Horse hooves could be heard squishing the mud as the duo of powerful and loyal equines dragged the wagon through the cool, wet terrain. Little sunlight could be seen filtering through the overhead canopy of verdant green. Tall, thick, and darkly colored trees grew from the marshy soil and even out from the murky water that surrounded the trail forward. Throughout the area, the air was immensely humid and still. Faintly, the rustle of tree limbs and leaves could be heard above and splashing of the swamp water could be heard from the somewhere out of sight.
Aridean sat in the driver seat of the old wagon, holding a gentle grip on the reins to the horses. Her right hand only left the leather strap long enough to bring up a canteen of water to her lips. Refreshing, cold water funneled down her parched throat and the sensation left her hoping the team’s excursion into the muggy swamplands was brief. As she quietly panted, her eyes shifted toward the sound of someone behind her groaning their dissatisfaction.
“Ugh, it’s hot… I’m sweating and we’ve just been sitting in the wagon,” came Magdalene, sitting just behind Aridean in the back of the wagon. The young girl had her arms outstretched across the railing of the wagon she leaned against and legs extended out into the open space of the large wooden vehicle. The girl had been the first to voice her upset with having entered into the Great Wiir Swamplands. It had almost become a regular thing that the young half-elf would make another complaint after every ten minutes. Although Aridean had managed to restrain herself, she was quickly starting to lose patience with the constant griping.
Maggie, you didn’t have to come here, y’know… Besides, you’re not the one covered in warm fur either, Aridean contemplated replying to the girl behind her. Rather than speak her own thoughts, the minotaur quietly returned her attention to the muddy road and drained the remaining contents of her canteen. As the last drop was siphoned from the flask and it was lowered from her lips, Aridean heard a book closing with an audible thump.
“Ms. Yorre, if I may, perhaps we might converse with one another as we continue on our journey. If nothing else, talking might at least take your mind off the uncomfortable atmosphere here,” Vladimir suggested. Both girls turned to see the nobleman sitting near the back of the wagon. The man was setting aside the sizable tome he had been studying and turned his own focus back to his companions. Aridean saw the man offer one of his usual kind smiles, accompanied by his exhausted features. Despite his best efforts, it was visible that the man must have been suffering just as much from the accursed heat.
“Do you even feel this with your curse? It’s miserable…” Magdalene moaned as she fanned her hand toward her face in the hopes of relieving herself of some of the abominable warmth surrounding the three. Vladimir offered a quiet chuckle before nodding to the half-elf. Aridean’s ear flicked at the sound of one of the horses letting loose a loud huff; even their loyal wagon pullers seemed to be growing weary of the humid climate.
“The curse has prolonged my life and keeps me from death, but I do feel every little sensation just the same as you two might. Whether it be pain or the abhorrent heat, I will suffer alongside you all the same,” Vladimir answered gently as he shifted in his seat. Magdalene slouched in her own seat while glaring frustratedly at the man.
“You had mentioned that before but once you recover from whatever wounds, you always act like nothing even happened,” Aridean stated with a hint of curiosity in her voice. Magdalene’s head turned, her expression softening somewhat, but her current disdain of the team’s situation was still visible on her face. Vladimir had paused for a few seconds, the gentle smile on his face slowly fading from his lips.
“It’s… a bit peculiar, I must say… I cannot count the number of times I have suffered fatal attacks. But every time, the wounds are sealed closed and any agony I might have been in disperses near instantaneously,” explained Vladimir with a somewhat more somber tone to his voice. The man shook his head gently, the hair covering his left eye swaying with each motion. With a tired sigh, Vladimir continued, “I realize I may have been the one to suggest we engage in conversation, but might I request we refrain from such… grim details?”
“S-sorry…” Aridean apologized before turning her attention back to the horses that led the wagon forward. Small chunks of mud and dirt jumped from where their hooves landed and lifted upon the moist ground. Magdalene grunted, whether due to her insistent grumbling over the humidity or Vladimir’s dismissiveness over the subject, Aridean could not tell.
“You have my gratitude for your understanding, Ms. Gray,” Vladimir replied with another weak smile forming upon his face.
“A-Aridean’s fine, Vlad,” Aridean stated with a mild hint of unease. She did not turn back around but did hear the man behind her expel the breath in his lungs. He had shaken his head as a more serious expression appeared upon his features.
“No, no! That will not do at all, Ms. Gray. While I am far from the ideal gentleman, I must at least request you allow me to treat both you and Ms. Yorre with as much respect as a I am able,” insisted the nobleman with absolute resolve and earnestness to his tone. Although his words were well-intentioned, Aridean could not help but feel her face warm with a bit of embarrassment. Magdalene, however, simply rolled her eyes as she wiped her head of some beads of sweat. The minotaur let out a quiet sigh before turning back to her two companions.
“Well… uhm, Vlad, you mentioned you haven’t been to the swamplands in a while. As the Count of Cortonne, it’s hard to imagine someone with your status ever venturing into a swamp. What did you need to go to the swamplands for?” Aridean asked after having taken a moment to recollect herself.
“Ah, yes, my excursion to the Wiir Swamplands was an interesting experience indeed. It was over one hundred years ago--,” Vladimir began with his usual enthusiasm when discussing something that piqued his interest. His voice was cut off abruptly and Aridean’s ears flicked at the annoyed moan coming from Magdalene.
“Oh, here we go again…” an agitated Magdalene snidely commented. The young girl leaned her head over the railing her back rested against. Her lengthy, golden locks, somewhat matted together with sweat or frizzed from the humid air, falling toward the muddied ground. She snorted, annoyed, by a pair of mosquitos that had begun buzzing around her freckled face. Magdalene sat back up in her seat as she swatted at the insects invading her space.
“Erm… as I was saying: my expedition took place during the early days of the onset of the Flareheart Plague. It was a horrid disease that at the time had no known cure,” Vladimir started to explain. Magdalene, upon hearing Vladimir’s purpose in the swamplands, rose a brow upon her head curiously.
“You found the cure in the swamplands?” asked Magdalene, her voice lacking in her previous frustrations. Aridean had also turned to face the nobleman as he shifted in his seat again. With crossed legs and hands clasped together at his chin in a contemplative pose, Vladimir heaved a mildly disappointed sigh. The man seemed to focus in on the wagon flooring in front of him; he blinked once and then shook his head before returning his gaze to the two girls that accompanied him.
“Unfortunately, no. I sought the aid and counsel of lizarian shamans on my quest to remedy the plague. It isn’t often mentioned, but the Flareheart Plague did not affect the lizarian people. Naturally, at the time, rumors stirred up that the lizard-folk of the swamplands had already discovered a cure,” Vladimir answered with a mixture of grief and frustration in his voice. Both Aridean and Magdalene glanced to one another before returning to Vladimir as the man briefly paused for a breath. His one visible eye shifted between both Aridean and Magdalene before he continued, “Much to my disappointment, that had not been the case. The plague simply did not affect the Lizarian race. Perhaps it was their cold blood or the venom their bodies may produce; I never delved too deeply into what kept them immune.”
“Cold blood, venom, and they live in this bug-infested swamp… what kind of race are lizarians anyway?” Magdalene inquired. Vladimir appeared all too content to switch the subject as his upset demeanor faded almost immediately. The noble’s usual enthusiasm had resurfaced as a gentle smile played upon his lips and his right eye replaced the defeated look with a more agreeable expression.
“They are quite the fickle species, to be blunt. Generally, the lizarian race have received a rather stigmatized reputation for their forceful, and at times vulgar and brutish, natures. However, their outward hostilities are easily remedied by fairly mundane means,” Vladimir explained as he surveyed the marshy surroundings. As the man finished his statement, Aridean’s ear flicked and head tilted in interest upon hearing the word ‘mundane’. Having observed the minotaur’s intrigue, Vladimir’s smile only seemed to widen.
“Mundane means? Just based off what I’ve heard of the lizarian race, it might be useful to know what they find mundane. What do you mean when you say that?” asked Aridean. As she finished her question, the minotaur could feel a slight tugging on the reins held in her hands.
“Well, their culture is qui--,” Vladimir began again. His voice, however, had been overtaken by the sudden frenzied whinnying coming from the horses. All three of the wagon riders turned their gazed upon the reliable equines as they reared and began to move erratically. Aridean, noticeably concerned, managed to tighten her grip on the reins and pulled back on the leather straps. Her two wagon pulling horses slowly calmed themselves but had halted their advance and continued to whine loudly.
“What’s wrong with them?” Magdalene asked while leaning over the rail of the wagon again. Aridean shook her head as she slowly stood from her seat. The minotaur carefully jumped down from the wagon and approached the horses. Her hands gently reached out to the frightened animals, both of whom seemed to return to a more docile state upon feeling the kind touch from their furred master.
“I-I don’t know… s-something’s just spooking them,” Aridean nervously replied as she caressed each of the two horse’s faces. Although both of the steeds had quieted down, Aridean could see their strong muscles tensed. Hot air was rapidly funneled out of their nostrils as they shook their heads with one more whinny.
Aridean looked between both of the two horses, unsure on what was riling them up in such a manner. Her furred fingers carefully ran up and down the large cheeks of her horses as they once again reared with a loud whine. Mud was kicked up from their strong hooves, large clumps of the wet dirt had landed upon Aridean’s legs, staining her pants and getting stuck in her fur. The minotaur took only a second to wipe away some of the mud that covered her. As she lifted her gaze, she noticed both Vladimir and Magdalene looking in her direction with confusion and curiosity in their expressions. However, Aridean’s eyes went wide and fur stood on ends as she observed the motion of something behind her two traveling companions.
“W-what the hell is that?!” Aridean shouted as she lifted a finger to point beyond the human and half-elf sitting in the wooden wagon. The minotaur’s entire body had tensed in an instant with sheer shock at what loomed just over the wagon. Astonishment immediately painted both of her comrade’s faces as they turned to see what it was the minotaur had been startled by. Before anything could be done, the entity behind the wagon had made its move and surged forward.
“Ahh!” Magdalene screamed in fright as a long, green tendril wrapped its way around her. Plant leaves and flower buds dotted the strange, verdant tentacle that had bound the half-elf’s arms to her sides. Aridean gasped as she watched her young friend rise out of the wagon with her legs flailing wildly in the air.
“Maggie!” Aridean shouted in a panic. Vladimir quickly shifted onto his feet and jumped out to grab the girl’s legs. However, the man missed his mark by a mere inch and fell back onto his knees in the back of the wagon.
“Ms. Yorre!” called Vladimir with concern apparent in his voice. The man regained his footing before putting a hand on the railing to the wagon. As Vladimir vaulted over the back wall to the wooden carriage, Aridean was rushing over the cool mud and drawing her battle axe from the holster on her back. Both minotaur and human stood side by side behind the wagon as their young, half-elven companion was held aloft in the humid air by a monstrous plant vine.
“W-wah! W-why is everything always wrapping me up?! Can’t it take somebody else for once!” Magdalene complained as the vine holding her waved her entire being through the space above the darkened water just off of the muddy trail. Both Vladimir and Aridean watched as the girl was cast from side to side as though she were just a simple doll in the hands of a child. As though the vines had heard the girl’s comment, two more vines emerged from the murky swamp water and loomed high over where both Aridean and Vladimir stood.
As the two new plant tendrils surged toward the pair on the ground, Aridean rushed forward with her blade readied. With haste, the minotaur ducked one vine and managed to cleave the second. Behind her, Vladimir’s hands had begun to glow with the darkened aura that indicated his cursed magic was welling up. Aridean watched as the man lifted a hand from his side and pointed it in the direction of the vine that had ensnared Magdalene. Vladimir drew in a deep breath as he focused on his target, a small orb of fire slowly manifesting just within the palm of his hand. However, before his magical attack could be released, the small flame flickered out as Vladimir’s arm had been constricted by another vine. Surprise filled his face and Aridean gasped her own fright as the man was similarly tied with his arms at his sides as the half-elf had been.
Quick on her hooves, Aridean shifted her stance and brought her axe up over her horned head. As the blade began its descent, yet another malicious, plant vine had performed its own ambush on the minotaur. With a loud grunt, Aridean found herself swept off her hooves and launched by a particularly sturdy floral tendril into a nearby tree. The attack had left her coughing for air, but she luckily managed to maintain her grip on her weapon. Looking back to Vladimir, Aridean’s eyes went wide as the man was lifted from the ground just the same as Magdalene had been. Both of her companions now were carried through the air over the filthy, muddied water. Magdalene and Vladimir were transported by their respective vines toward a particularly large plant bud growing off a bright green stem that was a thick as a tree. This strange, unbloomed flower appeared to grow off of a tree that its roots twisted around and disappeared into the unclear water.
“Well, this is an entirely new experience!” Vladimir exclaimed as his body was whipped through the air. Under other circumstances, Aridean likely would have questioned the particularly nonchalant tone the man had used despite be swung through the air by the vines of a massive plant. A wave of panic and dread washed over her as she watched her companion rise above the particularly large bud.
Much to her and Magdalene’s shock, the bud bloomed open as Vladimir dangled above it. While the man did not appear too concerned, his brows had risen on his face at the sight beneath him. Beautiful and gigantic petals of white, pink, and red had bloomed forth from the bud. However, the flower’s petals surrounded a darkened, hollowed out core within the plant. Aridean let out a terrified gasp to see that at the opening of this orifice were large and sharp-looking teeth.
“Aha! It’s a dragolia in full bloom! Oh, I never thought I’d have the opp--,” Vladimir had excitedly begun to rant before being flung directly into the center of the blooming flower. Aridean and Magdalene could hear a loud, pained cry, from the man as the teeth within the unusual frond crunched down on its meal. Vladimir’s flailing legs remained visible as his upper body had been forced into the plant. Blood coated the petals, only noticeable on the white coloration.
Aridean’s eyes grew wide and jaw dropped as she watched Vladimir’s entire body slowly slide inside of the massive flower stem. She could see that the stem itself had contracted around its prey, Vladimir’s body contained within was outlined by the plant-made walls that held him. It looked just the same as an engorged snake after eating a deer, except the prey had been one of the three adventurers. Aridean could feel her arms grow slack and her grip loosen slightly on her axe.
“Oh… oh, no,” Aridean muttered in shock. Her legs felt weak beneath her after what she had just witnessed. Her breathing quickened as the sizable weapon in her grip slipped in her trembling hands. She swallowed nervously as she managed to recollect herself enough to adjust her grip on her axe.
We… we barely made it to the swamps and… are we really going to die here? Aridean hardly managed to ponder through her shock over having what she had just witnessed. Fortunately, she was brought back to her senses as she heard Magdalene’s frightened call.
“A-Ari… t-this isn’t funny! H-help!” Magdalene shouted anxiously as she continued to struggle against the vines that restrained her. With gritted teeth and unease in her eyes, Aridean focused in on her remaining companion as she was held aloft over the swamp. With another anxious swallow of the lump forming in her throat, the minotaur lifted a hand from the grip of her axe. In only a matter of seconds, the small orange and yellow orb formed in her palm; a scorching heat threatened to singe the fur on her hand. Aridean pulled back and then threw forward the miniature sun.
Aridean’s eyes reflected the palm-sized orb that soared through the air toward the monstrous plant that held Magdalene captive. A frightened gasp escaped the minotaur’s throat as the orb missed the vine that restrained the young girl and fell toward the water below. In an instant, the orb exploded into a furious blooming of flame and cinder as it touched down upon the surface of the bog. Embers flew from the point of impact and waves of water surged outward from where the magic had erupted. Many of the smaller flames had landed back down in the swamp, but several had landed upon the massive flower and burned the plant pitch black before quickly hissing out into dark smoke.
In retaliation, the enormous frond whipped vines wildly about as a frightening screech echoed out. Swamp water had splashed up into the air as the plant’s large tentacles continually slapped about. Magdalene could only barely be heard screaming as the vine wrapped around her had cast her madly through the air, all the while holding firm to its prey. Aridean held her hands to her ears as the ear-splitting cry threatened to rupture her eardrums. As she refocused on her target, the minotaur gasped in shock as another vine quickly descended upon her. Once more, Aridean found herself slammed into a tree, coughing and gasping for air. She only managed to collect herself enough to look up to the young girl as Magdalene cried out for her once more.
“A-Ari! H-help!!” Magdalene cried out in a panic. The girl continued to fruitlessly struggle under the vines that wrapped around her and bound her arms to her sides. Aridean watched as the plant lifted her remaining comrade upwards in the same fashion it had Vladimir. Once more, the massive flower seemed to bloom open, revealing large teeth coated in some slimy substance. Magdalene was visibly panicked and desperately fighting to free herself as the vine carrying her began to carry her toward the large, sharpened teeth.
“No!” Aridean shouted from her place on the ground. Mustering as much strength as she could despite the pain, the minotaur threw her hand forward and snapped her fingers. As the audible snap rang out, a bright orange bolt of magical energy shot forth from the minotaur’s hand. The bolt quickly raced and zig-zagged through the air toward the stem of the vine that held firm to Magdalene. Just as soon as the magic touched the vine, the organic matter had burst into flames and quickly melted away.
Magdalene fell from where the monstrous plant had held her in the air and landed into the swamp water below with a loud splash. The enormous flower reeled backwards and let loose a pained screeching noise. While her captor was distracted, Magdalene slowly squirmed her way out of the vines that had still been wrapped tightly around her torso and arms. Upon freeing herself, the half-elven girl began spitting out the muddied water that had made its way into her mouth. She only focused back on the large plant that had nearly eaten her again as another vine violently slapped at the swamp water near her.
Magdalene covered her head as mud, small rocks, and filthy water was cast in her direction. Whatever had not struck the half-elven girl fell to the water with a plop and the intimidating flower slowly calmed down again. Both of the girls could see the vines slowly repositioning themselves yet again in preparation for the next strike. Magdalene, stricken with fear, watched as the vines loomed over her once again before another finger snap echoed out. Again, the plant reeled and let loose an ear-splitting screech as flames once again enveloped the tendrils that threatened Magdalene. With her ears still ringing, the girl turned back to see Aridean stumbling to her hooves. She quickly got to her own feet and waded through the swamp water that was up to the short girl’s stomach back to land where her furred companion struggled to simply stand up.
Once Magdalene had reached the edge of the swamp, Aridean extended a hand. Taking the furred limb in her own hand, Magdalene quickly climbed back onto the marshy soil only to hear a loud gasp coming from the minotaur that towered over her. Still holding fast to Aridean’s hand, Magdalene turned to see yet another leaf and flower speckled tentacle surging toward them. The girl then felt the ground beneath her seemingly fall away as the hand that held hers lifted her into the air before casting her aside.
“Ow!” Magdalene complained as she landed upon the wet ground with a thud. The girl allowed herself a few seconds to rub her sore arm before turning back to see Aridean had now been entangled by the vines that had meant to seize her. The minotaur struggled in vain to set herself free. Magdalene let loose a shocked gasp as she quickly got to her feet.
“Maggie… just run. Get out of here,” Aridean ordered as her hooves were lifted from the ground. She continued to fruitlessly wrestle with the tendrils that restrained her. Magdalene watched, eyes wide and breath held in her throat.
“I… I… Ngh!” the girl stuttered before turning and starting to bolt toward the wagon that was still seated on the muddy trail. Quickly and deftly, the half-elf climbed into the back of the wagon and searched for something that might help. Fortunately, Magdalene happened upon an already loaded crossbow and hastily snatched up the weapon. With a shaky grip on the hefty armament, the half-elf took aim and squeeze the trigger only to despair when the bolt she fired had missed her mark entirely and disappeared somewhere into the swamp.
Aridean was slowly being carried through the air over toward the incredible bloom of white and red that had swallowed Vladimir whole. With a shake of her head, Magdalene threw down the weapon in her hands and jumped back down to the marshy ground. She ran for the edge of the water that pooled just off the side of the trail, her hands starting to glow brightly with an absolutely incandescent aura. The half-elf lifted both of her hands and beams of light were launched from her open palms in the direction of the vines that ensnared Aridean. Again and again, the bright bolts failed to connect with the green tentacle and Aridean had shut her eyes tight at the sight of the approaching teeth within the center of the abominable bloom.
“W-wahh!” Aridean could be heard screaming as she felt her entire body cast from side to side in the air. After a moment, the minotaur was released from the vines that constricted her and her body was launched over the water where she landed upon the ground just a few feet from Magdalene. Another screech erupted from the bizarre flora and its vines once more flailed wildly through the air and dark waters. Aridean, after a moment to catch her breath looked from the massive plant that had nearly made a meal out of her to the young half-elf that seemed to be lost in examining her brightly glowing palms.
“Maggie… you… you saved me,” Aridean said with both surprise and disbelief in her voice. Magdalene, however, appeared to be just as confused by the minotaur’s sudden freedom from the monstrous flower. The girl simply looked into her glowing hands, entirely dumbfounded. After a moment, she lifted her gaze to meet Aridean’s eyes and slightly shook her head while maintaining an anxious and baffled expression.
“T-that… that wasn’t me,” announced Magdalene. Both the girls pressed each of their hands to their ears as the abominable plant let loose a fierce and deafening cry. As the ringing that threatened to shatter their eardrums slowly subsided, the two turned to see the dragolia’s remaining vine-like appendages flailing about and slamming against the swamp water that surrounded it. Aridean’s ears perked up as she managed to just make out the sound of fire being extinguished.
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What the--? But I didn’t set it on fire again… Wait a second, is that—Aridean thought to herself before focusing in on the vine that had previously been constricting her. The minotaur’s eyes went wide as the massive, plant-based tentacle had been burned away and melted in a similar fashion to how she had done to the vine that wrapped up Magdalene. She swallowed through the anxiety and slowly started to rise to her hooves.
“Kgh! Ugh!” moaned Aridean as she flopped back to the ground in pain. It burned and ached, the sensation in her leg was nearly unbearable. Aridean looked back to her damaged limb to see it had already swelled and found that blood mixed with muddy water was trickling down her pants. She gritted her teeth before repositioning herself on the ground but stopped as too much motion caused the agony to flare up in her calf and thigh.
“A-Ari!” Magdalene called out as she ran to the minotaur’s side. Her palms were glowing their bright, magical incandescent light as the half-elf knelt down beside her furred companion. She went to work immediately treating Aridean’s leg with her holy powered spell. Just as the discomfort Aridean was feeling started to fade, another one of the plant’s massive vines slammed down into the ground next to the two girls. Magdalene and Aridean covered their faces from the dust and dirt that jumped up at them, the brilliant glow dissipating from the formers’ hands quickly as she lost focus.
As the minotaur and half-elf lowered their arms, they refocused on the man-eating flora that threatened them. Each let out a startled gasp at the sight of another large, green, leaf-dotted vine hurtling directly toward them. Without hesitation, Aridean pushed herself up from the ground despite the lingering pain and shoved Magdalene out of the way. Although she landed with a discomfortable grunt, the half-elf watched with fear as Aridean flopped down upon the ground again with the monstrous plant-tentacle fast approaching.
“Ari!” Magdalene called out once more with noticeable more concern and fright in her tone. Aridean turned her head and merely shut her eyes tight while she held her breath. Her body had tensed up so much she felt as stiff as stone; the cold swamp water and mud had cut through both her clothes and fur and chilled the minotaur to her core. There she waited for the killing blow.
W-what’s taking so long? Aridean thought to herself as a few seconds passed and she exhaled the bated breath she carried. Her eyes shot open upon hearing the sound of something like the chopping of vegetables and the flower reeling back in another audible screech of pain. The minotaur blinked once and then twice before observing the shocked look on Magdalene’s face a few meters away. She turned her attention toward whatever it was that her companion seemed so alarmed by to find what the source of the plant’s suffering was.
Standing over Aridean was a tall and imposing figure. It was hunched forward on bent, stifled knees and facing away from the minotaur behind it. The entity before Aridean was draped in a fur poncho lined with animal fangs and covered its legs with both tattered, muddied jeans and an equally tattered, muddied loincloth. Two belts wrapped their way around the newcomer’s waist, a sword sheath on each hip. Both of the strangers’ hands each carried a well-used short sword. What really caught Aridean’s attention, however, were the dark-green scales that covered this peculiar individual’s hands, arms, visible torso, head, legs, and large tail. Aridean’s eyes widened again upon registering that she had just been rescued by a lizarian.
“W-what?” Aridean stuttered as the stranger shifted his stance and held his blades at the ready, pointed toward the monstrous plant.
“It coming,” announced the lizardman with a deep and rumbling voice. As he spoke, he shifted his stance slightly, balancing on his clawed toes that rested upon the cold mud. Aridean simply watched her savior with astonishment before being snapped back to reality as another one of the horrid, flesh-eating plant’s vines slapped up the muddied terrain next to her. With an agitated grunt, the lizardman charged the massive floral beast while shouting, “Kallak riin tyu!”
“W-wait! T-that thing’s dangerous!” Aridean shouted after the lizarian. Her words seemed to have fallen on deaf ears as the reptilian man continued to rush through the swamp water on his warpath. She saw the strange character slow only slightly as bubbles broke the surface of the water he waded through. Within the blink of an eye, the plant’s roots shot through the water and underlying, rich and loose soil in an effort to impale the lizardman.
Fortunately, the lizarian arched his back backwards at just the right time that the oddly sharpened roots shot just above his puffed out chest. Within the span of a breath, both arms, each carrying their own blade, were swung to the opposite side of his body. The horrific flower’s roots fell back to the cold water with a loud plop as the body itself once more flailed its vines wildly in agony as more of its being was severed with a single attack.
Muddied liquid splashed the stranger and he tightened his stance as the flailing continued. However, Aridean let out a frightened gasp at the sight of the lizarian being struck by a thick, verdant tendril in the same fashion she had earlier. The reptilian could be heard gasping as the air was funneled out of his lungs by the forceful blow. His body sailed over the swamp for a moment before Aridean caught the bright green glow contained in her savior’s hands.
As the lizarian sailed through the air above the murky, cool water, Aridean watched as he tucked his legs in toward his chest and kept his head held low. His entire body seemed to rotate as his scaled feet quickly rose over his head and the lizard man’s head had actually fallen to just a few inches above the water. His body began to roll backward through the air and a glowing hand was extended toward the waist-deep waters as the scaled head started to come up. Aridean’s eyes widened at the sight of the lizardman’s magic instantaneously transforming the water beneath him into a small, roughly circular platform of thick ice.
“Hassh tu’beyign!” the lizarian growled audibly as his clawed toes clicked against his makeshift island. Aridean watched as the bright green aura that surrounded the scaled one’s hand grow even more brilliant. The lizarian arched his back, tail flailing behind him as he released an uproarious war cry. His body became visibly tensed and rigid as his grip on the magical and icy terrain tightened. In an instant, the water between the stranger and the massive flower froze over. Aridean watched, entirely enchanted by the magic trail of frost quickly climbing up the floral body. All of the movement from the gargantuan bloom slowed as it had become fully encased in a shell of ice.
“A-amazing…” Aridean stammered as the frozen flower began to slump over. The lizarian had managed to halt the monstrous plant’s rampage by freezing it solid. Without another word, the lizardman rose to his feet and stomped down upon the ice he had magically formed. The snapping and cracking of ice uproariously pounded against Aridean’s eardrums as visible crevices formed in the frozen casing that wrapped the massive, man-eating flower. Large chunks of the ice erupted from the body, some peeling apart considerable parts of the plant, and splashed into the swamp where the ice slowly melted and rejoined the mire. As the icy shell finally fell away, the colossal frond wilted down.
“Ari, are you okay?” Magdalene’s voice called out to the shocked Aridean. The minotaur was snapped out of her enchanted trance hearing the girl’s voice and the squish of mud nearing her. Magdalene knelt down beside Aridean and immediately drew upon her magics, hands glowing brilliantly as they hovered over the minotaur’s furred and battered leg. An audible snort could be heard coming from out over the swampy waters.
Aridean and Magdalene turned to see the lizarian, standing straight up atop his frigid island in the middle of the bog. His eyes were focused upon the two as he sheathed his blades. Aridean, feeling the pain in her body fade away, shifted upon the moist ground and rose to her hooves as the lizarian jumped from his platform and into the water. Magdalene’s face filled with visible skepticism while Aridean’s revealed her unease as the scaled individual waded through the water toward them. Brown-tinged water flowed down his waist and tattered clothing as he climbed back onto land. The lizarian’s eyes shifted between the half-elf and the minotaur that waited silently in front of him.
Just as their new acquaintance examined them, Aridean performed a mental scan of the lizarian as well. The clothes that draped his lower body were soaked with muddied water and stained brown with the wet dirt. His arms and legs were thick with muscle and the green scales that covered his skin were disrupted numerous scars; a bite from an animal on one arm and large scratches on his other. Even the lizarian’s torso had noticeable, aged wounds and even a scar made its way over his right eye. It appeared nothing less than a miracle had kept the stranger from losing any limbs. Aridean was a bit frightened to find that she and the lizardman before her were approximately the same height.
“Gav’tuu and…” the reptilian called out while looking toward Aridean. As his voice trailed off, his eyes focused intently upon Magdalene. Noticing who had now captured his attention, the young girl’s face scrunched up in confusion.
“W-what are you looking at me like that for?” Magdalene asked with as much authority as she could muster. Aridean was somewhat surprised to hear the girl stutter; she had so easily snapped at her and her friends the first day they met. To think that Magdalene was on edge by a single lizarian left Aridean a bit astonished. Nevertheless, the half-elf leaned toward Aridean and began to whisper, “A-Ari… lizarians d-don’t eat half-elves, r-right?”
“Hana…?” the lizardman spoke with uncertainty as he approached Magdalene. The girl, clearly offput by the imposing, scaled form drawing near her, backed her way behind Aridean. Although his cold, sharp eyes did not give away anything, the reptilian cocked his head to the side. With a frustrated sounding grunt, he continued his march forward. Both of the girls took a nervous step back as the lizarian leaned in toward them, his slitted pupils narrowing in on Magdalene as his forked tongue flicked in and out of his mouth.
“T-thanks for the help, b-but… what are you doing?” Aridean asked hesitantly. The scaled individual stood straight up once more and glanced toward the minotaur. He shook his head before looking back to the half-elf hiding behind Aridean.
“Not hana; part kervish,” the lizardman said before folding his muscled arms over his partially covered chest. His slitted pupils shifted back and forth between Aridean and Magdalene in a fashion that could only be described as impatient. Although the minotaur was left somewhat baffled by the stranger’s mannerisms, the half-elf eased her way out from behind her towering companion.
“Part ‘kervish’? Ari, what does anything he’s saying mean?” Magdalene asked while looking up to Aridean.
“I-I don’t know, I never learned lizarian speech,” replied Aridean after a brief shake of her head. With wide eyes, she immediately returned her attention to the group’s guest as he had begun to emanate a low growl. Although the lizarian seemed to be growing more and more restless, Magdalene had chosen to ignore the worrying sound.
“Great… the first lizarian we run across and we don’t even know how to talk to him,” Magdalene seemed to complain aloud. Both her and Aridean, however, remembered that Vladimir had been saying he had sought the aid of the lizarian people long ago. Each of the girls glanced toward the massive flower that had swallowed up their comrade. With clear hesitancy, Magdalene heaved a grunt before continuing, “As much as I don’t like it, should we get Vlad? Maybe he could translate for us.”
“Right, he did mention he’s spoken with lizarians before. I’ll go cut him out now,” Aridean answered before kneeling down to rearm herself with her battle axe. However, just as she lifted a hoof in the direction of the massive flower that had devoured Vladimir, the lizardman moved to stop her. He cocked his head as he locked eyes with the alarmed minotaur.
“What gav’tuu doing? Hana dead. Eaten by dragon-bloom. Not good death: very painful,” the reptilian individual explained. His deep voice and broken English made it hard to tell if he were speaking with anger in his words or morbid curiosity. Either way, Aridean initially failed to collect herself and provide an adequate answer.
“You have… quite the way with words,” Magdalene commented with a hint of sarcasm in her tone. Aridean glanced back to the girl in mud-stained church clothes before looking back to the strange lizardman that impeded her path forward. She took a deep breath as she thought about how to explain that Vladimir was most likely not truly dead as the lizarian claimed.
“Uhm… W-well… w-we’d still like to retrieve his body, j-just to make certain,” Aridean claimed with obvious anxiousness in her voice. The lizarian’s only response was to furrow his scaled brows and flick his tongue out toward the minotaur again.
“Hana dead,” he announced once more whilst shaking his head. Despite his insistence that cutting open the flower would be a fruitless endeavor, the lizardman took a step to his side and allowed Aridean past. Given access to the dragolia bloom that had swallowed Vladimir and attempted to kill her and Magdalene, Aridean proceeded forward. However, as she passed the strange lizard man, her eyes ran up and down his body as she scanned the peculiar individual with uncertainty.
Her attention returned to the flower she was walking toward as her hooves splashed down into the muddied swamp water once more. The cold water soaked into both her pants and fur and even drenched her tail somewhat as the swamp was much deeper than she had anticipated. Aridean wadded over to where the massive bloom lay in the swamp and examined the bulge in the stem that must have been Vladimir. With a nervous gulp, the minotaur hefted her battle axe upward and first chopped at the thick plant, cutting off the beautiful, if lethal, flower.
The bloom splashed slightly in the water before slowly starting to float elsewhere. Aridean carefully sliced into the stem, cutting her way down to just above where the plant grew engorged with its final meal. The minotaur returned her axe to the holster on her back before grabbing at the two cut folds with each hand. Aridean peeled the flower stem open, slowly revealing Vladimir as the plant flesh was torn apart.
Eventually, the plant stem seemed to relax as Aridean ripped into it and Vladimir finally dropped out of his floral prison. His body splashed down into the water of the swamp in front of Aridean. The nobleman remained motionless for a while; much to the apparent frustration of the lizardman standing on the bank with Magdalene. The group’s guest had begun to hiss loudly while keeping his arms folded. However, the agitated hissing noises were silenced immediately as Vladimir’s floating body shifted.
“Vlad? You alright?” Aridean asked as the man stood up in the swamp water alongside her. Vladimir took a moment to collect himself and wipe away at some sticky substance that had coated him while the plant attempted to digest him.
“Ough… gracious, that was most unpleasant. I certainly would not recommend it to anyone, least of all anyone mortal,” Vladimir replied with an air of nonchalance in his voice. Any concern Aridean might have held had immediately vanished. Both minotaur and human made their way through the murky water back to where Magdalene waited alongside a shocked lizarian. Vladimir wrung swamp water out of his long ponytail before turning to Aridean with a smile on his face, “My thanks for releasing me from that foul-smelling prison, Ms. Gray. Oh dear, all this mud… I do hope that I am able to find a good change of clothes soon; this is quite undignified…”
You have such weird priorities for someone who can survive being impaled and swallowed by a man-eating flower… Aridean thought herself. Although her unease with the man’s strange comment made itself known, she refrained from speaking. However, Magdalene huffed annoyedly at the muddied nobleman standing beside of the equally mud-stained minotaur.
“Hana… not dead?” the large, scaled individual confusedly said aloud. Vladimir turned to face the newcomer as the latter leaned in toward him. Both Aridean and Magdalene were left entirely baffled by the lizarian’s peculiar need to smell the immortal human. The stranger continued to sniff at Vladimir while circling around him; his forked tongued slipped in and out of his mouth between inhales. After a moment of analysis, the lizarian shook his head and a mild irritation was made visible in his expression, “Smells dead. Tastes dead.”
“Well, technically speaking, I suppose I am. Ah, do forgive me, you must have provided assistance to Ms. Gray and Ms. Yorre while I was indisposed. You have my gratitude, Mr.…?” Vladimir replied with his usual courtesy and dignified tone despite having just been cut out of a flower that had meant to make a meal of him. As the man attempted to wring muddied water from his sleeves, the lizardman in front of him cocked his head to one side with a confused look about him. For a moment, the stranger’s mouth moved and the words escaping his throat were near inaudible.
“What grah-ti-tood mean?” the lizarian eventually asked Vladimir after apparently having taken a moment to silently practice the word.
“Vlad did say that lizarians were a weird bunch…” Magdalene whispered to Aridean. Although the minotaur did agree with the half-elf, she refrained from commenting further so as not to elicit any reprisal from the group’s guest. With a quick but deep breath, Magdalene turned toward Vladimir as the nobleman brushed mud from his trousers, “Vlad, you spent time in the swamp before, do you know how to speak to lizarians?”
“But of course! I’m glad to see that I am not going to be a useless addition for the course of this mission. While I am a bit rusty, I do know the lizarian tongue. Was there something that confused you two prior to Ms. Gray releasing me?” answered Vladimir with his usual enthusiasm.
“He keeps saying ‘hana’,” Aridean chimed in. Both Aridean and Magdalene turned to face the lizarian as he began to growl. A clawed finger was lifted from his side and pointed in the direction of Vladimir.
“Corpse is hana,” announced the stranger with a deep and impatient tone. Vladimir gave a light chuckle, clearly entertained by the newcomer’s strange complacency with how he continued to be alive. As the man’s amusement settled down, Vladimir gave a gentle smile and crossed his hands behind his back with his chest out and head held high.
“‘Corpse,’ hmm? I suppose that is one way of looking at me. In any event, I would imagine he would be using that word quite a bit if he saw our group. ‘Hana’ is simply the word for human in the lizarian tongue. I’m going to guess that he’s already brought up the term ‘gav’tuu’ as well, yes?” Vladimir began to explain. As he brought up the second foreign term, Vladimir turned to face Aridean. The minotaur glanced from the human smiling at her to the reptilian glaring in her direction. Her nerves were a bit off put by the unsettling stare he was giving her but she still managed to nervously swallow before nodding to Vladimir. “Gav’tuu is just their word for minotaur.”
“And he said I’m part ‘kervish,’ whatever that one means,” Magdalene announced while also eying the team’s guest uneasily. A mixture of astonished intrigue made itself known upon Vladimir’s expression as he glanced between Magdalene and the lizarian. Another amused laugh escaped his lips, albeit a bit more brief than before.
“Oh, he could tell, could he? It would seem our friend here could sense your elven blood, Ms. Yorre. ‘Kervish’ is elf when translated in the lizarian tongue,” answered Vladimir after a few seconds of surveying the large lizardman standing alongside him and the two ladies. The group’s guest seemed to be growing ever more impatient as he huffed annoyedly and crossed his arms over his poncho-covered chest.
“Hana, kani, gav’tuu… nallahk zhi tashni. Hmm,” the peculiar, scaled man seemed to tell himself. His deep voice rumbled in his throat as he began to think to himself. All the while, the lizarian continued to flick his tongue out toward the unlikely group mashed together in front of him. He almost seemed to let loose a hiss of disappointment after he concluded his mental survey of the squad that had come to the swamplands.
“Y-yeah… Vlad, what’s he doing with his tongue?” Aridean asked anxiously.
“Ah, that, a fascinating ability the lizarians have developed. Their tongues are able to transmit tastes to a specialized organ that helps--,” Vladimir again began to explain with his usual enthusiasm. His voice was quickly drowned out by the impatient growling coming from the team’s guest. With all eyes on the lizarian, he ceased his guttural snarling but maintained a rather hostile expression upon his face.
“What warm bloods doing in swamp?” the lizarian demanded to know with aggression in his voice.
“We are here acting as ambassadors for the rebellion that is fighting for the freedom of the minotaur people throughout the empire,” Aridean answered promptly and with as much confidence as the usually timid minotaur could manage. However, not even halfway through her statement did the lizarian’s anger fade entirely. His mouth moved, but no audible sounds escaped the scaled individual’s throat.
“What am-bass-uh-doors mean?” asked the lizarian with several degrees of fury less than he had previously demonstrated.
“Dear Lord, give me patience…” Magdalene muttered aloud whilst rolling her eyes. Her comment, however, did not go unnoticed by the tall lizardman. His intimidating gaze shifted focus onto the young half-elf. Having observed that she had caught his attention again, Magdalene slowly began to hide away behind Aridean again.
“Lord? Hana God… priestess? Kani use God magic…” the lizarian seemed to say to himself with his head tilted to the side. After a second of thought, the stranger stood up straight while facing his entire body toward Magdalene. Both Aridean and Magdalene raised a brow in curiosity as the reptilian gave a deep bow while announcing, “Paltu shirrha, Priestess.”
“Vlad?” Magdalene called out. With a smile on his face, Vladimir nodded before taking in a breath.
“Oh, yes, one of those ‘mundane’ methods of remedying a lizarian’s temper is to engage in conversation regarding faith or deities,” explained the mud-soaked noble. Both Aridean and Magdalene glanced toward one another before looking back to the lizarian. Fortunately, the team’s guest had entirely halted any aggressive behavior as he stood up straight once more. Magdalene hesitantly moved out from behind Aridean and stood at the minotaur’s side while still watching the lizardman intently.
“Okay… why?” Magdalene further probed.
“Although they have their own faith, lizarians--,” Vladimir, again, attempted to explain.
“Gods powerful, strong. Priestess fight with God. Worth respect,” interjected their new acquaintance. As he concluded his answer, the reptilian folded his muscled arms over his chest again before heaving an impatient sigh. His eyes shifted over to Aridean where they scanned the minotaur from horn to hoof, almost as if he were sizing her up in preparation for a fight. Fortunately, although his gaze lingered, the lizarian merely grunted.
Power… I know that’s a big deal to them and Vlad was saying they are open with their hostilities… but is that all they care about? Aridean pondered to herself. The minotaur took in a quick breath.
“Could you help us? We need to speak with a lizarian of high status,” Aridean asked the lizarian.
And preferably knows English, the minotaur mentally considered adding to her request. Her brow once again rose on her furred and horned dome as the lizarian flicked his forked tongue out at her several times over a minute.
“High shaman in Miahnn’uli,” answered the reptile after a moment of silence apart from the veritable noises of the swamp. Hearing his response, both Aridean and Magdalene witnessed the expression on Vladimir’s face seemingly light up like the sun.
“Miahnn’uli? Ah, yes, that was my first stop during my previous venture into the swamplands,” Vladimir chimed in with a restrained excitement in his tone.
“So, you know where it is?” Magdalene asked with a wry smirk on her face. Whatever contentment the half-elf seemed to be experiences, however, dissipated instantly as Vladimir shook his head back and forth.
“Oh, heavens no, I just did the talking. The company I kept at the time were much better suited for remembering directions and driving the wagon,” replied the nobleman, all the while maintaining his delighted expression. Magdalene heaved and annoyed grunt at the answer and seemed to sink forward as she arched her back and let her hands hang loosely in the air.
“Can you help in any way that isn’t just talking? Lord, help us…” the half-elf remarked with a frustrated sigh. Vladimir, however, seemed to find the frustration Magdalene was suffering particularly enjoyable. The human man let out a quiet chuckle as the half-elven girl merely sighed once more. One of her hands reached up to wipe sweat off her forehead and move some of her golden, blonde hair out of her face. Aridean shook her head before turning her attention back to the lizarian while the young girl seemed to melt a bit from the hot, moist air that filled the area.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have any maps of the Wiir Swamplands. Could we ask you to lead us to Miahnn’uli?” Aridean asked as confidently as she could manage.
“No,” answered the lizardman, both bluntly and with a shake of his head. Aridean’s ears fell flat against her horned dome and whatever confidence she had previously mustered had vanished in an instant.
“Wait, what?! You step in to save us from a giant weed but you won’t just give us some simple directions?” Magdalene interjected with abundant frustration. The group’s guest folded his arms again and, despite the half-elf having called out to him, remained fixated on the minotaur. Aridean was quickly growing anxious being the object of this stranger’s focus.
“Dragon bloom flower, not weed,” the lizarian replied, his deep voice making the supposed nonchalance come across more stern or annoyed. Vladimir quietly laughed to himself once more, to which Magdalene seemed to take offense. The girl glared at the mud-coated gentleman while groaning her agitation with him.
“W-well, uhm, could you at least point us toward Miahnn’uli?” Aridean barely managed to inquire as she ignored her companions squabbling at her side.
“No,” answered the lizarian, both bluntly and with a shake of his head. The single word left Aridean with a feeling as if she had just been punched in the stomach. She swallowed anxiously before taking a deep breath.
“I, uhm… I’m sorry? W-why can’t you at least tell us where this Miahnn’uli is?” stammered the flustered Aridean as her hands clasped together. Her furred digits rubbed up and down one another apprehensively. Her eyes lit up with a bit of fright as the lizardman began to growl whilst his piercing gaze locked with the minotaur’s own.
“Turn around, leave swamp. Live longer,” barked the warrior. Slowly, as understanding dawned on her, Aridean’s uneasy expression melted away as her eyes lit up with interest. Vladimir had joined in her sudden curiosity; the human having lifted the brow over his right eye as he inspected the scaled individual curiously.
“Live longer? O-oh, y-you must think we might run into more trouble like with that dragolia,” replied Aridean despite her flustered nerves still troubling her. She paused for a moment as she thought how she might convince the stranger to aid them. She thought of what this mission meant for the rebellion, for Mikali, and also for her cherished friends. With a deep breath in and out, a certain spark filled Aridean’s eyes as she addressed the lizarian, “We’ve been on the road for too long to just turn around now. We’ve people depending on us. Please, we are not about to just leave now.”
“Hmm…” the reptilian hummed to himself. His slitted pupils fell and rose in his eyes as he surveyed Aridean once more. The minotaur had managed to put some more sureness in her stance that the lizarian was silently judging. Eventually, after a moment of otherwise silence, the lizardman grunted before one hand was lifted and pointed further into the swamp. Having granted the team what they were looking for, the stranger locked eyes with Aridean and his deep voice rumbled, “Die strong, gav’tuu.”
“I… uhhh… y-you too?” Aridean fumbled her response as she had not anticipated such an extraordinary send off. With a nod of his head, the lizardman began to depart from the group, walking in the opposite direction of where he had directed the strange trio. As the scaled feet squished through mud and moved further away, only disappearing behind some brush and thick trees some distance from where the three stood. Each of the remaining travelers wore curious or befuddled expressions upon their faces.
“Well… that was interesting,” commented Magdalene as she swatted away some mosquitos that had been drawn in by the sweat on her brow.
“He was a bit unusual even for a lizarian… I never would have imagined one would aid us in such a predicament. They are a very ‘survival of the fittest’ type of people,” Vladimir chimed in with a hand to his chin. The cursed noble hummed his own curiosity before allowing his hand to fall back to his side.
I had never met a lizarian, not even back in Thellia. I had heard about them, but never thought I’d meet one. He definitely wasn’t what I had expected and… I’m not entirely sure that’s a good thing, Aridean mentally considered as the watched the thick, scaled tail follow the body behind the less life-threatening foliage of the swamp. After a moment to collect her thoughts, the minotaur turned to her companions and let out a relieved sigh after having survived two stressful ordeals in quick succession.
“Let’s get back in the wagon… maybe we’ll see him at that Miahnn’uli place,” Aridean gently suggested. Each of the minotaur’s companions nodded their agreement and made for the wooden wagon; the horses having calmed since the commotion had quieted down. Magdalene and Vladimir both climbed into the back as Aridean walked around to the front to climb up to the driver’s seat. The minotaur paused, standing in the cool mud beside of her transport, and stared out in the direction that the stranger had left in. She shook her head before climbing back into her seat and taking the reins. With a gentle whip of the straps that connected to her loyal equines, the wagon began to slowly trudge across the muddied trail once again.