Chapter 69 – Moment's Respite
The journey back to a safe area to set up a base camp took the better part of a day. Pursuing enemy draugr forces harassed the ships at every opportunity, either via ships of their own or volleys of arrows launched from the shore.
More than once a ship was torn into pieces by a giant pillar of ice erupting from the previously peaceful river. Authun, the frost mage the queen had warned them of, apparently had more control over sea than land, and was using the river to his advantage. It was an impressive display of power but the ability seemed to have long cooldown times. It could also be somewhat avoided if they moved slowly and kept watch in the river for any signs of freezing.
The queen became far more vigilant and unrelenting in her defense, even going so far as to free Onem from the enslavement manacles so that he could assist in the protection of the fleet. Despite Jack's repeated warnings she never put the manacles back on the draugr.
After a day’s journey down the river, they came upon a small defensible position near the river, where they established a base camp.
Jack had spent the evening helping unload several boxes of a strange brown liquid before helping to unbox, uncork, and subsequently empty several large bottles. It felt only appropriate after his month of forced sobriety. After emptying his fourth, or maybe fifth bottle, he spotted Onem walking freely through camp. Jack, bravery and bravado provided by this new found beverage, stormed into the queen’s tent to demand some answers.
The Queen, to her credit, did not react the slightest bit embarrassed, which was impressive considering she had been mid-change of her clothes when he burst in. Instead only a weary and tired frustration filled her voice as she argued with an intoxicated Jack for what felt like the tenth time that day.
“I assure you; my soul oaths are quite… extensive,” she tried. “I can all but guarantee that Onem will bring no harm to Hannah or yourself.”
“Then why did you do it in secret? Tell me the exact verbiage used.” Jack demanded, dropping his bottle on the table.
“I don’t have to explain myself to the likes of you, or anyone, for that matter. You insult me with your insinuations that I have not created a valid soul oath. Begone.” She said, taking a haughty tone.
“Is this because I saw you naked? I swear that was an accident. A happy accident, mind you, but an accident nonetheless. Besides, you look ah-maze-ing for what, a few centuries old?”
That earned him a punch in the face that sent him flying backwards out of the tent. He would be lying if he said the entire experience hadn’t awoken something within himself.
The rest of the time at camp had been wildly uneventful. The first few days Jack had expected an attack from Authun, or Gurthok even, or Onem for that matter, but nothing ever came.
Beyond that, Jack simply focused on recovery.
“Hey” Hannah said, walking up to Jack as he skipped stones down the river. They both watched as the rock Jack just pitched skimmed off the water, each bounce creating a powerful wake until it disappeared somewhere into the horizon.
Things with Hannah had been awkward, to say the least. They’d tried and failed to strike up a conversation half a dozen times over the past couple of days, but it always fizzled out into an awkward silence.
Jack grimaced in annoyance. This wasn’t like them.
Time to rip the band aid off.
“I’m sorry.” He said after a moment to Hannah, who was standing next to him, silently watching.
“What?” she asked, confusion on her face.
“God damnit, I said I’m sorry. Can you quit being so fucking awkward now?”
“I’m awkward? You’re the one who’s been all silent and broody. Normally, I can’t get you to shut the fuck up.” Hannah protested. “What the hell are you even sorry for?”
“Ya know… Not sticking to the plan. Getting into a fight with Onem and almost dying. Telling Onem you would totally date him if he let me go. Things of that nature.” Jack mused, picking up another rock and hurtling it down the river.
Hannah simply stared at him for a long moment, taking in everything Jack had said.
“I’m sorry too. I didn’t mean to unravel you like I did, and I should have expected you to go all crazy killer mode and not be able to stick to a plan. Hell, you can barely stick to a plan when you’re in your right mind.”
“Apology denied. Try again, but this time put a little more soul into it. Maybe some tears. I want you to really sell it this time.”
Hannah kicked his legs out from under him in response.
Jack smirked, leaning back onto the ground and staring up at the sky. Hannah sat down next to him.
“So what happened to you? You don’t seem… crazy like I thought you would be.”
“Fuck if I know. Had a lot of time to think and reflect in the mines. Can’t say I’m a fan of it. I think I have feelings now.”
“You’ve always had feelings, dumbass. The only one who didn’t realize that was you.” Hannah scoffed.
Jack didn’t really know what she meant by that, but he found himself smiling at the words, regardless.
“So, have you figured out what the hell is going on with this dungeon?” Jack asked, changing the subject.
“What do you mean?”
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“It’s strange. I’ve had a few conversations with Onem, and he doesn’t seem to think the Tower exists.”
“Oh. That.” Hannah said in a grimace. “Yea, I tried to do a fair amount of investigating myself. Best I can tell, this is some weird alternate history bullshit. Like how things would have turned out for them if they never entered the Tower.”
“But they are using magic and stuff? And they seem completely ingrained within the system.”
“You sure about that? Sure, they understand the vernacular, but I imagine that’s the Tower actually filling in some gaps for continuity’s sake. I don’t think they actually have access to a system like we do. I think they actually had access to magic before entering the Tower. It’s odd really.”
“So you’re saying we got stuck with the one planet that didn’t have any magic available?”
“Seems that way. I’ll be curious to see if the other races in the tower had magic back on their home worlds. We might be further behind than I thought.” Hannah grimaced.
“Also, apparently these guys know Andurian.”
“Really?” Hannah asked, perking up. “How’d that come up?”
“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. When we dug up Gurthok’s hoard, he had an elixir that makes it so I can regenerate my mana channels.”
“So that’s how you pulled that off. I thought Halldis might have had something to do with it. Apparently, she was also a plenty capable alchemist, as I’m finding out. Onem won’t shut the hell up about the loss of knowledge that resulted from her death. “ Hannah mused “So you were saying about Andurian?”
“Andurian made the elixir that’s responsible for fixing my channels.”
“Interesting… And what did Onem have to say about Andurian?”
“That he was an extremely evil scientist and not to be trusted. That everything he makes is cursed to destroy you.”
“Sounds about right.” Hannah said matter of fact.
“Yep. Beyond that, he wasn’t very forthcoming. Talking about the guy seemed to piss him off, if anything. I don’t think I’ll be able to get a word out of him now that I’ve betrayed him and what not…”
“You could try the queen?” Hannah smirked.
“I don’t think she likes me very much.”
“Because you keep ogling her, you idiot.”
“It’s not my fault! Apparently eight-foot-tall winged Amazonian women really get me going.”
“A snu-snu fetish, huh? Careful with that one.” Hannah laughed.
Things with Hannah felt like they were getting back to normal, and Jack felt a tightness in his heart that he hadn’t realized was there start to loosen up. Their conversation spiraled into new techniques and learned abilities, and Hannah started trying to goad him into a duel. Which he adamantly refused.
“Coward!”
“No. A duel wouldn’t be fair. Unless you're suddenly okay with the potential of being disintegrated by lighting, I can’t exactly use mana.”
“I know! You need all the practice you can get on non-mana fighting. I watched you out there. You get tired way too fast.”
“You caught me at a bad time, I’m much better than that-“
“Excuse me,” a blue-eyed draugr interrupted. Jack looked over at the draugr… Well, it honestly was starting to look more human than draugr. Whatever magic was going on that turned their eyes from red to blue also seemed to return some of their humanity back to them.
Jack had asked the Valkyries about it, but they didn’t have any straightforward answers for him.
“We are simply giving them a chance to redeem themselves.” Was all they would say on the matter.
“Whaddya want?” Hannah asked, pushing herself up off the ground and staring at the draugr.
“The queen has requested you both join her in her tent.”
“Both of us? You’re sure she didn’t just ask for me?” Jack asked, a hopeful tinge to his voice as he absentmindedly rubbed his jaw where she had clocked him a few days earlier.
“Both of you.” The draugr said matter of fact.
“Hoping for something there, pervert?” Hannah asked.
“If this is a weird threesome sex thing, I’m going to need you to bow out so I can have some alone time with the queen.”
“You got it dude.” Hannah said with an eye-roll.
The queen had not, in fact, realized her love for Jack and requested his presence for happy fun time. He was disappointed to walk in and find Onem, a smug look on his face.
“Ughh. What’s this guy doing here?” Jack asked, spreading out on to one of the cushioned seats inside the overly large tent.
“Onem is now a general working for me. His presence is needed.” The queen said matter of fact.
“Does that mean we’re finally going to make a move?” Hannah asked, peering at a map that sat atop a table in the center of the tent.
“Yes. I have nearly converted all of Onem’s forces to the side of the redeemed. Once that is complete, I suggest we launch our offensive. If we wait any longer, we risk Authun marching on us.” The queen said matter of fact.
“Launch our offensive on what, exactly?”
“Our goal will be two-fold. We must first eliminate Authun. Fighting Gurthok while Authun lives will be nigh impossible. The two made quite the formidable duo.” She grimaced.
“And the second?” Jack asked, growing more bored with each passing second.
“The second will be to convert as many of Authun’s forces to the side of the redeemed. We will need an army at our backs if we are to face off against Gurthok.”
“And how do you plan on doing that exactly?” Hannah asked. “I feel like it will probably be a net loss in terms of troops if we launch an offensive against Authun?”
“I’m inclined to agree,” the queen nodded. “I’ve been speaking with Onem here about your… unique abilities, Jack.” The queen said with an inspecting gaze at him.
Jack wiggled his eyebrows at her in response. She scoffed and turned her gaze towards Hannah.
“If what you have told me about your life is to be true… You are assassins, are you not?”
“Sort of-“ Hannah started to say.
“Yes.” Jack interrupted. “Please tell me you have a job for us?”
“We think it would be best for you to carry out an assassination on Authun. This way we can claim the barracks and the forces inside with minimal loss. While this task would normally be ridiculous, Onem has assured me that you have a trump card in which you can easily kill Authun?” she asked, staring at Jack again.
Jack looked back at the queen, then over at Hannah, who had a considering look on her face.
“Let’s talk price-“ he started to say.
“Hold on.” Hannah said, putting up a staying hand. “I’ve scouted out that barracks. There is no way we can get inside.”
“Maybe I can answer this one,” Onem said from behind his cup. “You forget that both the queen and I are natives of this place. We know that barracks like the back of our hand. We have already devised a route for you to sneak in, and should it go poorly, you will at least have an army you can retreat back to.”
“If we can even make it out of there alive.” Hannah grumbled.
“What about Gurthok? Where the hell has he been for all of this?” Jack asked.
“Sleeping.” Both Onem and the queen said at the same time.
“What?”
“Think of it more as hibernation.” Onem said, “In his later years, he took to only leaving the castle when there was a war to wage. Beyond that, he sleeps and recovers.”
“How long has he been asleep for?” Hannah asked.
“A very long time…” The queen trailed off, a note of sadness in her voice.
Jack looked at the queen, and then back over to Hannah. He gave her a small, tight nod.
“Alright.” Hannah said, “Let’s figure out how to assassinate this guy.”