"Please, accept our deepest apologies in Her Majesty's na" The squat old wizard bowed deeply, pointed hat pressed against his chest "She has suffered greatly under the demons' assault."
"I am not going to begrudge her the need to recover after that kind of challenge. Besides, I will be on my way soon enough and a reception would be annoying" I responded with a touch of humor, waving the 'offense' off "Do let your 'King' rest as she needs, thinks she has earned it."
Holding back a creature of Griffith's ability would be less of a challenge and more of an impossibility to most.
The mage once more bowed his head and promptly waddled off, leaving in relative silence.
Most of the fires on the island of Elfhelm had been put out by now, and no demon still remained roaming its territory, but there was still a lot of ergency work to be done and I, as an honored guest, was left to sip the admittedly excellent tea while the rest of them went about their work.
As if I'd ever bother helping them fix their mudhuts now that the fun was over.
Sadly, I was not given too long to admire the vistas, marred as they were, before my ears caught the approach of an armored steed.
Not looking up I took a small sip of my tea and spoke "Well, well, well, if it isn't the ever mysterious 'Skull Knight.'" I humd "What a dubious honor."
"Outsider." The cold skeletal voice greeted in turn.
"No need to be so cold, my good man" I pretend sniffed before finally looking up at the blank skull "I trust you have questions."
The knight took his ti dismounting before he took his seat on the tree stump opposite my own "Indeed" He said after a mont "You have made bold claims about your champion. How true are they, I wonder."
My resulting laugh probably took him aback but understandably a skeleton was not terribly expressive so I could only take the hint from his aura.
"My apologies" I said with a final chuckle "The very idea that I have any sway at all over the Slayer is quite frankly, completely ridiculous."
"So you claim." The knight answered after a long silence.
"Ask your real question" I retorted a touch cheekily "There is no use dancing around it."
"You speak the truth." Had he lungs he would likely be sighing right now, instead he rely settled on shaking his head "Your claim that the God Hand is to be hunted down... I would claim it ridiculous for it is not fated, and yet neither was your appearance."
"Fate is a bitch I like to bend over my knee" I sneered "It has learned to enjoy the position when I am present."
"Bold" The skeleton noted approvingly "But how can you be certain?"
"Completely" I answered without much hesitation "I suspect your demon problem will not be a problem for overlong."
The poor undead just stared off into the distance at that.
"It must sting" I said after enjoying the silence for a while "Fighting the demons for so long only to have your efforts rendered practically irrelevant by a random bout of chance."
"My fight was not worthless." Was his imdiate answer "Final victory or not, I stood against the tides of hell when no other would."
"Never said your efforts were for naught" I quickly added "I rely point at the fact that were I in your situation I'd be feeling quite the unfortunate amount of frustration right about now."
"This is no re frustration" The knight kept staring into the distance, towards the great tree that housed the ruler of Elfhelm "You have robbed of my vengeance, stripped of my purpose... and yet my hated foe shall soon lay slain..."
"Wondering what cos next?" I asked.
His eye sockets flashed with a soft light "Aye."
"Rest" I suggested simply, causing him to turn back towards "You are a form of wraith are you not? Simply allow yourself to move on. Accept the gift of peace that you were offered."
His response was as quick as it was predictable "It is not that easy."
"But it is" I countered "Incredibly so."
"How could you know?" He demanded.
"All that begins must end" I shrugged, a light smirk on my face "So that it may begin anew."
"Now I see why the boy was so irritated when I spoke vaguely" The undead made a noise akin to a scoff "I will consider your words. And I... thank you, for coming to our aid."
"Fair travels, old king" I inclined my head as he got up.
He halted for but a mont, before mounting his steed and riding off.
Hours passed as I watched the island slowly be brought to order, its many inhabitants working together with what looked like a group human refugees under the leadership of so kind of ship captain to ensure everyone was settled and in good health, and before long there were many bonfires lit all over, and an impromptu celebration had broken out.
A fact that amused to no end.
You can change the world and the being but people will still be people no matter what.
Slowly my thoughts drifted away from the present and to the future.
Running the little chore for Robert was... interesting, I supposed.
The world I found myself was a breathtaking one, or at least this part of it was, but I knew I would not want to stay in a place that would soon fall to the chaos of rging with the fantastical while the demon's false empire crumbled under its own weight now that its protector was gone.
Still, it was worth a visit... But it also made feel stifled.
My adventures should be mine alone, and so should my achievents.
Which ant that if I was asked to run an 'errand' again my answer would be a resounding no.
Not for a long while at least.
...Fucker was probably counting on that fact already.
Shaking my head, I stood up, and moved to a more secluded part of the inner clearing of the island, towards a small clump of newer huts surrounding a large fire, where a bunch of children were dancing around while a few adults watched over them.
My current target stood silently in the shadows of the nearby tree line, ragged black cloak dancing in the wind as he leaned against the comically oversized sword stabbed into the dirt, staring into the crowd while looking suitably edgy.
"That thing looks ridiculous." I snorted at the 'sword' in lieu of a greeting.
Imdiately, the young man rounded on , hand already clutching the handle of that fat tal bat of his while the armor he was barley hiding beneath his cloak began shifting around, as if ready to transform "Who are you?" He demanded.
"That is a very odd way to greet the one who reversed whatever the fuck it is you did to your body" I drawled "And removed your mark while we were are at it."
Instinctively, the arm I regenerated for him moved to the back of his neck, finding nothing.
"Done with your panic attack?" I quirked an eyebrow.
The tornted protagonist glared "What do you want?"
"Rude." I huffed "I suppose I was rely curious."
He shifted on his feet, hesitant but no longer as aggressive.
"Your story is familiar to , even if distantly" I explained as I approached the young man "A simple human standing against the impossible, through simple determination and unending rage..." I grinned, spreading my arms "Hearing about it was quite inspiring, I have to admit."
"There a point to this?" He asks bluntly.
"As I've said, I am simply curious" I stopped a few steps away from him "What will you do now that the demons are gone, and you are no longer chased? Hide away? Conquer a slice of power for yourself from the chaos? Beco a rcenary once more?"
Each suggestion seed to land on his shoulders like a rock, but in the end his answer was as I expected it to be "Survive"
"Not a very talkative one, are you?" I sighed "Very well, I will not force you to entertain despite your debt. Though you might be happy to hear I have also healed your... lover?"
He tensed.
"Casca, was it?" I humd "Her mind should be perfectly fine now, I heard that was a bit of an issue."
For the first ti Guts' hostility retreated as I saw a flash of genuine hope in his eyes, one that disappeared just as quickly as his well earned paranoia ca back. Get full chapters from Novᴇl_Fire(.)net
"Though I am surprised you are unaware of this" I noted before giving him a sideways glance and cupping my chin, a knowing smirk on my face "You escaped the mont you awoke, didn't you?"
The poor fucker just shuffled on his feet.
I, naturally, laughed.
"Why did you help us?" He asked as we watched the kids chase around the flaming figure of Scorch, a particularly rowdy one of the human variety jumping up and down while trying to catch him by the tail while the rest of them praised the most glorious of firebrids.
He was going to be so insufferable later...
Realizing I had not yet answered his question, I shrugged "Because I could."
Unlike most, he just nodded and grunted.
No need to make things complicated when they were not, right?
"I suspect the new state of things will take so adaptation on your end." I said after a while "I do wish you all the best, but" I raised a hand and a scroll materialized within "Should you find that this world still haunts you, you may burn this scroll to call on to take you elsewhere."
The young man gave a questioning look, one filled with well reasoned paranoia.
"A re whim, I assure you" I waved my hand flippantly, tossing the scroll to him "You may bring anyone with you within reason, but do keep in mind it is to be a one way trip."
Just then I saw Scorch begin to slowly cave to requests to ride him and so I decided "And with that, I must bid you adieu. Good luck with your new life, kid."
'Oi, Scorch!' I barked ntally at the sa ti 'Get your feathery ass over here!'
'No!'
'Bitch I will unsummon you.'
Suddenly screeching insults at the kids, the maniac of a bird rounded on and in a blur of gold appeared on my shoulder.
Before the confused berserker could utter another word, I clutched at the connection Robert left with and pulled, cracking the space around and disappearing with a pop.
---
The trip back to the Crossroads was even smoother than when I left it, and after examining the mostly empty (save for the bench and campfire) clearing, I quickly noticed a new addition to the eerie treeline.
A curled arch made up of a quartet of very thin yet tall saplings, their trunks twisting around each other while the familiar connection to the world I had just returned from shimred between them.
"Smug fucking asshole" I grumbled at the obvious value of the gift.
Though I did note a lack of a portal back to Tamriel.
No doubt a part of the lesson he wanted to oh so generously impart, leaving to recreate the portal by my loneso instead of just spoon feeding everything.
Ironically, that served to mollify my irritation instead of increasing it.
"Oi." Scorch reappeared on my shoulder "Stop bitching and let's go. You already spent hours staring into a bunch of trees and this place scares the everloving fuck out of ."
"Right spooky, innit?" I deadpanned.
The bird recoiled in disgust "I will peck a bitch, don't fucking try !"
"Yes, yes" I waved him off and began walking to the center of the clearing "I will prepare the damn portal, stop whining."
Instead of insulting back he actually turned silent for a mont before saying "Try doing it on the edge."
I paused, eyebrow raised "Why risk it?"
Scorch just shrugged and pointed a wing at the semi-inactive portal to my previous destination.
"That could just be costic" I pointed out.
"Or you could stop being a little bitch and follow the aesthetic." He pointed out imperiously.
"It has been a while since we had a proper n'wah mont." I humd.
"Following the vibe isn't an n'wah mont, you are just a bitch." He flapped his wings indignantly.
"Totally is."
"Is not!"
We kept bickering as I actually listened to his advice and began putting together a modified portal circle under , drawing upon everything I've learned throughout my two subsequent trips to ensure I wouldn't throw myself directly into the void forest for no reason. Again.
Ti seed to both pass around and not, and soon enough I had managed to sowhat redesign the portal spell, and after checking it one last ti just in case, I stepped inside.
The pull on my Magicka was far harsher when compared to my first trip and soon I found myself squeezing through so kind of crystalline barrier, a re mont before a dozen realms flashed before my taphysical eyes until finally settling into the familiar weight of a material plane of existence.
With a loud pop I materialized above so kind of dilapidated stone temple that slled of books and bones, the paving under cracking as I simply let myself plop onto the ground, plated boots first.
Just in ti for to see the evening skies in the distance twist and crack an oddly molluscoid airship materialize seemingly out of nowhere.
Though I did file the fact the teleportation magic slled suspiciously of sulfur away for later.
The fleshy betentacled vessel hurtled through the skies, chased by what looked to be a small squadron of red dragons, all of whom were ripping into the thing with all the viciousness one might expect from the flying lizards, even if they were definitely not of the Dov variety.
Surprisingly, as the vessel began nearing the ground, the dragons retreated, and leaving behind a downright fat trail of fire, the titanic chunk of what I soon felt was highly psychically active flesh slamd into the hilly beachside below , carving a massive gash through the landscape before ultimately detonating in a blast of fire and psychic energy, sending chunks of its at in all directions.
And, of course, as if the world itself decided to properly welco , a bit of it landed exactly under my feet, more than enough for to scan it and realize it was not at but sothing close to brain matter.
Very robust brain matter in fact.
"How... unique." I sneered half disgusted, half curious.
But before I could contemplate the fact I just saw a brainship crash, I saw a figure hurtling through the air in the distance, screaming his lungs out as he fell directly towards a glowing rune carved atop a large rock before simply sinking into it without so much as a splash.
"Now that, is interesting" I clapped my hands and imdiately began walking down from the temple.
I seed to have found myself in so kind of hilly coastal area of a close to temperate climate, one that was thankfully covered in normal trees and not eldrich abominations posing as them.
Really going to need to look up void walker trauma if my brain keeps going back to that...
Shaking those unfortunate thoughts off, I tried pulling in a bit of the ambient magic, the oddly string like sea of energy resisting for a short mont before returning to a more natural state and being absorbed.
The fact it needed coaxing to be absorbed was quite telling already.
One 'taste' of it later, for the lack of a better word, and I got the impression that I had landed in a unique place indeed, for the magic was paradoxically both chaotic (very unlike Magicka) and almost pedantically structured (very much so like Magicka)
This damn world was growing more curious by the minute!
Just as I was nearing the rock I heard a commotion in the near distance and soon about a dozen relatively small if still weighty steps ca closer and closer to my position, and before long a unit of filthy, hairy, squat figures rushed out onto the dirt path I was walking down.
The group of what could only be fucking goblins stumbled into a halt at the sight of , their orange skin having hairy ass leader stepping out of the group and pointing at "Oi, Drow! You one of ours?"
All elven of them flinched away as my head snapped in their direction, the distinct sound of bone cracking ringing out across the entire coastline "What in the poledancing fucking Dagoth did you just call ?!"
-----
Thou shall be honest in thine stone tithes, or thou shalt be goblinated.
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