literature

True Soul part 34: Fair

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Well, the thing didn’t look much like a monster. Sure that eye was creepy as hell and the thing didn’t look anything like a human, but it didn’t seem threatening. The toothless mouth smiled warmly at them as Nearin followed Selesta’s lead and stood up. Besides, the thing barely reached above Nearin’s waist.

“We are just taking shelter,” Selesta answered.

“Not many humans take shelter in the labyrinth,” the thing pointed out. “I am called Nerltholp. I am of Kaalp.”

“I am Knight-champion Selesta of the Paladin order.” Selesta said. “This is Nearin Ur-Emma, my apprentice.”

“Paladins!” Nerltholp exclaimed. Nearin found that weird, their attire marked them as Paladins quite clearly. Maybe the fay didn’t have much dealings with humans. Or its eye didn’t see what the humans did. “Are you here to deal with the thing that is blocking the portal at the Phoenix’s fall?”

“We destroyed it,” Selesta answered and winced.

“That is great! I have wanted to use that way to meet with a wind spirit that lives in those mountains but found it blocked. But the great Kaalp didn’t want to bother with clearing such a little used portal.” The thing laughed and did a little dance.

“The way is still blocked for a moment,” Selesta admitted. “Someone tried to kill us with some sort of Devourer spell. We had to flee to the labyrinth to evade it.”

Nerltholp stopped dancing. “And now you can’t go back that way,” it guessed.

“Not for the time being, at least.”

“I’m sure the great Kaalp could help,” Nerltholp said, its mouth making weird, wet smacking sounds as it thought out loud. “You did clear out one of his portals. Or at least it will be clear once the spell dies out.”

“Excuse me,” Nearin croaked. “But who is this Great Kaalp?”

“The Great Kaalp is the fair folk prince who rules this part of the Labyrinth,” Selesta answered then turned back to address Nerltholp. “He does owe me a favor for something else as well. Can you lead us to him?”

“Of course, of course. For the minor price of one story. I want to know how you defeated the wraith.” The fair folk’s voice was positively giddy.

“Deal.”



“You know a fair folk prince?” Nearin finally asked after Selesta had finished her story. The story made Nearin look far less bad than Nearin felt was truthful.

“Met him when I was almost as green an apprentice as you are,” Selesta grinned then looked thoughtful and almost sad. Her voice was slightly coarse after all the speaking she had done, but still not as coarse as Nearin’s was all the time.

They had walked for a while now and Nearin had long since given up on trying to keep track of all the twists and turns they had passed. The red veins in the stone had been replaced by light green ones that didn’t radiate heat at all. In fact, with all the sweating Nearin had done it was now quite a bit chilly.

“Do you think he will help for free?” Nearin asked.

“He will help. Whether it will be for free or not remains to be seen, but he does owe me.” Selesta paused. “Never thought I’d ever call on that particular debt.”

Nearin groaned as they took another turn that led uphill. She knew that in the labyrinth up was usually good, but with how tired she was each step uphill was pure torture. She had no idea how long they still had to walk either. Not that she was going to ask with how Selesta had praised her earlier.

Nerltholp meanwhile seemed tireless. Instead of just putting one foot in front of another it continued dancing and hopping while leading the way. It was also humming a surprisingly catchy tune while it did.

Nearin sighed and focused on just moving one foot at a time while fantasizing about a soft, warm bed. Though at that point just sitting down and leaning on the wall would do. She glanced at Selesta, sure that her superior officer wasn’t affected by exhaustion at all, but Selesta actually looked just as tired as she felt. If using the aura was tiring then she has endured more than you, Nearin realized.  

“How does it feel?” She asked after a moment of thinking. “Using the aura I mean.”

It took a few moments for Selesta to realize that Nearin had asked her a question. “It’s hard to explain. It’s a bit like casting a spell that is part of you. You can feel it even when you are not using it. Its bit like having an extra limb, or a muscle,” she explained after a moment of thinking.

Nearin grimaced. She hoped she wouldn’t be as bad at it as she was at spell casting. She really didn’t need another area of being a Paladin to be crap at. She imagined trying to be a full Paladin while not being able to defend herself properly from that mind attack that had already almost killed her once already. That wouldn’t work at all.

“You’ll learn to do it, girl,” Selesta assured her.

They must have walked for another hour or so before they arrived at a great silver door, guarded by a single huge armored figure.

“Welcome to the house of Kaalp,” Nerltholp announced cheerfully.
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