ItsDirector
patreon
The Human From a Dungeon 100
🕑 Added 2025-04-21 11:59:59 +0000 UTCChapter 100
Agurno
Adventurer Level: 152
Orc – Kirkenian
'Cold enough for you?' Gramr asked.
"Fuck off," I chuckled, trudging through the unseasonable snow. "Actually, tell me the tale of the dragon again."
'Nothing warms the heart quite like a story from ages past,' the sword chuckled in turn. 'Won't warm your feet, though.'
"Don't care about warmth. Talk to me about the dragon."
A ray from the sun peaked out between the clouds and caught Gramr's golden hilt, causing it to glimmer. It was almost as if my request had brightened the sword's mood. He was a fine weapon, with a carbon-steel blade that stretched the length of a normal orc's torso. I had been extremely lucky to stumble across him.
'I guess you're hoping that the more I tell you, the more I'll recall, yes?' his voice appeared in my mind.
"Indeed," I replied. "Swords that talk aren't common, and knowing your origin could be useful."
'I suppose I have nothing to lose, and only my memories to gain. Fine, then. There once was a dwarf, though much different than those you know of. He was neither short in stature, nor of worldly origin. This dwarf was greedy, and stole... Something magical, I believe. This transformed him into a dragon.'
"A different kind of dragon than those that rule the skies here, yes?" I asked.
'Oh, yes. Your dragons are either beasts or noble, neither of which is prone to acts of wickedness. This creature, though, was despicable in every sense of the word. The person he stole from was his father, and he killed him to do so. Then he killed many other people, stealing from them as well. It was my third or fourth wielder, I believe, that had me reforged specifically to kill him.'
"Ah, reforged. That's new. Why did you need to be reforged?"
'I was broken. I do not know how nor why, but I get the sense that it was a betrayal. Yet, the betrayal was an inevitable one. Expected, even.'
"I see. Do you remember the name of your dwarf turned dragon? Or of the warrior that slew him?"
'No. I recall the sounds fah and sig, but know not which is which,' the sword sighed. 'A shame. That wielder was a decent person. Flawed, of course, as all mortals are, yet a good person nonetheless.'
"Was he an orc?" I asked.
'I don't know. His figure was similar to yours, though he was much smaller than you. Warm hands, as well. Anyway, once I was remade he set out to hunt the dragon. We found it hiding on a pile of gold and treasures within a large cavern.'
"And how did you kill the dragon?"
'My wielder dug some trenches in the entrance to the cavern and hid within them. Then he called out, and the dragon came running to defend its hoard. When the dragon passed over us, I was thrust deep into its shoulder, slicing a large artery.'
"What happened next?"
'They spoke to each other, as was custom for those of that world. I don't recall what was discussed, but eventually the dragon died and my wielder used me to carve its heart from its chest.'
"There you go," I chuckled. "You didn't remember that part last time."
'That's true,' Gramr said thoughtfully. 'Though I don't remember anything else.'
"Still nothing about your first wielder?"
'No. Though I do remember one other thing.'
"And that is?"
'I was aware, but I wasn't able to speak. I recall wanting to taunt the dragon. I wanted to tell it that its blood tasted vile, and that it was more akin to a worm.'
"Oh?" I laughed. "And yet you frequently chastise me for taunting those who fall before me."
'True,' Gramr shared in my laughter. 'Fine. When you slay a dragon, I'll say that you've earned the right to taunt the weak.'
"I HAVE slain dragons. Fifteen of them, five of which assaulted me simultaneously."
'I know, I was with you,' the sword said in a smug tone. 'And I also know that those were beasts, and were only interested in eating you. Once they realized they were outmatched, they tried to flee, yes?'
"A dragon is a dragon."
'No, my dear boy. The dragon I slew had scales that would make the mightiest of armors bow in reverence. That is why my wielder had to strike at its underbelly. And that dragon was smart. If my wielder had faced it head on, the dragon would have won handily. That wielder would have also made short work of the dragon-beasts of this world. The closest thing you have would be one of those High-Dragons you are obsessed with.'
The comment stung a little. It was true that I held a special place in my esteem for the High Dragons that once ruled over much of the lands. I saw them as the ultimate opponent, but there were two issues with trying to fight them. The first was that they are now extremely uncommon. The second...
"And yet, I cannot kill them," I sighed. "It would be murder, which I have sworn against. Unless I can convince one to attack me..."
'Your taunts or trickery would still label you the aggressor. I'm not certain of the exact oath that you made, but if it's worth anything it accounts for that.'
I grunted begrudgingly, then stopped. Snowflakes floated gently above the ground ahead of me, and my scowl turned into a grin. A wyld-glyph was hidden under the snow, waiting for an unwary foot to find it. I had finally found my quarry.
"Did you believe such a simple trap would ensnare me, fae?" I asked the air.
A small popping noise behind me indicated someone exiting the fair-realm. My grin grew wider as I turned to meet my foe. It stood before me defiantly, wearing a grimace similar to the one I'd been wearing moments before.
The arch-fae's masculine form was far more muscular than most wylder are comfortable being. Its shimmering, ivory-colored hair denoted that it was once beholden to the Winter Court. The bright red pupils that glared at me proved that it had forsaken its oaths, which was the very reason that I was hunting it.
Wylder are predictable creatures, once you get used to them. Even those that embrace chaos by forsaking the rules they've sworn to live by can be controlled by things as foolish as pride. Or fear.
"Well, well, well. A mortal bounty-hunter that doesn't even know the difference between a fae and an arch-fae," it sneered. "You have followed me quite a distance. Far enough to call it commendable, even. I will do you the favor of allowing you to introduce yourself before I kill you."
"Like I'd fall for that," I laughed.
Its eyes narrowed. The shimmering, silvery color of its iris' paired well with the gleaming red of the pupil. Beautiful, as far as signs of evil go. Unfortunate that its fleshy form must be completely destroyed, so I could not keep one of its eyes as a trophy.
"Ah, so you DO know possess at least SOME knowledge of my kind," it sneered. "Yet you're still foolish enough to try to hunt me down like some common game. I'll give you another tidbit of wisdom as a reward for your brazenness. Your death will be slow and painful, and those that sent you will suffer a similar fa-"
"Duolc Nori Tsac!" I interrupted.
Particles of the metal that the fair folk fear most appeared to rise from the ground, enveloping the oath-breaking wylder. It sputtered and waved ineffectually, but the spell faded after only a moment. Thankfully, a moment was all that was needed.
"Trickery!" it shouted, purple ichor leaping from its mouth and nose. "Oh, you absolute fool. That will not be enough to allow your escape!"
"MY escape?" I laughed. "That spell was meant to prevent YOUR escape."
The arch-fae's expression fell from anger to contemplation. It subtly waved a finger, and mystical energies appeared before being abruptly snuffed out. Then its face finally began to show the fear that I was due.
"Y-You are more of an idiot than I thought," it growled. "Die you foo-"
The arch-fae's fall to the ground interrupted its insult. I shook the blood from Gramr, then cast a fireball to incinerate its freshly severed legs. The once-proud arch-fae stared up at me with a look of pure horror, which I met with a malicious grin.
It used its remaining limbs to crawl away from me as fast as it could. It was fast, but not so fast that I couldn't keep pace. Finally, it stopped at a tree, propping itself up on the trunk.
"DIE!" it shouted, raising an arm.
A sharpened root shot from the ground, aimed directly at my heart. A flick of Gramr blunted the makeshift spear, and it thudded ineffectually against my chest. I stepped forward, shattering it.
The arch-fae lifted both of its arms to make ready for another assault. It opened its mouth to cast a powerful magic as its arms fell to the ground, freshly cleaved by Gramr. I stood above the arch-fae as it rapidly tried to understand what was happening.
"I-I-"
I leaned down and grabbed its jaw, holding it closed. Our eyes met, and I noted with satisfaction that tears were present in the once proud wylder's orbs. It made one final attempt at blubbering before I removed its ability to cast spells.
There are three ways in which a wylder can manipulate magics. The first is willpower, which I took care of with the iron cloud. Then there are gestures, which the severing its limbs prevented. Finally, there's speech, which the tearing of its jaw and tongue put an end to.
It gurgled a scream as I rose back to my full height.
"That's that," I said, staring at the pathetic mess blubbering before me. "Would you like me to introduce myself now that my name is of no use to you?"
The arch-fae bled from its wounds, twisting in agony. I realized that it was trying to slink away from me like a worm, and I nearly laughed. Many immortals have believed themselves to be stronger than me, but this is always the result.
"You will hear my voice, Vailun."
The arch-fae stopped moving and stared at me in shock. Slowly, understanding dawned within its eyes. It knew who sent me and why. Still had to say the words, though.
"I am the chosen of the Winter Court, Slayer of Dragons, Killer of Giants, Mightiest of Mortals, the Living Legend Agurno. I accuse you, Vailun. You have betrayed your oath to the Cycle of Seasons, and refused the burden of the Cycle of Fairness. You have forsworn your pacts with the people of Yilin village, committing unjust atrocities against them and damaging the reputable name of the Court of the Wyld. Of these actions you are hereby accused," I said, then sneered. "What say you in your defense?"
The arch-fae, obviously unable to speak, sat silently. The tears that had welled up in its eyes finally flowed freely, and the red in its pupils dimmed. A good sign that it would try to repent. My sneer faded into a somber expression.
"You say nothing. Your actions are indefensible. By order of the Court of the Wyld, you will be executed. As the chosen of the Winter Court, I will carry out your execution. Do you need a moment to offer a prayer to the higher ones for leniency?"
The arch-fae paused, blood still gushing from its wounds. The blood ran a sickly purple instead of the blue that winter-wylder normally bled. Once it finished its contemplations, it looked up at me.
I knew its answer before it gave it. The arch-fae's head turned to the left, and as it turned to the right it rolled off of its shoulders. I pulled out a cloth and wiped Gramr clean as I waited for Vailun to finish dying.
A few breaths later, the magic that was gripping the area lifted and a gust of heat washed over the snow. Vailun had been trying to avoid its rebirth, and had opted to create its own Kingdom of Winter instead. It had chosen the people of Yilin as its subjects, and had frozen their lands in an attempt to subjugate them.
Dwarves are more sturdy than that, though. Especially the dwarves of the north, who are forced to live through brutally cold winters. Vailun's efforts weren't even as intense as the passing season had been. The arch-fae's magics had caused them to delay their farming, though, which may result in famine in the nearby cities.
'Well, the queens will be pleased,' Gramr said.
"They should have asked for my aid sooner," I grumbled. "The peoples of this land are good and kind to the fair folk, but now they'll suffer due to their damnable stubbornness."
'They're not the only ones that are stubborn.'
"Careful, Gramr. I'm not in the mood for a lecture."
'I have nothing to give for your moods, orc. I will lecture you until you submit to my whims.'
I brought the blade up to my face and glared at it. This resulted in glaring at my own reflection, and the irony wasn't lost on me.
"And what if I leave you here?"
'Why would I fear that? Someone else will find me eventually, and I'll have a new wielder. Meanwhile, you'll have to find a blade that can withstand your might. Shall you cut off your nose to spite your face?'
I gave the sword a disgusted look, again aware of the irony, and cast a fireball on Vailun's corpse. I made certain that the spell would burn the tree that supped the arch-fae's corrupted blood, as well. No telling what diseases that may cause the plants to suffer.
'I say this because I wish to see growth within you, Agurno,' Gramr said. 'You must warm your heart toward your family. Your children, at the very least. I promise you that you will regret it if you do not.'
"Everyone makes mistakes," I replied. "Mine was thinking that I had it in me to be a father and a husband. I cannot give them the love that they need, and my absence ensures that they will seek it elsewhere. Perhaps they'll even find it."
'Empty platitudes. You just executed an arch-fae for betraying its oaths, yet you continue to justify your own betrayals.'
"I know."
'Why did you give your daughter that blade?'
Gramr had been with me when I met the engraver, Talin. She was stunningly beautiful, and well on her way to being a master of the craft. In an act of flirtation, I purchased one of her practice blades. She warned me that she got the blades for cheap because they weren't of good quality, but I told her that the engraving was so beautiful that I had to have it.
If it hadn't been for a sudden opportunity to leave, I'd have had her. The very blood within my veins calls out for challenges, but the only challenge to be had in Nuleva was that of bedding the women. I had hoped that the dungeon would offer something for me, but the monsters within it were far too weak.
The other adventurers in the settlement held contempt for my strength, as well. Not a single one of them were strong enough to stand by my side, and even if they were I had no need of a party. As such, my attempts at maintaining my sanity with the dungeon threatened their livelihoods.
So when I got the chance to leave, I took it. Alurn's mother hated me, so he was already used to my absence. Nima, though, became became crestfallen at the idea of my departure. Her cries cut deeper than any blade ever had.
"I gave her the knife to shut her up," I said, watching the tree burn.
'A lie of omission. You gave her that blade because you couldn't bear the thought of staying, and she had the power to convince you to.'
"Maybe," I chuckled dryly. "But then what? I would be miserable in Nuleva, and all of the monsters and villains I've slain since my departure would still be alive."
'Or someone else would have shouldered those burdens.'
"There's no one as strong as I am," I scoffed. "Even if other adventurers had been successful, they would have taken longer to get the jobs done. That would have cost lives."
'Hero's guilt, then?' Gramr let out a condescending laugh. 'Tell me a thing, Agurno. An arch-fae is a dangerous and cunning foe, even for one as strong as you. So how, then, did you so easily best that burning corpse? What was your advantage?'
"Its pride."
'I see. Do you?'
"No," I lied.
'A sudden and suspicious case of blindness, then. Shall we seek a healer? Nay, your justifications reek of pride, orc. I have forgotten much of my past, and there are many things that I do not know. However, there is one thing that I know for certain. Fate has the cruelest of humors. Do you believe yourself stronger than fate?'
"Whatever," I grumbled as the tree collapsed in a pile of ash. "Finish your lecture, blade."
'Whether it be head-on or from behind, you will be confronted with your sins, Agurno. I hope you are prepared to face them with dignity.'
I sheathed the mouthy sword and began to trudge through the rapidly melting snow once again. The people of Yilin would not be able to hold a feast to celebrate my victory, but they'd have at least reserved a somewhat soft bed for me. I would have to stay the night, and then go forth to seek my reward. It was the Winter Court that charged me with this task, but they have already begun their rebirth.
The Summer Court will have to pay me, instead.
Comments
Ben Bass
TYFTC! Very nice end of the Act! Congratulations on the wedding, I hope it all goes smoothly! Best of luck!
David Ellis
I like the mystery surrounding these two. Also, that story the sword told is *totally* "this is how *I* would have dealt with Smaug." 😉
