Gabe:

The square church in Fountain City is on the north side, near where the inner ring road would intersect with a road going north if the castle wasn't in the way. I decide to carry Lucia as we head south, so that it's obvious she isn't just a stray creature who happened to get inside the city walls.

I turn on Peace of the Pacifist, and both of us begin to glow.

Sister Maribel and Father Kyrael had a lot to say before we left. They have a lot more experience than I do with understanding how people react to things they don't understand. Sister Maribel mentioned that at first, when she saw me glowing in the field outside the orphanage, she thought it was a faith skill - something associated with good deeds. Seeing Lucia shocked her, but she explained that people associate light with holiness here in Dungeon Quest. That makes sense - darkness comes with subterfuge and sneaking around... where light doesn't have to do that.

So, instead of hiding in the shadows with Lucia, and trying to keep her from sight, she suggested we try the opposite: put us both in the spotlight.

"That way," I murmur to Lucia, "If someone wants to attack us, they have to do it in front of all these people. There are no dark corners to hide in."

Especially when we're literally glowing. Lol.

She bounces slightly and lets off a golden gleam.

We walk around the inner ring road and start heading south.

The stares are pretty intense, the chatter endless, and there are moments when it looks like someone might make a move, but no one approaches us, stops us, or attacks us.

It also probably helps that Sister Maribel is also with us.

As are all the children from the orphanage.

Sister Maribel (earlier): "The children don't have to stay in the orphanage all the time... they go out almost every day when there's something that interests them. And walking you to the South Gate puts them at no risk of harm. I'm pretty sure they will follow you even if you tell them not to. Simon is out today, so if they leave I'll be the one to escort them. It'll be simpler if we all just go together."

She blushed slightly while she spoke. She seems to blush a lot.

The streets are busy today. I remember walking this street with Lucia in my arms before, at night when the shops were all closed, and when I toured the area with Fred.

The children chatter and laugh as they talk about the things on display throughout the city. The youngest girl (I think her name is Zaza?) alternates between holding my right hand and gleefully shrieking at her glowing hands, and jumping over cracks in the cobblestone streets.

Suddenly my ears begin to itch - like they do when I take a preworkout with beta alanine. I reach up to itch my right ear and Lucia jumps out of my left arm and lands on my shoulder. I hear a tiny *ting* sound and feel a {pound} in my chest.

I know that feeling. I don't need to check my status screen to know what just happened.

I look to the left, but see only a crowd of people moving, shops, adventurers. The noise of the street covers any other sounds.

Gabe (quietly): "Sister Maribel, not to alarm you... but I think we were just attacked."

Maribel's eyes go wide. Then suddenly, with the hand that was in the pocket of the white robe she wore, she pulls out a small object that she clasps in her hands. Closing both of her eyes tightly, her mouth moves in a silent whisper.

Within moments, a glowing golden field radiates out from her along the ground, extending a meter in each direction.

The children see the field, look at each other, and run to be close to her. Zaza grabs my hand and pulls me into the field as well. We're all huddled close together now.

Maribel: "Father Kyrael was concerned that we were becoming lax when the enchantment at the church broke. If it were to break again in his absence, anyone at the church or the orphanage would be in danger. As soon as he finished the enchantment this morning, he left and spoke with a magic artifact craftsman at the castle to have this catalyst made. He gave one to me and one to Simon. We've tried it out only once to show the children what to look for. It isn't very strong, since it was made hurriedly, but it should help."

Suddenly a dozen daggers, arrows, and darts come flying at me from all directions. The first salvo bounces off the thin golden field. A short moment later, Lucia jumps from my shoulder and lands on my face.

Gabe: "Wha?!?!"

Lucia jumps, and somehow the pressure of her jumping is enough to knock me completely off balance. I quickly fall backwards as I hear something *swish* through the air in front of me. Sister Maribel grabs my arm, but she's too close to me, and her feet are caught by the children, and I pull her off balance. We both fall to the ground and land with a *thud.*

Sister Maribel's face is bright red. She scrambles to her feet and I follow her, and we check if the children are ok. They are all shaking and looking at our left. Igor lifts up his hand and points. I follow his fingertip and see there, embedded in the stone at eye level, a black spear.

---

"So, Eliza. You playing as a nun this time? We've been in this city for two months now. You ran away, cut your hair, changed your clothes... we'd still be looking for you if Gaol hadn't seen beggar boy glowing and looked more closely. Three years of searching... and I'm the one to finally find you. Looks like today's my lucky day!"

We both turn and see a group of men only a few feet away, just outside the circle of golden light. I could reach out and touch them. They are wearing matching apparel - white cloaks with golden borders and dark blue insignia, dark red leather armor. The man speaking is holding a little girl by her hair. It's Zaza. She must have somehow gotten outside the golden circle when we fell.

Sister Maribel's eyes cloud.

Maribel: "Zaza! Let go of her, Zed!"

I lift my right arm. Zaza is close enough that I could probably grab her. And if I move fast enough...

Zed suddenly jerks on Zaza's hair and moves her away from the golden circle, putting a dagger to her neck: "So it is you. Just come with us and no one needs to get hurt. Tell your boyfriend to stand down or the brat gets it."

I stop moving my arm.

Maribel: "Leave them out of it, Zed!"

Zed's eyes narrow and he smirks: "Leave them out? But you made a protective field that kept them all in... except it looks like you missed one. Too bad you couldn't protect her. Is she important to you in your new life? Maybe I should make it easier for you to come home..."

He turns the little girl toward him and she begins sobbing.

Zed: "It's alright little girl. I don't want to hurt you. I just need the woman over there to come with me. I don't want to kill you or your friends. If she'll just come with me, then you won't get hurt, ok?"

He looks up at us over the head of the crying girl, his face twisted into a gruesome smile.

Zed: "Make the right choice Eliza. I know you don't want me to kill all these brats just to make you come home."

Maribel takes my hands and presses the small artifact into them as she looks into my eyes.

Maribel: "Gabe... take care of the children..."

She turns away, her eyes full of tears.

She begins to kiss the foreheads of each of the children one by one.

She's going to go with them.

I have no idea who these men are. I have no idea what they want. But this is not ok.

Gabe: "No."

Sister Maribel looks up at me. "The barrier won't hold them back, Gabe. I know Zed. He'll kill her... he'll kill all of you without a second thought. We have no chance. They won't kill me... but if I go with them... they might let you leave alive."

Gabe: "...no."

Gabe: "I made a promise to put my life on the line. To work against injustice and pain and fighting. If both of us lose, Igor can take care of the children. But I'm not letting them take you while I'm alive."

A round of laughing comes to us from just outside the golden circle.

I guess it is only a meter wide. It's obvious that they can hear everything we're saying.

"Hahahaha that's a good one. Looks like the beggar boyfriend is looking for death today! Tell you what, beggar boy, I'll give you a chance. I'm taking Eliza no matter what. But since you led us to her, if you fight me, and beat me, I'll let you and the brats go free."

Gabe: "Wha...? Wait, you intended to kill all of us all along?"

Zed: "Oh look, does beggar boy actually have a brain? Yeah. Can't have Eliza pining over the friends she left behind can we? Close off all the loose ends so she has no reason to come back."

I crouch down and turn to Igor, who is sobbing uncontrollably.

Gabe: "Igor, take care of this. Hold it in your hands and think happy thoughts. If anything happens to me, take Sister Maribel and Lucia... wait, (where's Lucia?!?)"

I jump to my feet and look around. I turn and see her behind one of the men, on the ground. I quickly turn back to Igor.

"If anything happens to me, take Sister Maribel and Lucia and the children to the church and find Father Kyrael. Don't let anyone leave the golden circle."

Sister Maribel bars me with her arm as I stand up: "I can't let you do this, Gabe. This is my battle. Zed won't kill me, but he won't do the same for you."

Gabe: "Then you can fight him if I die. And if I die, I'll come find you no matter where they take you."

Zed laughs again: "Your boyfriend's got guts Eliza. Don't worry boyfriend. I fight fair."

Maribel: "Don’t believe him Gabe. The moment you step outside the circle he'll kill you. Don't believe a word he says."

Gabe: "I'll be ok."

Maybe I can stall them. I mean, we're in the middle of Fountain City. There are guards and adventurers everywhere... and it's been long enough that someone must notice the guy who has a little girl with a dagger to her neck.

There's a sound on the street behind us, and Zed turns to the man closest to him.

Zed: "Gaol - take care of the guards and the scum. The rest of you keep an eye on Eliza. Don't let her get away under any circumstance. You can break her legs but don't kill her. And change of plans. I fight this guy alone. Feel free to kill him and all the brats if he makes any weird moves tho."

The man next to him shimmers slightly and goes transparent. He disappears from sight, and within moments there are yells and sounds of metal-on-metal in the alleyway behind us. The sounds disappear from one direction, then pick up in another, further away.

Zed hands Zaza to the man next to him, who keeps a dagger at her throat.

The rest of the children are crying, huddled together in a group on the street.

Zed (turning to me): "Now. No more stalling while you wait for the guards, calling for your friends. It's just you and me. You come outside the circle. You fight me, I kill you, and we leave with Eliza."

Zed: "Or I get impatient, kill all of you, and take her now."

I walk out of the golden circle.

My heart is racing. I know I'm probably going to die. I don't know what I'm going to do. But I have to do something.

I mean, this is why I'm here in Dungeon Quest.