Anna woke up all confused, sandwiched between Glasha and Mazoga.
"They're trying to protect you with their own bodies, even in their sleep," Tameka said, standing up when she noticed Anna had come back.
"How am I supposed to get out of here?" Anna asked desperately, unable to move a finger.
*I want to see you try, but we need to go. We have about four or five hours until dawn. The next city is about twelve hours away, but I should be able to cut that time in half if we take the shortcut through these mines. They were talking about an undead guardian. He has to be the boss of these mountains,* Tameka explained, grabbing Mazoga's shoulder in desperate effort to peel her off the human girl.
Glasha woke up, rolled off and effortlessly stretched her neck before swiftly fastening her armor plates together, a task that spoke of her obvious practice.
Anna finally managed to wriggle herself out of the tight grip, but Mazoga was still asleep, even when Tameka tried to shook her and patted her head like angry cat. A tiny, tiny angry cat.
Glasha raised her head. "That's not gonna work. She sleeps like a log. I can either carry her or wake her up," she said, buckling a huge saber to her back.
*I want to see what it takes, might be fun. Tell her to wake her up,* Tameka said excitedly, already out of breath. She wasn't used to physical labour and it showed.
"Can you show us how to wake her up, Glasha?" Anna lifted a carrier from the ground and watched how Glasha kneeled beside her sister, drew herself near her ear and mimicked quiet, clicking sounds.
"Oh shit shit shit shit," Mazoga yelped quietly and struggled to sit up, startled, looking all around for the Taze, large cat-like beast living in the mountains of their homeland, who made that sound when angered. Not many could take an adult in a fight and the reasonable thing to do was to calmly back away. Or bleed out.
"Where is it? What -" she murmured quietly, but quickly apoligized as she finally remembered where she was and with who, "I'm so sorry for wasting your time, it won't happen again," Mazoga murmured, still all sleepy, with dumb expression on her face.
"Are you able to carry it all?" Anna watched the two of them wrap two dozens of swords in sheep fur and tie it down to be able to haul them on their back.
"Yeah. It's important to have durable weapons. We need them," She answered all seriously and lifted another heavy bag from the ground. Mazoga was already ready to go and helped her sister to balance it better on her back.
They were both incredibly nervous as they approached the boss's location, but Tameka was looking forward to meeting one of her kin.
It would be the first time in a long time. The undead were rare, powerful, and mostly used to a solitary life. Before they could arrive, however, they encountered a group of heavily wounded players fleeing back to their route.
"It's too dangerous! Turn around! A madman appeared out of nowhere and killed all our healers before the battle could start. He played with us like we were—" That man in front started to explain but yelped in fear when he saw Mazoga and Glasha behind the two women.
"Watch out! Behind you!" He screamed and backed up.
Anna let out a quiet sigh and turned back, nodding at the two orcish girls, who grimaced at the men, showing off their large teeth. "Stop the bullshit and let them go through. We can't waste time dealing with them." she said to them and returned her gaze back to the warrior, stepping aside to let his small group flee, "Continue on your way. They'll leave you alone,"
"Without a healer, they're doomed anyway, should at least stab them a few times," Glasha whispered nervously as they disappeared into the darkness behind them.
Tameka was in a hurry, eager to meet the Undead, her steps were rushed, her breathing laboured as she walked through the narrow passage, finally noticing dim torchlight coming from ahead.
She stumbled forward just in time to see him sit back in his usual spot with a ridiculously large blade in his hands. There were blood puddles and bodyparts everywhere.
Undead Guardian ~ Aggressive ~ 100% HP
Tameka jiggled all eager toward him, but stopped a few steps away. The atmosphere suddenly darkened as Tameka tensed up and stared at him in confusion, her magic carefully plowing through his brain. He watched her with an apathetic gaze, a flicker of recognition in them and sharpened his blade again and again with painfully slow movements. The screechy noise made her bristle.
Anna catched up with Tameka, almost bumping to her back. She was curious, looking him up and down. Even when he was sitting, she could tell he is a fucking mountain. Maybe even taller than Bugak.
Anna patiently waited for her to stop examining his mind to be able to introduce herself, already preparing her speech, but she didn't get the chance.
Tameka stepped closer to him, her hand raised, but pulled back before she managed to touch him.
*Just be quiet and follow me, I'll explain everything later.* She turned her head back to the rest of their small group and disappeared in the dark tunnel behind his back.
"Follow me, stay as quiet as possible," Anna whispered to Mazoga and followed Tameka's example. The tunnels were dark and wide, the stepps so tall they had to carefully jump from one to another. Some luminescent fungus grew all around and emitted a nice white glow.
Ghost's mushroom ~ stem ~ legendary
Well, they were pretty much useless. But she can at least sell them well. Anna scratched a few more off the stairs as they walked through the wide mine tunnel.
She almost tripped when she nearly stepped on Tameka, cowering down under one of the steps. "By all gods, fuck, what-" Anna yelped, being quickly propped by Glasha not to fall.
Tameka was distressed beyond imaginable, the meeting with the Undead Guardian clearly unlocking something within her. She felt awful tug at her heart, her beliefs tested, all her plots seemingly meaningless. How could she call humanity irredeemable, when she was no better? Greedy and treacherous…
*His wife died there. She was also an undead priestess like I am. She betrayed him and sacrificed his soul to become stronger. He murdered her blinded by pain and buried her body right there, under the place where he sat. But he wasn't able to leave. He faithfully remained by her grave and fed her the blood of his enemies. My grave...* Tameka desperately massaged her forehead as a person who is trying to remember something long forgotten.
*There is only one priestess in our kin. And it's me. He was able to remember me, Anna. But I already forgot what I did to that man. He had to remind me of all those things I did to make him suffer. The well was my punishment for being so greedy for power. I am - a horrible, horrible person.* She then wailed and made herself even smaller, hugging her knees with her arms like she did in the stone well.
"What happened? Why are we standing still?" Glasha nervously leaned to her sister, but she also couldn't understand the situation.
*It's pointless now. Everything I wanted to achieve. I am no better than the lowliest human.* she started to cry again.
Anna tried not to judge, barely able to understand the depth of her sorrow, "Did you apologized to your husband?" she asked quietly and held her hand.
*But I am not sorry. I don't even remember how it happened, I only felt his pain and betrayal.* Tameka sobbed and stood up. *Let's get going, we don't have much time. We have to make it to Gresburg before sunrise, you have to go to sleep soon after.*
Anna watched her carefully leading the way and followed her example.
It's none of her business, after all. She knew the priestess won't allow her to dig deeper into it.
After several hours of wandering in the dark, they left the mine shafts and finally stood in front of a stunning view of a wide valley surrounded by steep, tree-covered mountains illuminated by the soft light of morning. It was beautiful. She watched the marble city carved into the hills, larger than any village she had seen so far. Round roofs and tall turrets stood out, and elegant bridges connected different parts of the city.
"We are few hours late," Anna sighed and turned to Glasha "Will you please carry me? I have to take a care of something,"
"Yes! Of course!" Her eyes lit up and she lifted her like a bag of potatoes, happy that the human picked her instead of her older - and stronger - sister.
Anna chuckled and logged off. She liked them both. They were so sincere and warm, yet heedful. Like someone who saw every possible injustice but is still able to see the world in bright colors.