The Runesmith Chronicles Ch. 15

In the distance, Kal saw a large area of the magic crystals start to glow as the mana golem stood up. Its legs took up a full three-quarters of its height and turned into a strange downward pointed triangular body with arms that were nearly as long as its legs hanging from the shoulders. An image of a face flickered in front of a small nodule that stuck up from the body where a neck would be. Instead of charging as Kal thought it might, it just raised a hand and one of the magic javelins Gerda had told them about began to form in its hand.

Kal tapped Gerda again more urgently this time. She attached the last of the clusters to her body and stood up just in time to see the crystalline spear crash through Kal's shield and bite deeply into the right side of his chest. Gerda's rock hand quickly grew to giant proportions and wrapped around the back of Kal's head since both of his hands were now holding the large crystal spike sticking out of him. She threw herself backwards and into the wall as the mana golem launched a second javelin. She felt the impact through the stone and felt the agony through her bond as the spear penetrated enough to slice into Kal's leg even while he was phased with Gerda. The golem girl froze in panic for a moment until she got the strong impression to take him back to the caves they had done their preparations in.

Kal activated the healing rune and took care of his leg as they jetted upward. He tried tugging the spear out, but something was holding it inside him and he was forced to endure until they came out into the open air of the cave.

Kal let out a yell of pain he had been holding in since the crystal pole had first pierced his skin. Gerda had made sure that the far end was resting on the floor before making them both solid again. She quickly came around to his front to see how she could help.

"Cracked rib. The tip is barbed. Can't go through, will hit shoulder bone. Will have to come back out, lots of damage that way," she said, her flat tone not reflecting the worry on her face.

Kal gave her a determined look, "Out," he whispered.

Gerda grasped the javelin and put one hand on his chest, looking closely with her ruby eye she tried to line up the barbs with the entry wound. She then met his eyes and gave him a sincere look of apology.

Kal nodded.

Pain blossomed in his chest at the same time the healing rune flared on his bracer, the pain-deadening part of the rune was likely the only thing that kept him from passing out. He felt his rib line back up and fuse together as the tissues around it mended. He dropped to his knees and coughed up all of the blood that had collected in his lungs from the wound. He was actually pleased with how little there was.

Still holding the spear Gerda suddenly whipped around and looked down the cave, a moment later Kal heard what drew her attention. Hundreds of legs clicking across the stone, drawn by the smell of blood.

Gerda turned back, "Giant centipede, we must go."

With the healing rune still shining bright, Kal quickly stood and took the spear from her before grabbing her hand and nodding. They sunk into the stone just as the centipede's huge antennae and mandibles came into sight.

---

Ikuno was outside to greet them as Kal and Gerda stepped out of the mountain. She was taken aback by the blood-tipped spear Kal was holding and the various clusters of crystals Gerda was sporting from her body. She raised an eyebrow at Kal's torn and blood-stained shirt.

"I felt you get hurt," said Ikuno, "From the looks of things you are okay now?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he replied looking up at the tip of the spear. "believe it or not this thing hurt worse coming out than it did going in."

Ikuno's eyes widened in astonishment as Gerda began detaching crystals from her body and setting them in the grass. "Are those...?"

"Yes, they are. Gerda managed to get quite a few more then I expected before the mana golem turned me into a pincushion with this thing." Kal looked down at his torn trousers, "He also managed to get my leg when we were already in the rock. That may explain why golems don't like going near them. On top of that my shield only slowed this thing down, good thing too or I might have ended up nailed to the wall, or worse it could have gone through me and into Gerda. Putting it lightly I don't ever want to go back there again."

Ikuno was only half listening as she bent down and inspected one of the smaller bundles of crystals, Gerda doing the same with the last one she detached. "What kind of quality are these, Gerda?"

"These are all perfect to near-perfect. Some just need cutting."

The oni whistled, "You really have no clue what you brought back do you?" Seeing Gerda and Kal's blank faces she continued, "This many near-perfect crystals could get you enough gold to buy yourself a small kingdom if you found the right bunch of wizards. Then again they'd probably just try to kill you and take them instead." She nodded towards the crystal spear, "What about that?"

Kal handed it to the golem who peered closely at it with her magical eye, "Cracked at the tip. The rest is flawless. We can use this for the pendant. It just needs to be cut."

"Wait... how do we cut these?" asked Kal

"Diamond," said Gerda like it was plainly obvious.

"Sorry I'm, fresh out," Kal deadpanned. "Besides if we had one you might end up eating it... Wait a minute you could bite through it!"

Gerda's face screwed up, "Wouldn't eat a diamond. Hard to find and no taste. Like chewing on hard air." Gerda looked at the spear in her hands, "True, but why use diamond or teeth? Has same grain direction as amethyst. Push one side pull the other," she said holding it up for him.

Kal looked closely at the crack that was already in the crystal javelin and picked a line right next to it. After taking a moment to tie his will to the crystal, instead of moving both sides Kal moved only the side with the crack in it, keeping the other still. With a ringing snap, the head of the spear fell into the grass leaving behind an almost perfect angled oval facet on the end of the handle.

Ikuno chuckled from behind him, "from lifting dirt to shearing gems, you've come a long way in a short time."

"Sorry Ikuno but I have to disagree with you there," said Kal producing the moonstone and amethyst jewel wrapped in linen. He looked up at her, "just watch."

Holding out the jewel, Kal looked at Gerda, "The sun is going down and I need to be home so I can celebrate Perra's birthday with her. I can't afford to make a mistake right now and break this by accident. Would you please finish it up for me?" he asked.

"It'll cost you," she said smiling as her eyes dropped to his groin before meeting his again.

"A debt I will pay happily, and with loads of interest, just not tonight."

Ikuno snorted, "As many loads as he can manage," she said bursting into laughter

Smiling, Gerda set down the pole of the spear and took the jewel from him. With her other hand, she snapped off one of the barbs from the spear point, ignoring Kal's dried blood on it. Holding it up between two fingers the outer layers of crystal appeared to just fall off of their own accord. She then pressed the shaped crystal into the slot Kal had formed earlier in the back of the jewel. Within a few seconds, the edges of the amethyst had grown over holding the crystal in place permanently.

Ikuno looked suitably stunned at how fast and precise Gerda had been as she slowly handed over the silver chain and pendant the setting would be attached to. A moment later, Perra's necklace was completed.

Kal wrapped Perra's birthday gift back up in the linen and placed it in a pouch before starting to make ready to leave.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" asked Ikuno.

"Home," said Kal looking dumbfounded. Hadn't he just said that?

"Like hell you are," she said walking over to the mouth of her cave and grabbing two baskets with their soaps and towels laid across the top. "You've damn near been to hell and back, as far as I can tell, and you certainly smell like it. Since you never officially rescinded your 'servitude' I'm ordering you to march up to the pool and wash off, no girl of mine is going to get a stinky cock on her first time if I can help it."

Kal stared in shock at the oni. Perra had always been insistent that she did belong to Ikuno in accordance with the Knight Balthus's decree for saving her life, twice. Until now, Ikuno had never acknowledged any kind of guardianship over the young woman.

"Your girl?!" he said in surprise. Then Kal gave the oni a lecherous grin and waggled his eyebrows, "So, does this mean if she joins us in bed I'll get to see some hot mother-daughter action?"

Ikuno's cheeks turned dark purple as she threw a lazy kick in his direction that Kal easily danced away from, laughing. "You bastard! Off to the shower with you! Or I'll toss you in without warming up the water first!"

---

Perra. Was... despondent...

She blamed herself for her current mood. While doing her errands in the village she had come back to the farm three times today just to check and see if Kal was home yet, each time returning to town more disappointed than the last. With the sun touching the treetops if he wasn't home now then he wouldn't be until morning. She wrapped Bonn's reigns around the porch rail figuring she had enough sunlight to put him back in the barn if Kal wasn't here yet again. Stepping in the front door she looked off to her right and let out a shuddering sigh as tears welled up in her eyes, his cloak was still gone.

"That'll be enough of that, young woman," came from Kal's mother sitting in the middle of the room.

Perra turned to look at her, "But..." she didn't get any further when she saw her pack sitting in the older woman's lap. She looked at the woman in confusion.

"I made a night bag up for you, Kal asked me to have you meet him at the inn," said Kal's mother with a kindly smile. "Go, I imagine he's waiting for you."

Perra's face went from elation to concern, "What about..."

"What about nothing, young lady. Kal fed me and took care of my needs, I'll be fine for a night by myself. Off with you."

Perra walked over and wrapped Kal's mother in a big hug, giving her a kiss on the cheek before taking her pack and bouncing out the door with a happy wave over her shoulder.

---

Perra left Bonn with the town stablemaster and walked through the front door of the inn only to be met by a raucous cheer from its patrons. She froze in embarrassment when she noticed that most of them were raising their tankards of ale in her direction. In the midst of them all was Kal, sitting there with a huge grin on his face.

Kahrin came from around the back of the bar and shuttled the panic-stricken girl over to Kal and unceremoniously plopped her down in his lap. Raising her hand for silence she said, "Yer man here has been tellin' tall tales to the boys here that he went ta the bottom o' the earth ta get a right proper gift for yer birthday, Lady Perra. Care ta set the record straight?"

Perra's eyes widened as she turned to look at him. The laughter bubbling behind his smile was plain as he took a sip from his tankard. She studied his face carefully and could find no trace of deception in his features.

Still wide-eyed she turned back to Kahrin, "I.. I think he's telling the truth," she said, barely able to believe her own words.

The crowd was silent in shock until someone further back yelled, "Bollocks!"

"Quiet you!" yelled Kahrin. Then more softly said, "that's not the look o' a woman who thinks she's lyin'."

"I'm not lying," Kal piped in, "Though I didn't mention before that I had some help," the crowd took on a questioning tone, "who or what that was will have to stay a secret, I'm afraid. What you should be asking instead, is 'what did he bring back?'" Kal reached into a pouch and pulled out a something wrapped in a piece of linen, as he held it out a chain fell out of one side. Picking it up by the chain he pulled the cloth away and a collective gasp ran through the crowd as the pendant slowly spun.

One of the nearer patrons whispered, "Bloody hell, if ya told me ya went ta the depths of hell fer that I'd believe ya now."

Kal had learned early on that magic crystals only lit up when energy moved through them, a fully charged crystal was indistinguishable from a depleted one when not being used or charged. He also knew that flawless crystals naturally absorbed magic from the world around them. Combined with how the amethyst constantly dissipated magic there was a constant flow running through the crystal making it faintly light up the purple-blue gem around it and the moonstone in front.

Kal took the chain on both hands and pulled it over Perra's head with Kahrin stepping up and lifting the hair out of the way for the stunned girl.

"For those of you with sticky fingers!" Kal called out, "I hate to disappoint you but Lady Perra here is the only one able to touch this particular jewel." He placed his hand over the pendant and activated the rune etched into the inside of the metal plate it was attached to. From that point on only she could wear it until the time she decided to give it away, the rune forever powered by the tiny flawless crystal.

Kahrin stepped back and said, "There's a sayin' for times like these back in the land I was born in:

Lá breithe shona duit!

B'fhéidir go bhfuil saol fada agat, croí sláintiúil, béal fliuch, b'fhéidir gurb é an chuid is mó is mian leat a gheobhaidh tú!

Happy birthday!

Maybe you have a long life, a healthy heart, a wet mouth, and may the most you want be the least you get!

Happy Birthday, Lady Perra!"

The crowd erupted in applause, cheers, and well wishes for the young woman.

---

Later on, Kal and Perra had moved off to the side of the dining room. Perra refused to give up her seat on his lap even as they moved away from the general din. Most of the inn's patrons had said their peace and ogled Perra's necklace before eventually returning to their cups. Perra kissed Kal lightly on the neck and whispered in his ear, "You've given me my gift now it's time to claim yours. Take me to bed."

"That's not fair Perra," he said standing up with her in his arms, "How is a pretty trinket supposed to compare to a gift like that?"

"Pretty trinket my arse, Kal, this belongs around the neck of a queen. Not me."

They ignored the catcalls and hoots coming from the dining room behind them as Kal walked up the stairs to the second floor and over to the room that he had purchased for the night.

"I guess that queen is out of luck then because it's yours now, not even I could take it away."

He opened the door and laid her on the bed, one of the inn's staff had come up a short while ago and lit some candles placing them about the room. He then pulled a chair over to the middle of the room and placed a stone upon it.

"What's that?" Perra asked.

"A gift from Ikuno, it keeps the sound from getting out."

Perra got a mischievous smile on her face, "Put it away."

Kal gave her a questioning look.

"Let them hear," she said still smiling, "now it's up to you to give them something to hear."

"Challenge accepted," Kal said deactivating the stone and putting it away.

Kal walked over to the bed and pulled Perra up on her feet then turned her away from him. Wrapping his arms around her he just held her for a few minutes as she relaxed in his arms. Bringing a hand up he pushed her hair to the side and started kissing the back of her neck, getting a contented sigh from the young woman.

She let out a small gasp and he reached around and untied the laces holding the front of her dress together. Her breathing quickened as he slowly pushed it off her shoulders, the entire dress falling to her feet and leaving her standing in just her shift. Kal ran his hands down her back to her hips then back up her sides before moving over to undo the knot holding the shift in place. When Perra felt it loosen she spun around and pressed herself to his chest, her breath coming in quick gasps that were a mixture of arousal and fear of the unknown.

"Scared?" he asked.

Perra nodded.

"Don't be, I have you," he said lifting her chin and kissing her as he pulled her close. His tongue tapped at her lips, begging entrance, she let him in and soon their tongues were swirling around one another.

His hand came up and pushed her shift off one shoulder, she pulled her arm out of the sleeve and it immediately went around his back holding his body tight to hers. He ran his fingers through her hair as the other hand came up and slid the shift off her other shoulder, her arm again going around him and pressing the only piece of cloth still covering her between them.

Kal removed his cloak and boots without letting the fabric drop. He even managed to pull his shirt over his head with just a quick break in the kiss, however, the fabric of the shift slipped as he was undoing his belt, exposing one of her breasts which she quickly mashed into his chest with a squeak of surprise into Kal's mouth. He slowly undid his belt the rest of the way and pulled it through the loops tossing it over where it landed with a clatter somewhere in the vicinity of his shirt. Using one arm to hold Kal tightly, Perra began tugging at the waist of his pants, pulling them downward with one hand. Ignoring that this would be easier if he undid the front fastener he worked on the other side until his trousers finally dropped to the floor where he stepped out of them and kicked them off to the side.

Now that he was completely undressed Kal put his hands on her hips and pushed away. Perra whined from anxiety but allowed the shift to drop to his hands which Kal quickly let fall to the floor. She then pressed into his body even harder and mashed her lips to his as her heartbeat raced and her breathing sped up even more. Kal broke the kiss and held her just as tightly with one hand while the other explored her back, sides, and arms. As Perra got her breathing under control she became aware of Kal's hardened cock pressed up against her belly, it felt huge squeezed in between them.

Kal lifted Perra a couple inches off the floor and laid her down on the bed, with his body just over hers he had her flip over onto her belly. Reaching down next to one of the bed's legs he searched around for a moment before finding a small bottle of oil he had hidden earlier when he paid for the room. Straddling her legs, he dripped some of the oil on her back and began working it in with his hands feeling the tension in the young woman slowly fade. While the massage did wonders for her anxiety over what was to come, it did nothing for her arousal. Possibly making it more acute since it was no longer contending with fear for her attention.

Finishing with her back and arms Kal hopped off the bed. Skipping over her rear, he went to work on her legs. By the time he had worked his way from foot to thigh on the second leg Perra was making small mewling sounds and was certain that there was a wet spot beneath her sex. Kal drizzled some oil over her rear to warn her of his next target. As his hands pressed into the soft flesh he made certain to pay extra attention to the flesh where her thigh and bottom met, stimulating the lips of her pussy by moving the area around them. Kal was also enjoying the view as he spread her cheeks apart and got nice long glimpses of her pucker as well as the lips and opening of her sex.

Perra was panting and Kal could see where her hair was stuck to her face from sweating. Starting at the back of her neck he ran an oiled hand down her spine across her lower back and into the gap between her asscheeks. Perra jumped but didn't complain as his fingers glided over her anus and proceeded further down, sliding over both of her pussy lips until his fingertips brushed across her clit. A few lazy circles around her pearl sent Perra screaming into the pillow as her legs shook then snapped together on his arm. Kal lightly brushed his other hand up and down the young woman's legs as she rode out her orgasm.