“Hey!” I shouted as I chased after the vanishing figure.
“Stop! I’m here to help!”
I skirted sharply around the corner of the building, and I caught a glimpse of my target sliding between the building and a tall fence behind it. I stomped my foot to activate the fleetness ability of my griffon feather dragonscale boots, and I managed to grab the arm of the dirty leather coat before it vanished into the crack.
With a sharp pull, I sent the person reeling backward into the alley, and I got a good look at them for the first time.
My eyebrows rose in surprise when I scanned over the mud-streaked face of a young boy, and he couldn’t have been older than twelve.
No wonder he had run away.
What was a kid going to do against a scary man in dragonscale armor?
“I’m not here to hurt you.” I shoved back my hair with one hand as I raised my other hand with the palm outward.
“My name is Bash. Ralf came to Vallenwood looking for help, so that’s what I’m here to do.”
“Bash?” The boy snorted. “Nice try. That’s the God of Time’s name, and there’s no way a god would show up in Meadowlark willingly.”
“Oh, really?” I smirked. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Renyn.” The boy straightened his back and lifted his chin in a defiant manner. “And you need to leave this place. We have no valuables here, so there’s nothing worth stealing.”
“I’m not a thief,” I said in a calm voice.
Renyn eyed me beneath a tousled mess of black hair, and his silvery-blue eyes gleamed with a protective rage. I admired the young man for stepping up to defend his people, but it broke my heart to see someone so young having to take on a grown-up role. If I could restore his childhood, even if only for a few more years, and he continued on to lead a good life, then I would consider my efforts in Meadowlark to be well worth the time.
“Look, kid,” I sighed. “I think what you’re doing is really cool, but if you keep this up, you’re going to wind up just as dead as everyone in that big grave outside town. How are you going to help your family then?”
“W-What if you’re the one who dies today?” Renyn gulped, but he met my gaze. “Harm one hair on anyone’s head, and you’ll regret the day you came to Meadowlark.”
“That’s a deal I can accept.” I grinned as I stuck out my hand.
“It’s not a deal. It’s a threat.” Renyn eyed my hand for a moment, but then he nodded decisively and led me out of the alleyway. “Come on. I’ll introduce you to the others.”
I shook my head in amusement at the young boy’s defiant energy, but I knew he would need that strength in the future. Even after I won the war against Plague, Renyn might have to be the one to provide for his family.
I followed behind him long enough to memorize the maze-like path he took through the dilapidated structures, and I managed to keep up with the nimble speed of the much younger kid. The twists and turns Renyn took made me wonder if the other avenues were booby-trapped in some way, and I hoped the villagers had put some defensive measures in place that required less manpower.
Finally, Renyn stopped outside a larger house, and he gazed up at the windows of the second story for a brief moment before his eyes returned to my face. I scanned over
the building, and from an outside perspective, it appeared to be another empty house. There was a picket fence on either side of the walkway up to the door, and the remnants of a garden overflowed the path. No candles flickered in the windows, and the air was quiet.
“This is it?” I asked as I pointed to the ramshackle mini mansion. “Where is everyone?”
“Follow me,” Renyn said, and he darted up the path toward the house, but at the last moment before he reached the steps, the young man took a right.
Renyn stepped through the overgrown plants onto a well-disguised path, and once I was right on top of it, I recognized the signs of multiple feet passing through. The path led to the back of the house, and a ladder stretched up to the top of the roof. A small balcony on the second floor was enclosed by wooden posts, but the lack of paint on the lumber made me think it was a more recent addition. Then I noticed the flutter of a shadow on top of the roof, and I realized there was a shadowed figure crouching behind the chimney.
Probably a watchman.
The people of Meadowlark may have seen a drastic reduction in population, but they weren’t fools. Judging from
the size of the small town and the amount of boarded-up empty houses, it had once housed almost a hundred people. I doubted that many would fit in the attic of this shabby building, though.
“What now?” I shot Renyn a questioning glance.
The young boy whistled long and low, and then he paused with his head slightly tilted. After a brief moment of silence, an answering whistle pierced the air. Renyn jerked his chin to the ladder, and he darted away without another word.
I followed after the nimble and fast tween, and I kept a few spaces below him so I could watch his every move. The young man hesitated at the railing on the second floor, and judging from the way his eyes flicked to me and his lips moved, he was telling someone else about my presence in the village.
“Let him up,” a female voice urged loud enough for me to hear.
“Ayma, are you sure?” Renyn hissed under his breath, but I still managed to catch the woman’s name. “He looks dangerous.”
“Then why did you lead him here?” the one called Ayma retorted. “I trust your instincts, Renyn.”
Now, it was time to work my god magic in order to accomplish a perfect run through. One hundred percent completion meant making the most of every moment, and I was more determined to reach my goal than ever before.
I reset to my save point with a wave of my will, and I returned to the moment I first arrived in Meadowlark.
Chime.
Leaf twitched and shifted beneath the saddle, and I dismounted before continuing any further into the village. I was lucky I hadn’t set off any possible traps during my first run through, but I wasn’t about to press my good fortune by acting foolish.
I hitched the dusky mare to a post near the building closest to the edge of town, and I skirted around the muddy main road to the alleyway behind the rundown structure.
Renyn was somewhere in town, but it was possible he hadn’t emerged from his hiding place until he’d heard me arrive last time. I hadn’t exactly been subtle, but it had been efficient for a first run through.
Now, I knew exactly where to go to find the survivors remaining in Meadowlark, and I could start figuring out how exactly I was going to help them. I wasn’t a healer, but I still had a few ways of dealing with illness. I’d learned a lot from Theodora, the apothecary in Bastianville, as well as other herbalists and shamans, and I had several lifetimes of experience dealing with injuries.
I stepped onto the trail Renyn had led me on during the previous run through, and I scanned my surroundings in search of the young man. I was almost to the ramshackle mini mansion everyone was hiding in when I spotted the lean form of the tween on the rooftop at the end of the street.
“Renyn!” I said in a loud voice. “I’m here to see Ayma.
Would you like to accompany me?”
The dark figure dropped from the rooftops, swung off a window ledge, and finally plopped onto the ground with surprising grace. Renyn stayed in the shadows at the base of the building for a moment, but when he stepped close enough for me to see his face, his silvery-blue eyes were filled with curiosity and doubt instead of hostility.
It was an improvement.
“How do you know me?” the young man asked as he lifted his chin. “I have never seen you before.”
“I know all things, Renyn.” I gave him a comforting smile. “I am the God of Time, but you can call me Bash, and I have come to help Meadowlark against all that ails her.”
“Why would the God of Time come all the way out to Meadowlark just for a handful of sick people?” Renyn continued to look at me with a face full of skepticism. “I won’t let you hurt anyone, even if I have to kill you.”
“Big words for a man so young,” I said in a sage voice.
“I can assure you I mean no harm, and all I want is for Ralf to be able to return to his healthy daughter.”
“You… You know about Evelan?” Renyn gulped as his eyes widened. “Are you really a god?”
“Really, really.” I grinned. “Now, are you coming with or staying out here?”
I didn’t wait for an answer, but Renyn was hot on my tail as I made my way to the hidden pathway to the back of the house. The young man shot me a glance full of awe and confusion, but he pushed in front of me and shimmied up the ladder even faster than before.
This time, he slipped over the rails of the second floor balcony, but I was right behind him. The young man cracked open the glass French doors to whisper to Ayma, and I stepped forward to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.
“Ayma, I am here to help.” I peered into the shadows inside the house, but I couldn’t make out any features on this feminine gatekeeper. “Ralf came to Vallenwood in search of help, and I have answered the call.”
“Let him in,” Ayma commanded, and the doors opened wide enough for us to step through.
“Alright.” Renyn flashed me one more hesitant glance before he led me inside the mini mansion’s second floor.
I glanced around at what appeared to be a living room, and the fireplace against the wall looked well used despite the dust coating the upholstery of every piece of furniture. I could hear the whispers of multiple voices on the other side of a closed door, but then my gaze landed on the lovely woman staring at me with defensive crossed arms.
Time to schmooze.
“Ayma!” I flashed the older woman a broad smile, and I glanced over her sagging blue dress, but the apron covering
her torso had blood stains of various ages. A hollow look in her eyes combined with the dark bags beneath them belied the exhaustion she had been feeling for a while, and I could tell she was near her breaking point. “You can rest now. I will take care of everything.”
“Who did you say you were again?” Instead of looking relieved and grateful, the older woman narrowed her eyes and drew her eyebrows together in consternation, but that was to be expected.
“Ralf went to Vallenwood to seek the throne’s help, but they are not gods like me, so I came to do what they could not.” I flourished my hands like an overzealous thespian, and my cloak fluttered behind me like a superhero’s cape. “I am Bash, the God of Time.”
“O-Oh, my, well, we aren’t exactly prepared to host such a distinguished guest.” Ayma fretted with her dress and apron in an effort to tidy herself up. “I wish I had advance word of your arrival, we would have banded together for a welcome party.”
“Just knowing there are survivors is a joyous enough welcome,” I said. “Show me to the others so I can assess the extent of your worries.”
“This way, Your Greatness,” Ayma said, and she ushered Renyn away before she led the way to the closed door.
“I’m sure you understand our heightened defenses. We make easy pickings for wandering bandits or thieves.”
“I totally understand,” I assured her. “I’m glad you have so many protective measures in place. It shows you’re a village of survivors and warriors even when the cards are stacked against you.”
“I hope so, my lord,” Ayma sighed.
The older woman pulled open the door, and I was immediately met with several dirty but curious faces. The hallway was lined with roughly fifteen people sitting against the walls, and several sported bandages on various body parts.
Some sniffled and dabbed watery eyes, and still more grimaced from obvious pain. Most of the people in the hallway appeared to be men both younger and older, but none looked prepared or capable of defending the town in the event of an attack. They would still be the last line of defense before any enemies reached the rest of the populace, though, and I admired their courage in the face of an impossible situation.
Ayma led me to a door at the end of the hallway, and we picked our way carefully between the outstretched legs
covering the tile floor. Once we stepped inside the room, however, my stomach lurched from the overwhelming smell of sickness. The ill were laying on cots that covered almost every inch of space, and buckets sitting near several beds radiated an acrid odor.
Coughs and groans filled the air, and I swallowed hard as I faced the task before me. There weren’t strong enough tinctures or remedies available to heal the sickness gripping these people, but I wasn’t about to give up on them.
“Where is Evelan?” I asked as I scanned the faces I could see above the blankets. Few returned my gaze with anything close to clarity, and I was mostly met with looks of confusion and fear.
“This way,” Ayma said as she tiptoed through the cots.
The older woman led me to a girl in a bed situated beneath the grime-coated window, and the staggered rise and fall of her chest signaled the trouble she was having just taking a breath. Ayma touched the girl’s shoulder in a comforting manner, and Evelan rolled toward us with a dazed look in her pale green eyes. Boils covered her face, and every inch of exposed skin was spotted with more pustules. It was clear she
was infected with some sort of horrible disease, and I bit back anger at the God of the Plague for causing so much distress.
“Who… are you?” Evelan croaked out through dry lips.
“Call me Bash.” I gave the girl a gentle smile. “Your father, Ralf, sent me to help you.”
“Not even the gods can help us,” Evelan muttered with a shake of her head, but even that small motion seemed to exhaust her, and she collapsed back into her pillow with a tired sigh.
I stepped away from the sick girl with a grim expression, and Ayma followed me back to the room attached to the balcony. My gaze swept over the injured and ill men lining the hallway, and I used their dejected faces as motivation to fix Meadowlark once and for all.
How exactly I was going to do that wasn’t clear just yet, but once I figured it out, I’d be one step closer to cutting Plague down a few sizes. If what Tiff said was true, this village could prove to be instrumental in gaining an advantage over Plague, and I wasn’t going to let this opportunity pass me by.
The cloying sickness in the air clogged my throat, and I moved to the balcony to inhale some fresh air. Ayma followed behind me, and she leaned on the door frame as she watched me in silence. I could feel her eyes searching me, and I turned to meet her gaze.
“I am who I say I am,” I assured her.
“Forgive my doubts, Your Greatness,” Ayma said. “I merely struggle to determine your intentions. There is no possibility of reward for helping us. Why would you come all this way for nothing?”
“It’s far from nothing,” I said. “To be honest, I consider all the people of Sorreyal, and even the realms beyond our borders, to be my responsibility. Ensuring a healthy and happy life for my people is one of my top priorities.”
“One of them, but not the first priority,” Ayma observed in an astute voice as she narrowed her eyes. “What takes precedence over everything else?”
“My enemy could be nearby this village,” I explained, and I raked a hand through my hair. There was no point in lying to the woman when she could have valuable information about things related to Plague. “I can’t leave him an opening to attack deeper into the kingdom, but that doesn’t make you
and the rest of the people here any less important than anyone else in the land. I have a war to win, but it will be to everyone’s benefit when I restore the safety of the realm.”
“You really think your enemy is in Meadowlark?” Ayma snorted. “You saw everyone here. There’s no one nearly powerful enough to threaten a god.”
“I don’t think he’s in town exactly,” I said. “But he could be in the forest nearby. I can’t rule anything out, but I have it under good authority that he has a stronghold close by.”
“There have been sightings,” Ayma allowed, and her face took on a haunted quality as her eyes swept over the backyard below us. “And attacks.”
“Tell me everything,” I urged.
“It will be easier to show you,” Ayma countered, and she swung onto the rungs of the ladder without another word.
I quickly clambered over the rails of the balcony and followed her down the ladder, but she didn’t say anything else as she led the way out of the yard. Ayma cast a few glances over her shoulder to make sure I was still behind her, and she led the way to the mass grave on the edge of town. The older
woman folded her hands in front of her as she surveyed the fresh burials, and her shoulders slumped with defeat.
“Here lies our protectors,” Ayma said in a quiet voice.
“My husband is among them.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“Some sort of animal… or creature… I don’t know.”
Ayma shook her head sadly. “Four of the men still able to fight and travel left in search of food and a healer, but the one who returned had his tongue cut out, so we still do not know the identity of their foe.”
“I don’t know of any animals who cut out their prey’s tongues,” I pointed out.
“There have been rumors of goblins, lizard-men, and trolls spotted in the forest,” Ayma confessed. “But they never entered the village itself. Only those who attempt to take the north road have been attacked and killed, so it almost seems like something is trying to keep us here until we all die.”
“I’m sure that felt pretty hopeless,” I said in a comforting voice.
Ayma looked up at me with eyes brimming with tears, and she inhaled a ragged breath as she struggled to maintain
her composure. I couldn’t take away all the pain and heartache this woman had endured, but I needed to try to give her some hope. I opened my arms and gestured her into an embrace, and the moment her face was against my chest, her shoulders began to shake with silent sobs.
I caressed the woman’s back and hummed absently until her breathing returned to normal, and she pushed away from me with a grateful, albeit tear-streaked, smile.
“You are truly the Great One of Legend,” Ayma said.
“On behalf of all of us, thank you for coming here. We won’t last much longer without help.”
“The God of Time is on the job,” I declared in a decisive tone. “First, we need to get this town functioning again. Once the sick start to improve, they’ll need houses and businesses. Gather anyone strong enough to hold a broom, and I’ll be back in a flash.”
“Where are you going?” Ayma frowned in concern.
“You just got here.”
“The more helping hands I get together, the easier it will be to restore Meadowlark to its former glory.” I gave the older woman a confident smile. “Plus, I need to fetch something to heal the sick.”
Ayma stepped back as I started to perform the motions for the fast travel spell, but I sent Nameless a silent command to watch over the village in my absence. I didn’t plan on being gone long, but I would feel much better knowing the people had some firepower at their disposal.
I focused on the porch of my castle back in Bastianville, and a moment later, I stood outside the doors of my home. I marched inside and headed toward my vault, but my women quickly noticed my appearance, and they all hurried down the hallway behind me.
“What’s wrong, Bash?” Zenda asked.
“Did something happen?” Elissa pressed.
“Do you need backup?” Akina asked.
“What are you looking for?” Mahini questioned.
“Hey, Bashy,” Tiff greeted with a wry smile as she jogged in front of me. “You didn’t really expect to be able to waltz in without an explanation, did you?”
“Not at all,” I chuckled as I flashed all my women a bright smile. “I’m just in a bit of a hurry. I left Nameless in Meadowlark to guard the survivors, but I need to get inside the vault then back to the town before even more people die.”
“Meadowlark?” Tiff frowned. “Wait, that’s Plague’s town.”
“Was,” I corrected. “It’s mine now, and I intend to take much better care of it than that sick twisted asshole ever did.”
Once I disengaged the protective spell cast over the entrance to my vault, the women followed me inside and cast curious glances around at my stockpile of wealth. From the outside eye, it probably appeared disorganized or haphazard, but I knew exactly where everything was, and I headed straight toward what I was looking for.
“Got it!” When I had the vial of healing waters from Arajah in hand, I flourished it before my women with a pleased smile. “Now, who wants to help a bunch of sick and injured people crawl back to the land of the living? It could be dangerous, you’ll have to wear protective masks and gloves, but you should still avoid touching the sick as much as possible. If it’s not something you’re willing to risk, I won’t hold it against you for staying behind.”
“You can’t leave me behind if you’re going after Plague,” Tiff pointed out. “You might need me.”
“I don’t know much about healing herbs,” Zenda said.
“But I’m willing to do whatever I can to help.”
“Me, too,” Elissa added. “We can’t stand by while people die.”
“I will stay with the babies,” Mahini offered. “But you should take some of the soldiers with you to do the heavy lifting. Your talents will be of better use by focusing on hunting your enemy.”
“She’s right,” Elissa chirped. “Let us handle the village while you go after the Plague man.”
“Fetch Theodora and a few strong men,” I instructed with a crisp nod. “Make sure you tell them to grab face and hand coverings. I’m going to grab my bow and some other weapons before I start searching the woods for Plague’s hideout.”
We all met up outside the castle, and I blipped my women, a few soldiers, and the apothecary across the map to Meadowlark. Nameless squawked in greeting moments after we arrived, and I could tell from his tone that all was well.
Nothing had happened in my absence, but we still needed to act fast if we wanted to save the lives of the villagers.
I led the way to the ramshackle mini mansion, and everyone followed me up the ladder into the second floor.
Ayma stepped back and watched the parade of people follow
me into the room adjacent to the balcony with wide eyes, but a look of relief swept over her as we got straight to work.
The soldiers started setting up a clean workspace on the first floor, and they used scrap wood from houses too far gone to salvage to make enough beds for everyone. Wash stations were set up so my helpers could sanitize their hands regularly, and everyone kept their masks over their nose and mouth.
Theodora and Zenda separated the worst cases from the minor injuries, and those who could move hobbled downstairs to the bigger space.
I exchanged a smile with Tiff as she supported a woman’s weight and helped her down to the first floor, and I handed over the vial of Arajian waters to Elissa. Then I went to help the men with the heavy lifting, and with everyone pitching in, it didn’t take us long to return the mini mansion to a semblance of functionality.
The men I’d brought from Bastianville had enough forethought to grab some supplies, and soon, a steaming pot of stew was filling the air with a much better aroma than the stench of human waste. We also shared fresh water with the sick and injured, and many of them were too weak to take a drink without assistance.
“Easy there,” I murmured as a man with a bandaged head chugged down huge gulps of water, and some of the liquid dribbled down his chin to splatter onto his ragged shirt.
“Don’t make yourself sick. There’s plenty more where that came from.”
“Thank you, sir.” The man gave me a grateful but pained smile, and he settled back against his pillow.
I helped feed the survivors bowls of warm stew, and hours passed as we all worked together to take care of the people of Meadowlark. Theodora emerged from the upper level with a tired smile, but then she handed me the empty vial that previously contained the healing water from Arajah.
“They will live,” the apothecary announced. “Thanks to you.”
“It took all of us,” I said. “I’m glad you’re here. They will need someone to nurse them back to full health.”
“I won’t leave until they are all strong and fit,”
Theodora promised, and she clapped me on the shoulder before she headed toward the pot of stew. “Don’t push yourself too hard, even a god deserves a break every once in a while.”
“I’m heading into the forest at dawn,” I informed her. “I need to make sure there are no threats in the woods, and if I find my enemy hiding in the trees, I’ll consider it a successful day.”
“We’ve got everything covered here,” Elissa said as she came down the stairs. “I just need another waterskin. These people are certainly thirsty.”
Zenda, Akina, and Tiff came down a moment later, and we all took a break to eat before we returned to caring for the sick. After all the victims with minor injuries were fed and their thirst quenched, I made my way upstairs to check on Evelan.
I hadn’t forgotten Ralf’s bravery and determination to help save his daughter’s life, and I wanted to make sure the older man had a family to return to. The floor was much easier to maneuver around since half the cots had been moved downstairs, and I crossed the distance to the window in a few long strides.
Evelan pushed herself up into a sitting position as I approached, and she looked up at me with bright clear eyes and a smile. The tension I didn’t even realize I’d been holding in my jaw suddenly relaxed, and I returned her smile.
“Your father will be very pleased with your recovery,” I said as I noted the absence of boils and blisters on her skin.
The magic waters of Arajah had done the trick, and I was glad I could return to the island with a single thought since it was a journey of several months otherwise. I’d guarded my vial of the healing liquid closely because I had no easy way to replenish my supply, but the memory spell enhancement on my fast travel amulets eliminated that issue.
“You have given me hope of seeing his face once more,” Evelan said in a soft voice. “I thought it would be forever when we last parted.”
“I wasn’t going to let such a courageous man lose the thing he fought for,” I said. “You give him hope, so you’re just as necessary here as I am.”
“I’m glad I can keep going, then.” Evelan’s lips turned up into a smile, but I could still see the tired look in her eyes.
“Rest,” I encouraged. “You need to regain your strength so you can give your dad a big hug when he gets back.”
“Yes, Great One.” Evelan snuggled back onto her cot, and she pulled the blanket up to her chin.
I gazed at her for a moment longer before I turned away, but I swept my gaze over the other injured and sick people nearby. Everyone looked to be in much better spirits, and the eyes that met mine were bright with life once more.
Meadowlark still had a long road ahead of her before she’d be at full strength again, but I knew the people who lived here weren’t the type to give up.
After I took a short nap and ate some more of the stew, I grabbed my bow, mounted Leaf, and headed into the forest.
The pre-dawn light barely illuminated the leaf-strewn ground, but it was bright enough for me to pick out a trail between the trees. There were obvious signs of recent activity, yet it was hard to determine if they were caused by animals or something else. With the numerous sightings of monsters and dangerous creatures, I was ready for anything.
Leaf grew more and more nervous with each step we took deeper into the forest, and Nameless even kept close overhead. My attention was balanced between calming the skittish horse and scanning my surroundings, but I froze when I spotted a brief flash of gray-green skin.
The creature launched from the underbrush and took off away from me, and I recognized it as a goblin even from the
backside. Where there was one, there would be more, so I freed my panabas from their lashes.
The nasty but small monster scurried through the dense undergrowth, but it made enough noise for me to easily track its movements. I gave it a few moments of a head start, and then I clicked my heels against Leaf’s flanks to urge the mare onward.
I hadn’t taken more than a handful of steps when a noise to my left put me on high alert, and my head swiveled to scan the forest around me. Then I saw the multiple-eyed deer-like creature staring at me through the brush, and I replaced my panabas with my bow. I nocked an arrow as silently as I could, and the twang of the cord rang in my ears as I released the projectile.
The mutated deer fell beneath my arrow, and I dismounted to get a better look at it. There were patchy spots on its fur that looked like mange or some other skin infection, and I made sure not to touch the animal with my bare hands.
Half the bundle of eyes were open while the others stared blankly up at me, and I shuddered as I looked away from the dead-eyed gaze.
This had to be the work of the God of the Plague, and if he wasn’t stopped, there was no telling what would happen to this world. There wouldn’t be anything pure or good left, and that was no way to live.
“Rest easy, little guy,” I said as I shook my head sadly.
Then I returned to Leaf, remounted, and continued to follow the goblin’s path through the forest. I spotted a few other mutated animals from squirrels with exposed skulls to two-headed snakes, and I put them out of their misery one by one. Eradicating the mutations took time away from my goblin hunting, but I didn’t want to risk anyone from Meadowlark accidentally eating the tainted meat of mutated animals.
Leaf huffed and snorted as we crept through the forest, but I spotted the back of my goblin prey enough times to follow in its path. I still kept my eyes and ears peeled for any movement among the trees, and the sun continued to strengthen as it filtered through the canopy. Now I could see clearly, and I fell back even further to give the monster ahead a bigger lead.
It would be oh so satisfying to pop up on him once he showed me to his hiding place, and it would be much easier to take them by surprise if they didn’t think I was a threat.
Nameless broke through the canopy of leaves occasionally, but it was harder for him to maneuver his wings through the branches now that he was bigger, so he shot upward again once he was satisfied with my health and safety.
I chuckled in amusement as he rested on a tree branch about a hundred feet ahead of me, and I smiled up at him as Leaf trotted beneath his seat.
“Are you just going to lay around all day?” I teased the silvery dragon over my shoulder. “Or are we going to find some goblins to kill?”
The eager chirp I received from the flying lizard assured me he was ready to annihilate something, and he didn’t seem too picky about what exactly that would be. I didn’t blame him, though, I was ready to murder anyone standing between me and the God of the Plague if that meant an end to his brutality.
The trees suddenly fell away to reveal a large meadow, and at the center of the clearing was an enclosure with tall fences reaching for the sky. I frowned as I crossed the distance to it, but then I spotted my goblin prey darting toward the wooden barrier. A small gate opened just long enough to let
the nasty creature through, and then it slammed shut with percussive force.
Progress was being made, and soon, I’d know exactly what the God of the Plague was up to.
While still keeping my distance, I circled around the fence in search of any openings or weak spots, but other than the small four-foot-tall gate the goblin had gone through, there were no other cracks or holes. Weird rumbling growls echoed through the wooden barrier, and they grew louder the closer I got to the wall.
There was something on the other side, and I was going to find out what.
I attempted to stand on Leaf’s back in order to see over the top of the enclosure, but the skittish horse didn’t tolerate my shifting weight for long before she jerked away. I fell down more than once before I tried a different strategy, and I summoned Nameless over to me with a mental command. The iridescent dragon hovered in the air in front of me, and his stardust eyes were full of curiosity and a desire to please.
“Fly over the wall and show me what’s hiding in there,”
I instructed.
Nameless chirped before he pumped his wings and rose higher into the air, and his silvery form disappeared over the top of the wall a moment later. I held my breath as I waited for an update from the flying lizard, and I started to question my judgment in directing the dragon into enemy territory.
Then a mental image exploded into my mind, and I tried to fight it at first before I realized it was a message from Nameless. When I focused on opening my mind to my dragon companion, it was as though I was seeing through his eyes.
The waves of color flashing through every living thing was fascinating to experience, but then I realized the glowing forms were growling. The enclosure was filled to the brim with mutated men-like things and other creatures, and they started to press against the fence closest to me.
“Oh, fuck,” I hissed as I did a quick tally, but I lost count at around fifty.
This was more than enough of a threat to wipe out the remaining residents of Meadowlark as well as the other towns nearby, and there was no telling how many more places like this the God of the Plague had prepared.
I had to stop him.