Chapter 45: Flesh Wounds

Name Claire Class Fighter,Lvl4 Marks 1 Guild Seven Banes SD 984

The monster was the size of a goblin but much skinnier, and had dark leathery skin. Instead of a mouth it had a beak, and its raptor eyes never blinked. It wore a leather vest and in its clawed hand it clutched a cudgel. Claire had imagined this bird like creature to have wings but instead it’s knobby spine ended in a serpentine tail with a tuff of fur on the end.

Claire swung her sword.

The monster shrieked and hissed but was unable to dodge the blow, taking a fatal wound in his side which sprayed dark purple blood on the floor of the cave. The monster covered the wound with its’s hand’s and dropped the cudgel. Its eyes rolled into the back of its head and it fell on the ground, causing a soft thud to reverberate around the cave.

“Well done, Claire,” cooed Xem. “You have quite the skills for one so new to Esem.”

“Where have you been?” Said Claire with exasperation. “I’ve killed five of these things since you left.”

“Sorry, dear, but needed to check on Chase. He’s having quite the time right about now.”

“What do you have him fighting?” Said Claire as she cleaned her blade. She half wondered what was the point if this was all a dream, anyways.

“He hasn’t fought anything, yet,” said Xem. “This challenge isn’t all about fighting. Each of you have a task to complete, more or less.”

“You must really want that inn. Is it really so special?”

“Yes,” Said Xem. “And also no. Desire is a tricky thing. One can never know why it is the heart wants something, only that it does.”

“Maybe its inevitable that we won’t always get what we desire.”

“Inevitable? Dear, you are inevitable, and perhaps your circumstances. But how you face them are entirely up to you. I believe you can always make your desires reality. Or as close to reality, in Esem.”

“Odd, I’ve never heard an NPC talk of desire like this.”

“I am sure,” said Xem cooly. “Anyways, if you follow this corridor a bit further you will find a door.”

Claire stepped over the body of the creature, ignoring how its blank gaze seemed to stare at her balefully, and continued on her way. She kept her sword before her and took careful steps. She thought of asking Xem more about the challenge before her but was beginning to feel excited. It was exhilarating fighting again and being able to test her new skills on something other than a goblin. These monsters were faster than goblins, and seemed to have better skills in a brawl, but Claire was able to easily dispatch them all the same. She could feel her increased strength and defense as she fought and thought she recognized the buffs in each encounter she had.

“Brent wishes he were here,” said Claire to the air, smugly. “If you had told him we would be fighting for real he would have been the first to join.”

“It’s his loss. You can tell him what happened once you leave and I have my inn.”

“You think we will lose?”

“I know you will.”

“And how will I lose? What is my task? Just kill these things?”

“I suppose your task has something to do with what we are talking about: Desire.”

Claire sighed and shook her head.

“What does that even mean?”

“Don’t take that tone with me you…never mind. There’s the door.”

At the end of the hallway was indeed a door. It was the only door she had seen in this spiraling corridor since she had left her cell. It was an oak door from the feel of it and bore intricate carvings of animals. The handle was a piece of polished quarts and was in the shape of a flopping fish.

“What’s behind the door?” Said Claire.

“Open it and see.”

Before she did Claire considered all the possible dangers that might befall her for blindly following this NPC. She rested her hand on the quarts fish handle and thought of monsters and highwaymen, giant spiders and whatever else Esem had in store. Of course, if she had wanted to kill her already it would have been quite simple for her to do so, so simply opening a door was unlikely to end poorly. But then the NPC’s words flitted through her mind again. What was that about desire? What kind of NPC talked like that? Best to be on her guard and not ask too many questions.

Can you read my mind? Thought Claire to the ether. No response came back.

“What are you waiting for? Open the door,” said Xem, impatiently.

“Okay.”

Claire turned the handle and pushed the door outward. A cold wind met her first and a bright light flooded through the door crack. She pushed the door open all the way and found her self in the middle of the woods. It was a forest of pine trees and winters grip had not released these woods, unlike the summer which held the goblins forest she had recently been within. Claire opened and closed her hand where just a moment before she had been holding the handle. It was gone. She spun around and found only empty air. There was no door, and no building which she had left behind. Only the lonely woods stretched away with no sign of the place she had come from.

“How—?”

“This is my world, remember?”

“Still strange to see,” muttered Claire. She swiped at the place where the door had been with her sword. Nothing was there.

“I suggest you get moving,” Said Xem. “You aren’t dressed for this weather, after all.”

“Couldn’t you just give me some warmer clothes?” Said Claire, suddenly feeling the chill. She suppressed a shiver and looked about the forest. There was something eerie about the pines in winter. Like the entire place was hostage to the elements and even sound had trouble escaping.

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“If you desire warmth, I suggest you follow your ears.”

“I don’t hear anything,” said Claire. She wanted to sheath her sword and hold herself tight for warmth but didn’t dare put her blade away.

“How about now?” Xem whispered in her mind.

Far in the distance were the familiar cries of the monsters she had been fighting. Their distinct bird like squawking ghosted through the trees. Putting her discomfort aside, Claire began a slow trudge through the forest, being careful not to make too much noise. With every step the sounds grew louder, and though she had only fought a few of these twisted creatures, she thought she could distinguish no more than four or five of their voices. She would need every advantage she could muster if she was to defeat them all. Fortunately, over the last couple months she had become very family with her Stone Skin ability and knew that it would come in handy for an encounter where she was outnumbered.

“You’re almost there,” said Xem. “Be careful, Claire. I am about to leave you to check on your friends. I hope when I return you’re not a mangled corpse in the snow.”

What an image, thought Claire, but decided to keep it to herself. This was Xem’s world, and she wanted her to fail. No good could come from chatting with her true opponent.

“Well then,” said Xem. “Goodbye to you, too.”

And just like that she was gone. Claire could not describe it, but her presence just vanished, like the sun being hidden by a cloud.

“She’s almost as annoying as Marlon,” Claire muttered to herself.

She continued making her way to the sounds of the monsters. Now that she was closer she thought she could hear another, less monster sounding voice. It sounded human. In fact, it sounded familiar.

Claire ran, throwing caution to the wind.

“Help! Somebody!”

The cry was distinct now. She knew exactly who it was. She ran as fast as the forest would allow her, dodging pine trees and jumping over fallen branches. The snow crunched beneath her boots and only a small part of her mind registered the cold leaking through her heels and making her socks wet.

“Help! I…AH!”

Leaping through the clearing Claire landed on her feet, sword raised. Before the stunted monsters was a tall, cloaked person on the other side, watching its charges do battle. It looked human, but its face was shrouded in shadow. Within its hood were a pair of tusks which protruded from its hidden face, and its breath fogged the air. It had its arms crossed and had a two handed sword slung across its back. But Claire had eyes for only the person being attacked amid the throng of jeering and bloodthirsty creatures.

“Brent!” Shouted Claire.

“Claire?!” Brent had his sword out yet was bleeding from half a dozen wounds. The monsters seemed to be toying with him and a few looked over their shoulders to see her. “Claire! These things…”

One of the creature lunged for him with a small spear and grazed his side. Brent hissed in pain and returned with his blade, knocking the monster off balance and causing it to tumble to the ground.

“Hang on!” She cried. There were six monsters, and two of them, judging her as less of a threat, broke off from the main group harassing Brent and began to approach her. One had a spear and the other a short axe. One of them licked its beak with a forked tongue and squawked at her.

Wresting her eyes from Brent, she focused on the enemies approaching her. Instead of allowing them to rush her she made a split second decision that saved her life. She bolted for the one with an ax at the precise moment the other threw its spear, missing her by a hairs breath and landing where she had been standing a moment before.

Claire swung her sword with all her might at the shocked creature. It raised its axe but her blade caught it in the arm. Claire pulled the sword back making sure to slice the monster’s arm in the process.

“Spaaaw!” Shrieked the monster. It dropped its axe and Claire took the opportunity to reverse the blade and swing again. The creatures bird like head toppled to the ground, purple blood issuing from the bloody stump like a new found spring.

Pat pat pat pat pat pat pat.

The moment Claire turned a spear shattered against her chest. The monster had retrieved its weapon and rushed her. Her ability had saved her life but she knew she wouldn’t be able to use it again for a while.

“Spaw?” The monster looked at the shattered spear in its hand, only a splintered piece of wood now. As it’s yellow eyes looked back to hers, Claire grabbed its shoulder and slid her blade into its chest.

“Spa—!” Blood dripped from its mouth and Claire pushed the thing away where it fell on the ground, soundless and dead.

One of the monsters was laying on the ground at Brent’s feet, but he seemed too tired to last much longer. His brown hair was plastered to his face with sweat and he was breathing heavily. He brandished his sword threateningly.

“Good job, Claire!” He managed to say, just as he deflected another blow.

“I’m coming!” She cried.

The monsters now knew they were doomed. One turned around to face Claire but she feinted with an overhead swing and kicked the creature in the sternum. It doubled over and Claire slashed it’s head, the blade easily slicing through it’s skull. More blood. The ground was coated in purple blood.

“Not bad,” said Brent. He smiled through the pain and managed a chuckle. “Let me just—.”

He swung his blade, severing the hand of the final monster who was holding a battle axe. Hand and axe fell to the ground and Brent plunged his sword into the little creatures chest, killing it instantly.

“One more,” said Claire. She had moved around Brent as soon as he attacked, in order to guard him from the looming figure who had not moved or spoken once since she had arrived. Brent turned around and stepped forward beside her. They were now shoulder to shoulder, facing the tusked and hooded figure.

“We killed your…things,” said Brent, pointing his sword at the man. “Stand down and we won’t kill you.”

“It’s two on one,” added Claire as menacingly as she could muster. She felt winded after the battle but with Brent beside her she knew she could fight for days on end.

The man stood still. His breath still bellowed from its hood and suddenly Claire had the impression it was smiling even though she could not make out his face.

“I yield,” said the man. His voice was deep and scratchy. Only then she noticed how large he was, and his crossed arms may have been concealed by sleeves but she could see his forearm muscles bulging through the fabric.

“You do?” Said Brent.

The man uncrossed his arms and shrugged.

“Yesssss,” he hissed, sending a plume of fog from him hood.

“Okay…well…let’s just…Hey!”

The man about faced and headed into the forest. He disappeared behind a pine tree and vanished in seconds. Soon his foot falls fell away and only Claire and Brent were left alone in the clearing, standing awkwardly with their swords out.

“Never seen that before,” said Brent.

“What was that thing? It must have been eight feet tall!”

“Who knows? I’m glad he left, but I imagine we will be seeing him again before Xem’s game is over.”

Claire looked at her friend. It was Brent all right. Now that the excitement was over she noticed that his wounds were only minor, but the blood had stained his clothes. He seemed tired and as though he had been walking through the forest for hours before she found him.

“How did you get her?” Said Claire as she sheathed her sword. “Xem only took the four of us. You and Thomas were still at the table.”

“She must have lied,” said Brent, rubbing his neck. He never took his eyes off where the man had been standing. “One moment I was watching you guys with that woman and the next I was walking around in this forest. That inn was pretty spooky, I have to say. We must have fallen into some kind of trap. Remember all the animals acting like people?”

“What about them?”

“I think maybe they were regular players once. Maybe they failed her game.”

“It’s possible,” said Claire. She felt her legs begin to shake and nearly collapsed to the ground, but Brent caught her in his strong arms.

“Your leg! It’s bleeding!”

Claire looked down. The adrenaline had made her think the monster had missed her with its spear, but in fact it had struck her a glancing blow. Blood had coated her right pant leg and the gash was deep.

“Wow, I didn’t even feel it.”

“Can you walk?”

“Let me…ouch!” Claire tried to put some weight on it but the pain was made worse.

“Do you have any of Marlon’s potions?”

Claire shook her head.

“I forgot to get them from Amelie. She must have the lot.”

Brent sighed, and then gently set her down. He tore a strip of cloth from his shirt and bandaged it as tightly as he could around her thigh.

“What we really need is a tourniquet, but this will have to do for now.”

“Thanks, Brent.”

“Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t found me.”

Claire felt her face heat up and looked down at her bandaged wound instead.

“So what should we do now?” She said before he could praise her anymore.

“I was gonna ask you,” said Brent. “Did Xem tell you anything about what you are supposed to do here?”

“Not really.” Claire thought back to what the NPC had told her before she left. “She said something about ‘desire’ but I don’t know what she meant.”

“Typical,” muttered Brent. He stood back up and crossed his arms. “Looks like I have to carry you.”

“I don’t think—.”

“C’mon, you’re light enough,” said Brent. He turned around and knelt down. “Get on my back. Just pretend you are Thomas that one time he sprained his ankle in the forest.”

Thankful that Brent could not see her face, she managed to get on her feet long enough to throw her arms around Brent’s shoulders. He easily stood up, tucking her legs under his arms.

“See? Easy.”

“Where are you going?”

No sooner was she on his back than Brent had started walking. There was a patch of forest that looked less dense than the rest, and he made a beeline through it, the branches brushing against them both.

“I think I saw a building of some kind over here,” he said. “I was heading this way when those things found me first.”

“What if its their place?”

“Then we’ll kill them all, of course.”

“Oh will we?”

“Me and you? I don’t think there’s anything in this forest that can stand against us. Even that big one who ran away was probably scared.”

I hope you’re right, thought Claire. She wanted to warn him to be careful but there was something about being so close to him, hanging from his back, that took her breath away.

Brent’s heavy footfalls crunched through the snow. But for the trees they were all alone, and the forest stretched endlessly in every direction.

Claire listened to Brent’s heavy breathing and sighed.