NOVEL NEXT Book 10 Prologue
Chase groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Everything hurt. He couldn't even remember what happened. One moment he was talking to the cute tanner's son, the next darkness.
He tried to move, but it only took him a moment to realize he was tied up. Worse, he was tied up well. He couldn't see anything, he had a bag over his head.
"I think it's waking up," a voice said.
"You sure we should do this? It looks human," a second voice said.
"A bit late to have second thoughts, isn't it?" the first voice asked. "But it's definitely… something. You saw the reaction. Doppleganger, probably. They're the trickiest ones."
Chase let out a cry of pain when he felt something burning into his arm. He tried to pull away, but someone grabbed and pinned him down. A few moments later whatever was burning him was pulled off and he was dragged to his feet. "W-who are you? What are you doing with me? Let me go!" he screamed.
"You're sure it's really a… you know…" the second voice asked.
"Someone, help me!" Chase screamed.
"Nobody's coming," the first voice said before he was tugged along for a few seconds before stopping. "Welcome to the Gauntlet, little monster. Maybe if you're lucky you'll die from the fall. If you're very lucky, you might even see the gods one day. May they give you exactly what you deserve."
Chase was shoved forward and then there was no ground under him, just air.
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Chase slid over half his meal towards the demon. She looked confused and wary, but slowly knelt down to grab it. She pulled it to her lips, biting into it before turning and running away from him, ignoring the hand he offered her. Not that he could blame her. She bore the same magical rune on her arm that he bore on his.
In the Gauntlet, kindness was rarely rewarded.
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Chase held out his hand to the small creature, trying to let it sniff him. Instead, long teeth plunged into his hand and he let out a hiss of pain, before kicking it away. "Bad, no!" he snapped.
It turned and fled. He sighed and looked down at his hand. It was bleeding, but it would heal soon. He knew he shouldn't offer his hand, but for some reason he couldn't not.
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"G-get away from me!" the elf yelled, slashing at him with the flaming sword. "GET AWAY!"
"You're hurt, I just want to help you!" Chase said, holding his hands up. "Please, don't! I just--"
"GET AWAY!" he screamed before turning to run.
"STOP! DON'T--"
But it was too late. Chase heard the scream a moment later when the boy ran into one of the Gauntlet's many traps.
Damn it. DAMN IT! He punched the wall, wishing, just once, they would listen. He just wanted to help, why wouldn't they let him?
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"What… did you do… to me?" the creature asked, staring up at him.
Chase panted, staring down at it. It was talking to him now, that was an improvement, right?
"I'm not sure," Chase said.
"I'm… hungry," the creature said, eyeing him.
"I'm not food," Chase said. "But I'm hungry too. Have you been in the Gauntlet for long? Been here?"
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"Forever," the creature said. "You?"
"Years, I think," Chase said. "Come with me. We'll find food. Together." He held out his hand with a smile.
The creature slowly reached out with a hand it hadn't had before, before pulling back. "You're… not…"
"I'm Chase," Chase said softly. "What's your name?"
"I don't… have one…" the creature said softly before reaching up a second hand to rub the clasp on its neck. "This…?"
"Yes," Chase said. "How about… Breeze. That seems like a nice name, doesn't it?"
"… Breeze," the creature said before taking his hand.
He noticed it didn't have a rune on its new arm.
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"I must say, you really have exceeded my expectations," the man said, staring down at him. He wasn't like the others. He didn't look thin from hunger. He didn't look afraid. He didn't cower back from the light. He was clean. His ring glowed, illuminating the caverns and the fine robes he and the other three men with him wore. "A pair of dopplegangers, huh? You'll serve us well. If you're lucky, there will be sagas spoken of you." The other men laughed, but Chase didn't understand what was so funny.
Chase glanced past the man towards the hole in the caverns he'd made. At the very least, this man was a mage. "This… place. You rule this place? Created it?"
"Repurposed it, yes," he said before motioning towards the hole. "Come along, children. Those who prove themselves worthy are--"
"Breeze?" Chase said. "They're food."
Sometimes, however, kindness was rewarded very well.
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"Chase?" the Hero asked while the two stared up at the stars in the sky.
"Mmmm? Yes, oh great Hero of the world?" Chase asked in a teasing tone.
"Can I ask you something… personal?" the Hero asked.
Chase cocked an eye. Here it was again. The Hero, so often, wanted to ask a question… but he never could seem to say it out loud. Always shifting. This Hero really did wear too many masks, it was a shame that saving the world required so many. He wondered if this would be the time the Hero asked the true question he so desperately wanted to. When he finally flung off the mask he clung to with such fervor. "You can ask me anything, Hero."
"Do you think… I mean, could I…" the Hero asked, before finally giving a soft sigh. "I feel like I know so little about you. What was your childhood like?"
Chase blinked a few times before giving a soft, delicate sigh of his own. It seemed today wouldn't be the day the Hero asked the question he truly wished. "It was a feast of experiences, Hero. Yours?"
"Lonely," the Hero said.
Chase was quiet for a moment at that. He glanced around the camp at the other sleeping Chosen. It was hard to believe that only a few hours ago they'd been going through an ancient temple in search of an old magical tablet. Of course they'd succeeded. They were the Hero and the Chosen. They couldn't fail. That was what the tales said, after all. Yet another mask they all bore for fear of letting the world see how scarred and scared they truly were. "Are you still lonely?"
"I'm with all of you, aren't I?" the Hero asked.
"It's amazing how alone one can be when they're in a crowd," Chase said.
"Must you always talk in riddles?" the Hero asked.
"Must you always wear the Hero's mask?" Chase asked.
The Hero sighed and rolled over, putting his back to him. A moment later, the sound of light snoring could be heard.
Chase wondered if, one day, he'd ever tell the Hero. Unlikely. When one had to bear the world already, adding more to that weight was a cruelty none of them would willingly perform. They all wore masks, after all.
Especially the Chosen.
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"Gods give me strength," Penthe said softly before turning towards Chase. "Not. A. Word."
"I wasn't planning to say anything," Chase said, as innocently as he could.
"Good," Penthe said before she started walking again. They both cringed when they heard the sound of stone shattering and then a shriek. "Does she not understand the words 'subtle'?"
"Welllllll…" Chase said, unable to keep the grin off his lips. "Maybe we should have brought her with us," he said before motioning to the bundle he was carrying. "I heard she has some experience with these."
"I'm going to kill her. I am actually going to kill her," Penthe said, ignoring his jokes.
"We've tried before, it didn't work very well," Chase said. He cringed when the ground rumbled. "Oh, that didn't sound good."
"Gods keep her safe long enough for me to kill her," Penthe said before she started running.
"I'm not sure they'd condone such things!" Chase yelled after her with a big grin of his own. "Protection for later murder, I mean."
A moment later there was a new scream, from a voice they recognized.
"JOAN!" the Penthe yelled.
"I'm okay!" Joan yelled.
"YOU WON'T BE WHEN I GET A HOLD OF YOU!" Penthe yelled.
"HURRY!" Joan yelled.
Chase couldn't help but smile. It was oddly freeing being around someone who wore so few masks… and seemed to have a knack for removing the masks of others. Seeing Penthe so worked up was quite the fascinating sight. He was sure Joan would be fine. At this point she was far, far too stubborn to die.