Joe watched Granny Growlbee’s conjured storm batter the grassfire. The flares of flames still leapt into the air but they were no longer a solid wall, just small pockets of burning resistance against the overwhelming quenching. Joe wondered how powerful the witch was. He thought about assessing her but some instinct warned him against it. He really wanted to stay on her good side. Peeking behind her curtain seemed like a good way to sour her affability.
Putting off Kaid for a moment longer, Joe looked down at the scroll in his hand. He tried to read the actual words written on it but for some reason, he could not fix his eyes on them enough to read it. He had the impression of elegantly flowing handwriting, yet what the actual words were, he had no idea what it said. Joe could sense the potential in the scroll. It was just waiting on him to absorb the skill. He focused on the page and willed it to activate.
You are attempting to learn the common skill [Dispell Rot]. You have no open Spirit skill slots available.
Unlike a crystal, whose color told him the skill he needed, Joe had to test the page before he knew what attribute the spell required. He had guessed spirit and was glad to see his hunch was right.
You have increased your Spirit to 5. You now have 93 points of Mana.
You have learned the basic skill: [Dispell Rot]. [Dispell Rot] breaks down necrotic tissue in the immediate range. If the putrefaction is too severe to be destroyed, the corruption is expelled from the immediate area.
Joe hoped Sarsa’s hand was not too infected for the spell to wipe out the abscess. He did not want to have to open up the wound to push the pus out. The thought of the fluid didn’t bother him but the idea of cutting into her hand did. He found it funny that smashing massive bugs and watching goblins die was not nearly as horrible as picturing slicing into the poor woman’s skin.
Joe dismissed those future plans and turned to look back at the table and Kaid. Knowing he now had the means to help Sarsa put his squabble with the grouchy cutthroat into perspective. He was still not thrilled with the ungrateful ass. On the other hand, if Joe had just lost his best gear, he knew he would be pretty pissed too. On top of that, Joe knew he might have found some of Kaid’s lost weapons, but he had not even thought to look. His inexperience was the root of that oversight but Kaid did not have the empathy to make that leap. To the gnome it was just Joe’s fault; reasons didn’t matter.
Joe focused on the fact they just had a few more hours together. “This too shall pass,” he reminded himself. He would rather not spend it at war with the small grouch. Joe walked back to where Granny and Kaid were waiting in silence. The lovely witch had finished her work on the second scroll and was sipping tea. Kaid was still curled into a seated seething ball. Occasionally his grubby hands would snatch a cookie from a nearby plate and slam it into his mouth but other than that he remained a smoldering block of anger.
“Alright, Kaid,” Joe began, sitting down at the wicker table. “I’m sorry you lost your best possessions. I wish I had thought to look for your blades but I had bigger concerns at the time.”
“What the hell kind of apology is that? I offered to help you out and it costs me everything. Your answer is you were too busy! What kind of cracked commode is that?”
“You came to me you egomaniacal little shit! Why did I even …”
THUNK. A dagger landed on the table. Both men looked at the blade but Kaid reacted faster.
“Milo!” he cried, scooping up the wavey knife. “I thought I lost you.”
Joe watched as a second of the spectral crows dropped another object on the table. This was a heavy purple bracelet. As soon as Joe saw it, he knew it had to be the reward from the Beguilburr. It was shaped like the plant’s twisting roots and shaded in the same violet and magenta colors as the tree. The rest of the flock swooped over the isle as well, raining gold and silver coins onto the wicker surface. Kaid spun and began to scoop the wealth from the table until Granny’s voice stopped him short.
“Before you consider pocketing all that, I would like to remind you that a finders fee is expected. Additionally, I believe the one who killed the creature is customarily given the first pick.”
“Fine. I’ll leave you a cut for grabbing the stuff for me. The rest is recompense for him losing the Sisters and Vera.”
“And what price are you putting on your life, young thief?” she asked adjusting her teacup on its saucer. “I had a raven in the sky watching and from what I saw, you should be feeding the Beguilburr instead of reaping its treasure. Were it not for the man you wish to bilk of his due share, you would be just a dying puppet on that dark plant’s leash.”
“I saved him from the goblins!”
“At no cost or risk to yourself. I doubt a handful of goblins posed much of a threat to you. Such was not the case with your rescue. Joe faced imminent peril from both the hypnotic tree and from you yourself.” Granny Gowlbee leaned toward the gnome, placing her saucer and cup on the table. She lifted the china teapot and refilled her drink. “You were never in any danger from the goblins. Stop trying to pass off copper as gold, I am not buying it.” The witch picked up a block of sugar with her long burgundy nails and pointed it in Joe’s direction. “He should not be expected to either.” She dropped the cube into her cup and looked over its rim, fixing her gaze on the gnomish rogue. She arched her brow once more, daring him to argue her assertion.
“Are you fucking kidding me? Who the …. ”
“Careful, boy,” she warned, in a voice that was suddenly nothing like the light tone she had been using so far. There was no mistaking the power and presence emanating from Granny Growlbee. The sky even seemed to darken as she spoke. “I am the Witch of Brandy Mere. Even if I am quite fond of you, slight me in my own home and you will find a fate far worse than the loss of your paltry knives.
“And you,” she continued leveling her dark voice at Joe. “Newcomer or not, you are in need of a stiffer resolve. There will be many ‘Kaids’ on your road ahead. You must not let them bully you unless you wish to be one of the sheep instead of a hound.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
Joe looked at Kaid and then swung his gaze back to the witch, raising his own eyebrows this time. ‘Is there really anyone as annoying as Kaid,’ his looks asked.
“Fair enough,” she conceded, slipping her youthful persona back in place. Joe was much happier with her teasing than the dark voice that had sent danger shivers through his body. “There are few as irascible as this one, but my point remains. There will be many who will try to subvert your will in place of their own. I sense something special in you, Master Joe Morris. I would hate to see it snuffed out.”
“Ok. I admit I was not going to fight him for this,” Joe acknowledged, sweeping his hand to encompass the coins and items on the table. “It just wasn’t worth any more squabbling. Still, I see your point. I am not used to being placed in such a combative situation. I never learned the skills needed for it.”
“Only you can choose the battles you wish to fight, but I can tell you the One Above rewards assertion and boldness far more than it does those with diffidence and restraint.”
“Fair enough. The bracelet for sure is mine. As for the coins, I’ll take a third. You two can split the other two-thirds however you want.”
Settling back into her seat with her tea, Granny brushed a dark lock of hair out of her face. “As for payment, I will take ten percent as a finder’s fee for rescuing your wealth from the flames. How does five gold sound, for the second scroll? For an uncommon that is cheap but again you did remove the vile plant from my realm.”
“ Thank you. Just take it out of my share. There has to be over fifteen gold there.”
They both looked at Kaid who was virtually laying on top of the pile, hiding it from sight. His face twisted up into a grimace.
“Fine! This is bull punkies but it looks like I've been outvoted.” The gnome began to split the pile into sections with deft sweeps of his hands and finger-flicked coins.
“While he is kept busy, let me show you what I picked for you. I wanted to give you something you can use in a fight, but again I was limited from our more vicious skills. I am now quite certain you do not yet possess the mindset to hurl malignant hexes.” she stated with a meaningful look. “This spell is technically a curse, but it is one I think you will have no trouble with. It is an uncommon vigor-based skill called [Deaden Flesh]. I know that sounds ominous but what it does is remove feeling from a body part. The numbing effect can be used to treat those in great pain but could also foil an enemy's attacks. I thought you could use it to defend yourself as well as in your role as a healer.”
“That does sound like a good fit. Thanks” Joe took the page from her outstretched hand and quickly allocated one more of his last three unassigned attribute points to vigor.
You have increased your Vigor to 4. You now have 65 points of Health and 273 points of Stamina.
You have learned the advanced skill: [Deaden Flesh]. This spell causes localized numbness in a target within Close range. The skill’s effectiveness is determined by the target's resistance. Cost: Moderate Mana.
“That is great. Thank you,” Joe stated, happy with both the spell and the bump to his vigor.
“You still don’t have an offense, you milksop!” growled the Kaid. “Enough with the utility and defense. Sooner or later you are going to need something to fight back with.”
“Fine! The next thing I take will be an offensive ability,” Joe barked back, throwing his arms up over his head. He had thought he had gotten over his vexation with Kaid but at this point, the little jerk could sneeze and Joe might get annoyed.
Even as infuriated as he was, Joe could not help but notice Granny Growlbee react to something. The witch was staring wide-eyed at his arm. Joe’s furious gesture had uncovered his prophetic mark. The glittering black flower and roman numerals looked like a tiny stylized window into a deep starry night.
“And Death walked among us,” she whispered.
Joe switched his gaze back and forth between her look of wonderment and the mark on his forearm. “Boy, I hope that is better than it sounds.”
“Not better, young man, but not worse. It is also not nearly as ominous as it sounds. The Thirteenth Mark has always had a misfortunate naming.” Granny composed herself, smoothing the skirt of her dress before continuing. “I knew a woman who bore that same mark long, long ago. She belonged to one of the warlike tribes of river people living in the Great Delta.” The woman’s gaze lifted to the sky as she relived her memories. “When her father died, Ocscyra became the leader of her people. In order to save her clan, she took up the sword. Death followed her wherever she went, fighting off those that would conquer her kin. Many thought that was the meaning of her mark, yet it wasn’t. When Ocscyra had won enough battles to be taken seriously, she turned that reverence into true power. She found new ways to make allies, and soon her single tribe became a union of a dozen tribes.” An expression of pride filled the young lady's features. “That alliance grew to become a kingdom, one that reached from one end of the Great Delta to the other. She changed the lives of all Deltians, and when Ocscyra died, she did so as the first Queen of a dynasty that still exists to this day.”
Turning back to Joe, she sighed and addressed him directly with an earnest tone. “So when I say ‘And Death walks among us’ I am quoting an old passage that means ‘here is one who may be great’.”
‘HIM?! Are you kidding me? He couldn’t best a bullfrog.”
“I think you will be surprised, Kaid. I plan to keep a crow’s eye on this one. I am betting he will live up to that mark.”
“I’ll take that bet.”
“Really?” she asked in a long slow drawl. “You just squared your debt with me, my young gnome. Are you sure you want to incur another one?”
“Yeah, probably not.”
“I thought so,” she concurred as she stood from the table. Joe saw the tea and plates of snacks had vanished as Granny stood. “On that note, I will take my leave. It was a pleasure to meet you, Joe.”
“And you as well ma’am,” Joe replied. In his head, a small voice was telling him there were questions he should probably be asking of the powerful enchantress but he was just too tired mentally to think of any. [Efferous Endurance] could keep him moving but too much had happened that day. He watched the Witch of Brandy Mere turn and stepped onto the water. Her yellow sundress hugged her provocatively, and Joe guessed she was swinging her hips purposefully to catch his eye. Even knowing she was teasing him did not stop it from working. Joe watched her return to her front porch. He felt a smile at her antics lift his cheeks, until a dark form scuttled through the leaves over her head. He shuddered and look away.
“She really had your number,” Kaid said with a smirk. “Be thankful she did not bring out the crone. She has another look. A really truly scary witchy look that is downright horrifying. She dropped that one on me and I thought I was going to grease my shorts.”
“Pleasant thought,” Joe scoffed but in truth, he was quite glad not to have witnessed it. The dark-voiced invoker was more than enough. “Let’s get back to the farm. The sooner we patch up Missus Dellham, the sooner you and I will be square.”
“Can’t come soon enough,” the gnome agreed. “Just try not to get killed by the goblins on the way back.”