The town of Wingelton had a somber morning as all the residents packed up and prepared to leave. To the west was the looming threat of Prince Zaverick’s bandit army and demons. They could not be seen, but their presence was felt.
“You four have an important message to deliver and an enchanted wagon,” Mayor Ned observed.
“We have room and can fit more people,” Karl said.
Ned shook his bearded head and replied, “no, you all go on ahead and prepare Tameal for what is to come. We will be right behind ya.”
Nameless, Elora, and Zel’s demon zombies loaded sacks of supplies into the wagon. When he was finished, the knight turned and clasped the Mayor’s hand.
“Best of luck to you and yours,” Nameless said.
“Aye, same to you. Now be off!” The Mayor replied.
The four clambered into the wagon, and Karl took the controls. The wagon shuddered and then began moving along the road toward Tameal. The Mayor waved them off until he was too small to be seen.
“We need to talk about how we will enter the city,” Elora began.
Karl glanced over his shoulder and nodded as Zel and Nameless turned toward the elf to show that they were listening. The zombie demons just stared blankly as their flesh decayed slowly.
“I don’t think the city guards will take the zombies lightly,” Elora said, nodding toward the monstrous creatures.
“They will serve as proof to our claims that Zaverick may have a Demon Heart,” Zel responded with a raise of her chin.
“That is a fair point,” Karl said from the front.
Zel’s pupilless eyes went wide for a moment, and then they bowed their long black-haired head toward the polka-dotted Ooraki.
“Thank you, Karl.”
“Have any of you been to Tameal?” Asked Nameless.
Karl shook his head.
Zel tapped their chin and replied, “perhaps when I was younger. My family did a lot of traveling, but I can not fully recall the city at the moment. I know that they have a prestigious Wizard’s University that I was easily accepted to. However, they did not offer courses on Necromancy. That was why I went to the Academy, instead.”
Elora rolled her eyes at the necromancer and said, “I’ve lived in Tameal. It has been over three years, but I did not leave on good terms.”
“This connected with your criminal life?” Asked Zel.
Elora nodded.
“Will that be a problem for us?” Nameless said as he leaned forward.
“It is a big city, and the odds that I will run into someone that recognizes me are slim,” Elora replied.
“Then why bring it up?” Karl asked from over his shoulder.
“To be transparent with you, and there might be a possibility that my old life catches up to me,” the elf answered.
The others could see Karl shrug his broad shoulders. “What about you, Nameless? Your armor telling you anything?” The Ooraki asked.
“No. I suppose no news is good news.”
They continued heading northeast along the bumpy dirt road. Looming to their left in the distance were the rocky hills where they fought the Caizene. Wingleton was a tiny speck at their backs. The road continued before them in the distance, lined with grassy fields below a grey overcast sky of the early morning.
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Their first day of travel went well until it started to drizzle. None of them were familiar with the outdoors, and much of Nameless’s memory was still shrouded in fog. If they were, they would have known to seek cover immediately. They didn’t, and the drizzle turned into a downpour, and the roads turned to mud. Eventually, their wagon became stuck, and they all got soaked trying to get it out.
The first night was miserable for the travelers as they scrambled to erect cover to make camp in the windy cold. It was not a success, and they spent the night shivering. Even though Nameless did not feel discomfort, his armor told him that the cold and the weather impacted his armor magic.
ARMOR: MAGIC REMAINING 47.75%
EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE AN ANIMATED SUIT OF ARMOR, WEATHER AND THE ELEMENTS STILL AFFECT YOU. THE RAIN AND COLD WILL IMPACT YOUR MOBILITY AND DAMAGE THE METAL YOU ARE WEARING. YOUR ARMOR MAGIC WILL BE NEEDED TO ALLOW YOU TO RESIST THE DANGERS OF THE ELEMENTS. HOWEVER, IF YOUR ARMOR MAGIC IS REDUCED TO ZERO, YOU WILL NO LONGER EXIST AND WILL HAVE FAILED IN YOUR QUEST TO SAVE THE GIFTED ONE.
If Nameless had a face under his great helm, he would have scowled at the armor.
“My armor can’t keep this up,” he said.
“And you think we can?” Snapped Karl.
They all sat beside the wagon under a makeshift tarp that did very little to cover them from the biting wind and pelting rain. The Ooraki, Zel, and Elora were huddled together under their soaked cloaks and sleeping blankets. Nameless was in front of them, and they sat around a flickering fire that sputtered and went out.
“It is exhausting for me to maintain it,” Zel muttered as they slowly fell asleep.
“Great, now we will freeze to death,” Karl complained.
The following day was dry and brisk. They were all miserable as they packed up their camp.
“Our food!” Exclaimed Elora.
The rain had soaked their supplies, and for breakfast, they ate soggy bread and cheese. They were back on the bouncing enchanted wagon again through rocky roads. The weather was clearer, but it did little to lighten their moods.
“I can’t stand the smell anymore!” Elora exclaimed while holding her tiny button nose.
“I’d imagine you would have gotten used to it now,” Zel retorted.
“It has gotten worse after the rain,” grumbled Karl.
They were talking about Zel’s demon zombies that started to decay much more after being soaked in the rain. Maggots could be seen oozing out of their bloated bellies as rotting flesh fell off at random intervals to plop on the wagon floor.
Zel tapped their chin and said, “hmm, I wonder if there is a way to preserve them longer.”
Elora grimaced as she kicked a pile of rotting flesh off the back of the wagon with a booted foot.
“That was gross,” Nameless acknowledged.
After another hour of traveling, Zel’s demon zombies finally crumbled apart. Noxious gas emitted outwards, causing Elora and Karl to gag.
“That was interesting,” observed Zel.
Karl had to stop the wagon so that they could clean the oozing remains of the demons.
“It is no wonder that Necromancy is banned,” complained Karl.
“Not true. It is not illegal to practice the art, and it is just misunderstood,” Zel explained.
“It is definitely the grossest of all the magical arts,” Elora said.
After thirty minutes of scrubbing the floors of the wagon, they resumed their journey.
“Must you keep the heads?” Karl asked.
“Yes, for research and evidence when we arrive at Tameal,” Zel answered.
That night they were blessed with normal weather. They sat huddled around a fire that took nearly two hours to make. Zel’s magical fire did not last. Even the fire that it ignited faded when the magic expired. In the end, it required that Karl create an enchanted tool that could ignite a real fire. Even with the item, they still didn’t know how to set up the tinder and wood so the flame would last. Eventually, they figured it out. They were cranky, tired, and hungry, for most of their food was spoiled from the rain. Elora began to gently sing a travel song she had learned.
WE ARE ON THE ROAD, MY FRIEND,
GOING PLACES AND TRAVELING AGAIN.
SEEING THE SITES AND HEARING THE SOUNDS,
EXPLORING AND FINDING WHAT ADVENTURE ABOUNDS.
WE ARE ON THE ROAD, MY FRIEND,
GOING PLACES AND TRAVELING AGAIN.
FACING BAD WEATHER AND HARDSHIP,
EITHER ON THE ROAD OR ON A SHIP.
WE ARE ON THE ROAD, MY FRIEND,
GOING PLACES AND TRAVELING AGAIN.
Her voice carried on, verse after verse, and over time all of their spirits were lifted. Zel made a joke, and Karl chuckled. Nameless nodded his great helm, for even he was at peace from the magic of the music.