Olea Munroe

I woke to the gentle buzzing of someone entering and exiting the Soul Vault, if gentle buzzing could be used to describe a fly constantly landing on your ear to flap its wings directly into your ear canal.

I did not even bother to sit up before I engaged with the ability unlocked by the empowerment of my soul, simply jumping into the vault as I was.

I had forgotten that the avatar, or body, I would be using there was a representation of my actual appearance.

“Olea!” the word had barely registered in my mind before the arms of Corvin wrapped around me, though he quickly backed away as his senses caught up with him. “What happened to you, you are filthy. Is that your blood?”

I looked down at myself seeing the blood covering a substantial portion of my exposed body; I may also have forgotten that I had yet to get some clothes. This happened far too often.

“No worries; this is not mine.” I said before adding a little sheepishly, “Did you happen to find me some new clothes?”

The temperature in the space was still at a neutral body-warm level with no breeze to make me uncomfortable but I was starting to get weird feelings about my level of exposure around my friends. It may have had something to do with my recent interaction with the duo upstairs, but it was starting to scratch my mind in a bad way.

“I did, they are all sitting next to your mushroom mountain.” He pointed to his left where my pile of horded foodstuffs was situated. “Big sis picked them out for you.”

I looked over and saw that indeed the clothes were there, stacked neatly and tied with a length of brown leather cord.

“Fantastic!” I shouted a little too loudly, letting my excitement show, my mind screaming at me to get some clothes and to wash away the grime-slicked feelings of the past day. “Do you mind?”

Corvin laughed, a good-humored if slightly shaky sound coming from his lips. “Sure, go ahead and get changed. I will step out and back when you are ready.”

“How did you… Never mind, the link.” It was nice to know that he had picked up on my desire without me needing to say it aloud, though it also made me feel a little uneasy as to how easy I was to read in other situations; a lot to get used to.

“Be sure to wash up first though, you stink.” Corvin said, shooting me a grin as he faded from the vault, subtly pointing at another collection of items near the clothing pile.

He left before I could make any reply, though I had no idea what it would have been, so I blew a raspberry in the direction of his previously occupied location and left.

I resumed my place in the waking world and set to. I pulled the collection of items from my storage and began setting them out on the stone floor. Sicily had sent me a care package, and I would need to thank her ever so much when I saw her next.

I stood up slowly from the floor and made my way over to the lower side of my cage as I cast Create Water into my hands summoning a constant stream of warm water, thanking the heavens for temperature control. It took more time and mana than I would have liked to get most of the dust, dirt, and blood to wash away but I succeeded and waited a few moments to drip dry before I headed back to my pile and grabbed the rough bar of soap I had been supplied.

“Thank you, Sicily.” I said again, this time with my outside voice.

I was starting to get cold from being soaked in the underground caves and quickly began scrubbing at my skin with a desire to rid myself of the taint I had picked up by merely existing in this pit. It felt incredibly good, almost liberating, to be clean again.

After spending an unhealthy amount of time rubbing my skin with the gritty bar of soap and hitting myself with several more streams of conjured water I cast another spell.

Wind Walk.

I wanted to test out one of the functions of the spell, one that I had thought about but never tested. It was also good to cast the spell as I had been told, and I felt the slight tingle in my body as the circuits for the spell were stretched through use.

I focused my intent on what I had in mind and felt the shift in the air as it took effect. An eddy of air circled around me, not disturbing my surroundings in any noticeable way outside of the small ripples in the nearby pool of pink water. It had worked.

Some people may judge me for this, but I did not feel like justifying their contempt with a voiced objection; I simply willed the air to flow around my fingers as I ran my hand through my hair. My own personal hair drying spell, win.

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Mana: 164/316.

Finishing the overly costly cleaning by magic I stowed the soap and removed my clothing from storage. The package was a simple leather wrap securing the garments underneath.

There was a sturdy looking brown shirt with short sleeves that I put on immediately, it hung low on my body, well past my waistline. Next, I held up the black pants, they seemed to be made of something like woolen canvas, not quite cotton. They fit nicely, and even had a belt string that I could tie off.

I wondered briefly about the length of gauze-like wrapping for a few moments before I realized that bras were not quite common in this world. I took the shirt off and wrapped myself like a proper burrito before donning the shirt again. The wrap also seemed like it would help me stay warmer while it kept all my parts in place, hurrah for practicality with purpose.

Under the clothes hidden until I had picked up the pants was a new, or new to me, pair of shoes. They were made of sturdy if not soft leather and fit rather well for something for which I was never measured. I hopped in place after securing them to my feet, they felt nice, and my toes thanked me. I swear I could hear their cries of happiness in my mind.

Under the shoes sat a roll of parchment tied with a thick string of some green material which I picked up quickly. I untied the letter, as it was most assuredly a letter from my big sister and began to read.

Olea,

I hope this letter finds you alive and well. Your friend Corvin has assured me that he will deliver these items to you personally and with haste.

I still have no idea how it is that you came to possess such a unique skill, nor how you seem to have been bonded with this strange creature and I will not press for details. Do know though that we at the hall are looking forward to your return, including two gentlemen that I had not been aware of having any interest in you before.

Strange.

All the potential gossip that could bring being pushed to the side, I have enclosed in this parcel some clothing I hope you find to your liking. It was chosen with your predicament in mind, no frills, and no soft edges today. I would say I gladly bought them items for you with my own funds, but I had seen a tagged document for your previous work that stated you had left the hall before being awarded your basic gear which would have included many comparable items and so put this on the guild’s tab.

Doogan should be well on his way to aiding the release of you and the others who may be held wherever it is you are, and I can only hope that he makes them pay dearly for such atrocities. He had also instructed me to, once again, relay the message that you are not to join the fight and are instead ordered to return to us here in South Jaga.

This is important, as you will not be able to assist with the major assault and would only distract those that are there to end this organization and put down that vile snake of a woman at its head.

You should also have noticed that we have sent over a small supply of basic elemental summoning items for your use, again I have no idea how you would have learned this skill, but I shall try to restrain my curiosity until you arrive back home. These items include some loosely gathered soil, several jars of something the alchemist call charged air, and several torches that require lighting before they can be used; the flint striker is included in the package.

There are also a few other random bits and bobs enclosed within a few extra bags that Corvin has somehow managed to make disappear, a questionable talent that. He assures me that he is a very good boy and has a high standing moral compass and I assured him that I would never believe that.

All that aside, I am beginning to get off topic. I will end this letter by saying good luck and may the three guide you safely home.

Sicily

1. I have sent several pastries along as well, I hope they are still warm when you get them.

The letter filled me with warm fuzzies even as the small buzzing alerted me that someone had grown impatient and was waiting for me to jump back to the vault.

I shifted myself back to the vault expecting to see Corvin and instead found that someone else was there.

“Hi.” Was the one word I uttered in way of greeting.

The other person inside the vault was male, wearing what could only be described as farmer chic. Full flannel and plaid, broken up by the strange hat and his small-wicked axe. He turned suddenly at the sound of my voice, showing a youthful visage nearly in line with my own age. His eyes were widened in fear and his body tense as if he were preparing for battle.

I started to move closer even as I saw Corvin materializing nearby, but before I could say another word or try to calm the guy he was gone.

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at Corvin and he just shrugged as we looked at the spot that was recently occupied by what I could only assume was the third member of the Triumvir.

“So much for the Charlie’s angels spin.” I said dejectedly.

A sharp snort of laughter greeted the statement before Corvin said, “Lame.”

I would have protested but my mind jumped back to the purpose of our visit.

“So, what’s the plan?” I asked, looking at the bird-brained critic.

“Ah, yes!” he said, “The plan. Well, I was told to tell you to read the letter and let you know that Doogan is in route. I am also nearby, almost there at least.”

“So, the cavalry is on the way then?” I said, just wanting to make sure I was correct and reassure my own frayed nerves. It would be good to get away and not also be stuck worrying about the people I had met here, though I would most likely not be seeing any of them again after this farce.

“Yep, we should all be there by evening tomorrow. You should work on getting somewhere safe and hunkering down until you can make good on your escape, with your new spells we should be able to get back to South Jaga by morning though it will probably be murder on your mana.”

“So, I just sit here and look pretty for a while and wait to be rescued by my dark prince, is that it?” I asked.

“Dark prince?” Corvin scoffed, “A bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

“Fine, fine. I will work on getting free if I can and at least safe if I cannot.”

There were a few avenues open to me for such things, not the least of which being the large sunlit tunnel Rocky and Selene had found.

“Okay, that settles all we needed to discuss then.” Corvin said to me while his brows begun to scrunch up in thought, “Sicily did a good job with your clothes, you look nice, almost pretty.”

As the words left his lips he began to fade away, an amused smile on his face. I was genuinely taken aback by his words as my mind worked through the plan, the past few days’ troubles, and the letter I had received from Sicily.

The letter that had mentioned…

“You bastard, did you take my pies!” I shouted as I heard his laughter ringing in the empty space. I hated that bird.