Galen Vesa

Step by step, traversing the unknown, I wrestled my body for the control over my third eyelid. Just like with the rest of this magical marvel, It worked on a semi-conscious level. I could blink with it or close it when I felt the need. The difference between the outer eyelids and this one felt like the difference between twisting your thumb and bending your index finger but there were times when the membrane would lock itself over my eyes and refuse to listen to my will. Just like it was doing now, creeping out my companions by turning my eyes into empty black marbles. Perhaps the magic light of the corridor was too little and too dim that it triggered this defensive response. As such, with my superior vision, I replaced Dosie at the front, walking few steps ahead of our column.

“Question, if I may ask.”

The ferru woman walked beside me.

“Have you no fear?”

Her nose twitched and her eyes darted over my body. Whatever she hoped to find, it was not there.

“No.”

All of them stared at me in that one moment. Oh, woe, the perks of being broken.

“Have you heard of a potion or maybe an herb that dulls the pain, removes emotions, block the fear?”

A stoned or overmedicated person may sometimes experience the state I’m in.

“The devil’s weed. Some people take it before battles. You’re using that?”

Carl recognized my description and didn’t hide his displeasure. Apparently, this world had its share of narcotics.

“No, but I am similar. I do not perceive fear or pain and although the weed effects I assume are temporary, my state is permanent. So, no. I do not fear. I lack the protection it gives.”

“Anyway, there is someone or something ahead of us.”

I pointed at a bony shape resting perched against the wall before they could ask any more questions.

“How many?”

Leon stepped forward, sword and shield ready.

“Only one as far as I can see.”

“Dosie?”

“Too far, too dark. Makes no noise either. “

“On which side?”

“Right.”

“Then stick to the left. Go.”

Wary, we approached at a pace dictated by Dosie's feet.

Old. That’s about the first thing that came to my mind when we saw it up close.

Draped in patches of paper-thin skin, bones of a woman stood, resting against the wall. Blue fire shone from sunken holes in her skull where once upon a time her beautiful eyes were. Her neck, wrists, and ankles still held golden jewelry. Slightly dull, those were the only parts of the creature that escaped the tooth of passing ages.

Instead of lounging at us, the creature turned its head away and cowered against the wall.

Blessed be your mercy.

It whispered as its bones crumbled to dust when Leon's blade sunk into its skull.

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Speechless, we stood there over a pile of white dust. Dosie offered a prayer and even Carl nudge his head.

Yet again I felt… nothing. Or so I told myself as my body moved forward.

“How far?”

One of the brothers asked. Still, I could not recall his name. The few words we exchanged as they rested were not enough to remember them. Has this been already several hours since we entered this passage? Perhaps.

Dosie rested perched against Leon’s tight. Between Pain, fear, and tardiness, pain won the battle.

“Halfway? I’m not sure. The markings are sloppy. “

Leon took another swig from his bladder. Hardly any water sloshed inside it. Regardless, he offered it to me.

“Save it for yourself.”

I ignored his offer and simply sat there hugging my knees. With my mana returned, this body could go for months without water. Or so the dragon said.

Speaking of the dragon, you’ve been awfully quiet.

*It is not a time for mindless chatter, do I need to remind you I cannot sense what is dead? Stay vigil for what lies before us.*

I looked ahead of us and found nothing but Carl staring daggers at me. Our eyes met for a brief moment and… if stares could kill. Ignoring him, I still had one annoyed roomie to deal with.

Isn’t that right roomie? You're annoyed, aren’t you?

She did not answer but in return, I picked up a wave of mixed emotions. I got up as others began to move and tried again.

What you saw in my mind, I meant all of it.

A while passed before I got an answer.

*… and I will honor your request. But not here. Not now. *

Well, you might not get a better chance. I don’t have your scales, one scratch in the wrong place...

*Human, I gave you my word. How I do it is none of your concern. Now, stop mumbling to yourself dolt, you are scaring your companions. *

The word concern could only begin to describe the feelings their faces carried. Carl's knuckles turned white as he clutched the handle of his sword.

“We are approaching the end of the corridor. Either this is a gate or corner. “

“Get ready.”

Leon readjusted his shield and once again move forward.

“I know this is not the best of times but…”

One of the brothers, pale as a ghost, broke the silence.

“I need to dump a big one before it will rip apart my bowels.”

He unbuckled his pants and… we moved a bit further away while he sent thunders roaring into the dark. The echoes of that pulled several marauders towards us.

“Pillateri and Thobos.”

Carl recognized the two of the eleven bodies marching towards us as they passed a large runic graffiti illuminating the entire group.

“You knew them?”

“Once or twice I run an escort for a client with them. Not my choice of company but reliable swords nonetheless. They went missing about a month ago.”

One lacked an arm the other, suffice to say I could see how white his ribs were.

Like what we did with the paladin, Leon and Carl waited for the undead to approach and in well-aimed cuts, dispatched the bodies.

Since no more came, we moved on avoiding the staircase from which they came.

About another hour passed before we arrived at a new chamber. Similar to the one we left before, a gate separated it from our corridor but contrary to the previous one, this one had a long crack running through the middle of it.

Leon took several coins and tossed them through the crack. They cluttered and rung against the stone on the other side but nothing else happened.

Sucking in my pillows, I wiggled through the gap.

“The chamber’s empty and the remaining gates are locked.”

I strolled around the room. Supplies and weapons waited in one corner to be picked up while dry blood and hastily discarded armors littered the floor in the second corner. In the middle, several lanterns piled atop each other. One still had some oil sloshing inside it. No matches whatsoever.

Little help, please?

*Burn.*

Tiny blue flame came ablaze at the tip of my index finger. I pressed it against the knot and the lantern came to life, dousing the chamber with an orange glow. How convenient. I should probably learn that.

“They left in a hurry.”

Falarn, I remembered his name this time, was first one to squeeze through.

“Eh, if only we met in some other place…”

After a long good stare, he took the lantern off my hands and went to inspect the room.

*Dolt, I may not be an expert on human mating habits but please refrain from rubbing oil into your tights. Shiny objects easily come to attention and we do not need such attention. *

What are you saying, I just cleaned my hands... oh.

Orange light danced over my hip and in the corner of my eye, I caught the face of the warrior still staring at me.

Butt and oil. Do not mix. Dully noted.

Erta gave out a long sigh and remained silent.

“This is it. That gate is marked as the exit.”

Leon confirmed we reached our destination and yet, none of them felt inclined to open it. Perhaps the blood and signs of recent struggle dissuaded them.

“No…”

I looked at Dosie, she jumped away from the gate as if burned by hot kettle, her lips moved silently waving a prayer after a prayer.

“No, no!”

Her ears dropped, she pressed them tightly against her head.

“O great goddess! I can hear them! All of them…No, no… No!”

She tried to run when Leon’s arms closed around her. Growling, biting, and hissing, she trashed in his grasp.