I wander over to the empty pool and start examining it. Near the plinth in the centre is what appears to be a drainage hole. Although Myrrith’s arms are broken off, a closer look soon reveals the presence of piping. It’s tarnished and caked with muck, but it’s there—hidden veins of something that once pulsed with purpose.

  “I think this was once a fountain,” I tell Elara, brushing away some of the dirt to expose more of the old piping.

  She looks up with interest from where she’s sitting, resting her hands on her knees. After a moment, she rises and joins me, her curiosity clear in the way her eyes flicker over the statue.

  “A fountain?” she asks, crouching beside me.

  I nod, pointing to the drainage hole and a faint line where the piping curves downward.

  “See? It must’ve drawn water in from somewhere below. Maybe from an underground spring.”

  Elara tilts her head, studying it with an intent frown.

  “If that’s the case, the spring could still be active. The water flowing here would have become saturated in nature affinity mana.” The thought of it fills her with enthusiasm. “Certain potions and elixirs benefit greatly from mana-infused sources.”

  “Nice,” I reply, standing and brushing the dirt off my hands.

  “Well, if you two want to start clearing some of the debris out of here, I’ll see if I can do anything with this.”

  She straightens, her lips quirking into a soft smile.

  “I’ll see what we can manage. Just don’t break anything.”

  ‘As if, I’m a master plumber by nature,’ I try to reassure myself.

  ‘And who the fuck do you think you are kidding, Del?’

  “No promises,” I mutter, though the smile I flash her is genuine.

  Misty stretches from where she’s perched on the edge of the pool, watching us both with that too-knowing gaze of hers.

  ‘Water?’ Her tone is not the least enamoured at the thought. Her tail flicks once before she hops down and pads over to Elara, sniffing at the hem of her tunic as though deciding whether or not to assist.

  “You can help too,” I say dryly, pointing at her. “Don’t just supervise.”

  She lets out a little mew, flicks her tail again, and pointedly ignores me.

  Elara chuckles, brushing strands of hair away from her face.

  “You’ll have to earn her cooperation.”

  I shake my head.

  ‘Damn fool cat.’

  “Yeah, right, Elara, as if that ever works.”

  Elara leans down and gives the moggy the scritches behind her ears that she loves so much.

  “See, Del, she’s such a good girl.” And from lord knows where the elf produces a little nibble of bacon for the purring cat.

  I just turn my attention back to the plinth.

  The fountain mechanism is intriguing, and if there’s any chance of getting it working again, it might be worth the effort. I crouch down, running my hands along the base of the plinth, feeling for anything out of place—an indentation, a panel, a loose stone.

  Behind me, Elara begins shifting debris, humming under her breath. The sound is soft and soothing, blending with the quiet rustle of Misty’s movements and the occasional faint drip of water still finding its way in from the roof above.

  “Do you think followers of Myrrith used this place often?” I ask, more to break the silence than anything.

  “She might have,” Elara replies. “Shrines like this were often tied to rituals of renewal. A fountain, especially one connected to a spring, would’ve symbolised life and balance. It’s sad to see it in such disrepair.”

  “Yeah,” I murmur, fingers catching on a groove in the stone. “But it’s not beyond hope.”

  The groove feels too precise to be a natural crack, and as I press against it, a faint click can be heard. I glance at Elara, who pauses mid-motion, her ears perking slightly.

  “What was that?” she asks, setting down a piece of rubble.

  “Good question.” I push harder, and a section of the plinth’s base shifts, revealing a hidden panel. As I ease it open, I am washed with a flow of mana, and my butterfly sensation tells me I have found something magical. Inside, faintly glowing runes pulse with a soft green light, casting an otherworldly glow over the stone.

  “Well, that’s promising,” I mutter, leaning closer.

  Elara joins me, brushing her hands off on her tunic before crouching down.

  “What did you find?”

  “Some kind of control mechanism. Looks like it’s still functional, though I wouldn’t bet my life on it.”

  “Careful,” she warns, watching as I trace the runes with a tentative finger.

  “I’m always careful,” I reply, though the smirk I shoot her earns an unimpressed arch of her brow.

  ‘Absolutely, the perfect example of carefully considered action.’ Why do I always sound so downright smug when getting all sarcastic with myself?

  Elara moves off to continue clearing the chamber while I get to work.

  The mechanism is intricate, a blend of nature magic and craftsmanship that feels both ancient and timeless. Peering down, I can see a pool of water. The surface ripples with sporadic bubbles, and I can see a slow flow heading off, possibly to join the river not far away.

  “Well, I’ve found the spring. It’s directly below, maybe ten feet beneath us,” I tell her.

  As I study the runes, a faint hum fills the air, and the pool below us begins to ripple with more vigour. Just our presence seems to be having an effect.

  ‘OK, this needs a little work. Stop and think it through.’

  I select my thinnest knife, a stiletto that was almost certainly the one to end poor Lucas back in the woods, and, with care, start to use it to clean leaves and dirt from the drainage hole.

  I call over Naomi, who is busy entertaining herself with our ginger feline.

  She runs over, a big smile on her face. Misty rolls back to her feet and slinks off to find a sun-warmed spot.

  ‘The kitten has too much energy,’ she grumbles to me.

  ‘Meh, she just likes you, a lot,’ I respond as I feel her settle down for a nap.

  “Alright, Naomi,” I tell her in a serious voice. “I have a very, very important job for you.”

  She looks at me in excited anticipation.

  “I am going to fix Myrrith as best I can, but I need you to clear all the leaves and other bits from the pool so it doesn’t all block straight back up.”

  A hint of disappointment that it wasn’t something more exciting crosses her face, but then she perks up.

  “Sure, then can I play with Misty again?”

  “If you get it really clean so Myrrith would be proud of it,” I say, to her delighted grin.

  In my mind, I am sure I hear a certain cat groan.

  Getting the drain clear doesn’t take too long, and I test it by pouring some water from my skin down it. Through the access panel, I can see the water flowing out freely to drop to the spring below.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Now I just need to figure out how to turn it on. Although the outflow pipes were broken along with the arms, I doubt the internal pathways are damaged, so it should work.

  ‘Teach, Menolly, anyone? How do I make this thing work?’

  I don’t expect an answer; they are not the most forthright of watchers.

  I sigh.

  ‘What about you, Myrrith? Are you more responsive? It's your bloody fountain.’

  I am not sure, but I could swear I heard a far-off laugh.

  Elara turns, her expression shifting from curiosity at what we were doing to awe as a wave of mana pulses through the room. There is a moment of presence, powerful yet abstract. In but a fleeting moment, it is gone once more, and with a series of splutters and gurgles, the fountain stirs to life.

  The water flows unevenly, spurting from the broken elbows of the statue and cascading into the basin below.

  Naomi gives a yelp and jumps out of the pool.

  “Cold,” she shivers.

  “It works,” Elara breathes, her voice tinged with wonder.

  “Sort of,” I reply, wiping sweat from my brow. “Not exactly the majestic display it probably used to be, but hey, progress.”

  Misty stretches and pads over, sniffing at the edge of the pool before dipping a paw into the water. She flicks it out, spraying droplets everywhere, then promptly decides the fountain is her new personal plaything.

  “Really?” I ask, watching as she bats at the water with unrestrained glee.

  Elara laughs softly. “She’s enjoying herself. Let her be.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, though I can’t help but smile.

  The next few hours pass in a steady rhythm of clearing debris, cleaning the walls, and gathering together the broken parts of the shrine.

  Elara hums occasionally as she works, and even Misty pitches in, though her definition of “helping” mostly involves chasing stray bits of rubble or curling up on freshly cleared patches of stone.

  Seeing everything in the shrine chamber is under control, I consider the rest of the building. Those skeletons hadn’t asked to be raised and used against the living. They deserved better.

  Reverently, I go down the stairs, collecting up the scattered skeletal remains and carrying them back to the crypt chamber. The act feels... necessary. Restorative, even.

  I have no way of knowing which bone goes with which skull, or even if it matters. In the crypt, I create a neat pile of all the bones. I had seen pictures in the past of famous catacombs that had similar features.

  I felt it fitting here.

  Elara doesn’t say much as I work, but the quiet respect in her gaze speaks volumes.

  When we finally step back to admire our progress, the chamber feels less like a tomb and more like a place of worship again.

  It’s not perfect—far from it—but the oppressive weight that had hung over the shrine is now fully gone.

  “It’s amazing what a little effort can do,” Elara says, leaning against the plinth and wiping her hands on a cloth.

  “Yeah,” I reply, stretching and wincing as my muscles protest.

  “Feels good to fix something for once instead of just surviving.”

  “The crypt will need to be re-consecrated,” she tells me.

  “And the other repairs, the statue, the doors. Still a lot to do,” I agree.

  She nods, her gaze drifting to the fountain. The water flows steadily now, its surface shimmering with a faint green glow that seems to echo Myrrith’s presence.

  “You think she’s watching?” Elara asks, gesturing to the statue.

  “Maybe. I think she is.”

  ‘Thank you, Myrrith,’ I send out the thought to the goddess I knew full well was watching.

  Misty hops onto the edge of the pool, her tail flicking as she stares into the water. For a moment, she looks almost... reverent. Then she sneezes, disrupting the serene moment entirely.

  “Thanks for that,” I say, chuckling as she leaps down and saunters off as if nothing happened.

  Elara laughs, and the sound is warm and genuine, chasing away the lingering shadows of the day. I can see the effect of this area, and its strong ties to her own deity, has refreshed and invigorated her after the recent trials.

  For the first time in what feels like forever, the world doesn’t seem quite so heavy.

  As Elara starts to gather the necessary bits to cook dinner I sit on the edge of the pool and consider my notices.

  Levels, and a good thing too.

  ‘We need to get stronger’ I tell Misty who looks at me in agreement.

  Those fights had been tough and the results showed. 3 levels and six points were not to be sneezed at.

  I put two more onto Strength and Dexterity and then one each on Intelligence and Wisdom.

  ‘Damn Del, I am even starting to impress myself.’

  Name: Del Axholm

  Level: 9

  Path: Archer

  Health: 66

  Strength: 22

  Dexterity: 20

  Stamina: 21

  Intelligence: 15

  Wisdom: 13

  Mana: 67

  Spirit: 58

  Agility: 29

  Presence: 10

  Animal Companion: Misty; feline

  Skills:

  Archery lvl 3 – Able to use all manner of handheld bows and crossbows

  Woodcraft lvl 3 – Basic survival skills in wooded areas. Can safely make fires and create crude shelters.

  Tracking lvl 2 – Can find and follow obvious tracks or blood trails.

  Traps lvl 1 – Can make basic snares and pit traps.

  Sneak lvl 3 – Able to hide in available cover. Movement increases the risk of being seen or heard.

  Herbalism lvl 2 – Can identify and gather basic herbs.

  Skinning lvl 3 – Can manage to roughly skin a carcass.

  Leadership lvl 1 - Able to command small groups of up to 20.

  Attacks:

  Bow lvl 3 – Simple Shot.

  Sword lvl 7 – Cut, thrust.

  Dagger lvl 4 – Stab, Slash.

  Special Attacks:

  Bow:

  Sneak attack lvl 1 – Doubles damage

  Master Archer lvl 1 – Cost 1 Stamina: Increased damage and chance of critical hit.

  Dagger:

  Backstab lvl 2 – Double damage.

  Two Handed Melee lvl 3 – Two weapon fighting, twice the fun.

  Name: Misty

  Level: 10

  Path: Feline Companion

  Health: 62

  Strength: 16

  Dexterity: 22

  Stamina: 19

  Intelligence: 12

  Wisdom: 6

  Mana: 60

  Spirit: 15

  Agility: 32

  Presence: 20

  Skills:

  Charm lvl 4 – Can influence the attitude of someone in eye contact with her.

  Transform lvl 1 – Can assume Hellcat form, Strength, Dexterity and Health Double for 15 minutes, These values halved for 30 minutes after effect ends.

  Attacks:

  Claw lvl 7 – Attack with front claws.

  Rake lvl 5 – Double rear leg attack.