Benjamin Vryce
“Thanks again Grace,” Benjamin said. The sun had risen some time ago. When the wolves began to move, Benjamin had opened his eyes to find a new outfit. It was made from the stitched together hides of dire squirrels. The clothes themselves were simple, consisting of pants and a sleeveless vest.
She had worked hard on them though; he could tell by how tight and even the stitches were. They must have taken her a large portion of the night to put together. That was the third time he had thanked her, and she blushed just as deeply this time as the last two. She even smiled, showing a hint of sharp canines.
It was also the first time he had seen her hunter’s cloak. He thought it was cute, with the hood pulled up like that. He had a momentary flashback to anime girls with cat ears. Except the smell, smoke tanned hides had a unique smell he had never associated with animal girls from anime.
Shortly after, the wolves came to rouse them. The pair hadn’t been given much time to get ready. He changed on the go and now, an hour or so later they had left the forest behind and were heading into the plains. Benjamin looked around; they were completely surrounded on all sides by wolves.
It was unnerving to say the least, the normal wolves were continually rotating around so he couldn’t accurately count them. One wolf however, was their constant companion throughout the morning. The flame-colored elemental wolf. She hadn’t been more than ten feet away from Benjamin since he opened his eyes.
She was angry, fur bristling whenever his head turned in her direction. Benjamin was beginning to think she had been very close to Ice before he killed her. He felt bad for the flame colored she wolf, he really did, but he hadn’t known that Ice was anything other than a beast when he had killed her. Besides he had been ambushed by her, not the other way around.
In the end it didn’t matter, as long as he didn’t provoke her. They would be parting ways soon. Benjamin had wanted to ask the alpha she wolf where they were going, but he hadn’t seen her since waking. He wondered where she might be for a time, but there really was no way to tell.
“Grace believes we are close to giant lands,” the goblin girl said from his side. He looked down at her. She was gripping her hunters bow with bloodless knuckles. Her eyes darted around from under her squirrel hood like they might be attacked at any moment.
“Relax Grace, we have an entire pack around us. Even if we are attacked, we will have some notice before they can get anywhere near us.” Benjamin reassured her. Thinking that he might now know where the alpha had gone. If giant attacks were likely, she was probably guarding that flank.
Benjamin tried a few times to focus on his seal. He gave up after his third attempt, when he tripped over a stone and fell on his face. The flame colored she wolf had chuffed at him, the wolf version of a laugh if he had to guess. It was enough for him, he decided he could wait to work on that puzzle for now.
Time passed as they moved slowly into the plains. The wolves around them were growing ever more restless with each step they took. Benjamin was beginning to think that they were going to be attacked after all. He flexed his claws, the only weapon he had, and looked to Grace. She was still on high alert, bow in hand.
Another hour slowly ticked by, when the tense atmosphere exploded around them. The monstrous howl of the alpha she wolf rent the air, her pack taking up the cry. Another voice sounded in a roar, this one resembling the bellow from a human throat, only much louder.
“Giant” Grace said, Voice low.
The pair crouched low where they stood, looking around for the threat. They didn’t see anything other than the wolves dashing about around them. Before they had the chance to do anything, two of the horse sized wolves crouched low on their bellies next to the pair and looked at them expectantly.
They exchanged glances, what were they supposed to do here. That question was answered for them when a rumbling voice spoke in their minds.
“Get on human soul and goblin girl,” Benjamin looked around for the voice, and spotted the flame-colored wolf staring him in the eyes from just feet away. “My children will carry you to your next trial. Be warned human soul, if my children do not return to me, I will hunt you to the ends of the Lord Erlking’s lands and beyond.” She pulled her teeth back from her long fangs as she thought spoke at him.
“By the Lord Erlking’s name. If my mother or one of my remaining sisters die while defending your retreat, I will hunt you down regardless.” Without waiting for a response, she turned around and bolted toward the howls.
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Benjamin was stunned again; he hadn’t realized she could talk. Did that mean Ice could talk? Grace had already scrambled onto her mount and was motioning for him to do the same. He shook his head that could come later. Now he had to get away, before any more of these noble beasts died on his behalf.
He had barely settled in, when the wolves darted forward. He was stunned, these guys could really move. He had thought the ones in the woods had been quick, he hadn’t realized just how hemmed in the trees had made them.
The pair of wolves flew across the ground, legs eating up the distance far faster then they could have moved on foot. It had taken Benjamin a few tries to get a grip on the beast below him, without digging his claws in to its fur. He managed eventually by just leaning over and wrapping his arms around its neck.
Perhaps a day passed before he saw a shape rising up in the distance. He kept his eyes on it, trying to figure out what it was. As they grew closer, he realized that it was a tower, made of grey stones. As more time passed and they hadn’t arrived yet, Benjamin began to understand just how massive the tower had to be.
They were drawing closer to the base now, looking up this thing had to be every bit as tall as the tree the mega squirrel had called home. Thinking about that tree brought his mind briefly to the aged copper acorn. He put his hand over it in his pocket, it was still a mystery to him but a minor one at this time.
At long last, the pair of wolves came to a stop on a cement platform. It was identical to the ones at the swamp and forest trials. Dropping to their bellies they allowed the two to dismount. Turning on their heels the wolves prepared to dart off again but Benjamin stopped them.
“Wait, please.” The pair hesitated for just a moment looking at him over their shoulder. he quickly continued before they could change their minds. “I am sorry I took some of your pack away. But they aren’t gone; they are with me. Soon, I will grow stronger and can call them out. Tell your mother, when I do if Lord Erlking is willing, I will return with her sister for a visit.”
They looked at him for a long moment, then without so much as a word or a whine they darted away. Benjamin watched them go, Grace at his side. When they had disappeared into the knee-high grass of the plains, they turned around to view the new trial.
The setup was much the same here as before, the long table filled with weapons and armor stretching the length of the platform. Only this time, instead of a trail into a swamp or wood, there was a massive stone tower.
Looking down he spotted a simple wooden door of rough planks, a sign hung on a wooden nail driven into it that said; welcome to the tower, your goal is to reach the top. Well, that wasn’t ominous or anything.
“I just hope it isn’t a dungeon tower,” he said with a half-smile looking at Grace.
“Grace doesn’t understand” she replied, looking up at him with her brow furrowed.
“Never mind, joke from my home world. Let’s take a look at the table, shall we? Nearly all my weapons and armor were destroyed getting here. There should be something you can use there too,” he said gesturing to the table.
Grace looked hesitant, but followed him over after a moment to check out the offerings. A quick scan showed Benjamin that there was more of the same with a few new additions. There was armor and weapons sized for goblins here now. A test pull also showed that the bows were of a heavier draw weight than before.
The pair traded a glance and a grin before beginning to outfit themselves. Grace was hesitant at first, but when Benjamin pointed out that the Erlking wouldn’t have added gear tailor made for her if he didn’t want her to use it, she loosened up a bit.
Once again outfitted with fresh armor, Benjamin looked himself over. He had kept the clothes Grace had sewn for him. Over those he put on a new metal plated leather tasset, a brigandine cuirass that was made with thicker plates and metal bracers and greaves. The weight wasn’t a problem for him anymore so he had chosen more protective options.
He hadn’t bothered with a weapon, after talking it over with Grace. He got up close and personal when he fought, and with his strength he was just as likely to break the weapon as the foe. Happy with his kit he looked to Grace.
The pale green goblin girl had been wearing soft hide, a sort of buckskin, when he had first seen her, and carrying a bow and quiver that only had five arrows left. She had looked the part of a forest hunter, lithe and graceful and unarmored.
Now, she looked like a warrior. She still had her soft hides on but over them her outfit very closely matched Benjamin’s own. Metal greaves and bracers, plated leather tasset, brigandine cuirass. She had placed her dire squirrel cloak back on over the armor to complete the look. She screamed, contained power.
The changes to her body added to the effect. Where before she moved with the lithe grace of a house cat, now she moved with the assured power of a tiger. She had picked up a new bow and quiver filled with arrows. They were both of higher quality and fit with her new musculature. She also bundled up a second set of armor, along with a new bearded axe and round shield that she carried on her back.
Benjamin knew they were for Stomper. He hadn’t said anything, just as she hadn’t mentioned it. He didn’t know how long it would be before he could remove his seal and access Stomper’s pattern. She knew that though; this was just her way of coping.
“Are you ready?” He asked her, checking his armor over one last time. She was doing the same beside him. Pointy eared head swiveling as she inspected herself.
“Yes, Grace believes she is ready…let’s hope this is a normal tower, not a dungeon tower.” She said, referencing his joke from earlier. That made him chuckle and he squeezed her shoulder affectionately. He had been looking at her, so he caught the slight twitch her facial muscles made at his contact. Not knowing what that meant he quickly let go and cleared his throat awkwardly.
“Let’s go then,” he said and led the way to the door. “I’ll go in first, you follow behind with your bow at the ready. Ok?” he asked her.
She nodded her assent, already holding her bow with an arrow nocked and ready. He pushed open the door and walked inside, ready for anything. The beast that greeted his eyes took him a few steps down memory lane, and he started laughing.