Having heard Aaron’s scream, a small group of people arrived at Artanis’s location. Who was still on the ground trembling as she remembered what had just happened. He was going to kill her, but that didn’t change the fact she had killed a man, even though the system itself ruled it as an act of self-defense, that didn’t change the fact she had stabbed him in the eyes multiple times.
Aside from the pain she felt, all that was on her mind now, was how she had had repeatedly stabbed someone to death, and that it never crossed her mind to try to escape. Her first thought, while she was being attacked was to grab a weapon; she couldn’t stop thinking if that was the normal behavior for someone in such situation.
While Artanis tried to decide how to feel about what had happened to her, and what she did, she was oblivious to what happened around her, not even noticing the presence of Aaron and the rescue team behind him.
“Her arm is broken, and she is not speaking. Do anyone here know healing magic?” Aaron asked while wrapping his arms around the trembling elven maiden beside him, trying to comfort her somehow.
“Sadly no, all we can do for now is bandage her arm, and take her to a bed so she can rest. The medicine I have is not enough to completely heal such injury.” Spoke one of the members from the group, which had arrived, the men that looked like a medic took a roll of bandages from within his pouch and started wrap it around Artanis’s arm.
“No, there’s no need for you to waste them on me.” Mumbled Artanis after coming back to her senses, the medic then looked at her, with a confused expression on his face since someone so injured was refusing medical care.
“There’s no need to be prideful, and don’t worry, we won’t be charging for it either.” Said the doctor smiling, the first thing which came to his mind when she had refused his help had been the famous elven pride. But then again, she was working within the mines, and could be worried about the treatment's price.
“That’s not it, I just can take care of myself.” Spoke Artanis before touching her broken arm, “Her merciful touch mends the bones, closes the wounds, and soothes the weak. The grateful mortal speaks. Praised Eir, be.” After saying so, her hands suddenly started to glow with a gentle and warm light.
The gods have heard your prayers.
Healing hand’s effect has temporarily been increased.
She then pressed her hand against her broken arm, and slowly her bones set themselves back unto the right places, her bruises started to lighten in color until they completely faded away. And any traces of injury, save from the blood stains covering her body disappeared.
Watching what happened, the doctor took off the bandages he had started using on her, and placed them back into his pouch as he smiled to her.
“Go rest for while, I will explain what happened to Ornvand later.” Said Aaron while he helped Artanis to stand, while thinking of how impressive it was, that a woman like her had managed to defend herself from Yedlar.
“I’d rather not...” Spoke Artanis as she looked to the bloodied clothes she was wearing, “But I would accept a bath... And, if possible an explanation of why this happened to me.” Said Artanis as she stared in the eyes of the man before her, she wanted answers for why someone tried to kill her, answer she was sure he knew.
“Sure, a bath won’t be a problem, as for why Yedlar attacked you.” Spoke Aaron before a long sigh, “He lost his job because of what he did to you, Gustaf had been paid by him to frame you.” Said Aaron, ashamed of how he had acted towards her when he though she were responsible for Gustaf’s action.
“That does not explain anything.” Said Artanis, disappointed with the lack of information. Aaron’s words did not explain the most essential part of it, the reason why he framed her.
“The guards will be questioning him when he returns to life, but for now that’s all we know.” Interjected the doctor as he looked towards Artanis with pity since even without any visible injuries, the blood over her body and her expression made clear that she had suffered at Yedlar’s hands.
‘That’s right; players don’t really die when their characters are killed. And since I haven’t killed anyone, there’s no need for me to feel remorse, but don’t that also mean he will come after me again?’ Artanis thought before Aaron spoke as if reading her mind.
“As soon as we catch him, he won’t ever return here, plus he will spend some time in jail. So don't worry about it.” Spoke Aaron before every other man in the group nodded.
“Okay, so where is the bath?” Artanis asked as she looked down and grabbed her belongings, including the blood soaked dagger. She however knew that even if her assaulter were to be placed in jail, he would be one day free again, and would hate her even more for the time he would have wasted.
“Follow me, but don’t expect much, it’s nothing grand.” Aaron answered with a polite smile on his face.
“As long I get to bathe myself in peace, this blood is kind of disgusting.” Spoke Artanis as she followed Aaron to outside the mines, on a cabin beside the miners sleeping quarters.
Going inside it, she saw a line of wooden benches stood beside another line composed of manual water pumps, the cabin’s floor was made of stone with small holes carved into them for the water to leak away to the ground below it.
“Normally everyone takes a bath here at the same time, but since you will be using it, I will lend you this.” Said Aaron while taking a small key out of his pocket, “Use it to close the door, and don’t worry that’s the only copy.” Spoke Aaron leaving the key in Artanis’s hand, and walking away in the direction of Ornvand’s cabin.
Closing the door and locking it, she immediately started pumping water into one of the buckets, done so she threw the water over her head. Not even bothering to undress herself, all she wanted is to get rid of the now drying blood over her body. Artanis repeated the process a few times, while the pool of reddish water around her was drained by the holes on the floor.
Having cleaned both her clothes and her body, she twisted her clothes trying to get rid of any dirty water still on it. Done so, she placed her still wet clothes beside her backpack and took her remaining clothes out of it.
‘I hope this does not curse me or anything.’ Artanis thought while drying her body using the robe she had receive from the Church of Tyr. Done so, she dressed herself with her spare clothes and left towards the mine.
While she did so, on a certain room of Rockheim’s Magic Guild, a certain wizard woke up, as the player who owned its body logged back into the game.
While she did so, on a certain room of the lodgings provided by the Rockheim branch of the Magic Guild, a certain room was young man sleeping while sat on a chair, resting his read on top a book opened over the table.
‘I should have gone to the bed before logging off.’ Thought Edward as soon as his avatar woke up, the irregular position his character had slept while he was offline, had earned him a fair amount of neck pain.
Leaving his chair behind, he started to stretch his body trying to rid himself of his current discomfort, done so Edward left his room, locked its door, and walked down the stairs towards the guild’s kitchen.
“Hello Edward my dear, what do you want to eat today?” The elderly lady responsible for the guild’s kitchen said, with a friendly smile on her face as if looking at one of her grandsons.
“Hello Eril, anything that does not involve onions and other maggot looking ingredients.” Edward answered while still trying to rid himself of his neck pain.
Filling a plate with rice, beans, sausages, and a large fried egg Eril placed it on a tray, along with a bowl of mushroom salad and a mug of fragrant herbal tea, which she then gave to Edward who thanked her before leaving for a nearby table.
“Yo Eddie, we have some new members. Found them in Rhodium; don’t ask me what I was doing there.” Said Cheonjiwang, one of the guild’s rangers at the guild chat, after finally noticing Edward had logged in.
“The name’s Morgond, I am level 34 and a dark elf. My class is blade dancer a sort of buffer, you’re the leader’s younger brother, right? Bet you’re a pain in the ass.” Spoke Morgond, introducing himself.
“Err… First let me apologize for my older sister’s behavior, it’s that time of the month. My name is Ithilwen, also level 34, and also a dark elf, but my class is a sword singer, which is kinda similar to her class, but with a more defensive focus.” Ithilwen said with a polite tone in her voice.
“Nah don’t worry, she is the perfect example of an older sibling, so you two are twin sisters?” Asked Edward, before eating a forkful of food, ignoring the weird looks some of the NPC’s were giving as he moved his mouth without making any sound.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Why do you want to know, planning to hit on us? See, just like I said, you’re a pain in the ass.” Spoke Morgond with a sarcastic tone in her voice.
“Sister, there’s nothing wrong with asking!” Ithilwen interjected, scolding her older sister.
“Fine, fine, as far real world goes I am female and he is a male.” Morgond said immediately after hearing Ithilwen’s words.
“As far as real world goes?” Asked Edward, curious with what she meant.
“Hah, Cheonjiwang told us you’re a wizard, but it seems you aren't that intelligent.” Morgond responded.
“Fine, never mind, Cheonjiwang can you tell me how has Artanis been?” Asked Edward, curious about the fact Artanis had not said anything despite being online on his friends list.
“You mean your elven girlfriend?” Cheonjiwang said, with a mocking tone of voice.
“What the hell you’re talking about.” Interjected Edward, embarrassed.
“Relax, she can’t hear you. In fact, she has been ignoring everything we been saying to her for a while.” Cheonjiwang spoke before laughing.
“Is she? Do you know why? Or rather, what have you been saying?” Asked Edward, worried about what sort of jokes they might have told about her.
“Don’t know, and for what we have been saying, I will leave it to your imagination.” Answered Cheonjiwang, on his mind, Edward could see the ranger giving out a malicious smile.
‘I guess it would be better to ask her, instead of worrying needlessly.’ Edward thought, worried that her silence might mean she was going to leave his guild, and therefore him.
“Hello Artanis, why haven’t you been responding to the guild’s chat?” Edward asked using the private message system. And a few moments later, no answer came. As Artanis was once again entirely focused on mining the stones before her.
‘She must be busy working on that smith’s shop, being a newbie is harsh, having to do boring tasks, and not being able to fight anything.’ Thought Edward as he sipped on his herbal tea, unaware of how wrong he was.
Soon he finished his in-game breakfast, and walked towards Eril, giving her the plate, mug, and eating utensils, who took them with another friendly smile.
Now properly fed, Edward left the guild’s kitchen and started climbing the stairs towards the top of the guild’s tower, till he found himself in front of an imposing wooden door engraved with all sorts of magic wards, which then opened by itself.
“What may I help you with, Edward? Is this perhaps about the ruins I’ve mentioned before?” Spoke the woman behind a table filled with the most varied books, so many that seeing her had became very difficult as the books nearly covered her entirely.
“Yes, I and a friend of mine have figured out the ruin’s location, we are planning to explore it on the coming month.” Said Edward, already used to the fact she always knew who and when anyone came towards her doors, despite never actually stopping from reading the books before her.
Quest completed!
Fame has increased by 100.
Having completed the task given by Leilah, you've earned her respect.
Level Up!
“Magnificent work young man, I suppose you wouldn’t mind telling me its location?” Asked the guild elder Leilah, after all the books on her table started to float, revealing the beautiful dark skinned woman, wearing a robe with a color reminiscent of a moonless night sky, and a similar colored turban covering her hair.
“I am afraid not, I’ve gave my word I wouldn't disclose its location. The discovery is not only mine, you see.” Said Edward as the woman before him, stared into his eyes.
“Fine,you seem to be telling me the truth, in this case, I’ve got a proposition for you, one whose contents may not be disclosed. Else I swear you shall curse your inability to stay dead.” Spoke Leilah with an expression and tone of voice, which nearly made Edward run away, if he could manage to move a single muscle of his body.
“I swear I won't, so, please stop staring at me like that Leilah, you're freaking me out.” Edward said with an awkward smile on his face, his expression, and words causing the woman before him to laugh.
“Okay, but before explaining my request, I shall tell you the reason behind it. You see Edward-boy, I am a royal, a princess to be exact.” Leilah said, who after she did, waited for a question to come from Edward’s mouth, a question that never came, so she continued her speech.
“I am aware that a princess dress might not suit me,” said Leilah with a bitter smile on her lips, “but it’s true.” She said, before waiting once again for a question to come from Edward’s mouth.
“I am sure it does.” Said Edward without even noticing what he had done.
“Thank you, though I sincerely doubt you would say so, should you know my true age.” Said Leilah after chuckling, her cheek slightly blushed; it was not every day, that Leilah, the unaging witch, received a sincere compliment.
‘Just how old is she, to say such thing?’ Edward thought as he remembered some of the unpleasant rumors behind the origin of her beauty and youth.
“What I need is the crown of the dead king, you may as well keep anything else you find within the ruins, but bring me the crown, and do not try to wear it.”
Karnagmiel’s Crown
The guild elder of Rockheim’s magic guild, Leilah, has requested you to bring back to her, the last descendant of the Karnagmiel’s royal family; the crown of her ancestor.Quest Rank: DRequisites:High familiarity with Leilah.
A good reason not to tell her the ruin’s location.
Promising not to disclose anything regarding the nature of this request, nor her lineage.Rewards:Her recommendation to the post of guild elder.
Two vials of intellect increasing potions.
A unique skill book.
Increased familiarity with Leilah.
“Okay, I will try to bring it back to you.” Edward said, inwardly smiling after seeing the quest’s rewards. He only needed a single more recommendation to achieve the rank of guild elder, and receive all the benefits that came with it.
Quest accepted.
“Aren’t you going to ask why you shouldn't wear the crown?” Leilah asked with a mischievous smile on her face.
“No, I am sure there’s a good reason for that.” Spoke Edward, without even trying to guess the reason behind her words.
“You disappoint me, Edward my dear,” Leilah said before sighing, “Someone at our line of work should possess far more curiosity.” Spoke Leilah as she looked towards Edward, expecting a reaction from him.
“Somehow I get the feeling you and my brother would hit off well.” Edward said after remembering the innumerous times his brother had encouraged, or rather forced, him to try the most varied things.
‘That reminds me, I've yet to throw him off a bridge.’ Thought Edward as he remembered the time he had been forced into trying boogie jump on one of his brother’s whim.
“Is that so? This is the first time you mentioned his existence.” Said Leilah, curious about Edward’s never mentioned before family.
“His name is Edmund, a knight planning to join the order of Tyr.” Edward said, holding back the urge to mention a few of his not so knightly actions.
“A muscle head a future member of the clergy?” asked Leilah smirking, before answering her own question, “I've no interest in the gods' slaves.” She said, with a sarcastic tone of voice.
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