Harry blinked and looked down. One of Korven’s guards. The man clutched Korven’s severed forearm in both hands, the pale fingers still curled tight around the rod.
For a heartbeat they stared at each other. The guard’s eyes were wide with panic, chest heaving, sweat shining along his hairline.
What are you going to do Harry? Kill him too?
Harry stepped back and to the side in the narrow hall.
The guard scrambled to his feet, boots slipping for a moment. In his panic he dropped the arm. It hit the stone with a wet slap, the rod clattering against the floor.
The guard edged backward. He looked ready to bolt back the way he came if Harry so much as breathed wrong.
Harry pressed himself flat against the wall, giving him as much space as he could and gestured for him to go by.
The guard drew a shaky breath and took a cautious half step toward him.
Harry heard a sharp thwip cut through the air, followed by a heavy, sickening thunk.
The guard froze upright, eyes stretched wide, surprise stamped across his face. A heartbeat later he pitched forward and hit the stone hard. An arrow jutted from the left side of his back, right where the heart would be.
Behind him, about thirty feet away, Jo stood with her old wooden bow half-lowered, breath tight, expression set.
“Jo!” Harry called, already moving. “Was someone hurt?”
“It’s Toby! Hurry!” She spun on her heel and bolted toward the far side of the chamber where Cedric knelt beside Toby.
A shuffling drag of footsteps on stone scraped right behind Harry.
He whipped around. The undead had reached the top step, one arm dangling useless, its other arm reaching out, fingers clawing toward him.
“Dammit. GO. AWAY.”
Harry pushed strength into his limbs, planted his foot, and drove a hard kick straight into its chest. Bone cracked under the impact. The creature lifted off its feet, arcing backward before cartwheeling end over end down the stairwell.
Harry didn’t watch it land. He sprinted into the room, taking everything in at once. One guard sprawled in a slick red pool near the center. Another sat slumped against the wall, dazed, while Stan stood over him gripping a spear, chest rising and falling in heavy breaths.
Harry ran to Toby’s side. Even before he reached him, his Blood Sense told him Toby was alive. Cedric had a pack torn open beside him, bandages scattered and was holding a thick wad of them wrapped around the base of a shaft protruding almost a foot from Toby’s gut, just below the ribs. Cedric stared up at Harry, looking all of his seventeen years, desperate for an adult to take over.
Harry dropped to his knees beside them.
Toby let out a hoarse whisper, his lips pulling into a shaky grin. “I knew you were faking, didn’t I?”
“That’s right,” Harry said. “I knew you’d be ready to go at just the right time. Now don’t talk.”
“Yes, sir.”
Harry reached out and pressed two fingers against Toby's neck. Pulse was there, rapid but steady enough. He set his hands over the bandages. Cedric sagged back a few inches but stayed poised, ready the moment Harry needed him. Jo knelt down on Toby’s other side, bow in one hand, arrow in the other.
She leaned forward, dropped the arrow and placed a hand on Toby’s head, “Harry, what do you need me to do?”
“We need water.” Harry glanced around, spotted Stan and the captured guard, and pointed with his chin. “Ask him. Where can we get water.”
Jo sprang up and ran to them.
Harry lifted the bandages. The shaft had penetrated the chainmail and gone in under the ribs. He lifted the armor up as well as he could and looked in. Not much blood. The wound was plugged. He reached down and slid a hand under the chainmail and up to Toby’s back, beneath the injury. No blood. No exit wound. He pressed gently with his fingers, feeling for any sign of a break or protrusion.
He didn’t feel the other end. He nodded to Cedric. “It didn’t go too deep.”
Working quickly, Harry repositioned the bandage under the armor and wrapped it around the shaft. He lifted Toby's hand, turning it to check the wrist. Radial pulse was weak but present. He pressed down on the fingernail and watched. Color returned quickly.
Good. He's holding stable.
That done, he put on his best confident doctor smile and looked down at Toby. “We've got you, Toby. Stay calm.” He lifted his eyes to Cedric. “We’re going to get this out, but we need to move him.”
Cedric’s voice started to rise, but he caught himself, cleared his throat, and tried again. “Back to the top by the portal?”
“No. Down the stairs. There’s a room with a table and maybe some tools.” Harry shifted, getting into position so he could slide an arm under Toby’s shoulders and another under his legs. “Help me get him up, but then grab some packs and follow me. And bring the torch.”
They started to lift. Toby jerked in pain, legs spasming in a kick. His teeth locked in a tight grimace, and a low groan slipped out of him.
“Wait, wait,” Harry said quickly.
System, you there?
:: System: Affirmative, Harry. How may I assist?
Mesmerize. Can I use it to make Toby relax? Feel less pain?
:: System: Affirmative. Relaxation and disregard of pain are two of the primary functions.
Alright. Creepy, but perfect.
Harry leaned closer. “Toby, do you know what hypnosis is?”
Toby managed a grin and nodded, immediately wincing. “I seen the Great Leotardo at the festival, didn’t I? Makes you think you’re a…” He paused, gritted his teeth. “A duck… or a noble.”
Cedric laid a hand on Toby’s leg, “Those are the same thing, Toby.”
Toby gave a short laugh that turned into a clenched-jaw hiss. His hands came up, grasping over Harry’s where they held the bandages. “Ow, ow, ow…”
Cedric leaned closer and murmured to Harry, “Sorry.”
Harry kept his focus on Toby. “I’m going to hypnotize you now, alright? It will help with the pain.”
Toby’s eyes widened with hopeful relief. He nodded.
“Relax,” Harry said. “Close your eyes. Breathe easy.”
Toby obeyed, eyelids drifting down as he drew a shallow breath.
Harry focused on his Blood Sense. The thread coming off Toby was weaker than normal but steady. Harry reached for it, willed the connection into place, and pushed Mesmerize.
:: Skill [Mesmerize]: Successful (Active, cost: 1 vitae)
Harry gave Cedric a small nod and leaned closer to Toby, “Relax. You’re going to be fine. Let everything go loose. The pain’s far away now, just background noise. You’re safe. Take slow, even breaths for me, alright?”
Toby’s whole body softened. His legs went limp. His hands slid down to his sides. He nodded once, slow and steady.
“Good, Toby,” Harry said. “Rest easy. Nice smooth breaths. Think about doing chores on the farm.” Harry leaned back, watching him settle. Toby’s breathing stayed even. His face had finally gone calm.
Jo rushed back to them. “He says outside the room downstairs is a cavern and there’s a pool where they get water.”
Harry looked up at all of them. “Toby and I are going downstairs. Cedric, gather some packs and the torch. Jo, help Stan bring down the guard. I want to talk to him before I go out.”
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Harry started to lift Toby but froze halfway. “Oh crap. There’s a desiccant on the stairs. Cedric, can I borrow your sword?”
Cedric stood, drew his sword, and offered it hilt-first. “Of course, Sir Harold.”
Harry took the sword. “Stay with him. Keep the wound covered.” He moved fast toward the stairs. No undead coming up. At the bottom he saw the desiccant crumpled in a heap.
He went down partway until he was close enough to use his Blood Sense.
Nothing. No thread.
He descended the rest of the way, opened the door, grabbed the corpse by an arm, and dragged it inside. He set the sword on the table beside the nude body already lying there, hauled the undead up, and shoved it onto one of the large empty shelves on the wall.
System, this world sucks.
:: System: Duly noted.
He went back to the table, hefted the nude corpse and slid it onto another free shelf.
He took a moment and looked around. The room was unchanged from when he’d left it. He crossed to the door, eased it open, and peered out.
A cavern yawned beyond. Dark. Vast. Stalactites overhead, stalagmites rising from the floor. Distant water dripped in uneven, scattered rhythm. A cool breeze brushed across his face and arms, carrying the scent of minerals and a musky animal scent. Even with his dark vision he couldn’t see an end to it. Natural rock walls stretched left and right, broken about every twenty feet by shadowed side passages that led off into blackness.
He focused on his Blood Sense. Small threads only. Insects. Maybe a lizard. Nothing larger.
He shut the door.
Back up the stairs he went, to the guard he had drained. Harry grabbed the body under the arms, dragged it down step by step, into the room, and hoisted it onto another empty shelf.
He picked up the sword again. Out and up.
He stopped at the guard Jo had shot. The man lay where he’d fallen. Harry gripped him by one leg and dragged him to the side, clearing the path.
Just don’t think about it, Harry.
Harry finally made it back and handed Cedric his sword.
“Alright,” Harry said. “Let’s do this.”
He knelt beside Toby and gently scooped him up. Toby gave a light groan, shifted in Harry’s arms, and quietly settled again. “Good, Toby. Just breathe. Relax.”
The others moved quickly, following Harry’s earlier instructions.
Harry pushed vitae into his strength and carried Toby down the stairs, into the room, and set him carefully on the center table.
He waited until Cedric came down and dropped two packs near the table. He kept hold of the torch and stepped up beside Harry.
“Keep pressure on, but don’t push down,” Harry said.
Cedric nodded and took over with the bandages.
Harry dug through the packs and pulled out two blankets. He folded one under Toby’s head and draped the other over him. He removed the medical kit from each and placed both the partially full packs under Toby’s feet.
He ran to the corner table he’d checked when he first inspected the room. He grabbed one of the two small barrels still sitting there and peered inside at the cloudy, silver liquid.
System, do you know what this is?
:: System: Insufficient data. Tilt the barrel. Observe fluid movement and residue patterns.
Harry tipped the barrel. The cloudy liquid shifted thickly and clung to the sides.
:: System: Test the viscosity and texture.
Is that safe?
:: System: Your [Immunity to poison, sickness, and disease: 2] will almost certainly protect you from any effect.
Almost?
He didn’t wait for an answer. He dipped a finger in, rubbed the oily substance between thumb and forefinger. A faint tingle crawled across his skin.
:: System: Smell test recommended.
Harry lifted his hand to his nose. The odor was faint, chemical, nothing he recognized.
:: System: Inconclusive. Based on observable properties and contextual environment: likely a magical preservation solution used in necromantic embalming. Probable functions: tissue fixation and maintenance of corpse integrity for animation. Analysis is speculative.
So Korven’s magic juice. Wonderful.
Behind him he heard the door open. He turned. Stan and Jo came in, escorting their prisoner.
Harry hurried over. The guard flinched back at the sight of him, terror written across his face.
Harry stopped in front of him. He recognized the man immediately. The same guard who’d watched Harry drain the man who had dropped the barrel.
System, will mesmerize work on him?
:: System: Affirmative, but he may resist. At minimum he is also level 1.
Anything I can do to increase my chances?
:: System: Chance for success is greatly increased if the target is cooperative or unaware of your presence.
That’s not likely to happen.
:: System: Odds are also improved if the target is either unconscious or incapacitated.
Dammit.
Harry forced himself to look calm, friendly even. He raised both hands, palms down. “Relax. I’m not going to hurt you.”
The guard shook his head, sweating, pale, heart thumping, taking small shallow breaths.
“You were here,” Harry said. “You know Korven made me do those things.” The guard gave a quick, jerky nod. Harry continued, “Korven isn’t here now. If we can…” He gestured at the group behind him. “Korven won’t be able to hurt anyone, ever again.”
A spark of hope flickered in the guard’s eyes. He nodded again, slower this time, some of the fear easing out of his face.
Harry gestured at Jo. “You told her there’s a pool in the cave?”
“Ya… yes,” the prisoner stammered. “We always… umm… we stop there… fill some barrels.”
“What’s your name?” Harry asked.
“I’m… it’s Nick, sir.”
“Do you have a wife? A family?”
Nick shook his head. “Us guards ain’t allowed no family, sir.”
“Korven doesn’t allow it?”
Nick nodded. “Says theys too distracting. But the villagers… they look after us.” He hesitated, eyes shifting. He looked like he wanted to ask something but fear held him still.
Harry kept his voice steady. “What is it, Nick? Go ahead.”
Nick swallowed. “You won’t… you’re not gonna hurt the villagers, are you?”
Harry blinked, surprised. “What? No.” He glanced at the others. “We’re going to do everything we can to help them. We want to free the village from Korven.”
System, I didn’t expect that. He cares about the village.
Stan thumped the butt of his spear on the stone floor, “Truth. We got a quest an’ everythin’, don’t we?”
Jo nodded. “We do.”
Nick nodded slowly, a little more hope settling into his face.
“Right now we need water. Our friend is hurt.” Harry looked over his shoulder at Toby. “I have to get that arrow out of him.”
Jo cut in. “It’s not an arrow.”
Harry frowned. “What?”
“It’s a bolt,” Jo said. “Crossbows shoot bolts.”
Harry turned back to Nick. “Right. How do I get to this pool?”
“It’s just a ways in to the left,” Nick said. “You can take the third tunnel or the one after that. But ya have to be careful of the rats.”
Harry perked up a little. “Rats?”
“Aye,” Nick said. “Giant beasts, big as a hound. But they’ll stay back if you have light and stay close together.”
“Is there anything special about the water? Why do you always stop to get it?”
“It’s pure,” Nick said. “And sweet. Even after you barrel it.”
“Will there be guards?”
Nick shook his head. “No… no one will stay there. You kin feel ‘em creeping up on you.”
“Where will Korven and his men be?”
Nick shook his head. “I don’t know, but… you hurt ’im good. Likely to run to his sanctum… but he’ll send men.”
“How far is this sanctum?”
“A day to the east,” Nick answered. “We leave the village in the morning, make camp outside the cavern, and come after dawn.”
“Dawn? Outside the cavern?”
Nick nodded. “Aye.”
Worry about it later, Harry.
“Nick, I’m sorry but we have to be careful.” Harry stopped at the sudden look of panic that came back to Nick’s face. “Nick, no one is going to hurt you.” He turned to Stan, “Tie him up in case anyone comes and you have to fight.”
Stan nodded, “I’ll handle ‘im.”
Nick sagged back in relief.
Harry turned to Jo, “I’m sorry to ask you this, Jojo, but if we can’t heat water with the torch we’re going to need a fire. Bring down anything that might burn.”
“Don’t worry, Harry,” Jo said. “I’ll get it done.”
Harry looked from face to face, then stepped over to Toby, who lay comfortably on the table, half conscious. He checked the wound. Still hardly any bleeding. He set a hand on Toby’s forehead. Warm, but not too bad. Harry leaned close to his ear. “Relax, Toby. We’ve got you.”
He straightened and looked to Cedric. “I’ll be right back.”
“Be careful, Harry,” Cedric said.
Harry stopped, surprised. It was the first time he could remember Cedric calling him anything besides Sir Harold.
He grabbed his spear, still lying on the floor where he’d dropped it what felt like days ago, moved to the far table and took one of the small empty barrels.
At the door he looked back. “You alright there, Stan?”
“We’re good,” Stan said. “Nick ’ere ain’t gonna cause no trouble, is you, Nick?”
Nick shook his head. “N… no.”
Harry opened the door and scanned the cavern. His Blood Sense reached out and brushed over nothing larger than insects.
He stepped out.
A message flashed across his vision.
:: System: Congratulations!
:: Quest: Clear First Level of the Chamber of Attrition successfully completed.
:: Reward: 100 XP, +2 Attribute Points, New Skill added [Shadow Manipulation]
Dammit, System, not now.
He took two steps into the cavern. Scattered torches along the walls flickered, caught, and came to life. Their light wasn’t enough to push back the darkness, only creating small pools of warm glow swallowed by the gloom.
Hold on… tell me about Shadow Manipulation.
***
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