Redd was feeling proud.
It seemed a bit silly to him, but the way they had made it through alright; that filled him with the feeling, that all too rare feeling before you had kids–true pride.
He looked over at his daughter, Ronia. Despite staying in the background for most of the event, she had been a steadying presence that allowed him to focus fully on what was happening, to solve their problems in the front. Not to mention the role she played for him as a source of conviction, when he had to walk into things that scared even him to the bone.
Even though he had fought in genuine wars, and plenty of times in the thick of it–Redd had usually been on the outskirts of battles–stopping a far flank from collapsing. Or fighting over a bridge, which he had once done for a whole week straight, from both sides of it multiple times.
A true nightmare. But despite all the blood and all the loss, all the levels, he had never played such a vital part in a battle as important as this.
Rather he had always heard of the pivotal battles from the rumour mill, usually while mourning a friend who went down in another nameless engagement.
Seeing the big picture from afar like this was different. I just hope nobody I know died down there, the strangers are bad enough, despite the years.
Seeing the whole thing come down to the wire–and every little delay end up being important–it was a satisfying outcome to say the least. But Redd doubted the Finns had even noticed them. It had been far too hectic, and even if the destruction they caused was spotted, it would more likely be attributed to some beast.
Redd was proud of their efforts nonetheless, he had seen the way their attacks changed things for the Ants. Let’s just hope the kids are smart enough not to try and convince anyone it happened. Brunner might listen, other than that… Believing this? Hah.
Now they had an injured adventurer on their hands; still unconscious.
Another unexpected turn of events, but a lucky one.
Harold’s magic was a nifty thing–despite knowing a few [Druids] in his time, Redd had never seen the like from such a low level Caster. The boy must have some talent.
Now Redd was busy considering the near disastrous events from every angle, when Livia and Sten came walking back from their evening jaunt.
His daughter decided to share some truth. “Hey you two, not quite ready for bed yet? Best to stop and get a proper feel, I can’t credit you having recovered fully already. Don’t neglect the resting part of developing your Classes, if you are waiting for levels then a good night’s sleep is the surest cure,”
She had a rare pipe in her mouth, and was puffing away at the mildly hallucinogenic herb, an old tradition after surviving a life-threatening event.
Livia responded once she had walked all the way up to the two pipe smokers. “Yeah, we’re not worried yet Captain. I’m just checking with everybody, trying to add on to what we know about the rest of this way to Dormata, you know?”
Flimsy Livia, flimsy. Redd responded this time. “Yes, that does sound fair enough I suppose, I do not have much to add unfortunately, I always took the mountain route to get in my yearly skinny dip in the ocean, nothing like a proper dip in the big blue,” Redd hid his smile with the pipe, but there was no hiding the crinkling of his eyes, while Ronia looked mortified.
Sten recognised the humour. “That would have been a damn sight, like a shaved bear trying to catch the heavens,”
That one broke even Redd’s composure, the man laughed like a car engine.
Livia was loving it, but something kept distracting her. “By the way, Redd, do you know anything about the rainbow? It looks weird to me, I could swear it’s moved closer since we switched our camp site,”
“Uggh, I cannot say I do Livia, hm. Now that you mention it, it does look larger than usual,”
The giant arch was taking up a third of the sky. It was a very cool looking phenomenon to Livia, but compared to the mysteries of the past few days this was just a passing curiosity.
One of many in her new world.
“It is tickling a memory from my childhood actually, but it must be something small or I would remember it. I’ll tell you what Livia, let me sleep on it and get back to you. The dreamfactory usually helps to jog my memory whenever it must reach back further than it is used to.”
Satisfied with that, the small group went to join the others on their bedrolls.
Only to be woken the next morning by a shouting Redd.
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“Up, up, up!” The booming voice of Redd.
Livia opened her eyes and was surprised to see that she had yet to reach her capstone, but then again the last level was notoriously elusive at times. Hopefully it was a sign that the System was building up to a breakthrough involving a larger number of Skills.
She was almost salivating at the thought, or was it the smell of breakfast cooking?
One of their guest travelers, who had taken it upon herself to cook for the camp whenever she had access to some proper ingredients, was looking busy when Livia came out of her tent.
All their late additions had in fact suffered the chaotic events–which they had been subjected to so suddenly–in stride, considering the banal expectations they had rightfully held at the start.
At least they appreciated how Livia had done her best, and with the destruction all around it was probably hard to complain as long as no one was killed.
Redd was standing in the middle of camp with a great smile on his face, smacking the butt of his weapon on a protruding rock as he shouted for the [Guild] to gather. Eventually every face was there, including Hyde and Algernon.
“I've got it, last night I remembered the gist, a childhood tale old Bertrud used to tell. It's about an experience she said true heroes of Mankind must go through,” Redd was sounding a bit dreamy still. “It was before she got all pessimistic and acted the drunkard the second half of her days, but I do admit that old bat was always talking bollocks even before, so it’s no wonder I could not remember,” Redd was looking strangely excited, and was speaking in a more compelling demeanor than was usual for him. “But the part I do remember is this; she spoke of the Rainbow Spirit to us children once. I don’t remember it all, but I recall how supposedly it is a blessing to meet such a thing early in your career, how every warrior should go before they get too big for their britches,”
To Livia that actually sounded a bit foreboding, like you were meant to have a fall there, and might be hurt if you were older and had the time to reach too far before falling.
“Ehm, a true Spirit?” Livia had really only read about them. “Aren’t those dangerous?”
Livia was a bit full up on excitement, if she was being honest. She had been looking forward to a few days of calm.
[Of course they are, how could they not be, they are the greatest of magic beasts on Ross.]
It was a rare addition from Mr Beard, but apparently he was feeling trepidation at the idea.
[Listen Livia, it’s too big a risk for you. We don’t know what that Spirit is like, not truly. There may be some stories of Humans coming out fine, but other species have legends of great warriors entering that very meeting and coming out the other side changed forever, never the same, and Spirits usually have a dislike for the System, the Great ones especially.]
Redd was still speaking however. “Nah, nothing to worry about, except for a select few, Great Spirits LOVE Humans, they very rarely kill us–I’ve heard it said plenty a time,” Redd was nodding reassuringly, but Livia felt a bit queasy at the words. “The Rainbow Spirit is meant to be a lesser one anyway, it does not even hold to a set territory, so this is a rare treat even if the nature of the boon is a bit mysterious,”
Kalle was the one who was usually the best at reading emotions, but all he was getting from Redd was an uncharacteristic, blank wall of excitement. “Well, is that all you know?”
“I remember she mentioned some games, but I’m afraid so. It was half a century ago, lad.”
And that was fair enough.
Looking up at the sky, the rainbow was covering half of it by now, with the sun shining from the opposite side. It was not even raining anymore, but somehow the vivid colors were there to stay.
“I suppose it is following us anyway, uh. We might as well go, how long do you figure it should take us Redd? Our journey to Dormata won’t be delayed too much, right?”
“Nah, we might lose the day but no more than that, I’m sure. My truest stone on it,”
His what? The rainbow seemed to almost pulsate before their eyes. It was not even noon yet, but the light in the air was turning prismatic, magical. “Alright, who is going?”
In the end all the youngest went, even the two Classless in Oscar and Felix, but Livia was leading the way.
Nobody over the age of thirty wanted to risk it, which meant Lena, together with Redd & Ronia–and the five guests–were set to stay and guard the camp.
They ended up waiting for a week.