Chakra Nodes-4
Slimes and Ears
On horseback with his feet placed atop the stirrup and his hand held squarely upon some pie , Howl made his way to the temple of Versan.
The path took him westward, down the slopes of Millow he called home, through the village at the base of the hill , and out around Central city. As he strut by the circular wall that rounded the city , his eyes fell to the length of cracks that plagued the city wall. The further he strode the less he saw , but if he looked closely he could see the depths flooded with a deep mixture of brown.
Howl smiled as he looked over the filling, and the light palm print left by the welders who sealed them, a chuckle leaving his lips, he knew the guy did the cement and he could bet he'd probably be complaining right about now.
Howl took a left, the sloshy mud road opened up toward another path , the smell of pine blowing in from the distance.
The travel was turning out to be a peaceful thing, a time spent watching the bugs slither upon the trees and the animals run about the tiny system they called home. Today there wasn't many for Howl to see , the fields were empty really, besides the occasional slime that would poke free from the grass. Howl slowed down his horse and watched.
In the soil below a green goop began to seep through, at first in a small bubble then bigger until finally a small rat sized blob stretched into the air.
Pop!
Like a balloon the slime would implode falling back into the soil.
‘Huh.’ Howl thought. So this is a F ranked creature.
The implosion of the creatures would happen three times more before Howl would see a landmark.
Covered in moss it read
Versan Temple. - 1 League Away.
It wouldn’t be till an hour had passed that he arrived, a large temple towering over the horizon. Green and black stand in the shape of a cross, the structure of stone stood high into the sky.
Howl frowned, if only there weren't so many people.
“Get yer shields! I got the bestest of the best. I got the strongest of the strong. Get yer shields. “
“Need a pop of health in a pinch. Come all , come now! Health potion for a Silver a pop. Best in all the kingdom.”
From a series of impromptu stands propped up , active merchants moved with quick hands and quicker tounges.
“Pissed yourself! Need new trousers?! Only four bronze here. “
‘I guess it makes sense that they would be in front of a popular meeting spot for the guild. ‘ Howl Supposed.
With a twist of his hips he got off his horse. Grabbing the reigns in a twist and walking Fire Legs past the small groups of merchants that surrounded the strip of land on the way to the temple. At the merchants edge a stables sat , Howl walked though the crowd declining a few offers of simmering burn cream and ice tonic, until finally in a nice enough stable , he left his horse.
“I’ll be back buddy.” He said giving the horse a treat.
“Neigggghhhh.” ( I’m tougher than you bud.)
Howl looked at his horse then at the stable owner.
“He’s gotta be talking shite right? “
The man puffed a long pipe then nodded his head.
“ Hundred percent. “
“I knew it.”
Howl left fire legs to it , eyes ahead to the temple, excitement bubbling in his chest. Adventurers huh. Wonder how I’ll do?
/:/
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Bzzzp.
Arcs of thunder snapped and popped as the string of the bow was pulled taught. Patiently the archer held her bow. Tightly , ready for any sign of movement to fire. Patiently , patiently .
She saw it.
Thwung!
The string cried out into the air as the arrow was bounded through space. Steel glinting as it ran head first into a thorny brush.
“Kaaaaa!”
Four small green creatures stumbled out of the brush. One only making it a few steps before he fell limp. He was impaled through the neck as it was, green blood jumping into the air from where he fell still. Without any backward glance the other goblins turned, and ran to the woods.
Howl jumped up , his hair on its ends, his nerves blasting and the rush of blood pumping through him. His mind ajar and blank from the quickness of it all.
So his body acted.
Without thought his legs began moving forward and Howl cleared his head to one thought.
“Chakra Node 80 . Quick Tap. “
He ran.
Twenty feet away the Goblins ran. Grunts and hissses snapping out of their mouths as they sensed the approaching Sage. They ran fast, they ran hard. It wasn’t enough.
Like a man possessed, Howl bounded forward ten steps equal to twenty of the goblins. The wind whipped past his face as he closed in on one. Howl could hear its breath wheeze as it ran ahead and the smell of old blood on its breath. Howl grunted as he pushed down his foot one more time. He was Close!
The creature stumbled on a vine , falling to Howl's left.
‘Chance!’
‘Heart Mantra. Chakra Node 4! ‘ His biceps thrummed. His heart beat and his breath evened as strength enveloped him. Howl twisted on his back foot jumped into the air , caught the monster by the shoulder
And slammed his knee into it’s chest.
The thicket was torn asunder as the goblin landed , it’s body rolling over the forest floor where it would thunk into the wood of a tree.
The goblin moved no more.
“Good job Howl! Leave the rest to me.” With a whoosh of wind a head of auburn and a large sword of steel rushed past. Patting Howl on the back as it dived forward through the brush.
Right behind it a smaller head of Auburn quickly over took the large man, hands palming blades with a wicked edge.
The clearing went quiet.
In the falling light that cascaded through the trees Howl stood over the body of the lifeless goblin. He reached his hand into his shirt, pulled out a necklace of beads , got on one knee and began a prayer.
“May your next life be better.”
The silence was broken.
“I guess it makes sense that a Sage would pray. But I’m surprised you do it for monsters. “ Quiet steps and a light voice saw a figure walk lightly through the grass.
Wrapped in the garb of a scout , brown leather and dark wool the huntress stood like a lone tree in a forest. Her bangs obscured most of her face and she also stood tall , almost a head taller than himself, Howl noted.
“You’re finished Dana ? “ Howl said, putting the beads back into his shirt, A simple brown wool.
“Yea. “ The girl walked up. Taking a seat upon a smooth rock. Beside her and beneath her the long lengths of grass blew in waves.
As they sat in silence Howl went back to her question. “Yea, we pray. We pray for any creature that lives and dies. Monster or not. “
The huntress tossed her head at that and they sat in silence. A couple long seconds went by.
“I guess I like that.”
“Yea….. So how’d you put thunder in your bow. “
Dana quirked her brow and laughed. “It’s not thunder. Thunder is the sound. “ Her eyes crackled beneath her bangs. “It’s lightning.”
“Ayo! We’re back! “
Sounds similar to a bulls stampede rang out as the redheads arrived. Two twins of different stature and different personality but both who’s eyes seemed to have a love for combat. In their hands , the ears of their foe.
“Ooooohhhh you guys are talking all by yourselves. Love talk? “
“Shut up Halia. “
Walking up with a large wooden staff in her dusk colored gloves, a large witch hat drooping over her face and blond hair falling over her eyes of blue , Halia stopped in front of Howl and pointed to the goblin.
“Do you need help with the harvesting?”
Howl nodded.
“Avaco, Stano.”
The tip of her staff hummed , a small gem crackling to life. Faster than a rock could be thrown, a slice of water pulsed out. Then another. Without a sound the ears fell from the creature's body.
Halia smiled. “Neat right?”
The girl turned then waltzing off.
“C’mon redhead’s, Zip zip , sagey pooh. Let’s get paid! “
“Yaayyy! Let’s get paid!” The redheads in question turned , goblin ears hanging from their neck, striding behind the witch as she departed.
“C’mon Sagey pooh. Let’s go get paid. “ The huntress laughed as she stood, turning and walking away.
Howl didn’t move though. Instead he put his head into his palm. There was a thought his mind was on but he couldn’t quite place his finger on it. Then Howl looked to the ground where the goblin ears lay. As he picked them up and felt the squish of them the thought dawned on him.
Adventures are kind of crazy.