Manifest Read online

  “Son of a Gitch! It’s just me!” Kraz cried out in alarm. His shout echoed down the hall, reverberating loudly against the ancient stones. Gitch was too stunned at the sudden noise to apologize. He thought about ducking inside the room, but if an army was coming, he would rather have the option of running than being trapped in a windowless room. Nobody moved. They were all straining to hear the telltale sign of advancing imps, when Dwik let out a chuckle that seemed completely out of place.

  “Not a lick o’ sense in any of ya,” he laughed. “Tell me, any of ya got the skill-sneak?”

  Both Gitch and Kraznik shook their heads, but Feckle piped up, “Yeah, I have sneak. What of it?”

  “Aye. Makes sense you would. Well if ya would use yer heads, ya might have noticed. Sneak is a skill that’s only leveled when among neutrals or enemies. If none of ya have received or leveled up the skill by now, then there isn’t an imp around. Not an evil one, anyway,” he said quickly after the stare he received from Kraz. Gitch let out a sigh of relief. If he was going to die on this mission, he would rather it not be at the beginning.

  “Well, thanks for sharing that info. Would have been nice to know a little earlier, though!” Kraznik said, clearly agitated.

  “Meh, quit yer gripin’. What were ya doin’ in there, anyhow?” Dwik asked.

  The imp rolled his eyes and said, “This was my old room. I know we don’t have time to loot everything, but I wanted to see if my stuff was still locked in my chest.”

  “Thought ya said imps took everything with ‘em?” Dwik countered.

  Kraznik looked down before answering. “Well, the players’ chests come with a lock and key.”

  Gitch could care less at this point. He still didn’t like being in one position for too long. With an irritated huff, he said, “Whatever. Were you able to get in it or not?”

  Kraznik turned to face him. “Sure did, Benedict Arnold.”

  “And will, whatever it is, help us?”

  Kraznik’s smile was that of a predator. “Yes. Yes, it will.”

  “Good, now let’s get to it.”

  They quickly made their way down the hall, which soon turned sharply left and lead to the thinnest bridge Gitch had ever seen. It made the stone path crossing the lake look like the Golden Gate Bridge. This was made out of a dark crystal and was only as wide as he was tall. It spanned 100 or so feet across and connected with a ramp on the far end that spiraled both up and down. The ramp was thrice as wide as the bridge but offered only two feet of clearance. Neither the bridge, nor the ramp, offered any railings to prevent one taking the long plunge down on either side. Gitch couldn’t help but fly over to the edge and look down. The floor dropped well past where the bottom of the outside wall ought to be, and he surmised that they must have crossed out of the fortress wall and into the mountain itself.

  Gitch, Kraz, and Feckle would have no trouble flying across the great chasm. The two wolves also had some flight time remaining, though the way back might prove troublesome. That left-

  “Holy mother of toe fungus! You expect me to walk across that? Ya done lost yer mind, impy!”

  Kraz gave him an innocent look. “The imps usually just fly to the bottom. From what I remember, this path is only used to cart supplies and equipment up to the barracks. If you like, we could just carry you across?” he suggested with an impish grin. Most of his smiles looked impish, but this one looked downright naughty.

  “Up yers, Kraz!” he gave Gitch a pleading look. “Just cast yer mana dust on me like ya did them wolves.”

  “Sorry Dwik, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to waste-I mean expend most of my mana if not absolutely necessary. We are, after all, sneaking through an exceedingly dangerous enemy fortress with no backup. We could be ambushed at any moment, and we should all be at full strength,” Gitch soundly reasoned.

  Dwik nodded, but Gitch could have sworn he heard the gnome mumble under his breath, “Selfish bastard.”

  He walked up the narrow bridge and took a small step forward. Dwik took a moment to collect himself and after a long sigh, took another. He continued to shuffle along the killer catwalk with Gitch and Kraz flying on either side, ready to step in if needed. Both Goldie and Alpha floated through the air behind Dwik, with Feckle bringing up the rear.

  There was one worrisome moment when Dwik slipped on his own sweat which had pooled below him while he contemplated his next step. Kraz rose up and gave him a not-so-gentle push back on solid ground. Dwik crawled on his belly the rest of the way and they all arrived on the other side five minutes later.

  Dwik gave Kraz an appreciative pat on the back, which ended up knocking the imp to the ground. Judging by the overly apologetic look on the gnome’s face, Gitch had a feeling Dwik might have done so on purpose. Kraz gave the gnome a dirty look, but wisely held his tongue. They traveled down the ramp in silence, not trusting the acoustics of the large cavern to give themselves away to any would-be listeners.

  They passed many more bridges on their way down, each leading back to the wall. After dozens of passes, they finally reached the dark stone floor of a small antechamber. A one-wheeled cart was off to the side, and eight crates were stacked against one of the walls. A dozen or so sacks had been haphazardly piled in a corner, but several had split open with their contents spilling to the floor. The ground was covered with rotten fruit, rats, and rat feces. Putrid was the only word that Gitch could think of to describe the smell. He was again very thankful for his ability to fly above the refuse. Fae life had grown on him.

  Dwik, eager to be on solid ground and stretch back to his full height, gladly stepped onto the filthy floor. They made the for a large oak door and very nearly left the small room, before Gitch realized Alpha and Goldie were not following. He turned around in confusion and saw both wolves low to the floor, baring their teeth menacingly. Their nostrils flared, and the hair on their backs bristled. Something, someone, or, Dufflin forbid, someones, were nearby. A system notification popped up in his field of view revealing a newly acquired skill. For the first time since coming to this strange new world, he wished it hadn’t.

  Congratulations! You have learned the skill: Sneak

  Favorites of thieves and rogues, this skill allows you to move around your enemies undetected. True masters learn to become one with shadow.

  +2% chance to remain undetected while sneaking.

  Crap!

  Chapter 27

  Kraznik stopped to read his new notification, but Dwik already had one hand on the door latch.

  “Everyone stop!” Gitch hissed quietly. Dwik dropped his hand and stepped back from the door in a hurry. In his haste, he accidentally stepped on the tail of the largest, ugliest rat Gitch had ever seen. It squeaked in pain and furry before tearing into Dwik’s leather boot.

  “Don’t you dare!” Dwik said roughly. He sent the rat flying with a sharp kick from his other foot. The rat landed against the far wall, not moving. Somewhere back on Earth, PETA was already filing a report.

  “Dwik, shut friggin up, man! I just received the sneak skill. There are imps close by!” Gitch whispered.

  “Alright, new plan,” Kraznik quietly interjected. He pointed one of his long fingers towards Feckle. “Send out invisi-twat.”

  Feckle blanched and backed up towards the stairwell, but a low growl from Alpha sent him flying in the right direction.

  “Atta boy, Feckle! Grey fairies do make the best scouts after all,” Gitch said cheerfully. Feckle slumped his shoulders forward while Kraz gave him a brief layout of what lay just outside the room.

  “On the other side of this door is a large cavern with many side passages. There is a large statue in the center of the hall, try not to get too close. It is supposed to be of their deity, Shikolm, but we were told the statue may have certain powers in and of itself.”

  Feckle grimaced but nodded yet again before turning invisible. Dwik, ever so slowly, slid the latch and cracked the door open. There was a small creak, but Gitch prayed it was soft e
nough to go unnoticed.

  Time dragged on as they waited for the grey fairy to return. They took up positions around the room, just in case an unfriendly came snooping. Dwik had his axe out, and the pair of wolves were poised to attack at a moment’s notice. Gitch held his needle with both hands, anticipating a close-quarter battle. Kraznik juggled a small yellow rock with his off-hand, and wielded the trident with his right. None of them took their eyes off the door.

  That was how Feckle found them 15 minutes later. He silently slipped back through the cracked door, not becoming visible until reaching the center of the room. “You guys suck!” Feckle whisper. Dwik jumped a foot in the air, and Kraz dropped his rock with a horrified expression. He quickly scooped it back up and brought it close to his left eye to examine it thoroughly. Apparently satisfied, he stuck the strange rock back in his bag.

  “WHAT SEE YOU, FRIEND HATER?” Goldie asked. She and Alpha were the only two not surprised at his sudden reappearance. Her attempt at lowering her voice, however, could not be considered a success.

  “Shut it, Scooby! How about a little respect? I did just risk my neck for you all,” he shot back. Alpha growled in her sister’s defense.

  “Get to it, Feckle. What’s out there?” Gitch asked. He wanted so much to punch him in his smug face, but the grey fairy had finally proven useful.

  Feckle mumbled something unintelligible before answering. “There are two patrols of seven flying up and down a large hall. There is a small window where neither patrol is directly looking at our door, but you will need to move quickly to avoid being seen.”

  Dwik frowned at the fairy. “Then what? We just kill 14 imps?”

  “Please tell me you aren’t the smart one of the group? No, we are not going to fight them. We will sneak off on one of the unguarded side passages,” the grey imp said smartly.

  Gitch thought it a plan as good as any other, and definitely better than some. He looked at Dwik who was busy fiddling with his beard.

  “Alright,” Gitch said as he looked around the room. “Let’s be smart about this. Feckle and Kraz, you two will be our guides. Feckle, go ahead and disappear. With luck, any who see Kraz will think him a friendly. Next up, Alpha. You will need to hug the wall with Goldie blocking you from view as much as possible. No offense, her fur is just darker than yours,” he said gently. She had folded her ears back and looked down at the dirty floor, but he knew she would be fine; it was him and Dwik that would be the biggest problem.

  “Dwik, how big are your pockets?”

  They departed soon after Gitch finished passing out instructions. Feckle left the room first, who then pulled Kraznik out once the coast was clear. The wolves followed single file until they passed the door, and then finally Dwik and Gitch. The pink fairy could feel Dwik jockey into position between Goldie and Alpha, their great size hiding most of him from view. They slowly made their way along the wall and towards the nearest side passage that shot off from the giant hall.

  Gitch had no idea how progress was going. He was currently curled up inside one of Dwik’s deceptively small pockets. His knees were pulled up to his chin, and his back was more ‘V’ shaped than it ever ought to be. He was holding the flap of the pocket closed as best he could to avoid letting any of his pink light or mana escape into the darkened room.

  It was humiliating, but if it meant the difference between life and death, then it was a sacrifice he would have to make. Still, he wasn’t overly pleased at the smirk Kraz and Dwik had both given him when he had told them the plan. What were friends for, if not to give you crap when the opportunity arose?

  Gitch bounced with every step the gnome took. He kept an ear out for any indication on how their journey was going, but even though the pocket was filled with a pink light, he was left completely in the dark. On the plus side, his sneak skill leveled twice without any significant effort on his part. Yay!

  He felt Dwik shift his weight and turn to the right. He assumed that meant they had made it to the corner of the hall, preferably unseen. From there, it shouldn’t be too far from the new corridor.

  He waited another minute or two, and sure enough, felt Dwik change course again. They had made it past the two patrols! He had no idea what lay within this side passage, but the immediate danger was gone. He began opening the pocket flap, but was instantly slapped by a large, gnomey hand.

  YOU HAVE SUFFERED 5 PHYSICAL DAMAGE!

  Gitch was still seeing stars when he felt Dwik’s body fall flat. He, of course, landed beneath the gnome and could feel all 40 pounds crushing his tiny body!

  YOU HAVE SUFFERED 56 PHYSICAL DAMAGE!

  What Gitch had previously taken as the drowning bar reappeared. He was being suffocated by Dwik’s flab! He had died in some embarrassing ways, but this was too much. He started going through his spells and abilities list, desperately looking for something to save him. He was having a hard time thinking straight and had just come across transmorph when he felt Dwik slowly pull himself back up.

  Gitch wasted no time. As soon as the gnome’s bulk had lifted, he opened the pocket up to fill his lungs with some rancid cave air. It was bliss.

  “Gitch! Ya trying to get yerself killed?!” whispered Dwik, just inches from his face.

  “Actually, I’m trying to live, thanks very much! How about a little warning before landing on top me, gigantor?” he quietly shot back.

  “Fine, next time we will just let the imps catch us. All in favor?” Feckle asked the group. Nobody, including Gitch, raised their hands. “That’s what I thought,” the grey fairy chided. “Let’s keep moving before those patrols make another pass.”

  “Fine, but I am not going back in there,” Gitch pointed to Dwik’s pants.

  His friends just shrugged, accepting his terms with indifference. It had been his idea to begin with. Somehow remembering that did not make him feel any better.

  They silently moved further down the corridor, keeping with their same formation but with one small adjustment. Gitch flew underneath Alpha to keep his light pollution at a minimum. It helped, but there was a healthy glow emanating from the wolf’s undercarriage. It may have been more dangerous, but that pocket was a death trap. His health replenished over time, but losing it in the first place just plain sucked. Gitch also hated not being able to see. If danger was coming, he wanted a chance to react.

  They turned a corner, finally withdrawing from view of the great hall. The corridor before them was likewise dimly lit, and they could just make out two doors on either side. Gitch could hear noises coming from inside the rooms on the right, but nothing from those on the left. A part of him desperately wanted to search the quiet rooms for loot, but he knew time was of the essence. There was no telling how long the fairy NPCs could hold, but his group needed to be long gone by the time the retreating imps returned.

  Their collective luck held far longer than Gitch would have thought possible. They past by several more rooms, occasionally putting their ear to the door, but never actually attempting to enter. There just wasn’t any time, and there was no reward that was worth the risk of discovery.

  Turn after turn, hall after hall, sometimes having to scurry back when a patrol came sniffing, but still they went unnoticed. Gitch really wasn’t sure how long they had been down there, but it was long enough to increase his sneak skill anther 3 levels. He was all for progression, but it was not overly comforting to know how close he was to literal monsters.

  He thought they might be moving somewhat parallel to the great hall, which would have been ideal, but it was impossible to tell. He discovered quickly enough that his sense of direction was completely shot while underground. He had flashbacks to being lost in the Banyan Tree , but this was far worse. Not only was it dark, but there was nothing back in Fae-thil that earnestly wished him dead. At least they had Kraznik who had a rough idea where they were going. The imp’s sense of direction was still intact, and Gitch didn’t want to think about trying to navigate this labyrinth without a guide.

  He w
as lost in thought when something large bounded past him. They were in a darker section of their current hall, but the shape sure looked gnomely.

  “Dwik?” he called out as loudly as he dared, but the gnome made no attempt to acknowledge him. He just kept sprinting down the corridor like he was being chased by a flock of imps. Gitch looked behind him, just to be safe. Nothing. Whatever had Dwik in a tizzy lay ahead, not behind.

  Goldie and Alpha were quick to take off after him. The three players looked at each other with confused faces. With a shrug, Gitch flew after them. He could hear the flap of wings behind him as Feckle and Kraznik followed suit.

  By the time the three fliers caught up with those on the ground, Dwik had already mounted Goldie. Each member of the party was flying or running as fast as their bodies would allow, for reasons still unknown to all but one. One thing was certain, they had abandoned stealth for speed.

  It was only after the third or fourth hall they rushed through that his little fairy ears picked up on the distant echo of a blood-curdling scream from somewhere up ahead. Those evil imp jerks were torturing someone! He knew they were low on time, but there was no way he could just sit back and leave the pour soul to his or her fate. Spirit renewed, he pushed even more mana into his wings to increase his velocity. “Don’t worry,” he whispered. “We’re coming!”

  The screaming grew louder and louder until they finally came to a large iron door at the end of an eerie hall. Gitch thought he might go deaf as they took up positions outside the room. He now knew why they hadn’t seen a single imp recently. Screams bounced off the tunneled walls, and it was impossible to distinguish one voice from another. There was no way of knowing how many captives were inside, but they were about to find out.

  Hatchet drawn, Dwik threw open the door with his free hand. He wasted no time scanning the room for hidden dangers, but instead rushed in like a gnome possessed. Gitch and the rest charged after him, screaming their own battle cry.