight forward, paralyzed. It was worrisome that the status effect hadn’t worn off yet.

“Uden.” Azure snapped his fingers in front of the half-imp’s face, but he got no reaction. “Shit.”

With a long-suffering sigh, Azure hoisted Uden over his shoulder. Thankfully, the half-imp didn’t weigh much. Still, Azure’s exhaustion seemed to double by the time he reached Jin and Rerdam.

“Still dead,” Azure said jokingly as he not-so-gently flopped Uden down in front of the fire.

The half-imp couldn’t even manage an oomph from the impact.

“You wouldn’t happen to have anything to help with that, would you?” The archer looked from Rerdam to Uden.

“I’m afraid not.” Rerdam shook his head. “He must have stepped on the paralysis trap.”

“Yeah…stepped on it.” Azure wasn’t sure if he should glare at Jin or avoid Rerdam’s gaze.

“Don’t worry. The paralysis will wear off within a few hours, and your friend will return to normal,” the knight assured them.

“That is a relief.” Azure sat next to the fire, perking up a bit at the realization that the paralysis effect allowed him to annoy the half-imp without consequence. If Uden was really just paralyzed, then he could hear, see, and feel everything that was going on. He just couldn’t move. Promptly, Azure picked up a nearby stick and began poking him repeatedly.

“He is not going to be happy with you when he comes out of that,” Jin said flatly.

“I owe him for all the shit he’s put me through. This seems like justifiable payback. Besides, it’s not like he’s complaining.” A feline smile crossed Azure’s lips as he continued poking Uden, moving from his arm to his neck to his face.

The archer shook his head before returning his attention to Rerdam. “Anyway, Princess Zadori requested that we rescue you. We are aware that you were sent to research the Keeper’s identity. Can you tell us what you discovered, if anything?”

The muscles in Rerdam’s face tensed a bit, and his voice firmed. “I did not find anything. Unfortunately, I was set upon by these goblins before I had a chance to get very far outside of the city. I’ve been here the whole time.”

“That is unfortunate,” Jin replied, though he oddly didn’t sound too disappointed.

Azure tried his best not to visibly sulk. That meant they had done all of this for nothing. If Rerdam didn’t know about the Keeper, then neither would the king. This was their only lead, and it had just dead-ended.

“Where were you headed?” Azure asked him.

“I’m afraid that’s confidential information.” Rerdam quickly clammed up.

“I think it’s a fair price for saving your life.” Irritation made it into Azure’s voice.

“And I don’t believe that you didn’t make it to where you were going,” Jin added. “But it matters not. We will get you to the king, nonetheless.”

“That is mighty kind of you.” Rerdam shifted in discomfort.

They were unable to pry any further information out of the knight. Utterly loyal to the king, he kept the king’s secrets just that.

After Azure got bored with poking Uden, he decided to go loot his kills, though he promised the half-imp that he would return and wasn’t done with him.

The sword that the goblin bandit carried wasn’t the least bit impressive.

You have received the following item:

Rusty Goblin Broad Sword

Attack: +5-13

Type: One-Handed Weapon

Durability: 23/35

Item Class: Common

Quality: Average

Weight: 1.3 kg

Azure stowed it away in his Bag of Holding and moved on to the cook. In a pouch around its waist, Azure found a small stone with an angular symbol etched into it.

You have received the following item:

Rune of Ephewall

Item Class: Rare

Quality: Average

Weight: 0.0 kg

Uses: Used to make Small Flame Spell Scroll.

Azure’s eyes widened, and he turned to Rerdam with the stone in his hand. “Do you know how to turn these into spell scrolls?”

The knight squinted toward the stone. “No. I’m afraid not. You might want to take it to a magic school or the Alchemists Guild.”

It seemed like an incredibly valuable find. If Azure could learn how to make his own spell scrolls, then perhaps magic school would become unnecessary.

“Is there a magic school around here?” he asked.

“The only magic school in Patheana is Hawking’s School of Land Magic,” Rerdam informed him, making Azure scowl.

That was way too far to backtrack to. Perhaps he’d take the rune to the Alchemists Guild once they returned to Noseon—if he could find the time. Obtaining the Land Stone was much more important.

Putting the rune in his Bag of Holding for safekeeping, Azure moved on to Gilk. He was excited to get his hands on the bone-bladed axe. A unique-looking weapon, it was probably worth a lot or had some cool stat-boosting abilities.

You have received the following item:

Gilk’s Axe of Minor Relief

Attack: +13-36

Vitality: +2

Intelligence: +3

Strength: +2

Spell: Minor Relief

Type: One-Handed Weapon

Durability: 14/30

Item Class: Extremely Rare

Quality: Poor

Weight: 1.8 kg

Uses: Gives the wielder the ability to cast Minor Relief on themselves or a chosen target. Consumes 1 Durability per cast. Minor Relief makes your wounds feel better for 30 seconds, but you don’t actually regain any Health.

Azure was a bit disappointed. Though the gains to Vitality, Intelligence, and Strength were good, the spell was practically useless. Hopefully, the fact that it was an Extremely Rare item would make it command a higher price when he went to sell it.

Out of curiosity, Azure decided to investigate the crates at the back of the room. Inside, he found a plethora of random items from provisions to fine silks. When he asked Jin if they should lay claim to the items as loot, Rerdam gave him a disapproving look, informing Azure that they were likely stolen from those traveling down Shepherd Road and should be returned to their rightful owners. While Azure didn’t appreciate being reprimanded, he let it slide, apologizing, as he hadn’t meant to come off like a thief or bandit.

Feeling deflated by the chastisement, Azure returned to the fire to sit and distribute his characteristic points. But first, he needed to check out his character sheet.

Name: Azure

Race: Human

Level: 15, 16% of the way to next level

Health: 125 / 240 (400)

Mana: 205 / 280 (330)

Stamina: 220 / 255 (265)

Vitality: 11 (27)

Intelligence: 15 (20)

Strength: 13 (17)

Agility: 8 (18)

Dexterity: 7 (13)

Charisma: 5 (7)

Luck: 8 (10)

Skills: Archery Lvl 7; 36% of the way to next level

Stealth Lvl 4; 5% of the way to next level

Analyze Lvl 13; 46% of the way to next level

Cooking Lvl 13; 95% of the way to next level

Alchemy Lvl 6; 0% of the way to next level

Foraging Lvl 15; 54% of the way to next level

One-Handed Weapons Lvl 4; 10% of the way to next level

Tracking Lvl 1; 30% of the way to next level

Two-Handed Weapons Lvl 6; 37% of the way to next level

Fishing Lvl 1; 0% of the way to next level

Drinking Lvl 1; 20% of the way to next level

Land Magic Lvl 2; 40% of the way to next level

Enchanting Lvl 3; 47% of the way to next level

Mining Lvl 3; 60% of the way to next level

Tanning Lvl 1; 50% of the way to next level

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Cheoksum

After having nearly died again, Azure decided to put all three of his characteristic points into Vitality. Choosing which skill to level was a bit more complicated. Alchemy was primed to be leveled, but he felt that his weapon skills were more essential to survival. His One-Handed Weapon skill was further from leveling, but he typically wielded two-handed weapons during battle. In the end, Azure decided that leveling that skill was more important than the rest, even if it meant wasting the 37% he’d already leveled the skill on his own. It almost pained him to do it, but Azure was fairly certain that he was making the right choice.

After he closed his character sheet, Azure returned his attention to Jin. “It looks like we can all sleep soundly tonight if there are no more goblins.”

“We should still take shifts to keep watch,” the archer said.

“You boys have done enough. I’ll take the first watch tonight,” the knight offered.

“No.” Jin shook his head. “You are not fully healed and need to regain your strength for the journey back to Noseon tomorrow. Azure and I can take turns keeping watch.”

“That’s mighty kind of you, but I insist. It’s the least I can do.” Rerdam gave him an earnest look.

“No. I insist.” The archer’s words were measured, and Azure quickly caught on that he was worried that Rerdam would flee in the middle of the night if given a chance.

“Yes. You should regain your strength.” Azure backed up his friend.

“Well…if you really feel that way,” the knight grumbled before settling in for the night.

“I’ll take the first watch since you need to heal up more,” Jin proposed to Azure.

Not wanting to argue, Azure unrolled his bedroll next to the fire and settled in, happy for the healing properties it would provide while he slept. Confident that all the enemies had been dispatched, he drifted off quickly and peacefully.

CHAPTER EIGHT

THE REALM – DAY 265

Payback comes where it is due, and Azure awoke to a jabbing sensation. Opening one eye first, then the other, it didn’t take long for Uden to come into view, crouching before him, poking him with the same stick that Azure had used to deliver his torture.

“Wakey wakey, shitbag,” the half-imp said, but he wasn’t smiling.

“Oi! You had it coming.” Azure waved the stick away before yawning and sitting up. “Glad to see you’re back to normal.”

“Mostly.” Uden fell back onto his butt to sit. “I still don’t feel quite right.”

“Best to take it easy, then.”

Azure wasn’t sure how long he had slept, but it had been enough for him to fully recover.

Both Jin and Rerdam were passed out, which must have meant that the half-imp had revived at some point during the night and taken a shift to keep watch.

“I guess it’s my turn.” Azure stretched.

“Honestly, I spent most of that time paralyzed sleeping with my eyes open, so I don’t mind staying up. I was just bored,” the half-imp confessed before drawing a circle in the dirt with the stick.

Azure felt well-rested, so he wasn’t upset about being woken. More than likely, it was only a few hours before he would have had to get up anyway.

“Do you think he would have run if we had let him take a watch?” Azure nodded toward Rerdam.

“Jin clearly thinks he knows more than he’s telling, and if that’s true, then yes, I do believe he would have run.”

“Probably.”

They spent the rest of the morning making small talk until the others awoke. In the cave, it was difficult to tell what time it was, so Azure waited until Rerdam had woken naturally, then woke the archer immediately after so that they could head back to Noseon.

Blessedly, Rerdam knew how to get past the paralysis trap. It required stepping on the tiles in a certain sequence. He had memorized the five-step code when the goblins had brought him through. With that knowledge, they were able to pass the trap unmolested.

Nothing awaited them outside the cave besides the dead bodies of the goblins they had slain. Buzzards were already on the scene, picking at the remains, but they quickly flew off at the sight of the men.

The trip back to Noseon was uneventful, with little conversation shared between them. As soon as they arrived at the gates of the kingdom, Rerdam quickly branched off to speak to the guards, who recognized him immediately.

He turned with a flourish to address has rescuers, suddenly taking on a more regal presence. “You have done your part. These fine men will escort me back to the castle.”

“We insist that we come as well,” Jin said, his voice reflecting his fears that they might lose the knight and not gain their reward.

“Come to the castle in three days, and you shall be rewarded for your bravery,” the knight replied before politely nodding to them. “Good day, gentlemen.” Then he turned and walked off with the guards.

The archer reached out, but his hand grasped nothing but air, lingering for a moment before dropping.

“Should we go after him?” Azure asked, his pulse racing as he watched Rerdam take hurried steps with the guards following behind.

“I don’t know.” Jin shook his head and sighed.

“How’s that for some thanks.” Uden huffed.

“I don’t think there’s anything else we can do. No doubt, he will return to the castle. Hopefully, he’s a man of honor and tells the tale of his rescue and our involvement. Otherwise, I’m not sure what we can do.” Mental exhaustion crept into the archer’s tone.

“Well, it certainly won’t take us three days to get to the castle.” At first, Azure was disappointed at the thought of wasting a day in Noseon, but then he remembered the rune in his Bag of Holding and how he’d hoped to take it to the Alchemists Guild.

“I wonder if three days counts today,” the half-imp thought aloud.

“It will be nice not being in a rush. I just hope it’s not all for nothing.” Much like Jin, Azure didn’t know what they would do if Rerdam didn’t tell the truth to the king. Even thinking about further complications with the quest stressed him out.

With nothing left to do, they slowly made their way toward Laeves Keep. Stopping to sell their collected loot, Azure parted with everything but the Rune of Ephewall, earning 11 gold, 1 copper. Gilk’s Axe of Minor Relief was disappointingly inexpensive for being an Extremely Rare item. Haggling on the price did not get the merchant to raise it, and taking it to a different merchant proved no better.

“It’s a goblin’s weapon. What did you expect?” Jin said, almost superiorly.

That couldn’t make Azure rationalize it anymore.

They detoured to the Alchemists Guild for Azure to find out how to turn the Rune of Ephewall into a spell. Upon entering, Azure had expected to find shelves upon shelves of Alchemy Components and potions, but the inside was disappointingly plain, reminiscent of the Adventurers Guild in Squall’s End, albeit much larger. There were ten lettered counters designated for Alchemy quests and about half a dozen Alchemists in line at each one.

Azure and his crew filed into the Registration line, figuring they would get the most information there. It took an hour for them to reach the front. While they were waiting, Azure Analyzed all the people coming and going. For his efforts, he was rewarded with a notification.

Congratulations! The skill: Analyze has reached Level 14. This skill allows you to see how dangerous a foe is in relation to your own level. Use this skill frequently to avoid getting yourself killed.

There was nothing particularly exciting about it since he didn’t get a perk. In fact, Azure rarely got excited about receiving skill leveling notifications anymore. He knew that he was progressing toward other perks, but without receiving them, he felt no better at the skill than he had been before.

A short, pale-skinned woman was working the Registration counter. Her proportions seemed off, with a broad face and nose, a pointed chin, and large ears sticking out behind straight sandy-blonde hair. She gave the men a crooked smile as they walked up, as if the bottom right portion of her face was atrophied.

“Looking to register today, gentlemen?” She said in a chipper lisp that took Azure back. In Squall’s End, he never would have received such a warm greeting from anyone at The Adventurers Guild. He almost felt bad for telling her no.

“I was actually wondering if it’s possible to turn this rune into a spell through Alchemy.” He placed the Rune of Ephewall onto the counter.

The woman hummed as she took the item to identify it, then slid it back to him. “I’m afraid not. Spell scrolls can only be created at magic schools. Speaking of which, you should turn that into one immediately. Only magic schools are allowed to possess those runes. Or you could hand it over here, and we could make sure it gets to Hawking’s.” She reached for the rune again, but Azure clasped his palm on top of it.

He turned to his companions, giving them a look of apprehension. It pained him to part with the rune, especially since it had to be worth a decent amount of coin. Bringing it here had been a mistake.

Uden simply shrugged, and Jin said nothing. Without being able to see the archer’s face, Azure couldn’t tell one way or another if he’d approve of Azure refusing to give the clerk the rune.

“I’ll take it to Hawking’s,” he decided, pulling it away from her.

“Are you authorized?” The woman raised a bushy eyebrow at him. “Let me see your credentials.”

Asolih Pokhan has asked to join your party. Will you accept?

Ugh! I don’t even know what she’s looking for.

Azure felt caught between a rock and a hard place. What would happen if he refused? It wasn’t like she could lunge over the counter after him, but he did know that guilds had their own security. Whether he liked it or not, he may be forced to give up the rune.

With an inward sigh, Azure accepted her request.

Much like Elise had done back at The Adventurers Guild, Asolih seemed to stare through him for a moment. Then her name dropped from his peripheral vision as she disbanded from his party, and the half-cocked smile returned to her face.

“So you do have the credentials. You’re free to go. Just make sure that you get that rune back to Hawking’s.”

Azure was utterly confused, but he was too relieved to ask questions as he quickly placed the rune back into his Bag of Holding and walked away.

“What did she mean that I have the credentials?” he whispered to Uden when they were out of earshot.

“You’re enrolled at Hawking’s. She probably thought it was safe to assume you’d return there. That’s my guess, at least.”

“If I remember correctly, only Grand Master Mages can make spell scrolls,” Jin chimed in.

Azure paused, raising an eyebrow at him. “You knew that, and yet you let us waste our time coming here anyway?”

“As I said, if I remember correctly. I’m not 100% sure, so it was worth it to take the detour,” the archer replied before pressing on. “Much has changed since I was last here.”

Without arguing further, Azure and Uden trailed behind him, with Azure wondering if he should just sell the rune. More than likely, if he did take it back to Hawking’s, they would confiscate it. He might as well make a quick buck instead.

Before they stopped for the night again, he found a merchant and sold the rune for the disappointing sum of 1 gold, 1 silver, and 5 copper. No amount of haggling would bring the price up, and when the merchant threatened to turn Azure into the authorities for even having the rune, he gave it up for what he could get for it.

Since they had time to spare, Jin began teaching Azure Leatherworking at night while Uden went to the tavern. Azure offered to return the Large Rope Belt, Large Cloth Kilt, Large Leather Cloak, and Torn Tunic that the archer had given him when he had brought Azure back to life in front of Finborh, but Jin insisted that he keep them as templates, even though half of the items were Poor Quality.

“The cloak is the easiest to replicate since it only requires one large hide and a bit of cutting and sewing,” the archer told him, sitting in their room with a deer hide laid across his lap.

The two worked in tandem, the task taking hours to complete. First, Azure cut the hide into the shape of a cloak. It was difficult to do with his Crude Guardsman Dagger. Doing it on the floor would have been the best method, but he was sure the innkeeper would not appreciate carvings in his floor. Once he had the jagged shape of a cloak cut out, he began sewing the edges. It was long, arduous work, with plenty of chances to poke himself with the needle and uncoordinated fingers.

When Azure was finally done, he received a notification.

Congratulations! New skill learned: Leatherworking Level 1. You can now turn pelts into Light and Medium Armor.

He also received the following item.

Large Leather Cloak

Defense: +2

Type: Medium Armor

Durability: 9/10

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 1.3 kg

For all the time it had taken to make the cloak, Azure thought it was more efficient to just buy his own armor. Of course, the cloak would sell for more than its individual pieces, so Leatherworking might be a good way to make some extra coin in his downtime. He was on the fence about how much he actually wanted to practice it, though. By the time he had finished creating the piece, his fingers were covered in tiny pinpricks, each one delivering 1 damage to his Health. It really didn’t seem worth it.

“You’ll get better at it over time.” Jin held up Azure’s cloak to inspect it.

“And I imagine stick myself less.” Azure sucked on his sore index finger.

The archer chuckled. “That too.”

“I’m not sure this hobby has caught my interest,” Azure confessed. “What other skills do you know?” He placed his finished cloak into his Bag of Holding.

“A very small amount of woodworking. Only enough to make my own arrows. Eventually, I’d like to learn how to make bows. I would also like to learn blacksmithing, but that requires access to a furnace and anvil.”

“I’d like to learn that stuff, too.” Azure nodded. “Perhaps you’ll teach me woodworking next.”

“Perhaps.” Warmth seeped into Jin’s voice.

On the third day, they made their way to Laeves Keep seeking an audience with King Algrenon. The line was insufferably long, even though they arrived early. They decided that Jin would do the speaking since he was the most articulate, and they spent their time waiting pouring over what should and shouldn’t be said as if rehearsing a play. By the time it was their turn to address the king, Azure was just relieved that he didn’t have to speak. Being in front of royalty made him nervous, and he was worried he’d stumble over his words.

To their surprise, the king’s face lit up upon seeing them. “The brave adventurers return!” He outstretched his arms. “Tell me, do you have my tithe?”

This immediately made Azure’s heart drop into the pit of his stomach.

“I kid,” King Algrenon continued before nodding his head to the side. “Sir Rerdam has informed me of your heroics. I am ever grateful that you were able to locate and return him safely to me.”

The white-haired knight stepped out from behind some of the guards standing a few yards to the right of the elevated stone stage where the king sat. He then bowed his head respectfully to Azure and his companions. Relief rushed through Azure, as if a hundred-pound weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Rerdam had kept his word.

“Then you know why we are here,” Jin spoke just as regally as the king.

“I do.” King Algrenon’s head bobbed slowly, and he gave the archer an inquisitive look. “But first, I require that you prove what my daughter said is true.” His steel-blue eyes moved to the princess.

Azure had barely noticed her before, his gaze set upon the king since this was the moment they discovered if their efforts had paid off or if they were right back to where they had started. But now, his attention diverted to the fair maiden. Today, she wore a modest gown of gold with long flowing sleeves. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft waves. It was her expression that caught his eye the most, though. Princess Zadori looked nervous, if not a bit excited. She subtly bit her bottom lip for a fraction of a second, her focus solely on Jin.

“You can understand my apprehension, revealing my identity in front of such a crowd.” The archer looked from side to side, taking in the lords and ladies whose interest was quickly becoming piqued.

“If you are an honest man, then I would like this historic event recorded as having happened here,” the king said before his voice darkened. “And if you are not honest, then you and your friends can expect to be imprisoned.”

It felt as if Azure’s heart had plummeted off a cliff once more. What exactly had Jin promised the princess?

The archer bowed his head. “I suppose it cannot be helped.” Then he reached for the hood of his cloak and pulled it back, revealing his face.

The entire room erupted into a collective gasp, and for a moment, it seemed as if all The Realm stood still.

CHAPTER NINE

THE REALM – DAY 268

“I suppose I should reintroduce myself,” the archer began. “I am Jin Umewraek, first of his name, King of Kirset Forest and all wood elves.”

Azure was so busy staring with his mouth agape that he didn’t notice everyone bending the knee around him.

What had been revealed was beyond his comprehension. Elves had been extinct in The Realm for over two-hundred years. Yet here one was, standing before him in the flesh. The slender ears were unmistakable, at least a foot in length each and coming to a point at the end. Azure imagined it must have hurt Jin to continuously hide them beneath the weight of his hooded robe. With alabaster skin and long silvery-white hair, the archer looked stripped straight out of some of the greatest fantasy books and games of all time.

“Oh shit,” Azure heard Uden say beside him. Casting a glance to the side, the half-imp continued, “We will never get laid again with him around.” Then Uden blindly reached over and put his hand on Azure’s shoulder, forcing him to kneel while he did the same.

If King Algrenon was as impressed as the bystanders, it didn’t show. “How do I know this is not a farce? Your stats clearly state that you’re human.”

“That is because of the cloak I wear to conceal my identity. It is called the Dark Cloak of Racial Concealment. It not only hides your face, but it also changes your race to what most closely matches your body proportions. For me, that’s human.” Jin lifted a hand to the clasp at his neck, unfastened the cloak, and allowed it to fall to the floor. Beneath it, he was decked out in green cloth armor fit for a king. Azure thought he looked every bit as regal as the man sitting atop the throne. He also feared that King Algrenon might not like the resurgence of another king.

With no elves around to claim land, all of Patheana belonged to King Algrenon. A king who didn’t like to share might see the elf as a threat rather than a miracle. After all, humans had hunted elves to extinction before. If Jin was the only one left, it would not be difficult to do it again. It might even happen in this very room. With so many armed guards and knights around, there would be nothing that Azure and Uden could do to stop it.

Though still kneeling, Azure was on guard. If need be, he would fight to the death to protect his friend. Friend? King? Now he was confused. What was Jin to him?

The muscles in King Algrenon’s face tightened. “If you would, I would have my Grand Master Mage examine your cloak and your person for fraudulency.” He gestured to the side, and a man in a long purple robe stepped out from the crowd. The hair on his head was sparse, but he seemed to make up for it with a magnificent white beard that reached almost to his gut. His blue eyes were round and wise, and he looked upon the elf with much fascination.

“If you would, please, sir.” The Grand Master Mage approached but did not bend to retrieve the cloak at Jin’s feet.

Azure stood almost reflexively. “Anywhere he goes, I go.” It was not a request.

Jin addressed the king again. “These men are my guards. I would feel safer with them in my company. I hope you understand.”

“I will allow it.” King Algrenon gestured absentmindedly.

Realizing that it was now beneath Jin to do it, the Grand Master Mage bent to pick the cloak up before leading the three men away from the line toward the back of the room.

“I am Grand Master Glidef. It is such a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” the mage introduced himself in a soft voice stretched by age. “This is such a fine piece of workmanship.” He examined the cloak as they walked.

Azure and Uden were mostly left to tag along behind as Jin and Glidef made conversation.

It felt like Azure’s entire world had been turned upside down in a mere matter of seconds. He didn’t know what this meant for him or his future. All he did know was that Jin would need to be protected at all costs, and not just because his fate was linked to Azure’s.

They were led through a maze of hallways until they came to a large room filled with tables covered in potions, books, alchemy components, beakers, and what appeared to be an array of different scientific equipment. Glidef took long strides to one of the tables and cleared it off with a sweep of his hand before laying the cloak on top of it.

“I apologize for not having much seating. If you gentlemen could wait quietly over there.” Glidef pointed to a corner of the room, then quickly went to work examining the cloak more closely.

“So this was your big secret all along,” Uden said in a low voice as soon as all three men were grouped together. “I suppose we should call you Your Majesty now.” He did not seem excited by the prospect.

“In public, yes. In private, no.” Jin kept his gaze locked on the Grand Master Mage.

Azure was still speechless. Their dynamic had shifted, and he wasn’t sure how to adjust to it.

There was little time for further conversation as Glidef quickly returned to them. “The cloak is authentic, now let’s see about you.” His eyes raked over Jin. “I know this is an unpleasant request, but I will have to ask you to disrobe.”

“It is unpleasant, but I understand. There is no guarantee that I am not wearing other magicked items unless I am stripped bare.” Jin took a step away from his friends and the mage and began undressing.

It felt a bit rude of Azure to stare, but he almost couldn’t help it, reasoning that he needed to keep his eyes on Jin every waking second to make sure that no harm befell him. In truth, he was more curious about how elves differed from men, if they did at all. This was the first time he’d seen any of Jin’s bare skin besides his hands. He was also captivated by the elf’s eyes, which were a shade of green reminiscent of a leaf from a newly sprouted plant. There was no sclera, and only a slightly darker green where the pupils should be.

What was most remarkable, though, was that as inch after inch of naked flesh was exposed, so were a myriad of bright red tattoos. Thick circles and lines and swirls covered every inch of Jin’s body, including his genitals. Some of the circles had symbols inside of them. Elvish script interrupted several of the lines and was written on either the inside or the outside of all the circles. There was something strangely elegant about it, as if the elf’s entire body was a work of art. The only parts of him that were bare were from his neck up and his hands. Azure wasn’t sure if Jin had been born with the tattoos, but if so, it explained why he had remained covered at all times.

Glidef gasped upon seeing this, a smile taking over his face as his eyes lit up. He did not touch the elf, but he did trace some of the lines in the air with his finger before shaking it and exclaiming, “You are the real deal! Never in my life…” his voice trailed off for a moment before he started again, “May I have someone draw you? Oh, no! That is rude of me.”

“It’s fine.” Jin bent to pick up his underclothes and begin putting them back on. “But I would prefer not. It’s bad enough that I had to reveal my identity in a room full of people.”

“Yes, of course,” the mage said. “But please, tell me how this came to be. Elves have been extinct for over two hundred years.”

“I will share the story with you at the same time I share it with the king. But first, I need to get him to agree to help me. I need to find the Keeper and collect the Stones of Blessing to resurrect my people.”

“Yes, yes. I will aid in this however I can…if our king allows it.”

That last part struck a chord with Azure. What if King Algrenon did not allow it?

Once Jin had finished getting dressed, they were swept with haste out of the room to be presented before the king again. Glidef immediately went to stand by King Algrenon’s side.

“Well?” The king looked at him, waiting for his verdict.

Glidef stared straight forward as he delivered the news. “I have examined this man and his belongings thoroughly and can confirm that he is who he says he is. This is no human. This is a wood elf.”

Again, a collective gasp erupted from the onlookers, and chatter loud enough to drown everything else out immediately commenced. King Algrenon had to call for silence to get it to stop.

“You know why I am here,” Jin began as soon as the voices had quieted down. “I have returned your man to you in good faith. Now I humbly ask for your help in bringing back my people. I require the Keeper to do that.”

Sudden exhaustion seemed to sweep over the king’s expression. There was no excitement from the discovery of this reemerged race.

“I’m afraid I still do not know the identity of the Keeper. As Rerdam has told you, he was set upon before he could get very far from Noseon. It is an unfortunate thing. However,” a soft smile took over his face, “I invite you to stay here in the castle, and I will prepare a feast in your honor. This is a historic event that should not be overlooked, nor taken with light gravity.”

And there the ball dropped. They had reached a dead-end again, their efforts for nothing. Azure felt absolutely ill thinking about all the time they had wasted.

“I appreciate your hospitality,” Jin said, “but it is of the utmost importance that I find the Keeper as soon as possible. This man’s life is at stake if we do not do it within a certain amount of time.” He gestured back to Azure. “We cannot afford to dawdle. Perhaps after we—”

“I insist,” King Algrenon firmly cut him off. “I am the king of Patheana, and if I say it, it will be done. You can afford a few days.” Then he immediately called for one of his guards to show the elf and his companions to their rooms.

It felt like they were being arrested. The imposing guards walking up to them seemed more like a threat than a friendly gesture.

Azure met Jin’s gaze, wondering if they should fight, but the elf simply shook his head before returning his attention to the king. “We thank you for your hospitality.” There was no fear in his words, though Azure imagined it could have just been masked.

Azure was certainly afraid of what might happen once they left the room filled with people, but he mentally prepared himself to be ready for anything.

Casting a glance at Uden, the half-imp seemed equally tense. The look he gave Azure spoke without him even having to open his mouth. ‘We need to be ready for a fight,’ he said.

Azure would have felt more hopeful if they were following behind the guards instead of being flanked by them, four total keeping Jin and his companions caged in and outnumbered. They all Analyzed as red. The sound of Azure’s heartbeat drumming in his ears was almost deafening as he tried to anticipate at what point the guards would attack. Keeping their eyes straight forward, they marched like soldiers with the men between them.

"I don't like this," Azure whispered to Jin as they walked, but he was quickly shushed by the elf.

They were led through the castle to a long hall lined with doors. Stopping at the first door, one of the guards opened it, then nodded for Azure to step inside.

Jin put an arm out to stop him from entering, then turned to the guard. "My men will stay with me."

For a moment, the guard was quiet.

"I am a king and guest in this castle. You will honor my request." The elf certainly had kingly authority in his voice.

After a few more seconds, the guard closed the door, and the group proceeded toward a stairwell, taking them up higher into the castle. Once they reached the next floor, it wasn't much longer before they came upon another door. The same guard opened it to let the men step inside.

"I will inform the king of your decision." He kept his gaze straight forward as he said this.

"Thank you." Jin nodded respectfully before leading the way into the room.

Calling it just a room was an understatement. The walls were painted dark green with golden leaves crawling up them. All the crown molding, window arches, and doorways were the same gold as the leaves. Giant framed artwork adorned the walls, an oversized floral rug covered most of the floor, and a crystal chandelier hung overhead. The centerpiece of the room was a massive, intricately carved wooden four-poster bed with forest green curtains draped around it. A fireplace was set in the wall across from it to provide warmth in the winter. Flanking the bed were two tables with oil lamps on top. Next to those, ornately decorated vases stood just as tall as the tables. Azure had never seen a larger room used for a bedchamber before.

There was a long table situated next to a giant window that overlooked the kingdom. The guards had barely left before women came flooding into the room one after another carrying dishes of food and pitchers of juice and wine.

“This is definitely the royal treatment.” Uden plucked a red grape off one of the trays as a servant was carrying it in.

The elf had gone to stand before the large window, staring out it, his arms crossed behind his back. He looked deep in thought.

“Your Majesty,” one of the women said to get his attention. Her arms were piled with garments. Upon Jin turning, she bowed to him as best she could with the burden and then continued, “King Algrenon thought you might like a change of clothing to freshen up. He requests your presence for dinner.”

“Put them on the bed.” The elf nodded toward the bed.

She bowed again before doing what she was told and then disappearing out of the room.

It took a few more minutes before they were completely alone with the door shut. Azure felt the tension melting away, but he worried that the relief would be short-lived. He was already wondering if they should make their escape out the window. He walked over to stand behind Jin and gaze outside. However, his eyes were less interested in the gorgeous view of the sprawling kingdom and more toward what they could use as footholds should they need to flee with haste.

“So when exactly were you going to tell us that you’re an elf?” Uden had already made himself at home, sprawling across the bed and propping his head up on his elbows to look at Jin.

“I’m not sure,” the elf confessed.

“Kind of an important detail.” The half-imp squinted at him. “You know, we all could have died in there just for knowing you.” He nodded back toward the throne room.

“I am aware.” Jin turned to him finally, “but I was not too worried about it.”

Once Azure thought he had found a good escape route, he looked up to see Tiny Owl flying toward the window. The owl swooped past his head, causing him to duck, then landed on the table to peck at the hunks of meat in the spread.

“You’ve had magic this whole time, too, and you haven’t used it once. Unless you count him.” Uden looked at the owl.

“Actually, I lost all my magic when I was reborn. He’s all I got to keep from who I once was.” Jin regarded the owl fondly.

“So what happened?” Azure tore himself away from the window.

“As I told Glidef, you’ll get the story when I tell it to King Algrenon at dinner. I hate repeating myself.” The elf walked to the table, looking over the food. Then his gaze landed on the grapes, and he glanced up at Uden. “You’re not choking to death, so I suppose they’re safe.”

The half-imp immediately stopped chewing, his eyes growing wide for a moment. Then he swallowed. “Hadn’t even thought about that,” he mumbled.

“Please. Continue to help yourself.” Jin made a sweeping motion with his hand over the table. “I’ll promote you to royal taste tester.” A smile crept across his lips.

It was strange actually seeing Jin’s face for once and not having to guess his expression. For all the burden of worry he carried, he appeared surprisingly calm and carefree.

“I feel like this is a trap,” Azure gave word to his concerns.

“King Algrenon could have had me slain on the spot if he had wanted to,” Jin pointed out.

“But that wouldn’t have looked good. Kill the world’s last remaining elf in front of a room full of people. Now, if you were to just silently disappear…” Uden created space for Jin to fill in the blanks.

“King Algrenon isn’t a malicious king. He’s ruled Patheana with grace and humility ever since the crown was passed onto him. I was not worried he would act so brashly. Besides, he knew I was an elf before we returned. Princess Zadori told him. Therefore, he already had time to think about what he would do if it ended up being true.”

“So that’s why she looked at you like that. You showed her in that backroom down in Underland,” the half-imp commented.

“Yes.” Jin nodded.

“The king was awfully pushy about his feast invitation,” Azure noted, finding it suspicious.

“As he mentioned, this is a historic event. He probably just wanted to boast that he discovered me by showing me off to the nobles.”

“I do not like this.” Uden shook his head. “None of it. Not you being an elf or us feeling tapped here.”

“Or the passage of time that we can’t afford,” Azure added. “If the king doesn’t know about the Keeper, then this is pointless.”

“I think he made it clear that there is no other choice,” the elf said regrettably. “Once he’s done parading me around, he should let us go. Perhaps we can get him to share where he was sending Rerdam, and we can pick up where he left off. At worst, I’ll request that we’re allowed to accompany him when he ventures out again. Surely, King Algrenon will not be able to refuse me, since we are both kings.”

“No. At worst, he could have you murdered,” the half-imp insisted. “And us, too.” He tossed his head in Azure’s direction. “I say we sneak out of here as soon as dinner is over.”

“I am on board with this plan.” Azure bobbed his head decidedly.

Jin sighed. “Let’s just see what’s said tonight, and we will go from there.”

CHAPTER TEN

THE REALM – DAY 268

As soon as King Algrenon discovered that Jin was sharing his room with Azure and Uden, he had more clothes sent over. Apparently, armor and cloaks were not appropriate attire to sup with a king.

Women also came to groom Jin, slicking his hair back away from his face so that it rested behind his ears, then weaving small braids into it, which they decorated with leaves and tiny white flowers. The second they left, Uden made sure to tell the elf that he looked like a pansy.

Of course, Azure and Uden did not get the same treatment. They were made to dress themselves and take care of their own personal grooming. Azure was surprised that the clothes fit him remarkably well, though he still didn’t quite feel comfortable in them. He was given black breeches with a tan tunic made from a cloth and pattern that reminded him of curtains.

Uden’s silky dark red tunic looked much more fitting. If he had been given a choice, Azure would have picked that one instead, but the women handing out the clothes had decided for them.

Jin, on the other hand, was wearing a baby blue tunic with golden embroidery and breeches of the same color. It really made him stand out as a creature of light. In it, he looked like true royalty.

When it was time for supper, they were escorted to the dining room by one of the guards. An excessively long table awaited them there. Covered in evenly spaced candelabras, at least twenty people could have comfortably sat at the table with room to spare. A mural of the sky was painted on the ceiling, and two crystal chandeliers cascaded down from it. Azure bet that if one fell, it could crush a man to death under its weight.

The men were made to sit and wait for the royal party. It was awkwardly silent, with the guard standing behind them, presumably to make sure they didn’t get up and leave.

Azure’s eyes swept over the pewter plates in front of them and the assortment of cutlery. He had no idea what most of it was used for and hoped he didn’t embarrass himself.

When the royal family finally entered some twenty minutes later, they were made to stand, and they did not sit again until King Algrenon gave them permission. It all felt too strange and uncomfortable to Azure.

“So, tell us how it came to be that you exist when elves have supposedly been extinct for two-hundred years. Is it true that you’re the last of your kind?” King Algernon began the conversation before reaching across the table to rip a chicken leg off a whole bird.

“Yes, please tell us,” Princess Zadori piped up, her eyes large as she kept them fixed on Jin. She hadn’t been able to tear her gaze away from him since entering the room, and every time she was caught, a soft pinkness took over her cheeks.

Only the queen seemed disinterested in the elf, though she smiled politely all the same.

“It is a strange story,” Jin admitted. “While I do not remember how I died, I awoke in Kirset Forest, naked and alone. The earth beneath and around me was upturned, as if I had been buried previously. Finborh must have had the land spit me out, but why, I do not know, and I have not questioned it. You do not ask a God his reason for doing things.”

“Perhaps it was just time for the elves to return,” King Algrenon reasoned. “Evil from The Deadlands has spread across The Realm as of late. Perhaps all the gods decided that it was time to bring balance back to the world.”

His words gave Azure hope. From the way King Algrenon spoke, it seemed that he thought of Jin’s existence as a good thing, which meant he would be less likely to have him murdered at the first possible opportunity.

“But how did you come to be here?” Princess Zadori inquired.

“Well,” Jin shifted in his seat, “it was not long after I revived that I was discovered by a widowed human woman. She clothed me and cared for me until I was strong enough to seek out Finborh. Along the way, I ran into Azure.” He nodded to Azure sitting next to him. “Uden was a consolation prize.” The elf smiled politely.

Azure expected the half-imp to say something snarky in response, but he remained quiet, perhaps as uncomfortable in the presence of royalty as Azure was.

“You did not search for more of your people?” King Algrenon raised an eyebrow, clearly only interested in the elf.

“I did.” Jin nodded. “But there were no others to be found.” He paused for a moment. “Upon waking, I already knew about the Stones of Blessing. Being an elf, we know most of The Realm’s history and legends. Elves are not a greedy race, so we never sought the stones for ourselves. We never had a reason to until now. They are the only thing that can bring my people back. Of that, I am certain.”

“And so you came here thinking I might be privy to some knowledge about them, being a king,” King Algrenon half-mumbled before taking a drink of wine from a golden goblet.

“I came here because Finborh said we should begin our search in a densely populated area. Nowhere in Patheana is more densely populated than Noseon.”

“And no one knows more than the king.” King Algrenon’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and he tipped his head to the side.

“Exactly.” Jin smiled.

The king took a deep breath. “As I have told you, I’m afraid I’m no closer to the answer than you are.”

“But you did send Rerdam to find the Keeper, which means you had to have an idea of where to look,” the elf pointed out.

“Actually, I told him to search across the land and not return until he had information.”

That was disheartening news—another reminder that they were no closer to discovering the Keeper’s identity than they had been before they’d even first set foot in Noseon.

The remainder of the dinner proved no more fruitful regarding intel. Azure and Uden sat in silence, stuffing their faces with the abundance of fruits, meats, cheeses, and bread littering the table. Meanwhile, Princess Zadori excitedly regaled them with tales of the elves that she’d read about in books, asking Jin to confirm or deny if they were true. She gazed upon him with dreamy eyes, and Azure began to feel that Uden was right about them not being able to get women now that the elf was around. Hopefully, he’d be donning his cloak again soon.

Once the dinner was over, King Algrenon assured Jin that they were all safe inside the castle. Uden was on board with the idea of having his own room, but the elf insisted that they share quarters. Azure’s only complaint was that he wanted his own bed. He was also curious if their bedchambers would have been as lavish at Jin’s.

“That was boring as hell,” Uden complained as soon as they had returned to the elf’s room, walking straight to the window to peer out it. “If I had to endure much more of that, I might have killed myself.”

“It wasn’t that bad.” Jin chuckled.

“For you.” The half-imp gestured at him irritably. “You were allowed to speak. Azure and I might as well have been the paintings on the walls.”

Azure couldn’t really disagree, but it wasn’t like he had anything to say anyway. The situation had almost overwhelmed him. His entire focus had been on eating. As it was, he was so stuffed that he didn’t feel like talking much even now that they were all alone.

The elf’s smile faded, and he took on a serious demeanor. “I suppose you are both aware that it is your job to protect me now.”

“I didn’t volunteer for this,” Uden shot back.

“No, but we’re all in this together. We all have the same goal, to find the Keeper, to obtain the Land Stone, to get our wishes granted. We are unified, so there is no reason that we should not join for the duration of this epic-sized quest.”

Azure let out a labored breath. “I suppose not. Besides, we’ve all come to rely on each other as it is. I trust you both with my life.”

The half-imp quirked his head to the side. “That is true to some degree. I trust him with my life.” He pointed to Azure. “You…well, for being a creature of light, you’re kind of a dick.”

Jin laughed again. “You realize why that is, right? Surely, you understand now.”

“I suppose I do.” The half-imp’s head bobbed.

Since Azure clearly didn’t get what they were talking about, the elf explained further. “He is a darkly aligned creature. I am aligned with the light. We are enemies, by nature.”

“Oh!” Azure’s mouth formed the sound that had just come out of it. It all made perfect sense now. Jin wanted to kill Uden because he was incapable of trusting him. Curiously, Azure wondered if the feeling was mutual now that the half-imp knew that Jin was an elf. “So does that mean you guys are going to continue to bicker non-stop?”

“I’ve never started a fight with him,” Uden quickly defended himself.

“I don’t think it matters anymore.” Jin shook his head, gazing out the window. “I have submitted to the fact that we are in this together. At least, for now.”

“At least for now.” The half-imp huffed. “Less than five minutes ago, you were spouting bros until the end. You change your mind as fast as a woman.”

Jin sliced him with a glare. “I will make whatever decision is necessary to protect myself and my legacy.”

“What legacy?” Uden snorted. “You’re the last of a dead race that all the alchemists in The Realm want to use for spare parts. Do you really think Algrenon is going to give you the forest back? It has been in his family for three generations now.”

“He will have no choice if my people return.” The elf’s voice firmed.

“So we bring back the elves, and then there’s war. That doesn’t sound like something anyone wants.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way.” Jin shook his head.

“But it will be that way. You have been dead for too long. You don’t understand the greed of men,” the half-imp insisted.

“I have lived for hundreds of years. I know all the evils of men, and I know how to sense the evils in them. It is part of my power. King Algrenon is an honorable man. He will come to a compromise with me.”

“If you say so.” It seemed as if Uden had suddenly tired of the argument. He jumped up onto the windowsill, then placed his back against it and slid down, staring out over the city.

Jin turned to Azure, then. “I want you to know that you are my friend as well as my travel companion, and I would be honored if you would be the captain of my royal guard.”

“Heh, a two-man royal guard. You’re some king,” the half-imp muttered, but both Azure and Jin ignored him.

Azure was overwhelmed by the offer and not sure what to think about it.

“But I’m a human,” was the first thing that came out of his mouth.

“It is a great honor,” the elf tried to convince him. “No human in the history of The Realm has ever been on the royal guard of an elf.”

“That’s because you don’t really have a choice right now,” Uden mumbled.

“And what about when the elves return?” Azure cast a glance in the half-imp’s direction, feeling the validity of his words.

“You will be going back to Earth at the same time, will you not?” Jin asked.

“That is true.” Azure nodded, seeing no harm in serving the elf until then. “What would I have to do as your royal guard?”

“Protect me against my enemies, show me unwavering devotion, and obey my every command. Know that I will always have your best interest at heart, and I will never ask you to do something that I would not do myself. You will be my right hand, an extension of myself.”

It all sounded very noble and honorable.

“And would I get knighted?” A smile pulled at the corners of Azure’s lips. Being a knight would be super sweet.

“If that is what you wish.” Jin chuckled.

“Sir Azure of Earth,” Azure tried the title on for size, but it just didn’t sound right.

“Sounds dumb,” the half-imp mirrored his thoughts.

“Sir Azure of Kirset Forest,” the elf offered instead.

“Sir Azure of Crescent Island,” Uden suggested before jumping down from the windowsill. “And I shall be Sir Uden of Crescent Island, and then we shall be brothers.” He placed a hand on Azure’s shoulder.

Jin’s friendly expression dropped. “I’m not going to knight you.”

“Why not? Aren’t I to also be in your royal guard?” Uden held his arms out to his sides.

“You do not have to be knighted to be in my royal guard. Knighthood is only bestowed upon the most loyal in the elvish military.”

A wry smirk crossed the half-imp’s lips. “Knights don’t exist in the elvish military, or did you forget?” Then he looked at Azure. “He’s just trying to butter you up.”

Azure opened his mouth to call Jin out on the potential lie, but a knock at the door cut him off.

All three men turned to look at the door at once before Jin nodded for Azure to open it.

The hour was late, so Azure felt a strange wariness as he approached the door. They’d received a warm enough welcome so far. Still, it was always in the back of his mind now that there were those who wanted Jin dead, and they probably wouldn’t hesitate to go through both Azure and Uden to make it happen.

Cracking the door open, Azure peeked out to find Princess Zadori on the other side. A black robe was pulled up over her head, but he could still make out her face.

She looked surprised to see him, and an expression of doubt took over for a moment. “Is this not King Jin’s room?”

“It is,” Azure told her before twisting to inform Jin of the visitor.

The elf promptly stepped forward, opening the door wider to receive her royal highness. “Princess Zadori. The hour is late. What are you doing here?”

“Apologies for bothering you at this hour.” She looked past him into the room. Or rather, tried to with their two bodies blocking it. “May I come in?”

“Certainly.”

Both Jin and Azure moved aside to allow the princess entry.

As soon as she was inside, she lowered the hood of her robe. Her gaze paused on Uden where he stood a few yards away before returning to the elf. “I have come to help you.”

“To help me?” Jin quirked his head to the side.

“My father has been lying to you,” she said apologetically, her eyes to the floor.

The confession made Azure’s chest tighten. That one sentence had him wanting to don his armor and implement his escape plan.

“Oh?” The elf didn’t sound nearly as surprised.

“He knows who the Keeper is.”

“Oh really?” There was the surprise that had been lacking from his first response.

“I am the Keeper.” Princess Zadori’s eyes finally rose to meet Jin’s.

Azure wanted to be shocked, but he was skeptical.

“And how do I know that what you’re saying is true?” The elf put voice to what they were all thinking.

Princess Zadori raised her hand and brushed her bangs away from her face. Beneath them, a deep indention marred her forehead, surrounded by a black ring. “This is where the Death Stone goes,” she told them before letting her hair fall back into place and pulling up the left sleeve of the burnt orange bliaut she was wearing. She exposed her naked forearm, revealing an identical indentation, this time ringed with red. “And this is where the Fire Stone goes.” Princess Zadori looked back up at Jin before continuing. “There are four more similar indentations on various parts of my body, one for each of the Stones of Blessing.”

“Where are these other indentations?” Uden asked as he strode forward.

“Ignore him.” Jin waved the half-imp’s question away before returning his attention to the princess. “We believe you. I now understand why King Algrenon wanted to keep this a secret. So why did you come forward?”

Princess Zadori bit her bottom lip, seemingly lost in thought for several seconds before she finally spoke. “My father does not know that I have come to you. He does not care to see the return of the elves. Mind you, he means you no harm,” she quickly corrected herself, “but as a good father, he would not sacrifice my life just to bring back your people.

“But I know that the life of one to save many is the right and honorable choice. And being the Keeper, it is mine to make. Not his. I would like to see the return of the elves. Your race,” Princess Zadori looked upon Jin fondly then, “is so beautiful and magical. It is a travesty that human greed drove you to extinction.

“I grew up reading stories about your people and being heartbroken that I would never in my life get to see such wonders as the great elven cities of old. I may still never be able to see them, but I, at least, would like to play a part in their rebuilding. If I can do that by helping you revive your race, then I will,” she said decidedly. “And no one will stop me.”

“Except for your father and his army,” Uden muttered before speaking up. “The king will come after us the second we leave here with you.”

Princess Zadori shook her head. “I have written him a letter and left it in my chambers. He will know that you would not leave with me unless I made it so.”

“Still,” Azure interjected, “your wish or no, this is clearly not just about you but about your father’s fear of his loss. Do you really think he’ll just let you leave once he reads that letter? He could just as easily think you’re making a foolish mistake and send men to retrieve you.”

“Let them come. We will be long gone by then.” She held her nose up, as if she truly believed that the king’s men couldn’t catch up to them if they had a night’s lead.

“Do you need to make any preparations before we leave?” Jin asked, clearly on board with this plan.

Azure was surprised that the elf wasn’t even considering the possible consequences of their actions. For all they knew, King Algrenon might charge them with kidnapping. If they made him angry, it could be bad news. Maybe even public execution if they were caught.

“I came prepared. I have everything I need in my bag.” She patted a bag on her hip that was concealed beneath her cloak.

“Then we should be away as quickly as possible. The sooner we can make it to Finborh, the better.” Jin turned back to Azure and Uden. “Grab your things. We’re leaving.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE REALM – DAY 268

Getting out of the castle was easy enough with the castle guards quickly moving to accommodate whatever Princess Zadori wanted. For wearing the black robe, she was not doing a good job of concealing her identity. There would be no doubt who she had left with in the morning when the king awoke. As it was, Azure doubted they’d make it very far without him being informed.

“We could travel faster with horses,” Azure suggested, and the princess quickly diverted them to the stables to be provided with mounts.

It was a blessed relief from having to walk everywhere, but it made them stick out even more, as traveling on foot seemed to be the preferred method in The Realm. Horses were primarily used for pulling carts. Rarely did Azure see anyone riding one.

They galloped through the city streets like wanted fugitives, crossing all of Noseon in a fraction of the time it would have taken them to do so on foot. Azure was worried that they were going to kill the horses, they were lathering so hard by the time the party finally stopped for the night about 60 miles outside of Noseon.

“Poor babies,” Princess Zadori said sympathetically as she petted the muzzle of her bay mare. The horse snorted in appreciation of the rest. “We can’t run them like this every day.”

“We will run them as hard as we need to to get to Finborh as quickly as possible,” Jin told her, then followed it up with, “but not so hard that we kill them.”

“We should have a good lead on anyone sent from Noseon now.” Uden got to work gathering wood to build a fire.

“If not for the horses needing to rest, I’d say we should travel through the night.” The elf looked toward the forest, and Tiny Owl came flying through the trees to alight on his arm.

Much like on their trip to Noseon, the owl had been keeping watch from above and informing Jin of any potential dangers ahead. It made for much smoother travels, and it was interesting to see the owl occasionally flying side by side with the elf as he rode on horseback.

“He’s beautiful.” Princess Zadori approached Jin slowly. “May I pet him?” But as soon as she reached out to touch Tiny Owl, his head pivoted in her direction, his amber eyes widened, he hooted, and then he flew off into the trees again.

“Apologies, but he doesn’t much like people,” the elf told her, though he didn’t sound very apologetic.

“That’s okay.” Princess Zadori couldn’t hide her disappointment, withdrawing her hand with a sad frown.

Azure led the horses to a nearby stream to drink, then tethered them up where there was grass for them to nibble on. By the time he’d returned, Jin and Uden had finished setting up camp, with Princess Zadori mostly just watching. It was clear that she hadn’t spent much time outside of the castle walls. While the men all sat around the fire, she insisted on standing, even though it was awkward for everyone else.

“If you plan on surviving this adventure with us, then you’re going to have to get used to getting dirty.” Uden gazed up at her, a hunk of cooked deer meat in his hand.

They had traveled all day without stopping to eat or drink. All of them were hungry and dehydrated.

Azure pulled a piece of cooked deer meat from his Bag of Holding and offered it to the princess. She took it gingerly, then found a cleanish spot to sit down.

“Life out here is going to be hard for you for a while, but you’ll eventually get used to it,” Jin said, staring into the fire.

“I suppose I knew that when I left, but the reality of it is a bit surreal.” Her eyes danced around the trees as the darkness of night slowly swallowed up their surroundings. Crickets chirped loudly, and other nighttime insects added to their song.

Princess Zadori seemed to close in on herself. Azure thought it was best to keep her distracted, lest fearful thoughts get the best of her and cause her to have a restless sleep.

“Did you bring a bedroll to sleep on?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I brought a blanket.”

“Probably more comfortable than our bedrolls,” Uden said with a reassuring smile.

“Are you cold?” Azure would be a bit embarrassed to offer a princess the shoddy Large Leather Cloak he had made, but it was better than nothing.

“No. I’m fine,” Princess Zadori replied before turning her attention to Jin. “How long will it take us to reach Finborh?”

“About two weeks, depending on how easy we take it on the horses. Again, I’d like to get there as quickly as possible without killing them.”

“And without killing us.” The half-imp groaned.

All of them had developed nasty saddle sores from spending so much time galloping.

“I am not looking forward to returning to The Welcoming Summit,” Azure confessed.

“Why not? It sounds like a pleasant enough place.” Princess Zadori shifted, trying to get comfortable.

“Well, it’s not,” Azure insisted. “It’s cold and wet, and there’s Frogloks.”

“Isn’t The Welcoming Summit a mountain?” She furrowed her brow.

“Yes,” Jin replied. “But it’s surrounded by water, and you have to skirt the edge to get to Finborh. Luckily, we’ve already taken care of the chaoscrackle. It shouldn’t respawn.”

“But I bet there are still Frogloks,” Uden said before adding, “You guys should let me take care of them. I still need to get to level 15 before we reach Finborh. Speaking of which, we should probably party with the princess.” He gestured to her.

Oddly, Princess Zadori’s information popped into Azure’s peripheral vision without him even sending her a party invite or vice versa.

Princess Zadori Merton has joined your party.

Unable to resist himself, he immediately opened her character sheet.

Name: Princess Zadori Merton

Race: Human

Level: 9

Health: 300

Mana: 300

Stamina: 180

The princess’s stats weren’t horrible for her level. Azure was surprised that she had invested so many points into Mana, though.

“Do you know magic?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m a bard.”

“A bard,” Azure parroted, unable to keep a smile from his face.

“That’s good. You must have seen some combat to be level 9,” Jin added.

“Not really.” Princess Zadori avoided the elf’s gaze, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “My father allowed me to attend several hunts with him, but only to offer support.”

“What songs do you know?” Uden inquired.

“For the flute, I know Bard Protect, What Dreams May Come, and Song of Silence. For the violin, I know Song of Translation, The Draining, and Lullaby. And for the drum, I know Loud Boom, Fearful Boom, and Prisoner’s Lament,” the princess rattled off.

Uden’s eyes widened, and he bobbed his head slowly. “There are a few useful ones in that arsenal.”

“That’s a lot of songs.” The elf mirrored the half-imp’s sentiment.

It was all Greek to Azure.

“Of course, swapping out instruments during combat will be difficult to do, so I should probably figure out which songs will be the most useful in any given situation.” Her eyes rested on the flames as if she were already pondering that out for herself.

Jin rubbed his chin. “You are not a combat fighter so will need to be protected during battles. Azure, make her your priority. If she dies…it will be bad for us,” his voice began to trail off as he realized how insensitive he sounded.

It had not needed to be said that Princess Zadori should be protected at all costs. Without her, they would fail their ultimate quest.

“We should get to bed.” The elf stood.

“He’s right,” Azure agreed. “We have a long way to go tomorrow.” Then he turned his attention to Princess Zadori. “If you get cold in the middle of the night, feel free to wake me. I have some extra cloaks in my bag. They’re not much, but they should keep you warm.”

“Thank you.” She gave him a kind smile.

Azure and his friends took to their bedrolls while the princess got busy pulling her blanket from the bag tied loosely around her waist. He couldn’t resist watching her struggle with it, wanting to offer help, but also not wanting to seem like he didn’t think her capable of taking care of herself. Jin had been right. Life out in the wilderness was going to be difficult for the pampered princess for a while. It was better to let her adapt now than to coddle her and give the impression that he was a servant. As it was, he was impressed that she was considerate enough not to boss him and Uden around.

Thoughts of Princess Zadori working at the soup kitchen she’d set up in the temple in Underland spoke that she did not see herself above the people. She was proving that again now. Between her gentility, her bravery in defying her father and agreeing to come with them, and her evident desire for independence, it would be difficult not to fall in love with her.

CHAPTER TWELVE

THE REALM – DAY 282

Despite his deceptive concern for the horses, Jin pushed them hard. They rode from sunup to sundown, only slowing or stopping on Princess Zadori’s command, which was completely for their mounts’ well-being.

The trip back to The Welcoming Summit took a full two weeks. When they reached the isthmus and dismounted, Jin decided that it was finally time to give the horses their much-deserved reward—freedom.

“Won’t we need them when we come back?” Azure asked as he watched the elf unbridle his chestnut gelding.

“The journey to Finborh and back will take a few days. If we tie them up here and leave them, they could get slaughtered while we’re gone. We don’t want that.” Jin patted the horse on the rump to send it on its way, though it didn’t go very far before stopping to graze on a nearby patch of grass.

Princess Zadori seemed pleased by this and smiled warmly at the elf. It hadn’t taken very long for any of them to tell that she was smitten with him. Every time she glanced in his direction when the hood of his robe was down, a pale pink color took over her cheeks. Though her romantic interest in the elf was clear, he rarely spoke to her with favor, and never with returned affection. His eyes were always forward, his mind focused on the prize of resurrecting his people. Azure thought he was a stern and dedicated king, and he now understood every seemingly strange thing that Jin had done to bring them to this point. Everything, that was, except why the elf had saved him.

From Azure’s knowledge of elven history, humans were not exactly their ally. But it didn’t merit a conversation. Azure was just happy that Jin had had the compassion to want to save him.

Once they’d set the horses free, they began the arduous journey down the isthmus toward the peninsula. It was a windy day, and the harsh gusts carried the salty water up toward them, dousing them with a heavy spray. Princess Zadori’s hair whipped about her face, sticking to it in places from the wetness infusing in her strands. Eventually, she gave up trying to fight it and tied her hair back with a length of ribbon from her bag.

By the time they made it across to the peninsula, they were all drenched. Even Tiny Owl looked miserable, shaking the water off his feathers the best he could before taking flight. A strong squall pushed the bird down as it tried to ascend, and for a moment, they all feared he would plummet right into the ocean, but he beat his wings fiercely against the waves and finally found momentum to launch himself into the sky.

They didn’t get much farther before the three ghosts that had accosted them the first time they had come appeared floating above the water. Instead of spouting gloom and doom, though, they all stared at Princess Zadori in awe.

“The Keeper,” they whispered to one another before all bowing simultaneously, “Welcome to The Welcoming Summit, Your Highness.”

“Thank you,” she replied awkwardly before glancing back at her traveling companions, unsure of whether to be afraid.

Uden snorted. “Why couldn’t we have received such a warm welcome our first time here?”

“They mean no harm,” Jin informed the princess. “They’re just an alarm system to keep people out.”

He encouraged them to press on, for they still had a long way to go.

As if on cue, three Frogloks came waddling toward them from the mountain’s far left side.

Uden was the first to see them.

“Finally!” He drew his daggers from his belt.

“Oh! Frogloks!” Princess Zadori sounded delighted.

Taking his job seriously, Azure stepped in front of the princess to give her protection, allowing the half-imp and the elf to handle the intruders. Uden rushed forward, and Jin quickly unshouldered his bow.

The Frogloks immediately went on guard.

“What are you doing?! Stop!” Princess Zadori shouted.

Both the half-imp and the elf came to an immediate halt.

The princess pushed past Azure, rummaging through her bag as she went. By the time she had reached where Uden was standing, an upbeat, if not erratic, tune was fighting for purchase over the sound of the crashing waves, emanating from her violin. It was as if time stood still while Princess Zadori played. No one moved, the foes on either side simply staring in fascination, and perhaps a bit of confusion.

Once the song ended, the princess quickly lowered the instrument and spoke in a sequence of croaking sounds that should not be possible coming from a human’s throat.

The exchange between the Frogloks and Princess Zadori happened quickly, for but a minute was all that she was afforded to speak and understand their language. Soon, her voice returned to normal. She seemed to be in the middle of explaining something, but as soon as Common Tongue replaced the Froglok’s language on her lips, she instead lifted her hair from her forehead to show the Frogloks the indentation there. All three of them bowed, then turned and headed back from whence they had come.

Princess Zadori spun on her heels with a flourish, the black skirt of her dress clinging to her calves and nearly tripping her up. Her arms went out to her sides, and she wavered a bit. Azure and Uden both rushed forward to catch her, but they stopped when they saw that she had regained her balance.

“What was all that about?” Jin demanded.

The princess’s expression was tempered. “The Frogloks are a peaceful race charged with vetting intruders to The Welcoming Summit. There was no need for violence.”

“How were we supposed to know that?” Uden quirked his head back. “They were the ones coming at us with spears.”

“They weren’t coming at you.” Princess Zadori spoke in a mocking tone as she put away her violin. “All guards carry weapons. That’s the nature of guards.”

“I wanted to talk to them the first time we came here,” Azure insisted, “but these guys are shoot first, ask questions later.”

Jin puffed his chest out. “As the last of a species, caution is better than being caught off guard.”

“If you kill everyone you meet, no one will be on the side of the elves,” the princess warned him.

He sighed. “You are right, princess. Apologies. I have become overly cautious. After what happened to my people, I trust no one.”

She softened a bit, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It is understandable, but you have me with you now. Perhaps you should allow me to handle matters of diplomacy for a while.”

It was both interesting and a bit amusing to Azure to watch Princess Zadori put Jin in his place. Even if she wasn’t a fighter, she had already proven to be a valuable asset to their team. Perhaps she was just what they needed to finally have balance.

“Well, how am I supposed to level up to 15 if I can’t kill Frogloks?” Uden complained as he trailed behind the rest of the party.

Azure could only smile.

They skirted the thin ledge as they made their way around the mountain. The further from the isthmus they got, the more a sinking feeling burrowed in Azure’s gut. He hated the vulnerability of being trapped between the sea and the mountain. Waves lapped at the ledge like dogs trying to grab a cat that had run up a tree. It wouldn’t take much for the ocean to sweep them all away into the dark depths. While Azure knew that the chaoscrackle was dead, there was no telling what other horrors lay beneath the water’s foamy surface.

Jin was in the lead, with Princess Zadori right behind him, then Azure, and finally, Uden taking up the tail. The half-imp did not ask to be sandwiched in the middle this time. Azure was fairly sure that he was hoping more Froglok’s would come so that he could sneak off to dispose of them. It was the only way he’d be able to level up before they reached Finborh.

They traveled a bit more slowly than before due to Princess Zadori being overly cautious. There were several spots where the ledge was cracked and water spewed through. She paused every time she came to one, calling for Jin to wait so that she could hop over into the safety of his arms. Azure would have thought it was dramatics if not for the look on her face when she glanced back at where she had crossed. The journey was clearly giving her anxiety. He stayed as close to her as he could while still keeping a comfortable distance, just in case she did happen to slip and he had to rush in to rescue her.

They made the occasional pit stop for bathroom breaks, with all the men parting like the red sea and keeping turned while the princess did her business. Azure was glad that Uden wasn’t giving Princess Zadori any grief.

Night eventually fell, and they had to stop and make camp. The princess was adamantly against it until Jin explained that they would not be able to light torches with the ocean mist keeping them soaked to the bone.

“You have night vision, do you not? We can make a chain, and you can lead us. Finborh can’t be that much further ahead.” Princess Zadori looked past the elf, but all she could see was a bend in the mountain and hundreds of miles of ocean beyond that.

“Do you really think you could see every crack in the ground without light to guide you?” Jin reminded her.

The princess bit her bottom lip, the wheels in her head turning as she tried to come up with any possible way for them to continue and find solid land.

“Too bad she doesn’t have a fire song,” Uden muttered from behind Azure.

Despite Princess Zadori’s fears, there was no other choice. The four of them surrendered to the night and sat huddled up together on the ledge. Almost immediately, she began to shiver.

“Are you all right?” Azure asked.

“I’m cold.” The princess sunk down a bit, trying to keep her eyes off the ocean. “I will never be able to sleep out here.”

“I doubt any of us will,” he admitted. “It’s not exactly the most pleasant place.”

Minutes passed, and her shivering did not stop.

“Would you like one of my cloaks to help keep the water off,” Azure offered.

She forced a smile. “That would be kind of you.”

Moving around as best he could when cramped between two people, Azure pulled one of the Large Leather Cloaks from his bag. It seemed that the wind was insistent on making it useless, whipping up a wave to splash water on them. Princess Zadori reached for it, then quickly cocooned herself in the garment as best she could. Azure helped to tuck her in on his side.

“Thank you,” she told him, leaning against him slightly.

While Azure was pondering whether he should put his arm around her for added warmth, a notification popped up.

In a world outside of the castle and unknown to her, you have shown Princess Zadori kindness. She now views you as a protector of her comfort and her safety.

Your relationship with Princess Zadori has reached Level 2. Your relationship has been updated from Stranger to Servant. Luckily for you, Princess Zadori is kind to all who serve beneath her. Congratulations!

Wait. What?

Aside from being surprised at getting a Relationship notification when he’d barely known Princess Zadori for a few weeks and had known Jin for months yet never received one for him, he felt a mix of floored and disappointed that she now viewed him as a servant. That had not been what he had intended at all.

“You know we’re your friends, right?” he asked her, wondering if it would help change the notification to something more favorable.

She hesitated to answer. “I know.” Then she sunk down again, clearly just wanted to focus on trying to get warm.

Azure quickly decided that it was best not to put his arm around her.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

THE REALM – DAY 283

No one slept that night. The wind was too loud, the ledge was too wet, and the unknown was too scary. Jin and Uden kept watch at opposite ends of their halted procession, but no threats appeared, which they were all grateful for.

As soon as the first hint of light peeked over the horizon, Princess Zadori gave Azure back his cloak, and they were on the move again. All exhausted from walking nonstop and battling the moisture and cold, relief washed over the group when Jin finally announced in the late afternoon that he could see the break in the mountain that led to Finborh. They quickened their pace to get off the damnable ledge faster.

Princess Zadori slowed when she saw the Pool of Recovery, but the elf assured her that they’d have time to explore the area once they finished speaking to Finborh. This small alcove would be their sanctuary for the night—a place where they could rest and recover before setting off again.

It wasn’t much longer before they came upon a break in the trees where large boulders bulged out of the mountain’s side. Azure knew it was Finborh slumbering, waiting for their return. As soon as they were a few yards away, the mountain began to shift.

The group made way for the rocks tumbling down as Finborh detached himself from the land. A large boulder broke at their feet, turning into rubble. They all took a step back to allow the God more room.

“You have returned,” Finborh half-said half-coughed like an old man coming out of a deep sleep. “And I see you brought the Keeper. Well done.” As soon as he finished speaking, a notification popped up.

Congratulations! Quest: Find the Keeper has been completed.

You have successfully located the Keeper. Now, you will be able to proceed and collect the Stones of Blessing. For your efforts, you are rewarded 450XP.

Almost before Azure had a chance to dismiss the notification, Finborh began speaking again. “Three quests you must complete before I will bestow upon you the Land Stone.” He sounded regal and authoritative, pausing for dramatic effect. “For the first, I would send you to The Motionless Mountains. Farrum Dulkam has been the king of the dwarves for far too long. In his youth, he took great pride in his position and was a good leader, but as the years have passed, he has grown complacent and allowed lawlessness amongst his people to go unchecked. Still, he won’t give up the crown willingly, and no one has been able to beat him at the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, which is how the dwarves choose their leader.” The God’s voice trailed off in hesitation for a moment. “I must confess that I am partially to blame. While I did not give Farrum his immense tolerance for dwarven ale, I have been prideful in wanting a dwarf of Patheana to maintain the title of king. But war will come to the dwarven kingdoms if Farrum is not unseated this Quadrennial. All of the Gods have seen it.” He paused for a moment, remembering the conversation he’d had with the other Gods of The Realm, then reanimated. “You will go to The Motionless Mountains and either convince Farrum to give up the throne of his own volition or find a way to make him lose at the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. That is my decree.”

As soon as he had finished talking, Finborh began backing into the side of the mountain again. Simultaneously, a notification popped up in Azure’s field of vision, almost as if it was meant to be a distraction to keep him from asking the God any questions about the task.

Quest: Dethrone the Dwarven King

Every four years, a new dwarven king is determined by the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, a great drinking contest amongst dwarves. Unfortunately, the same dwarf has won it the past ten times in a row, and he’s not a very good leader. Find a way to ensure that Farrum Dulkham gives up power before the end of this Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. War will befall all the dwarven clans in The Realm if you are not able to accomplish this.

Difficulty: Medium

Success: Make Farrum Dulkham give up or lose the crown

Failure: Allow Farrum Dulkham to remain king of the dwarves

Reward: Another quest

Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?

By the time Azure accepted the quest, Finborh was melding back into the rock he’d come from.

“I got the notification, but what did he say?” Uden asked.

“You didn’t miss a thing.” Azure couldn’t hide the disappointment in his voice.

There hadn’t even been time to negotiate potentially extending the deadline on his expiration. Completing three more quests in a year seemed nearly impossible.

“That was very cut and run,” Jin admitted, glancing over at Azure. Out of everyone around, he understood the weight of Azure’s worry most of all. Taking a step next to him, the elf placed a hand on Azure’s shoulder. “We will complete these quests and obtain the Land Stone before a year has passed.”

“How far away are The Motionless Mountains?” Azure was scared to ask.

Jin sighed. “About as far away as Noseon, unfortunately.”

“And we don’t have the horses anymore…” Azure’s voice trailed off, and he tried to stifle back anger. If they had just tethered up the horses, there was a chance they would have still been there when they returned. More than likely, they had already run off. Now, it would take them over a month to reach The Motionless Mountains on foot. That was time Azure didn’t feel he could afford.

Knowing that nothing pleasant would come out of his mouth if he opened it again, Azure turned and walked away, allowing his despair to eat him inside. He wanted to be alone, and this was the safest place to do that. From what he knew of their last visit to The Welcoming Summit, no monsters inhabited the small stretch of land where Finborh resided.

“Are you okay, buddy?” Uden jogged to catch up.

“No.” Azure shook his head before stopping in his tracks to look up at the moon. It seemed a million miles away, just like the possibility of him surviving this. What if it came down to the wire? Maybe they’d be close to completing the last quest but fall a few days short. Then it would have all been for nothing.

“Just think of the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. I’ve heard it’s a blast. Dwarves really know how to drink, and dwarven ale is the strongest ale in all The Realm. It will be one big party, and the best thing is that everyone is allowed to participate. At least Finborh isn’t sending us on some life-threatening monster quest. That was what I had expected to happen.”

Azure did his best to force a smile. “I know you’re trying to cheer me up, but right now, I just want to be alone.”

“Oh.” The half-imp seemed to sulk a bit. “Well, don’t forget to take a torch with you. It’s getting dark.”

“Yeah. Thanks,” Azure said half-heartedly.

After lighting a torch, he walked toward the ocean. Where the ledge had given way to the land, it tapered off into a small white sand beach. Giant rocks jutted out of the water, probably meant to keep ships at bay if the chaoscrackle wasn’t doing its job.

Azure glanced toward the ledge from whence they’d come, remembering the harrowing battle with the fierce sea beast. Back then, he had given his life to save his friends. To be fair, he would have died anyway. The chaoscrackle’s stomach acid had already begun eating him before he’d cast the spell.

Still, Azure couldn’t help but wish he had died then. It was a morose thought, but everything since he’d been brought back had been so difficult. Nothing seemed simple anymore. Perhaps he never should have left Crescent Island.

The fear of death at the hands of an enemy no longer shook him. It was the fear of not knowing if he’d see next year—if he’d just be walking along without having completed the three quests in time, knowing that there was an invisible guillotine hanging over his head attached to a timer. It was the fear of wasting time—of trying his hardest and for it all to be for nothing. Even now, he couldn’t relax because he knew the clock was ticking.

Azure planted his torch in the ground and sat to watch the waves lap at the shore.

“It’s a bit cold out here, don’t you think?” a feminine voice said from behind him.

He turned to see Princess Zadori approaching him, the wind whipping at the simple red dress she was wearing. Her hair was pulled back into a bun, and she looked freshly bathed, the grime from their travels washed clean from her cheeks. He was surprised to see her.

“It’s fine,” Azure stumbled over his own words.

“Are you thinking about home?” She followed where his gaze had been when she had found him. “So far away, I bet it is.”

“I suppose I am a bit,” he lied, “though I’m not sure why. There wasn’t anything spectacular there.”

“There wasn’t anything particularly spectacular about the castle either, but I still miss it.” Even though she was now clean, Princess Zadori sat on the beach beside him. “Do you mind?” she asked.

“No. Not at all.” Azure quickly shook his head.

“I always just assumed that men were born and bred for things like this. All the traveling. All the adventure.” The princess shivered slightly. “When I was younger, I’d read books, and it all sounded so fascinating. I thought, I would like to do that someday. And then I found out that I was the Keeper, and I became terrified of it…” her voice trailed off.

Azure furrowed his brow. “Why?”

She looked at him. “To be the Keeper means that I am coveted. It is why my father has tried so hard to keep my true identity a secret. If word got out, the castle would likely fall due to greedy men doing whatever it took to get their hands on me. My secrecy has always been about more than just me.

“Even worse than that, I’m a woman. If I fell into the wrong hands, I would likely be used as more than a tool.” For as horrible as the things she spoke about were, Princess Zadori kept a straight face, showing no fear. “I am lucky I found you three. Not only do I get to serve a purpose greater than myself, but I am with good men who have pure intentions. I could not ask for anything better.” She smiled at him then, placing her hand on top of his. “I know this is not easy for any of us, and our thoughts can run rampant with what-ifs. If you ever need to talk…about anything, I am here.

His eyes fell to where their hands were touching. “Thanks.”

“Is there anything you’d like to talk about?” The princess asked.

He didn’t know what to discuss that would matter in the grand scheme of things, so he simply said, “No.”

She smiled at him once more before standing. “I’ll leave you to your thoughts, then.” Wrapping her arms around herself, Princess Zadori walked away, her feet sinking into the sand as she went.

Azure stared after her for a moment before a sigh left his lips. The princess had been a pleasant distraction from his morose thoughts, but now they were set on something else. For the first time in a long time, he realized how lonely he was for female companionship, and not just in the sexual sense. Princess Zadori seemed levelheaded and had a soothing nature about her. Jin was lucky to have her affection, even if he didn’t return it.

The thought was fleeting. There was no time to fantasize about romance while his life was on the line. But it certainly would be nice to have another female join their party—one who looked at Azure the same way that the princess looked at the elf.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

THE REALM – DAY 285

The following morning, they left the safety of the alcove to make their way back toward the mainland. Once they reached it, Azure silently cursed the fact that the horses had fled. Of course, he had expected it, but still, as they had walked tirelessly along the ledge, he had held onto the tiniest fragment of hope that they might still be there.

As they continued toward The Motionless Mountains, Tiny Owl guided them away from more pressing dangers.

Much like Jin had done with the horses, he pushed his companions to their limit, leading the charge at a quick pace and forcing them to walk from sunup to sundown every day. Whenever someone became too exhausted, Azure would summon Flicker to carry them until his Mana was depleted.

Their travels took them through many different regions of Patheana. Forest turned to field turned to desert turned back into forest. And finally, after over a month of walking, they saw the peaks of The Motionless Mountains come into view, reaching past the clouds into the heavens with snow cascading down on all sides. The mountains were beautiful but also intimidating, and Azure dreaded the cold that would come with having to climb them, wondering if they were even prepared for such climate.

During their travels, there was much discussion about how they would get Farrum Dulkham to relinquish the crown. While Uden insisted that he could outdrink the dwarf, since he’d been working on his tolerance for some time, the rest of the party quickly decided that diplomacy was the best method. The biggest debate was over who would speak to him. Elves and dwarves were natural born enemies, and Jin doubted that Farrum would give them an audience without the elf having to reveal his identity. Uden joked that it would be the only time someone was more hated than him.

Of course, the next best option would be Princess Zadori, but fear of exposing her identity leading the Noseon guards straight to them made it risky. That was when Jin demanded that Uden give her his Cloak of Concealment.

“This was a hard-won item,” the half-imp argued, stubbornly clutching onto the cloak where it clasped around his neck.

“You’ll get it back when this is all over.” Jin waved at him dismissively.

Azure expected much more squabbling to ensue, but Uden simply scowled as he unfastened the cloak and handed it over to the princess.

In matters regarding her, he seemed much more complacent. And though he flirted with her shamelessly at every open opportunity, he never crossed the line or got crude about it. While it had originally made her uncomfortable, now it was more like a joke to her. She rolled with the punches, smiling and playing along.

As with all long travels, some advancements were made. Azure Analyzed what he could at every opportunity and Foraged whatever was easily identifiable in their path. By the time they stopped for the night, he was usually too exhausted to try crafting anything, but he did finish one more Large Leather Cloak during their journey.

Congratulations! The skill: Analyze has reached Level 15. This skill allows you to see how dangerous a foe is in relation to your own level. Use this skill frequently to avoid getting yourself killed.

Congratulations! The skill: Enchanting has reached Level 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. This skill allows you to bring the elements into you to create something new or change the things around you. Continuing to level up this skill will unlock the ability to learn more spells of the same magic type.

You have received the following item:

Large Leather Cloak

Defense: +2

Type: Medium Armor

Durability: 9/10

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 1.3 kg

Though he didn’t level his Foraging skill, Azure did manage to pick 65 Alchemy Components along the way, including 54 Fireweed, 7 Wild Onion, 1 Blue Mushroom, 1 Garden Cane, 1 Kimberly Holly, and 1 Deciduous Carrot.

You have harvested:

Fireweed

Uses: Alchemy component

You have harvested:

Wild Onion

Uses: Alchemy component, Restores +5 HP if eaten

You have harvested:

Blue Mushroom

Uses: Alchemy component, Restores +10 MP if eaten

You have harvested:

Garden Cane

Uses: Alchemy component

You have harvested:

Kimberly Holly

Uses: Alchemy component

You have harvested:

Deciduous Carrot

Uses: Alchemy component, Restores +10 HP if eaten

As they approached The Motionless Mountains, they soon found a path that led straight to the base of the nearest mountain where two burly dwarves decked out in armor stood guarding a giant metal door set into the side of it.

“State your business.” The dwarf to the right of the door stomped the pommel of his axe against the ground.

Three thick auburn braids hung from his chin, and the hair on his cheeks flared out to the sides, joining with that under the silver half-helm he wore with bronze banding. Blue eyes peered at them beneath heavy lids.

“We’re here to attend the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.” Uden was the first to speak up, seemingly unable to hide his excitement about the event.

The other dwarf huffed, taking a step away from his post to look them up and down. “And what do we have here? Three humans travelin’ with a half-monster. I bet imps can drink a lot.” To all their surprise, the dwarf didn’t sound the least bit offended by Uden’s presence.

This dwarf was missing several teeth. What hair he lacked on his head, he made up for with a long bushy beard the shade of fire. His long mustache was waxed and curled at the ends, as were his eyebrows.

“Too bad he’s not half-dwarf,” the dwarf guarding the right side added with a grunt, his heavy Irish accent making it hard to tell if he was joking or truly disappointed. “Mighta he given ol’ Farrum Drunkham a run for tha crown.”

"Bah!" The other dwarf waved his friend's complaint away before calling for someone on the other side of the door to open it. "Let em' in. These scrawny humans are here to watch our lordship drink the competition inta oblivion."

"Oh my Gods, I'm so excited." Uden stamped his feet in rapid succession like a child that had to go pee. "It's been one of my dreams to attend the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. Limitless ale will be pouring soon!" He practically had stars in his eyes.

"Said like a true dwarf, lad." The guard to the right complimented him as they gestured for the party to enter through the door that was still loudly grinding open. "Welcome to Kigboldar, the city beneath The Motionless Mountains."

They gave their thanks and headed inside. Once past the door, they were greeted by one of the longest hallways Azure had ever seen, wide enough for two carts to go side by side. The walls, floor, and ceiling been masterfully worked from stone, leaving no resemblance to the mountain they had entered. Only the chill hanging in the stagnant air told them that they were now underground.

Voices began picking up about halfway down the hallway, signaling that the dwarven civilization was ahead. At the end, the path split into a ramp going up and another heading down. The group stopped there, looking to one another.

"Up or down?" Azure asked.

"That's a good question," Jin replied.

"Farrum Dulkham's chambers are closer to the top of the mountain," Princess Zadori informed them. "There are dwarven cities atop the mountain as well. The king's job is to sit between them, supporting both the mountain-dwelling tribes and the land-dwelling tribes. The Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, however, will be held in the lowest sector of Kigboldar."

“Good thing we have you with us now, princess.” Uden clicked his tongue at her.

“Do you know specifically where Farrum resides?” the elf inquired.

Princess Zadori’s expression wilted slightly. “No. Unfortunately, I have never been allowed to come to The Motionless Mountains before, but I don’t imagine he will be difficult to find if we ask around. Farrum must hold court like any other king.”

Jin was silent for a moment before declaring, “Then we go up.”

The ramp was surprisingly steep, and the voices up ahead seemed way louder than the faint ones they’d heard from the hallway. Upon reaching the next level, the ramp opened into an enormous room, bigger than Azure imagined could have existed inside a mountain, with vaulted ceilings at least 50 feet high. Stone buildings lined the large square perimeter, and there were merchant carts beyond that bordering a circle that looked like it was probably used to hold events.

“We should ask around to save time,” the elf suggested, leading the way to the nearest merchant, a short pudgy dwarf with fiery red hair held back by a handkerchief and long braids cascading down her back. Rusted axes were strewn on top of her cart and leaning against it.

“Excuse me, ma’am,” he began.

Her face lit up upon seeing the approaching potential customers, and she immediately launched into a sales pitch. “Welcome, humans! I bet you’ve come for the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. I have plenty of axes that might interest you, some used by mighty dwarven warriors of old.” She reached for the largest axe on her cart, struggling to lift it before shoving it into the Jin’s hands. He tried to interrupt her, but she just continued talking, “This one belonged to Ebgron the Beard, not to be confused with Egron the Golden Beard. He slew at least a dozen dragons with this here axe.” The dwarven merchant tapped the eye of the axe.

“And there’s still blood on it to prove it,” Uden chimed in boisterously, either trying to help with the sale or mocking the woman. Azure couldn’t really tell.

“I don’t need an axe.” The elf offered it back to her stiffly. “We’re looking for Farrum Dulkham. Can you give us directions to his keep?”

The woman snorted. “Only castles have keeps. We all live in the castle in the mountains,” she outstretched her arms to encompass the entire area, “but if you want to find Farrum, you have to keep going up.” The merchant pointed skyward.

It wasn’t very helpful.

“How far up?” Jin pressed.

She hummed then shrugged. “All the way up to the top, I imagine.”

It was then that they realized she had never sought an audience with Farrum before.

Feeling like they’d wasted their time, they continued on to the next merchant, but they never received an answer that pleased them. Apparently, Farrum had become so lazy that he didn’t even hold court anymore. Not where he appeared, at least. He allowed his royal advisors to handle matters of the people, giving them only what was necessary to keep the kingdom from falling apart. It was the general consensus that Farrum was a horrible leader, caring more about himself than the needs of his dwarven kin.

Up, up, up they went, seeing different parts of the dwarven kingdom. Each level had its own purpose. There were several housing districts, an agricultural district, guild halls, and a military barracks. Finally, once past the military district, they reached a ramp bordered by guards. That was the point at which they were not allowed to go any further.

“Who goes there?” one of the dwarves asked in a much more authoritative tone than the ones at the base of the mountain had used.

This dwarf had his beard held in one thick braid going down the middle with two shorter ones on each side. His orange hair was held back in a top-knot, and he wore gaudy golden hoop earrings.

Jin stepped forward. “We seek an audience with the king.”

“That will not be possible.” The same guard shook his head. “The king is currently busy.”

“Busy with what?” Jin brazenly inquired.

“Preparing for the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.”

“That probably means he’s getting crunk,” Uden commented under his breath.

The elf ignored him. “So when will he not be busy?” Irritation made it into his voice.

The guards looked at one another, then shrugged.

Clearly becoming annoyed, the talkative guard said, “The king does not treat with commoners.”

“What about with other kings and the last of a dead race?” Jin lowered the hood of his robe, flexing his secret power of authority.

Both of the guards’ mouths dropped open. Azure couldn’t help but smirk at their reaction now that he was in on the elf’s secret.

“What trickery is this?!” the guard demanded. “Your wretched kind has been dead for decades.”

“Centuries,” the other guard finally spoke up to correct his friend.

He had darker features than many of the others, his face set in a perpetual scowl. Lacking the magnificent facial hair of his peers, his much shorter chestnut brown beard was tied into a trifecta with red bands at the ends. Though balding on the sides, what hair he did have on the top of his head was combed forward.

“Centuries,” the first dwarf parroted. “And good riddance to them.” He spat at Jin’s feet.

“Begone!” The second guard snarled.

“No!” The first guard raised a hand to silence his co-worker. “We cannot let a slight to our king and the dwarven people go unpunished. You’re under arrest for lèse-majesté.”

In the span of a breath, things had gone from tense to dangerous. Azure had no idea what lèse-majesté meant, but he knew that under arrest wasn’t good. Instinctively, his hand went for his sword, but the second his palm landed on the hilt, Jin reached back to stop him, having not even turned to look at what he was doing.

“It’s fine,” he said calmly.

“It’s not fine! We’re going to miss the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup,” the half-imp complained.

“Maybe if I,” Princess Zadori began, but the elf silenced her as well.

Azure’s mind was going wild with worry and panic. They didn’t have time to be imprisoned. This was one of the worst-case scenarios he could imagine, but what else could he do? If they tried to fight the guards, more dwarves would likely join in, and they’d end up getting slaughtered.

He didn’t have much more time to think about it, because soon they were being relieved of their weapons. As the more aggressive of the dwarf guards demanded his sword, Azure looked to their fearless leader one last time. Even without his sword, he could still cast spells, but Azure admittedly felt vulnerable without his steel. Jin simply nodded at him, and Azure decided to trust the elf one more time, even if it ended up being a mistake that would cost him his life.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE REALM – DAY 326

They were led in the opposite direction of where they had wanted to go. Down, down, down into the bowels of the mountain they went, past the farming district, the granaries, the working district, the mining area, and straight to the dungeons, which were right above the lava sewer. Needless to say, it was damn hot, and Azure was a bit less resentful when they seized all of his armor, leaving him to sweat in his underclothes.

There was no respite from their situation until the guards took Princess Zadori’s Cloak of Concealment. Upon discovering her true identity, they apologized profusely and offered to take her straight to King Farrum.

Azure hated having to re-dress and make the long trek back up to King Farrum’s quarters. However, he was most grateful that they wouldn’t have to sit and suffer in the dungeon’s sweltering heat any longer.

“If you would have just let me handle this to begin with,” Princess Zadori chastised Jin as they followed behind the two guards.

“I did not think that they’d take your cloak,” he argued back.

As it was, his cloak had also been confiscated, and the guards were still holding the two magical garments hostage. Being exposed as they walked back through the dwarven city, almost all the dwarves that saw them stopped to gawk and whisper to one another.

“Of course, they were going to take all of our things. They don’t leave you in a dungeon with anything of value,” the princess said.

“I could have told you that.” Uden rolled his eyes. “Clearly, he’s never been in a dungeon before.” He thumbed toward the elf.

“Clearly.” Azure snorted, wondering how many dungeons the half-imp had occupied in his time. He didn’t remember there being any on Crescent Island. Still, there surely had to be a way for the villagers there to deal with lawlessness, and Uden was definitely a bit of an outlaw.

By the time they’d reached the ramp beyond the military barracks, it was late afternoon. Past it, the mountain turned into, what appeared to be, the inside of a castle. The ramp ended at a T that converged with a long hallway. Giant murals of dwarven conquests of old were painted on both walls. It was like reading a visual story as they walked, the tale only interrupted by closed doors that were painted solid red.

The guards stopped at one of the doors near the end of the hall and opened it, ushering the entire party inside. As soon as they were in, one of the guards took an oversized keyring from his belt.

“I’m sorry, princess, but due to the nature of this situation,” he cast a quick glance at Jin, “we must lock you in until His Majesty is able to receive you.”

“We understand.” She nodded politely, and the dwarf closed the door behind them, then locked it.

Azure took in their surroundings. The room was much smaller than the one Jin had been gifted in Noseon. Barely larger than a nice hotel suite, a giant bed took up most of the space, the frame made of chiseled stone. Atop it was various furs. Many more adorned the stone floor to protect bare feet from the cold.

An image of a man, a dwarf, and a gnome holding hands was painted on the wall across from the bed. A fourth figure had once been standing there, but it appeared that someone had scrubbed it out of the painting. Each being had a crown atop their head. The backdrop was that of a lavish castle. Cherubs blowing horns descended from the clouds, and the sun shone on all. To either side of the mural were two sizeable round glass ovals protruding from the wall. Blue light flickered inside, illuminating the room, though Azure couldn’t tell the source because the glass was foggy. With no windows to look out of, he felt a bit claustrophobic.

There were two chairs in the room, one resting in the corner and another set before a table, all carved of stone and unable to be moved. Uden dropped himself heavily into the one in the corner. “From one prison to another.”

“At least it’s not hot in here,” Jin pointed out.

To the contrary, it was almost frigid. Azure was now thankful to be wearing so many layers.

“Indeed,” Princess Zadori agreed, taking a seat on the bed.

“I wonder how long this is going to take.” Azure began pacing. The sooner they could convince King Farrum to give up his crown, the better. If all went well, the dwarf king would immediately see reason, and they could be on their way. But things rarely happened that easily.

“Who knows?” the elf replied, “but all we can do is wait.”

And wait they did.

Hours passed. So many that their eyes began to grow heavy.

Uden asked if they could all share the bed, but Jin gave him a disapproving look, and Princess Zadori promptly said no. Of course, she ended up getting to sleep on the bed while the half-imp and elf took the chairs, and Azure sat against the wall facing the door.

They tried to stay up in case the king came to call on them in the middle of the night, but that never happened, and by the morning, they were struggling to keep their eyes open.

Finally, Azure dozed off, but for how long, he didn’t know. Eventually, he was rudely awakened by someone barging into the room.

A barrel of a dwarf made his way inside, practically waddling from his girth. His pate was bald, but his magnificent bushy white beard reached a few inches from the floor, the mass of it held in place by several golden rings. The garments he wore were a rich coppery brown color, and a dark brown cape hung from his back. Atop his head, a heavy-looking three-pronged crown of solid gold sat, each prong wide and thick, curving inward toward his skull.

Everyone immediately awoke and sat upright, though they were all still groggy from sleep.

The dwarf sauntered into the middle of the room and placed his hands on his hips, surveying the scene. “Well, well, well. What do we have here? Is it true there’s a pointy ears amongst ya?” His voice was gruff and strained, either by his weight or his thick accent. Azure couldn’t quite tell which it was.

“Your Majesty.” Jin quickly got to his feet. “I am King—”

“I know who ye are.” King Farrum held up a hand to silence the elf. “But yer no king,” he said disapprovingly. “I’m the only king in this here mountain.” His beady brown eyes rolled around almost wildly.

“King Farrum,” Princess Zadori interrupted, “Jin is no king of the mountain, but he is a king, nonetheless.”

“And you, girl.” The dwarf’s eyes widened as he looked at the princess. “What are ye doin’ so far from home. Algrenon is worried sick about ya. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t send ya packin’ back home.” He chastised her with all the gumption of an adult speaking to a child.

“I am a grown woman,” she puffed out her chest, “and I go where I please. I am no prisoner of these men. They are my escorts, accompanying me on a quest given to me by Finborh himself. Not my father, nor you, nor anyone else will stop me.”

A bellowing laugh erupted from the dwarf then. “You are as hot-headed as ye are beautiful, princess.” He settled. “I’m guessing that quest has to do with him.” King Farrum cast a glance in Jin’s direction.

With a little less confidence, Princess Zadori confirmed his suspicions.

The dwarven king’s amused expression faded. “Then it’s true. Yer going to bring back the elves. Bunch of pretentious pricks,” his said with distaste before adding, “even more of a reason for me to send ya packing. Luckily for you, I don’t stand in the way of the will of the God of Land.”

A wave of relief swept over the room as they realized they had one less complication to deal with. Hopefully, that meant King Farrum would not be sending word to King Algrenon of their arrival.

“But that doesn’t explain why yer here.” The dwarven king cast a suspicious glance in Jin’s direction.

“That is my quest.” The elf stepped forward before turning his head slightly toward his companions. “Well, our quest.” Once he had spoken the acknowledgment, he returned his attention to King Farrum. “Finborh sent us here to request that you give control of the dwarves to a new king. Too long have you—”

“Bah!” The dwarf held up his hand to silence the elf again. “I’ll hear no such talk from a pointy ears.”

“He’s telling the truth,” Princess Zadori piped up with a bit more authority. “If you keep the crown past this Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, the dwarves with revolt, and there will be war.”

The dwarven king quirked his head back in offense. “The king has always been decided by the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, and he always will be. It is the law of our people, and it will remain so. Unless someone bests me at the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, which they won’t,” he quickly added, “I will continue to wear the crown.”

“Your Majesty,” Jin said a bit more politely, “you are getting up in your years. You have held the position of king longer than any dwarf in known history. Surely, you have gotten tired of bearing the burden of the crown.”

“What burden?” King Farrum raised his arms to the sides. “My advisors handle the people, and I get to do whatever I want. Being a king is great. Only a fool would give up the crown.”

“There’s more to being a king than doing whatever you want,” Princess Zadori argued.

“Bah!” He waved her words away. “What would you know? You’re just a woman. You’ll never be a king.”

The princess’s eyes narrowed then, and Azure knew it was time to interject. “Did you just—” She took a step toward the dwarven king, her hands balled into fists, but Azure quickly stepped between them.

“So tell us more about the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup,” he said, his voice tight with the tension that had permeated the room. “We’d like to attend, if possible. I mean, since we’re already here.” Azure turned to his companions, his body as stiff as a board.

Jin looked every bit as pissed off as Princess Zadori. Only Uden was still in his seat, his expression that of pure amusement.

“I’ll do you one better. I’ll let you come to practice with me this afternoon. But for now,” King Farrum yawned widely, displaying an impressive assortment of white and gold teeth, “I need to return to my bedchamber. If you’re hungry, the kitchen is down the hall.” He thumbed back down the hall from whence he’d come. Then he spun on his heels with a flourish and excused himself from the room.

“The nerve!” Princess Zadori stomped her foot as soon as the door was closed. “To say something like that to my face!”

“Better than behind your back,” Uden mumbled.

“And to not even have the decency to treat with us as equals,” Jin added, equally upset.

The half-imp finally found his way to his feet, joining the group where they stood. “Well, how exactly did you guys expect that was going to go? He clearly doesn’t take his position as king seriously. Honestly, he has the life that every king probably truly wants. Why would he even consider allowing the crown to change hands if he can keep from it?”

“We’re going to have to kill him,” Azure said the only thing that had been on his mind since King Farrum had left the room. “Get him alone and kill him.”

The princess’s eyes widened. “Do not speak of such things!” her voice was barely restrained. “Even saying something like that is treason. You could get us all killed if someone is listening in.”

“Judging by how few people like this guy, I doubt anyone would care,” Azure argued. “I mean, aren’t they just going to overthrow him anyway if he wins this Quadrennial Dwarven Cup?”

“That’s beside the point. It is not up to us to decide.” Princess Zadori’s nostrils flared.

“I’m going to go find breakfast while you guys sort this out.” Uden pushed between them to leave.

“You’re not going anywhere until we sort this out.” Azure sliced him with a glare. “If Farrum wins the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, then we fail this quest, and you never become a Grand Master Mage.”

The half-imp snorted. “You make it sound like I couldn’t do it on my own.”

“Quiet! Everyone!” Jin held out his hands to silence the room, his eyes pressed shut. As soon as he had gained the obedience of his companions, he spoke again. “I think I have a plan.”

“What is it?” The princess looked hopeful.

Jin’s gaze jumped from Uden to Azure. “Did any of you bring booze with you?”

The half-imp quirked his head back. “Yes, but why does that matter? There will be unlimited free alcohol at the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.”

“And when is the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup exactly?”

“The day after tomorrow.”

“Then we have two days to get our tolerance up.”

“What’s your drinking skill at?” Uden eyed the elf suspiciously.

“Don’t worry about it. I just need whatever booze you have, the both of you.” Jin continued to gaze at them expectantly.

Azure hesitated for a moment before digging into his bag for the Bottle of Mead he’d been saving back.

“Again, why do you need our stores? There will be plenty of dwarven ale available.” Uden was a lot more reluctant to hand over his stash.

“I can’t stand that dark dwarven swill.” The elf shook his head in distaste.

“Well, that’s too bad, because that’s all you’re allowed to drink for the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, and I guarantee that it’s much stronger than anything I could give you.” Uden still refused to share his booze.

“Just give it to me.” Clearly tired of the half-imp’s reluctance, Jin held out his palm.

“No.” Uden lengthened himself to look taller. “You already took my Cloak of Concealment. If you want my booze, you’re going to have to pay for it.”

“Fine.” A long-suffering sigh left the elf’s lips as he dug into his Bag of Holding for coin to pay the half-imp. “What do you have?”

The next several minutes were spent with Uden pulling bottle after bottle of various alcohol from his bag and Jin assessing them and handing over coin.

“My Gods, man!” Azure’s eyes bulged as the tenth bottle left the half-imp’s bag. “You practically have an entire liquor cabinet in there.”

“There’s a lot more where that came from.” Uden pulled out bottle #11. “The elf will probably go broke before he can afford it all.”

“Are you really going to be able to drink all that?” Princess Zadori raised an eyebrow at Jin.

“I’m going to try,” he said before telling the half-imp to stop.

“If you think Farrum won’t be able to outdrink you, you’re daft.” Uden snorted. “I’m likely the only one of us that stands a chance against him.”

“Then, we’ll look to you as our only hope.” The elf patted the half-imp on the shoulder, shifting the responsibility of completing the quest onto him.

“Challenge accepted!” Uden announced proudly, but Azure still wasn’t sure if any of them were up to the task.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

THE REALM – DAY 327

They dawdled around until King Farrum came to call for them in the afternoon. He seemed super excited to take them to his favorite tavern, The Mighty Cup, where he spent just about every day drinking his time away and boasting about his amazingly high alcohol tolerance. It was the biggest tavern Azure had ever seen, filled to the brim with tables of dwarves who were mostly all sauced training for the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. They raised their horns for their king as he entered, but he quickly and boisterously dismissed them to get back to their training.

One thing Azure noticed almost immediately was that not all the dwarves looked the same. Sat clustered in groups, many of them had different styles of attire, from being covered in furs to donning expensive armor. Several of the tables carried their own banners displaying the sigil from the area of The Realm that they represented. It was like seeing a bunch of sports enthusiasts gathered together, except the sport was drinking.

“These are the Renfoots,” King Farrum pointed out a group of dwarves wearing light gold armor and sandals, their red hair shorn short, “and those are the Sea Diggers,” he gestured to another group in pirate garb. “They already call one of them their king. If I find out which one, I’m going to have him executed.” The dwarven king snorted, looking at the group with disdain.

He continued to name the tribes he knew until they’d reached the king’s table, a special area of the tavern against the far right wall raised up like a stage. It was the only table that wasn’t currently occupied. As soon as the group walked up onto the platform, several dwarves around the tavern stood to come join them.

“These are some of my advisors,” King Farrum began to introduce the three dwarves who had come to sit with them. “This is Garmar Kromiggs, my war master,” Farrum said of a dwarf decked out in silver armor with an eye patch over his left eye. “This is Bandrom Melkyl, my royal scribe.” He gestured to a dwarf dressed in simple purple robes who bowed politely to them. “And this is Beldahr Thalnum, my royal treasurer.” The best dressed of the dwarves, next to the king, Beldahr also acknowledged them respectfully. “I guess the others aren’t here ta join us.” King Farrum looked out over the crowd once more but didn’t sound displeased. “Ye four are lucky enough ta get tha seats of honor beside me.” He motioned to where they should sit, with Princess Zadori on his left-hand side and Jin to his right. Azure was sandwiched between the elf and the half-imp.

“Brothers!” King Farrum raised his arms to grab the attention of his people. “Today is a historic day, fer we have an elf in our midst.” He pointed at Jin.

The entire room fell deadly silent for a moment before someone at the back of the room booed.

King Farrum leaned over to the elf and whispered, “Ya better watch yer back after this, pointy ears.” Then he straightened to address his people once more. “Now I know that historically elves have been tha dicks of The Realm, always pretending they are better than everyone else. But one lone elf can’t do much when surrounded by a bunch of dwarves, now can he?”

Agreement and cheers erupted from the onlookers, though they quickly died down when Farrum called for it.

“Ye will treat Sir Elf with respect. He is the last of his kind, a kind that we previously and gratefully had thought to be extinct. No one be murdering him on my watch!” He cast a suspicious eye out over the crowd. “At the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, he will be our guest.” King Farrum patted Jin on the back a bit too firmly, causing him to have to plant his feet to keep from falling forward. “Mark this in history as one of the achievements of the great King Farrum Dulkham. On this day, I have discovered the last of a race. On this day, we make peace with the elves. On this day, we announce our racial superiority over them, having survived the test of time. On this day, we prepare for the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup!”

Another round of cheering filled the tavern with sound so loud that it was almost deafening. Azure didn’t know whether to clap or continue looking awkward and uncomfortable, but since none of his friends were clapping, he decided to go with the latter.

As soon as they were all seated, a busty dwarven barmaid was sent to fill their already waiting horns with ale. Jin stopped her before she could fill his, opting instead for the Bottle of Mead that Azure had given him.

King Farrum looked at him in offense. “Did you really bring that elvish trash to a dwarven party?!” His voice raised as he snatched the bottle out of the elf’s hand and threw it on the floor.

The entire room went silent as glass shattered, sending shards across the floor. In an instant, everyone’s eyes were on the dwarven king and the elf.

“That was just plain ol’ mead,” Jin said stiffly. “Unfortunately, there are no elven winemakers still around today. But if you don’t want me to drink mead, I have several other things I could drink instead.”

“You’ll drink dwarven ale or nothing at all,” Farrum insisted.

“If you want to see me vomit after one glass. Which is not an insult to the taste,” the elf quickly backtracked. “I have no tolerance for it. I would be drunk before I finished a single cup.”

“Bah!” The dwarven king waved Jin’s words away. “Everyone knows that elves can’t get drunk.”

“I’m afraid that’s an old wives’ tale,” Jin told him. “While it is true that many elves have an unusually high tolerance due to merely being alive for so long, I am not one of them. I have never been a drinker, so unfortunately, my tolerance is dismal at best. I do want to have some dwarven ale tonight, but I don’t want to be the downer of the party and be the first to expire. I’d rather drink things I know I can tolerate, then finish strong with your fine dwarven ale. I promise this is meant as no disrespect, just so that I do not embarrass myself.”

King Farrum chuckled, once more standing to address his people. “An elf who can’t hold his booze, who has ever heard of a thing like that? Do ya believe it, Bandrom?” He looked down the left side of the table at his royal scribe.

“I have never heard of such a thing, Your Majesty, but there’s only one way to find out.” The royal scribe pushed his round speckles up further onto his bulbous nose.

“Well, then. Let’s see what this elf can really take!” King Farrum announced to the crowd as it if was a contest all on its own. They all cheered in response. “But first, before ye switch over ta whatever sissy water ya brought with ya, ye must take at least a drink of our fine dwarven ale. It’ll put hair on yer balls!” he said before glancing down at Jin’s crotch. “I bet there’s not an inch of hair on ye besides that on yer head. I’d say that one of our dwarven wenches could confirm later, but I wouldn’t want to besmirch one of our kind with yer likes.” King Farrum curled his upper lip at the elf before shoving his own full horn of dwarven ale into Jin’s hands. He used so much force that some of the amber liquid sloshed out and fell onto the ground.

“You’re too kind,” Jin replied rigidly before standing and raising the horn to the crowd.

Everyone watched with bated breath, waiting for the elf to take a drink of the beverage they had all been enjoying in mass quantity.

Jin lifted the horn to his nose and gave the contents a sniff. His face automatically pinched, and several of the dwarves laughed at him. One even had the audacity to yell, “Pussy!” which was met by more laughter.

After a moment, the elf drew the horn to his lips and took a drink. He coughed when the liquid hit the back of his throat but forced it down, nonetheless. Then he lowered the glass and smiled at the onlookers. “Good stuff!” The elf raised the horn one more time, and everyone cheered before going back to their business.

“Check your pants later for that hair I was talking about.” Farrum elbowed him in the side.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Jin replied while handing the horn back to him.

With all the theatrics over, the ale poured freely. Azure was actually excited to try it after seeing the elf’s strong reaction to the taste. He had always enjoyed trying new things. Back on Earth, after a hard day, he’d occasionally go to his local brewpub to sample craft beers from around the world.

“I absolutely cannot wait for this!” Uden said beside him, drawing his attention.

Meanwhile, Jin was busy digging through his bag for a new type of alcohol to replace the mead he had lost.

Much like the elf had done, Azure sniffed the ale. There were deep caramel notes and a strong smell of hops, but nothing that made him want to wrinkle his nose. Perhaps elves were just sensitive to dwarven alcohol.

“It smells like sex, doesn’t it?” Uden took a huge whiff of the dark amber liquid, pulling the scent up into his nostrils.

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Azure smirked, swirling the contents of his cup around as he glanced down the table at Princess Zadori.

She was sitting as straight as a board, staring out over the crowd, her hands resting in her lap. It reminded Azure of when he had first seen her at the castle in Noseon. The princess looked like a statue, unmoving.

As soon as Jin finished filling his cup with a bottle of ale from his bag, he leaned over to Azure, “I will need you to care for me for the rest of the night. This might get ugly.”

“What do you mean?” Azure whispered back.

“I wasn’t kidding when I said I can’t handle my alcohol. Do not leave my side. Not even for an instant. I am not safe here.” His eyes scanned over the crowd.

Azure understood fully, and with some sadness, realized that meant he would not be able to get drunk.

“I hope this stuff isn’t as strong as you made it out to be. I at least would like to have one cup.” He frowned at the horn of dwarven ale in front of him.

“You should be fine having just that one drink. I fear it would cause offense if you didn’t.” The elf’s eyes went back to Farrum, though they didn’t linger there. “I don’t mean to cheat you out of a good time, but this is important.”

“I understand.” Azure nodded decidedly.

“To the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.” Uden raised his horn to offer cheers.

“To the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup!” the entire table said in unison before lifting their horns and taking a drink.

The dwarven ale packed a wallop when it hit the back of Azure’s throat, burning slightly as it went down but with an oddly smooth finish. It was much thicker than he had thought it would be, and much less tasty. The notes of caramel he had smelled earlier were usurped by the flavor of coal. Not loving it, he was less disappointed that he’d have to quit drinking early.

“Is it true that anyone can participate in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup?” Princess Zadori asked the royal scribe, who was sitting to her left.

“It is true.” He nodded. “You may participate, but you would not win. No human in the history of The Realm has ever beaten a dwarf at the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.”

“Then, we shall all participate!” Jin announced.

“Not you.” Farrum shook his head.

“Why not?” Jin quirked his head back. “Would you discriminate against one lowly elf with no alcohol tolerance?”

“While this is a racial thing, it’s not what you think,” Bandrom pipped up from down the table. “Racially, elves are known to have the highest alcohol tolerance of any creature. That’s why they have never been allowed to participate in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup before.”

“Well, you’ve never met an elf like me before. I practically get drunk just from sniffing alcohol,” Jin said before taking a long pull from his horn, his eyes widening.

“Highly unlikely.”

“You’ll see.” The elf nodded in Bandrom’s direction.

“So what would happen if another race were to win the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup?” Princess Zadori inquired.

“It has never happened before,” Bandrom said.

“But what if?” Jin pressed.

“Well,” the scribe inhaled deeply, “as is written in our laws, that person would choose the next dwarven king.”

“That is interesting.” The princess lifted her cup, staring at the liquid inside for a moment before returning her attention to Bandrom. “And how long has it been since a woman was the ruler of the dwarves?”

“Oh, long ago,” he said in a drawn-out breath.

King Farrum huffed. “If ya’d even call her that.”

“What do you mean by that?” Princess Zadori narrowed her gaze at the pompous king.

“Marg the Infallible, they called her,” Bandrom began telling the story. “Her only mistake ever was winning the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. She was a good woman—trained for it her entire life—was one of the best leaders we had for a solid two weeks. Then someone assassinated her.”

“Two weeks isn’t even enough time ta be officially sworn inta tha position,” King Farrum informed the princess.

“It’s true.” The scribe nodded. “You can be in command without the title during that period. She was actually assassinated during her coronation, before they were able to put the crown of coal on her head.”

“That’s horrible!” Princess Zadori’s eyebrows drew together.

“It’s proof that no one wants a woman fer a leader,” Farrum huffed.

“She was a good woman, and they killed her anyway.” Bandrom shook his head, then offered the princess a comforting smile. “But times were different back then. We’re a lot more progressive now. While some of us would hate to see a woman in charge,” he glanced past Princess Zadori to King Farrum for a moment, “others would not mind it so much.” The scribe leaned in to whisper to her, “More than anything, the people just want to see a good leader on the throne.”

She nodded at the secret conversation, happy to see that not everyone in Kigboldar was as closeminded as their current king.

“Azure,” Uden called to get his attention. “Ask Jin to ask King Farrum if we can get our own rooms tonight. I don’t want to have to sleep in that uncomfortable chair again.”

“I don’t think we can afford to leave either of them alone tonight,” he said. “Everyone here wants to kill Jin, and men from Noseon could show up at any time to try to take Princess Zadori back.”

The half-imp scowled. “But we’re safe on the king’s floor. I’m sure it would be all right.”

Azure was less convinced. “I’m sure you can find some dwarf to shack up with for the night. I’m going to carry out my duty.”

Uden snorted. “What duty? He never even knighted you like he said he would.”

The reminder stung, though Azure wasn’t sure why. He trusted the elf more than most in The Realm, but sometimes, Azure couldn’t help but wonder if he was just a tool to Jin. After all, they’d been traveling together for months, and he still hadn’t received a Relationship notification for the elf.

Dwarven ale flowed for hours. Azure did his best to nurse his, but you can only make a beer last so long, even when sipping it sporadically. He felt like the designated driver at one of the rowdiest parties he’d ever attended. There were dwarves gambling, arm wrestling, arguing, and some even in different states of undress with their female counterparts.

The only people in the room as sober as Azure were the barmaids—well, some of them—and Princess Zadori. Though she wasn’t drinking anywhere near as fast as the men around her, she kept up with the conversations, smiling and laughing like she was genuinely having a good time.

As soon as the alcohol had made Uden brave enough, he left their table to go down and converse with the masses, slowly snaking his way toward one of the dwarven barmaids he fancied. Quickly boring of his new guests, King Farrum left the table to go socialize as well. Meanwhile, Bandrom pressed Jin for details about elvish history, but the archer seemed more interested in turning the conversation around, asking the dwarf what he’d missed over the past two hundred years.

With no one really talking to him, it wasn’t long before Azure grew bored. Still, he dutifully sat by Jin’s side, watching the throngs of people having fun below and keeping an eye on how many drinks the elf had and their effect on him.

Though Jin was also drinking slowly, it was not long before his eyes grew glassy. Three drinks in, and he started to sway in his seat. One more, and he began to slur. That was when he demanded that one of the barmaids bring him a dwarven ale.

“Are you really getting drunk?” Azure asked him, having a hard time believing it himself after everything the dwarves had said about elves and alcohol.

Jin whipped his head around to look at Azure. “Do I look drink? I mean drunk.”

Azure hesitated for a moment, still unsure if the elf was acting or not. “Kinda.”

“Good.” Jin nodded. “It should not be too much longer then.”

“Is something interesting going to happen when you get drunk?” Azure smirked.

“Who knows.” The elf shrugged a bit too animatedly. “I…don’t know what will happen.” His voice trailed off as the barmaid placed a horn of dwarven ale in front of him. “Ah! This is what I’ve been waiting for.” He lifted the glass to toast Bandrom.

Despite his previous words, the dwarven ale did not appear to do him in. Jin took one more bottle from his Bag of Holding, pouring it into his glass to top himself off. After that, he could barely hold his head up anymore.

“Is he all right?” Princess Zadori squinted at the elf, her voice full of concern.

Bandrom studied Jin for a moment before his eyes widened slightly and he nodded. “That elf is definitely drunk.”

“Azure.” Jin turned toward Azure and nearly fell off his chair. “We need to find Farrum. We’ve got to tell him goodbye before we leave.”

“He’s impressively articulate for being that wasted.” Bandrom raised an eyebrow.

“You want me to take you back to our room, buddy?” Azure patted the elf on the back.

Jin nodded enthusiastically before muttering, “Farrum,” again.

After helping him stand, Azure led the elf off the platform. Princess Zadori was quick by his side, though she took a moment to say her polite goodbyes to the dwarves at the table. Azure wondered if he should have done the same, but it was a bit too late for that now.

He half guided, half dragged Jin toward the door, making it about three-quarters of the way across the room before the elf planted his feet and demanded that they go find King Farrum.

“You can see him tomorrow,” Azure told him, trying to tug Jin along.

“No.” The elf shook his head. “He has to see me like this,” he insisted.

Azure shared a glance with Princess Zadori, wondering if they should listen to Jin or get him to bed. It looked like he could either pass out or blow chunks at any moment.

The princess’s expression was serious. “Let us go find King Farrum before we leave. It’s the polite thing to do.”

As they went, they were accosted by at least half a dozen dwarves that wanted to gawk at the drunk elf. The stop and go was annoying, and Azure was worried that Jin would fall unconscious before making it to King Farrum. He did not want to have to carry the elf out of the tavern, but he would if necessary.

Finally, after fighting their way through the crowded establishment, they found King Farrum sitting at a table, arm wrestling another dwarf over a pile of gold. The other dwarf, who was at least half of Farrum’s age, overtook him after about a three-minute struggle of back and forth. King Farrum cursed and immediately accused the dwarf of cheating, but he paid up, nonetheless.

“I need to get him back to his room,” Azure called to Farrum over the crowd.

“Go on, then.” The dwarven king waved them away, clearly still stuck on his loss.

Jin pulled out of Azure’s arms then, stumbling toward Farrum, who gave him a look of apprehension. “Some party you’ve got going on here…” his words trailed off as he collapsed.

Luckily, Azure was able to catch him before he hit the floor.

“My Gods, man!” The dwarven king quickly took a step back to avoid the falling elf. “That is one wasted elf.”

“Can we perhaps get another room?” Princess Zadori pleaded while Azure struggled to lift Jin. It was clear that he was too drunk to walk.

Princess carry it is, Azure thought as he hoisted the elf into his arms.

“Sure. The room next ta yers is empty,” Farrum said dismissively.

Azure scowled as he fought his way through the crowd once more, this time with drunk dwarves trying to stop him and ask what had happened to the elf. He ignored most of them and pushed on through.

“Should we get Uden?” the princess asked as they passed within close proximity to the half-imp, who was currently pre-occupied with gambling.

“Leave him,” Azure replied irritably, just wanting to get Jin back to their room.

The walk was long and tiring, and when his arms began to give out, Azure practically dropped the elf on the floor to wake him.

“Get up!” he growled.

Jin barely roused, half opening an eye for a moment before passing back out on the floor.

“Come on.” Azure forced the elf to his feet, and Princess Zadori was quick to help by throwing Jin’s other arm around her neck.

Together, Azure and the princess got the elf the rest of the way back to their room, but not before he had to stop to throw up in one of the waste bins scattered around the dwarven city.

“Do you think he’s going to be okay?” Princess Zadori’s voice was full of concern.

“He’s lived for hundreds of years. I doubt a bit of alcohol poisoning is going to kill him,” he assured her, though there was little comfort in his tone.

Finally, they made it to the room. Azure lifted Jin one more time to put him on the bed.

“Do you want to check and see about the other room? If we leave him here, he’s probably going to roll and get vomit on your bed.” Azure noted of the bit of throw up that was on the front of the elf’s shirt. He definitely looked far from regal in this state.

“No.” The princess shook her head. “We should let him rest. But help me get his shirt off, first. I’ll have it laundered.”

Several minutes later, and Azure understood what it was like to undress a corpse. Jin offered no aid in the task.

Princess Zadori demanded that they disrobe him all the way down to his smallclothes, then she sent Azure to fetch a washbasin with water and a washcloth. When he returned, the princess had somehow maneuvered the elf so that his head was resting in her lap, and she was stroking his hair. Despite all the trouble that he’d caused them both, she stared down at him fondly.

“He’s so beautiful, even like this.” She took the washcloth from Azure and gently wiped down Jin’s face.

“I don’t know what he was thinking.” Azure shook his head at the elf.

“He’s always under so much stress. He never shows it, but I can see it.” Princess Zadori’s brows pinched for half a second, her sympathy for Jin painted all over her face. “Can you imagine having the fate of an entire race on your shoulders?”

“Yeah. I kind of can,” he replied stiffly, feeling that he shared the burden of that weight now that he was partied with Jin.

“I’m sorry.” The princess let out a breathy laugh. “I know we’re all in this together, but the stakes are different for people like him and I.”

“You are not an elf,” Azure reminded her a bit coldly.

Princess Zadori’s eyes shot up to meet his, piercing through him. “I know I am not an elf. But I am the Keeper. We are both the only ones like us in all The Realm. We are…hunted. Always. That is something you would not understand.”

Her words made Azure take a step back. “Apologies. I had not meant to be offensive.”

The princess’s expression softened. “I know. You are just stressed out like the rest of us.” She sighed. “I imagine that’s part of why he let himself get so bad. It’s difficult having to be perfect all the time. At least, he trusted us enough to know that we’d take care of him.”

“I suppose you’re right…” Azure’s voice trailed off with the guilt he felt from having reacted so strongly.

“You should rest, too,” Princess Zadori told him. “It has been a long night. I’ll take care of him from here.”

Conflicting feelings arose inside Azure from the offer. On the one hand, he definitely did not want to babysit the drunk elf all night. On the other hand, he didn’t want to leave them alone. As the princess had just said, she and Jin would always be hunted. There was no telling if King Farrum or anyone else had reported back to Noseon of their whereabouts. And that aside, Kigboldar was no place for an elf. The dwarves tolerated him, at best. Azure had no doubt that more than a few would like to see Jin dead and might even try to take advantage of his inebriated state to make it so. After all, Azure was currently their only line of defense.

That thought made him sick to his stomach—made him wish he would have told Princess Zadori to collect Uden before they had left the tavern. Not that two men were much better than one against a whole horde of dwarves.

“Sleep well, princess.” Azure offered her a strained smile before grabbing his sword where he had left it propped up against the wall and taking his leave.

He closed the door softly behind himself. Then he pressed his back against the wall next to the door and slid down it. It was going to be a long sleepless night of making sure that his friends were safe.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

THE REALM – DAY 328

Azure was struggling to keep his eyelids from shutting by the time the door opened the next morning. The night had been eerily silent, aside from voices rising from the levels below. Neither King Farrum nor Uden had returned all night. Only two servants made an appearance, coming up from the lower floor to go straight to the kitchen.

Azure had expected to see Princess Zadori, perhaps having risen early to seek out a servant to refill the washbasin with fresh water, but it was the elf who emerged from the room. Jin was holding his forehead with one hand, and when he looked over and saw Azure sitting there, he groaned.

“Have fun last night?” Azure asked, his voice laced with sarcasm.

The elf took the few steps it required to stand next to Azure, then slid down the wall to sit beside him. “I woke up practically naked. What state was I in when we came back up here last night?”

“I carried you most of the way, so that should tell you something.” Azure eyed him.

Though Jin was dressed, he still looked disheveled. His shirt was only half-buttoned, and he wasn’t wearing any shoes.

“I didn’t…” the elf hesitated. “I didn’t do anything inappropriate last night, did I?”

“Well, you puked on yourself a bit,” Azure informed him.

“That’s not what I meant.” Jin pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Oh!” Azure’s eyes widened, and a grin spread across his lips. “You mean, did you fuck Zadori. Well, these stone walls are awfully thick,” he knocked on the wall with his knuckles, “so I’m not really sure I would have been able to hear anything.”

“Ugh. I mean…she was still fully dressed, but…”

“Why are you so worried about it?” Azure quirked an eyebrow at him. “She would jump on your dick if given half a chance.” He mock gasped and made a surprised face. “Do you think she,” Azure lowered his voice for the next part, “raped you?”

“Oh, would you shut up, you pervert.” The elf swatted at him. “She didn’t rape me.”

“Clearly.” Azure rested his head against the wall. “She’s not like that. But still, I don’t get what the big deal is. She likes you. You like her…maybe?”

“I don’t like her.” Jin shook his head. “Not like that.”

Azure couldn’t help but feel disappointed for the princess. Unrequited love sucked. “Well, why not?” he pressed. “She’s beautiful, smart, kind. I see nothing not to like.”

“I know she’s all those things, and she’ll make a good wife for someone someday. But I am an elf, and she is a human.”

“So?” Azure didn’t see what the big deal was.

“So, I am biologically incapable of loving her. Elves don’t mix breed. It is forbidden,” Jin insisted.

“You said forbidden. That doesn’t mean you’re biologically incapable,” Azure corrected him.

The elf waved Azure’s logic away. “Whatever the case, I have no interest in her like that. The only thing I care about is finishing up all of these quests and getting my wish.”

“Sounds awfully selfish when you put it that way.”

Jin ignored him. “Speaking of which, have you seen Farrum? I did speak to him last night before we left the tavern? He saw me drunk?”

“Yes, he saw you last night,” Azure replied, eyeing the elf. “Why? And no, he didn’t come back here last night.”

“Because it’s important.” The elf forced himself to his feet. “I need to find him at some point today, but I feel a bit too ill right now.” He leaned against the wall for support.

“Do you want to go lie back down?” Azure stood, too.

“I do, but I don’t want to be in that bed when she wakes up.” Jin nodded toward the room. “I think I’ll go find something to eat. Then I’ll probably just come and sit with you here until she wakes up, if that’s all right.”

“Luckily, you won’t have to wait. Zadori got Farrum to give us another room last night, though I’m not exactly sure which one it is.” Azure looked past the elf to the next door.

“Oh, thank the Gods.” Relief was palpable in his voice. “I’d like to wash off and make myself presentable before we treat with the king again.”

“I wouldn’t call hanging out with Farrum a treat.” Azure’s eyes flew to the ceiling for a fraction of a second.

“Agreed.” Jin took a few steps towards the kitchen before pausing and turning back to Azure. “Where’s Uden?”

“Probably in some dwarf’s bed.”

“Fine. Just leave him be.” And with that, the elf continued on to the kitchen.

Azure wanted to join him, but he also didn’t want to leave Princess Zadori unguarded. His stomach grumbled in defiance, and he momentarily considering pulling one of his rations of cooked meat from his Bag of Holding to munch on while he waited for the princess to wake up, but it seemed like such a waste of stomach space when there were delicious morsels to be had in the kitchen. Azure definitely preferred the royal treatment to eating bland meat out in the field.

Luckily, it wasn’t much longer before Princess Zadori emerged from her chambers. A look of concern was etched on her face until she saw Azure sitting by the door.

“Where’d he go?” was the first thing she asked.

Though he regretted the thought, the princess reminded Azure of a girl who had woken up the morning after a party to find her bed empty of the man she’d taken to it the night before. If Jin could have disappeared completely, Azure wondered if he would have, but their fates were too closely aligned for that now.

“He’s in the kitchen getting food.” Azure stood to escort her there, his stomach rumbling the entire way.

They found Jin sitting at a short table reserved for the kitchen staff, munching on a plate of fruit. Apparently, he hadn’t wanted to bother taking it to the dining room. The servants, one in her thirties and the other probably just over eighteen, were struggling to keep their eyes off the hungover elf as they worked.

“How are you feeling?” Princess Zadori immediately walked over and placed a palm on Jin’s forehead. “You have a fever.”

“I’m not surprised.” The elf gently brushed her hand away. “I have a hangover.”

“Bring him more water.” She barked at the kitchen staff.

The older dwarven woman regarded Jin coldly as she came over and poured water into the cup in front of him. She seemed more neutral to the other two intruders in her kitchen when she asked what they’d like for breakfast.

They ate a mixed spread of fruit, eggs, bacon, and pastries. Well, Azure did. Jin and Princess Zadori mostly dined on fruit, though the princess did snag a miniature buttermilk pie. While the others ate light—the elf because he was nauseous and the princess because she likely didn’t want to look gluttonous—Azure absolutely stuffed himself. Uden was sure missing out.

“What’s the plan today?” Princess Zadori asked when they were done.

“The plan is I’m going to go sleep off this hangover the best I can. Azure, keep watch for King Farrum. Inform me the moment he returns,” Jin gave his orders.

“I will take care of you.” The princess continued to look at the elf with concern.

“That will not be necessary.” He held his hand up to her. “I need to bathe and make myself presentable.”

“I will have them draw you a bath,” she said before turning to command the servants to do her bidding.

Azure was just happy to be fed, but he was a bit annoyed that it sounded like it would be a long, dull day of hanging out in the hallway.

And he wasn’t far from the truth.

King Farrum didn’t appear until shortly before noon. Uden was with him, which was a bit of a surprise. The two seemed to be getting along swimmingly.

When they broke off from each other for King Farrum to return to his quarters and Uden to regroup with his party, it quickly became apparent that the half-imp was already drunk.

“Gods, man, you smell like you brought the tavern with you.” Azure winced away from the strong scent of dwarven ale.

“Man, these dwarves know how to party.” An ear to ear grin stretched across Uden’s face.

“What have you even been doing?” He was afraid to ask.

“What haven’t I been doing.” The half-imp hiccupped, though he quickly recomposed himself. “Gambling, drinking, fucking. I tried some arm wrestling, but dwarves are damn strong. I think I pulled my bicep.” Uden rubbed his arm. “What have you been doing?”

“Guarding.” Azure gestured to the two rooms. “It would have been nice to have your help. I’ve barely had time to take a piss.”

“Oh, poor you.” The half-imp mocked him. “You don’t have to babysit them, you know.”

“Except I do.” Azure’s eyebrows flattened.

“Well, not my problem.” Uden waved the responsibility away. “I’m going to go get something to eat.” He stumbled past Azure toward the kitchen.

With a sigh, Azure turned to go wake Jin. The elf had found the other room that King Farrum had given them, which ended up being the room to the right of theirs.

Azure knocked softly first, and upon receiving no response, knocked again a bit harder. When Jin still didn’t answer the door, Azure went ahead and barged in to find the elf curled up in the fetal position on the bed bathed and fully dressed. Sitting on the side of the bed, Azure gently shook his shoulder.

The elf woke with a start, his eyes flying around the room for a moment before he reached up to grip his head. “What is it?” he asked with a wince.

“King Farrum has returned,” Azure announced.

Jin sat up, still clutching his head. “This damn headache is brutal.” He sighed. “There will likely be no respite from it until tomorrow, but I suppose that’s for the best.”

Moving slowly, the elf found his way to his feet. Then he and Azure walked down the long hall to where Azure had seen King Farrum disappear inside one of the rooms. Upon knocking, they received no response. No matter how loudly they knocked, no one came to the door. Trying to open it revealed that it was locked.

“That son of a bitch,” Jin groaned, leaning against the door.

“What now?” Azure asked.

The elf looked beyond annoyed. “Now, I suppose we just have to wait for him.”

They returned to the room, finding Uden already passed out on the bed in the short time it had taken them to try to apprehend King Farrum. The half-imp was snoring loudly.

“This is not my day,” Jin complained before they left to regroup with Princess Zadori.

Another round of waiting ensued, and Azure decided to pass the hours crafting after they’d all run out of conversation. By the time King Farrum finally came to call on them, Azure had almost finished sewing another Large Leather Cloak.

The dwarven king did not sport the same hangover or seemingly drunk state as the elf and the half-imp had. He was as boisterous as ever, bursting into the room without warning and half-expecting everyone to bow down to him.

“How did ya enjoy yer first day of training fer the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup?” he asked, though there was the slightest twinge of mocking in his tone.

“I’m afraid I’m not quite ready for it.” Jin clutched his head as another spike of headache assaulted him.

“The best way ta train is ta keep drinking. Tomorrow is tha big day, so let’s go get our cups on.” He made a waving motion to the door before pausing. “Where’s that cheeky half-monster fellow?”

“Passed out in the other room.” Azure nodded down the hall.

“Ah. Too bad. He mighta had a chance.” King Farrum hummed and kept going.

As they walked after him, Azure flanked Jin’s side. “Should I go wake Uden up? If he’s the best chance we’ve got, then we need him to keep drinking.”

“No.” The elf shook his head. “Let him sleep it off. He’ll probably be able to drink more without a hangover. That’s why I’m not going to drink today either.”

King Farrum stopped dead in his tracks. “What?! Yer not goin’ ta drink today, pointy ears?” He sounded absolutely appalled.

“There’s not much of a point if I’m not going to be allowed to participate in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup,” Jin replied very matter-of-factly.

“Hm.” The dwarven king scratched his beard. “It would be another thing if I went down as tha first dwarf in history ta ever beat an elf at a drinking contest.” He continued walking.

“It would indeed, Your Majesty. I would be quite embarrassed. To be honest, I kind of don’t want to now,” Jin said.

They returned to the tavern. As before, it was absolutely packed with dwarves, more than there had even been the day before.

The group took their places on the stage, and the dwarven council walked up to join them. Immediately, King Farrum began whispering to Bandrom. He then expressed to the rest of his council the possibility of allowing the elf to participate in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, though it was clear that the dwarven king only meant to publicly humiliate him.

“I don’t see why not,” Bandrom said with a thoughtful expression. “He was most definitely drunk last night. I can attest to that. The odds of him beating you…” his voice trailed off.

“Are impossible!” King Farrum said gleefully.

“I don’t trust him,” Garmar grumbled from beside Bandrom, eying Jin warily.

“Bah, what’s not ta trust?” The dwarven king waved his war master’s worries away. “Sir Pointy Ears here has given us no reason not ta trust him. Besides, he’s the puniest thing I’ve ever seen. Drunk off what, half a dozen brews last night.” King Farrum slapped Jin on the back, making him lurch forward.

“If I joined, I doubt I’d make it very far. I don’t even want to drink today to practice. My hangover is too bad.” The elf reached for the cup of water that one of the barmaids had placed before him and took several large gulps.

“Bah! Yeah. He’s no threat.” King Farrum made a swatting motion at Jin as if he was insignificant. “It’s that damn half-monster I’m worried about. Thank tha Gods he’s busy sleeping it off and can’t practice some more. He almost managed ta keep up with me last night. But anyway,” he shook the concern away, “I declare that tha elf is allowed ta join as a participant in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, as are all his friends.” The dwarven king held his arms out to encompass Azure’s whole party. Then he stood to make the announcement to the crowd, tapping his half-full horn onto the table so hard that some of the liquid sloshed out. “Listen up, good dwarves from around The Realm!” As soon as the room quieted, King Farrum continued, “Tomorrow, I will go down in history as tha first dwarf ever ta beat an elf at a drinking contest. And from what I’ve seen of his tolerance,” he cast a side-eye at Jin, “so will many of you!”

The entire room erupted with cheering.

Jin gave Azure a weary look. It was apparent by his expression that he was tired of being shit on all the time by the pompous dwarven king.

Azure’s worries were elsewhere. If Uden really was their only hope, then shouldn’t they be pouring drinks into his open maw like a bunch of college guys at a frat party right now? This was no time for the half-imp to be taking it easy.

“You can have another one tonight, if you’d like,” Jin told Azure of the dwarven ale.

“I suppose I will not be participating in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup tomorrow.” It was somewhere between a question and a statement, and Azure sulked already knowing the answer.

“You can if you want, but you can only have one.” The elf smirked at him. Then his features flattened. “Honestly, I’d prefer if you didn’t even have one. I will need you at your best tomorrow.”

“Why? So I can babysit you again?” Displeasure rang clear in his voice.

Jin ignored him, turning his attention to Princess Zadori. “Will you be participating as well, princess?”

“I’m afraid it will mostly just be for sport.” She peered past the elf at Azure. “Fret not, I will stay sober with you tomorrow so that you don’t feel lonely.” The princess offered him a sweet smile, and it did help to quell some of his dissatisfaction, though Azure wondered what Princess Zadori would be like drunk. From what he’d seen the night before, she had a surprisingly high tolerance.

They did not spend as much time at the tavern as they had the night before. Jin announced that they would part and go back to their rooms the second Azure had finished his ale.

Uden met them at the entrance to the tavern as they were leaving. His eyelids were still heavy from sleep—either that or from a hangover. Azure couldn’t really tell which one.

“You guys leaving already?” he asked, then followed it up with, “I just woke up.”

“Yeah. I want to be at the top of my game tomorrow for the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup,” Jin told him.

The half-imp snorted. “As if you’d have a chance.”

“That’s why we’re counting on you.” The elf patted Uden on the back. “Don’t get too drunk to perform tomorrow,” he said before they continued on.

“I won’t,” the half-imp threw back weakly.

They returned to their quarters and debated on how to split rooms for the night. With both Princess Zadori and Jin wary of the elves, they decided to share the same room again, despite the discomfort of it. Azure stayed inside this time, rolling out his bedroll onto the floor while Jin and Princess Zadori took the bed. For as much as he wanted to keep watch, Azure wouldn’t have been able to force himself to stay awake another night if he’d wanted to. The overall exhaustion was just too strong, and the alcohol running through his system wasn’t helping. Thankfully, Jin was well enough to take care of himself, so it wasn’t such a big deal for Azure to sleep. Still, he kept his sword at his side, just in case.

They knew they would not see the dwarven king again until he was ready to receive them, so they didn’t pursue him in his quarters the following day. Instead, they waited patiently, eating breakfast and then passing the time with other things until he came to collect them.

Azure was able to finish his Large Leather Cloak before King Farrum showed up at their room a few hours before noon.

You have received the following item:

Large Leather Cloak

Defense: +2

Type: Medium Armor

Durability: 10/10

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 1.3 kg

He burst into the room with a flourish and about made Azure have a heart attack, his arms held out to his sides. “It’s time for the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup!”

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

THE REALM – DAY 329

The tavern looked a bit different today. All the tables, which had been previously spaced out, were pushed together in long rows. Tables from all over Kigboldar had been brought to fill in the missing spaces. Some had even been set up outside the tavern to take care of the overflow.

Barrels upon barrels of dwarven ale were stacked on each side of every long table for easy access. Approved drinking vessels were evenly spaced on top of the tables, one for each person participating in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. Everybody’s setup was identical to the person beside them to curb the possibility of cheating, something that Bandrom had told them had happened many times in the past.

The king’s stage was set up similarly.

“At the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, all are equal,” the scribe said with a hint of pleasure.

There were several dedicated referees walking around the area to further deter cheating, and more barmaids than Azure had ever seen inside the tavern before. It was truly an enormous event.

King Farrum led Azure’s party and all his advisors onto the stage, taking his seat in the middle of the table while his advisors sat on his right side and his guests to his left. Princess Zadori was made to sit beside him, having the highest royal pedigree, since Farrum still refused to acknowledge Jin as a king. Then the pecking order was the elf, the half-imp, and finally Azure.

“Brothers and travelers from across The Realm.” King Farrum outstretched his arms to address all those in attendance. Azure wasn’t sure how anyone outside of the tavern could hear him, but he assumed that someone was relaying the message. “Welcome ta tha 160th Quadrennial Dwarven Cup! Fer hundreds of years, we have used this challenge ta determine who among us is dwarf enough ta lead our people. Deep is our love of ale and mining, and deep within tha land does this competition take place ta honor Finborh, tha God who bore all of those in Patheana. Children of tha land, join me in this celebration of life and leadership.

“In a few moments, tha competition will begin. The rules are as follows. Each participant will have their cup filled. Then when Ebdren over there,” he gestured to a dwarf standing at the end of their table,” gives tha order, we will all drink. We will all have five minutes ta drink our ales before tha refill period. Anyone who taps out will have their cup removed and can either retire ta tha town square where festivities have been set up or wait while tha rest finish tha competition. Tha last dwarf standing wins. Of course, that will end up bein' me, but yer all welcome ta give it yer best.” King Farrum let out a chuckle and bowed to the crowd.

Few others found his joke funny. In fact, some of the dwarves shouted in disapproval, but the king ignored it. As he was taking his seat, Bandrom stood to continue the speech.

“Be the winner not a dwarf, that individual will choose the next dwarven king,” he added.

“It’s always a dwarf,” King Farrum barked at him, “and we all know it’s goin’ ta be me. Sit down, Bandrom.” He waved his counselor’s addition to the speech away.

Ebdren walked quickly to the front of the stage and raised his arms high. “Let the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup begin!”

A round of cheering erupted from the crowd, and everyone raised their horns and began chugging the contents heartily. Uden downed his pint in under 4 seconds, as did all the dwarves at the table. Jin drank as fast as he could, though he still lagged behind the dwarves.

Only Princess Zadori seemed to be nursing her drink. When the five-minute time limit was up, Ebdren rushed to the front of the stage and announced that she had been disqualified for going over. The princess stood, smiled politely at the onlookers, and bowed to them before sitting back down.

“Does that mean I get to enjoy the rest of this?” Princess Zadori asked Ebdren when he tried to take her cup.

“I’m sorry, princess, but official rules.” He gave her an apologetic look as he removed her horn from the table.

“Oh well. Perhaps some water instead then.” She batted her eyelashes at him and quickly got her way, though they brought her a cup that was visibly different from the one she had used in the competition.

Azure begrudgingly turned his full horn in as well, tapping out like Jin had told him to. It pained him that this was the only Quadrennial Dwarven Cup he’d ever attend, and he didn’t even get to do it up right.

No one else tapped out for a while, all the dwarves taking the competition very seriously. Of course, the non-dwarven participants were the first to fall, starting with the few gnomes that had come, then the humans. It wasn’t long before the only non-dwarven participants left were Uden and Jin, and Azure was amazed that the elf had lasted so long. He’d already drunk more than he had the first day, and he was showing no signs of inebriation.

Over an hour passed before the first dwarven participant quit. Thirty minutes later, the next conceded defeat. It wasn’t until they were two hours into the competition that the dwarves began dropping like flies. Still, many seemed like they weren’t even fazed by the amount of alcohol they had consumed. Azure was admittedly impressed.

By hour three, everyone left participating was glassy-eyed and slurring. Everyone but Jin. Farrum had taken note. Well, sort of. He had noticed that the elf was still in the competition, not that he wasn’t the least bit drunk.

“I’m impressed, elf. Elven tolerance must go up quickly. Either that or ye were secretly drinking in yer room all day yesterday.” He eyed Jin as if to accuse him of cheating.

“I was sleeping all day yesterday,” the elf countered coolly before downing the rest of his horn and finishing with a satisfied ahh sound.

“Shut up and drink, old man!” Uden challenged the dwarven king further. Apparently, the thought that the success of their quest was up to him had gotten to his head—a head that was swaying with every word that left his mouth.

They quieted down and got back to their drinking, though none of them looked happy about it except Jin.

Soon, no one was left in the competition besides the king, the half-imp, and the elf.

“Yer goin’ ta tap out at any moment.” King Farrum waved his finger at Jin, now recognizing the real threat at the table. “I just need ta make it through a few more.”

“I’ll never!” Uden exclaimed, even though the king wasn’t even talking to him. Then his head hit the table, and he began snoring loudly.

“Uden Namud is out of the competition!” Ebdren announced to the crowd.

My God, how is he able to hold so much alcohol, Azure thought of the elf. There was no haze in his eyes—no slurring in his voice. He wasn’t even slouching in his chair.

Two more rounds they went before King Farrum followed the half-imp’s fate. His head bobbed, his eyes closing with sleep. As he reached out to stop his head from hitting the table, he knocked his horn of ale over, and that was the end for him.

Ebdren looked from the drunk king to the sober elf to the crowd. If eyes could throw daggers, the elf would have been drowning in his own blood.

The announcer took slow, measured steps to the front of the stage, then stopped.

Bandrom stood then, the only dwarf brave enough to make the announcement. “Ladies and gentledwarves of The Realm, it appears we have a winner. King Jin Umewraek has won the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.”

The declaration was met with an outcry of booing. Several dwarves began to yell about the elf cheating, and one even threw his empty horn at the stage.

Jin was quick to stand, and Azure clutched the hilt of his Zweihander of Vengeance, preparing for a fight, though there was no way they would make it out of this alive.

“Wait, good people!” the elf shouted above the voices of disapproval. “You have not heard my decision.”

The crowd would not be tamed. Several dwarves made toward the stairs of the stage to tear Jin down from it. At Bandrom’s command, the guards had to quickly move to block their path.

“I would give the choice of who is the next dwarven king to the people! I would let you decide who is to be your next ruler!” the elf yelled several times in repetition until the crowd actually listened and began to calm. It wasn’t until everyone was silent that he spoke again. “We will hold a vote the day after tomorrow in the town square to determine the next dwarven king. Only dwarves will be allowed to vote. No gnomes. No humans. Not me. Nor any other race. Only dwarves,” he reiterated.

“Each region of The Realm should submit their one best candidate to Bandrom by tomorrow afternoon. On the following morning, all candidates will take to the center stage at the town square to tell the dwarven people why they should be the next king. Then, everyone will vote. The following day, all votes will be counted, and by that night, the new king will be announced. This is my decision as the winner of the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.”

No one stirred for several moments as they marinated on Jin’s proposal. Then whispering filled the room.

Despite their initial violent response, the dwarves seemed placated by the elf’s idea. All who had initially charged the stage receded, and a strange calm took over the tavern as the dwarves regrouped with their tribes to talk amongst themselves—those sober enough to still function, at least. A whole flood of dwarves left the tavern, just wanting to find someplace to go sleep off everything they’d drunk.

King Farrum lazily raised his head, still spouting about Jin having cheated. Of course, everyone suspected it at that point, but no one was going to accuse the elf when he had presented such a perfect solution to having the crown finally change hands after forty years of being in Farrum’s careless possession.

“Well done, lad.” Bandrom patted Jin on the back with a smile. “You have accomplished what so many others could not.”

“I should like to speak with you in private,” the elf said to him.

Bandrom had been one of the first dwarves to tap out, and Azure had gotten no sense that he was anywhere close to drunk. Even now, he was perfectly articulate.

“Of course. Let us retreat to my quarters while the masses are still dumbstruck by what has happened here today.” The scribe quickly led the way off the stage.

“Should we grab Uden?” Azure thumbed back toward the passed out half-imp.

“No. Leave him. We can meet back up with him on the king’s floor later,” Jin replied.

“I’m worried he won’t be able to get there on his own,” Azure mumbled before remembering that Uden somehow always managed to find his way around, no matter how wasted he was.

They left the tavern with little resistance. A few of the dwarves stopped Bandrom to question the rules about the elf winning, but they didn’t take up more than five minutes of his time. No one really congratulated Jin, more focused on who were the best candidates for the dwarven crown.

With Bandrom in the lead, they ascended serval floors, taking a detour at the barracks before coming upon another ramp that Azure hadn’t noticed before, perhaps because it was tucked away in the corner and not particularly wide. Guards stood on either side of it, and they let the group pass without so much as a word.

Once they reached the top, the ramp T-ed off at a long hallway similar to the one on the king’s floor. More murals adorned the walls. This time, each section displayed a dwarf in a different position of power.

It was easy to tell when they were coming upon Bandrom’s room because the wall just before it depicted a scholarly-looking dwarf sitting at a desk piled high with parchments and surrounded by stacks of books with a grand library as the backdrop.

Bandrom opened the door and ushered the group in.

The first area was mostly an office. A desk very similar to the one in the mural sat at the back of the room. Neatly piled atop it were scrolls, books, and an inkwell with a quill. Behind it stood a massive bookcase. There were a few extra chairs pushed up against one wall, which was where Bandrom directed his visitors to sit. As Azure took his seat, he noticed another door leading off into what appeared to be a bedroom.

“I suppose you wanted to come here so you could tell me how you did it?” Bandrom said to Jin once he had closed the door behind them. A sly smile was etched across his face.

“Being the royal scribe, I suspect you know how,” the elf replied calmly.

“So you did cheat?” Princess Zadori sounded a mix of appalled and confused, her eyes dancing from the scribe to Jin.

“I’m curious as well.” Azure leaned back in his seat, though he still sat tall. “You were clearly drunk the other night, yet today you seemed to have an unlimited alcohol tolerance.”

“The thing about elves having an unlimited alcohol tolerance is bullshit.” Jin waved the rumor away.

“Ah. But there is one type of alcohol that has no effect on elves whatsoever.” Bandrom’s smile broadened.

The princess gasped. “Dwarven ale.” Her head spun to look at the scribe. “That’s the real reason why elves aren’t allowed to participate in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.”

“You are correct.” Bandrom beamed.

“And you knew this all along, yet you let him compete anyway.” Azure couldn’t wrap his head around why the scribe would knowingly allow Jin to cheat.

The dwarf shrugged. “It’s been so long since elves have walked The Realm. How could I have really known when I witnessed you get so drunk right before my very eyes? Of course,” he cocked his head to the side, “I had suspected the second you said you wanted to drink something else. And as soon as I saw you drink that first cup of dwarven ale today, I knew what you were up to.”

“And you still didn’t stop him.” Azure pulled his eyebrows together.

Bandrom inhaled deeply. “Farrum dug his own grave when he publicly said that Jin could participate in the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. From that moment, it could not be taken back.”

“But you didn’t tell Farrum, even when you suspected that Jin might be up to something.” Though Azure was starting to get the picture, he was still surprised that the scribe would betray his king.

Bandrum suddenly looked weary. “Farrum was always a horrible king, but he’s only gotten worse these past few years. He’s about drained the royal treasury dry with his drinking and whoring. He’s cut our military budget so much that Kigboldar likely would not survive an attack from a neighboring country, and they all hate us at this point.

“Yes, I knew that our people would be angry if an elf won the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. I knew it might even lead to your death,” he said with grave seriousness, “but I was willing to risk it to get the crown off that dwarf’s bloated head.”

“What I have proposed is called a democracy,” Jin informed him, not the least bit offended by the fact that the scribe didn’t seem to care if he lived or died. “Do you think the dwarves will be able to choose a better leader than Farrum?”

Bandrom waved any of the elf’s doubts away. “You could throw a rock and hit a better leader than Farrum. I’m just glad that his time as king is over.”

“Speaking of which, what does that mean for us?” Princess Zadori asked, looking to Jin.

The elf sighed. “We will have to stay until this election is over. Then we can return to Finborh.”

She returned his attention to the scribe. “Will we still be able to stay on the king’s floor? Who will be king until then?”

Bandrom thought for a moment. “Since no one was chosen to replace him today, Farrum will remain on the king’s floor until the new king is voted in. As far as executive power is concerned, it belongs to the king’s counsel until then. Of course, we are not allowed to make any large changes. Pretty much, we can only act in the case of an emergency. But yes, you will be able to safely remain on the king’s floor until the new king is in place.” He nodded.

“Excellent,” Jin said. “There will be much work to be done over the next few days. Do let us know if you need anything.”

The scribe coughed. “Honestly, I think it would be best if you remained out of the public eye as much as possible. The less the dwarves know that you have to do with this, the more they will trust it.”

It was welcome news to Azure. He really did not want to have to go around handing out flyers or whatever else might be needed to get this election underway.

“Then I suppose we’ll see you at the election.” The elf stood, announcing that it was time to take their leave.

“Yes.” Bandrom led them to the door. Before they disappeared outside, he caught Jin’s attention once more. “Thank you. You have proven to be an ally to the dwarves today. I hope this can be the beginning of a beautiful relationship between your people and ours.”

The elf clasped wrists with him, and they shared a smile. “I hope so as well. Let’s just hope that your new king regards me better than Farrum has.”

“I’m sure that any dwarf who you helped put on the throne will be more than grateful. And of course, I will speak my praises of you. You are truly a man of honor.” The scribe patted Jin on the shoulder, then went back inside.

As Azure followed the elf down the hall, he had a new sense of appreciation for him. Even though it had taken a bit of trickery, Jin had done the right thing by forcing the dwarves to elect their own king. And in doing so, he had helped an entire race avoid war. For the first time, Azure felt like he was seeing exactly what made a great king.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

THE REALM – DAY 329

“You are no longer welcome here.” The guard with the hoop earrings stood in the way of them ascending to the king’s floor.

His partner stepped up to block the entrance as well.

“What do you mean we’re no longer welcome here?” Princess Zadori furrowed her brow. “I am Princess Zadori Merton, daughter of King Algrenon Merton, ruler of Patheana, and you will let me pass!”

The dwarf shook his head, a smug expression on his face. “Sorry, princess,” he used the word caustically, “but King Farrum has ordered us not to let you pass.”

“Farrum is no longer king,” she reminded him tersely.

“He is until the new king takes the throne. Now, you better get going before we decide to arrest you.” He looked past Princess Zadori dismissively.

“You will do no such thing.” She huffed.

Azure gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s just go.”

“Azure is right,” Jin stepped in, “we can return to Bandrom’s and have him find us other accommodations.”

“This is bullshit!” The princess’s anger flared, but she turned, all the same, stomping off in the direction they had come from.

“I half expected this,” Jin confessed in a low voice. “Of course, Farrum would be a sore loser. He had expected to humiliate me in front of his people, and I turned the tables on him. I’m honestly surprised he didn’t demand worse of his guards.”

“I thought Bandrom said that Farrum no longer has any power now,” Azure said as they walked side by side through the barracks.

“Clearly, that’s not quite the case.”

That became even more apparent when the guards at the ramp to the counselors’ quarters wouldn’t let their party ascend either. Word had spread fast that the elf and his companions were no longer welcome.

“We should find Uden.” Azure sighed, hoping that the half-imp was still passed out at the tavern, even though that was highly unlikely.

“Uden is on his own for now. I feel it’s best that we conceal our identities and find a way out of the public eye.” Jin dug into his bag for his Dark Cloak of Racial Concealment.

Princess Zadori followed his lead.

“Maybe we should just leave,” Azure suggested. “We did what we came to do. Shouldn’t it be enough?”

The elf shook his head. “I don’t trust Farrum not to do something underhanded to retain the crown. We need to stay. It’s only a few more days.”

“There’s nothing he can do at this point. Everyone hates him.”

“Azure is right,” the princess piped in. “It’s either the option you put forward or war. There’s no way that the dwarves won’t turn against him if he refuses to give up the crown. They’d likely storm the king’s floor and kill him themselves.”

“Besides, I’m running out of time,” Azure reminded Jin with a bit of urgency.

The elf sighed, then remained silent for several moments before finally agreeing. “Let’s go find Uden.”

They returned to The Mighty Cup, but the king’s table was empty. Despite the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup having ended well over an hour ago, the tavern was still packed. It took a bit of investigating to discern that the half-imp had left with a dwarven woman.

“Of course, he did,” exasperation rang clear in Jin’s voice.

“So, what do we do now?” Azure asked, equally irritated.

“I vote we leave him. It’s not like he’s really been sticking around since we’ve been here.” The elf shifted his weight.

“We can’t just leave him here,” Princess Zadori stood up for the half-imp.

“Why not? They like him well enough.”

“I’m not abandoning my friend,” Azure insisted.

Jin sighed again. “Well, if he’s shacked up with some woman, we likely won’t find him tonight. We should procure accommodations, then come back tomorrow. If Farrum’s guards won’t let him up onto the king’s floor, then he should know to come back here.”

Azure and Princess Zadori shared a look before the princess spoke, “That sounds like our best plan.”

Wearily, they treaded back up the floors to the market. Thankfully, the inn of that floor was just to the right of the ramp, lining the wall with the rest of the brick and mortar businesses. It was carved straight from the mountain itself. One of the larger buildings in the area, the Silver Ore Inn was two stories tall, and wide enough to support both the inn and the tavern for that floor, though the tavern was only a fraction of the size of the one that had played host to the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. This was more of a hole in the wall by comparison.

Azure did not remember seeing the innkeeper at the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup, but as far as he was aware, it was not mandatory for all dwarves to attend. Like a lot of people who were supposed to cast their vote for the President in his country, many of the dwarves probably didn’t care for the intricacies of their political system, as rudimentary as it was. This worked in the group’s favor, as the innkeeper did not know their faces or the prejudices against them.

They rented a room and ascended to the second floor. Opening the wooden door revealed two double beds. Unmerited excitement rushed through Azure from the realization that he would finally get to sleep on a bed, though he would have to share it with Jin.

He walked straight over to it and sat down, immediately disappointed with how hard the mattress was. Might as well be sleeping on the ground, Azure thought bleakly.

The room itself was barebones. Narrow, it was about 10 by 20 feet, with the two beds and a wooden table between them that held a single lantern. There was a window on the northern wall that looked out over the market. Voices of merchants loudly pitching their wares carried up into the room. Azure hoped that they would retire at night. Otherwise, sleeping might not even happen. The dwarven city seemed noisier than human cities. Perhaps the sounds echoed off the stone walls all around, making them seem louder. Or maybe the dwarves were just a rowdier bunch of people.

With nothing else to do but wait, Azure settled on the bed and began pulling Leatherworking materials out of his Bag of Holding. There was no point in wasting time when there was still plenty of daylight left. Jin and Princess Zadori decided to work on their crafting as well, with the elf sewing away at a garment while the princess mixed potions.

By the time Azure had completed another Large Leather Cloak, he had worked up an appetite.

You have received the following item:

Large Leather Cloak

Defense: +2

Type: Medium Armor

Durability: 9/10

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 1.3 kg

The thought of going downstairs to have a hot meal was tempting, but Jin shot down the idea, saying that it was best for them to remain unseen.

“I’m not the one Farrum wants to kill,” Azure grumbled under his breath.

“No, but Farrum knows we’re traveling together, and you stick out like a sore thumb in your armor,” the elf noted of Azure’s Black Wolf Armor.

“I’ve seen other people around here with black armor,” Azure argued.

“You’ve seen dwarves around here wearing black armor,” Jin corrected him, “no humans.”

Azure scowled but submitted, nonetheless.

Night fell, though the only way Azure could tell was because he was getting sleepy. He had no idea how the dwarves’ circadian rhythm worked. Constantly being underground with no sun or moon to indicate day or night had been messing with him ever since they had entered The Motionless Mountains. Azure was just surprised that he wasn’t feeling the same claustrophobia that he did when they explored a dungeon, perhaps because there were more people around as a distraction.

Bored with crafting, he sat on the edge of the bed and stared out at the market. Blessedly, most of the merchants had gone home for the night, the only ones left either busy packing up their inventory or talking to their friends.

A soft orange glow to the right caught Azure’s attention. Slowly, it became brighter and brighter, until he saw several dwarves bearing torches round the corner. As soon as he noticed they were all wearing military garb, his heart shot up into his throat, and he sank back away from the window, though not so far that he couldn’t peek over the ledge.

“What’s wrong?” the elf asked, noticing his friend’s strange reaction.

“Kigboldar military. I’m not sure if this is a regular patrol or what.” Azure could not hide the look of concern on his face.

Princess Zadori sat up straight. Then she stood to come to the window, but Jin grabbed her by the wrist to stop her.

“What’s going on?” she inquired.

There were only six dwarves, marching two by two. When they reached the front of the inn, they stopped and faced it. Azure felt a wave of nausea as one of them entered the building.

“One of them is coming inside. The others are staying out,” he informed them.

A sigh passed through the elf’s lips. “They are looking for us, no doubt.”

“What do we do?” Panic laced the princess’s voice.

“Hope that the innkeeper doesn’t remember us.” Jin cast a glance at the mortar and pestle and vials littering the bedside table. “Pack your things in case we need to make a quick escape.”

“Where would we even go?” Azure furrowed his brow at the elf, trying to keep his voice low. “There’s no backdoor to sneak out of.”

“There’s always more than one exit.” Jin did not sound convincing.

“Should we try to find it?” Princess Zadori opened her bag and carelessly swiped the table with her arm to put her alchemy components in it.

“We should sit tight. There’s no point in panicking now.”

Just as the elf finished speaking, there was a loud knock on the door.

Azure turned to Jin. “Now, should we be panicking?”

“Open it.” The elf tossed his head in the direction of the door, then quickly pulled up the hood of his robe.

The princess did the same, and they tried to seem innocuous sitting on the bed while Azure went to answer the door.

On the other side, the innkeeper stood with an apologetic expression. He glanced past Azure at the rest of his party before telling them, “Your presence is requested outside.”

“What’s this about?” Azure asked.

The innkeeper shook his head. “I do not know, but I fear that if you don’t come, there will be trouble.” There was no threat in the dwarf’s voice, only fear.

Azure cast a glance back at his friends. “Do I need to repeat what he said?”

“No.” Jin took to his feet, then walked over to the door to speak to the innkeeper. “You would not happen to know of a safe way out of here, one that could get us out of Kigboldar entirely?”

The innkeeper seemed confused for a moment. An older dwarf with graying hair and small beady eyes behind round spectacles, he was clearly not willing to risk his hide for a bunch of strangers. “There’s only one way in and one way out,” he told them.

Azure looked at the elf. “What say you?”

Princess Zadori suddenly pushed her way past them, yanking down the hood of her robe as she went. “I’ll take care of this.”

All the men could do was run after her.

“Zadori, wait,” Jin called to the princess. “What are you going to do?”

“Well, I’m certainly not going to hide.” She took the stairs at a hurried pace, then rounded the corner of the lobby and practically flew out the front door to present herself to the waiting dwarves. “What do you want?” Princess Zadori growled at them. “We will be leaving in the morning. We are just waiting for our friend.”

Most of the dwarves stood at attention while the one leading the charge, the same asshole guard they’d dealt with up on the king’s floor, stepped forward, not intimidated by the fiery princess at all.

“King Farrum has ordered your party to be arrested,” he announced with the slightest hint of pleasure.

As soon as the guards moved forward to make the arrest, Azure drew his Zweihander of Vengeance. He half-expected Jin to tell him to stop, but instead, the elf unshouldered his bow and nocked an arrow at lightening sleep. The procession toward them halted.

“If you arrest us now, I will have my father come here with dragons and burn you all out of this cursed mountain. There will not be a single dwarf left to tell the tale of what happened here,” Princess Zadori threatened, standing her ground as if she was not the least bit scared.

The leader of the guards bellowed in laughter before turning to his comrades to join in. The few that did sounded strained. After a moment, he wiped a tear from his eye and pointed at Azure and his party. “Arrest them.”

The guards surged forward again before a voice coming from the direction of the tavern made them give pause. “What’s goin’ on here?”

Azure turned his head to see several dwarves emerging from the tavern. In the lead was one of the dwarves that Azure recognized from the Sea Diggers. He wore a blue cloak over bronze armor. Unlike most other dwarves, his beard was left unfettered and wild. Red bands were tattooed around his bulging arms, and there was a grizzled, no-nonsense look about him.

“Go back to your drinking. This is no concern of yours.” The guard leader waved him away, but the seafaring dwarf did not budge.

“There is no king right now. Ya have no orders. Are ya acting on yer own?” The opposing dwarf crossed his arms over his chest.

“Farrum is our king until a new king is crowned,” the guard leader told him, though his overbearing confidence was finally beginning to falter.

“Yer not very well-read, are ye, lad?” the seafaring dwarf huffed.

“Aww, what would you know, Nuleat Kragfeet? Yes, I know who you are.” The guard held his head up tall. “The land is not your domain. You belong to Mhanuu. Your words have no weight here.”

“I am here representing all dwarves o Voflela, and while this parlay is in place, I’m every bit as much a king as Farrum is,” Nuleat countered.

The guard narrowed his eyes at the seafaring dwarf. “You’ll never be our king.”

Nuleat ignored him, addressing the other soldiers instead. “Men, would ye rather follow someone around who barely gives ye enough wages ta feed yer families? Have ye not worked all day only ta be brought back out tonight because yer…king,” he said the word like a curse, “is too cheap ta pay ye what yer worth. I’ve heard tha tales on The Great Waters that he’s been firin’ as many of ye as he can so he can spend that money fillin’ his cup at tha tavern. Is that really a man ye want to follow?” The seafaring dwarf held his arms up to the crowd.

The guards glanced at one another but said nothing.

Nuleat continued. “Farrum isn’t yer king anymore. This lad saw ta that.” He gestured to Jin. “Will ye drag him ta his death fer freeing ya? Will ye be able ta sleep with yerselves if ya do that? Sure, the elves have never been a friend o ours, but that was hundreds o years ago. A new day has dawned. Tha day o Farrum is over. The day o ye being paid a pittance fer wages is over. The day of kinship begins. Don’t mar this day with tha blood o tha man who delivered ye from Farrum’s cruel rulership.”

Whispers erupted from the soldiers, and their leader turned to them, knowing he was losing them to reason.

“Don’t listen to him! That sea-loving tyrant will never be king!” He swept his hand across his body so fast that if someone had been standing before him, they would have been given a hard slap.

“Aye, lad, I may not be who is chosen ta be tha new king,” Nuleat half agreed with him, “but whoever tha dwarven people do choose will be a heck of a lot better than Farrum. Regardless, ye will not be hurting this elf unless ya go through me first.” The seafaring dwarf walked over to stand in front of Princess Zadori and her protectors. He placed a hand on the hilt of each of the two scimitars at his sides and drew them, taking on a defensive stance. Several of the dwarves that had been with him did the same. Then others joined—dwarves not from the same tribe—until their group more than doubled the number of soldiers.

The guard sneered before returning his attention to his men. “Letting this elf decide our fate is a slight to all dwarves. We cannot allow this to stand.”

No one responded, and for several moments, the air was pregnant with silence and tension. Then one of the soldiers turned to walk away, and one after another, his brethren followed.

“Cowards!” their commander called after them. “Treasonous bastards!”

But no one was listening. They all knew that Nuleat was right. Farrum was no longer their king, and his days living on the king’s floor, enjoying an excessive life at their expense, were almost over.

Azure and Jin lowered their weapons as they watched the dwarven commander run after his troops, having no other choice in the matter if he wanted to live to see another day.

The elf jogged over to their savior, unable to withhold his appreciation any longer. “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I’m sure they would have killed us if you hadn’t shown up.”

Nuleat spit at the ground, then peered up at Jin and patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, lad. I was just doin’ tha right thing. Those guards had no business accosting ye. Heck, I’m pretty sure more than half of em hadn’t wanted ta come ta begin with.”

The elf watched the last of the guards disappear around the side of the tavern toward the ramps. “Regardless, we will be out of here tomorrow. I no longer feel safe here.”

“My men and I will do what we can ta keep ye safe fer tanight. I know things look bleak now, but know that whenever tha crown changes hands, ye and yers will be welcome in any dwarven city in all The Realm. What ye did today, I fear no other man, dwarf, or gnome could have accomplished. We are in yer debt.”

Jin smiled at him. “Well, consider your debt repaid.”

“Care ta have an ale with us?” Nuleat glanced back at the tavern. “I know the dwarven stuff isn’t much ta yer likin’, but I’m pretty sure I can rustle up somethin’ else better suited ta yer taste.”

The elf hesitated, his eyes washing over the rest of the dwarves who had come to their aid as they watched in anticipation for his decision, then his smile broadened. “Sure. I think we could have one before bed, but I will have your dwarven ale.”

There were many grunts of approval from the crowd.

They all returned to the tavern, their small combined parties filling it to the brim. Then they spent the remainder of the night enjoying each other’s company and making alliances that would hopefully last several lifetimes.

CHAPTER TWENTY

THE REALM – DAY 330

Being even more generous with his time, Nuleat and his men escorted Azure and his party to The Mighty Cup in the morning. Farrum wasn’t there, but neither was Uden. Apparently, the overthrown king had taken to sulking on the king’s floor, having an enormous amount of ale brought up to him.

“We wait until noon, then we leave without him,” Jin said to them, clearly uncomfortable still being in the dwarven city.

Even though Azure wanted to argue, he didn’t. There was no telling what had happened to the half-imp, or if they’d ever find him, and being in Kigboldar was making Azure increasingly uneasy as well. How much longer did it make sense to wait for Uden?

A little before noon, the half-imp finally made an appearance, a dwarven woman tucked under his arm as they entered the tavern together. His face lit up when he saw the group, and he detached from the woman to make faster purchase toward them.

“The Quadrennial Dwarven Cup was crazy, wasn’t it?” were the first words out of his mouth, a smile plastered across his face.

“Come on. We’re going,” Jin said irritably before turning to Nuleat to thank him for all his help.

Uden snorted. “What crawled up his ass and died?”

“Well, we were almost murdered last night.” Azure stood and narrowed his eyes at Uden. “But you keep disappearing, so you missed that.”

Soon everyone was standing. Azure retold the story to the half-imp as Nuleat and his men led the way to the great gate leading out of The Motionless Mountains. Uden had been utterly oblivious to everything that had been going on, having shacked up with the same dwarven woman that he had the night before the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. No one had so much as threatened him as he wandered around Kigboldar freely, which seemed to only piss off the elf more.

Once they were safely outside, Azure and his party said their farewells to Nuleat and wished him good luck in the upcoming election. Then they took off toward The Welcoming Summit.

The journey went much the same as it had on the way there, with a few gains to Azure’s skills.

Congratulations! The skill: Analyze has reached Level 16. This skill allows you to see how dangerous a foe is in relation to your own level. Use this skill frequently to avoid getting yourself killed.

Congratulations! The skill: Enchanting has reached Level 10, 11, 12. This skill allows you to bring the elements into you to create something new or change the things around you. Continuing to level up this skill will unlock the ability to learn more spells of the same magic type.

Congratulations! The skill: Foraging has reached Level 16. Plants collected through foraging have a variety of uses. You can sell them, consume them, or use them to create potions through alchemy.

Congratulations! The skill: Tanning has reached Level 2. This skill allows you to turn animal pelts into hides. You are now 3% more likely to create an Average Quality pelt for your efforts.

Nothing was unexpected when they reached the isthmus. Princess Zadori spoke with the Frogloks. Then they gave the ghosts a brief greeting before following the ledge that they all hated to the area of the mountain where Finborh resided. He appeared to everyone but Uden, who still hadn’t made it to level 15 for all his hunting efforts.

“We have done what you have asked of us,” Jin said to him once the great God had removed himself from the mountain to speak to them.

Congratulations! Quest: Dethrone the Dwarven King has been completed.

Farrum Dulkham refused to give up the crown on his own, but he could not ignore dwarven law regarding the Quadrennial Dwarven Cup. Though he did try, the rest of the dwarves would not allow it. A new leader now sits on the throne. For accomplishing this monumental deed, you are rewarded 375XP.

Notifications appeared in Azure’s peripheral vision telling him that both Jin and Uden had leveled up. He couldn’t help but be a bit jealous.

The amount of experience the quest had provided was disappointing compared to the one they had received to find Princess Zadori. Then again, there hadn’t been any fighting involved, so maybe it was justified.

“Whoa!” The half-imp’s eyes bulged at Finborh. “So that’s what you really look like. All this time, I thought you were just a jumble of rocks.”

The God of Land chuckled, though he quickly recomposed himself, his expression growing serious as he grumbled. “While I am pleased that you completed the task, it saddens me that dwarven leadership has passed to Voflela. Oh well, we’ll get it back at the next Quadrennial Dwarven Cup.”

Azure and Jin shared a look, and smiles lit up their face. That meant Nuleat had won the election. They knew they’d be able to count on him if they were ever in need of assistance from the dwarves.

“I’m sure that Nuleat Kragfeet will make a great king,” the elf voiced what they were all thinking.

“If he stays on land long enough to lead his people,” Finborh mumbled before refocusing his attention. “But I suppose you’re ready for your next quest.”

“Time is wasting.” Azure tapped his wrist, trying to remind the God of the deadline he’d put on Azure’s life.

“I suppose it is,” Finborh replied, almost mockingly slowly, before launching into the details of the next quest. “There has been an upset in the balance of the forest. A werewolf has come from The Deadlands and created a pack of miscreants. They’re feeding on the inhabitants of an animalkin village and have significantly reduced their numbers. I need you to go take care of this threat.”

“Animalkin,” Azure parroted, immediately thinking about Cheryl back at Hawking’s School of Land Magic. Uden had said she was deerkin, which Azure could only assume was a branch of animalkin.

Quest: Save the Animalkin

A pack of werewolves has moved into the quarrying town of Dundan and been terrorizing the nearby animalkin population. While natural born werewolves are allowed outside of The Deathlands, it is illegal for them to create hybrids. It is also illegal for them to hunt humanoid beings. Once they get a taste for human flesh, there is no going back. To protect the local animalkin population from further losses, the werewolves must be dealt with.

Difficulty: Hard

Success: Eliminate the werewolf threat in Dundan

Failure: Allow even a single werewolf to escape

Reward: Another quest

Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?

“Do this task for me, and I will reward you with your final quest,” Finborh said before stepping back toward the mountainside to merge with it.

“Wait!” Jin called to him. “How many werewolves are there?”

But it was too late. The God of land would answer no more questions for them.

“Well, that was rude,” Uden huffed. “He barely even let us speak.” He folded his arms over his chest.

“He’s a God. He probably has better things to do,” Princess Zadori reasoned.

“Like what? Sleep all the time.” The half-imp cast a disdainful look in Finborh’s direction. “It’s not like many people come out here.”

“Keep your voice down.” Azure made a downward motion with his hands, keeping one eye on the God, hoping he hadn’t heard Uden’s comment. “Don’t piss him off when my life is already on the line.”

The half-imp harrumphed. “I’m just saying that he could have given us more to go off than that. As it is, we have no idea the size of the threat, and we don’t even know where this animalkin village is. This quest is about as vague as the Keeper one. If anyone should be concerned about this, it’s you.” He turned his gaze on Azure. “It’s not like you have limitless time to get this done.”

“No, I don’t.” Azure sighed.

“But hey, at least Dundan is closer than anywhere else we’ve had to travel so far,” Jin said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Is it?” Azure perked up a bit. “How long do you think it will take us to get there?”

“A month, if we’re lucky,” the elf replied.

Azure groaned internally. In the grand scheme of things, it was still a lot of time. “Why is everything so far away?”

“Because Patheana is fucking huge. This isn’t the Adventurers Guild,” Uden reminded him. “Did you really expect that these quests would all be close together?”

“Well, I certainly didn’t expect them to all be so far away. Knowing we have to travel so far and waste so much time figuring things out stresses me out.” Azure ran his fingers through his hair.

“There’s nothing that can be done about it.” Princess Zadori shook her head. “Instead of complaining, we should enjoy the night of peace we’ll get staying here and then take off as early in the morning as we can.”

No one disagreed with her. It was an unspoken rule at that point that anytime they got a chance to stay in the safety of the cove on The Motionless Mountains, they took it as a respite from traveling on the horrible ledge. Even Azure didn’t care to waste a day for the sake of comfort and protection.

They bathed in the Pool of Recovery, first Princess Zadori, then the three men. Afterward, they set up camp by the ocean to share a meal and talk about their ordeal so far. It was one of the few times that the group was truly at peace.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

THE REALM – DAY 403

Dundan took them in a more southern direction than they had traveled before. With the passage of time and activity, Azure was able to level up some of his skills a few more times.

Congratulations! The skill: Analyze has reached Level 17. This skill allows you to see how dangerous a foe is in relation to your own level. Use this skill frequently to avoid getting yourself killed.

Congratulations! The skill: Archery has reached Level 8. This skill allows you to use a bow and arrow to defeat enemies. Aim strong and true. Archery weapons now deal 20% more damage.

The perk was a pleasant surprise. It also made Azure want to use his Obsidian Recurve War Bow more.

Congratulations! The skill: Enchanting has reached Level 13, 14. This skill allows you to bring the elements into you to create something new or change the things around you. Continuing to level up this skill will unlock the ability to learn more spells of the same magic type.

Congratulations! The skill: Foraging has reached Level 17. Plants collected through foraging have a variety of uses. You can sell them, consume them, or use them to create potions through alchemy.

A few miles outside of Dundan, the trees gave way to a large open area of grassland.

The town cropped up on the horizon long before they approached it, the white stone buildings encompassing a much larger mass of space than Azure had predicted, spanning several city blocks. Vendors lined the streets, selling their wares to the overabundance of people coming and going, mostly dwarves and gnomes with a few humans thrown in the mix. The demographic was overwhelmingly male.

“This wasn’t what I was expecting at all,” Azure mumbled as three gnomes with pickaxes strapped to their backs walked past.

“There are a lot of people here.” Jin mirrored his sentiment.

“Where do we even begin looking?” Princess Zadori peered into the street.

“I feel like this place should have their own Adventurers Guild to deal with these types of problems.” Uden’s gaze danced from sign to sign, examining the various businesses.

The elf looked up at the setting sun, shielding his eyes from it. “We still have a few hours of daylight left. Let’s secure a room at the inn, then divide and conquer.”

They did just that, diverting to the nearest inn. The name on the signage said Modest Prairie Inn, which made sense considering the landscape surrounding the town. Beneath the words was jaggedly etched grass and a single yellow flower sticking out to the right of the lettering.

To all their surprise, the innkeeper, a kindly dwarf in his midyears named Hezil Kisk, informed them that they could rent a room with four separate beds for 1 silver extra. The entire party was quick to jump on the offer. Azure and Jin also bought a map of the area from Hezil for an additional 1 silver each.

The room was disappointing. Each bed frame was made of wood, none of which seemed particularly sturdy. Upon Azure sitting down on his bed, it creaked and sunk an inch, making him afraid that it wouldn’t be able to support the combined weight of him and his armor. His excitement over having his own bed fled when he discovered that the mattress left much to be desired as well. Stuffed with straw, contained by a covering of burlap, several stalks poked through the material. The pillow was about as flat as a pancake, as if it had only been half-filled with feathers. A large rectangle of burlap worked as both sheet and comforter.

Between each bed was a small stand for a lantern. Of the two lanterns they’d been provided, one was out of oil.

A roach had skittered across the floor to hide under one of the beds as they entered, and there was a hole in the baseboard of the wall that adjoined with the next room over, which Azure was fairly certain belonged to some form of vermin.

The one window they had overlooking Dundan was tiny, unshuttered, and without glass, barely casting enough light to fill the room. Beneath it, the wooden floor was stained a dark brown from water rot. Azure dare not step on it for fear that the plank might give way.

“These accommodations are…” Princess Zadori’s voice trailed off, her eyes glued to the hole in the baseboard.

“It will do for now,” Jin stopped her before she could say more. “Hopefully, we won’t be here for very long.”

Uden walked over and peered out the window. “Too bad there aren’t more women here. I was excited to have my own bed, but I think I might find one to share instead.”

“You will do no such thing.” The elf put his foot down. “We will not have a repeat of what happened in Kigboldar here.”

“Don’t show your ugly face, and we shouldn’t get run out of town.” The half-imp gave him a sardonic smirk.

“I see no reason why we’d have to reveal our identities here.” Jin looked to Princess Zadori.

“So, what’s the plan?” Azure asked, silently dreading getting up again. Walking all day was always exhausting, but with only six months left until his death day, there was no time to waste.

“I am going to check the library,” the elf announced. “Uden, you ask around at the taverns. You’re seedy enough, so you should fit right in.” He narrowed his gaze at the half-imp. “Azure, take Princess Zadori and go speak to some of the merchants. Keep your eyes peeled for suspicious activity.”

“What exactly are we looking for?” Azure raised an eyebrow.

Jin scratched his chin. “I’m honestly not sure.”

“Should I just go up to people and ask them if they’re a werewolf?” Uden threw his hands out to his sides. “Sounds like a weak plan to me.”

The princess shook her finger in the air. “He has a good point. People around here might not even be aware that werewolves are among them.”

“They probably aren’t,” the half-imp added. “I may be half monster, but werewolves are hated even more than I am. No one likes them. They’re dangerous. If people knew about them, they would have chased them out of town already.”

“Then what do you suggest?” The elf gave Uden an irritated look.

“Can all animalkin speak Common?” Azure inquired.

“No. It’s not common, and I doubt the ones around here know it considering that I haven’t seen any in Dundan so far,” the half-imp replied.

“Animalkin typically stay away from people,” Princess Zadori informed him.

“Hm. That complicates things.” Azure dropped his gaze to the floor as he contemplated what their best course of action would be.

Jin sighed. “It’s late. Whatever we decide to do, we won’t get a lot accomplished tonight. I still want to go to the library before it closes and do some research. Maybe you guys could ask people if they’ve seen or heard of anything suspicious going on. Or perhaps ask about the location of the animalkin. We’ll come up with a better plan tomorrow.”

“Sounds good to me.” Azure forced himself up off the bed, feeling the entire weight of his tired body.

They left the room and parted ways.

As Azure and Princess Zadori walked together toward the nearest vendor, she laid out her own plan. “We will pretend to be tourists. You wanted to come to Dundan to see the great quarry here, and I have an interest in the animalkin in the area. That will make it seem more natural for us to be asking about them.” She nodded to herself.

“Then, I’ll let you do all the talking.” Azure had no qualms about pushing the work off onto her. He was mostly interested in selling the overabundance of items he’d collected along their journey anyway.

Blessedly, the nearest merchant happened to be right across from the inn. Traveling merchants seemed to be set up haphazardly around the town. There was no real designated area for them as there was in most other towns.

The gnome merchant they approached greeted them with a smile. His wares were spread out across a small flatbed trailer of sorts, mostly mining supplies and toiletries.

“Forget something during your travels?” he asked cheerfully.

“I mostly have things to sell,” Azure confessed as he began pulling Fireweed from his Bag of Holding.

“My husband and I are here on vacation,” the princess began, placing a hand delicately on Azure’s shoulder.

The word ‘husband’ made him pause for a fraction of a second. He quickly tried to recover, fighting back the grin that was pulling at his lips.

“He’s interested in visiting the quarry, but I’m more interested in the abundance of animalkin supposedly in the area,” she continued.

The merchant gave Azure a confused look as he placed a large bundle of Fireweed onto the trailer. “The quarry isn’t really a tourist attraction. People go there to work. I don’t even think they allow tourists in.” His voice had a strange buzzing to it, likely from his small stature.

Azure sighed internally, not really wanting to be a part of the conversation but feeling like he should probably speak up anyway. He straightened to address the gnome. “As you can see by my armor, I used to be an Adventurer. That’s harrowing work, though, and I about worried my wife to death when I was out on quests. I’ve been thinking of trading in my sword for a pickaxe, but I’d really like to get a realistic idea of what the work is like.

“Right now, it’s just an idea I’ve been mulling over, which is why we’re here on vacation. It’s also why I have so much to sell you.” When he was finished explaining, Azure continued rummaging through his bag, this time for Garden Cane.

The gnome rubbed his clean-shaven chin. “You’ll probably find the work equally exhausting. The best way to see if you’re up to it is to give it a try. I’m not even sure the foreman is hiring right now, though. As you can see, there are a ton of people here quarrying already.” He outstretched his arms and turned left and right to draw attention to everyone carrying pickaxes, which was practically everyone they could see.

“Oh, well.” Azure waved the thought away. “At least my wife will get to see the animalkin.”

“Speaking of which,” Princess Zadori broke in, “you don’t happen to know where we could find them, do you? We arrived from the west and only saw prairie before coming upon Dundan.”

“Everything south of here is prairie land, but to the north is the forest. Most of the animalkin belong to the traveling village of Landward to the northeast,” the gnome merchant nodded in the direction, “but it’s a bit difficult to find because it is…well…traveling. The animalkin don’t like to stay in the same place for too long. It’s not safe for them.”

“Why isn’t it safe for them?”

“Just isn’t.” The gnome shrugged.

“I don’t see why not. It’s illegal to kill them.”

“Illegal for humanoids, yes. Not for monsters. And Elderberry Woods is chock-full of monsters. If not for the abundance of elderberries, I’d think Landward would have moved out of the area already. But beyond Elderberry Woods is more prairie and then mountains.

“Animalkin aren’t too bright. They probably feel trapped in the forest, as little of it as there is left with all the deforestation that’s been going on.”

That was more of a geography lesson than Azure had expected, but it was definitely useful. From what he was hearing, it would not be difficult to find the animalkin once they entered Elderberry Woods.

“What kinds of monsters are in Elderberry Woods?” he asked.

“All kinds,” the merchant replied with a grunt, watching Azure pile his trailer with alchemy components. “I’ve never ventured in there myself. Haven’t had a need to, but from my understanding, you don’t have to go too far in to find them. Children are warned to stay out of the forest.”

“Sounds spooky,” Azure said sarcastically before pulling one of the Large Leather Cloaks from his bag and looking for a place to set it down on the trailer.

“It’s not, really.” The gnome had missed the inflection in Azure’s voice. “Just a forest, same as most others. The only difference is it’s been whittled down so much that the creatures within are now densely populated in a small area.”

Princess Zadori hummed for a moment. “I would still like to see it.” She stepped in to wrap her arm around Azure’s, causing him to pause. “Thanks to my husband’s past as an Adventurer, we’re not too worried about monsters.” The princess smiled at him with all the confidence of an amazing actress.

“Well, that’s up to you guys. Just be careful,” the gnome warned before getting busy assessing everything that Azure had to sell.

In the end, Azure managed to rake in 14 gold and 9 silver for his Alchemy components. Beyond that, he sold four of his Large Leather Cloaks for 36 additional gold. The price of them made him feel that it was worthwhile to continue practicing Tanning and Leatherworking.

Just when Azure was about to conclude the transaction, Princess Zadori picked up a small silver bracelet inlaid with turquoise stones from the merchant’s cart. “Look, hun. Isn’t this beautiful? Why don’t you buy it for me…as recompense for all the valuable information this man has given us?” She eyed Azure in a way that spoke volumes about it being an order and not an option.

“How much is it?” Azure asked hesitantly, hoping it wasn’t more than he could afford. There wasn’t much jewelry on the gnome’s cart.

The merchant walked past him to take the bracelet from the princess. “This would look absolutely lovely on your wrist, madam. And since you and your husband have been such good conversation, I can give it to you for 6 gold, 8 silver.”

Azure inwardly sighed in relief as he fingered through the coins in his palm for the payment.

The princess promptly slipped the bracelet onto her wrist, beaming with appreciation. “Thank you, sir, and may you have a blessed day.”

And with that, they walked away with Azure leading the way back across the road toward Modest Prairie Inn.

“Does that thing give you any stat boosts?” He kept his voice low as he glanced at Princess Zadori’s wrist.

The bracelet was obscured by her cloak, making it a pointless purchase if she had meant to show it off.

“A 2% resistance to cold,” she informed him. “Though I’m not sure why. The metal itself is cold on my wrist.”

They returned to their room and got busy crafting while they waited for the rest of their party to show up. About two hours later, Jin walked through the door.

Upon his arrival, the princess immediately set down the embroidery she’d been working on. “Welcome back.” She smiled at him as if his presence lit up the whole room.

“Thanks,” he replied, his eyes moving from her to Azure. “Has Uden dropped by yet?”

“Of course not.” Azure fought to roll his eyes. “You know he’ll likely be out all night.”

“Maybe we’ll find him at the tavern downstairs.” The elf sounded hopeful. “Speaking of which, have you guys eaten yet?”

Azure’s stomach grumbled at the mention of food. Princess Zadori had insisted that they wait to eat until Jin returned.

They went to the tavern attached to the inn for dinner, but Uden wasn’t there. Not bothering to wait for him, the three revealed their findings to one another. It seemed they had come up with much the same information. The elf’s, however, was missing the part about there being a lot of monsters in Elderberry Woods.

“We’ll do what we have to do,” he said, not sounding the least bit apprehensive about tackling the threat. “I think the best course of action is to find the animalkin village tomorrow. Unless Uden comes back with some more promising information,” Jin quickly added.

No one disagreed, and so their plan was set.

The half-imp rolled into their room sometime in the middle of the night, drunk off his ass. Forgetting that he had his own bed, he flopped down on top of Azure, waking him.

“Get off me. You reek!” Azure complained, pushing him onto the floor.

Uden crawled the two feet to his bed, then passed out beside it. Not surprisingly, when they woke him the next morning, he had one hell of a hangover.

“Did you find out anything?” Jin asked him.

“The people here really like to drink, and gnomes can hold a lot of booze for their size.” The half-imp rubbed his temples.

Jin made a circular gesture with his hand. “Something actually useful?”

“About the werewolves,” Uden said as if suddenly remembering his quest. He shook his head briefly. “No. Nothing.”

“Then, we leave for Elderberry Woods.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

THE REALM – DAY 404

They headed toward Elderberry Woods, weaving around the various buildings, vendor carts, and the hoard of dwarves and gnomes on their way to the quarry to start work for the day. It was not hard to find where the grassland gave way to the forest because the switch was so abrupt. Where the prairie ended, the trees seemed to have formed a thick wall, their trunks growing so closely together that Azure’s group had to search the outside perimeter for a way in.

“Well, this is unusual,” Uden noted, staring up at the large mountain ash hindering their progression into the forest.

“It’s practically nature’s Keep Out sign.” Princess Zadori mirrored his sentiment.

Azure peered through one of the gaps in the trees, though it was too small for a body to fit. On the other side, the foliage was much less dense.

“I think we can get in through here.” Jin pointed several yards ahead.

The rest of his party quickly gathered at a break between two of the trees that was barely large enough for a gnome.

“Not sure I’m going to make it with all this armor.” Azure accessed the gap.

“Then you better start stripping,” the elf said before getting down on his hands and knees to crawl through the hole.

Azure scowled and grumbled, trying to figure out some way to make it through the space without having to disrobe. It took him at least ten minutes just to get the full suit on, and some pieces had to come off in a specific order.

Watching Jin barely squeeze through the hole didn’t give Azure much hope, but he still decided to try when it was his turn. Working on sliding in sideways—the only way he could have possibly fit—it was a fail.

Twenty minutes later, Azure was successfully on the other side and suited back up.

“Do you have any idea where the animalkin are?” he asked the elf as they walked further into the forest.

“It’s not a very big forest. If we keep going straight, we should find them.”

But it was further than they thought.

Though not as densely packed as the perimeter, there were still plenty of trees to navigate around. As they traveled deeper into the forest, elderberry bushes grew en masse, limiting the number of paths they could take. Their purple berries and white flowers painted the forest in color.

After a half hour of walking, they finally came upon an area where the trees gave way to a small clearing. Almost as soon as the party had crossed into it, they heard a rustling coming from one of the elderberry bushes across the way.

Jin immediately threw his hands out to his sides to stop his party. “Be on guard,” he warned before reaching for his bow.

Everyone went on the defense, drawing their weapons in preparation to face whatever emerged from the forest. Even Princess Zadori pulled her violin out of her bag.

A hissing sound that ended in a strange squawk and chittering emitted from the bush before the head of a rooster poked out. With a red beak and crest, and hunter green feathers, it could have been a normal barnyard rooster. Except its eyes were milky white with no pupils and, what appeared to be, cracks running through them. Azure’s gaze was immediately drawn to them.

And then it looked at him.

You have been petrified. You will be unable to move for the next 15 seconds.

Every inch of Azure’s body hardened into stone. His eyes were frozen in place, staring at the creature that had inflicted the status effect on him, which appeared as a white statue in his peripheral vision. Coldness engulfed Azure, as if his very blood had frozen in his veins.

Now fully revealed, he could see that the creature was half rooster and half dragon. The crest on its head extended all the way down its back to the tip of its tail, taking on a jagged appearance. The feathers on the monster's body rounded its chest but stopped halfway down its back where scales took over. Olive-colored wings, like a bats’, extended from both sides of it, though there were still some feathers beneath. Aside from the creature's legs, which were that of a rooster but with the powerful talons of a hawk, the rest was decidedly reptilian, the tail about twice as long as the body, with a red tint to the scales on top but the same olive color as the wings on the underside.

Since Azure could do nothing else, he analyzed the monster.

Level 16 Cockatrice.

The cockatrice was not shy at all. Launching into full attack mode, it flew directly at Uden while deftly avoiding Jin’s arrows, promptly attaching itself to his face and pecking him on top of the head while digging into his flesh with its talons.

“Oh Gods, get it off!” the half-imp screamed just a moment before the creature looked him dead in the eyes and petrified him.

Uden was already off-balance, so the second he turned to stone, he began to tip over. Princess Zadori dropped her violin to catch him, unable to even get a single note in. Stone weighs more than flesh, and she could not support his weight. A cry of pain erupted from her throat as she was crushed beneath him.

By that time, the petrification status effect had worn off of Azure. The elf had managed to get his arms around the cockatrice, wrenching it from Uden’s face at the same time as he had toppled over. Azure wasn’t really sure what to do. With his friend entangled with the monster, swinging at it with his sword could be a huge risk.

The cockatrice squawked in defiance, beating its wings against Jin in an attempt to escape. Its head moved from side to side, searching for anyone it could make eye contact with. Azure would not make the same mistake twice, though killing the cockatrice would be difficult when he had to avoid its gaze.

“Try to cut off its head,” the elf yelled, clearly losing his grip.

“I’m worried I’ll cut off your head,” Azure called back, even as he readied his sword for the attack.

He definitely didn’t feel confident about this, but there was no telling what the cockatrice would do next if it managed to get loose. Whether he wanted to or not, Azure had to take the chance.

Almost blindly, he lifted his sword. Keeping one eye closed, as if that would help him any, Azure swung it in the general direction of the cockatrice’s neck, hoping his aim was far enough away from Jin. The blade met momentary resistance. Then, Azure saw the cockatrice’s head fall away, and blood spray out onto the ground. Still, its decapitated body fought against the elf.

Critical hit! Defeated Level 16 Cockatrice. 96XP rewarded.

Azure placed his boot on top of the cockatrice’s head to shield his party from its dead gaze, in case it could still cause harm. Jin dropped its body to the floor, and it continued to run around haphazardly, despite the notification that it had been defeated.

Princess Zadori remained trapped beneath Uden until he reanimated. He rolled off her, his gaze torn between the princess and the cockatrice’s headless walking body.

Meanwhile, Princess Zadori moaned as she clutched her knee. Her violin lay in pieces a few feet away.

“I think I sprained it.” She tried to draw her knee closer to her chest and then hissed in pain.

“Can you stand?” Jin offered her his hand.

Azure was equally transfixed by the beheaded half-bird half-dragon, and he was apprehensive about lifting his foot. If the body was still alive, then the head could probably still impose the status effect on whoever was unwise enough to look at it.

“Should I stab it?” he asked only a moment before the headless cockatrice finally toppled over onto its side. The feet were still kicking as if trying to find purchase in the earth.

Jin made a humming sound as if he was unsure. “Might be for the best.”

Reaching as far as he could without taking his foot off the head, Azure slashed down at the body, but it spasmed out of the way.

Uden huffed. “I’ll do it,” he said before stabbing the body with both of his daggers.

The cockatrice’s chest fell as if exhaling a breath. It kicked its right foot one last time, one of its wings twitched, and then it stilled, succumbing to true death.

“Well, that was exciting,” the half-imp muttered, reaching up a hand to trace one of the deep gashes that the cockatrice’s talons had left across his cheek.

Princess Zadori cried out as she stood, then immediately fell against the elf. If she hadn’t been in so much pain, she might have blushed, but now was not the time for romantic feelings.

“Are you going to be able to walk?” Jin’s voice was full of concern.

“I think hobble would be the more appropriate word.” She glanced back at the violin and frowned.

“It was small, but it was nasty,” Azure said his parting words to the dead cockatrice.

“Indeed. You know,” Uden looked at Azure’s foot, “you’re going to have to take your foot off it eventually. I wonder…was it moving while the body was wriggling about?”

“I’m not sure. I was putting all of my weight on it,” Azure confessed.

“I bet the head is where the value is.” The half-imp continued to stare at Azure’s foot.

“If you want it, be my guest.” Azure began lifting his toes.

“Nah.” Uden quickly looked away. “It’s probably ruined now anyway.”

“We should proceed with caution.” Jin kept his gaze ahead, his arm wrapped around the princess for support. “We don’t know how many more of those are in the forest.”

“Cockatrice usually wander alone, so I don’t think there should be many more nearby,” Princess Zadori informed them.

“You never know.” The half-imp stood and dusted himself off.

“Better to be safe than sorry,” Jin agreed.

They continued on, though at a much slower pace now that the princess was limping. Azure thought it would probably be better to turn around and take her back to the inn, but he knew that the elf would not have their party split up.

The elderberry bushes slowly grew sparser, and trees filled in to take their place. Azure couldn’t outstretch his arms without touching two trees at once. There was other vegetation now, too. Vines crawled up the trees’ trunks and hung from their branches, looking unnaturally tropical, and large cacti and fungi sprung up in random places. It was an odd mix of foliage that was typically regional in Azure’s world. Seeing it all in the same place was a bit unsettling.

“This forest is weird,” he commented as they passed by one of the cacti that was easily as tall as he was.

As if responding to the insult, Azure heard a drumming sound in rapid succession followed by a painful stinging in his back.

Critical Hit! Level 19 Barbed Cactus delivers 115 damage.

“Gah!” Azure lurched forward as if he had just been shot.

The entire party turned to see that the cactus they had just passed had come after them. It moved silently on roots that had clods of dirt attached to them, slithering over the ground like dozens of snakes. Plantlike in all other aspects, the only additional monster quality that the sentient cactus possessed were two orange horizontal slanted slits that were its eyes.

This particular cactus was tall and lean, with four arms coming off it in various places. It emitted a strange sound as it tried to move its arms, like balloons rubbing against each other, though their mobility was greatly limited. There was no way the cactus could thrash them to death, so what movement it did have in its limbs seemed a bit pointless.

With Jin busy supporting Princess Zadori, he was out of the fight.

Uden was the first to spring into action, pulling two daggers from his belt. He knew better than to get close. The spines of the cactus were clearly dangerous. Though it couldn’t move its arms much, it was evident that it could shoot the spines from somewhere on its body.

Both daggers hit their mark, sticking into the cactus’ body with the sound that a knife makes slicing through a watermelon. Clear liquid leaked from the wounds, and the forest filled with the scent of water. If the cactus was in pain, it could not vocalize nor express it.

Azure drew his sword, taking a more close-quarters approach to combat, even though he feared he might get blasted by the spines again. If Uden’s daggers hadn’t taken the cactus down, then it probably needed to be cut in half. Clearly, it possessed the ability to process thought, so if he severed its head from the rest of its body, it should die.

With surprising agility, the top of the cactus bent back like a kid doing the limbo to avoid Azure’s attack. His sword sailed over the sentient plant’s head, the momentum momentarily throwing him off balance. The cactus’ head ricocheted back, but Azure stumbled to the side just in time to avoid being hit.

Uden sidestepped and threw two more daggers into the cactus’ side, making no more leeway than before. It seemed that aside from causing it to bleed, piercing the cactus did little damage. At least, none that was discernable by its behavior.

As soon as Azure had righted himself, he took another swing. There was a subtle darkness to the cactus’ eyes that were pointed in the half-imp’s direction. Azure could only assume that was the monster’s pupils, and that it was distracted by Uden’s attack. Whatever the case, he did not miss again, his sword slicing diagonally through the cactus’ body about two-thirds of the way up, cleaving it asunder.

Like a scene from an anime, the top part of the cactus slid off the bottom part and fell onto the floor. What had appeared to be the cactus’ feet rooted themselves into the ground and kept the remainder of its body stationary. The orange eyes on the top portion closed and disappeared, not even slits remaining. It seemed as though the monster had turned back into a plant. Only the notification that Azure received confirmed otherwise.

Defeated Level 19 Barbed Cactus. 133XP rewarded.

Congratulations! You are now Level 16! Your base stats have been boosted. You have earned 3 points to assign to your characteristics. Please note that adding points to some characteristics (Vitality, Intelligence, and Strength) will further boost your base stats. You may also advance any 1 skill of your choosing by 1 level.

Finally! It felt like it had been forever since Azure had last leveled up. With no combat in Kigboldar, gaining experience had been a slow-going process.

For as excited as Azure was to be able to upgrade a skill and assign his characteristic points, fighting the barbed cactus and the cockatrice had taught him that Elderberry Woods was definitely dangerous. Being on guard was far more important than focusing on his character sheet right now.

“Congratulations,” Jin told him quickly before immediately turning his attention to Uden. “Help her walk. That cactus was dangerous. You guys were lucky you didn’t need me.”

“Luck is always on my side,” the half-imp countered before snorting. “I got two critical hits.”

The elf cocked his head to the side. “Critical hits that did seemingly no damage.”

“It bled!” Uden gestured to the cactus before bending to retrieve his daggers from it.

“Like a fruit salad.” Azure chuckled to himself, though it was a lame joke. “I wonder if we can drink this.” He tried to peer into the cactus’ body, but pain shot through his back, reminding him that he still looked like a pin cushion from behind. “Could one of you help me?” Azure asked, not daring to try to take the spines out himself.

Princess Zadori detached herself from Jin and hobbled forward, quickly getting to work pulling the thick needlelike projectiles from Azure’s back. By the time she was done, at least a dozen bloody cactus needles lay at her feet.

She rummaged through her bag for vials while Azure continued his examination of the cactus’ body. The liquid inside appeared to be water. He narrowed his gaze, noticing something suspended a few feet down. Azure reached his arm in, which immediately garnered him scorn from the princess.

“Hey! I was planning on collecting some of that!” she complained, but Azure ignored her in lieu of the notification he had just received.

“Would you look at that.” He held the small white pearl up for everyone to see.

You have received the following items:

Ivory Pearl

Item Class: Common

Quality: High

Weight: 0.1 kg

Uses: Crafting.

“What is it?” The elf took a few steps forward.

“Let me see.” Princess Zadori motioned for Azure to hand the pearl over. When he did, she took a moment to examine it. “This is a great find.”

“How much is it worth?” Azure’s greed surged.

“About thirty gold,” she informed him before handing it back. “I’m still disappointed that you ruined the water,” the princess frowned at him briefly, “but the pearl is probably worth more anyway.”

“Well, now we know there is loot in them. If it’s worth that much, then I’m going to cut down every cactus in this forest.” Uden smirked.

“We don’t have time for that,” Jin chastised him. “Besides, not every cactus in this forest is sentient.”

“You don’t know that.” The half-imp shook his head before outstretching his arms. “For all we know, they could all be alive, and this was the only one brave enough to attack us.” He pulled two daggers from his belt and backstepped a few feet before turning to approach the next closest cactus.

They all watched with a bit of impatience as he sliced it open. With his daggers, it took the half-imp a bit longer to saw the top off of the cactus. It did not uproot itself, nor did it attack.

When Uden finally had the top off and was peering inside, Azure asked if he had found anything. Jin practically spoke over him, inquiring if the half-imp had even received an experience notification.

“Nothing.” Uden scoffed at the plant, slapping the top of it with his hand and sending liquid spilling out over the side and spraying onto a nearby tree.

“You’re just wasting your time.” The elf crossed his arms over his chest. “Now, come back over here and help Zadori walk.” He nodded toward the princess.

The half-imp simply stood there for a moment, seemingly confused about how to split his discontent. Wanting to continue his quest of slaying all the nearby cacti, the thought of being Princess Zadori’s crutch wasn’t exactly appealing to him. Still, he would never deny the chance to be close to her. Withholding the urge to grumble under his breath, Uden fell in line, offering the princess his aid.

Azure stayed on guard as they continued through the forest, eying every cactus they passed in fear that he would get shot in the back again. When none did attack him, he wondered if perhaps speaking had roused the barbed cactus to life. Whatever the case, in a forest this dangerous, it was probably better to keep quiet.

A rustling sound coming from one of the elderberry bushes up ahead made them all give pause. They all drew their weapons, unsure of what monstrosity to expect next.

The first thing that appeared through the foliage was the twitching nose of an overly large rabbit. A second later, the rest of the face followed, creepily human. It pushed through between two elderberry bushes until it was in an open space, then stood up on its hind legs, extending to full height. The humanoid rabbit was easily eight feet tall, with ears and all. Soft white fur covered its face, and there was a tuft of longer hair atop its head. Though it had human cheekbones, this particular creature looked far more animal than Cheryl had back at Hawking’s School of Land Magic. Completely naked, the party could see its form well. The top half was mostly humanoid but still covered in fur. From the waist down, it was just an oversized rabbit. As its nose twitched, its oversized dark brown eyes scouted the forest. Then it spotted them, and it immediately bolted back into the bush.

“Wait!” Princess Zadori reached out to the rabbit, but it was already gone.

“Well, guess we better go chase the white rabbit.” Uden didn’t sound the least bit excited about it.

Azure wondered if he knew the reference.

“You guys can catch up to us.” Jin was already taking large strides in the rabbit’s direction.

Azure jogged after the elf. The element of surprise was lost with Azure’s armor clanking as he moved. In hindsight, it probably would have been wiser for him to have switched places with the half-imp, but they couldn’t have predicted that the first animalkin they’d encounter would flee from them.

He and Jin didn’t have to go very far before they came to a large hole in the ground in front of a tight cluster of trees. Using his Tracking skill, Azure could see that the footprints were fresh. More than likely, the rabbit they’d just seen had used the hole to escape.

“Bullocks,” Azure grumbled before looking to the elf, who had crouched down and was grunting into the hole. It was strange behavior, but Azure didn’t have time to question it. “Should we go in?”

Jin stood, his eyes glued to the hole. It looked like it went straight down, then curved at a sharp angle. Once they dropped down into it, they’d most likely have to crawl. Darkness covered up their view of what was inside. “It’s probably not safe,” he decided. “We should wait for the others.”

Since they hadn’t gone very far, it didn’t take long for Uden and Princess Zadori to catch up.

“I see it outwitted you.” The half-imp jabbed at them.

Jin sighed. “It went in there.” He pointed to the hole.

“Lead the way, fearless leader.” Uden nodded toward the hole.

Princess Zadori pressed further into his grasp. “I do not want to go in there.”

“Don’t worry, princess. I’ll protect you.” The half-imp rubbed her shoulder soothingly.

“None of us want to go in there, but I fear it’s inevitable.” Jin kept his eyes locked on the hole.

“I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to maneuver with my injured leg,” Princess Zadori continued to argue.

As she and the elf discussed whether they should all enter the hole, Azure decided to look around the surrounding forest. Peering behind the cluster of trees, he saw another hole just on the other side of them.

“Hey guys,” Azure called to his friends, “I think the hole just ends here.” Activating his Tracking skill again, it was quickly confirmed that the footsteps leading out of the hole were also fresh.

The group examined both sides of the hole for a few minutes before Jin ordered Uden to crawl through it. Though he was reluctant to agree, eventually, the half-imp gave in. As suspected, it wasn’t long before he entered one side and emerged out the other, confirming Azure’s theory.

“Well, that was a colossal waste of time,” Uden complained. “That rabbitkin is probably miles away from here by now.”

“Then we’ll just have to track it,” Jin said. “With feet that large, it shouldn’t be that difficult. But let’s be stealthy about it. We don’t want to spook it again. Best case scenario, we’ll be able to sneak up on and subdue it.”

They all activated Stealth and followed the footprints. Traveling closely together, they kept each other in sight while they moved. The only problem was that, unlike the winding path that the forest had cut for them, the tracks led straight through dense foliage, causing them to have to muscle their way through brush and bushes, killing their Stealth. Azure had to reactive it so many times that he wondered if there was even a point in trying to be stealthy.

Pushing through a final set of bushes, a large clearing awaited them. Within it was at least a dozen different animalkin, all frozen like statues as if they thought they could not be seen if they remained still.

It took Azure a moment to realize that they were in some sort of small village, though it was unlike anything he had seen before. There were no houses, just a mess of holes in the ground.

Several human-sized squirrels clung to the trees and sat atop their branches, their bodies a mix of creature and animal.

The white rabbit they’d seen was there at the back of the clearing. Its body was facing a deerkin, this one decidedly male by the look of its ten-point rack, but its head was pivoted toward Azure’s party. Another rabbitkin stood next to one of the holes, this one with brown fur. Azure was expecting it to dive into the safety of the burrow at any moment. Of the rest of the animalkin on the ground, all appeared to be female deerkin.

The male deerkin was the first to move. It snorted at them, pawing the ground with one of its hooves before taking a few steps forward and lowering its antlers threateningly. Jin immediately began to make similar noises at it, though he didn’t move.

“I could really have used my violin right now,” Princess Zadori grumbled, following it up with, “I wish I knew what they are saying.”

Azure had quickly caught on that the elf could speak animalkin, but he was still worried that the animalkin might all group together and attack. While the male deerkin had sharp antlers, the rest of the animalkin appeared to have claws. He couldn’t convince himself that they were completely defenseless.

After a moment, the male deerkin stopped posturing and took on a more relaxed stance. A few minutes later, Jin turned back to his party.

“What did he say?” Princess Zadori asked with more excitement than the situation mustered.

“He doesn’t have much in the way of information,” the elf confessed. “From what I gathered, the werewolves have been hunting them for months. When we found them, they were preparing to move again.

“I’ve convinced them to stay and let us camp out here on the night of the full moon to hunt the werewolves. Since they don’t travel into Dundan, they can’t even begin to discern the identities of the werewolves. However, he did mention that the alpha is an overly large grey wolf. He said that the alpha typically leads the werewolves to them but does not participate in the hunt himself.”

“And how many of them are there?” Uden asked.

“Six.”

The half-imp looked from Jin to Azure. “Two for each of us.”

Jin shook his head. “Not if one of us has to focus on the alpha.”

“True.” Azure nodded.

“This is going to be a group effort,” the elf continued. “We have two more days and one more night before the full moon. Tomorrow, we need to see if we can find a way to have Zadori’s violin fixed. The following day, we should come build a blind in the trees.” His gaze rose to where one of the Squirrelkin was clinging. “I want her off the ground, out of their reach.

“I’m thinking that I’m going to have her cast Prisoner’s Lament on the alpha. Then I’ll come in from the ground and try to finish him quickly.”

“I won’t need my violin for that,” Princess Zadori reminded him.

“I know, but there is no telling if my plan will even work. If Prisoner’s Lament doesn’t work, I will need you to be able to cast Lullaby as a backup plan.”

“Why not just have her cast Lullaby first?” Azure argued.

“If that doesn’t work, the element of surprise will be lost,” Jin told him. “I’d rather her start with Prisoner’s Lament.”

“You’re still leaving us out.” Uden shifted his weight, clearly irritated by the lack of inclusion.

The elf finally looked at him. “You will take on the two lowest level werewolves. Azure will take the other three. The second I am free, I will join you. We cannot let a single werewolf escape.”

“It will be a bloodbath.” A smirk pulled at the corner of the half-imp’s lips.

“It will likely not be easy.” There was a twinge of disapproval in Jin’s tone.

“Whatever the case, it will be done. It has to be,” Azure said, thinking about how they could not afford to let a single werewolf slip away because he didn’t have the time to waste.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

THE REALM – DAY 405

Azure’s group spent a good portion of the next day asking around for someone who could repair Princess Zadori’s violin. Their efforts led them to a gnome lounging at The Giant Dog tavern on the other side of town, but when he examined the splintered pieces of the instrument, he confessed that the type of wood used to make her particular violin was not native to the area. Replacing it with a lesser top would render the magic properties of the instrument useless. Ordering the wood or crafting her a completely new violin would take several days. Even with additional financial incentive, there was no way it would happen before the night of the full moon.

“Well, that cuts out plan B. It looks like we’ll just have to work with what we’ve got,” Jin said as they stood outside the tavern.

“I wish I knew more songs for my other instruments,” Princess Zadori muttered to herself.

“I suppose it’s not the greatest loss. You probably wouldn’t have had enough time to switch from your drum to your violin anyway. And this way, you can easily switch to Fearful Boom if one of the werewolves tries to attack you.” The elf soothed her a bit.

Visiting the merchant in front of Modest Prairie Inn, each man bought a Rusty Axe for 3 silver. Jin also purchased nails and a hammer, while Azure took the time to sell his Ivory Pearl, which he earned 35 gold for.

You have received the following items:

Rusty Axe

Attack: +1-5

Type: One-Handed Weapon

Durability: 30/30

Item Class: Common

Quality: Average

Weight: 2.0 kg

That night, Azure finally got a chance to check out his character sheet and assign his points. It felt like it had been a lifetime since he’d actually looked at it.

Name: Azure

Race: Human

Level: 16, 5% of the way to next level

Health: 440 / 280 (440)

Mana: 340 / 290 (340)

Stamina: 275 / 265 (275)

Vitality: 14 (30)

Intelligence: 15 (20)

Strength: 13 (17)

Agility: 8 (18)

Dexterity: 7 (13)

Charisma: 5 (7)

Luck: 8 (10)

Skills: Archery Lvl 8; 1% of the way to next level

Stealth Lvl 4; 28% of the way to next level

Analyze Lvl 17; 54% of the way to next level

Cooking Lvl 13; 95% of the way to next level

Alchemy Lvl 6; 0% of the way to next level

Foraging Lvl 15; 54% of the way to next level

One-Handed Weapons Lvl 4; 10% of the way to next level

Tracking Lvl 1; 60% of the way to next level

Two-Handed Weapons Lvl 7; 4% of the way to next level

Fishing Lvl 1; 10% of the way to next level

Drinking Lvl 1; 40% of the way to next level

Land Magic Lvl 2; 40% of the way to next level

Enchanting Lvl 14; 24% of the way to next level

Mining Lvl 3; 60% of the way to next level

Tanning Lvl 2; 80% of the way to next level

Leatherworking Lvl 1; 30% of the way to next level

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Cheoksum

Since he used so much Mana while they traveled, Azure decided to sink all three characteristic points into Intelligence, hoping he wouldn’t regret it later. Still, he didn’t really feel like he lacked much anywhere else.

As for his skills, it was between Archery and his Two-Handed Weapons skills. Since Archery was already at a higher level and thus would take longer to level up again, it was super tempting to upgrade the skill. But the truth of the matter was that Azure felt like his Two-Handed skill was far more vital in combat. After a few more minutes of considering it, he decided to level up that instead.

Congratulations! The skill: Two-Handed Weapons has reached Level 8. This skill enables you to use all manner of two-handed weapons to defeat enemies. Increasing your Strength will make them easier to wield.

The following morning, they headed back toward the forest. Wanting to have an easy way in and out, they decided to chop an opening in the tree wall, but they were quickly stopped by one of the villagers, who informed them that the trees surrounding the perimeter had actually been planted there to keep the monsters from entering the town.

Azure frowned at this, realizing he would once more have to undress to fit through the small crawlspace.

Princess Zadori’s leg was mostly healed, so they were able to proceed at a normal pace, which was good because their journey back to Landward was not without peril.

When they were barely beyond the protective tree barrier that separated Dundan from Elderberry Woods, they were attacked by another sentient cactus. Since it was impossible to tell which cacti were alive and which were just plants, it got the drop on them, pelting the princess as they passed.

Uden drew his blades, throwing them in rapid succession. The first struck its mark, but the second sailed past the cactus. This monster was much smaller than the barbed cactus that had attacked them, about two feet shorter and with only two arms. Upon closer examination, Azure discovered why.

Level 14 Pointy Cactus.

It was a different species, and thankfully much weaker.

The cactus counterattacked, shooting spines at the half-imp. He deftly jumped out of the way, and they ended up lodged in the trunk of a mountain ash behind him, making a drumming sound as they struck. Seeing them penetrate wood reminded Azure of the force that had gone into the attack.

“Help her take the spines out. We’ve got this,” Azure told Jin, not wanting the princess to have to suffer any longer than necessary.

“Not until this battle is over,” the elf replied stubbornly.

Uden moved in to attack again, but this time, the cactus was onto him. He ended up getting pelted in the chest with spines before he was able to deliver a blow. The half-imp recoiled back with a hiss of pain.

Behind them, a soft melody began to disperse over the forest. Princess Zadori had taken out her flute, though Azure couldn’t begin to guess what song she was playing. He waited a few seconds for the cactus to have some sort of reaction to it, but it didn’t.

Jin was busy circling around the cactus so that they could cage it in. The caution he was using seemed entirely unnecessary. It also drew the cactus out of Azure’s reach as it centered between the three men.

Azure stood with his sword ready, wanting to dash in and attack but also not wanting to leave the princess unprotected. He was pretty much using his body as a meat shield at this point. Taking a chance, he swung his sword at the cactus, but it was easily able to bend out of the way.

As soon as it arched back, Uden jumped toward it with both blades in a vicious downward attack. Since it was much thinner than its larger counterpart, he was able to slice all the way through it, delivering a killing blow.

“That’s what you get, motherfucker.” The half-imp spat at the decapitated cactus’ head.

"So much rage." Azure smirked at him.

"Like you did anything." Uden curtly nodded at him. "I defeated the whole thing singlehandedly."

"Bravo!" Jin mock-clapped. "You defeated an enemy one level lower than you. Would you like a prize?"

"Oh, shut it, pointy ears. I'm about to get my prize…once I get these damn spines out of my chest." He began to pick at them grumpily.

Azure just shook his head, unable to keep the smile from his face as he turned to Princess Zadori. She had stopped playing the song and was placing her flute back into her bag.

"That was lovely. What was it?" Azure asked.

"Bard Protect," the princess replied with a wince of pain.

"Here. Let me help." He stepped up behind her and began removing the spines as carefully as possible.

A bloom of red wetted the back of Princess Zadori's cape, making Azure feel bad for the pain he was causing her.

Once the princess was doctored up and the half-imp had collected his loot from the body of the pointy cactus, they continued on, getting about halfway to Landward before they heard a familiar squawking and chittering coming from one of the elderberry bushes in their path.

Azure would not soon forget that sound. Still, he was a bit confused about where to set his gaze, wanting to see the cockatrice before it emerged from the foliage.

Fearful of its petrifying ability, Azure haphazardly shot an arrow in the direction of the sound. To his surprise, it seemed to hit. A loud squawk emitted from the bush before the cockatrice angrily stalked out, its head bobbing at each person in their party, searching for its attacker, Azure's arrow tucked beneath its right wing.

“Chicken for dinner tonight!” Uden called out as he moved in to attack, pouncing on the cockatrice and stabbing both of his daggers into its meaty side.

“I’ll play Song of Silence. It shouldn’t be able to petrify anyone while I’m playing.” The string of words came out in a rush as Princess Zadori dug into her bag for her flute once more.

Azure didn’t even give her time to play. The cockatrice’s neck was extended in pain from Uden’s attack. Azure quickly finished the fight by chopping off its head.

Critical hit! Defeated Level 16 Cockatrice. 96XP rewarded.

They left the decapitated bird behind and moved on, not encountering another foe until they had almost reached Landward. The cacti closer to the animalkin village were particularly thick. Despite Azure keeping an eye on every one that they passed, he wasn’t quick enough to warn his party when one of the larger cacti came to life.

Perhaps pissed off that he was actually watching, the cactus attacked him first. Azure turned just in time to avoid a chest hit, though his arm and shoulder got pelted instead.

Level 19 Barbed Cactus delivers 95 damage.

Princess Zadori immediately began to play Bard Protect. With the song in place, Azure was less worried about leaving her side. He drew his sword and slashed at the cactus at an angle, cutting halfway through its face, though the blade hadn’t reached far enough to cleave it in half. Water dripped from the deep wound into the cactus’ right eye, causing it to squint, the first real sign of any type of facial expression.

Critical hit!

Still, with the cactus three levels higher than Azure, the critical hit was not enough to defeat it. It retaliated by pelting him again. Holding his sword in front of him, Azure’s forearms took the brunt of the damage, getting painted with the spines.

Level 19 Barbed Cactus delivers 95 damage.

It was a large amount of damage to take all at once. Already, Azure felt weak from the pain alone. If they didn’t defeat the monster soon, he’d have to fall back and drink a healing potion.

Uden rounded the cactus and dashed in from behind. Putting all his strength into the attack, he dug both daggers into the cactus’ back, then used his body weight to drag them down until he was practically on his knees. Water spilled out of the wound, dousing him until his hair and clothes were dripping. The cactus arched back, its eyes seeming to widen for a fraction of a second. Then they closed, its roots dug into the ground, and it remained still.

“Well, that seemed to do the trick.” The half-imp pulled himself back up to his feet, wiping his face with the back of his arms before licking his lips. “Mmm, tasty.”

Princess Zadori stopped playing Bard Protect and came to Azure’s aid, though she was far less gentle than he had been with her when it came to pulling the spines out. He winced as she removed them in rapid succession.

“Hopefully, there aren’t any more of those before we reach Landward,” she mumbled before looking up at him. “You should drink a healing potion.”

“I’m beginning to think we should make your platform out of these things.” Uden tore a large piece of the cactus off to look inside it for loot, though his efforts were fruitless. The cactus was empty.

Jin bent to pick up the piece that the half-imp had thrown on the floor, examining it for a moment before dropping it again. “Not strong enough.”

“I don’t think he was serious.” Azure screwed his face at the elf.

“Hurry that up and come on. Landward isn’t much further ahead. We need to get this done before night falls.” Jin looked up at the setting sun.

As soon as the princess had removed the last spine from Azure’s arm, they were on the move again.

It wasn’t much longer before they came upon the animalkin village. Like before, all the animalkin froze upon their entry, several looking like they wanted to flee. The male deerkin postured at the elf while they snorted at one another. Then everything settled, and the animalkin continued going about their business except for one squirrelkin, who skittered down from the tree it was perched in and came to stand next to Jin.

This particular squirrelkin had a chest that jutted out and a long, thin tail that flicked while she chittered. Her curled hands ended in thick black claws.

After a moment, she slowly moved away from them, walking a few yards before looking back.

“She wants us to follow,” the elf informed them before adding, “She thinks she’s found us a good vantage point.”

The squirrelkin led them a little ways outside of Landward to a mountain ash in the middle of a very small clearing. Once she stopped, she stood up on her hind legs and turned back to Jin, chattered softly before pointing up the tree’s trunk. When she had finished chittering at him, she bound back off toward Landward.

“What did she say?” Princess Zadori asked.

“She said this is the best tree for your vantage point because the werewolves will likely come from the direction of Dundan. They like to drive the animalkin into clearings like this because it makes it easier for several werewolves to attack at once. I tried to tell her that we needed to get you closest to where she thinks the alpha will appear, but she seemed a bit confused. Perhaps something got lost in translation.” He scratched his chin.

“If the animalkin haven’t been attacked in this particular location before, then there’s no guarantee the werewolves will even come this way.” Uden commented, surveying the area.

“No,” the elf agreed, “but they’ll definitely set upon Landward if the animalkin stay there. You and Azure will Stealth yourselves inside Landward to be ready to attack when the werewolves arrive. Zadori and I will wait out here, hoping to spot the alpha.”

“I’m not too keen on the idea of us all splitting up,” Azure confessed. “We don’t even know how strong these werewolves will be.”

“Whatever the case, the alpha will be the strongest. The alpha is always the strongest of his pack. As long as we can take care of him, we should be able to hunt down the others.”

So as not to seem too obvious, they chose a small mountain ash about a tenth of a mile past Landward to chop down and use to make the tree stand for Princess Zadori. With the effort of all three men combined, they were able to fashion it in under an hour. After that, they employed the help of one of the squirrelkin to carry it up high into the designated watching tree and hammer it in place. Then they had the squirrelkin tie a rope to it and throw it down so that Princess Zadori could climb up.

“Don’t look up my skirt,” she told Uden and Azure before she began her ascent.

Of course, the half-imp didn’t listen. Azure admittedly stole a peek or two as well while Princess Zadori was distracted by trying to see how far away from the top she was.

For several moments, they worried that the climb would be too much for her, but she eventually made it, panting and sweating by the time she had herself situated in the seat. It looked a bit dangerous to Azure, and he hoped that they’d nailed the thing together securely enough. If the princess fell from such a height, she would definitely sustain an injury.

“Tie the rope around the tree and your waist,” he instructed as she was hoisting it up, hoping that would give her some extra stability.

She did as she was told.

“How far can you see?” Jin asked her.

Princess Zadori peered off into the distance. “Pretty far.”

“I doubt she’ll be able to see much in the dark.” Uden stared up at the princess but spoke to the men on the ground. “It probably would have been smarter to send me up there.”

“You don’t have the spell,” Azure reminded him. “And you also don’t need to be protected.”

“Werewolves are serious business. We’d all do better to stay ranged for as long as we can.”

“All right.” The elf turned his attention back to Uden and Azure. “Let’s get into position.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

THE REALM – DAY 406

Azure leaned against one of the mountain ash trunks just outside of Landward. Stealthing himself seemed almost pointless. Every once in a while, one of the animalkin would silently stalk by and about scare him half to death. Luckily, he knew better than to have his bow ready until the moon rose. Otherwise, Azure might have shot one by mistake.

Like in the myriad of werewolf movies he had seen in his time on Earth, Azure thought he would hear the werewolves long before they made an appearance—that the lycanthropic howl would carry over the forest, warning of impending doom for whichever animalkin were unlucky tonight. But the only sign that he had of their arrival was the frantic pattering of feet and watching a rabbitkin whiz past him, running for its life. A grey mass of muscle and fur came bounding behind it, looking mangier than Azure had imagined. And within the span of a few seconds, the forest was in complete pandemonium.

Azure barely had an arrow nocked before another werewolf came flying by him. Both werewolves were grey, with long thin, emaciated bodies, ears that were far too pointy, and wiry fur. The claws on each massive paw were larger than that of any wolf Azure had seen. Thinking about facing one in close combat was suddenly all the more daunting.

His arrow sailed past the second werewolf, hitting the first in the back of its shoulder. The werewolf went down with a whimper, and its buddy tumbled over it. That’s when the third werewolf that Azure hadn’t yet seen noticed him.

Its head whipped around the side of the tree he had been hiding behind and snapped at him, his Stealth lost the second he’d fired the arrow. Luckily, some sense of danger caused Azure to move just in time to avoid having a chunk taken out of his side.

Ranged fighting didn’t seem to be an option anymore as the third werewolf, identical to the other two save for a scar over its left eye, was aggressively pursuing him for shooting its packmate.

The werewolf that had stumbled over its friend looked back at the scarred werewolf for a second before continuing after the rabbitkin. Though it took a moment for the injured werewolf to stand, it chose to stay and fight. Azure’s heart dropped into the pit of his stomach as the second werewolf got away, but there was nothing that he could do about it presently. Already, he felt outmatched by the two oversized predators.

Azure barely had time to pull his Zweihander of Vengeance, swinging it in a wide arch and knocking the scarred werewolf across the face as it leapt at him. It fell to the side with a whimper but quickly recovered, crouching low to snap at Azure’s feet.

Both werewolves began trying to circle Azure, but he was not dumb enough to not see what they were doing. It was the same behavior that a lot of predators used.

Responding accordingly, Azure backed up, unsure of where he was stepping, but not willing to turn his back to either werewolf.

Damn, they’re ugly, he thought.

Piss yellow eyes with tiny pupils glared at him beneath scruffy fur. Their teeth were long and sharp, their lips pulled away, revealing black and pink gums beneath. Slather hung from their chins, almost as if they were frothing at the mouth. Blood mixed in with the drool of the one he had just cut across the face.

Using the time it took for the three of them to square off, Azure Analyzed his enemies.

Level 13 Werewolf Hybrid.

Level 13 Werewolf Hybrid.

This would not be as difficult as he thought. While the werewolves looked mean and intimidating as hell, they were both well below his level.

“Come at me, you bitches,” Azure taunted them, no longer afraid.

The werewolf he’d shot with the arrow snarled at him, then did a strange maneuver where it appeared to run to the right before zagging back toward him to attack. Confused by what it was doing, and having his attention drawn away when it rounded back to attack, Azure did not see the scarred wolf moving in from the other side. It was not a leaping attack. In fact, calling it a sneak attack would be far more appropriate.

The werewolf practically slid forward on its front legs to bite his ankle. Feeling the pressure of jaws clamping onto his legplate immediately made Azure lose focus on the other wolf and panic. Desperately, he brought the pommel of his sword down on the werewolf’s temple, not wanting to turn his blade away from the second werewolf that was moving in to attack, but that only made the one attached to him bite down harder. And then it broke through his armor.

Level 13 Werewolf Hybrid delivers 52 damage.

You have been infected with lycanthropy. Every full moon, you will turn into a werewolf and lose control over yourself, running on pure animal instinct.

It was the worst-case scenario realized. But more than that, it was a death sentence even greater than the pending hourglass always hanging over his head. Finborh had said that hybrid werewolves were not allowed to exist outside of The Deathlands.

Before Azure could strike the werewolf that had bit him again, it let him go. He looked to the other werewolf, but it had halted in its tracks. They had successfully faked him out, and though their expressions were still set in a snarl, Azure could somehow feel that they were grinning on the inside.

Sickness rolled through him as something spread from where he had been bitten. It felt like millions of tiny hairs sprouting under his skin. The sensation was so disorienting that Azure lowered his sword and stumbled back against the tree behind him. A change was happening. He was very much aware of it but could do nothing to stop it. This was worse than even the Darkness status effect had been.

In Azure’s upper-righthand peripheral vision, a small blue square with the blacked-out image of a wolf’s head howling at the moon blinked. It was as if the image was drawing his attention up to the moon. The full moon.

Suddenly, Azure’s stomach cramped and twisted. He dropped his Zweihander of Vengeance and hunched over to clutch at it. Almost at the same time, there was a cracking sound, and pain bloomed in every joint as his body began to transform from man to wolf.

Azure’s vision was bleary now. He tried to cry out, but the sound of his voice was foreign to him, and he wasn’t able to form words. Something between a scream and a howl took the place of them.

The other two wolves watched patiently as they gained a new comrade. Even though Azure knew they were his enemies, he also knew he would fall in line right beside them once the change was complete. They were linked telepathically, and already, their canine voices were whispering in his head. To stave away the pain, he tried to listen, if only for a moment of peace. And then everything around him went black.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

THE REALM – DAY 406

Tiny Owl alighted on Jin’s arm to inform him that the werewolves were coming. From what the owl told him, they were about a quarter mile to the east and picking up speed. The alpha would be easy to spot because he didn’t look like the others. Mangy and malformed from their mixed genes, the hybrid werewolves looked more like monsters than actual wolves. The alpha, however, appeared as a majestic dire wolf. The only difference was that purebred werewolves were slightly larger than dire wolves, making them even more dangerous.

Princess Zadori was ready with her drum, gazing out over the forest with a look of concentration. She had a white-knuckle grip on her drumsticks as if she were afraid that she might drop them before the werewolves even had a chance to show up.

The elf had thought to crawl up into a tree across from her, but if the alpha managed to escape the magic cage, he would need to be on the ground to get to it quickly.

It was not much longer before the werewolves broke into the clearing. Giving the order for the others to do all the work, the alpha was already hanging back, slowing to a trot while the rest of the pack rushed on ahead for the hunt. Everything was going just as Jin had planned it. Too perfectly.

Thankfully, the princess did not need a cue. The second the other werewolves had run out of view, she raised her drumsticks and began beating out a rhythm.

Hearing the sound coming from the tree ahead, the alpha looked up and spotted Princess Zadori, but it was too late to run. Magical bars sprung from the ground, creating a cage just large enough to encapsulate the giant wolf. It tried to lunge out the top just before a wooden roof materialized and slammed down on it, knocking the alpha to the ground.

Jin nocked an arrow and tried to land a headshot, but the alpha stood at that exact same moment, and the arrow stuck in its back haunch instead. A howl erupted from the alpha’s throat, echoing through the night. The elf just prayed it wasn’t a call for help. He wasn’t sure what was going on up ahead, and having Tiny Owl report back to him now would just be a distraction.

“I can’t hold it much longer,” The princess’s voice strained as the alpha began to buck at the magical cage containing it.

Almost before she had finished the sentence, pieces of the cage went splintering everywhere as it exploded. Jin loosed another arrow at the werewolf, but a scrap of the debris collided with the tip and deflected it.

Instead of going for the elf, which Jin had been certain the alpha would do, it leaped at the tree that Princess Zadori was sitting in. The wolf’s sheer weight was enough to cause it to bend, but it didn’t break. Princess Zadori screamed as the tree began to tip over. As it did, she ended up dropping her drumsticks. Positioned leaning back against the tree, all she could see was the sky. Tied to it, she was utterly helpless if the wolf decided to come for her. Their plan had backfired. Instead of being safe, she was now a sitting duck.

“Hey!” the elf called to the alpha, trying to get its attention.

He fired off an arrow in its direction, but it was now fully aware of him and easily able to jump aside.

“Jin, kill it!” the princess yelled.

With the tree trunk bent, the wolf could now ascend it with ease, but it had already realized that the archer was a greater threat. Keeping its eye on the elf to avoid any incoming arrows, it made a running leap at Princess Zadori, jumping high into the air and grabbing her drum. The instrument ripped from her neck, eliciting a blood-curdling scream from the bound woman. Upon landing, the alpha bashed it upon the ground, then took off into the forest.

Jin cursed under his breath as he nocked an arrow and took a final shot, the arrow splinting against a tree that the wolf had just passed. Then the elf took off running after it.

“Jin, don’t leave me!” the princess cried.

While he didn’t really want to abandon her, the alpha would undoubtedly escape if he took the time to help her down. The elf could not allow that to happen. Hopefully, one of the animalkin would come along and free her, though he was fairly certain they were all in hiding right now.

Desperation made his heart pump fiercely in his chest. Jin was fast, but the wolf was unquestionably faster. If the elf had Azure’s Summon Mount spell, that might have leveled the playing field. As it was, Jin only had one choice, and it was one he absolutely hated having to use.

He summoned the Mana within him and sent it to Tiny Owl. That should buy him a little time.

In the distance, the alpha ran to catch up with its brethren. It howled as it went, calling for a retreat. There was danger in the forest tonight. They would be better off leaving Elderberry Woods until the shift was over. Then they could discuss whether they wanted to hunt down the threat while in human form or find a different village to inhabit.

The alpha’s howls traveled throughout the forest, reverberating off the trees, finding the ears they were meant for. As it ran, it sensed that a new mind had joined the hive. An intruder. This was not one of his, but at least he’d be able to control them until the morning light. Then, he could use the enemy against their friends, extract information, and kill them afterward. Those were problems for a different time, though, when the moon fell and they were all human again.

The alpha didn’t even have time to finish that thought. With his superior senses, he heard the fierce beating of the owl’s wings before it had a chance to get to him, its talons ready to sink into his soft flesh. The damn thing was huge—bigger than any owl he had ever seen before.

What type of sorcery is this?

On four paws, the alpha was fast. But on the wind, the owl was faster. There was no running from it.

Blasting the alpha with an ear-piercing screech that made his head hurt, the owl descended with full force. It was a mistake. Capable of great agility, the wolf jumped into the air, forcing its body sideways to avoid being gripped by the talons. At the same time, it clamped its powerful jaws down onto the owl’s wing. Blood filled the wolf’s mouth as it crunched into bone. The bird screamed in pain as the alpha jerked his head to the side and threw the giant owl to the forest floor.

That was when the ranger broke through the trees.

Jin’s heart lurched at the sight of Tiny Owl injured on the ground. He had felt the owl’s pain as sure as if it had been his own.

Anger and grief fueled his next shot, and the elf knew without a doubt that he would not miss again. No one fucked with his pet and got away with it.

With more speed than even Jin knew he was capable of, he nocked an arrow and shot the alpha right between the eyes.

Critical hit! Defeated Level 17 Werewolf Alpha. 170XP rewarded.

The monster fell almost instantly, its legs giving out beneath it. It was a quick death—more painless than the elf thought the werewolf deserved. Whatever the case, it was all over now. The hybrid werewolves should revert back to being human, the curse on them lifted now that the alpha was dead.

Tiny Owl was still in his large form, flapping around pathetically with his injured wing. There was no way he’d be able to take flight. Jin quickly ordered him to size back down and hobble over. Then he scooped the owl up and placed him to perch on his shoulder.

All he needed to do now was go cut down Zadori and meet up with Azure and Uden. Then they could head back to Finborh and prepare to start their final quest.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

THE REALM – DAY 406

Azure shivered. He thought he remembered the wind whipping across his face as he ran—not on two legs like a man, but on four. He was faster. So much faster.

Remnants of a thrill pulsed through him. The excitement of the hunt. Yes, he had been chasing one of those delicious-looking deerkin. And it had not felt wrong. Not at all. Somehow, deep inside, he had known it was, but he just couldn’t stop himself. His brothers were hunting. He had to follow them. His brothers…The thought trailed off.

Something stroked his head. He was being petted. Like a dog? No. He wasn’t a dog. He was a wolf. Too primal to be a dog. Untamed.

Something kissed his throat. Cold, like ice. His thoughts were bleary. Azure could barely force his eyes open.

The petting sensation came again.

He turned his gaze upward. Long dark hair shadowed a pale face and wicked green eyes. There was a smirk on the man’s lips. For a second, Azure didn’t recognize him. But then he remembered.

“Uden?” he whispered the name as if it was a question.

“You are…deliciously vulnerable right now,” the half-imp said in a voice that could only be described as evil.

The scent of blood filled Azure’s nostrils. Fresh blood. It was so strong that it was almost overpowering. And that’s when he realized how Uden’s hands were positioned. One was stroking his hair. The other, holding a blade to his throat.

“What the hell, man?” Azure spazzed out, pushing the half-imp away.

As soon as he rolled to the side, he saw the bodies. Two of them. Men he didn’t recognize. Both were lying naked a few feet away with their throats slit. Azure couldn’t put two and two together.

He looked down at himself before returning his attention to Uden. “Where are my clothes?”

The half-imp licked the blood from one of his daggers before resheathing it in his belt. “Don’t know. You sure end up naked a lot.”

“Fucking werewolf bit me.” He stood and tried to dust himself off, but there was dirt caked on him in layers. How he had gotten so filthy, he’d never understand.

Once Azure had removed as much grime as he could with his bare hands, he returned his attention to the bodies. One of the men had an arrow sticking out from his shoulder. The other had a scar over one eye and a fresh wound over the other. Azure must have joined up with them after he had shifted.

“Is the full moon over?” He turned his gaze to the night sky. Overhead, the moon floated round and bright. The lycanthropy status effect was no longer displayed in his peripheral vision. “What happened?”

Uden stood. “Jin must have killed the alpha. That’s the only way to explain this.”

Relief rushed through Azure. If the status effect was gone, then it meant that he was probably cured of it.

“And how do you explain that?” Azure nodded down to the two men.

“Why let good experience go to waste?” Uden hummed. “They’d committed crimes against Finborh anyway. I just decided to take it upon myself to be their executioner,” he replied a bit smugly.

“And how do you explain what was going on when I woke up?” Azure glared at him.

“Oh.” The half-imp stiffened and his eyes widened for a moment. “I was just fantasizing about killing you. I haven’t gotten the opportunity to do it for a while. We were alone, and—”

Azure held out his palm to stop Uden from talking. “You know what. Never mind. At least you weren’t jacking off over my body.”

He spent a few minutes looking for his armor, though it was more to diffuse the awkwardness of the situation than with actual hope that he’d find it. Of the little that Azure did remember, he had traveled a great distance with the werewolves. More than likely, he’d need to backtrack to where he had squared off against them to recover his lost items.

“We should find my armor and then regroup with the others,” he said.

They followed the trail that Azure and the werewolves had cut through the forest. It was strange for Azure to see giant pawprints in the dirt and know that some belonged to him. He couldn’t help but wonder which ones.

Whatever deerkin they had been chasing had blessedly escaped. Azure was not sure how he would have been able to stand before Finborh with the news that he had slain one of the God’s precious animalkin. That might have earned him the death penalty.

It took them fifteen minutes to find the place where Azure had transformed. His armor lay scattered around the forest floor. Some of the buckles had snapped, his Black Wolf Mail had come apart in several places, and his underclothes and foundation garments were mostly in tatters.

“Great,” he grumbled as he began picking up the pieces and placing them in his Bag of Holding.

“It’s not completely unsalvageable.” Uden examined Azure’s Black Wolf Mail. “You should be able to get this stuff fixed at an armorer.”

“I suppose that’s true.” Azure sighed, taking the mail from the half-imp and putting it in his bag with the rest. Then he dug around for the clothes that Jin had given him after the fight with the chaoscrackle. He would be back to looking like a pauper until he could have his armor repaired.

Once all that was done, they returned to Landward. Thankfully, Jin and Princess Zadori knew to wait for them there. They were surrounded by fewer animalkin than Azure would have thought. Perhaps the rest were still in hiding, not trusting that all the werewolves had been dealt with.

“What took you so long?” The elf’s arms were crossed over his chest.

“What?” Uden threw his hands up. “We were taking care of the rest of the werewolves.”

“What happened to your armor?” The princess immediately noticed Azure’s underdressed state.

“Let’s just say it’s a good thing you killed the alpha.” The half-imp patted Jin on the shoulder.

“Did you really let them get that close to you?” Jin began to chastise Azure.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Azure was embarrassed enough by how things had gone down. He had known to keep his distance, but that had quickly become impossible. In hindsight, he should have used magic to keep the werewolves at bay, but at the time, wielding his sword had seemed more important.

“Where are the hybrids?” The elf looked from Azure to Uden.

“I killed them all,” the half-imp replied unabashedly.

“Singlehandedly?” Jin clearly wasn’t buying it.

“Don’t look so surprised. The toughest one was only level 15.”

Jin cocked his head to the side, then nodded, not saying anything more.

Azure was silently waiting for him to ask if they had still been in their werewolf state when they were killed—or waiting for Uden to confess that they hadn’t been. He wondered if that would spark an argument. Princess Zadori would likely be appalled by the needless bloodshed. Azure still wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Without speaking to the men, there was no telling if they had been victims of the alpha or willing recipients of the lycanthropy status.

“There is no point in lingering here then,” the elf said finally.

He addressed the animalkin that remained in their strange language. Then he turned to lead his comrades out of the forest.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

THE REALM – DAY 406

They returned to Dundan to spend the night, mainly because Azure refused to leave until he’d had his armor repaired. While he didn’t want to waste time, they had managed to deal with the werewolf threat expediently enough that he felt they could afford it. Besides, now that he’d been wearing the armor for so long, the idea of traveling without it made him uncomfortable.

Between the busted buckles and the missing and broken rings in his chainmail, it took two days for Azure to have his armor repaired and cost him a total of 7 silver and 5 copper, but at least it fully restored the Durability to the pieces that did get fixed.

They also took Princess Zadori’s broken drum to the gnome at the tavern, but there was nothing he could do. It was too far beyond repair. She had suspected as much, but with free time on their hands, it was worth a try.

During the rest of their downtime, they mostly relaxed, preparing for the long journey back to Finborh. Traveling between The Welcoming Summit and whatever location he sent them to was almost more tedious than the quests they were being given. Azure was not looking forward to the trip back.

Not wanting to waste any more time than necessary, they left Dundan as soon as Azure had received his fixed armor and was suited up. One benefit to waiting it out was that Tiny Owl could take a few days off from flying to recover from his injury. Jin explained that the owl had swooped in to save him from an attack. It seemed like an incredibly brave thing for such a small bird to do. Tiny Owl could have easily died if the werewolf’s jaws had been just a few inches off.

Of course, Princess Zadori spent a good amount of her free time coddling the small owl while he recovered, sneaking him morsels of food from the tavern. The bird ate up the attention and seemed to grow a fondness for her that hadn’t been there before, which she delighted in.

By the time they were heading back toward The Welcoming Summit, his wing had mostly healed. Jin stowed him away in his bag while they were around people, but as soon as they were out of the public eye, he released the owl to perch on his shoulder while they walked. It only took a few more days before Tiny Owl was able to fly again, which was a relief to the group since he warned them of dangers ahead.

The journey to The Welcoming Summit felt dreadfully long to Azure, but at least he only had one more quest to go before they’d receive the Land Stone. It already felt like a lifetime ago since they’d begun the perilous task of absolving him from his debt to Finborh.

As per usual, the trip was not without gains. Azure had enough spare time to make a Large Leather Cloak.

You have received the following item.

Large Leather Cloak

Defense: +2

Type: Medium Armor

Durability: 10/10

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 1.3 kg

He also increased his Enchanting skill by a few more levels.

Congratulations! The skill: Enchanting has reached Level 15, 16. This skill allows you to bring the elements into you to create something new or change the things around you. Continuing to level up this skill will unlock the ability to learn more spells of the same magic type.

Dread filled them as they approached the isthmus, knowing that they were in for a miserable night skirting the ledge of The Welcoming Summit before finally reaching the mass of land where Finborh resided, but they pushed on nonetheless, dealing with the obstacles that had become routine.

The stone God disjoined from the mountain, looking pleased to see their arrival. “You have done the task I have asked. Be rewarded and take a moment of peace in my haven.”

Congratulations! Quest: Save the Animalkin has been completed.

You dealt swift and merciless justice to the werewolves of Dundan. The animalkin in the area will no longer have to worry about being hunted, and their population should recover over time. For your efforts, you are rewarded 400XP.

Only Uden leveled up from the mass increase in experience.

“Before I assign you your final quest, I would also like to offer you this.” Finborh outstretched his hand to them, the movement almost painfully slow, before opening his palm.

Inside was what looked like a Teleportation Prism, though there were some distinct differences from the ones Azure had encountered before. Firstly, it was about five times the size. It was also multi-colored. Toward the edges of the prism, brown fibers wove every which way, following the perimeter, while inside was a green orb that pulsed like a heartbeat.

Jin took the prism from the God, holding it up toward the sun to examine it.

“Is it…a Teleporation Prism?” Azure asked.

Finborh nodded slowly. “This is a Teleportation Prism of my own design. Once you complete your final quest, it will bring your entire party back to me. I figured you may appreciate it since your time is running short.” He zeroed in on Azure for a moment before refocusing on the entire group. “Of course, you do not have to use it if you do not wish. This particular Teleportation Prism cannot be sold. If you try to sell it, it will simply disappear. It is up to you whether you would like to skip out on the experience of your travels or use this expedient way back to me.”

“We will most certainly be using it.” Azure decided for the entire group, taking the prism from the elf even though he hadn’t offered it.

You have received the following item:

Teleportation Prism of the Land God

Item Class: Legendary

Quality: High

Weight: 0 kg

Uses: Teleports your entire party to Finborh.

No one argued, too weary from their travels to go against him.

“Now, I bet you want to know about your last quest,” Finborh said. He didn’t wait for a response. “Qhi, the great willow that provides all Mana throughout Patheana is in grave danger. You must travel to The Huge Wilds and protect the tree.”

Quest: Protect Qhi

In the beginning, Finborh created Qhi to spread Mana throughout Patheana. If the great tree falls, all magic in Patheana will cease to exist forever. You must go to The Huge Wilds and ensure that doesn’t happen.

Difficulty: Medium

Success: Eliminate all threats to Qhi

Failure: Allow the great willow to perish

Will you accept this quest: Yes or No?

“What is threatening Qhi?” Jin asked the obvious question.

“Unfortunately, I cannot see it clearly.” The God shook his head. “Qhi is tended to by Kersonteh, a special fae born from the tree. She will likely have more information for you.”

Jin sighed. “I suppose there’s no way to know until we get there then.”

“Do this for me, and you will have earned the land stone.” As soon as he finished speaking, Finborh began stepping back into the side of the mountain.

Knowing there was no point in trying to engage the God further, Princess Zadori turned to her comrades. “I, for one, am excited about this. Qhi is sacred, a sight that not many mortals get to see in their lifetime. It will be interesting to see where all Mana in Patheana stems from.”

“I figured it all stemmed from Finborh.” Azure gave a leisurely shrug.

“Technically, it does,” the princess hesitated on her words, “but all the Gods have their own outpost of magic, so to speak, a sacred location where Mana flows into the rest of the land, granting the people within the special abilities of magic. The Gods are too busy tending to the various other issues around The Realm to concern themselves with the regulation of Mana. That’s why they create these sites to do the work for them.”

Azure screwed his face. “Well, it doesn’t seem too smart to live so far away from them, then. Nor does it really seem to matter if one goes out. Can’t Finborh just grow another tree?”

“There was an agreement made by the Gods long ago. Many of them argued about whether to grant the creatures of The Realm magic. In the end, the majority ruled that they would do so, but the vote was so close that they agreed that the privilege of magic would only be offered once for all existence of man and beasts. Should one of the outposts be destroyed, that part of The Realm would lose access to the magic of that God. That’s why it’s so important for these holy sites to be protected.

“Unfortunately, there are those who think that magic should not exist, because those who possess it tend to be at an advantage in battle situations. Because of that, many have tried to destroy the magical sites. Since they are not protected by the Gods, magic users themselves have had to rise up to protect them. There have been many wars over it. I fear that might be what we’re dealing with again.” A look of concern took over her delicate features.

“If a war against magic was underway, don’t you think Finborh would know about it?” Uden shifted his weight.

“Whatever the case, we know what must be done,” Jin interrupted. “For now, we should rest. It’s a long way to The Huge Wilds.”

“At least we have this Teleportation Prism to help us get back quickly.” Azure held it up for his party to see. “Too bad he didn’t give us one to get there, too.”

“Indeed.” Princess Zadori nodded.

The next morning, they set out again, this time heading northeast. A lot of the scenery looked the same, though they would occasionally encounter patches of unique beauty. For the most part, all Azure cared about was getting where they needed to be.

During their journey, he leveled up his Analyze skill. This normally wouldn’t be a cause for excitement except that he finally earned another perk.

Congratulations! The skill: Analyze has reached Level 18. This skill allows you to see how dangerous a foe is in relation to your own level. Use this skill frequently to avoid getting yourself killed. You can now see what languages your friends and foes speak.

Of course, Azure immediately had to look at the character sheets of his friends.

Name: Uden Namud

Race: Half-Human, Half-Imp

Level: 16

Health: 510 / 310 (510)

Mana: 380 / 260 (380)

Stamina: 400 / 320 (400)

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Impish, Glossolalia

Name: Jin Umewraek

Race: Human

Level: 18

Health: 340

Mana: 235

Stamina: 345

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Ogre, Orc, Giant, Animalkin, Cheoksum

Name: Ihraleil Nuken

Race: Human

Level: 1

Health: 100

Mana: 100

Stamina: 100

Languages: Common Tongue

It had been so long since Azure had looked at his comrades’ character sheets that he’d forgotten that half of his party wore concealment garments. Jin was donning his Cloak of Racial Concealment that changed his race from Elf to Human on his character sheet, while Princess Zadori was wearing Uden’s Cloak of Concealment, which altered every one of her stats. He doubted that she only knew Common Tongue, so he asked.

“I also know Elvish, Goblin-Tongue, and Sprite,” she informed him. “Most Ogres, Orcs, and Giants also speak Common Tongue, so I never found it necessary to learn their languages.”

Admittedly, Azure was surprised that Jin didn’t know more languages. Having lived for as long as he had, Azure had expected to see an entire list spanning multiple lines.

What was even more interesting to him was that Uden spoke a language he hadn’t ever heard of.

“What’s Glossolalia?” he inquired.

The half-imp tensed slightly. “It translates to speaking in tongues. I’m guessing you’re looking at what languages I speak.” He gave Azure a glassy stare, as if he were prying.

Still, that didn’t dissuade him from investigating further. “So like…you go into a trance and speak languages you’ve never heard before?” He took a shot in the dark at what he thought the word meant.

“No. That’s xenoglossy. With Glossolalia, I can basically channel the language of demons. It’s not a skill that most humans can obtain and not a language that can be learned from books.”

“Then you know it because you’re part imp.” Azure pieced the puzzle together, gazing at his friend in interest.

“Partially. I actually acquired it when I met the Lesser Demon back on Crescent Island. It was one of the gifts he gave me,” Uden replied with a bit of disdain. “Honestly, I was surprised to still see it there whenever I had been revived. I had thought that my soul would have been cleansed of it. It is not a language that I’m proud to know, and those that can see it will look down on me even more for my heritage. Only those who have been touched by a demon and are receptive to dark influence can speak it.”

“Oh…” Azure’s voice trailed off, seeing the problem with knowing the language. “Too bad you can’t unlearn a language,” he said half-jokingly.

“No.” The half-imp sighed. “Unfortunately, once you know a language, it doesn’t go away.”

With the excitement of his new toy quickly passing, the successes throughout their journey felt more mundane.

Congratulations! The skill: Foraging has reached Level 18. Plants collected through foraging have a variety of uses. You can sell them, consume them, or use them to create potions through alchemy.

Congratulations! The skill: Enchanting has reached Level 17. This skill allows you to bring the elements into you to create something new or change the things around you. Continuing to level up this skill will unlock the ability to learn more spells of the same magic type.

Otherwise, the trip lacked excitement.

They made idle chitchat during the day, but for the most part, traveled in silence. And every night that they slept under the stars, Azure fantasized about being free of the invisible hourglass hanging over his head.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

THE REALM – DAY 469

Azure and his friends reached the borders of The Huge Wilds several days before they made it to Qhi. As the name implied, the forest was massive. Trees grew tall all around them, though they weren’t anywhere near as cramped together as the mountain ash in Elderberry Woods had been. For the most part, the forest was lush with greenery, so green, in fact, that it seemed supernatural. It reminded Azure of the road leading up to Hawking’s School of Land Magic. There was no doubt in any of their minds that this was a sacred place. The closer they got to Qhi, the more abundant wildlife became, and there were fewer monsters to be skirted around. When they were but a day’s journey away, all monster activity vanished.

“Even the wicked respect this place,” Uden had muttered when Jin had announced that Tiny Owl saw no more dangers ahead.

There was a soothing peace to the forest—a beauty to everything around. Azure felt it resonating within his very soul. Every breath he took renewed him with hope and energy. He could not understand why anyone would want to damage this place.

Even the nights were less harrowing. Fairies fluttered around the forest, barely the size of monarch butterflies, their bodies pure sources of blue and yellow light. Though their shapes were humanoid, there was not much else about them that was. They didn’t speak—didn’t threaten. They just were, like fireflies in the night.

When it was Azure’s turn to take watch, he found himself studying them with fascination. They flitted from bloom to bloom, from branch to branch, leaving a glittering dust trail behind as they went. Anything they landed on took on a momentary glow.

“They are beautiful, aren’t they?” Princess Zadori said while sitting beside him one night.

“I don’t see them feeding on the flowers. They simply land, then take off again a few moments later,” he noted.

“That is because they are not feeding on the flowers. They are feeding them,” she informed him. “These fairies are known as jumpywinks. They move from plant to plant, infusing them with Mana and helping them grow. They’re largely responsible for the vibrant colors you see around you.

“Jumpywinks have the ability to enhance a plant’s natural characteristics, making it more than what it would have been without the infusion of Mana. They are actually highly prized by kings and the wealthy to help cultivate gardens of otherworldly beauty. We even had a few in the royal garden of Noseon.”

Azure hummed. “I haven’t seen them anywhere else. They must be rare.”

“They are.” The princess nodded. “They can only be found here, born from Qhi herself, and they can only survive as long as a cutting from Qhi is nearby. Without receiving Mana from the sacred tree, they perish.”

“A cutting?” Azure raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. A branch from the tree. One that must be planted to ensure it remains alive.”

“If you plant a cutting from Qhi, wouldn’t another grow?”

She shook her head. “No. Qhi is unique to The Realm. While it cannot be replicated, the branches can be kept alive, as long as Qhi remains alive, to provide Mana for the jumpywinks.”

“Fascinating.” Azure watched the creatures with even more wonder. “If they don’t eat from the plants, then what do they eat?”

“They feed on the Mana in the air.” Princess Zadori’s eyes moved around the forest. “If you look very closely, you can see it. You may have noticed a greenish tint to everything around.”

He had noticed it the closer they got to Qhi, though it had undoubtedly been subtle at first. Almost like wearing lightly tinted sunglasses.

“Sounds convenient not to have to eat or drink,” Azure mused, “but also inconvenient that you could just drop dead if it disappeared.”

She smiled. “Luckily, no one has felled Qhi since it was first planted, and as long as we can keep it safe, no one will.” The princess stood to take her leave for the night.

Azure watched her go, almost as fascinated by Princess Zadori as he was by the small flying creatures lighting up the night. She was such a fountain of knowledge. He was happy to have her in their party.

The following morning, Azure was more aware of the green fog looming all around them. There was nothing nefarious about it, though. If anything, it only added to the ambiance of the magical forest. As they continued to travel toward Qhi, he swore it was getting even thicker, but it could have just been a trick of the mind. Whatever the case, his eyes and senses quickly adjusted until it just seemed normal.

On the fourth day of their travels, Jin turned to Uden while they were walking. “Can you hear that?”

Azure had no idea what the elf was talking about, but when he looked over at the half-imp, he immediately noticed tears silently streaming down Uden’s face.

“Yes.” The half-imp nodded before quietly declaring, “It’s the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.”

“What is it?” Princess Zadori also focused her attention on Uden, every bit as confused as Azure.

“It is Kersonteh’s song,” he replied humbly.

“It must be pretty intense to get such an emotional response from you.” Azure raised a brow at the half-imp.

“Shut up,” Uden grumbled, wiping the tears away with the back of his arm.

“That must mean we’re close.” The princess gazed ahead, more focused on reaching their destination than interested in the half-imp’s rare display of sentimentality.

They had to walk several more miles still before the song was perceptible to human ears. It wafted in on the breeze, clearly a woman’s soprano. Though Azure lacked the language skill to understand the words, the song had a profound effect on him. The pitch of it rose and fell in perfect harmony, and he somehow knew that it was about the forest. So long and complex the story was, talking of creation and erosion, of life and death. Even Azure felt moved to tears, though he fought them back with all his might, refusing to cry in front of Princess Zadori.

She certainly did not seem as affected by the song, though she wore a pleasant expression as they continued to listen to it while they approached Qhi. If Jin had any reaction to the music, it could not be seen beneath his cloak, which he still wore up most of the time to conceal his ears.

Finally, after what seemed like a pleasant forever, since walking through The Huge Wilds was more of a pleasure than a chore, they broke through a copse of trees to find a giant weeping willow taking up commanding precedence in the forest. Its trunk was at least sixty feet around, though it was not completely solid like most willows. The main trunk split in several places, the divides broad enough for a human body to fit through. A giant moat of water surrounded the tree, its roots making bridges across in several places. Some of its trunk was rooted in the land, while other parts dove into the water, drinking of its nutrients. Lily pads created a haphazard path across the moat, their lush greenery juxtaposed by the giant pink and white flowers that grew between them and seemingly floated upon the water’s surface.

Qhi’s boughs extended widely over the moat, though most did not reach all the way to the ground. Supernatural green and golden leaves hung thick from its tendrils, glittering in the sunlight. But the most beautiful sight of all was Kersonteh, who stood just before the natural splendor as if she’d been waiting for them all along.

If love at first sight really existed, Azure felt it in full force. He had never beheld a more extraordinary woman in all his life.

Kersonteh’s skin was as white and smooth as ivory, her eyes like two emeralds. Fiery locks of auburn hair flowed down her body, creating soft waves all the way to her hips. It was held away from her face by a crown of white flowers and green vines. Her ears came to a point, proof of her fae heritage. Had Azure never met Jin, he would have mistaken her for an elf. The long green dress she wore hung off her shoulders, and it looked to be made of pressed leaves from Qhi. The dress’s sleeves were bordered in golden leaves, while the bottom was ringed with brown dying ones that were fraying off. It was as if it was a living garment.

“Welcome, Azure, I have been waiting for you,” a soft feminine voice said inside his head.

Azure wanted to respond, but he couldn’t form coherent words. He felt like a teenager with no social skills when it came to talking to girls. If he tried to say anything, he was worried it would be something stupid like, “You’re pretty,” or just, “Wow.”

Uden saved Azure from embarrassing himself by going down on one knee before Kersonteh and kissing her hand. “Milady, it is an honor,” he said politely.

“You may stand, Uden of Crescent Island,” she told him with a pleasant smile.

Jin and Princess Zadori held back, seeming less interested in addressing Qhi’s keeper as if she were royalty.

The elf opened his mouth to speak, but Kersonteh silenced him by talking first. “I know why you are here. Finborh told me you’d be coming.”

“Then you must tell us what is threatening Qhi so that we can protect it.” Jin looked past her at the tree.

Kersonteh slowly shook her head. “I am afraid that you have been misled. There is no threat here.”

Confusion replaced admiration. This was not what Azure had expected at all.

“Perhaps it is a threat you’re not yet aware of,” the elf suggested, sounding about as confused as Azure felt, though his voice was steady.

“A rot in the ground, perhaps,” the half-imp offered.

“Or a war that has not yet reached here,” Princess Zadori added.

Kersonteh glanced back at Qhi. “If Qhi was being attacked by something from within, I would feel it. She and I are one. I would also feel it if the footsteps of an army were approaching.”

“Finborh would not have sent us on a pointless quest,” Jin insisted. “There must be something you have not seen or do not know.”

“I am afraid I cannot help you,” Kersonteh said regretfully. “I cannot know what I do not know.”

The elf turned his attention to his party for a moment. “I suppose all we can do is scout out the area and ask around.” He then refocused on the fae. “Where is the closest humanoid settlement?”

“About fifty miles to the east.” She turned her head in the direction of the settlement. “Oakencross is a peaceful hamlet, filled with mostly farmers.”

“Then we should start there.”

“Shouldn’t we stay for a while?” Azure wanted nothing more than to bask in Kersonteh’s presence.

The elf looked from Azure to the fae, then back at Azure again. “We don’t have the time to lollygag around.”

“Perhaps we should split up,” Uden advised. “If Qhi is in danger, and we don’t know what that danger is, then it would be smarter if some of us stayed here.”

“He’s not wrong,” Princess Zadori agreed. “There’s no telling where the attack could come from or when.”

“I don’t like the idea of us splitting up.” Jin thought aloud.

“Then maybe we should just stay here,” Azure asserted. “It will take us two days to get to Oakencross, then two more days to come back. That seems like an awful lot of time wasted if there’s nothing to be found there.”

Kersonteh took a few steps forward and placed a slender hand on the elf’s shoulder. Azure immediately tasted the bitterness of jealousy. “You have journeyed far. Perhaps you should rest here for the night.”

Jin grumbled. “That will not bring us any closer to figuring out what’s going on here.”

“You don’t know that,” Uden argued.

“Stay. Cast off your worries. Drink the lifegiving water from the roots of Qhi.” The fae gestured to the moat. “Rest your weary bodies in the safety of her presence.”

“If she was safe, then we wouldn’t be here,” Jin mumbled. With the rest of his party staring at him, the elf felt pressured into making a choice. “Fine. We will stay here for now and try to come up with a better assessment of the situation.”

Once they’d set up camp nearby and built a fire, everyone went about their own business. Uden beat Azure to the punch procuring Kersonteh’s attention. Every cell in Azure’s body tingled with discomfort as he saw the half-imp looking at the fae with similar interest to his own. Soon, they were walking off together toward Qhi, Uden a bit too close to Kersonteh for Azure’s comfort.

“You’re going to get a cramp in your neck if you keep staring like that,” Jin warned Azure as he tended to the fire.

The elf had taken down the hood of his cloak, and Azure had astutely noted that Kersonteh did not look upon Jin with the same longing that Princess Zadori often did. That was a relief.

“I wonder what they’re talking about.” Azure just couldn’t tear his eyes away from the half-imp and the fae. They had stopped at the edge of the moat and were now crouching down next to it. Uden kept Kersonteh’s gaze, a look of pure engagement on his face.

“I’m sure he’s flirting.” The elf sat on the ground in front of the fire to pull pelts from his Bag of Holding.

Azure followed suit, deciding to work on his tanning as well. Ever as he labored, he kept his eyes on Kersonteh and Uden. The fae took the half-imp into the willow, then they disappeared behind it. He absolutely hated not knowing where they were going and what they were talking about.

Uden and Kersonteh spent the remainder of the afternoon together, with the half-imp not returning to camp until the jumpywinks began to illuminate the forest. He wore an introspective smile, seemingly oblivious to the rest of the world around him.

“Have a nice walk?” The question sounded strained as Azure forced it out.

“I did,” Uden replied a bit smugly before stopping next to the fire. “I just came to tell you guys that I will be wandering about tonight.”

“Wandering about?” Jin twisted to look at him from where he was hanging up his final hide to dry on a nearby tree branch.

“Yes. It’s been a while since I stalked in the night.”

Azure quirked his head back. “That sounds unsettling.”

“Her Majesty has given me much to reflect on.” Uden gazed back toward Qhi.

“Like what?” Princess Zadori asked curiously.

He smirked at her. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” The second he finished speaking, the half-imp walked away, heading into the forest.

“Well, that was rude.” Princess Zadori frowned.

“I don’t really like it when he wanders off like that.” Jin trailed Uden with his eyes.

“Especially when he says such disconcerting things,” Azure added, wondering if perhaps the threat would come from within their own group.

He did not sleep that night, too worried about Kersonteh with the half-imp ‘stalking’ in the wilderness to tear his eyes away from where she had gone to bed nestled inside Qhi. The split in the trunk bowed in to form a curved lounger of sorts. It looked uncomfortable to sleep on, but if that were the case, he could not tell because of her serene expression. Beneath the moonlight, the fae’s cheeks glittered a soft shade of blue, making her appear even more ethereal and enchanting.

Wherever the half-imp had disappeared to, he did not return until early in the morning. The introspective look he had worn the day before was gone.

Uden sat next to the fire and stared at Kersonteh while waiting for the rest of the party to wake. Azure barely paid him any mind, more content to lie facing away from him and gazing upon the fae’s beauty.

“You’ve been watching her all night, haven’t you?” The half-imp chuckled.

“Kinda hard not to when you said you’d be stalking about,” Azure grumbled, irritated that he’d let Uden’s behavior keep him up all night.

“I like to stalk…and think.” The half-imp smiled. “Kersonteh told me that I am a child of the land, and while it is good to fight my evil nature, I should not fight my other natural instincts. One of those instincts is being a creature of the night. I spend so much time playing human that I often don’t indulge in the small things that I enjoy because I worry that they will be perceived as strange. Did you know that I am non-24?”

“Does that mean you don’t have a birthday?” Azure lazily rolled to look at him. “Because when I met you, you were 23. So technically, I imagine you’re now 24. I don’t know how birthdays work in The Realm.” Thinking about it, he had even forgotten about his own birthday. Had it passed already? It was hard to tell with no way to keep track of the days. Azure had been stuck in The Realm for so long that he was pretty sure it had.

Uden laughed lightly. “I’m surprised you remember my age. But anyway,” he shook his head, “that’s not what non-24 means. It means that I have no natural circadian rhythm. The sun and moon don’t affect my sleep cycles.” The half-imp peered up at the fading moon.

“I think you might have mentioned that before.”

“Anyway,” Uden hung his head for a moment, “that’s why I spent the night walking around. I suppose I just wanted to take some time to get back to my roots.”

“Don’t go too far back to your roots,” Jin mumbled groggily before sitting up.

“Oh, did we wake you?” The half-imp asked unapologetically.

“Of course, you did.” Jin groaned.

“Good.” Uden grinned before grabbing the stick they’d been using to turn the embers in the fire and using it to poke the elf instead. “What’s our plan for the day, fearless leader?”

“Murder you if you don’t stop poking me with that stick.”

It didn’t sound like Jin was joking.

Azure couldn’t help but smile.

Once they were all awake, the elf decided that they would, in fact, split up. “I’ll go to Oakencross, and you three stay here,” he told them.

“You want to go alone?” Azure was genuinely surprised.

“Yes.” Jin nodded. “I will be able to travel faster alone. Besides, whatever the threat is will have to reach here eventually. I would feel better if there were more people here to protect the tree.” He glanced over at Qhi. The golden leaves of the willow seemed to glitter in the morning sunlight.

“If only one of us is to go, then it should be me,” Azure argued. “I know that you are fast on your feet, but I can summon a mount to carry me there, decreasing the time it would take.”

Jin scratched his chin. “Good point.” Then after a moment, he added, “You will go. The rest of us will stay here.”

Azure did some quick math in his head. “I can probably be back by tonight.”

“Make sure you’re thorough,” the elf instructed before sending him on his way.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

THE REALM – DAY 470

The ride to Oakencross was not as smooth as Azure would have liked thanks to all the trees he had to zigzag around.

It only took summoning Flicker a few times before a notification popped up.

Congratulations! The skill: Enchanting has reached Level 18. This skill allows you to bring the elements into you to create something new or change the things around you. Continuing to level up this skill will unlock the ability to learn more spells of the same magic type.

A few miles before Azure reached Oakencross, he came upon a small farm. Wanting to be thorough, he stopped to ask the owner if he knew anything about Qhi being in danger, but the farmer seemed oblivious to any discord that might be coming to The Huge Wilds.

Having received no useful information, Azure traveled on, surprised to see how small Oakencross actually was—not much larger than Cragbell on Crescent Island had been. Wooden buildings dotted the side of a skinny dirt road that ran through the hamlet. It did not take Azure very long to speak to all the occupants, and none of them knew anything about what Finborh had warned of. Perhaps the God really had been mistaken.

Meanwhile, back at Qhi, Uden spent his time following Kersonteh like a puppy while Princess Zadori worked on her Alchemy and Jin patrolled around the great tree, examining everything he could for something they might be missing. Despite Kersonteh’s words, the elf was not entirely convinced that she would be able to sense all evil that might creep up to attack the willow.

The day was long and fruitless. No matter how many circles Jin made around Qhi, or how many rocks he turned over looking for runes, or how hard he tried to hone his senses in with the nature around him, there was nothing out of place. He could only hope that Azure was having more luck in Oakencross.

Sometime around mid-afternoon, Tiny Owl came flying through the trees and alighted on the elf’s shoulder to tell him that someone was approaching. The owl said that the man was alone and did not seem threatening, but that he was headed straight for Qhi.

Jin immediately headed to cut him off before he could reach the willow. Wanting to get the drop on the intruder, the elf climbed into a tree in the path that the man was traveling several yards away and waited.

“Who goes there?” he asked in an authoritative tone as soon as the guy was in sight.

Being overly cautious, Jin had his bow drawn and an arrow nocked onto the string. There would be no hesitation to loose if he even mildly suspected that the man was a threat to Qhi.

Instinctively, the intruder began unshouldering the bow he was carrying, but the elf shot an arrow at his feet to stop him.

“That was a warning shot,” he informed the guy. “You have five seconds to answer my question. I won’t miss again.”

Though the man peered up into the trees, he could not see Jin where he was hiding thanks to his superior Stealth.

“I am coming to see Kersonteh,” the guy replied finally, his voice a bit strained as he continued to search the trees for the archer.

Well-muscled and with a youthful face, the human could not have been much older than twenty. A mop of messy brown hair fell in front of his face and almost obscured his dark eyes. Giving him a quick look over, Jin saw that he was only armed with the bow and a short sword. He did not Analyze as much of a threat.

“What business do you have with the fae?” the elf interrogated.

“My business is my own.” The man took a few steps back as if he were debating on retreating.

“If you want to pass, then you will make it my business as well.”

The guy furrowed his brow. “I just want to talk to her.”

Jin finally jumped down from the tree, landing directly in front of the man and causing him to stumble backward. For as much as the elf didn’t trust the human, he also knew that he might learn more if he allowed the man to pass.

“I will escort you,” Jin offered.

“Who are you?” the man demanded.

“My identity is not your business,” the elf replied shortly before turning in the direction of Qhi. “Are you coming or not?”

Reluctantly, the man followed behind. “My name is Jamer Khilo,” he introduced himself. “I’ve been on a personal quest to see the great wonders of The Realm. My travels have brought me here. It was intended to be a quick trip, but…” his voice trailed off.

They broke into the clearing where Qhi resided, and Jamer’s face lit up as he beheld Kersonteh next to the moat, though his expression soured when he saw Uden standing beside her. Taking long strides, he left Jin’s side to approach the fae. Noticing the stranger walking at a fast clip, the half-imp instinctively reached for the hilt of one of his daggers in case he needed to spring into action to protect Kersonteh.

“Kersonteh, who are these men?” Jamer demanded before he’d even reached her.

“They are just visitors,” she assured him.

He visibly relaxed from the news, though Uden did not. The elf watched from several yards away, also a bit tense from the aggressiveness that this new stranger was showing.

Jamer crossed the remaining distance, practically placing himself between the half-imp and Kersonteh. Then he took up her hand, clutching it tightly in his. “I am glad to hear it, my love.”

Having noticed the strange display from afar, Princess Zadori abandoned her Alchemy to walk over to Jin. “What’s going on?” she whispered.

“I do not know yet.” The elf shook his head.

“I would like to request a private audience with you,” Jamer intreated of the fae.

“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Uden protested.

Kersonteh held up her palm to him. “It will be fine. I have spoken to this man before.” Then she returned her attention to Jamer. “I will grant you the audience you seek.”

With a sweet smile, she began to walk away. Jamer would not let go of her hand, stepping up beside her to match her pace. This seemed to startle the fae for a moment, but her expression quickly reverted to that of trust as they headed toward the forest.

The half-imp took a few long strides to join his party, though he kept his eyes on Jamer and Kershoteh. Even just watching their backsides, Jin could detect urgency in the man’s steps. He was having a difficult time not rushing the fae.

“I do not like this. He is acting strange.” Uden glared daggers into the back of the Jamer’s head.

“If she trusts him, then that’s enough for me,” the elf said, also watching them.

“Did he tell you what he wanted with her?” Princess Zadori inquired.

“No. But perhaps she will tell us once they return.”

“Something is not right,” the half-imp insisted.

“Do you think she’s in danger?” Princess Zadori looked concerned.

Kersonteh and Jamer had already disappeared out of sight.

“I’m not sure…” Uden’s voice trailed off.

Warning bells were ringing inside Jin’s head. If the half-imp was uncomfortable, then there was probably a good reason for it.

“We should go after them,” he decided, taking the lead and jogging toward the forest.

Uden was right on his heels. Princess Zadori wasn’t far behind, though she refused to run after them, keeping to a power walk as she held the skirt of her dress up so as not to trip over it.

They didn’t have to go very far to catch up with the two, and when they did, what Jin saw made him want to backtrack out of sight. Jamer was down on one knee, presenting Kersonteh with a box. Inside was a beautiful necklace made of various precious metals and gems. He smiled up at her with hope in his eyes. Her soft expression betrayed no emotion.

Jamer's attention was wrenched away from the beautiful fae by the intrusion. Though discontent showed on his face for a second, he quickly refocused on Kersonteh.

The fae seemed less distracted by the uninvited guests, her attention solely on the man presenting her with the precious gift.

“Be my wife!” he said, raising his voice so that all around could hear.

Kersonteh took a step forward. For a moment, it looked like she was going to take the necklace from the box, but instead, she gently closed the lid. “I cannot be your wife.”

The rejection seemed to surprise and startle Jamer, twisting his expression from excitement to upset confusion. “Why not?”

“I am married to Qhi, and she is married to the land.” She moved back to give him space to stand.

“I don’t understand.” Jamer shook his head.

“She doesn’t want to marry you, bub. Now beat it.” Uden walked over to them.

Jin wanted to pull him back, but he didn’t. This man was having his dreams crushed. He didn’t need the half-imp further ruining the moment for him.

“Stay out of this.” Jamer held his arm out toward Uden, closing his eyes as if practicing restraint. Then he continued speaking to Kersonteh. “How can you be married to a tree? That just doesn’t many any sense.”

“It is just how things are,” she told him simply.

“I spent everything I’ve ever saved on this necklace.” He looked at the closed box in his hands woefully.

“If it lessens the blow, I will buy the necklace from you,” Princess Zadori offered, feeling sympathy.

Jamer glanced at her for a moment, the wheels in his head turning. Then he threw the box down at Kersonteh’s feet. The lid came open, the necklace spilling out onto the dirt. “I bought it for you. You keep it,” he said before storming off in the direction of Oakencross.

Jin half-expected Kersonteh to go after him, but instead, she simply stared down at the necklace with a mournful expression.

“He does not understand the burden you bear.” Uden wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Worry yourself not with this.” He pulled her into an embrace.

She allowed him to hold her for but a moment before detaching herself and turning to face their onlookers. “I am sorry you had to witness that.”

“I am sorry you had to deal with that,” Princess Zadori countered. “It is always awkward dealing with suitors when you don’t return their affection.”

Jin decided not to speak. Though he could sympathize, this was a better conversation to be had between women.

“This happens all too often. He will get over it.” Kersonteh offered them a small smile.

“And what of the necklace?” The half-imp let his eyes fall to it. Clearly, greed was beginning to creep in. There was no telling how much the necklace was worth, but the elf was fairly certain that it wasn’t cheap.

“Qhi will keep it for now.” Kersonteh bowed her palm to the ground, and the dirt gathered around the jewelry like a million tiny ants, swallowing it up.

A look of great loss crossed Uden’s face. Jin was pretty sure he had even heard the half-imp whimper.

“Does Qhi eat all of the treasures that men bring you?” Uden asked, his gaze locked on where the land had devoured the necklace.

“Yes. They get funneled beneath her roots.”

It was like a lightbulb had gone off inside Uden’s head then. “Are you saying that there is a giant cache of treasure beneath Qhi?”

Kersonteh nodded.

And that was the moment when Jin realized that there never had been a threat in The Huge Wilds until their party had arrived.

CHAPTER THIRTY

THE REALM – DAY 470

“If we just dig under it, I’m sure it will be all right,” Uden suggested once they had gotten back to camp.

Of course, this was said outside of reach of Kersonteh’s ears. As soon as the half-imp had found out about the treasure beneath Qhi, his obsession had switched. The Huge Wilds was no longer sacred ground. Qhi had become one big X on a treasure map.

“If you mess up and kill the roots, you kill the tree,” Princess Zadori warned by way of chastisement.

“If you kill the tree, all land magic dies with it,” Jin reminded him. “You will never be a Grand Master Mage without land magic.”

“Yes, I would. It would just be one less type of magic I’d have to master. Land magic is boring anyway,” he argued.

“We’re not digging under the tree,” the elf said firmly. Even as he spoke, his mind was already going to darker places.

I knew I’d have to kill him someday, but I didn’t think it would be this soon. Oh well, at least Azure isn’t around to stop me. He’ll understand if it’s to save Qhi and complete the quest. He’ll have to. Even if he doesn’t, I’m sure Zadori will back me up.

“Who knows, maybe if we complete this quest, we’ll be rewarded some treasure.” The princess tried to appeal to Uden’s greed.

He furrowed his brow. “We haven’t gotten anything good from these quests since the start. Besides, we’re getting the Land Stone for completing this one.”

“You got me.” She wrapped her arms around one of his and winked at him playfully.

Normally, it would have worked to distract the frisky half-imp, but he was currently blinded by fantasies of gold buried beneath the ground.

“Remember what we’re here for.” Jin tried to give reasoning one more shot. “It’s not for treasure.”

“Fine, fine.” Uden sighed, waving the bombardment of censure away.

The elf kept an eye on him for the remainder of the day. As long as the half-imp behaved himself, there would be no need to kill him.

Coming up emptyhanded in his interrogation of the villagers of Oakencross, Azure rode back toward Qhi. He only made it halfway before he ran out of Mana. It was the first time in a while that Azure had to dip into his stash of Blue Mushrooms. At first, he thought to eat enough to completely restore his Mana, but the earthy taste got old quickly, so he ended up just consuming ten instead, which increased his Mana to 100 points—enough to get him back to his waiting party. All the while as Azure traveled, he wondered if there had been any new developments.

The sun was beginning to set when he finally made it back to Qhi. A mix of relief and disappointment washed through him as he found the area much as he’d left it. Princess Zadori was at work on her Alchemy and Uden was sitting and talking with Kersonteh by the moat. Jin was busy sewing a garment, but his eyes seemed torn between it and the half-imp, though they were quickly drawn to Azure as he approached.

The elf set down the cloak he had been working on and stood to greet his friend. Flicker disappeared almost the second Azure dismounted her, the enchantment on the ethereal horse having run out as if Azure had timed it just right.

“Did you find out anything?” Desperate hope laced Jin’s tone.

Azure shook his head. “No. Did I miss anything here?”

The elf cast a glance in Uden’s direction. “I’m afraid so.” He lowered his voice. “There’s a cache of treasure beneath Qhi. Uden found out about it when a man came to ask Kersonteh for her hand in marriage. I don’t think the threat is from the outside.”

A deep sigh left Azure’s throat, but as soon as it did, confusion took its place. “He wants to cut down the tree? But that would end land magic.”

“He says that just means it’s one less type of magic he’d have to master.” Jin gave the half-imp a look of disdain before turning back to Azure. “You know I cannot allow it. If he tries to harm the tree, I will kill him.”

Azure narrowed his eyes. “You always jump to such brash decisions.” Then he gazed past the elf at Uden. The half-imp was smiling and laughing, seemingly enthralled with the fae. “He doesn’t seem particularly threatening right now.”

“Zadori and I tried to talk him out of it, but I fear he’s just waiting for the right opportunity.”

“Innocent until proven guilty,” Azure insisted. “I’m not sure how things work in The Realm, but that’s how we judge things back where I’m from. Let’s just keep an eye on him. If he acts, we’ll react.

“Besides, it doesn’t make sense that Finborh would send us here if we were the ones to put Qhi in danger.”

“It could be a test,” Jin suggested. “He could be trying to see if we’re worthy of the Land Stone.”

“But there again,” Azure shifted his weight, “collecting the stones is an easy passage for Uden to become a Grand Master Mage. If he kills Qhi, he fails the quest to acquire the Land Stone. That would mean he would have to go to school to become a Grand Master Mage. Any school that finds out his heritage won’t accept him. Uden isn’t one to take the hard road.”

“Getting under the tree is an easy road to riches,” the elf countered. “You did not see the necklace that was presented to Kersonteh. It was probably worth a small fortune. Who knows what else is beneath Qhi. Do you really think Uden would care about magic if he was as wealthy as a noble?”

“I suppose we should ask him.”

Not wanting to argue with Jin further, Azure strode over to where Kersonteh and Uden were sitting. The elf was close behind. Both the half-imp and the fae looked up at him, with Uden shielding his eyes from the setting sun’s rays with one hand.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Azure asked.

“Of course,” the half-imp responded, but he made no attempt to move.

Azure gave Kersonteh a nervous look, debating on requesting that Uden step away.

“Jin told me about the necklace,” he began, giving the half-imp one more opportunity to remove himself from the fae’s presence before the discussion had a chance to turn ugly.

“An offering to Qhi,” Uden said decorously.

It annoyed Azure that the half-imp seemed to be putting on airs for Kersonteh.

“How do you feel about there being so much treasure under the tree?” he subtly tried to get to the point.

Uden looked contemplative for a moment. “I suppose I don’t feel one way or another about it.”

While Azure’s patience was wearing thin, the elf’s had already completely worn out.

“Not long ago, you were talking about digging under the tree.” Jin gestured back to their camp to indicate where they’d had the conversation.

The half-imp pressed his eyes shut and shook his head. “I was not thinking straight then. It was a momentary lapse of judgment.”

“You will not deceive me.” The elf stood firm in his accusation of Uden’s true intent.

“It is not uncommon for a man to face weakness when armed with the knowledge of the treasures that lie beneath,” Kersonteh interjected, running her fingers over the dirt next to her. “Do not be so quick to judge, for all creatures have weaknesses, even elves.” As she gazed up at Jin, it seemed as if she were chastising him.

“I’d love to know his weaknesses.” Uden smirked.

“I think it would be best if we left,” the elf insisted curtly. “If there is no threat here, then clearly, we are the only threat that can exist.”

“If you think that’s for the best.” The half-imp finally pulled himself up from the ground and dusted off the back of his pants.

Azure was a bit surprised by his instant compliance. Perhaps he was telling the truth after all.

Even Jin seemed slightly unsettled by Uden’s quick willingness to leave the area.

“Let’s regroup.” The elf gestured to where Princess Zadori was still working fastidiously on her Alchemy.

Azure and Uden followed him back, and Princess Zadori smiled up at them, pausing with her pestle in hand mid-grind.

“Any news?” she asked the men.

“Nothing,” Azure said, “but Jin seems to think we should leave.”

A puzzled look took over her face. “Why?”

“I think this quest is a test,” the elf announced.

“A test of what?” Princess Zadori narrowed her gaze.

“A test for him, specifically.” Jin pointed at the half-imp. “To see if he can resist destroying Qhi to dig up the treasure beneath it.”

Uden rolled his eyes. “Do you really think I’m that much of a monster?”

“You are a monster,” the elf shot back rudely. “That’s why it’s a test. Because we’re already traveling with a monster. That’s why Finborh could not see the threat. Because it hadn’t arrived yet. It makes sense.”

“Oh, would you lay off me!” Uden complained, tired of feeling accused.

Azure was fed up with the bickering. “It’s late. Let’s stay the night here. We can discuss leaving in the morning.”

He had been traveling all day already and was physically exhausted. Besides, Qhi offered rest and serenity that they could not get elsewhere. Even if it seemed insubordinate, he was willing to go over Jin’s head for one more night of peace.

Without giving him a chance to respond or argue, Azure turned and walked off toward Kersonteh.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

THE REALM – DAY 470

Kersonteh was still sitting on the ground next to the moat, focused on something on the forest floor, swirling her finger above it. Looking down, Azure noticed that it was a tiny green vine with a white flower attached. It moved to the sway of her fingertip, growing and dancing.

“Do not burden yourself with the worries of the unforeseen,” she told him as if she had sensed him coming all along. “Your friend is overly cautious because he fears a threat that is not there.”

Azure stopped a few feet away, puzzling down at her. “How are you so sure?”

“I have spoken to Uden at length. If there was any true ill intent in his heart, I would know about it,” she replied matter-of-factly before finally looking up at him. “But you are not here to talk about him, are you?” A soft smile spread across the fae’s porcelain face.

“Honestly, I’m not sure.” Azure suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if he had stepped into the office of someone important and had forgotten what he had come to say.

“Sit. Be calm.” She gestured to the spot that the half-imp had once occupied.

“It’s hard to be calm when we’re here for a purpose, yet we can’t seem to figure out what that is.” He sat, his armor clanking as he moved.

“All things are revealed by time,” Kersonteh replied serenely, finally drawing her finger away to allow the flower to rest against the land.

Azure spent the next several hours talking to her about various topics of interest, from the history of land magic to the things she’d witnessed in her time guarding Qhi, which spanned thousands of years.

Looking upon the fae’s youthful face, it was strange to think of their age difference. To Kersonteh, Azure was probably a child.

After some time, they stood and walked around the forest together. The fae confessed that she never went far from Qhi. Much like the jumpywinks, she would die without the tree around. But unlike them, she could not survive from a simple cutting. The Mana she needed to exist was too great and could only be provided by Qhi.

When Azure finally returned to camp, it seemed as if Jin had been waiting for him. Azure had noticed that almost the entire time he had been with Kersonteh in plain sight, the elf’s attention had been split between him and Uden.

“You will have to help me watch him tonight,” the elf said with a bit of irritation, referring to the half-imp.

“I can hear you,” Uden groaned from where he was sitting a few feet away, sharpening his daggers on a whetstone.

“I don’t think he needs to be babysat.” Azure sided with the half-imp.

“Until I know for certain that he’s not the threat to Qhi, he does,” Jin insisted.

“I don’t have to stand for this.” The half-imp slipped his daggers back into their sheaths, then stood to walk away.

Jin promptly grabbed him by the arm. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To walk with Kersonteh. Now, if you'll excuse me." He jerked his arm out of the elf's grasp.

Jin took several steps after him, but Azure stopped him by placing his palm flat against the elf's chest. "Don't. Just let him go."

The look that Jin gave him was caustic. "I am your king. You listen to me, not the other way around."

Azure sighed inwardly, searching for patience. "You are my king, but you have to learn to trust your companions. Uden," he glanced back at the half-imp, "is one of your companions."

"He is part monster. He can't be trusted." For a moment, the elf didn't move, staring after Uden with a slicing glare. then he turned his discontent toward Azure. "Keep an eye on him. That's an order."

Azure spent the first portion of the night trailing behind the half-imp and Kersonteh like a guard. It wasn't long, however, before the fae parted ways to seek the shelter of her willow for sleep. The pleasant expression Uden had worn while walking with Kersonteh faded away as he rejoined with Azure.

“So this is how it’s going to be, huh? Will you even be watching me piss?” He snorted.

“It’s our king’s orders,” Azure replied with a bit of distaste.

“You know, we could just off him. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about him bossing us around anymore,” The half-imp suggested in a tone that made it unable for Azure to tell if he was joking.

“I’m only going to hang out with you tonight to keep him from bitching. I trust you completely.” Azure placed a hand on Uden’s shoulder.

“I know you do.” The half-imp sighed. “This is the kind of thing Kersonteh was talking to me about. People will always distrust me based on my blood, not my character.”

To be fair, your character is a bit sketchy, too. Azure thought, but he didn’t say it, not wanting to drag his friend’s mood down even further.

“You’ll just have to prove him wrong. Again and again. However many times it takes.” Azure patted him on the shoulder before finally removing his hand.

“Elves are awfully stubborn.” Uden curled his lip into a snarl. “He might outlive me before I have a chance to fully gain his trust.”

“I’m sure he’ll outlive us all.”

“Unless we kill him.” The half-imp smirked.

“We’re not going to kill him.” Azure shook his head, but he couldn’t help but chuckle.

By the morning, he was absolutely exhausted. Uden had made no move or even suggestion that they should uproot Qhi to take the treasure beneath. The night was mostly boring, with the half-imp staring out into the distance while Azure fought the fatigue threatening to plunge him into sleep. He could barely wait until Jin woke up to take over guard duty, but a swift rest would not be afforded him because the elf was more interested in discussing what their next move would be than rewarding him with sleep.

“How did the night go?” Jin asked Azure once Uden had bedded down and was fast asleep.

“The tree is still there, isn’t it?” Azure gestured irritably at Qhi.

“I am at a loss as to what we’re supposed to do,” the elf confessed, sitting next to the fire and stoking the embers with a stick. “If we start heading back and there is a different threat, we’ll miss it. But if we are the threat, then every day we stay here puts Qhi more in danger.”

“We are not the threat,” Azure assured him. “I know you don’t trust Uden, but I promise he’s not going to harm Qhi.”

“How can you be so sure?” Jin turned to give him a look of skepticism.

“Because he feels at peace here—accepted by Kersonteh. He doesn’t get true genuine acceptance in many places. I think it’s more important to him than the treasure, honestly.”

The elf adopted a contemplative expression. “Perhaps you’re right. Perhaps I’ve been too hard on him.” He glanced at the half-imp for a fraction of a second, though there was no kindness on his face.

“You’re usually too hard on him.” Azure smoothed out his bedroll, longing to rest his head and close his eyes.

“I have known his kind in the past,” Jin disclosed finally.

“Oh?” This was of interest to Azure, considering he’d never met another half-imp before. Of all the races in The Realm, Uden’s seemed the most unique next to Jin’s. If anything, he’d thought that would have unified them in some way.

“We were traveling companions. He also struggled between the good and the evil within him. The evil eventually won, and he betrayed me.” The elf hung his head as his mind flitted back to the memory.

“Oh…” Azure dragged the word out until it faded from his lips. “What happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Jin sighed and then stood.

“That doesn’t mean that it will be the same way with Uden.” Azure watched the elf continue to stare at the fire.

“We will see.” Jin began to walk away toward Kersonteh. She had woken a while ago and was tending to the water lilies in the moat, making each one open and display its bright colors.

“What happened to him?” Azure called to the elf in curiosity. “The other half-imp you used to know.”

Jin turned his head toward Azure, but his eyes didn’t reach him. “I killed him.”

Though Azure’s mind wondered about what had gone down between the elf and his half-imp companion, it was not enough to keep him awake once he’d removed his armor and settled onto his bedroll. He had expected not to get a good rest—to be woken a few hours later and given instructions, but he was surprisingly allowed to slumber until he awoke naturally, which wasn’t until sometime in the afternoon.

Princess Zadori was sitting beneath Qhi reading a book, probably trying to escape the smell of Jin tanning hides at their camp. Uden was once more off with Kersonteh.

Azure groaned awake, rolling to watch the elf work. Jin barely paid him any mind.

“So, did you come to a decision?” Azure asked.

“Yes.” The elf didn’t even pause. “Zadori and I talked about it, and we decided that we will stay here for a week. If there is still no sign of a threat, we will leave. Until then, you and I will continue to watch Uden. I had thought to send him to Oakencross for the week, but I was concerned he’d tell someone there about the treasure and trigger the threat.”

It was sound thinking, though Azure was still a bit annoyed that Jin insisted on babysitting the half-imp nonstop. Clearly, none of Azure’s or Kersonteh’s words had gotten through to him.

For as much as Azure had inwardly yearned for some time to just relax, camping in The Huge Wilds quickly got boring. There was only so much crafting that Azure wanted to do, and it felt like a constant competition with Uden for Kersonteh’s attention.

“I’m bored,” Azure announced loudly on the third day after several hours of tanning hides. Over the past few days, he’d managed to level the skill and was on the verge of leveling it again.

Congratulations! The skill: Tanning has reached Level 3. This skill allows you to turn animal pelts into hides. You are now 6% more likely to create an Average Quality hide for your efforts.

“I’m pretty bored, too,” Jin confessed from where he had been busy sewing a garment several yards away.

Over the course of the day, both men had been working with slowly decreasing speed, finding themselves distracted by every little thing that happened around them—every bird that chirped in the trees, every bug that crawled near the space they occupied.

Azure eavesdropped on Uden’s conversations with Kersonteh whenever he could. How they still had things to talk about after the amount of time that had passed was beyond him.

Princess Zadori had practically taken up permanent residence beneath Qhi to read the various tomes she had brought with her. It was rare she spoke to them at all, though she seemed to be enjoying their downtime more than Azure and the elf.

“Did you guys examine that necklace that was given to Qhi? Perhaps that’s the threat,” Azure suggested, searching for anything that might move the quest along faster.

The elf paused, his eyes growing wide for a moment before he set down his sewing and stood. “I’m such an idiot. You know what, you’re probably right! I bet it’s the necklace.”

The revelation brought more excitement to both men than it should have. They really just wanted to finally end this and head back to Finborh for their reward.

Azure dropped what he was doing and followed Jin to find Kersonteh. Oddly, they located her and Uden in a small clearing behind Qhi where she was busy pointing out the various birds in the trees and teaching him their different songs. It did not seem like something that would have interested the half-imp in the least, yet he seemed utterly fascinated.

“What is it?” She turned to ask them, concerned by the urgency in their steps.

“The necklace you were given by that man. It may hold the key to what Finborh was talking about,” Jin spoke in a rush.

Confusion took the place of concern. “There is nothing wrong with the necklace. No enchantments. I would feel them if there was.”

The elf closed his eyes for a moment, annoyed by her all-knowing personality. “Can we just see the necklace?”

Kersonteh led the three men back to Qhi. Kneeling next to the moat, she placed her hand on the ground. A few moments later, dirt swirled beneath her palm as the earth spit back up the jewelry. It looked a bit dirty, but no worse for wear otherwise, the shiny gold taking on a tarnished hue. The sparkling of the jewels was dulled beneath the layer of grit.

Jin took it from her and quickly examined it, turning the necklace over and manipulating it with his fingers as if searching for some secret. When he didn’t find anything, he handed the jewelry over to Azure to hold while he dug in his bag.

You have received the following item:

The Lunar Desire

Durability: 10/10

Item Class: Extremely Rare

Quality: Average

Weight: 0.1 kg

Azure marveled at the item. Though it didn’t have any impressive stats, he imagined it must be worth a lot due to all of the stones inlaid in it, a mix of turquoise, opals, sapphires, aquamarine, tanzanite, and zircon, all chiseled into perfect circles and laid out in rows that ended at a triangular point at the bottom of the necklace. It was a piece of jewelry fit for royalty.

Distractedly, the elf instructed Azure to look the necklace over for anything he might have missed. Azure wasn’t really sure what he was looking for, but he mimicked what Jin had done, feeling around on the necklace for any discernable imperfections that may denote that it had been tampered with in some way. In the end, he really couldn’t tell what he was feeling for or trying to see, so the effort was mostly for show.

The elf pulled a scroll from his Bag of Holding. Unrolling it revealed a magnifying glass drawn on the surface.

“What is it?” Azure asked.

“It’s a Scroll of Identification,” Jin informed him before taking the jewelry back and wrapping it up in the scroll.

“But we can already see what the necklace is,” Azure argued, feeling like he must be missing something.

“I’m hoping it will reveal any magical properties that the necklace might have that I’m missing.”

The scroll shined with golden light for a moment. Then the light died down, and the paper disintegrated around the jewelry.

Jin stared straight forward for a moment before cursing under his breath.

“Nothing?” Azure hadn’t really needed to ask. He could tell by the elf’s reaction.

“No.” Jin sighed.

“Here. Let me see it.” Uden gestured for the necklace.

Reluctantly, the elf handed it over. The half-imp gave the jewelry the same touchy-feely treatment before shrugging and handing it back. “The only thing I was able to detect is that the necklace is definitely authentic and worth a small fortune.”

“We should have Princess Zadori look at it, just in case,” Azure suggested, his eyes glued to the necklace.

They took it over to her, but she could not find anything special about the piece of jewelry either.

Taking it back from her, Jin continued to turn the necklace over in his hands. “Maybe it has to do with the name. Lunar Desire sounds magical.”

“You’re making this necklace sound like it’s part of a spell.” Azure quirked an eyebrow. “Perhaps it’s best not to mess with it.”

“This has to be it.” The elf shook the necklace at him. “It’s the only thing that’s come through here since we’ve been here.”

“Or it could just be a necklace,” the half-imp said before adding, “perhaps if you allowed me to go sell it in Oakencross, you would not be so burdened by its existence here.”

Jin rolled his eyes. “I doubt anyone in Oakencross could afford this necklace. Besides, we don’t know if the curse will activate if it leaves this area.”

“That’s assuming that it even is cursed,” Princess Zadori pointed out.

“It is not cursed.” Kersonteh shook her head with motherly patience.

“I think we should destroy it…just in case.” The elf let the weight of the necklace guide his hand up and down for a moment.

“Are you mad?!” Uden snatched the necklace from him before saying, “What if destroying it is what would release the curse?”

Even Princess Zadori was beginning to get annoyed with them now. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to temper the words before they left her mouth. “Are you guys not listening to her?” The princess pointed to the fae. “She says it’s not cursed.”

“It really isn’t,” Kersonteh asserted.

“Perhaps we should keep it for safekeeping, just in case.” The half-imp was already moving to put the necklace in his bag.

“Don’t even think about it,” Jin said to stop him.

“Give it back to Kersonteh,” Azure ordered. “It is hers. And if she says it’s not cursed, then I choose to believe her.”

Uden held the necklace up, refusing to give it back. “What good is it to anyone under that tree?”

“What is to be done with the gift is up to the recipient,” The princess chastised him. “It is not up to you to decide.”

Uden huffed before handing the necklace back to the fae. “Fine.”

“There has to be something wrong with that neckace.” The elf shook his finger at it, even as Kersonteh placed it on the ground to feed it back to Qhi.

“Just a few days ago, you had been certain that Uden was the threat,” Azure said. “You were wrong then.”

“I’m still not sure I’m wrong.” Jin glared at the half-imp. “If anything, this little exercise has reminded him that there is treasure under the tree.”

“Oh, lay off me!” Uden tossed his head to the side. “Yeah, I’d love the treasure, but it’s not worth killing the tree over.”

Princess Zadori stared out into the distance, ignoring the arguing going on around her. “I guess we’re no closer than we were before. If you figure something out, let me know. I’m going back to reading.” Tired of listening to the men, she began walking back toward Qhi.

Seeing an opportunity to steal Kersonteh’s attention from the half-imp, Azure stepped in to ask her about the birdsong she’d been teaching to him. Jin stomped back off toward camp, but Uden lingered to take a repeat course in bird calling.

The following day, Azure’s boredom still had not subsided. Apparently, Jin felt much the same. He had pondered over the mystery of the necklace for several hours before eventually deciding that all they could do was continue to wait things out and see if something transpired beneath Qhi.

“Do you know any games?” the elf inquired, which came as a surprise since he was usually so serious. That question led into a few hours of playing Hangman with sticks in the dirt and I Spy.

When Azure asked Jin if there were any cool elven games, he responded that elven children didn’t have the time for such things. They were constantly busy learning and bettering themselves. Azure thought it sounded like a sad childhood.

“I do have something else we could do, though.” Jin cocked his head to the side.

“And what’s that?” Azure would do just about anything as long as it didn’t involve tanning hides or sewing. His clothes smelled like piss and his fingers were covered in pinpricks.

“I could knight you finally.”

“Man, you must really be bored.” Azure chuckled.

“I’m serious.” The elf straightened. “I promised to knight you and haven’t delivered yet. We’ve always been so busy that I had almost forgotten about it, but we’re not busy now, and it’s a nice location.” He glanced back at Qhi.

It was a nice location. A holy location. A magical location that would make it an event that Azure would never forget.

“Maybe I’ll let you knight me,” he teased, “if you promise you’re not just doing it because you’re bored.”

“Well, I am awfully bored,” Jin confessed with a small smirk, “but that’s not why I want to do it. I want to do it because you deserve it. I want to do it because, in this life, I’ve come to think of you as my companion.”

“But not your friend. I.E. no relationship update notification.” Azure made a swirling motion in the air with his finger.

The elf smiled. “You’ve got me there. Perhaps the system is broken.”

“If it is, you’re the one who broke it.” Azure snorted. “Uden said that elves are stubborn. Maybe this is just a part of that.”

“He would not be wrong.” Jin looked away with a twinge of discomfort in his expression. “Anyway, do you want to do this or not?”

Azure quirked his head back. “Well, now you’re just making it sound like a chore.”

Hard lines formed in the elf’s forehead and mouth, and his eyes became slits. For a moment, the two just stared at each other before Azure let out a dramatic sigh.

“Fine. I suppose I can allow you to knight me. I mean, how ever would you survive in this cruel world without my protection.” He couldn’t help but wear a shit-eating grin as Jin took the teasing in stride.

The elf stood finally. “Well, I suppose we should gather the others. I imagine you’ll want an audience for this momentous event.” His eyes flashed.

About thirty minutes later, they were all standing in front of Qhi. The sun was setting, casting rays through the limbs and leaves of the willow that dotted Azure’s black armor with bright reflective spots. Jin’s hair shown like the sun, the evening light creating almost a halo effect from his silvery golden strands.

Kersonteh, Uden, and Princess Zadori stood as their audience a few yards away, respectfully silent as they awaited the ceremony.

For as lighthearted as their banter had been earlier, Azure felt oddly nervous. He wasn’t exactly sure what knighting meant in The Realm. While he wasn’t particularly afraid of being indentured to Jin forever—the man seemed fair enough—he wasn’t 100% sure what would be required of him in the future and how he’d feel about it. For as much as he had initially wanted this knighthood, it did feel like he’d be losing some of his freedoms because of it. Whatever the case, their goals aligned, and Azure did want to protect the elf. This would likely only strengthen their bond.

“Kneel, Azure Galvan,” Jin said as he pulled one of his blades from its sheath.

Azure did as he was told, feeling a wave of emotion as he stared up at the elven king. The blade that Jin had drawn was placed on Azure’s right shoulder.

“In the name of Finborh, I charge you with respecting the land, never taking more than you need from it. In the name of Steq, I charge you with living every moment you draw breath to the fullest. In the name of Steoper, I charge you with never letting the fire in your heart go out.” The elf moved the blade to Azure’s other shoulder. “In the name of Mhanuu, I charge you with quenching the thirst for knowledge within you and always striving to improve upon yourself. In the name of Luuq, I charge you with respecting every life that you must take and never taking a life without good reason. And in the name of Dyasitet, I charge you with helping those in need and putting the needs of others before selfish interests and desires.” He paused for a moment before removing his sword from Azure’s shoulder. “Now rise, Azure Galvan, Knight of The Realm.”

Azure’s heart beat fiercely in his chest as he stood. When he did, a notification popped up.

Congratulations! You have accepted a new title.

By the time Azure was back on his feet, Jin had resheathed his blade. Immediately, the elf pulled him into an embrace while all those around clapped and cheered. “Congratulations. You are now my brother until the end of our days.”

It was hard to fight back the wave of emotions crashing over Azure. More than the speech that had held him to so many oaths, the elf’s sincere words touched Azure’s heart. He cherished the brotherhood he had with Uden and Jin, and he hoped that it would last a lifetime.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

THE REALM – DAY 475

Name: Sir Azure Galvan

Race: Human

Level: 16, 51% of the way to next level

Health: 440 / 280 (440)

Mana: 370 / 320 (370)

Stamina: 275 / 265 (275)

Vitality: 14 (30)

Intelligence: 18 (23)

Strength: 13 (17)

Agility: 8 (18)

Dexterity: 7 (13)

Charisma: 5 (7)

Luck: 8 (10)

Skills: Archery Lvl 8; 44% of the way to next level

Stealth Lvl 4; 30% of the way to next level

Analyze Lvl 18; 25% of the way to next level

Cooking Lvl 13; 95% of the way to next level

Alchemy Lvl 6; 0% of the way to next level

Foraging Lvl 18; 54% of the way to next level

One-Handed Weapons Lvl 4; 10% of the way to next level

Tracking Lvl 1; 70% of the way to next level

Two-Handed Weapons Lvl 8; 1% of the way to next level

Fishing Lvl 1; 10% of the way to next level

Drinking Lvl 1; 40% of the way to next level

Land Magic Lvl 2; 40% of the way to next level

Enchanting Lvl 18; 8% of the way to next level

Mining Lvl 3; 60% of the way to next level

Tanning Lvl 3; 93% of the way to next level

Leatherworking Lvl 1; 40% of the way to next level

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Cheoksum

It was a subtle difference. Just the word Sir added to his name. Oh, and his last name had been included, too. Azure wasn’t exactly sure why that had been, but he wasn’t going to complain. Knowing that he was now Sir Azure Galvan instead of just plain old Azure was pretty cool.

Of course, Uden pestered the elf over knighting him, too. Then when he was denied, the half-imp refused to address Azure by his new title, which was fine by him. He didn’t want his friends to treat him any differently anyway.

The novelty of the event wore off pretty quickly, and soon they were all back to being bored.

It wasn’t until the next day that Tiny Owl came bearing news that Jamer was approaching from the direction of Oakencross. Naturally, the group went to intercept him before he could reach Qhi. His reception this time was much kinder than the last, with Azure’s party standing like a wall in his path instead of Jin shooting an arrow at his feet from above. Upon seeing the four people waiting for him, a look of surprise took over his face.

“What are you doing back here?” Jin asked, getting straight to business.

Azure’s eyes roved over the man, having not seen him before. On his back was a quiver and hunting bow. A short sword was sheathed on his left hip and an axe on his right. The long strides he had taken through the forest suggested that he was moving with purpose.

“Kersonteh refused my proposal,” a brief sullen settled over Jamer’s expression, “but that does not mean I cannot be with her. I wish to stay here in The Huge Wilds.”

“How romantic,” Uden commented dryly.

“You would be wasting your time,” the elf mirrored the half-imp’s sentiment. “She will never be able to love you, just as she will never be able to love any man.”

Jamer seemed to take offense to this, his words harsh. “I don’t care.”

Silence claimed the forest for several seconds.

“So, are you going to let me pass or not?” Jamer gestured past them irritably.

“Should we let him pass?” Jin glanced over at Azure.

Discomfort swirled inside of Azure, but he wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because he felt bad for the guy chasing someone he couldn’t have. Azure certainly understood that irrational drive. When he had been in high school, he had pursued a few girls that he never had any real hope of dating. Whatever the case, it felt wrong to turn Jamer away.

Fighting back the strange feeling of discomfort, Azure finally said, “I think it’s fine.”

“Thank you!” Jamer certainly did not sound grateful as he shouldered his way between Azure and the elf to continue toward Qhi.

“Poor bastard.” Uden shook his head once Jamer was out of earshot.

“You’re one to talk.” Azure grunted at him.

“Don’t even start.” Jin held his hand up to stop Azure from chastising the half-imp. “You’re just as bad as he is, pining over Kersonteh.”

They returned to Qhi where Jamer was already enthusiastically engaged with the fae, pledging to take care of her forever. From the outside, he looked a bit like a lovesick lunatic.

The half-imp made them stay for the remainder of the week, ever keeping a watchful eye on both Uden and Kersonteh’s human admirer. Azure couldn’t help but be amused by the fact that Jamer barely gave the fae an inch of space, and as a result, there was nowhere for the half-imp to slip in and steal her attention.

Uden eventually became so bored that he busied himself by imbuing all of Azure’s and Jin’s arrows with minor light magic, which was something that both of them had practically begged him to do several times and he always refused.

Meanwhile, Azure spent most of his free time constructing another Large Leather Cloak, then the rest tanning hides.

You have received the following item.

Large Leather Cloak

Defense: +2

Type: Medium Armor

Durability: 10/10

Item Class: Common

Quality: Poor

Weight: 1.3 kg

He tanned so many of them that he leveled up the skill.

Congratulations! The skill: Tanning has reached Level 4. This skill allows you to turn animal pelts into hides. You are now 9% more likely to create an Average Quality hide for your efforts.

Once seven days had passed, it was time to make another decision. Was it safe to go, or should they continue to stay and wait for the unknown threat?

“I promise I will keep Kersonteh safe,” Jamer assured them while they were sitting around the smoldering embers of their dying fire in discussion.

He’d spent all of his time up until that point continuing his personal quest of wooing the fae. Though she smiled at him and treated him with kindness, he was no closer to winning her heart. Still, that did not seem to dissuade the young man in the least. Azure found his dedication to be almost impressive, though he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would last.

“I’m not really sure what else to do besides keep waiting.” Jin looked around at his party for suggestions.

Uden was the only one who had anything to say. “I think it’s safe to leave. Jamer seems like a trustworthy man. He’s certainly not letting Kersonteh out of his sight.” That last part was said with a drop of acid.

“I am at a loss as well,” Princess Zadori confessed. “For one full week, we have not seen hide nor hair of danger.”

“Unless you count Uden,” the elf muttered.

Uden shook his finger at Jin. “I was never any threat to the tree.”

“Well,” the elf stretched out one of his legs, “if you were not the danger, then there never was any danger. I cannot accept that as a possibility.”

The half-imp cocked his head to the side. “Well, I must admit that the necklace was pretty tempting. Just knowing that…” his words trailed off as he met Jamer’s gaze, thinking better than to finish that sentence.

“What about the necklace?” Jamer perceptively asked.

“Nothing.” Uden shook his head. “When I saw she didn’t want it, I had thought to ask her for it, but the gift was not meant for me.”

“Speaking of which,” Jamer twisted to look at Kersonteh, “what did she end up doing with the necklace?”

“We do not know.” The elf was quick to lie in the half-imp’s place.

Of course, they all knew the truth. All but Jamer.

“Whatever the case,” Jin corralled their attention back to the matter at hand, “I’m not sure what else we can do.”

“Shall we put it to a vote?” Uden’s gazed dance from the face of one companion to the next. “I vote that we leave. Time is ticking, and the more we waste here, the longer it will take us to…” his voice trailed off again before picking back up, “finish our main quest.”

The elf looked at Princess Zadori, who had remained mostly silent. Her eyes met his for a moment, then settled on Qhi. “It is beautiful here. I am fine with whatever the group decides.”

“Azure?” Jin asked.

Azure sighed. The thought of leaving the area without their objective clearly fulfilled made his stomach tense. While he couldn’t help but feel that they were missing something, he also was just as clueless about what that something was as the rest of his party.

“I am not sure what to do either,” he said finally.

“Well,” Uden shifted his weight, “since I am the only one with a clear vote, then I suppose I win.”

“You are outnumbered by the rest of us not being sure,” the princess pointed out.

“I don’t hear you guys presenting us with other options.” Uden held his hands up. “If you can’t make a decision, then nothing gets done.”

“I promise you needn’t worry,” Jamer insisted.

“See.” The half-imp pointed to Jamer. “He promises that us leaving is the right decision.”

“But what if an army comes while we’re gone?” Jin thought aloud.

Jamer’s attention was wrenched away as he noticed Kersonteh heading into the forest. Abruptly, he stood. “You guys let me know what you decide.” Then he took off after her with long strides.

“See.” Uden pointed again. “She can’t even go take a piss without him following her.”

“I don’t think she…” Princess Zadori began to say before stopping.

She need not finish the sentence. They all knew what she meant. From what they’d witnessed since being there, Kersonteh didn’t have the same bodily functions or needs as humans. She never ate and thus never went to the bathroom, though she did sleep at night and occasionally took a dip in the moat surrounding Qhi.

Those were Azure’s favorite times because she was not shy about nudity at all, though he did try to avert his gaze for no other reason than that he didn’t want Princess Zadori thinking he was a pervert. Uden, on the other hand, blatantly watched the fae bathe.

“You know what I mean.” The half-imp squeezed his eyes shut.

All the while that they had been bickering, Azure had been busy thinking. “Why don’t we leave Tiny Owl here and head back toward Finborh on foot? That way, if something does come up, he can catch up and tell us.”

The elf shook his head. “He cannot venture more than two miles away from me.”

That blew a hole in Azure’s plan. It wouldn’t take them very long to walk two miles. At best, they’d get an hour’s visual on Qhi before Tiny Owl would have to start following them.

“I’ve got nothing, then.” Azure surrendered finally, out of ideas.

“Well, we said we were going to stay a week,” Princess Zadori said.

“Exactly.” Uden nodded. “We’ve been here a week. Nothing has happened. What more can Finborh want from us?” He threw his arms up in frustration.

“I don’t have an answer for that,” Jin replied wearily.

They were all tired of puzzling over it.

“I think now, all we really need to decide is whether we’re going to fast travel or hoof it.” The half-imp continued to push his vote that they leave.

“Well, once we leave this area, we won’t know what’s going on here anyway, so I don’t really see the point of walking it,” Azure thought out loud.

“Except to gain experience. Gaining experience is always important,” the elf argued.

“On what?” Uden huffed, cocking his head back. “Killing a few animals? Tanning a bunch of hides? Leveling up your Analyze skill? Isn’t bringing the elves back as quickly as possible more important to you?”

He had a point.

“I’m tired of all of this walking,” the princess complained. “We should not squander the gift that Finborh gave us. He gave it to us meaning for us to use it.”

“I can’t disagree,” Azure said. “Besides, I am more than a little eager to be rid of this invisible guillotine hanging over my head. That is more important to me than gaining a few hundred experience points or leveling up some skills. We can waste as much time as we want after that’s done.”

“So, what’s it going to be?” The half-imp looked from Azure to Jin.

The elf sighed. “The thought of leaving this place gives me an unsettling feeling, but I also agree that something should have happened by now. Let us give it one more night. If nothing of interest occurs, we will leave at first light in the morning…on foot, leaving Tiny Owl behind until I reach my maximum range with him. Then we will teleport back to Finborh.”

And like that, it was decided.

While none of them were thrilled with the plan, it seemed fair enough. After all, what could possibly go wrong in the span of twenty-four hours?

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

THE REALM – DAY 479

Early the next morning, they packed their belongings, snuffed out their campfire, and said goodbye to Kersonteh and Jamer, wishing them both the best. Jamer stood by the fae’s side, his arm wrapped around her waist, an ear to ear grin stretched across his face. He once more promised to protect Kersonteh with his life and that the departing party had nothing to worry about. They all hoped he was sincere.

As they walked away from Qhi, the sinking feeling in the pit of Azure’s stomach only dug itself deeper. Although they had come together to make this decision, it just didn’t feel right. Could Finborh really have been mistaken about the threat to Qhi? Had this all just been a test for Uden? It seemed…disproportionate for this being the last quest they needed to complete to earn the Land Stone. Anticlimactic.

Still, Azure wasn’t going to argue with it. In truth, hanging out in The Huge Wilds with the fae had been mostly without stress other than when they were trying to unravel the mystery of the great threat that never came to pass.

“I can’t believe this was our last quest for the Land Stone,” Azure voiced his thoughts.

Princess Zadori hummed. “It was more like a vacation than a quest.”

“I hope we have more quests like this.” Uden placed his hands on the back of his head and stretched as they walked. “Though the drinking quest was pretty sweet.”

“That one had the potential to be fun.” Azure sighed deeply, thinking about how he had been denied all the enjoyment of Kigboldar.

They were a little over a mile away when Tiny Owl swooped down from the trees and alighted on Jin’s shoulder. The owl and the elf shared a look for a moment before Tiny Owl beat his wings and took back off into the sky in the direction of Qhi. Jin spun on his heels, chasing after the owl at full speed. His party barely had time to react.

“What’s happening?” Princess Zadori asked.

Azure and Uden glanced at each other before sprinting after the elf. Thanks to the weight of his armor, Azure quickly lagged behind, but that was easily remedied by summoning Flicker and jumping onto her back.

As soon as he had caught up to Jin, the elf motioned him on. “Go! Ride ahead! Jamer is trying to chop down Qhi!” The words came out in a panting breath.

Azure still wasn’t sure what exactly was going on, but he spurred his heels into the horse’s sides to coax her into the fastest gallop she could manage while dodging trees. He did not have to travel much further before hearing the distinct sound of an axe hitting wood. The enchantment hadn’t even worn out before he broke through the clearing, dismounting the second that Qhi was in view.

Kersonteh was lying in a heap a few feet away from Jamer, sobbing inconsolably. He hacked at the tree with purpose, not even taking notice of Azure’s arrival.

“Stop! What are you doing?!” Azure yelled as he traversed one of the large roots coming from Qhi that worked as a bridge across the moat.

Thanks to the willow’s massive girth, Jamer hadn’t made much progress in his destruction of it, having carved out but a foot of the trunk. It would take much more than that to fell the sacred tree.

Jamer did not lose focus for a second, continuing to hack away at Qhi’s trunk while saying, “If this is the only thing keeping her here, then I will remove the obstacle.”

Not knowing what else to do to stop him, Azure tackled Jamer like a football player once he’d reached him, plunging them both into the cool water of the moat. The weight of Azure’s armor quickly pulled him to the bottom of the moat, allowing Jamer to wriggle away easily. By the time Azure had found his footing, the love-crazed fool was already pulling himself out of the water. Thankfully, it was only four feet deep. Otherwise, Azure might have drowned.

He found his way back to shore just as Jamer was taking up the axe again.

“You cannot stop me! She will be my wife!”

The declaration had so much conviction in it that Azure was worried that Jamer had lost all sense.

“If you cut down the tree, Kersonteh will die!” he tried to plead with the young man, who was now backed up to the willow, his axe held in front of him defensively like a weapon.

“You don’t know that. No one really knows what will happen if the tree is cut down because no one has ever done it,” Jamer argued, planting his feet into the soil to stand his ground.

“She’s told you herself that she can’t leave this place.” Azure pointed back toward Kersonteh. “If you hurt Qhi, you hurt her.” He tried to appeal to Jamer’s love for the fae, but he only shook his head.

“This tree is her prison. I will free her from it.” Jamer turned to start hacking at the tree again, but as soon as he lifted the axe, the sound of an arrow cut through the air.

The thwack was almost deafening. Azure’s mouth dropped open as he saw the arrow’s shaft sticking out of both sides of Jamer’s head. It looked like one of those novelty props a child would wear. Except the arrowhead was coated with blood. Real blood.

Jamer’s eyes went wide. His arm lost its strength and lowered the axe. Then he stumbled a few feet to his right and fell to the floor.

Azure hadn’t realized how fast his heart had been drumming until there was a moment of stillness. He followed the direction that the arrow had come from to see Jin standing at the tree line, his bow still raised, his fingers still poised from when he’d loosed the arrow. The elf was panting from the exhaustion of running non-stop, but his hands had still somehow been steady enough to make the shot.

Azure turned to look at Kersonteh. Her sobbing had died down, and she was busy wiping the tears away from her eyes. The fae did not mourn Jamer’s death. In fact, she didn’t even seem disturbed by it. All of Kersonteh’s distress had come from the injury to Qhi.

The part of Azure that was attracted to her wanted to go to her and ask if she was all right. But the part of him that could not get over the fact that Jin had just murdered a man without a second thought who they had spent the past few days with and generally seemed perfectly rational had him glued into place, unable to move.

There were at least a dozen different ways this could have gone down. Jamer had not needed to be killed.

Uden and Princess Zadori emerged from the forest a few moments later, both barely able to catch their breath as they stopped to find the grisly scene.

“Hey man, nice shot!” Uden patted the elf on the shoulder, still breathless.

The princess looked every bit as shocked and appalled as Azure felt.

Finally, Azure let his gaze fall back down to Jamer. Sorrow filled his heart, but he knew that he couldn’t let it linger. What was done was done. There was no bringing the kid back. Still, he didn’t have to pretend to be happy about it.

“You’re safe now,” he said to Kersonteh a bit bitterly before walking back down the tree root to rejoin his party.

While a piece of him wanted to, at the very least, give Jamer a proper burial, he knew that the fae was capable of that on her own without their help. She would not allow the man’s corpse to sit there and sully her eutopia. The land was, in many ways, at her command. It would likely swallow up Jamer’s body, taking it down with all the treasure below. Now, Azure wondered how many more bodies were down there, and if there were more bodies than treasure. The holy site no longer seemed so beautiful.

As he approached the elf, who had finally lowered his bow, Azure’s instinct to argue with him about morals died down. He had traveled with Jin long enough to know that this was just how he was. Anyone and anything that got in his way was just an obstacle, and he would shoot first and ask questions later to get things done in the least amount of time. Azure wondered if all elves were like that. If they were, then maybe that’s why Finborh had allowed them to go extinct.

“We’re done here. Let’s go,” Azure said harshly to his friends.

The only one he felt any kindness for was Princess Zadori. She was a reflection of how he’d once been before The Realm had hardened him. Eventually, she’d grow emotional calluses, too. They’d all have to if they planned to obtain all of the Stones of Blessing. There was still such a long way to go.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

THE REALM – DAY 479

Though a bit dizzying, the trip to Finborh via the Teleportation Prism had been short and painless. Azure should have been happy. Yet he could barely even see Finborh emerging from the side of the mountain as they stood before him. The only thing his mind would allow him to envision was the second before the arrow had entered Jamer’s head and the look on the young man’s face when he had died.

It was another nightmare that Azure would carry with him forever. A nightmare, not because he had witnessed one more human being perish, but because he had failed to save him. If only Azure had tackled Jamer onto the ground instead of into the moat. If he had just held the man there until the rest of his party had arrived, Jin wouldn’t have had a shot. They could have tied Jamer up and taken him into Oakencross to be arrested. Or maybe they could have even brought him to Finborh with them to be judged. Azure refused to believe that the man had been beyond saving.

As the God spoke, it took everything in Azure to refocus his attention. The notification that the quest had been completed barely even registered to him as he read it, the experience gained…seemingly unimportant.

Congratulations! Quest: Protect Qhi has been completed.

A lovesick fool has no concern for anything but his own desires. You have eliminated the threat to Qhi and thus saved the magic of Patheana. For your efforts, you are rewarded 400XP.

In fact, refocusing didn’t happen until Finborh addressed Azure directly, saying that the invisible hourglass had been removed.

It was admittedly liberating—the first positive thing Azure had felt since they’d changed locations. Though he knew he wouldn’t leave Jin’s side, despite their difference in the value of life, it was just nice not to be mortally tethered to the elf—to have the option, even if he wouldn’t take it.

A long string of quests was over, but soon, after a short break at The Welcoming Summit, they would have to move on to the next God and start all over again.

“Before I give you the Land Stone, there are some additional gifts that I would like to bestow,” Finborh said to them in a voice full of pride.

This made Azure’s ears perk up. He and Uden glanced at each other excitedly, though Jin seemed more apprehensive than anything else.

“Jin Umewraek,” the God of Land began, “your gift was the life of your friend. That gift was given as an advance and takes the place of something you desire. Was it worth it?” Finborh gave the elf an inquisitive look.

Jin’s gaze shifted to Azure, pausing for a moment as if he had to think about it. Then he returned his attention to the God and said with confidence, “Yes. It was worth it.”

“I am glad.” Finborh hummed and nodded.

Guilt ripped through Azure that the elf had to lose even more just to save him—half of everything he had been plus whatever this amazing gift would have been. It did not seem fair.  Perhaps Azure was wrong to think that life meant less to Jin. It often seemed hard to tell.

“For you, Uden Namud, I bestow upon you the gift of Novice Land Magic.” The God of land held out his stone hand, and dust swirled up around the half-imp in a spiral. Fragments of brown and green mana sparkled around him until the spiral closed in on Uden, the magic absorbing into his skin. “Let this be a small taste of the power you will have once you complete your quest of becoming a Grand Master Mage.”

Uden’s mouth hung open in surprise for a moment before he looked at his friends, unable to hide his excitement any longer. “Guys! I just learned all the novice land magic spells at once. All of them! Grease, Dirty Move, Woodfesh! I know almost as much magic as you do, Azure, and I didn’t even have to go to school or spend money on it!” He quickly turned his joy into the mocking of his friend.

Whatever happiness Azure had felt for the half-imp quickly faded. Learning magic had never been Azure’s supreme wish, yet he couldn’t help but be a bit peeved by everything he had gone through to obtain the spells he had while Uden hadn’t had to work even a fraction as much for his magic. Still, he was not cruel enough to deny Uden this moment.

“Congratulations, buddy,” he offered as sincerely as possible.

Then Finborh turned his attention to Azure. “Sir Azure Galvan, for you, I have a gift of the mind. Come closer.”

Nervousness took the place of everything Azure had been feeling. He did not know what a gift of the mind was. There was nothing tied to his mind that he desired. Regardless, he took a step forward as Finborh’s large stone hand reached for him.

The God of Land placed a single fingertip on Azure’s forehead, and Azure suddenly lost all sense of everything around him.

When he opened his eyes, he was somewhere different yet familiar. An elderly woman was standing before him wearing an oversized floral nightgown. Her short gray hair was wrapped in pink curlers, and she was looking at Azure expectantly.

As he glanced down and saw the lightbulb in her wrinkled hand, it came back to him. Mrs. Fields. She wants me to change the lightbulb in her kitchen. She could have waited for maintenance, but they take forever to do anything in our complex.

Will took the lightbulb from her, then looked up, realizing that he was already in her apartment. The mixed scents of overused litterbox, baby powder, and some kind of food invaded his nostrils, causing him to wrinkle his nose. All he wanted was to get this done and go back home to mope about how Sheila had dumped him.

As Will proceeded toward the kitchen, Mrs. Fields’s cat, Mittens, quickly got underfoot. It didn’t run away even when he put out a stepladder to screw in the lightbulb. The ladder teetered a bit when Will made it to the top, but he was able to steady himself well enough to replace the lightbulb.

It was when he was coming back down that he ran into a problem. The stupid cat had decided to rub against the stepladder and managed to wedge its foot beneath. Desperate not to crush every bone in the cat’s paw, Will leaned away, hoping that the cat would be able to pull its foot from under it, but he leaned too far and lost his balance.

Will went in one direction and the stepladder in the other. He tried to reach for the counter to stop his fall, but his hands grasped short, and his head ended up meeting the corner of the counter with a sickening thud.

For several moments, the world was dark. Then Will opened his eyes to the inside of Manny’s barn. He was in The Realm. Somehow, someway, after Will had hit his head on that counter, he had been transported to The Realm. That could only mean one thing…Will was dead.

His eyes flew open, his heart beating so quickly that he clutched his chest in fear that it might jump out.

Finborh was withdrawing his finger.

“I’m dead. I’m dead,” were the only words that would leave Azure’s mouth. They came out in a torrent on repeat.

Jin rushed forward to console him. “You’re not dead. Calm down.”

Azure gripped the front of the elf’s cloak, his eyes wild as he looked at him. “You don’t understand. I saw my death. Janine was right all along. I’m in hell or…” his voice trailed off as reason left him.

“You are starting to remember,” Finborh said calmly, sounding pleased.

Anger flooded in to replace fear and sorrow. “Why did you show me that?” He let go of Jin to point at Finborh. “I didn’t need to remember that! You told me that you could send me back. You lied to me! I could have spent the rest of my time here being completely oblivious.” Azure stumbled back a few feet in shock.

“More will be revealed to you as you collect the Stones of Blessing,” the God cryptically said.

“What’s the point?” Azure threw his hands up. “I’m never going to get to go back.”

“All will be revealed,” Finborh repeated before choosing to ignore Azure and turn to Princess Zadori instead. “And for you, my dear, I have the greatest gift of all.” The God held out his hand, then opened it, his palm flat. Resting atop it was a polished round brown stone about the size of a golf ball. It did not shine like a gem but instead glittered like a rock with flecks of precious ore inside.

The princess looked enthralled as she took the stone from him. In fact, everyone was captivated by the gift. Even Azure was having a difficult time holding onto his misery as he watched.

To all their surprise, Princess Zadori immediately sat on the ground and began taking off one of the pink slippers she was wearing. On the bottom of her right foot was a round indentation with a brown ring around it. When she pushed the stone into the indentation, the ring glowed and rotated as her skin seemed to fuse with the stone, melding it into place. After the process was complete, she stood, bowing her head respectfully to Finborh. “Thank you for this gift.”

“You are most welcome, my dear. It is well earned.” The God smiled at her.

A moment later, a notification popped up.

Congratulations! Quest: Earn the Land Stone has been completed.

Three quests you have completed for the God of Land. Not for the faint of heart, they were. Through your monumental efforts, you have earned the Land Stone. You are also rewarded 560XP.

Congratulations! You are now Level 17! Your base stats have been boosted. You have earned 3 points to assign to your characteristics. Please note that adding points to some characteristics (Vitality, Intelligence, and Strength) will further boost your base stats. You may also advance any 1 skill of your choosing by 1 level.

Azure should have been excited, but he wasn’t, still shellshocked from the realization that there would be no going back to Earth—that he was stuck in The Realm forever.

Meanwhile, the world continued to revolve around him.

“I thought the Keeper just kept the stones. I did not realize that they became a part of the person,” Uden mentioned, almost sounding like a question.

“The Keeper doesn’t just keep the stones. The Keeper is also the key that unlocks the Ultimate Blessing,” she informed him.

“Oh.” The half-imp blinked.

“Good luck with your quest for the rest of the stones,” Finborh interrupted them before stepping back into the side of the mountain.

They all knew better than to try to question him further. Azure didn’t even have the emotional strength to attempt it. He would have gotten nowhere anyway.

“So, where do we go next?” Uden was all enthusiasm.

Jin peered forward for a second, pulling up his World Map to check their location before speaking. “Dyasitet is the next closest God.”

Not caring where they went now that it no longer mattered, Azure turned and walked away, heading for the beach. He just wanted to be alone, to mourn the loss of the life he once knew.

“Hey. Are you all right?” The elf jogged into his peripheral vision, causing Azure to stop and sigh.

“Not really.” He tore his hands through his hair, looking out toward the ocean.

It was taking everything in him to fight back the tears. Crying in front of Jin wasn’t an option. Not when he was supposed to be the Captain of the Guard. If the elf thought him weak, he might regret having bestowed the position on Azure, and it was currently the only thing left giving him a purpose.

“If you are here, then you are not dead,” Jin told him.

Azure shook his head. “You don’t understand. After seeing that vision…After knowing what I know now, I can’t help but wonder what the point of any of this is. Even if I wish it, I won’t be sent back home. I don’t even have anything else to wish for.”

“You can always wish to be sent back home, whether it works or not,” the elf said. “Our travels will give you a chance to come up with a backup wish in case it doesn’t. And even if you can’t go back home, does it really matter? You’ve accomplished so much here.

“Azure, you are the first human ever to serve as an elf’s Captain of the Royal Guard. That is a historic event. Long after you are gone, people will remember your name,” Jin emphasized the importance of the accomplishment. “And besides, once I bring my people back, you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams. Is the thought of that life so bad?”

He considered it for a minute, then sighed. “I suppose not.”

Back on Earth, all Azure could have hoped for was a promotion into his dream job. Here in The Realm, he had been granted a position that many people would probably kill for, and he hadn’t even really had to work for it. It had just been handed to him.

“And if that is not enough to motivate you, think of all the memories you’ll make traveling with your friends.” Jin wrapped an arm around Azure’s neck. “Just envision all of the exotic places you’ll get to see and the monsters you’ll get to kill.” He made a sweeping motion with his hand as he stared off into the distance.

Azure couldn’t help but smirk at him. “I think you get more enjoyment out of fantasizing about all the monsters we’ll kill than I do.”

The elf glanced at him. “I know you have a soft heart, but you have to admit that it’s kind of fun.”

Azure scrunched up his brow. “Almost dying is never fun.”

Jin patted Azure’s chest. “That’s how you know you’re alive.”

Azure tilted his head to the side. “While I don’t agree with your logic, I suppose it’s not all that bad.”

“Of course, it’s not. Remember, things could always be worse. Hypothetically, if you were dead, you could have just drifted off into nothing, an endless sea of darkness.”

“Is that what your death was like?” Azure asked.

The elf shifted his weight, clearly uncomfortable. “What happened to me was much like what happened to you. I was somewhere else one moment, then here the next.”

“So, death is an endless void.” Azure looked out over the ocean, his eyes wide as he pondered the depth of that, though he quickly snapped out of it. “Well, we better avoid death, then.”

“It should be avoided at all costs.” Jin nodded. “Who knows how many more chances we’ll get. I, for one, don’t want to test my luck.”

“Yet we’re going after the rest of these stones, which will most certainly put us in harm’s way.” Azure gave him a half-cocked grin.

“Some things are worth dying for,” the elf replied simply. “Like good friends and the chance to accomplish the impossible. There is no other way for me to bring my people back. And there is no other way for you to get back to Earth.

“Remember, I did not get my gift because I saved you. For all I know, I could have received a similar vision. Visions of my people forever perished and my homeland burning.”

“What would you have done then?” Azure lifted an eyebrow.

“Not give up.” Jin removed his arm from around Azure’s shoulder. “I’ve lived long enough to know that, given the right situation, being in the right place at the right time, nothing is impossible in The Realm. Visions can be misleading and also mean something entirely different than you think.” The elf paused for a moment before looking at Azure. “Do you trust me?”

There was no hesitation. “Yes.”

“Then believe that I will find a way to get you out of here. If the Ultimate Blessing does not grant your wish, then I will put every resource I have at my disposal to aid you in your quest. We are brothers until the end.” He patted Azure on the shoulder. “Now stop moping and go enjoy some much-deserved relaxation.”

A long breath escaped Azure’s lungs as he watched Jin walk toward Princess Zadori. He could have rejoined the group but decided instead to continue to the beach. Even though his mind was a bit more at ease, he wanted the space to decompress from the day’s stress. So much bad was still fresh in his mind.

As Azure took a seat on the sand and began unbuckling his armor, he wondered many things. Would he even live long enough to collect all the stones, or would he die in service to the elf? In the grand scheme of things, did it even matter if the Ultimate Blessing could grant his wish?

It had taken almost a year just to obtain the Land Stone. By the time they acquired the rest, there might not be anything worth going back to. The elf was right about one thing, though. Regardless of the outcome, Azure had to try.

Inhaling deeply, he watched the sun cast sparkling rays over the water on the horizon. It was still early in the day, barely noon, if that late. His worries would eat him alive if he let them, but they were just that, worries, not current emergencies, and certainly not anything pressing. All Azure could do was take things one day at a time. Today, relax and recharge. Tomorrow, set off with his party toward the God of Life and whatever adventures awaited them.

The adventure continues in book eight. Coming soon...

To further support this author, please post a review after you finish reading this book.

Phoenix Grey is the secret pen name of a USA Today bestselling author. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas where she hermits away writing books and playing video games. When she's not busy plotting her world domination, she can be found hosting tabletop game nights at the local comic book store or checking out the latest recommended anime.

She loves hearing from and interacting with fans, so feel free to stalk her in the following ways:

Phoenix Grey's Mailing List:

https://www.subscribepage.com/therealmbetween7

Sign up to learn when the next installment of The Realm Between is coming out.

The Realm Between's Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/TheRealmBetweenLitRPG

Phoenix Grey's Reader Group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/PhoenixGreyReaderGroup

A cool place to interact with other fans of the series and join monthly giveaways.

Phoenix Grey's YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxdU4nqGlBTLX05tjPq1sw

The Realm Between’s Patreon page:

https://www.patreon.com/TheRealmBetween

Where you can read the next book in the series as it’s being written.

Phoenix Grey’s Twitch:

https://www.twitch.tv/phoenixthegrey

Azure's end of book stats:

Name: Sir Azure Galvan

Race: Human

Level: 17, 10% of the way to next level

Health: 450 / 290 (450)

Mana: 380 / 330 (380)

Stamina: 285 / 275 (285)

Vitality: 14 (30)

Intelligence: 18 (23)

Strength: 13 (17)

Agility: 8 (18)

Dexterity: 7 (13)

Charisma: 5 (7)

Luck: 8 (10)

Skills: Archery Lvl 8; 44% of the way to next level

Stealth Lvl 4; 30% of the way to next level

Analyze Lvl 18; 25% of the way to next level

Cooking Lvl 13; 95% of the way to next level

Alchemy Lvl 6; 0% of the way to next level

Foraging Lvl 18; 54% of the way to next level

One-Handed Weapons Lvl 4; 10% of the way to next level

Tracking Lvl 1; 70% of the way to next level

Two-Handed Weapons Lvl 8; 1% of the way to next level

Fishing Lvl 1; 10% of the way to next level

Drinking Lvl 1; 40% of the way to next level

Land Magic Lvl 2; 40% of the way to next level

Enchanting Lvl 18; 9% of the way to next level

Mining Lvl 3; 60% of the way to next level

Tanning Lvl 4; 38% of the way to next level

Leatherworking Lvl 1; 50% of the way to next level

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Cheoksum

Jin's end of book stats:

Name: Jin Umewraek

Race: Human

Level: 19

Health: 360

Mana: 245

Stamina: 365

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Ogre, Orc, Giant, Animalkin, Cheoksum

Uden's end of book stats:

Name: Uden Namud

Race: Half-Human, Half-Imp

Level: 16

Health: 510 / 310 (510)

Mana: 380 / 260 (380)

Stamina: 400 / 320 (400)

Languages: Common Tongue, Sprite, Goblin-Tongue, Elvish, Impish, Glossolalia

Zadori's end of book stats:

Name: Ihraleil Nuken

Race: Human

Level: 1

Health: 100

Mana: 100

Stamina: 100

Languages: Common Tongue

End of Book Shit

Hey guys and gals,

This pandemic isn’t over yet, but we’re getting through it! Seriously, though, so much has changed about how we live and work. I’m looking forward to things returning to normal, but part of me fears they never will.

Taking feedback from readers of Neverending Dungeon, I tried to make this book a bit more lighthearted. We are definitely stepping into epic fantasy territory as Azure and the gang embark on the main story arc.

Having said that, I am no longer going to try to release books in the series that are a certain number of words long. From now on, they will be as long or as short as needed to tell the story.

As for what’s been going on in my life, the only thing of note is that I will be moving the week after this book is released. Life has been crazy hectic lately, but that’s really nothing new.

I am looking forward to starting this new chapter of my life, as well as to start writing the next book in The Realm Between.

Much love,

Phoenix Grey

SPECIAL THANKS

I want to take the time to give a special thanks to Alan Saylor, Bubba Thorn, Kharl, Tyller James, Bo Sturdivant, Oliver Reilly, Troy Osgood, Andrew Matosky, Russell Ventimeglia, and all my awesome Patreon supporters.

FREE BOOK

Get this free book when you sign up for my mailing list. This offer is exclusive to my mailing list subscribers.

Description

One of the world’s top competitive gamers, Theo Robinson, has been invited to demo The Realm Online, Radical Interactive’s second attempt to delve into the VRMMORPG industry. Their first attempt had critics cringing at blocky graphics and less than realistic NPC interactions. Now, after over twenty years of marrying virtual reality and medical technology, Radical Interactive is ready to try again, and they have something really big in store.

But Theo Robinson has no interest in The Realm Online. A MOBA player, RPGs have never been his thing. The only reason he accepted the invitation was because of another secret project that Radical Interactive has been working on. Word has it they have been trapping people with brain injuries inside of The Realm Online. When Nancy Shelton, YouTube's most famous female Let's Player (and Theo's best friend online), got into a car accident and ended up in a coma, it was suspected that her consciousness had been ported into the game. Theo's quest isn't to demo The Realm Online but to try to find his friend. But will he even be able to look for her when the immersion is so intense that he forgets who he is?

Get it by signing up here: https://www.subscribepage.com/therealmbetween7

To learn more about LitRPG, talk to authors including myself, and just have an awesome time, please join the LitRPG Group.

Other LitRPG-Related Places

LitRPG Books
LitRPG Forum
LitRPG. Fantasy. Sci-fi

Gamelit Society

LitRPG Reads

LitRPG Reddit

LitRPG Rebels

Fantasy Nation

GameLit, LitRPG, Xianxia, and Wuxia

READ: LitRPG. Fantasy. Sci-fi

LitRPG Adventures: Reviews & Discussions

Fantasy, Fiction & LitRPG Books and Audible

Great LitRPG & More

Litrpg. Fantasy. Sci-fi

GameLit

Litrpg Reviews

Litrpg Daily

Table of Contents

- CHAPTER ONE THE REALM – DAY 255
- CHAPTER TWO THE REALM – DAY 256
- CHAPTER THREE THE REALM – DAY 257
- CHAPTER FOUR THE REALM – DAY 257
- CHAPTER FIVE THE REALM – DAY 264
- CHAPTER SIX THE REALM – DAY 264
- CHAPTER SEVEN THE REALM – DAY 264
- CHAPTER EIGHT THE REALM – DAY 265
- CHAPTER NINE THE REALM – DAY 268
- CHAPTER TEN THE REALM – DAY 268
- CHAPTER ELEVEN THE REALM – DAY 268
- CHAPTER TWELVE THE REALM – DAY 282
- CHAPTER THIRTEEN THE REALM – DAY 283
- CHAPTER FOURTEEN THE REALM – DAY 285
- CHAPTER FIFTEEN THE REALM – DAY 326
- CHAPTER SIXTEEN THE REALM – DAY 327
- CHAPTER SEVENTEEN THE REALM – DAY 328
- CHAPTER EIGHTEEN THE REALM – DAY 329
- CHAPTER NINETEEN THE REALM – DAY 329
- CHAPTER TWENTY THE REALM – DAY 330
- CHAPTER TWENTY - ONE THE REALM – DAY 403
- CHAPTER TWENTY - TWO THE REALM – DAY 404
- CHAPTER TWENTY - THREE THE REALM – DAY 405
- CHAPTER TWENTY - FOUR THE REALM – DAY 406
- CHAPTER TWENTY - FIVE THE REALM – DAY 406
- CHAPTER TWENTY - SIX THE REALM – DAY 406
- CHAPTER TWENTY - SEVEN THE REALM – DAY 406
- CHAPTER TWENTY - EIGHT THE REALM – DAY 469
- CHAPTER TWENTY - NINE THE REALM – DAY 470
- CHAPTER THIRTY THE REALM – DAY 470
- CHAPTER THIRTY - ONE THE REALM – DAY 470
- CHAPTER THIRTY - TWO THE REALM – DAY 475
- CHAPTER THIRTY - THREE THE REALM – DAY 479
- CHAPTER THIRTY - FOUR THE REALM – DAY 479