INTEGER UNLIMITED

The group found a small opening in the mountain which appeared to be a small cave. Koram and Budmuk looked in for any danger while Leo stood guard at the entrance. Once they confirmed the area was safe they set up their camp for the night.

The silence carried through while they set up their camp for the night. Budmuk and Koram seemed to be wrapped up in thought as they replayed the earlier encounter. Leo felt guilt, he worried about the orcs that may be still alive and in pain spread throughout the mountains.

Leo understood that he had to fight back to keep Budmuk and Koram safe. Despite this, he couldn’t help but think of the poor orcs that have been left to suffer. He looked at his muscular hands, he now had the body of an adventurer but wasn’t sure if he had the heart to be one.

Koram once again prepared stew for dinner, a simple meal filled with energy. While Leo ate, he noticed an off taste in the food. The food was the same as always, a wonderful mix of spices and seasoning. What tasted off was the vegetables, they tasted as if they’d wilted and gone stale in the span of a day. It was edible, but had lost its spark that made it absolutely delicious.

Leo didn’t want to strike up a conversation about Koram’s food having worsened, so he went to bed after he finished up. While he laid in bed, his restless mind focused on the orcs. When he had spent enough time wondering about them, he finally felt himself fall asleep.

In his dreams, Leo felt the call of a powerful force, alongside the scent of rotted flesh and the screams of tortured souls. Through the cries of agony, for just a split second, Leo swore he could hear Budmuk and Koram cry out for help. Leo shot out of bed in a panic, the force enough to throw his tent off of him. He looked at where Koram’s and Budmuk’s tents should have been.

Their campsite was left in ruins, the only remnants of the others tents were torn scraps of fabric left behind. The full moon reflected enough light to see the absence of the others, but it didn’t shine down on any clues as to what happened.

“KORAM, BUDMUK, WHERE ARE YOU?” shouted Leo, his voice panicked.

Without a response he decided to look out of the cave, as he hoped that they’d simply gone for a “destroy the camp and look at the stars” outing. He didn’t find Koram or Budmuk, but instead he was greeted by the sight of spilt blood. Unsure of what happened to Koram and Budmuk, it was clear that they didn’t leave without a fight.

Leo bounded up the side of the mountain, as he followed blood splatters and torn vegetation as his guide for the path. Without a need to wait for others or hide his strength, he was able to move much faster than before. The downside was the large craters he left behind in his frantic run.

With the moon as his only guide, Leo tried his best to follow any traces of their existence. It didn’t take long for him to quickly scale up the mountain, but the trail had run cold. He took dangerous routes and gambles to try and get closer to where they were headed, but he still had lost them.

Soon there were no longer any signs left of Koram or Budmuk. He reached a large clearing, alone except for the moonlight. Leo looked desperately for any signs, but with nothing to be found he decided to take more drastic measures. He steadied and braced himself, as he steeled his nerves and senses.

Leo leaped into the air, his body stiff as a board so that he doesn’t drift and land someplace else. While he rose, he desperately scanned the illuminated mountain for any sign of his friends. He caught a glimpse of them while he fell, they were two specks near the top of the mountain. What worried him was the swarm of dots that surrounded them.

The flat clearing shattered and cracked as Leo landed back on it. The clearing was heavily damaged, but Leo didn’t have time to worry about it. Koram and Budmuk could be in danger, and Leo couldn’t waste time getting up there. He decided to try and jump for it, launching himself up to the mountaintop.

He angled himself forward on the unstable ground and launched himself up as close to the mountain as possible. The clearing was turned into flying rubble and rocks, as he soared past his target. He had a clear view of the situation below as he descended.

Within a crackling green barrier was an injured Koram, who held a profusely bleeding Budmuk. They were surrounded by a swarm of monsters that appeared to be rotted and melting. Leo tried his best to avoid an unfortunate crash, as he landed in the space between the horde and the barrier.

“LEO?” exclaimed Koram.

Leo stood up and collected himself, and looked at Koram and the half-conscious Budmuk as they stared in shock.

“Hey, guys,” responded Leo.

“Oh Gods, the blood loss is making me crazy,” mumbled Budmuk.

“So, what the hell is happening?” asked Leo.

He noticed that the horde of monsters had started to approach him.

Koram shouted, “We were taken in our sleep. We were unable to fight them off and they dragged us here.”

Leo glanced at the barrier, “Alright, what exactly are you in right now?”

“We broke free by the time they dragged us up here. I’ve been holding a barrier to keep us safe. but I’m going to run out of mana,” answered Koram

“So, you’re safe in there?” questioned Leo.

“Just about, as long as the barrier remains active. I’m sorry, but I can’t dispel it to let you in. I don’t have the energy left to make a new one,” lamented Koram.

Leo grinned, “No worries, just wanted to make sure there was no need to hold back.”