NOVEL NEXT Book 10 Chapter 7
"Come on, it'll be amazing!" Joan said, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice. "This is literally the kind of thing we trained for!"
"No, this is the kind of thing you trained for," Bauteut said, her voice dripping with exhaustion. "I trained to help people who were hurt."
"We'll probably need that," Qakog said, offering his most helpful of commentary.
Bauteut gave a low groan and rubbed her forehead. "Ifrit, you can't really be okay with this."
"I mean, Francis really wants to go," Ifrit said, giving a small, sheepish smile. "And the reward is quite sizeable."
"Because people die doing things like this," Bauteut said bitterly. She glanced towards Francis who, despite being the one to suggest this to Joan in the first place, was remaining oddly quiet about the whole thing. "Let me see that bounty again." He gingerly held it out and she snatched it from his hand with a low, annoyed growl. "Why would any of you want to try and track down a dangerous necromancer? Especially if one group already disappeared?"
"Because people are in danger," Francis said softly.
"For glory!" Qakog said.
"Because it'll be amazing!" Joan said.
Bauteut gave a soft sigh before shaking her head and looking over the bounty sheet again. "You know, normally this kind of work is taken by mercenary companies. Not just people like us. Are we even allowed to take it on?"
"I confirmed we could before I took the bounty sheet," Francis said. "I have a license, I picked one up a while ago so I could, uhhhh…"
"So he could help support us," Ifrit said softly, her cheeks turning red.
"Joan, why do you keep surrounding yourself with people who are giddy to throw themselves into more danger?" Bauteut asked with a soft sigh.
"Just lucky, I guess," Joan said with a grin. "You don't have to come, I just--"
"Oh, I'm definitely coming," Bauteut said, her voice tinged with annoyance. "If for no other reason than to make sure you don't get too hurt."
"A healer on hand is always useful," Penthe said from the doorway, making them all turn to look at her. She was once again covered in her armor.
"Not you too," Bauteut said with a groan. "Am I the only one here who enjoys resting?"
"I promised the Chosen I'd keep an eye on Joan," Penthe said. "And Korgron warned me that if I try to make her sit still too long she'll find other ways to get hurt. Something about nearly killing herself with 'time'? She refused to elaborate."
Joan grinned and turned towards Bauteut. She'd won this argument, she knew it. And she could see the look of defeat on Bauteut's face. Her friend knew it too.
"Fine," Bauteut finally said. "As, apparently, I am the only sane one here, fine. Let's go get ourselves nearly killed again. Where's the bounty say?"
"It's not that bad. We just need to find the group that disappeared on their mission. But if we can't? We can do the mission they disappeared on. Old tombs on the opposite side of the islands, a suspected necromancer," Joan said, unable to keep her excitement out of her voice anymore. "We could go by boat and follow their route, but we'd need to go through some dangerous waters, said to be filled with undead pirates and--"
"And if we go by land?" Bauteut asked.
"Oh, it'd be a few days," Joan said, unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "It'd take a lot longer, but probably be safer. But then we run the risk of someone else fulfilling the bounty before we do. Just imagine if there IS a necromancer, though!"
Bauteut gave a sigh before glancing to Penthe. "Really? You're okay with this?"
"There might be some useful things to learn from all of this," Penthe said with a shrug. "It might even help keep her out of trouble."
"This is literally running face first into trouble," Bauteut said before sighing and giving a small nod. "Fine, fine, I know when I'm outnumbered. I'd just like to state, however, that I am doing this under objection."
"Noted," Joan said happily. "And I'd like to state this is going to be so much fun! You'll see!"
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There was an air of excitement when they left the city behind. Joan hadn't felt anything like this in years. The worries about this necromancer had either not been worth bothering the Hero about or had been solved long before he'd ever come near. Accordingly, she knew nothing about what to expect. Hordes of undead monsters, monstrous abominations from another world, an actual necromancer? It could be any of them.
It could be ALL of them.
The first group might be held prisoner by the necromancer, they'd be heroes, fighting through hordes of undead, rescuing fellow adventurers, stopping evil in its tracks.
The trip there was going to be long and slightly arduous, but she didn't mind. It was a trip towards adventure! Though, a part of her did already miss being able to teleport places thanks to Korgron.
Although, considering her trip here, maybe not teleporting everywhere was pretty nice. One day they'd be leaving and on that day she wasn't sure she liked the notion of teleporting rapidly across the sea again and again and again. Just the thought made her stomach turn.
The road they traveled was less a road and more a barely traveled dirt path. While there had been a handful of smaller towns on the island itself, most had long been abandoned aside from the main city. Supposedly the city had, long ago, been one of the greatest jewels in the Human Empire's crown and had even been the capital. That was so long ago, though, that it might as well have been a fairy tale. The port itself was great for trade, allowing a neutral place for demons, humans and elves to do business. Even the dwarves were said to occasionally operate through it, though due to their location they were forced to use teleportation more often than not.
The days of it truly being a 'human' city were long gone. Even if the mayor was a human, Joan knew in her lifetime there would likely be at least one demon mayor, a dragon, an elf (ironically, the shortest reign at only a few weeks) and a few others at different times. With the war going on there was just no way for any of the kingdoms to even try to exert enough control to 'own' the city. Most of the towns on the island had long been abandoned, with only the nearest fishing and farming towns remaining.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
In some ways, it made it a mercenary's dream. There would always be work in a place like this. Pirates who'd try and take over some old abandoned fort or town as a base, only to have to be driven out by force of arms. Monsters that form nests in old tombs. Overgrown ruins that housed old, forgotten treasures. On top of all of it, the air of danger that permeated the air. A constant reminder that any moment could be her last, that--
"Joan, why do you keep cackling?" Bauteut asked.
"W-what? I am?" Joan asked sheepishly, her face going red. "I uhhh… didn't notice."
"It is a little disconcerting," Ifrit said nervously. "Francis does it sometimes, too."
"Qakog used to as well," Bauteut said. "Especially when we were going into something really dangerous."
"I call it adventurer's madness," Penthe said dismissively. "Whenever you get some of these idiots together to go do something that will probably get them killed, they just do that. It's useful at times, but often maddeningly annoying. It'll wear off once she's gotten stabbed or had something large enough land on her. I imagine she's been afflicted by it for quite a long time. Notice the way she doesn't wear her armor despite being out in the open, even when she can summon it at will now."
Joan's cheeks burned and she gave a light huff. "W-well, it's creepy. I don't even know why it like… does what it does, now."
"Besides, this distraction might be useful in the end," Penthe said. "There are rumors of a leviathan that has made its nest on the southern side of the island."
"There are?!" Joan, Qakog and Francis asked in excitement, before the three of them looked sheepishly at each other.
"Okay, fair enough," Joan said. "I'm just excited! Who knows what we're going to run into?"
"According to the information we were given? Zombies," Bauteut said. "Possibly a necromancer. Apparently maybe a leviathan. Hopefully nothing too dangerous, so please. There's no need to be so excited. If we're lucky, none of that and we'll just find the first group and find out they were delayed."
"But the danger is half the excitement!" Joan said proudly.
"And this is why she is my future bride," Qakog said, just as proudly despite the fact it earned him a glare.
"You still have to beat me," Joan said. "And Searle."
"All roads worth traveling have trials that must be overcome," Qakog said proudly.
Joan rolled her eyes, but was unable to keep the grin off her face. It really was nice to have an adventure like this again. She slowed down just a little to walk besides Penthe. "So, ummm. Adventurer's madness isn't contagious or deadly or anything, is it?"
Penthe sighed and shook her head. "Rarely the first, distressingly rarely the second."
Joan nodded, though there was something else she was struggling to work up to ask. Finally she just did it. "So how do you walk around in your armor like that all the time? Doesn't it get uncomfortable? Heavy? Hot?"
Penthe gave a light shrug. "You get used to it. The Demon Lands are far hotter than most and there it is often a matter of life or death. Many of them would take offense if they were to see what I truly looked like. Not to mention it would be far easier for them to try and kill me."
"There was a lot of that? People trying to kill you?" Joan asked.
"A not-uncommon way to move up in the ranks is to prove yourself useful," Penthe said. "Some did so by removing their predecessors from existence."
"Is that how you became one of his generals?" Joan asked. "Did you kill the last?"
"No," Penthe said. "I made myself useful in other ways." She glanced down at her. "You should wear your armor, however."
"It gives me the creeps," Joan said before glancing ahead towards the others. The four of them were getting along well, at least. Ifrit and Bauteut seemed to even be bonding a little, as did Qakog and Francis. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about that. "I still don't know what it does other than make me unable to use light magic. It wasn't that effective against that demon, either."
"She was trying to kill a Chosen," Penthe said. "The strongest armor in the world likely would have been pierced. That armor has protected you in the past, has it not?"
Joan sighed and nodded. It had survived against the crushing rock fist of an incredibly powerful earth elemental. "I guess. It's also hot and stuffy running around in it all day. I can just summon it, too. Especially if we're having to walk all day."
"You'll need to grow more accustomed to it," Penthe said. "There are many places you won't have the choice but to wear your armor to ensure your safety. Better to learn it now, than then."
Joan gave a low sigh and nodded. "I'll consider it, okay?"
Penthe's head turned towards her, but she didn't say anything.
Joan walked a little faster to catch up with Qakog and Bauteut. She didn't see the issue, she could summon the armor at any time, why should she have to wear it even when walking? It made her uncomfortable, anyway.
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Joan groaned when she felt someone shaking her arm. Her eyes opened and she looked up to see Bauteut over her. Was it her turn for night watch already? She hadn't thought it had been that long.
"Shhhhh," Bauteut whispered. "Something's out there." The healer motioned out into the darkness before quietly crawling away to awaken the others in their camp.
Instantly Joan was awake, her breathing quiet. She slowly got to her feet and drew her sword. She could hear the others gingerly doing the same. Breathless anticipation filled her as she heard whatever it was sending stones tumbling and branches snapping. It wasn't exactly subtle. She wondered what kind of undead it would be. She was, admittedly, a little surprised at the lack of actual monsters on their journey. They'd come across one zombie on the trip so far and it had taken all of two seconds to dispatch. She wondered if the whole thing was just being blown out of proportion.
But a nighttime ambush? Those were always fun. Maybe it really was a necromancer, just waiting for their moment to strike. She held up her sword and watched the bushes, waiting for it to charge them…
Only for, a moment later, a pearl warhammer to break through the foliage and come at her.
"Wait, what? Seriously?" Joan asked, staring at it.
Sure enough, a few seconds later a pair of daggers came as well. Finally, the trident. The trident even had a bit of ice still frozen onto one of its spikes. Slowly, she lowered her sword and gave a sigh. "Seriously? Have you been following me this whole time?"
"What?" Penthe asked. "Would anyone care to explain?"
"I'm just as lost as you are," Bauteut said.
"I… don't think they're dangerous, at least," Joan said. "It was from when I got my armor. I fought these and--" Her eyes went wide and she summoned her armor onto herself a moment later.
These weapons hovered above the ground. While they did make noise when coming through the plants, they didn't explain the stumbling rocks she'd heard. A moment later something massive burst through the foliage, so large it cracked a tree in half, before swiping at her with an arm the size of a carriage.
Joan was sent flying through the air before slamming into a rock with enough force she was certain her body was going to be broken. However, despite the force it didn't actually hurt nearly as much as it should have. In fact, she felt, for the most part, fine. A bit bruised and stunned, but fine.
Maybe she really should wear this armor more. At least at night.
The thing that hit her was illuminated by the campfire and she let out a low squeak. It looked like a troll, easily the size of a small building. With two massive, hulking arms that went all the way to the ground. However, it was definitely not living, its body made of, well, bodies. Like someone had taken dozens of corpses and just mashed them together into a single, hulking body. Some of them were bloated and obviously waterlogged, while others were in varying states of decay with bones and other organs sticking out. She swore she saw an eye dangling off one of its arms, only to fall to the ground a moment later.
She was even more grateful she had summoned her armor now.