Chapter 62. Flip the Board.

  “Call them off him!” Sid said straining with struggle. “Call them OFF!” He screamed, grabbing the attention of the Naga.

  “Then be quiet… and let me finish…” Stitched lips snapped, watching her hounds bite at Fenrir, one latch one of his legs while the other jump at his throat. “…What was I talking about… do you remember?”

  “Call your hounds!” Sid begged as Fenrir let out another loud snarled yelp. “My son, you were talking about my son Clayton…”

  “..What about him…” Her threaded mouth pulled a tight grin.

  “He was stupid. A stupid mindless boy.” Sid cried out.

  “…OH yes.. your imbecile son… I remember now… That’s enough boys…” The two Embryx seized their attacking, and came to The Mystic as she unwrap Sid. “… Now be silent you fool…” She command Sid before placing her hands atop her pets heads gently rubbing their brows. “Your son… and those stringy moss-imps…”

  “They were wood elves.” Sid unwillingly corrected, before biting his tongue.

  “My patience is wearing thin King, and my time is valuable… so I… a godly mediator… advise you shut your fat mouth, and listen to what I have to say…” With that last remark Sid kneeled on his own and awaited her words.

  “….Yes the wood elves they came to your side instinctively… knowing the King of the forest was in need of assistance… I will admit it.. as Ammarosa will not.. but you were a hard one to find… switching your dominate faith many times… just like the way you did… its disgusting how people can just change their gods… freely entering church doors, walking their temple steps… but I suppose that’s how the Seven like to play… all have having a role of influence… impacting every inch of life who walk in the lands of Guuilatikore anyways… you would have been harder to find… if Minyeara hadn’t told Ammerosa the location of the settlement… Ironic isn’t it?”

  “What?” The mustache was brave and asked.

  “Your settlement.. destroyed by the beast it had been named after… then two stupid creatures fighting… only for both to die… like poetry…”

  Sid didn’t think about this so called irony, as he wasn’t a poet. No instead, he was busy twisting his thoughts around, scheming his own plans, repeating some of the information back through his head. “You said Scarlett followed Briareos?” Sid asked cautiously, hoping not to offend her any further.

  “She does, and she is a wonderful token to his game… the more greedy followers she has under her debt, the more faith she accumulates towards his temples…”

  “What do they want with me?” He asked again.

  “Nothing really… Briareos is just a greedy bastard who wants a grand part of the action… most of his followers are hard to convince.. as all they want is more for themselves… So Scarlett stitches some temperamental gear… keeping them all returning.. as her spells wear down over time… and well the Seven don’t really give away gifts now do they… it’s more of an influential kind of giving if anything…”

  “Pandora gave a gift.” Sid interjected.

  “Yes… yes she did… However.. no Mystic has ever approved of another gift… specially of such kind… Scarlett is the sly trickster under the eyes of Briareos… you were almost fooled into greed and that would have been an interesting playout… however the DNAs built within you, just wouldn’t allow that.. as they are spiked with the baneful thorns of wrath… created from ancient bloodlines of prehistoric beasts… you are the Bear-King… a true player of the sickest bile there is to offer…. nature has never seen such an infectious wave of blight and horror in the Sevens game.. and now… you’ve returned again…”

  Sid thoughts were explosive, he could feel that fire deep inside begin to spread, his blood was hot and his almond red face showed it. “So… so it was Ammarosa. She is the reasoning for my sons death?”

  “Yes… but relax for a moment…. Before you black out from rage… I still have much to say… I’m trying to help you King…. Its kind of what I do…. Pandora has a plan for you… Would you like to see that oaf of a son again…”

  Sid looked up from his kneeling position, his eye overlooked The Mystic, who smiled with crimson lips.

  “….Yes I thought so… However, you need to find him first…. And there is also Pandora’s Quest…”

  “Pandora’s Quest?” Sid asked, peeking over a shoulder to check on Fenrir, who actually seemed to be just fine, as he was licking his paws, laying partially in the sand and gravel.

  “…. Yes Pandora’s Quest… she has been waiting patiently for your return… its been many centuries now Sid… You shifters live a long time… something about your chromosomes…. Anyways… You must seek out the Blue-Boa Tribe… They will direct you to the beaten path of Marrow Mountain….”

  “I’m not going to kill this Xulu man, Scarlett had told me about, I know he resides in the hiding hills of the mountain.”

  “Yes… Scarlett would have had you seek him out for a deadly clash…. However that would never happen…. As he too is a token of Pandora’s wrathful influential trickery…”

  “Xulu plays for Pandora?” Sid spoke under his breath. “But what about the genocides, extermination of races, the blood cultists…. What about my wife!” Sid asked his anger growing with each word.

  “…. Genocides hahahaha…. Yes… yes I suppose Scarlett would have exaggerated a bit…. Only in attempts to pursue you to play for greed… Xulu is playing a marvelous game…. But I wouldn’t say he is exterminating races hahahaha….. No sorcerer could sustain such power…. Find the Blue-Boa Tribe…. Trade that weapon Scarlett gave you for The Serpents Arrow…. You have no use for the Reaper of Galaxies…”

  “I made that blade, it belongs to Clayton now. I would never trade it.” Sid objected to the demand.

  “King…. The blade you crafted is no more…. The blade Scarlett gave you…. Well… Yes.. it was the blade you crafted… But no.. it was no longer a blade of your own creating….” The Mystic thought for a moment on how to explain this to Sid, only heartbeats passed before one of the Embryx looked up at the Naga. “King…. When you craft a blade…. Then trade it off… If another is able to engrain the weapon with magic… fastening it with enhancing relics…. Or attaching power gems…. Is it still a blade of your crafting?”

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  Sid thought on this for a moment he wasn’t sure, he wasn’t good with riddles, his life was a riddle, and lately he felt like had been getting it wrong. Especially due to his current situation. “How did Scarlett acquire the enchantment?”

  “King…. Its not important the enchantment has a one time use….”

  “I’ve used it. I’ve seen what it can do.” Sid interrupted, tucking his lips while he took a slow blink. He looked at the Embryx who both were watching him.

  “You may have seen its potential…. But it only has a single time use…” The Mystic held both her guardians, guiding their stare, scanning the surroundings, their ears flickered a few times each. “King…. That blade is an ancient piece of the game…. An enchantment handed down…. The enchantment bestowed over the blade…. Well when the Seven first started playing… gifts were handed down almost daily…. How do you suppose Magicals… Shifters… Elementalists… Hybrids… how do you suppose they all came to be… the Seven had been granted approval… Well some items hadn’t been overlooked by past Mystic’s … Sometimes magic wasn’t fully explained by the sly Seven… Therefore some of the most ridiculous items had been granted… Truly unknowing what past Mystics had sent to the playgrounds of Guuilatikore… Understand?” She said., her mouth was bleeding profusely at this point, but it didn’t seem to bother her, and she continued to pet her hounds.

  “No, not really.” Sid said, scratching his eye.

  “Well… Some of the gods would grant magic that was unfair…. Somewhat like you… However… Your weapon… The magic bestowed upon it…. Is the same reasoning to end the first game…. I’m not going to explain it… But it was also the beginning…. Of the slow stopping of godly gift giving….”

  “How did it return?” Sid couldn’t help himself, he interrupted again, he wasn’t used to being the one who had to listen.

  “Briareos was loose with his wording…. But.. Before Cairo could fully explain what Briareos was planning… Again… His brother had gifted the single time ability… Scarlett’s family hadn’t used this enchantment for nearly three thousand years… As the Seven came together…. Six and a Mystic agree that if the enchantment had been used the game would reset…. All except one who’s vote didn’t matter… All agreed the game would end a tie…. Anyways Briareos warn his follower not to use the enchantment… or he would destroy their entire bloodline… producing the most terrible dark and depressing thoughts of their afterlife had they bring the enchantment to life…”

  “What does it do?” Sid asked, looking at the river, knowing the sword was in there.

  “It’s not important king…. Bring it to the Blue-Boa Tribe… Trade it for The Serpents Arrow…. Ask about the beaten path in Marrow Mountain…. Find Xulu… He will assist you in Pandora’s Quest.”

  Sid took a slow and hard dry swallow, taking a breath of courage he stood up, watching an Embryx as he stand. “Its in the river, I dropped it when I was crossing.” Sid keep his head down, watching the blue of fire. He could hear the Naga take her slow breaths, of irritation. “Then I suggest you fetch it…”

  “Where is the goofy man that was with Fenrir?”

  “I returned him back to Stallitusk… where he belong… King my time is nearly expired… Your friend Abram needs your assistance…. He should be waking right… about…. Now.” As the Mystic said the last word, a beautiful, gleaming beacon of light burst from the timbers. A dome of glowing gold showered around with a bursting wave of light.

  “What was that?” Sid asked, watching as the tower of white light fade.

  “A health blessing…. A crusader seemed to have taken pity on your friend… He had been mugged…”

  Sid thought about Abram and Arieo. And that box of magical deities—he really should have gone back for the voyager. Sure he may not like the two that much but oddly he would feel awful if something happened to them only because they were looking for him.

  “Who does Abram follow?”

  “Noone… He is a product of Fannon… the God of Glutton…. Abram plays for no God, but collects for all of them… Abrams hunger for collecting is never satisfied…. Much like Fannons brother Briareos… Fannons followers are rather greedy and never pleased with what they have needing more… or envies like the followers of his sister Ammarosa, needing whatever their neighbors had, jealous of others….Anyways King my time has gone over…. The gods will be needing their mediator soon…. Collect Abram… Find the blade… Trade with the Blue-Boa Tribe… Speak with Xulu…”

  “I still have questions Mystic.” Sid said wanting to know more, everything she had told him was very vague, and confusing.

  “We will speak again…. But for now let me assist the King across the river…” The Mystic held an arm out for Sid to latch.

  “Fenrir.” Sid called for the pup, who snapped to all fours and hurry to his side. Sid took the Naga arm, the Embryx stepped in front of the three and led them over the river.

  Sid had never thought about how walking on water would feel, and the feeling was rather odd. It was unstable yet firm. He could feel the current beneath him, but the surface was calm. Halfway across the river one of the Embryx looked down peering into the dark green water. Sid took four steps and looked down as well, curious as to what the hound had seen. Maybe there was fish swimming underneath—that would be neat to see.

  At the exact same moment his eyepatch had visually picked up the silver outline of the sword, much like it would with the traps and monsters, he broke through the waters surface, and sank like a rock.

  Sid had no time to react. The only instinct he had, was to take that gasp of unknown adrenalin. Just like the tentacles had done earlier that day. The two narrow suppliers of air slither their way into a lung each. Sinking, he watched while Fenrir looked at him with confusion, standing on the water, ripples waved from paws—what was Sid doing down there? The shadow then jumped happily, continuing with the Mystic, who held her hand out instructing the pup. Fenrir merrily jumped along, and with the two Embryx they led the walk.

  Sid closed his eye, allowing the eyepatch to take dominant sight, the dark green waters of the forest conceal some of the most curious of creatures. The currents had carried Sid down stream when he first submerged, but oddly the water was still on the floor. While he felt the slick rocks, he came to a full touch down. Then he took a moment to find his center of balance, scanning the waters for any dangers. When he completed his full circle, he was greeted by a massive albino sturgeon. The huge fish just float with the man. Sid felt no danger, this fish was a water guardian, it seek no conflict, the fish was as wise as the waters.

  The massive sturgeon circled Sid, then swam down stream out of sight. It then returned. Using the wheel-barrow sized nose, it scooped the man up. Tossing him up over the thick plated scales. Sid understood. Mounting the fish, he held on. The sturgeon rushed for the blade. Rolling sideways just enough for the man to reach. Grabbing the blade.

  This was too great not to enjoy for the moment—right? Sid thought so too so he whooshed around under the currents. Riding that massive fish like a stallion. Rushing from one side to the next before cruising quickly with the flow. Leaning down allowed the two to go very fast. A slipstream or wake or whatever it was called pushed around his head, and the scales of his coat had no resistance. Sid and that fish glide through the water at amazing speeds. Of course, enough was enough and he had to continue on his way.

  The tentacled hood was first to break the surface. The fish slowly swam to the river’s edge. Cthulhu shoulders emerged next. Then Redemption resting in his lap, one hand on the handle the other guiding the sturgeon. Sid looked mighty majestic. Slowly rising from the waters like that. Riding a legendary fish like he owned it. Fenrir was excited to see him too, and such a large fish—what a cute shadow just look at those paws, what’s he doing stamping with glee.

  Sid yanked the tentacles from his throat. Hacking up fishy mucus spitting it ashore. Gravely throat coughing up that nasty slime that lubricates marine life. Falling into the water trying to dismount the wise sturgeon. Completely ruining his moment of majesticness—that’s Sid though.

  “Thank you.” He pet the fish before it slowly pushed large waving tailfuls of goodbyes as it swam back to the bottom, waiting for what’s to come.

  Sid looked around for the Mystic, making sure he would not be insulting her if he left the river, it was only him and Fenrir, it was ok. He pressed past a few branches entering the forest, now he need to find, Abram, then Clayton’s ashes.

  He had been thinking of a scheme of his own all day now. He wasn’t a smart man. He may not be able to fool the gods. But he had a pretty damn good idea on how to get at least one of them. Sure, he’s been saying it his whole life and it’s true Sid would not be playing the game. Nope. Instead, he’s going to be the hand that flips the fucking board.