Closing the door of my room, I slip into my own shadow and walk out of a dark corner in the common room. Walking into the shadowed alcove by the front door, I extend my senses. All around me I sense the shadows, flickering in and out of existence at the whim of the light. If I can sense a shadow, I can travel to it.
Some shadows are easier than others. Shadows cast by the same light source are more connected somehow. Hard to explain. Light matters to shadows. If there is no light, there is no shadow. Only the dark. How this works, I don't know. I've been collecting data, but not enough so far.
I choose a shadow out in the hallway and slide into it with a thought. It requires a finite amount of time to do so. I have established that. But the time that passes is so short that it’s not easily measured.
I spend an hour. This is training, but also just plain fun. There is power in movement and I can move in a way that no one suspects is possible. I can move into the most secure of places. All I need is a light, a shadow, and space for my body.
Dispel the shadows and I can't move. I can be trapped that way, so I will have to find ways to counter the weakness. But that's not today's experiment.
On this day, I move as far as I can from the Haunting. I want to know if I can move to a familiar shadow that I can't sense. I take a deep breath and focus my mind on that shadow just inside my bedroom door. Taking a step forward, my body seems to float for a moment. My foot emerges out of my chosen shadow into the Haunting. A playful breeze follows me. Success!
I stand in the flickering light, extending my senses as much as I can. There are oil lamps to either side of the door I’m standing in front of. How can there be lit oil lamps here? Not tryin’ to single out this particular door (Ha! par-tic-u-lar. Four syllables!) But now that I think about it, there are lamps lit all over the Palace.
Yeah, and? That’s whatcher thinkin’ ain’t it? So answer me this: If nobody ever comes to these parts of the Palace, who lights the lamps? Who fills them with oil? Who dusts and sweeps and chases out the mouses?
Okay, I think. Got anything?
Nope. Nothing right now, responds Nix. All I sense is a normal room.
Yeah. Nix and I are men-tuh-lee communicating (5 syllables!). This is Addie’s Family Boon: Communication. I shrug and open the door. Looks like a normal room to me, too.
I step inside and look around. Walls look like walls, floor looks like a floor, the giant rat in the corner looks like your typical ROUS.
Wait, what? Nix. Are you seeing what I’m seeing?
I can’t see, remember?
Not an important point right now! Is there a giant rat in here with me?
Hmm. A Rodent Of Unusual Size. How unexpected. Don’t try to pet it. That is definitely a red aura rat.
That’s when it tries to bite me. Fortunately I’m on my way to training and I have my hammer with me. Wham! Bam! Thank you … rat? Okay. Note to self: Work on your off-the-cuff rhyming skills.
Okay. It’s dead. Aaaannd it just disappeared in a shower of sparks. I squat down where it disappeared and pick up a small red crystal. It was a Dungeon critter fer sure. It disappeared after I killed it and dropped a Mana Crystal. The entrance must be around here somewhere, but I don’t see anything.
What’s the direction people always forget to look? asks Addie, who is also listening in.
UP! Nix and I say at the same time.
So I look up and there it is. A weird swirly dark vortex kind of thing.
The Dungeon entrance is a weird swirly dark vortex kind of thing on the ceiling, I say.
Maybe that’s why I can’t sense it. It’s a portal entrance with no depth, muses Nix.
Maybe, I respond. Addie, want me to go in and check it out? I ask as I jump in. Pretty sure she woulda said no but I was already through the portal. Ooops! My mistake.
I fall to my knees as a wave of dizziness hits me. Is it starting? The Family Trial?
Will I survive? Can I be on the inside and on the outside at the same time?
I don’t know how I know. I don’t know what clue gave it away.
It’s me. It’s been me all along.
All of the Trials. It’s been me.
Kari jumped in. I knew she would. That’s the kind of girl she is. Or the one she’s become, anyway.
But if Kari jumped in, why am I in a Dungeon. Feels like it anyway. I sense around me. I seem to be in a house. In a room with another person who is … sleeping? Her aura feels like it anyway.
It’s Sintana. I’m in Sintana’s bedroom. While she’s sleeping. I try not to be a worrywort, but right now this seems to be the kind of situation that can go horribly wrong in a number of ways that will make for a hilarious story years from now.
While I dither, she wakes up. “Nix,” she calls out. “Is that you?”
“Umm. Yes.”
“How’d you get here?”
“Uhhh. Okay, I know you’re probably angry with me for just coming into your room, but … I don’t know?”
“Why would I be angry? Isn’t this the part of the dream where you sweep me up in your arms and kiss me?”
“Um. I don’t think it’s a dream. And you haven’t tied the … uh … hair-snakes back. You don’t have to! I’ll still kiss you if you want. Anytime you want, really. But, um …”
She giggled. “I get it. I’ll tie them back but only if you promise to kiss me twice.”
“I promise!”
Nix. Nix. Can you hear me?
Damn! It’s Addie. I can hear you. But … I’ve got a bit of a … situation to take care of. I’ll call you back in a few minutes.
Nix! I know that tone of voice. You’re with that Gorgon girl again, aren’t you! Listen, we’ve all been sucked into another Trial. The Family Trial is starting. I need you to …
Addie kept on talking but somehow I couldn’t hear her. Must be the caves have bad reception.
Or something.
I jump into the portal. I assume it leads to the Dungeon but to my surprise I find myself falling. And landing on top of a dragon.
“Oh. It’s you.”
“Hi Alonso,” I say, one hand rubbing my sore butt and the other trying to straighten my hair. Turning to look at him, I notice he isn’t alone.
“It’s the girl-sitter!” squeals Ember. “Got any candy?”
Yep. They’re playing poker. “Not on me. Sorry.”
“You’re never any fun,” Ember scowls.
“Does she beat you, too?” asks the dragon.
“This is why I never carry candy. Um, Ember, why are you here?” I ask.
“Mama won’t let me go to the pub any more.” She makes a sour face. “Mama’s been grumpy lately. Do you think she’s a teenager?”
“Doubt it. Mothers do worry about their children. I’m sure she’s got your best interests in her heart.”
“Yeah. Whatever. If you’re not gonna play, shut up or go away.”
Sheesh! Kids these days.
Kari! Kari, can you hear me? Sounds like Addie.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Yep! Hi boss! How’s it going?
You’re in big trouble, little lady. Why’d you jump in that portal? What were you thinking? It could have been dangerous!
Um, you know who you’re talkin’ to, right? Kari? K-A-R-I?
Whatever. I need you to look for the others. We’ve been sucked into a group Trial.
“Sorry guys. Gotta go!”
“Aren’t you going to steal something from me?”
I look around. “Nah! I’ll come back and get whatever’s left after Ember’s through with you.”
“Wait! Take her with you! Kari? Kari! Dammit…”
“No.”
“Please, master!”
“No. And don’t call me master.”
Three ladies are on their knees in front of Rio. Well, two on their knees and one on whatever lamia’s would call a knee. They are all, inexplicably, crying. Sobbing, even.
“...”
After a long moment, Rio sits down on the ground in front of them. Taking a stack of handkerchiefs out of his Inventory, he says, “Look. I am sorry. I don't really understand who you are or why you act the way you do. Whatever you think I am to you, I’m not. However, I will listen to you as you explain but there must be some ground rules.”
The three women industriously rub the tears and snot off their faces. “What are the rules, master?” asks the one with bunny ears.
“First rule: I am not your master. I will never be your master. It’s not about you. I refuse to be anyone’s master. We’re all equal here. You will call me Rio. That is the only thing you will call me. Is that clear?”
“““Yes, Rio,””” came the ragged chorus.
“Second rule: I do not engage in romantic relationships. Limited physical relationships are possible but, honestly, I have so many of them already that it would be difficult to fit you into the schedule.”
“No romance? How sad …”
“Booked schedule? How sad …”
“Limited? How sad …”
“Is there anyone who cannot follow these rules?”
“““...”””
“Very well. I will now call this meeting to order. I suggest that we begin by letting each of us explain who we are and how we came to be here in this Dungeon. All in favor say, aye.”
“““Aye.”””
“Okay. Rock, paper, scissors for the order.”
A spirited match ensued. There were three votes to make it strip rock, paper, scissors but Rio overruled the motion due to time constraints. The order established was Rio, Holtasoley, Calanthe, Tulika. It should be noted that due to his Clairvoyant powers, Rio is not capable of losing a game of rock, paper, scissors.
“My name is Ilarion Partidon, nickname Rio. I come from a world called Earth where I was a student in school until a couple of months ago. I’m a human.
“While we were eating lunch one day, we were summoned to this world by mages of the Kingdom of Grado. There were eighty-three of us summoned. Five people, including myself, were found to have unbreakable Curses. The rest became Heroes and Saints.
“Shortly after we arrived, those of us with Curses started undergoing Trials. That is how I met each of you. The Trials seem to be designed to train us in our different skills and abilities. That’s it in a nutshell. Holtasoley, your turn.”
“Rrrhem! Okay. Um … All right. I am Holtasoley, a nereid from a sea Hex. My people live in the waters, although we can also walk on dry land. Our Hex is in the outer ring of Hexes of a country called Fer’gath’n which is ruled by the merfolk race.
“There’s not a lot of valuable materials in our Hex, so it is rarely visited by others. My family and I, of course, aren’t usually able to travel outside our Hex. One day a group of merfolk Harvesters came to our Hex and killed us.
“Normally, we would just reappear when the Hex resets. But that time I didn’t. I found myself in this Dungeon. A voice told me that I would be trapped here until I find a master. The voice even described mas- … I mean Rio. If Sir Rio won’t be my master, I don’t know what I will do. That’s all.”
“Okay. Next is Calanthe.”
The girl looks at the ground for a moment before she begins speaking. “My name is Calanthe, I’m a half-spirit. Which means I appear human except for some Spirit Beast features. As you can see from the soft, sexy ears, that part of me is rabbit.
“The Hex I belong to is in a land ruled by the Orcs. Orcs are like humans only heavier and stronger, with green skin and tusks growing out of their lower jaws.” She paused for a moment, shivering, “Orcs are horrible, horrible people. They come to our Hex and catch us. They have these special summoning amulets which bind us to their will and allow them to take us out of our Hex as slaves.
“Our Hex just replaces us when it resets, which means the Orcs keep on coming back and enslaving us again and again and again. It’s horrible. Most of us kill ourselves when we see them coming, now. It’s better than being slaves. We don’t always see them coming, though, so one day I was caught. As they were taking me out of the Hex, my summoning amulet malfunctioned and I was cast into … I don’t know how to describe it.
“I was there for some time before I finally appeared in this Dungeon. I also was told that I would be trapped here until I found a master. The voice described Rio to me.” She started crying again, “I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to be a slave …”
“Calanthe. Please don’t cry. I’ll help all of you find a solution to the problem of finding a master. Tulika?”
“Yes, Rio. I am Tulika, Lamia Queen. I am the supreme Spirit in a Hex that is far from any occupied countries. To my knowledge, no one has ever come to our Hex for exploration or harvesting. I have lost count of the millenia of my existence.
“My life has been extremely boring. I tried to travel outside my Hex so many times. Every time I crossed the border I ended up back in the exact center of the Hex. I was in despair.
“Finally one time I ended up in the same sort of place that Calanthe did. After a short time I was transported to this Dungeon, given instructions and told that I should seek to make you my Master. To be honest, I think that I would make a better master than a slave,” she said, looking at Rio while licking her lips suggestively, “This tail was made to bind. These hands long to hold a whip …”
“Okay then!” Rio quickly interrupted her. “I see where the problem lies. Think carefully. Did the voice actually say that I had to be your master? Or did it just imply that I would be your master?”
The three ladies thought. “I think it was implied,” says Tulika.
“I agree.”
“I’m not sure.”
“Okay. First off, I don’t think I have the right abilities to be your master. It’s not part of my skill set. That being said, there are two of my companions who do have the ability.”
“Tell us more.”
“One of them is a young man who is a summoner. His name is Nix. I am given to understand there are a variety of different summoner contracts. One of them will suit your needs, I’m sure.”
“Is he a good kisser?”
“Will he be cruel to me?”
“Does he need discipline?”
“He is very nice, very inexperienced, and more than a little bit naive. Holtasoley, you would have to teach him how to be a good kisser. Calanthe, he would never ever harm you. Tulika, I do not think he will ever be ready for that kind of discipline.”
“Okay,” said the lamia with a pout. “What’s our other option?”
“Our group leader. She can form contracts with you.”
“Unh-huh. What aren’t you telling us?”
“She’s a vampire.”
“Oh dear.”
“Her name is Addie. I don’t know if she is a good kisser. She does swing your way.”
“Intriguing.”
“Nix is very warm-hearted. If you want someone to fall in love with, he’s the master you’re looking for. Although I doubt he would ever think of himself as someone’s master. Addie is stern. I assure you, that if discipline is necessary, she will be disciplining you, not the other way around.”
“Still intriguing.”
“That’s all I have to say. I cannot make any promises for them. But they are options. What do you think?”
The ladies look at each other for a moment, then each gives a nod. Holtasoley speaks for them, “It seems like our best option. But I have one addendum.”
“What is that?”
“We each deserve one kiss,” says Calanthe.
“At least,” adds Tulika.
<<
I’m going to kill them. I’m going to kill each and every one of them. They’re ignoring me. I just know it.
Kari is probably off swapping lies with that dragon. Or playing poker with that fox girl. Or doing something else equally stupid.
Nix is probably making out with that gorgon girl. Is he the real horndog in our group? Has Rio been unfairly maligned all this time?
Probably not. Rio is almost certainly chasing around after those three women he met before. Maybe there’s a fourth one now? He just can’t help himself. I’ll kill him anyway. A, because he’s being bad, and B, because it’s just not fair.
Penny is … Well, I don’t know what Penny would be doing or where. Is she included? She’s part of the Family but she hasn’t been through the other Trials.
Saki? I need to look for Saki. She’s probably the only one not up to no good. I close my eyes for a moment, then roll my chair through the door before me.
I’m standing in a hemispherical antechamber with seven doors. Six small doors set around the curving wall; one large double door in the flat wall in front of us. Emblazoned in glowing silver script above the door are the words: RECOVER WHAT WAS STOLEN.
Shortly after I step into the room through my door, Addie arrives through her door.
Hi, I sign.
Hi. They’re all being bad.
I laugh. Of course they are. But they will come. I hesitate, then, Can you come with me on a short trip?
Addie looks me in the eye. Sees something there. Okay.
I offer her my wrist. Drink. You will need to walk some distance.
She frowns but complies. Then stands up. We go back through my door.
I lead her up the stairs and through the crack in the wall. The town is overgrown now. Nature reclaiming that which had been claimed by those now dead. It’s late in the afternoon.
Addie grabs my hand, stopping me. Which direction are we going?
I point down the road out of the valley. She leads me to a shadow and we … jump. And jump and jump again from shadow to shadow, me pointing the way, until we reach the top of the ridge overlooking the next valley.
There is a stark contrast. On this side of the ridge, there are trees, plants, animals and normalcy. On the other side is … nothing. No trees, plants, animals, dirt, life. Nothing. Just a solid sheet of gray glass covering hundreds if not thousands of square kilometers, following the contours of the valley that once was.
Addie takes it in for a long while. I see the question in her eyes.
This is why, I answer. This is why I am titled The Destroyer.
I take Saki in my arms and hold her for a long time. I can feel her crying. She breaks my hold finally and we head back. Along the way she picks some flowers.
We reenter the house we came out of and Saki leads me through a back door. There are three graves there. She leaves flowers at each, pausing for a moment with lowered head at each one.
We go back in. Saki makes one more stop in the ruined living room. She pulls a giant photograph out of a broken frame. Muskrat people. A mother, father, and little girl smiling happily. With a touch she sends it into her Personal Inventory. Then we leave.
Down the stairs and back to the antechamber. We find the others waiting for us.
With a few extras.