Dread filled me. My stomach flipped and I was suddenly glad I hadn’t eaten that tart yet. The dead man let go of the Avery and stood as still as a statue. Miranda was standing almost as still. Tears were streaming down her face and though she tried to hide it she was shaking. The pink glow of her magic faded from her but not from the dead man.
Miranda spun around and dropped into a crouch as she sobbed. “Is she dead?”
I swallowed, not willing to leave the cage just yet. “Yes.”
“What is wrong with me?”
I couldn’t handle her pain anymore and slipped from the cage, cautiously wandering over to help her to her feet. “You only did what you had to do.”
“I liked it. Why did I like it?”
“Come on,” I said. “We have to get out of here before we’re both caught.”
Miranda followed me toward the exit but stopped when her eyes fell on the bones in one of the cages. She frowned and looked from one skeleton to another.
“You’re a thief, aren’t you?” She asked.
“Yes. Why?”
“Open the cages.” I frowned at her rudeness so she added, “please.”
I sighed and moved from one cage to the next only breaking a few lockpicks in the process. The more I practiced, the better I was getting at the odd bouncing ball game.
“Okay,” I said after I threw the final door open. “What now?”
“Stand back. I’m going to make sure I’m never caught again.”
I stepped away and let out a soft whistle to call Stella to me. Miranda lifted her scepter again and closed her eyes, her body burning bright with pink fire. The skeletons in the cages began to rattle and move. I sucked in a sharp breath as I watched them rearticulate themselves. The skeletons let out a dull roar and charged from the cages to stand in front of Miranda. The dead man followed suit, joining her army of the undead.
I shuddered and eased my way closer to the passage. The crocs were bad enough. This magic zombie bullshit was a bit much for me.
Miranda turned me and smiled, her eyes still red and puffy from crying. “Let those demons come after us now.”
“Yeah, we’ll show them who’s boss.”
I turned and ran up the slopping passage, Stella on my heels and the horrifying undead army following behind. Somehow, I didn’t think I’d be sneaking out of this place the same way I’d come in. I’d been so determined, why was the world so damn eager to see me fail? Was there someone up there watching me flail around and laughing their ass off? Given everything else that had been going on I don’t think I’d be surprised if there was.
I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to all the people who had made it to the transfer zones before time ran out. Were they in paradise sipping on cocktails and watching the rest of us struggle on some big ass screen? Were they dead? Were they on some spaceship somewhere being probed by little green men? The possibilities were endless. Either way, I hoped they were having a better time of it than we were.
Before we reached the next cavern I glanced over my shoulder and asked, “so, you’re an undead mage? I thought you had visions.”
Miranda gave me a sad smile. “I’m a necromancer. My connection with the spirits is what gives me my visions. Sometimes they can’t communicate with words so they use pictures instead.”
“Right,” I said.
All she’d really given me though was more questions. Magic seemed to have a lot more uses than thieves or warriors could access. Fire, lightning, healing, visions, and now necromancy. How many more kinds were there? Sob proved you could be skilled in more than one type of magic but was it possible to use all of it? I don’t know why I cared so much, it's not like I could use magic myself.
Yes, I know all these spiraling thoughts were just my way of procrastinating. My brain liked to do that when I was literally walking into mortal peril. A weird quirk, I know. And yes, I’m still doing it. Why are you always judging me? On with the story.
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When we neared the archway leading into the feasting cavern the noise made us pause. It echoed down at us in a thundering roar that was hard to decipher. Not that I needed much of a breakdown, clearly everyone was still in the thick of their brawl over the magically disappearing boots.
Oh fuck, the gauntlets!
I turned around yelling at everyone to stay put while I bolted back to the torture cavern and raided Avery’s cold stiff corpse. I can’t believe I’d forgotten to loot them earlier, it was the entire reason I was in this damn place to begin with. Miranda and her terrifying magic had distracted me.
Quest Updated: An Eye for an Eye
Description: You have found all the smith’s lost equipment. Return to him to collect your reward.
Steel Breastplate of Bashing 1/1
Steel Gauntlets of Warmth 1/1
Iron Boots of Wandering 1/1
My job done, I hauled ass back up the passage, squeezing past the little army we’d gathered to take the lead once more. Thankfully, we didn’t need to make our way through the battle as this passage continued upward. We rushed past the archway, grateful everyone within was too distracted to notice our little raiding party.
Moving upwards was easy but so was getting lost in this warren of passageways and caverns. Every time we came to another archway we explored the room on the other side so long as there were no players inside it. There wasn’t much to be found though aside from a few chests I could lockpick. Nothing in them was worth stealing though but the practice was nice.
Finally, we returned to the cavern I found initially with the quarreling pair of occultists. The room looked the same as before. Empty aside from the rows of benches and the strange fire urn in the center of the room. I couldn’t help by sigh in relief when we walked out into the cavern. It meant the exit was near and we’d not been found.
“Ah, so you’re the sneak thief causing all this ruckus.”
I flinched. So much for getting away scot-free. As I turned I yanked my blades free from their sheaths. Stella growled and leaped in front of me, intimidating despite her pink coat.
The Lord stood in the center of the room beside the fire urn. The smile on his face did nothing to assuage my fear of the man. I don’t know how but the man radiated strength. He flexed his fingers and the cluster of daggers he favored flashed into existence.
“You must be the leader of this shit hole,” I said.
“Now, now. It’s not much but it is home. Perhaps as a newcomer, you are unfamiliar with my rules. The first rule is never steal from me. I’m afraid you’ve broken that one and now you must be punished accordingly.”
“Does it count as thieving when I’m taking back what you stole?”
The man’s dark eyebrows dropped as he eyed me up and down. “It does not matter how something became mine, only that it is.” His eyes shifted to a cowering Miranda and his smile returned. “I see you’ve stolen more than a few measly trinkets. Miranda, you should know better than this. Avery will not be pleased that you have left your cage without authorization.”
“Avery is dead,” Miranda shouted.
“Oh? That’s a shame. No matter though, there others just as twisted as she was.”
“Let us leave and we’ll let you live,” I said with a bravado I did not feel.
Laughter echoed around us as the Lord bent over, beating at his knees as if I’d just told the funniest joke he’d ever heard. I stood awkwardly waiting for him to finish. Finally, he straightened and wiped away a tear, somehow not slicing his face with the daggers he still held.
“You are but a mouse and you have the balls to threaten a lion? I’ll admit, I’m impressed. What is your name tough guy?”
“Joe.” Stop answering that question without thinking! I berated myself.
“Well Joe, I like you but I’m afraid I have to kill you now. I can’t have my followers thinking they can disrespect me just because I like a little spunk.”
“You didn’t like it very much when your follower called you, what was it, a monster?”
“Ah, so you were in the room when I put Liam in his place.” He turned his eyes back to Miranda. “Did you know this, little witch?”
Miranda shook her head but refused to answer which was good considering she had known I was there.
“Enough of this, I’m tired of talking. Say goodbye to your new friend Miranda.”
The sting of cold steel sinking deep into my shoulder made me stumble back. He’d barely moved and the thing was embedded in me. I hadn’t even been able to lift my blades.
I took off running, sure that if I wanted to live I had to move. Stella started to glow as she charged toward the Lord. He tossed a dagger at her but it didn’t penetrate her armor. Miranda screamed and ducked behind a bench, reminding me a little too much of Jacob. Where was Nora when I needed her?
I tried to circle the man but he was having none of it. Another dagger sliced my hip making me stumble. My health bar dropped again as sweat started to bead on my forehead. He was powerful and too quick. How was I supposed to get close?
“Miranda, do something!”
Pink fire flared around her as she cowered, her scepter raised above her head. Her army of undead charged forward. One of the skeletons had stolen a sword from somewhere and lifted it high. The Lord’s smile dropped from his face as he started to move. He dodged the lumbering warriors with ease, leaving behind daggers in his wake.
The man crumpled first. He tried to claw his way across the floor to continue the attack but the dagger lodged in his back had stolen the use of his legs. I circled the room, coming up behind the Lord and slashing down at him.
The Lord danced out of the way with nothing but a laugh. My blade soared past his throat catching for a moment before slamming into the ground.
“You’re too slow, Joe,” the Lord laughed as he slammed a dagger into my chest.
Blood bubbled past my lips leaving behind the sickly taste of metal.