“Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home…” I sang with a stuffy nose and a moan as a rolled over pulling a blanket tighter around my neck.
“You’ll live. Stop singing. You’re going to kill us all with that noise.” Garness threw a box of tissues and a pillow at me and tightened the mask he had over his face. “I’m going out. I’ll be back when this place isn’t a bio hazard.” Picking up his axe he lumbered out the door, turning so his huge galka figure would fit through the frame.
“You know, you don’t have to stay out here in the lobby on the sofa. Your bed must be more comfortable.” Turning I met eyes with the soft smile of a handsome elvaan sitting next to me. Relatively new to our group he was only around a level twenty red mage. Offering me a hot mug of something that smelled so bad even though I couldn’t breath through my nose I cringed at the scent.
“I get lonely in there. Besides, someone might need me.” I replied. “What is this awful cup of something for? Is it some sort of disinfectant cleaner?”
Instead of the laugh I had hoped for Kjarbo gave me a firm look while he wiped my forehead with a cool cloth. “No, its medicine Foxx made for you. He stopped by while you were sleeping but he wouldn’t come in to see you. He said it’s very fast acting, and I quote, ‘should have you back to your annoyingly peppy self in no time.’ Drink up” he demanded.
I could picture the little taru smiling in delight at the thought of my drinking his fowl concoction but I trusted the evil man knew what he was talking about. He always did. I pinched my nose out of habit and gulped down the chunky slime as quickly as I could. It burned my mouth and insides all the way down my chest to my gut. Out of reflex more than anything my tongue shot out and my eyes squeezed tightly together forcing out little tears. Expecting to belch out flames at any moment I was surprised when I tasted a chocolate on the end of my tongue.
“This should help.” Kjarbo smiled at me and put another chocolate in my mouth.
“I think I’m going to be sick from watching you two.” Martin scowled from across the room as he polished his blade. “She only has a cold. She’s not dieing.”
“You’re not very sympathetic for a paladin and protector of the people.” Kjarbo glared.
Before Martin could retort the door opened and someone I had only ever seen use his pearl once came in. “I thought I would find you here. You’re late. What are you sleeping for? Don’t you know you have dynamis in Xarcabard tonight?” The immensely powerful ninja stared down at me from over Kjarbo’s shoulder and from the look in my caretaker’s eyes I was afraid a fight was about to start if I didn’t react and I didn’t want to see how that would turn out.
Putting my hand on his arm to prevent anything I introduced him. “Kjarbo, this is Sinlessrogue. He’s a friend who does dynamis with me. I promised to go.”
“You’re sick. Stay here and rest today.” Kjarbo said as he pushed my bangs to the side lovingly.
“Not an option. We are short on thieves tonight and we might need her special skills.” With that Sinless moved Kjarbo out of the way and bent over to toss me over his shoulder more like a sack of produce than a well respected leader.
“I might die.” I cried and cleared my nose with a tissue.
“Good chance. We have white mages for that. Don’t worry. No time to complain. Siara is outside waiting to teleport us.”
Still feeling a bit groggy but giggly from the fast working effects of my special gift from Foxx, I blew kisses to the linkshell members as Sinless carried me out the door. I’d like to think they all were sad to see me go but I think most were relieved. I’m not sure but I think Willowkarr was more cheering Sinlessrogue on than waving goodbye.
His callus hands from his extensive fighting experience felt like scratchy gloves against my skin and his arms where riddled with old scars. He really could have used regular hand beauty treatments of some kind. Before we even closed the door behind us Siara was warping us away to the Xarcabard zone for dynamis.
“Ah good. There she is. We needed another thief to sacrifice to the dynamis gods for more armor drops. Why are you carrying her?” Airamis questioned.
“She says she sick.” Sinlessrogue answered.
“Ah, fine. Get in a party and let’s get going then. I’m trading hourglasses in five minutes.” Airamis ordered.
Laying in the snow I woke up to the sound of weapons clashing and demons shrieking. I must have fallen asleep and it did me some good. I assumed Sinlessrogue had carried me in. I felt much better even if I was a little cold.
Lordcrow lifted me up by the back of my vest setting me down on my feet. “Up you go. You’re going to get hurt laying around like that.”
Drawing my daggers I went right to work assisting Aurani with a nearby flying eye. They are not exactly my favorite. The eye blood is more like slime and is so plentiful it often runs down my weapons onto my hands and I have to stop mid fight to wipe my hands on the nearest warrior so I don’t lose my grip. Nasty creatures that reminded me a little too much of my recent ailment making me wrinkle my nose and stab at them with one eye squinted closed praying that they wouldn’t spurt their slime on me.
All signs of my illness seemed to be gone. Moving quickly from monster to monster I didn’t have much time to do anything but react to Aurani’s directions. Our unified efforts brought down each creature so fast I often only got in two or three hits before moving on the next kill. With Nairne keeping my strength up with her spells I didn’t have to do much thinking, just reacting as quickly as I could.
“Let’s sack Alison.” Unctgtg said to Airamis.
“What? That doesn’t sound nice. What are you talking about?” I asked.
They just looked at me and smiled as they continued to talk about me as if I wasn’t there. Nodding to Airamis, Unctgtg finally looked me in the eye. “We need you to move a whole pack of monsters out of the way so the rest of the group can get by safely.”
“Oh, well I’m happy to be able to help. What do I do?”
“Use your flee and perfect dodge abilities then grab their attention and run them north as far as you can. Let us know when you’re dead.”
I choked a little. “Dead? You’re kidding right?”
“No.”
“Oh, I see. Ok… North you said?”
“Yes. Any questions?”
Swallowing down my nerves I slowly approached the pack. “Here I go.” I announced to the linkshell and as I did a demon turned and looked at me. Panic stricken I realized he had heard me. Digging my feet in deep into the snow I ran north as hard and fast as I could calling on my ability to perfectly dodge all their swings for a short burst of time. I didn’t bother trying to defend myself, I just ran without looking back. Unfortunately I can not dodge magic spells and other things that give me disabling status affects.
I had not gotten very far before my vision went black and my limbs lost their strength. Stumbling I fell face first into the snow paralyzed by a sleep spell I slid to a stop. Great black feet came crushing down on me braking my body. Driving their great swords into my back and spilling my blood the last thing I remembered was seeing the pack run for my friends. I had failed.
My bones shifted within my body and I felt the familiar but often painful surge of life from a raise spell that brought me back from the brink of utter destruction on too many occasions. I smiled shyly at Nairne and thanked her as I dropped to one knee to rest in my weakened state. Rehtul had pulled me back to the group while the white mages where busy casting raise on my companions. I was so ashamed that I had caused the death of the entire group that I wanted to lay back down in the snow and be dead again. I lowered my head against any angry looks.
Unctgtg chuckled and put his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t look so upset. It was your first attempt at sacking. You’ll get it right next time.”
It was a great comfort that the general feeling expressed in the group was not to kill me again for good measure but they took the mistake in good humor and tried to comfort my obvious distress.
Soon our run was over and we returned to our home points to sleep for the night. I was still feeling a bit embarrassed and didn’t want to go home yet. I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
It didn’t take long for me to find the great galka figure in the crowd of the city. He was sitting in his paladin armor hoping to find a group to fight with that night. The cool of the night seemed to be his favorite time to fight.
“Coming to find an experience party with me?” Gurok asked as I sat down close beside him.
“No, I killed them all.” I pouted.
Chuckling he asked to me explain as he handed me a small sack of chocolate chip cookies. My old friend was always a great comfort to me. I trusted him to be kind and honest and no matter what stupid things I did, he never turned me away and almost always managed to lift my spirits. After telling him my whole story his laugh made me feel much better.
Laying my head across his leg I drifted off to sleep feeling safe with the galka’s great warm hand resting reassuringly on my back.
