Chapter 9

I awoke sometime later, groggy and in pain, unsure of how much time had passed since my punishment. I was laying on a bed, face down, with only undergarments on and my back felt better than it should have, given the circumstances. When I tried to move, I found that my limbs were choosing not to respond, hopefully out of exhaustion. There was a tingling sensation going through them as if they were asleep and I figured it was to make sure I didn’t roll on my back. I could move my head from side to side, but little else would respond and I didn’t seem to have the energy to continue to try. I lifted my head as much as my current position would allow and looked around me to see where I was, realizing that I was lying on the bed in my quarters. I was alone at the moment and I really wished my room had a window, so that I would be able to at least have a hint as to what the time was. Fatigue once again crept up on me and I allowed the sweet embrace of sleep to claim me once again, hoping that when I woke, I would be able to move a bit more.

The next time I woke up I found myself on my back, a dull throbbing coming from where the whip had landed its blows. I found it hard to focus my eyes on my surroundings, however I was sure that it was still in my room. Minimal candlelight illuminated the room, because normally all four torches would be burning bright and I figured it was to help me rest. I guess they wanted to limit the light, to allow me to sleep better without distraction, to help with my recovery.

Once my eyes focused in the limited light, I looked around and found Amenthia sleeping in a chair next to my bed. She was curled up, resting her head on the arm of the chair, using her left arm as a pillow. Her legs were tucked into the chair, which didn’t look like it was comfortable, and her breathing was soft and shallow, signifying she was deeply asleep. She had a haggard appearance that was a stark contrast compared to how she had looked every day since I met her. I had the distinct impression that she had not left my side for anything, though how long that had been was unknown to me still. Despite the state she was in, she still looked beautiful as she slept, and I couldn’t help staring at her while she slept. I watched her for some time, as she tossed and turned in the chair and, after a while, she began to slowly awaken from her rest. She twisted and writhed as she stretched, looking a lot like a lithe cat, which was both beautiful and yet slightly erotic to watch. Despite the drool from her mouth and her hair being greasy and matted, she was still the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Her clothes were wrinkled and dirty from not being changed in what could only have been days - or even a week or so. She slowly opened her eyes and looked about the room lazily until they locked with mine. A look of surprise illuminated her face and she quickly scrambled out of the chair and came over to the side of the bed.

“Pathios!” she exclaimed. “You shouldn’t be awake yet, your wounds are still pretty bad, and the sedative was meant to let you sleep through the worst of it.” Tears formed in her eyes as she continued, “You have been kept asleep for a few days now, to allow your body to heal quickly, despite the pain. We have been administering a potion to help your body heal, to dull the pain and to keep your health up. The injuries you sustained have a damage-over-time effect and as an adventurer, the rules are still in effect. Unfortunately, if your health hits zero outside of a Dungeon, there is no crystal to protect you. You still have a few more days before the pain will be tolerable. That’s why I am surprised that you are awake so soon; the potion should have kept you asleep.”

She wiped away the tears that had formed and I knew from the look on her face, what she wanted to say to me. That I shouldn’t have taken her punishment for her, that I was stupid, and my choice only risked my life needlessly. That I could have been killed for what I did, and that she would have gladly taken some of the burden if I had given her the chance.

“I did what I had to do for the house and for us,” I said with a smile, “so I am going to need you to do a few things for me while I heal.”

The tears flowed more freely down her face, but she smiled and said,” Anything at all, Pathios, you just tell me what you need done and I will do it!”

“Thank you, my sweet,” I replied with a laugh, which irritated the wounds on my back. “First, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I need you to get out of my room. You look horrible and you smell like you haven’t showered in days, so you need to take care of yourself, too. After all, you are my partner. Besides, I like how you look, and smell and it would bring me some comfort to see that happy Amenthia standing in front of me again”

Her smile widened at that statement and I could see she, too, felt she was a bit too haggard. I had no doubt she would be looking like her old self by the time I saw her next, though feeling like her old self would come only after I had healed.

“Second, I need you to trade in the drops from our last mission, because we are going to need the gold. If you have already done that, or if we have lost them due to what transpired with Jonta, then it will make things a little more difficult.”

She pulled out the bag we stored our orbs in and said, “We still have them; I can trade them in after I get cleaned up.”

“Good, then the next step will be to go to Brot’k and get me new gear. Nothing specially made, as Tyr basically stripped me of any special privileges I had. Once I know Tyr has felt I have earned that right back, then we will get custom gear for me. Brot’k will know what equipment will match what I used to have, and I trust his judgment on it.”

A sad look returned to her face and I had no doubt she felt responsible for that particular loss. However, even if she wasn’t my partner, something like this was bound to happen, given the unique situation of my status in the Pact house.

“Try not to spend too much, as we will need supplies. I trust your judgement as well in what you will spend to get me equipped. After all, you helped me get my original armour, so you know what I wear and what weapons I use as well as what would not meet my needs.”

She nodded and she slowly moved closer to me. She smiled lightly and bent over to kiss my forehead, her normal scent was gone and replaced with a slightly sour one. This was no doubt due to how long she had spent by my side. She stood up, blushing slightly, and then rushed out of the room. I smiled at the exchange and laughed a little, which resulted in burning pain flaring up in my back. Stars clouded my vision and I once again allowed myself to slide into unconsciousness as the pain pulled me under.

My last thoughts before I slept were what Amenthia would look like as she washed herself under cascading water. The imagery of the water covering her hourglass figure, what her bare breasts would look like, her bare ass and, of course, her vagina. Those dirty thoughts would sustain me until I woke up next and I hoped that I would have healed a bit more by then.

I woke from a dreamless sleep, to find myself alone in my room, again unsure of the amount of time that had passed. The torches were lit this time, illuminating the room fully and allowing me to see easily. The worst of the pain in my back was gone, though the brunt of it still remained, reminding me every time I moved in the slightest. I had probably slept for a few days again and now my back was an intense, dull throb. I was sure that it would fade in time, but there was no telling yet how long that would take. I slowly tested my body, making slight movements of my arms, legs and torso to see how they moved and how much pain the movement would cause. I was stiff from lying so long, and my range of motion was still very limited, but it wasn’t as painful as I expected.

Taking the chance, I slowly raised myself up in the bed, being careful not to overdo it. Once I was vertical, I got slightly dizzy, but I was able to keep from falling as I continued to get out of bed. I was not surprised to find myself sans clothes, as they were no doubt a hindrance to the healing process, given that the whip had struck most of my back. Thoughts of Amenthia undressing me or taking advantage of my state of undress flashed in my mind and pleasant as they might be, I pushed those distracting thoughts away for now. I slowly and carefully made my way to the dresser at the far wall, taking staggering steps. Slowly I dressed, taking my time to ensure I don’t accidentally open any wounds that still needed to heal.

I returned to my bed and smiled. There was a plate of food, and a cup of water on a table beside it. As I got closer, I saw that there was a note on the desk beside the plate. It was based off the Norse runic alphabet, but thankfully, it was in written using English. It said that, if she had not come back and I was able to move, this food was for me to eat to regain my strength. I would need to speak with Tyr to find out where the books with the native Norse languages were. They would be my best way of learning the words that most of the runes were normally written in. The next time I saw Amenthia I would have her pass on the message to Tyr when she had the chance. I wasn’t sure he would help me, given what had recently happened.

I sat on my bed and enjoyed my food; the meat was rich and tasted delicious, cooked exactly as I liked it. The potatoes were flavored in a new, but delicious way and mixed with bacon. The veggies were a nice mix of asparagus, carrots and broccoli. It was an amazing meal that hit the spot just right and I had just put my plate down, when I thought to take a look at my current stats.

I activated the display and was shocked at what I saw. My health was currently sitting at less than a quarter of my max health and I had just eaten, which was a bad sign. My stats were showing negative numbers and a tab next to them showed it was due to the injuries sustained from my punishment. It seemed that the injuries were causing damage over time, which explained why my health was still low. That meant that until my wounds were healed, I would suffer the loss of each affected stat as well as damage to my health.

As I thought about the state I was in, the door opened and Amenthia entered. She looked like her stunning self once again, but there were still signs of fatigue and stress evident on her face. She had probably done what I asked about taking care of herself, but was still very worried about me, which I found very thoughtful. She was dressed in her normal attire but seeing me awake put a large smile on her face, as she rushed over to me.

“I am happy to see that you are awake and feeling better, Pathios. It has been three days since you last woke up and your back is healing nicely, but you still have a long way to go, so don’t overexert yourself”

Just as she said that, I had begun to stretch a tired muscle and felt a sharp pain in my back. I cried out slightly at the sharpness of the pain and the intensity caused me to lose balance and fall towards the bed. Unfortunately, I landed on my back and the impact sent pain shooting across my entire back, which only increased the discomfort and disorientation I was already feeling. Amenthia rushed over to help me, taking my arm and pulling me back up to lessen the pressure on my back. She wrapped her arms around me, careful to keep her hands and forearms off my back while she did so. She pulled me up gently and helped me get back up to a comfortable sitting position. I enjoyed the sensation of her pressed against me; the smell of her freshly cleaned skin filled my nostrils. It helped to distract me from the pain, even if that was not the intention as she attempted to make me more comfortable.

Once I was settled to her satisfaction, we made some small talk, though she was still embarrassed about what happened to me. I continued to remind her that it was my choice to take her punishment. She informed me that Brot’k was sad that I had lost all my gear as punishment for my transgression, as it was the first real custom piece, he had made for someone. She said that despite Tyr’s decree, he wished he could make a new one, but he lacked materials. I couldn’t fault the decision, given what I had done with Brot’k’s last gifts Then I took a deep breath and asked the inevitable question.

“What is going to happen to me now, Amenthia? Just how much longer do I have before I am fully healed, because while I do feel better, there still seem to be some limits to my mobility.”

Amenthia sighed and replied, “It will still take at least two weeks of rest and medication to get your wounds closed properly, ending the damage over time, that you are suffering. Once that occurs it would be very easy to get you back to full health, though we have no idea what the lasting effects will be from this. The scars from your punishment will still be there and - I will not sugar coat it, Pathios - some of them look pretty bad. I am not sure when, or if, you will be allowed to go back to the Dungeon. That will be up to Tyr and at this moment he seems to be not that forgiving of what happened.”

I couldn’t argue with her there. This was a very big deal, but I swore I would take my lumps, no matter what that meant. I worried that the extent of my punishment still remained to be seen, but most of that worry was about what effect it would have on Amenthia and her future as an adventurer.

She took my left hand in hers and continued, “Tyr has told me you will not lose the progress you made in your trials, since we did make it to the village and that occurred before we were ambushed by Fratis and Jonta. Given the fact you defeated Jonta, regardless of the level disparity, you were awarded completion of a second trial for defeating a stronger adversary that was technically double your level. We did not lose the drops from our time on the first floor before Jonta and Fratis arrived, so I will be stopping by the Guild to trade in the orbs for gold and plan to give the drops to Brot’k. Hopefully with the money we earned our first day, along with what I get today, we can afford some decent equipment for you. I know you had asked me to deal with that a few days ago, but Tyr asked me to concentrate on your recovery. I also made sure to take care of myself as you asked and once we are done talking, I will head out to do the tasks you gave me. If everything works out as I expect it to, you should be ready when you’re allowed to enter the Dungeons again.”

“Thanks, Amenthia.” I replied, “I don’t know what I did to deserve all the help that you keep giving me, I can only hope to keep earning that help.”

She smiled and hugged me softly before leaving, telling me she would see me when I woke up tomorrow. I watched her go, which was both sad and quite beautiful to watch as I sat, mesmerized by the sway of her amazing ass. Once she was gone, I tried to lay down and relax, but sleep would not come easy and it took an hour to ignore the pain enough to let sleep finally take me. My mind was filled with thoughts of what might come next and what trials I would have to endure when my consciousness left me.

When I awoke, I was not in my room, but instead I found myself in a room of marble. It took me a few minutes to find my bearings enough to recognize where I was. I had been in the room only a few weeks before, as this was where I had chosen my current path in this world.

The chambers of the Council were brilliantly lit, this time, and when I looked, it seemed that I was sitting in a marble chair with red upholstery. I looked up to see the Council looking down on me from their podium, their faces unreadable.

“Ah, so the young upstart has awakened, “boomed Odin, “You seemed to be making unexpected waves already, boy, both good and bad, you remind me of my stepbrother!”

He had a neutral look to him, his ravens sitting on either shoulder. Despite the look of neutrality on his face, his body looked to be rather tense.

Ra then continued, “You killed another adventurer, who was a member of your Pact house, over a woman no less! As you now know, this has not happened since the beginning of this world and the rules have been keeping that peace for millennia!”

His demeanor was much angrier than Odin’s had been, and the resonance of his voice shook the room slightly. He punctuated his anger by slamming his staff on the ground and I couldn’t bring myself to look them in the eye; the shame I felt at their disappointment was far too strong.

“While this is a horrendous act, it has caused us to look deeper into the day to day occurrences of the Pact houses a bit more closely,” Zeus uttered with an air of indifference. “It seems yours was not an isolated incident, as there have been one or two in each Pact house in the last few years. There have been unexplained injuries and deaths, ones that until now couldn’t have happened naturally. You shouldn’t have been able to kill him. His crystal should have activated and transported him to pact house. Each of the past deaths had happened in a higher level where the protection of the crystal was far less. Because of this, it has made us look closer at who was responsible,”

He may have been as angry as Ra, since his eyes were glowing and sparkling with electricity, but his voice had no trace of it. His hands were clenched in fists and his veins, I could see, were throbbing and yet he still seemed unfazed.

Saturn steepled his fingers and said, “We looked at the victims’ sagas while you have been recuperating and found some startling evidence of foul play. Because of this, we have decided to not punish you ourselves, so be thankful for that. You were given a chance in our world by our good graces; had you shown to be unworthy of the honor, you would have been bought before us. You would then feel pain like you never had before and would be sent to whatever manner of hell we determined would suit your transgression best.”

“Know this,” Zeus said with a hint of irritation. “Your punishment was decreed by us, over much deliberation. We voted first on if you should be punished, which was a three to two vote of yes. Then of the three that voted yes, they determined your punishment. Your loss of gold was a fine for the murder you committed, based on Norse law. The whipping was based on the punishment for murder within ancient Egyptian law. Shiva pushed for a maiming, but we put a stop to that with another vote. Tyr voiced his disapproval of our methods, but extreme action had to be taken. Tyr was the one to believe that your equipment should be taken as they had been, else the punishment wouldn’t work.”

“The sanctions were also placed on you by us,” Odin continued, “else it would cause strife if it were known that you still had special privileges after such a punishment. Publicly we had Tyr take responsibility, as we tend to not place ourselves within the issues of the world unless absolutely necessary. You have served your punishment well enough and, thanks to you, we will be instituting new rules and punishments for instances like this. As well, we will have to create new systems in place to catch this behavior before it starts, but we will be investigating to find the root cause of the issue. We have been far too passive, and now will be taking a more active role in enforcing the laws of this world. Rest assured, Young Pathios, should we find the source of this violence, we may call on you to do us a service on the matter.”

He showed the least amount of anger of those on the Council. He kind of reminded me of Mr. Spock, as he was more contemplative of the situation, analyzing it and seeing it from all angles.

“With that you will be returned to your room and to thank you for your help, we will heal the remainder of your injuries. There will be no scars and no lasting penalties from your punishment, and you will be allowed to re-enter the Dungeon to complete your final trial. But make no mistake, you will be punished if anything like this happens again,” intoned Shiva, “So be warned, young adventurer.”

“If it pleases the council, I would request that the scars stay, as a reminder of the choice I made. As well, it wouldn’t make sense for them to be gone only days after my punishment. I would also like to ask a few questions.”