Nerd Squad

There weren’t always dragons in The Valley, I guess you have us to thank for that.

She rolled the beast’s head over with a shove of her platform boot, forked tongue spilling from its gaping maw. She spat and it sizzled to steam as it rolled down the fiend’s scaly snout.

Technically, they’re demons. Sure look like dragons though, the ones you see in comics and games, so that’s what everyone’s calling them… but we know the truth.

She eyed the lifeless monster thoughtfully from beneath the flashing stop lights, its mass taking up almost the entire street.

Feels like a lifetime ago…

Its tongue sucked back into its mouth and eyes locked.

SHIT, not dead. She put her headphones back on.

Its massive tail whipped, launching a bone spear with lethal precision. Her steels were a blur as they exed in front of her, deflecting the giant shaft with a crack. She flowed with its impact and surged forward flicking out her makeshift blades once more in a close dance past the abomination’s throat as it lumbered to its feet. Its wings stretched and gut swelled as it prepared to flame. She crouched, eyes growing wide as an inner glow climbed up its gullet. A bright seam appeared across the beast’s neck for but a moment before its head rocketed from its body tailing flame and viscera.

“YES!” She jumped in amazement. I wonder if that’s enough to hit level 7…

The soaring head came crashing through the roof of a nearby gas station as blood rain splattered around her.

Sorry, none of this is going to make sense unless we start where it all began.

The last two weeks of summer… damn, just 4 months ago.

…

“Alrighty o’ diabolical dungeon master of ours, you gonna tell us about this new campaign or what?” Crystal questioned, smacking her gum as she lounged on the plaid couch in the living room. “Sassy’s ready for an ADVENTURE, aren’t you girl?!” She squeezed the face of a pink collared corgi resting on her chest with a grin that suggested it was all she could do to not take a loving bite out of the poor thing.

“Has anyone heard from Joon?” Rory paced fiddling with a football, “We said after lunch, it’s already 2, he’s not normally late.”

Amara observed Rory as he fidgeted. He’s not normally this anxious, must really be excited about this new campaign.

“Doesn’t he get back from band camp today?” Zack said from the beanbag he was sprawled on in the middle of the room.

“Yea, but he said he was….” The doorbell interrupted Rory’s response. “Speak of the devil!” Rory jogged to the door and swung it open with a flourish. “O’ beloved bard of ours, you’ve returned from your musical pilgrimage!” Rory bowed in welcome.

“Indeed I have, fair master of dungeons.” Joon sauntered through the door way, “I return with not only a greater understanding of my instrument, but of a woman’s warmth… and the effects of such warmth on…” Joon peered over his sunglasses and grinned, “my instrument.”

“Yoooooo!” Zack hooted from the floor.

Crystal rolled her eyes, “Gross.”

“My man!” Rory exclaimed, slapping hands and hugging Joon. “Good to see you brotha.”

“Good to see you too man!” Joon turned to the room, “And I GUESS it's good to see all of you pathetic nerds too.”

“Hey, we may be waiting around to play D&D together, but you’re the one getting back from band camp.” Crystal said, sitting up and setting Sassy on the ground.

“Sassyyyy!” Joon said crouching down and patting his legs. Sassy ran to him, bell jingling, Joon continued, “A. Band is not nerdy, its badass. And B.” He switched to a tone used for speaking to babies, “this is still the cutest little munchkin I’ve ever seeeeen”, he cooed, scooping Sassy up and letting her lick his face.

“Gross.” Amara toned from the corner.

“Heyyyyy, there’s my favorite little rain cloud.” Joon said setting Sassy down and crossing the room with a hug for Amara.

“Heyyy Joooon.” Amara reciprocated, letting him hug her but keeping her arms crossed. She smirked.

“Okay, lets freak’n do this! Tanner, WAKE UP.” Rory, kicked the chair Tanner slouched in jolting him awake, and went to retrieve something from the office.

Tanner straightened and yawned, “I’m up, I’m up, let's do it.”

“Whats the matter, Tanner, stay up all night watch’n Spank-tro-Vision?” Joon jabbed.

“Nooo, I wish.” Tanner chuckled, “Dad has me training super early in the morning.”

“Training? That’s cool.” Zack said in half interest, paying more attention to the shadow puppet he was making on the floor.

“Nah, its just running and pushups really early in the morning.” Tanner explained with a stretch.

“Yea, never mind, that sucks.” Zack corrected.

Rory returned, “Okay dungeoners, it’s time.” He placed an aged leather scroll case on the coffee table in front of everyone.

Zack let out a whistle, “Woah, that looks legit.”

Rory, sat down crosslegged at the table and unbuckled the case’s leather strap slowly, savoring the moment. “I found this bad boy at a thrift store.” He opened the lid and slid out a rolled up sheaf of papers. “I asked what it was and no one knew. It didn’t have a price tag, so offered them five bucks and they gave it to me.” He flattened the roll out for everyone to see.

Crystal leaned forward squinting, “Is that hand written?”

“Sure is.” Rory said pridefully with eyes lit, grinning.

Joon squatted down at the table, “So what the hell is it?” he reached to turn the top page.

Rory, grabbed his hand, “I didn’t realize until I got home…” Joon eyed him curiously, Rory continued, “It’s a campaign.”

“No way…” Amara and Crystal said in unison. They glanced at each other and back to the table, moving closer.

“How OLD is it??” Zach asked, mind blown with face pinched, sliding off the beanbag and crawling closer.

Rory raised his shoulders, “I don’t know, there’s no date.”

“Is it good?” Tanner asked, now fully alert.

Rory nodded his head, “I’ve been going through it for the past couple days, it’s pretty straightforward, but there’s some really cool stuff in here. The length is perfect too, if we start today and stay on it, i think we can knock it out before I leave for college.”

“Shut up, you’re not leaving.” Crystal pouted, “Your going to do senior year over again with us so we can all graduate together and never stop hanging out ever.”

Rory smiled, “Wouldn’t that be perfect?” He continued in a debonaire tone, “I wish I could, but my scholarship and all the hot college babes that are just dying to meet me simply cannot wait, my dear.”

Crystal’s eyebrows peaked and she looked thoughtful, “Guess I don’t blame you about the hot college babes…” Amara elbowed her in the side and she giggled, glancing back a smile.

“Hey.” Joon interrupted, locking eyes with Rory, “Is it dangerous?”

Rory cracked a devilish grin, “It’s hard.”

“Harder than Tomb of Horrors?” Joon narrowed his eyes and the room fell silent.

Rory didn’t break eye contact, obviously relishing the suspense, “Harder than Tomb of Horrors.”

“Bullshit.” Joon dismissed.

“Want to find out?” Rory worked his grin around the room.

After a moment of pregnant silence and nervous glances, Zach jumped to his feet, “Pshh, DUH! Not like we’re NOT gonna play the mysterious handwritten campaign you found in a thrift store. This is like some Gremlin’s / Jumanji shit!”

“Oh yea, we’re doing this.” Crystal nodded, picking up Sassy and holding her close.

Joon was still baffled, “Harder than Tomb of Horrors?”, he shook his head, “…The Meat Grinder?”

“Hell yea!” Rory rolled the papers up and slid them back into the leather tube, “Okay, y'all choose your characters. Basic D&D classes, everyone starts at level 1.” He got up and spread his arms, “I’m gonna get the table ready.” He then skipped across the room in two big Rory-strides and disappeared into the garage laughing diabolically, “Muahahaha!

…

And thats how it began. I chose Rogue, Crys; Druid (always), Joon; Bard (nerd), Tanner; Fighter (his dad would be proud), Zach, …Warlock, (so random), and we dove in, under the machinations of Rory, our beloved dungeon master. The real Rory… I miss him so much.

Amara finished her climb to the top of the San Fernando Valley water tower which they now called home, slid her backpack off her shoulder, slipped off her headphones, and dangled her feet over the edge, taking in the quiet view of her once peaceful city.

We didn’t notice the changes happening until a few days into the campaign. That’s when the dreams got… all too real.

…

“Natural 20! CRITICAL HIT, BAYBAYYY!” Joon exclaimed, punching the air with his fists.

“Woah, nice!” Rory cheered, “That’s gonna smoke this spide’, how do you want to do it?”

Joon’s eyes grew wide with imagination, “Okay… so I reach for my lute…”

“Oh god.” Tanner rolled his eyes and shook his head smiling.

Joon pulled his guitar from under the table and continued, one foot on his chair, “And break into the song of death, right before the solo…”

“YEEESSSSSS…” Zach said, rocking back in forth with anticipation.

Joon began to pluck a building melody, “It mesmerizes the giant hell spider and…,” He paused for effect, his eyes fixated, “Do my eyes deceive me? The demonic fiend begins to… dance to my rhythm…”

Amara laughed, “Come onnnn.”

“With one hand I begin the solo, climbing the neck with powerful hammer-ons. With the other, I slip a dagger from my bandolier and… begin to dance a dangerous and seductive jig…” Joon steps back from the table in awkward movements and begins to play what appears to be hacky-sack with an invisible object while fumbling through an obviously improvised guitar solo.

“Oh this is getting hot.” Crystal leaned forward with both elbows on the table.

“I juggle my blade with a series of nimble kicks, back and forth, over my head and behind my back..” He jerked his head forward and back, eyes growing wider as he flailed his legs in a fashion more akin to noticing he’s standing on an ant hill rather than seductively juggling a dagger. “The tension is rising. Charisma overwhelming. Out of the corner of my eye I see Crys starting to claw at the strings of her blouse. Even SHE can’t resist.”

“Oh do I?!” Crystal laughed.

“Get on with it, Bard.” Rory prodded, chuckling from behind his DM screen.

“As I reach the climax of my solo, I send the dagger soaring into the air above me. I finish the final sweep.” Joon played a guitar sweep, a pretty decent one, genuinely surprising himself. “And BACKFLIP…” He set his guitar down gently and began to perform a very slow and sloppy backward somersault. “And KICK the falling dagger in mid air!” He flicked a leg out, knocking over a broom that leaned against the wall, causing the nearby sleeping Sassy to jolt across the room into Crystal’s lap.

“Woooooow…” Zach said mesmerized.

Joon fed off the attention, “Right?!” He continued, “The dagger soars through the air in a flash, STRIKING the eight-legged freak right between it’s dripping mandibles and blasts straight through the back of it’s head where it lodges itself in the cave wall behind in a spray of green ichor.” He stood up with a deep breath, paused, and bowed slowly.

The group began to clap. Tanner stood, nodding his head in approval, “Damn… that was sick.”

Zach reached over and put his hand on Joon’s shoulder, “Can I have your autograph?”

Joon turned to him, “No. I don’t know how to write…” He paused, “I only know how to SHRED.”

Zach sighed, “That’s so cool.”

“Hell yea, nice job brotha!” Rory, scribbled something on his notepad, “I’m gonna give you a little XP bump for that… invigorating performance.”

“Okay, I gotta bounce guys.” Tanner announced, beginning to tidy his station.

“Ooooo….” Rory grimaced, reviewing his notes, “You never rolled for lingering injury after that spider got you with the acid, bro.”

“Shit, okay. What is it, a d10?” Tanner scooped up his dice.

“Yep.” Rory confirmed, peering over his screen.

Tanner rolled, “Great. 10. Just my luck.” He sighed, “What’s the damage?”

Rory consulted the papers, “Oh, it’s actually not too bad. Partial Blindness.” He read from the papers, “You can see 5ft in bright light, and are Blind otherwise. Your vision returns slowly, 5ft. per day, until it is back to normal.” He skimmed the page and concluded, “A healer can heal you instantly, so be nice to Crys.”

Crystal gave Tanner a warm smile, “I’ll fix you up tomorrow after we rest up.” She winked.

“Okay awesome! This was badass! The first real boss in this thing HATH BEEN SLAIN and you’re all still standing! …well, Tanner’s hanging at 1hp, but hey.” Rory shrugged his shoulders.

“Yup, that’s tank life for ya.” Tanner stood and stretched, “Alright, love you guys, see you tomorrow.”

…

I’ll never forget that night. The deepest sleep… and the most terrifying and… painful nightmare I’d ever had.

Amara pulled a number of cloth wrapped jars from her backpack, each full of a reddish slime that seemed to glow black, like it was emanating its own shadow. She carefully arranged them on a shelf inside the tower. They would be pissed that she went out alone but that thing getting out was her fault and she couldn’t bear any MORE blood on her hands… plus, the materials she got would help their crafting. She then counted the lumps in the hanging hammocks, it had become a habit after what happened to Crystal… her Crystal.

1, 2, 3. Everyone’s safe.

She unbuckled and dropped her various belts, untied and pulled off her chunky boots, and climbed into her own hammock where she stared at the locket around her neck.

I miss you so much.

She kissed the locket and slipped it under her shirt

When we met up the next day, everyone was a bit off, but Tanner had it the worst.