Return to Jorgaldur Volume V: Reunion (2)

Result (I)

Gjaki stopped on a huge rock that provided a relatively stable platform. She had just finished off a lost that had barely survived the collapse.

She had stepped on it with her knee, while crawling through the rubble. The dust had prevented them from seeing each other, but the contact had helped reveal their respective auras.

The corrupted creature had tried to attack her with its hoof, since that leg was its only intact and free limb. The vampiress had received it with her nails extended thanks to Scratch.

The weakened lost had barely managed to resist, and had been torn mercilessly. Its leg had ended up being severed, thus eliminating the last means it had left to attack. It had disappeared shortly after, crushed by tons of rubble.

She stood on the precarious stone platform, still with her eyes closed to prevent dust from entering them again. She wasn't even breathing normally, and was still relying on Oxygenate for that. Despite that, she smiled.

Suddenly, the wind began to caress her skin, as it rapidly increased in intensity. Soon, she could make out her own figure through the eyes of one of her Bats. Focused on a winged figure, a small whirlwind was making its way through the dust to reach her.

The goshawk had Grown, and had been guided by one of the vampiress' winged scouts. Gjaki could sense the presence of her creation, and thus make it reach her position.

Urged on by her sister, the albino bird had come to the rescue. Although tired, the blood warrior had more than enough strength to hold on to one of the bird's legs during the short flight to the safe area.

Eldi didn't know very well what to do. One option was to try to make his way through the barrier of rocks that blocked the hole through which he had descended. The main problem was that he didn't know how thick it was, or if more debris would fall when he removed the first ones. Since the procedure wasn't going to be exactly smooth, it was the most likely possibility.

Another option was to rely on Mole's Power to create a new tunnel to the supposedly safe area. The biggest drawback of that solution was the huge mana expenditure. In addition, there was the potential problem of stumbling upon bedrock he couldn't cross.

Of course, he might find buried losts, but that was the least of his worries. Even though they would have the advantage of terrain, as they should be underground corrupted beings, he was confident in his skills to deal with them.

Finally, there was the option of waiting for his companions to rescue him, although he considered it remote. Even if the goshawk had been watching his position, all references on the ground should have been erased. It would be difficult for her to pinpoint his exact location.

Despite this, unexpectedly, to his surprise, the rocks covering the exit began to tremble. Roots made their way through them, thus creating a small gap through which light filtered.

"Eldi? Are you there?" he heard the elf's voice

"Yes, I'm here. Can you make it bigger?" he asked, still surprised by their arrival.

He couldn't help but smile when a fairy appeared, looked at him and turned around. Goldmi had asked Pikshbxgra to take a look, and she had done so.

"Uncle Edi is down there. He's okay," she had reported, before hiding again among Aunt Omi's clothes. The corruption was very unpleasant for her.

"Sure, wait a minute. Can you go up by yourself?" Maldoa wanted to be sure.

"No problem. Although it'd be easier if you threw me a rope, or a root," he asked again.

Little by little, the roots were enlarging the opening. After a few minutes, it was wide enough for him to pass through, and a rope fell towards him. The whole rope, without being held by any of its ends. For a moment, the high human was stupefied.

"Ha, ha. Goldmi, don't be mean," the drelf was heard.

"Ha, ha. He's asked me to throw him a rope, and that's what I did. It's a pity we can't see his face," the elf lamented.

Eldi sighed, although he also relaxed. If they had the time and mood to joke around, it meant everything was fine.

It wasn't long before the end of another rope fell, this time firmly attached. The battle mage climbed it with ease, helped by Climbing. It wasn't essential, but it made it easier.

There he met Maldoa, who was holding the gap with the roots sticking out from her feet. Goldmi was keeping the dust at bay with her wind magic.

"Thank you," he said, while handing both ropes back to his friend. "How did you find me?"

She caught them on the fly, no doubt amused. Then, she moved away a little, revealing a small cybernetic fairy that was carrying a hammer. As soon as the elf released the hammer, the fairy rushed to Eldi. It disappeared along with the weapon, which was now in his inventory.

"We found her trying to get the hammer out of the rubble. When we helped her, she went straight to your position," Maldoa revealed, as she retracted her roots.

"Let's go. Menxilya and Gjaki are waiting for us," the archer urged.

With Wind Push or Tramontane, the elf made her way through the ever-present dust, as she had done on the way there. The terrain was uneven, but it wasn't a big problem for them if they could see it.

Halfway there, they encountered a strange event. Some rocks moved, and debris fell to the sides of a small mound. It was barely possible to see what was underneath, but the answer was obvious to Eldi. After all, he had seen that being up close.

"So, it's survived. It's really resistant," he was amazed.

"Do you know what's underneath?" Goldmi asked.

"A corrupted concrete-bear," he clarified.

"What's that?" the drelf wondered.

There were few beings she didn't know, and that name was the first time she had heard it.

"It's like a bear, but huge, slow and very tough," her friend explained. She had seen it before through her sister.

"Ah! A Walking Fortress! Where did the name 'concrete-bear' come from?" Maldoa asked curiously.

"We called it that in the game. I guess someone thought of it, it was funny, and it ended up sticking," he shrugged.

Maldoa looked at him and wanted to say something, but decided to keep quiet. Now she understood why she had never heard that name before. It was impossible for her to know what the visitors were talking about when they weren't completely in their world. Especially if the communication was taking place in their original world.