Mythran's Master Of All

“Yee-haw!” Ren said as the entire group were magically pushed along the tunnel.

“RENNNNNN!” Elerlyth yelled and flailed around.

Ren, Teepo, and Artemis laughed, while Princess brayed in amusement. The group shot out the open end of the tunnel a moment later.

“NOOO!” Elerlyth screamed as she was flung across the small cavern towards the wall, then Etheria was in front of her and caught her easily. “Oh, my god!” She said and gripped her mount tightly. “REN! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!?”

“What do you mean?” Ren asked.

“You just shot us out of a tunnel like cannonballs!”

“Yeah!” Ren laughed. “Wasn't it fun?”

“FUN?!?” Elerlyth sat up on Etheria's saddle and glared at Ren. “I almost died!” She said and pointed dramatically at the wall next to her.

“What? Why?” Ren looked at her, and she felt that he was completely puzzled by her reaction.

“If Etheria hadn't saved me, I would have hit the cavern wall!”

Ren frowned for a moment. “Hold on.” He said. “Did you forget that you had Permanent Air Walk?”

“Wh-what?”

“You can stop your movement at any time.” Ren said. “Running, falling, jumping, being flung through the air... it all means nothing except having fun.” He said and motioned around at the others in the group. “We all came to a stop just outside the tunnel when the ride was over.”

Elerlyth looked at them, and realized that she was the only one that had travelled across the small cavern to the other side, and that had included her mount before it came over to save her.

“I'm sorry.” Ren said. “I'll remind you if this happens again.”

Elerlyth sighed as her anger at him faded away. She had thought that he didn't care if she got hurt from his stunt, and it was actually just the opposite. He believed that she could save herself whenever she wanted, and didn't try to interfere with her fun.

“No, it's me who should be sorry.” Elerlyth said. “I misunderstood your intentions.”

Ren felt her feelings and went over to her. “Elerlyth, I honestly thought you didn't need to be saved.” He said. “If you had been hurt, or even died, I...” He shook his head and pat Etheria's neck. “Thanks for looking after her in my negligence.”

The Phantom Steed neighed and nodded.

“Like I said, I'll try and give you some warning if something like that happens again.” Ren said. “In fact, maybe I'll just make sure it doesn't.”

“Wh-what?”

Ren dug into his Dire Wolf Hooded Cloak and took out his pet tarantula, then held it up to his mouth. “I apologize for disturbing you, My Queen...”

*

Lylyth, Queen of the Dark Elves, froze as Ren's disembodied voice spoke politely to her, and informed her that he was just attacked by Dark Elven Spider Riders.

“Call them off! Quickly!” Lylyth said.

The Dark Elf Lord's aide that had passed the order to attack the first time, ran from the room. Lylyth and the Dark Elf Lords listened as Ren told the Queen that he didn't kill either the Dark Elves or their spiders, and had healed the two spiders he had inadvertently hurt.

He's so considerate. Lylyth thought, then waved her hand and formed a portal. “Go to him and apologize... profusely... for the mistake.” She said to the healer, who had become her new attendant.

“Yes, My Queen.” The healer said and stepped through the portal without any questions or reservations.

*

Ren wasn't surprised when a portal appeared while he was talking, and then the healer stepped out of it. He felt how happy she was to see him again, and it made him smile as the portal disappeared.

“My Queen wants me to apologize on her behalf for attacking you.” The healer said. Her long dark hair was tied up in a mass on the back of her head, and if Ren didn't know any better, it kind of looked like a spider with the strands sticking out like they were.

“Even though it was me that set them off?” Ren asked as he tucked the spider back into the cloak, and the healer chuckled.

“I was about to say that.” She said, and Ren chuckled, too. “Why did you enter in the enemy's lands?”

“That's where I was at the time.” Ren said. “I've been fighting the ghoul hordes to clean them out, before they can turn around and go for the Human Kingdom.”

“Really?” The healer asked. “How do you know they will do that?”

“It's Adventurer's business.” Ren said. “Believe me, they were designed for it.”

“Oh, I believe you.” The healer said and touched her heart. “But, there's something you should know.”

“What's that?” Ren asked.

“I spend my time with the Queen, and I've seen that over the last day or so, nearly everyone that's been infected by ghouls has turned.”

Ren's emotions were suddenly cut off from her, and she gasped at their sudden absence. Elerlyth gasped as well.

“Princess!” Ren said and she was instantly by his side. He climbed up onto the saddle and used the Staff of Earth to make a tunnel a mile and a half long straight up. Artemis floated up beside him, then he, Princess, and Artemis disappeared from sight.

“Wh-what... what happened?” The healer asked.

“R-Ren... he...” Elerlyth shook her head. “Before he cut off his emotions, for an instant... I thought that I... I felt... horror.”

Ren rode Princess up through the tunnel. “Faster! Go faster, Princess!”

Princess felt his desperation and ran as fast as she could. They made it to the last walled city that had been attacked, and stopped in the air just above the shanty town outside of it. He couldn't feel any undead in his Aura, and he relaxed.

“To the healers! Full speed!” Ren said, and Princess ran as hard as she could. They were at the healers 3 minutes later and she landed in front of the ward. Ren hopped off and told Artemis to remain beside Princess, and ran inside. The healer and her assistant were chatting with a few of the latest healed High Elves and he went over to them.

“Please forgive me, but I need your services immediately.” Ren said. “I've got several hundred High Elves that are infected and need to be looked after as quickly as possible, or they'll turn.”

“O-of course.” The healer said and turned to her assistant. “Get enough herbs for that many patients.”

“Right away!” The assistant said and ran from the ward.

“How long have they been infected?” The healer asked.

“Since before I brought you back here from the castle.” Ren said. “I had just cleared out that horde, and delivered the ghouls from that.” He sighed. “I just learned that nearly all of the newly infected will turn instead of die.”

“Then let's go.” The healer said and she and Ren left the ward. He took out the normal cart that now had a top on it, and opened it up for them to get inside. He made a nice soft bench seat for them and attached it to the back of the cart, and added hand holds for them. The assistant came back with the proper amount of herbs, and he helped the healer and the assistant climb into the cart.

“Hold on.” Ren said and closed the cart, then climbed up onto Princess' saddle. “Easy at first, then pour it on.” He said, and Princess trotted up into the sky and did as he said. It took a few extra minutes to get back to the High Elven city because they didn't want to hurt the healer or her assistant, and they landed in front of the shanty town.

Ren told Artemis to stay beside Princess and opened the cart, then helped the two women climb out. He ran around until he found the female High Elf that he had talked to the last time he had been there. When he told her about the new infection rate, she told him they had disposed of 2 dozen High Elves already. Ren closed his eyes and sighed, and apologized for not bringing the healers sooner. The female High Elf put a hand on his shoulder, and he opened his eyes to look at her.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from NovelFire; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“You've gone above and beyond anything that anyone else has ever done for us.” The female High Elf said. “That includes the Unnamed Princess Allynna Arthion.”

“I didn't hear the elfling qualifier there.” Ren said, and she smiled.

“None of us here have had elfling servants, or even access to elfling servants.” She said. “Not treating you like a servant isn't that difficult.”

Ren nodded slightly, and saw the healers were already spreading out and giving the High Elves the initial treatment. “I wish I could heal the ghoul-infected instantly, then I wouldn't have to worry about this anymore.”