Chasing My Fiancée Across A Fantasy World - Chapter 9

Brideen crouched down behind a corner of a dank dungeon drawing imaginary lines on her hand while shouting orders over a group of goblins laughing and yelling at them.

“John, I want you to put down some cover fire while Netruna gets to the other side of this junction.  She pointed down a hallway.  Allonsa, we know that tunnel leads to behind that group of green boys,  see if you can flank them.  Once Ally is drawing their attention, Lori and I will make a frontal attack.  Got it?”

They all nodded.  Brideen clapped her hand and dropped her claymore in favor of a shorter sword and wooden round shield. “Go!”

Every kill I make brings me closer to Tricia.  John got up cooly and pulled out a polished metal mirror.  In the grayscale darkness he saw ten goblins firing flint tipped arrows.  One goblin with a skunk tail hung from his thinning hair was furiously trying to start a fire next to a black ball that had a wick sticking out to it.

“There’s ten of them, one’s got an explosive of some kind.”  He leaned out and shot an arrow straight at the skunk boy.  A nausea inducing squeal rang out as the goblin’s head was pinned against the wall. The arrow lodged in a crevice in the wall behind him.  The small fire underneath him smouldered and started to create a faint light.

“Ally, you need to work fast.” John yelled.

The thief and gnome wizard crossed the dungeon junction.  Ally continued sprinting down the dark hallway.  Netruna poked her head behind the corner and fired off a bolt of ice hitting a goblin in the mouth as he screamed a vulgar war cry.  The jagged icicle was covered in brain matter as it exited the back of his head.

The long range attacks continued until John saw the goblins arguing and pointing to something he couldn’t see.  Now two goblins were shooting in a different direction.  He heard another goblin give a death squeal.

“Girls, Ally just hit them. Go!”

“Don’t shoot us in the back you too.”  Brideen and Lori sprinted down the hallway with a trill ululating war cry.  The goblins got spooked but were pinned down by Ally.  John and Netruna couldn’t find an opportunity to shoot anymore, the two armored fighters took up too much space in the dungeon’s tunnel.

“Netruna, you hang back, I’m going in as backup with my spear.”

“That’s not part of the plan!”

“My friends are fighting, I’m helping.  That’s always part of the plan.”

Netruna outstretched her hand as if to stop him but he was quick. “Idiot you don’t even have good armor!”

The young man sprinted with his short spear in hand, leaving his bow and arrows behind.  Brideen, Lori, and Ally were fighting for their lives, surrounded by twice the number of goblins.  A little green man with a limp swung his club with all his might against Lori’s foot, making her scream.  She brought down her warhammer between his head and neck with a thud.  The creature's head was bent at an odd angle to his shoulders and he fell dead.

Brideen was a graceful angel of death. She found gaps in the monster’s defences, in their actions, and weaknesses in their equipment.  Shortsword stabs brought down two, one in the neck and the other in the solar plexus.  A goblin grabbed her blond hair and yanked her off balance.  She fell on her back and her short sword fell away from her.  The vile creature got on top of her, sat, and laughed bringing a rusty kitchen knife above his head.

John sprinted and leveled his spear right under the triumphant goblin’s chin.  In a smooth motion he thrust and simultaneously killed and knocked the goblin off Brideen.  

“Get up and fight!”  John put his foot on the goblin’s chest and yanked the spear out of his latest kill.

“Right!”  She got up and found her short sword.  The pair stood over Lori to protect her.  The goblins fought ferociously now they were surrounded and the numbers were more even.  One goblin went for the bomb and managed to light the wick, which started to sputter and spark.  The cowardly goblin ran from the group, abandoning his comrades.  John threw the spear just a moment too late and the goblin had enough time to roll the bomb like a bowling ball to the adventurers. He was laughing hysterically right before getting his heart skewered by the thrown spear.

This is it I guess. John bent down low to pick up the lit bomb.  He wondered where the goblins had gotten it, perhaps a treasure from raiding a dwarf or gnome underground village?  He tried to lay on the crude iron ball with a burning wick in hopes of shielding his friends.  Getting down low, he caught sight of an empty space in the wall.  Going with his gut he got back up and kicked the bomb into the hole between the stones in the wall.

“Get back!  Run!”  Brideen, Lori, and Ally looked at him and then sprinted back to Netruna.  The bomb exploded and blew out the wall behind them.  The shockwave knocked them forward into a pile of bodies.  When the dust settled and John was sure that he was alive, he realized he was face down right in Brideen’s ass.  

He scrambled up and tried to compose himself.  “S - sorry about that.  I didn’t mean to plant my face on your fine...  Are you all OK?”

“What does OK mean?”  Brideen turned over and rubbed her hindquarters. “You have a pretty hard head, that smarts.”

“Sorry.  If I remember correctly, OK stood for oll korrect.  It's supposed to be a joke.  Anyway, are you fine?”

“Yes, we’re OK.”  She laughed grimly.

Netruna hopped over the goblin corpses and towards the blown out wall. “You killed all those goblins good.”  She peered into the darkness.  “Let’s have a look in the secret room you found.”

“Wait a second.”  John picked up the three girls.

“You saved my life John.  All our lives.”  Her look at him flashed with concern and admiration. “You damn fool.”

“How can I stop myself when it comes to saving you?”  He turned to Lori. “How's your foot?”

“I can limp on it, I don’t know about fighting though.”  She winced. “That gobo got me good.”

Ally bent down and looked at it. “We'll have to splint it when we reach the surface.  Looks like we’re going home, people.”

“Come on!  Just one look in this room, please.  I’m sure it’s safe.  You killed all the little bastards.”  She cast a light spell. “See!?  No one’s there.”

John felt the need to support Lori.  He propped her up and lent her his spear to steady herself.  Allonsa made quick work of getting ears from the goblins and managed to find a few dirty coins from their corpses.

Brideen and Netruna walked into the hidden room, it seemed to only have one purpose.  On a dais there was a sword on a velvet covered stand.  Brideen approached and extended her hand to the hilt but stopped short.  “John, I really think this sword should be yours, seeing how you saved our lives and discovered the room in the first place.”

“Come on Brideen.  I’m still learning the spear.  Why should I take the sword?  It looks special as well.”

“I insist!”  Brideen snapped. “I’d be dead without you, or worse. Now grab the sword so we can get Lori to a doctor.”

“Right. Lori, one sec.” He leaned her against the wall and hopped into the room.  Taking the sword he unsheathed it from the scabbard.  The blade was damascus steel and etched with ornate writing he couldn’t read.  He went to a corner and swung it a couple of times. “It’s perfect.”

Brideen got close and lifted his hand to see the blade. “It’s clearly of ancient origin.  It may even be magical.”  She squeezed his arm a little and smiled up at him. “I’m starting to regret letting you have it.”

“Then here, take it.”  

He pushed the hilt into her hand.  But she took a step back and put her hands up.  “I wouldn’t dream of it. It’s yours, fair and square.”  

She turned around and walked off, her ass shaking back and forth.  His mind went back to when his face was planted between her warm butt cheeks.  Ally walked up to him and whispered in his ear. “That sword is worth more than everything we’ve made ten times over.  You owe Brideen big time.”

He looked at Lori who shrugged and nodded in agreement. “You kind of do.”

…

The next day the group had their morning meeting back in Dolono. John sparred with Brideen using the new sword they had found.  When before Brideen had been toying with John, now John felt like he had to hold back.  Parrying and deflection became as easy as breathing.  It was like the sword helped him focus.  Brideen screamed in frustration and John lowered his guard so that she could get an attack in.  Instead of using her sword she dropped down low and punched him in the junk.

“Phaaaaaaaa!” He fell to his knees and keeled over.

She stood over him and pointed her claymore at his neck. “Never.  Drop your guard when fighting with me.  I don’t need your pity.”

He gasped. “I was only trying to give you a chance.  You seemed frustrated.”

“I am frustrated.”  She kicked him in the side. “I’ve spent my life training and now you’re better than me. Why shouldn’t I be frustrated?”

“I’m not better than you Brideen, it's the sword!”  He tried to get up only to fall over again. “I think it’s magical or something.”

“What? You think the sword gives you improved fencing ability?  Here let me try it.”  She bent over and tried to pick up the ancient sword, but when she did she recoiled in pain.

“It burned me!  John, I think it’s too late, that sword has bonded with you.”  She flicked her hand repeatedly. “That smarts.”

John could finally stand. “I promise to never let my guard around you again.”

“Well, I didn’t mean all the time.”  She laughed. “Just when we’re practicing. I’m not that dangerous.  Sorry for punching you in the ghoulies.  Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?”

For a brief moment he grabbed her by the sides and pulled her in. “I could think of one thing, but right now isn’t the best time because it really hurts.”

Brideen blushed but didn’t pull away.  In fact she ground her pelvis a little into his, making him flinch. She realized what she did. “Oh sorry.”

“It’s OK.”

“You do know we’re all looking at you.” Lori frowned. “Get a room for crying out loud.”

The young man sheathed his sword and limped to the group. “So we’re done for the day right?  I was going to have a walk around by myself for the day.”

Netruna grabbed his sleeve. “Are you sure that’s wise?  You might be attacked.”

“If it was my first day here I would have said yes.  Now that I’ve been trained a little by Brideen. And have my new sword.  I should be fine.  Don’t worry, I’ll be home for supper.”

The girls all looked a little disappointed but nodded as he waved goodbye.  John walked through the modest frontier town with his phone fully charged and open to his pictures.  Every store he passed he went in and asked if they had seen a girl named Tricia.  When they were shown her photograph they marvelled at the phone itself rather than the picture.

When he came up to a fat middle aged man selling glass jewelry he looked at the picture and licked his lips. “You’re asking if I’ve seen a girl like her?  Named Tricia?”

“Yes she might have come here only a week or so ago?”

“I haven’t seen her, but I would sure love to. Beauties like her are a rare occurrence, my boy.  Her body stirs my loins. Hehehe.”

“She’s my betrothed, you dirty old man.”

“I’m just telling you the truth.” He smacked his lips. “A lonely girl that looked as good as she does wouldn’t last a day.”

John shoved the man into the wall and pulled him a foot off the air.

“Say that again.  And I’ll have your head.”

“Violence never solves anything, boy.  I’m a lover not a fighter.  And I’m telling you the truth.  Let go of her.  She’s already gone by now.  Probably getting love from some big stud or rich old man.”

Crunch.

John came down on the old man’s nose with his forehead.  Blood gushed down the front of his shirt and the old man also wet himself.

“Take it back.”  John said coldly.

“I take it back young master.”  His voice wavered. “I never meant anything by it.  I was only joking.”

“People like you make me sick. Always making sick jokes about other people’s partners.  You think you can get away with anything.  How many men have you pulled this prank on, asshole?  If I hear that you are making any woman in this town uncomfortable I’ll find you.  Am I clear?”

“Y…yes.”  Tears streamed down the man’s face.

John let the old man go and walked off to find another person to question.  A few men passed by the old man and spat on him. “Serves you right, you lech.”

As he walked down the market street, John cursed at himself for letting his temper get the better of him.  While he thought himself to be a good judge of character, sometimes he overstepped.  The thought of anyone laying a hand on his girl made his blood boil.  She might not even be alive and that bastard was making jokes about her.

He was about to make his way to the adventuring guild and show the guild receptionist the pictures on his phone and ask her about Tricia again.  He fished out his phone from his leather bag and started flipping through it to find the right pictures again.  

Just then a little boy in front of him ran with a hoop and stick toy out into horse traffic.  A strong looking curly blond man riding a black war horse was in his path.  John recognized it was the leader of the hero's party.  The horse reared and was about to come down on the young child.  John bolted and pulled the boy out of the way, dropping his phone in the process.

“Little boys like yourself shouldn’t run into traffic.”

“Don’t worry sir, he’s safe now.”  John dusted off the muck on his jacket and sent the boy away.

“I was talking to you.”

“I’m sorry?”

“The boy was harmless.  You could have hurt my horse.  Good day.”  The golden hero rode off like John was nothing.

“What an asshole.”  He looked down and found that his well loved smart phone was smashed to hell.  “Fucking bastard trampled my phone.  I guess the girls were right, I should have stuck with them.”