The giant toad pounced at Victus, and he dove out of the way, rolling to his feet. Alyza fired more arrows at the beast, attempting to draw its attention away from the others. He turned to Vackerie, “Got any magic strong enough to kill that thing?!”

She held her staff close, nervous, “Y-Yeah, I think so, but it’ll take a while to cast.”

“I can help with that,” Clyme held up his violin. Victus nodded to the two of them and ran towards Alyza, joining her. She nocked three arrows at once and shot them at the toad, but none of them could penetrate its skin.

“Bastard’s too bloody thick!” She shouted, glaring. “You just had to give away your only weapon!”

“Wasn’t my only weapon, sweetheart,” Victus looked around, searching for an alternative option. There were large white crystals protruding from the ground nearby, emanating the essence of frost. He looked back at Alyza, “I’m gonna need your help.”

Clyme played his violin, and bright green energy swirled around Vackerie while she chanted mystic incantations, a magical pentagram forming beneath her. The toad heard the music, turning to face them. Puffs of dirt followed behind as it crawled towards them faster than one would expect. Just as it was about to crash into the two spellcasters, an arrow flew into its other eye, and the toad staggered past them.

Vackerie stopped casting when the toad got too close, but Victus reassured her while running past, “Keep going! Fire on my command!” She nodded, resuming the spell with Clyme’s assistance.

Alyza followed behind Victus, already running low on arrows. She dove over the toad’s tongue as it got up and recklessly swiped at them, firing an arrow into its gaping mouth in midair. However, the tongue still tripped Victus, and he stumbled onto the ground.

She stopped and turned around, helping him up, “Come on, Vick, we’ve almost got it.”

“Thanks,” he looked at the rampaging toad, which had begun to wildly stomp on the ground, interrupting Vackerie and Clyme once again. The crystals were already within reach, he just had to attract the beast, “You ready?”

“This is such a Victus plan,” she took out a vial, shaking it and handing it to him. He uncorked it and poured its contents all over himself, now covered in a pink liquid.

“Come on, you big ugly frog!” Victus shouted, and the toad abruptly stopped, sniffing. It slowly turned its head towards him, then leapt high into the air. Him and Alzya waited for a moment, before she blasted the both of them apart from each other with a surge of wind.

The toad landed where they were once standing, breaking the ice crystals. It arched its back, standing on its hind legs while frost enveloped its body, slowing it down. Knocked prone, Victus still shouted, “Now!”

Vackerie gripped her staff, holding it up, “Una Feugiza!” A large fireball formed above her, and with two hands, she smacked it towards the toad. Upon impact, the blast shattered the giant beast entirely, causing shards of flaming ice to fly out of the sky only moments later.

“Take cover!” Victus rolled behind a tree. Alyza did the same, while Clyme quickly dragged an exhausted Vackerie behind a large boulder, until the short meteor shower came to an end. Afterwards, they all emerged as the smoke cleared. “So much for bringing back proof for an extra reward..”

Alyza started picking up her arrows, and at the end of one of them, the toad’s heart. She dropped it in disgust, “Ugh, ew, I mean, Vick! Found your proof over here..”

Victus hurried over, picking up the arrow, “Ewww..” He cringed as he wrapped up the toad’s heart and put it in his satchel.

Clyme approached them, helping Vackerie walk. “We did it..” She sounded weak, leaning into Clyme. “Can we go home now? I’m so tired..”

“Yeah,” Victus replied. “Our objective is complete. Now all we gotta do is get back to Kamren. Actually, I know of a town that’s probably closer..”

The four of them arrived in Sleetborough later that day, the town he was previously staying in. There, at the Guild Hall, he turned in the quest to Jade, the Sirin from before. She appeared questionable, “So, this is your party now?”

They were all huddled pretty closely to Victus, each of his arms taken by Alyza and Vackerie. Clyme affectionately held his arms around his neck from behind, “Sir Victus, you wouldn’t happen to have history with the woman before us, would you?”

Victus seemed annoyed, ignoring him, “I got covered in Iphisnore perfume earlier. Don’t ask.”

“Right..” She stamped his quest paper. “Public displays of affection aren’t allowed in the Hall.”

“Hear that, guys? Break off!” He shoved them all away, and they sighed in discontent. “So much for scientific evidence..Oh, and here’s that giant toad’s heart.”

Jade took the heart, holding it with just her finger and thumb. “Thank you for your services,” she smiled politely, then looked back at the heart in disgust, putting it away.

They went to Gunther’s tavern afterwards, ordering drinks and food. Luckily, the place wasn’t as lively as the last time they were here. Alyza was sitting next to him in a booth, across from Clyme and Vackerie. She leaned onto his shoulder. “Hm? You’re still under the effects of the perfume? I thought I dunked myself in that well pretty hard..”

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“No, I just like you,” she sighed. “Today was pretty scary. And I thought I liked toads..”

“Small toads are cute, but the big ones are gross. If it had made a ribbit sound though, I probably would’ve thrown up.”

“What about our previous arrangement?” She looked at the ring on her finger, still entranced by its glistening gemstone. “How long until we finish your task, and..You know?”

“I don’t know. But we can get started as soon as tomorrow. I’ll head back to the Guild Hall and-”

The front door swung open suddenly, and entered a man with feathered wings on his back. He looked around, “Alyza Sylvain? Is there an Alyza Sylvain here?” Alyza hesitantly raised her hand. The man went over to her, handing her a letter, “This is for you. I was told that this delivery was of the utmost importance.” He left in a hurry, shouting, “Have a good evening!”

Surprised, Alyza opened the letter and read its contents, becoming concerned. “It’s about father. He was ambushed by a group of individuals in my home country. He survived, but now he’s fallen ill..”

“That’s not good..Are you gonna go back home?”

“I’ve no choice. He’s a terrible man, but he’s still my father.” She put the letter away, standing up, “This is all so sudden, I’m sorry, Victus..”

He got up too, “Hold on, now, whoever said you’re going alone? This is an opportunity for us to..”

“..Oh! Right..I suppose it is..Still, my family is ruthless, as I once told you. Are you sure you can handle it?”

He nodded, “I’m not worried. What’s the worst that could happen?” Victus turned to the others. Vackerie was already dozing off, exhausted by today’s events. “You two coming along?”

“Actually, I was hoping to return to Kamren and accompany Wolfe with his protection of the city,” Clyme replied. “You all have inspired me to create more art and music, so I’d like to get started on that as soon as possible. Do not worry though, I still solemnly swear my undying loyalty to you, Sir Victus.”

“Uh..Thanks? What about you, Vack?”

“Huh?!” She jerked awake, her tentacles wiggling around for a short moment. “Me? Oh, uhm..Where would we be going?”

“Freyrun,” Alyza replied. “It’s to the south, across the ocean. We’d have to travel by ship for a few weeks.”

“Weeks?! By ship?!” Victus became less confident. The vast ocean was rather intimidating, especially considering all the sea monsters he’d read about late at night. “I didn’t know your home was so far away..”

“Sorry, is that too much?” She looked dejected, putting her hands in her lap. “Maybe I should just go alone..”

“No, no, that’s fine. I’ve just never traveled by ship before. I’ve never left Virunia, to be honest, heh..”

“Me neither,” Vackerie sounded excited. “I’ll go! I bet I could learn some new spells in a faraway country like Freyrun. Perhaps I’ll meet my soulmate there, too..”

“Uh, aren’t you the one who can’t swim?” Victus teased, but a part of him was serious. Vackerie smiled nervously, twirling one of her tentacles while whistling. “Don’t ignore me, octogirl-”

“We should leave right away,” Alyza suggested. “If we’re quick enough, we can catch the ships that leave by sunrise.” The others nodded in agreement. Victus paid Gunther for the meal and told him goodbye, but the dragonborn stopped him.

“Hold on. Here..” He reached underneath the counter and took out a pair of short, peculiar swords. “These are for you. I was saving them for your birthday, but since you’re leaving..”

“Woah, thanks, old man,” Victus took the swords, examining them. Each blade was about the length of his forearm and had hilts that shielded his fists well. “What kind of swords are these?”

“Vlinder Blades. They’re not very sharp, but they’ll get the job done. I figured you’d want something that isn’t very lethal,” he handed him a pair of leather sheaths. “You take good care of ‘em now, alright?”

“I will,” Victus tied the sheaths to each of his legs, concealing them with the length of his green coat. “They’re perfect! Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, kid. Now get outta here,” he shooed them away, and they left for Kamren, arriving there by sunrise. Vack was practically falling asleep as she walked, using her staff as a cane to stay afoot.

“Clyme, can you carry me the rest of the way?” She asked.

“I would, but unfortunately, I’m not strong enough.”

“Come on, I don’t weigh that much..What about you, Vick?”

“He’s not strong enough, either,” Alyza replied for him.

“Yes I am!” He shouted, giving Vackerie some hope. “I won’t be doing that, though. I’m tired too..But we’re almost there. Just hold on a while longer, alright?”

“Alright..”

All but Clyme arrived at the docks. Ships were arriving and setting sail alike, their crew members blaring horns and shouting at the top of their lungs, inconsiderate of those still asleep. Alyza was talking to a clerk, negotiating a price for their destination.

“Only ship sailing for Freyrun this morning is that one,” the clerk pointed at a dilapidated ship.

The lower part of its hull was covered in barnacles and stray strips of seaweed. A couple of crew members were carrying sick men off of the ship, while others dumped old fish and vegetables into the ocean. Despite its appearance, there were a few people that had already started boarding the ship. Victus could overhear a couple of women arguing rather loudly, turning his attention to them.

“Lady Dustine, I do not like this boat! It is ugly,” a muscular, half-orc woman told the hooded figure beside her. A few strands of bright red hair peeked out from the bottom of her hood.

“Arbatul, I already told you, this is all we can afford right now! So keep your mouth shut and get on the ship!” She commanded her with a stern gaze.

“..Yes ma’am,” the half-orc obeyed her, following her onto the ship. Victus also noticed a familiar man with curly silver hair walk onto the ship, but he was crowded with the other passengers so that it was hard to make out who he was.

Alyza returned with three tickets, handing one to him and the other to Vackerie. “It’s not ideal, but at least it was cheap..They’ll be taking off in about an hour or so.”

“Good, that gives us enough time to get you and Vackerie some better armor. You wanted a rapier, right?”