Thank You For Being A Friend.
Record of Themis
Time of Activation 13:07:17:427
Entry 3
With the Paladin out for the count, at least I get Grimalkin. But these weird puppets…
“You sure these are useful? They look creepy to me.”
Letting out one short chuckle he stuck his tongue out at me then said, “You can judge for yourself, now, which one of our two tagalongs will show up first?”
Grimalkin ain't such a pushover, we each put 5 coppers on the guys chasing each other, that way, at least whoever was at a disadvantage win’s the bet. One of those small weird things was a guy with two swords, the other looked to be a reindeer type beastman with a bow. I couldn’t stop looking at them, and every-time I would, Grimalkin would have them look back at me.
“Hey, could you lay off with that?!” I ask from the tree I was in for…. Surveillance.
He’s slapping his knee laughing at me! “Fine, fine, just be ready, the hothead chasing me doesn’t let up.” Egh, I’d love to wrap those creepy things around his neck, but he’s right.
“I got a couple slimes, one’s using the other as a weapon, they gave me a good amount of trouble. Plus, we scouted out a ton of fodder, we’ve not ran into any inside yet.” I can’t think of seeing any of those guards from the outside since I broke through the gate… “Grimalkin, we need to find that kobold, NOW!!”
He looked at me with a blank face, not understanding what I mean just yet. “Why? He was a load of trouble, and it looks like his forest fire is out. I don’t see the problem, really?”
“EGH! You just told me that guy was like a living volcano! We’ve only seen that sword-guy over there, and he didn’t seem the most stable. If we don’t get out of here and find that kobold RIGHT NOW! All those people in the saloon, any villagers inside the walls, the Paladin, and Charlemagne, not to mention us, will wind up a little on the extra crispy side.”
The look on his face gave me some hope for him yet as reality dawned on him. He took the weird case off his back and began packing up his dolls, thankfully. There’s an odd smell in the air, kind of like rot.
“I don’t like this kitty-boy, the smell’s coming from the mines, we need to get over there.” I leap through the street as Grimalkin takes to the rooftops. He’s got guts for someone still so green.
It wasn’t long, maybe two or three blocks until we had reached the jade mine. Large boulders of jade and lumps of clay lay everywhere. We hear a muttering inside that I motion for Grimalkin to check out.
He listens in, then quickly rushes back to me. “They’re bringing down the whole town, we need to get out of here NOW! I’m going back to get Charlemagne, you carry the Paladin and Papaw if you have to.” Just as he starts to run past me I grab his arm, not letting him escape.
“No,” I’m so disappointed, I had such high hopes for this kid. “This town is still filled with all the farmers, miners, craftspeople. I’m not turning my back on them like some snob in the Blue City. You’re one of us… you should know better than that.”
The look of shock that crossed his face would have caused me to hold the poor guy if we weren’t against the clock. “Buck up, realize where you went wrong and change it next time!” I’m already running at the cave, I smell sulfur, and where there’s sulfur, there’s delayed explosive spells.
I hear him come behind me, whispering into my ear as I hide behind the entrance. “I’m best with a bow, I’ll be down to just my daggers in there.”
In the equivalent of screaming at him while whispering. “This is the PERFECT time to send in your puppets, now get to it!”
It didn’t take him long to get them ready and send them in, tugging his fingers one way or another the puppets moved in ways I wouldn’t expect. “Hey, how do you keep all that straight kitty?”
“Practice I guess, I did a lot of puppet shows as a kid, I kept making better and better rigs to make them move. Eventually I settled on rings, after that I heard of a low level gravity spell you could put on string so it will always draw the string taut so I can control them from a distance.” I nod along… I get the gravity thing, but what use could puppets b…
Grimalkin is peeking around the corner, moving his fingers deftly as I hear three different and very short screams. “Looks like it’s time for us to go in.”
As we walk inside, passing the twitching mass of humans with electricity arcing between them, I notice the mining carts. “Hey, kitty, I don’t know if you read the intel like I did, but sulfur hasn’t been found in this mine.”
“Damn it, I was hoping you were wrong.” We both look down the long dark tunnel, seeing a light at the end, also hearing a voice. Grimalkin stopped me as I tried to move forward, shushing me and then looking at me square in the eye. “That’s the guy who attacked the carriage. He’s got a lot of power, fighting him in here could be dangerous but I don’t know how much time we have.”
I nod along. If this guy is anything like that mad swordsman from earlier, then this won’t go easily. “How many of those can you use at once right now?”
He pulled the case off of his back and started looking at the puppets inside of it. After a long pause, he looked up at me. “These guys are really technical, I had never even imagined using two, but, if I push it maybe three?”
That’s not many, but I had to ask. “Are they like… special? Can you do their moves? Because if my plan is going to work, I need you to be able to seal off that kobold. No air, in or out.”
He gave me the nod, and that’s all I needed, I began running at the flame-red Kobold “Hey Buster! You trashed my ride, I liked that ride!” He looks up from his work, creating some spell orb the size of my fist.
He doesn’t have long to react as I push him through the gates behind him. A large room opening up, some sunlight streaming down from above through a crack in the cave ceiling. It looked like an ancient cathedral of some kind.
Grimalkin comes up behind me. A puppet of Mountain-Crasher Erinth only two feet tall is holding a man up by his collar and pulling him away.
The Kobold I was holding down was screaming and sputtering, but I had my hand over his windpipe. He can’t cast a spell if he can’t speak it or write it. “Okay, now I need you to go and get all of those time bombs down, take em back to your priest friend or something, he knows how to defuse spells doesn’t he?”
The Kobold started laughing as I tried to hold him down. His smile was growing. I look back, “Grimalkin… hold on, i don’t know if that will work. Come here and get me out a pair of those bird bones, a sapphire, and a copper, okay?”
I keep him held down as long as I can while kitty-boy rummages through my pockets, finding some of the only reagents I carry on me. We then trade places, him holding the kobold down.
I calm myself, shutting out the sound of struggling pyromancer. Breathing in and out, I toss the reagents up, catching them as they fall. They disappear in my hand. The cost for the truth. “Stand Witness. All right, Grimalkin, let them talk. Just don’t let their hands go after anything.”
“What? No! What are you doing to me! Come on, we can be reasonable.” The kobold pyromancer screeched. After he was quite finished I touched him on the forehead, the golden aura flowing over him.
“How do we save the town?” I ask him, a rumble building within me as I do.
“Oh, that’s simple, just kill the Paladin, if you’re here it means our dear friend failed in his mission. Mine, was to set the bombs to destroy the evidence. They hired Kuro and Tidus to stop you, but it looks like that went out the window as well. These bombs will go off with me dead or alive.” He smiled as he said it, coughing from all the dust, looking like a fool the entire time.
“There has to be something that can be done.” Grimalkin interjected, unable to hold himself back.
The kobold looked off into the distance, and then looked at me with an open mouth going, “Aha! You could flood the tunnels, that would do it, otherwise, no, you’re outta luck.”
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
I look down at him, happy as can be, “Thank you so much, now, have you ever killed an innocent, have you ever done anything depraved to them?” the coldness in my voice comes across as Grimalkin almost lets go of the guy.
“Depraved, oh no. But I have killed many people in the name of the contract. Besides, it’s the Demon Lord who will take the fall for everything we do here.” he says it smugly, proud of his body count.
I go to end it, this scum is the exact thing I’m fighting to get rid of, but the cat stops me. “Hold on, just… turn him into the adventurer's guild? They’ll try him under international laws, he attacked us and is willing to destroy a village.”
I pause… he’s not actively trying to kill everyone… is he? But wait, the whole town… only if the Paladin died.
Just as I was considering the moral gray areas this man must operate in to spare his life, a fireball struck me from behind while I was looking at Grimalkin, making me fall forward onto him. Quickly followed up by seven more, I scream out, tears running down my face as my back gets scorched, Grimalkin quickly throws two daggers at the Pyromancer but the damage is done.
I toss myself to the side, out of his arms.
Soon darkness takes my screaming mind.
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Record of Grimalkin
Time of Activation 14:07:17:427
Entry 3
I brought up my hands as quickly as I could, the mighty Slime Hero Banfan blocking the searing attack from hitting me after Themis tossed herself to the side. Shit! I’ve gotta beat this guy and get out of here, I’ve gotta get Themis to Charlemagne or vice versa.
Banfan was taking the hit admirably. My slime puppet’s only main use is deploying itself as a shield. Much like how the real Banfan could become one of the great heroes, even though he never broke his sacred vow of pacifism. I know these stories; I engraved them in my soul, and I will use them to their fullest.
Clutching my strings tight, I feel a sprig of lavender float away as magic on the wind. “Meditation Room.”
Commanding my puppet forward, the shield closed in on the fiery kobold. Impervious to his fire, absorbing it actually, the shield brought him inside of a dome, keeping him there. I could hear him firing off spell after spell, not calming down.
I tap on the outside of Banfan, “Hey, if you want to live, you better cool it in there.” No response, just more screaming and noise, smoke leaking out of the plates that hold Banfan together, and then quiet.
Themis looked up at me, trembling from the hit, “Idiot smoked himself, huh?”
I rush over to her trying to help her up but she’s so heavy; I call back Banfan, leaving the kobold, smoked pitch black and steaming on the ground. Controlling Erinth again; I could at least count on the strength in this puppet to help me get her back to Charlemagne. It would take some time, let's just hope the village doesn’t explode while I get her there.
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Record of Grimalkin
Time of Activation 14:07:17:427
Entry 4
I fall over exhausted after carrying this passed out xeshieen for almost an hour. The saloon where Charlemagne and the Paladin are is still standing, rustling can be heard inside.
I make the wise decision to go inside by myself and get one of them to help. The Paladin is pretty patched up since last time, no giant blade in his upper chest. However, there was a big gash in his armor.
“So, any news on Darrell?”
I shake my head, “I’ll tell you the rest later, but considering they don’t plan on keeping this town for long, I doubt there’s a Mountain-Crasher here.”
His eyes grew as big as saucers “WHAT?!”
I wave him off, “Yeah, yeah, now, where’s Napoleon anyway? Themis told me on the way to the mine Napoleon went off to get some adventurers, let’s hope one of them knows water magic.”
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Wow, those two look like crap, Grimalkin was limping, barely able to stand after carrying a badly burned Themis back to the saloon.
Charlemagne has stabilized all the victims remarkably, but when Grimalkin told him we needed to run…
“No. I will not leave my patients. If there is one teaching the church gave me, I will hold as an eternal truth. It is that we do not leave the sick or injured behind.” He looked at Grimalkin sadly, but the tears weren’t coming.
“Then pick them up and move, make Erinth big again, SOMETHING! If we do not get out of here we are DEAD!” He was screaming at Charlemagne, his voice going out every time he tried to raise it any higher. Soon it started failing him altogether, and he crumbled at Charlemagne’s feet.
“I’m too close to losing them, but how about this, five of them can be transported soon. After Napoleon catches up to us, you all can start evacuating them and the rest of the village.” His words seem like those of a child. Yet he says them with a sternness that shows just how far he has thought them through.
Unable to get him to move, Grimalkin stays on the wooden floor of the saloon, right where Charlemagne’s feet were as he gets back to work. I lean down to help him up, but he doesn’t seem to notice me, just whispering, “how can I repay you?”
I do my best to pick him up, bringing him over to one of the padded chairs that survived the attack as I notice something out of the corner of my eye in the street.
I walk outside to see a large slime, in the shape of a hollow suit of armor, holding a green slime in the shape of a sword. He’s got about thirty guys behind him. I groan hard, pulling my staff off of my back and putting it in spear configuration.
“I don’t suppose you’ll run away if I tell you we’ve already killed the sword guy and boom-boom lizard, will ya?” I hold the spear tip forward, my left arm unsteady, while I can still hold it, the pain is still jolting through my arm.
The green slime shook, “We’ll be leaving, we just want to make sure you aren’t”
Of course it was that way, why would it be any other way? It’s always this way with meat-heads, isn’t it? “We’ve been able to handle ourselves well enough so far… are you willing to test your mettle against a legendary hero?”
Muttering runs through the group like a wave as the green slime extends, cleaving two trees on either side of the group, bringing them to attention. “Shut it! With them gone, our paycheck will be like KINGS!”
Ten of the group rushed at me, I braced myself, ready to defend as something crashed down in front of me, causing a massive cloud of smoke.
“I hope you’re okay there. Don’t you worry now, the gals and I have this.” A massive, seven and a half foot tall silver-white bear was in front of me… wearing clothes… and it can talk…. Beastman?
“Let’s introduce ourselves first Bertie.” rolling up behind me was another slime, purple, extending a tendril to shake my hand. “We’re the Silver Edge. My name is Gata, it’s nice to meet you, new Paladin. Now, if you don’t mind, we can handle this.”
“These guys look like they might put up a fight ladies, don’t slouch!” an elderly human woman called at the first two. “This is an official quest from the Commander, let’s not make fools of ourselves.” She held up some sort of flying gizmo. It had two wings in the shape of a bat, but the body was different. There was no head or feet, just the wings, and some gadgets.
“You’re so cold Meredith, you can’t even help the poor boy up?” The large white bear… Bertie, I think, jabbed back at the human woman.
A familiar voice came from behind me now, Paladin Napoleon stepping up, putting his hand on my shoulders. “Worthy allies can be found in any age, that is, if you know where to look. These women served under myself and Oberon for some time in the Red City, relax, the cavalry has arrived.”
Bertie ran forward, pushing the men, women, slimes, and those not otherwise defined out of the way using her raw brute force. Oh, and the fact she’s a terrifying seven and a half feet tall bear caused at least 10 of them to bail before she even got to them.
“Hey, honey sucker!” Bertie's head turned back, looking at her allies as Gata beamed her in the face with a potion bottle, falling into the bear's large hands. “Drink it!”
As Bertie gulped down the thick blue liquid, Gata was lobbing potions and flasks at the enemy group, taking down at least three of them with what I assumed was a variation of the Molotov cocktail. After Bertie drank the strange potion, she grew a little, topping out at ten feet with a slightly deeper voice.
“Thanks, Gata! Meredith, I’m up!” She raised her arms high as I looked at the old woman. She was unmoving, except for something in her eyes was. The closer I looked, I realized her left eye had multiple tiny gears inside of it, like it was mechanical. Then I heard a commotion. Looking back to Bertie she was getting surrounded by the remaining fifteen enemies, counting a few who got back up.
“NOW!” Meredith yelled, the flying bat device wasn’t alone now, multiple other small varied machines converged around Bertie. In a whirl of gears and cogs, she was transformed. Adorned with clockwork armor and a steam-powered weapon in the shape of a giant hammer, her open face masked revealed the glint in her eye.
“Oh, this is the new one? It’s not my birthday!” the massive bear squeed.
“Just don’t break it too bad!” Meredith yelled back, laughing and taking a seat beside me, speaking to me. “Oh, there’s nothing more I can do, I haven’t brought anything else other than those experimental drones.”
Gata, however, was gleefully throwing a green potion at the two transformed slimes. Chasing the once threatening duo around the battlefield. “Uhm, what’s up with her?”
Gata and Napoleon both groaned as I saw Bertie slam the steam-powered hammer into three of the mercenaries at once, sending them flying into the furniture store… Was she playing Mini-golf with the bad-guys?!
Napoleon finally decided to inform me of the obvious, “Well, looks like there’s no eight story centaur, all of that bluster was for nothing. I’m guessing he wanted us to be ready for oversized opponents and then get blindsided by the little guys.”
I can only nod, a little befuddled by the sights in front of me.
Bertie was gleefully using her newfound height and steam powers to take her enemies on a high-school first date. Where they were the ball.
Gata finally landed a light blue potion on the two slimes, the glass shattering at the slightest impact on them; they were flash frozen. “That’ll teach you two to go behind my back”
The purple slime flowed up to us after pulling the two off of the battlefield. Spreading out two tendrils, comically shrugging at us, “Grandkids, what can ya do?”