Return to Jorgaldur Volume III: blood warrior

A clue

"Bye!" exclaimed Talo childishly, to say goodbye to everyone,

Along with him, his older sister, Tida, and his parents, Tili and Tado, were crossing the Gate. They had spent the day at Gjaki's mansion, and now they were going back home.

Espi was also there, with her husband Lotno, and two little arachnes just a few months old. They were on Espi's back, protected by cobwebs, so they wouldn't fall off.

Years ago, when Gjaki had come back to check on them after introducing them, she had found them embracing, half naked. She had turned, and left them alone. Although embarrassed, it hadn't taken long for them to continue.

After that, both embarrassed, she had brought them before Lotno's family. The arachne's innocence had made it very easy for them to accept her. Even his parents had joked that their son didn't deserve her. The wedding had been only a few weeks later.

Diknsa had asked Gjaki to bring them, without telling her daughter that it was a party to celebrate her birthday. In the game, she had mentioned one day that it was. Her adoptive mother had never forgotten it, even though the vampiress didn't usually celebrate it in the past, had and even forgotten about it.

There were also all the counts friends from the Blood Kingdom, although not Jiknha's latest boyfriend, since she had broken up with him two days before. Still, Kilthana was hopeful, for it was the fifth time they had broken up. He was the boyfriend who had lasted the longest, and with whom she had fought the most times. Gjaki wasn't so convinced.

These last few years had been pretty quiet. Skirmishes in the Blood Kingdom were very rare, as everyone feared an alliance that had been in place for more than nine years. That indicated how strong it was, so they didn't dare provoke them. Above all, they had already suffered some crushing defeats. Since that alliance didn't seem expansionist either, they looked askance at them, while quarreling with each other.

Nothing was known about Krovledi. Nobody had seen hide or hair of her since her disappearance from Goltrak. None of Gjaki's allies had any news, though that was more disturbing than reassuring.

About Goldmi and Eldi, there was no trace. Every year, Gjaki went to Engenak and Narzerlak to check, without success. At least no other visitors had appeared there, so, remote as it was, there was still hope.

Gjaki sat on the couch, while biting Chornakish to mentally recover from the effort. She had had to send everyone back to her houses, which was an astronomical mana cost that she had to spend step by step. Maybe, it was just an excuse to taste the blood of her cow and lover. Whatever the reason, he didn't resist.

He was no longer quite the lovable teenager of a few years ago, though the vampiress didn't dislike the man she was becoming. His race developed somewhat slower than humans, and were much longer-lived.

"Shouldn't you just go to your room?" Coinin mocked.

"Look who's talking," Gjaki replied, as her friend was huddled next to her partner.

Those who had disappeared were one of Coinin's sisters and Brurol, and there wasn't much doubt about the reason. Although it wasn't official, everyone knew that they were a couple.

"Oh, well, we have guests," the vampiress suddenly complained. "I hope they aren't coming looking for trouble."

She just wanted to sit and relax with her friends, but she wasn't going to be able to. The three newcomers were hidden under cloaks, though they were clearly powerful. At least, they had come through the main entrance, and weren't taking any hostile action. Every once in a while, some adventurer who hated vampires would come, challenge her, and get a good beating.

"I'll take a look," Gjaki got up, sighing.

She changed her clothes in an instant, much to Coinin's envy. Now, she was wearing her level 100 armor, albeit concealed under a dress. The vampiress had to be prepared just in case.

She walked over to the gate at the entrance, where the protective shield ended. She did it by walking down the main path, so they would see her, and there wouldn't be any misunderstandings. What she didn't expect was for one of them, the weakest one, to remove his cloak, and look at her with wide eyes.

"Gjaki!? Is it really you!?" he greeted her.

"Merlin! What're you doing here? When did you come back?" she was astonished.

"A little over nine years ago. I didn't know it was you, that makes it easier. Smashy, Crushy, she was my friend back in the game. With her friends, they always helped me. They're good people," he told his companions.

They nodded and removed their cloaks as well. Both were tall and muscular warriors. They had been siblings in their previous lives, and were twinned now.

She was Skullsmash, a barbarian with dark skin and fire-colored hair who was called Smashy. She carried a huge axe on her back, and a couple of skulls in her belt. Her armor was quite revealing, though she didn't seem to care.

He was Bonecrusher, Crushy for friends. He was a barbarian with slightly bluish skin and spiky green hair, whose weapon of choice was a heavy hammer. He was wearing a loincloth and some kind of crossed suspenders, in which could be seen several test tubes with substances of different colors.

They belonged to two different tribes of barbarians, whose lands were neighbors. That had allowed them to return at the same time and meet, after dying in a traffic accident.

Merlin, for his part, had been a nine-year-old boy that the entire Gjaki's group had grown fond of in the past. He had suffered from incurable cancer, and the game had been his only passion. Moved by his situation, the three had treated him like a little brother, even receiving thanks from the boy's parents.

He had died not long after the game closed, when he should have been twelve. Now, it could be said that he was in his early twenties. His catlike aspect bore certain similarities to Chornakish.

"Come in, Merlin's friends are my friends. What've brought you here?" she asked.

"A leprechaun advised us to come," Smashy explained. "A vampiress named Krovledi treacherously attacked us. We were fighting corrupted beings, on the frontier. She was supposed to be our partner, but she was in disguise. Luckily, we were hiding our power too, so we managed to repel her. However, she killed the poor rat-woman who was accompanying us as a healer. We want to avenge her, but we can't find her alone."

"Krovledi..." Gjaki mumbled, with a hostility that surprised the three of them.