Chapter 5 - The High Stone Mountains

Present Day...

They all woke up with a crash. Shocks of pain flew from Michael’s face into his neck as he pushed himself up from the ground. His nose gushed blood and he hurried to stop the bleeding with his hand.

“Earthen shell,” he muttered as his body and steel plate armor abruptly became encompassed with protective earth and mana.

It was the only form of healing he had. The spell was a good armor buff and he’d had no healing abilities at all in the past, but since the third upgrade at ability level 30 it actually mended his wounds as well; therefore becoming his primary defense and healing ability. Seconds after using it - the wound slowly began to seal itself.

Looking over to his left he saw Chris crawling out of the bush he had fallen into, and a little further away he saw Taen sopping wet as he hoisted himself out of the pond where he’d also been dropped. Thick fog surrounded them and it was hard to see very far out, but about 20 feet floating up into the air Maltetious was having an uncontrollable laughing fit.

“YOU DAMN WENCH! If I wasn’t wearing armor I could have broken BONES!” Michael roared picking up a rock and throwing it in her direction before dismissing his earthen shell exterior.

Easily catching the stone with one hand, she calmed down. “Come come now Michael, don’t be so angry! Twas merely a joke!” She paused. “Anyways, it took me many months to do it but you’ve all arrived at the next trial! Though, it may have only seemed like a night-time’s sleep for you.”

“So Taen lands in a pond, Chris lands in a bush and I land face first into the ground?! You did that on purpose you vile she-demon!”

Grinning, she replied with a haughty laugh. “I might play favorites… true. But that is not important, what is important is that this is your second trial gentlemen.” Sweeping her arm over to her right and into the fog she pointed. “There is a village a few miles that way. I want you to acquire a staff for me, and I want you to do it without getting caught by the village elder if possible. Bring it back to this spot. You will know it when you see it.”

The All Spirit’s voice echoed in each of their minds. “You have been offered a quest: Bring Me the Staff - Bring Maltetious the staff she requires… you don’t have a lot to go off of, but you’ll figure it out. Completing this quest will result in a large sum of XP as well as take you one step closer to your freedom. Do you accept or decline?”

“Wait… there are other people in this village?!” Chris flew to his feet after accepting the quest. “We haven’t seen other people since the beginning...”

Turning to them smiling once again, she merely waved and vanished without bothering to reply.

Wringing out his clothes and cloak on the pond’s edge, Taen began to laugh. “She really hates you Michael.”

“I hate her more! But this trial seems simple enough compared to the last one, so that's good.” Michael peered out into the fog, then began to pick up the scattered arrows that had fallen out of his quiver when he was dropped by Maltetious. “Though it seems a little too simple.”

Taen shook his head in dismay after looking at his equipment floating in the water, some of which was beginning to sink further into the pond. He quickly undressed and prepped himself to swim, then coming over the murky edge, he dove in. After collecting and cleaning his items a couple minutes later, he sat there on dry land inspecting everything to make sure none of it was damaged.

Hooded Wool Cloak (Light Armor)

Item Tier: (5) Common

Armor: +1 physical resistance, +3 magic resistance

Bonuses: None

Requirements: None

Durability: 30/30

Special: None

Leather Boots (Light Armor)

Item Tier: (5) Common

Armor: +5 physical resistance, +2 magic resistance

Bonuses: None

Requirements: None

Durability: 46/46

Special: None

Leather Pants (Light Armor)

Item Tier: (5) Common

Armor: +4 physical resistance, +2 magic resistance

Bonuses: None

Requirements: None

Durability: 35/35

Special: None

See the rest of his equipment in the spoiler or skip ahead:

Leather Tunic (Light Armor)

Item Tier: (5) Common

Armor: 7 physical resistance, 3 magic resistance

Bonuses: None

Requirements: None

Durability: 41/41

Special: None

Cloth Undershirt

Item Tier: (4) Basic

Armor: None

Bonuses: None

Requirements: None

Durability: 10/10

Special: None

Steel Longsword

Item Tier: (5) Common

Damage: 32

On Hit Effect: None

Bonuses: None

Requirements: 7 Strength

Durability: 95/95

Specials: None

Steel Dagger

Item Tier: (5) Common

Damage: 13

On Hit Effect: None

Bonuses: None

Requirements: 2 Dexterity, 3 Speed

Durability: 52/52

Specials: None

Maple Shortbow

Item Tier: (5) Common

Damage: 19 (+ Arrow Damage Rating)

On Hit Effect: None

Bonuses: None

Requirements: 3 Strength

Durability: 60/60

Specials: None

Basic Steel Arrow

Item Tier: (5) Common

Damage: 11

On Hit Effect: None

Bonuses: None

Requirements: None

Durability: 9/9

Special: none

Chris adjusted his plate armor to make sure none of the bush’s twigs he’d landed in remained in the crevices. “Probably should scout out the village and take a look around before we take any drastic actions, no?”

Nodding simultaneously, the three got up and began to move out into the mist.

“You’d think we’d at least be able to eat breakfast before a trial.”

Chris moaned, his stomach growling loudly. “This sucks. Maybe they have food at the village somewhere, and it’d be nice to talk to some other people again.”

“It wasn’t so bad over the years, I mean - you two are stooges but you make good company. Honestly though I’m more interested in seeing the ladies!” Michael’s smile widened. “That’ll be nice.”

“Doesn’t it seem odd to you that it’s been over 2 years?” Muttered Taen. “Time flies.”

Making their way through the dimly lit brush and trees they came upon a dirt road that led off past their line of sight. They couldn’t see much in this dense fog, but they at least had a path to follow now.

“Well that makes things easy.”

It wasn’t long that they walked until they made first contact.

A couple yards out and directly down the road, they began to hear laughter. They tightened their resolve and hoped for the best, not knowing what to expect - when out of the fog came a couple, probably in their late teens and wearing what Maltetious had often described as ‘commoner’s clothes’. They were holding hands and laughing while running down the road in the direction of the three men. They stopped though as they saw the unfamiliar faces, and immediately wore puzzled looks.

[English Dialect] “Hi…! How are you?” Chris says awkwardly. This only changes their expression to one of even more confusion, looking to each other questioningly.

“They probably don’t speak english dude. Use a different dialect.,” stated Michael. “Fuckin idiot. Remember that this isn’t Earth anymore.” He swapped to the typical Human dialect.

[Human Dialect] “Can you understand me now?”

The faces of the two teenagers abruptly changed from puzzlement to understanding, and they each hesitantly smiled back.

“Oh yeah, we can understand you now! What language were you using just a moment ago?” Replied the redheaded girl with a smile, noting the armor and weapons they wore with a little bit of anxiety. “We don’t often get visitors here.”

“The one Chris over here used was called English, though I doubt you’ve heard of it before. Anyways, we’re sort of hungry and have been traveling for a while... would it be ok if you two showed us around town? Is there anywhere we could get something to eat?”

The boy, probably about 16 now that they were up closer and able to see better, stepped up. He had sandy blonde hair and looked like he still had a ways to grow. “My uncle owns a bakery, you can come with us! Though he’ll expect things to trade for the food.”

Michael nodded in appreciation. “Thanks, that won’t be a problem.”

They were motioned to follow the two teenagers and started off. As they followed, they came up to the outlines of a house alongside the road on the right hand side. They passed it along with many more houses that began to appear out of the mist until they had entered what was more of a town than a village. The houses were made of logs and clay, they were - for the most-part - small but didn’t look run down. People bustled about talking to one another, drinking, and chasing their children around. Many of them gave inquiring looks towards the three visitors, especially given the heavy plate armor Chris and Michael wore, but they didn’t say anything and let the three Earthborn by. The two teenagers kept on going, talking about how the girl’s father had been kicked by a cow earlier that week and how he was bedridden waiting for his leg to get better. The boy kept flirting and was obviously trying to puff out his chest as he claimed that he had wrestled down a cow earlier that month when it had tried to run off from his family’s pen.

Smirking, Taen could hardly suppress his laughter at how hard the boy was trying to impress this young woman. The environment made him feel more at ease than he had felt in quite some time.

Taen turned to the other two and muttered low: “This feels nice.”

“Oh here we are! My uncle’s bakery,” said the boy pointing towards one of the larger buildings across the street. As he pointed, a larger burly man stumbled into the boy - knocking him down to the dirt.

The man saw what he’d done, and instead of saying sorry he began to roar with good humored laughter. “Sorry lad, I’m a little drunk! Who are your friends here, lad? I haven’t seen them before.”

The boy was obviously a little irritated as the girl he was with giggled. “They’re visitors, and they said they were hungry so I brought them to see my uncle’s bakery.”

“Hungry you say? Well come on then I’ll take it from here boy!” Grabbing Chris’ hand and shaking it vigorously the drunken man shouted heartily, “How would you like a drink on me boys!?”

Chris exchanged a glance with the others and cocked an eyebrow. “Ha. We’d be honored sir.”

“That’s a funny accent you got there, where you from?”

“A long ways away.”

“Good enough for me, come on boys lets go get drunk together!” And with that, the drunken man stormed away with the three friends in hot but curious pursuit.

***

They entered the bar and sat down next to the burly man at a long table near the end. It was quite busy for such a small establishment. Men and women, even some children ran around joking and laughing with one another. A bard was singing a tale of a thief who tricked a knight into becoming his servant. Again, people stared at the three questioningly but none of them made a big deal about it. After a few moments most of them just went back to doing what they’d been doing before.

“So, what brings you to the High Stone Mountains friends?” Asked the large burly man. “How rude of me, my name is Catem by the way.”

Taen placed his hands on the table, scooted forward on the bench, and took another look around. It was very homey here, and the environment was warm and friendly. “This is Michael, that’s Chris, and my name is Taen. We are very pleased to meet you sir.”

“How polite!” roared Catem as he reared back with a grin. “But back to my question, where are you from and why are you here? It is rare that people travel up to our village, not much is here after all and the road is treacherous!”

He laughed and took another drink of his beer as a redheaded barmaid passed by. Noticing her, he slurred his speech and waved her over. “Petsy please…. please get my friends here some drinkshhh!”

The bar maiden, or ‘Petsy,’ smiled and walked over to the counter - promptly grabbing three mugs and filling them.

Michael slyly grinned. [English Dialect] “It’s nice to see a pretty girl other than that foul woman we’re working for.”

[Human Dialect] “What language is thaaa?” Inquired Catem, wiping drops of alcohol off his chin with a sleeve.

Michael glanced at Catem apologetically. [Human Dialect] “English. Though I doubt you’ve heard of it before.”

Catem nodded in agreement with more slurred speech. “Can’t say I have. So you gona answer my question or whaa?”

Petsy interrupted them by coming back with the beer mugs, handing one to each of the three friends and sitting down between Chris and Michael with her own mug. She gave them all a warm smile.

“Hope you don’t mind if I join you men, I don’t get to meet outsiders very often!” Said Petsy, twirling her long reddish brown hair with her fingers.

“Not at all!” Grinned Michael in response, and really wishing he didn’t have all this armor on so he could brush up next to her. “As for your question Catem, we would like you to answer one for us first if that’s ok.”

Catem just shrugged and passed a hand through his thick, curly mop of brown hair. “Go on then boy.”

Michael’s smile slowly began to widen. “Well, Maltetious had told us that we were her only company in a long while, or at least that was what she had implied over the years. She never mentioned anyone else being here, so my question is this: What are you? Illusions? Are you real? Is this some sort of trick? Is that you, Maltetious?”

Taen thought back to the time that Maltetious had recently said to them: ‘To be quite honest, this is the most fun I’ve had in a long time. I’m usually very lonely, but the past two decades have been very happy for me because you three have been here to talk with me.’ It suddenly hit him too, these people shouldn’t be here. This village shouldn’t be here.

“Shit, this is a trap...” Chris murmured, drawing his knives and quickly looking about as he stood up.

“Whoa, take it easy, calm down. Let’s talk about this…” Catem said as he motioned for Chris to sit back down. People around the bar looked at them quizzically for a few moments then went back to their business again. Petsy had seemed a little frightened at first sight of the weapons, but calmed as Chris sat back down... though he still clutched his knives.

Catem looked at each of them evenly, not blinking. “I really do not know what you’re talking about, but there is no reason for you to get violent here. We have no ill will against you three. I even bought you drinks out of friendship, so at least talk to me before assuming things. You mentioned Maltetious? As in the crazed Numen? What does she have to do with anything? And why would you assume we aren’t real people?”

Taen abruptly got up from the table, with an apologetic smile. “I’ll be back in just a moment, hold that thought.”

The others watched him curiously as he made his way around the tables and bustling people, until he left out the front doors. From there, they could see him as he raised one hand to fire off a large blast of death mana. Light blue energy radiated skywards, and a burst of wind shot through the bar - knocking over a couple of the cups and whipping people’s hair or clothes about. Taen raised his eyebrows and his jaw dropped... then he walked back inside, sat down straight faced, and said: “We aren’t in Maltetious’ realm anymore. That large orange moon is gone. I just cleared out the fog with a blast of mana so I could see sky… there are three smaller moons instead. One green, one light pink and one white, though it is daytime... and the sun was in my eyes, so I could be slightly mistaken on the colors.”

The three of them exchanged looks, with Petsy and Catem looking puzzled and slightly alarmed.

“Interesting. This changes things…” Michael stated. “But we should probably explain ourselves to these two. After all, Catem did just buy us drinks... and it’s not like we have anything to hide.”

[English Dialect] “Not true, we are here for the staff that Maltetious wants to complete the second trial.” Stated Taen.

Michael rolled his eyes and began to chuckle. [English Dialect] “Who cares what she wants, if we are truly out of her realm then she has very limited amounts of power. We’re basically free guys! We don’t need to wait to finish the trials, we’re already out! Finally!”

[English Dialect] “I don’t think she would just drop us here outside of her realm without a backup plan Michael. She’s anything but stupid. It would be foolish not to get this staff when we’re so close to completing the trials anyways.”

There was a pause, and then a sigh. Michael reluctantly agreed. “Have it your way Taen, we will get the staff. But I’m a lot less inclined to do things her way anymore, I’m doing things my way and on my time. And if I see fit to not do something that she wants me to do, then I’m not doing it. Period. We will tell him our story but won’t tell him about the staff or the second trial.”

Chris put his daggers away, and then held up his hands to either side. “Sure.”

Turning to Catem and Petsy, Michael began to tell him their tale. It took them well over two hours to do. He told them of how they were Earthborn, taken from home and forced into decades of torture and trials, told them of Maltetious and her psychotic tricks, and told them of how they were randomly dropped outside the village not knowing what was going on or what they were supposed to be doing there. A couple drinks later, they eventually ended the saga.

“So that’s what we’re doing here,” Chris muttered. “On that note, we still haven’t had anything to eat... and beer on an empty stomach is bad news. I’m going to go over to the bakery and get some bread. I’ll be right back.”

With that, Chris got up to leave Taen and Michael with the questions that were sure to follow their story. If the locals were even to believe such a ridiculous story.

He walked through the pub’s doors and out across the street to the building the boy from earlier had claimed to be a bakery. Catching a glance from another suspicious looking man to his left, he finished crossing the street and entered through the door of his new destination. He saw bread lining the shelves on the left side of the interior, and it smelled utterly amazing. Pastries could be seen on the lower shelves and barrels full of wheat and flour were seen in the back end. As he walked in to stand there, salivating at the mouth, a woman stood up to greet him.

“Hello.. I don’t believe I’ve seen you before. Are you new here?” She inquired. She was probably in her mid thirties with wavy brown hair and had wrinkles in her face that indicated she frowned a lot, though she seemed friendly enough. She wore a plain green dress and tunic, looking Chris up and down. “You also carry weapons, and you wear plate armor. You are definitely new here.”

“Yeah, I sort of am.” Chris said with grunt, knocking into a barrel with his sword’s scabbard and blushing with embarrassment. “I’m also really hungry too. What do you usually do for exchanges around here? I’m not used to bartering with people.”

He scratched his head with a stupid look on his face that made the woman briefly smile.

“Well then, that is odd isn’t it. You don’t barter with people? Do you steal from people instead then?” She asked half jokingly while crossing her arms.

“Long story, but no I don’t steal from people.”

“Good to hear. Well let’s see what you’ve got.”

The door opened behind him with a creak. A group of four women of varying ages walked in through the entrance, and one of them shouted at the woman: “The usual exchange Nanipe! I’ll leave the stuff behind the counter!”

As they passed Chris, they gave him strange looks; and then headed out after exchanging their packaged goods for some bread they took off the shelves. He was drunkenly giving them strange looks back in defiance, not liking the way they blatantly stared him down.

“We don’t get many new faces around here, you will have to excuse their glances,” Nanipe said with another small smile. “So what do you have, stranger?”

Chris felt around for what little he did have. In the end he pulled out a fist sized bundle of the grey leaves he smoked often, one of his daggers, a wooden pipe he’d made, and a couple of arrows from his quiver.

Chris laughed as he put a hand up to his face in dismay. “It seems I’m broke!”

Nanipe handled the dagger’s handle before setting it back down gingerly. “That is a very fine dagger you have there, but I have no need for one so large. I probably wouldn’t be able to trade it very easily either, as this village is secluded from most. I’ll tell you what... How about I give you two loaves of bread, and you promise me that you’ll come back at sunset and help my husband out with a job. He needs to move some logs over to my son’s new house that they’re building. You help them from sunset until dark, and we will call it even. Does it sound like a good deal to you?”

“Good deal in my opinion, I’ll be here. Thanks so much!” Chris replied, taking the two loaves with a huge smile. “I won’t forget this, thanks again!”

Chris then left with the two loaves in hand and the woman shaking her head, letting out a big sigh and not truly expecting him back anytime soon.

Walking happily across the street, and through the front door of the bar carrying the loaves, Chris came to see Catem and Petsy laughing heartily together with Taen. Michael sat there with a blank look on his face, not nearly as amused as the others.

“Whatsup boys! I have bread for us all!” Chris threw one loaf over to Taen and split one in half, giving some to Michael. “You three look happy, on the other hand you don’t Michael. Whatsup? Update me.”

Michael blinked a couple times, putting his head in his hands dramatically as he did. “They think we’re either liars or crazy.”

“How can you expect us to believe such a thoroughly ludicrous story?” Petsy laughed as she took her hand and put it on Michael’s shoulder. “Just drop the act and tell us where you’re really from.”

“I’m just enjoying watching Michael struggle,” remarked Taen as he shoved a handful of the bread into his mouth. “Quite funny. He keeps trying to convince them but to no avail. And yes, it is quite a ridiculous story isn’t it?!”

Catem downed another drink and slammed his mug down onto the table, guffawing as he did so. Wiping his beard and mustache with his sleeve, he spouted: “This has been one of the more amusing days for the past while! I’m glad to have met you three! Quite the pranksters. If you don’t wish to tell us where you’re from we won’t force you though, but since you are in town do you have a place to stay the night?”

Shaking his head no, Taen replied with: “I didn’t think we’d be here that long. But if we end up staying here longer than the rest of the day, I’m going to assume we will probably set up camp in the outskirts of the town or back in the forest.”

“Nonsense! You will stay at my house if you do choose to stay!” Bellowed Catem as he drunkenly gave a one armed hug to Taen while drinking out of his other mug.

Chris raised an eyebrow, looking around the small pub again with satisfaction now that they had social lives outside of each other. “About that, I told the lady at the bakery I’d help her husband do something tonight if she gave me the bread. So I think we’ll be staying longer than expected.”

Catem’s big burly frame got up and went to the bar where some of the other bar maids eyed them from a distance. “It’s settled then! My place. Now let me go get another beer. I'll be right back…”

He grabbed a mug, filled it without the permission of the one maid behind the bar - which earned him a swat on the shoulder - and began to talk. He exchanged low words with the maids serving alcohol, then he headed back. Two of the other barmaids aside from Petsy accompanied him with trays, and placed another twenty mugs full of beer from those trays onto the table.

“Now, let's see who can drink me under the table, eh lads!?” Yelled Catam as he handed out the beers to the three Earthborn friends and Petsy. “Last one standing gets the rest of the beer!”

Smirking to his friends, Michael gladly took one of the frothy, golden beers. It even smelled good when he took a whiff. “I’m obviously going to be the one standing. Cheers assholes.”

***

A couple hours later, Chris, Michael, Taen, Catem and Petsy stumbled out of the bar into the mist together. Chris stopped for a moment to puke while onlookers laughed, and Petsy clung to Michael whispering things in his ear as he smiled and brought her in closer.

“Hey Chris… were… weren’t you supposssed to do… something? I think?!” Taen stumbled over his own feet and fell to the ground chuckling. “Chris! Help me up maannnnnn!”

But Chris was too busy vomiting to help anyone.

Michael glanced over his shoulder and waved. “Hey guys I think I’m gona go… yeah I’m gona go guys. Duty calls me... See ya later!”

Seconds later Michael was pulled off into the village by Petsy, who was still clinging to his arm and giggling while she ran another one of her hands through his hair.

“Come on lads, I need to show ya where my house is! I’ll go fetch your friend later when Petsy is done with him! HA!” Catem hoisted Taen to his feet. “Can you stand lad!”

“Yesssssir!!!” Taen yelled back, saluting Catem while trying to keep his balance.

As Catem tried to help Chris get back to his feet as well, Taen was approached by a group of somewhere around twenty men with stern looks. One of them, a tall lean man probably in his forties, stepped forward to come within arms length of Taen. “This is the one I told you about.”

Another older guy with a short white beard and balding head stepped forward from the group, also coming within arms length of Taen to glower at him. His disgruntled look told Taen he meant business, and he folded his arms with an upraised nose. “What is your name?”

Taen put on a stupid, drunken smile. “My name…? Uh… it's Taen! Is there some sort of problem?”

“You need to come with us, we wish to speak with you,” stated the elderly man. “Will you come peacefully?”

“What is the meaning of this lads!” roared Catem as he dropped Chris back to the ground with a thud. “Why are you tormenting my friend Taen here?! He’s just as good a lad as any of you and there is no reason to do so.”

The glowering old man shifted his gaze to Catem. “We just wish to speak with him. When we are done we will show him back to your house if that’s where you’re headed. We all know where you live.”

Catem looked concerned and slightly puzzled, but he shrugged and turned to Taen. “Guess I’ll be seeing you later tonight then eh lad? We should drink again then if you can handle it! HA!”

With that, he helped Chris to his feet and started off in the direction of his house.

The elderly man turned back to Taen, and held out a hand. “Would you mind giving us your weapons, Taen?”

Now slightly concerned, and very confused, Taen put his hand on his sword. Standing there for a minute, he replied: “I have done nothing wrong, and I don’t intend to give you any of my weaponssss… As I said, is there some sort of problem?”

The other men tensed up as he had put his hand on his sword, and the older man eyed him wearily. “Well, as long as you come with us and allow us to speak with you then I guess you can keep them. But if you try anything funny... there will be problems for you, outsider. Follow me.”