I jump onto the back of one of the draugrs driving my dagger deep inside of its skull. The draugr tries to grab me with its free hand as it tries to defend himself against Raven. But failed as Raven separates his waist from his torso with a clean strike. I fall backward and crawl out from under it before retrieving my dagger.
“You have to destroy the head or body. Don’t just stab the head.”
He deflects the blade of another as Remus punched another with his fist impaling it as the draugr glowed with holy light.
“Just leave this to us Briana there is no need for you to fight these abominations.”
“Got to give her credit though uncle she’s doing better than the cry baby over there.”
He then cut down his opponent after parrying its sword.
“STAY AWAY FROM ME!”
Elizabeth was panicking as she fought with a weakened draugr that lost one of its arms. She was beating it over and over with raw force until its skull was ground bone.
“She is a lot stronger than I gave her credit for.”
“Look out!”
I duck as Rachel uses her staff to channel a stream of hyper condensed air to cut a draugr head in half. She then jumps over me and kicks another with a stone covered leg. Blasting it into a wall before finishing it with her staff breaking its skull into multiple pieces.
Damn it! I hate being this weak. I haven’t got a kill since we got in here. I’m not skilled enough and I’m too weak. Even the scaredy lizard Elizabeth got one. Though that was due to her crazy natural strength.
“Looks like that was the last of them. You okay Briana?”
“Yeah, only losing my pride at the moment.”
“It's okay that’s expected for most beginners. Especially since you're so small. You just need to train some more in magic and you’ll be able to take one on. Though that was a good move earlier going for the backstab. If it hadn’t been an undead you’d have gotten it for sure.”
“At least you know how to navigate a fight, unlike Elizabeth over here.”
Raven pointed at Elizabeth who just stood still over the draugr body in front of her. Looking at her shaking hands.
Yeah, she definitely was going to need some work for sure. At least she wasn’t frail. So we didn’t have to worry about her too much. But it was still annoying having her overreact to everything.
I looked down the hall to see how much further we had left to go. The hallway stretched for what felt like miles. It apparently was some sort of magical illusion trial you had to pass to reach the west hall. Something to do with the facing of great trials or something. The invaders trapped the illusion though with these draugrs. So we had to face them down along with making the arduous journey.
We were on day seven of the trial. So it was Thursday evening right now (2:1 time dilation). Raven and Remus had Elizabeth carry us when we were logged out. For some weird reason, a part of ours souls couldn’t escape the burial grounds so we just left comatose bodies when we logged out. Also, none of my familiars could leave and so for once I actually was by myself for the week.
Which was definitely eye opening. You don’t realize how much you rely on your study buddy until he wasn’t there (shout out to you Matt). So we’ve been trying to finish this as fast as possible so we could regroup with the others.
Luckily, Lucius had us go back and get our packs after finding out that the invaders had gone deep into the depths of the burial ground. He wanted us to be prepared for anything we might come across. So we were using our resources sparingly while fighting down the hallway.
“Finally! I see something!”
I run ahead into what appeared to be a great cave with many branching paths to different tombs. I look around trying to spot anything out of the ordinary but all I see is the dim rock being illuminated by a crystal installed on the ceiling.
“Great, how many tombs are there here?”
“I think Lucius said it was around 87 I believe.”
“Then let’s call it a night then. We’ll set up camp at the tunnel entrance so they will not be able to get past without us noticing.”
“Guess that means I get first watch again.”
“We could try having Elisabeth start the first watch.”
“Why she’ll just fall asleep and I ain’t dying because of her incompetence.”
“She is the best screamer though.”
“I guess you have a point. Though could you scout the area and make sure someone isn’t watching us.”
“Sure I’ll do that before I hit the sack.”
I make my way down into the cave using the shadows to try and mask my presence. I see strange writing on the walls of the tombs probably the names of past heroes. I check each doorway making sure nothing is watching us. As I come across the last entrance I feel something inside.
I debate whether I should investigate by myself as I’m not a great fighter. But, I’ll be real quick so I won’t be in any real danger. I make my way inside and see a mural of some human plainswoman. She is leading a group of people against a dragon wielding some sword. The sword seems to emit some bright light. I keep moving on until I see another mural with the same person wielding a different sword. It emitted what looks to be a calmer light against some bandits.
In the following room, I see the two swords lying on opposite sides of the room with a sarcophagus in the middle. I try to make out the name on it but I can’t read it. I then try to leave the room but it's gone?
The doorway that I entered from was closed. Now I can’t leave and I’m stuck in here. I need to log out soon but I don’t want to leave without returning to the others. Not like I have much choice though. I wasn’t breaking through so I headed back and looked around.
I couldn’t find anything though. So I lied down next to the sarcophagus and logout.
I set the helmet on my nightstand and look at the clock. It was almost midnight and I still had to drive to my sister’s lab tomorrow. So, unfortunately, I had to put off getting out of that hole until then. I needed some good sleep or else I’d fall asleep at the wheel. It’s hard enough to stave off narcolepsy with only caffeine a good night's sleep is needed as well.
“I love you, BABY!!!”
Man, I hate driving. I need to find something other than loud music to keep these road trips entertaining.
I pull into the lab’s parking lot and walk up to the entrance where my sister is standing there with a bright smile on her face.
She hugs me as soon as I enter the door hugging me for a good minute before letting me go.
“Ah, it’s so good to see you! How was your drive?”
“Boring as always. They really need to finish those self-driving cars so I can sleep while it drives.”
“So it was good that’s great! Ready to hook in and start the test?”
“Sure let’s get this over with.”
She led me down some halls until we got to her lab. She used her access key to open the door and we entered the room. There was a chair with a bunch of instruments near it. Along with a desk that had a bunch of monitors to monitor the test subject. ME!
“Let’s get this over with sis.”
“Alright sit in the chair and I’ll hook you up. I’ll monitor you for 24 hours as you play SQO so just have fun and I’ll take care of any issues that might arise.”
“So what exactly are you recording sis?”
“It’s a secret, I told you. So don’t worry about it and just have fun little bro.”
“Alright fine.”
She then hooks me up and after a minute I’m hooked in.
“Alright on my mark log onto SQO.”
I set the SQO helmet that was on the table on my head and she counts down.
“3, 2, 1”
I flip the switch but I can’t help saying something before I finish.
“Link Start!!!”
“That show --“
I wake up in the same room and I quickly realized. I just signed up to spend 48 hours in this room didn’t I. At least I’ve got 48 hours to figure a way out.
I look at the two swords again and realize they might be a way out. I look at the two swords and pick the one that resembles the light of the moon. As I grasp the handle of the sword I feel a tingle down my spine as something foreign seems to exam me. I blink and see a green haired woman in front of me.
I back away and hit the wall behind me. I was sure no one else was in here with me. So was this person from the sword? I look at the sword still in my hand that I dragged along the floor in my panic in wonder.
“Hello, young one. Where are your parents and how’d you get in here?”
I didn’t know how to respond I must’ve appeared as a child to her so I guess I had a lot to explain.
“It’s a long story. But, I guess we don’t really have anything else going on now do we.”
“I guess so considering I’m just a soul copy of the dead person in the sarcophagus.”
“So you’re, her?”
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
“A copy of her soul when she was alive, yes.”
I then explained as best I could the events that had unfolded to me arriving at her grave.
“So you are still a child right?”
“No, yes, it’s complicated.”
“Sounds like it. Though I have no ideas how you became trapped in here as only the spirits have complete control of the burial grounds. Your intruders must have done something to have angered them. ”
“So I’m stuck here until then?”
“Or until you can appeal to the spirits… Actually, I think I might have an idea that could get you out of here.”
“What is it? Not like I got any good ideas.”
“Draw the sword.”
…
“That’s it?”
“It is a sword that won’t let anyone who the spirits haven’t deemed worthy wield. So if you are able to draw the sword the spirits would have to deem you worth and it might unseal the way out.”
I look at the sword in my hands. Guess I don’t have anything to lose do I? If it all goes well I also get a cool new sword! That’ll show Teage I’m not worthy of one. So what if I’m too small. I agreed to wield a dagger due to our lack of time but having a sword is infinitely cooler!
I try to draw the sword and feel a stiff resistance against my pull, but the resistance decreases over time. Slowly but steadily revealing the sword in all of its glory. I’m mesmerized by its beauty and stare at it half drawn.
“What are you waiting for? You have to unsheathe it entirely not halfway.”
I give it a final pull freeing the blade from its scabbard. I’m then engulfed in a swirl of spirits that surround me in a light. I can’t see in front of me and claw for anything as I’m blinded. After a minute a wake up in a field full of fauna grazing peacefully around me.
“Hello, young one.”
I turn to the sound and see a humanoid with a body made completely out of grass and grains.
How many ethereal beings am I going to have to meet to get out of this place!
“Ah, hello, grass spirit?”
“We’re technically a collection of plains spirits. But that’s close enough.”
“So you are a we are Legion: for we are many kind of entity. Am I right?”
The spirit looked confused but seemed happy with the analogy.
“You are the first to so easily accept this fact. Usually many are perplexed by what we are. Many being one isn’t exactly an easy concept for many to understand.”
“Let’s just say that I’ve come across a fictional take on it. Never seen one in person.”
The spirit chuckled at this.
“We seem to have underestimated the imagination of you humanoids. It continues to amaze us. But, back to the topic at hand.”
The face straightened and stared straight through me. I was really getting tired of being looked at like this.
“We must ask for a favor from you fox-spirit. As you already know the burial grounds is under assault. We ask you to take up ownership of the sword you found and drive them from the grounds. They seek to use the energy gathered here to open a portal to unleash upon us an unknown force.”
“What kind of force all I know about these intruders is very vague. Could you please elaborate?”
“Unfortunately there is no time to explain further.”
Gee how utterly convenient for them.
“But, we shall gift you with the power to expel them and discover the truth yourself.”
The grains making up the body then disperse around me circling me as I feel a weird energy congregating around the base of my tail. I try to get a good look at it but then I feel a sharp pain protruding and I wriggle on the ground in pain. I then feel my entire body growing as well. Stretching both my muscles and bones. It feels somewhat like when I tried to transform with my entire body changing shape. I don’t know how long I laid there in pain before it receded.
I laid panting on the grass and felt an odd sensation. I look behind me to see I now had twin tails swishing behind me. My hair had also grown longer and I felt like I had grown taller. I try to stand up and I only shakily manage to.
Two down seven more to go! I look around and feel as if the whole world is spinning. I fall over in dizziness and realize I’m back in the tomb and promptly begin to dry heave.
“I’m guessing it went well. It also appears you’ve grown a bit.”
I realize the sword is still in my hand and promptly sheath it. It’s already caused enough excitement for now.
“Then I guess I’ll go back to sleep call to me if you need guidance.”
The green haired lady then disappeared without another word. So with no one else around I use the sword as a crutch (sorry sword) and make my way out of the tomb.
I see a curious scene await me with Remus defending Elizabeth as she sings a sad melody. Failing to see either Rachel or Raven I’m guessing they are injured seeing as Elizabeth is singing.
The music invigorates my muscles and I’m able to stand more steadily. I also feel a buildup of soul energy expanding from my soul sphere which gives me a boost of adrenaline. I burst straight ahead and unleash the sword using a quick draw technique cleaving one of them in half. I then turn on the remaining enemies and charge ahead using my speed to quickly butcher them down with a speed I was unaware I had. With bloodlust seeping into my sight I cut down the last figure and search for more. Ready to bathe in their blood and cut them down. My vision is cloudy and I see a figure in front of me so I charge them. It jumps back in fear of me, but before I can connect I feel a sharp pain at the back of my neck and everything goes black.
Blood! Blood! Blood! I bolt upright but I can’t get up. I struggle helplessly against someone. I scream and shake in vain against their strength. I hear a soft melody and I slowly calm down the blood in my vision dies down. I see Elizabeth above me pinning me down.
“You back to us girl.”
I look around as everyone stares at me scared. Raven seems to have a bandage around his chest and leg. Rachel is unconscious with multiple cuts and bruises but is still breathing. Remus has his head bandaged and looks at me in utter panic.
“What, happened?”
“You, ah. You went berserk. We were attacked during the night when you failed to come back. We held them back as best we could, but we were soon surrounded and outnumbered. Then you showed up with this sword and a second tail.”
“Long story I’ll explain later.”
“You then butchered all of them and almost attacked us. Right as you were about to attack Remus I hit you in the back of the head and knocked you unconscious. So what happened?”
“I saw you all surrounded and when I failed to see Rachel or Raven I feared the worst. So I charged them and soon there was some kind of red fog in my vision. It clouded my vision and judgment and at some point I let it take over.”
“Well we’re okay a bit beat up but alive. Thanks to you no less.”
She then hugged me petting my hair and ears.
“I’m just glad you’re alright. I didn’t know what to think. Don’t do that again.”
Remus took a cautious step forward to look at me.
“I heard that beast-kin could enter a bloodrage, but I’d never seen one under its effects. It is said to only happen after great emotional distress mixed with the blood of their enemies. I suggest we rest some more before continuing. I’ve heard that it wreaks havoc to their mental states for some time.”
“Can we do it somewhere else at least. We still haven’t disposed of the bodies properly if we don’t do something soon we’ll have trouble soon.”
“You’re right. I’ll begin the preparations to purify their remains so they may pass on. We’ll have to burn the corpses as well.”
How bad of a carnage did I unleash?
“Can I see them?”
“I think it’s a better idea for you to get some rest kid.”
“No Raven. She needs to see the result of her actions. No matter what influences you are under your actions still need to be seen through. Come I will show.”
I shakily get back to my feet and try to move forward. But I can’t as Elizabeth holds my hand tightly refusing to let go or look me in the eyes.
“Don’t do this. You’ll only regret it. Let them take care of it.”
“No, I need to see it just like Remus said.”
She slowly relaxed her grip in defeat but remained where she was. I walked to the edge of the encampment and looked at the cave floor in front of me.
There strewn across the floor was the bodies of countless soldiers. Their bodies cut into many pieces with blood caked across the entire floor. The fear on their faces immortalized on their cold unmoving faces. They looked to be both old and young with ruthlessly severed bodies strewn all around.
I looked in horror at what I had done. I knelt on the floor not sure what to make of the scene before trying to dry heave as the smell assaulted me. Raven stand next to me looking at the corpses with cold eyes.
“This is the true horror of war they leave out of all those stories. It never gets easy looking upon these scenes but you did what you thought you needed to do to defend us. So don’t beat yourself over this too much. They wouldn’t have cared about running you through one bit. So accept what you’ve done and move on. It doesn’t get any better no matter how much you try to forget.”
Being a mercenary he must have had to have witnessed scenes like this before. Me, I’d only killed that one necromancer and even then I didn’t know the truth until later. I’d wanted to avoid needlessly butchering people like that and hoped to avoid this. But due to my impulsiveness, they were all ruthlessly killed by my hands.
Elizabeth got up and came over to me as I began to cry for the dead in front of me. She then lifted me princess style taking me away from the scene. Laying me out on a blanket. She then handed me some bread and a waterskin to wash the dry bread down. I accepted it with shaking hands and slowly ate the food taking sips of water between.
But the stream of tears from my eyes failed to stop making a mess of myself as I ate. After I finished Elizabeth lays me down her lap petting me gently while humming softly. Bringing a calm peaceful atmosphere to the depressing atmosphere around me. Though I appreciated it as I helped me go to sleep and calm my emotional distraught mind.
POV Elizabeth
After Briana went to sleep I carefully set her back on the blanket. I then got up and checked on Rachel. She had been injured in the fight badly and had passed out from lack of blood.
Luckily my singing was able to stabilize her before we lost her, but right now it was up to her strength of will. Luckily for her, this was just a project. So she was likely fine and asleep in the real world after losing consciousness and being ejected from the game. I changed her bandages while singing a soft melody.
My singing promoted healing but this healing true power from both my strength and from the body of the recipient. We were relying on traditional medicine for now as we didn’t want to strain her body any further than needed. This much won’t do much but I did it to calm myself as I treated her. Remus then came over to me as I finished redressing the last of her injuries.
“I hate to ask you to do this but could you help us move the bodies. Time is of the essence to prevent further danger. Also, I need to tell you something about these people.”
“What is it?”
“I looked at their uniforms and saw that they were men of the church.”
“What! Why are they down here?”
“They might have been here to address the threat as well. In the commander's rash thinking, he must have thought of us as bandits or thieves. Maybe even the threat we are searching for.”
“So it was a misunderstanding?”
“Unfortunately it appears so. But, I wish for you to not tell this to Briana.”
“Why?”
“Like I said she is emotionally unstable. That rapid growth, the bloodrage, and her shock at this scene. She needs time to take all this in. If you can I’d like you to take extra care that her mental state remains stable over the next few days.”
“HEY, old man. Get over here. I ain’t moving these corpses by myself. I ain’t getting paid enough to do this myself.”
“Guess that’s our cue to help him.”
“I guess so …”
I then helped them pile the bodies in a corner of the room. Moving all their equipment to the side and letting Remus first purify the bodies.
“Oh Lord on high! Hear my plea! Let these men in your service find peace in your grace. Let them know the peace that they could not find on earth in you loving arms.”
He then released some bright energy towards the pile and after a minute some small lights left the pile disappearing within seconds after they escaped.
“Time to burn em now. Got any fire breath for us dragon lady?”
“No, I don’t sorry …”
“Guess I’ll go get the fire starter and try to light it the usual way then.”
He made his way to camp and I followed laying to rest next to Briana. Raven left soon after with his starter. I’d leave the rest to him and Remus. I curled up and gently hugged her closer to me absorbing her warmth and reverberating it back putting me to sleep in her warmth.
POV Raven
“Are you sure we’re going to survive this uncle. Cause this girl seems like quite the handful.”
“God works in mysterious ways Raven you know this. We will follow his sign and support this girl as best we can.”
“You know that’s suicide old man. Also, I don’t like this. Seeing these bodies makes me sick. What magical purpose did these deaths serve?”
“I do not know. All I know is we should honor their lives and send them off with God’s grace at their side as they make the journey to the other side.”
I finally manage to light some of their cloth after dosing it in some alcohol I had stashed. The fire slowly engulfs the bodies and the revolting smell is unleashed upon us.
“Well, uncle I promise to defend you until the next city. After that, I’m taking my pay and going home. I’ll hook you up with some good mercs, but me, I’m out. I just don’t like my odds hanging out with this ‘prophet’ of yours.”
“Very well I won’t hold it against you. I thank you for staying with me this long at least. Though not easy I enjoyed this time we shared. I hope it has been as enriching for you as it has for me.”
“Whatever old man. I’m going to bed. You’ve got first watch tonight.”
“Alright, sleep well nephew we’ll need whatever strength we can muster for what lies ahead.”
“Just stop with the foreshadowing uncle. It’ll shave years off both our lives.”
“Good night nephew.”
“Yeah yeah.”
I lay on my blanket and catch a look at Elizabeth who is treating Briana as a doll. I just hope she isn’t smothering her. I close my eyes to try and regain the strength I’d used during the fight. I just really hoped I lived long enough to use the pay I’d earn from this job.