She told them of how Desandre, of the first generation of great gods, came to be. How, upon seeing the misery and barrenness below the clouds, she had reached her giant green fingers into the soil and tilled the land with a few simple wriggles of her fingers. From the places her skin touched, lush foliage grew. Great forests, flower gardens, meadows, and woods appeared at the slightest touch, flourishing and providing the land with its clean air, fruits, and vegetables.

  “The other gods helped, of course. Akwirius, the god of water, provided the seas, springs, lakes, and rain. Bhaylow, god of winds, provided rough currents to encourage pollination and keep the rains sweeping across the land. And, of course, there was Sollum, the sun god, who provided the world with heat, light, and energy.”

  Friends of yours? Chloe thought.

  “Friends” might be a bit too strong, KieraFreya replied.

  “There are others, of course—those who control the elements of life, death, love, and war.”

  Chloe felt KieraFreya shudder.

  “But, alas, it is not to these gods you show your undying fealty to, is it, KieraSlayers?”

  A ripple of laughter went through the group at the unexpected use of their party name from this woman of ancient knowledge.

  “What do you know of KieraFreya?” Ben asked, accidentally nudging Jessie, who in turn jumped and jogged Tag.

  Tag snorted, eyes snapping open as he looked around blearily to see where he was.

  “Relax,” Jessie cooed, stroking his hair. “You’re in the Heartmother’s tree. You’re safe now.”

  Tag didn’t seem convinced. “Isn’t that the same—” beep “—who tried to kill us?”

  “Tag!” Jessie exclaimed, slapping him gently.

  “I’m sorry.” Tag held a hand to his head. “Excuse me, but I tend to get a bit sweaty and panicky when I wake to the sight of somebody who wanted to end my life.”

  “It’s all in the past,” the Heartmother said, breezing along and ignoring Tag’s flapping mouth as she returned to Ben’s question. “KieraFreya was not of the sovereign gods but is of the new wave. The next generation.

  “After the laying of the land and the balancing of the elements, it came down to the sovereign to create the laws of the land. From the darkness came a way to kill and limit life to avoid overpopulation.”

  And to make sure that no one else created was as powerful as the gods, KieraFreya said derisively. Couldn’t have those mere mortals looking up to anyone else but them.

  “Disease and illness birthed and let loose. Mischief given to the dark among us. From the light, we had prosperity, merriment, and celebration.

  “And from between the two came the balance of it all, the Goddess of Retribution, KieraFreya, birthed to enact the laws of the gods and stop the scales from tipping one way or the other. The goddess placed fear and respect in the hearts of mortals, assuring them that any wrongdoing would be punished and justice would reign supreme.”

  “But then one day it all went wrong, didn’t it?” Chloe asked, feeling that the knowledge of it all was somewhere already all inside her. She just couldn’t reach out and grab it.

  She felt KieraFreya listening intently, the origin of her descent still a mystery to her.

  The Heartmother nodded. “Legend has it, that there came to be a squabble among the gods. A mutiny about power between both the light and the dark. Caught amidst all the chaos and rage was the Goddess of Retribution, whose own darkness turned against her. Her heart grew black under the influence of others.

  “It is said that she was smited by the sovereign gods in a last-minute bout of fury and scattered across the land of Obsidian, her demise protection for her and the people through whom she ruled. The pieces of her famous armor await collection by a mighty hero who has the ability to restore compassion to the heartless and send KieraFreya back to the land of the gods.”

  The Heartmother went quiet, stillness settling among them all. Chloe felt all eyes turn to her, looking her armor up and down as the story worked its way through their minds.

  The Heartmother stood up. “Of course, this is all legend and hearsay as far as the world is concerned.” She smiled at Chloe, crossing to the fire and stoking the wood.

  The flames began to dance and flicker, cast into strange shapes before their eyes. Chloe saw an image of a woman, much the same stature as herself, covered top to toe in glorious armor, the flames within the image flickering green and gold.

  “Or is it?” the old woman said, her voice a breathy whisper. “Or is the goddess in this very room with us right now?”

  “Oh, that’s so badass,” Tag murmured as the others looked around the room, unable to even entertain the idea that Chloe was wearing the goddess right now.

  All except Gideon, that is, who caught her eye and gave a curt nod of understanding. He had a newfound look of respect in his eyes.

  The Heartmother snapped her fingers and the fire returned to its normal orange hue.

  Sound familiar to you? Chloe asked. Ring any bells?

  KieraFreya spoke slowly, troubled. Some. Not all. The faces of my immortal brethren are carved in my mind, but my memory is hazy. Those moments of time are almost a blank. I can feel hatred, but at whom it’s aimed, I do not know.

  They spoke more of the gods, the KieraSlayers asking more questions about the founding of this world and the gods above. The Heartmother was knowledgeable—to a point. Her knowledge was limited to things that happened in the past. She admitted that her knowledge of the current affairs of the world was rather weak.

  After a while longer in the hollow, the Heartmother asked them to where they would be adventuring next. Chloe saw a piece of armor on her map to the east of the woods, out in the dark, blank spaces of her map.

  “East of here?” the Heartmother said, a look of concern on her face.

  “Yes. Why? What’s out there?”

  The Heartmother chewed her tongue. “East of the shrine of the Heartwood, the forest gets thicker. Many monsters live in the trees beyond our borders, and east takes you into the heart of it. There is a river that will guide you along to the eastern edge, but from there is where the roaring starts.”

  “Roaring?” Gideon asked. “You mean like a lion’s roar?”

  “I mean like a dragon,” the Heartmother replied, eyes cold and serious. “The bellowing roar of a monstrous thing. My people avoid that side of the forest, finding safety under the thick canopy of the ancient foliage. If that is truly where you wish to venture, take care. I do not say this lightly.”

  Talbot looked around awkwardly, as if wanting to say something but not sure of the words. The Heartmother caught this, encouraging him with, “Go on, child. You may speak.”

  “Well, Heartmother, if the east is really as dangerous as you say it is…”

  “Yes?”

  “Could we have our horses that you stole back, please?”

  The party failed to hold back their laughter, the Heartmother joining in as well. She nodded her consent and sent them back to the rest of the minotaurs, where they collected their horses, unable to believe how the demeanor of the minotaurs had changed in such a short time.

  What before had been big surly giants were now softies (who were still giant) but who helped them saddle their horses and set out for the road ahead. They were led through the forest by a group of half a dozen of the biggest minotaurs the Heartmother had to offer, and soon found their way toward a river that flowed and ribboned among the trees.

  Fare well on your way, the Heartmother said in Chloe’s mind. They all watched in awe as a wave of magic rippled past them and a lane of mushrooms, plant life, and insects sprang to life, illuminating the way ahead.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The river wound on for what felt like forever, the darkness and trees around them never-changing. Each step feeling like a repeat of the last.

  Only a couple of times did they pass landmarks that made them think they were going in the right direction. One time they passed the ancient, overgrown ruins of what once might have been an abode or an outpost in ages gone by. Another time they passed a herd of sleeping buffalorocks and took a short detour around, not wanting to know what would happen if they awoke.

  Every few hours they would take a break, the adventurers feeling their energy drain, despite riding instead of walking. They ate very sparingly from their rations since Ben was unable to find or catch anything in the forest, even with his ranger skills.

  “Aside from the buffalorocks and minotaurs, does anyone else find it strange that there’s hardly any animal life here?” Ben asked, returning once more empty-handed. “I haven’t even seen a damn fish since we’ve been following this river.”

  “Oh, count yourself lucky,” Tag said. “At least you can see better than we can.” He jerked a thumb at Jessie, Talbot, and Gideon. “All we’ve had to see by are those damn mushrooms and the occasional firefly, and even they’re starting to dwindle. Look.” He pointed ahead to where the last of the mushrooms was beginning to dim.

  “Still, you’d think that at least there would be animals living here, right?”

  “Maybe this just isn’t a good environment for wildlife,” Talbot offered. “Think about it. Hardly any light. A forest floor overgrown with brambles and tangles. What could live comfortably in this forest?”

  Chloe thought about it, imagining a sequence of strange, warped creatures with large eyes and scaly skin. Creatures bred to live in the darkness. She shuddered, rising and taking a seat next to Gideon.

  “You okay, Gid?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.

  “Yeah.” He sighed. “It’s just I’ll have to log off in a second, and we’re hardly in a good position for it, are we?” He gestured around the forest. Although there didn’t seem to be that many predators out there, Chloe couldn’t help but feel that they were being watched. They sure had been last time she had felt that.

  “I guess not. Still, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do, eh? Remember that your real life is worth living, too. All of this is fake.”

  “Easy for you to say,” Gideon said sadly.

  Chloe looked at Gideon with pity. She couldn’t wait to see the expression on his face when the deal was in place and he had his own full-immersion pod. She couldn’t imagine what it must feel like for the others to have to log out every time the real world called.

  Chloe stood back up, addressing the party as to their watch arrangements. With Gideon needing to log out, she assumed that it wouldn’t be long before Tag and Ben zoned out either.

  “I can hang behind,” Ben said. “Wait up a bit. If Tal, Tag, and Gid log out near each other, we can all keep watch, right?”

  Jessie and Chloe agreed. “You’ll need some time too, y’know?”

  “I’ll just go a touch later than the others,” Ben replied. “We remember what normally happens to our lifeless bodies when we log out, right? I don’t think we trust you to protect us anymore.” He winked, making Chloe laugh.

  “It wasn’t my fault!”

  “Never is.”

  Talbot’s, Gideon’s and Tag’s bodies went limp almost instantly, their eyes shutting. Chloe made a joke about being glad Ben was there to watch Jessie with her so she would stay away from Tag’s comatose form.

  “Ew, that’s gross,” Jessie said, eyes shifting suspiciously in their sockets.

  The two laughed.

  The group had no idea if it was night or day outside the forest. The river chuckled by lazily, and the humming of small insects was their only company. They spoke about what they thought might be at the end of the woods and the strange powers the Heartmother held, and pretty soon, Jessie fell asleep beside Chloe.

  “Glad you’ve got my company now?” Ben smirked.

  “Actually, I prefer my own. I’m a lone wolf.”

  “Yeah, I see that working out for you in Obsidian.” He stared into the darkness for any sign of movement. “What did you do in the big old outside world, anyway? I don’t actually know that much about you.”

  “Oh, you know. A bit of this, a bit of that.”

  Ben turned to face her. “Oh, playing coy, are we? Got something to hide?”

  Chloe felt her heart rate quicken. Her mind began to race, coming up with a thousand lies to spin, remembering how much of her career and reputation as a Lagarde hung on the notion that she remains completely anonymous as a character within the game she was financing.

  “Not at all.” Her mind worked fast. “I’m a city girl, born and bred. I’m 22. Single. Capricorn, if you’re into that sort of thing. I’ve just graduated from college, and I’m currently living in a small apartment with my ex-best friend I’ve recently connected with after leaving a guy at the altar. I’m working in a coffeehouse until something better comes along. My best friend’s brother likes me, but that’s never going to happen.”

  Chloe’s words trailed away as she saw the look Ben was giving her.

  “Are you describing Rachael Green from Friends?”

  Chloe turned a violent shade of red. “Um...yeah?”

  Ben burst into laughter, clutching his stomach, unable to take it. “Really?” he managed between gasps of air. “You chose one of the most popular shows on the planet and didn’t expect to get caught?” He calmed down, breathing slowly. “Seriously, why are you hiding so much? We’re friends here, and the last thing we’re going to do is screw you over.”

  “I guess I’m just afraid people won’t accept who I am,” Chloe replied, hearing the truth in her words for the first time.

  “Who cares? You think we’re not all dysfunctional? Look at us. Tag is screwing a digital lady and enjoying it. I’m screwing every digital lady I can get my hands on—”

  “And enjoying it.”

  “Right.” Ben smiled. “Gideon’s got his own stuff with his family, too. I mean, who in their right mind would allow their brother to dictate their character creation? Come on.”

  “Fine,” Chloe said, taking a deep breath. “I’ll tell you.”

  As she opened her mouth to begin, there came the strangest of noises from the forest, something like a cross between a monkey and a bear.

  Chloe and Ben were on their feet immediately, Chloe’s hand on the hilt of her sword, Ben’s bow all ready to go.

  “Which direction?” Ben asked.

  “That way, I think.”

  They took a look at the bodies of their party, lying peacefully on the floor. They agreed not to go too far and began to skulk into the forest, keeping the river in sight, while looking for the source of the sound.

  They scoured the perimeter, both utilizing their Dark Vision as best they could, but they saw and heard nothing more. When they returned to the party, the sound came again, closer this time.

  Chloe nodded to Ben, the two splitting up and going in opposite directions, scouring the area once more. Chloe’s heart beat hard in her chest, her sword now in her hands.

  She was about to give up once more when she saw a sudden flash of movement to her left.

  In one swift move, she brought her sword up, just in time to see a flurry of black fur coming straight for her. The sword blocked its broad mouth as it chomped toward her, the width of the sword propping the creature’s mouth open.

  Another barking roar from nearby. “Ben! Watch out. They’re right on us.”

  “You think?” Ben shouted, already wrestling with another that had an arrow sticking out of its leg. Even hobbling, it was fast, coming for him with anger in its dark eyes.

  “Guys?”

  Jessie’s voice called out to them, startled by the sudden sound of the creatures. Chloe heard her rifling through her bag as she threw back the creature and used her Identification on it.

  Creature: Prowler (Lv 13)

  HP: 621

  Resistances: Ice, Dark, Ranged attacks

  Weaknesses: Water, Light, Ranged attacks

  “Prowlers?” Chloe breathed, ducking out of the way as the prowler launched at her again. She felt movement from behind, and another one jumped on her back, its claws struggling to get purchase on her breastplate.

  “Nice kitty…” she heard Ben say soothingly, a quick glance showing he had four prowlers of his own now. Their dark forms swam around him like inky water.

  “They’re weak to light,” Chloe said, raising a hand to cast her Deic Light spell. But the minute a single ray appeared, her hand was lost inside a prowler’s mouth. “Argh! Son of a—”

  Bitch?

  “Yeah, that one,” Chloe said. Several prowlers chased the horses into the gloom. She heard their screams a moment later.

  “Are you okay, Chloe?” Ben called. A small pile of prowler bodies at his feet. He tried to work closer to her, firing at the prowler on her hand to make it loosen its grip.

  That didn’t work. The arrow hit its shoulder, and the prowler’s teeth tightened on her hand.

  Meanwhile Jessie, somehow avoiding the attention of the prowlers, busied herself pulling out vials from her bag. She worked quickly, pouring tiny quantities of various substances into a small pot. At one point, there was a small explosive pop, and several prowlers turned their heads hungrily, dark eyes training on the woman.

  “Is now really a good time to be making breakfast?” Ben called, batting at a prowler’s skull with his bow. He pulled out his knife in one smooth motion, swung it under and toward the prowler’s stomach, and broke the skin.

  A horrific yowling rang around the forest as the prowler went down, only to be replaced by another as it launched itself at his back, claws sinking into the muscles.

  “Any ideas?” he asked through gritted teeth.

  Chloe tried to shake the prowler off of her hand, but its grip just got tighter. Her sword remained in her other hand, chopping and hacking at the others that surrounded her. She tried to do a count of their bodies and stopped when she made it to ten.

  “If I could focus enough to get my magic flowing, I’d—oow!”

  Chloe flicked up her HP. The numbers began to drain. She saw the bleeding debuff taking additional HP every few seconds on top of the attacks from the prowlers.

  “That’s it!” Chloe said, anger fueling her, now. Without even thinking about it, she began to spin, using her strength to lift the prowler that was biting her hand off the ground. The momentum picked it up swiftly, the prowler now bowling into the others around her.