Hydrablood Chapter 7
May 26, 775
It was three wet and bedraggled figures that stumbled along across the sea of mud that had replaced the road. Several days earlier, the rocky hills that they had been winding their way through for the last several weeks had given way to gentler, smoother hills that were covered in rich green grass. The group had welcomed the change at first. The bleak grays and harsh stony cliffs had been getting old to look at. When combined with the off and on pattern of light rain, it made for a depressing trip. So when the green hills began to show themselves, the trio were more than happy to see them. That was until they realized the hard stony ground that let the water run off into the distance of the smaller hills turned into soft, earthy soil that became a muddy soup under the gray clouds.
Dan was miserable and cold. It felt like Kiln had ditched him. His so-called friend would forge ahead every morning, walking on the mud with such skill that he did not even leave footprints for anyone to follow. Dan had watched once when Icepaw had boasted that he was a decent tracker from time chasing elk across the tundra. The kitsune had not even found Kilns trail. So it was that Dan watched every day as Kiln, in his oh so warm cloak, disappeared into the distance, ignoring the rain and mud and cold wind that seemed to never stop blowing.
Dan had purchased a cloak of his own for a few coppers in one of the small towns they had passed through, but it had quickly become damp and nearly useless after days on the road. Dan’s sniffling nose made him envy Icepaw and his coats. The beautiful blue coat with white trim was perhaps not as good as Kiln’s cloak, but it was certainly warmer than Dan’s. Add to that the thick, heavy coat of white fur with tinges of blue that were a literal part of the fox and Kiln was certain Icepaw was probably the warmest member of the group. The only thing the coat and fur could not prevent was the mud itself, which turned Icepaw from a brilliant white, to a patchwork of dirty gray and brown. It would be a pain to get clean, provided they found an inn where they could clean up, or afford. Money was getting tight.
The last member of the trio was Hydrozeno. Dan had no clue how the strange elf, the hydrablood, seemed to be handling the inclimate weather with a stoicism that could rival stone. Icepaw at least had the decency to grumble and complain. Hydrozeno just kept going, one sucking step after the other with the barest grunt of acknowledgement whenever someone spoke to him. The hydrablood had no coat or cloak. He just seemed to ignore the water. Dan knew from several bestiaries that hydras had an affinity for water. So maybe the rain and cold did not bother Hydrozeno. Or it could be that he was just a stoic. Dan did not know. The hydrablood was not the talkative sort. Dan had tried to have a conversation with Hydrozeno several times, but all the answers were either one word, two words, or, worst of all, a shrug. It was infuriating. Especially since the scaly stoic, oh that was a nice nickname, refused to answer any of Dan’s many questions as to what abilities the Hydrablood might have.
Dan glanced over at Scaly Stoic and frowned. Hydrozeno had partially drawn his scimitar out of its sheath a couple inches. Dan leaned forward and stumbled a bit closer to see better. That’s when he saw the blade glowing faintly red, like it was at the beginning stages of being heated in a forge, and felt the heat. Hydrozeno had some kind of fire sword that he was using to keep himself warm. That was so unfair!
Dan looked down. His cloak was tattered, his bag with his books tights shut to keep out the damp and all he had was a less than useless, cursed metal stick, and a wooden stick that he could use if he felt that the mud was not doing its job of keeping everyone stuck in place well enough. Dan felt the tears start to fall. Nobody noticed. It was raining.
* * *
Dan woke then next morning with a hollowness that would not leave. He had found a small divot in the hillside next to the road that had kept the worst of the wind away. It had partially filled with water during the night. Dan hadn’t noticed. He was too busy fighting the wolf. Breakfast was a sorry, soggy affair of strips of dried meat,a small wedge of cheese and a hunk of bread. Dan wanted a hot meal. He wanted a dry room with a fire. He wanted to sleep without fear. He wanted his books.
Instead he had an adventure that had involved fighting, then subsequently running away from bandits, a muddy nightmare and no friends. Kiln was already striding away from the camp, ostensibly to scout the road for potential threats. The slowly blackening skies were a perfect reflection of Dan’s mood. Later that day, Dan cursed as the sound of thunder echoed across the sky. He frowned a minute later as the second roll of thunder swept towards them from the ground. The group turned to look back behind them.
A group of a dozen riders were churning up a wave of mud as they raced ahead a wall of water that seemed to descend from the sky. One of the riders called something to the others, the words indistinct over the distance and rain. Then Dan had moments before one of the riders was upon him. A figure in scaled armor and a helmet leaned over and hoisted Dan painfully up and across the horse’s back. For a moment he struggled, then almost fell off the horse. He felt the sensation of warm breath next to one of his ears.
“Stop struggling, ya overstuffed turkey. We only have a few minutes before the rain starts running off the hills and the road floods. There’s a watchtower ahead that’s set on higher ground.”
The voice was barely audible over the sound of rain and churning mud, but it made Dan stop struggling. He was too tired to protest anyways. So he just clung to a strap on the saddle, hanging much like a bag of flour would he imagined, and waited. A structure came into view as they rode around a bend in the road. A four story stone tower surrounded by a short wall and a small number of buildings sat atop a gently sloped hill. The group was forced to halt as they met a gate barring their entry into the refuge. A slot opened up in the gate and a man called.
“Who goes there?”
One of the riders at the head of the group leaned over and held an object up to the open slot. The pause gave Dan a chance to look around for his companions. Icepaw had somehow managed to position himself properly upright behind the man who had swung him up. Hydrozeno had been hanging limply by one leg from another horse. His foot had tangled in a stirrup and the rider was trying to pull him all the way up onto the saddle. Another of the riders was prodding his horse over to give a helping hand. Kiln was noticeably absent and Dan worried about his friend, out in the storm alone.
“We are the Ansen retinue and company. Open the gate.”
The gate opened and the horses were urged into a muddy yard. To the left Dan caught a glimpse of a stable and blacksmith. The building to the right appeared to be some kind of living space he thought. Suddenly, the armored warrior grabbed Dan’s collar and yanked on it.
“Mind getting off ya daft bird. We need to get Twinkledance under cover and we can’t do that with you clinging to her.”
Dan let go and slid off the horse. The warrior swung down and passed the reins of the horse to a boy, who appeared to be about eleven years old. The warrior’s helmet and the rain made it impossible to make out any of the details of the warrior besides that he was shorter and stockier than Dan had first assumed. The warrior waved Dan towards the living quarter he had seen. All around him, young men and boys were taking horses from the patrol of soldiers. Dan could see Icepaw steadying a swaying Hydrozeno and guiding him to the quarters. Another soldier was helping Icepaw. As Dan ran past he saw blood and what he could have sworn was the distinct outline of a hoofprint on Hydrozeno’s forehead.
Dan reached the building he had been running for and found himself in what was clearly a barracks. There were twenty bunk beds along one wall with places for the soldiers to store their gear. One side also had a large hearth and basic cooking setup. The rest of the space was a space for eating, drinking, and lounging about while off duty. All the furniture was simple and functional. Dan let out a contented sigh as the warmth of the room enveloped him. It had been weeks since he had felt so warm. The soldier beside him sighed as well as they pulled off their helmet and Dan blinked.
The young woman was splattered in mud and her shoulder length brown hair was wet and tangled from riding in the rain and her helmet. The lower part of her hair on her neck was cut shorter than his own. If the rest of her hair were properly combed then the shaved neck would not have even been noticeable. Her eyes were a brown that were neither too dark nor too light, but just right. At that moment Dan felt his heart stop. She was beautiful.
She looked at him and frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
Her voice was concerned and Dan could not help but notice the rich, melodious sound of it. She probably had a good singing voice.
“Oh nothing, I was just hoping we could talk for a minute.”
“Considering that this storm will probably last for a while, I am sure we will have plenty of time to talk.”
“That’s not what I-“
She was gone. She had strolled over to one of the tables where several other soldiers were dishing out bowls of hot, rich smelling soup that made Dan’s mouth water. Dan felt lost. He had never talked with a girl his own age before, much less one that-
Dan shook his head in bewilderment. He never even got a chance to ask her name. Dan stared over at the table where the one soldier had just handed the girl a bowl. She gave him a smile and sat down on a bench a short distance away listening to the conversation of the other soldiers. The smile was a tired one, but it lit up her entire face. Her dimples framed her eyes just right. Dan wanted to see what a bigger smile would do to her face.
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This was the perfect opportunity. He wanted to walk over and stare into her eyes. The ones that reminded him of the rich chocolate that Master Reid had once given him as a gift. He would ask her her name and tell her his. That was always a good start to every conversation. Hello, I am Dan Del Torre. What’s your name?
Dan took a step toward but his legs felt wobbly and his stomach lurched. Then he felt a falling sensation and darkness.
* * *
He stumbled in the dark and lost His chance. The creature saw the opening and dashed past Him. It was headed away from the darkness and towards the light. He followed desperately trying to catch the dark mass, but he was too slow, too tired. He watched in despair as the thing stepped out of the darkness and into the light. It was a place where He was not allowed to follow. A place he could only set foot once every year. The creature’s shape twisted and took on a new form and it descended on an unsuspecting world. It was drawn to a specific point of light. A light that on its own seemed unremarkable, but He could see all the webs of fate that wove around to this one. It was a lynchpin that could sway the balance of the world depending on how it was shifted… and the darkness was headed straight for it. He fell to his knees, wordlessly lamenting all the sorrow and chaos that would result after it was snuffed out. He watched, a silent witness. He had failed to protect the small light, the least He could do was watch it in its dying moments.
That is when He saw them. Lights were there when they should not be. There were four of them. Three of them stood beside the little light, the fourth hovered a ways off. He did not understand. How were they here? He studied them and then blinked. One of the lights was a being so rare that only one of million were even remotely similar to it. A weaver of fate. It did not let others pull the strings, it wove them itself. It had gathered the others around. Each a small but brilliant flame. It had drawn them to this place and time and now they stood between the darkness and the little flame on which so much hope was placed.
Perhaps there was a chance that the little light would not go out. That the centuries of watching, hoping and waiting would not be in vain. So He stood and waited, with bated breath, to see what outcome would arise from the scene that was about to unfold.
Name: Hydrozeno
Age: 18
Race: Hydrablood Elf
Mana:
Blessings:
Scimitar of Flame: Level 1 0/2 Does 1 point of fire damage
Bag of the Companion
Health Level 2 2/4 Health 2/2
Claws Level 2 2/4
Bite Level 2 3/4
Fur Level 1 1/2
Skills:
Health: 22/22
Base Defense: 4
Longevity: Level 4 3/16
Darkvision: Level 4 3/16
Bow Range: Level 1 0/2
Bow Damage: Level 3 3/8
Bow Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Regeneration: Level 9 8/256 9/9 points used
Regeneration: Level 3 0/4
Instant Regeneration: Level 3 1/4 1/3 healing points remaining
Swimming: Level 2 3/4
Scimitar Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Scimitar Damage: Level 3 0/8
Scimitar Parry: Level 1 1/2
Light Armor: Level 1 0/2
Acidic Blood: Level 1 0/2
Cooking: Level 1 0/2
Intimidation: Level 2 0/4
Poison resistance: Level 1 0/2
Shield: Level 1 0/2
Name: Icepaw
Age: 18
Race: Beastman
Mana:
Basic Mana 3/3
Water Mana 1/1
Blessings:
Rapier of the Frozen Level 2 0/4 Adds 2 point of ice damage per mana spent
Coat of Changing Level 3 0/8 Adds 3 levels to Illusion magic and spells
Skills:
Health 21/21
Base Defense: 0
Darkvision: Level 4 3/16
Animal Handling: Level 4 3/16
Unarmed Accuracy: Level 1 0/2
Unarmed Damage: Level 1 0/2
Unarmed Evasion: Level 2 3/4
Tracking: Level 2 1/4
Survival: Level 2 0/4
Climbing: Level 3 0/8
Basic Mana: Level 3 0/8
Crafted Illusion: Level 3(6) 0/8 3(6)/3(6) point used
Illusion Size: Level 2 0/4 Illusion has max size of 2 foot squared
Illusion Duration: Level 2 0/4 Illusion lasts 10 seconds per mana spent
Disguise Self: Level 2(5) 2/4 disguises oneself in an illusion for 2(5) minutes per mana spent
Sleight of Hand: Level 1 0/2
Sailing: Level 1 0/2
Perception: Level 2 1/4
Insight: Level 1 1/2
Water Mana: Level 1 0/2
Rapier Damage: Level 1 0/2
Rapier Accuracy: Level 1 0/2
Rapier parry: Level 1 0/2
Name: Kilnoher
Age: 18
Race: Elf
Mana
Nature Mana: 1/1
Earth Mana: 1/1
Body Mana: 1/1
Blessings:
Longbow of Sight: Level 1 0/2 Doubles your bow range and darkvision
Cloak of Shadows: Shadow Stealth Level 1 1/2 Increase your stealth level by the level of this cloak
Skills:
Health: 21/21
Base Defense: 0
Longevity: Level 4 3/16 Your lifespan in increase by 4 years
Darkvision: Level 4 3/16 You can see perfectly in the dark for up to 40(80) feet.
Bow range: Level 3 0/8 You bow range is 53(106) feet
Bow Accuracy: Level 2 1/4
Bow damage: Level 1 0/2
Nature Mana: Level 1 1/2
Earth Mana: Level 1 0/2
Stealth: Level 2(3) 0/4
Tracking: Level 2 0/4
Perception: Level 1 0/2
Body Mana: Level 1 0/2
Speed Boost Spell: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Speed increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Sense Animals: Level 1 0/2 You can sense the presence of animal in a range of up to 100 feet for 1 second per nature mana used
Cartography: Level 1 0/2
Magic Items
Boots of speed: Increases speed by 1% for 1 minute for every 99 mana imbued
Current Mana Charge: 61
Name: Dan Del Torre
Age:18
Race: Human
Mana:
Basic Mana: 2/2
Body Mana 2/2
Blessings:
Blade of Memory: Relive the past of those you have slain and gain their experience
Wand of Binding: Level 2 0/2 2/2 points used
Charges level 1 0/2 1/1 charges(regains 1 charge per day)
Binding Duration: Level 1 0/2 Binding lasts 10 seconds
Skills:
Health: 19/19
Base defense: 1
Basic mana: Level 2 0/4
Body Mana: Level 2 0/4
Enchantment- Imbue Item(Skill Enhancement): Level 2 0/4 2/2 point used(requires 12 hour ritual and 1 gold per mana used)
Skill Enhancement increase: Level 1 0/2 Increases chosen skill by 1 level per 100(99) mana imbued
Skill Enhancement Duration: Level 1 0/2 Imbuement lasts 1 minutes per 100(99) mana imbued
Imbuement Item Recharge: Level 0 0/1 item recharges 0 mana per day
Longsword Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Longsword Damage: Level 2 0/4
Longsword Parry: Level 3 1/8
Mana Circle(chosen skill): Level 2 1/4 Inscribe up to a level 2 mana circle on an object that will gather 1 mana per day per level. The inscriber may withdraw the mana at their leisure. Costs 100 gold to create per level or upgrade. Requires 12 hours uninterrupted to inscribe
Light Armor: Level 1 0/2
Mana Sight: Level 1 0/2 Can see mana at a range of 1 foot and 1% chance to identify its type
Magic resistance: Level 1 0/2
Enchantment Magic Mana Cost Reduction: Level 1 0/2 reduce enchantment costs by 1%
Speed Boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Speed increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Strength boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Strength increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Defense boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Defense increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Weapon Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Weapon Damage: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(99) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 attack per 100(99) mana used
Armor Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Armor Level: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(99) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 Endures 1 attack per 100(99) mana used
Magic Items
Sword Belt- Inscribed with level 1 magic circle
Current Mana:
36 Basic mana
177 body mana