Diego watched the young Courier ride out of Rowan Keep and gallop down the road towards the next village. It had been interesting to talk to him on their ride from Thunderhead. The Inquisitor had kept his horse to a slower pace on purpose, to stretch out their conversation. By the end of the journey, he was well acquainted with many of the people Benjamin called friends and had something of an idea of the ACME corporation's goals.
As usual, it all came down to power and money. The new player guilds and corporations were not much different from the noble houses, trade guilds, and mercenary companies he normally had to investigate. This case was at least interesting.
They hadn't arrived until late in the night at Rowan Keep. Diego had barely been able to dismount from his borrowed warhorse. He wasn't as young as he used to be and that much time in the saddle was a stark reminder. He got a little sleep and rose in the pre-dawn light as the legion stirred. Benjamin had the effrontery to roll out of bed refreshed and smiling.
Now he was riding out an hour before the sun rose.
Benjamin had not been gone a minute before Diego went to find the centurion. After the pleasantries were over, he asked a direct question. "That was a Declaration of War that you gave to the courier to deliver. I've seen enough of them to know the feel of the spells they work into those things. Who is challenging who?"
Centurian Marcus hesitated for only a second. An inquisitor of this rank could break him back to the rank and file. Marcus had only a few skeletons in his closet, but that didn't mean he wanted to annoy an Inquisitor in any fashion and give him a reason to go looking. "A corporate war, Lord Inquisitor. One of the first from what I've heard. They are fighting over the village of Sedgewick and its surrounding lands."
"Including the ruins of Gadobhra?"
"Yes, including that. I've met with ACME's overseer here, one 'Billy' or 'William'. He does not seem to be allied with the dark, nor his overlord, Vernon. They have the crazed idea to use Gadobhra for profit. I assume the other group wants it for similar reasons. None of the mercenaries they have ready to attack have been agents of the dark."
Diego smiled wryly. "As far as you can tell."
Marcus wondered where this was going. "Yes, of course, as far as we can tell."
The Inquisitor looked pointedly at a bottle of wine on the shelf. "What say we indulge in a glass of that vintage as you tell me of your visits to Sedgewick. In particular, you've had dealings with a Butcher? Tell me about him. And I've heard mention of a Hedge Witch that associates with him. Untrained practitioners of the Arcane arts are always an interesting subject."
Marcus uncorked the bottle of wine and they drank a glass with the fresh bread from the bakery. "Well, I'm no expert on magic, so I can't judge the woman. But she's interesting. From what I understand she's keeping a dungeon under control, and is brewing some excellent beer. You might want to spend some time at the local tavern she runs."
Diego liked that idea. "I like the way you think, Centurion. What better way to gather information than to sit in a cozy tavern, drink a hearty ale, and listen to people talk? After I finish here, I'll have to consider that line of investigation."
----------------------------------------
Special abilities that doubled your sleep didn't help if you didn't sleep at all, and Suzette hadn't. Where the hell was Ozzy? He hadn't come to bed the night before, staying up all night killing sedge beasts and hanging them to smoke. She found him napping by his pit, but he took off as soon as he could, to hunt down a mysterious dwarf. Hearing him snoring every night from his end of the room helped drown out some of the noise in her head and made it easier to get to sleep. The door and all the windows were guarded with Hermetic Seals, but that didn't make her head feel as good as having her friend nearby. She was getting better, but it was a slow process. She still had nightmares of being trapped in a defective pod on her worst nights.
It didn't help that Ben was out playing delivery boy. And Rolly hadn't been seen in days. It felt like the world had abandoned her and everything was about to come crashing down. Or what was left of her world. But they were her problems, and her responsibility to deal with them. If she couldn't sleep, she'd clean the room, do her laundry, and start her brewing early. Anything was better than that damned dream. She ran out of chores to do and found herself sitting in front of the window and watching the moon slowly sinking beneath the horizon. Clearing her mind as best she could, she started working through some of the meditation exercises that Hermes had taught her. A runic circle formed around her, slowly filling with the basic runes she knew: Light, Sealing, and Health. The cantrip wasn't doing anything, just a comforting presence of magic as she slowly relaxed.
Two hours passed and she felt much better. The world didn't seem so oppressive. She had some time before she opened up the tavern. She decided to go check out all the sedge beast herds and pastures. She needed to know just what the hell was so important that Rolly didn't even come in to grab a bite to eat.
She flitted along the grass, her feet not even disturbing the dew, just one more shadow in the predawn light
----------------------------------------
Squirmy was waking up. They felt so much better! They'd reached the next stage of their new existence. This form was much better. It would be quicker, and more versatile. It was an old form, but they had found memories in their pet that improved it. Their pet! Where was their pet? They could barely feel him, he was fading.
Squirmy had known this would happen, but they'd hoped that this better pet would somehow be strong enough to survive the evolution. But it had been too much. They'd needed every bit of sustenance the pet had, and the wonderful little thing had given it all to them. They could feel the last bits of it fading away, and for the first time in their lives, Squirmy was sad for the fate of someone else.
This pet had been more to them. It gave them dreams of seeing new things. Goals beyond growing and eating and conquering. They were going to explore things! Do things! But those things were fading as the pet faded. Squirmy flexed their new muscles and the chrysalis that had been his pet's body cracked and split as he emerged. His new wings unfurled. He was very hungry! And as if on cue, his first meal was moving towards him.
"Rolly! Goddammit Rolly, I know you're around here somewhere, wake up, I brought breakfast."
Squirmy knew that voice somehow. Was this one of his pet's memories? A two-leg he was fond of. The one that fed him! It was called a 'Suzette'. She was one of his pet's nestmates! Perhaps she would make a good new pet?
The willows parted and Squirmy saw what 'the Suzette' looked like. Oh, this was Bad. Badbadbad. Squirmie remembered this one! She would not make a good pet! She was a bad thing! But she would make a good first meal!
----------------------------------------
Suzette found the little meadow by the stream and the stand of thick willows. This was the area Billy had told her Rolly was sleeping in. He'd probably had made himself a little shack in the willows complete with a teapot and comfy bed. He loved being close to his animals She'd brought food of course. Rolly was always hungry. Incredibly hungry these last couple of weeks, to the point she was beginning to wonder about him.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
"Rolly! Goddammit Rolly, I know you're around here somewhere, wake up, I brought breakfast."
She saw a denser part of the willows, and that extra branches had been woven into a rounded little hut. She moved through the willows into a scene of horror. White, wispy silk like what she had found in the husk was everywhere. It made a bed for a huge chrysalis that had split open, revealing a shriveled pile of bones and skin. She recognized Rolly's boots!
Sitting on top of it was a huge butterfly, slowly pumping its wings to unfurl them. It was beautiful, with long antennae and shiny multi-faceted eyes. She knew those eyes...
"You! You killed me! And you killed Rolly!!"
Squirmie spat out a glob of sticky webbing to catch his prey.
The things 'voice' was screaming in her head. Suzette dodged the projectile, flipping backward into the meadow where she had room to move. Her hands glowed with light. Butterfly and Barmaid prepared to do battle as the sun came up over the horizon and the first true light ran across the meadow. Squirmie felt a presence they'd thought gone.
Suzette didn't know what was happening, but she followed the bug as it headed straight for Sedgewick.
----------------------------------------
Billy was hoping for a quiet morning. He hated having a hang-over. This was a virtual world, why the heck did WALLY feel the need to keep hangovers? But he could put up with one for now, get the workers briefed, get things moving. Then go crawl back in bed for a morning nap. Hopefully an occupied one.
Sammy had suggested some 'team building' and brought over a couple of bottles of wine. Sammy was starting to work out and find his place on the team. Instead of fighting Billy, he'd been asking for more work, getting an idea of what the village needed, and how to help out with what Billy was doing. It was good to see it happening. Probably he'd figured out that if he did a good job, he'd get Sedgewick assigned to him when Billy became regional manager.
They'd gone over projects while drinking, and Layla gave her an update on the operation to sell the magic items coming out of the dungeon. Things were going very well. They had enough building points for a small shop in the northern city of Wolfsburg. Sales were brisk as there was always a need for magic items when they were so hard to get, and dungeons so few. Vern had put a permanent salesman at the shop and was overseeing the operation on that end. Money was starting to flow into ACME. Sammy had eventually retired, and he and Layla had continued the party until late, doing their version of team building.
Billy's quiet morning was shattered by a voice yelling "SQUIRMIE!"
Rolly was standing on top of the fountain in the basic pants and tunic they had all started in, a sure sign of having just resurrected. He was smiling and looking up into the sky. So was everyone else as a huge iridescent butterfly with wings of orange and black came sailing down out of the sky to alight on his shoulder.
"Wow, you look great Squirmie."
"This is going to be awesome. Look out World! The Team Supreme is here to stay!"
Suzette had made it back to town nearly as fast as Squirmie had, racing across the meadows and leaping fences. She slowed as she saw him with the bug, his face glowing with happiness.
"Susy, look! This is Squirmie. I've got a new pet!"
He'd done it again. She remember another day>..years ago...in another game...
A day before, the city of Orleans had been without hope. The starving city had held out for months, but with the death of the Maid of Orleans and the treacherous betrayal of the nobles who turned her over to the English, hope had fled and despair set in. The nobles had saved themselves and their families, leaving Orleans to be sacked and burned as an example to all who opposed the Cyber Cardinal. Then things changed in a moment as two lookouts spotted unexpected allies in the skies.
"The eagles are coming! The eagles are coming.."
"Are you daft, Gregory?! When the hell have eagles been that big or come in that many colors?"
"Oh, you're right! The Dragons are coming! The Dragons are coming!"
The English armies were routing. Soldiers tried in vain to save their skins, and mercenary captains tried to preserve as much of their companies as they could to fight another day. Their undead and orc allies had deserted them and fire-breathing behemoths wheeled overhead, dealing death with each pass. The defenders on the walls of Orleans gasped as the largest dragon swooped down to alight upon the walls, an armored warrior riding upon his back.
Captain Suzette De La Fontaine of the King's Guard moved to greet the Dragonlord. It should have been someone else, but most everyone else was dead. She bowed as low as she could in plate armor. "Welcome M'lord. We bless your timely arrival." The Dragonlord raised his visor showing a familiar face. Scarred and much older than it should be, but familiar.
"Susy! Look, I've got a new pet. This is Typhon."
Squirmie could see that his pet was fond of his nestmate. They didn't want to upset his pet so soon. Keeping this exceptional pet happy was important. And who knows? She might be useful.
< You are lucky, Suzette-two-legs. My pet loves his nest-mates. A truce for now? I don't want to upset him by eating you.>
The voice was much quieter than before, and she could tell no one else heard it but her. "Sure, a truce, for now, Bug."
Several adventurers were watching the scene as people tried to get a better look at Rolly and his pet. All of them began recording the scene and sending messages to friends and guild leaders.
The pounding of hooves heralded Ben's arrival. People quickly moved as the huge roan galloped through the streets. The horse came to a sudden stop and the courier dismounted by leaping forward into a full flip before his feet landed on the table where Billy was sitting.
Ben pulled the scroll he'd been given from his ring and presented it to Billy. "Mail for you Billy, looks important." Then, jumping down from the table, he ran over to Rolly. "Wow, awesome pet Rolly. "
[You have Evolved?!
So interesting! And you managed to evolve a...uh, well...a Squirmie! You helped a poor, hurt Squirmie gain a new form, much less monstrous than before. Who cares if you gave up a little of your humanity to do it? Not you, it seems. And more importantly, you have changed a growing quest! Probably better for everyone living in the North.
You are rewarded with the hidden stat: Life (LIF) This stat adds to your 30 Health per point.
You are rewarded with the magical Aspect: Gift of Life. This Aspect deals with life, growth, evolution, and more growth. Transfer Stamina will gain the benefit of this aspect.
For evolving yourself and your partner, gain 1000 experience points in the Gift of Life. Aspect of Life is now at Rank 5. LIF is now at rank 5. You have gained 150 health.]