Book 9 Chapter 18

“What did you do?” Chase asked, staring at her.

“No idea,” Joan said with a shrug. “I can’t get it off, though. It didn’t do this before.”

“Did the Hero have armor like this?” Chase asked before, slowly, reaching out and tugging on her arm.

“No,” Joan said. “I don’t think he would have worn it if he did. I was a little arrogant and most armor was already kind of a waste as it was, being practically immortal and all.”

“Does it hurt?” Chase asked. “Wait… is that…?”

“The belt? Yeah,” Joan said before handing him the shattered belt. “It happened at the same time. I’m not sure what it even was. When we destroyed the shrine before it just erupted into this big dark shadowy thing. Then it was gone. The shadowy thing never tried to go into me or my armor. Speaking of…” Very nervously she reached into her bag and pulled out the Eye of the Night. She held it out to him. “Take this.”

“Why?” Chase asked.

“Because whatever this is broke the belt and has done something to my armor,” Joan said. “The last thing I want is it affecting an artifact like that and getting stronger. Even if I can get the armor off I’d rather not take the risk. I think I want Korgron to take a look at it, and me, before I do anything like that.”

“I see,” Chase said before motioning behind her. “And that?”

Joan glanced back at the hovering weapons flying behind her. She gave a small shrug. “No idea.”

“No idea,” Chase said.

“Not a one,” Joan said. “I don’t think they’re threatening anymore, but they did try to kill me earlier. Admittedly not their biggest fan. But they don’t listen to me so I have no idea how to get them to stop following me.”

Chase gave a small sigh before lifting his right hand. Water rose up around them before enveloping the four weapons. A moment later they were inside massive blocks of ice and dropped to the ground.

“Well, okay, I guess that works,” Joan said grudgingly. “Please don’t try that to get me out of the armor, though. I don’t wanna be frozen.”

“Hold still,” Chase said before holding his hand over her.

“Wait, don’t--” But before she could object, she was enveloped in water. She felt ice solidifying under her armor and then, a moment later… spikes everywhere. The armor crumbled to the ground, pierced in a dozen different places. The ice around her turned to water and fell away, leaving her freezing but free. “I-I said n-not to do that! W-w-was that n-necessary?” Joan asked, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as she chattered.

“Yes,” Chase said. “Look at that.”

Joan did. The armor was now more like obsidian than the glass it had been before. The darkness seemed to have permeated all the way to the core. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him for warmth.

“W-what? Joan, what are you doing?” Chase asked.

“I-ice is cold! D-d-did you forget that, mister Chosen?” Joan asked, trying to will her teeth to stop chattering.

“Oh, right, uhhhh… sorry,” Chase said before, slowly, he reached down and patted her on the head. “T-there there.”

Joan just sighed and, slowly, felt the warmth beginning to take hold. At least she had only been frozen for a few seconds. “Why are you patting me on the head?”

“I don’t even know anymore,” Chase said. “Do you feel okay? Did you get the beetle?”

“The Silver Beetle is ready for action,” Joan said proudly before holding it out to him. “All we’ve got to do is get back to Seasrest and we’ll be ready to destroy a cult!”

“Of course,” Chase said, his voice tinged with exhaustion. “And the remains?”

“Well, they’re not trying to kill us anymore,” Joan said “So curse seems to be broken. Or at least on me.”

“And if it’s on you?” Chase asked.

“Don’t let me die or I might come back and that won’t be fun for anybody.”

Chase just gave another exhausted sigh. “You know, you said this would be easy.”

“It was,” Joan said.

“I was eaten by a kraken,” Chase said.

Joan blinked and slowly gave him a sniff. He smelled like sea water. “You took it a lot better than Korgron did. But then, she did threaten to burn down the building we were in after.”

“I think I take everything better than Korgron does,” Chase said. “Doesn’t make this any less exhausting.”

“Sorry,” Joan said sheepishly. “I’m trying to keep it as exhaustion free as I can. But well… I’m doing the best I can, honest.” She let out a yelp when he stepped out into the sea again, a bubble wrapping around them to keep them safe.

------

Joan wasn’t dead, so she supposed that was good. The city wasn’t on fire, that was also nice. No screaming when their ship came into port. In fact, everything seemed fine. The lighthouse on the edge of the dock seemed to be entirely in working order.

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In fact, everything seemed entirely normal. “This is too easy,” Joan said softly.

“What?” Chase asked.

“Shouldn’t someone be here?” Joan asked.

“We’re ahead of schedule,” Chase said. “We were supposed to be gone for a week at least. We weren’t even gone for three full days.”

“But it’s night now,” Joan said. “The winds were working with us. There’s no screaming, no attack. Sure, I lost my armor and the belt, but there’s no… well…”

“Well?” Chase asked.

“It’s too easy,” Joan said again.

“Is she always this paranoid?” Breeze asked.

“Usually for good reason in my experience,” Chase said. “But I haven’t known her long. So what is it?”

“I don’t know,” Joan said softly. “We should go back to the base. Carefully.” She looked over the pier, waiting for something to jump out at her. Something felt weird. Wrong. She couldn’t quite place it. There should have been SOMETHING. A monster. An attack. But the trip back had been calm and uneventful. The winds had been at their back and Chase had been able to ensure they went ever faster. No undead pirates, no massive serpents. No monsters. No attacks. She hadn’t even gotten sick or anything. It had just been calm.

The weather had been in their favor this entire trip. She felt her unease growing. Things couldn’t be going this smoothly. The streets were mostly empty, most having turned in for the night. She could see the lights of the embassy as they came closer and she felt like her heart might skip a beat. They were still up, so that had to mean everything was still good. Right?

Slowly they came closer and closer, her heart pounded more and more. Finally, one of the guards on lookout saw them approaching and lifted his spear. “Hail!” he called out.

“What happened?” Joan yelled, running towards him.

“Ex… excuse me?” he asked.

“What happened?” Joan asked again.

“Joan,” Chase called after her. “Come back.”

“We were gone, what happened while we were gone?” Joan asked.

“Nothing?” the guard said. “You’re back early, though. Why are--”

“Nothing? No attacks at all?” Joan asked. “No ambushes? Assaults? No shades?”

“No,” the guard said before giving her a bewildered look. He then turned to Chase. “Lord Chosen, some people arrived for you a few hours ago. We told them you wouldn’t be here for many days, but they are currently resting.”

“Resting?” Joan asked. “Oh no. Where are they?”

“I… I believe in the guest quarters with--”

Joan took off, feeling the panic rising inside her. Random guests arriving when they weren’t there, for Chase? In the guest rooms near Ifrit and Francis? No no no! What if she’d already been captured? She ignored those who yelled at her when she passed and just prayed she wasn’t too late.

“Ifrit! Francis!” Joan yelled the moment she entered the hall.

To her surprise, Ifrit’s door opened and she, groggily, stared back at her. “Joan? What… are you doing here so soon? I thought you were going to be gone a few more days?”

“Are you okay?” Joan asked. “I heard that people arrived for Chase while we were gone? Where are they?”

Ifrit just stared at her. Down the hall, another door opened.

“Are you okay?” Ifrit asked. “You smell awful.”

“I’ve been on a ship for days and had to go through a tomb of undead that hadn’t risen yet,” Joan said. “Trust me, I could have smelled a lot--”

“JOAN!” a boisterous voice yelled.

Joan had barely a moment to realize she recognized that voice and turn around. She almost stepped aside to make him hit the wall when he leaped… instead she took the hug, stumbling back a single stunned step. “Qakog? What in the world are you doing here? When did you get here?”

“I arrived today!” Qakog said proudly. “I was afraid we had taken too long, but obviously my future bride could sense my arrival and hurried back with barely a wasted moment!”

“Actually, we kind of got lucky,” Joan said sheepishly before giving him a small hug but then pushing him away. “Wait, so YOU’RE the guest? Who arrived today?”

“Hey Joan,” Bauteut’s voice came, making her turn towards the door. The healer stood there, a small grin on her incredibly pale face. “Just… just teleported in a little bit ago. Wait, don’t--”

Joan couldn’t help it. She ran forward and hugged Bauteut. “I haven’t seen you in--”

A moment later the poor healer made a disgusting, gurgling sound and Joan felt something warm on her back.

“Did… did you just…” Joan asked.

“I did,” Bauteut said groggily. “I just… teleported in… Korgron… please don’t…”

“I think I should go clean up,” Joan said slowly.

“… I’m going back to sleep,” Ifrit said.

“I’m not!” Qakog said. “I’ve longed to hear of your many adventures, Joan! My heart has been pounding with unhindered excitement ever since I knew I was to return to your side! I…” His voice trailed off when she looked at him. She couldn’t help but note he didn’t try to go for another hug. “I… believe I can wait until you have had a chance to… cleanse yourself.”

“As much as I would like to talk, Joan,” Bauteut said slowly. “I… I think I’m going to go lay down. Are you okay?”

“I think so,” Joan said. “I think I smell worse now, but…”

“Good,” Bauteut said before she turned and, sluggishly, crawled into her cot. Joan watched her for a moment before grinning back to Qakog.

“So you two are here to help?” Joan asked.

“Yes!” Qakog said. “Korgron sent us herself. To help keep you safe!”

“Ha, good luck,” Joan said with a chuckle. “Oh, right. I uhhh… I need to go clean up. But I WILL be back soon. And I am going to want an explanation of EVERYTHING you and Bauteut have been up to! And an update on how things are going with the Demon Lord. Oh, and the other Chosen! Oh, and… wait, where’s Francis?”

“Sleeping,” Ifrit said, her voice dripping with annoyance. “On the floor by my bed.”

Joan just blinked and stared at her for a moment before shrugging. “Yeah… that sounds like him. So… nothing happened while we were gone? Nothing we need to worry about?”

“Not that I know about,” Ifrit said before she closed the door.

“Huh,” Joan said before glancing to Qakog. Then, slowly, a grin formed on her lips. “I was AWESOME!”

“So was I!” Qakog said, his grin matching her own.

Joan couldn’t help feeling that rush of giddy excitement as she headed off to get cleaned up. Even if she did have to wash off the scent of being at sea for days and whatever Bauteut had for her last meal. She was going to blow Qakog’s mind with all her awesome stories!