Questing Sucks (Book 1) (35 page)

Sehn examined the object with one hand, while holding the Dwarf at arms distance with the other. He’d been snooping around the little guy’s bag. The dwarf had left it resting on the base of a tree while they rested, completely unattended. Sehn had always been fascinated by Dwarven creations—he couldn’t help but take a look. Dwarves invented things that most people never believed possible.

The object was a small brown rectangle, with dark edges surrounding the corners, and a red button in the middle. “What does it do?” Sehn asked.

“Old
Wolly’ll
tell ye all about it, if ye would only give it here. It’s not meant to be used just yet, ya could hurt
ye’self
.”

What an idiot,
Sehn thought.
The Great Sehn cannot ‘hurt himself.’

Cah’lia and Rina came rushing over. These days it seemed that whatever Cah’lia did, Rina mimicked. They both had their arms crossed in disapproval. “Rina knows that Sehn stole
Crunket
-man’s toy! Give it back!”

“When I’m done with it,” Sehn growled. “You two are really starting to bug me. I merely wish to see how this device works, and then I shall return it to the Dwarf, provided he pays me the Return-tax.”

“What is that
be’in
?” Wolly asked “I don’t be
know’in
about any return tax. Ye be talking nonsense, Elf.”

Nero tapped the Dwarf’s shoulder. The two were the same height. “For any questions concerning taxes, you can talk to me,” Nero said with pride.

Sehn ignored all of them, and focused his attention back on the device.
What does it do?
Sehn wondered.
Aha! I know how to figure it out. I probably have to push the red button. Foolish Dwarf, thinking the Great Sehn wouldn’t figure out his secret.

“I really hope that thing is safe,” Cah’lia said. “Because judging by the look on Sehn’s face, he just figured out what a button is.”

“Shut up, Foo’lia. Behold, mortals, as the Great Sehn presses the button.” Sehn triggered the device, laughing with glee. After a moment, he frowned when nothing happened. “What a waste of time!” he spat.

Nero gasped. “S-S-S-S-Sehn!” he cried. “What is that thing above your head?”

Sehn didn’t bother to look, and why would he? What could possibly be above his head that would worry him?

Cah’lia screamed, jumping back and pointing. “Sehn, you need to get out of the way!” Even Rina seemed to be alarmed.

There was a buzzing sound, and out of curiosity, Sehn looked up—and almost feinted. “W-what the fuck! Where did that come from?” he whimpered. A bee hovered a foot above him—a bee the size of a giant bear. The stinger was larger than a broadsword, and its yellow-face had two sharp horns protruding out of it. “What in the Gods is that!”

“Ohh, no, Wolly tried to worn ye, he did. That be a Shark-bee. Me device can attract them, but ye didn’t listen.”

“Time out, time out!” Sehn howled. “It’s called a fucking Shark bee? Are you kidding me? R-R-R-Remmos fucking Salas!”

The humongous creature swerved, dodging Sehn’s fireball. The ball of flame crashed into the side of the mountain, dissipating as it hit rock. “Oh Gods, now it knows that ye tried to be
kill’in
it. Ye should’ve just ignored it.”

The buzzing grew louder, and the bee shook violently, curling its body and extending its stinger. Rina and Nero screamed in unison, Cah’lia joining them soon after. Rina grabbed Wolly’s arm, and Nero grabbed Sehn’s. The five of them ran for dear life, as the insect chased them the rest of the way down the mountain. They ran for hours, doing everything they could to lose the insect-thing.

That night, when Cah’lia was making camp, and Sehn collapsed from the exhaustion, he promised himself that when he conquered the world, all shark-bees would be hunted down and destroyed.

Chapter 35: Nero steps up

 

 

The first glimpse of the rising sun could be seen above the trees. Birds parted their nests in search of food. Cah’lia yawned and sat up in her sleeping pallet. She gently lifted Rina’s head from her stomach, removing the girl’s hands around her waist. It was time to keep moving.

All around them, Cah’lia could spot the hot springs, exotic animals, snow-topped mountains, and the short flowery grass that extended all the way to Hahl. The usual heavy breeze rolled off of the surrounding mountains preventing the warm air from becoming too much of a burden. The breeze fluttered Cah’lia’s clothing, and she had to resist the temptation to extend her arms while her garments flapped around her. The valley was a wonderful place. The sweet-smelling fresh air invigorated her, pushing her forward.

Thankfully the land was flat, and the walking was easy. Cah’lia even preferred it to all of the riding. It was nice to be able to stretch her legs for once. Since she’d departed Elvar it had been nothing but one big horse-ride.

After the first hour of walking they slowed their pace, because Wolly seemed to be having problems keeping up. The little Dwarf was panting, choking, and taking in big-whopping breaths, while his little feet and pudgy stomach scrambled to keep up. “Oh-missy,” he said to Cah’lia. “Ya done be killing old Wolly. I not be used to walking at this pace.”

Cah’lia would leave him behind if she had to. Under normal circumstances she’d be glad to help the poor Dwarf, but the circumstances behind their need for haste were anything but normal. “Please try,” she said. “I know it’s rough.”

“Rough no begin to be
describ’in
it,” Wolly said. “Me feet be
hurtin
, oh Gods, me feet be
achin
.

He wobbled as he walked, and Cah’lia had to refrain from laughing. The little man’s belly jiggled each footstep, sticking out under his size-to-small brown shirt. She knew it was demeaning to Dwarves to think of them as such, but Cah’lia had always felt that they were such cute little people. They were funny, awkward, and brilliant at the same time. Dwarves were the world’s greatest inventors, but also the world’s laziest people.

Sehn looked as if he was having a bit of trouble keeping up as well, and the sight of it ruined Cah’lia’s mood.

How much longer?
Cah’lia wondered.
How much longer until he can no longer walk? Until his pain is so great we need to carry him?

He was hiding it well. Aside from princess Saerina, Cah’lia was the only one who could spot the pain in his eyes, while his body decayed from the inside out. It was barely visible, but every time Sehn took a step forward his left eye twitched ever so slightly, and his lower lip curled up just a bit. Nero and Rina wouldn’t notice, and Sehn’s arrogant stride did wonders to hide his agony, but Cah’lia knew. She knew, and she could do nothing to help him. Never, had she felt so useless.

The landscape changed as they closed upon the city. The already short grass became shorter, tended to by the nearby outlining villages that led to Hahl. Eventually they came to a man-made path, with brick and stone extending into the distance, leading the way into the Kingdom’s pillar of Hahl.

The five of them picked up their speed as they walked, excited to be arriving at a new destination. Nero tilted his head in every direction, waving to each farmer they passed and receiving waves in return. Cah’lia had to admit her little brother was adorable, and few of the Humans could resist brightening in delight as the little Elf shouted and waved at them.

When Sehn thought no one was looking, Cah’lia caught him giving brief affectionate gazes at Nero. Something resembling pride lit up the curvy half-smile on Sehn’s lower lip. Each time he would shake his head, clearing the expression and looking around to see if anyone had noticed.

Cah’lia froze for a moment as a new understanding hit her.
Nero,
she thought.
He’s going to be devastated.

With everything that’d happened, Cah’lia never took into account how Nero was going to handle Sehn’s death. It would cripple Cah’lia, but it would destroy her little brother. What would she do then? How would she console him? Aside from a pet frog he’d found a few years earlier, Nero had never lost anything meaningful to him.

“What’s wrong?” Rina asked.

Cah’lia looked down into the face of the small Human. She was healing from the tragedy she’d been forced to suffer through, and each day she became more and more lively.

She’ll be there for him,
Cah’lia realized.
Rina will be there for Nero. He’s going to need her someday soon.

“Nothing, sweetie,” Cah’lia said. She knelt down and cupped Rina’s chin between two fingers, kissing her on the forehead. “Come on, let’s keep moving.” Rina smiled up at her, and shrugged.

The path widened, and now every so often there were other paths connected to the central one. These—from what Cah’lia remembered of the maps back in Koringrath—led to Kingdom outposts, where soldiers protected the city.

“Yo! Sehn,” Nero said. He was bursting with excitement, skipping along as he took in the beginnings of Human civilization. “When we get to Hahl, you gotta buy me more stuff. Here’s what I want. I want new toys, new…” Nero rambled on for a bit, while Sehn threatened him with death, and promised he’d pay for none of it. Sehn had no idea how much of a sucker he really was—without a doubt Nero was going to spend the last of Sehn’s money in Hahl.

Cah’lia had always been strong. Physically, she’d always been tough, but each day that passed she grew emotionally as well. Not one tear—that was what she’d promised herself. Until Sehn served his purpose, she would not shed a single tear.

Wolly stopped walking yet again, and Cah’lia breathed a sigh. They were close enough to the city now that she wouldn’t feel guilty if she left him behind. Even the easily lost Dwarf would have no problem following a stone pathway.

“Wolly, if you’d like to stay and rest up, umm, there was an inn at a village we passed not far back. Why don’t you—”

“It no
be’in
that,” he said. “Something be coming. Do ye not sense it?”

Cah’lia had no idea what the man was saying. “What are you talking about, Wolly? What’s coming?”

Wolly didn’t answer—he didn’t have to. There was a cry from above them, and all five of them looked up at the giant winged beast soaring overhead. “I-is that a gryphon?”

Sehn and Nero cupped their hands over their eyes, filtering out the bright sunlight as they attempted to make out the creature coming near them. It descending until it was only a few dozen feet above them, and Cah’lia could make out a rider on its back. It hovered in the air above them.

“Aha!” the rider cried. “There you are, you mountain-Lanx pot of rotten stew!” The rider gazed down on them, her eyes focused entirely on Sehn. She was close enough that Cah’lia could make out a look of annoyance on her face, mixed with a grim determination.

That voice,
Cah’lia thought.
I…I know that voice!

“Shina, is that you!” Cah’lia shouted at the small Elven girl riding the gryphon. The girl took her eyes off of Sehn, and scanned around for the source of the shout, before meeting Cah’lia’s. Her annoyance was replaced with delight.

“Oh, wow, Cah’lia! I haven’t seen you in forever.”

Shina had run away from Elvar several years earlier, but before then, Shina followed around Cah’lia much in the way her brother now followed around Sehn. “You’ve gotten so big, wow! You’ve become a beautiful young lady.” By now, Shina must’ve been at least eleventh-seasoned.

“You really think so?”

Cah’lia had to strain her voice to yell up to Shina. “Why don’t you come down here and talk to us! It’s really hard to speak like this!”

Shina shrugged, and did a forward flip off of her gryphon, spinning several times in the air. Lightning engulfed her entire body, and she landed with a crash, the stone-paved road exploding under her feet leaving an enormous hole. The electricity continued to envelope her, dying down slowly, until fading all together.

Wolly took two steps toward her, calm, and unworried. He took a nice, relaxing, and comforting breath of air, before widening his eyes in shock and bellowing at the girl. “What in Ye Gods be happening!
Ahhhh
!” the little dwarf ran to his bag, grabbing his Dwarven weapon, and pointing at the girl with terror in his eyes. “Don’t worry, miss Cah’lia, Old Wolly will be
kill’in
this here lightning witch!”

“It’s all right, Wolly,” Cah’lia said. “Put down the weapon.” Wolly lifted his chin, hesitating a moment, before slowly lowering the weapon.

Shina ignored the Dwarf, and instead cleared her throat and pointed at Sehn. She took a deep breath and began to sing.

“
Here
she is, here she comes!
Shiiiinnaaa
, the Lightning Goddess!
”

“
All stand in awe, amazed by her beauty. For she has
arrrriiiiveed
! The Lightning Goddess”

Sehn looked at her with a blank expression, which he maintained for almost a minute, not a single trace of emotion visible on his face. “I see,” he whispered. He shrugged, and turned to Nero, returning to his conversation from earlier. “So anyway, Nero, I was thinking that for my third statue, I shall have my workers try and build it tall enough to reach the clouds…”

Shina’s mouth fell open while she watched the two ignore her. “W-where do you think you’re going! Hey, I’m talking to you, Sehn!”

“Why are you here?” Cah’lia asked. “Didn’t you run away to Magia to be a full mage of The Order?”

Shina stiffened, bringing herself to her full height and standing on her toes. “I have,” she said. “And I’m here for Sehn. He’s a magic-user, and so he has to come back with me to Magia. Sehn! Pay attention to me, I’m not a little girl anymore!”

“Hmm?” Sehn turned around, and gave her a cursory, disinterested glance. “What do you want, Shina? I don’t have time for my boring little sister. Go fly off on that stupid fucking thing you came here on.”

Three things happened all at once. First, Shina’s face turned dark, then, her lips and eyes scrunched together in the purest look of outrage. Finally, she shook as she gripped her hands into fists and howled at Sehn. “
Did you just call pancake stupid!
”

Sehn tilted back his head and laughed at her. “That’s what you named it?” He looked up at the beast. “You!” he called to the gryphon, which squawked in acknowledgement. “Your name is fucking stupid, and so are you! The Great Sehn wants you for dinner. Come down here at once! I shall eat you in front of your rider.”

Lightning ran through Shina, once again enveloping her in electricity. She hissed as she spoke. “You’re dead, Sehn!”

Cah’lia ran to Shina’s side, her hair standing on edge as she approached the raging Elf. “Please calm down, Shina. You know how Sehn is.”