A young Orden girl gazes longingly out the cottage window, her eyes tracing the glowing paths that stretch back to the bustling city. Her mind drifts, recalling the laughter and shared moments with her new friend, Jaco. The comforting scent of herbal tea and freshly baked pies fills the air, pulling her back to the present. Excitement bubbling up, she hops onto the seat by the desk, eager to dig into the delicious spread, only to be halted by a light smack on her wrist.

Gala "Where are your manners, young lady?!"

Margaret "Oh... right. O All Mother, we thank you for the wonderful food before us. Can I eat now?"

With a sigh, Gala nods, and Margaret wastes no time stuffing her mouth.

Margaret "I knew it! Mostra pies, black weed tea, and those chocolates would pair up so well!"

Gala "I don’t know how kids these days devour so many sweets without getting sick. When I was your age, I could barely handle three or more taffies!"

Margaret "Grandma... I know that Ordan is underwater but how can I still smell food?"

Gala "The laws of the land can make anything possible, child. That one’s been in effect since long before the reign of the tyrant king."

Margaret "Whoever made it must’ve been pretty awesome. Anyway, can we start the next story now?"

Gala "So soon? Hmmm... I know that look. What's on your mind, Margaret?"

Margaret "I miss Jaco. I know it's only been a day but... there's this—

Gala "Uncontrollable feeling to be with him, right? That... my child is what I call love."

Margaret "What?! No! Jaco and I are just friends!"

Gala "Foolish, girl. You mustn't bury your feelings or you may find yourself drifting further apart. I have learned that lesson the hard way."

Margaret "Grandma... No! No more stupid sad stuff! Let's just read the next act!"

Gala "Alright, alright. Just keep my advice in mind. Now, here it is...

Hours have slipped by since the promised fertilizer was conjured, and now the golden afternoon light filters the space as the two heroines stand, watching the Kelpalms intently, eyes straining for any sign of change. The air is thick with expectation, but Claire’s patience has worn thin. With a wild burst of energy, she lunges toward the pond, only to be yanked back by Gwen and Devin.

Claire "Let me go! There HAS to be something more to this! It's getting sooooo boring!"

Gwen "Claire! We were given a job and this one requires patience!"

Devin "Y-Yeah, exactly what she said. If we interfere now, we could ruin our only hope for food!" "All Mother, this girl’s strong! Thank goodness her friend stopped her!"

Claire "The Others are probably doing something cool right now, and we’re stuck here... playing farming simulator 2048! We’re not middle-aged moms!"

Gwen "That’s... an oddly specific complaint. Fine, I’ll try a method, but there’s a chance one of these crops might crumple. Devin, are you ready to take that risk?"

Devin "Well, y-you seem like a competent, reasonable, and responsible girl, so... yeah, I think it’s worth a shot."

Gwen nods and dives into the pool, uprooting one of the kelpalms and swiftly exiting.

Gwen "Since Izzy isn’t here, I’ll have to be a bit rough with my approach. It’s going to require some... hands-on contact with the material. This’ll take a minute."

Claire "There she goes, being a total smartass again. I mean, she looks cool doing it, but still."

Devin "You two seem to have a pretty solid bond despite being so... different."

Claire "Yeah... when we first met, I honestly thought we’d never click. Our styles and personalities are— tots opposite. But it turns out we’re both major nerds and love a lot of the same stuff."

Devin "Nerds? Media? What are those?"

Claire "Oops, Earth terms. Ignore that. Anyway, how’s life here for you?"

Devin "It’s... peaceful in an awful kind of way. Most of our problems are small— except for the whole food crisis."

Gwen "Guys, I’ve finished analyzing the plant’s biological structure."

Claire "Jesus Christ, Gwen! What did you DO to that poor plant?!"

Devin "Yeah, it looks like one of those squashed lizards I found last week."

Gwen "Squashed lizards? I’ll enquire about that later. Anyway, it seems the Kelpalms can be forced into their Airfeeder stage by subjecting them to intense vibrations, which stimulate specific cells and cause the vines to retract."

Claire "So we just... shake them really hard? That sounds ridiculously tedious."

Devin "Maybe the blacksmith could make some kind of ground-shaking machine."

Gwen "Claire’s not going to wait that long. Luckily, I’ve already got a device in mind. It creates miniature earthquakes— used it on Germmany once to see how it would react. Naturally, it crushed the device in annoyance."

Claire "Ugh, great. I have to sit through another one of your 'lectures' just to make it, don’t I?"

Gwen "Yes, now pay attention. Here’s how it works...

The ten-minute lesson left Claire surprised and Devin fascinated by the intricate workings of the device.

Claire "Sounds like an overglorified jackhammer. But... wait, if we’re in a cave, wouldn’t that, y'know, cause a bit of a problem?"

Gwen "I’ve already calculated that the vibrations won’t impact the structure of the cavern. It’s perfectly safe."

With a grin, Claire gives her best friend a thumbs up, her mind already racing to picture the device. As she envisions it, Devin watches in awe, eyes wide as the technology begins to materialize right in front of him. Impressed and overwhelmed, the farmer drops to his knees and starts praying, though neither Claire nor Gwen notice— they’re too focused, carefully setting the device at the edge of the pool.

The contraption stands as a sleek metallic cylinder, surrounded by intricate circuits and wires. At its core, a piston with a rounded head hums with energy, radiating a faint, blurry aura as it pulses gently in anticipation.

The device fires, slamming into the ground with a deep, resonating thud. The blurry aura spreads across the surface, rippling outward until it even reaches the three spectators, enveloping them in a strange sensation.

Devin "Aaaaaah! What is this feeling?!"

Claire "Gwen... I feel really funny like my whole body just got hit by a giant hammer, but it doesn’t hurt."

Gwen "Just hang in there. It should stop... right about... now!"

As if on cue, the vibrations cease, they peer over the edge, their eyes cutting through the water’s surface— and The Kelpalms have opened up, their vines fully retracted.

The Instructor cracked her fingers, and vicious purple sparks crackled to life around her hands. With a commanding gesture, she plunges them forward, and in an instant, the water vanishes from the pool. She watches closely, seeing the Kelpalms slowly begin to swell, growing slowly larger before her eyes.

Meanwhile, The Resolver leaps into the pit without hesitation, dragging five heavy bags of fertilizer with her. With practiced ease, she rips each one open, gripping the ends tightly in both hands. In a whirlwind motion, she spins, scattering the fertilizer in every direction like a small storm, ensuring the soil is coated. Gwen takes a step back, leaving Devin to take on the brunt of the storm.

Devin "Ah, sweet old fertilizer. Never thought I’d smell this again."

Gwen "Spoken like a true farmer. Now, how fast do these things grow when exposed to—

The Kelpalms swell, rapidly expanding and launching Claire out of the hole with a force that leaves the trio staring in stunned caution.

The plants stretch and twist, reaching the ceiling of the cavern until they collide, halting briefly. Suddenly, small bumps sprout across their potato-like skin, each one popping open and unleashing hundreds of oval yellow pellets. These seedpods rocket into the walls, floors, and ceiling, embedding themselves and quickly sprouting into new, fully-grown Kelpalms.

Before they can react, the plants reproduce at an alarming rate, growing faster than the trio can flee. The multiplying Kelpalms propel them out of the tunnel, launching the group all the way into the town. Villagers scatter in confusion as the relentless wave of Kelpalms surges forward, spreading uncontrollably until it reaches the very center of the village.

From a distance, the elders watch the spectacle, chuckling with amusement.

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Zolma "My word, honey! They've far exceeded our expectations!"

Zara "Oh, absolutely! Just look at all those Kelpalms. I’m going to whip up so many dishes from this!"

Gwen "Claire. Next time... please THINK before you act."

Claire "Sorry, sis. Thinking ahead just isn’t my style."

Devin "Thank you, girls. See, folks! We still have hope for agriculture! No more sacrificing our companions— we can feast on the endless supply of kelpy goodness you see before you!"

The crowd erupts into smiles, their first in what seems like an eternity, as they lift the trio into the air in celebration. Laughter and cheers fill the village, and the weight of their long struggle with hunger finally lifted. Former farmers approach Devin, heads bowed in apology for doubting his visions. He smiles warmly, accepting their apologies with a nod. Soon after, the villagers race back to their homes, returning with large baskets, eager to gather the abundant Kelpalms.

As Devin surveys the bustling scene, Claire taps his shoulder, drawing his attention to a colossal pile of fertilizer nearby. He instantly understands the gesture— the girls are entrusting him with its management. Without hesitation, he orders the newly reformed farmers to carry the fertilizer into a silo built beside the cavern opening.

Claire "Hunger solved! So... what's next?"

Devin "Once the fertilizer’s stored and we’ve harvested all the Kelpalms, I can say with 100 percent confidence— there’s going to be a celebration tonight."

Zolma "Indeed, there will be. You girls have worked hard for this. I’d say you’ve earned yourselves a few days to do whatever your hearts desire."

Gwen "Whatever... my heart desires?"

Claire "You miss Izzy, don’t you? Hey, maybe we can go searching for her during this downtime. Heck, why not start now?!"

Gwen "How Claire? I appreciate your enthusiasm, but without any leads, we’d just be wandering with blindfolds."

Claire "A bit of wandering is what makes the adventure, Gwen! Besides, you’ve got the power to destroy anything now if we run into trouble!"

Gwen "I get where your confidence comes from, but without Izzy... we’re vulnerable. We could be easy targets for stealth attacks."

Claire "Stealth attacks? Really? Who’d be after us? Those jerk soldiers probably don’t even know about this place, and they definitely can’t cause any major disturbances here."

Gwen "Maybe, but ever since I woke up, there’s been this sense of... dread. Something unfamiliar and awful. I can’t shake it off."

Claire "Come on, bestie. We’ve got each other, right? If anything or anyone comes after us, we’ll handle it— like we always do."

Gwen sighs and returns a smile.

Gwen "Alright. Alright. Where should we look first?"

Claire "Well, there’s a whole network of tunnels and open spaces past the Forge in the north. Could be worth checking out. Plus, who knows? We might find some cool tools or weapons I can replicate along the way!"

Gwen "Before we head out, we need to assess our combat capabilities. Without Izzy, I feel less flexible and lack many tactical options. What I do have is absurd regenerative abilities, thanks to my modified body on top of being a wielder which means I can command every cell in my body to mimic muscle memory for various fighting styles— karate, kung fu, you name it."

Claire "Quick question. Are you better with your hands or your feet, without modifications?"

Gwen "I did learn Taekwondo but only up to green belt. I felt that kicking feel more natural to me."

Claire "Then don't need to think too hard, girl! Make yourself a black belt and do quick kicks. But you also need a way to dodge and block. I recommend Aikido."

Gwen "I heard of the art and had experimented with it a bit. I recalled that most of the techniques required me to grab the target which would be pointless since I could—

Claire "Hush. You’re missing the point, Gwen. It’s the catching aspect that’s useful."

Gwen "Hmmm... Ah, I get it now! Thanks, Claire."

Claire "As for me... I have no melee experience. The most I can do is swing a punch and hope to hit something. But I’m great with a range weapon."

Gwen "Yeah, that crossbow has proven to be enough to deal with anything. Why do you require a new weapon?"

Claire "Durability and even more firepower."

Gwen "But wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of having a crossbow bolt factory?"

Claire "Oh, Kanji showed me the actual machine and how it functions. I can customize the ammo however I want."

Gwen "That’s convenient. So I’m melee and you’re ranged. Based on our past experiences, you’re agile and good at dodging, so I won’t need to babysit you. And you don’t need to babysit me."

Claire "Yay! We're adults, lol!"

Gwen "In both the literal, tactically, and metaphorical sense. Enough chatting— let’s head over to the Forge!"

The pair bids farewell to the farmers and elders, stepping into the warm embrace of cheerful smiles from the villagers as they head north. A couple of young girls float toward them, bearing a banquet of fragrant flowers. Claire’s eyes light up with delight as she accepts the blossom-looking plants, while Gwen shyly avoids their gaze, her cheeks flushed.

Eventually, they arrive at a dark grey building constructed from layered bricks, its exterior adorned with creeping flora. As Gwen circles the structure, she muses that it resembles an anvil, complete with ten lines of smoke billowing from the top.

Without hesitation, Claire grabs Gwen’s hand and pushes through the front door, startling a dwarfish Origen who leaps from his chair. He quickly gathers himself, standing tall despite his stout frame. A round bronze helmet, topped with two bony horns, rests precariously on his head, barely shielding his frowning brown eyes. His mustache connects to a long, rough brown beard that wraps around his neck like a scarf, and patches of soot and coal dust speckle his skin, also coating his black tunic, and apron which complement his sleek black scaly tail.

??? "Darn it! Who are you two?!"

Gwen "We are—

Claire "Just two enthusiasts interested in your wares, my dwarven friend!"

Gwen "You do realize he’s not actually a dwarf, right?"

Claire "It’s all about the vibe, Gwen. He’s got weapons hanging on the walls. Total fantasy aesthetic if you ask me!"

??? "What are you talking about?! What is the dwarve?!"

Gwen "My apologies. My friend here is just a bit overzealous about checking out your wares."

??? "I see. Well, let bygones be bygones. My name is Scarfbeard SeaHammer. What can I do for you?"

Claire "See? Even his name sounds dwarvish!"

Gwen "Don’t mind her. We’re looking for the most durable and powerful weapon you have."

Scarfbeard "Fish paste! Of all the things... Sorry, but I can’t grant that request. Look over there."

He points to a massive harpoon gun, slightly larger than the size of Claire's body.

Scarfbeard "I call that beauty 'Leviathan's Bane'. Long ago, a brave hunter and blacksmith forged it before venturing into the depths. He slew a leviathan with it and used its remains as fertilizer to grow this village."

Claire "Ooooh, so that’s where all the flower houses came from. But why can’t you sell it?"

Scarfbeard "It’s a literal symbol of our establishment, and the materials used to make it are nearly impossible to obtain— each one sourced from the forbidden zone."

Gwen "That's the red area labeled on this map, right?"

Scarfbeard "Yes, exactly."

Claire "Oh my god! This is totally a quest! Let’s accept it!"

Gwen "Hold on, Claire. Is it okay for my friend to hold it for a bit?"

Scarfbeard "No can do, missy. I won’t even let the elders handle my precious weapon."

Gwen "... Fine. We'll take on this mission."

Scarfbeard "Here’s the list. Just don’t get yourselves killed, alright? It’s been ages since anyone dared to take on this request."

Claire "Yippee!"

The girls step out of the Forge, setting their sights north. Gwen stares at the ingredient list, her expression one of disbelief.

Claire "What’s wrong, Gwen? Is it too much for us to collect?"

Gwen "It’s the opposite. There are only two ingredients— The Startough Wood and The Guiding Zen Ore. I’m starting to think he’s scamming us."

Claire "Come on, Gwen! Have a little faith! I think this quest is going to be fun!"

Gwen "Let’s just get this over with so we can go search for Izzy."

Claire "Who knows? We might even find Izzy along the way!"

Gwen "I wish I had your level of optimism."

Without a moment to lose, they dash past the building, arriving at the northern wall where ten paths await them. Remembering Scarfbeard’s advice, the girls choose the leftmost opening, which leads into a vast stone tunnel adorned with vines cascading from the ceiling at random spots. As Gwen examines the plant life, she determines it’s harmless, although it possesses some elastic properties, so they press on.

At the next intersection, they veer left, finding themselves in a small subterranean space filled with unfinished sculptures. A sign stands before them, reading "Memorial Zone in Progress". With a moment of reverence, they offer a silent prayer before continuing deeper into the tunnel.

Upon reaching another intersection, the girls begin to debate.

Claire "Come on, Gwen! Let’s go right! I want to see those funny-looking sea horse creatures on the map!"

Gwen "It’ll take about 30 minutes to get there! Taking that route will only prolong our trip. Going left will save us a lot of time."

Claire "Okay! How about we settle this with a game of rock-paper-scissors?"

Gwen sighs as they both throw their cards... Gwen picks rock while Claire opts for scissors.

Claire "Err... How about best two out of three?"

Gwen "That only works before the game starts. Come on, let’s go."

Claire "Aw, man."

The right path opens into an even larger tunnel, about twice the size of the previous one. The vines, unlike those before, line the walls from top to bottom, creating a verdant curtain. Gwen's eyes dart around, spotting a few spots where the vines quiver, as if something lurks behind them.

She points to a target, and Claire, ready with her crossbow, takes aim. With precise shots, they send the curtain of vines crashing down, unleashing a horde of colorful shell beetles that scuttle away in a terrified frenzy.

Claire "Whew. I really thought that—

Before she can finish, her instincts kick in, but it’s too late. An energy blade pierces through her back, narrowly missing her heart but puncturing her lungs.

A gasp escapes her lips as she stumbles forward, pain radiating through her body. Then a simultaneous barrage of blades targets Claire's limbs, and though her consciousness is slowly fading, she leaps just in time, saving her legs but not her arms. Gwen’s heart races as she sprints to Claire’s side, delivering a swift kick to the invisible creature lurking behind her friend, reducing it to dust in an instant. Without hesitation, she scoops Claire up and darts away, her mind racing as urgency and fear cloud her mind.

With three syringes taken out, she quickly assesses Claire’s wound, her hands shaking as she patches her friend up. As she glances back, a chill runs down her spine— nine robotic creatures, resembling the soldiers they fought earlier in their journey, emerge from the shadows, their cold eyes fixed on them. Facing all of them at once would be a mistake, so Gwen scans her surroundings, searching for any means of escape.

A wave of déjà vu washes over her, as if her body remembers being chased before, and an idea forms...

Gulping down her hesitation, Gwen delivers a fierce kick against the wall, creating a crevice just wide enough for her to squeeze through. She gently sets Claire down and starts kicking the edges of the crevice deeper, crafting a makeshift tunnel.

When she turns back, fear grips her as one of the bulky pursuers morphs and shrinks, squeezing through the opening with blinding speed. Its two blades are aimed directly at Claire’s neck, but Gwen dives back just in time. Spotting an opportunity, she reaches for the creature’s wrists, pausing the blades and yanking the soldier off balance. In one fluid motion, she delivers a powerful side-kick that destroys it, sending a cloud of dust toward its allies.

Gwen scoops Claire back up and rushes to the end of the tunnel. She pauses, turning to face the oncoming horde of robotic soldiers, their mechanical eyes glinting with bloodlust.

The remaining soldiers, recognizing Gwen's abnormal power, transform their arms into blades of energy, spinning like saws as they charge at her. She takes a deep breath, quickly grabbing Claire’s crossbow, her mind racing to formulate a plan.

The first soldier steps up, swinging its blades in a horizontal motion, carving deep grooves into the sides of the tunnel. Just in time, Gwen ducks and performs a low sweep kick, causing the spinning blades to collide. The force sends a few arms severing backward, cutting into another soldier and triggering a chaotic chain reaction. Soon, only three soldiers remain, having quickly transformed their arms back into shields.

Seizing the opportunity, Gwen lunges forward, firing a few bolts to their kneecaps before darting around the soldiers— She delivers precise high kicks to each of their necks.

The blows land so quickly that they have no chance to react. One by one, the soldiers turn to dust. But as her triumph settles in, Gwen’s gaze falls on her horribly injured best friend. Tears well in her eyes as she realizes the gravity of Claire's condition stems from her decisions. Determined to save her, she scoops Claire up and begins the journey back to the village.

Just then— her chief symbol buzzes to life, and she hesitates for a moment. Perhaps a bit of consultation is exactly what she needs right now. With a deep breath, she answers the call, hoping for guidance and support.