Echoes: A Second Skin Novel (Second Skin Book 6) Read online

  ECHOES:

  A SECOND SKIN NOVEL

  M DAMON BAKER

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  © 2019 M DAMON BAKER ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Digital book(s) (epub and mobi) produced by Booknook.biz.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Epilogue

  Chapter 1

  Returning from his latest scouting mission with Kara, Endreí paused for a moment beneath the cover of the forest as they drew close to home. Much had changed since the fateful battle against Rage and the Bone Crushers three years ago, but glimpsing the high stockade walls around their village always seemed to bring the memories of it all back to him in a rush of emotion. Although it had been rough for a while and he’d sometimes thought they might succumb to the daunting challenges of this new world, despite the many difficulties they’d faced, Endreí and his friends had managed to survive. Even more than that—they’d thrived.

  From just the eight of them, the tiny homestead had grown into a small village harboring over fifty individuals, including a handful of children that had been born into this new world as well. The motley collection of rough wooden buildings, garden plots, and scattered livestock was no grand settlement to be sure, but it was certainly something to be proud of under the difficult circumstances. In a world where nearly everyone had perished amidst the chaos of its rapid disintegration, they’d managed to nurture life and even make it grow.

  Yet they’d done more than create a place where people merely existed—they’d made a home. He and Rissa had been married for well over two years now, and they’d shared their wedding day with Nate and Kara. The two couples weren’t alone in sanctifying their commitment to each other; many others had also felt secure enough in their little hamlet to dare begin dreaming of a better future ahead of them.

  Kara came to a halt alongside Endreí as he stood there, grasping his hand in hers one last time before they’d be forced to go their separate ways again. As was always the case, along with her touch came a unique sense of comfort, one he’d come to rely on and even crave as time went on. The odd closeness they shared over the last three years never faded, but thankfully, it hadn’t grown into anything stronger either. Even though they understood that the strong connection between them had initially been spurred on by some outside force, after experiencing the sense of… completeness it had brought to their lives, neither of them could bring themselves to truly resent it. The situation made Endreí feel almost as if he was leading two completely separate lives—one with Rissa and another with Kara—and passing between those two worlds could often be quite jarring for him. Although their relationship had never crossed the line into anything that truly betrayed the ones they loved, Endreí and Kara both recognized that what they shared was also much more than mere friendship. The reassurance they’d found in each other had not only seen them through the toughest of times but also strengthened the bonds between them and their spouses as well. Somehow, having Kara to rely on had only made Endreí love Rissa even more, a feeling he knew Kara had also experienced with Nate.

  The end of his two days in the wilderness with Kara once again brought another transition between the two distinct lives Endreí was living, one where Rissa was his entire world and the other where Kara seemed to dominate his every thought. So long as he and Kara had their time together, those two worlds existed in a certain sense of harmony, serving more as a complement to each other rather than causing any real conflict. Yet leaving her at the end of their missions always brought on a feeling of loss for him, at least briefly—those fleeting thoughts vanished almost instantly once he was back with Rissa.

  They’d tried to break free from the mysterious force that had brought them together—on more than one occasion. Although it had caused no real harm and, in fact, was more of a blessing to them than a curse, Endreí and Kara both recognized that there was also a great danger hidden within the depths of their devotion. The feelings they had for each other were extremely powerful, intimate even at times, and they understood the very real risk of those emotions developing into something even more. Yet despite Endreí’s best efforts to discover the source of their connection, he’d never managed to uncover it. So, they’d lived with it over the years, eventually coming to embrace and even be grateful for what they shared.

  During those years, the lands around their little settlement had become almost tame, and the majority of their missions in the wild passed uneventfully. Unfortunately, that hadn’t been the case this time. After discovering their tracks, Kara and Endreí had been able to dispatch the handful of goblins they’d come across quite easily. Fighting almost as one, they’d torn through the monsters effortlessly; Endreí shredding the creatures with his Spells while Kara dispatched the rest with a few well-placed shots from her bow. Although the small band of goblins they’d encountered had been no real match for them, the presence of the little green creatures so close to their home was disturbing—definitely news that would need to be shared with the other scouts, lest an even larger group of goblins sneak up on them. Before taking the last few steps on their journey, Endreí watched over Kara while she took a moment to process her notifications, and when they switched roles, he opened up his UI to let his own messages scroll by.

  Experience gained – You have gained 55 XP.

  Experience gained – You have gained 55 XP.

  Experience gained – You have gained 55 XP.

  Experience gained – You have gained 55 XP.

  Experience gained – You have gained 110 XP.

  It wasn’t much, especially considering the relatively large amount of XP required for him to gain a level at that point. Being tied down to his village left little opportunity for Endreí to gain any real rewards. Had he been out adventuring—exploring ruins, raiding dungeons, and the like—increasing his power might have been a much easier affair. Yet he couldn’t complain. Life here was full of its own rewards, and he wouldn’t have traded it for anything else in the world.

  It had probably been months since he’d looked over his full sheet; with the slow pace of advancement, there was little reason to. Yet Endreí felt almost compelled to extend his time with Kara that day, if only for a few more moments, so he pulled up the pages for a quick review.

  Endreí

  Elven Male

  Level - 26

  283,320/301,200

  Health - 250/250 Aura - 570/570 Endurance - 250/250

  Elf – Elven racial abilities include superior vision that is equally acute in daylight as well as darkened conditions.

  Class – Evoker – Evokers have access to incredible power through their Spells. Although other classes can cast magic, Evokers’ unique focus on this ability provides them with a special advantage.

  Specialization – Enchanter

  Mastery –

  STR - 23

  CON - 25

  DEX - 23

  INT - 28

  WIS - 29

  CHA - 20


  Abilities

  Darting Dagger – Your next dagger attack has an increased chance to strike your opponent. Cost- 10 Endurance. – 31%

  Staff of Defense – Chance to use your staff to block the next incoming melee attack against you. Cost-20 Endurance. -28%

  Detect Life – Determine if any living beings are within the radius of this Spell. Cost – 10 Aura. – 76%

  Detect Trap – Locate hidden snares within the bounds of this magic. Area of effect increases with proficiency. Cost – 20 Aura. – 41%

  Identify Magic Item – Determine the properties of an enchanted item. Cost – 20 Aura. – 32%

  Detect Magic – Determine if any magical enchantments or items are within close proximity. Area of effect increases with proficiency. Cost – 30 Aura. – 29%

  Alarm – Place a temporary enchantment on an object or item that will detect the intrusion of any creature or person. At the caster’s discretion, trespassers will trigger an audible or inaudible alert. Cost – 30 Aura. – 47%

  Erase – Remove all traces of your passing. Area of effect is dependent on proficiency. Cost – 30 Aura. – 52%

  Comfort – Regulate the temperature within a small radius of your location. Cost – 40 Aura. – 61%

  Spells – Affinity: Air – 43%

  Blaze – Launch a flaming orb at your foe, which may ignite any combustible materials in its path. Cost – 20 Aura. – 32%

  Shard – Summon a fragment of rock which will hurl itself at your enemy. Cost – 20 Aura. – 45%

  Surge – Send a bolt of electrical energy at your target. Cost – 15 Aura. – 39%

  Flame Trap – Set a snare that will ignite when an enemy enters its radius. Cost – 30 Aura. – 51%

  Frozen Earth – Freeze the surface of an area solid, damaging anything caught within its radius. Cost – 40 Aura. – 62%

  Spike – Summon a massive rocky spike to impale a single creature. Cost – 40 Aura. – 56%

  Flame Barrier – Conjure a curtain of fire. Dimensions and intensity of the flames you summon increase with proficiency. Cost – 50 Aura. – 21%

  Unseen Blade – Slash at your enemy with a razor-sharp projection of air. Range and damage are dependent on proficiency. Cost – 40 Aura. – 79%

  Wall of Ice – Summon a barrier of ice. Dimensions and thickness increase with proficiency. Cost – 50 Aura. – 43%

  Reflection – Repels missiles fired at the subject of this Spell, sending them back at your enemy. May be cast on self or Ally. Cost – 50 Aura. – 82%

  Imbue – Impart mystical properties to an item. Modifier – Wisdom. Cost – 100 Aura. – 52%

  Scry – Monitor a remote location. Area must either be known to the caster or within line-of-sight to be observed. Cost – 70 Aura. – 43%

  Illusion – Create a false image. Projections brought forth are from the caster’s own mind and gain an increased presence with proficiency. Cost – 120 Aura. – 32%

  Vortex – Form the currents of the air around you into a swirling tornado of destruction. Intensity and duration increase with proficiency. Cost – 150 Aura. – 22%

  Skills

  Blades – 31%

  Dagger – 43%

  Critical Hit – 21%

  Armor – 21%

  Light Armor – 39%

  Pole Arms – 16%

  Staff – 32%

  Critical Hit – 19%

  Perception – 73%

  Environmental – 82%

  Identify Person – 46%

  Identify Enemy – 61%

  Combat Dodge – 36%

  Alchemy – 46%

  Herbalism – 59%

  Potion Crafting – 51%

  Survival – 32%

  Identify Creature (Beasts) – 38%

  Skinning – 28%

  Field Dress – 23%

  Lore – 35%

  Identify Magical Item – 62%

  Subterfuge – 42%

  Stealth – 52%

  Find Trap – 32%

  Disarm Trap – 33%

  Set Trap – 29%

  Endreí couldn’t help but smile as he looked over the last few Skills on his sheet, remembering how Kara had insisted that he let her teach them to him. Not only were they quite useful on their scouting missions, but working on improving those talents had also given the two of them yet another excuse to spend more time together. Both of them were leery of doing anything that might raise suspicions, and having the convenient need to constantly train with the talents gave them the cover they needed to spend at least some time with each other between their forays into the wilds. After years of working and training together, no one seemed to think anything at all of seeing Kara and Endreí working closely together, either on the practice field or even in his private workshop. Thinking of those special moments and with his review complete, Endreí smiled as he closed the window and shared a long embrace with Kara before the two were forced to pull away from each other and return home once more.

  Although the situation stirred up a great deal of conflict within him at times, Endreí was truly happy having both Rissa and Kara in his life. Even though they’d watched the cities of their old world burn on Nate’s ancient TV screen, he’d managed to find real happiness in this new one. Despite the undead, goblins, and all the other dangers that had come along as well, with Rissa as his true love and Kara as a profoundly close friend, Endreí had everything he needed between the two of them. He may have lost everything in the collapse of the world he’d once known, but so long as nothing disturbed the delicate balance of his new existence, Endreí felt as if his life was complete.

  Chapter 2

  The loud crash of ringing metal greeted his ears almost the instant Endreí stepped inside the village gates. Glancing over at the smithy, he saw Nate banging away at a red-hot hunk of iron while Khael and Runil worked on a project of their own. Although Nate’s focus was solely on the metal in front of him, the dwarven brothers managed to keep up their non-stop banter while they fashioned yet another war hammer. The twins had taken up the trade not only to help ease Nate’s burden but also as a way to pass the time between the battles they craved so much. Unfortunately for the two of them, those sorts of conflicts had become quite rare over the years. The tall palisade walls around their settlement served to deter most attackers, and the few real fights that came their way were simply all too infrequent for the brothers’ tastes. So, to fill the long gaps in between those moments, the twins had taken up brewing as well, providing themselves with some much-needed diversions while also benefitting their entire community.

  Endreí hadn’t been the only one who’d claimed his new name; the brothers had long ago ceased using their human names of Cameron and Michael, just as Rissa no longer went by Jen. Despite the hesitation they’d felt at taking on those new names, their friends had taken it all in stride. He couldn’t help but smile to himself as he recalled the night they’d finally told their friends some of the more… interesting details about the transformations they’d undergone. As incredible as it all was, it had taken hours to answer all the questions that had come up. Although most of the changes were strictly physical, there was no denying that they were also different people, a factor that had obviously contributed to that acceptance. While the twins had truly embraced their dwarven identities from the start, Rissa had taken somewhat longer to accept her own transformation, yet in the end, she too had come to think of herself as one of the dusky elves, or as they more properly referred to themselves, twilight elves. Caught somewhere between their drow ancestors and the surface elves, it certainly seemed like an appropriate name for her people.

  Thinking of their new identities always brought on a deep sense of pain and regret for Endreí. The elf that had shared an all too brief time inside his head had left him long ago, ending his own existence when he’d sacrificed himself to prevent his influence from wreaking any further havoc on Endreí’s life. But that selfless act had been completely unnecessary; all their companions had eventually fa
ded away over time, leaving nothing but memories behind in their place. He hadn’t known it then, but their inner guides were only destined to be with them for a short while—just long enough to help ease their transitions before they were gone. All his inner companion had done was cut that brief amount of time even shorter, a sacrifice that Endreí still considered completely unnecessary.

  Endreí came to a halt as he relived that painful memory, while Kara rushed off to reunite with Nate the moment they were clear of the gates. The sight of their heartfelt reunion broke Endreí from his dour mood, and he smiled at seeing them embrace just outside Nate’s forge. Endreí glanced around while the pair hugged each other, searching in vain for Rissa, who was oddly nowhere in sight. She seldom missed his homecomings, often greeting him the second he stepped across the threshold of their community. Her absence that day was a most… unusual occurrence.

  Endreí grew even more concerned when he couldn’t find her, even after searching for hours. Although he caught word of her passing as he went from place to place, it seemed like Rissa was always just a step ahead of him, often having departed from some location just prior to his arrival. Fearing that perhaps something terrible might have happened to her, Endreí finally headed towards the infirmary. He dragged his feet with every step and hoped that when he arrived there, the dark thoughts gnawing at the back of his skull would prove to be unfounded.

  “Hi!” Stephanie greeted him with a warm smile, pushing her long braid of blond hair over her left shoulder with one hand while quickly looking Endreí over to ensure he hadn’t received some injury that needed tending.

  “Oh, hey,” Endreí’s more subdued reply was a stark contrast, a mixture of both his relief at not finding Rissa lying on one of the beds and his continued frustration over his failure to locate her.

  “Is something wrong?” She instantly picked up on his troubled tone.

  Endreí let out a deep breath that only hinted at his growing sense of irritation as he sat down on the corner of one of the beds.