Jeremy

  “Yes,” Jeremy said. He approached the ashes and moved the cloak out of the way. On the pile were four artifacts. Jeremy didn’t need to use his magical looting ability this time. He examined each item.

  Enhanced mana and regeneration gave any mage a serious edge. Jeremy reached down and grabbed the bone crown. It crumbled at his touch, leaving only the crystal.

  No wonder the Moonwarden had so much mana, Jermey thought. We never would have been able to defeat him if Nivalár hadn’t helped. The boon of mana regeneration and removing the cooldown from divinity saved the day. Thanks again, Goddess!

  Jeremy looked at the pile of ash, scooping it onto the cloak. He ripped a piece off the garment, using it as a tie, creating a makeshift bag.

  He would have been excited to find an ingredient in his games, but here he just hoped he could sell the ashes.

  Under the ashes sat a black oval disk. When he examined the item, Jeremy knew he would take this treasure over everything else.

  He didn’t know if he would take one of Melorien’s spells or vice versa, but either way, if they could share mana and a spell, they could double the damage to an enemy.

  “Karn, Eli, let’s split this loot up,” Jeremy called.

  Karn looked at the necklace, eyes lit up with greed. “This would fetch a ton of gold! I’ll take it.”

  “You can have my share, Jeremy.” Eli said humbly.

  “Are you sure?” Jeremy said, bewildered.

  “You can buy me out of my share when we get back, Priest. You already got all the cores, toad, so you owe me.”

  Jeremy didn’t want to fight over loot, so he compromised. “When I have the gold, I’ll pay you for your share of the cores, and you can have everything else we find. This fragment only works with a bonded familiar, so are you good with me using it?”

  Karn looked at the obsidian oval. “Meh. It looks worthless to me, anyway. You can have it, and we’ll call it even.” Karn smiled, but not in good humor. “I’m going to look around. See if I can find anything else of use or value.”

  Suspecting the matter to be handled, Jeremy called to his new best friend. “Mel, we get to absorb the memory fragment together!”

  [Okay!] Mel said, [Tell me you’re excited without telling me you’re excited.]

  The two sat there for a minute staring at each other.

  “Okay. You win,” Jeremy said as his eyes watered from the stare-off. “How does this memory fragment work?” Jeremy asked Eli.

  “Usually,” Eli answered, “memory fragments transfer one memory from one person to another. What does this one say it does?”

  “You and your bond must absorb this fragment together,” Jeremy read. “This item will either enhance a current ability or grant you a new one. The ability is Twin Casting.”

  “Ah,” Eli said. “Think of the ability you want to share, and Mel thinks of the same ability. Then you should be able to share it and use it together.”

  “Okay,” Jeremy looked at Mel. “You ready to try it?”

  [Yes! Please!] Mel said, bouncing on Jeremy’s leg with anticipation.

  “Tell me you’re excited without telling me you're excited.”

  [Shut up.]

  “Which ability?” Jeremy asked.

  [Soulflare! Definitely Soulflare!] Mel trembled with excitement. [I can’t learn it on my own, so we can share it, and I can shoot fire!]

  “You really want to shoot fire?”

  [Yeah!]

  Jeremy couldn’t help but smile broadly. He focused on the ability while Mel thought about receiving it.

  “Yes,” Jeremy said.

  The memory fragment started glowing from the edges, light spreading in all directions. It narrowed down to two points of light, one shining directly on Jeremy and the other on Melorien. Jeremy could feel a link between him and Melorien deeper than the bond they already held.

  “Now to level up,” Jeremy said. After acknowledging the level up, he checked his statistics and invested three points in intelligence and one in wisdom. He hoped to earn five stat points on his next level-up. If that held true, he’d add a few points to strength and endurance on the next level up, but he knew he’d keep pumping points into wisdom and intelligence.

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  He felt renewed, smarter, yet oddly ready for a nap. The day had drained him physically, emotionally, and mentally. If he could, he’d join the brothers on that fishing trip before diving into another quest.

  He considered resting but knew he had to move. Time to bag the loot and return to Elaria. Mel leaned in for a snuggle as Jeremy scratched between his fins.

  Karn and Eli murmured in the background, likely plotting the route back to Serenveil. Jeremy studied the Tear, his thoughts drifting between memory and meaning.

  Then he heard it.

  A wet, meaty thunk, like a blade sinking into ripe fruit, but deeper, heavier. Followed by a sharp, involuntary gasp; not a scream but a breath stolen mid-sentence.

  Then silence.

  A silence that suddenly dropped like a stage-curtain falling too fast.

  Jeremy turned, heart already racing, and saw Eli stagger, eyes wide with betrayal. Karn’s blade buried deep in Eli’s back protruded through his chest.

  “What are you doing?!” Jeremy shouted, turning toward the carnage.

  But he was too slow.

  Karn pulled his sword free, then dashed to Jeremy’s position faster than Jeremy could act, faster than thought. In one fluid motion, he seized Melorien by the neck and yanked him close, pressing a dagger to the side of his neck. Melorien froze, his glow dimming to a pale shimmer.

  “Don’t teleport,” Karn hissed, voice low and venomous. “I’ll stick this dagger in your eye.”

  Jeremy’s heart slammed against his ribs. He raised his hands instinctively, fingers twitching with suppressed magic.

  “Oh no you don’t,” Karn continued, eyes locked on Jeremy, “don’t even think about casting a spell. One flick of your wrist, and I’ll run your little fish friend through and eat him for dinner.”

  Jeremy’s breath caught. “But… why?” he asked, rising slowly to his feet.

  “Uh-uh-uhhh,” Karn said, wagging the dagger slightly, his eyes wide and manic. “You stay put. Don’t move. You know how fast I am, how strong. Without your support companion, you’re nothing but a sack of slime with a stick.”

  Jeremy clenched his jaw. “I can’t believe this. You’re just a common thief?”

  “I wouldn’t call myself common,” Karn said, grinning. “This is a very valuable haul. The Tear of Nivalár and these other relics are worth a promotion. The mayor will finally let me take Rovek Talin’s position. I might even take his wife.”

  Jeremy glanced toward Eli. He lay there unconscious, slumped against the far wall, bleeding out.

  “You might want to think fast,” Karn said. “You’ve got time to get a potion into him before he dies. Maybe.”

  “Take everything,” Jeremy said, voice tight. “I’m going to help Eli. Just leave.”

  “I’m taking Melorien with me,” Karn said, backing away toward the Tear while holding Mel close to his chest. “I’ll let him go once I’m out of the cave. He’ll find his way back.”

  Jeremy froze mid-step. “No way. You’ll kill him up there. There’s nothing to stop you.”

  “There’s nothing to stop me from killing him now,” Karn snapped, pressing the dagger deeper. A thin line of glowing blue blood trickled down Melorien’s neck.

  “Just put him down,” Jeremy cried, hands outstretched. “We won’t try anything. You can go. Please. Just leave Mel here and go away.”

  Karn crouched to pick up the Tear, his fingers brushing the crystal’s surface.

  [NOW!] Melorien shouted suddenly. [Soulflare! Hit him now!]

  Jeremy didn’t hesitate. He raised his hands, and together they cast.

  Twin spirals of fire erupted from Jeremy’s hands, while one spiral erupted from Mel’s body. Jeremy’s fire slammed into Karn’s chest while Mel’s burned up Karn’s arms. Miraculously, the Tear of Nivalár flared white-hot, reflecting the soul flare attack and blinding Karn with divine light.

  He screamed and dropped the crystal and Mel, clutching his face.

  Jeremy could now see Karn’s stats as an enemy combatant. Jeremy quickly scanned the information hoping to find a weakness.

  Melorien vanished from Karn’s side in a blink, reappearing at Jeremy’s side.

  [Hit him again!] he said.

  Jeremy did. Another blast of Soulflare from both struck Karn square in the chest.

  “That did like 75 damage,” Jeremy said. “We need at least four more hits!”

  [Let’s do it!]

  They cast again. The third blast hit, but Karn twisted at the last second, his armor absorbing the brunt of the impact.

  Jeremy leaned down and picked up the necklace and the pendant from the crown. His mana shot up as soon as he put the necklace on.

  Then Karn dashed forward, sword raised. Jeremy barely had time to react before the blade sliced across his side.

  “Ahhh!” Jeremy cried out, stumbling back. Mel! That cut took almost 100 damage! I can’t take much more of this!

  [We need lightning,] Melorien said. [I’ll get him wet!]

  Karn lunged again, swinging his sword in a brutal arc aimed at Jeremy’s neck. Jeremy ducked, raising his staff just in time to catch the blade. The sword cut a large gash in the wood, almost cutting it in two pieces.

  Karn lunged again, hitting the same spot on purpose. He pressed down with both hands, forcing the sword toward Jeremy’s face. The razor-sharp blade ground into Jeremy’s skin. Blood trickled from the edge, the pressure unbearable. The staff splintered, giving way to the unrelenting force.

  Melorien teleported again, reappearing behind Karn and launching a barrage of water pulses. Each splash hit Karn’s armor, seeping into the joints.

  “Damn you! I know your attacks, frog!” Karn snarled and released the sword with one hand, drawing his dagger and plunging it into Jeremy’s side. The blade pierced between ribs, hot and sharp. “I’m too strong for you.”

  Jeremy screamed as Karn’s spit sprayed across his face. Raising his hand to the ceiling, he called lightning bolts with no concern for his own welfare.

  Electricity exploded between them, arcing through Karn’s soaked armor and Jeremy’s bloodied body. The power of the blast propelled them away from each other, landing in separate heaps across the chamber, steam rising from their wrecked bodies.

  The air filled with the stench of burning leather, plastic, and rubber. The acrid and sharp vapors clawed at Jeremy’s throat. He groaned, vision swimming. He felt a cooling sensation on his ribs. Looking down, he witnessed Eli’s hand glowing with healing magic, pressed firmly to Jeremy’s side. The wound closed rapidly. The pain faded. Jeremy’s other wounds stitched back together as well. Slowly.

  Jeremy gasped. “You’re alive…”

  Eli nodded weakly, his face pale. “Not for long.”

  Across the chamber, Karn roared.

  “NOOOO!” he bellowed, dashing again. His blade slashed across Jeremy’s side, reopening the freshly knitted wound. Jeremy’s health dropped to 275.

  If Eli hadn’t healed me, that last strike would’ve ended me.

  Karn diverted his attention to Eli. “Now to finish what I should’ve finished earlier.”

  “I’m not gonna make it,” he whispered, rolling over. In the same motion, Eli reached into his satchel and pulled out a glowing blue vial.

  “Jeremy!” Eli croaked. “Catch!” He tossed the vial.

  As it soared through the air, Karn plunged his sword into Eli’s back, anchoring him to the ground.

  Jeremy caught the potion, eyes wide with horror. He pressed it to his lips and drank. The potion surged through him like moonlight. His mana bar refilled, and his vision sharpened. The potion must’ve had magic and stamina regeneration properties.

  [Soulflare,] Melorien said, voice steady and determined. [Let’s beat this jerk.]

  Jeremy nodded. Together, they cast.

  Twin spirals of fire and light slammed into Karn’s chest. Reflections of the burning orange flame flashed through Jeremy’s eyes. The Tear pulsed with rhythm, amplifying the spell.

  Karn screamed, his armor and clothing erupting into flame.

  “Lightning again!” Jeremy shouted.

  Melorien teleported behind Karn, shooting water at his exposed back. Jeremy followed up with a final lightning strike, amplified again by the Tear’s glow.

  If Karn survived, Jeremy knew he wouldn’t.

  Karn staggered, flames guttering out on his robes. He dropped to both knees, then collapsed. He reached for his sword, not finding it, and then his hand fell for the last time.

  Only the sound of the smouldering fire echoed through the chamber.

  The Tear dimmed.

  The chamber darkened.

  Jeremy fell to his knees beside Eli.

  “Eli?” he whispered. Tears fell, mixing with the blood on his cheek.

  No response.

  Jeremy rifled through Eli’s bag, hands trembling. He found a health potion, pried off the wax seal, and poured some into Eli’s mouth.

  It just poured out the sides uselessly.

  Jeremy's body trembled. He didn’t know CPR or if that would even work at this point. He pressed his fingers to Eli’s neck looking for a pulse. Leaning in close, he felt for his friend’s breath.

  “Eli?” he whispered.

  Melorien skittered to perch on Jeremy’s knee, silent.

  Jeremy bowed his head, thanking Nivalár for her help and apologizing for not taking better care of her servant.

  They had won.

  But at a high cost.