Frontier Online

A Simple Errand Part 11

Rydr's jump launched him into the air and instantly smashed his head into the lowest branches of a nearby tree. The branch, almost as thick around as Rydr's head, broke in half at the impact. The giant saw stars and furiously rubbed his head even as he fell.

What he did not expect was how far he would fall. That brief disconnect between his expectation and reality was enough so that he hit the ground feet first and immediately keeled over. 

What the hell?

Syrna and Urginok leaped away for Izor's voice and turned around, ready for a fight. While there was no fight, they did find an exhausted homeless man in a dirty, blue bathrobe with his hands on his hips as he threw his head back and cackled. 

They glanced at each other, then at the crazy man, and finally down at Rydr, who still writhed on the ground and rubbed his head.

Izor ceased his cackling to stare at Rydr's new companions, his grin stretched from ear to ear. Both divers were assaulted with the same sense of vertigo that affected Rydr when he had first seen Izor. It was like looking at a malnourished, exhausted skeleton bag that had the energy of a five-year-old.

They watched Izor look upright as they heard a thunderous crash. The branch that had met Rydr's head broke off completely from the tree, some ten feet above their heads, and plummeted towards Rydr. 

Urginok started to move, but his effort to save his new teammate was wasted. Just as the branch would have fallen on Rydr's prone form, Izor stretched out his hand.

A translucent blue barrier appeared above Rydr's head and caught the falling branch, stretching out in the center as it accepted the branch's weight. Rydr was nearly pressed to the ground by the barrier until he shouted, "IZOR, get this damn branch off me!"

Rydr's bellows only served to release another round of cackling from the eccentric mage.

Izor said, "Well, I could remove the branch, you know, but you could remove it yourself if you used-"

"I. AM. NOTTA MAGE!" Rydr screamed at this specter of arcane knowledge. The branch was much larger upon closer inspection. Rydr wished the inspection happened anywhere, not on top of his face. 

A desperate look towards his teammates showed Syrna and Urginok restrained by bands of blue light that glowed brighter the harder they struggled. Similar glowing gags covered their mouths.

Izor hummed and stroked a beard he didn't have, "We can agree to disagree on that point." He continued to gesticulate his hand, thoughtfully in front of his own face.

"NO WE FU-" Rydr's insults morphed to an inarticulate cry of rage as Izor sat on the branch where it rested nearly on his face.

"Now, now, Rydr, we wouldn't want to attract any wolves now, would we?" Izor paused, his face full of anticipation, but Rydr's anguished screams of denial never came. 

"Rydr? The silent treatment is very childish, Rydr." Izor looked down between his legs.

Rydr pressed his face firmly into the dirt. His neck twisted painfully to allow him access to his earthy hiding place. Don't lookup. Don't lookup.

Izor, for once, was stumped. He couldn't understand why Rydr would imitate large birds, but right before he opened his mouth to ask his unfortunate recruit, Rydr released a pained whine.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Izor leaned closer, his head down between his knees he bent so low.

More than anything else, Rydr held one wish dear to him. More than his desire to change himself or to make Izor leave him alone. "Please...get a longer...bathrobe..."