[Elsewhere]
“Ella! P-please! No! Stop! AH~!”
I’m sure they were fine.
****
“That never happened.” Tyler said with seriousness.
There were nods around the table. We had already told The Baron and questioned him. Apparently, by pure coincidence, the woman had disappeared the same night as the others. A recovered Konahora had confirmed that the woman hadn’t been lying… about anything.
Shudder.
Night had long fallen now. and we had been bone tired, dirty, and stank. Our minds had nearly capped out just relaying the information to The Baron and then finally, we went to the local bar. It was, sadly, not really much of a tavern like I was hoping. But it had a table and it had shitty beer and that was going to have to be good enough.
The worst part, hands down, was that the closest equivalent to a bath had been a bucket of water and a few sponges. That had been a good two hours of each of our time and what must’ve been a half dozen buckets of water. God, and they’ve cleared out multiple Goblin Caves? My opinion of them changed sharply. The word ‘hard working’ appeared in my head. And that adventurer lives weren’t all glamor and glory. Obvious but nothing to really hone in the point like a trek through a Goblin Cave.
Tyler was on his third beer but sadly, he wasn’t the slightest bit drunk, even though he clearly wanted to be. I could confidently say we all felt the same, even the inability to do so. I don’t think this could’ve gotten me drunk as a regular human, let alone now.
“We have no more solid leads.” Konahora said, still looking slightly green even now.
Riary said nothing, just staring down at her mug of beer, lost.
I was about to open my mouth, when suddenly I frowned hard.
“It’s back.” I said.
They all looked over at me.
“The power, from earlier in the morning. I can feel it again, barely. Vaguely. We’re so far away, but it’s there.”
They all frowned. Riary looking down at the table and muttering to herself. No one wanted that power to be the mage. A B-Rank teleportation mage would destroy us. Not my words, but Riary’s. But it was looking more and more like that flickering power was the only real lead we had-
“A Domain!” Riary suddenly shouted, surprising us and scaring the few villagers in the bar.
“It’s a Domain! That’s why the- no, it’s not a teleportation mage at all. It’s a Domain!”
We were all looking at Riary.
“Not all the Goblins were taken, there was a range limit. But it was too clear cut. The…. we were told the goblins past a certain point weren’t teleported at all. That the room where they keep their shit wasn’t touched at all, even though that’s where the stronger goblins stay, possibly even a commander if there had been a few more. It’s got to be a Domain!”
We all looked at her. Alright. That was great.
…I wasn’t going to be the one to ask.
“What’s a Domain?” To my utter bafflement, it was Konahora that asked.
What?!
It wasn’t just me on that one, all of our mouth’s dropped open at that.
Riary couldn’t help but speak up. “You don’t know?!”
Konahora blinked then smiled wryly.
“I am older, not all knowing. I learn new things often. I do not know what a Domain is, in the context you speak of.”
Riary huffed at that.
“A Domain is something magical items can sometimes obtain with age. It’s pretty rare, very rare, and there are some requirements, namely that its purpose never be diluted. That can be pretty vague of a requirement to fulfill. It’s almost always seen in houses. Big houses, palaces, mansions, anywhere a singular person has stayed for a very, very long time. Elves would be the most likely candidates for a Domain to form around their places of abode, if not for the fact that most of their housing remains alive already.’
“The point is that Domains are essentially… age signatures? Magically, they’re old magic that have run through something long enough to cause a Presence on the World. In people, it’s called an Aura.”
“Ah.” Konahora nodded at that.
“Unlike people, the Domain depends on the item. But since it almost always occurs in houses, the main elements are pretty normal. Pretty well defined even.”
Riary’s expression went dark. I was really enjoying seeing this intellectual, doesn’t want to tear me apart and burn me, side of Riary. But now I was getting a really bad feeling.
“Eviction. And transportation across its grounds.”
I blinked and looked down. The others did too. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.
“Riary…” Tyler said. He occasionally missed some subtle things, but it wasn’t like he was dumb. “Are you telling me… that we’re on this person’s home turf?”
“Worse. If it wanted, it could teleport everyone here, at any moment. All the way up to the plains.”
My mind blanked a little. What kind of power is that… some magical house can just fuck with everyone within dozens, no hundreds of miles? What the fuck?!
“Are…” I spoke up, only to instantly get a massive glare look from Riary. I quickly changed my sentence. “Why is it a Domain and not something else?”
She glared at me, staring me down, while I looked elsewhere. No one spoke or talked for a minute.
“It,” She said, mouth full of spite, “is because a person has limits. A teleportation mage still has mana. They shouldn’t be able to teleport a horde of goblins and an ogre so far apart. Even a B rank one, not with any kind of frequency. Teleportation takes time. But mostly it’s the area itself. Scrying magic exists, but it isn’t able to see through dirt without even more spells. The Goblins weren’t teleported from the surface, but from all over those damn tunnels. Mana wise, it’d be possible with some catalysts, but the most likely case is a Domain.”
She then stared me down, as if daring me to prove her wrong. I had to strongly resist raising an eyebrow. Why on earth do you think I’d correct you?! I’m not a mage! You’re the expert! I just wanted to ask why it was ‘this’ instead of ‘that’!
“On top of that,” She gave me another glare but this one was different. Couldn’t really read it though. “On top of its normal abilities… they have also been known to be able to Leave. To merge their Presence with the World and require a proper Space Mage to get them back. But it’s inconsistent. I’ve only read about the ability in old journals.”
Me and Tyler looked at each other. Yup, didn’t fully understand that. It can just teleport away?
Riary gave us an unimpressed look. Hey! Don’t blame me, I’ve been in this world for less than a month at this point!
“It can go into a pocket dimension.”
“”Ah.””
Wait, was that why my power had been acting up? That power just disappeared and reappeared because it went into another dimension? But now… it’s reappeared.
“You said you could feel that power right now, right?” Riary asked me, words full of teeth.
“Yes…”
Tyler nodded. “Let’s go.”
I looked up to the roof and despaired. We were going to die if we headed towards that.
“We can’t.” I said. “We’ll be killed. That thing, it's as strong as four of your teams.”
Riary smiled, angrily. “Funny. I don’t remember asking what you thought.”
“Riary…” Tyler said.
Her anger was rising and I could see flickering fires appearing around us. Her eyes were starting to turn into flames. Uh-oh.
“Riary,” I tried. I had to be calm, collected, but direct. “I don’t want you three to die.” I looked over at Konahora, who nodded. It didn’t abate Riary’s growing anger, clearly, but I had hoped it would.
“I’m just… worried. I can feel the difference between you three and it. I don’t see how you could win.”
“If you say another word, I will kill you.”
I promptly shut up.
“You are not a friend, you are not an ally, you are not our teammate. You’re a mistake. I want to kill you, I want to remove you and every single rotten filthy Dark Blood. I hope to the goddesses and gods that after we get you out of human territory, I see you again. I will pray for that day. The day I don’t have two idiots telling me to keep such a boiled leech like you alive.”
She, calmly, got up and walked away, heading outside.
Konahora was looking at me. Looking at me very worriedly. I was pretty sure there was a pretty hefty slur for demons in there. Luckily? Sadly? I didn’t really have the context or history to feel anything about it.
Tyler looked nervous, glancing between us, and the door, before taking a deep breath.
“Derek. I consider you a friend. You’ve proven to me that good can exist even in the heart of evil. That even the worst, most monstrous race can have good in them. It’s made me look forward to the day I see a good goblin or a good troll. I have to go talk to Riary but I promise that after this, we’ll get you to the border and wish you a good life.”
Konahora let out an explosive sigh, staring at the ceiling in exasperation. She then turned to Tyler.
“It seems two conversations should be had tonight. Come on Tyler, let us go talk to Riary.”
Tyler looked confused but nodded and left, leaving me alone with my mug of beer.
Well then… that was definitely the most backhanded compliment I have ever received in my entire life.
Secondly, they probably aren’t going to convince Riary not to go. Hell, Tyler alone would refuse to leave, man’s got a weird ‘goodly’ aura to him. He seems like he really thinks of himself as a ‘Hero’ and not as a strong adventurer with backing. Great.
We’re all going to die.
I downed the rest of my beer.
[Elsewhere]
“Ella! P-please! No! Stop! AH~!”
I’m sure they were fine.
****
“That never happened.” Tyler said with seriousness.
There were nods around the table. We had already told The Baron and questioned him. Apparently, by pure coincidence, the woman had disappeared the same night as the others. A recovered Konahora had confirmed that the woman hadn’t been lying… about anything.
Shudder.
Night had long fallen now. and we had been bone tired, dirty, and stank. Our minds had nearly capped out just relaying the information to The Baron and then finally, we went to the local bar. It was, sadly, not really much of a tavern like I was hoping. But it had a table and it had shitty beer and that was going to have to be good enough.
The worst part, hands down, was that the closest equivalent to a bath had been a bucket of water and a few sponges. That had been a good two hours of each of our time and what must’ve been a half dozen buckets of water. God, and they’ve cleared out multiple Goblin Caves? My opinion of them changed sharply. The word ‘hard working’ appeared in my head. And that adventurer lives weren’t all glamor and glory. Obvious but nothing to really hone in the point like a trek through a Goblin Cave.
Tyler was on his third beer but sadly, he wasn’t the slightest bit drunk, even though he clearly wanted to be. I could confidently say we all felt the same, even the inability to do so. I don’t think this could’ve gotten me drunk as a regular human, let alone now.
“We have no more solid leads.” Konahora said, still looking slightly green even now.
Riary said nothing, just staring down at her mug of beer, lost.
I was about to open my mouth, when suddenly I frowned hard.
“It’s back.” I said.
They all looked over at me.
“The power, from earlier in the morning. I can feel it again, barely. Vaguely. We’re so far away, but it’s there.”
They all frowned. Riary looking down at the table and muttering to herself. No one wanted that power to be the mage. A B-Rank teleportation mage would destroy us. Not my words, but Riary’s. But it was looking more and more like that flickering power was the only real lead we had-
“A Domain!” Riary suddenly shouted, surprising us and scaring the few villagers in the bar.
“It’s a Domain! That’s why the- no, it’s not a teleportation mage at all. It’s a Domain!”
We were all looking at Riary.
“Not all the Goblins were taken, there was a range limit. But it was too clear cut. The…. we were told the goblins past a certain point weren’t teleported at all. That the room where they keep their shit wasn’t touched at all, even though that’s where the stronger goblins stay, possibly even a commander if there had been a few more. It’s got to be a Domain!”
We all looked at her. Alright. That was great.
…I wasn’t going to be the one to ask.
“What’s a Domain?” To my utter bafflement, it was Konahora that asked.
What?!
It wasn’t just me on that one, all of our mouth’s dropped open at that.
Riary couldn’t help but speak up. “You don’t know?!”
Konahora blinked then smiled wryly.
“I am older, not all knowing. I learn new things often. I do not know what a Domain is, in the context you speak of.”
Riary huffed at that.
“A Domain is something magical items can sometimes obtain with age. It’s pretty rare, very rare, and there are some requirements, namely that its purpose never be diluted. That can be pretty vague of a requirement to fulfill. It’s almost always seen in houses. Big houses, palaces, mansions, anywhere a singular person has stayed for a very, very long time. Elves would be the most likely candidates for a Domain to form around their places of abode, if not for the fact that most of their housing remains alive already.’
“The point is that Domains are essentially… age signatures? Magically, they’re old magic that have run through something long enough to cause a Presence on the World. In people, it’s called an Aura.”
“Ah.” Konahora nodded at that.
“Unlike people, the Domain depends on the item. But since it almost always occurs in houses, the main elements are pretty normal. Pretty well defined even.”
Riary’s expression went dark. I was really enjoying seeing this intellectual, doesn’t want to tear me apart and burn me, side of Riary. But now I was getting a really bad feeling.
“Eviction. And transportation across its grounds.”
I blinked and looked down. The others did too. The hair on the back of my neck stood up.
“Riary…” Tyler said. He occasionally missed some subtle things, but it wasn’t like he was dumb. “Are you telling me… that we’re on this person’s home turf?”
“Worse. If it wanted, it could teleport everyone here, at any moment. All the way up to the plains.”
My mind blanked a little. What kind of power is that… some magical house can just fuck with everyone within dozens, no hundreds of miles? What the fuck?!
“Are…” I spoke up, only to instantly get a massive glare look from Riary. I quickly changed my sentence. “Why is it a Domain and not something else?”
She glared at me, staring me down, while I looked elsewhere. No one spoke or talked for a minute.
“It,” She said, mouth full of spite, “is because a person has limits. A teleportation mage still has mana. They shouldn’t be able to teleport a horde of goblins and an ogre so far apart. Even a B rank one, not with any kind of frequency. Teleportation takes time. But mostly it’s the area itself. Scrying magic exists, but it isn’t able to see through dirt without even more spells. The Goblins weren’t teleported from the surface, but from all over those damn tunnels. Mana wise, it’d be possible with some catalysts, but the most likely case is a Domain.”
She then stared me down, as if daring me to prove her wrong. I had to strongly resist raising an eyebrow. Why on earth do you think I’d correct you?! I’m not a mage! You’re the expert! I just wanted to ask why it was ‘this’ instead of ‘that’!
“On top of that,” She gave me another glare but this one was different. Couldn’t really read it though. “On top of its normal abilities… they have also been known to be able to Leave. To merge their Presence with the World and require a proper Space Mage to get them back. But it’s inconsistent. I’ve only read about the ability in old journals.”
Me and Tyler looked at each other. Yup, didn’t fully understand that. It can just teleport away?
Riary gave us an unimpressed look. Hey! Don’t blame me, I’ve been in this world for less than a month at this point!
“It can go into a pocket dimension.”
“”Ah.””
Wait, was that why my power had been acting up? That power just disappeared and reappeared because it went into another dimension? But now… it’s reappeared.
“You said you could feel that power right now, right?” Riary asked me, words full of teeth.
“Yes…”
Tyler nodded. “Let’s go.”
I looked up to the roof and despaired. We were going to die if we headed towards that.
“We can’t.” I said. “We’ll be killed. That thing, it's as strong as four of your teams.”
Riary smiled, angrily. “Funny. I don’t remember asking what you thought.”
“Riary…” Tyler said.
Her anger was rising and I could see flickering fires appearing around us. Her eyes were starting to turn into flames. Uh-oh.
“Riary,” I tried. I had to be calm, collected, but direct. “I don’t want you three to die.” I looked over at Konahora, who nodded. It didn’t abate Riary’s growing anger, clearly, but I had hoped it would.
“I’m just… worried. I can feel the difference between you three and it. I don’t see how you could win.”
“If you say another word, I will kill you.”
I promptly shut up.
“You are not a friend, you are not an ally, you are not our teammate. You’re a mistake. I want to kill you, I want to remove you and every single rotten filthy Dark Blood. I hope to the goddesses and gods that after we get you out of human territory, I see you again. I will pray for that day. The day I don’t have two idiots telling me to keep such a boiled leech like you alive.”
She, calmly, got up and walked away, heading outside.
Konahora was looking at me. Looking at me very worriedly. I was pretty sure there was a pretty hefty slur for demons in there. Luckily? Sadly? I didn’t really have the context or history to feel anything about it.
Tyler looked nervous, glancing between us, and the door, before taking a deep breath.
“Derek. I consider you a friend. You’ve proven to me that good can exist even in the heart of evil. That even the worst, most monstrous race can have good in them. It’s made me look forward to the day I see a good goblin or a good troll. I have to go talk to Riary but I promise that after this, we’ll get you to the border and wish you a good life.”
Konahora let out an explosive sigh, staring at the ceiling in exasperation. She then turned to Tyler.
“It seems two conversations should be had tonight. Come on Tyler, let us go talk to Riary.”
Tyler looked confused but nodded and left, leaving me alone with my mug of beer.
Well then… that was definitely the most backhanded compliment I have ever received in my entire life.
Secondly, they probably aren’t going to convince Riary not to go. Hell, Tyler alone would refuse to leave, man’s got a weird ‘goodly’ aura to him. He seems like he really thinks of himself as a ‘Hero’ and not as a strong adventurer with backing. Great.
We’re all going to die.
I downed the rest of my beer.
