The Unbidden: The First Tome (Side Stories 1)

The Elf and Tragedy (Part 4)

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Several years had passed since we went to that citadel. There were many arguments on the return journey, none of which I remember. We had gone on several high-profile quests for the nobles of the region who ended up paying us so handsomely that we had enough money to retire from any sort of adventuring.

Raena and I got married a few years back to solidify our bonds. Garin was genuinely surprised, Arnnen was indifferent, and the entire staff was excited for us. Hells, even all of Bellfrost was happy. I gave most of my money to the townspeople since I truly had no need for it, and Raena donated most of her money to the staff.

We tried laying most of the staff off, but with all the things we had done for them, money notwithstanding, they refused to leave. It was rather obnoxious as first, but we realized everyone was just a large family.

Even after retiring, we were still solicited by several nobility and guilds to do jobs for them, which we obviously refused. After some time, they finally gave up and let us live our lives in relative peace. Often enough, we got visitors who just wanted to ask questions which was a nice change in pace.

Arnnen had come butting into our rooms one by one and called us down to the foyer one day.

"What could you possibly want us all for? Have you not been in your room the past years?" Garin asked with a yawn.

"Of course, of course. Research requires dedication."

"On with it, gnome. What did you call us down here for?"

He slapped a scroll on the circular table in front of us and spread it out. It was a map. Specifically, the map of some underground place.

"Nope," Raena stood up immediately.

"You do not even know what it is,"

"A dungeon. One you want us to go in and get something for you."

"Well yes, but 'tis not an item for just me. 'Tis the final ingredient for everything!"

I sighed in annoyance.

"You have said the same thing a couple different times now," I butted in.

"And your elvish ears are mishearing. Everything has been to get me closer to this point. This is the final piece and I have found its location. We simply need to retrieve it."

"How far away is it, even?"

"Two months. If we take the teleportation rings, we can avoid the roundtrip."

Everyone must have gotten used to the retired life, as even Garin seemed hesitant to go.

"How dangerous is it?" he finally asked.

"Maybe a few undead guards, nothing major."

Lo and behold, he somehow managed to convince us to go, and just as Raena predicted, there was definitely something major.

"How do you expect us to fight a death knight!?" She screamed, dodging one of its necrotic sword swings.

"No fighting, just distracting!" Arnnen laughed happily as he made a mad dash through the last part of the dungeon.

We took turns launching attacks against the death knight, but nothing phased it. They did not get their namesake for nothing. They were the evil embodiments of holy warriors lost to dark emotions and acts.

Maybe the lack of fighting over the years was making me weak, but I nearly got hit by his blade. Garin saved me by putting an exuberant amount of Martial essence into his forearms and blocking the attack.