Darkness and Hellfire

Chapter 18 Nothing Like Warm Food

“No Isaac, I'm not messing with you. That spirit you impersonated is real.” Aria insisted. Isaac for his part was trying to make sense of the world, without being able to see most of it, and failing.

“So not only did I just pretend to be a real creature that could kill me but there are dozens if not hundreds of beings just wandering around that are stronger than it? How are any of you alive?” He asked in disbelief.

Aria started counting on her fingers while lecturing before forgetting she was counting part way through. “There’s a few reasons. The first is that there isn’t a lot of meat on mortal bones if ya know what I mean. The second is that we stay out of their way. Demi-gods are an entirely different situation though. Basically they were mortals that transcended our innate limits. Some say that they are still limited to level twenty but their power is qualitatively better than ours. Others say that they unlock a special class that gets added on post twenty. It’s all really fascinating.”

“There is even this theory that demi-gods are just born that way. Like they have a hidden class that Identify can’t reveal.” She squinted at Isaac for a moment before shaking her head and continuing. “Demi-gods need worship to get stronger as they are technically gods. People can still pray to them for strength or rain or for justice to be done or whatever else there is a demi-god for.”

“This is a lot to process.” Isaac shook his head while staring off into the middle distance. “Like I’ve met gods Aria but I was dead and in their own little world. To think that beings like that are just wandering around is hurting my brain.”

“No, no, those, true gods, are stuck in their domains for the most part. Our world is connected to a few outer planes that can be traveled to with sufficient magic. The realms of gods and devils are almost completely out of reach from here. They made a pact a long time ago to seal off the mortal realm from the heavens and the hells. You can still get to them but you have to go through the elemental plane first and that can be even more dangerous if you wind up in the wrong place.” Aria looked to be enjoying herself. Isaac, listening to her, thought that she must have been a teacher at some point.

“Alright enough about all powerful beings and even more new worlds for a bit. What do I need to know now? You said we are getting close to this town or outpost or something right?” Isaac guided her back towards a more currently relevant topic.

Aria nodded in agreement. She knew she was getting sidetracked again. “Basically just what I told you earlier. Don’t steal. Don’t get into fights. Don’t go anywhere that’s behind a locked door or that there is a sign that says not to enter. There are showers and a singular tavern for adventurers but the rest is military stuff. There is an armory that you can buy equipment from but everything there is double the price it would be elsewhere. We are really deep into the Innerworld.”

“What about money?” Isaac inquired. “I have some but I have no idea what its buying power is.”

“Ten coppers to a silver. Ten silvers to a gold. Ten golds to a platinum. So many silvers were used at one point that they had to make an electrum coin which is worth five silvers or half a gold.” Aria sighed. “Everything down here is technically worth what they ask but only because of how hard it is to get resources down here. A shortsword like yours is worth about twenty five gold. Don’t lose it.”

Isaac opened his Inventory window and looked at his current life savings. One gold, ten silvers, and ten coppers. He swallowed. One of his weapons was worth more than he had. “Understood.”

—

After what, to Isaac, felt like a lifetime, it technically was, he finally reached his first destination. There before them was a gate that took up the entire tunnel. It was two thick wood-like doors. They were a dozen feet high and each was seven or eight feet wide. Isaac thought wood-like because the fibers seemed to be too large to be wood. He couldn’t place why he felt that way but he just knew that wood fibers shouldn’t be half the thickness of his finger.

“Ahoy!” Aria yelled and stopped ten or so feet in front of the gate. A slit opened up and a pair of eyes peered out.

“Badges and names?” A young male voice cried out. The sound was muffled from the gate but Isaac could have sworn he sounded no older than thirteen.

“Gregory Windwalker I swear if you don’t open this gate I’m going to beat you over the head with it!” Aria yelled at him. The slit slammed shut and a moment later Isaac heard the drawbar move out of the way. Next he was met with a blinding light as the doors opened. The inside was well lit and it took Isaac a moment to turn off his darkvision so he could see in color again.

“Hey professor, Claus.” A boy that looked not an inch over five feet tall with brown hair, green eyes, and pale skin greeted them. “Where’s Chris? And who’s this guy? You all look like shit.”

“I’m going to tell your mother about that mouth of yours.” Aria chastised him. “Chris…” She pointed to the bundle in Claus’ arms. “Needs to be unpetrified.” The boy’s face fell. “This man is the reason we made it back at all. Lord Isaac Wexler, this is Gregory Windwalker. He is the son of the woman who runs the tavern and is also Chris’ brother.”

“I see. Nice to meet you young man. Let’s get your brother to a less crazy healer.” Isaac said and gave him a slight smile.

The boy took him in for the first time. His green eyes met the nobleman’s silver ones. It took him a second to realize he was staring. “Thank you for bringing my brother and Claus back. And I guess Aria too.” He gave Isaac a short bow as he thanked him then straightened his back.

Aria’s face went from a soft smile then a scowl at Isaac’s words. Then a genuine one at Gregory’s appreciation and then a scowl again at his last sentence. “I need a shower and a bed.” She said and marched inside. “Claus, could you handle everything with Chris?” She asked looking back at the mountain of muscle and steel.

Claus nodded and started walking in. Isaac joined him and once inside Gregory closed the gate and locked it. His eyes met Isaac’s again and Isaac smiled.

“Something on my face?” Isaac asked with a smirk that only reached one eye and one corner of his mouth.

“Uh… Um… I was just wondering… If you don’t mind… Why are your eye’s silver?” The boy stammered out.

“That, my young friend, is a secret.” Isaac replied and winked at him. “Claus, do you need help or can I go get a shower too?” Isaac asked while turning to look at the warrior.

“No. Split reward later.” Claus responded and started walking off in a different direction than Aria.

Isaac nodded and waved to the boy as he hurried after Aria. The town was made of the same gray wood-like material as the gate. It was lit by magical glowing rocks either embedded in the walls or set on small shelves that looked to be made just for them. The buildings were one story tall near the edges and gradually got taller as the ceiling rose in the cavern they had taken over. The tallest building Isaac could see was three stories. Everything was made with square edges and the ‘wood’ was cut in one foot wide planks no longer than ten feet long. The stone ground was red and not gray here. Isaac wondered how far he truly was from where he took his first breath in this new world.

—

“Wash your clothes with you noble boy and don’t use too much water. The underground stream this place is built under is little more than a leaky faucet. There’s soap in there. Leave anything you don’t want to get soaked in one of the lockers. Oh one more thing, the water is cold. I mean cold enough to kill you. Make it quick and then head to the tavern across the street and stand by the hearth.” Aria instructed. She knew he didn’t have a change of clothes partly because he still had on his bloody and sliced shirt on under his armor.

“Thanks. Shower’s free?” He asked.

“No. I paid for yours and Claus’. You both reek.” She replied and walked in.

Isaac followed her in after he stashed his weapons, backpack, and boots in a locker. Inside was a hallway with a dozen doors on each side. The doors were spaced with five or so feet between them. Isaac could hear water running in a few of them. The water would turn off for a while and then get turned on again.

Isaac entered one of the showers, still in his armor, and turned on the water. It was like taking a bath in ice water. The water was actually around fifty degrees but with it running down him it felt like it was fifteen at best. He hurried to wash himself and his armor as fast as he could and used the water as little as possible.

By the time he was done and retrieving his gear his teeth were chattering and he was shivering uncontrollably. He hurried across the street and into the tavern. When he walked in he noticed a fire burning without fuel in a hearth off to the side. He walked over to it, dropping his gear a few feet away against the wall, and warmed himself.

He heard Aria talking to another lady and, even though he couldn’t hear the words exchanged, it didn’t sound like a fun conversation. The somberness and tension reached him from across the room.

After a while Isaac was at least no longer on the cusp of hypothermia. Aria had left to check on Chris. Claus wandered in dressed in a casual long sleeve shirt that barely contained him and a pair of pants. All of it tan due to a lack of dye being used. He waved Isaac over to a table not far from the fire and then waved towards the woman behind the counter.

A thin woman, maybe thirty pounds lighter and four or five inches shorter than Isaac, came over with two bowls of soup on one arm and a pair of ales in the other. She set them on the table and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “Thank you boys, for saving my son.” She had looked tired but not old until that moment.

It was as if that sentence had aged her twenty years. She walked over looking only a little over thirty and now she looked like a fifty year old woman who had just heard her son had lost a limb in the army. Isaac wondered how accurate that actually was. Her mournfulness and relief were clear in her set jaw and eyes in equal measure. Claus patted her hand and spoke. “Don’t worry. Sorry I couldn’t save his legs.”

At that moment she couldn’t hold back her tears anymore and collapsed on the large man hugging him. A few sobs escaped her breath. Claus and Isaac shared a somber look. They knew that they had saved the boy but that didn’t lessen the weight of knowing he might not ever walk again. Isaac didn’t know him but it was clear Chris was loved.

After the woman left Isaac and Claus ate their food. Isaac’s first bite was slow, he was still thinking about Chris and everything that happened to him, but once he tasted warm meaty stew everything left his mind. He dug in and once he was finished Claus gave him a smile and nodded.

“There really is nothing like warm food is there?” Isaac asked wistfully.

Claus seemed to think Isaac’s drama was the best joke he’d heard in a while because it was met with a deep hearty laugh that had some of the patrons, off duty guards by the looks of them, glance over at them.