When I got out there, my first concern was how I was going to survive in the long term. Garth had provided me with enough money to last a few months, but after that I would need funds. My options in this regard were very limited, with my normal skills being mostly farming and housekeeping. The only other option I had was to use what Garth had taught me with swordplay.
I didn’t want to be a mercenary; Garth had convinced me of that. The only other thing I could be was an adventurer. From the description I was given, they hunt monsters, protect roads, and generally do good services for society. That sort of cinched the decision for me, and I made my next stop at a guild hall to register.
The hall itself was neatly organized, professional, and staffed by two human ladies and a man who stood behind the counter you first see when you enter. The walls were adorned with weapons and coat of arms for various houses. I imagined you only got recognition like that for performing some masterful feat of heroism.
I may have been nervous, this was my first-time doing things without Garth, but it was a straightforward process. I acknowledged the dangers of the job, what it entailed, and received some friendly advice to start with escort jobs for caravans or private travelers. Apparently, it was a good way to make connections, and establish a working relationship with others while not diving into the most dangerous pits the world could offer. They gave me a badge to prove my affiliation, and directed me to the job board
It seemed like a good idea to take their advice, so I started to look at all the job offers. My gratitude towards Garth for teaching me to read was felt again as I stared at the offers. Several different jobs were there, some concerning monsters that had been harassing villages. I skimmed over those, figuring someone else more qualified would pick it up. Instead, I looked to the one job that had been recommended to me.
Just a request from a local trader for protection while on the road, slated to depart today. Monsters and animals didn’t often come near civilization, but out in the wild a hungry beast could decide that you would make a good meal. I accepted the task and was told where to meet up with the employer.
My first job. Such a thought managed to illicit a feeling of both anticipation and anxiousness. All I knew was the business location and the employer's name, nothing else. I wanted to make a good first impression, so I made sure to straighten myself out before arriving.
The business location was unassuming with its surroundings. It only advertised itself from a sign that hung out in front of its door. With a quick fortifying breath, I pushed the door open.
The light inside was sparce, mostly coming from the front window. There was plenty of food and general supplies that lined the shelves all along the walls. I gave a once over the room, and couldn’t find anyone to talk to, so I approached the back of the room.
“Hello?” I called into the back room.
“One moment.” Came a gruff reply from deeper in the building.
I just shuffled around for a minute, looking over all the goods on display. I had barely gotten through the first shelf when movement in my peripheral vision drew my attention. When I looked over, I ended up freezing, not expecting the larger individual who emerged from the back room.
It was an orc that came out, cleaning some knives and giving me an expecting look. His features were angled and strong with small tusks coming up out of his mouth. A short beard grew from his chin, but other than that, he had no hair. “Can I help you?”
The question managed to break my lapse in thought. “Oh, uhm, are you the owner?”
“Aye, what of it?”
I awkwardly fished out my new badge, presenting it. “I’m from the guild, I came about the escort job.”
He looked me up and down with a judging gaze before scoffing. “They taking kids in these days? Must be getting desperate for new meat.”
Indignation was a prominent emotion I felt at his words, but I managed to keep myself calm. “I can handle myself, sir. My teacher was very experienced with swordplay.”
The way he turned up his nose at my explanation made it feel like not only an insult to me, but to Garth as well. “Whatever, I suppose even flailing around you can still hurt something. Two of you should be enough, it’s only a day’s distance, and I expect a mage can ward off most animals anyway.”
There’s someone else here? And a mage at that? Well, it did make me feel a little better about not doing my first job alone. Maybe this other adventurer had experience that they could share.
My thoughts on the matter were interrupted when the owner addressed me again. “We’ll be leaving soon, are you prepared for that at the very least?”
“Yeah, I have everything I need.” Ignoring the insinuation that I was inept to such a degree that I wouldn’t be packed and ready for the job, I followed him behind the building.
There was a cart there, hooked up to a pair of horses and seemingly ready to go. In the back of the cart a number of boxes were stacked and tied down for transportation. Sitting atop one of the boxes was another individual, tall, slim, blonde hair and even from the back I could see the long, pointed ears. He was an elf, and he was wearing light traveling clothes while currently devoting his attention to a book.
I wasn’t given much time to come to terms with that before my new employer started giving me a rundown. “So, we’re transporting food to the next town over. The lord there will be throwing a party and had the good sense to seek me out to source high quality goods. Some of the stock is meat, and as you might guess, it tends to attract wildlife. You will defend the stock with your life if you must, because if it gets damaged or lost, then it will be my hide that is at risk.”
It was a simple enough job, and I figured at most I would just need to chase away a few curious animals who would probably run as soon as they found out that it wouldn’t be an easy meal. After the explanation, I turned to get in the cart and caught the elf having turned his head and looking at me out of the corner of his eye. The apathetic gaze he held made me feel uneasy, not exactly what you would like from someone you're supposed to be working with. Couple that with what would generously be called an unfortunate past, and you have a very awkward situation.
Luckily his interest in me was fleeting, and he turned back to his book, allowing me to board in peace. I put my pack down and found a seat on a crate. With everyone in place, the reins were cracked, and the cart started to move forward. The job had officially started, so I decided that I would take it seriously and keep an eye out once we got into the wilderness.
For almost an hour I scanned the surrounding terrain in search of any threats. My inspection of the environment was interrupted when the elf sitting across from me spoke. “You’re new?”
The first words he said to me were an out of nowhere question, so I floundered a bit on the response. “I, uhm, yes?”
He didn’t even bother to look up from his book as he talked to me. “Figured. Can you stop looking around so much? It's distracting and unnecessary.”
I was a little confused by that. “But isn’t it our job to keep an eye out?”
A sigh escaped him. “It’s our job to protect the client and his goods. You can do that without all the looking around. Animals and monsters that show up on the road tend to announce themselves when they do so.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Now stop fidgeting, you’re interrupting my studies.”
Things became quiet for a while. I tried not to look around so much, just giving casual glances this way or that as there wasn’t much else for me to do. Eventually I got bored and tried my hand at conversation.
“What are you reading?”
His eyes flicked up to me for a moment, looking very unamused. He returned his gaze to the book, and I thought he was going to ignore me, but he answered my question a second later. “It’s a spell book. My master gave it to me and I'm trying to comprehend how to cast from it.”
That raised another question. “You cast from a book? I thought magic could just be used.”
“Simple spells and effects, yes. But if a mage wants to use advanced spells, they need a catalyst like this book. Now, please let me study in silence.”
I was fine with his request for silence as I now had something to think about with the new knowledge I was given. Considering my own abilities were most likely magical, does that mean that I've only been using basic skills? Did I need something like his spell book to do more? Was it even possible to do more? How would I even find something like that?
All those questions occupied my thoughts for a long while and gave me something to consider. Further down the road we entered a forest, dense with trees and thickets. My thoughts on magical focuses came to an abrupt halt when I heard the horses snort.
When I looked at the animals pulling us along, they were shaking their heads, fidgeting, clearly displaying signs of nervousness that seemed to be unheeded by the other two. They must not have had much experience with the animals, but I had lived with them for a long time, and those were signs that something was up.
I renewed my scanning of the environment, seeing nothing between the trees of any note. What are they seeing that I'm not? Suddenly the cart came to a halt with the horses now refusing to move any further.
That was the last straw, and I stood while drawing my sword. The elf gave me a perplexed and annoyed look. “What are you doing?”
“Shhh.”
He didn’t take too kindly to me shushing him. “How dare you...”
“Shut up!” I was the one that needed quiet now as all my instincts were screaming at me. My co-worker was stunned by my brazenness before seemingly realizing how on edge I was. He took to scanning the environment as well after that, everyone looking for anything out of the ordinary.
I couldn’t see anything, but the horses kept trying to back up, and I couldn’t relax. Then I had a dreadful epiphany and looked up just in time to see a large multi-limbed silhouette dropping over my employer.
“Look out!” I sprung forth to the front of the cart, thrusting my weapon up to meet the shadowed form. The steel sunk into it, skewering the creature that let out a horrific shriek. Using all my body weight, I threw the thing off the side of the cart and watched as it crashed to the forest floor, writhing about.
Now I could identify it, and it was a giant spider. The four-foot-tall spider’s limbs flailed about for a moment before it fell silent and curled up on itself. A brief moment of relief was had when I saw the little blue light exit its body before it turned into panic once more as three other spiders descended from the trees around us.
Two were on the left side of the cart, the other on the right. There was no way I would have been able to fight off all of them by myself, so I had to rely on my less than pleasant partner. “You think you can handle two of them?”
“If not, I can at least keep them back for a time.”
“Good enough.”
With a flourish, the spell book was in my partner’s hands and opened to a specific page. The ink on the page began to glow, and with a commanding gesture, flame shot forth from his fingertips towards the two spiders. The creatures saw the incoming inferno and retreated as it splashed down where they once were, setting the ground ablaze.
While the mage was busy with those, I jumped down onto the other side and got ready to fight the lone spider. The large fangs and sharp forelegs made it clear that the front was the most dangerous part of this monster. I didn’t know how well it could maneuver itself, but if I could get on its flank or behind it, it would be a great advantage.
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Testing the waters, I took a swipe at it, aiming to see if I could cause some damage. It skittered back to dodge and then quickly lunged forward in a counterattack. I jumped to the side and made a thrust at it while retreating, getting a small puncture wound next to one of its legs. The wound stung enough to make it shrink back a little, but it still screamed at me in a threatening way.
Pushing forward, I taunted it into another lunge at me. This time when I dodged, I slashed and took off two of its limbs. The sudden loss of mobility allowed me to circle it on its wounded side and drive most of the length of my blade into its abdomen. With a wrenching motion, I gouged the wound open as wide as I could, spilling its innards onto the ground as it slowly died twitching.
With the flank secured, I went to assist my partner on the other side of the cart. What I found when I got there was a charred spider corpse with the remaining one singed in several places. It wasn’t looking at me, so taking advantage of the distraction, I charged in to finish it off.
I leaped up and brought the sword downwards on its head, skewering and pinning it to the ground. The body flailed a moment before all the limbs slumped down in submission. My adrenaline was still coursing through me, and I wasn’t satisfied until I severed the head completely to make sure it was dead.
Panting, I stood victorious and exhausted, slowly coming down from the rush that combat brought to me. Everything felt heavy, and my sword tip hit the ground with my arms feeling limp. Beneath the roar of blood in my ears, I heard muffled sounds.
The sounds continued, and I realized they were directed at me somehow. When I looked for the source, I saw my employer and partners by the cart trying to get my attention. I blinked a few times, and then I heard them clearly the next time my partner spoke.
“Are you okay? You’re hurt.”
My mind took a second to process that. “What?” I looked myself over and found that I had a gash on my calf that was bleeding steadily. Apparently, I had not dodged that spider’s lunge as well as I thought.
“Oh, shit.” Now that I was aware of it, it started stinging, and I gritted my teeth in pain. The other two helped me back to the cart, and I found relief being able to get the weight off my leg.
Our employer got the cart moving again, while my partner removed some medical supplies from his travel pack to apply them to me. It stung like hell when he put that salve on my leg, but it was necessary, and I was relieved when he finished wrapping it up.
Once things finally calmed down, we had a chance to gather ourselves. I figured I should thank my impromptu doctor for the assistance. “Thank you, uhm...” Then it became apparent that I didn’t even know his name.
“Kalador.”
“Samuel.” I said with a short gesture towards myself. “Thank you, Kalador.”
“Think nothing of it, you earned it, and my respect.”
“Mine too kid.” Our employer said from his seat at the front. “Saved my neck back there. I have to say I'm impressed.”
I found myself feeling a little awkward when confronted with the praise. “It was... I was just doing my job.”
“Aye, and you did it well. I’ll make sure you get your hazard pay.”
Despite my injuries, I was feeling rather good. My first job, and first-time fighting monsters, was a success. Thankfully we experienced no further delays or trouble on the road and made it to the designated town by nightfall.
We both got paid for the job, plus a bonus for hazards faced while travelling. The burly orc even said he put in a recommendation for me to be recognized for my deeds. While a single person’s good words weren’t enough for me to be rewarded with anything, it was a start to a potential one in the future.
Kalador even invited me out to have dinner with him, offering to teach me what he knew about adventuring and give me some pointers. I readily accepted his offer and spent that night learning all the tips and tricks to surviving as an adventurer. We parted ways on good terms, and he even said he wouldn’t be opposed to working with me again. High off my success, I retired to a rented room to lick my wounds and contemplate my future, hopeful as to my prospects.
I went on to do many more jobs, slowly expanding my horizons as I acquired more experience and skills. At times I worked alone, and at others I found myself in rather large groups exterminating nests of monsters of all kinds. Jobs took me all over the place, mountains, forests, plains, wherever there was a problem, there was work.
The few times I had taken out a budding monster infestation myself, I took the liberty of experimenting with my magic a little more. Monsters and animals were both very close to one another in terms of ability to revive. In a few situations, I even turned some reanimated monsters on their former allies. It became apparent that this ability of mine could be dangerous, as I could effectively create monsters that were very difficult to kill and possessed none of their instinctual fears. The revelation was a dark thought in my head, and I vowed never to go down that path for any reason.
Living this life had changed me in more ways than one. I had acquired a great deal of ruggedness to my features, accumulating a few scars, road wear, and muscle to match my work. More often than not, I ended up growing a beard that I couldn’t get rid of in a timely fashion, and eventually I decided to just keep it even though it was still slightly patchy. My face as a whole became leaner as my job and travel burned away what little baby fat I still had. I couldn’t help but see my father in myself, and that was a sorrowful feeling that reciprocally brought me comfort, like I carried a part of my parents with me.
Time passed me by in a flash, each day filled with something new to see or do. Before I even realized it, nearly a year had come and gone since I first set out into the world. I had experienced so much, and yet still yearned for the past.
Thus, I found myself seated in a bar, older, wiser, more worldly, and currently swishing around a mug of ale. I turned eighteen tonight, and I decided that I would celebrate with a drink. I had never tried drinking before, but boy did I ever feel like I needed to. Never was there a melancholier feeling than sitting alone on one’s birthday.
I looked back on my life, good times and bad, remembering those who meant the most to me and mourning their absence. With solemn attitude, I raised my glass slightly and murmured to myself.
“Happy birthday to me.” Bringing the mug to my lips, I took a drink and cringed. I guess ale was more of an acquired taste.
Dejected, I put the mug down with a thump and let out a weary sigh before recoiling a little in surprise. “What the...” Confused, I took another breath and exhaled slowly, seeing a similar happening. Why can I see my breath?
It wasn’t cold enough for that, even the drink was close to room temperature so it wouldn’t have had any effect. As I was pondering this, I felt a shiver run up my spine that made all the hairs on my neck stand on end. Like a cold whisper, the feeling tugged at my attention, eerie and familiar at the same time.
Slowly, I scanned through the low light interior of the bar. The crowd around me didn’t seem to be aware of anything out of place as they continued to drink, converse, and occasionally sing. I was beginning to wonder if maybe this feeling was unfounded, some strange combination of past thoughts combining with present sorrow. It wasn’t until I had turned all the way around that I saw the source of this feeling.
Next to the stairwell leading up to the rooms they offered was a cloaked figure whose features were obscured in shadow darker than a moonless night. I could feel them staring at me, gaze like an icy needle that burrowed deep into my very being. No one else seemed to be paying them any mind, like they didn’t even exist to them.
Dread anticipation built within me, leaving me wondering what was going to happen next. The tension snapped when the figure turned away and practically glided up the stairs. I don’t know what compelled me to follow them, but I did, leaving behind my mostly full drink that I had no interest in finishing.
I climbed the stairs cautiously, wary of any possible ambush that might be waiting for me. The upstairs hallway was very dark, only lit by a handful of candles on the walls. The sounds of the bar downstairs became muffled, which made me painfully aware of how I was now isolated.
The figure I was following wasn’t anywhere to be seen, but halfway down the hall I saw dim light seeping through a partly open door. With one hand on my sword, I pushed the door open, ready for anything. What I saw was the stranger standing next to the window, back towards me. The only light in the room came from a few candles on the nightstand and whatever ambient luminescence found its way through the open shutters.
I stepped inside, preparing myself to confront this person, but the moment I crossed the threshold into the room, the door slammed itself shut behind me. My head whipped back and forth between the door and the stranger. I quickly found my sword drawn and ready for anything, but the figure did not so much as twitch in response to either myself or the door.
Every nerve in my body was on edge, and I was ready to start hacking my way out of this situation if need be. No obvious attack had been made against me though, so I started with questioning before resorting to violence.
“Who are you?” I tried to assert as much control as I could with my voice, even though I doubted I had much.
I could see them turn their head slightly, but they did not face me. “Isn’t it a little late to be asking that question? We’ve been together for a long time now.” They spoke in a very calm voice, yet something about it was off, like it didn’t feel natural.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“A lot has happened to you, so perhaps a reminder is needed. I’m here to collect on the promise you made me all those years ago when you lay dying in your bed.”
A cold pit opened in my stomach, filled with confusion and fear. “How did... who...” As I stammered, the pieces slowly fell into place in my mind. “Wait, that voice, it was you. You’re the one who spoke to me back then.”
“I see you remember, good. Our bargain still stands, and I call upon its terms now.”
I was hesitant to simply capitulate to anything that this... thing, wanted. “That was a bargain made with a scared, desperate kid who didn’t know any better.”
“And yet, it was a bargain nonetheless. You have lived your life free of me until now as we had agreed, but I cannot wait any longer. I will have my champion.”
“Yeah, well what if I say screw your bargain and you.”
Suddenly they turned, arm shooting up in my direction. From the depth of its robes came what appeared to be living shadows, streaming out at insane speeds directly towards me. I didn’t even have time to react before they collided with me, picking me up off the floor and slamming me into the opposite wall. My whole body was quickly enveloped by them like a constricting blanket, leaving me unable to move even an inch.
“It, doesn’t, work that way. You and I are bound, servant and master.” Its voice was different now, deep as if the abyss itself was growling at me. “Your life was forfeit. Without me you would be just another corpse to be burned in that village of yours. I could force you to obey me, command you like a puppet!”
Terror the likes of which I had never felt before pierced me to my very core. I was completely helpless before them, and if they were to be believed, I could have my free will taken from me as well. My heart raced in my chest as I desperately tried to think of a way out of this situation.
However, as quickly as their fury came, it faded just as fast. The shadows slackened their grip around me, lowering me to the floor before retreating into the confines of the robes once more. I could barely manage to keep myself standing, tremors of fear wracking my body after being subjected to such overwhelming power.
The entity turned its back fully on me again, voice returning to that calm, otherworldly tone. “Yet, I would prefer not to. You are the first champion I've had in over a thousand years, ever since I was betrayed and cast out from the lofty ranks of those petulant gods.”
That was a casual bit of information they just dropped that had a massive implication. “You... you’re a god?” I was almost too afraid to ask.
It let out a chuckle that seemed to echo in an impossible way. “After everything that has been stripped from me, I don’t think I could compare anymore. Once, though, I was a god, your god to be precise.”
Again, the casual revelation of reality shifting information threw me for a loop. “What?”
“I was your god, the one who helped humanity form into what it is now.”
“What? I... What?!”
“Tell me, how many gods did you think existed?”
“Uhm, four?”
“And how many intelligent races are there?”
I could see the pieces they were setting up fall into place. “Five.”
“Yes, and I was the god that represented humanity, but my gifts to you made the other races afraid. The gods for those races saw an opportunity to seize more influence for themselves and galvanized their followers into destroying those who believed in me, erasing me from history, imprisoning me. The short-sighted fools only have themselves to blame for the state of the world.”
They continued. “I’m sure you were told as a child the dangers of the undead, those wandering husks, lost, hurt, without the guidance that I once gave them. Very few manage to make it to the other side without help. Without the peace of rest, they are driven mad, feral, consumed by all their lingering regrets, desires, and pain that should have been forgotten in death. I will reclaim my place as humanities guide, and with your help, my sect will be reborn to fix this world.”
That was a massive task that I felt wholly unqualified for. “How am I supposed to do that? I barely have a grasp on my own life. How do you expect me to revive a dead religion?”
“Slowly, for one voice can only travel so far. However, that is not the first task I have for you. What I wish you to do now is learn from your forbearers. My last champion recorded all his knowledge and hid it away in the hopes that one day I would return. His foresight will save you many trials and tribulations, but you must retrieve his knowledge first. I will guide you to the tomb of his own making, and we will plunder its depths for all the insight it may hold.”
“W-wait, I didn’t agree to any of this.”
The shadow in the room seemed to deepen, expanding and encircling me. The fallen god turned towards me now, whatever face they might have had still obscured in blackness. “Whether you agree or not is irrelevant. You will do as you are told, one way or another. If you wish to save yourself from the discomfort of my agitation, then I suggest you heed my commands willingly.”
It didn’t seem like I had a choice in the matter, and I imagined that being forced to do something wasn’t a pleasant experience. I swallowed my fear enough to respond. “Fine.”
The darkness in the room returned to a normal level. “Good, we will begin immediately.” They began to cross the room in my direction, and I could feel myself tensing the closer they got. An arm came up, stretching towards me, and from the sleeve came a hand that looked withered and blackened. “So, it’s time for you to wake up.”
An outstretched finger quickly poked me on the forehead which sent a jolt as cold as the grave through me. With a gasp, I shot upright. Wait, what?
I was sitting in bed now, panting and wondering just what the hell happened. Was that a dream? It felt real, and even as I rubbed my eyes and calmed down, I could still feel and remember everything about it.
Light was streaming in from the window, pleasant and warm. Just as I was starting to believe that it was all just a strange dream brought about by an influx of emotions from last night, I saw a piece of folded paper on the nightstand. Hesitantly, I reached out and grabbed it, unfolding the paper to read it.
On its surface was a simple and brief message. Go to Raven’s Peak, don’t make me ask twice.
It wasn’t a dream; this was very much happening to me right now. Only a single profound thought came to mind in response to this situation.
Well, shit.