Chapter 33: 32. Shadow Lair

Three bearmen facing me rush towards me. The other four give me a healthy margin of space on their respective sides. As the three brandish their weapons and close the distance between us, the four on the side launch their spears. Heroically, I duck beneath my chairs and table to weather the storm. Fortunately, the furniture provides ample cover for the first volley. I'm positive my amounts of sheer bravery had something to do with their aim.

Wasting no time, I grab two chairs and hurl them one by one at the three approaching nonfriendly things. Though it is not a full-strength throw, the chairs rip through the air. Taking the first chair head-on, Second Speaker is knocked back and pummeled to the ground. His prone body is showered with the remnants of a broken chair. 

Right, when my second chair is about to collide with the lead bear, it is caught in mid-air by blackness. Strange and unlucky as it is, cool credit is given to Leader for his cool dark magic move. Unfortunately, I don't have much time to speculate about what is happening. Leader waves his hand, and the chair is launched right back at me. 

I dive to my right, which happens to be where a fireball is coming from. Hitting the ground hard, I force my body to roll out of the way. Burning sensation erupts on my left forearm. Flames are expertly beaten with my hands as I get back to my feet and dodge the following projectiles. The approaching middle bears are just about in striking distance, and I can sense another barrage from my sides is close.

Yup. This is dicey. I dodge left, then right, avoiding incoming fireballs, and step back as a flying spear from the support bear next to Leader pierces my afterimage. Close to my original spot, I grab two more chairs and sprint toward the fire launcher on my right, creating space between me and the center bear things. Instincts warn me of dangers, and I hurl the chair in my left hand directly behind me with a violent side-arm motion. It erupts when it collides into a fireball carrying smoldering chair bits back to the caster and fighter. 

The second chair is launched at the spearman next to the fire caster I am charging towards. Spearman dodges, creating distance between me and my target. The speed of my approach catches fireball bear off guard, and I land two quick punches to his face knocking him out. 

Now recovered from his dodge, the caster's spear-wielding buddy to the left takes a poke at me. I time it right and grab the spear's shaft, stopping his stab from actually poking. I pull him close and land a couple punches on him as well. As he goes down, I use his spear to end his life.

Dodging the incoming projectiles from the two approaching my left, I touch my hand to the lifeless spear beast and try to bring him back from the dead. Power is still blocked. "Damn," slips from my lips. 

Improvising, I empower the dead bear man with my own strength throwing the corpse at the range attackers on my left. Not expecting their companion to become a projectile, my targets aren't quick enough to get out of the way. Lifeless collides with the two, knocking them to the ground. 

With Lifeless Spear taking some of the heat, I end Fireballer using the spear and bring him back into the fight. Quickly I survey the battle. Entangled bears on my left are no longer entangled, and the two are getting to their feet. The other three, including Second Speaker, who has recovered from his chair accident, are now running directly at me. I notice that the darkness summoner has a dark ball summoned and is holding it in his hands. 

As they approach, I hurl Fireballer at the three. Immediately after, I follow with my spear aiming at Leader. Leader, still holding his ball of darkness, dodges the corpse flying at him. Covered by the corpse, my spear is unnoticed until it pierces his heart, knocking the large bearman back several feet as he hits the ground hard. Second Speaker weaves a light yellow-looking spell and moves back towards his fallen leader.

On a hunch, I summon a spear and a sword. This time the mana is no longer blocked, and the weapons form in my hand. Chitin spear in hand, I huck it at Second Speaker and impale him in the arm. Letting out a vicious groan, he abandons his recovery efforts on Leader and tends to his own wound. While he heals himself, the support bear tries to ambush me with his great sword.

Raising my blade, I intercept his cleaving swing knocking his blade off target. Support bear quickly recovers from my parry and swings his sword wildly. I sidestep the first swing, parry the second, and counter with a death-dealing strike of my own. Energy slices him deeply, ending his life. Before he hits the ground, I put my hand on him and bring him to my side. With a command followed by a throw, he flies to fight the last two standing bears. 

No longer injured, Second Speaker throws the spear that was once impaling his arm at me and chases it down with his sword, ready to kill. I dodge the throw and strike before he even gets a chance to swing at me. Energy rips through his body, and his momentum carries his dead body into my waiting hand. I catch the fallen healer, reanimate his body and then throw him into the fight to provide more support to my other fighting corpse. Second Speaker crashes into the two-on-one battle, and the four find themselves back on the ground. 

Running over to the entangled enemies, I end their lives with a surgical slice before they have a chance to retaliate. 

"Shoot. Dangit. Shoot!" I let out a few curses. "I definitely could have handled that better. Maybe more jokes next time? Or less joking, more stabbing. No, it's definitely more jokes, better biscuits, and less stabbing. That's got to be the key to making friends, not enemies." Technically, I am not talking to myself. Since I finally have an invested audience, I order them to nod their heads in agreement.

It definitely was interesting seeing other energies being used. From what I experienced, there were two fire users…? Mages? Definitely mages. One mage was aspected with dark powers, and one was a healing mage. 

Speaking of healing, I glance at my arm, the one that took a glancing hit from the fireball, and notice the injury has already repaired itself. The fix I made to my body essence allows for faster recovery.  

I clean up the battle after I search their gear. Besides having nicer packs, they don't have anything else worth taking. Weapons and armor are all absorbed using my upgraded ability. Interestingly, the leather armor provides a substantial upgrade to my fur. In contrast, the metal gear can upgrade my bone or chitin summoning. I choose to upgrade the chitin material creating chitin-metal hybrid material. 

Disappointingly, absorbing their bodies doesn't grant me any new abilities. I am eager to get my hands on some firepower or cool darkness ability. However, the mana investment needed to claim the high-ranking skills is out of my reach. When I finish cleaning, there is no trace of us being here. Chairs, tables, bodies, and even the gear are absorbed or packed away.

Opposing my disappointment is the sweet upgrade I get for my blackened chitin summons after dissolving and absorbing the metal armor and swords.

Blackened Iron Chitin: Upgraded summoning material. Blackened Iron Chitin maintains the same lightness as chitin while being as durable as iron. Blackened Iron Chitin can't hold mana long-term.

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Since the white pine biscuits are already out, I eat a few and descend the ridgeline towards the cave. A mile and a half later, life begins to enrich the mountain. Stuby trees are scattered about. Sage is aggressively expanding, allowing room for the occasional cactus or shrubbery.

Another half a mile later, as Gene instructed, I came upon a game trail cutting across the mountainside. Three miles on the trail and I spot the entrance to a cave. Tucked into the mountains behind some rocks, the cave is well hidden. Had I not been actively looking for it, I don't think I would have known it was there. 

Before I enter the cave, I reach out to Bones. I focus on the mana in my pale core reserved for my companion and send my thoughts into it.

"Hey boss, can you hear me?"

A moment later, through the reserved mana, I can sense the response from Bones. "Sure can! How's the hiking and stuff? Uncover any personal truths?"

"Oh, it's all good. Hiking got repetitive. Just a lot of fast stepping and stuff. The occasional climb was nice. Views were nice! I did come up with a name. It is Sean."

"Sean?! That is a horrible name. No one is going to be friends with a Sean. You certainly won't impress any queen of shadow." Even though I can't see him, I can imagine the disgust Bones displays on his face. 

Unwelcome as the criticism is, Bones has got a point. Sean might not have been the best choice for a name. "I think you might actually be right about that boss. Those friends I tried to make on the peak definitely were not impressed with my name. They didn't even use it once. That's it. I'm changing it." 

"Good, good. I'm glad you could see the wisdom in my words. This time try using an apostrophe in your name. That will for sure get you respect." 

"I don't know. Seems silly. I'll consider it. Anyway, I'm at the cave. About to walk in. Most likely a trap. You in the middle of anything important? Don't want to ruin anything with my untimely death."

"Thanks for the consideration, man formerly known as Sean." 

"The name is T'am."

"I already respect you and your subservience so much more, T'am. Things are good here. Just slaying spiders, improving camp, making personal discoveries, and storing food that I'll never eat. You made good time, by the way. Already at the cave, and it has only been a few days. My bets were on at least a week. Very impressive. Feel free to die now. It won't be a hindrance at the moment." 

"Great, I can now walk into the trap with full confidence knowing now is not a bad time to die. My conscience is clear. Hey, if you happen upon bear-like beast man-things, don't offer them biscuits. They are not fans. Maybe try something meatier."

"Bear-man beast things? Like Grundle? These the ones that didn't want to be your friends?"

"Less bear, more man, and single-headed. So yeah, sorta like Grundle. Man, I miss that guy. He had good jokes. I think, had they given me a chance, we could have hit it off. Could've talked about the incredible view and our shared interest in spelunking. Well, I guess they did sort of ask about the trail and caves. They were just so forceful in their approach. Turned me off of the whole subject. I blame Sean. He could not read the room.

"Anyway, these things were big. Couple feet taller than us and much bulkier too. Bodies covered in fur. They wear assorted armor and intimidating weapons. Faces like Grundle, only more human with long pointy ears. Some might be mages or casters. Not sure what we call ourselves, actually. A real nice bunch. Maybe try to stab a few if they come after you." 

"Thanks for the heads up, T'am. I'll be sure to welcome them as guests if they come knocking."

"Great. Take care, boss. Perhaps I'll see you on the other side." 

Bones ends our chat with a riveting pep talk tailored specifically for daunting quests like the one I am embarking on. "Good luck. Try not to die." 

With no further delay, I step into the dark.

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