Ash and Isabel are two miles away until they reach their destination, “Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet,”
“Could you stop that Ash, we are almost there.”
Ash laughed, “I guess I am the childish one,”
“Yes, you are.” Isabel pretended to act grown-up,
“I will have to teach you manners before we get there,”
they both shared a laugh. The duo reached the gates of Crestia in about an hour,
“Hello,”
Ash called out to the guards on the other side of the wall,
“State your business or whatever I don’t care just tell me why you come.”
Isabel under her breath, “What an upstanding soldier,”
Ash chuckled to himself, “We came to be adventures.”
The soldier stretched his arms in the air, “Okay whatever you are good and whatnot.”
The gate opens to reveal a bustling city full of different races and lively people.
“Woah this place looks magical,”
every type of race was here from dwarves to elves, even angels and demons. Ash and Isabel walk into the brightly colored kingdom just to be stared at from all directions,
“I think they can sense our aura, this is adventurer city after all,” Isabel whispered to Ash.
“Maybe we should hurry to the guild to sign up or else someone might get brave,” Ash ushered Isabel.
The roads were compact with loads of people selling things, “Sir if you can spare a moment of your time,”
Ash agreed to his request, “Go on spit it out,”
The merchant showed his merchandise, “Here is a valuable piece right here,”
he showed a bracelet made out of gold or so he says.
“This is a hundred percent real gold that came from a royal family,”
Ash called him out, “Fake,”
the merchant was shocked by the audacity of this man, “How dare you tell me that this is fake, and how would you know that hmm.”
Ash smirks, “Because I have the real one that was gifted to me for saving the Shanes’s daughter from a group of bandits,”
Ash reaches into the abyss and pulls out a shiny gold bracelet with engravings that read “a gift from the Shanes to Ash.”
“Who are you,”
Ash closed his question down, “I am not inclined to answer that good day to you.”
They left the merchant who was speechless from his encounter, they arrived at the guild after a few thieves who got more than they can bargain for,
“Well, now that we have the extra gold thanks to you Isabel we can get a nice comfortable room after a mission, what do you say.”
Isabel felt pride in her skills, “Heck yeah let's do this.”
“That's the spirit,”
they shoved the door open ready to make their mark as adventurers.
“So you are the two who have everyone rattled,”
the voice comes from a woman with authority. The lady sat on a barstool with her legs crossed, she was pretty inexperienced at sitting like a lady just by the way she moved every few seconds.
“By just your looks alone I can tell you are someone not to be pushed around. But that aura of yours is something toxic with power. Who are you?”
Ash put his best cards forward, “I am sorry but it is a little rude to ask someone their name if you don’t give yours first, my name is Ash and this little bundle of fun is Isabel, my apprentice, now may I ask yours.”
The lady lacked elegance like Astrid but made up for it with her boldness, “Ha you got guts, my name is Rin the queen of this crazy kingdom. Okay now with all of the formalities out of the way why are you here,”
Rin got up and close to Ash, face to face. Ash was going to speak but Isabel talked over him,
“We want to be adventurers!”
Ash taunted her, “Oh we just want to be as strong as you, you are our hero.”
Isabel couldn't keep a straight face. Rin spins around, sauntering around,
“You had your fun but there is a test you have to take to get into the guild first,”
Rin had a conniving expression painted on her face as she turned sharply back to them.
The attendant at the front desk asked, “What test, we don’t do that.”
Rin stared daggers at her, “Oh yes that test, sorry queen Rin.”
Rin turned around to face Ash and Isabel while the lady at the front wiped the sweat from her forehead.
“What kind of test is it,” Ash obviously caught on to her schemes,
“The test is to see if you are strong enough to take on request for the guild.”
Isabel asked a question, “What do we have to do to get a passing grade,”
Rin was quick to answer, “You will have to take on guild members starting from the bottom copper rank to the highest diamond rank and if you can’t beat silver rank then you can’t join the guild, got that.”
“Yeah got it, we will be here tomorrow morning ready to take on your most planned out test you have ever created. Thank you for nothing and goodbye,” the pair turned around and ambled back out to rent a room for the night.
“I will make sure to give them a real challenge,” Isabel was filled with energy for tomorrow.
#
The sun rises entering the darkroom, “Ash wake up, it’s time to show them who's boss,”
Isabel shakes Ash in his bed,
“Just five more minutes,” Ash mumbled half awake.
Isabel picks up a pillow and winds up her attack then releases the pillow hitting Ash in the back of the head,
“Ow, okay okay I am up,”
Ash sluggishly sits up, “I didn’t know I had my mother accompanying me on this adventure.”
Isabel swings the pillow again, “Well maybe if you could get up by yourself then maybe I wouldn’t have to be a mother.”
Ash catches the pillow, “Thank you, Isabel, I am glad you are here with me,”
Isabel smiles warmly, “I am glad too.”
Ash got up and got dressed, Isabel put on her boots and tied her hair back.
“Let’s go,”
Ash and Isabel reached the guild where hundreds of adventurers were chatting and waiting for something.
“SO you finally showed up,” Rin was on the top of the guild building.
“Yup we showed but how long did it take you to get up there, and do you need help getting down.”
Isabel snorted at Ash’s fake kindness,
“Yes I can get down you ass,” Rin jumps from the roof with a twirl and lands with perfect balance.
Ash starts clapping and Isabel joins in on the clapping too, “Bravo, ten out of ten,”
Rin laughs, “You sure do have a mouth, do you talk this way with every king and queen you meet.”
Ash bows, “Oh sorry mam but usually the kings and queens I met are more dignified,”
Rin points at the two, “Enough talk, are you ready for your test! You two will face five of the same rank and when they are defeated the next rank will fight you until you either can’t fight or you beat the diamond-ranked adventurers. Now ready yourself,”
Ash told her, “We will not be fighting with our weapons so we don’t kill anybody,”
Ash takes his katana from his hip and lays it down on the floor, Isabel does the same with her daggers,
“Do you know they will all be using their weapons right?”
Ash explained his reason, “So, it doesn't matter if you have a weapon or not, if you can’t kill someone with your bare hands then you are weak.”
Rin ignored the last comment, “Let the test begin,”
five adventurers arose from the circle of them. A bald adventurer charged with a sword in the air striking down missing Ash, Ash then responded with a backhand to his face knocking him out cold. Isabel charged the four hitting one in the stomach with a kick then the other tried to swing at her but she slid under him and hit him in the neck making the man tumble to the ground.
She sees the other two coming and dashes and sets up a butterfly kick hitting the first guy in the chest and knocking out the woman with a hit to the face. Ash walked behind the guy and chopped his neck putting him to sleep.
“Next!”
The bronze adventures advanced but were put to sleep with a punch from ash that sent the first guy into the other four.
“Oh come on is this the best you can do,”
Rin comes back with, “Hardly, next!”
Five silver adventures came from the circle that surrounded them, it was more clear that these adventures had more skill and gold. They were in armor that had more polish and less rust on them,
“Hey Isabel I got this you can just relax,”
Isabel gladly accepted, “Okay, don’t be too rough on them.”
She sat down in the middle of the arena circle,
“REALLY, are kidding me!” Rin couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Ash did a low roundhouse kick taking out the guy's legs from underneath him then with an ax kick to his body he was groaning in pain.
“We forfeit,”
the four adventures surrendered throwing their weapons down, “We are not stupid, we know when we are outmatched.”
Isabel jokes, “You are the first people who aren’t dumb congrats.”
Ash tosses the leader of the silver adventures a green potion,
“Here,”
the adventurer catches the potion,
“What is this,”
“it is a full recovery potion, only can be obtained from dungeons and can’t be reproduced.”
He asks, “Why are you giving us such a rare item when we can just use a healer.”
Ash answers, “It is because you made my life easy.”
The group walks away carrying away their friend,
“What was that,”
Rin is pissed off at the events that played out, “Fine then gold and platinum get them!”
Ash suggested, “Alright Isabel it seems she is not new to dirty tactics, I am going to use my flames so you might want to stay close to me.”
Isabel stretched, “Yeah this was getting boring anyway,”
Isabel held onto Ash’s right arm. Ash ignited a normal flame from his hand, “Are you sure you want to play like that.”
Everyone turned quiet, “How in the Hades do you know how to use fire magic!”
Ash smirks, “Well you weaklings don’t deserve my knowledge if this is how you treat people who are just looking to do some good.”
“Yeah right, just your aura is enough to make people scared of you. If you don’t tell me I will have to use my wind magic.”
Ash rolls his eyes but no one could actually see him do it, “Look here you don’t stand a chance,” Ash bleeds the fire into a blue flame.
“How, who are you,” Rin halted her attacks and all adventurers went inside the guild building thinking that was the safest place,
“Look if I was here to take down this kingdom, it would already be ash.”
Rin questions Ash, “Then why do you hide your eyes.”
Isabel puts herself in the conversion, “Look here, he does this to protect everyone around him. His eyes are powerful, if he were to look at you without his eyes being covered, it would fry you.”
Rin ceases her fighting stance, “I would like to make a proposal,”
Ash lends an ear, “Go ahead I am listening.”
Rin proposes, “I will join you on your missions to make sure you hold no ill will towards people.”
Isabel got irritated, “Didn’t I just say he is protecting everyone by wearing the blindfold, you don’t listen do you.”
“I accept your proposal but on one condition,”
“And what is that?”
“Give me the rank of copper,”
Rin was shocked, “Why would you want to start at copper when you can be a diamond already.”
“That is because I would like to help the people who need help and can’t pay for a higher service.”
“Huh you really are a nice guy, I like that,”
Isabel speaks up, “Sorry he is taken,”
Ash pats Isabel’s head, “My apprentice is right and I will never betray her even if that means I have to die.”
Rin laughs, “Every man has a price for love, let's see if your words hold true.”
#
“We are almost at my kingdom, just a few more hours and we can rest at my place and eat like royalty. I can’t wait to see my little sister again,”
Sophia tried to get her words out but the winds were strong, “I didn’t know you had a sister Astrid.”
“Yeah she is shy but very kind, you will get along with her. Before I forget, King, how hostile Is Rich and Rose to outsiders.”
King shouts out trying to respond, “They are tricksters, Rose likes toying with her prey and Rich is the brute that cleans up the mess after Rose had her fun. We will have to be wise with our words if you don’t want to be caught in a battle with two of Ash's siblings, and trust me they all share the same temper as Ash.”
Jax got his joke in, “Coming from King that's rich,”
“If it's for my brother I will do anything.”
Creed suggested, “Maybe let me and Jax talk to them so we don’t get on their bad side but the only thing you all should watch out for is Rose’s surprise attacks. She is very keen on hitting us for not protecting her little brother.”
Grim added, “She is overprotective when it has to do anything with Ash, Astrid you might want to be on your best behavior because she is strict with the women that are in Ash’s life.”
King is still having a hard time getting his words through, “Rose is going to be hard on you that’s for sure.”
Hours go by,
“We are here,” Astrid is eccentric when she sees the kingdom in all of its glory.
“Wow this is yours, Astrid,” Sophia looks in amazement.
“I wonder if they fix that hole in the ceiling of your palace.”
“What hole are you talking about,” Sophia asks.
Astrid sighs, “I made the hole because of the uptight attitude I had when I first met Ash, Jax, and King. I thought I could just order them because they walked into my kingdom with bounties on their heads, I was thinking they would work for me or else I would put them in jail.”
Jax laughed, “Oh boy were you wrong, just feeling the aura around us alone should be more than enough to rethink your plan.”
The group landed next to the kingdom, “Yeah I was an idiot before I met Ash, I was so full of myself but now I feel different, more mellow.”
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King cracks a joke, “If you can call that mellow.”
Astrid boots King off the dragon,
“You just proved my point,” King grunted.
“Well, Ash wanted to see how you would react if this brute pushed your buttons but he didn’t know you would push back.”
“How does it feel going from a royal bed to camping outside on the floor,” Sophia grinned.
Astrid answered truthfully, “To be honest, not fun, the beds here feel like you are sleeping on clouds and I kind of miss it.”
Astrid gets a twisted idea, “King, do you remember all of the times you made a joke about me? Well, guess who is sleeping outside again.”
King whines, “What aw come on Astrid I was only playing with you.”
“Nope, you sleeping outside,”
King bummed out, “Does anyone want to at least keep me company.”
All answered at once, “Nope,”
they all laughed at King’s pain. Everyone got off the dragon and stretched,
“You can go now Daygon but stay in the area we are not going to be long,” Jax waved Daygon bye and turned to the huge gate where all of the group was waiting.
“What is your business,” the guard commanded them.
“I am Astrid the queen of this kingdom, I come back from my quest,” Astrid voiced her business.
“Is that really you, my queen,”
Astrid happily confirmed, “Yes it’s me, my loyal soldier.”
The gates swung open, “We are so happy to see you, my lady, your sister has urgent news.”
Astrid rushed to the castle with the group in tow, Astrid kicked the palace doors wide open.
“Oh sis you are back, how was your quest,”
before she could get the rest of her sentence out Astrid put her hands on Cass’s shoulders,
“What happened!”
The group made it to the entrance of the palace to see Astrid and Cass next to the throne,
“Hey it’s Astrid’s sister, she looks so young,” Sophia was surprised by her looks.
Jax whispered to Sophia, “You know she is pretty old, the elf blood is truly a magical thing.”
Sarah sniffed the air, “She seems to be a very powerful little girl,”
Creed asks, “How do you know, I can’t feel her aura at all.”
Sarah explains, “I can smell the power, she has an item that hides her aura, she has a lot of raw power. If refined right she could be just as strong as King, maybe even stronger,”
Jax added to the explanation, “This happens every six hundred years, a powerful elf is born into this world.”
King curiously asks, “And why does that happen every six hundred years,”
Grim answered King’s question, “It is because the very first elf created had power that rivaled gods but he was a peaceful elf who wanted all kind to live in peace so he traveled far to seek the fates. Upon finding them in a cave in the highest mountain he asked to see the future of his people but the news shocked him.”
Sarah was intrigued with the story but it ended short because of introductions,
“Hello queen, you must be Astrid’s sister,” King bows, lowering his head.
Cass giggled, “No I am just the stand-in, but thank you very much,”
King smiles, “It's a pleasure to be in the presence of such a powerful queen.”
Everyone starts cracking up,
“I like your new friend sis,”
Sophia is next to introduce herself, “My name is Sophia, Astrid, and I are best friends, I hope we can be friends.”
Cass smiles shyly, “Glad to meet you Sophia, I hope we can be friends too, we have a lot to talk about,”
Cass tilts her head towards Astrid hinting that the conversion will be about Astrid.
“Hey, I saw that,” Astrid caught her red-handed.
“Opps,” Cass giggled,
“My name is Jax, Astrid’s ally and friend, I can see that you can take care of a kingdom rather well at such a young age. You are quite brilliant aren’t you. I wonder what other skill you have,”
Cass was gladdened by Jax’s compliments, “Thank you for your lovely words and I hope you stay Astrid’s ally and friend.”
“Hey I am Sarah, a beast woman and I don’t really do all of this royal stuff but yeah nice to meet you and all that.”
Cass shyly said, “Nice to meet you, Sarah I hope I can feel your soft fur,”
Sarah gave a little smile.
Creed shoved Grim, “Okay okay, hello princess my name is Grim and this is Creed we are brothers to your sister’s lover,”
Cass's jaw dropped, “My sister has a boyfriend and she didn’t tell me,” Cass gave Astrid a mad face.
Astrid stared down Grim then turned to Cass, “I was going to tell you later Cass, I promise.”
Cass looked at Astrid, “You promise,”
“Yes I promise.”
Cass smiles warmly to Astrid, “I want to know all about him and your “adventures” with him."
Astrid now shocked with Cass’s words, “You are too young to even know about that stuff, wait fifty more years and maybe I will tell you.”
“Wait so you “did” do something naughty, Astrid,”
Astrid got tongue-tied, “Uh, you be quiet, or I will umm.”
Jax came to the rescue, “I think that is enough for introductions, so we need to begin planning on how to deal with Ash’s siblings. Astrid, you can catch up on all of the “things” you did with Ash and you can go with Astrid to Sophia and Sarah.”
Cass giggled while Astrid was flustered, “Listen here that is my business and mine alone.”
The girls go to the palace’s bedroom while the men go to the war room behind the throne room. The soldiers leave the war room so they can discuss their backup plan,
“Maybe we should have Sophia come with us to help us plan this mess,” Grim scratches his head trying to get his head around the whole plan.
Jax waves his hand in a dismissive way, “We are fine, we got this any way she should spend more time with women than us, or else we might rub off on her and that would be a bad thing.”
King jokes, “I think it would be a good thing that she picked up a few things from me,”
everyone looked at King, “Right, like anything good can come from you.”
They all chuckled, “Now then let's get down to it, okay you guys are her main target so maybe stand in the front so we can not get anyone else injured but I will put up a light wall of level five so it will be almost impossible for anyone to really get hurt.”
Creed warned everyone, “These two work better together that is how they got their name “The Warhammer and The Hidden Blade”, it is a whole combo of theirs to use speed and strength one after another without letting up.”
Grim was disturbed, “Rose doesn't care that we saved her, she doesn't consider us brothers like Ash does. It is scary to think she will kill us even after saving her.”
King walked around the table map to get a better angle, “Rich is a whole other case, he looks rough on the outside and talks like it too but that dude is all heart and no hate, that is why he lets Rose stay with him he just can’t deny friends or family.”
The darkly lit room with no windows gets a little darker, “Yeah but because of Hades he has to follow orders from blood-related family members and can’t refuse, or else his throat starts closing and he chokes to death.”
Jax asks King, “So King if what you are saying is true, would Rose ever do that to him.”
King answered with a cold tone, “If Ash is involved in any way, yes, yes she would and that is why Rich and Ash are not entirely on good terms.”
Creed changes the subject, “Rose’s speed is unrivaled, her speed tops Ash’s and yours Jax also she can hear anything, even vibrations in our voices. That also boosts her reflexes to an unfathomable scale,”
King gets an idea, “Ash and I did some unspeakable things and so we got abyss magic, Ash taught me a spell that makes the affected person feel heavier, and the longer the spell is active the heavier it gets. That should be able to slow her down but I only mastered the skill to level four, the higher level the spell is the faster it gets heavier. At level four, it will take thirty seconds, then the weight will increase by ten, then it will double after another thirty seconds and so on.”
Creed added to the info, “The last thing about Rose is, she is a fire blade user, she can turn her weapon into a sword then right after hitting another blade she molds it into a scythe. The highest she can use it is level four and is trying to master it for a long time.”
Jax got the information down, “Alright let's get to planning.”
#
Cass and her group open the door to a house-sized room,
“Are you kidding me, you two sleep here every day,” Sarah was in disbelief.
The beds were the size of ballroom tables with windows as big as double doors.
“That's not even the best part,” Cass got excited, ready to show the bathroom.
Cass twisted the doorknob to show a shiny sparkling marble bathroom that looked like something in the future.
“What is this bowl with water in it,” Sophia looked down at it, examining it.
Astrid with a mighty attitude, “That is a toilet, you use it for your excrement. Only a few royal people have one, see that lever, push it down.”
Sophia gently pushes the lever down then lets go, making the lever slowly pop back up. The water swirls then go down the hole,
“Woah, how does it do that,”
Sarah and Sophia look with amazement as the water rises back up.
“It is a water magic seal,”
Astrid points at the side of the toilet,
“The seal uses stored magic to make water form in the toilet.”
Cass happily hopped to a big round tub, "This is a hot tub, it is like the toilet but you use it to relax in and clean yourself off.”
Astrid adds to the excitement, “Instead of the water going down it fills up and you get in. The best part is this second seal, it's a fire seal, it is like the water seal but it is used to make the water hot.”
Astrid put her palm on the water seal making it glow, the water starts to flow out of a faucet.
“Watch this,”
Cass puts her hand on the fire seal barely able to hold in her excitement, the water starts heating up creating steam,
“Aw, this feels so good,” Sarah has her hand in the water.
“We should hop in,” Sarah is dying to get in.
Cass shyly refuses, “I-I'm fine thank you,”
Astrid and Sophia also declined,
“More room for me then.”
The three go back to the bedroom to talk about their adventures while Sarah relaxes in the hot tub. Cass leaps onto the bed landing on her back, then immediately sitting up,
“Okay, I want to know everything you did on your adventure and I mean “Everything” Astrid.”
Sophia tried to hold in her laugh but couldn’t, “Yeah she and Ash are a thing, it’s so cute how much they care for each other.”
The bed wobbles from Cass shaking it, “What is he like,”
Astrid sat on the edge of the bed and laid back just letting her feet hang off the bed. “I am going to talk about the week where it was just Ash and me on a trip to relax. It was the first time we were alone so I kind of felt a little shy. We stumbled upon a waterfall in a forest, it was the most stunning thing I saw. Ash stripped down to his pants and jumped into the lake, and yes I was a little embarrassed when I saw him take off his clothes.”
Astrid got a little red telling the adventure,
“Well, was he hot,” Sarah had a towel wrapped around her head and body.
“Sarah you have no shame,” Astrid scolded Sarah.
She continued, “Yes he was “hot” but he was just so at peace floating in the water like he can rest easily without feeling a pain in his heart. I eventually got into the water but he wasn’t the type of man who wanted to take a peek at every woman that takes off her clothes. He stayed still in the water but said one word to me “sorry”. I ask “for what” he answered “for causing you any pain, physical or mental, I never want to hurt my loved ones,” he seemed sad when saying those words.”
Cass was still smiling, “It sounds like he really cares.”
“Yes he does, Ash treats all of us like family,” Sophia happily added.
“After he said those words I swam to him and pulled him down. After he got above the water I told him, how can you be that dense to our feelings, everything you do was the right option. We all love you and care about you. After I told him things just went on from there, things that I shouldn’t go into detail about.”
Sarah got a little jealous, “If you keep talking like that you will make all the women jealous.”
The girls talked about their adventures and how they got there.
“So you are trying to find Ash’s sister to bring him back to his senses. Is Isabel with Ash or is she still resting,” Cass had a lot of questions that wanted to be answered.
Sophia gave a few answers, “Our plan is to have Ash’s sister, Rose, talk to him, reason with him. Secondly, If Ash went to go get Isabel back then she is back with him probably on a fun adventure.”
In the dead of night, “Achoo,” Isabel sneezes,
“Looks like you caught a cold, maybe we can get some rest before taking down a dragon,” Ash suggested.
Sarah got dressed in a silky robe,
“You guys can talk all you want but I am going to go to sleep, by the way, this whole bed is mine.” Sarah plopped herself in the middle of an enormous bed which can fit four people comfortably and still have room.
Cass asked shyly, trying not to overstep her boundaries, “Hey Sarah, do you mind if I um, touch your tail.”
Sarah came off a little aggressive, “No you can’t touch my tail,”
Sarah after a few moments looked up at the ceiling and sighed greatly, “Why do you want to touch my tail.”
Timidly Cass told her, “Your fur looks so soft, I never touched a beast women's tail before and I, I can’t explain it.”
Sarah’s expression changed and so did her tone, “Fine but one rule for everyone in this room, never, ever, tell Grim and the others.”
Everyone agreed, “I will never tell anyone I promise.”
Sarah sat up and grabbed her long puffy tail that had a pattern of white on the tip and the rest was grey like snow on a mountain. Cass slid onto the bed, slowly she reached for Sarah’s tail with a gentle hand she slid her hand down the smooth tail.
“Wow so soft, how do you make it so soft,”
Sarah took the compliment, “I brushed it every day until it was as smooth as the riches silk.”
Cass kept petting Sarah’s tail making Sarah fall asleep, Cass laid on Sarah’s tail like a pillow, she soon fell asleep too.
“Well those two are out, hey Sophia why don’t change into something else, maybe a toga with a black and gold outline.”
Sophia opened the closet doors to reveal another room filled with outfits of many different styles, she eventually found the clothes Astrid was talking about in the sea of all the other dresses and armors.
“I am going to get changed in the bathroom okay,”
Sophia closed the door to change while Astrid was left to her thoughts,
“Where are you, Ash.”
A few minutes passed and the door to the bathroom opened showing Sophia in a sleek soft black toga that went down to her ankles. The gold outline makes the dress pop out even more than it already is,
“I think it is too nice for me,”
Astrid looks in awe, “Nonsense you look perfect, you look so beautiful.”
Sophia got a little self-conscious about her looks but suddenly was sad, “I wish Isabel could be here.”
Astrid comforts Sophia, “Don’t worry, Isabel is already having fun with Ash, we just need to do this so we can find them.”
In a dark room, “Achoo,”
both Ash and Isabel sneeze,
“Crap, I think I am getting sick too.”
#
Two days pass, full of planning and fun, the girls enjoy themselves while Sophia helps the men plan out the backup plan,
“Does everybody know their role in all of this,” Jax reminds everyone.
“Got it,”
King and the others knew their roles ready for all obstacles.
Creed tries to estimate how long it will take, “We should be able to leave tonight and make it there by morning if we go at a slow pace.”
King gives Sophia a little pat, “You should probably tell the others to get ready, Jax will go with you.”
Jax had a bewildered look while Sophia shoved him along, “Come on Jax you need to try out this hot tub.”
King got Creed and Grim attention, “Now that it's just us brothers I need to talk to you guys about Ash.”
Creed is the first to agree, “Yeah Ash has been losing it from the past month.”
Grim was in denial, “You guys are wrong, with what has happened to him this month his emotions are justified, he killed his brother for god's sake and that is not even half of the things that happen that we don’t even know of.”
Creed tried to calm Grim down, “I know it is hard what he went through but his emotions are not normal emotions. If he were to start crying everyone’s powers would be suppressed then his sadness would most likely lead to anger, anger that can destroy literal gods and if he has both emotions mixing together it will spell disaster for all who try to stop him. Look Grim, we need him to be the new king of the underworld, that is the only place where he can be safe from his emotions.”
Grim defends Ash with a slam to the table, “We can’t, that is just punishing him for being too dangerous, he didn’t even commit a crime.”
King intervenes, “Yes I know Ash has been through a lot but if you want my dream of him to come true then you need to stop him or else.”
Grim didn’t succumb to logic but to emotions, putting both hands on the table, “I can’t let you guys betray him, even if it means to kill you guys and lose my holy magic.”
Before they can finish the conversion Jax and the group walk into the war room,
“Are we ready for our next adventure,” Jax asks.
Creed sighs, “Yeah, I think we are ready.”
Grim walked past King shoving him as he passed by,
“What is wrong with him,” Sarah asks.
“He is just being moody that's all,” Creed shuts the question down.
The group has all the supplies and gear ready to make the trip but Cass wanted to join Astrid on her trip,
“I’m sorry Cass but this adventure is going to be short and dangerous.”
Jax leaned on King, “It is a family business trip we need to deal with, when we come back I could stay and watch over the kingdom while you and Astrid can have that adventure of yours.”
Creed gave an unfeigned smile that made Cass smile back.
“Alright guys let's get a move on,” King got everyone moving to the beautiful garden at the back of the palace.
“Grim and I will take our birds while the rest of you ride on Jax’s dragon, we can fly ahead and scout out the mountain.” Creed put the palm of his hand to the ground, summoning a purple circle on the ground, two gigantic birds arose from the ground.
“Are you sure I can’t come with you sis,” the eager Cass awaited Astrid’s answer.
“Yes I am sure, this is an important mission that could go south in a matter of minutes, listen if we do this right I would be able to find Ash and you can meet him.”
Cass nodded sadly, Jax’s dragon descended down, landing on the garden destroying a good chunk of it,
“Sorry for my clumsy dragon,” Daygon lowered his wing making a ramp.
“Everyone on, our arrival time will be twelve hours or less, probably less.”
Creed saw Grim walk into the garden, “Hey Grim are you ready,”
Grim gave Creed the cold shoulder, hopping on the bird and taking off immediately.
King walked over to Creed, “This is a big problem, go after him now or else he is going to relay our plans to Rose.”
Creed jumped on the big bird and rode off after him.
“What was that,” Jax asked King,
“It was nothing to worry about, just brotherly rivalry.”
Jax was suspicious of the brothers but he couldn’t tell what it was, “Hmm maybe my eye will help in this situation,"
He lifted his eye patch activating his dragon eye, “Tell me, what will happen in the future.”
His eye started shooting an image into his head, “What the, shit Ash what are you doing.”
“Is something wrong Jax,” Sophia saw Jax’s worried look.
“Oh, nothing just a headache.”
“Oh okay, I hope it goes away,”
she ran off to go help the soldiers pack the supplies on the dragon.
“My queen, are you sure this is safe, it did destroy your wonderful garden just landing here,” the soldier carefully steps by the dragon looking down upon him.
“Yes, he is perfectly safe, nothing to worry about,” Astrid says as Daygon burps up flames.
The ten soldiers load up the supplies quickly trying to get off the dragon.
“Is everyone on, good. We will be back,”
Jax and the others wave bye to Cass who waves with the soldiers behind her.
“Now that they are gone, who wants to train with me,” Cass has a lovely smile on her gentle face.
“We all gracefully accept your request,” the captain of the knights speaks for all of the soldiers.
#
“What mission do you want, you can pick anyone even if you are copper because I am the queen of course.”
Ash completely ignores Rin’s boast, “I will like to take this one please.”
The head lady of the guild looks at the details of the mission, “Oh the bandit camp that has been terrorizing the towns nearby, okay write your names here.”
Ash and Isabel put down their names but Isabel asks the head lady a question, “Why hasn't anyone taken the job, it is fairly easy.”
Rin answers the question, “It’s because runt, it doesn't pay enough.”
Isabel gives off a disappointed look, “Wow people can be so greedy sometimes.”
After all of the signing was done the head receptionist gave the location of the camps, “Here are the two camp’s locations, your reward will be fifty copper coins.”
The three walked out of the guild, “Okay I will take on one camp you two take care of the other one then we will meet in the grasslands near Crestia.”
Rin objected, “Hey why do I have to babysit this brat.”
Isabel gives Rin a dangerous look.
“You are not babysitting her, she is babysitting you.”
Ash walks to the gate with Isabel and Rin behind him talking, “So what does he like about a person.”
Isabel makes a remark then catches up with Ash, “Everything you are not.”
Ash chuckles, Rin, all hot-headed, “You think that is funny, you will see who is laughing when I kick-.”
Ash turns around staring her down making her stop in her tracks, “You are just full of yourself aren't you,”
Ash turns back around and keeps walking with Isabel who gives a smirk before joining Ash.
“What bunch of assholes.”
#
“This is where we split up, we will meet back up at this very spot, got it,” Ash gives orders.
“I will give you twenty minutes to fully take down the camp if not done by then I will come to aid you.”
Sophia challenges Ash, “Oh yeah, if I do it under fifteen minutes then you teach me a new move that uses speed.”
Ash agrees, “You are on,”
the two making a challenge while Rin is shocked by their confidence, “You can’t be serious about doing it under fifteen minutes even twenty minutes is crazy!”
Isabel just rolls her eyes and dashes off towards the camp.
“Hey wait for me!” Rin runs after Isabel.
“Okay now it’s my turn, hmm should I torch the place or see what is going on, I think I will just torch it.”
Ash reaches the camp filled with bandits,
“Here we go,” Ash shoots a green flame setting the stronghold of wood ablaze.
“My job is done here-,”
Ash’s tone completely changes when hearing a boy scream from the camp.
“OH Shit WATERFALL LEVEL ONE,”
a big wave of water goes over the camp extinguishing the fire. Ash busts into the smoldering stronghold,
“WHERE ARE YOU KID,” Ash shouts out.
“Momma wake up, please,”
the child’s crying can be heard from inside a tent that has been burnt. Ash rips open the tent and stomps out the embers,
“Are you, okay kid,”
the kid looks up at Ash, “It’s my mom, she is not waking up, please mister help my mommy.”
Ash kneels down to examine the kid's mom, she has burns all over her back, her wrists got the worst of it from being chained up with metal chains then having the chains melt onto her wrists.
“She seems to be unconscious probably from the pain she endured, how about we use, superior healing.”
The spell takes into effect, restoring her body, the boy’s mother regains consciousness,
“Momma your wake,”
the boy is sobbing in his mother’s arms.
"What happened,”
the mother was confused, “I feel no pain, am I dead.”
Ash reassures her, “You are not dead, I saved you from this bandit camp, we need to get you two out of here.”
Ash put the young mother over his shoulders while the boy walked beside him shook but feeling happy to see his mother okay.
“Are you okay mom?”
The mother was exhausted but grateful, “Yes I am okay, I am just happy to see you are okay.”
The mother teared up, “Come here my baby boy,” she put her hand against his cheek.
“I am not a baby anymore mom.”
She smiles warmly, “I know, as long as you are okay,” she loses consciousness.
“MOMMA,” the boy calls to her,
“She is fine, just fell asleep that is all.”
Ash walked to a body that was burnt to a crisp, he took the helmet, Ash and the boy walked out of the stronghold to the grasslands,
“We will stay here,”
the brown-haired boy sat down next to his mom and waited.
Ten minutes before,
“Ready to take on the camp runt,” Rin prepares Isabel.
“Yeah, let's go,”
the two rush into the camp with sword and magic in hand.
“Take this WHIRLWIND LEVEL TWO,”
powerful wind circles the camp tearing it up.
“Stone spears level two,”
the ground uproots six green spears, sending them at the lookouts piercing them.
“Earth magic, heyah, that is pretty cool,” Rin has convection while putting her blade through a bandit's chest.
“Yeah it's a cool element but, screw off, the earth element is the most common element in the rest of the elements, so it's weaker than the other main elements!”
Isabel slides past two bandits slashing them open with her daggers.
“Hey let's finish this, runt,”
Isabel agreed,
“Right,”
After three minutes of slaughter, the two raced back to Ash,
“We are back!”
Isabel and Rin came rushing back,
“You two are slow,” Ash chastises the two for being slow.
“Did I make it,” Isabel impatiently waited for Ash’s answer,
“Well that sucks, looks like you missed it by ten seconds, too bad.”
Isabel gets down, “Aw come on Ash it wasn't my fault I had to babysit this jerk,”
Isabel tried to plead her case.
Ash wouldn’t budge, “Nope, she was your problem.”
Rin intervenes, “HEY, I am not a child, what gives you the right to treat me like this.”
Ash picks up the young mother, “Isabel I will teach you a new move later, we have to get these two to safety.”
The kid gets off the ground and accompanies Ash.
“Wait for us,” Rin and Isabel rush after Ash.
They get to the guild where Ash puts the boy’s mother on a long couch, “We are here to complete our job.”
The receptionist took the helmet of the bandit captain as proof, “Here are your coins oh, and who are those two you brought in.”
Ash explains, ‘These two were prisoners in one of the bandit camps. She is okay, just really tired from the pain she endured while being held captive.”
Isabel keeps the boy company while he sits next to his mother, “Can I ask you a question, you don’t have to answer the question if you don’t want to.”
The kid shook his head in a way to say go ahead, “How did you and your mother end up being taken hostage by those bandits.”
The kid was hesitant at first but then looking at his mother, “We were sold by my father for twenty silver coins, he wanted easy money so he tried to sell me by myself but my mom fought back so he sold her too.”
Adventures were gossiping about Ash and Isabel, “Why is a person like him doing copper missions when they can be so much higher.”
Another adventure tried spreading roomers, “Someone said he kills for fun like he enjoys people’s suffering.”
Isabel tugged on Ash’s coat, “Aren’t you going to say anything.”
He looked around, “Their words are meaningless, just cowards that don’t want to get their hands dirty so they criticize the person that is actually doing it.”
Rin steps in, “Listen here you spineless cowards, if all you guys do is sit around here then you are not adventure material, that means get out or do a job, your choice.”
All of the lazy adventures suddenly zoomed to the receptionist to get a job.
“Please one at a time,” the five receptionists had their hands full.
“Nice job Rin, I am glad we have the queen here,” Ash appreciated her.
Rin took his compliment for granted, “You owe me now,”
she shoved the door open with superiority.
“She is a piece of work isn't she,” Isabel insults her with an annoyed look.
“Yeah, but she isn’t going to leave us alone anytime so might as well get used to her stubbornness.”