A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands - Book 3: Chapter 10: Unforced Errors

Cowardice? Is it simply the absence of bravery, or a symptom of simple human failing? No, it is not, for I believe it to be something deeper.

Along the long path of human history, great men have risen and fallen. Wars have been won and lost, and tales of heroism and cowardice have been woven into our shared heritage.

The shadow of cowardice has lain across the path of those who falter in the face of seemingly great adversity. Those who put down their arms when faced with a greater foe, or those with whom fear has gripped so utterly that they fail to act.

Across most of the civilized world, cowardice is considered to be a deep moral failing in the main. Some of Philosophers of Quas believe it is rooted in the self, the absolute need to preserve one’s own current state. This could be one’s economic or social standing, or even one’s life. Oftentimes, such is the will to preserve this state that people will instinctually override concerns such as morality or ethical concerns.

I believe that, like all human traits, it is a complex thing and more than just a diametric opposition to bravery. It is the failure to overcome insecurities and certain fears.

In my own humble opinion, I put forth to you, that ultimately cowardice is the betrayal of our ideal sense of self, the potential of what we could be.

– The Human Question by Gideon de Salavia 378 AC.

The waters were stilled, my rage quenched. All that was left were the corpses of the simple creatures that had decided to oppose me. I felt irritated that even the simplest tasks had me putting in far more effort than I should.

“Zala!” I called out into the darkness, a hollow echo was the only reply.

Where was she? Damn her eyes! I would run her down and kill her if she had betrayed me at such a juncture. I searched around the area, my holy light a torch in the darkness.

Then I found her, or what was left of her, anyway. Among the broken corpses was a shabby and lifeless figure, her head pitifully caved in.

I quickly scanned my notifications, and there among them was evidence of my latest blunder, ‘You have slain a Human.’ At least her death would not be in vain, for her life essence would evermore be, in some way, a part of me.

There was, however, a silver lining to the whole debacle. My Frenzied Strikes and Endure both improved by one level. In addition, I had gained another point in Strength and Constitution. Perhaps in another level or two, I would exceed four hundred Health. Overall then, not a complete loss.

That being said, I had still lost my guide, and I now found myself in a little bit of a predicament. Oh, Zala, even at the end you were an inconvenience, leaving me now to find my own way to the surface. Useless NPCs. However, I had learned that using Frenzied Strikes when near companions was not perhaps the best of ideas. Oh well, you live and you learn.

I searched among her things, keeping important items and discarding the rest from her bag. Things like a few pieces of questionable dried meat, a length of fibrous rope, and a stone, which I suspected to be flint, I kept. Useless to me, as I did not know how to start a fire, but I held on to it, all the same. Laden with another bag, I felt like an armored pack mule.

Unsure of relying only on Drain to replenish my internal reserves, I heartily began eating some freshly cracked crab flesh. Its slimy texture left a lot to be desired, but I found it filling, if not palatable. I made sure to scarf down as much as I could, leaving the rest.

I took a moment for myself, enjoying the silence, while I waited for my Health and Stamina to creep back up. The eternal question remained, what on earth do I do now? With my head in my hands, I indulged in a moment of self-pity.

The smallest hint of a breeze threaded its way through my hair as I looked up at the purple-threaded veins that ran through the rock ceiling. I took a moment to dunk my face into the lake, holding myself under for a few extended seconds.

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As I raised my head out of the water, I vigorously shook like a dog, more to clear my thoughts than anything else. It was then that I felt it again, that faint hint of moving air caressing my damp face. A surge of realization washed over me. That was it! I was saved! I had found my elusive way out. Just like it was in the mines of Ansan. In that gentle breeze, I had found my way to escape.

Gathering my things, I held my helm in the crook of my arm, moving in the direction of the breeze. I walked at a brisk pace. One that I could maintain for hours, if need be. A quick look back revealed that nature would not be so quick to give up its bounty to simple decay. Naked of fur, and long of tooth, six-legged rat-like creatures descended upon the banquet I had left behind for them, the scavengers of this realm.

Purpose lent speed and determination to my stride, and I barely noticed the creatures that hastily stepped out of my way. They probably smelled the death stench that was upon me. All except one monster, who decided to test its luck, thinking me easy prey.

A giant scorpion analog stood in my path for a few moments. Like the giant crabs, it was a pale white, and possessed thick natural armor. Its mandibles clicked against each other in warning before it launched an attack. On any other day, I would have considered it a threat, but so intent was I on the singular goal of getting out of this place, and so drunk on my recent victories that I barely gave it half a mind as I dropped my helm and prepared to do battle.

A protective barrier, my new shield, formed in less than a heartbeat, and automatically absorbed a vicious strike from its tail. The scorpion’s stinger blocked, it could do nothing more than pump venom ineffectually into the wood. Then I rushed into the dead space between its claws with a Dash to give my next blow greater force. In perfect striking distance to its head, I began to smash my weapon repeatedly into it, working my way up to its thorax with Frenzied Strikes. After a last, sickening crunch, as my hammer caved in the chitin armor, the monster finally gave up the ghost, feeding me with more experience and improving my Critical Hit Mastery Skill.

It would have been a waste of Mana to identify, so I simply sat on the scorpion’s pale corpse as I waited for my Stamina to recover. I could not see them clearly, but I heard the scuttle of the creatures of this realm giving me a wide berth. With the little grace given to me, I perused through my Status, confirming the gains, and was mildly surprised to see that my new partner, the Entropic Mimic, had lost a few points of Health. I surmised that it most likely had been damaged by the scorpion’s attack, its Health points taking the place of Durability. Of passing note was that it had actually gained in maximum Health, lending me to think that it could also grow in power alongside me. A comforting, if also a little disquieting, thought.

The wind was growing stronger, its voice now a quiet susurration instead of a ghost of a whisper. With a new spring in my step, buoyed by new-found hope, I picked up my helm from the stone floor and marched on.

At last, the expanse of the cavern started to constrict, gradually leading me toward a network of intersecting paths. These were predominantly rugged and uneven tunnels that branched off in various directions from the main cavern.

I waited for the guiding breeze to lead me, to give me some hint as to where to go. The air was still for long moments, the silence broken only by the skittering movements of the local animals. There was the distant buzzing or the flap of leathery wings. I heard, far beyond the circle of my light, the chattering cries of creatures calling out to each other. At one point I fancied I saw a pair of orbs, golden with reflected light, looking straight back at me.

Then I felt that errant breeze, the promise of sky, originating from one of the narrow paths leading upward. With nothing for it, I went down this path that angled and twisted ever upwards. As I progressed, the walls became laced with more than just the purple mineral veins, but now also sported splotches of a dull glowing green. Closer inspection revealed it to be a sort of bioluminescent lichen. Curiosity, that rascal of a friend, urged me to use Identify on it. With some Mana to spare, I simply thought, why not?

Beron’s Dream

Health 4/4

Curiosity joined avarice in whispering suggestions in my ear. Perhaps I could bring some with me to the surface? I reached to touch the strange lichen and felt a small tingle, even through my gauntlets. Strange, I thought to myself. Noticing no negative change to my Health, I decided to gather some of the specimens, scraping them off the rock with my knife and stuffing them into a side pocket of Zala’s bag. At the very least, I would have a source of light aside from my Holy Aura and a way to conserve some Mana.

I almost began to whistle, sure that my fortunes had finally changed, but stopped myself. It would not do to attract unwanted attention here. The thought of another encounter with a Zlesh Viper sent a shiver through my spine.