Qing's Quest book 2, Chapter 2: Smokey and the bandits

Qing slowed to a walk as he felt the magic gathering in the area, concentrating around the sorcerer. The demonic energy of the summoning swelled in potency. Knut loosed arrow after arrow, all splintering on the invisible shield. The young girl lay unmoving in the middle of the circle.

He had to act fast. Arcane Missile? Firebolt? How do you interrupt a demonic summoning? The easiest would be to kill the summoner. But would that even stop it? What if…

In some books and movies, the summoner’s focus had to be perfect. If their concentration broke, the summoned entity could turn on them. Every time he used Grasp of the Dead or Raise Skeleton, it was a battle of wills. Maybe that could work here.

Qing called up a Firebolt, lobbing it at the sorcerer, no longer needing to worry about hitting the girl who stayed on the ground. The firebolt flashed across the ground, a shadow appearing on the sand next to Knut as the Firebolt passed, before it, too, splashed against the invisible shield.

Damn it!

Qing gathered energy for Arcane Missiles. Could the two of them overwhelm the shield in time? Maybe Arcane Missiles could pierce through since it was higher level? Qing stopped the casting as an idea formed in his head. Magic resistance… Maybe that was the key.

He located the void inside of himself and shaped a tube as he sprinted forward, passing Knut in a flash.

The girl screamed. She floated into the air, chest up, limbs and head pulled towards the ground. Suddenly, blood burst forth from her eyes and nails, running through the air to fill the ring drawn in the sand, turning it a dark red. The summoning was nearly complete.

But Qing was within range, and he cast Mana Siphon towards the sorcerer. The tube shot forth as he willed into it a diamond sharp tip. As it hit the shield, it felt like he’d punched glass, and the tip sliding across the barrier. Brow furrowed, Qing moved the siphon around, looking for a way in, but the shield was omnidirectional, a globe covering the sorcerer and the girl. But when pushed, it wasn’t like a needle against a glass globe. It felt more like a plastic ball. There was a flex. Maybe he could pierce it.

Qing closed his eyes and his face scrunched up, hands balled into fists, claws appearing unthinking, as he strained to push through. It bent. He grunted and took a deep breath, reset, and mentally pushed. Suddenly, the tip pierced through and he stumbled forward in surprise. But he held onto his concentration and shot the funnel forth straight into the chest of the sorcerer. It met resistance, but nothing like the shield, and Qing overpowered it easily.

The sorcerer stumbled, staff dropping to the sands, hands clutching at his chest. He looked up and met Qing’s eyes before screaming, “No!”

The magic in the area turned chaotic. Like a beautiful picture drawn in sand on a table, but then someone shakes it.

A roar filled the air.

Blood poured from the screaming girl. Qing ran forward, pulling down light energy, casting Divine Light, healing her. But despite the energy leaving him, nothing happened, for a moment.

Then, light gathered around her, outlining her whole body. But between the light and skin lay a darkness that could only be seen due to the light. Pain flared and Qing stumbled, hands grasping the top of his head, nails digging into his skin, as he face-planted into the sand and skidded. The cold ground pulled on his warmth. Teeth clenched against the pain, he twisted in the sand, looking at the girl. The light and darkness fluctuated, keeping a rhythm with his headache, until suddenly the light collapsed inwards. She glowed, and the bleeding stopped as her wounds healed. Then she collapsed to the ground, one of her arms falling across the circle, breaking it.

Qing rose to his knees and covered his ears as a deep laughter boomed through the air. The sorcerer ran, sprinting away from the circle.

Knut lined up a shot.

‘Hold,’ Qing said. Something was coming, fast.

A massive arm erupted from the sand, grasping the sorcerer around his waist as if he was an action figure. It was blood red, covered in scales and spikes, and each finger ended in a nail long as a claw, each black as a hole, seeming to such in the light. A final scream from the sorcerer, and then the hand squeezed. Like a tube of tomatoes, red splattered across the sand, and the hand pulled the remains into the ground. The desert boiled for a moment before falling still.

“Holy shit!” Knut said.

“No. Devil crap,” Qing replied, before chuckling. “That was too close.”

“You are insane.”

Qing felt a crazy smile creep onto his face and he shrugged. “This entire world is insane.”

They moved to the girl, who looked hale, but lay unmoving, as if she was sleeping.

“Is she okay?” Knut asked.

Qing closed his eyes and sent his senses out. He could feel no more magic in the area.

“Maybe? Let’s get her home. There’s nothing more we can do here.”

As Knut picked her up and started wandering back to the others, Qing ran over to check on the sorcerer. Two legs, one arm, and a bit of his head was all that remained. The staff lay splintered, but the circlet glowed on the sands. Qing picked it up.

Item: [Circlet of Azure Wisdom, Level 17, Rare] has been added to your inventory.

Made from Zylphadian gold and set with the Seer’s Stone, The Circlet of Azure Wisdom has been used by Zylphadian sages for centuries. Most prominently was Maone the one-throated, who served as court mage for five kings.

+15 to Intelligence

+20% to Mana Regeneration

(Circlet, Headgear)

“This might come in handy,” Qing muttered as he ran to join his friend.

“That was lucky,” Knut said.

“Yes, it was. I had hoped we were finished with demons.”

“You and me both, brother.”

Qing took a deep breath. “Let’s go check on the other kids and make sure Jenny doesn’t kill Morgana.”

***

It was a tired but happy group that arrived at the watering hole where the True Moon tribe had set up their camp. The parents and the elders ran out to meet them, with the kids running ahead, crying in relief. Qing smiled as a deep tension left his shoulders. As the little girl was swept into the arms of her big brother, Qing took a deep breath, pulling in the sight. She had woken up on the way back and seemed to have no recollection of the summoning.

The leader, Kameel, stepped forth, blue robes flowing. He grasped his own forearms, lifted them throat high, and bowed deeply. “Thank you, champions. We are in your debt. You have saved our kids, our soul, and the future of our tribe. Forever you will be welcome at our fires. Always you will have a share of our water.”

Unsure of what to say, Qing snuck a glance at Knut. His friend mimicked the elder’s gesture and bowed in return, so Qing did the same.

“All in the will of the great God in the sky,” Knut said.

Qing kept silent.

“And so it was,” Kameel replied before opening his arms wide and giving a huge grin. “Welcome, friends! We have gifts, food, and would celebrate your heroics. Join us!”

Quest Complete: [Rescue the children]

Bandits have kidnapped The True Moon tribe’s children. Rescue the children, bringing them back to the tribe.

-Objective: Rescue children (6/6)

-Optional objective: Defeat bandits (15/15)

-Optional objective: Defeat bandit leader (1/1)

-Reward (Received): Thawb of the moon

-Optional reward (Received): Health potion x 2

-Optional Reward (To be received): Smokey

Item: [Health Potion] x 2 has been—

Item: [Thawb of the Moon, Level—

Qing closed the windows as they opened, and then said “Uh-oh,” as energy flooded through his being, hauling him into the air.

Level Up!

“Congratulations on reaching level fourteen. Open character screen to distribute new stat points.”

The tribesmen shied away, running, staring back as he floated up. Energy filling every pore in his body until they burst with energy and a golden bubble exploded from him. Every part of his being vibrated with energy as he dropped to the ground. He no longer sank to his knees as he landed, but absorbed the shock with his powerful legs.

“Ding,” Qing said as he dismissed the text.

“‘Congratulations!” Knut said, as Qing had taught him the custom was.

Jenny nodded.

Morgana stayed silent.

“What in God’s name was that?” Kameel asked, turning to Knut, eyes wide. “Is he an angel?”

“Not in the way you think,” Knut said with a chuckle.

“Yes,” Morgana said.

They all turned to stare at her.

“What do you mean?” Jenny said, hands on her twin axes, face scrunched up, pulling on her scars.

Morgana shrugged. “For these people, he’s the closest to an angel they’ll ever see.”

“Don’t be daft,” Qing said. “I’m no angel.”

“Then…what are you? You rescue our children from an overwhelming force, you fly, you glow, and…where do you come from?” Kameel asked.

“Eh…Chicago?”

***

They stayed for a meal, served around a gigantic bonfire, and the tribe brought out wonderful drums, filling the night with happy rhythms. The kids danced and played around the fire, safe at home once again.

As Qing munched on a piece of mutton, the fire hot on his face, the Elder waved at a tribesman. He disappeared for a moment before returning with a massive camel. Qing and the party had brought twenty camels back from the bandit’s camp, and gifted fifteen to the tribe. They also handed over the weapons they found. They were all of normal quality and not worth much to the group, but for the tribe, they were priceless.

This specific camel was unlike any other camel he had seen, though he hadn’t seen that many over the last week of hiking through the desert. This one was the size of a car, and it had three humps, which seemed unusual.

The tribesmen all rose, and the elder said, “Qing of Chicago, as a thank you for saving our children, please accept this gift. His name is Smokey and has been my ride since I was a young man.” Kameel’s face broke into a grin, and he waved enthusiastically for Qing to follow as he hurried over to the camel and gently caressed its camel’s face, scratching underneath its chin. Then he grabbed the camel’s lips and peeled them back.

“Look!” he said. “Smokey’s got perfect teeth, even though he’s sixty years old! It’s a magical camel, and I would like you to have it.”

Somehow, Qing felt he should refuse. So he did. “No, I couldn’t possibly. I mean, this is your camel.”

“No, I insist, habibi.”

“But We’re only going to the Gilded Hold. I might not even need a camel after that.”

“If you don’t accept this camel,” Kameel said, raising a finger into the air, brow furrowing, “it is a slap to my face. You will cause me great distress!”

“But…”

“No more buts!” the man said with a smile, placing the reins in Qing’s hands.

Qing peeked at Knut, who smiled and gave two thumbs up.

He closed his hands around the reins.

Mount: [Smokey, epic] has been added to your inventory.

Smokey boasts three impressive humps and a size that dwarfs even the largest camel. With smokey fur and perfect, gleaming teeth, Smokey is a mount of distinction and pride.

Raised and trained by Kameel, the former king of bandits, Smokey forms strong bonds with riders, ensuring loyalty and protection in the harshest of environments.

Its massive frame can carry heavy loads without tiring, making it an ideal companion for long journeys across the most unforgiving terrains.

(Mount, Camel)

“Oh, wow…”

That’s new.

“Yes! Yes! You recognise what an outstanding specimen he is, no?”

“Yes?” Qing said and smiled.

Smokey seemed unconcerned about the whole affair, mouth working constantly, chewing on god knew what.

Later, when Kameel insisted they stay for the night, Qing turned him down, despite Morgana’s complaints. “We have to get as far as we can tonight. Our quest cannot afford delays.”

With both water skins and bellies full, they rode out of the camp, camels rocking beneath them as children and the tribesmen waved them goodbye. Qing tried to find a comfortable way to ride Smokey, tensing as his new steed walked along the edge of the dunes.

***

A few hours later, nearly sleep riding, they stopped, just off the beaten path, in a gully between several dunes. Jenny made a fire against the cold desert air, which Knut lit by putting an arrow to his bow and touching the then glowing tip to the wood.

“That’s never going to get old,” he said, putting it tip down into the sand to cool.

“Let’s talk about today,” Qing said. “This was our first big fight as a group.”

“Except for that other group of bandits,” Knut said.

“There were only four of them,” Jenny added.

“And the fight with the wild dogs,” Morgana added.

“Of course that one doesn’t count. We didn’t even have to kill any before they ran away,” Knut said.

“Yeah, but Qing made us chase them down anyway,” Morgana said, tossing some sand towards the fire.

“They could have attacked and killed innocent people,” Qing said, and something in his tone made the others quiet down. “Today could have gone horribly wrong.”

“But we saved them all," Morgana said. “And it’s not as if it was close. Only me and Jenny got wounded, and you healed us both.”

“That’s the problem, Morgana,” Qing said. “You don’t even see it. An innocent girl nearly died today, because you fled combat to seek safety and put your life above hers. You asked to join us so you could work on redeem yourself for what you did working for Rufus. This is not the way. This is not how you earn our trust. You need to do better. Be better. As champions, we cannot be selfish.”

The only sound was the fire’s crackling.

“You get one more chance to prove yourself. Don’t make me regret it.”

“But I—”

“Don’t. You’ve said enough for today. It’s time we sleep. We have an early morning. I’ll take the first watch. Knut, you take the second, Jenny, the third.”

Morgana opened her mouth, but closed it under Qing’s glare and lowered her eyes to the sand, trailing her fingers through it, drawing spirals.

They all heard the unspoken part. That Qing didn’t trust her to sit watch.

As the others settled down to sleep, Qing climbed to the top of the dune and sat down. After willing his light to dim, he stared into the darkness.

He thought of home. His baby sister. Did the hospital still have power? Maybe she was watching him right now, as she used to do when he streamed. A smile tugged at his lips, but his heart ached.

How far has Rufus made it? Is Cleo ok? When is the next boss? Will I be ready to face it?

He sighed.

At least the world hasn’t ended yet, which means there is time… But how much? We need to get to the Gilded Hold, talk to the king, and secure his support. Then we can track down the bastard and end this.

Qing spent his watch playing with his mana. He’d connect with the light energy above, pull it down as if he would cast Divine Light, and then release it. It was like doing pushups. He focused on every step of the process, trying to gain a deeper insight, looking for some piece of knowledge that might one day help him access the spell while on Earth. He could have sworn that he had felt mana when he’d been there…

The night passed fast, and Knut woke them as the sky brightened.

But as they set off and crested the first dune, Qing gasped.

“My god!”