I Don't Want to Be the Hero Vol. 2 by M.E. Thorne

Author:M.E. Thorne [Thorne, M.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-07-02T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

“Is it even letting up?” Gilly asked as Daggerdare and I stomped the snow off our boots and shoved the door shut behind us.

“Slowly,” I said, brushing the snow out of my hair.

The two of us had gone out an hour earlier and hiked to the top of the neighboring hill, trying to gauge how much ferocity the blizzard surge had left. Thanks to my ability, I was able to see how much cursed magic was seeded into the clouds, fueling the unnatural snowfall. From what I had observed, it was weaker than it had been yesterday, but it was still far too dangerous to try and hike deeper into the Basin.

Annowan carefully wrapped up the scrying crystal, laying it into her bunk. “I’ve spoken to Grandmother.”

I raised a nearly frozen eyebrow, “And?”

“She finds it most humorous that we’ve teamed up with an elf,” she looked at Daggerdare. “She mentioned that you are a fierce, warlike people, but that you will always keep your word.”

“Indeed,” the elf smiled broadly at this, “It is good to know not everyone thinks we’re monsters, that they remember that we maintained our honor even while under the Betrayer’s sway. I would like to meet your grandmother someday, to thank her for keeping our memory alive.”

Gilly, lazing in her bunk, laughed. “Lilith would love that!”

Daggerdare grinned even more broadly, “Is it true, you are Lilithspawn?”

“She’s my grandmother,” Annowan replied evenly.

Daggerdare clapped her on her shoulder, “Then you have gone up in our eyes. Treespeakers are responsible for maintaining the lore and history of our people, and we remember Lilith as a truly worthy foe, with strength beyond measure.”

I had heard Annowan say similar things in the past, but I had a hard time connecting those sentiments to the carefree, flippant empress I had met earlier.

Seeing my skepticism, Annowan nodded. “She speaks the truth. When I first designed to become a knight, I badgered Grandmother into giving me sword and sorcery lessons. We sparred many times, but I was never able to convince her to fight me seriously.”

“Why not?” I asked.

“Because, she said if she fought me with anything approaching actual effort, she’d kill me,” the demon replied. “Don’t let her lackadaisical attitude trick you, Grandmother is likely the strongest person to ever live in Amalgam, and she could lay waste to most foes with the merest of efforts.”

We bumbled about a bit for the rest of the day, working on tasks like maintaining our gear, cooking food, and warily peeking outside to see if the storm was relenting.

Annowan was all for pushing on that day, striking out while the storm was still weakening but not fully abated. Gilly and I managed to convince her we needed to wait a day or two longer. We were simply too tired from the day before, and we pointed out that anyone stupid enough to be outside would be long dead.

“Even a Slayer couldn’t survive this shit,” Gilly argued. “Supernatural stamina and endurance won’t keep you from ultimately freezing to death.

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