Cub

  The cave smelled stale, its damp air heavy with the musk of stone and old earth. The scent was sharp, metallic, tinged with the faint rot of moss clinging to the walls. Every inhale carried grit that scratched his nose. Shadows pooled in the jagged corners, swallowing the weak light that filtered through the only entrance and exit.

  He felt fear and unease well up within him when he looked at mama. Instead of his mother’s normal smell of flowers and clean water, she smelled of blood.

  Mom was struggling to breathe again. The smelly plant he had gathered at her request, was the only thing that seem to ease her pain, though only for a short while before he had to go out and fetch more for her.

  He had brought her as much as he could since yesterday, but it still wasn’t enough. Mom loved fish and was so excited when he had caught one, he had laid it carefully at her side, but it still remained untouched.

  He licked her face, trying to comfort her. She gave him a weak lick in return, and a low, mournful sound escaped his throat before he could stop it. She was hurting, and he didn’t know how to help make her better.

  Father would have known what to do, but father was gone now, killed by the two legs, and only he and Mom had escaped. Mothers once beautiful golden coat, once shining in the sun, was now matted with blood that refused to stop flowing. The sharp sticks had pierced her everywhere, and though he had pulled each one out with his teeth, her wounds would not close.

  He lay beside her, pressing close, hoping his warmth might ease her suffering. For a moment, her breathing softened, and relief flickered in his heart. He thought she might finally rest. But then her ears pinned back suddenly, and she staggered to her feet.

  He looked around, seeing nothing, he put his nose in the air, and that was when he smelled them, the two legs from that terrible night were near. They had found them, and his sharp ears heard one of them speak.

  “Alright, everyone look alive! Go for the eyes this time. There were too many holes in the last hide, it was only worth a hill of credits instead of the mountain it should have been. Remember, you dipshits, their hides reflect magic, but not steel. Aim for the throat or the head with your spears and bolts and they will fall like any other animal.”

  The cub’s ears twitched at the sound of voices echoing from the cave’s mouth. Harsh, guttural sounds carried through the stone. He didn’t understand them, but he listened anyway because that was the only thing he could think to do.

  “There was a cub last time. It’ll fetch more than both pelts combined. Try to capture it but if you have to kill it, do not, I repeat, do not put a crossbow bolt in its pelt. Or I’ll put one in you and let the Warlord deal with you.”

  The cub’s heart thudded in his chest. He pressed closer to his mother, listening as the voices grew louder and closer.

  “Spears up front! And keep the mother away from the crossbowman or we’re all dead. There is only one way out of this cave, they have nowhere to go.”

  The cave seemed to shrink around him, he looked around for a way out, there was none. His claws scraped against the floor as he trembled. He hated himself for trembling. These two legs killed his father, and instead of being brave and fighting them with tooth and claw, he was scarred.

  Then sis mother turned to him gave him a lick that calmed him and clawed a spot behind her for him to stay and nuzzled his face one last time, "stay here, I'll protect you." With those last words to him, mama turned toward the entrance and charged forward, blood from her wounds flowing even faster now.

  His mother barreled forward, and he howled his frustration. If he lost her, he didn’t know what to do. He would have no one left in the world. He stood up taller, gathering his courage, and he howled not from fear but determination. He would not leave his mother to fight this battle alone, so he charged, forcing his gangly legs to move. He heard his mother cry out ahead, and he pushed forward after her harder.

  Riven

  We made our way downstairs to grab breakfast. The common room of the Hungry Dragon was already alive with the clatter of dishes and the low murmur of voices. Jase and Chu were waiting at the same long table we’d occupied the night before; their faces lit with anticipation as Chu was discussing the Merit Tasks.

  “Everything okay?” Jase asked as we sat down.

  Hot rolls steamed in a basket at the center of the table. I reached over, tore one free, and spoke around a mouthful. “Same old, same old. Jox turned out to be some Earl’s son, and now the Earl’s out for revenge. I’ll need to watch my back.” I waved the half?eaten roll in a broad gesture. “Yadda yadda, he’s the Emperor’s brother and all that.”

  Chu’s eyes widened, disbelief written across his face. Jase stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Both of them turned to Balt for confirmation. Balt only shrugged, reaching for his own roll. “You get used to it,” he said simply.

  I finished the delicious bread and was reaching for another choosing to ignore Balts words, when Wren appeared, balancing a tray piled high with eggs and bacon. “Eat up,” she said warmly. “It’s a big day today for everyone.”

  The food smelled amazing and none of us needed to be told twice. We tucked in, the table filling with the sounds of clinking forks and satisfied chewing. Wren didn’t sit with us for some reason, instead heading back toward the kitchen. I gave Chu a questioning look.

  “She helps Mei around here,” Chu explained. “With the city getting busier as the Tournament draws closer and us taking up a room, Mei and I pitch in when we can.”

  “I see,” I said with a smile.

  The words stirred an old memory. Harvest season, back when Alice and I were kids. Dad on the tractor, me helping in the fields, Alice feeding the cattle their cubes and square bales in the morning. Every few hours, she’d ride the four-wheeler out with a Dr Pepper for Dad. He could have brought a cooler, of course, but years later I realized the truth: he just wanted to see her, to check in. Out in farming country, there was no cell service back then, only dads’ fake excuses and small rituals to keep our little family close.

  The memory left me smiling but feeling a little melancholy as I cleaned my plate and stood. “We took on an herb quest. You guys in, or doing your own thing?” I asked.

  Jase spoke first. “Chu and I are taking on a blacksmith’s rare minerals quest. If we hurry, we should finish it today. It has really good points for the time invested or at least appears that way.”

  “Fair enough. Best of luck to both of you.”

  I gave Balt a look and he gave me a nod and we rose together, stepping out of the Hungry Dragon into the morning air. Bright sunlight spilled across the street, and I took in the view. Two other inns stood opposite: The Lucky Lady and The Dancing Snake. Both were bustling, far busier than the Hungry Dragon I couldn’t help but notice. I knew there had to be a story there as to why that was the case but sensing it might be a sensitive subject for Mei, I let the thought pass for now.

  Balt and I stepped off the porch into the street, the city already stirring to life with vendors opening stalls and guards changing shifts. Together we made our way toward the gates.

  Leaving the city was effortless, and soon we retraced our footsteps back toward the forest. Without the children in tow this time, and without the darkness of the night impeding us, we made excellent time. Enhanced stats carried us swiftly across the road and fields, and by the time the sun was high, we had reached the forest’s edge.

  I pulled out my flask and Balt’s cup, catching his side?eye as I poured. He accepted the drink with a grimace, but before he could raise it, I produced a second flask. This one was leather?wrapped, silver filigree curling across its surface like vines.

  I handed it to him with a grin. “Now that you’ve got your own, maybe you’ll stop glaring at mine.”

  Balt turned it over in his hands, his grin widening. “When did you have time to pick this up?”

  I tapped my Anchor, its shimmer flickering in the air. “I didn’t. The Warlord did. He had all kinds of goodies tucked away.” To prove the point, I pulled five mana potions and five healing potions from my inventory and passed them to him.

  Balt let out a low whistle as he made them disappear into his Anchor. “Well, now I’m almost glad that dumbass Jox talked him into attacking us last night.”

  I chuckled, turning toward the trees. “Lead the way, pathfinder. Those points aren’t going to gather themselves.”

  We reached the site Balt had remembered before long. The herbs were indeed there, scattered across the ground, though not in the abundance that Balt had talked about. I bent to collect them. But Balt wasn’t helping. He stood a few paces away, scanning the area with a frown.

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  “What’s wrong, man?” I asked.

  He didn’t answer at first, crouching down low, eyes fixed on the soil. Concern prickled at me, and I walked over, bending beside him.

  Finally, he spoke. “Something’s happened here. I remember seeing a whole field of these herbs.” He scanned the area before continuing. “There are only a few left.”

  “Are you positive this is the spot?” I asked. He nodded, letting out a breath. “This is definitely the spot.”

  I frowned, glancing around. “You think someone beat us to it?”

  But that didn’t make sense. If another team had harvested them, why leave so many behind? Why leave points on the table?

  I looked closer. The earth was disturbed, clawed in places. Tracks cut through the soil, paw prints, deep and deliberate.

  Balt pointed at them, then at patches where the ground had been dug up. “An animal’s been at them. For some reason, it’s digging the herbs out. And look” He gestured deeper into the forest. “The tracks lead that way. From the looks of it, several hundred points’ worth of herbs are gone. What do you think?”

  I studied the forest, shadows stretching between the trees. I had picked up maybe one hundred points of herbs so far. If we turned back now, by the time we made it back to the city the day would be wasted.

  “I think we follow the tracks,” I said finally. “But if they drag us too far, we turn back and chalk it up to bad luck. Then we take on the next task.”

  Balt rose, summoning his staff with a shimmer of light, and we stepped deeper into the woods, following the trail into the unknown.

  We hadn’t walked far when the forest began to change. The canopy thickened, blotting out much of the midday light, and the air grew cooler, damp with the scent of moss and stone. Ahead, the trees parted just enough to reveal a jagged opening in the earth, a cave mouth, dark and waiting. There was a small stream that ran in front of it and the grass around the area had been torn up. There was a downed man unmoving at the cave entrance.

  Balt slowed, crouching near the disturbed soil. He traced the paw prints with his staff before pointing toward the shadowed entrance. “The tracks lead in there.”

  I exhaled sharply, my lips twisting. “Of course they do. I swear I’m sick of caves. Every time it’s the same, dark, damp, and something nasty waiting inside, if that body is any indicator we are in for another surprise very shortly.”

  Still, I stepped forward, summoning Ember with a thought. The weapon shimmered into existence, its familiar weight settling into my grip, a faint glow sparking along its edge. I raised it, letting the light spill into the cave’s mouth.

  I bent down to check the body, but when I turned the man over, it was not clear how he had died. His throat was torn out, and part of his chest was gone as well. He had a look of disbelief on his face, and a crossbow lay on the ground next to him.

  “Let’s see what we find,” I said, voice steady despite the unease curling in my gut.

  Together, we crossed the threshold, shadows swallowing us whole. A growl and a scream echoed through the cave, and Balt and I sprinted forward, ready for anything.

  The sight before us was gruesome: seven men had cornered a massive beast, driving it back against the stone. It was unlike anything I had ever seen, a creature with the head of a wolf but the size and bulk of a polar bear. Its thick golden fur shimmered faintly even in the dim light, its color reminding me of the golden retriever I had grown up with. Blood matted its coat, though taking the luster from it. The fur was dripping from countless stab wounds, yet it still stood firm, guarding something behind its haunches.

  I moved over to the side of the cave where the elevation was slightly higher and caught a glimpse of what she was guarding. It was a small shape pressed close to the animal’s side. A pup, no more than a few months old, its golden fur softer, its eyes wide with fear but standing its ground the best it could.

  I felt a twinge in my heart that I couldn’t explain when I looked at the pup. He was overmatched and terrified, but his eyes still looked determined.

  One of the spearmen had circled around, flanking the mother. He made the mistake of stepping too close, and the pup lunged, sinking its teeth into his ankle. The man screamed, staggering, his spear raised high to strike down the little one. The little fella released the man’s ankle and jumped back behind his mother as the spear came down where his head used to be.

  “That’s enough!” I yelled out, some of the men turning at my words.

  I Flash Stepped, my body blurring forward, and imposed myself between the beast and the hunters. A shield flared into existence in front of me, cutting the two sides apart, and for a heartbeat everything froze, the men, the beast, even the dripping of water from the cave ceiling.

  The mother shifted, trying to rise despite her wounds, but I met her gaze and spoke softly.

  “Let me help you both. If you’ll allow it, I will see you through this.”

  Her massive frame slumped, exhaustion overtaking her. Then, to my surprise, a deep, feminine voice resonated in my mind.

  “I will allow it, champion.”

  I hid my surprise at the wolf bear talking and turned to the men that had cornered the animals. Some of them flinched back as my gaze fell upon them. “Who speaks for you?!” I asked.

  A middle-aged man stepped forward. I used Identify on him.

  His eyes flashed, and I could tell he was using Identify on me as well. A small smile slid onto his mouth after, but seeing the badge on my chest made the smile vanish as quickly as it came.

  The man gave a small bow as he began to talk, “I speak for these men, and I would kindly ask you to get the fuck out of our way, I do not want problems with the guild but if you continue to interfere, we will have no choice but to deal with you.”

  “Deal with me, huh,” I put one hand on my hip and put Ember on my shoulder. My aura controlled the flames so my new robes didn’t catch fire. “Why are you hunting these creatures?”

  The man looked at me as if I were a fool.

  “Identify them and see for yourself.”

  I turned and did just that. Identify triggered.

  I felt my eyebrows rise as I read the entry. “So, just so I understand your intentions, I’d like you to confirm a few things before I decide what to do with you.”

  The man flared his Aura, trying to suppress me. “What to do with us?” he laughed. “You should be worried about what I am about to do to you, for sticking your nose in business it does not belong.”

  I smirked at him. Fine. If he wanted to play that aura game with me, then we would do it his way.

  I activated every buff and unleashed my Aura in full. His men dropped to their knees instantly, choking under the crushing pressure. Only Sindle remained standing, his legs trembling, the blood draining from his face as he realized his mistake.

  “Are you hiding your level from my Identify or something?” he asked, voice strained.

  I raised Ember, letting blue flames dance along the blade.

  “I’m asking the questions here.”

  I focused my Aura on him alone, and he collapsed to the ground like a cheap lawn chair.

  “Are you hunting these Wolf Bears for sport, for credits, or because someone commanded you?”

  “These creatures attacked a village,” Sindle gritted out, “and the honorable Warlord Ryn Don set us after them weeks ago to bring the foul beasts to justice. If you let us go and help us, the honorable Warlord will reward you immensely.”

  The feminine voice I had heard earlier whispered in my mind once more.

  “He lies, champion.”

  “I know he does,” I answered softly. “Be at peace. This will be over soon.”

  I glanced at Balt, and the force field dissipated. I strode forward until I stood directly over Sindle.

  “There will be no reward to be had. I killed Ryn Don last night. If you’re associated with that man, then I already know what kind of people you are.”

  I held up a finger.

  “So, we can do one of two things. One… you come with me to town, turn yourself in to the guild, and explain everything you’ve done. They’ll deal with you, so I will not have to.”

  I raised a second finger.

  “Or option two… we fight here and now, and end this. Which option are we going with?”

  “Option one,” replied the man. I let off my aura and was about to tell them to gather in the corner while I tried to heal the bear with a potion when the man slammed his hand down and a flash of light as bright as any flash bang I had ever seen erupted out.

  I closed my eyes, and instinct told me to move to the left. I did so, then swung. Ember met token resistance as a scream echoed out. When I opened my eyes, the man known as Sindle was in two separate places in the cave now.

  The lower half of him was in front of me, and the rest of him was in another. I let out a sigh and stared hard at the others. “If anyone of you tries anything else like he just tried, I will kill you all. Now walk, crawl, run, whatever you can do to go over to my party member, and he will secure you.”

  They all stumbled over to Balt, and he made them face the wall, and his anchor flashed briefly, and a plain rope appeared in his hands. He tied their hands behind their backs with it quickly. “I am sure you all can tell that that is just regular rope, but if any of you break that rope for any reason, you all die, you hear me?”

  I turned away from Balt, knowing the situation was well in hand, and produced a healing potion. “This is much stronger than the herbs you've been eating. It will help heal you. Will you let me help?”

  A slow nod was all I got. “I poured the potion down the wolf bear’s throat, but to my horror it had no effect. The pup started to cry, and a young voice entered my mind: “Not working, please… help.”

  I summoned two more and tried again, thinking that the massive creature might just need a bigger dose.

  “Again, nothing happened. What the hell is going on?! Something is blocking the healing. I turned back to Balt. “Balt, the potions are not working. Any ideas?!