Elionas prayed for several more minutes before finally rising, his voice hushed. “Apologies for my delay. This is such a rare miracle, I had to give credit and praise to Nivalár.”
“I completely understand. I think we are ready to go.” Jeremy extended his hand to Melorien. “You wanna ride?”
[Sure!] Melorien darted through the water, then crawled onto Jeremy’s hand. He zipped up his arm perched on his shoulder, and gave him a quick lick on the cheek. Jeremy chuckled. He could get used to his new friend’s cheerful nature.
After drinking their fill, the party set out toward the shrine. Elionas sang hymns of his faith softly. He didn’t sound bad, actually, and Jeremy would have sung along if he had understood the lyrics or known the melody. It reminded him of the Gregorian monk chant that went viral back in the late 1990s. Strangely comforting in this strange world.
Elionas suddenly raised a hand, halting Jeremy. “From this point forward, we must proceed with caution. Vaerunel has many slaves; some act as guardians, preventing repairs to this shrine. Your lightning and wind should destroy the lessor ones; however, if they are too strong, I will teleport us away. You must be close to me to teleport, so do not be alarmed if I embrace you isuddenly. Understood?”
Jeremy nodded, taking the warning seriously. This wasn’t a game, and if Elionas said skedaddle, then skedaddle they would.
[I hope this helps,] Melorien said as he cast Glow on the party.
“Thanks, little buddy,” Jeremy felt a warming calmness wash through him. Unlike in games, where buffs were just numbers, here he felt the magic. He felt the sharp sting and strange tickle of wounds knitting closed. Raw electricity surged through him. Fear itself dulled by a blanket of courage was a unique experience. Each new experience felt extraordinary and unforgettable. Terrific. Except wind. Wind hurt.
Jeremy led the way, rounding a corner with cautious steps. The shrine loomed ahead, a semicircular hollow carved into an enormous rock face, vines and moss choking the pillaged site of ancient worship. Faint traces of an inscription lingered on the wall. Nivalár’s name? Someone gouged it out; the scars of hatred etched deep. At the center stood the shattered remains of a statue, its features obliterated. An overturned basin rested at its feet, empty and disgraced. The air pulsed with dark energy, heavy and oppressive.
Up to this point, he had seen no evidence of life, but the aura of evil loomed in the vicinity. Velarion had told him he would sense other gods. True to that statement, he felt a dark energy pulsing nearby.
Jeremy swallowed nervously. This had to be what Luke felt when he confronted Darth Sidious.
He took a hesitant step forward, followed by another. Despite the Glow effect, fear gripped him. The area exuded a palpable negative vibe.
“How in the world do we fix this?” Jeremy whispered.
“We must find who caused this destruction, repay the debt, then Nivalár will use our mana to make the repairs.”
Jeremy saw a banner floating near a rock formation about fifty yards from the shrine.
“My notification says a Hollowkin is just over that ridge. Do you know anything about it? I don’t think it knows we’re here yet.”
“They drift slowly but are not agile. They are especially weak to holy magic, but unfortunately, we lack this ability. Your spells should suffice unless there are not too many of them.”
“Hopefully, there’s only one.”
“There’s never only one.”
Jeremy groaned, “Thanks for the encouragement.”
“Chin up!” Elionas grinned.
Jeremy rolled his eyes. He’d walked right into that one.
He crept closer. As he approached, more Hollowkin banners popped up. So far, at least three were hiding among the rocks, unmoving. Jeremy assumed they were on guard duty, but had gotten bored into taking a nap.
It would be nice to know exactly how many there are, Jeremy thought.
[I can check for you,] Melorien offered.
Jeremy jolted. I gotta get used to you being in my head.
[I’m not always in your head, but you think loudly.]
Jeremy had to smile. Okay, little friend. Please be careful.
Jeremy reached up to his shoulder to help Melorien down, but he had already vanished. He teleported twenty feet away, blending into surroundings.
“Where is the sprite going?” Elionas asked.
“He is scouting for us. C’mon. Let’s hide over there.”
Minutes later, Melorien reappeared on Jeremy’s shoulder.
Jeremy flinched. “You can’t be jump scarin’ me like that, little guy!”
[I’m sorry. I forget how fragile bipeds are. Do you wish me to wait until you regain composure, or tell you about the enemy?] Melorien teased.
“Smarty. Please, tell me.”
[There are four Hollowkins and two Boneflitters.]
Jeremy relayed the news. “What’s a Boneflitter?”
“Do you remember the butterfly I warned you about? These are their skeletal forms. They flee and alert Vaerunel’s forces. Kill them quickly.”
Jeremy nodded. “Where are the Boneflitters?”
[Perched on the Hollowkin’s shoulders.]
“Can you handle them both?”
[I can eat one. You’ll have to eat the other one. They taste nasty, but I’m sure they’ll die.]
“Ok. Gross. I’m still not keen on eating bugs.” He glanced at Elionas. “Melorien and I are going to head up. Watch our backs. Be ready to heal or teleport us if needed. Do you think your shield will be needed?”
"I would rather use teleport and save the shield for an emergency."
"Okay. Here goes nothing."
Jeremy stalked up the small rocky hill. Banners glowed. Four Hollowkins waited over the ridge. He coordinated silently with Melorien using their telepathic link. A few moments later, Jeremy popped his head over the rocks. “Hi! How’re y’all doin’?”
Both Boneflitters bolted. Jeremy lashed out with his tongue, snagging the one near him, while Melorien blasted the other with water, knocking it down. The surprised Hollowkins emerged grotesque forms creeping towards Jeremy.
They were unnaturally tall and gaunt, leathery skin stretched over skinny bones. Elongated limbs hung lazily, its fingers tapering into claw-like tips. Hollowkins used their fingers to etch runes into any surface. Their chests gaped open into hollow cavities, ribcages warped into a cage of absence, as if their hearts, stomach and intestines were torn out by the hands of Vaerunel himself. No mouths to protest, only a smooth expanse where expression should be. Their eye sockets were voids beneath heavy brows.
Jeremy shuddered.
He cast Gust first, toppling two. He called down lightning, hitting one with full impact and the other with the aftershock, stunning them both. His second bolt struck a third.
Pulses of energy shot out from the fourth, glancing off Jeremy’s head. The glancing blow drained 6 MP. Melorien countered with a water pulse, while Jeremy sent another bolt.
Huh, water and electric make a good combo attack.
Jeremy ignored the notification, switching his attention to the first two. His mana was critically low. Both Hollowkins staggered up.
Melorien gagged as he swallowed his butterfly.
Finally. I ate mine like an hour ago! Melorien glared at me. Oops! Did I think that out loud?
Elionas stood healing or teleport ready to cast.
Jeremy needed five or six minutes to regenerate his mana enough to use Lightning again. Timing that up with Melorien’s water, might score another critical hit.
Three Hollowkins remained each with only half their life left. Jeremy calculated. I need at least three more lightning attacks to beat them, unless getting them wet first works every time.
Thank God they move slow. How many more times can you use Pulse?
[I think five or six more times, why?]
Hit 'em as many times as you can, I’m gonna…
His thought cut off as an energy pulse slammed into him, draining 8 MP. The sensation rattled him to his core, sending a shiver down his spine.
“Do you have any mana regeneration potions?” Jeremy shouted to Elionas.
“I have a restoration potion.”
Jeremy dodged a relatively slow attack from one of the Hollowkins fingers as he scrambled down the rocky embankment, hopping from one rock to the next. “Get it ready. I’m coming.”
As soon as Jeremy made it down the hill, Elionas handed him the bottle, wax seal already removed. Jeremy downed it like a shot of tequila. It tasted better though, like the grape medicine from childhood.
His mana bar surged to the top.
Melorien! Are they good'n wet?!”
[Soaked them good. I can't wait for this explosion!]
Pyro!
Jeremy loved his new companion’s energy. From the base of the hill, he raised his hand, calling two bolts back?to?back. Mana drained, his stomach twisted. Jeremy doubled over, dry heaving. "Oh God!”
That was good news. Only one left. The bad news: Jeremy was out of the fight. Through a haze and between spasms, he faintly saw the kill notifications and level up, but he was too weak to confirm.
“You drained your mana, I see. Not recommended, friend.” Elionas put a comforting hand on Jeremy’s back. “The pain will pass shortly. Another potion would actually make you even more nauseous.”
The final Hollowkin began its descent toward the weakened Jeremy.
“Hold on. I have to move us. This...might be uncomfortable.”
They vanished as Elionas teleported them to safety.