"That crown is never going to be found. We have to get out of here!" Morgan shouted to her friends, her voice tinged with frustration just as another of the small, angry creatures materialized in the doorway.
The Fire Sprite, a menacing imp no taller than a foot, glared into the room. Its leather skin looked like charred, smoldering wood, all except for its hands that were glowing red hot from the tips of its fingers to nearly its elbow. Around it, the air shimmered with the intense heat radiating from the creature. Its fiery eyes glowed like molten lava and flickered with anger as they swept across the neglected farmhouse storeroom.
It took a step inside the room toward Elara and Jabari, who were across the room rummaging around the collection of old drawers, dilapidated chests and broken crates.
“Over here!” Morgan shouted to the creature and it immediately turned its attention toward Morgan.
Raising its hands and lifting its head upwards, it growled threateningly.
"You got this, Morgan,” Elara called, and then added, “It’s another Level 2, you’ll be fine.”
Elara was right, but Morgan wasn't going to admit it. Instead, she reached down and picked up what looked like an small piece of a broken clay pot and tossed it over the sprite’s head and into the hall. The thump behind the sprite surprised it and it turned its attention back outside the room. It growled again and stalked back into the hallway.
Morgan sighed and turned back to watch Elara as she quickly opened another drawer, looked inside, and closed it again. She had to admit that Elara was searching quickly, even if she looked out of place in the old storeroom. She was wearing a silken plum dress, that touched the floor, with a belt of light silver chains that fell down from her waist, but it was her jewelry that was noticeable even across the room. One ear was pierced from top to bottom and her long earrings sparkled and twinkled, around her neck, were a few chains ranging from very thin and short to much thicker and longer. Plus, every time she moved, her many silver bangle bracelets jingled and when she looked over and smiled, her silver nose ring sparkled against her ebony skin.
Jabari on the other hand looked right at home between the old boxes and broken crates. His shirt was a dark, earthy green, and if it was dirty or just of various shades, Morgan wasn't quite sure. He was kneeling in front and old chest staring intently, apparently deep in though.
“Elara, maybe you can make him hurry up,” Morgan said, gesturing toward him, "I think he fell asleep."
Jabari pushed his dark, straight hair away from his almond shaped eyes, and smiled over at her, “You can’t rush greatness, Morgan,” he answered, his voice carrying a hint of mischief.
He looked back toward the chest and then after a moment determinedly began working open the lock. Morgan had no idea how he did it. His hands were calloused and tanned from working on his parents' farm, yet he seemed to be able to deftly open these complicated latches. But that was Jabari. He seemed to have an unexplained talent for unlocking things that were meant to stay closed.
Jabari continued to work the chest in front of him until it suddenly opened, “Got it!” he shouted excitedly, and then Morgan watched his expression drop. “Nothing,” he said simply.
Morgan sighed with frustration. They had already checked the entire first floor of the old farmhouse and had found nothing and had started searching upstairs. Fortunately, most of the rooms upstairs had been relatively empty with just a few pieces of furniture in each, however, this room was more difficult than any of the others. It seemed like whoever used to live here stored anything they no longer needed in this one upstairs room. There were broken pieces of furniture everywhere. In one corner sat a fractured set of shelves, in another, a toppled, weathered set of drawers was underneath a large chest. It was a collection of dilapidated odds and ends and they had to diligently search every single one.
Standing up, Jabari ran his fingers through his jet black hair and tossed it to the side. He looked at the unopened boxes and then smiled, “I bet this will be the one,” he said as he walked over and then began trying to undo next lock.
Morgan rolled her eyes and looked back at Elara, “We could just leave him here?”
Elara picked up a broken board moved it away from yet another old crate and then looked up at Morgan with a thoughtful expression as if she was considering the idea, “It is tempting,” she agreed.
“Trust me,” Jabari said as he continued to work, “I have a good feeling about this one.”
“You said that about the last chest, and the one before that, and that cupboard downstairs,” Morgan said with frustration, “and yet, here we are with you two still digging around this dusty, creepy, farmhouse and with me still fighting off the fire sprites.”
“But you’ve gotten so good at it,” Jabari said with a grin.
“I don’t want to be good at it,” she shot back at him.
“Well then..” he started the sentence and then dramatically stood back up and made a show of dusting off his loose pants and his dark tunic.
Morgan waited as his smile got bigger and the corners of his eyes crinkled. She knew whatever he was about to say she wasn’t going to like.
“How about I take on the imps and you look for the crown?” he suggested.
“Ugh, yuck,” Morgan grimaced as she watched the dust fall to the ground. “I’m not touching those filthy, cobweb covered crates,” she said. “Just hurry, will you? These things give me the creeps.”
Just then, another sprite turned into the doorway and this one fixed its burning, beady eyes on Morgan. It made a deep throaty sound that sounded angry and threatening. Then it puffed out its chest as if to intimidate her, seeming unaware that it barely reached the top of Morgan’s dark brown boots. She watched it as it growled, its little hands glowed with the heat of its anger.
Morgan tightened her grip on her Small Tack Hammer and waited to see what it would do hoping it would leave like the last one.
It continued to stare at her, then it seemed to make its decision and with one ferocious snarl charged directly at her.
Morgan raised her hammer and gave it a well-timed hit that sent it reeling nearly back as far as it had come.
The Sprite landed hard and seemed stunned for a moment. It blinked its too black eyes a few times then stood up slowly all the while staring at Morgan.
“Did you see that?” Morgan asked, “It’s like it isn’t at all bothered that I just hit it with a hammer,” she said incredulously. “Whatever these things are they are the oddest enchantment I’ve ever seen. They just don’t seem… right.”
“Well maybe it’s a challenge to make the quest harder,” Jabari said, his tone showing his frustration.
“Or maybe someone messed up a spell and this was the outcome,” Morgan said.
“Well, there has to be some reason why this area is off limits,” Elara began thoughtfully, “But what’s odd is that no one bothered to clear these critters out. I mean whatever spell is causing these creatures to appear can’t be that hard to undo. None of them are higher than Level 2.”
“Well, I’m tired of them, whatever they are,” Morgan answered.
The creature pulled itself up and stared again at Morgan, but she wasn’t going to let it charge her again.
“Dousing Thread,” she shouted.
A thin blue thread appeared and began to wrap itself around the small imp. Everywhere the magical thread wound itself around the creature, the little red-hot body hissed as the wet thread cooled the creature down. Soon, it was unable to stand, and slumped down on the ground, its once vibrant flames dimmed to mere flickers.
Morgan watched, transfixed as the Sprite's form seemed to liquefy for a moment, stretching horizontally like molten wax spreading on water. Its colors transitioned from fiery orange and red to cooler shades of blue and purple, before finally fading into a translucent mist that sparkled for a few moments and then disappeared.
In her mind she saw the confirmation message:
Congratulations!
You have doused a Level 2 Minor Fire Sprite!
She had little time to enjoy the satisfaction because just as the message faded from her vision, another Sprite turned the corner and was watching her from the doorway.
Morgan sighed as she rolled up her sleeves and gripped her Small Tack Hammer tight preparing for the next attack. It felt comfortable in her hand, the grip after all the time she had used it while learning Tailoring with her grandmother. Her grandmother would never have expected that the simple tool would be used for such an unusual reason.
This creature didn’t hesitate. It growled and then charged. Morgan swatted the Sprite as hard as she could with her small makeshift weapon and the creature slid across the dust covered floor and landed with a satisfying thud against the hard stone wall. It melted quickly and was soon a small red and brown puddle and then it was gone.
As soon as the imp disappeared completely, another confirmation message appeared:
Great job!
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
You have beaten a Level 2 Minor Fire Sprite!
Morgan sighed and blew a piece of hair out of her eyes. Her once-neat braid was even more unraveled than before, and strands of her long blonde hair were now falling into her face. With a practiced motion she pushed the wayward strand behind her ear.
She watched Jabari and Elara for only a minute or two before another of the angry creatures appeared. This new one started toward her slowly, taking steady careful steps as it approached.
“They just don’t end,” she said with frustration.
The glowing red hands reached toward her, and she wondered just how hot its hands were. They were definitely hot enough to ruin her clothes if they got close enough to even brush against the delicate lace sleeves. So far, she hadn’t let one near enough to do any damage, but she still worried.
As soon as it was nearly close enough to touch, Morgan pulled her leg back and kicked it as hard as she could.
Awesome Work!
You have kicked the spunk out of a Level 1 Fire Sprite!
“It didn’t get me, did it?” she asked as she smoothed down her shirt and checked her trousers again.
"Stop worrying," Jabari said, his voice laced with exaggerated charm. "You know, even amidst all this chaos, you look fantastic.”
Morgan shot him a quick, unamused glance. "This is my favorite shirt,” Morgan answered, deliberately ignoring the compliment. “My grandmother did the lacework herself. I only wore it because Elara and I were just out to grind a level in Herbalism. I didn’t think I’d be dodging flames,” she said, then added “or insincere flattery.”
Jabari's grin widened, undeterred, “You can pick flowers any day, but it’s not often that you can help change the life of a friend in need."
“I knew we should’ve ignored his yelling when we heard it,” Morgan said to Elara, “but you thought we should help.”
Elara smiled and shrugged apologetically. “Well in my defense, I didn’t know that he had accepted this ridiculous quest.”
“An impossible quest,” Morgan said, “that’s why it’s been here since forever and why no one else finished it.”
“It’s not impossible,” Jabari said, “The crown is here, the quest shows it here.”
“Maybe, but I don’t think we are ever going to find it,” Elara answered matter-of-factly. Her bracelets tinkled as she looked around the room. “We’ve searched just about everywhere we could, but honestly, I don’t think we are the first ones to try. This room has probably been looked over too many times to count. Every drawer I’ve looked in was empty. If it was here, it’s gone now.”
“If it was gone, then the quest would have disappeared already,” Jabari answered as he opened the small chest in front of him and closed it again. “The crown is in this room somewhere."
"Why do you even want this crown, Jabari?” Elara asked, as she closed another empty drawer, “You never told us what it does.”
“Um,” Jabari was thoughtful for a moment before he answered. “Farming,” Jabari said cryptically, “It’s, for… um, farming. And it’s here and we just need to find it,” he said as he opened and shut another chest.
“I don’t think we have any more time,” Morgan said as she kicked at another sprite. “I think the sprites are starting to appear closer together,” she said as the creature fell into a puddle and disappeared.
Impressive!
You have taken down a Level 1 Fire Sprite!
“I should have asked the system to keep count of each kill. I must have gotten fifty while we were in just this room,” Morgan said.
“You’re still showing alerts? I shut mine off,” Elara said, “It was getting pretty annoying.”
“I kinda like the alerts,” Morgan answered, “it makes me feels like I’m accomplishing something even though none of these little sprites aren’t even earning me any experience.”
“Could you imagine if we had been able to earn experience?” Elara said. “You’d probably have gained a few levels just while we were here!”
Without missing a beat, Morgan went after another creature. She lifted her Small Tack Hammer again and swung it hard hitting the Sprite squarely and knocking it to the ground. The glow of the creature dimmed as its form melted away and then disappeared.
Fantastic!
You have hammered down another Level 1 Fire Sprite!
She smiled, but her good mood was short-lived when she felt a burn on her leg behind her.
“Ow!” Morgan shouted and turned to see another small Sprite behind her and a small hole in her pants. “Not my linen lined trousers!”
Morgan concentrated for a moment, then opened her eyes. “Flameguard Fiber” she said, with annoyance. Energy materialized from her fingertips and around her pants briefly with soft light before settling into a barely visible barrier which was just in time to intercept another small incoming bolt of fire. The attack hit the faint shield protecting the pants and dissolved into a harmless shower of sparks.
“I’ve got it, Morgan,” Elara answered as she looked over at the offending fey. “Quenching Frost” she said and motioned toward the creature. The angry sprite froze in place and began steaming. Soon its bright red turned to a deep mahogany brown, and it collapsed into a heap then disappeared entirely.
“You okay, Morgan?” Elara asked, concern entering her voice for the first time, “Are the pants ruined?”
“My pants are just singed a bit,” Morgan said with a sigh, “It’s fine, I’ll just have to fix them later,” Morgan added with resignation in her voice.
“My dress is burned a bit too. But really, you are doing great, Morgan,” Elara said, “We are almost done, if we can’t find the crown in the next five minutes, we’ll leave. Right, Jabari?”
Jabari responded with a noncommittal grunt.
Morgan took a deep breath and let it out again. “Thank you, Elara.”
Another sprite came racing into the room and Morgan was on it immediately, swatting it with the hammer and destroying it in one simple motion, feeling a bit like it somewhat avenged her burned pants.
Amazing shot!
You have defeated Level 2 Fire Sprite!
“You know, Morgan,” Jabari began, “with all the sprite experience you’re getting, when the Academy Runeportal opens up and we get to Talindor, you should seriously consider the path of the Guardian. The way you wield that hammer, training with the Maul could be your calling," Jabari quipped.
Morgan rolled her eyes, “This, Jabari, is not a Maul or any kind of weapon, it’s a Small Tack Hammer and it was my mother’s and her mother’s before that. It is designed for tacking fabric, not fending off Sprites.”
“Just goes to show that a good craftsman can do anything with the right tools,” Jabari answered with a smile.
“Well, then,” Morgan said, as another sprite raced into the room, “Let’s see how you do,” she said.
Just then a sprite started into the room. Instead of blocking its path, she took a small step to the side moving out of the Sprite’s way.
The angry little creature went straight for Jabari.
Jabari, surprised, jumped up, just in time to dodge its clumsy assault. He then turned to face the sprite, raised his hand, and shouted, “Rainpetal Ritual!”
Suddenly a burst of water doused the creature, putting out its flames, but it still continued toward him, small angry claws grabbing desperately for his pants.
Jabari pulled out his well-used Garden Trowel and hit it with a hard thump that sent the imp flying across the room. It landed in a thud that quickly transformed into nothing more than a few sparkling flickers of light.
As the creature faded, Jabari turned back to Morgan and pushed his dark hair back out of his eyes, “Not bad, right?” he said with a big grin across his face.
“Not bad,” Morgan said, “for a Farmer.”
“Horticulturist, thank you very much,” Jabari said.
“And how about you, Jabari?” Morgan said, “Are you going to let your parents know that you used your Garden Trowel to kill flame throwing vermin?”
Jabari looked over at her and his eyes crinkled at the corners as he gave her a large grin, “With Academy starting soon, and so much going on, I probably will... forget.”
Just then two Sprites entered the room together, Morgan caught one with “Dousing Thread” and it out quickly.
Keep it up!
You have put out a Level 2 Fire Sprite!
She then turned to the other one to hit it with her hammer, but it missed, and it launched itself at Elara.
“Lara, lookout,” Morgan shouted as she realized she was already too far to do anything to help.
Elara turned in time to see the creature, its claws glowing red hot as it came toward her. She held her hand out and whispered, “Tempering Breeze” and suddenly a cool breeze hit the Sprite, and the sprite’s lost its bright red glow as it cooled. It slowed to a near stop and growled at Elara.
Prepared, Elara pulled her Ring Sizing Mandrel out of her bag. Morgan had seen her use the tool many times to make rings, but until today, she had never considered that it could be a weapon. However, Elara had the thinner part in her hand and had been using the thicker end as a club of sorts. As the Sprite charged at her, Elara struck it with a swift, forceful blow that sent the creature crashing into a nearby wall.
The creature hit the weathered wall hard, and the wall trembled. The stone it hit into slid backwards leaving the wall uneven.
Elara frowned as she looked at the stone pushed far back into the wall.
“That’s not supposed to happen,” she said as she moved closer.
She pushed the stone a bit further and soon a small brick above it fell into the opening below.
Behind the dropped stone, there was a small shelf with a carefully wrapped package.
“Is that what I think it is?” Elara said as she reached for the twine-covered bundle. She pulled it out, undid the knots and removed the cloth from around the item.
Morgan watched and wondered just what Elara had found. It didn’t look like any crown she had ever seen.
It was a small, braided band made from dried and woven corn husks. Resting atop the band, was a circular arrangement of miniature, dried sunflowers with golden petals and dark, nearly black centers. They were carefully secured to the band with twine and jutting out from the sunflower circle, like little sunbursts, were bent pieces of straw, each adorned with small, plump feathers gently curved to give the impression of mischievous bird wings.
Elara held it up to show Jabari, “This is the crown?” she asked.
“Yes! That’s it! You found it!” Jabari shouted excitedly.
“That’s what we’ve been looking for?” Morgan asked. She looked from the cork husk crown, over to Jabari and back at the small dried out object in Elara’s hands. “Jabari, what kind of a crown is this really?”
Jabari smiled, and the edges of his eyes crinkled again.
Morgan knew she wasn’t going to like his answer.