Goddess Episode Five
The Overlord Goddess Murdered Us
Author: J Carrell Jones
Table of Content
Episode Five
Episode 5
Kajana sat at the desk by the window in her room and stared out into the night. They drank late until the Moon reached its peak. Mos, Tutu, and Kira headed to their room early. They were satisfied with the arrangement. Miluna inserted herself into the party and extracted another 5,000 gold pieces for the quest. She called it Escort duty in addition to the quest. She leaned into Kajana and said since Kajana was there survival was better than 90%. Buffer shielding was great, but if you couldn’t kill the attacking monster you were just staving off death.
During the talks, Basco consumed the most but seemed the least affected by the alcohol. Plono drifted off midway and Hallona and Yahen disappeared together. Kajana figured out early that Yahen and Hallona were lovers. It amused her they tried to keep it a secret, but humans were silly. Elves and Felinoids had enhanced sense of smell - Bita and Plono had to have known. She figured it out from their secret looks between the two, and Hallona, tried as she might, couldn’t keep her orgasms silent. The moon was high up and she could see several stars in the sky. Norso, the North main star was midway in the sky. The Southern Edge stars were spread across the sky near the horizon. In her youth, she traveled to several of the southern areas but preferred the middle north region. The temperature was sweater climate, unlike the tunic jacket temperature in Foxtail. The morning was cold but nothing like the southern edge mountains.
There was a knock at the door.
Kajana said, “Enter, it’s not locked.”
Miluna walked in holding a pillow and a basket. Bita peeked in and walked through.
Miluna smiled and said, “Look who I found outside your door looking pensive.
Bita stared at the ground. “I was hoping you could teach me time-span or at least give me some guidance –”
Miluna interrupted, “As good an excuse to hover outside one’s door late at night.”
Kajana said, “And you with the pillow?”
“To sleep with you, of course. This is my favorite pillow. What a silly question you ask.”
“Were you going to give me –”
“No! I wasn’t asking. Why else would I have a pillow?”
“What’s in the basket?”
Miluna chuckled and placed the basket down. She lifted the top and pulled out a bottle. An assortment of cheese, crackers, chocolate, and sweet berries was at the bottom. “Bita, make yourself comfortable. Tonight, we girls stay up and will be merry.”
Kajana recognized the contents of the bottle. Wood Elven Yuzu ale. Blue, smooth, and borderline addictive. The buzz lasted three hours, even while asleep. It restored all health, physical, and mental damages. It cost 1 gold coin per liter bottle and was worth it. On the black market, it cost upward of 10 gold coins. Miluna knew a distributor merchant and probably got it wholesale, which may or may not involve a bit of swallowing.
Miluna popped the cork and took a swig. She gave it to Bita, who took several gulps and visibly relaxed. Kajana drank deeply leaving the bottle half empty, which would be enough for her. The buzz kicked in immediately and she welcomed it. Why she stayed away from Milu for so long she couldn’t remember. Her friend, her lover, best friend forever.
After they ate all the basket’s contents and emptied the bottle, Kajana said, “I’m tired and buzzed. Join me and sleep or get out.
Miluna laughed and said, “Cuddling works for me.” And she slipped under the covers hugging Kajana tight. Bita waited a moment, then joined the two in bed. It was true. Wood Elven Yuzu ale should be banned, so she heard. Bita decided not tonight, and maybe not tomorrow, or perhaps not the day after. She worried about the risk tomorrow, though. The ale took most of the edge off her concerns. Black Dragons were brutal. They stood on the upper parts of the food chain and knew it. After a few moments, the ale reached peak buzz. She accepted she should worry about it another time, and gave into the entangled limbs and warm bodies while she slipped into a wondrous dream of being a hero.
Yahen stopped just outside the cave. He gestured for Kajana to enter. “You first . . . goddess.”
Kajana gave him a frown. “I am not a goddess.”
Yahen huffed. “Certainly, not.” The smile he gave did not reach his eyes.
Kajana ignored him. They decided last night she would take point. Miluna followed, as a midshield caster and backup tank. She wore brushed steel armor, representing her tankness, and carried a mage staff - her casting. She and Kajana downplayed her sword skills, which were considerably better than Kajana’s. Next came Basco, then the Gemps. Plono and Bita would guard their flanks. Hallona and Yahen guarded the rear, both capable of sending long-range attacks. Hallona would also support Yahen with healing if needed. Basco would cast healing to everyone else and the Gemps would hold off buffer shield until they reached the Dragons.
Miluna whispered to Kajana. “Like old times?”
Kajana focused her gaze in front of her. She used search-span to catch the lesser monsters. “Yeah. I do miss those days. Tell, Milu, are any plots of land available for farming? Any good schools looking for instructors?”
Miluna laughed softly. “Land yes. Instructors yes. You but ask and it’s done. The Magick Academy in Cracked Rock just sent out a communique looking for an instructor. You remember, Bliff Garlida?”
“That bastard?”
“Yeah, he loves you too, but he did ask about you. He is the Headmaster now. Such timing. I bet the Goddess has something to do with this.”
Kajana tensed up. Yahen didn’t know how close she and Miluna were to Adruqu.
Five levels in they encountered – nothing. The lesser monsters, ghost dogs, tall sheep, biting hogs, thorn bears, giant bats, and upright red gators were not there. When they approached the tunnel into the sixth level they saw the bodies. Maimed, chewed, and broken. Hundreds. Small Kangaroo Rats and tunnel roaches, by the hundreds, were feasting on the remains.
Tutu wrinkled his nose. “They fought each other.”
Kira and Mos nodded.
Kira said, “I sense – malice. There is something further in that is broadcasting anger.
Kajana said, “Milu, can you cast a guide-light fifty meters in front of us?”
“Done,” Miluna said.
A small but bright blue orb hovered about fifty meters in front of the group. It illuminated the tunnel revealing hundreds of dead monster bodies.
“My Goddess,” Plono said. “The stench!” He coughed and spat.
Hallona said, “How horrible. Look at the ones who still have faces.”
Yahen nodded. “Rage.”
Once out of the tunnel, the group felt it - the air was thick with malice. Moving forward felt like their legs were caked in mud.
“Milu,” Kajana whispered, “Cast the orb out another 300 meters.”
Miluna nodded and whispered something.
The orb shot out, dimmed in the distance, then flashed brightly.
Two Red Dragon bodies lay broken to either side of the wide Speleothem cavern. Large chunks were taken out of each one.
Yahen asked, “The Black Dragon?”
Basco said, “A Black Dragon can defeat a Red Dragon. That’s one Red Dragon. I doubt two, but . . . we see two defeated Reds.”
Kira gasped. “It wasn’t a Black Dragon.” She outstretched both hands, inhaled slowly and loudly. The aura was strong. She exhaled and saw the glowing form in the distance. It retreated into the tunnel leading to the seventh level. “There! It’s going into the seventh level.
Fast. It – seems to be chasing something.”
The group stopped.
Hallona said, “Something that is not a Black Dragon is ahead of us. That killed two Red Dragons is chasing something. And we are going further in? After it?”
Kajana bit her lip. Miluna and herself could easily kill a Black Dragon. She felt Basco, with his secret talent could too, maybe not as quickly and cleanly as Miluna, but nonetheless was capable. Yahen, Bita, Hallona, and Plono would be killed within minutes. The Gemps were the trump cards. Their buffer shield magick would allow them to pinprick a Black Dragon to death.
Yahen whispered, “Following it. We need to know what it is.”
Hallona replied, “And when we find out? Do we fight it or run?”
Miluna said, “As a Guild representative, I need to know if this is something new and different and its threat level.”
When the group reached one of the Red Dragons, Miluna walked up to one. “Since we are here and they are dead. We can at least start fulfilling our quest.”
Yahen said, “We didn’t fight them.”
Mulina answered, “And, what is your point? The quest said to acquire. It didn’t say how.”
Yahen responded, “But –”
Mulina interrupted, “No, no, no.” Then she slowly said, “A c q u i r e.”
The silence hung for a moment.
Mulina said, “Are you questioning a Guild representative? If you like I can exclude you from this part of the quest. That’ll leave more gold for the rest of us.”
Basco put his hand on Yahen’s shoulder. “My friend. This is a battle you’ve lost. Be happy it pays without effort.”
Yahen remained silent.
Mulina said, “Emissary Mos since you have the largest Dim Pocket would you be so kind as to collect the dragons?”
Mos nodded, signed, and said, “Okay.” He spread his arms wide and whispered, “Pocket.”
The Red Dragon's body shimmered, glowed bright white, then pixelated into nothing. He did the same thing to the second Red Dragon, including all the eggs.
It was the second roar that shocked everyone. The first roar was the Black Dragon, that was certain. The second roar was louder – different.
Basco said, “That’s no Black Dragon.”
Kira closed her eyes and extended her search-sense out into the Dungeon. After a second she gasped.
Mos said, “Kira speak.”
She opened her eyes. “It's not from our realm.”
It roared again. Victory.
Kira said, “It’s headed back this way.”