Chapter 6 - First Mission, First Death
Kira
It was a great day of shopping, honestly, I have never felt good about going shopping before. But with Shirina, and Aliana helping me pick out a few different sets of clothes, I had a great time. I got a few comfortable dresses that could be considered a sun dress in style, they were just so comfortable. I got a few undergarmets which usually consisted of a chest wrap, and a few more expensive ones similar to a strapless bra. I also acquired a formal dress.
The formal dress was a dark blue-ish black that had a deep V almost to my navel. The two straps that covered my breasts met at the back of my neck in a tie that draped a quarter of the way down my back. The dress went to the floor, but it had a slit all the way up my left thigh that was very revealing. I actually felt sexy for the first time in my life, or lives I guess.
The material of the dress was interesting, it had to be a soft as silk but it didn't have a sheen to it, but rather it had some kind of periodic sparkles of some sort that would constantly draw the eye to another part of my form. I had to say I looked amazing. The heels were solid shiny black that showed a hint of my cute blue toes. I had sexy feet, weird.
I stepped out of the changing room, and the three present were absolutely amazed with my sudden elegance. "Kira, you are breathtaking." Aliana's comment was not sullied by the fact that she had a blindfold on, I knew she could see me, but I was blushing like my life depended on it. My shy smile and lack of eye contact made Shirina come up to me.
"You really are gorgeous dear, I am at a loss for words." She said with that adoring motherly tone she used, with big eyes looking at me.
"Thank you." I said still going full blueberry.
The lady who was helping me also said, "And the heels fit perfect as well, I will have this fitted perfectly and send it over to your guild." I paid with the money I got from the guild, and wore a Navy blue sundress with white flowers that looked similar to lilys in a few places. It stopped at just above the knee, with a pair of flat dark brown and gold wrapped sandals that went up my calves. It was amazingly comfortable, I wish I could wear dresses all the time. Now if I can find some sun glasses I would be set.
They told me that there was a formal dinner in a week or so after the other two other squads got back from their other missions. Our guild was apparently filled with the four squads, and a lot of lower leveled small adventurer groups and parties. The squads take on larger threats, and the smaller groups take down more reasonable targets. But the squads got the better treatment for these huge jobs they would do, but this banquet would be for the entire guild, they actually invite a whole new batch of servants because ours join in on the festivites.
The three of us had lunch at an open terraced patio that serves very fresh and delicious salads. The multi-leveled bistro had no indoor seating so I imagine this place is quite popular during the summer months. It was relatively crowded now, and just as I had been doing everywhere, I was drawing the eye sight of many people so I sat where I could have my back to the crowd and tried to be unseen.
A nice elven teenager came to take our order, and I had my canto juice, because it is addictive. I also had the same salad as Aliana ordered, she said I would like it, so that was fine with me. It was another fruity delicious concoction of magical and non-magical fruits, vegtebles, and maybe some kind of cheese. Once again the dressing was very delicious, and they called it moak dressing. I have no clue why, and wasn't about to ask incase it was something disgusting that made it. But it was the same as what I had at the guild hall, only just a bit more....spicy maybe. It was very good though.
Shirina payed the tab before either of us could react and we both thanked her.
"It's best we get back to the guid hall soon, I promised to relax with Taezed this evening." Shirina says.
I giggled and I cannot imagine Taezed relaxing but at least Shirina is happy.
Aliana had a smile on her face as well, and when we made it back to the guild hall we got to walk through the huge carved wooden doors that take you into the reception hall. This place is truly magnificent, the longer I am here, the more detail I get to see...of everything. It makes sense that the main guilds would be this well off since there isn't a military allowed, but it feels like some sort of resort place or something.
A very cute brunette receptionist leaned over the counter and said, "Shirina and Kira, please report to your breifing rooms, Captain Aedra is expecting you." I was surprised that she knew my name just like that, but I am sure it got around that the only blue person there with glowing white eyes is me.
"Okay, thank you Zerri, we will head there now." Shirina says with a smile, and we go to one of the lifts that takes us to the floor under the squad separations. We then get into our Squad 3 elevator and head to our briefing room.
On the way up Shirina sighs and says, "I guess there is no relaxing today." With a wistful smile, she exits the elevator and we head into the room Aliana in tow.
"Ah good, you ladies made it." Captain Aedra says with a smile for us, and... yup he checked me out. I can't describe why that feels so good to know that, but once again I went into blueberry mode as I blushed and smile demurely.
"We just made it back." Aliana smiles while setting her bags down next to mine in the corner.
"Good, well we have a direct order from the palace and there is a large threat to the south east. Apparently a giant with a plague monster mutation has started to engage a small town called Corvax, about 100 miles from the elven forrest." He says in a calm voice.
"We will leave within the hour and I will continue the brief on the ship. Also, bring a face cover of some sort, this plague stuff can be nasty it seems to melt through your lungs like an acid, if the reported are correct." Captain Aedra states.
Well this will be interesting.
30 minutes later we are on the deck of the Blue Fire leaving to the south east. The captain says it should be a 2 hour flight, hopefully the giant doesn't destroy too much of the town.
"I hear most of the people got out of the town. There are some smaller mountains to the east of that location, it could be that it came from there. After we lure the giant out of the town, take it down, and burn the corpse, we will go investigate those mountains, and be back tomorrow morning." The Captain relays the information for us.
1 hour 45 minutes later, it is around 3 in the afternoon.
We see the smoking village away and the giant seems to have carved a path through it going west. The path has what appears to be huge swaths of melted trees, plants, and buildings in the wake of it's destruction. The giant is more like an acid mutation that a plague one it seems. The ships' forward cannon lifts up from its resting spot and a chair folds out of the back. Dorr runs and jumps into it before anyone can beat him there. He is belted in and it slides forward over the front of the ship. The giant does not see us coming and the cannon begins to charge.
I normally cannot feel arcane energy, but being next to this 12ft magic cannon, I can feel the energy coarsing through the weapon.
A minute after it started to charge. Dorr fires what looks like a beam of plasma that launches out to the giant, it heard the plasma coming in and blocked with its left arm. The whole hand, through the forearm, and the left side of his body is skimmed by the beam of pure destruction. It seems to just turn the giant into ash immediately, there was some cinders still left over after the beam stopped.
The Giant looks up and spits a huge glob of acid that splatters off the ship shields which appear to be a one way stopping screen of arcane energy.
The gun will take another 3 minutes to recharge, it sits with a 2/3 charge in it normally. I feel the itch to get into combat and I notice that my super is still begging to be used. We are 500 feet in the air looking down on a 60ft monstrosity. This is perfect.
"Captain, can I attack now?" I ask, loud enough that everyone looks at me confused.
"You can attack it from up here?"
"Yeah, I want to try something out."
"Alright, go for it, Dorr hold off on shooting until we she what her damage does."
"Aye."
I smile, equip my helmet and sprint towards the front of the ship, I do a huge slow front flip off next to the cannon and I hear everyone scream in horror. I free fall for a little while, I was able to quickly activate my jump and slow down, so I now fell without spinning.
The giant seems to be aware of me falling towards it and thinks that he can hit me with a tree he pulled out of the ground. I then activated Dawnblade.
A blade of fire appears in my right hand above my head. Wings of pure fire sprout from my back while the rest of my body ignites with the fury of the sun. I slash with my sword downwards the 100ft or so to the giant. Every slash releases an arc of fiery energy that falls towards the giant.
The first one exploded the tree that he was using to block and it shattered above its dark bloody eyes. The mouth was literally leaking green goo.
The next few arcs of solar energy started to impact the giant, to the face first leaving an exploding gash along its left eye. The eye smoldered.
With each loud strike of my Dawnblade, I continued my onslaught while slowly lowering towards the giant, after its other arm went slack and another few of my Dawnblade arcs impacted it's shattered face. I glide down and fall till about 35 feet from the ground.
I fall the rest of the way and smash my sheilds away, I turn and sprint away from the falling corpse and drop a healing well out of when I made it away.
5 minutes later a drop pad holding the rest of squad 3 drops and I am really hoping they didn't see me dancing like a nut job behind that tree. I just had to though, did you see that kill????? I fell from the sky and murdered at 60ft tall giant!!!!! DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY....okay I am under control again.
The bewildered looks of the squad as they drop the platform next to my chair of light, where I am swirling a glass of wine, are priceless. I had my helmet off and was smiling. The Captain was staring at me, his head slightly shaking, with an amused look in his eyes.
"Alright, that was awesome." Dorris's nasal voice sounds from behind the captain.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
"Was that this...Dawnblade thing you spoke of?" Aliana asks, I have a feeling she is going to end up joining the squad.
"It was." I smiled back.
"Well that was still a nasty fall, are you alright?" The Captain asks.
"Yes, I saw you drop your healing circle again, did you heal well?" Shirina asks, still worried.
"I did, don't worry." I respond.
"Well, nice work, lets get back up to the ship and see if we can find where he came from." The Captain was smiling and his eyes never left mine. "And put your couch away." His eyes narrowed, but he still had a spark of amusment dancing in them.
I giggled and hopped onto the platform. Giggling...it is so easy to do now...like it comes out of me without trying. I supposed it replaced my chuckle.
The Captain was muttering back and forth with his sister who turned and made eye contact, she actually smiled. The ice queen broke!! With a nod of her head she turned back. Being acknowledged by hear had to of been one of the better moments since being here.
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The end of the range of mountains coming from the northwest had a few tall peaks that got dropped relatively quickly into spacious hills. We cut a few miles into the range when Ellestrae sensed an increase in a build up of arcane power. It could easily be the spot where the giant was mutated from. They are known to live in the mountains, and with these surges of arcane energy, it could easily be correlated to the mutation.
We were are few hundred feet above the peak of the nearest mountain, it was nearing dusk when we saw a campfire in front of a cave entrance. The cave was around 50 feet tall and the ground was well worn. There was some small looking creatures sitting around the campfire.
We were on the drop pad landing a ways away from the cave. There were a few forrested paths approaching the cave entrance. We took the northern one that had a clearing at a bend a few hundred feet out of view of the cave.
Before going on, Captain Aedra gathered us around, "Okay Taezed scout ahead, Kira, you are behind him, wait for his return. When we push forward, Kira and Taezed will use their bows to take out any of their guards quietly, then we will enter the cave together. We will not split up, but follow Ellestaes guide to the source of that arcane power. Questions?" Silence. "Lets go then."
Taezed is in the shadows, and I lost sight of him, but I waited around a hundred feet from the platform where the rest of the squad is by the drop pad. Aliana stayed in the Blue Fire so it was just our squad this time.
As Taezed returned I joined him on point just off the right side of the path, our bows where out. The squad followed, weapons drawn and we approached the campfire at the cave entrance.
There was three ogres were around 6 ft high, while sitting around the campfire. They were eating around the fire. I whispered to Taezed,"I'll take the two on the left." He raised an eyebrow but nodded, I moved to the right spot and was able line up a shot with two of their heads fairly easily. Taezed counted down, and we loosed. My arrow went through the back of the closest ogres head and through the cheek of the one behind it.
Taezeds arrow impacted the temple of the third one, and its blood turned to black smoke as it fell from the wound, Taezeds bow must have some intense enchantments. We skirted the fire and entered the cavern. There were gouges out of the wall and the tunnel widened after a few turns. The tunnels branched out going different directions, but we followed the largest....where the giants came from. There was chanting in the distance, with surges of energy every few minutes.
Taezed was to the right on the point, I was behind him hugging the other wall of the chamber. Draed was back 10 feet from me, with the captain and his sister on either side. Dorris and Ellestrae We encountered a few more stations of relaxing gaurds that were easily dispatched with arrows and we came up to a large open chamber. Chanting was very audible, and the large surges energy, not quite electric, but still very intense, couyld be felt.
Looking forward through the tunnel was a guard that Taezed shot, and he ran and caught the body as it fell. Beyond the entryway to the large champer was a solid stone railing and there was stairs going down both left and right.
After scouting ahead, Taezed describes the next chamber in a whispered voice, "Got to be 50 people in there, 2 giants in chains and other animals and creatures in cages. The giants are much smaller than the mutated one, and female, must be the big ones' family, they are sitting down. There was a few ogres as guards down below us where the stairs end. There was a single orc female, must be a shaman or priest, on some sort of mechanical contraption powering a platform. They put some wolves on it and that large surge of energy just mutated them."
They are making monsters here...
"There is some arcane type mage that seems to be running that machine. It looks like an elf, but it has a red hood on. I don't know if we have to engage the giants, they don't seem to be mutated yet, but who knows if they will just attack." Taezed finishes.
"Okay, we take that mage out first, Kira, use your bow and take that mage out before he can respond. Taezed I want you up at the top of these stairs with the mages, watch those giants, if they attack us you need to eliminate them. Or at least blind them. Where are most of the people?"
"The stairs break either direction, and to the right is an audience of chanters, around 50, that are kneeling, all have robes on, and no visible weapons. there are a few ogre guards." We can hear the chanting much louder in this hallway.
"What do you mean there is an orc girl on the contraption?" Draed asks almost too loud, his voice carries. He is squeezing his mace handle with the eagerness of knowing hes going into combat for someone. At least that's what it looks like, he could just want murder things.
"I don't know but there is some sort of tube stabbed into her heart, and energy or something is being channeled from her into the machine." Taezed replies. "We should engage soon."
Shirina had a worried and horrified look on her face, while Ellestrae seemed ready to murder someone.
"Okay, I want Draed and Aethena to the right, you engage the mages once we start, Dorr, you will be onthe stairs behind them, bring your fire. Kira you take that mage out with your arrows if you can, I'll go for him once I clear out the stairway. Taezed you back me up, keep your eye on the giants, hopefully they will stay out. Elle, you stay with Taezed and be ready to drop that wizard if Kira's arrows don't work." We all nod, "Lets go, Kira you take the first shot." I give the affirmative.
We file out onto the stairs, the two teams are silently walking down, most of the attention is on the loud ceremony ahead. At the top of the stairs, I fire a perfectly drawn arrow at the wizard which is stopped mid air by an invisible shield.
I jumped off the top of the stairs to take another shot when an invisible hand of force stops my momentum my the neck. It feels like I hit a wall, but just on my throat, I cannot feel much below my neck. I made a weird choking sound as I felt my crushed throat try to take in oxygen.
I dropped my bow the second I got stopped and it dissolved into light. The elven mage controlling the machine then turned to look at me. His hand was already raised in a force choke maneuver, he knew I jumped and caught me mid air.
He smiled devilishly, and raised his right hand forming a trident out of light that solidified into a dark metallic sheen. He threw it at me and it smashed my chest and I was pinned below the railing, but above another tunnel, but boody dangling. I was looking down at the trident wondering where the points were when blood covered the inside of my helmet. Blackness swallowed my conciousness.
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Captain Aedra's PoV
I saw Kira line up the shot as I ran down the stairs, I neutralized the two guards at the bottom of the stairs with clean cuts to the necks.
Then I heard the most disturbing sound, a choked crack of bones followed by a gurgling attempt to breathe. I looked at the mage and saw him looking up to the right, behind me. I turned and with horror saw Kira dangling in the air, completely limp, bow fallen into light. Then the mage threw a metal trident and it pierced her chest slamming and pinning her to the wall. It was burried so deep in her chest, it doesn't make sense.
She helplessly grabbed at the trident then coughed and was still, head lolled to the right.
I lost control, I broke seals inside myself which released power that I haven't released since my father died. It was not something I could control. I turned into black lightning, I embraced it, and the rage took me.
I flew as a spear of black lighting and bisected the mage, his shield ignored, but as soon as the energy left my sword, he was vaporized. I could only stare into blackness.
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Shirina PoV
The sickening impact of Kira's body on the wall infront of me left me in a daze, I felt the vibration of it. That was the most horrible sound I have ever heard, as a Priestess of the Unbroken no less. I leaned over the edge to grab her helmet which was a few feet below the top of the solid stone railing. Then the explosion happened.
I was knocked back as the Captain released his energy, I only saw a black bolt of jagged light in my periphery, his lightning went through the mage that had just speared Kira, except he was the lightning. The jagged black bolts sparked outwards at ground level killing everything touching the ground. Luckily Taezed was still on the stairs and shoved Ellestrae back and fell on her to protect her from the lightning blast. The giants were hit and it flowed up their bodies stopping their hearts immediately. It sparked out of their eyes.
I got back to the railing and noticed that all of the cages were now filled with an ashy substance. There was at least 2 sentient races in those cages....all turned to dust.
After the quick silence I turned to the right to see Aethena spinning through the last few remaining enemies, and there was some black arrows that went past.
We were then in silence again and I was trying to get Kira off of the trident. I couldn't grab her though, I tried to send healing magic into her, but I can't grab her. My eyes blurred and I couldn't see, but I hear screaming. It sounds very familiar.
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Captain Aedra's PoV
After the fighting stopped I could hear and see again. I then heard Shiri screaming, and I looked back to the horror scene on the stairs. Purple blood covered the whole front of her armor. The base of where the trident splits is just barely visible. I know she is dead, but I am waiting to see if another miracle happenes....please turn to light Kira.
Taezed gets a hold of the screaming Shiri. Ellestrae uses her arcane manipulations to pull the trident from Kira's caved in chest. She caught the body in the same spell on the way down. She lowered her softly to the ground.
Then the ghost appears...and her body disolves into light.
She appears, standing, bow in hand looking around ready to fight, her armor repaired and clean. I attacked her, with the strongest hug I could muster. "Oh my god Kira." I mumbled. I never want to see that again, I cannot lose her.
"And she's just fine!" How the hell is the ghost's tone so positive?
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Kira PoV
Stupid 30 second death timer.....is my first living thought.
I was standing under where I was just stuck to the wall bow in hand, ready to fight. I couldn't observe things when I was dead in this world, I think that's just part of it here.
I had my bow in hand and the Captain rushes me, tears in his eyes and pulls me into the strongest embrace I have felt. "Oh my god Kira." Is all he says. I disolved my helmet and said, "I'm okay." I tried to say it happy, but my voice sounded pained and dry.
It was weird, I know that my chest is perfectly fine, but it feels like I can't breathe very deep, and it's hard to speak without the urge to cough.
Draed scoffs or huffs, "Heh, she's fine. Can't kill her." He then seems to realize that there is still the Orc woman strapped to the machine. She was toppless with a tube stabbed into her chest where her heart was.
The Captain released me and looked at me with teary eyes. "That was the worst thing I have ever seen."
"I am okay, I promise." I put my hand on his chest with a small smile, to try to calm him, the beating of his heart was off the charts.
"Shiri, I need your help." Draeds voice says as he climbs the stairs on the side of the giant machine.
The machine was not running but there still seemed to be some connection of energy pulsing between her chest and the machine. "Let me help her." I said to the captain. He let go of me and nodded while starring at me still.
"She must just have been high enough to not get hit by the Captains attack." Ellestrae commented absentmindedly. I was confused by that, what attack? I don't know what happened after I died, but the place was completely empty right now, and there was a lot of random things and people before. I raised an eyebrow before following after Shiri.
I ran and did my smooth warlock glide to the top platform where Draed and the Orc woman were. She was held with her arms up in a Y and was standing with her eyes closed.
"Draed, leave her hands tied until we heal that wound." Shiri makes it to the top and stands next to Draed.
"Okay Draed pull the hose out and Shiri be ready to throw all your healing at her heart." I dropped my healing well with her nod, and he quickly pulls the spike from her chest. It was about 4 inches long and was covered in her dark red blood. The hole closed immediately and Shiri pushed a golden sheened, blue orb of light right into her chest.
"She will be okay." Shiri said after about 30 seconds with her hand on the bound womans chest.
We removed the restraints and Draed carried her princess style. She is very pretty for a large orc woman. She is around 6'6 and looked like a strong athlete who was currently unconcious and only had pants on. Her breasts were massive! I am 100% sure Draed was blushing...a darker greenish gray?
I saw a pile of clothes, a feathered wand, and a bunch of jewelry on the floor behind her. I grabbed it and threw the shirt over her chest, then set her wand and the jewelry in my light storage.
"We should get out of here Cap." Draed says while looking at him.
He was watching the whole situation with a flat gaze and open mouth. Aethena slapped his shoulder and he snapped out of it.
"Right, lets get moving."
As I walked out, I grabbed the trident from Ellestraes hand, my murder weapon, and put it in my inventory. I didn't look at her piercing gaze that was burning a hole in me.
We fought no more than 10 more random ogres and random mages of some sort along the way. They didn't have a chance against Taezed and Aethena's administrations.
The Drop Pad was raised quickly and the ship was already moving back to The Gift, first mission complete.