Morcster Chef Book 3 - Chapter 28 (Patreon)

“Arek?” Ming asked, her voice uncharacteristically serious.

“I – I’m fine,” Arek said. “I lost myself. I didn’t even realize.”

“You seem to be fully back,” Belmont said carefully. “Are you?”

Arek stared down at his bloody hands. “I don’t know. I didn’t even realize I was in the battle rage. There was no warning. There’s always a warning, but it just… happened.”

“Here, get off the monster,” Belmont said slowly. “You might be hurt.”

Arek shook his head. He carefully slid down the dead monster’s back. “I’m not. I would have felt it. It hit me, but… it just didn’t do much.”

“The Blessed One curse makes you stronger,” Malissa said. “It has to be mixing with your battle rage and coming out when it normally shouldn’t be.”

Arek clenched his hands. The blood squished against them and the tips of his claws dug into his palms. “I am becoming a monster.”

“No you aren’t.” Malissa dug around in her bag and pulled out a flask of water. “The Howlers are trying to turn you into one. We won’t let them.”

Arek couldn’t take his eyes off his bloodied claws as she poured water over them, washing the gore and grime away.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. “This is serious cause for concern. I could control my battle rage, but not this. It comes on without warning, and I didn’t know I was in it until it was too late.”

“Well, what brought you out of it?” Belmont asked.

“Your calls,” Arek replied. “But it still took me time to recognize them.”

Belmont crossed his arms and drummed his fingers on his side in thought. “Well, the important thing is that you could recognize us. And it seems to be spurred by situations when you’d normally enter battle rage, right?”

Arek nodded. He glanced at the monster’s corpse and turned away, trying to wipe it from his mind. “I can’t tell if it’s the battle rage or the heightened emotion that causes the curse to activate, though. Perhaps it’s a mix of the two. It isn’t supposed to work on anything other than people that have also been cursed, after all.”

“It’s okay, Arek,” Malissa said, stepping forward and putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. “We’ll figure this out. Perhaps we can find someone that knows more about how curses work. With Ming as a control group, maybe they can determine what makes this thing run.”

Arek’s ears twitched. “Yeah. I think I might actually have a contact that could help there.”

“Really?” Malissa asked, her eyebrows raising. “Why didn’t we go straight to them?”

“They’re pretty busy,” Arek replied noncommittally. “And they aren’t easy to get a hold of. Still, I’ll give it a shot. We can do it after getting out of the dungeon.”

“That won’t be too hard,” Belmont said with a nod over Arek’s shoulder. The orc turned, looking over the body of the monster to realize a pitch black portal had formed in the air behind it.

“Ah. Didn’t even notice,” Arek said, rubbing the back of his head. He adjusted his hat and sighed. “Right then. I’m not quite feeling up to skinning this thing. Unless someone else wants to…?”

“I think we’ll pass this time,” Malissa said. “Let’s go.”

The Happy Sunflowers linked hands and held their breath before stepping into the portal and vanishing from the dungeon with a pop. As quickly as the world vanished, it rebuilt itself around them.

Buildings replaced the lush jungle and their feet hit cobbled stone as they reappeared in the small town surrounding the dungeon. Arek let his breath out with a huff, causing a plump woman that had been watching their arrival to scramble for cover.

“Whoops,” Arek said.

“Don’t worry about them,” Belmont said. “Other people’s opinions aren’t worth your time. They don’t know you.”

“If I recall correctly, you were worse than the woman was,” Ming said, tugging on Belmont’s chainmail with a smirk.

Belmont harrumphed. “People change, Ming. I was in the wrong, and I’ve admitted that already. There is nothing to be ashamed of for making a mistake as long as you rectify it.”

Arek laughed as the four of them left the portal and made for a bench along the small town square. “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand how you have so much confidence and paranoia at the same time, Belmont. It feels like those two things shouldn’t mesh as well as they do in you.”

“I am confident in myself so long as the situation is within my abilities and I have prepared for what might come,” Belmont replied with a shrug. “That’s why I’m paranoid, as you put it. If everything is as it should be, I have nothing to fear.”

“Interesting way to see things,” Arek mused. He stopped, glancing around at the rooftops. It took him a few moments, but he managed to spot the telltale marble of an adventurer’s guild post. It was considerably smaller than the ones in the other towns they passed through and only a single floor, but it was an outpost all the same. He set off toward it.

“Is this a good idea? I’m not sure talking with the guild is in our best interests right now,” Belmont said in a hushed whisper, glancing around to see if anyone was paying much attention to them.

“It’s the only lead I can think of.” Arek gave Belmont a one-shouldered shrug and adjusted his hat as they drew up to the front of the small outpost. The marble was stained and covered with at least several month’s worth of grime and dirt.

“Nice place,” Ming observed.

Arek just walked inside, ducking slightly to fit through the doorway. A tweedy man with thin, burgundy hair glanced up at the Happy Sunflowers from his chair behind a dust covered counter. His eyes widened and he licked his lips, straightening his back and pushing the wide rimmed glasses higher on his face.

“Hello,” Arek said, raising a hand in greeting. “I’m a registered adventurer. You’re not about to get attacked.”

The man seemed to deflate. “Ah, thank the gods. I mean, you were wearing a chef hat, but you never know what fashions monsters have taken to these days. How can I help you? I’m afraid this is only a small outpost, so we don’t have many of the amenities that a full one would.”

“I need to contact someone in the guild,” Arek replied. “Do you have some way to do that?”

“Ah, we do,” the clerk said with a relieved sigh. “That’s one of the few services we do offer, actually. Second door on your right. We don’t have any fancy administrators though, so you’ll need to know the name of the person you’re trying to contact.”

“That’s no problem,” Arek said. He turned to the rest of his group. “Could you wait here for a few moments? I’ll be back soon.”

They nodded and he followed the clerk’s directions down a thin hall and through an old wooden door. Behind it was a small room with a rune-covered tube in the center of it. A large, dirty crystal orb poked out of its center.

It had been years since Arek had last used a device like this to communicate. He’d still been in Vell’s group when he had, which felt ironically appropriate given who he was trying to contact.

The orc put his clawed hands on the orb and let out a slow breath, visualizing Vell’s face and whispering the man’s full name under his breath. The orb warmed beneath his hands and the machine let out a low humming noise as light started to emit from it.

It grew louder. A foreign presence passed over Arek’s mind, its emotions a mixture of curiosity and anger. They faded as quickly as arrived. Then a low chuckle rang out in Arek’s head and the presence vanished.

The orb beneath his palms turned red, indicating the call had been canceled. A moment later, a dull hum filled the room as a blue portal yawned open in front of Arek. The orc pursed his lips. He would have preferred to talk without meeting Vell in person. He certainly wasn’t about to –

Before he could react, the portal shot forward, swallowing him whole.

Dull torchlight greeted Arek as he staggered into a large, stone room. Machinery littered the ground and runes had been scribbled in chalk on every single surface. Sitting across from him, surrounded by a large pile of books, was Vell.

His beard had grown and turned even whiter, but his one blue eye burned as bright as ever.

“Arek. What a surprise,” Vell said, splaying his hands out. He snapped his fingers and a chair assembled itself from the garbage covering the room, walking over and pushing itself into the orc’s legs. Arek reluctantly sat down.

“Vell.”

“You wouldn’t come here unless you were really desperate,” Vell said. “I presume you want something from me?”

“That was direct,” Arek said with a snort. “You’re correct.”

“I’ve always been direct. Words are such a pointless waste of time,” Vell replied. He took a book from the pile and flipped through it for a moment, then threw it over his shoulder with a sigh. “I’ve been working on a little problem for some time anyway. You’ve always been a refreshing presence. Perhaps we can help each other. What do you need?”

“You’re invested in keeping the kingdom safe, right?”

“I’m part of the adventurer’s guild.”

“You and I both know that means less with every passing day,” Arek said. “They haven’t done much as of late, have they?”

Vell’s brow creased in amusement. “Ah. I heard some business about how you got caught up in Red Mount with the Howler guild.”

“You know about them?” Arek nearly jumped out of his chair. He slammed his hands into the table. “You know they were involved?”

“Of course I do,” Vell laughed. “They hardly did a perfect job covering their tracks, but they did one good enough to keep the courts locked up for a few more months. Probably more than enough time for them to get what they want.”

“And you aren’t going to do anything about it?”

“I am doing something about it,” Vell replied, spreading his arms. “Look around you, Arek.”

“I see a lot of garbage.”

“You see the beginnings of an army, Arek. I have four hundred golems in my compound, all with the strength of a C rank adventurer and some with more. The Howler guild thinks they can defend themselves with the curse they stole, but their end is already carved in stone. They will die. Is that really why you’ve come? Just sit aside. You aren’t Warchief anymore. Let the big boys play.”

Arek slumped back into his chair. “That isn’t good enough. A few months is too late.”

“Too late?” Vell’s eyes narrowed. “What, have you grown so soft that you’re bothered over the few people that will suffer during that time? People die, Arek. Many at your own hands. A few more deaths won’t bother anyone. There are unlikely to be more monster hordes – the guild is fully mobilized and preventing them now that we know someone has been causing them, even if we can’t fully link it to the Howlers.”

“I’m not here because I’m worried about others,” Arek growled. “Well, I am. But that’s not the only reason. In a few months, I’ll probably be dead.”

Vell blinked. “Oh? How so?”

“You know about the Blessed One curse?”

“A mage has been going around the guild researching it, so I’ve looked into it a little,” Vell replied, scratching his chin. “It was an interesting topic, but I can’t get my hands on anyone with the curse, and I can’t seem to find where it comes from.”

“Ah, that would be Magus.” Arek’s lips split into a cold grin. “And maybe we can help each other after all. I’ve been cursed.”

Vell froze. “What?”

“Not sure how else to put it. I’ve been afflicted with the Blessed One curse,” Arek said, tapping his chest. “And, according to Magus, that means I’ll be compelled to go to Dortusk in less than a month. When I get there, the Howlers will probably kill me for all the trouble my group has caused them.”

Vell didn’t budge for several seconds. His knuckles trembled slightly and his lips pulled back in the beginnings of a feral snarl. “They meddled with you? With my work?”

“That’s one way to put it. I want to know if anything can be done,” Arek said. “I don’t expect you to be able to get rid of the curse, but maybe you could at least tell us how it functions?”

Vell’s eyes twitched. Arek wasn’t sure if the man had heard a single word he’d said. Vell ground his teeth and slowly rose to his feet. “How dare they touch what is mine. Your runes are mine, Arek. My artwork. My creation. They are not to be… disgraced by some bumbling fools.”

He spat on the ground, his face red and trembling. Arek rose, taking a step back. He’d never seen Vell this unhinged – not in this way, at least.

“Sit down,” Vell ground out. He spun, grabbing a metal rod from the ground and breaking it over his knee. He threw the pieces to the ground and stalked over to Arek. “I will inspect what damage they have done to my art.”

“Is this going to take long?” Arek asked, not letting his voice change even slightly. Showing someone like Vell weakness was the worst thing he could do in the situation. “My team doesn’t know I’m here, and they might have useful information for this.”

“How so?” Vell asked, cocking his head to the side. “Are they cursed as well?”

“One of them is, but it doesn’t look like the curse took hold on her properly,” Arek said. “For that matter, I don’t think it took hold on me correctly either, but it’s done more to me than hers has done to her.”

“I see,” Vell said. He clenched and flexed his hands several times, then nodded. “Only one?”

“Just the one.”

“I will get them.”

“Wait,” Arek said. “I want your word that they’ll be safe. I’m not bringing anyone here to get killed by you. The girl that is cursed is Magus’ student. I know you’re strong, but even you can’t start a direct conflict with him.”

Vell smirked. “That explains the man’s insistence in figuring out what the Blessed One curse did. I just ignored him when he asked for my help, but perhaps I should have paid more attention. Very well, Arek. I will not hurt her. I’m not a monster, after all. You are. But you’re my monster. Nobody is allowed to damage that.”

He shuddered, drawing a slow breath and steadying his features before snapping his fingers. A blue portal snapped open and he strode through it, leaving Arek in silence.

“Shit, he’s completely lost it,” Arek muttered under his breath. “I think this might have been a mistake.”

He glanced around, half wondering if the walls were watching him. Knowing Vell, they probably were. A few minutes passed in silence. Arek was just about to follow the mage through the portal when he strode back in holding Ming’s hand.

“Arek!” Ming exclaimed. “This old asshole said you were here, but I didn’t believe him. Are you okay?”

“I am,” Arek said. “I’m sorry, I should have warned you. I was only planning to talk to Vell, but he went and kidnapped me.”

“Bah. Talking in person is so much easier,” Vell said, flicking his hand and dismissing the portal. “Wait, did this little runt just call me an asshole?”

He leaned down, glaring at Ming. She cocked an eyebrow. “What? Try something and I’ll kick your balls up into your throat. I won’t even need magic.”

Arek choked and Vell burst into laughter.

“What a temper. Sit down, girl.”

A chair popped out of the scraps and shot into Ming, sweeping her off her feet and setting her down beside Arek. Ming leaned over to him conspiratorially.

“Malissa said to be assertive so he wouldn’t underestimate me.”

“That’s… one way to do it, I suppose,” Arek muttered. He shook his head and straightened back up. “Okay, Vell. Keep this quick, please. We have a lot to do.”

Vell grunted. “And I don’t? I’m doing you a favor. First, let me look at your runes. I need to make sure they haven’t been damaged.”

He stormed over to the orc and grabbed his hands, studying the carvings closely. He spent several minutes on each claw, muttering under his breath the entire time. Ming fidgeted in her seat the entire time, which clearly didn’t help the older mage’s mood.

“They’re fine,” Vell said, straightening. “Good. That’s very good.”

“You mean they’re somehow protecting Arek from the curse?” Ming asked.

“What? I have no idea about that. I just don’t want my work damaged,” Vell said dismissively. “Although, that’s not all of what I did. Some of my work is not so easily seen. Tell me more about the effects of this curse. I need to know what I’m working with.”

Arek shrugged. He went back over everything he could recall about the Blessed One curse, including how it didn’t seem to affect Ming and the strange runes that floated around in her eyes.

Vell listened with rapt attention, jotting down notes every so often. He made Arek repeat several parts, then quizzed Ming. When he was done, he sat back and rubbed his chin.

“What a marvelous curse. I’d kill to see how they’ve taken over it,” Vell mused. “It’s possible Arek’s battle rage is interfering with its proper function, but I never expected you to be the real prize here, girl.”

“Vell,” Arek warned, a growl building in his throat. “You aren’t touching her.”

“Look at me weird and I’ll turn your head to soup,” Ming said, pointing a staff at him.

Vell rolled his eyes. “Yes, yes. I’m terrified of what the little girl and her stick can do. You’re aware that I’m a B rank mage that’s nearly at A rank, yes? I could level the entire you’re sitting in with a thought.”

Ming pointed her staff at the wall. A bolt of pure magic shot out of it, burning a hole clean through the stone. She turned, giving a very pointed look at the front of Vell’s pants. “Before or after I make sure you speak two tones higher the rest of your life?”

Arek tensed, preparing to dive at Vell. Curse be damned, if the crazed man tried to touch Ming, he’d kill him or die trying.

Instead, Vell broke into laughter. Arek failed to contain his surprise, which only made Vell laugh harder.