Chapter 1

So much has happened since I woke up to find I had died. I met some gods and goddesses, had to choose between Limbo or being reborn, so to speak. Since then, I have met two amazing women who (for some reason) care for me rather deeply. Not only that, but they love me and one another. There seems to be no jealousy between them and have only seem to grown closers since they chose to share me. My first life of being a social shut in, I could only dream of an outcome like this. Here, on Eden, things are much different than they were on Earth. The skills that got me labeled a nerd or loser now have aided me in my new life. I have had some uphill battles and the expected tough patches when teamed up with two gorgeous women. I have persevered with their help, made some new friends and some enemies. Most recently, we had someone breaking into our room to try and get Entivala. Despite the negatives, I look forward to seeing what life, and the Dungeon, have planned for me.

I was surprised when we found another individual trying to get into our room, and once Tyr got involved it was dealt with, somewhat. I would love to say that, after dealing with yet another person trying to get into our room, everything was now fine. Unfortunately, life as it is here, as well as on Earth, is never that simple. Kat’ilth’ana’s unexpected addition to our group was poorly timed and would easily hamper our immediate plans. We still had the quest we had to complete and Arachni to deal with. Kat’ilth’ana didn’t want to do anything, fighting us over the littlest things, until all of us finally gave in to our exhaustion. I had opted for the floor, trying to be a gentleman and show her I wasn’t as she expected. She didn’t care and threatened how she would make me pay for this once she was free of the collar. When the others awoke, we decided to go have a quick meal and training session before returning to the Dungeon.

Kat’ilth’ana adamantly refused to even get up from the bed, saying that she had been dealt enough indignities already and that she refused to be put through another one. A moment later she began to wail as the collar invoked a punishment for her unwillingness to listen to my request. As the pain finally subsided, she glared at me as if I had willed it to happen. I simply laughed at her childishness and we got ready to go, dressing for our sparring later. I, of course, enjoyed the view of my loves disrobing. Both made deliberately enticing movements as they took off their sleep clothes and put on their workout clothes. Of course we could hear Kat’ilth’ana’s mutters of disapproval and displeasure.

You would have thought that my choosing to sleep on the stone floor would have at least been treated as an act of respect. I could have just as easily been cold and heartless, making her sleep on the floor. I tried showing I am not what she assumes me to be, and that her notions are wrong. Instead of entertaining the possibility that she was wrong in her assumptions, she responded like a petulant child.

Once we were dressed, we collected what we needed for sparring and showering after. The whole while, Kat’ilth’ana sat on the bed in a typical childish manner. Arms and legs crossed and a deep scowl on her face.

“Are you going to continue this childishness?” I asked with an exasperated sigh. “I don’t want you to keep getting punished by the collar, but I have things to do. More importantly, I have a quest to complete and many lives are at stake. So, unfortunately the needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the one.”

She simply huffed and made no attempt to move. Instead she remained in her angry pose and stared at me defiantly.

I shook my head in disappointment, “Very well, when the pain gets too much, we will be down in the dining hall. If we are not there, then we are probably in the training room down the hall from here. I do hope you realize we don’t have to be enemies and you can trust us.”

I received only silence and a glare of contempt before turning to leave the room. I was surprised to see a guard stationed there but given the amount of times someone has tried to tamper with my room, it made sense to have one. I asked the guard to make sure the room is locked when she leaves to find us. He simply nodded and we headed to the dining hall. Even with all the things that had happened over the past few weeks, I had always had a happy disposition when starting my day. I am sure Amenthia and Entivala had something to do with that. Still, today was the first time I entered the dining hall in a morose attitude.

Amenthia and Enti could sense my darkened mood and had me sit down while they collected food for us. Entivala, being the loving and kind soul that she is, made sure to prepare a plate for Kat’ilth’ana. Enti was bringing back a plate of her own food, accompanied by Amenthia carrying her own, when Kat’ilth’ana entered the hall. She had the same scowl on her face from before as she stomped her way over to our table. I had actually expected her to hold out longer, but then again, I had no idea how the punishment from the collar worked.

She put her hands on her hips and said loud enough that everyone in the room could hear her, “So mister ‘I am a caring guy’, makes his women get his food for him?”

I sighed and looked at her dispassionately, showing that her words had no effect on me. She had a smug smile on her face as everyone’s eyes turned to us, to see what all the commotion was about.

“He is a caring guy, you closed minded bitch!” Enti yelled as she dropped Kat’ilth’ana’s food on the table with a loud bang. “He was upset about how things were going, so Amenthia and I volunteered to get everyone’s food. I even got a plate of food for your dumb ass just in case you did come down.”

Kat’ilth’ana’s eyes widened in shock at Entivala’s outburst, then narrowed in anger as she looked on Entivala with disdain.

“I don’t know how I ever called you my friend!” Kat’ilth’ana yelled at Enti. “The Entivala I knew would have always done what is right. She would never let some human manipulate her, nor would she put her own interests above the people of the Northern Forests!”

Entivala shook her head, “Nor do I, Kat’ilth’ana. The woman I grew up to call my friend was never this hateful, mean, or callous. She was someone who valued my opinion and ideas. I saw her as an equal and cared for that person. The woman who stands before me now, I don’t recognize. She is a shell of the woman I called friend and I don’t think I will ever see that person again. You have been blinded too much to see the truth in our words. It is a shame, I would have liked to have my friend back, not this stranger before me.

“As for the Northern Forests, they have been in disarray ever since the former King came into power. He ignored tradition to fulfill his own selfish desires. He hurt many families with his greed, your people included. This was bound to happen to him and his family sooner or later. His son only hastened the response of the gods and both are now punished. It was time for our people to move in a new direction that will bring better prosperity for our future. Even someone as blind as you should be able to see that!”

There were some present who replied with a chorus of support, many who were elves like Enti. Kat’ilth’ana looked around and saw she had no supporters here. She sat down with a thump and began to slowly pick away at the food Enti got for her. Amenthia and Enti took their positions on either side of me and we all ate in silence. I could see that both of them were irritated by the actions of our new charge, but I didn’t let it bother me. When we finished our food, I saw that Kat’ilth’ana had finished hers as well. I gathered her plate with the others and took it to the cleaning cart. On my way back I could see her staring daggers at me, but it made no difference.

“Okay, everyone,” I said with as much of a smile as I could muster, given the circumstances. “Time to go upstairs and get some training in before we return to the Dungeon.”

My companions smiled and each gave me a kiss on the cheek. Kat’ilth’ana rolled her eyes at the exchange but didn’t make a snide comment. We left and made our way to the training room and selected a mat for our sparring. Amenthia and Enti took training staves for themselves as well as one for me. We first went through the customary forms for their staff work. Both were picking it up fairly quickly and so I began showing them the more complex and advanced forms. With any luck they would have most of them mastered in the next few months and they would become a deadly force to be reckoned with.

Kat’ilth’ana watched from the bench nearby and from what I saw, it seemed as if she was generally intrigued. When they were done their staff forms, we moved onto weapon work. For now, I would have Amenthia fight with dual swords to get her used to the fighting style I was going to teach her. I had thought the bow, with its secondary staff function. would have been enough. However, the attack that left me poisoned made me realize that we might end up in a situation that would call for hidden weapons. I planned to get Brot’k to fashion the changes to her bracers as well as practice versions. Enti is as always, stuck with her staff and I decided to work with a single sword.

I heard a chuckle from Kat’ilth’ana and glanced over to see genuine amusement on her face, though I wasn’t sure what she thought was funny. As soon as she noticed me, her amusement vanished, and her scowl returned.

“So, Kat’ilth’ana, what is it you find so funny?” I asked. “I don’t have food on my face, do I?” I turned to Amenthia and Enti and said, “You promised to tell me after that noodle fiasco!”

Both of them started laughing and I looked over to see Kat’ilth’ana fighting to suppress some laughter of her own. I made a mental note of that small victory and waited for the dryad to stop laughing and reply.

“I am laughing at you, little man,” she said with a smug smile. “You think you can take on the two of them with a single sword? At least grab a shield or something.”

I nodded and said, “You are perfectly right, Kat’ilth’ana. How about you hold this until I need it, it should only take a few minutes.”

Amenthia and Enti shared a smile before nodding at me. I walked over and placed the wooden training sword next to Kat’ilth’ana and returned to the mat. I then closed my eyes, centered myself and then got into a ready stance. Amenthia and Enti’s smiles vanished and were replaced with determination as I opened my eyes. I watched both, waiting for them to make the first move. I was not disappointed as Amenthia ran at me and began attacking with varied slashes and thrusts. I calmly stepped out of each one’s path, ducked, or jumped over them as they came towards me.

I could hear Enti trying to move out of my field of vision and listened for the sound of her approaching attack. Based on the sounds her footsteps were making, I readied myself for her approach and I was able to time a dodge of Amenthia’s attack so that their weapons would collide together. Enti was able to keep hold of her staff, though she was knocked off balance, and the force of their blows sent one of Amenthia’s blades flying. Not to let that stop her, she pressed her attack and overstepped on a thrust strike, leaving me an opening to disarm and trip her. As she fell to the ground, I spun around to block Enti’s incoming strike with the sword I had taken from Amenthia and used the cross guard to twist the staff out of her hands.

I used my right foot to kick the staff out of her reach before she was able to regain it. Amenthia and Enti were not discouraged by how easily I had disarmed them and instead looked even more determined. They launched at me with kicks and punches, but I was able to block and deflect them with some ease after I tossed the blade aside. We danced like this for a little while, maybe ten or fifteen minutes, not giving each other any ground to advance. Then I made two quick movements that opened up Amenthia to attack. I was able to bring her down and get her to tap out before Enti could press the opening I gave her. With it just being us, I took my time until a misstep on her part allowed me to trip her and put her in position for a mock killing blow.

A few of the other people who were training had stopped to watch the fight and were now clapping. I looked over to see anger and confusion on Kat’ilth’ana face. It seemed she didn’t believe what she just saw, based on her expression. I didn’t think we had been moving too quickly for her to follow, but preconceptions can blind many to the truth that lies before them.

I smiled at her and said, “If you believe I cheated or it was a fluke, you are more than welcome to get two short swords and join me on the mat. If you do decide to spar with me, please bring the sword with you.”

She glowered at me as she snatched up the sword and tossed it to me as she passed by. She looked along the weapons racks, until she settled onto a pair of blades that were to her liking. She returned to the mat and began doing practice swings and flourishes. Her movements told me she had some experience with fighting, since sometimes novices don’t test their weapons beforehand. Some just grab a weapon and get ready to fight. Experienced people will test the weapons once they get them. They learn the balance, weight, and movement of the blades. It allows them to adjust their attacks to compensate for the effects the weapons would have on them.

Her movements were typical of testing the weapons, but I could tell that she was also overdoing it to try and show off. I guess she thought the look of her apparent skill with them would set me off balance, or something to that effect. When she was ready, she flipped her grip on the blades so that they both were pointing downwards, and I got into my own ready stance. Every move she made across the mat I mirrored as we orbited one another, waiting for the other person to make the first move. It seemed that she was wary of me, after watching me effortlessly disarm and ‘kill’ Enti and Amenthia.