Ava and I walked out of Marceline's bar and into the cooling night. It was just reaching the end of spring here in Rilmon, and the night air was starting to chill but still held the day's heat. I smiled, enjoying the muggy evening. Ava walked with rigidity, probably trying to hide her nerves. I took hold of her hand and squeezed it gently, reassuring her. Her only response was a carefully exhaled breath. Ava waved her free hand and pulled a black cloak from her portal, throwing it over her shoulders and clasping it at the front. She raised the hood over her head and looked at me. I grinned and asked my clothes to turn into a black version of the farmers clothes I was currently wearing. They went a step further and gave me a cloak just like Ava's. I smiled.
"I love these clothes." I said aloud, admiring my new fit. I felt a sense of pride and satisfaction emanate from my clothes and whispered a 'thank you' to them. I felt a little crazy, thanking my clothes, but you never know. Ava and I walked hand in hand through the silent streets, neither of us willing to break the silence. Ava's nerves got worse as we walked, her breathing all out of wack. She'd dropped her glamor as well, her emerald hair hidden by her hood. Our shoes clicked on the cobblestone, and I swear there were people watching us. In fact, I know there were, because I caught one of the fuckers trying to sneak up on us. A few broken bones later, and we were left alone. Ten minutes after tenderizing an arm, we arrived in front of the manor, and we snuck through the hole in the wall under the cover of darkness.
The garden was simple, but beautiful. The bushes were trimmed well and there were numerous vegetables growing in patches close to a door. Further out were fruit trees and statues, interspersed by trimmed hedges. The grass was well kept and I didn't see a single thing out of place. The sounds of the night critters were a comfort as we snuck across the lawn. My senses were on high alert as we crept and adrenaline pumping in my veins, before finally reaching the door without incident.
"Here we go." Ava whispered as she turned the key. The old wooden door creaked as it opened, the sound piercing the quiet night. Ava hissed in a breath and let it out slowly, nervously. The inside of the house was dark and cold, and normal, familiar pale moon light trickled in through the open door, reflecting off the smooth wooden counters. The kitchen was dark and quiet, and we waited a beat before continuing on. Ava led my by the hand out a door and into the house proper. Plush, violet carpet ran the length of the corridor, and slick, dark wood made up the walls. Intricate carvings displayed murals of victory and the slaying of monsters, and it took a considerable amount of will power not to touch them. A clock announced the top of the hour with a single BONG! from somewhere in the mansion, echoing down the hallway and lending the whole house a creepy air. Like being in your grandparents home as a kid. It had the same kind of creepy air as waking up in their house in the middle of the night and all the old stuff stares down at you from above. Ava jerked my hand, knocking me from my thoughts and leading me down the hallway. She stopped suddenly, and twisted a statues head to the left. I was about to question her when a section of the wall slid away, revealing a passage.
"Servant's tunnel." Ava said before I could get my question out. I nodded, following close behind her. The invisible door slid back into place, plunging us into darkness. I turned to look at Ava and found her looking at me.
"Yes?" I asked, stepping closer to her.
"Nothing." She replied, shaking her head. "Come on. This will lead us to the chambers."
"Alright." I followed her down the passage, grateful for my Darkvision. We walked for a minute or two, then took a left, then a right, then came to a stop in front of a door. Ava hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door open. We stepped out into what was essentially a living room. There were a few chairs around a table and some couches against the wall, but the main draw was the painting. A massive painting hung in the center of the room, looming over everything. It was an oil painting that must have taken days to complete and was bordered by expensive, lacquered wood. The painting took up the majority of one wall, and there were three doors four doors leading out of the room.
The painting depicted a family of three; a man, a woman, and a child. The man had a severe face and piercing grey eyes that seemed to command respect. His long blond hair was tied back over his head, and he wore a deep blue suit with gilded buttons. One hand rested on the pommel of a fancy sword and the other gripped a little girl's shoulder. The girl wore a beautiful, pleated white dress with a frilled bottom and stood in front of her parents. The sleeves were thin lace and soft, pink hair fell down around her shoulders in waves. Her face was the only one that bore a smile. It was a happy, joyous smile, and seeing it made a smile of my own creep onto my face. She looked like a normal, happy little girl. The mother did not. Her face was overshadowed by some sort of emotion. I couldn't tell what it was, but it was negative, a shadow looming over a beautiful landscape. She had a sort of frown-y look, her lavender eyes lacking their usual light. Her fantastic, sparkling jade hair fell in a curtain around her head, pointed ears sticking out. She also wore a white dress, though her's was more extravagant than her daughter's. It flowed down past har ankles, covering her feet. The flow-y part of the dress was silky and smooth, and her bodice hugged her well. The sleeves were lace as well, and they hung loosely about her arms. It was the perfect family photo, the kind you see in the home of the family everyone looks up to. I turned to Ava, who was also staring at the painting.
"Come on, let's find Lily and get out of here." I whispered. Ava didn't respond, continuing to stare at the painting. I reached out and turned her to face me. "Hey, you ok?" She blinked, coming back to her senses.
"Um, yes. Yes, I'm fine. You're right." She took a deep breath and led me across the room to a door. Ava gripped the handle with a trembling hand, and I placed my hand on her shoulder and squeezed softly. She nodded, and pushed the door open.
The door led to a child's room absolutely stacked with dolls. There were dozens of them, each one dressed in a different outfit. Multiple were in gowns, all differing colors. Some played together in circles or in houses, some were set up in a beautiful dance, and some still were set on shelves, holding a silent vigil. One was dressed as a bride, and I could have sworn her eyes followed us as we crossed the room.
"Well, that's not creepy at all. Is one of them going to laugh creepily and move while we're not looking?" I whispered. Ava shushed me harshly.
"Quiet. I would prefer you didn't wake my daughter with your insane ramblings." She let go of my hand and walked to the side of the bed, crouching beside it. The blue duvet shifted and stirred as she woke its occupant. She whispered quietly, her daughter slow to wake. I stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do with myself. I turned to the door and stood next to it, my hand on my sword. I doubted that anyone knew we were here, but it pays to be ready. I closed my eyes and listened, doing my best to find anything out of the ordinary. I heard nothing but our breathing and the distant toning of the grandfather clock. Fifteen minutes. I cast a glance back at Ava, who was sitting on Lily's bed, stroking the girl's shoulder. She finally raised her head, pink hair tangled from sleep.
"Momma?" She asked in a tired, innocent voice. She gasped as she recognized Ava. "Momma!" I winced, her voice loud in the silent room. I heard Ava sob and looked away, wanting to give them their space. My heart twinged with envy as they reunited, and I forced my fists to unclench. There's no use in getting jealous or mad or anything like that. My fingernails cut into my palm. I heard their soft sobs and cries as mother and daughter reunited and turned back to my guard duty. My emotions were running high, which was not good. I needed to snap back into soldier mode and focus the fuck up.
"Micheal." Ava said softly, getting my attention. I turned to look at her, and was struck dead by her beauty. She held her daughter to her chest protectively, lavender eyes maelstroms of determination. Her jaw was set and she stood tall and proud. The dark blue, almost black clothes she wore under her dark cloak made her look like a floating face and a pair of hands to those without night vision, but to me she was stunning. Her corset brought out her eyes in the most fascinating way, sparkling with golden light between the clouds. She clutched Lily's small body tightly, one arm supporting her and the other hand on the back of her head. A series of emotions flooded me; lust, concern, anxiety, but most of all, jealousy. I was jealous that she was holding someone else's child, not mine. I felt my face flush as I imagined her holding a black-haired kid like that.
"Woah." I said, unable to help myself. She was beautiful.
"We're ready. Let's go." she said, cheeks blushing slightly. I nodded and opened the bedroom door, stepping back out into the living room. Ava followed behind me, and I shut the door quietly behind her. We snuck back to the servant's passage, and Ava breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind us, sealing us in darkness. We retraced our steps through the tunnel, Ava taking the lead. We moved quick and quiet through the darkness, finally coming to a stop in front of a stone door.
"Micheal, open this please. Press this stone here." Ava whispered, indicating a certain stone. I did so, and was rewarded with a shard of moonlight to the eye. I winced and closed my eyes, throwing up a hand to block the offending beam. I growled as I blinked my vision clear, Ava's worried face coming into focus. I gave her a thumbs up and whispered,
"I'm fine. Let's go." I slowly peeked my head out and looked around, not seeing anything. Nodding, I stepped out into the hallway.
As soon as I stepped out, a sword appeared from nowhere and stabbed me in the chest, sliding between my ribs and into my organs. It wasn't fatal, thank the gods, but it certainly wasn't pretty. I'd need a few minutes to regrow my intestines. I bit down on my scream and my tongue, hard enough to bite through it. That fuckin' hurt, let me tell you. Getting stabbed was no walk in the park, but I'd been stabbed a few times here in Sehal. This was the worst one by far, but biting off my own tongue was a new kind of pain. Sharp, stabbing throbs punched into my head, and everything went black.
*************************************************************************************************
I woke up somewhere else. It was dark, which didn't matter, stinky, which did matter, and cold, which sucked. I fuckin' hate the cold, man. It makes everything that much more painful, and when you spend most of your life in some sort of physical pain, the cold is unenjoyable to say the least. I rose from the cold stone floor and scanned the room I now found myself in. It was a cell, for lack of better a word. Stone walls and floor, metal bars blocking the entrance, a shitty cot with a shitty blanket in the corner, and a dirty, used pail. Well, that's nice. I was alone in the cell, and panic racked me. Where's Ava? Is she safe? Is Lily safe? I pulled up my quest log.
Quest: Accompany Avalina
With new information come to light, you have decided that Ava's home in Rilmon is not safe. You have offered to make her and her daughter, Lily, a new home.
Conditions for Success:
Establish a home for both you and Ava.
Reward:
Unknown.
Failure:
Let either Ava or Lily die.
Consequence:
Unknown
Well, that's great. A new quest layout. I sighed, closing the menu. If the quest is still active, I think it's safe to assume they're still alive. Water dripped from somewhere else, echoing down the stone hallway and the feel of mold in the air was thick on my tongue, and I chose to breathe through my nose. Bad choice, as the smell of the pail, cot, and the emaciated form on the cot I had originally thought a shitty blanket. It wasn't a blanket, but it was still shitty. The thing rose from the cot, long black hair tumbling onto bony shoulders. Cute, black cat ears twitched atop the head, and a black tail flicked out from under the cloth it wore. It stretched, and the sheet fell from its, her, frame.
She was thin, damn near starving. Pale skin was stretched tight around her skeleton and I could count her ribs when she stretched. My eyes went wide at her nude form and I twirled around, averting my eyes. I stood at parade rest, trying to calm the blush in my cheeks. Holy shit, an actual cat girl! What the fuck, dude? They have cat girls here? I mean, I guess it makes sense. I've met bunny folk, so there should be cat and dog and snake and so on. John Boy did show me a fuck ton of race names.
"AH!" I heard her shout, or try to, at least. Her voice was dry and quiet. She coughed.
"I'm sorry, miss." I said, not turning around. "I did not know you were there."
"Who you?" she rasped in a horse, tired voice.
"Micheal. Who are you?"
"This name Velia. Why you here?" She spoke in broken fragments, like she didn't fully understand the language.
"Is this your native tongue?"
"No." She snapped, curling up on the cot once again. "None of you fuckers understand my native tongue."
"Good thing I'm not one of them." I said, studying the stone wall before me and doing my best not to turn around. I heard her gasp.
"How are you speaking my language? You are not from my village."
"No, ma'am. I've a knack for language. Besides that, though, how the fuck are we going to get out of here? How many of you are down here?" I snuck a glance over my shoulder, and, seeing that she wore the sheet over her body, turned around. I stared openly at her cat ears, dark and enticing, as they flicked on top of her head. They were entrancing, almost as entrancing as Ava's. Her raven black hair sparkled in the darkness, a darkened shadow enhancing her face.
"One question at a time." she rasped. It sounded like she hadn't had anything to drink in days. "First, we can't. Second, at least five."
"Fuck that 'we can't get out' shit." I said, shaking myself from my reverie. "We're getting out. The question is how many can we save while we do." I walked over to the metal bars and placed my hands on them, the metal cool under my sweaty palms. I yanked my arms apart with barely a grunt and the rusty metal bent with a screech, opening a hole. It wasn't quite big enough for me to fit through, so I moved my hands down and did it again. Nodding, I turned back to the cat girl.
"Ready? Let's get the fuck out of here." She stammered as I walked over to her. "If you can't walk, I can carry you." She offered no protest when I bent and scooped her up. She was incredibly light and soft, like I was moving a pillow, not a person, and I unconsciously squeezed her closer. I'd always wanted to hold a cat girl. What nerd hasn't? She gasped and looked up at me, onyx eyes staring up into mine. Her midnight ears flicked again, and I could feel them brush against my bicep. Not gonna lie, I got a little flustered. Her ears were softer than I could have ever imagined, a warm cloud against my arm, and her hair tickled my arm where it touched. I shivered, trying to fight the pleasure I felt. "Come on, let's get the others." I ducked through the hole I'd made in the cell and stood up straight. The hallway was made of some kind of stone. I hesitate to call it cobblestone, but that's what it looked like.
"Which way to the others?" I asked. The cat girl pointed to the left. My steps echoed down the hall as I walked, solemn and lonely. I wanted to talk to her, to ask so many questions, but my lips refused to move. My brain was short circuiting. I blinked when the wall ended and another cell began, the same rusty metal bars locking another woman in. This one held a dark skinned beauty with black hair. She was tall and muscular, and she wore actual clothes. They weren't great, dirty and ragged, but they were actual garments. Bright blue eyes glared out at me, then narrowed with curiosity.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked.
"I'm Micheal. You are?"
"Meltri."
"Nice to meet ya, Meltri." I said, then looked down at Velia. "Can you stand?" She nodded, and I set her down. She rested a hand on my arm for a moment, then stood on her own. I grunted and turned back to the girl in the cell, grabbing the bars. I pulled, and the metal bent with ease, opening a hole in the cell door. I grinned at the girl. "You coming?" Once again, someone gaped at my nonchalant use of overwhelming strength. My smile widened. I don't think I'll ever get tired of this feeling. I turned back to Velia and picked her up again, starting down the hall. I heard Meltri scramble out behind us.
"Wait!" she called and I slowed my pace, but still moved forward. "You've got to get me out of here."
"That's the plan. Get as many as we can. Little bit of an alteration from the original, but hey, no plan survives first contact." The two girls looked at me like I was crazy and I chuckled, resuming my normal stride. My heart fluttered with nerves, praying that each step led me closer to Ava and terrified of what I would find. My mind raced with possibilities, most of them bad, and my nerves got worse. A few steps later we came to a third cell. This one held a large, dark skinned man who stood by his door. He looked out at us with bright red eyes, assessing us.
"I assume it is you making this racket?" he asked in a deep voice, looking at me. I nodded.
"Yes sir. Freeing as many as I can. What's your name?"
"Solamon."
"Micheal. This is Velia and Meltri." I set Velia down, bent his door open, and stepped aside. The man ducked through the opening and stood upright, stretching. He was taller than me, probably seven foot three. His upper half was bare and toned, oiled muscles rippled as he stretched. He was muscular, a born fighter. And a seasoned one, judging by the scars that covered his torso. "Can you fight?" I asked him. He turned to me, a questioning look in his eyes.
"Yes. The staff is my favored weapon. They broke mine when they took me." His voice dropped into a growl as he said the last words.
"Excellent. Meltri?" I said, grabbing a bar with a wide grip.
"Sword and fists." She said as I grunted and pulled, tearing the metal bar from the stone without bending it. Stone pieces scattered all about me, and I stood upright and smiled, holding it out to him.
"Here ya go." I said, offering the metal bar to Solamon. He accepted the offered weapon and his narrowed eyes deepened as I picked Velia up again.
"You don't always have to carry me." she said in her tongue.
"My world doesn't have cat girls." I replied. "You're the first one I've ever met, and I gotta say, all the light novels and manga and anime and shit undersold it. You are gorgeous and soft, and it takes a lot of restraint not to look at you. I like to think myself better than that so I haven't, but still. The temptation is there." We came to a fourth cell as I finished speaking, and all levity fell from me. I'd been putting on an air of confidence and nonchalance to keep the others calm, but the children in the cell broke that. They seemed to be siblings, a boy and a girl, and they looked human, but who knows. No one else down here has been human. I think.
They were dirty like the rest of us, but looked fresher than Valia and Solamon. The girl had auburn hair and blue eyes, and the boy had black hair and green eyes. She clutched him against her, and they both shrank from me in fear. I tightened my grip on Velia's shoulder and she groaned. I relaxed and set her down, staying the growl from my throat and breathing heavily.
"Does the Duke touch them?" I asked Velia, my voice low and menacing. She shook her head no.
"No, just me and the other women. The maids and such."
"What about a girl named Tilly? A maid, I believe." Velia considered for a moment and I grabbed the bars of the cell.
"Maybe? There is a Tilly here now, and he does call her on occasion, if that's who you're referring to."
"Is she the daughter of another maid?"
"I don't know. I don't get to talk to the maids all that often. As you can see, we don't get much care down here." I sighed and pulled the bars apart with ease, and stepped into the cell.
"Are you alright, children?" I asked them. The sister moved in front of the brother, pushing him behind her. I held my hands up and crouched down. "My name's Micheal. I'm a soldier, and I'm here to help. What are your names?" I asked my clothes to emblazon an American Flag on my left breast right above my heart as I talked, and I felt a surge of understanding and some of my mana leave me. The children didn't answer immediately, and I tried not to let my hurt show. I'd been pretty good with kids back on Earth, but I guess not here.
"Maila." the sister finally said.
"Charlie." the brother followed.
"Nice to meet you, Maila. Charlie. Can you stand?" They nodded again, and I held out my hands to them. They looked at each other and seemed to have a conversation through looks alone, then reached out and took my hands. I nodded and stood, turning back to the others. I lifted Charlie out of the cell first, then Maila, then ducked through the hole myself. Standing upright, I counted my little ragtag group. One starving cat girl, one Amazonian lady, one big brollic black dude, and two children. That's five.
"Is that everyone?" I asked Velia in the common tongue so everyone could hear. She nodded, her ears twitching.
"Think so." she snipped. "In here, at least." There were nods all around.
"Alright. Now that y'all are free, I need to find Ava. Where would Fuckface take someone he really doesn't like?" Everyone stared at me and I sighed. "Where are the family quarters?" Nothing. "Do any of you know your way around the house?" Velia nodded.
"I know to room." she said.
"Which room?"
"Bedroom."
"Good enough. Take us there. I'm going to carry the kids, Velia. Can you walk?" She nodded, wrapping the sheet tighter around herself. "Lead on, then. Is that alright with you two?" I asked the children. They nodded, and I bent and picked them up, one in either arm. "Solamon, you take point. Velia, behind him, Meltri, behind her. I'll bring up the rear." Nods once again, and we were off down the hall back the way we came. We came to some stairs and Solamon climbed them, trying the door.
"Locked." he said, turning back to me. "Can you break it?" I smiled, set the children down, walked up the stairs, and pushed the door open. It flew away from the frame and shattered against the opposite wall. It was atrociously loud, and the noise echoed down the stone hall. I grinned, walked back down the stairs and picked up the children. The others stared at me as I walked out into the hall.
"Alright, let's go. Back in line." Velia walked us down the plain hallway and through another door. This one was unlocked, thankfully, and I didn't have to break it. The other side of the door looked to be the house proper, not the shitty stone offshoot we'd been in. The floor had red carpet and the air seemed to have a warmer feel to it when we walked through. It also smelled better. Velia took a left, leading us down another hallway. The children tightened their hold around me as we walked, clutching me hard. We moved slowly and quietly, trying not to disturb the rest of the house. Thank the gods breaking the door didn't alert anyone. We came to a stop in front of a fancy door a few steps later.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
"This is the one?" I asked.
"Yes." Velia hissed. I nodded and set the children down, looking Meltri and Solamon in the eyes. "I'm leaving them with you." I said pointedly, my voice heavily implying violence. They nodded, eyes wide, and stepped behind me. Pressing my hand to the door, I pushed it open like a normal person and stepped through.
I was back in the painting room. I stopped and waited, listening hard. I heard the grandfather clock ticking from somewhere in the house, insects chirping outside, and my own breathing. Light shone from under one of the doors and I could hear muffled voices coming from behind it as well. Deciding to check the other rooms first, I crept up to the door that led to Lily's bedroom and opened it as softly as I could, the creaking of the door piercing the quiet night. Nothing stirred in the room, and the sheets were still discarded from when Lily threw them off. I felt eyes on me and shuddered, positive the dolls were watching me. I swear one of them turned their head to look at me. The room was empty other than the creepy fuckin' dolls, and I cursed under my breath. Fuck, where the fuck are you, Ava? With one more inspection of the room to confirm its emptiness, I returned to the door.
"I'll watch over them. Keep them safe." I whispered, feeling a little silly talking to some dolls, but this world is full of shit I don't understand. I have magic clothes that might have a consciousness, so who's to say this house isn't haunted? "I promise." I felt the air in the room shift, and something sounded back out in the main room. I raced back out and found my four companions staring down a suit of armor.
"What the hell?" the armor said, his voice tinny and echoing inside his helmet. "Who are you? Stay where you are!" Solamon ignored him, smacking the prison bar across the man's temple. Metal crumpled under metal, and the helm warped around the pole. The man gurgled and fell to his knees, blood foaming around the pole in his head. Velia moved, blocking the children's eyes. The man raised his hands to his head and fell to his side, dead. I raised my eyes at Solamon and nodded in respect.
"Keep it down out there!" a man yelled from the lit room. He sounded pretty drunk, his words slurred and nearly unintelligible. "I'm trying to have some fun!"
"Hm. I really hope you don't betray me." I whispered to Solamon, walking over to the body and taking the man's sword. I gave it to Solamon and grabbed the armor, dragging him into Lily's room. I whispered my apologies to the dolls as I hid the body in a corner. Returning to the others, I found them waiting by the other unlit door.
"Do you hear anything?" I whispered to Velia. She shook her head negative and I nodded, creeping up to the door. I opened it slowly, finding another empty bedroom. The bedding was rumpled, like someone had just recently gotten out of it. Light shone from under a cracked door on the right wall, and I sighed. I walked back out to the main room.
"There's a cracked door in that room." I whispered, gathering Meltri and Solamon in a huddle. I left Velia in charge of the kids as none of them would be great in a fight. "Solamon, I think we should go in together. One through main, one through the cracked door on the right. I'll take the main since we don't know if it's locked. Sound good?" The big man nodded, heading for the room. "Meltri, can you stand between the rooms and let him know when I go in? It'll be up to you to decide which door to use."
"Yes, I can do that." I nodded, smiling at her.
"Thank you." I moved to the lit door, planting myself in front of it. I glanced back at Velia and the children, who were settling into a corner. I looked to Meltri and nodded to her, and she nodded back. I turned back to the door, took a deep breath, and kicked it in.
The other side of the door sent me back to Afghanistan for the briefest of moments. As the door splintered under my boot, I processed a few things. The first was familiar jade hair splayed out on the bed. The second was the bare back that was between me and said jade hair. The third was another door bursting open and a large black man barreling through. The last thing I saw was the tall blond man from the painting in the corner of the room, hand on the back of a bent over woman with mud-brown hair. He wore a look of pure shock, but I immediately focused in on the bare, tanned back facing me. Its owner began to turn around to see what caused the commotion, but he never got the chance. Rage tore through me and I dashed forward and grabbed him by the shoulder, stepping to the side and throwing him against the wall with an incredible roar. I'm pretty sure some of the windows rattled with the force of it, my head certainly did, and he screamed, a blood-curdling, terror filled shriek that was cut short by the sickening snap of a neck breaking. An instant after, his body connected with the stone wall and bones shattered horribly, the body collapsing limply to the floor. Silence followed as I seethed, rage circling my entire body.
I looked down at the bed, at my Ava splayed spread-eagle on it, wrists and ankles bound by rope. A gag had been tied around her mouth, and she was naked. Lavender hurricanes of fury raged in her eyes, but they softened when she saw me. Understanding dawned on me, and my rage grew even deeper, my vision turning red. I turned a snarl on the blond man in the corner, stalking forward. He scrambled away, pushing the girl he was behind into me. I caught her, picker her up, and tossed her onto the bed with ease. I stomped towards the man, growling viciously. I was going to hurt him, and hurt him bad. I pulled my fist back, rage roaring within my soul. It burned and writhed within me like a caged lion, roaring and clawing at the bars. I felt a bar of the cage give, and the lion roared into my right arm, coiling around it. I felt its glee as I pulled my arm back, my sights set firmly on the man's chest. He raised a hand to protect himself, but it was pointless. I planted my feet, twisted my hips, and smashed the man square in the solar plexus, punching through his arm.
I felt skin meet skin, and then something strange happened. There was a flash of orange light and an explosion, and the man crumpled to the ground, a new hole in his chest about the size of a volleyball, and most of his right arm missing. I looked at my smoking, bloody fist, then at the blood and viscera splattered wall, and then at the body leaking blood onto the carpet. What the fuck was that? A message popped up.
Attention
A Racial Ability and a Specialization Ability have merged into one. Congratulations, you have created the ability: Lion's Fist.
Lion's Fist
Once every four minutes, unleash a massive punch empowered by the courage of the heart. After use, the user is stunned briefly, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
Huh. How 'bout that.
The adrenaline boost from my enragement and the absence of the lion's warmth left me winded and heaving, but I stood straight, victorious. I looked down at the man, who was melting into goo? I made a noise of disgust and danced back, casting a look over my shoulder. The brown haired girl was working on Ava's bindings, having already freed her from the gag. I rushed over to her, the goo-man forgotten.
"Ava." I whispered as I worked on one of the bindings around her wrist. I wanted to look at all of her, make sure she was alright, but I couldn't drag my eyes from hers, and my eyes filled with tears of relief. I knew I was worried about her, but the relief and joy that came welling up from within me spoke differently. Maybe I was scared to lose the only person I knew in this world, or I was happy to see her safe, if a little banged up, or maybe I do actually love her, or maybe it was all three. All I know is that the surge of emotions I felt was reflected in her hurricane eyes. Lavender clouds swirled and gold lighting flashed constantly, reflecting in the roiling lakes below.
"Ava." I choked out, my own tears streaming down my face. I let them fall, riding the waves of emotion. The storm began to ebb when we freed the last restraint and she lunged up to me, hugging me tightly. I hugged her back, burying my face in her neck and arms warped around her waist. We held each other like that for a while, enjoying the feel of the other. I pet the back of her head, her hair soft and silky under my hand. We shook against each other, the tides of our emotions dying down. Ava pulled away from me, golden strikes igniting lavender tempests in her eyes.
"You came." she whispered, placing her hand against my cheek. I brushed the tears from hers, smiling like a fool. I leaned down and kissed her, her gingerbread lips soothing my raw soul.
"Of course I did." I whispered when we parted. "I will always come for you. Always." I kissed her again.
"Micheal." Solamon said, interrupting our kissing. "I'm glad you found your lover, but we need to go. Whatever you did to that man was loud and no doubt woke the house." I nodded, turning to Ava.
"Where's Lily?" I asked, taking her hand and helping her stand. She glanced down and grimaced, then jumped up and wrapped herself around me. "Whaaa?!" I stumbled backwards a little, almost slipping in goo-man's goo. "Ah, I see. What the fuck was that guy? Also, clothes for you and another girl about a quarter your size?" I shifted Ava into a princess carry and she pointed to the adjacent room Solamon had come through.
"That's my room. There should still be some of my dresses in there. That was Invos, the Duke and my former husband. But, when you came bursting through the door, he triggered his emergency totem, switching his real body with a homunculus. That's the goo on the floor."
"So the Fuckwad is still alive?"
"Yes. And where the hell is my daughter? I gave you explicit instructions that she was more important that me." Ava gave me an upset look as we walked into her room.
"We just so happened to find you first, and I'll have you know that the first room I checked was hers. It was empty, but the dolls are for sure haunted. I hope they forgive me for stashing the corpse in there."
"What?!"
"Had to kill a guard. That was the thump ol' boy was yellin' 'bout." I set her down and she walked over to a closet. I felt semi bad about admiring her nude form after what just happened, but it was hard to tear my eyes from her perky rear. I watched in pure fascination and appreciation as she rummaged through some clothes. She threw a few things into her portal, dresses and shoes and blouses and such, women things, and my eyes went wide, an evil smile forming on my face.
"Hey Ava," I said, coming up behind her and wrapping my arms over her shoulders. "how much can that portal hold?"
"A decent amount, why?" I grinned and kissed the top of her head.
"May I indulge my inner loot goblin for a minute?" I asked, smiling against her hair. She sighed in exasperation, but I could hear the smile in it.
"What's a loot goblin?" she asked with defeat.
"What we call the urge to take shit." I replied, letting her go and traipsing over to a bedside table. "For example, this vase here. It's fancy, blue and white and expertly made from what I can tell. It might fetch a pretty penny. Yoink." I picked it up and tossed it into the portal, flowers and all. "That's a nice painting, it'd be a shame if something were to happen to it." I lifted the painting of a man riding a horse from above the bed and handed it to her. "See what I'm sayin'? It's time to steal some shit. And if you feel bad about it," I held a hand before she could protest. "it's technically still your stuff, so you're not stealing, per say." Ava gave me a flat look and I laughed. She finished dressing as I took everything I thought would fetch some cash from the four rooms. Back in the living room, we made some introductions, and the brunette girl the Duke was fucking turned out to be none other than Tilly. My eyes went wide, and I shot a dark look at Ava. She nodded, her own face twisted in rage.
"I'm gonna kill that fucker." I whispered, my hands clenching and unclenching.
New Quest: Down with the Duke!
Kill Invos Winterfoot.
Reward:
Exp. The satisfaction of removing an evil from the world.
Failure:
None
A vicious grin split my face as I accepted the quest without hesitation. The others looked at me with concern, and I reigned in my bloodlust.
"Sorry, Quest update." Solamon nodded in understanding, but Melti and Velia seemed a little shocked. Tilly continued to sit next to Ava, clutching onto the older wood elf. Ava rubbed her shoulder, comforting the girl.
"Let's go!" Solamon hissed, trying to rush us without being rude and failing.
"Hold on." I said, holding my hand up. "Ava and I still need to find her daughter. The two of us aren't leaving until we do. Y'all are free to go, but we're staying." Solamon nodded.
"I will take the children and Velia, if they will let me. I know of a safe place to hife for a little while. Meltri, you may come as well." He said, glancing at the three of them. The children looked to Velia, who nodded and smiled at them. The children nodded as well.
"I'll go with you." Meltri said, kicking off from leaning against the wall.
"Before y'all go, I've got a question for all of you." The others all looked at me. "Why were you in those cages?"
"He sleep me." Velia hissed, rage barely hidden in her voice.
"I was a hired fighter." Solamon rumbled, head down. "For the pits. Make him money."
"Aye." Meltri echoed. "I wasn't here long enough for him to try anything." I looked to the children. They hadn't spoken except for their names, and they clung to Velia harder than Tilly did to Ava.
"And you two?" I crouched down in front of them, looking them in the eyes and smiling kindly. "Would you please tell me why you were in that cell?" Charlie's hands tightened around Velia's arm, and she hissed in pain.
"He said we were 'merchandise'." Malia whispered, her upper lip quivering. I watched as something in her gaze changed, and she let go of Velia and stood tall, a tiny fire burning in her eye. She was angry, and I understood. My own rage reignited, taking to hers like fire to gasoline.
"I'm sorry, little one." I said, bowing my head to her. "I know this is difficult. Have you ever been to this room?" She shook her head negative and I sighed in relief. Thank the gods. "Your brother?" Another negative. "Good, good." I rose from my crouch, trying to keep a lid on my emotions. Rage and frustration still boiled just beneath the surface, but a void yawned beneath them, threatening to swallow me, and I was having a hard time keeping calm. This was not going according to plan. Granted, it was a shitty fucking plan, but all my plans are shitty. My hold slipped a little, my breathing quickening. I'm not cut out for this. I'm a soldier. I'm meant to follow orders, not lead.
I began to pace, staring a line into the carpet beneath my feet. Every time I have taken the lead on a mission, someone has died. The suit of armor in the next room. The people in the camp where I met Ava. Ricky. Johnathan. Ike. Mark. Me. I could feel myself spiraling, and I held on tighter, forcing myself to remain calm. Of course, it slipped further from me and I began to hyperventilate, my eyes wild. I stood still, tensing hard, gritting my teeth and forcing my emotions back under the redline. They refused to obey, boiling over harder and sending me to the edge. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, waring against myself.
Something cut through the storm in my mind. It was warm and soft, a golden sun rising over jade forests shrouded in lavender mists. The warmth engulfed me, filling every inch of my being with a warm hug. I sighed, the rage and panic and sorrow burning away in her presence. I wrapped my arms around my elf, breathing in her forest-y scent and letting it out shakily. I basked there, holding her and filled with love, comfort, and acceptance. I nodded against her after a few more deep breaths, pulling back from her. Lavender clouds laden with tears hug low over lakes of compassion, and she held me tightly, fiercely. She was beautiful beyond words and I took hold of her jaw gently, tilting her head back. Ava parted her lips slightly, and I leaned down.
"Thank you." I whispered as I kissed her once. "Once again, you bring me back from the edge." I scoffed at myself. "Pathetic. Here I am, strength beyond my wildest dreams, and I'm still the same scarred boy in the hut." I shook my head. "And yet, holding you like this, it isn't quite so bad. Everything's less terrifying with you around. I..." I swallowed, my throat dry and suddenly uncooperative. "I... I love you, Avalina." I kissed her again, pressing our lips together. She tensed for a moment, then moaned and melted into me, wrapping her arms around my neck and tangling her hands in my hair. I smiled against her lips. "My Ava." I whispered, pulling her closer. Our tongues danced together to an unheard rhythm until Ava finally pulled away, both of us gasping for breath.
"I love you, Micheal." she said breathlessly. She kissed me again, and it was my turn to melt into her. "My Hero." Someone cleared their throat, and I looked over at Velia, who was giving me a pretty rough stink eye. I sighed and let Ava go, turning to the others.
"I'm sorry, y'all." I said, lowering my head. "My emotions got the better of me. I apologize for losing it a little bit. Let's get the fuck out of here."
Ava led us down hallways and through servants tunnels, quickly taking us to the kitchens. We didn't run into any trouble, thank the gods, but I could hear the house beginning to wake. We needed to hurry. Ava gave me a nod, and we all dashed across the hallway, opening the door to the kitchens. I hurried everyone in, closing the door behind me. We moved to the door Ava and I first came in and spilled out into the yard. I picked the kids up and dashed for the hole in the fence, leaping it in a single bound. Solamon came next, vaulting the fence like I had. I left the kids with him, leaping back over and picking up Velia. Meltri was through the hole by the time I had returned with the cat girl, and I set her down gently. I looked at the five of them and smiled, nodding.
"Good luck out there, y'all." I said, then leapt the fence for a final time. The three adults nodded from the other side, and the children waved. I waved back, smiling at them. And then they were gone, off into the night. I turned back to Ava.
"Let's go find Lily. I have a bad feeling about where she is." Ava said, turning back towards the house. I nodded, falling into step beside her.
"Yes m'am."
"Alright. Gods, please let me be wrong." Ava said, but her voice held a horrible sense of dread. I laid a hand on her shoulder and stared at the red door in front of us. Ava took a deep breath and opened her portal, drawing a plain bronze key from it. She inserted it into the lock and turned it, flinching when the bolt chunk'ed open. Steeling herself, she pushed the door open.
A low, dim light lit the room, growing somewhat brighter as the door swung open on creaking hinges. I entered first, all senses on high alert. The last time I'd done this was still fresh on my mind, and I couldn't afford to be captured again, not with my goal so close. I scanned the room, taking everything in at once.
The room was a sadist's wet dream. There were shackles hanging from the ceiling, a mattress with bindings akin to the one's Ava had but metal, a rack of instruments that would have made even a porn star blush, and an occupied X-frame. I lowered my hands, the fight gone out of me, and Ava rushed in, pushing past me. She gasped, her hands going to her mouth in horror. She raced forward, hands burning gold. I'd never seen them so bright, and she pressed them to Lily's bruised chest. The child lifted her head, emerald eyes struggling to focus.
"Mo..mma?" she muttered. Tears leaked down Ava's cheeks and she sobbed openly as she moved her hands around Lily's body. The girl began to stir, coming back to consciousness slowly but surely. Her bleary eyes focused and she cried, "Momma! Momma!" I rushed to free her from the restraints, being extra sure not to hurt her fragile wrists. The leather belts came undone quickly, and Lily fell into her mother's arms, both of them sobbing. They clutched each other for the second time that night, and I hesitated. I wanted to give them space, but we needed to get the fuck out right fucking now.
"I'm sorry, ladies." I said, crouching down next to them. "Lily, climb into your mother's lap and hold on tight, alright? Please? I'm going to carry the both of you, and we're going to get out of here." Ava nodded and pulled Lily into her lap, wrapping her arms around the little girl and continuing to heal her. I stood, lifting the two of them with ease. I barely felt the strain as I moved out of the room. They were nothing compared to the cart.
Ava directed me back towards the kitchens, but when I got to the end of the hall, I stepped out into a marble hall, not the kitchen. The hall was large and two stories tall with vaulted ceilings. Columns were spaced about at intervals, and everything but the ceiling was made of a white marble. Torches hung in holders attached to the columns, casting a flickering light. The room was considerably colder than the rest of the house, and I fought down a shiver. Adjusting the girls in my arms, I spotted large double doors at the end of the hall. I started making my way towards them, when a voice rang out through the silent room.
"So this is how you repay my benevolence." Ava and Lily shuddered in my arms at the sound. It was tough to tell where the voice was coming from as it seemed to bounce around the entire room. I searched for the source, but found nothing. I set Ava down, really wishing I had gotten the sword back from Solamon.
"You have disobeyed me for the last time, Avalina." It said from behind us. I whirled, fists at the ready, finding nothing. "You should have died in that forrest." It came from the other side of the room this time.
"Shut up!" Ava yelled. A cold, cruel laughter filled the room.
"Yes, rage against me. Let me see your fire." A shadow appeared at the end of the room, and a man stepped out of it. He was a tall, lanky man, and all legs. Damn, those things were long. He was dressed in a fancy purple robe that hung down to his ankles, but he seemed to be skinny underneath them. His long, straight, blond hair fell down past his shoulders much like mine, but his was longer by a considerable margin. Mine stopped about an inch past, and his went down past his shoulder blades. His fair face held an evil, self-satisfied smile, and his gray eyes contained nothing but malice.
"You... you are a disgrace to your family's name. You have run your city and your dukedom into the ground. I remember the day we got married. Do you? You looked me in the eyes and said that you would always love me, forever. But you lied. You always lie! You never loved me!" Ava shouted, her eyes filled with determination. She set Lily down and pushed the girl behind her, and the Duke's smile grew wider, crazier.
"Correct. I never loved you." he said in a bored, plain voice. "You were beautiful in your youth, but you've outgrown your beauty." Ava seemed shocked by his blatant admission, and he laughed again. "You are so simple, Avalina. I married you simply so I didn't have to marry one of those dreadful noble women. You were an act of convenience, nothing more." Ava's mouth flopped uselessly, her words failing her. The man faded into shadow, appearing right beside us.
"If anything, I despise you. Your bleeding heart makes me sick." He disappeared again, appearing elsewhere. "The commoners don't deserve our help. They exist solely for us to use. I thought you might come around, see things my way, but you never did. Your kind-hearted self just couldn't leave things well enough alone, could you? We were making a lot of money before you stuck your grubby fingers in my business."
"They're children, Invos!" Ava cried, tears filling her eyes.
"So? They're fodder, bargaining chips for me to use as I see fit. All the commoners are. Everyone in this city is mine to use as I desire!" He vanished again, appearing somewhere I couldn't see him.
"Even my daughter." Time slowed, and I felt a chill travel down my right side. Something drew my body to the right, and I shifted, following the strong urge. Time resumed its normal speed, only for a hand to punch through my back and out my chest. I screamed in agony as the hand withdrew, and I collapsed to the floor, my spine severed. It really, really sucked. Each breath sent spikes of pain through my chest and lungs, and blood spilled freely from my new holes. I focused on breathing and making sure I didn't pass out, trusting my regeneration to be able to handle this kind of wound. I watched in horror as my health continued to tick down and felt cold begin to seep into my bones.
Health: 24/70
Health: 23/70
Health: 22/70
Uh oh.
I finally stabilized around five health. It slowly started to tick back up, and I felt my body knit itself back together. Thank the gods that it seemed to be getting faster at repairing my body. Too bad it was still just as painful. Maybe I was just getting stabbed too much. I struggled to move, my legs refusing to listen to my brain. I tried to roll over, but waves of white hot pain stabbed my head, tearing another scream from me as I moved my shoulders. I let the pain wash over me, existing in the agony. Spittle flew from my mouth as I fought through and rolled over onto my front. My love needs me. I took great heaves of air, my body screaming at me to stop. I didn't, though.
I roared again as I pushed myself to my knees. My love needs me. My head felt like a bowling bowl attached to my neck and my eyes throbbed with pain. The floor swam in my vision and I felt nausea rise in my stomach. My love needs me. I fought it down, growling through the pain. My love needs me. I made to stand, taking a deep breath, when a foot collided with my chest and sent me flying. I crashed into a marble pillar, my newly formed spine shattering once again. I couldn't even cry out in pain as white hot agony exploded into in mind. I hung there for a second before gravity took hold and threw me to the cool, marble floor for a second time. My head bounced and stars swam in my vision. I blinked a few times, trying to regain my senses. Fuck, where am I? What's going on? Darkness twinged at the edge of my vision and I fought it, forcing myself to stay in the present. My love needs me. I gasped for air, unable to draw a full breath. I was fighting a loosing battle, and I watched as my health continued to tick down. Two, now. I'd failed. I'd failed to protect those I love. Again. Ava was going to die because I failed to keep my promise. I closed my eyes, ready to give up and accept my defeat, when a high, sweet, melodious voice cut through the agony filled blurriness.
"Come on, Ben, let's play!" I looked, and saw Annabeth standing there. Her hands were clasped behind her back and she wore her favorite red and white dress, the one I always teased her for because it made her look like one of those cheap table cloths, but she absolutely loved it. Her brown hair was braided into pigtails that hung down over her shoulders, and I felt tears sting the corners of my eyes. Annabeth skipped over to me and crouched beside my head. I was hit with the scent of Christmas trees and pine, and I felt a spark in my chest. Annabeth smiled at me, a bright, loving smile, and placed her hand on my back. It was warm and soft and comforting. I looked over at her, and her face blurred, replaced by a face I didn't recognize.
"Ava and Lily need you, brother." I heard Annabeth say. Her voice got fainter and fainter, but I made out one more thing before she disappeared entirely. "Are you going to let them die?"
NO.
I gasped as I sat upright, my body back to normal. I shook my head and stood, a little wobbly but none the worse for wear. The unknown face stood with me, barely coming up to my waist. I looked down at the little girl, and bright, lavender eyes looked back into mine.
"Your eyes are strange." Lily said. I blinked, a little taken aback at her bluntness.
"Um, thanks?"
"You're welcome. Momma needs your help." Lily said, pointing. I looked up and saw Ava engaged in a fucking MAGIC FIGHT on the other side of the room. Spells were being flung left and right, and I watched as one came tearing at us.
"Shit!" I moved, covering Lily with my body and taking the bolt of electricity to the back. My muscles spasmed uncontrollably and my eyes felt like jelly. Everything got a little red, but stopped before completely overtaking my vision. I gasped for air when the pain finally stopped coming anew and looked down at my ward. She looked back up at me with wide, innocent eyes. The same eyes as the hut.
"You ok, kid?" I asked, trying to keep the pain from my voice. She nodded.
"Help Momma." she insisted, pointing again before tearing off into the shadows. I had to trust she knew what she was doing, because Ava was not holding up well. Even from here, I could see her magic was flagging against Invos's. She was breathing heavily and the speed of her spells was slower than his. His wicked grin grew as he approached her, knocking her feeble bolts of fire aside with one hand.
"If there is one thing in this life that I regret," he said. I forced my feet to move, racing for the pair. A terrible, awful feeling began to grow in my stomach. Ava yelled and threw another firebolt at Invos who batted it aside with ease. "it is marrying you. That human maid was a much better candidate." I forced my feet to go faster, closing the distance between us at record speed, but I was still too far. Fifty yards. Invos reached Ava and leaned down, whispering something into her ear. Ava went rigid, then began to shake. Invos laughed and drew back up. Forty yards. Rage ignited in my heart and I pumped my legs faster. Thirty yards. Still too far. The pit in my stomach grew to an agonizing level, needing to be released. There was nowhere for it to go, though. My Lion's Fist would only work if I could touch him. Invos's crazy, grey eyes flashed with pleasure as he spoke.
"If you want something done right, you do it yourself. Now, be a good girl, and die!" The Duke grinned wickedly and drew his hand back, fingers extended and palm parallel to the floor, poised to strike.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" I roared, reaching out for Ava.