((Triple Wednesday -- Page 1 of 3))
Manuel looked incredulous. “What? Why? What is wrong with it?”
“Sorry, I just--uh--” How was he supposed to explain this, he wondered? “Er--I... I just don’t really wanna be called Wormsbane...”
“Why not? You don’t think it suits you? It was such an incredible feat! We were all amazed when we watched you fell that monster single-handedly!”
Oh shit, not compliments. He couldn’t handle those. And wait, they were all watching? “Um, th-thanks, but, uh--” Hector could feel himself beginning to panic. He didn’t want to be rude, but he also really didn’t like that name. In desperation, he pointed at Zeff. “It would suit him way better, wouldn’t it? I mean, I only killed one worm. He killed like five or something, right?”
Manuel stopped. “I suppose that’s true...” He looked at the Lord Elroy. “Perhaps you would--”
“ENOUGH.” Zeff turned and began walking away. “Are you men? Or are you children? Everyone is waiting. Stop wasting time.”
That seemed to kill the conversation quite thoroughly and without mercy. Probably because Zeff was one hundred percent right, Hector thought. The three remaining servants all exchanged last looks with one another before going their separate ways in silence.
Hector ended up taking the rightmost path. He raised pillars of red-hot iron in order to illuminate everything, but there wasn’t much to see. Just an enormous and rocky corridor, one which only seemed to grow taller and wider as he went.
Soon enough, he increased his pace to a steady run. The clinking of his armor seemed louder than ever before, probably because of the echoes, so he tried to stop occasionally and just listen, in case there were any noises he hadn’t been hearing.
‘Find anything?’ came Garovel’s echoing voice after a while.
‘Just a bunch of rocks,’ said Hector.
‘Thrilling.’
‘Hey, I don’t mind. I could do with a few LESS thrills in my life, actually.’
‘Mm, is that really true? Or are you just saying that to complain? Not that I’d fault you for that, by the way. Complaining is fun. I’m an aficionado of complaining myself, in case you haven’t noticed.’
‘I have.’
‘Heh. That doesn’t answer my question, though. Do you really wish that your life had fewer thrills? Because I’m pretty sure you love this shit as much as I do, if not more.’
‘What? No. I love helping people stay safe, sure. That’s, uh... that’s like, what I live for, I guess. But--er--I don’t love meeting fuckin’... gods or whatever they are. And I definitely don’t love getting trapped in a room with some sort of... hellish abomination.’
‘Yeah, okay, I could’ve done without that, too. But at the same time, I’m kinda glad it happened.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Oh yeah. We learned a lot in Himmekel, y’know.’
‘That’s... true, I guess.’
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
Page 1647
There was a minor problem with Manuel Delaguna, however. Just like Hector, the man had lost his lamplight in the fall, and so he would have difficulty trying to navigate one of the paths on his own. Apparently, he didn’t think that his argon materialization ability would help him in that regard.
‘...Maybe I should lend him the Scarf,’ thought Hector.
‘Absolutely not,’ said Garovel privately. ‘You’re not lending that thing to anyone, you hear me? You’re not gonna explain what it does to anyone, either.’
Hector could understand the reaper’s concern, but at the same time, Manuel was an ally in need, and if Hector was in a position to do something about it... But then again, there was no telling if the Scarf would even help Manuel that much. This cave system was way too huge, and the Scarf’s sensory range wasn’t even enough for this one chamber that they were all standing in.
Thankfully, Diego intervened with an apparent solution. He handed his lamplight to Manuel. “Here,” he said with a sigh.
Manuel took it hesitantly. “Thank you, but... are you sure?”
Diego nodded glumly. “Yeah. Technically, I don’t need it.” He held up a hand and ignited his own flesh. His face went taught, and his clenched jawline became painfully visible.
Yangéra hovered forward and grabbed the man’s shoulder.
Diego’s expression relaxed again, and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew. This is gonna sting in the morning.”
‘Sooner than that if you don’t return to me within half an hour,’ said Yangéra.
“Right.”
Manuel gave a grateful nod. “Thank you very much, Lord Diego.”
“No sweat. Well. Okay, maybe a little sweat.” He doused his hand, and its distorted and charred flesh began to regenerate. “How ‘bout you come up with a good nickname for me, and we’ll call it even?”
Manuel smiled. “I’m glad you brought that up, because I already have.”
“Oh yeah?” said Diego. “Go on, then. Hit me with it.”
Manuel pointed at Zeff first. “The Dragon of the Rain.” Then he pointed at Hector. “Darksteel Wormsbane.” Then at Diego. “And the Red Hunter.”
Hector’s face scrunched up inside his helmet.
“Huh,” said Diego, rubbing his chin. “Red Hunter, eh? Yeah. I like that. Good job, Mannie.”
“If you keep calling me that, I will make sure you are never known as the Red Hunter.”
“Alright. Geez. Manuel it is, then.”
Manuel turned to Zeff. “And you? What do you think of yours? I think the Dragon of the Rain has a much nicer ring to it than simply the Water Dragon, don’t you? And it’s much more in-tune with the Lion of the Desert, don’t you think?”
Zeff’s face might as well have been stone. “I could not possibly care less.”
Manuel bit his lip. “Oh. I see...” After another moment, he rounded on Hector. “And what of you? Do you like the name I came up with?”
“Uh...” Hector figured he probably shouldn’t lie to the man. “I... don’t, actually.”
‘...Maybe I should lend him the Scarf,’ thought Hector.
‘Absolutely not,’ said Garovel privately. ‘You’re not lending that thing to anyone, you hear me? You’re not gonna explain what it does to anyone, either.’
Hector could understand the reaper’s concern, but at the same time, Manuel was an ally in need, and if Hector was in a position to do something about it... But then again, there was no telling if the Scarf would even help Manuel that much. This cave system was way too huge, and the Scarf’s sensory range wasn’t even enough for this one chamber that they were all standing in.
Thankfully, Diego intervened with an apparent solution. He handed his lamplight to Manuel. “Here,” he said with a sigh.
Manuel took it hesitantly. “Thank you, but... are you sure?”
Diego nodded glumly. “Yeah. Technically, I don’t need it.” He held up a hand and ignited his own flesh. His face went taught, and his clenched jawline became painfully visible.
Yangéra hovered forward and grabbed the man’s shoulder.
Diego’s expression relaxed again, and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew. This is gonna sting in the morning.”
‘Sooner than that if you don’t return to me within half an hour,’ said Yangéra.
“Right.”
Manuel gave a grateful nod. “Thank you very much, Lord Diego.”
“No sweat. Well. Okay, maybe a little sweat.” He doused his hand, and its distorted and charred flesh began to regenerate. “How ‘bout you come up with a good nickname for me, and we’ll call it even?”
Manuel smiled. “I’m glad you brought that up, because I already have.”
“Oh yeah?” said Diego. “Go on, then. Hit me with it.”
Manuel pointed at Zeff first. “The Dragon of the Rain.” Then he pointed at Hector. “Darksteel Wormsbane.” Then at Diego. “And the Red Hunter.”
Hector’s face scrunched up inside his helmet.
“Huh,” said Diego, rubbing his chin. “Red Hunter, eh? Yeah. I like that. Good job, Mannie.”
“If you keep calling me that, I will make sure you are never known as the Red Hunter.”
“Alright. Geez. Manuel it is, then.”
Manuel turned to Zeff. “And you? What do you think of yours? I think the Dragon of the Rain has a much nicer ring to it than simply the Water Dragon, don’t you? And it’s much more in-tune with the Lion of the Desert, don’t you think?”
Zeff’s face might as well have been stone. “I could not possibly care less.”
Manuel bit his lip. “Oh. I see...” After another moment, he rounded on Hector. “And what of you? Do you like the name I came up with?”
“Uh...” Hector figured he probably shouldn’t lie to the man. “I... don’t, actually.”
Monday, April 2, 2018
Page 1646
((Triple Monday -- Page 3 of 3))
It was an absolutely gargantuan chamber that awaited them. Even with the Scarf’s help, the ceiling and walls were too distant for Hector to sense them.
‘Which direction is Capaporo from here?’ said Axiolis.
Garovel floated forward, ahead of the group, and Hector moved to catch up with him. ‘...To be completely frank with you, I am not entirely sure.’
“What?” Zeff did not sound pleased.
Garovel sighed. ‘This was why I had Hector write that letter to Roman. His reaper knows the route better than I do. I only know that Capaporo is close.’
‘I see,’ said Axiolis. ‘And it would appear we have a branching pathway in front of us now.’
Indeed, the Lord Elroy’s lamplight was revealing as much in the distance, even though the Scarf wasn’t. There were tall divides in the rock, poking out from the ocean of blackness in front of them.
“What should we do?” said Hector.
‘First, let us have the others rejoin us here,’ said Axiolis.
Zeff didn’t wait for anyone else to volunteer. He shot back toward the tunnel on a stream of materialized water and burst through the open passageway, leaving an evaporating trail in his wake.
“...I hope he doesn’t break any of those support beams I put up,” said Hector.
‘I am sure he will be careful,’ said Axiolis.
Hector wished he had the reaper’s confidence.
‘Shall we brainstorm while we wait?’ said Garovel.
‘Yes. I am thinking that we may need to split up and check the various paths independently.’
‘I’d say that depends on how many paths there are. It’s hard to tell in all this darkness.’
Hector began to walk. The reapers were as clear as day against the black surrounding them, but of course, despite appearances, their ethereal glow emitted no actual light for him to rely upon. He only had the Scarf to go by, but the chamber was so ridiculously spacious that it wasn’t terrifically useful.
‘Hector,’ said Axiolis. ‘Will you please make some light for us?’
Uh.
Hector didn’t know what--
Oh. Wait. Of course.
He raised a tower of iron, adding enough heat to it to make it glow orange. He’d wanted to make it white hot, as that would’ve been brightest, but he supposed his application of heat had been too weak for such a large volume of mass. It served well enough, though, and illuminated the room dimly but satisfactorily.
‘Four paths,’ said Garovel. ‘Five, if we’re counting the way we came from.’
‘One path for each servant, then.’
‘Looks that way.’
Soon enough, Zeff returned with the others, and they began to formulate their next move in more detail. The reapers would remain in this area while the servants scouted ahead and reported back. Then the reapers could act as a kind of a communication hub, sharing information with one another and relaying it all to their respective servants instantaneously.
It was an absolutely gargantuan chamber that awaited them. Even with the Scarf’s help, the ceiling and walls were too distant for Hector to sense them.
‘Which direction is Capaporo from here?’ said Axiolis.
Garovel floated forward, ahead of the group, and Hector moved to catch up with him. ‘...To be completely frank with you, I am not entirely sure.’
“What?” Zeff did not sound pleased.
Garovel sighed. ‘This was why I had Hector write that letter to Roman. His reaper knows the route better than I do. I only know that Capaporo is close.’
‘I see,’ said Axiolis. ‘And it would appear we have a branching pathway in front of us now.’
Indeed, the Lord Elroy’s lamplight was revealing as much in the distance, even though the Scarf wasn’t. There were tall divides in the rock, poking out from the ocean of blackness in front of them.
“What should we do?” said Hector.
‘First, let us have the others rejoin us here,’ said Axiolis.
Zeff didn’t wait for anyone else to volunteer. He shot back toward the tunnel on a stream of materialized water and burst through the open passageway, leaving an evaporating trail in his wake.
“...I hope he doesn’t break any of those support beams I put up,” said Hector.
‘I am sure he will be careful,’ said Axiolis.
Hector wished he had the reaper’s confidence.
‘Shall we brainstorm while we wait?’ said Garovel.
‘Yes. I am thinking that we may need to split up and check the various paths independently.’
‘I’d say that depends on how many paths there are. It’s hard to tell in all this darkness.’
Hector began to walk. The reapers were as clear as day against the black surrounding them, but of course, despite appearances, their ethereal glow emitted no actual light for him to rely upon. He only had the Scarf to go by, but the chamber was so ridiculously spacious that it wasn’t terrifically useful.
‘Hector,’ said Axiolis. ‘Will you please make some light for us?’
Uh.
Hector didn’t know what--
Oh. Wait. Of course.
He raised a tower of iron, adding enough heat to it to make it glow orange. He’d wanted to make it white hot, as that would’ve been brightest, but he supposed his application of heat had been too weak for such a large volume of mass. It served well enough, though, and illuminated the room dimly but satisfactorily.
‘Four paths,’ said Garovel. ‘Five, if we’re counting the way we came from.’
‘One path for each servant, then.’
‘Looks that way.’
Soon enough, Zeff returned with the others, and they began to formulate their next move in more detail. The reapers would remain in this area while the servants scouted ahead and reported back. Then the reapers could act as a kind of a communication hub, sharing information with one another and relaying it all to their respective servants instantaneously.
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