Book 3: Chapter 20: A friend in need (sorry I used the wrong name.)

Book 3: Chapter 20: A friend in need (sorry I used the wrong name.)

Heather set the strange green stone next to the raven statue on her desk. It wasn't particularly interesting to look at, roughly the size of an egg, and smooth as glass. It was the vibrant emerald green color that was of most interest to her. She wondered if maybe it was emerald, and if she could have it cut to adorn a crown, she could wear.

Frank said it would be magical but couldnt elaborate beyond that. She asked him what good knowing something was magic did if you didnt know what to do with it? He shrugged like he always did and mumbled something about having it identified.

For now, it would be an interesting trinket to adorn her somewhat bleak room. It and the raven statue were all the treasure she had found so far. It annoyed her that a fantasy world wasn't brimming with piles of coins and jewels. Frank said if she wanted that she needed to fight a dragon and for a moment she wondered where to find one.

Breanne and Quinny came along an hour later to inform her they were going to visit Finneous's town. They discovered the state of the tower, and Breanne asked why here room not only looked a mess but was crisscrossed with spider silk. Heather explained the unwanted pest and showed them the green stone left behind. Neither of them was any help in understanding it. Quinny had no idea what it was, and Breanne only agreed with Frank, it was magical but had no idea in what way. She did say that the stones were highly prized by rogues but again didn't know why. They left her to ponder its purpose and went on their way.

Maybe I need a bird to sit on it and hatch it? she mused, looking to her left where Webster stood on the table, tapping at the wall with one leg. You could sit on it for me, she laughed.

The spider turned to look at her and then spun left and right, objecting to being chicken.

I guess it's just a pretty thing to look at then, she sighed and pulled the heavy book of necromancy over. The cover came open, and pages flew by until she was back at where she left off. These pages detailed some strange way of linking life, or draining it, or switching it; she really didn't know. It had something to do with multiple creatures sharing a health pool. It was all vague gibberish so far, and all she had was the basic idea. The rest of the page or pages for all she knew would need to be translated to fully understand.

This is my life, she said. Translating a book and talking to a spider. Not exactly what I pictured when I went to college.

Webster made a hissing purr, and Heather smiled as she ran a finger along a line on the page.

The hours passed as she slowly worked her way down the page. It wasn't until she started to yawn that the book was pushed aside. Webster was in a little ball looking out the window from the desk. The light coming through indicated the sun was low in the sky, and night would soon fall.

I need a pizza delivery, she said as she stood up to stretch her back. And maybe a date. Oh who am I kidding, I was to busy for dates in the real world. Now I have nothing but time, and there's nobody to date. She looked at the strange green stone and picked it back up, casually putting it in her pouch before walking off.

Webster popped to his feet and began to crawl after her as she made her way to the door. The low sunlight turned the hallways into gloomy tunnels that she passed through like a phantom. Webster silently scuttled along behind her as she went down the lonely passages, working her way down the stairs. The entry room felt empty like a tomb, complete with skeletons flanking the door.

The door opened, and she peeked outside to see if the world had changed in her absence. Outside, the yard was blanketed in shadows from the trees of Quinny's forest. Distant croaking could be heard from the frogs that lived by the stream. Whips of clouds stained orange and red by the setting sun drifted overhead in a silent parade of color.

A beautiful day, turning into a beautiful night, and here I stand in a graveyard, she sighed. I should have picked one of those angel women. I bet they live in palaces of white marble and gold. She looked down at Webster as he crawled to sit by her feet. You would probably have been a magical bird or one of those dragon things.

The spider let out some kind of hiss, indicating he didnt like the idea.

You like being a spider, don't you? she asked and watched him bob up and down. Well, I'm tired of sitting here. Let's go and see if we can find something more interesting to do. With that, she shut the door and headed for the kitchen to see yet another soup on the stove. Heather was grateful for the food, but it was still a narrow selection that lent itself to soups and stews. Thankfully the magic tree outback had produced some fruits, and she had a collection of lemons and peaches now. Despite this, it hadn't led to many new recipes or food ideas.

She wanted to spend the points from the gremlin on the kitchen but put them in the gargoyle and bone knight instead. The reasoning was she wanted two heavy hitters in the event of another attack. Her bone knight was superior to the gargoyle, but the gargoyle couldnt be frightened away by a cleric.

She also upgraded the entry doors with thick steel bands to reinforce them. The idea was that if an attacker needed more time to get in, she had more time to escape. Of course, last time she was trapped in her bedroom. This had been rectified, and she now had a way out. Frank insisted on digging a tunnel to the tower, so she spent some points on a simple basement. There were now two hallways and three small rooms, inside one of which was the tunnel to Franks crypts.

The entrance to the basement was still a ladder on the ground floor, but she had a brilliant idea for that. By carefully rearranging her tower, she extended the ladder all the way to the third floor. It could only be accessed on the ground floor behind a new secret door, or by a trapdoor in an empty room on the third floor. She hid the trapdoor under a rug with a chest on it. This way, if anybody broke into her lower tower, she could contend with them using her pets for two floors. Once they were on floor two, she would escape through the trap door to the lower tunnels. From here, she would make her way to Franks crypts or Quinny's barrow mound.

She went through the kitchen door, walking down the steps to the garden beyond.

I spend too much time indoors, she said to Webster as he scuttled along. To her left stood the magical tree, flowers falling like snow as green fruits began to form. Once the sun set, they would be ready, but for now, there was no way to tell what they were.

The path from the door went straight to the walkway that went around the whole tower dividing the inner yard from the outer yard. Where it met the walkway, she placed a stone bench under another tall branching tree. She liked to sit here sometimes and enjoy the breeze while looking at the flowers growing on the side of her tower.

As she reached the bench, the guardian ravens took flight, cawing loudly as they flew around the tower. Her eyes went wide, and she looked into the yard to see skeletons rushing around the side, out of view.

I kinda liked it better when nobody came here, she sighed and made her way down the path as she heard fighting. She rounded the corner to see three green creatures about four feet tall with big eyes and pointed ears swinging wildly at the skeletons.

Goblins? Heather said in surprise as more skeletons closed in. Wait, stop! she shouted and ran to intercept them. The goblins formed into a circle standing back to back as the skeletons circled but didnt advance.

Back up! she cried, arriving to face the green creatures. What are you three doing here?

One of the goblins trembled slightly as it looked up at her and then pointed to the east.

Village needs Heather, it said in a strange broken voice.

You need me? she repeated in alarm. For what?

Monster is in village, the creature said as the other two turned and began to chime in repeating the word monster.

You want me to help you kill a monster?

Heather help kill monster, or goblins all die.

Three heads nodded eagerly, and Heather felt a terrible sense of responsibility. The goblins came to her rescue when Moon had her trapped, and she couldn't turn her back on them now.

You three come with me, she said and led them through the yard. When she got near the front, she called to her skeletons and ordered them to wait by the gate with the goblins. She took a minute to fetch her bone knight and the scythe before rejoining them. Thankfully Frank was already outside staring at the goblins when she came out.

Why are they here? he asked.

They said a monster is attacking their village, she replied. They came to get our help.

Their village is nearly a full day way, and its already late, Frank said.

None of you need to sleep, Heather pointed out.

Yeah, but you do.

Heather tapped a foot angrily as she shouldered her scythe.

They rushed to help me. I won't abandon them when they need my help.

Alright, but you should leave the bone knight. If anybody sees him, they will know what you are.

He is coming with, Heather said firmly. We can walk well off the road to avoid travelers, and once we're in the trees, nobody will see us.

Frank scratched at his head with a long nail and shrugged. Then lets get the others.

Heather nodded in agreement and followed Frank out, heading down the forest road in the direction of the new village.

Where are they at? Heather asked as they walked passed Quinnys barrow mound.

They went to the village hours ago, Frank said.

They are still there? she asked.

The Inn is built, and they wanted to try the foods.

Heather felt her blood pressure rising and turned to glare at Frank.

You mean to tell me there's food in the village, and nobody told me?

He shrugged as they walked along, and Heather began to clutch at her scythe angrily as the main road came into view. A few minutes later and the village appeared through the trees with a new three-story building. It was made of the same aged timber with white walls and a pitched wooden shingled roof.

She grumbled as they walked to the open doorway, a golden light shining from inside. Heather growled to see Quinny and Breanne sitting with empty plates and mugs strewn across a wooden table.

I hope Umtha got away, Heather whispered as her concern rose.

The fire started here, Frank said. Maybe a wizard with a fireball.

Big monster, one of the goblins protested.

I dont see any monster big or small, Heather replied.

We have to get closer, Breanne reiterated. We will learn nothing more hiding out here.

Frank sighed and stepped into the open, carefully making his way toward the ruins that were the village. Heather quickly followed, leading her pack of minions as they crossed the charred ground.

What do we do if its gone? Heather asked.

We go home, Frank replied.

But their village is gone, Heather said. These three have no home anymore.

It will respawn in a few days, Frank replied. And so will the other goblins. They are NPC's, after all.

Heather felt odd thinking of them as just data in a computer. They looked alive to her, frightened and worried about the fates of their fellow goblins. Frank warned her that some NPC's could feel very lifelike even to the point that they were hard to distinguish from a player, but didn't that make them just as valuable as a player?

The ash and dead cinders crunched underfoot as they got closer to the village. Its palisade walls little more than burned stumps, some of which still smoldered trailing wisps of smoke in the breeze. Every building was a pile of glowing coals that crackled in the open air giving them no indication of what happened.

Well, it's gone, Quinny said.

There are no bodies, Frank pointed out. Something carried them away.

Something big, Breanne said, drawing the gazes of the others. Breanne stepped aside to reveal the huge footprint in the ground of a four-toed hand with a clawed heel. It was so large Webster could crawl inside it and have plenty of room to stretch out.

What made that? Heather asked.

Some kind of bird, Quinny suggested.

Big monster, the goblins repeated.

Heather looked around, searching the landscape for anything that would shed some light on the mystery. Nothing jumped out at her except a narrow path that crawled into the hills behind the village.

Whats up that path? Heather asked.

The goblins looked confused, and the speaker stepped forward and spoke.

Goblin temple.

Heather nodded and saw no reason to stand in the charred remains of the village. Whatever happened here was over hours ago, but maybe some of the goblins ran and hid in the temple?

Lets go see this temple. Theres nothing we can do here.

Frank nodded and took the lead winding the way up the path into hills. As they walked, the hills became more like crags with a cliff to the one side. The path turned and entered a cave, running underground before emerging again on a cliff face. A stone bridge spanned a gap to a cliff on the other side.

This doesnt look like goblin stuff, Frank said as he stepped on to the bridge.

What do you mean? Heather asked.

You saw the village. The goblins build everything out of wood. This is stonework more like the dwarves build.

So maybe the dwarves built it, Heather argued.

For the goblins?

Heather shook her head in frustration as the tension of the moment mounted. She had no idea why there would be a stone bridge for the goblins, or why anybody would burn their whole village to the ground. She wasnt even sure going to this temple was going to be of any use. It was the only path forward that might shed some light on the situation but only led to more mysteries.

This isnt good, Frank said as they got to the other side of the bridge.

Heather followed his gaze to see five of the larger goblin fighters lying dead on the path. Their armor was split wide as if cut by a heavy weapon.

Who killed them? Quinny said as she and Breanne caught up.

Frank hovered over a body, picking at an injury and looked up the trail.

This was a heavy sword, or maybe an axe. There are bloody boot tracks going up the path, he pointed out.

A single set of boots? Breanne asked.

It looks like it, he said as he stood and started to follow them.

A single-player did this? Heather asked.

Goblins aren't very strong. They make up for it by coming in numbers, but a very high-level player can cut through them easily, Frank said.

Why waste their time attacking goblins, though? Heather asked. Why not go after giants or something?

Frank shrugged and paced down the path following the bloody trail to another seven dead goblins.

These were desperate efforts to stop whoever this is from reaching the end of the path, Frank said.

Heather felt nervous, wondering why anybody would do this. It seemed cruel to mercilessly slaughter, something that was of no threat or challenge to you. As they rounded a bend, Frank threw an arm wide to halt them on the path. She looked passed him to see a stone building carved into the side of the hills. It had four tall pillars rising to an arched roof that sank into the stone of the hill. A huge stone door was split open, parts of it piled up as rubble before it. There standing on the steps was a man in red armor with a horned helm that had a black tail of hair spilling down the back. In his right hand was a wicked sword that was as long as the man was tall. In his left hand was a dead goblin that he casually tossed aside.

Who is that? Heather whispered as the others crowded around to get a better view.

Some kind of knight, Frank said.

What kind? Heather asked as a dark form dropped from the sky, landing on the temple roof. It was a winged lizard covered in blood-red scales with a row of black spikes down it's back. It lowered its head on a long serpentine neck to gaze at the man standing on the temple steps.

Is that a dragon? Heather gasped as fear crawled up her spine.

Its a fire dragon, Breanne replied.

Why isnt it attacking him? Heather asked.

Because Its helping him, Frank said.

Why?

Frank looked back and met her gaze with his emotionless eyes.

Because hes a dragon knight.