NOVEL NEXT 32 The not-immortal Blacksmith - Interlude - The Kid VI
22nd of Anael, First month of Snow.
2109 years since the new gods came.
~4:30 AM
I was awoken around an hour ago by a soft popping noise and the sound of someone falling a foot or so to the floor. A cast of 'Flash' stunned my assailant until I had my sword out and at his throat. He looked to be around 19 years or so, wearing mages robes, and a tear stained face. To the best of my memory, our conversation went like this:
Me: What are you doing in my tent?
Him: I want to kill the bastard demon who killed my husband.
Me: Wait, What?
Him: Did I stutter or mumble? Or aren't you the 'Hero'?
Me: Yes...No... Wait! Your husband was killed by a demon? Then join the army.
Him, taking a deep, grief riddled breath: No. You don't seem to understand. Last night, I came back to the demon generals throne room, and found the remains of my husband. No big deal, it's 'just a game'. I jacked out, to talk to him, AND HE WAS DEAD!
Me, looking this man strait in the eyes: A game? You think this is a game? I was reborn here after I died in Chicago in 1987! And YOU THINK THIS IS SOME STUPID GAME?!?!?!
Him: Wait, Huh? What?
Me: Did I mumble or stutter?
Him: But, I'm from 2089...This isn't a Deepdive MMORPG?
ME: Whatever that is, no. This is a real world, with real people, doing REAL THINGS! Now I understand why Master Maxwell hates 'Heros' so much. You're all IDIOTS!
Him, looking like he is about to vomit as tears start falling: NO. No, no, no, no, no... FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! I am going to kill that fucking programmer when I get back home! Tell me we are the only pre-alpha testers for a new game? Cool. Not tell us that it is actually a doorway to an alternate world, not a cool DDVR? No. Suing you for wrongful death isn't enough. Not after what you had me do here.....
Me: ... Um...What now?
Him: Call me Bob. The programmer said that my husband and I should join in on the demon's side, work with them to see how the combat controls work. Even gave us 'new spells' to work on perfecting.
Me, slightly taken aback, hand clutching my sword hilt more tightly: Okay. Um. How about I take you to the commander's tent, and you can tell him all about things. Once that is done with, you can join me on the front lines?
Bob, after taking a few more calming breaths: Okay. I...I...I think I can do that. Then we kill this ass-clown demon. General Grapestein.
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General Grapestein awoke from a bloated slumber with a sneezing fit.
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I showed Bob the way to the command tent, and led him inside. I left him there to explain himself. I'm so glad I don't have to deal with this kind of shit any more.
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Just got the word from command, Bob will be joining my mages today. And boy is he pissed.
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22nd of Anael, 1/2 hour before sunrise
We wait behind the crest of a hill, preparing to storm the castle. The demon hoard is unprepared, as Bob was unable to deliver the news of our imminent attack. I would say that this will be easy, but Master Maxwell taught me better.
The word is being passed, charge at the second horn call. I hope I live to see the end of the day.
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23rd of Anael, Evening
In a large pavilion, in a large camp, located just outside of the range of demon fire from General Grapestein's castle, a conversation is taking place.
"No sir. I didn't see him after our charge was rebuffed." Corporal Anderson said, tears running from his eyes. He didn't even try to wipe them away. "The last thing I saw before the Ice Giants charged us was him, the cat, the demon, and that new guy, Bob? Chasing some multi eyed demon down a side passage."
"Very good, Corporal. You followed your orders properly, and retreated when you were able. I wish we had more men like you. Did you retrieve his Journal?"
"Yes, mi-lord. Here it is." Anderson held out a thick, and rough looking book, with unknown runes on the cover. "He once told me the runes were words of power, and not to touch them."
"We will deal with it, Corporal." The unnamed M.I. officer sighed, "And for what it is worth, Corporal? I am sorry for the loss of your commander and friend. At least we all gave him the best chance we could."
"Yes sir. Thank you sir." Anderson responded. "I want in on the Forlorn Hope. Sir. I want to lead it."
"We aren't there quite yet Corp- - -"
An explosion from the castle shook the camp, followed by several lesser explosions.
"What in the 8 Hells?" The M.I. Officer yelled, looking for his sword that had fallen off of the interview table. "Corporal, return to your post!"
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-A moment before the boom-
"One of grandpa's anime gave---" Bob started.
"You watch that Japanese cartoon bullshit?" Liam asked.
"Shut up and listen. I have a spell that should open this door. Just give me a minute." Bob said.
"Okay. Fine. Where did you get it from?" Liam asked, shaking his head.
"The Anime 'Slayers'." Bob replied, before chanting something in Japanese, and pointing his hand at the sealed great door to the throne room.
A beam of reddish energy shot from his hand, hitting the door and exploding on contact. An explosion that caused the castle to shake, and a mushroom cloud to form above it.
Covered in dust and debris, the party of heroes charged into the throne room. The ceiling was riven, open to the sky, and what was left of the decor was in tatters. Falling rubble had miraculously crushed most of the demons in the room, but not all. General Grapestein was in the middle of standing up from his throne, while his assistant Marax stood to one side, mouth agape.
"Ah, the hero's party has---" General Grapestein began, only to be cut off mid sentence.
"Shut it you lard ass, loudmouth!" Liam yelled, as he summoned and threw a lightning spear into the generals guts. "Bob, this one is yours, I'll get the other one. Everyone else, guard the doors!"
Bob, a wicked smile on his face, strode towards the demon, "I bet it was your idea to eat Hank. To kill him and gobble him up. Wasn't it?" Bob drew a long, barbed whip, one that General Grapestein had given him in fact, and sent magical energy coursing through it. "I bet you made him suffer."
"No pain and suffering." General Grapestein said, "It ruins the flavor of the meat. Just a club to the head, and bleeding out the veins. No pain at all." He looked into the rage on Bob's face, and smiled a cruel smile.
"NO PAIN? NO SUFFERING?" Bob yelled, "You expect me to believe you?" The whip lashed out, catching Grapestein across the left leg, tearing the flesh and searing the bone.
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Liam drew his sword and charged Marax. "Goddess, you look like a Gwar understudy," He said under his breath, and swung his sword.
Marax ducked under the blade, and freed his barbed whip from his belt. "You are much to young for this fight, boy."
"I'm older than I look, asshole." Liam replied, stabbing at the demon.
"Be that as it may, mortal, I'm much older and more experienced than you will ever be." Marax said, jumping back and cracking his whip in Liam's face.
"Indiana did that better." Liam said, armored left hand snaking out and grasping the end of the whip, ignoring the pain from it's magical barbs, "You'll never be as good as he is." He pulled as hard as he could, hoping to disarm the demon. But such was the power of his pull, that Marax himself was jerked forward along with the whip.
"What the---" Marax yelled as he was yanked forward. He never finished his question as Liam shoved his sword through the demons mouth, and out the back of it's skull.
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Enough is enough, General Grapestein thought, finally pulling his wickedly barbed sword from his belt. "Your usefulness is at an end, human. I will take your life now."
Bob stepped back, readying another strike, "You think so? Good luck trying, asshat!"
"Your whip hurts, yes, but I heal much faster. And to me, pain is a minor inconvenience that I quite enjoy." The general said, smiling even wider than before. A half step, and a thrust and his sword point pierced Bob's left knee. Grapestein twisted the blade to free it. Bob screamed in pain, and fell to the floor.
"You see, Bob, pain clears and focuses the mind." Grapestein sniffs the air, and shakes his head, "Well once you learn to see through it, that is." He took another half step forward, and stabbed Bob in the right thigh.
Lying on the floor, bleeding and in pain, Bob cried out in his mind, Anything! I will do anything! Please, someone, anyone! I will do anything! JUST HELP ME!
From somewhere in the deep void, a 'Voice' responded, VERY WELL.
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As Liam pulled his sword from Marax's already dissolving corpse, he yelled, "Hey Bob, you done over there buddy?"
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A flow of power seeped into Bob's body, he felt it burn out from his core, to the tips of his fingers and toes. His legs screamed in pain as the wounds healed. The pain seemed to take an eternity to subside, but it was, in reality, only a fraction of a second. He slowly regained his feet, body glowing from the power it now contained.
General Grapestein stepped back in horror from the glowing, power infused human standing before him. "What, what in the unholy hells?"
Bob smiled at the demon, "Apparently, I know how to ask for help. Someday the gods of this world may forgive you for what you've done, but I never will." Strange words, words of power, words not heard on this world since it's creation, appeared in Bob's mind, and he chanted them aloud, "Tha draoidheachd na cruinne-cè seo a ’mallachadh deamhan. Bàsachadh!"
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Liam slowly turned towards the sound of chanting, and stood staring, mouth agape at Bob's glowing form, hand outstretched, and palm forward. A large beam of multi-chromatic energy pulsed forth from Bob's hand, striking General Grapestein full in the chest. The demons scream of agony shook the castle to it's foundation, and Grapestein slowly, painfully melted; much akin to a candle placed in a hot oven.
"That was...Amazing!" Liam said, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Where did you...?"
"In my time of need," Bob wheezed, "I called for help." He wheezed again, "And something...the magic...I think?...Answered me?" He coughed. "I'm...Not feeling well...I need to jack out... Goodbye Liam." He coughed again. Bob made a gesture next to his head with his right hand, and slowly faded from sight.
Liam stared at the empty space where Bob had stood. "Um...Holy shit..." He shook his head a couple times, then yelled "Folks! We are leaving!"
His comrades in arms formed up around him and they ran from the castle.
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Kocha looked through the large and well bound book. "So there's no magic in this world? A Wizard is right out then. How about a Ranger?"
"Hmmm... I think the best bet would be the 'Great White Hunter' class." Big G said. "With the "Faithful Hound" perk, you can even have an animal companion!"
"Sounds good to me. So, ranged weapons use Agility, correct? Then I need to put this 18 in that so I can hit." Kocha said.
"That would be for the best, I think." Big G replied.
"Whoa, did you see that?" Kocha suddenly asked, sitting up straight.
"See what?" Big G asked, looking up from the full color rule book.
"Viewing stone, go back 30 seconds" Kocha commanded. "Watch this!"
The pair of gods watched the 'fight' between Bob and Grapestein.
"What was that?" Kocha asked.
"The Wellspring of Magic." Big G said, shrugging, "It does that sometimes, when it gets angry at someone. In this case I bet it was because the demons siphoned off some of it's power to send one of their own to the other world to instigate their plan for summoning their own Hero with VR equipment. Seems the Wellspring didn't like losing some of itself in the process."
"Can it do that?" Kocha asked in a horrified voice.
"Oh yes. It can be petty like that. There was one time Gob decided to try and pee in it, he thought it would be funny. He was out of action for half of a millennia." Big G replied, then frowning said, "I miss him."
"Okay. So tell me about this 'Darkest Africa' place my character was supposedly exploring." Kocha said, moving the conversation back to something less depressing.