Runeblade

B2 Chapter 131: The Return pt. 1

Kaius craned upwards, squeezing Porkchop with his knees so that he could rise to his full height. From his vantage point astride his brother’s back, he was just able to see through the gap in the trees ahead. There, perhaps a half dozen leagues to the north, he could make out the thin line of the cliffs that he had fallen from.

Beyond them, way off in the distance, were the high peaks that separated them from the true extent of the Sea, and all the magical potency that was supposed to lie beyond them. He knew their shapes well, like the spines of some great sleeping drake. There were few viable passages through the mountains, deep valleys that cut through their reaches. Each one was a waymarker, a widely visible point from which to navigate.

One of them was far off to his right. He knew where they were. The falls would be an hour or two’s walk to their right, and far back the way they had come, and more than a little east, would be Three Fields, settled in a nook between two hills right at the edge of the Sea.

He could have made that trip by himself as an unclassed. Now, with a clean image of the Sea held in his mind's eye, Explorer’s Toolkit exploded with possibilities. Paths they could take to avoid the ranges of any potentially ornery newly-awakened wolves or boars, ways through which they could follow the land, hastening their journey.

In seconds he knew the exact route they should take, one that would minimise delays. As soon as he made his choice, his skill started tugging at him, helping him to orient according to the mental map he had built. It wouldn’t be perfect, not with it being built on now-old memories and gut instinct, but it would be good enough.

**Ding! Explorer’s Toolkit has reached level 22!**

Good, another level. His second in the hour since they had left the portal. He hoped, as they tracked through the forest, he would be able to get at least a few more in the couple of days it would take to reach the village.

He sat down on his brother’s back, tapping Porkchop on the side. “Let’s go.”

Porkchop turned, and tore off into the forest, following the sense of direction that he pushed along their bond. Kaius leaned forwards, clutching at a stray strap of Porkchop’s barding with his off hand. Even missing a few fingers, he had more than enough Strength to keep a firm grip. His sword hand rested on his hilt, ready to draw at a moment's notice. While they had yet to encounter anything larger than birds, he wanted to be ready. Especially if they came across a deer; gods, he missed venison.

It wouldn’t be long now. He would have his answers.

….

Cham yawned, leaning heavily on his spear as he rolled his shoulders. He could feel his sweat pooling under his leathers, soaking through his tunic and saturating his armour.

Scowling for what felt like the fifteenth time in the last hour, he wished that he hadn’t been the one stuck with midday watch.

Sure, the announcement had been a surprise, and all the wildlife becoming beasts was definitely not a small issue, but so far the highest he had seen had been a damn crow, and it was only level three.

Personally, he thought it was a little bit overkill, but Jekkar and Hurin had insisted on a round the clock watch. When your boss and the man who sold you drink told you to do something, you listened.

If only he had thought about the damn sun. He would have brought a few poles and a sheet to make a shade if he had. Next time.

Shading his eyes with his hands, Cham leaned over the village palisade and scanned the treeline. His eyes roved over the many oaks, elms, and maples that made up the impenetrable reaches of the Arboreal Sea. Shrouded in shadow, he leaned on his Keen Eyes to pick through the darkness, looking for any sign of larger movement.

He almost hoped that some dire-bear would assault the village, at the very least it would bring a little excitement with it. Plus, with Jekkar having called off any hunts for at least the next few days it would probably be the only source of experience he would get for a while.

A roar shook the forest, followed quickly by the panicked squawk of a whole flock taking flight from the canopy.

Cham froze, staring at the forest in disbelief.

He heard it before he saw it, something crashing through the underbrush, something large close on its tail. He gulped, hoping to the gods it was just a fresh-born beast on the hunt. That he could handle, with two class skills under his belt and more than half the way to his third, a few piddly beasts below level ten would be nothing to him.

Unfortunately, new beasts weren’t the only ones who lived in the forest. He suddenly regretted his earlier wish for a dire-bear to shake up his day.

He tightened his grip on his spear, holding on to the palisade with the other, ready to vault over the side and defend the village at the slightest hint he would be needed.

“See anything?” a sudden and familiar voice said from behind him.

Cham nearly jumped out of his skin. “Rotting roots! Stop doing that, Jekkar! You’re gonna end up killing me.”

“Just keepin’ you sharp, lad,” Jekkar said, clapping him on the shoulder as he stepped forwards to join him at the raised wall of spiked logs. “Now, you see anything? I came as fast as I could.”

Cham noticed he already had his bow, though how he’d managed to string it and get here in the handful of seconds since the roar, he didn’t know. “Nothing yet,” he shook his head. “I think it’s a chase. Though, I haven't seen anything more than a rustle.”

“It’s definitely a chase, I can hear them from here. The one doing the hunting might be earth or metal aligned though, I can hear it clanking.” Jekkar muttered, stringing an arrow as he watched the treeline like a hawk.

Cham paled. Fresh beasts like these ones wouldn’t develop anything like that until they had a couple skills under their belt, both general and whatever they had that was equivalent to a class. Whatever it was would have to be old. Maybe it was a direbear.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Another roar rang out, closer this time. Far closer.

He spotted movement a moment later, underbrush shaking as something sprinted parallel to the treeline. He tracked it, knuckles whitening on his spear’s haft.

It spooked, duking sideways. Towards them.

“Ah fuck.” Cham muttered. Hopefully whatever was on the hunt would take its prey and leave.

“Hush. I’m listening, something’s off.” Jekkar replied, still completely focused on the tree line. He had his bow up and ready now, prepared to draw at the slightest provocation.

A tan blur burst through the dense brush, leaping over a thicket of brambles in a panicked rush. A stag, sprinting at full tilt. He could see its eyes, the way they rolled around in its sockets. The way it almost foamed at the mouth, its blood pulsing through its thick neck. Cham knew it was exhausted, and the chase had not been kind to it. An Inspect confirmed what he already knew.

Red Deer - Level 3:

Beast

Whatever pursued was close on its tail. He raised his spear, catching Jekkar hoist his bow from the corner of his eye. This wasn’t anywhere near the first time they had had to deal with a pissed off beast, and it wouldn’t be the last. They were ready.

Moments later, a mountain of muscle tore straight through the bramble, racing off at an angle to charge at its prey, blessedly away from the village. It was…immense. Large enough that it would be able to scrape the top of the palisade with ease if it stood on its hind legs.

Greenish-black fur coated the beast, though a ruff of white capped its neck. He’d recognise that shape anywhere. It had been drilled into him as a boy. Those sharp golden eyes, the powerful body and squat legs, the wedge shaped head.

He froze, nearly pitching forwards as he forgot where he was. It was a fucking Forest King.

Inspect snapped off.

Greater Meles - Level 2:

Greater Beast, Bastion

It tore across the ground, gaining on the deer quickly now that it was out in the open. By the fucking gods it was fast. He’d heard of the might of the Kings of the Forest, but to do that at the second level? It was unthinkable.

Then Cham’s eyes caught up to him, and he realised that wasn’t all. The meles was wearing armour. Toughened leather reinforced by plates of steel. It would have been unbelievably foreign to him, if it wasn’t for the rider on the greater beast's back. A fucking giant by the looks of it, he’d only met one person with a height like that, and they’d been sadly lost for over a year.

Sword drawn, he was draped in the hodgepodge collection of artefacts that was the telltale sign of a delver. Bluish scalemail guarded his chest, while similar vambraces of a separately distinctive style covered his arms, and a bronze helm securely capped his head. Cham watched as the rider thrust his longsword in the air and bellowed a war cry, so razor focused on their prey that they seemed to not even notice them.

He forgot to breathe.

“Impossible…” Jekkar whispered from beside him, lowering his bow but keeping an arrow knocked.

That shook him from his shocked haze, and he fired off another Inspect.

Human - Level 2:

Higher Race, Spellsword

What the fuck was a spellsword? And how could someone have dared to ride a meles?

Before he could gather his thoughts further, the panicked deer caught a glimpse of the mounted duo behind it and juked to the left. Towards the Sea. Cham grit his teeth, feeling the haft of his spear grow slick with sweat. Hopefully it would pull the Forest King and its rider away from their village.

The meles dug its green claws into the earth, trying to alter its trajectory. Despite its impressive speed, its bulk worked against it. The deer started to gain ground once more. Cham watched in frozen shock as the meles’ rider showed a feral scowl and lept from its back.

Rising like some imperious avenger, with the sun shining off his scales, the delver thrust his hand out and seized the might of the gods. A dense, violent, orange glow erupted from his hand, before a bolt straight from the Stormlord’s own armoury cracked into existence. Bound in the delver's grip like it was a common rider’s lash.

Arcane lightning cracked forwards, the deer wheezing as crackling plasma wrapped itself around its throat. Its whole body seized, hide sizzling as it hit the ground like a sack of rocks. At the speed it was running, it wasn't a pretty thing, and it tumbled over itself as one spindly leg snapped and bone erupted from its flesh.

Seconds later, and the lash of lightning disappeared, leaving a faint shimmer in Cham’s vision. The delver was already running for the beast, his rune-scribed blade pumped victoriously in the air. His beastly companion beat him to the chase, sprinting past him to sink its massive jaws around the limp stag's neck.

There was a savage yank, followed by a crack that echoed out across the plains. The deer flopped.

The delver let out a whoop, thrusting his fist in the air as he sheathed his sword. Cham felt a little bit of his tension slacken its grip on his heart when he did that. Maybe it was just some adventurous scion who didn’t realise they were close to a village. Though that still did nothing to explain the greater meles.

“Fuck yeah, Porkchop! Venison!” The delver hooted, sprinting over to his companion. It was a young voice, but gravelly and hard. Well suited to the imposing air that draped over them like a cloak. “Though, we both know it was dead before you got there.”

Did…did he just call the meles Porkchop? The fucking gall!

“That voice..” Rekkar croaked out. Cham whipped his head over, finding his boss frozen with doubt clear on his face. Like he’d seen a ghost.

“You recognise them?” he asked. Rekkar had the sharpest ears of them all, so it had to be something, he’d seen the man pick up a rabbit in its burrow from nearly half a league away.

Rekkar simply shook his head, his words stolen from him. Cham looked back to the duo that were still a few hundred strides from the walls.

“We’re gonna eat good tonight.” The delver said, audible despite the distance. The meles looked up from the stag. Past its rider.

Green-flecked-gold eyes locked onto his own, thrumming with primal might.

Cham gulped.

A moment later the delver turned without saying a word, following its companions eyes to his own. They froze for a moment, then raised their hands slowly, undoing the clasp of their helm before they lifted it off. Bronze slid upwards, a dense mop of dark brown locks spilling forth. The delver’s features were hard, angular. Like they had been cut from granite, and tempered in strife. Piercing gold-flecked-green eyes burned into his own.

The helmet came off.

Cham froze, shock and disbelief warring deep within him.

Was that fucking Kaius?

“Spirits protect us, it is him.” Jekkar whispered from his side, his precious bow slipping from his hand to clatter to the floor of the palisade. He moved a moment later, blurring in Cham’s sight as he vaulted over the palisade, hitting the ground at a dead sprint.

It was Kaius.

Oh fuck.

He had to tell Hurin and Illendra, they had to be ready. He turned tail and sprinted for the stairs, spear left forgotten against the wall.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om