Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Consequences

"You must think that I'm a bit strange for having fallen in love with what was an NPC in the game," the elf criticized herself.

She glanced sideways at Elendnas, who was resting peacefully. She had let him sleep after healing him. The strangest thing was that he hadn't felt better until Goldmi had cast a purifying spell, but now he seemed fine.

"So, we're all weird," Merlin laughed. "I recently married Lina."

"That snow panther-woman? She was beautiful. Her white hair with bluish sheen was amazing! Congratulations!" Goldmi recalled.

"Yes... She..." confirmed the mage, with a smirk on his face.

"I have Chorni. He's quite handsome," Gjaki intervened, undeterred.

After almost ten years in the mansion, with what was her family, she had already been ashamed more than enough.

Goldmi then looked at the siblings, who looked away, somewhat uncomfortable. Merlin and Gjaki had to hold back their laughter.

"If you don't want to tell it, it's okay," Goldmi accepted, without asking.

"It's not that, it's just that others see it strange..." Crushy began.

"In our tribes, it's normal, when one stands out and has many admirers..." Smashy defended herself.

The elf looked at them somewhat puzzled. She turned her head towards Merlin and Gjaki, who seemed to find it amusing. The mage was the one who responded to her gaze.

"If I remember correctly, Smashy has seven concubines and Tritu five. If they haven't added more," he explained between laughs.

"Six..." Tritu murmured, while looking away and scratching the back of his neck.

Goldmi's eyes widened. The truth was that she didn't know much about the customs of other races in Jorgaldur, but this was certainly very different from those of her original world.

"So many... Well, if you can handle all of them..." she murmured without thinking. She became embarrassed after realizing what she had said.

"No problem! They're muscular, but they don't last long!" the barbarian woman exclaimed, laughing.

"Say it for yours!" her brother felt offended.

"Oh, well... When I talked to Hula..." her sister provoked, and left the sentence unfinished.

Hula was one of Crushy's wives, perhaps the one who got along best with Smashy. In fact, she had a valuable ally in her husband's sister, especially if they had the opportunity to make fun of him. Coincidentally, Hula's brother was one of Smashy's husbands.

It was then that they heard someone arrive. They were on their guard, because she was a strange-looking woman whom they didn't know. Anyway, she simply stopped, without showing any kind of hostility. After all, she did know that they were, in some way, her friend's allies.

"Maldoa! Elendnas is fine. They've helped me. They're visitors like me. She's Gjaki. I've told you about her..."

Goldmi introduced them one by one, and the drelf couldn't help but look at them curiously. They were all peculiar and very powerful. She paid special attention to the vampiress. Her friend had really talked a lot about her, and she had unexpectedly shown up when Goldmi needed her the most.

"Is there really a fate for them?" she wondered.

The fact that she was a vampiress didn't matter much to her. In fact, Maldoa knew of her existence, but she hadn't been able to tell her friend, much as she wanted to. It was forbidden. They had to "let fate take its course" as far as visitors were involved.

She was relieved and glad that everything had gone well, though the drelf frowned when she felt the elf man. There was something strange about what the plants were communicating to her. Nonetheless, she didn't know what it was.

The other visitors said goodbye, although promising to meet in the future. Especially Merlin, who invited them to his home. Lina knew Gjaki and Goldmi from the game, and she would no doubt be delighted to see them again.

The vampiress brought the elves and the drelf to her home through a Gate, and she accompanied them. There were many things she wanted to talk about with her recovered friend, many things to tell her, and many things she wanted to know.

Gjaki only said goodbye to them when she was allowed to create an Exit Gate in Elendnas' house, in the attic. She promised to return soon, though, when she did a few days later, Goldmi was terribly worried.

Elendnas had relapsed twice. The first, shortly after the vampiress left. The last one, a few hours before she came back. With Basic Healing and Light Blast, Goldmi had managed to heal him, but it was certainly worrisome.

A few days later, Maldoa brought in a doctor who was an expert in curses and strange diseases. Elendnas was relapsing every two or three days, though it could be avoided if he was purified first. However, that required constant care.

"His blood has been corrupted. I don't know of a cure, but I'll investigate. I'll let you know if I find anything. It shouldn't get any worse, but his body can no longer fight against it alone. He needs a spell with purifying power to help him every one or two days," the doctor explained to them.

That was undoubtedly a bucket of cold water for Goldmi and Elendnas, especially for the latter. Feeling weak and getting tired quickly had been hard enough for him. Now, he was fully dependent on others, on Goldmi.

The elf's thoughts were chaotic, and cursed himself for his weakness. He didn't want to be a burden to Goldmi, but he didn't quite know what to do.

"Don't even think about it. If I always have to be with you, it's a good excuse not to lose sight of you," she declared, while approaching and hugging him.

"But... You don't have to..."

He wanted to protest, but he wasn't able to fight against her lips, against her warm embrace. Perhaps, it wasn't what either of them wanted, but Goldmi was willing to live with it. Elendnas had no choice but to surrender to her deep blue eyes.

Maldoa also promised to investigate, ask her sisters, as many experts as possible.

As for Gjaki, when she came back and found out about the situation, she couldn't help but curse Krovledi. The vampiress promised to investigate as well, to ask every vampire acquaintance if they knew anything about what Krovledi had done. Perhaps, in that way, they would obtain some clue.

She had wanted to kidnap Goldmi to help her level up, but for now, it wouldn't be possible. She refused to get away from her lover for a long time.