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[b][u][center](Oc)Cult Friends[/center][/u][/b]

[b][u][center]Part 1[/center][/u][/b]

[b][u][center]For AkimitsuSeveCan[/center][/u][/b]

[b][u][center]by Draconicon[/center][/u][/b]

"This...is...bullshit."

Gauthier shook his head as he looked down from the tiny little rock ledge that he and Lykus had managed to find overlooking the dungeon's central chamber. 'Tiny' was honestly too kind a word for it; both of them were leaning against a wall that was trying to stab them in the back - actively, considering the magic in the dungeon was bringing almost everything to life - and their toes hung off the edge of the ledge, almost sending them falling forward every time that the rock behind them started growing and squirming just that little bit too much.

"Bullshit?" Lykus chuckled. "Hardly. It's merely magic."

"Yes. Really fucking strong magic."

"Mmm, indeed."

"You don't have to be so damn happy about it."

"Oh, I think I do. Particularly when we're this close to the source."

The wolf at his side nodded at their prize to be, an idol in the center of the room that pulsed with a great deal of red and green light, looking like some rot that had come out of the lower planes. Considering just what it was doing to the room around it, Gauthier wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case.

The fighter gripped the wolf's arm, and Lykus gripped the wall as the human leaned forward. Not much, just enough to see down below them. The golems that had chased them into the room - thankfully slowly enough for them to climb the wall and get out of sight - were still there, shuffling around, their footsteps sending thunderous echoes through the cavern. Little minion beasts ranging from kobolds to goblins moved around down there too, keeping an eye out for things that the golems were too dumb to see on their level.

Thankfully, all the beasts were too dumb to look straight up, and that was the only thing keeping them alive at the moment. He leaned back against the wall, wincing as the rock shifted and a sharper chunk tried to stab his shoulder. He lifted his arm, moving around it so that it didn't have the chance to impale him.

"Well?" Lykus asked.

"Reckon I could take out one, maybe two golems if I jumped on 'em," he grunted. "Not that it'd do much good against the thirty-some out there."

"No, no, you're right. Hmmm..."

"Don't suppose you got some lightning on you today?"

"Probably wouldn't work. All we'd get is chipped rock."

"Acid?"

"Used that to melt our way into the dungeon."

"Sonic?"

"Rock's too solid to shatter."

"...Fucking useless then, aren't ya?"

"Pardon me, who is the one meant to break things? And who is the one meant to leave them befuddled and amazed?" The wolf smiled. "Oh, right, the second one is me, and the first one is you. Please, stay in your lane, Gauthier. I do so love adventuring with a sexy beast like you, but we both know who's the brains of this little operation."

"Well, think of - fucking hell, do you have to keep calling me that?"

"Heh, my point stands."

"Dick-wolf."

"You know it."

The black-furred wolf closed his eyes, pressing his hands together in something rather like prayer. Knowing that it was anything but, Gauthier shook his head and looked down at the central chamber again.

The dungeon itself hadn't been that complicated. It was built into the side of a mountain, like so many of these little treasure-holes. Monsters lived on the upper levels, something a bit more intelligent on the second level, and down here on the third level were the heavy hitters. It wasn't something all that new, though the winding back and forth ramp that led down from one level to another was something that had made it deceptively easy to reach the bottom of the dungeon.

That deception had come at the cost of trying to retreat. He'd tripped a grease spell or something on the second level, sending him and Lykus down to the third one before they were ready. As soon as they hit bottom, they'd ended up running, drawing more attention from the various closed rooms on either side of the corridor leading down to this chamber. They'd probably hit the central room in record time, all things considered. Record time to die, too, if they didn't do something about getting out of here quickly.

Saner adventurers would have debated leaving the idol behind, but Gauthier had already decided that wasn't going to happen. Part of that was Lykus's obsession with all things magical, but it was also a point of pride. They had come this far together, and they weren't going to let one mistake end up fucking them over and leaving them without their prize. They'd faced harder odds than this in the past.

It was a lie, but it was a needed one. He shifted his footing a bit, rubbing his fingers against the hilt of the greatsword sticking over his shoulder. He probably could cut down three golems, and there weren't more than that in the main chamber. The rest had filed out when there'd been no obvious sign of him and his partner, but there was the question of just how far back they'd gone. If they were just in the corridor, then killing three golems wouldn't mean a damn thing. If they were in their rooms again, though...

[i]Fucking fuck...[/i]

Without that extra information, they were in a sticky situation. The leather-armored fighter shook his head, pressing his back against the stone wall once more.

[i]Can't keep climbing on the wall,[/i] he thought. [i]We were lucky to get this high already, and looks like the other handholds have been molded out of the way by the magic here...no other platforms along the wall, either...[/i]

That left dropping down and fighting their way up to the idol, where it rested on an altar raised ten feet off the ground, or something else brilliant. He didn't have anything brilliant.

"Lykus? You got anything?" he muttered.

"I think I might, actually. Of course, it requires a little dexterity, so if you don't mind shimmying that lovely butt of yours up the wall..."

"Lykus. I swear to the gods, one of these days that flirting is going to get you punched in the mouth."

"Ah, but it might get me kissed in the mouth, too. As well as other things."

"You're hopeless."

"Ah, the opposite, my friend. Entirely too hopeful."

He rolled his eyes, though with a smile. He nodded back at the chamber.

"So, the idea?"

"How do you feel about spider-climbing?"

"Doesn't look like we got the handholds for it."

"Oh, that won't be a problem in a moment."

"...Sticky hands?"

"Of course."

"Goddammit."

"Come come. Put that fear of heights to the side for a moment."

"Just don't do the full spider-spell this time. The last time you did that, I got stuck with an ass full of silk for a week."

"Of course, of course. Now, hold still. I must lay my hands upon you."

"...Keep the groping to a minimum?"

"Oh, I'm permitted a bit?"

"If this saves our asses, go ahead."

He was used to the flirtatious nature of his partner. There was something a bit annoying about it sometimes, but most of the time it was just friendly banter. Despite that, Gauthier knew that Lykus would have jumped into bed with him in a second if he ever showed the slightest bit of interest. It didn't threaten him, nor did it make him feel vulnerable to the other man. It just made him aware that he was an object of interest, and that was flattering in its own fucking weird way.

Still, he never got used to the way that the warlock touched him. There was always this feeling that it was going to be more than it actually was, that Lykus was getting something out of it that he wasn't. It didn't make him entirely uncomforable, but it always felt that little bit weird.

As the wolf's furry fingers stroked across his chest, almost feeling up his pecs for a moment, he rolled his eyes.

"Wasting your touch-time on my chest? I thought you'd be trying to cop a feel of my dick."

"Perhaps another time. It's tempting, though."

"Well, time's up. Gonna cast the - FFFFF!"

He gritted his teeth, almost biting his tongue off as he stifled the curse-word. He covered his mouth, keeping the sound from traveling through the small chamber and barely keeping them hidden. The magic fucking [i]hurt[/i] as it zapped through him, carrying a heat that was most definitely not a nice sort of warmth. Felt like it came from some sort of monster out there in the world rather than the godly, demonic, or fae stuff that he'd felt some other warlocks.

As the burning finally faded, he realized that his hands were sticky. Very sticky. And he mostly realized that because one hand was over his lips.

"Mmph...mmm-mmmph!"

"...Well, you were the one that covered your mouth."

"Mm-mmph."

"Yes, I guess I am. Hang on."

Lykus helped him get the leverage he needed to pull his hand free without throwing himself off their tiny little ledge. Once it came free with a ripping feeling that damn near left him screaming, he huffed and puffed, shaking his head as he turned to face the rock wall.

"How - mmph, damn - how long does this spell last?"

"Five minutes."

"We better get climbing, then."

"Shimmy away, oh sexy beast."

"Fuck off," he said with a small chuckle.

It was easier to climb the rocks than he thought. Perhaps it was just the goatee that he had that threw him off when he was sticking his hand to his face, or maybe Lykus had specialized the spell to make sure that they weren't going to have issues climbing the stone face. Either way, he was able to drag himself further and further up, and soon he was hanging from his fingers and toes from the ceiling.

[i]This shouldn't work, but fuck it, I'll take it,[/i] he thought, staring straight ahead and doing his best to ignore the tugging feeling that went through his entire body. He knew for a fucking fact that the minute he looked down he was going to panic. Heights didn't treat him well.

"How much further?" he whispered.

"Thirteen feet forward, then we drop."

"And then?"

"Then we run."

"That's it?"

"That's the best I can think of."

"...I need a new partner."

"You need [i]a[/i] partner."

"...You mean I need to get laid, don't you?"

"Well, I've offered."

"Pass."

"Your loss."

Gauthier was able to measure the distance with some ease, and eventually came to a stop right over the idol. He kept staring at the far wall, taking deep breaths in anticipation for the fall. From experience jumping from tall ledges onto enemies, he knew that this was going to be a jolt, and that he'd need a half-second or so to get his legs under him again. In that moment, he'd be vulnerable to the other monsters in the room, and he'd have to rely on Lykus to protect him.

That wasn't going to be a question. He had relied on the wolf many times, and he knew how powerful Lykus's magic was. They had gotten out of huge scrapes in the past, and as long as they didn't do something stupid this time around, they were going to get out of this. He could trust the wolf with his life, and then some.

It was just the fact that it was heights...

Looking down, he felt his stomach drop out through his back. The fall was at least thirty feet, and if it wasn't for the enchanted runs in his trousers, he knew that he'd be breaking something with this. He told himself that he was going to be fine, but that nauseated, twisting feeling in the pit of his stomach refused to go away. It was everything that he could do to start loosening his grip on the rock.

"How much time does the spell have left?" he whispered.

"Ten seconds."

"Okay. When it ends, do something to distract them. Illusion something or other. I'll take it from there."

And then, the spell ran out. He felt the rock slip out of his grip, and down he went. The scream that wanted to come rushing out of his mouth almost did, and only stopped itself on his clenched teeth. The red-green light of the idol swallowed him up, hiding him in that burst of illumination.

As soon as he hit the ground, Lykus began his fall, twisting and turning to throw his hand at the kobolds and golems. As soon as he did, the floor was consumed with fire, surging up. The kobolds screamed, running away, while the golems -

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

The golems in the room threw themselves ot the floor, becoming a half-living platform that kept the kobolds from getting burned by the illusion. The lizards leaped onto the backs of the golems and ran out, rushing towards the end of the corridor and the second level of the dungeon. He vaguely remembered that there was a well up there, and...

[i]Are they going for buckets? Making a fire brigade or something?[/i]

Whatever they were doing, it gave a perfect opening for him and Lykus to get the idol and run. He grabbed the scaly figure off the plinth, and immediately the light show stopped. It tingled against his hand, almost feeling like his fingers were getting shocked over and over and over again, and he winced as he tightened his grip. Lykus stood up, and he grabbed the wolf by the arm, running down the steps.

"Time to run."

The golems were still on their bellies, their fat, round bodies making the perfect stepping stones. He leaped from the stone stairs onto their backs, and then jumped from golem to golem as he went. He chopped the legs off the last one, leaving it pinned on the floor and blocking the door out of the central chamber, and Lykus nodded his head in approval.

"Smart move."

"I get a smart thought from time to time."

"You're more than your body, that's for sure."

"A brain compliment? Heh, I'll take it."

They ran down the corridor, the screeching of the kobolds and goblins on the upper levels getting louder. The rooms were opening, too, and there were both the little guys and more of the golems slowly starting to pour out. So far, the golems were all behind them, but if that got much worse, then they were going to have a problem. A big problem, too, considering how hardy those things were.

"Pass me the idol," Lykus huffed as they picked up speed.

"Why?"

"Can you cast on the run?"

"Fuck no."

"Give it!"

He passed the idol back, and the wolf grabbed it tight. It glowed all the brighter as he held it between his fingers, something that made Gauthier forcefully remind himself that the wolf was on his side. Glowing, magical idols were a dime a dozen in these underground mazes, but that didn't mean that all of them were going to be the evil sort of idol.

That's what he told himself. That's what he hoped.

They ran for the far end of the corridor, kobolds and more starting to fall in line behind them and pursuing them at top speed. The grease trap was still waiting for them on the ramp, and he bit his lips in preparation for the climb. He was going to have to stab his sword in for leverage, use that to throw himself upwards, and -

FWOOOSH!

A fireball shot past him, hitting the grease and consuming it before them. The trap was burned off by the time that they reached the incline, and they started running right up the stones. Sure, it was a bit of a hotfoot through his boots, and Lykus yelped as he hopped from stone to stone on bare paws, but it worked.

"Forgot you didn't have boots?" Gauthier asked with a laugh.

"Shut up! It worked! Keep running - ow ow ow!"

He was laughing despite himself when they reached the top of the ramp. They rounded the end of the ramp and faced the next level, covered from end to end with goblins armed with daggers, shortswords, and -

Gauthier unsheathed his weapon in a split-second, catching a bolt against the broad blade of his greatsword. The tink-sound of the crossbow bolt hitting the metal and falling down was just loud enough to get Lykus's attention, too, and the wolf rolled his eyes.

"Great. They can shoot us this time."

It was a long stone bridge running from one side of the second level to the other, and it was covered in goblins, with kobolds taking positions on the heights to aim more crossbows down at them. Gauthier looked at the whole mess, and he chuckled.

"Well, we'll just have to keep moving, then."

"Yes, well, we might want to do that a bit faster. They're climbing the ramp."

"Grease it up, warlock. I'll cut us a path."

"Yes, if you wouldn't mind -"

Tink. He caught another blade heading right for the wolf's throat, bringing the blade back as Lykus caught the bolt as it fell.

"An improvised wand is better than none," the wolf muttered.

"You cast, I'll cut."

"Yes, be quick if you can."

"You too."

They split, with Lykus taking shelter beneath some of the high stone on their side of the bridge as Gauthier leaped forward. This was his element, and despite the sheer number of goblins, he had two things on his side. He had size, as he was bigger than any of them and his blade was made for cutting through smaller beasts. And, he had experience.

Lots and lots of experience.

There was less 'thunking' and more gasping and choking as he spun and cut, spinning his greatsword around so that each move fed into the momentum of the next one. The resistance of goblin bodies in front of him was countered by the sheer weight and heft of the greatsword, and the way that he brought it up and around in wide, swinging arcs meant that it was constantly going up and down. His muscles brought the initial force to the swing, but gravity and momentum kept it from ever slowing down, or getting caught in his victims.

[i]Fighter College was good for something.[/i]

The goblins quickly learned to give him a wide berth, retreating and hoping for an opening that never came. His blade danced in sweeping arcs, cutting from one side of the narrow bridge to the other. It moved so much, danced so far up and around him, that he was cutting off the crossbow bolts before they could actually reach him, and every time that one of them fell to the ground, he felt that much more satisfied.

This was what he was meant to do. This was the kind of fighting that he was good at.

He was halfway across the bridge when a wrecking-ball thump filled his ears. Cutting down the nearest goblins, he turned -

"GAH!"

Only for a lucky bolt to cut across his cheek as he turned. If he hadn't been in motion, it would have caught him in the eye, but it was scant comfort when he was bleeding from his face and tasting his blood already.

"Lykus!"

"Coming. The spell's good, they're not climbing -"

"Get over here!"

The goblins surged forward, and with his momentum broken, they almost pushed past him. He managed to stop them, holding them at the midpoint of the bridge, but it was a close thing. The kobolds were picking up their pace, too, shooting their crossbows all the quicker. Some of the bolts pinged off the stone at his feet, while others started cutting through the leather he wore on his arms and chest.

Lykus joined him,, the idol pulsing hotter and faster. The goblins hissed, backing away, and the wolf swept his hand forward. A quick cast of chain lightning left them screaming, opening a hole for Gauthier to start cutting properly again. As he got back to the dance of blades, he looked over his shoulder.

"New spell?"

"Illusion. They're too stupid to notice the difference."

"Smart."

"Merely normal for me."

"Jack-ass."

"Only if you asked me to grow it."

Chuckling, Gauthier kept the cutting going. Soon, they reached the far end of the bridge, and the crossbow bolts stopped. Another ramp, and they were on the top level. The kobolds and goblins were trying to catch up to them, and Lykus was doing something with the idol to slow them down. He heard a roar behind him that almost sounded dragon-like, and that, more than anything, got him to pick up the pace. If there was something like that down in a hidden fourth level of the dungeon, and if it was starting to wake up, he sure as hell didn't want to be here for when it did.

"Run!"

They ran, beating feet for the gate to the outer world. He ducked his head under the final barrage of crossbow bolts, leaped through the archway -

ZZZZZT!

And then they were through. The binding spells of the doorway kept the monsters and their weapons on the other side, and he rolled forward, almost somersaulting through the grass before coming to a total halt. He lay flat on his stomach, gasping for breath.

"Too...close..."

"A smidge closer than I'd like, I admit, but worth it," Lykus said.

"How...are you...not out...of breath?"

"I maaaay have cheated a little bit."

"And why's your voice so deep?"

"Oh. Right."

[i]Spell,[/i] he imagined. Illusion or real, there had probably been some kind of transformation going on, something that allowed the wolf to keep up with him when they were running for their lives. Lykus was definitely more fit than the average illusionist, but that didn't mean that he was in better shape than Gauthier was. Fighting required hard muscles and strong stamina, two things not exactly required by wizardry. They could be lazy. He couldn't.

He managed to roll over as the light of the idol stopped pulsing, meeting his friend's eyes again. The wolf slumped down, chuckling to himself.

"We did it, Gauthier. We finally did it."

"Yeah, well...it was kinda a dream, right?" The human groaned, dragging himself to a sitting position despite his body's complaints. "You told me you've been looking for that thing for years."

"Yes, but I never expected someone to help me find it."

"Why not?"

"It's something that makes magic stronger. Do you think most fighters trust mages enough for that?"

"Eh. Most of 'em are shit."

"Thanks a lot," Lykus said, rolling his eyes.

"Most of 'em." He smiled. "You ain't most."

"Oh, stop, or I'll think you'd like a kiss."

"I'm riding so high on relief I'd let you."

"Seriously?"

"...Eh, probably not, but it's debatable right now."

"Damn."

They shared a laugh as the goblins and kobolds beat on the barrier that kept them on the other side and in the dungeon. Gauthier knew from experience that any dungeon built with one of those was as good as gold, as reliable as the better gods, and more than able to stand up to any sort of beating. Even so, he couldn't help but keep an eye on them as Lykus stroked the idol again and again.

"What are you going to do with that thing, anyway?"

"Me? I'm going to keep it."

"Just for the power?"

"Oh, more than that, Gauthier. Far more than that."

"Well...you know we got contracts, right?"

"I know, I know. And I'll be with you for that. Just...give me six months, hmm? Six months to study this thing, and then we'll be working together again."

"You think you'll need that long?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. "Never seen you study something longer than a week before."

"Trust me. This is worth it."

"Better be, if we're going to be turning down work for that long."

"We?"

"We're partners. Gauthier and Lykus. People hire us for the pair, not just for the muscles."

"Or your looks."

There was the flattery again. He chuckled, shaking his head.

"Seriously, though. Six months? Got your word on that?"

"The word of a wolf, my friend."

"Then I'll come knocking then. Guard captain at the capital's been on my ass about getting a job with them for a while. I'll sign on for a few months to pay the bills, then I'll come back."

"I'll see you then, my friend. I'll see you then."

#

[i]Five years later...[/i]

Gauthier stared down at his plate. Roasted lamb, potatoes, a couple of peppers from the south. They should have been something to celebrate, when it came down to food, all things considered. It was an anniversary meal, something that he should have been sharing with someone. Sadly, it wasn't.

He clenched his fists at the edge of his plate, taking a deep breath, and then letting them relax again. Five years, now. Five years spent in the capital. Three of them with the guard, one as a bodyguard for some rich asshole, and the last year just existing. Selling off most of his old gear had left him financially secure, but...well, there wasn't much point in things anymore. Not for him.

He clenched his hands into fists again at the reminder of just how...empty things had become. Six months had passed after their agreement, but when he went to Lykus's rented labs, it had been closed down. The owner had told him that the wolf had stopped making payments three months prior, and there was no sign of him after that.

Investigations turned up nothing, and despite the fact that Lykus was a useful adventurer, someone that had brought in coin and security to a number of people, his warlock status had left most of his neighbors rather happy that he had disappeared. Gauthier winced as he remembered how he had treated some of them. There were more than a few broken doors that he was responsible for during his own investigation into his friend's disappearance.

The years passed, and now...now most of his former acquaintances had cut ties with him, too. His obsession with Lykus was dying, but the fact that he had been so tied to the warlock and so defensive of him during the early days of the disappearance meant that nobody really trusted him anymore. His work had stopped coming in, the captain of the guard had cut him loose, and he couldn't even keep a job as a bodyguard. Not through his skills being lacking, but...well, there were reputations to keep, and his reputation poisoned others.

[i]Dammit, Lykus...you said six months...[/i]

He stared down at the plate. It was the same meal that they had always shared when they were celebrating a good job done. He'd had it he didn't know how many times on the road, in farming villages, anywhere that they'd stopped on the way to a new job. It was what they [i]did.[/i] It wasn't supposed to be eaten alone.

His hopes for his friend were fading, but he had one more possibility. One more thing. If his contact ever showed up, that was.

He was about to toss the plate to the side of the table and go to his room when the door to the inn opened. Gauthier looked up at the hooded figure, recognizing the stitching along the side of the cloak. Someone that he'd hired, someone that he'd bought stuff for. His sigil on the chest. He nodded, tapping the table.

The stranger walked over, sitting down and looking down. The hood covered the other man's face completely, and a growling voice emerged from beneath it.

"I found him," the stranger said. "Found your wolf."

"You're sure?"

"White and black wolf, striped?"

"That's him."

"Yeah. He's in the Caves of Isilmin."

Gauthier hissed under his breath. Isilmin wasn't the name of a region, but rather, the name of an old cult leader. Someone that had gathered power not just over mortals, but over dragons. Long dead, but the remnants of that magic remained in the caves there, calling to those that had been touched by magic, those that had interest in it. If Lykus had been caught by that magic...

He rubbed his cheeks. It had been five years since he'd been on the road. That was a long enough break for anyone.

"How long?"

"At least a year."

"Good."

"Good? Are you mad?" the growling voice asked.

"Good, because it means he'll still be there." He stood up, grumbling as his belly shifted more than it should, as the sword weighed on his shoulders heavier than the past. "He's good, but he's not going to cover the caves in a year. He'll still be there. He'll still be there."

"You're mad, sir," the hooded figure said. His growl was almost a chuckle as he said it. "Completely mad."

"Not the first one to call me that. Here." He tossed a gold coin on the table. "Thanks."

[b][u][center]The End[/center][/u][/b]

Summary: Gauthier and the wolf Lykus are an adventuring party. They end up having a hell of an adventure, but that's only the start of things. A prologue to greater things.

Tags: No Sex, Flirting, Gay and Straight, Human, Wolf, D&D, Fight, Fighting, Kobold, Injury, Blood, Series, Magic, Idol, Friends,