Chương 12: Wolfsport

The wolves emerged from the jungle, three of them, big and snarling and frothing at the sight of Fiona and Elias. The creatures had gotten the drop on the two heroes, as both of them were exhausted from hauling sacks of barley from the ruined granary and had hardly caught their breaths from doing so. The timing could not have been any worse, not that there was ever a good time to find yourself on the toothy end of a wolf when traipsing through the jungle.

The wolves took a step closer, perhaps meaning to seize their advantage. The creatures were almost identical to the wolves on Earth, Elias noted, only slightly more terrifying. These were bigger, more muscular and with slightly longer snouts and yellow eyes like one sees on a patient in the liver ward. Fiona was braced with her sword held high above her head. But Elias couldn't help but notice that the tip of it was trembling in the air.

In fact, all of her seemed to tremble at the sight of the wolves, and Elias realized perhaps this elf woman was not nearly as prepared to battle these fearsome beasts as she had let on. Back in the tavern where loose talk was often as easy to pour as another round, she had certainly spouted a good game.

Now that they were facing the flesh and blood wolves with their terrible teeth and lolling tongues, now that there was no audience of drinkers to overhear her boasts and brags, Fiona looked as though she might crumble under a stiff breeze. But to her credit, the elf shouted what sounded almost like a war cry. Elias couldn't quite make out what she said, but it sounded a bit like "Hello!" Then, she charged towards the wolf pack with that cry still echoing and her sword bright against the jungle backdrop.

Elias was preparing himself to back her up as best he could with that staff of his. But he could hardly even muster himself before the glorious charge was brought to an abrupt end. Unfortunately, Fiona tripped halfway through her second step towards the wolves. She really seemed to have a hard time keeping her feet, for someone who was supposed to be a skilled warrior.

She fell and the sword rang out as it smacked into a few of the ruined stones scattered on the jungle floor, sending sparks flying up as it rattled well out of reach.

"Oof … injury on the play!" called one of the wolves.

"We're going to have to see that in slow-mo," said another.

"Bad trade," said the last, gesturing to Elias.

"You're going to want to try and secure a first round pick next season." Elias was slightly comforted by the fact that these wolves could talk in the same way as those rats back in the basement had. That he could hear them, and understand their words. Although he wasn't quite sure exactly what they were talking about, dealing with speaking, sentient beings still seemed better than mute animals.

But the wolves crept forward still, reminding Elias that they were, in fact, predatory animals and did seem intent on eating the pair of adventurers. Fiona was in a fine spot to be the main course, sprawled out as she was and completely vulnerable. Elias raised his staff and made a threatening motion with it, trying to back the wolves off of his party member.

"Audible!" cried one of the wolves in response.

"Full moon 42, break!" At those words, the two other wolves vanished in a flash of vapor. When they reappeared, they were on opposite sides of Elias about twenty yards from where they had been standing. Their new position was much more advantageous—they now had the two adventurers flanked on both the left and right, coming in at pincer angles towards him. Elias, for his part, couldn't think of anything else to do except defend the woman to the death, perhaps joining her in her cruel fate.

They had set out in this expedition together and, at the very least, they would meet their ends together. Without giving it too much thought, except to listen to the voice in his head that spurred him to what passed for courage, Elias stood firm with his staff held high.

"Stop!" he shouted.

"Don't come any closer. Once I get swinging, I break skulls with this staff!" It was the only thing he could think of to say, and he certainly didn't reckon it was true. Those skulls of theirs looked as thick as any helmet.

"That defense looking ugly," replied one of the wolves.

"I thought this was zone coverage," said the other.

"Time out," called the third. The three wolves backed up and went into a quick huddle. They seemed to whisper lupine noises to each other, occasionally casting their yellow eyes back at Elias and Fiona.

"Wolf leg 42, break!" Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! To Elias' surprise, he suddenly heard a song coming from just behind him. From the ground, actually. Fiona was … surely, she wasn't … singing? At a time like this?

"What are you doing? Why?" he asked her. But she only sang louder. The words were in some strange language he had never heard before, and though it was quite lovely, he wasn't sure what the point of singing at a dire moment like this might be. Unless it was one of those death songs he had read about in those cowboy and Indian dime-novels of his youth. But Elias didn't have time to examine his companion's odd behavior. The wolves had regrouped and were encroaching once again.

Considering this might be his only opportunity, Elias lowered his shoulder, scooping up his companion and helping her quickly regain her feet. She rose and sang all the louder. Now that her pipes were upright, she had some serious lung capacity for such an average-sized humanoid. She fairly belted. Her voice packed a punch, but was also sweet. Elias could almost swear he saw the air around her mouth swirling with some deep vibrational power. # The song hardens your resolve. You feel strong! # That was interesting.

The refrain Fiona was belting actually seemed to be giving him strength. A certain power flowed through him. He could almost feel his skin hardening as well and a surge of hope that straightened his backbone. The wolves seemed to notice it too, and were suddenly slinking back, if only just a bit.

"Hook right!" cried one of the wolves, and the three of them hesitated. Otherwise, the wolves still seemed entirely oblivious to Fiona's almost deafening song. Or else, they were simply such savage beasts that they found themselves un-soothed by it. Once again, their tongues lolled and their teeth appeared from behind curled lips. They drooled and blinked their yellow eyes. Elias wasn't going to hesitate any longer. His thoughts were racing as he tried to decide the best course of action.

The best move on the board. Should they fight? Even buffed by the song, surely they would be devoured by the wolves if they tried to stand their ground. Should they run? They would miss the chance for a reagent, but live to fight again while not outnumbered and ambushed. But that wouldn't work. They would not be fast enough. Four legs were so much better than two. If only Elias could think of some way of speeding their escape. Some way of being fleet. That was it!

The Fleetcap mushrooms Goggs had given him for completing that quest in the basement! Elias acted as quickly as he could. With one swift maneuver, he pulled the fleetcap mushrooms out of his inventory, stuffed one in Fiona's open, singing mouth and another in his own.

"Run," he mumbled, trying to choke down the stodgy mushroom. It tasted like diesel and white energy drinks, but his legs responded immediately. They were suddenly electric. He could feel what a racehorse must feel, and from the look of Fiona, she felt it too.

"Run!" he shouted again. And this time they both did. They took off like twin bolts of lightning, moving on light feet. They raced through the jungle undergrowth now, dancing like gazelle over roots and stone. The two heroes moved almost in sync, like great galloping steeds at the racetrack nearly neck and neck. Apparently, the wolves had been anticipating this response. They seemed far less confused now, and ran just a dozen or so meters behind, licking their lips as they pursued the heroes.

"Technical foul!" one wolf shouted.

"Illegal doping scheme!" shouted another.

"I demand a piss test."

"WE CAN'T LET THEM GET AWAY!" shouted the biggest wolf, who Elias surmised was the de facto leader.

"It will be terrible for our stat sheet AND the season! You'll all be running laps for the next millennium unless you CATCH THEM NOW!" The heroes ran on, crashing through the jungle at increasing speeds. The chase seemed to be very evenly matched. As he wove through the trees, leapt over streams, and ducked under downed logs, Elias could feel the hot breath of the wolf behind him. It smelled like rotten meat and … maybe nachos? Also, it seemed to be getting closer.

Out of the corner of his eye, Elias saw one of the wolves take a serious misstep. It tumbled ass over face for about ten yards, coming to a stop near a boulder. # Wolf Tight End number 88 is out of the hunt with a suspected torn ACL. Return questionable until the heat death of the universe. #"You've ruined my starting lineup!" shouted the wolf behind Elias, without slowing its gait.

"My playoff hopes are RUINED!" Finally, they ran into a clearing. They ran across a flat rocky outcrop and, at the far end, came to a cliff. It was a sheer drop of at least a thousand feet, onto jagged rocks below. There was nowhere else to run. The area just at the cliff edge was overgrown with huge yellow flowers that hugged the boulders, their petals droopy and narrow. Fiona, panting next to him, shot him a look filled with fear. She stopped singing at last, as if she no longer had the wind to do so.

"You aren't really a warrior, are you?" Elias asked, panting. She hesitated. The two remaining wolves stepped ever closer.

"Well, I suppose if we are going to be eaten alive, I might as well tell you the truth," she said.

"No. I'm not really a warrior. I'm just a … a bard. And not even a very high level one at that."

"Why did you lie to me?"

"What do you mean, why? That's a dumb question. Bards are totally lame in this world! Warriors and other badasses, like the fireknights, that is who gets all the glory around here. I wanted to be one of them but … this world apparently had other plans."" Stolen valor? Are you freaking kidding me?" Elias said, exasperated. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I just wanted you to think I was a badass, OK? And maybe those stupid guys in the tavern who wouldn't let me play in their little dice game, too. Did you even see the look on their faces when you hired me to slay ravenous wolves? They couldn't believe it." As if in response, the two actual ravenous wolves took yet another step closer. They didn't appear to be the slightest bit worried about being slain by Fiona either.

"At least we can die warriors' deaths," she said.

"Even if no one is here to write any songs about it. Our second deaths will be glorious."

"Oh … well that's comforting," Elias remarked, watching the wolves lick their lips as they drew near enough to make one final lunge on their prey.