Though both Bleff and I were tired, we couldn’t make camp so close to Underock fearing the wrath of its denizens. We ventured north through the trees staying close to the road but avoiding treading it for Bleff advised we should steer clear of others until we recuperated. Though I hated the idea of wading between those tall malicious creatures called trees, his advice seemed sensible so I steeled my nerves and walked.

The day was cold and as the night settled in, it was becoming even colder. We walked for hours through trees, bushes and foliage. Each step offering more mud, thorns, and the disquieting sounds of wild animals from deeper in the forest. As the sun was about to disappear behind a nearby hill, and my body was entirely exhausted, thirsting and hungering, Bleff begged me to break camp.

I couldn’t deny him for I was reaching my limit. I hadn’t slept properly in days, ate once, and didn’t rest at all. We found a small clearing between the trees which seemed ever sicklier as we ventured further north. The brown of their bark was now occasionally a deep, almost scorched black and many of the trees lacked any leaves for some reason.

“Do you know how to make a fire?” Bleff asked stretching his back and looking around the clearing.

“To my great shame, no.”

“Really? You’re from Hell, shouldn’t you know a thing or two about fire?”

“In a world where all is fire, why would I learn how to create more?”

“Right, fair enough. I don’t know how to build one either so I guess…Well, we’ll have to huddle up for warmth tonight.”

“I don’t think we will,” I said almost wincing at the prospect of cradling the stinky goblin in my arms.

“I was kidding, it’s pretty warm in this region anyway. We’ll be fine.” My first impulse was to deny this for I was already shaking, but I’d rather die than admit I couldn’t brave a single night without the comfort of warmth.

“Yes, it’s warm enough.” Since I had no time do stow away any of Wilda’s stew, and Bleff had nothing to eat except his own buggers, I stretched onto the soft grass of the clearing, then realizing I was trembling, scrunched up rather tightly holding on to my shield and tried to get some sleep. Bleff did the same a few feet away from me.

“We really fucked up that whole Underock thing, didn’t we,” Bleff whispered as the first stars began to twinkle across the dark blue sky.

“I don’t appreciate your language,” I said feeling my lips quiver as I spoke. “But the message stands. I have trodden a path of ruin since I was brought here.”

“Yeh…Hey, how did you get here anyway? Did you just wake up on the beach or what happened?”

“I—I would like…Like to get some sleep, B—Bleff.” The goblins face suddenly appeared above my own, his blue eyes full of concern.

“You’re shaking like a leaf in the wind, Shieldfather.”

“I—I’m not. I’m F—Fine.” Without even asking me for consent, the goblin hugged me from the back and pressed his hairy, oily, stinking body against mine.

“I did—I did not say, y—you can do that!” I muttered but I didn’t move.

“It’s alright, Shieldfather. It’s just for one night. There, there.” I couldn’t deny that Bleff’s touch was warm and calming, but good Kold, was I ashamed. Here I was, a Shieldfather, the tip of Oomer’s Cohort in the endless war against Hell’s forces being cradled like a child and in the arms of a goblin, no less.

“Y—you must…You m—must tell nobody.”

“Shh, sweet Shieldfather. You need to rest,” Bleff said and with those words I sunk into deep, black sleep.

“Shieldfather!” Bleff screamed me awake. I shot up with my shield and sword at the ready, but Bleff was nowhere to be seen. I looked around quickly and noticed a shadowy, four-legged creature drag the terrified goblin deeper into the woods.

“Bleff, stay calm. I’m coming.” I ran after them in great strides and managed to catch up quickly as Bleff’s flailing slowed the creature down. It was a big black beast with silken fur and two yellow, seething eyes. It released Bleff from its fang-ridden mouth and snarled viciously at me.

YOU HAVE ENCOUNTERED: Slowland Puma

ATTACK: 13

DEFENSE: 5

I mashed my sword against my shield and snarled back at the puma with more ferocity than the creature could ever hope to muster.

“Take my friend in the middle of the night, will you? No repentance shall save you now!” My words didn’t seem to reach it, instead the wild animal leaped at me, its large claws flying at my face. I raised my shield, but the buckler’s small frame didn’t manage to block both paws. I stopped its left paw, but it swiped me with its right tearing a deep gash into my shoulder.

With a quick [Shield Slam] I broke the follow up and stunned it for a brief moment. The beast was quick and deadly so I had to be too. I jabbed my sword close to its neck and the puma hissed in pain. I grinned and jabbed again, but before my blade reached its flesh, it flailed its paws at me catching me across the face. It almost took my eye, so I pulled back.

The wound in its neck was bleeding into its slick black fur, and the animal limped as it circled me. Eyes full of pain. Its attack stat was so high that I couldn’t muster an assault without suffering wounds myself.

“I shall help!” An unexpected voice came from the darkness. I only glanced over my shoulder and saw Marabel, the pointy-eared healer from the dungeon hub standing behind me, panting as if he was running all up to that moment.

The feral cat roared threateningly but it seemed to slowly move away from us seeing as our ranks had been bolstered by yet another.

Marabel raised his arms and white-blue light enveloped his hands then speared into the sky in a beam. Shortly after the spell landed on the puma.

“You idiot!” Bleff cried out. The black beast roared again, louder this time. The wound at its neck seemed suddenly closed, the blood dry already.

“Oh, wrong target,” Marabel mumbled. “Let me go ag—argh!” The feral cat had moved like a shadow, leaped at the whisperwinder and tore into his throat. A great fountain of blood gushed out into the air. He dropped to the ground, the puma turned to face me.

I strode forward, shield up. The cat snarled, then pounced at me. I used [Triple Block] to fortify against its assault. It swiped with its right and left in quick succession, but the buckler held firm. It landed to my side, I pivoted, blocked the third clawed paw, then used [Shield Bash] driving the buckler into its face with such force, I could feel the bones cracking beneath. The cat staggered, its face a ruined mess. I had no intention of letting it suffer so I cut straight into its neck again. It hissed weakly. This time it didn’t claw back. It dropped onto the ground, dead. I hurried over to Marabel who was pressing his hand against the wound in his neck. “Bleff, hurry up! Heal him!” The goblin was already there, casting.

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“My…Bad…” Marabel mumbled through a mouthful of blood. I pressed down on his wound as well trying to stop the bleeding, but it seemed a fool’s errant. Bleff’s healing spell landed offering Marabel some respite between struggling breaths.

“It doesn’t do shit, Shieldfather. I’m healing him for six points of health but he’s bleeding out ten points every other second.

“I—I followed your tracks…I wanted to be your…to be your heal—.” Marabel didn’t manage to finish his last words. There he died beneath a starlight sky of a wound he could certainly have avoided. I pushed his eyelids down and looked at Bleff. The goblin shrugged. I shrugged too.

“To the Frostlands with you, old boy.” I said breathing out hard. I sat down on the cold grass and shook my head. “Searing Kold, what the fuck was that.” I said looking at the mayhem around me.

“You said fuck.” Bleff grinned.

“Yes, I did, didn’t I? Well if this awakening doesn’t call for cussing, I don’t know what does, my friend.” Bleff spread out his arms then let them slap against his thighs.

“What you gone do, eh? Turns out the jungle is deadly, and elves are morons. Some things change some stay the same.”

“Elves? You mean Marabel was of that noble race?”

“Yeah, a noble elf,” Bleff smacked his lips shaking his head. “Noble and dumb as a rock it turns out. Want to loot him?”

“Desecrate his dead body? I would think not, goblin.”

“You sure? He might have something to eat or drink on him. That white robe looks pretty comfy too.” The goblin’s opportunism was disrespectful and yet I couldn’t admit I wasn’t both hungry and thirsty, but I steeled against my cravings. Still, though I lived by a code of honor Bleff could hardly follow, I did not expect the same of the goblin.

“You go ahead. Take what you need, but I will have no part in it.”

“Alright,” Bleff said without a second thought. He knelt next to Marabel’s corpse then rummaged through his inventory.

“Oh, shit! Bread! And a water pouch, will you look at that! Now that’s a useful elf for a change. And this thing!” He said getting up and spreading Marabel’s white robes before him.

“Huh? What do you think?” He said flinging his old filthy robe on the ground then putting on Marabel’s. It shrunk to the goblin’s size and fit him perfectly.

“Bleff the white hierophant, huh? Look at this! And it adds one point to all my healing spells. Wow, I could almost pass for a noble myself!” He couldn’t. Not even in his wildest dreams. He still smelled the same, had the same dirty patch of orange hair, the same hairy, wart-ridden skin, yellow teeth and continuous streams of snot running down both sides of his mouth.

“Yes,” I said. “You look very handsome, Bleff.” Lies like these were inconsequential, the Steelspeakers claimed.

“Hey, you want my old robe? It’ll be warm if nothing else.” I glanced at the muddy, flea-ridden piece of clothing on the ground then shook my head. The prospect of spending the rest of the night in the goblin’s embrace was harrowing but putting on that robe felt somehow even worse. The stars shone against a deep black sky and I knew the sun wouldn’t come out any time soon, yet my decision was final.

Bleff hungrily bit into the bread and washed it down with water. He offered me some, and though my stomach growled, and my lips were parched, I refused. There had to be some lines I didn’t cross if I wanted to continue calling myself Shieldfather in this world.

I busied myself with looting the puma not really hoping for anything from that beast. It did offer a good chunk of experience bringing me just 40 points shy of level seven, and I would have been satisfied with that, but the Gods seemed in a particularly good mood.

NAME: Mane of the Slowland Puma

TYPE: Cloak

DEFENSE: 2

RESISTANCE: COLD RESISTANCE +15

DESCRIPTION: Though the fur of the slowland puma offers ample protection against the elements, it doesn’t protect as well against those enamored by your new, slick black style. Lovers be warned.

I made little of the description. It seemed to me that every item I had found so far was described in utterly senseless terms. However, the cloak was indeed very comfortable and offered a great deal of warmth. It wasn’t a traditional cloak either, it hung off my right shoulder clasped by the head of the puma I had slain protecting most of my upper back and parts of my chest. Though I was used to walking around completely naked, I found that such luxuries were dully absent in this world which made me appreciate the cloak very much.

“Look at us, huh? The white hierophant, the puma slaying Varian Lord. Man, we look pretty sick if you ask me.”

“I don’t feel sick. However, though I appreciated your gesture tonight, I must say I’m glad we won’t sleep huddled together any longer.”

“Speak for yourself, Shieldfather. I thought it was a nice bonding moment.”

“Hm.”

“What do you want to do with him?” Bleff pointed at the dead elf. “Bury him?”

“We don’t bury the dead,” I said. “The cursed earth of Hell only brings them back as the walking dead. Hence why our fallen are burned.”

“Shit.”

“Hm.”

“Then leave him, I guess.” I knew Bleff would bring up the easiest way to get out of the situation, but he should learn as I have that the easiest way is not always the best.

“We must carry him with us until we find a source of fire.” Bleff stared at me for a while and I wasn’t sure what was going through his head.

“You’re not serious, are you? Carry a corpse through the jungle?”

“It’s not something I look forward to, either.”

“But you left the others dead in the dungeon, why now suddenly—.”

“Kendral was already burnt, there was not much left of Tamban to bring with us, and Kindra was crushed by rats and rock. We have time to look to Marabel’s corpse. It is our duty. Shame on you for suggesting leaving him. Would you have me do the same when you die?”

“You mean if I die.” I said nothing so the goblin spoke again. “Let’s just bury him, Shieldfather. We’re not in Hell, he won’t rise again. People do it all the time here.

“How would you know, goblin? You’re as new to this world as I am.”

“Just…Trust me, Shieldfather, alright? Just this once. I promise you, the dead do not rise up when you bury them here.” I thought on this for a moment as it did make sense. None of the creatures and people I killed had risen again to haunt us so far. I picked up Marabel’s cold dead body and slung it over my shoulder with some effort. He wasn’t that heavy, but I wasn’t that strong anymore either.

“Let’s find a good spot to bury him then. There’s been too much bloodshed here. I don’t trust this ground.” Bleff sighed then nodded towards the north where we were going anyway.

We walked for about another hour until the forest had lost most of its leaves and the brushes and foliage had turned a sickly white and yellow. The smell was different too and a soft but pervasive mist had slowly crept up on us. Just as I felt I couldn’t bare carrying Marabel’s corpse any longer, a message popped into my Soulforge,

You’ve entered a new zone!

Welcome to: Roterwoods

Note: Only accessible to adventurers level six and above.

I dropped Marabel onto the ground and sighed.

“It’s as good a place as any,” I said scanning the black branches spreading overhead. I shuddered again both from cold and a feeling of unease that had been creeping up on me for the last half hour or so. We dug a shallow grave for the elf since we were both exhausted then I leaned my head against my buckler, looked up at the night sky briefly and finally let myself slip away into sleep.

“Shieldfather!” Came Bleff’s cry again and by the Gods, I was certain the goblin was now just messing with me. I got up with half the speed I did last time, rubbed my eyes then groaned as loud as I could. Bleff was cowering against a thick black tree while a naked, tortured, mangled, elf covered in dirt ambled towards him, moaning and grunting.

“Marabel,” I said, but the elf didn’t even glance at me, and I was pretty certain why.

“Help me, don’t just stand there!”

“I thought this wasn’t Hell, Bleff,” I said getting up and cracking my neck. The zombie elf was slow and limping forward at a pace a child could outrun. But not Bleff, of course.

“Hey! Over here!” I called for his attention clanking my swords against the buckler. Marabel turned finally towards me, his eyes sunken and shining with a dull yellow. His whole body seemed to have gained a sickly green color. He lumbered towards me with a little more speed probably smelling the Varian blood coursing through me.

“Hungry, are we, demon?” I said. The zombie elf came swinging at me without power, strategy or even the most basic of combat skills. I used [Shield Bash] to smash his face in. He staggered backwards, arms flailing. I finished him off with a horizontal sweep of my sword that took Marabel’s head. It landed with a soft thud, shortly after, the body crashed down too.

I looked at Bleff who was still shaking beneath the tree with his arms up.

“I couldn’t have known! This was—.”

“We’re not in Hell. I promise you the dead won’t rise up,” I said repeating the hierophant’s words back at him.

“They don’t!”

“They don’t?”

“Well…It’s…How was I supposed to guess that?”

“Hm.” I muttered looking up at the sky. The mist was thicker, and you could barely see the sun, but at least the cold of night was slowly giving way to some much-needed warmth.

“We need to find the next village or town, Bleff. I don’t want to spend another night out here.”

“So…You forgive me?”

“You asked me to trust you just that one time—.” Bleff teared up and I swallowed my words. What was the point? Once again, I was ready for danger and Bleff was not. Nothing truly out of the ordinary had happened. Such was Bleff.

“I forgive you, Bleff,” I said and the goblin lit up. “For you’re you and it can’t be helped.” He deflated somewhat but still smiled and I smiled back.

“Onwards then, Bleff. I’m eager to see what other notes this land has taken from Hell.”