Jeremy

  “Hey, Mel,” Jeremy looked over and down at his bonded companion, “did you level up?”

  [Yes, I did! Would you like to see my statistics?]

  “Please and thank you.”

  “Alright, Mel!” Jeremy said. “Your stats are bangin’. Are you ready for the next quest?”

  [May I catch some Varnelings first? They are truly delicious!]

  Jeremy chuckled, “Say ‘they’re’. Contractions are awesome. As far as the fish, go for it! Meet us at the entrance to the city in a few minutes. We’re gonna get some supplies for the trip.”

  Mel scurried off, and Jeremy could’ve sworn he saw him do a little heel kick.

  Elionas took Jeremy to the potion shop, and they were able to get a double ration of potions again. The team had a total of five mana restoration, one mana regeneration, and five health potions. That should be enough to get them to the city, and if needed they could purchase more there.

  The road to Serenveil was broader and more worn than the path to Thal’Seren, its cobbled ruts curving around deep-set potholes like old scars in the earth. It reminded Jeremy of some of the horrible roads in his home state. Still early in the day, Elionas commented he believed it would be hot later.

  “Maaaaan,” Jeremy said, dragging the word out. “You don’t know hot until you’ve experienced Louisiana heat.”

  Jeremy was correct. The day turned out to be perfect for his frog body. The walk gave the pair time to really get to know each other. Jeremy worked on teaching Elionas and Mel slang. Nothing attacked them, but Jeremy had a feeling their luck would run out once the sun went down and the nocturnal creatures came out to hunt.

  “Hey, bud,” Jeremy said. “Part of slang is nicknames. Like I’m calling Melorien, Mel. Can I just call you Eli?”

  “Interesting. It would be new, but I believe I can adjust to the new title. Do I call you Jer or Jerm?”

  Jeremy laughed. “Oh, no! Please don’t call me that!”

  Eli pointed ahead and to the right, indicating to veer from the main path. “If my memory is correct, just ahead there’s a small path that leads to the Silver Basin. It will be a great place to set up camp for the night.”

  Jeremy nodded and followed his partner through the trees. The trio managed to push their way through the small path choked with underbrush.

  Eli apologized profusely the entire way. “No one must have traveled this path in years, Jerm.”

  Jeremy gave his bald friend a side glance.

  When they arrived, Jeremy deduced the name came from the lake’s reflective properties. Mel got excited at the sight of fresh water and teleported from Jeremy’s shoulder right into the water.

  “Have fun, buddy!” Jeremy called after him.

  “You can swim too if you like,” Eli said. “The water is crisp and very clean.”

  The moment he said “clean,” a burst of electricity shot across the surface, rising from fifteen meters below, in the exact direction Mel would’ve swum.

  “Mel!” Jeremy yelled, but didn’t receive a reply. “MEL!”

  [I’m…here…ow…oh my….that hurt!] Mel said, out of breath. The little fella could swim fast, but he ran out of stamina quickly. [Electric fish…silver meany…do not like…tried to eat me.]

  “What happened?” Eli asked.

  “He said a silver electric fish tried to eat him,” Jeremy relayed.

  “There has never been anything dangerous in the basin before. Of course, I have not been here in a long time. I will report this when we return. I’m sorry I almost sent you in to swim. That would’ve sucked!” He grinned at his use of slang.

  “You probably woulda got a good laugh though wouldn’t you?” Jeremy asked in good humor. “It’s all good. I wasn’t going in anyway…too cold.”

  “Ah! That’s right. We should create a fire before you get too cold.”

  “I’ll help find some firewood.”

  Jeremy picked up a few dry limbs and was about to pick up another when he saw a banner floating in the distant tree line. The creature definitely activated a stealth ability and was stalking them. Jeremy examined the banner.

  “We got incoming wisps!” Jeremy shouted to Eli.

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  “How many?”

  “I only see one, but the information banner says they travel in groups.”

  “What kind of wisp?” Eli asked, now by Jeremy’s side.

  “Shadewisp,” Jeremy confirmed.

  “They are rather weak, but you are correct they never travel alone, and they travel in stealth. They can remain invisible for several moments. Be prepared to cast your holy spell.”

  Jeremy waited. The wisp knew it had been spotted so it remained in the trees refusing to fully expose itself. Jeremy had a feeling another was close.

  When he felt his magic begin to drain, he looked over at Eli and shouted, “One must be close! My magic is draining.”

  The stealth on these pricks is really good! Jeremy thought.

  Finally, the wisp came into view after draining several points of mana from the team. Jeremy eyed the floating, ghost-like creature with unease. It resembled the Grim Reaper minus the scythe and visible bony limbs. A long, flowing cloak shrouded its entire form, and beneath the hood, where a face should’ve been, there was only a dark endless cavity.

  Jeremy felt uneasy, but he cast divinity anyway. The bright light came down from the sky like a finger of God, disintegrating the closest wisp instantly.

  “Whoa! That was bussin’!”

  “Nice shot!” Eli said. “Be prepared for another attack. I will activate my circle of healing if they get too close.”

  Jeremy drank a delicious mana potion, and his mana pool filled entirely. He cast lightning on the wisp lurking in the trees, dealing a critical strike and killing it. He had enough mana to call lightning again if needed.

  There was one more, Jeremy thought. Where did it go?

  [It ran away,] Mel said. [I can’t sense it anymore. I will go check the trees.]

  A moment later he popped back on Jeremy’s shoulder, [The woods are clear. The last one must’ve run away.]

  “Mel said they’re gone,” Jeremy told Eli. “Lil’ punks.”

  “What is a punk?”

  Jeremy laughed, “From now on all our enemies are punks!”

  Jeremy took first watch, and Eli went to sleep quickly. Jeremy envied Eli's ability to fall asleep quickly. Even back home he couldn’t do that. His mom always said it was too much gaming and T.V.

  Jeremy felt a longing to be back with his family. He missed them, his gaming friends, the food…oh the food…gumbo, etoufee, fried fish, hush puppies, crawfish, jambalaya. All the good stuff. Of course, thinking about the good food he was missing out on made him hungry.

  [What are crawfish?] Mel asked.

  “I was thinking pretty loud again, huh?”

  [Yes! Now, what are crawfish?]

  “Calm down, calm down,” Jeremy laughed. “They are like tiny lobsters with a delicious tail end. We soak them in spices and make them very hot.”

  [I don’t know what lobsters are, but I want to try the crawfish.]

  “When we get home, we surely will!”

  [Tell me about home.]

  Jeremy told him about everything he could think of. The atmosphere, the culture, the food, and the fun. He talked about the weather, the water, fishing (which Mel was really interested in), the hunting, and his family. He hadn’t realized he started crying.

  [Thank you for sharing. I’m sure you’ll be able to go home soon. I only know Elar. I believe as long as there is water and fish, I’ll be happy. I hope to go with you to Earth.]

  “You have to! You’re my friend and we’re bonded for life, right?”

  [Correct. Bonded. For life!]

  Jeremy finally felt sleepy. He shook Eli awake for him to take his turn at guard duty.

  The next morning, the team left the beautiful basin and returned to the main road. They traveled several miles before they rested for lunch. No one else traveled on the path which sort of surprised Jeremy. Generally, there should be traveling merchants or patrols or something, but the road was deserted.

  As they continued, Eli started pointing out different flowers, roots, mushrooms, moss, bugs and other creeping things, and all sorts of fauna that can be harvested for various potions.

  “I started to learn alchemy,” he said, “but grew bored of the craft and took up fishing instead.”

  “I can see that. I think I would’ve gone with fishing too. Does anyone in Elaria know how to fight?” Jeremy asked.

  “There are a few, but most of the citizens stay inside city limits. Like my brother and I, some know enough to evade trouble or we can help someone in need, but few know how to actually fight. Elaria has been well protected for many generations.

  “There are a few who left Elaria to explore or seek adventure. Most who left have never returned. I guess some people need excitement.” Eli shrugged suggesting he didn’t really need it.

  “Yeah, I stayed in my home town my whole life. I went to college for two years, but I hated it. Ended up coming back home and making a living selling investment plans for other people. It’s a good life. I have plenty of free time, I buy what I want, get to be near family, and I get to do whatever I want. Or at least I did.”

  “Yes,” Eli said. “Your life will never be the same, but I believe you’ll find fulfillment in your new role as the emissary.”

  After another uneventful day of walking, they set up camp near the road. Like the previous night, Jeremy took first watch. He talked to Mel for several hours, strengthening their bond.

  Mel said, [I knew my purpose when I saw you for the first time. It felt right. I knew when I saw you, my purpose was to be your helper.]

  “Are there any more of your species?” Jeremy asked.

  Mel shrugged. [Maybe. You are my family now, though.]

  The next morning as they prepared to leave, they were surprised by a bi-pedal creature as he stepped from the trees into the open. He looked like a six and a half foot tall fox

  “Well…Hello there travelers,” he said, flicking a dagger ominously. “Where are you travelling to?”

  Eli immediately stood between Jeremy and the fox-man. “We are on a holy quest for the Goddess Nivalár. It would be inadvisable for you to attempt to pilfer our belongings.”

  “Oh…A holy quest is it? Well, I just want your holy gold, and I’ll be on my holy way.” The fox-man pointed at Jeremy with the dagger. “I can smell it, you know. The gold. I know you have some. Not much. But enough.”

  Mel shot him with a water pulse, and the fight was on.

  An unseen foe hit Jeremy from behind with what felt like a baseball bat.

  The fox-man stabbed out at Eli, but he dodged, barely escaping the blade. They squared off, Eli taking a squat position like a WWE wrestler.

  The second assailant reached out to grab Mel, but he teleported away. When he popped up again, he shot the fox-man again with a water pulse.

  Jeremy turned, and through blurry vision shot a wind gust at a target. The blur flew about 15 feet away.

  Mel shot the fox-man a third time. Apparently that time it must’ve hurt because the thief turned and stomped at Mel. He scurried out of the way, and shot him again.

  Jeremy called a bolt of lightning down on the now wet fox-man dealing extra damage, but not enough to kill him. The fox still stayed on the ground rolling in pain.

  Jeremy finally got a good look at the second attacker as he got up and charged toward Eli. Jeremy hit the second fox-man, taller and more robust than his companion, with a bolt of lightning. The criminal fell grabbing his head and lay there unmoving.

  Jeremy’s head began to ache from the mana depletion.

  “Heal me, please,” Jeremy cried to Eli. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a mana regeneration potion and chugged it like a college kid shotgunning a beer.

  Eli reached out with his hands casting the circle of healing spell. Before Jeremy was healed, he felt a sharp, burning pain flaring up beneath his right ribs. He turned with a good amount of speed and hit the attacker with a tongue lash.

  The fox-man screamed knowing he had just been poisoned.

  “STOP! Please!” The first attacker said. “Mercy! Please! Give me the antidote.”

  “I’m sorry,” Jeremy said. “I don’t have an antidote.”

  “You don’t have an antidote for your own poison?? How irresponsible! I didn’t want to die! This could have been hand—” The man died before he could finish his admonishment.

  “The guards will hear about this!” The larger fox-man said as he ran off with his tail tucked between his legs…literally.

  Jeremy had never killed another sentient being before. He felt his body surge with adrenaline. He started to shake as his heart beat raced even more than from the fighting. His stamina bar began flashing. His health bar slowly began to decrease….5%…4%….3%…2%…

  Jeremy fell.