Messing with Crazy

Draven and James stood at the entrance to the Dead Woods and it was incredibly creepy. There was a literal line in the ground where the rot began and directly next to it the grass was green and full of life. As if something was sucking the life out of the forest and this is where its reach of influence ended. Draven had never been a fan of horror movies but zombie apocalypse films always spiked his interest. It was just something about surviving in that kind of world gathering resources while scavenging what you could find intrigued him. But now that he was standing here he had to admit that he was getting a bit jittery. 

"Ok let's see what this place is about," James said walking into the Dead Woods without a care in the world. Draven reluctantly followed not wanting to look like he was scared. The woods were filled with large insects and by large he meant huge. There were bugs the size of a basketball and larger. If any of them touched him he vowed to set this entire forest on fire. "So what are we looking for here?" James asked looking around. "The cause of why everything is dying here. It could be a valuable item we might want or a special creature that would be beneficial to me." Draven then explained how he learned illusion magic. "I see so you're thinking you might find something here that could teach you another type of magic?" Draven nodded his head. "That would be the best outcome but this is a different biome which in games means different resources so we should pick anything up that we come across chances are you can only find them here. Such as different plants to create deadlier poisons or other potions. Creatures that drop unique monster parts that give different stats than what we are used to. Things like that," Draven said as he already saw a few dots on his mini-map for a plant called Stalker's Delight. He walked over there and placed it in his inventory.

As he was about to head back toward the path Draven felt a slight rumble in the earth as a big worm as thick as his thigh came out of the ground its mouth was a gaping hole with many rows of teeth going around in a circle. "What the fuck is that?" Draven yelled as he quickly flew into the air to prevent it from chomping his leg off. Without a second thought on forest safety precautions, Draven breathed Dragon Fire on the worm and a large area surrounding it. The worm was burnt to a crisp. And Draven was panting from the jump scare. "Overkill much?" James said looking at the large area he had just turned into ash. Draven looted the creature and saw that it was called a Fleshworm and beside an Iron veteran XP Orb, he also received its entrails. He was never more happy for the system looting things for him than he was right now. James looked at the worm curiously as he saw that Draven had opened its body and removed its innards without touching the creature. "How does that work?" He asked pointing to the creature. "You mean how did I Carve it?" James nodded that was what he meant. "Let me guess the system carves for you? James took an educated guess. "Well Yeah," Draven admitted. "That system is spoiling you," James said laughing as he put his carving knife away. "Says the guy that gets to sleep in a pod while he ranks up. I think I have enough cons to make up for the pros Draven said as he continued on the path. 

Remembering how Draven explained how ranking up was for him he decided to keep quiet. They had now walked into a portion of the forest that had very thick webs spanning from tree to tree. "Nope, I ain't fucking with giant spiders," Draven said already turning around. James grabbed him by the shoulder. "Stop being a wimp. You can easily kill all these bugs," James said. "Plus isn't that Rogue in your party related to spiders you going to act scared in front of her too?" James asked smiling knowing this would spur him to keep going. "Fine but if I end up burning this forest to the ground it's your fault," Draven mumbled under his breath as he walked into the spiderweb-infested part of the forest. 

James was fascinated by the webs as he plucked a few to see how sturdy they were and they felt like they were metal wires. "Can Celine make webs this strong too we could probably use this material in crafting or for ropes" James asked. Draven stood still as years of watching documentaries flooded his memories. He clearly remembered one stating that vibrations in the web would indicate that prey had been caught. Draven quickly looked around and already saw a group of gigantic spiders either crawling down from the trees or silently lowering themselves with their web from far above the tree line. 

Draven wanted to cry these things were disgusting and the smallest one in the bunch was as big as himself. They had what could have been a hundred black beady eyes and two pedipalps to match. Its fangs were tucked in but still visible draven was sure one of its fangs was as large as his arm. He would rather fight another Minion of Bal'roc than deal with these monstrosities. Seeing them getting closer and closer to Draven something snapped within his mind. His eyes looked lifeless and his face showed an expression that said the whole world could explode and he wouldn't care. He calmly looked up to all the spiders that began to surround him and James. "Everything must burn, these spiders, the bugs, the forest, even the world all of it needs to burn." He said in a monotone accent as he opened his mouth and began to breathe dragon fire on his surroundings he even made a flamethrower with his hand to add more flames and started incinerating everything. The screeches of the Spiders and bugs that were burning echoed throughout the forest. 

"I think they are all dead..." James said as he nudged Draven's shoulder to get his attention. Draven let out one more breath for good measure as he looked around and saw the carnage he had caused. As much as he wanted to see this forest burn to cinders he may need resources from here so he reluctantly put out the fires with water magic. "Why don't you let me deal with the creepy crawlies for a bit?" James said looking a bit nervous. "Yeah, that sounds like a good plan." Draven agreed. He found a corpse and hit loot all and sucked in all the Orbs from everything he had killed and all the monster parts. His inventory was now filled with Iron Veteran XP Orbs, spider meat, venom sacs, Spider Fangs, Iron Silk, Bug innards, and many exoskeletons from beetles. 

James led the charge out of the Spiderweb-infested part of the forest and they came across a small farm town. The small town had no barrier and Draven didn't see anyone walking around either. This was the first time he saw something man-made that wasn't being maintained by the terminals. "We should investigate all the houses and look for anything written, books journals anything," Draven said looking excited. It was a long shot but in every game, you could find out about the lore in random books in such homes. James was also interested to see if they could find any information be it from the terminals or otherwise. They walked to the large Farmhouse as it was by far the biggest building in this town and had the highest chance of having something worthwhile to loot. 

Draven opened the door and the first thing he saw was a girl with long black hair that looked like they hadn't been washed in years. A strong stench of death exploded from the door causing Draven to gag. The girl's clothes were ragged her skin was torn and yellow puss oozed from her wounds. As soon as the door had opened her head shot up cracking and twisting in unnatural ways. Her eyes sprung open and stepped forward reaching out to Draven. She was so close that Draven instinctually punched her but he didn't put a lot of weight behind the attack due to the surprise. It was more of a jab out of reflex. That punch had torn the lower jaw causing it to dangle being held only by a shred of skin. black fluid spilled out pooling on the floor beneath her feet as she continued to move forward. Her tongue was hanging in the air without her lower jaw to contain it anymore. 

Draven extended his claws and stabbed her in the head before she could touch him. The zombie collapsed to the ground and was dead. Draven thought zombies were cool until he saw them in real life they were not cool. They were disgusting he would have nightmares for weeks to come just from seeing her tongue dangle like that. A shiver ran down his spine just thinking about it. But he was much more comfortable dealing with the zombies than the spiders. Just stab them in the head and they should die Draven said. "Draven I watched zombie movies before you were born why do you think I wanted to come with you?" James said chuckling. "To spend father-son time with me after stabbing me?" Draven said with a smirk. James had a look of defeat on his face "Yep that's the reason I can't argue with that." "I'm just messing with you," Draven said laughing "but let's split up they seem fairly weak just don't let them damage you in any way i don't know if the zombie virus is a thing or not." James agreed. They split up and searched the large house going through every room looking for books, papers, really anything that had something written on it. Draven after killing 20 Zombies discovered a bedroom that had 3 books that he stored right away to read later as well as a journal and some loose papers. After meeting back up with James he had found one book as well. 

Draven took it off him and stored it for now. Before they had a chance to even think about looking into any of the books a horde of zombies began to slowly walk towards them from all sides. "You take the left side I'll take the right," James said getting ready to breathe fire on everything. "Stop we still haven't checked the other houses and they are all made of wood we would destroy everything," Draven explained. He wanted to do nothing more than kill a horde of zombies with one breath but those books were far more important. James cancelled his breath releasing a large cloud of smoke from his nostrils in the process. "we can kill them easily hand to hand but I don't think we should take our chances with the zombie virus. There are movies where a single drop of blood gets in your eye is enough to turn you." His dad was right they were very weak and slow creatures so they had to have a deadly secret for being over level 15 and still be this weak. It just didn't make any sense otherwise.

Thinking about it Draven came up with an idea. "Let's lure them into this house. Since we already looted it and then we can set them and the house on fire." He doubted the fire would spread as the house was separated from the rest of the village. "Sounds like a plan," James said excitedly there was something about killing zombies that just got your blood pumping. They ran back into the house and made their way to the roof leaving all the doors open and just waiting for them all to walk inside. After 15 minutes the last of them had made it in. They then jumped down and breathed dragon fire at the entrance. Seeing that the plan worked they ran around the village looking for any more notes and books. James had found a journal and Draven found a book with flowers on it. After storing both away a loud voice rang in their heads. 

"Who dares Tresspass in my domain?" Ahh, I see... interesting, interesting. It seems the chosen finally decided to grace me with their presence. But how rude of you to kill all my subjects that won't do at all no no no. Well maybe... No, it just won't do. Bad manners yes bad manners indeed. What to do with the two of you? So much time and so little to do. I know. Come and visit me I am dying for some company. Yes, we can talk. Ahh, how lovely that would be. But both of you are rude. hmm, what to do?"

Both Draven and James felt a shiver run down their spine. A creature that can speak with them inside their minds. This was very valuable they had to play their cards right they could learn a lot from this monster. Maybe it's even the one that kidnapped them. This was even scarier as this being was a lunatic. 

"If it is a conversation you desire we are willing to speak with you. we have questions and you wish for someone to speak with." James said out loud.

"Oh no no no that is wrong. Very wrong I desire knowledge. And Knowledge is not free nor does it come cheap. But it matters not because you are rude so very rude. But I will trade yes I will trade! Trade is good come to me and trade. I have manners unlike you I will trade." It answered excitedly. James and Draven looked at each other for a moment before they nodded. "What do you require for your knowledge?" Draven asked.

"Come to me I will tell you the price of knowledge. I will show you the cost of truth, Come, come, COME!" They both got a headache from how loud he spoke into their mind. This was beyond sketchy but they needed to hear what this being had to say. Eat all your XP Orbs Dad anything below bronze is practically worthless to me now so eat up. James nodded. They needed all the strength they could get. Draven scanned his dad as he ate and watched his levels grow. After that horde, there was more than enough for him to hit level 20. Sadly he couldn't Rank up here on the spot. But he should still have gained a significant amount of strength. As soon as he hit 20 he had him stop eating the orbs and Draven stored the rest to hand out to his party.

"Where do we find you?" Draven called out. Me? Do you wish to find me? Ah yes for trade. trade is good. Come I await you in my Grave. You are close so very close follow the path and search the crypt that wears my name. Hmm, my name? a name? I have a name. Samuel? No that's not my name. Ahh, here it is Grimlocke is my name. A fine name indeed." 

Draven and his father walked along the cobblestone path they exited the town to find a gated-off section next to the town that was acting as a graveyard. In the middle of the graveyard was the entrance to a crypt. That read Grimlocke. "You know that dude is crazy right?" Draven said. "Yup," James replied. "You know this is a trap?" James asked. "Yup," Draven answered. "You know he can hear everything we're saying?" Draven asked. James smiled "Does it matter?" he asked. "Nope," Draven said smiling back as he activated his full body Dragon scales. James did the same and engulfed his body in fire before stepping inside.