6.4 - Conflict (Patreon)

6.4 - Conflict

As much… fun as riding a galloping bear was, I did have to stay in range of the others in the temple to maintain the living “cover” that was the insect swarm. 

So rather frantically I started slapping the bear. “Stop! Stop! I have to stay in range!” I really hope I didn’t have to jump. My mind flashed with like a half dozen rolls and tucks and flips that I could do to land safely but I really didn’t want to test it.

Luckily the bear seemed to understand, veering sharply to the left in a turn his speed bled away before coming to a stop, his head looking around as if searching for Goblins. 

“Taylor you’re on a bear…” Madison seems to have finally taken notice somewhere between the beginnings of our mad dash and my shouting at the stupid thing to stop.

“Ummm…” Barcus chimed in. “Why?”

“It did’t give me a choice!” I snapped.

Even Emma didn’t seem to have anything in her expression outside of just a flabbergasted stupefaction. “Get off of the bear!” She said rather dumbly. 

“Go to hell.” The words were more reflex than anything really, because it was Emma giving me an order so it automatically merited that response. 

Even so I did as asked, not that I hadn’t been eager to get off anyway, dismounting on shaky legs and turning to look at the Bear, since I’d been riding him ‘backwards’ due to the rather absurd way the thing had gotten me on its back.

It was definitely smarter than any bear should be.

Karlach caught up, slightly winded. “Alright, on the weird scale this isn’t the worst thing-” I’m not sure if she was trying to console herself or me. 

“That doesn’t make me feel any better.” I said.

“I know, realized as soon as I said it…stupid comment on my part”

That did make me smile.

The bear looked at me, and then grunted, twisting its head around and lifting its hind leg. I looked…

“Is that an ankle bracelet?” Emma asked, carefully stepping forward. 

“Is the bear a convict?” Madison joked, coming around to the other side, at the Bear’s front and raising a hand, as if to pet it, but understandably hesitating.

“No!” Barcus came in close. “It’s a magic suppressor! Why on earth would the Goblins have this?!”

The bear grunted and “stamped” said foot as if demanding the thing be removed.

“How do we get it off!?” I asked even as I turned the bulk of my attention towards the swarm in the temple. Durge had already hacked off the Goblin leader’s head and was running with Shadowheart and Sophia towards the exit. Astarion had kicked over one of the braziers setting the main chamber alight in fire, I could already see the smoke. He ran through the swarm, Goblins trying to give chase, Wyll and Gale firing off spells to cover him as Lae’zel hacked their way back to the exit ladder to escape. 

Along the outside, the bulk of the drunk Goblins were running in blind panic. The only shred of ‘resistace’ were the Goblin mages actively forming domes of protection that could keep my swarm out. Several pockets of un-harassed little monsters hiding from the swarm. 

“Not very well maintained, and the bad has taken some damage, no doubt from this one trying to get it off- I imagine in a few more hours he would have had it, but, oposable thumbs make things much simpler.” Barcus reached, grabbing hold of the device just as Madison started to muster the nerve to pet the bear on its forehead. If I didn’t know any better the big brown thing looked amused. 

Durge, Hess and Shadowheart were by the entry way and the three were actively covering the other four, arrows, spells and protection wards letting the others reach them with relative safety.

Then they were finally clear, and Durge started blasting.

I could hear the rolling thunder from here, the Dragonborn was actively using his magic, soon enough joined by Wyll and Gale to start ripping apart the support columns holding up the temple ceiling. The flames from Astarion’s kicked Brazier began to rise, orange light, black smoke and rumbling thunder made a scene just across the river that looked like an apocalyptic painting come to life. 

I heard a clack and Barcus crowed in triumph. “Capital!” He pulled free the device.

And the bear started glowing.

Madison jumped, and froze, her hand still touching the glowing bear.

And then it wasn’t a bear anymore and her hand was touching the head of a very large elf. 

The small mousy brunette squeaked, actually squeaked and hid behind me of all people. Granted I was closest but I was half tempted to step out of the way out of equal parts spite and amusement. 

“I apologize.” The elf stood up, and my initial impressions of him being ‘large’ seemed an understatement. He was as tall as Durge, at least, if not slightly taller. The hell did they feed him? “I would have made proper introductions sooner, but the device would not let me shape shift out of my bear form.”

Karlach looked the Elf up and down, and I had to do something of a doubletake, wondering if the woman had just given the elf a rather blatant once over. “Didn’t think the Goblins had the brains for capturing a druid like that.”

“They didn’t-” The man explained. “They caught me traveling with Aradin’s band days ago, they thought I was one of their companions, a ranger’s beast. They figured that band would stop me from doing any tricks.” He growled. “They were half right.”

He turned to look at us, or more specifically at me. “Even in bear form however, I heard things. Birds and moles and other beasts who spoke of a young girl who could control insects. I realized immediately when you arrived.”

“Huh? How?” Could he sense powers? That would be incredibly useful back home.”

The man smiled. “You can only see a flying roach carrying a venomous spider onto an unsuspecting Goblin’s head once before you start putting two and two together.

I blushed as Karlach and Madison snickered. 

“Hey wait, druid with that Aradin guy.” Emma suddenly spoke up. “Are you the Druid Halsin?”

“I am.” The now identified ‘Halsin’ answered. “Forgive me for not stating my name clearly earlier. It’s been… an eventful evening.”

But then his features darkened. “But I must go. Days ago one of the Goblin leaders led a raiding party across the river towards the Grove. I must get there.”

The man turned, seemingly ready to sprint towards the Grove right now when Karlach hurried to intercept. “Woah mate woah. Hold up. There’s six hundred or so Gobbo’s between you and your Grove, and I don’t want a bunch of people to die if we can help it, lets meet up with the rest of our boys and we can figure out what to do next alright? Already been captured once.”

Halsin looked like he was ready to brush her off, but he closed his eyes and took a breath, seemingly counting back from ten. 

“You’re right… of course. And a party of your calibre can only help in the fight ahead. I’ll-”

He stopped as with a tremendous crack of crumbling of stone and masonry the Temple finally seemed to give up the ghost, collapsing in on itself as the final supports gave way, the whole structure falling and burying Goblins underneath as Durge and the others beat feet in the confusion and mayhem, I started toform a trail of fireflies to help guide them towards the meet point where Scratch and Sir Loin would be- or at least as close as I remembered, the two weren’t in range at the moment.

“Lets go.” I said.

—

By the time we met up with the others, It was safe to say we were all tired. So tired we barely even had the energy to scrounge together a camp, it didn’t look like it was gonna rain, so most didn’t even bother to set up tents. Sophia seemed content to just hop onto a tree.

… I was having the phase spiders back in my range hastily making me a hammock

The fighting, the running, the chaos.

I myself hadn’t done much, fighting- none really, but the mental exhaustion was very real. For all that my power was the energizer bunny, I wasn’t and all I wanted was to fall into bed and sleep.

No, scratch that. I wanted to bathe. To dunk myself into the icy waters of the river and wash away the filth and the grime. I would literally murder for a hot shower right now. But I didn’t have a readily available river or interior plumbing right now. For all that Gale… and Madison… and Emma eventually could probably cast that cleaning spell, nothing would ever beat actual soap and water. Just like nothing would beat the feeling of books with paper over screens. 

But even if all I wanted to do was sink into bed I couldn’t do that either. I was too hard wired for it. Still feeling the adrenaline, and the discussion taking place was just… too important.

“You’re all infected!?” Halsin’s voice was horrified. 

“See for yourself.” Durge invited, hands clasped behind his back.

I’d been right, Halsin was actually just a smidge taller than the Dragonborn.

Maybe what he ate as a bear translated over to his human… err… Elf form?

Did he eat whole Venison?

Wouldn’t it be fat rather than muscle?

I was letting my thoughts wander, I really was tired. 

Halsin raised his hand, palm glowing with magic before his features twisted with grief. “Oh child.”

Child? Durge was-

Wait… how long do elves live? Halsin looked middle aged, how long does an elf have to live to look middle aged!?

The druid stopped and looked around.and when his gaze settled on Sophia, Emma, Madison and myself he looked so heartbroken I thought he might genuinely cry.

“Can you help?” Shadowheart pressed. “We’ve heard you’re a renowned healer.”

“The magic surrounding your tadpoles is beyond my ability to heal.” He gave it to us the same way a doctor would say you lost your loved one on the operating table. Straight. I could appreciate that. “I have research notes back at the grove, several findings I could provide once we make it back inside. Also, more critically, I know where the tadpoles are coming from.”

That made Durge, Gale, and Lae’zel perk up. 

“Where!, We’ll burn out this infestation and find our cure there!” Lae’zel demanded. 

“Moonrise Towers.” Halsin said immediately… no strings attached. I half expected him to hold back that information until we helped him save the grove. I had to wonder what the catch was.

And then, I had to wonder if I should feel ashamed for expecting such a thing out of him. He hadn’t given me reason to think he’d act… the way I expected people to act. 

“In the Shadowcursed lands?” Gale winced and Durge sighed.

“Things can never be simple.” The Dragonborn grumbled. 

“Listen to me.” Halsin continued, his voice earnest. “I will gladly aid you in reaching and crossing the shadow curse to reach Moonrise, but I must see to the Grove’s safety first”

Ahh… there’s the catch.

Was I still being unfair? I didn’t know, and I was too tired to figure it out.

“There are six hundred Goblins between us and that Grove.” Durge pointed out. “And we don’t even know if it’s still standing.”

“It stands!” Halsin insisted. “There are Wards, protections. They’ll befuddle and confuse those seeking the Grove with ill intent for a time. It’s only been a few days. We have time.” It felt like the man was pleading with reality more than Durge himself.

“And should we just politely ask the six hundred plus Goblins to kindly let us through?” Astarion needled from his spot at the foot of a tree. 

“No. There is a path. A secret door Hidden by strong magic. It’s known only to myself and the Druids of the inner circle. We can bypass them entirely!” The large elf turned back to Durge. “You’ve already aided me once in my escape and I have no right to ask more of you, but I implore you to help me defend my home.”

I couldn’t read Durge’s expression. But the white Dragonborn looked around towards the others.

“I say we go.”

Incredulously, my gaze snapped over towards Emma, who had her arm raised as if this were a roll call in class. 

The red head smirked at me. “You always said you wanted to be a Hero-”

With a gun to my head I couldn’t have explained the cocktail of emotions roiling along my insides.

So instead I shunted all of it into my swarm. My expression going flat and dead and even for good measure I clamped down hard on the mental shields around my tadpole.

What the fuck is her game?

“I’m not leaving those people to die.” Karlach said. “With or without, I am going.” She raised her hand. “Here’s hoping you’ll join me though.”

Wyll raised his hand “You know what I’m going to say.”

“Bloody hells.” Shadowheart groaned. “You people have no concept of self preservation.”

“Or priorities.” Lae’zel sneered and Shadowheart had to swallow a lemon realizing she and the Gith were on the same page. 

A brief moment of silence and I realized that the vote, if you didn’t count Emma was technically tied. 

“Ummm… Alfira is there.” Madison said. Reaching behind her and grabbing the Bard booklet. “She gave me this… and my violin… It… It wouldn’t be right to just leave her to die.

And with that the dam broke. 

“It seems both of my apprentices wish to join in the hopeless defense. Who am I to leave them to it.” Gale sighed, smiling thinly.

“Fuckit- we ball.” Sophia raised her hand. 

Durge took a look around. And Shadowheart let out a gusty sigh before raising her own hand with a roll of her eyes.

The Dragonborn shrugged. “The aye’s have it.

And I realized, I hadn’t cast my vote… in my silence I let Emma speak for me. 

Granted I wanted to go back and save people, because I was going to be a Hero. But now I felt the bile pooling in the back of my throat. And I realized that had been her game. To make even something like this taste like acid and poison.

“Six hundred Goblins! It’ll take hours to kill them all.” Astarion actually seemed to sob. “I hate you every last one of you!”

“Lae’zel didn’t vote to go.” Wyll reminded. 

“Then she’s perfect and adorable.”

“I am perfect, and if you call me adorable again I will flay you from navel to neck.”"Lae'zel-" Gale smiled. "-was that a joke?""Among the Gith I am known for my sense of humor.""Wait- really?" Karlach asked.

"No."

No one noticed the swarm around them devouring itself in my silent hateful fury.(X)(X)(X)

Next chapter might be an Emma POV we'll see how it plays out.But if not next chapter definitely the one after that. Get another looksee behind the curtain.