World of darkness hunt.., p.21
The Adventurer's Glyph: A LitRPG Adventure (Twilight Company Book 1), page 21
“Knight bro?” he asked, snorting. “Damn it, this isn’t funny!”
“Knight Bro, did you hear something?” Snikki asked, making a point to draw her dagger slowly so that it scraped from its sheath.
“I believe I did, Knight Bro,” Tudda said, slapping her warhammer.
“You two are fucking dead,” he muttered.
“It’s over there, Knight Bro!” Snikki cried, then leapt up and crept toward him.
“Indeed, Knight Bro,” Tudda said, stalking to Tempest from his other side.
He thought fast. It was bad enough to be naked before them—and anyone else in the damned compound who might be watching—but they were testing him. And though he hated to admit it, they were right.
So he did the only thing he could do, short of attacking.
Tempest took a deep breath, jumped up, and, with his back to them, started dancing. As terribly as possible.
Ugly Dancing Used
“What the fuck is he doing?” Tudda asked in a low, incredulous voice.
“He’s…dancing,” Snikki groaned. “Like he did back in…Saytka. I can’t…I can’t look away!”
Tempest, keeping his back to the women, gradually danced around until he reached his clothes. With a flourish, he knelt, snatched the garments, and donned them while still dancing. Once he stopped, however, the effect ended, and the women exhaled like they’d been held underwater.
Ugly Dancing has been upgraded to Disgusting Dancing
+500 XP
“What kinda Hamilton, Lord of the Dance shit is this?” he asked, grinning.
“How did you do that?” Snikki asked.
Tempest shrugged, then flipped his hair like he was a hotshot performer in a boy band. “It’s natural, Sniks. Now, thank you, Druid Bro stans, for enjoying the show.”
“Heh, you asshole,” Tudda said, chuckling.
Snikki glared at him. “Enough! Now, we need to find new members for the Twilight Company, and one way to do that is use that orb you have. We could find Tudda’s paladin friend, and ask him to join.”
The dwarf shot Snikki a glance and shook her head.
“Not the best way to do that,” Tudda mumbled.
Tempest smiled. “Sure, we can try that. I’ll get it, and…wait. How did you know I have that orb? I haven’t shown it to either of you.”
A cold shudder built in his chest as Snikki’s face fell.
Tudda cleared her throat. “I need an ale.”
As the dwarf left the arena, Tempest slowly approached Snikki. There were a lot of things he could say, and several ways to handle the situation. He was a little angry, and more hurt than he liked to admit. But the way Snikki avoided looking him, and how her usually proud shoulders slumped, told him what he needed to know.
He offered a gentle smile. “What’s mine is yours, huh? You’re taking this married thing too far, Sniks.”
She glared as she neared him. “Why didn’t you tell us you had an item like that?”
He snorted. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was supposed to disclose the contents of my personal belonging to everyone on Rathos. Especially someone who’s stolen from me before. That’s why you gave me that armor earlier, isn’t it? You were trying to lessen your guilt.”
“I don’t have any damned guilt!” she shouted in his face.
Tempest was surprised at how calm he was. He recalled arguing with Cheri, and with his old boss. Back then, he’d not held back, and said things he regretted, even now.
But he was in a new world. There was no time for old mistakes.
“Okay,” he said. “Now that we know what you don’t have…what do you need?”
Snikki’s nostrils flared, and her teeny fangs overlapped her lower lip the way they did when she was furious.
“That’s none of your damned business,” she said, then rushed from the arena.
Tempest rubbed his face and paced the arena. Finally, he sighed.
“So how would I escape two Knight Bros?” he asked, then used magic.
Casting Spell: Lesser Shapechange
-25 Mana
He morphed into a hawk, ascended over the compound, and flew over Uquara. The late afternoon view was amazing, with clouds spread over an orange-violet horizon, but his mood soiled it. He flew back to the window of his lodgings at the compound—after fetching his clothes in his avian claws.
No sooner had he put the garments back on than a knock came at his door.
“For the final time, I’m not paying for room service,” Tempest said as he opened it.
Snikki stood in the hallway. Still wearing her leather halter top and breeks.
Not knowing what else to say, he smiled. “Ready for that Mana Sigil now?”
She nodded.
“Okay,” he said. “I’ll get my things, and we can go back to the arena—”
“Here is fine,” she said.
“Sure thing,” he said.
Snikki entered his room and shut the door behind her.
He cleared his throat. “This will be my first Sigil, so don’t be too hard on me. I can imbue it with one of my spell effects. Which, um, one would you like?”
“The healing spell,” Snikki said. “The one that felt like cool water.”
“You like that one? Soothing Waters I?” he asked, gathering the brushes and paints on the nightstand beside his bed. Bought from the Vensarel right before he’d entered the area, they’d cost him 50 gold.
“Hmm-mmm,” she said, then carefully sat on his bed, even though the room had two chairs at a small table.
“I can do that,” he said, feeling the tension roll off of her.
While she watched him with neutral eyes, Tempest pulled up a chair to the side of the bed and swished a brush in a cup of water. “Any color you prefer? Red would match your hair ribbon, and with your green skin…”
“Red,” she said.
“Red it is, Sniks,” he said. “Where do you want it? Your shoulder, or your arm?”
Snikki leaned back and drew a circle around her navel. “Here. My hands are usually in front of me in a fight, and it’d be quicker to tap the Sigil this way than reach up and touch it on one of my shoulders. That is how it works, right?”
“Right,” he said, slowly dipping the brush into the red paint while they stared at each other.
As Tempest leaned toward her, brush poised above her skin, Snikki drew an audible breath.
“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked.
“Yes,” she murmured.
Gingerly, Tempest painted the Sigil in a circle about her belly button. Her toned stomach rose up and down as her breathing quickened. The apartment grew warmer, and he forced his hands not to shake. It felt strange to be this anxious around a woman. Like he was scared to death of ruining whatever moment they were sharing.
Crafting Mana Sigil: Soothing Waters I
-20 Mana
+250 XP
Tempest applied the final touches and leaned back. The Sigil glowed blue for a moment, then resumed its painted appearance. As he placed the brush into the cup of water to clean it, Snikki touched his hand.
“I will never steal from you again, Tempest,” she said.
He faced her. “I believe you.”
They studied each other unabashedly, and the tension between them became another sort of anxiety altogether.
Snikki’s hand slid up his arm and touched his cheek. “Do you have enough Mana for that spell again? The shapeshifting one?”
“Yeah,” he said, caressing her hair.
“Could you turn yourself into a cockerel again?” she asked huskily. “For me?”
“Yeah,” he said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
They kissed for a time, not hurrying, though his blood thrummed with desire.
“But first I want you to ugly dance with me,” she whispered, removing her halter top. “All over this bed.”
“You’re not going turn into a spider, are you?” he asked after they kissed.
“One way to find out,” she said, and drew him down with her to the sheets.
23
FREELANCERS & FREEBOOTERS
Over the next eight days, Tempest, Snikki, and Tudda carried out one contract every other day for the Vensarel. The first was for a bounty, eliminating more Unsleeping that threatened the piers near Uquara’s eastern wall. That netted them a few hundred gold, plenty of XP, and distaste for seafood for the next month.
The second, a survey, involved them mapping out the path to a silver mine south of the city, its location lost after a sandstorm. Though the rewards were good, Tempest had picked sand from between his toes for the next day afterward. He’d not complained, however, when Snikki asked him to check her for sand—all over. They’d started sharing the same bed every night, and, well, he had to make sure there was no sand in the sheets.
For the third contract, the upstart Twilight Company completed a reagent acquisition for a mushroom called lich’s wort. It only grew in some decrepit catacomb northeast of the city, one the sea had nearly reclaimed. They’d had to fight waterlogged zombies, which Tudda made short work of with her fiery brand of Vitalis Magic. Snikki got angry afterward whenever he did his best Night of the Living Dead impression; she found the shambling undead horrifying. He considered doing his best Daryl impression for her, but there was no way she’d get that reference.
Now, on day eight, their fourth contract was another bounty: daeklor were harassing a caravan route southwest of the city, and they were tasked with clearing out the creatures. They’d all agreed that, once the current contract was finished, they’d use the Orb of Clairvoyance to find Lord Shadeheart. It wouldn’t do to approach the paladin until they’d developed a reputation as a trustworthy band of venturers. Not that Tempest liked the man, after he’d collected the bounty on Tempest back in Saytka, but maybe he could be trusted if the coin was right. Honestly, Tempest was more annoyed he’d gotten caught than at Shadeheart for catching him.
Tempest had suggested they ask Proudpaw and Arzeth to join the Twilight Company. The ranger and the bard had acted honorably. Plus, another fighter and spellcaster would be great. He also considered Tharakhi, but being an assassin, his friends might not want her as a member. And he wasn’t sure how Snikki would react to having another rogue-like archetype in the group. Thieves could be odd about that. But having someone who could brew potions would be useful.
With that many people in the Twilight Company, Tempest felt they could handle the Vault of Visions—or at least prepare for it. Apparently, no other band of venturers had ever completed it. He supposed if the Seer of the Tides could truly send him or Snikki home, then getting to them should be a challenge.
“Home” had stared to sound like an afterthought. He wanted to return to Earth, but he’d come to enjoy his vacation in Rathos. Or “staycation,” as some people called such situations. Maybe, once they rose in levels and finished the Vault, Snikki could come with him to Earth? Even though they weren’t serious or anything, he still didn’t want to abandon her. No, their relationship wasn’t that serious, it…it simply was, and he knew she’d jump at the chance to see a whole new world. Yes, that was it.
While they crouched on a hillock overlooking the winding caravan road, Tempest checked his stats. He’d gained two levels from the last three contracts.
Ancestry: Human
Archetype: Advocate - Druid (Aironwood)
Power Status: Tier 2 - Level 3
Health 80/80, Mana 145/145
Ken Mark: Tree of Kell-Airon
Strength 3, Agility 6, Vitality 8, Stamina 10, Willpower 15
Talents:
Disgusting Dancing: One has a 1% chance per level, +3% per point of Willpower, to distract others with a dance so horrible, it will hold their attention for as long as one performs it. Other venturers have a 15% chance per tier to ignore the dance.
Gaian Magic, Nature’s Stance, Bestial Tongue, Crafting, Contracts, Fast Travel
Spells:
Storm’s Fury I, Binding Tendrils I, Soothing Waters I [Current healing provided: 28 Health], Ice Shard I, Lesser Shapechange
Craftables: Gaian Magic staves, Gaian Magic wands, Druidic Armor I, Druidic Weapons I, Mana Sigil, Elemental Tamer
Lore Crystals: The Bartizan, The Darksbane, Ancestries, Archetypes, XP, The Vensarel, Crafting, Fast Travel, Aironwood Druids
Enchanting Bonuses: Unlocked at Tier 4
Grouping Buffs: +35% resistance to elemental spells
Fast Travel: Druid Tier 2 Fast Travel drains 25% of current Mana Pool; -2 Stamina for 10 minutes; 10% chance to summon Skeletons to teleported location
Mount: Unlocked at Tier 3
Pet: Unlocked at Tier 3
Weapons: Paanian Soul Staff (bludgeoning DMG 5, +1 from Strength; Mana cost of Gaian Magic reduced by 5 Mana per spell)
Armor: Studded Leather Cuirass of the Druid Bro (+10 armor; Enchantable), leather boots (+2 armor), right and left leather pauldrons (+4 armor)
Armor Rating: 22
Items: Health potion T2 x2, Mana potion T2 x2, knife, Orb of Clairvoyance, spider silk mask
Gold: 983
He’d come a long way since he’d appeared in that Darksbane summoning circle inside the Bartizan. Though the armor crafting costs got pricy, he’d fashioned a few pieces to compliment the cuirass Snikki had made him.
“Hey, Druid Bro, here they come,” Tudda said, pointing at several shapes appearing on the southern end of the road.
Snikki groaned. “Ugh, I dread that daeklor smell. Remember your masks. I crafted them from spider silk, and they cost 150 gold each. Tempy, if I see you not wearing yours, it’s your ass.”
“You can have my ass all you want,” he said.
“Not now, you two,” Tudda said. “You know it’s bad when I have to say it.”
“Yes, what happens at Fun Forge stays at Fun Forge,” Snikki said.
Tempest regarded Snikki with raised brows. “What? How did you know…oh shit. So you two… Ha, wow.”
Tudda grinned. “She was curious.”
“Fun Forge damn you both,” Snikki said quickly. “This was well before you played painter, Tempy. And it was only a foot rub, nothing more.”
Leaning over, Tudda said in a loud, husky whisper, “That’s what she wants you to think, druid.”
“Do be quiet,” Snikki said. “You’re both talking so much nonsense, these things will hear you.”
Tempest readied his staff, then glanced at Snikki beside him. “You’ve never told us: why do daeklor cause more damage to goblins?”
“Oh, believe me, I’ve asked,” Tudda said. “She won’t even blurt it out after three mugs of ale, and this goblin holds her alcohol worse than an anemic sky elf.”
“I do not,” Snikki said. “Besides, the daeklor plague several worlds. They once invaded mine, and their masters engineered them to cause the Scarlet Majesty more harm. That was because my people were the only ones to beat these abominations back.”
“But why keep that a secret?” Tempest asked.
Snikki grunted with bitterness. “Because there are those on this world who use daeklor blood to make custom poisons. I was nearly slain by it when I first visited Uquara. It wasn’t something I wanted known. Enough of that. Here they come.”
Tempest grimaced as the figures came into fuller view. They weren’t like the daeklor hounds he’d encountered at the Bartizan. These were taller, with darker flesh and more tentacles. Orbs floated around each of them: ebon spheres that crackled with gray-white arcs of energy.
Daeklor Subjugator, Tier 2 - Level 4
“Subjugator?” he said. “That sounds promising.”
“Sounds like XP,” Tudda said. “Now?”
“No, wait,” Tempest said.
The daeklor came closer, no more than forty feet away now. There was seven of them. The first brush of their stench hit the trio, but with Snikki’s masks, it only stank as bad as rotten eggs—rather than rotten eggs crapped out by a buffalo that’d eaten them with locust fruit.
Snikki drew out a trio of throwing knives. “This is why we could use an archer. Tudda, if you would, please?”
“The Smith appreciates your eagerness,” Tudda said, then cast Fire Smite on Snikki’s knives. “A gift of the Fun Forge.”
“You delicious hussy,” Snikki said.
The small blades glowed orange, but they didn’t burn the goblin’s fingers. Snikki looked at Tempest, who nodded after he started his magic.
Casting Spell: Binding Tendrils I
-10 Mana
Having a fully functional Gaian Magic staff really aided with his Mana costs. The tendrils burst from the sides of the road and snared the first daeklor. While that one was stalled, the other creatures sought the source of the spell by looking to the right or left of the road. That gave Snikki her opening, and she flung the knives in rapid succession. Each blade struck a different monster, dealing not only its normal damage, but the flames of Fire Smite, as well as Snikki’s talent, Manticore’s Sting.
Yet none of the creatures fell.
“Troll shit,” Snikki said.
“Plan B,” Tempest said, then used his next spell.
Casting Spell: Lesser Shapechange
-20 Mana
He jumped off the hillock and morphed into an eagle. Small enough to dodge the daeklor if he got too close; large enough to clasp his belongings in his claws. For a time.
Delivering a very eagle-like shriek, Tempest dove at at the monsters, then pulled up right before closing with the ones in front. It was enough to get them to focus on him.
Behind him on the hillock. Tudda unleashed a stream of Doting Embers. The blazing rain seared into the daeklor. The ones Snikki had already hit with the knives collapsed into oily piles—but the orbs around each of them exploded.
Daeklor Subjugator Defeated x3
+900 XP
+75 gold
Tempest squawked as the blast threw him to the left of the road. He managed to transform back into a human right before he tumbled over the sand. Hurriedly, he put his gear back on. Snikki, with her weaving skills, had made zipper-like seals that allowed for faster dressing. Yet as he turned back to the fray, nine new monsters stood in the road where the spheres had been.
