The lockdown would be continued to go on for days at the castle. The citizens of the capital would often murmur on the strange tension coming from the guards and patrolling knights that scan through the crowds, stopping anything white. The castle itself was a hollow shell of itself. Maids would be escorted left and back with guards to ensure none would go past their requirements.
"So! my father would stand before this evil drago in his dragon form. Sword in hand and with Prince Victor and Arthur the Knight at his sides. He tells them to run on each side of him. The dragon kept his eyes on my dad as he was starting to charge up his magic for an attack." Yasuline would hold the training sword she had kept hidden in her room for some time and holds it in front of her as if she was facing the dragon herself.
"The dragon would roar and ducks his head down to bite and devour him. But my dad was smart He uses his Skill Series Royal Flash, Stab Drive, and dashes straight under the monster body and dodges its attack. That was when his trap was activated. The cliff they were on began to crumble under the weight of the dragon and began to fall apart under his feet. He tried to fly away, but then prince Victor and Arthur use the spell: Fireballs, and burns its wings. The silly dragon kept trying to flap his wings as he started falling. Everyone had to run for their lives as the ground kept breaking. My dad would grab my mom out of the cage that the dragon kept her in and dashed as fast as he could with her in his arms. And so, they got married right after that. The end!"
A single person would applause to hee enthusiastic performance as she retold her favorite story. She gave a slight bow to the White Reaper who was sitting on the floor, listening to her.
"Thank you. Thank you. My audience surely is great and lively today." She would sarcastically say as her eyes scan the room, pretending to see a crowd of many people applauding her. She sighs as she moves her eyes back to the White Reaper. She jumps down from her bed and sets her training sword down. Picking up some bread off a plate next to it and bites a piece of it odd. She had grown accustomed to eating throughout her days, rather than eating an abundance of food at a set time. The bread was made fresh this morning, but it had already grown cool from being left out. Finishing the bread, she quenches her thirst with something to drink. She begins pouring herself a cup of juice of mixed fruit.
"Alright, we covered that one story finally. Wonder what I should read out next." Her sights set to the open book laid out on her bed and she begins skimming through the pages when the White Reaper lightly taps on her shoulders.
"Hm?"
She would turn around and be faced with a wrapped square. A ribbon on top made her instantly recognize what it was.
"Oh! A present!? For me!?"
He nods.
This was a surprise for her. Today didn't seem like a special day that had people give each other gifts.
"What's the special occasion?" She asked.
He responded with a shrug.
"What do you mean, you don't have one?"
Again, he would shrug. Spending together alone for days helped Yasuline greatly in understanding him.
She would begin to undo the wrapping, but careful enough to not tear it. Wanting to keep it intact as a memento. The box itself seemed to be made of strong material as it was sturdy to keep its shape without bending against her grips. Inside was some fabric that she had never seen before. A simple touch was enough to let her know that whatever it was, was going to be comfortable.
Excitedly, she pulls it out, having it stretch fully to reveal it being a clothing fit for a top and some shorts of some kind. She sets the box and clothes down and starts to pull the dress off of her body. The White Reaper being courtesy enough to turn away to give her privacy to change. Being completely calm and even playful with him, she would tease him by putting the empty box on his head as a hat. He didn't seem to mind it and even tilts it, forming a shadow over his eye to give him a mysterious look.
Once finished, Yasuline would step over to a tall mirror display at one end of her room left for her dress fittings.
The outfit was unique. At some angles. It had a poofy appearance, but when she presses her hand on the spot, it would sink against her body. She could feel the air escape from the openings of her arms and the bottom. It was a solid pink, with not much design to it with the exception of pedals flowing crossing it like being blown in some wind. The collar portion had a connected scarf to it and it covered her neck nicely. She could feel the tail ends of the scarf brushing against her back. Being playful, she would reach behind her and make the tails of the scarf flail as if it were being blown in the wind, even giving it it's own wind sound. Looking down, the bottom portion of her wardrobe was light green pants with vines growing around the waist area and were cut off around just over her knees. They were quite wide but narrow at the waist, helpful so they don't slip. It made her legs be able to breathe finally. It was enough of a change that she happily jumped from one foot to the other as she overall feels energized by the gifted clothes.
"Oh gosh, I love it!" She would say after doing a little twirl for one final look. "Thank you very much for this. But what is the special occasion?"
His answer was strange, even for Yasuline. He would be pointing out the window. She would slowly head out into the balcony. It was a little past noon, the guards were still doing their extreme patrolling throughout the castle and the outside is no exception. Aside from a few of the guards not even looking above their heads and were more fixated on around them, nothing stood out.
"Umm, I don't see anything to look at. You are going to have to be specific." He would try to sharpen his answer by stepping forth and trying to point toward the single tree that stands near the wall at the south-eastern corner. It took a few moments of her focusing her sights at the tree. It was a tree that Yasuline accidentally planted too near the wall. It was once considered to be chopped down to risk the chance of thieves from using it to enter and exit the castle. But Yasuline was stubborn in keeping her plant friend and eventually convinced even Caliber who was the most vocal on cutting it down.
Then, she saw it. A crack on the wall. It looked quite big, but it was shrouded by the branches of the trees and leaves, making it real hard to miss unless you were guided to find it there.
"Woah, was that always there?"
The White Reaper nods.
"That's pretty dangerous. but also exciting. I wonder what's on the other side."
The White Reaper would come up to her with two long sheets. After looking through them, she would be aware that they were cloaks.
It finally began to click into her head what this is all about. She would grab his arm and pulls him back into her room. She then quickly heads to her bedroom door and listens in to see if the guards that are protecting her were listening in. Confirming that they were having a conversation among the two of them, she walks over to the White Reaper and attempts to confirm her thoughts.
"Are you about to take me out of the castle?"
Like a surreal fantasy, the White Reaper nods to her question.
She could feel her breathing getting faster. Was this actually going to happen to her? After nearly having it happen and only for fate to stop her. She couldn't believe that he would be able to accomplish such a thing. She was trying to give doubt to the whole thing and was waiting for him to laugh at her. But he didn't. Instead, he would begin to look out into the balcony door. Just then, the wind would pick up and blow into the room. She was finally going to see the outside world.
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The White Reaper's plan was fairly simple. Create a diversion to send the guards to the other side of the castle and away from the south section of the grounds. He accomplished this by throwing a stone and lightly hitting the armor of one of the guards. His panic alone was what caused the stir up between all the guards. Thinking that the White Reaper was now attacking from the north, the guards are being ordered to gather around them, giving him and the princess the perfect chance to make the run.
Tying up various bedsheets for her bed, the two were able to make a rope to climb down to the ground. Taking precaution, They would bundle up the sheets together and take it with them as they dash to the tree. Tree adored the tree so much that she was able to make a make-shift set of stairs that would help her reach the tree branches up top.
"I wonder what caused this hole in the wall here." She wondered while they slowly began passing through. The White Reaper made it out first and held his arms up to catch her as she jumped down. Once her feet were planted on the ground, the realization hits in.
"I'm...outside."
She looks over to the White Reaper for confirmation and he nods at her. The location they found themselves in was rather narrow with large wooden boxes and barrels making it an even tighter area. She closes her eyes and begins to take everything in. It wasn't quiet. She could hear people mumbling in the distance. At first, she thought it was from the guards who were still scrambling around to find him, but then she heard some words that she never heard of and voices she doesn't recognize. She turns to the direction from where it is coming from and at the end of the alley The bright light of the day curtained what was outside the alley, but she had a hunch as to what it was. She runs straight for them, ignoring the White Reaper who was holding one of the cloaks for her to take, having his already on.
She was met with a whole swarm of people passing by them. People of all kinds that she never anticipated to look completely different than one from another. That was because Lux, the Capital was a melting pot of various races of Atlas. There were people all buffed out with muscles, both men and women. There were people that had strange ears at the top of their head and tails that swayed behind them. Some with slim tails and others as wide as their body with fur. There were other ones with sharp ears or wings folded on their back. There were also some dullbeasts among them too. Canines with collars around their necks. Mounts that would have cargo on their back and even be connected to some wagon.
The street they were all in was extremely decorated and filled to the brim with culture. Banners would be placed between or even over doorways to the building to the sides with the kingdom's emblem on it. People standing at the sides conversing with one another. Kids running about as much as their hearts desired. Wanting to join in like she always dreamed of as a child. She would try to go through the crowd and begin to push through, but the power of the crowds was too much for her and she was being forced to go along with them. She tried to fight through but was no use. Nearly falling a few times, she gives in and follows along and focuses more on looking around her environment in the meantime.
The buildings on the left and right were mainly two stories high. The highest one she has seen is a three-story one. Made up of stone bricks and manually brushed red. They all seemed to be have been done with personal touches. Some of them had colored windows at the top while others had many decorations outside like flags and banners with the kingdom's emblem on them. Most, if not, all of the doors were wide open. Letting her take s peek of how the residents lived inside. It didn't stand out much, but that was what made ot much more special to her. The main rooms were commonly the lounge room for them. A table with chairs all around it, either empty or filled with plates. The table was small, but only in the perspective of the long table that she and her family used often. The room was small thanks to all the furniture pressed on the sides of the walls like cabinets to hold dishes, and side tables to hold other important items. The walls were decorated with small art and many portraits of people that she guessed were of the people living there.
The crowd knocked her a bit to get her attention from continuing to look. But her other senses picked up something else. Two strangers got in front of her while conversing with one another.
"And that was when I encountered HIM." A man said, prompting the other person, sounding like a woman her age to gasp and lock her arms around his.
"Oh my, that must have been a scary moment. But seeing as you're still here. You must have survived."
"That I did. But I did more than that. I managed to fight him and by some miracle won."
"Against such odds, I would find it impossible if your reputation doesn't proceed you."
"Is that so? Well, what can I say? You can't hold back some legends."
"Oh, I wouldn't say legends. More like rumors. I only just recently heard about your feats."
"what? How can my fight with the White Reaper not be enough to get a legendary status?"
Yasuline was shocked. And wanted to hear more, but someone would grab her arm and pulls her to the side into another busy street. It was the White Reaper.
"Ah, it's you. Wait."
She turned to try to find the two who were talking. But it was already too late. They had disappeared among the many people passing through.
"Oh drat, I missed them." She would pout. He would ignore it by putting the hood of her cloak over her head as she puts it on her.
Looking down the new street they were in, she would see that they were that looked to be filled to the brim with culture and accessories. They were in the main market street.
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The market street was just as packed as the street that Yasu was going through, but the flow of the crowds wasn't as intense. It was much slower, as she could see many people stopping and going in front of tables with various items and interesting things laid out to be looked at.
"Ooh. What's all this?" She would say as she starts to go on ahead of the White Reaper once again and begins to go do her own thing. He didn't do much except to follow closely behind her to not lose her again.
The first table she goes to had strange accessories displayed out. They looked like jewelry, but nothing that she knew her mother wouldn't enjoy to have. Some looked to made of old bones, like the old ones that her father once had displayed within the castle, but was eventually taken out due to her mother's unappreciation of seeing it all the time in the main hall. The other objects were some varies of bracelets and rings that had strange stones that didn't look to be expensive jewels like she would see from the special merchants who would arrive at the castle to present their latest and best wares, those rings would be on silky pillows and under a glass container. All of the items she sees here were laid out so casually in comparison.
"Ah, I see you have some unique taste, my young miss." The man sitting on the other side of the table would say as he finishes selling to another individual that was checking out his wares and now puts his salesmen schtick to her.
"What exactly are you selling here, they all look so strange, but exciting at the same time."
"I say, you have quite the excellent taste if you appreciate the quality of my wares These are all good quality stuff for any adventurer or warriors worth their salt."
He snatched her with the mention of an adventurer. She knew she had to get something from him to inch her way closer to being one. Beyond the bone necklace, everything else looked to have contained a hidden power of sorts, she was unable to know why she could tell. The merchant would pick up one of the bracelets and holds it up to her. "This one is a good one. It is an element protection charm."
"Element protection?"
"Yes, you know how everyone has a life element they are linked to? Well, this will keep you taking the full amount of damage you receive from your opposing life element." Yasuline's eyes sparkle as he explained and she looks back at the bracelet.
She starts putting it on her wrist. A snug fit satisfied her with a smile. "You like it that much? Consider it yours then!" The merchant would say as he rubbed his hands together.
"Really? Oh, thank you!"
"Not for free of course, but I can put in a decent discount for you and-" Yasuline didn't hear much of what he was saying as her curiosity was guiding her to the next booth. She couldn't even hear him calling out to her as the other merchants were yelling for attention as well. The merchant would scowl and begin to leave his booth until the White Reaper passes by him rudely, and dropping a small bag on her lap. "What the?" The sound of metal coins rubbing against each other within the bag stopped him and he quickly changed his tune. "Ah, thank you. Tell your girlfriend to come back anytime!" He would cheer him on as the white reaper catches up to her.
The next booth that Yasuline visits were one with tons of papers rolled up and books. She would be told that they were all magic scrolls and spellbooks. Fascinating, but also disappointing as the merchant informed her that she would have to be at a high level or have an affinity in magic to use any of these. She then asked which is the easiest for a beginner and simply took that. Once again, leaving the booth without paying and letting the White Reaper swoop by to drop money down to calm down the annoyed merchant.
She would repeat this a few more times. Taking along a set of potions made to heal wounds and minor internal damage. Some more clothes to try out and wear as she lounges around in her room, instead of the dresses she subconsciously considers when trying to get herself comfortable and not ruin the dress afterward.
Yasuline had to get herself a bag just to carry all of the things she had purchased, or nearly stolen. The sun felt strong today, only just now she began to feel the heat get to her. She goes to sit on a conveniently placed bench and sets her bag down on the other seat. She takes the hood of her head and leans against the back of the seat. Closing her eyes for a moment, she simply relaxed and listened in to the bundle of conversations happening all around her.
"Be sure to keep an eye out for that one girl, she's been taking things without paying. Luckily she has her partner paying afterwards, but you can never know with that strange behavior."
"Oh my, thieves? As if the White Reaper's presence wasn't already dangerous enough."
"Aye, things have been getting hectic around these days. Just crazy."
"Speaking of crazy, Did you hear that one adventurer blurting out about treasure?"
"What adventurer doesn't?"
"I mean, the Adventure King didn't?"
"And yet, he has the biggest hoard of treasure of them all."
"Yau gets interrupted when she feels something cold touch her cheek, prompting her to open her eyes wide open. She sees the White Reaper holding a cup of something. The drink inside it was fairly dark in color, but it smelled sweet. She took one sip and then filled her mouth up to her cheeks with it. It was delicious, nothing like the kind of things she would be drinking at the castle, it was something completely different. "Woah, this is amazing." She would say, quickly finishing her cup, she hands it back to him and stands back up, she was ready to explore some more. She scans the booths down the road that she hasn't been to. One stood out to her, there was a young girl around her age, with all kinds of mismatched items on display. "Let's check that one out." She would say to the White Reaper, taking his hand into hers and the two walk forward.
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The young merchant had red hair and looked to be on edge as she impatiently tapped her finger on her shoulder as her arms were crossed over her slim chest. She didn't even seem bothered by the sweat on her face from wearing such heavy clothing despite the sun being strong this day. Her attitude perked up when she saw not one, but two people approaching her booth. She straightens up her back and fixes her hair perfectly to keep her appearance presentable. She couldn't afford to lose these customers for minor things like that.
"Welcome!" She would chant. She wanted to continue on with the usual merchant greetings and such, but her mind went blank and she forgot her words. She didn't seem to mind the girl, her skin was fair and extremely smooth looking. Much like any of the girls from the noble district of the capital. But the one next to her just screamed dangerous to her. She wasn't sure what to point at, his dark skin, meaning he was the type to always be outdoors. The serious and murderous look in his eye, or the way he keeps his body hidden under the cloak he was wearing.
"Hello, what kind of things do you sell here?" Yasuline would greet her.
"Excellent question, my good friend. We have all kinds of things to sell today. Things you won't be able to find anywhere else. I can guarantee you that." She would say with such confidence. And she would be right as some of the things she had were fairly selective in her search for good merchandise to sell to people for profit. She was pleased to see that the girl was still browsing, but couldn't fight off the nervousness of having the man next to her nearby. She felt like she was staring in the face of danger while a chest of gold stood behind it.
Yasuline would pick up a thick but old looking book with a lock and key on it. "What's this?"
"Ha, must be fate of some kind. That is the original journal of the most famous adventurers out there."
"No way, really? That sounds amazing!"
"It does, doesn't it. How about this, tell me how much you care to pay for this here thing?" She would say cockily as she takes the book back from Yasuline's arms before she would begin to step away from the booth to read it.
"Pay?"
"Yes, pay. These things aren't free, ya know."
"It isn't? But everyone was giving me free stuff all day."
"All day? Oooh, you must be that damsel that's been taking things from merchants and having your boyfriend pay afterwards." Her smile was gone and she had a suspicious look as she scanned Yasuline and the White Reaper.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know." She would say to him. He would shrug and holds out a bag of coins.
"Well, I can't give you the discount knowing that. Hmm, Let's have the price for this one of kind relic be about...50 gold." Yasu had nothing to use to compare if the price was good or not. When it came to the currency and everything, she tended to zone out during her studies. All she knew of them is that they were used for purchases and that chests are often filled to the brim with them, making lucky adventurers rich. She turned for the White Reaper for help, but he would appear to be neutral on the whole ordeal as he pull out 5 silver coins and places them on the booth.
The merchant girl would smile and gently hands it back to Yasuline.
"A mighty fine purchase then. Thank you very much." She says, quickly snatching the coins and tucks then into her clothes for safekeeping. The coin purse connected to her pants was merely a decoy for any thieves. Only containing small rocks, it was useful for her to grabs some rocks from it and chuck it at her aggressors.
Yasuline would continue to look through the other things on display. One looked like a coin similar to the ones that the White Reaper had just used to pay for the book, but it had some of the markings on it all scratched up and surprisingly larger. Another was a key that had taken the shape of a sword, with the end of the blade portion being an actual key. The other didn't interest Yasuline by that much. Some were scrolls like the ones she had already seen but had a strange symbol on them.
"Hmm, I think I am good. I mean, I can always come back and buy some more from you, right?"
"That may be for many other shops on these streets, but not for me. I tend to put up new things on a weekly basis to liven things up. Anything that I don't sell, I send them to my ma and pa back home to sell."
"Oh really? You're a real hard worker. Well then, I'll be sure to visit your shop next time when you have new things." Yasuline promised and bowed her head to say farewell as she starts to take off with the book in hand. The White Reaper repeats her actions and begins to follow her. The merchant girl would watch him carefully. Her body shivered after she loses sight of him at last. She hugs her body as she sits back down on her seat. "Just what was that just now. Felt like my heart was going to rupture from beating so fast..."
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As Yasu was trying to read the book she bought, her stomach would growl. Embarrassed, she buried her head in the book and lightly peeks up to see if anyone heard. No one was around with the exception of the White Reaper at that moment. "Guess I got too excited and drained all the food out of my system. Oh, this would be a good chance for me to try out food that everyone else gets to eat. Know a good place?" She would say as she waits for her selected tour guide to think over where they could possibly eat.
The place that the White Reaper would take her was a tavern with an inn on the second and third floor to house many people. It was near the front of the main gate, so many people would walk by or enter it. Yasuline and he would step inside at the busiest moment possible. Upon entry, Yasuline would gasp to see the many people sitting down and conversing with one another. She instantly knew who they all were. Adventurers. Just like the residents she walks past this whole day so far, the adventurers come in all kinds of variety. Some were huge and bulky with muscles that made it look difficult to move about. Others were slim but wrapped their bodies in fabrics. Most, if not, all of them still had their gear on, which excited Yasuline so great to see. She could see most of them have already been used greatly, thanks ot the dents and markings on them. Only a few didn't have such things, and those would be shining with the candlelights all around them, making it difficult to keep her eyes on them. The overall atmosphere in the room was addicting as they were all merry with one another. She and the White Reaper would take a seat down, a waitress would stop by them, leaving thick glasses of water and ice for them.
"I been working in this place for 12 years about now, and this is the first time I have ever seen the two of you before." She would say. The waitress looked a bit older than Yasuline, her skin didn't as well kept as hers or her mother, but she still radiated beauty and charm. Her ears would perk and twitch when they felt something buzzing near her. Her thick bushy tail would droop behind her legs.
"Ah, yes. This would be my first time out. So I wouldn't really know much on how things work around here. Oh, but my friend here certainly has the money to pay for us." She would say nervously as she tries to figure out what exactly they should be doing.
"Ah, say no more. Well, tell what you are in the mood for to eat, and I'll see what on the menu would be good for you."
"Oh, thank you. Well, I haven't had any meat in a long while. What about you?" She would look over at the White Reaper, whom was making sure his hood was on and covering his face. He would reply with a nod.
"Something meaty for the lovely couple huh. I have just the thing. It'll be ready in a few minutes." She would say with her popular smile and begins to walk away from them, tending to a demanding table.
Yasuline would sigh in relief that things went smoothly and began to look around them. The place had candles to light the entire room. It gives it a warm atmosphere. The walls were made of planks of dark wood and the pictures hanging on the walls had multiple people in a group photo. Many of them had armor and weapons on them, so it made Yasuline wonder if they were all adventurers too. Thinking of them, she recalls about her books and begins to skim through them. The lettering was a bit difficult for her to read, but thankfully for her, the book also had sketches and drawings of various things that it would be trying to talk about. One such thing was about the Lumines Labyrinth.
"Let's see. The Lumines Labyrinth is an underground location under the entire land of Lumines itself. The Labyrinth consists of many pathways that hover over a dark abyss that no one really knows how far deep it goes. The ancient Dragos used their magic to keep the surface of the land completely incapable of collapsing into the labyrinth and down as a favor for the deeds done by the 1st Lumines Ruler. The entrance to this mysterious and foreboding zone is scattered all throughout the land and maps has never been 100% on the exact locations of each one. Only leading from one enteance to a certain point of interest."
Playfully, Yasuline kicks her feet around under the table. "Oh. This book must have information on all kinds of wonders of the world. And here I thought it was just going to be telling stories like the ones my father has in the library." The White Reaper would quietly sip his drink. As Yasuline tried to look for more things to read aloud, a commotion came up behind her and nearly bumped into her.
"Oh. Sorry about that miss." The person would say.
"Oh, it's not a problem." She turns to see that him along with a few other people were standing from their tables, gazing upon someone who had just entered the tavern. He looked like another magic user, like the ones already in the tavern. But what likely separated him from the others was a single scroll in his hands that he held up in the air.
That was also the time when the waitress would come back to Yasuline's table.
"Here you are miss. Two Hearty Meals. Fit for adventurers and thensome. If you can't finish 'em, we can always place them in containers t back home for the kids."
"Ah, easy there. We're not together like that!" Yasuline say flustered. She felt embarrassed by such a comment, but was quickly distracted by the food placed before her. She rarely got to anything meat as the chefs typically pick what should be made. Unless they, the royal family, personally requested something. Yasuline barely does as she was mostly content with what she got. But on the rare occasions of when she got to eat meat, she adores it. As she would fantansize eating among other adventurers. And living that fantasy at that moment made the food taste as good as she anticipated it to be.
"So good." She would say with her mouth barely containing the grilled meat.
The waitress would chuckle as she hears such compliments on the food.
"Why thank you. I tend to think my daddy's cooking taste so good too. Now you two enjoy your date."
After gulping the first bite, she began to eat her meat into smaller pieces.
"I hope she doesn't do that all the time. Same for everyone else."
"Now speak up! Where did you get that map?" One of the adventurers in the room yelled, prompting Yasuline to draw away from her meal to look what was going on.
Apparantly the magic adventurer had made a bold claim that the scroll he had found was a map to a treasure hoard. Going even further to claim that it would lead to the Adventure King's treasure hoard he had hidden long ago.
"I just got it from some merchant down at Market Street!" The frightful mage awnsered.
The many adventurers began to murmur among themselves with this news.
"Ain't she the one who claimed she found a entrance to the labyrinth over a month ago?"
"Yeahhh. And she been selling all kinds of stuff I never seen before in my life."
"You think it was from the hoard?"
"If it was, she would have booked it and been a new noble family."
The conversations just kept on going, while Yasuline and the White Reaper kept on eating.
"So where does that map tell where the treasure be at."
"If you join my party, I'll tell you." He would try to say smugly, but seemed to have easily backed off at the slightest resistance.
"I-it's within the labyrinth!" He would squeal. Such a reveal seemed to have caused a uproar when they all got up from their seat. Getting into the moment, Yasuline would also stand with them. Taking her plate up with her in her hands. Still digging through the meat and filling her mouth with some more meat mixed with some of the veggies.
"Sounds like we huntin' boys. The hunt to find the Adventure King's hoard of treasure is back on track!"