I'd Save You if I Could

Authors Note:

As both a Dungeons & Dragons player and an author, I've decided to retell sessions of a recent campaign I've started with my friends. This is not simply a transcription. I have put this in my own voice based on the events that "happened" in the campaign session as I would if I were writing a fantasy novel through traditional mechanisms. I'll put this note at the start of any following episodes in case people are just tuning in. If you haven't read the previous episodes, please find them on my profile and if you're enjoying the series so far, please consider giving a like or a tip. It is much appreciated!

Episode 3:

In shock, Kadaici looked at her companions. Were they seeing this too? "I hate to say it...but this explains how it knew where the traps were..." Kalen muttered, his red face shadowed by the dying flames of their campfire.

"That doesn't explain how the tiny emaciated shrimp morphed into a giant monster that walked on all fours," Kadaici gawked.

"Granted, it was as much skin and bones as he was," Kalzamir sighed.

"And how he outlived the rest of his crew despite having minimal survival skills," Imperius nodded.

"There were signs..." Kalen sounded like he was fighting back tears. While Kadaici was in shock that they'd killed Flynne by killing the monster, she wasn't going to cry for a stranger she barely knew who had attacked them a few nights prior. "We should hold a service for him," Kalen continued.

"Burying him would take a lot of effort," Kadaici groaned hesitantly.

"We can just cremate him?" Kalzamir suggested.

Everyone shrugged in agreement before Kalen ushered them in a circle around Flynne's tiny body.

"We stand here before the elements to honor the life of Flynne, a lost, but good soul. We look upon their body before it turns to ash as we give thanks for his life and wish him well now that their time in this life has come to an end.

For Flynne, the journey to Valhalla has begun, where they will rest in glory. For us, however, there is loss, grief and pain. Every one of us here has been affected - perhaps in small ways, or perhaps in transformative ones- by Flynne. His life mattered to us all.

It is important for us to collectively acknowledge and accept that the world has fundamentally changed with his passing from this life, in ways we may not be aware of nor understand, and so we grieve. Life will not be the same - nor should it be. Together, let us open our hearts and commemorate the impact Flynne had on us," Kalen seemed sincere in his professions, but he was a practiced cleric, so while this we an impromptu memorial, he clearly was well rehearsed.

"Under the fold of the Elements, we rise to say this final farewell to his spirit. Flynne, we wish you well and thank you for being a part of our lives. We honor your life and we trust you will find ever-lasting peace in the next one. We will not forget you. Go well," with that, the corpse was dramatically thrown onto the campfire, Kalzamir using Prestidigitation to conjure a little extra fire to build up the blaze.

"That we a nice service," Kalzamir nodded as the air began to reek of burning flesh.

"Should we get some rest before the sun greet us?" Kadaici asked. Everyone agreed and returned to their bedrolls for a few more hours of sleep.

After being gently awoken by the golden sun, Kadaici sat up and stretched. She desperately longed for a shower and a hairbrush. She wished there was a way to signal Sert and Captain Arnold to come and get them early considering how quickly they had gotten the syllable. Reluctantly, she ate her rations, waiting for the others to wake up.

Once everyone was up, Kalzamir asked, "So, we have 10 days left, but have completed our goal. What should we do?"

"I would like to go swimming," Imperius proclaimed.

"Is that really the best idea?" Kadaici asked.

"I know how to swim," Imperius scoffed.

"That's really not what I-" Kadaici stopped herself. If this dude wanted to swim around a cursed island, who was she to stop him?

Kalzamir shrugged, "I'm sure we can work that in. I was thinking we check out that shipwreck? Figure out if there are any leftover supplies on it or what not."

"I mean, Flynne and his crew probably got everything useful off of it already," Kalen stated.

"Well, we got 10 days to kill. It's worth looking over," Kadaici shrugged.

"Cool. Start headed that way after breakfast?" Kalzamir suggested and the group nodded in reply.

Packing up, the walked along the shore towards the forest and the shipwreck at its ocean edge. The journey was pretty uneventful, the sea seemingly calm until the it disappeared behind the barrier of mist. Sunbeams caressed their skin, making them feel like part of the island, a powerful force.

A few hours passed before they stopped to eat. Imperius decided to go take the swim he wanted and everyone else just sat around on the beach munching. Kadaici closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the suns rays on her eyelids. It felt like a vacation. Slowly opening them, she looked around appreciating the lush jungle and crashing waves. However, it was then she noticed the large red stain surrounding Imperius. "Hey guys..."

"Ya?" Kalzamir asked.

"Maybe you should look towards the ocean," Kadaici replied.

"Isn't it lovely today?" Kalzamir smiled, relaxed.

"Fam, do you not see the blood pool by Imperius?" Kadaici snapped.

"Oh, Xuf!" Kalzamir exclaimed, realizing.

"What do we do?!" Kadaici screamed and Kalzamir just started sprinting.

Kadaici and Kalen followed, although, there really wasn't much they could do without risking themselves getting attacked by whatever was enjoying a Goliath for lunch. Kalzamir reached the shoreline and yelled, "Imperius, catch!"

"What if you stab him?!" Kadaici yelled in horror.

"Well, he needs a weapon and it's not like we'll be any good in the water!" he retorted.

Imperius dexterously caught the spear just as a giant plesiosaur reared its ugly head. "Ya, he's screwed," Kadaici muttered.

"We don't stand a chance...he's gonna have to deal with this on his own..." Kalzamir shuffled his feet awkwardly.

"Hopefully, he can?" Kalen whimpered.

Imperius stabbed towards the next of the sea monster which let out a frightening roar before biting into him and ripping his head off.

"So, cleric, you got a funeral sermon you can do from afar?" Kadaici grimaced, "Because I don't think retrieving his body just for a send off will work out well for any of us."

"Um, well," Kalen cleared his throat, "Deep peace of the running wave to you, deep peace of the flowing air to you, deep peace of the quiet earth to you, deep peace of the shining stars to you, deep joy of the God of Mischief to you. May the road rise to meet you; may the wind be always at your back; may the sun shine warm upon your face; may the rains fall softly upon your fields. Until we meet again, may Loki hold you in the hollow of His hand."

"Short and sweet," Kalzamir said solemnly, "He would have appreciated it."

After a long, quiet moment, Kadaici said, "Let's avoid going swimming until we're off the cursed monster island..."

"Agreed," Kalen and Kalzamir nodded.

With that, they packed up their belongings and continued towards the ship. These last two days had shown just how deceptive the beauty and calmness of the island could really be. Flynne may have died of hunger even if the group hadn't accidentally murdered him, but Imperius was a tank of a man. Muscular and well fed, he would not have been someone one would expect to die. If anything it was proof of how lucky Kadaici had been between losing her hand to the lava and Kalen saving her when Flynne tried to eat her or whatever. As a bard with no fighting experience and a figure that was more slender than muscular, one would have expected her to be the first to die.

As they walked, Kadaici contemplated her luck and her survival. Although she had planned to only accompany them for the boat, she was glad she hadn't attempted to conquer this island on her own. While their stupidity had nearly gotten her killed, their strength had also saved her. Perhaps it was best she had agreed to continue traveling with them after they returned. She could be both shielded by them and find new encounters to advance her own strength. Hopefully, that would be enough.

The ship was somehow in worse repair up close than had been evident from afar. A charred hole in the side made it clear that it had been hit by lightning, so it was a miracle that the ship had even run around instead of just sinking to the depths. However, it seemed the it had been close to doing just that. Water was still pooled in the bottom, rank and murky having been shielded by the sun and separated from the sea. The wood just above the water line was already rotting, a blackish green hue. The mast had fallen and crashed through the side, creating another splintered opening covered by the tattered remnants of a flag. This level of disrepair in such a short time was almost remarkable.

"Is it even safe to go in?" Kalen asked hesitantly.

"Only one way to find out!" Kalzamir smiled, trodding forward.

Well, if it held Kalzamir's weight, it would certainly support Kadaici's, so she followed suit, intent on finding something. Her gut told her that this boat had resources she needed. She wasn't passing it up just because the shipwreck was, well, a wreck.

Ducking as they entered through the hole created by the lightning, the waded through the murky water. Kalzamir held his nose, "Ah, this is rank."

Kadaici nodded, "Highly unpleasant."

Towards the middle was a staircase. Kalzamir tested the first step tentatively. It creaked, but held firm even as he put his full weight on it. Carefully, Kadaici and Kalen followed him into the heart of the ship. They arrived in a hallway that connected to a number of small rooms, likely sleeping chambers. Each step they took across the floor creaked like the stairs and Kadaici watched, half expecting Kalzamir to fall down the hold below.

Cautiously, Kadaici opened the door to her right. A bed with luxurious purple comforter, shaken off by the events that had stranded the ship here in the first place. A trunk rested in the side of the room. Kadaici wandered over. It clearly had been opened in a rush, trying to escape the room most likely, so the lock was left undone. She lifted the latch and the lid. Most the contents had been removed aside from a dusty, leatherbound book. Picking it up and brushing off the dust she read the title. Towenaar's Tome of Bardic Spells. She couldn't believe her luck.

Flipping through hundreds of handwritten pages of spells, adventuring and combat spells no less, she saw how she could succeed on her journey. She may no longer have her tutor, but she no longer needed a tutor as long as she had this spellbook. Grinning from ear to ear, she met back up with Kalzamir and Kalen.

"Find anything interesting?" Kalen asked.

Proudly, she showed off the spellbook, "Just this."

"Oh, so now you might be mildly useful in a fight!" Kalzamir quipped lightheartedly.

"Oh, xuf you," Kadaici hissed, causing Kalzamir to laugh.

"Let's head back and set up camp somewhere," he said. Kalen nodded and Kadaici begrudgingly agreed before exiting the boat the way they came in.