Retiring to Cire’s cabin after the meal for privacy, the trio settled in for conversation and to lay out a plan. True to her word, Maisy hadn’t let any additional details slip as far as he could tell. He hadn’t gotten a chance to compare notes, so to speak, with Durg and Selene yet, that might be fruitful.

Indelicately breaking the ice, Cire began speaking right after closing the door. “Before we talk about Maisy’s opening proposal I would...”

Durg cut him off with a barb, “Wouldn’t you be getting involved in more than one proposal in a day boyo!”

“Ha ha, very funny, Durg. I was saying, I need to tell you both more about me, who I was.” Cire poured them each a mug of watered wine and then swirled it, wondering where to start.

Selene solved the problem for him, straightforward as always. “Well, out with it. We already both know that you’re a vampire, not from this realm, and used to be a human. What could be more surprising than that?”

Tentatively taking a sip of the wine, he managed to not spit it up, but it was difficult to swallow. Cire tried to keep what little of lunch he had been able stomach in place. Without the tutorial obfuscating his modern sensibilities of taste he wondered if he would’ve starved.

At least now I am sort of used to the food, the smells, and not bathing. Hell, I probably wouldn’t have made it off the mountain in the first place if the tutorial hadn’t been in place. How long would I have spent second guessing myself? Thinking I was crazy? Not accepting this new reality? Time to get to it, no more stalling.

“So, I’m not too sure about the etiquette of this, but I’ll start by offering my own age. I’m 84, at least I was before I came here. I hadn’t thought to ask either of you until now, or if it even matters.”

Gulping down a bitter mouthful, he shrugged. How do I describe what a cubicle monkey does? In for a copper, in for a gold. Bleh, that sounds so much worse than “in for a dime, in for a dollar” or

“in for a penny, in for a pound.”

“Also, I used to be a clerk, well sort of, it’s kind of difficult to explain what my previous profession used to be. Suffice it to say, up until the last couple of months I’d never seen any combat, except with pen and paper. Given all of that, I wanted to ask if you both still think it was the right decision to give me the stone?”

“Ha! I been callin’ ya boyo this whole time, but I should a been calling ya kiddie. Yah only got about a decade on me, but if I been raised in a proper city I wouldn’t even be allowed outside the walls. For an elf, well Selene you be the better judge, but I can’t say I’ve met one younger than a century before. You’re practically a toddler.” Durg proceeded to pound the table, bouncing the mugs dangerously.

Calculating, Selene’s head tilted, raven locks draping over her shoulder. “Do you really think we did not know that you had seen so few winters? We chose you for the stone because you’re an outsider, because you’re so young. You are far more accepting of others than most on the island, partially because of your own reception. It is good that you have known a way of life absent of bloodshed, it gives you proper perspective for what is required.”

Nodding, he finished his cup and stood. “That’s what I needed to hear. You two know me better by now, I’m always going to want to talk things out and make sure we are clear. So, unless either of you is hiding secret knowledge about the valley, there’s really only one thing to do. Get ready for a fight, because we’re going back to the ruins. I’d rather get as much information as I can before we approach Maisy again and that’s the place we’ll find it.”

“Sounds fun! I’m always ready for a fight boyo!” Punching Cire on the shoulder punctuated Durg’s statement. “’Sides, we still be needin’ to loot those beard burning duergar bodies.”

Shouldering her quiver and cinching it into place, Selene replied. “I don’t have any more information than the two of you at this point, although I know that we should be asking Maisy for much more if you’re planning on agreeing to her terms. She’s being oblique for a reason, and I don’t like it.”

Conversation continued as they made their way across the valley towards its center. Cire added his piece, “I picked up on that too. I’d like to know what titles she is referring to. Then again, it’s not like she put a timeline on the agreement, so there’s a chance it’s not too unreasonable.”

Selene scoffed, “Right, and I’m Durg’s mother. We’re basically walking into this blind. We know that the city used to be made up of elves and dwarves. I’ve never heard of a city like that, but it must have been ages ago, before the great collapse. Why would they have built a city here? It’s an isolated mountain valley, not a center of commerce or port.”

“Be the perfect place for a dwarven city lass. You be thinking with those pretty pointy ears of yours. Big mountains and heavy with ore, those be the two main necessities for those of us that be livin’ below the surface for most of our days.” Huffing, Durg caught his breath. “Bah, I shouldn’t have had that third helping of stew, slow up for a bit.”

“I’m sure there is a lot more to it, but I think there is a simple reason for the request as well. They have obviously put a lot of work into Sunset, and I’m not talking about the buildings. Trade routes, regular labor, and the basics to start a larger community are already here in the valley. I’d wager they made a gamble on finding the stone, but if they didn’t, they put themselves in the perfect position to benefit when it was found.”

Clapping his hands together, Cire chuckled and continued the thought process. “The hamlet’s at the only entrance to the valley. All business and travelers will pass through the hamlet.” Snapping his fingers to punctuate his epiphany, “There was a miner where I am from who found a rich deposit of gold in a creek. Instead of doing the labor himself, he set up a general store, stocked it full of provisions, and told everyone he could about finding the gold.”

Pulling in a deep breath through his teeth, Durg sounded disapproving and wounded all at once. “Why in Hades would he be doin’ such a thing! Madness! By Hephaestus’ hammer, you only share such secrets with the clan.”

Expecting no less from a dwarf Cire resumed his tale with a grin. “I know dwarves have no interest in being shopkeeps, but he was a human. The point is, he made a fortune selling goods to all of the miners that came from all over the world hoping to get rich. If I remember correctly, he hardly got his hands dirty and made a fortune.”

“So, that old pair are perfectly positioned to profit from the founding of a new city, especially the capital, as they have been planning this for decades likely. We will be the ones stuck plowing the fields while they reap the harvest,” Selene said.

Pulling up near the twin pine stumps that marked a long burnt out grove encircling ruins, Cire drew his blessed blade and readied himself. “Exactly. I’m hoping we can find something down there that gives us some leverage, because right now we don’t have much. It’s not likely that Maisy will do anything aggressive, but I noticed that she didn’t present an option for declining.”

Unsheathing his two short axes, Durg chuckled. “Boyo, Maisy doesn’t see too many that be declining her services. Besides, they be powerful potential allies. I be sure there be more than enough treasure to go around. I can’t be mining it all meself!”

Peering around the massive stump, the sun elf’s eyes flickered across patches of giant mushrooms, broken stones, and rested on the giant hole in the center. “Doesn’t look like much has changed, but no one take any chances. If any of the ‘shrooms start moving, down ‘em. I still see the remnants of the ones we killed before, so there’s a good chance we won’t have to fight.”

“Where the fun in that? We should at least clear this place out while we be here and rested.” Clanging his weapons together Durg punctuated his statement.

String set in place, Selene tested her bow and then nocked an arrow. “Let’s not go looking for a fight if one doesn’t find us first. I’m restocked on arrows, but there are still only three of us. If we’re planning on clearing out all of the mushroom-” she paused, a disgusted look washingover her face, “-monsters, that’s a terrible name, we need to think of something better to call them if we have to fight them again, we should ask Andreas and Nicolas to help.”

Nodding agreement, Cire nimbly stepped into the clearing. As he approached a nearby patch of reddish-brown fungus he heard a familiar moist ripping sound from all around them. Shooting up his spine, a shock of terror almost overwhelmed him. Cire jumped to the side as a thorn shot past him. Whizzing past his ear from behind, an arrow took the humanoid fungus-beast center mass and it deflated like a beach ball.

Durg barreled into the patch laughing madly during his charge. Small ‘shrooms squished under his boots, larger pieces skewered onto the spikes of his armor. Flinging himself into the largest enemy, a foot taller than him, he bear hugged it. Bodyslamming the fungus to the ground, its maw of unnatural needle-like teeth gnashing ineffectively, he rolled every which way.

Sucking pops refocused Cire on several larger mushrooms as they pulled themselves from the earth, sprouting arms and legs. Running from other patches, the enemies began swarming towards the companions. Two broke towards Durg, flinging themselves on top of the dwarven blender.

Stampeding towards Cire, five monsters rushed him. Whipping his sword in wide defensive arcs, he shuffled backwards. No time to think, just keep them back!

One of the monsters dove and latched onto his leg, teeth sinking into Cire’s yeti hide armor. Latched on like a bull dog, Cire couldn’t strike down without getting rushed. He was on the edge of panic.

Zipping into the attackers, two arrows sprouted from one’s bulbous head and it deflated. Selene had scrambled up the nearby giant stump.She stood at its apex and fired rapidly once she established a foothold.

Durg shredded his two new opponents by rolling into and then over them. The spikes of his armor and blades of his axes gouging deep into the spongy masses. He manged to bury himself in oozing earthy chunks.

Limping backwards dragging dead weight, Cire swung wildly to keep the monsters at bay. He scored minor hits to their arms. Protruding from his shoulder, a thorny spike had pierced his armor, shot from one of the many attackers he couldn’t keep track of.

Able to focus on Cire’s remaining opponents, Selene readied herself and channeled mana into her Flurry ability. A cold surge swept down through her arms and into her fingers invigorating them. Deftly, she nocked and fired six arrows in a burst of speed. Telltale wisps of blue smoke leaking from her fingertips. Two projectilessunk into each of the sun elf’s standing enemies, downing them.

“Durg, get back to Cire! There are more!” Selene shouted.

Given a moment to gather himself during the onslaught, Cire decapitated the fungal ball and chain. Yanking the jagged thorn from his shoulder, he trusted his Regeneration ability to offset the bleeding. Swooning, he braced himself on the stump and yelled up to Selene.

“How many?”

Trundling back to the elves, Durg pulled up before the edge of the clearing covered in spongy flesh. Selene called back, “Hard to tell, they keep popping up. Dozens at least.” She fired an arrow across the clearing downing a dog sized mushroom as it animated from its patch.

Screaming at the top of his lungs waiting for the next group to close the distance Durg taunted the fungal foes. “Don’t matter how many! We chop em all down!”

“Stay to my side. Keep our backs to Selene,” Cire said as he re-positioned himself. With his stalwart friend guarding his flank Cire was able to take a calculated look over the battlefield. Undulating in waves, the redcaps of their enemies swarmed towards the three. With an edge to his voice he called out, “On second thought, up with Selene!”

Gripping a rut of bark in his free hand, he heaved himself as high as he could and sank his sword into the trunk. Cire scrabbled up the last few feet and threw himself onto the top of the stump. Rapidly depleting her arrows to assist her companion’s escape, Selene provided excellent cover.

Durg managed an inelegant, yet effective, approximation of Cire’s climb. The dwarf scaled the massive stump like an oafish feline using the toe spikes on his boots to dig into the wood. Grabbing Durg by the collar of his breastplate, Cire drug him up the last few feet.

Squelching and dull thudding shuddered through the forty foot diameter jagged platform. Piling over each other the mindless fungus beasts surrounded them unable, or unwilling, to climb up. Thorns shot out of various ‘shrooms striking wood and armor.

Backing up from the edge, the companions looked to each other and then pressed back to back. Selene restocked her quiver with haste from her backpack.

“Either of you two boys have a plan or are we just going to wait up here and hope they fall asleep? I’ve got two more bundles of arrows, I could put down maybe a third of what’s down there. It wouldn’t be safe though, they shoot those barbed thorns pretty far.”

“Not a plan really, but I’m thinking it’s time to go full vampire. I noticed something, but I want to confirm. Durg, you got up close with those things. They don’t bleed right? No blood, just some sort of ooze?” Cire questioned.

Tearing a hunk of fungus flesh from his spiked gauntlet, Durg sniffed and then bit off a chunk. He shrugged and swallowed, “Just be mushroom. Taste pretty good, a little spicy, but there be no blood nor bones, boyo.”

Snapping his fingers, Cire grinned. “Perfect. So, I shouldn’t be able to refresh the rage, it should only last for a handful of minutes. Durg, I know it will pain you to stay up here, but it’s much safer. You two think of anything to add?”

“We need a better option than that soon, it isn’t a reliable solution. Too much risk, for us and for you,” Selene relayed with a resigned tone.

Stripping his armor and sword, Cire set them down next to Selene’s backpack. “Agreed, but for now, let’s focus on the things trying to kill us. Try to keep them from surrounding me if you can. Durg, try to block anything coming at Selene, the less distractions she has to deal with the better.”

“Focus first Cire. Calm yourself and embrace the rage. Ya cannae fight it, only direct it. We been training your mind for a reason,” Durg’s advised.

Cire balked, the dwarf rarely called him by name and it signaled his seriousness. I need to remind myself that this isn’t a game. My friends won’t come back. I may remember now that I chose to be a vampire and sun elf, but it hasn’t exactly worked out like I expected. No plan survives contact with gods I suppose.

He responded while nodding. “Good point, not exactly the best place or circumstances, but I will do my best. Cover me in case one of them gets up here.”

Closing his eyes and calming his mind, Cire breathed deep. He centered his mind on the image of a candle. Letting flame flicker alone in a sea of darkness. Cire channeled his fear and anger into the fire.

Memories of Stacy and Eugene being stabbed, sliced, and bludgeoned flowed easily. He burned an image of a mushroom beast into the blaze. Marrying his fury and outrage to his enemy, he sprinted to the edge of their perch. Cire leapt into the midst of roiling red caps and rubbery flesh.

Cire willed his Blood Rage ability to activate as he flew through the air. Wild, scalding fury seethed through his veins as a scream tore from his throat. Talons burst from his fingertips and muscles bulged under his tunic as he landed amidst his prey.

These things were assaulting him on histerritory, his hunting range, this violation would not be tolerated. Embracing the seething resentment burning within the core of his vampiric curse, he lashed out viciously.Clawing into the closest monster andtearing it to ribbons.

The vampire became a whirlwind. Mushroom monsters of all sizes converged on him. He ran through two child-sized fungi, spearing them on one arm. Slashing out with his free hand while spinning and tossing the corpses into the crowd.

Cire didn’t hold the reins on this rampage, but he wasn’t exactly a passenger. He focused what will he could muster into the image of the mushroom foes in his mind. The cursed elf lashed out violently at a giant beast whose dark spotted cap loomed well overhead, blocking the sun.

Projectile thorns skewered into his exposed back and haunches. His movements becameerratic fueled by the pain and violence. The giant mushroom’s stalk opened to reveal lines of thin sharp teeth as it lunged to bite at Cire. Thick, finger-less appendages attempted to pummel and bash the acrobatic blood sucker.

Diving headfirst into the giant stalk the vampire tore meaty chunks free with each swing. He began gnawing at the thing’s stalk. Taking mouthful after mouthful of flesh in a vain search for the elixir that prolonged his frenzy. Even after the poor monster was pulled apart the vampire chewed at the dismembered segments before moving on to the next, then the next, until he was surrounded by piles of dripping gore.

Cire had cut a swath of carnage. Selene managed to keep him from being overwhelmed from behind, being free with the use of her remaining arrows. Restless and frustrated, Durg batted away the errant projectiles sent her way, and chomped at the bit for his chance to join in.

Five minutes, the length of the rage, had seemed like a short period of time to endure. Cire was wrong. Stumbling and collapsing in a pile of goop, his claws retracted, muscles seemed to deflate, and his breathing became haggard.

Near to him Cire heard a thump and the scuffling of combatants, his head was spinning, but the red tinge which accompanied his rage fueled strength had waned. He propped himself up and had just enough time to fall back downto avoid a lone charging mushroom. A solid thwack accompanied Durg’s thrown axe as the thing toppled in a heap.

Selene was at his side and pulling him to his feet before he had a chance to speak. She thrust his sword into his hand and turned him to face three human sized beasts.

“Only a few left, press through!”

Cire hacked and slashed at these last foes as best he could, unsteady on his feet and exhausted, he split one in two and then fell to his knees. Ultimately, it was his friends who helped finish off the last attackers. Durg tackled one, taking it to the ground. Selene stabbed and ripped apart the other with her daggers.

The field was cleared, sodden and soaked with goo, but bereft of movement. Dragging Cire by his shoulders, Selene propped him up against the twin pine trunk and then helped Durg to his feet. Stretching and giving the battlefield a once over she popped the cork on her waterskin and took a drink, before passing it around.

“That was different. These things only attacked when we got too close last time. Do you think its because of claiming the territory or something else?”

Pleasant itching covered Cire’s back as his Regeneration ability forced thorns from his muscles. Groaning and pulling himself to his feet, his eyes kept searching the ruins. “It has to be, nothing else has changed since our last encounter. At least we put these down, this area should be safe for a bit. I don’t see any mushrooms left taller than my boot.”

Laughing heartily, Durg picked pieces off his armor and out of his big bushy beard.He threw some to the ground and ate others. “What we be doin’ now? Still plenty o’ these tasty things down in the cavern. Don’t think we can take all of em ourselves though, as fun as it might be.”

Cire steadied himself and held a hand up as Selene offered his armor. “We can’t go down and fight, but I’m not leaving here without more information. I think I have a good way to get it too.” He paused, looking a bit sheepish. “Did I ever tell you two I can turn into a bat?”