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World: MSS - Loading...
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“You brat, what did you say to me?” Dorothy took a step forward and the wolf behind her growled; its eyes glowering with red light. Simultaneously, Dorothy’s own cerulean eyes seemed to glow.
“So she has a Core that shares certain abilities with her Summons. Battle-oriented support summoner?” Thinking back to the throwing weapons she deployed earlier, I changed my assessment of her. “DPS oriented support; mobile enough to drag allies to safety or distract the monster.”
“I called you a-” Stole didn’t back away from the older woman, a crooked grin making her look wolfish and daring.
Shara stepped in between the two. “Please. Excuse my sister’s words.”
When Dorothy glared at Shara too, Gurran grabbed the blue-black haired woman’s arm, dragging her half a step towards him and away from the Kagura Candidate. He shook his head when Dorothy growled at him. When Dorothy looked confused, he stepped up to Shara and gave her a curt nod and another one to Stole.
“My name is Gurran Turian. I thank you both for your help.” Gurran looked back and forth between the two beastman girls and then at me. “This dungeon is no place for someone of your stature. If you will let me escort you back to the-”
Damn, not even a full minute had gone by since they met and he was already trying to get in her good graces, trying to have the beastman owe him a favor.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Gurran Turian,” Shara interjected, not giving Gurran a chance to finish his sentence. “But I was led here by the goddess’ grace, much like yourselves.”
Dorothy scoffed at the mention of ‘goddess’.
Shara ignored her and continued. “The goddess has ordered me to clear this dungeon. As I am still yet lacking, she told me she would provide the necessary comrades to do so. It seems you three are it.”
“Us three?” Dorothy kicked a stray rock while talking. Rather than a lady of a Great House –bastard or not– Dorocian Kojisan spoke like a thug. “Listen kid. I’m thankful, I really am. But if you’re going to use the name goddess-”
Gurran hissed, silencing the woman. She glared daggers at him.
“It’s fishy isn’t it? Our initiates just happen to be psychotic little killers who go off the hinge when that bloke over there,” She obviously meant me, “push them a little? [Tortured Kris] is a good weapon, but who doesn’t get something like that eventually? Then we run for our lives following that ugly face over there,” Again… she meant me, “And we just happen to run into a Kagura who wants our help to clear this dungeon? On a divine mission nonetheless?”
She jabbed a finger at Shara. “A goddess of the beastman asking three humans for help?”
Her wolf padded up to her and Dorothy patted the car-sized beast absently. “This whole thing sounds like a trap. Let’s go back, get our clan members and decapitate those little buggers. We can get out before things get messier and we’re deep up to our necks in trouble.”
Rude manners aside, Dorothy had cut to the heart of the matter. From her point of view, it really was weird. My appearance caused their new initiates –which explained why they failed to keep order– to lose all reason and turn on them, trying to hunt me. Actually, if that was to be believed, Dorothy and Gurran had chosen to just lose these new initiates by defending me. It would have been way easier for them to continue attacking me, join in, and bring them into their clan, Parthenon.
“We don’t need comrades like that.” Gurran said darkly.
Huh.
Maybe these two weren’t as bad as I thought.
But back to the original point, Dorothy had a point about Shara asking us for help, or rather Oung sending us to her. A beastman goddess should use beastman adventurers, not humans.
As the Six Gods and Goddesses of MSS were not heavily dealt with, I had no clue of what explanation there could be. So I looked at Shara too, naturally curious.
“I am not privy to the Goddess’ thoughts. Simply a messenger.” She turned to each of us in turn. “But I will tell you this. Has there really not been a single time in your life that the goddess Oung has shown you grace?”
That didn’t really answer the fundamental question of why not get her own people to clear this dungeon, especially considering how close it was to their village anyways. But if someone says ‘I want you to do this because you owe me’, that’s often reason enough.
It seemed that Gurran and Dorothy, despite her unbelief in the goddess, also had some run-ins with Oung which made me feel less special. It stood to reason that they did, else they wouldn’t be here. In the first place, it wasn’t like I was the main character in some kind of story. I was just… I just had the luck of knowing the general setting of MSS. Then again, MSS must contain thousands of storylines that I was unaware of; even if I’d played the game for 14 years.
That was life. You think the world revolves around you, because your own story is the only one you know. But in the first story, most stories never even get a chance to be told. Of course I wasn’t the only one Oung had taken an interest in; Shara being a Kagura was proof of that and Gurran and Dorothy were further proof.
“Best not to get a big head.” I told myself.
“Tch,” Stole clicked her tongue, “You two talked a lot of shit just to end up being our stooges anyways.”
Gurran easily ignored her. Of course, people like Stole were best dealt with by ignoring their offhanded comments.
“As an adventurer, I must ask you how you plan to split the loot from this raid.”
Stole frowned. “What do you mean split? We just split it five ways even-”
I stopped her with a hand, earning a glare and a growl.
Judging by Stole’s equipment, attitude and most importantly of all, age, I could tell she wasn’t a seasoned adventurer. Sure, she might be a seasoned fighter but an adventurer couldn’t just be good at fighting. They needed to be good at reading the room, negotiating over loot and having a sense of how to deal with other adventurers. I could tell Stole was lacking in this department.
“You had something in mind?” I asked, knowing Gurran wouldn’t have mentioned pay if he didn’t have something in mind.
“From the look of things, the two ladies are not too skilled. You are skilled but alone. Dorothy and I have been adventuring for years together.”
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“Get to the point already.” Stole growled.
“60 for Dorothy and I. 25 for the two ladies and 15 for you.” Gurran offered, speaking directly to me. “Any Cores or Pluralities will be subject to the same; or we can draw lots for it. Dorothy and I will receive 3 lots, 2 lots for the ladies and 1 for you.”
I barked out a laugh, harsh and sharp. Stole and Shara both frowned and I saw their ears twitch one, no doubt displeased by the sound I made.
“40 for you two. 35 for the two and 25 for me. 2 lots for you and the ladies; 1 for me.”
In the case that the party found a Core and were a party made on the spot like this one, it was hard to trust that the other members would come through on payments. Therefore, on things like equipment and Cores, it was customary for the participating members to draw lots or roll dice for it, one person taking ownership of the object in question instead of splitting it and creating a logistical headache. A great method for the superstitious adventurers and more than a fair method for those who wanted to leave it up to chance. In an instant, some would be sent into the pits of despair while others would be set for life.
Gurran looked at me, studying me before speaking. “You believe… you are worth more than Dorothy? Or even I?”
He was talking about the fact that the two of them were 20 each according to my suggestion. Way less than my own estimation of 25 for myself.
Of course. I saw their abilities and their fighting styles.
They were strong, perhaps even stronger than Skaris or Aurora, especially Gurran. But me…
My build at this point wouldn’t be out of place in a party of Grade 3 or 4 even without having more Cores.
[Unjo] x [Prince Charming (Shadow Mimic Wolf)] x [Tortured Spirit]? With [Aura] on top?
I could wipe the floor with these guys.
But… perhaps it wasn’t time to reveal that just yet.
“50 for Dorothy and I. 30 for the ladies and 20 for you. But we will each get 1 lot per person, as you suggested.” So when Gurran made his next offer, I just nodded my head and accepted.
“I do this for the goddess. We do not need-”
“Shut up, Sis.” Stole shushed Shara, nudging her.
It was obvious the two had no idea what was going on with the loot distribution; but Stole had enough sense to know that they were getting a better share than ‘nothing’.
Gurran continued on, nominating himself as the leader. Again, I didn’t bother countering his suggestion nor the ones that came after. Formations, emergency situation maneuvers and the like. It wasn’t that Gurran was a bad party leader and that his suggestions were invalid. On the contrary, I was impressed. Gurran was a good leader, on the surface that is.
He failed to notice Stole’s eyes glaze over. The type of things he talked about were too advanced and detailed for a teenage adventurer who was used to dungeoneering by herself and illegally at that. Shara seemed to be paying attention but I knew that she wasn’t listening to him one bit. She was too full of faith in the goddess, Gurran’s orders were nonexistent. The Kagura candidate believed that we’d 100% succeed, strategy or no strategy. It was predetermined.
Even Dorothy, his own clan member, ignored him. She probably heard his words hundreds of times before.
I waited for Gurran to finish and then said, “Let’s move then.”
Words wouldn’t get through to this crowd, they had to learn by doing not by listening.
Gurran stood at the front, as was his job. Followed by Stole, then Shara and Dorothy. I remained in the back, watching our rear.
“Let’s start then.” Gurran muttered, his voice nervous.
Being the last one in the formation, I could see how everyone reacted differently to the atmosphere of this dungeon. The aura of death and the chance of something supernatural, something other than the monsters we adventurers were so used to could appear haunted us like a gas. Gurran walked with stiff steps, showing me that even he was somewhat fearful of what lay deeper in the dungeon. Me on the other hand felt more at ease.
Being alone before had unleashed something primal in me, a fear that was etched deep in people’s genetic makeup; that being by myself was dangerous. It didn’t help that this dungeon was designed to be the inside of a burial mound; filled with sounds that monsters usually didn’t make. Sounds too human, tinged with something bestial and subhuman at the same time echoed all around us as we continued to delve deep inside the dungeon.
“Two Nure-onnas at the front.” Stole muttered, taking a knee and holding up her arbalest.
When the two woman-headed snakes lunged out of the darkness, their mouths unhinged to use [Rot Bite], Gurran stepped forward and took both of them on his shield. Electricity crackled and the space around was filled with tiny nodes of lightning, snapping and cracking; looking like tiny faeries. Dorothy started throwing her knives and stars, the sound of cutting wind accompanied by the deep thrum of Stole’s arbalest. Gurran’s repeated [Lightning Cleave] set off the chain reactions, electrical nodes being attracted to his strikes and frying the weakened Nure-onnas.
It was quick and efficient. So efficient in fact that I hadn’t had a chance to lift a finger.
We continued that way, the three of them killing monsters that came at us out of the darkness.
“Damn. These monsters are so creepy.” Stole dragged her leather-bound boots out of the pool of blood. One of the Nure-Onnas had their head ripped off by Dorothy’s wolf. She peered at the wolf in question. “Can you make him, I don’t know, kill them neater?”
Dorothy’s tone was annoyed. “I’m following along because of your sister over there. Don’t presume that we’re all friends now. You’re mistaken if doing one raid together is what it takes to form a party.”
Stole glowered. “Who stuck a shoe up your ass?”
The summoner looked at Gurran.
No words. Just looked, and the silent exchange ended with her getting what she wanted.
Gurran shrugged. “She’s not part of our Clan. Do not break anything.”
Dorothy rushed towards Stole, knives appearing in her hands. To the young Pioneer’s credit, she didn’t flinch or hesitate to fight back. Stole threw her arbalest away and drew a kukri from behind her back. But I could see that the girl was outmatched. Stole was good but not that good.
Dorothy was older, more experienced and definitely possessed more Cores. Not to mention Dorothy was a descendant of one of the Great Houses and had been trained since birth for moments like this. The summoner disarmed Stole with two neat cures to her forearm, who dropped the kukri with a loud cry of pain. Dorothy then spun and threw Stole to the ground in a throw that could put most judo practitioners to shame.
Stole landed on her back with Dorothy straddling her shoulders. In another flash of movement, Dorothy hadpinned Stole’s arms with her legs and held two knives to the girl’s neck, arms crossed over one another.
“Stole-”
I stepped in front of Shara, shaking my head at her.
“They’re hurting her.” Shara looked stunned, her brain trying to play catch up with the rapid action sequence.
“I’ll step in.” I assured her.
Sometimes, things like this were necessary. I was impressed with Stole but her social skills could use a little bit of touching up. She continued to aggravate Dorothy with no reason and if it continued, it could turn into something big and ugly. It could be Stole’s natural personality or it could be a dislike of Dorothy for whatever reason. But the girl needed to learn to get along with other adventurers.
I kept a close eye on Dorothy’s hands, ready to move at the slightest twitch.
Shara looked worried but nodded.
“You’re good, I’ll give you that.” Dorothy wasn’t even panting, while Stole wheezed on the floor; eyes still defiant. “But nowhere near good enough to talk to me like that. Scratch that, talk to anyone here like that.”
“Right now, we’re in a dungeon crawling with monsters with other adventurers behind us. You’re a [Pioneer] so yes, you’re role is important.” She leaned down, staring into Stole’s eyes. “Don’t think for a moment that’ll stop me from slitting your throat the moment I deem you’re a threat to my life.”
“Dorocian.” Gurran hissed.
Dorothy’s lips curled and she got up, releasing Stole. “I need a break.”
“Don’t go too far.” Gurran muttered, but the blue-haired huntress made no notion that she heard. She stomped off about twenty paces away from us, her wolf whining and following her. The shielder rolled his eyes. “I’ll talk to her. Don’t go anywhere.”
That left me alone with the sisters.
Shara knelt, trying to heal Stole but the girl pushed past her twin. “I’m fine, Sis. That bitch, I’m going to-”
“You won’t be doing anything like that.” I folded my arms.
“Yeah? And who made you boss? You didn’t say shit when they were cutting you out of your share.”
I shrugged. “I don’t care about the share from this dungeon. But I do care about clearing it.”
“What’s it to you?” Apparently, Stole’s anger had been redirected at me.
I should have just kept my mouth shut.
“Like your sister said, I owe your goddess. I think.” I still wasn’t too comfortable saying out loud that I believed Oung interfered directly in my life. It felt somewhat snobby. “Also, I gave you my word that I’ll help you guys through this. And from what I could see, Gurran and Dorothy are doing their best too. The only one who’s causing problems is you.”
“You’re too young to be adventuring so you adventured alone. You’re talented and probably had some successes but my guess is that you’ve never been in a dungeon like this before. Probably stuck to fields, never having killed a boss monster. Is that true?” I asked.
Stole was silent and I took that for a yes.
“You’re scared.” I finally said.
“The hell I am.” Stole growled, trying to stand but Shara stopped her.
“It’s my first time being in a dungeon as well.” Shara said quietly, her eyes downcast. She touched the ground with her hand. “I didn’t know that it felt so… dark. So grim. So.. so full of ugly things.”
“So are they.” I replied. “Stole, you’re a [Pioneer] and [Wayfinder]. Do you know what their role is in a party?”
“Isn’t that obvious?” She scoffed. “We lead our party to the destination.”
“Yes but that’s only half of it.” I sat down next to the two girls. “A [Pioneer]’s job isn’t just to lead the party physically but to make them feel safe.”
Both of them frowned.
“In a dungeon, a hundred different things could happen. Dorothy said it herself. Monsters could jump out at us and other adventurers could ambush us. The fear of the unknown, that something outside of our control could happen, that fear haunts all of us.”
“But a [Pioneer] can get rid of that. In the darkness of dungeons, [Pioneers] and [Wayfinders] are the torch bearers for their party, lightning their path. So that the party can move forward with surety, confident that wherever they are being led, that they’ll all be ok. The trust between a party and a scout and their party is supposed to be something sacred. As one, everyone puts their lives in the hands of a single person and that single person, in turn, trusts the party to be at their side at the first moment of danger.”
“A Pioneer is supposed to smile in the dark, so that their party can walk undeterred. You did the opposite. Instead of taking on everyone’s fears and reassuring them, you pushed your own fears onto us. Onto Dorothy in particular.” I turned from Stole to Shara then back again to Stole. “You’re supposed to lead us, Stole. Not make us more afraid.”
She was silent.
Shara reached out and grabbed her sister’s hand and Stole finally looked up.
“I believe in you, Sister.” Shara muttered, so quiet that I thought Stole didn’t hear it. But Stole’s ears perked up.
Stole took a deep breath. “I’m not scared of the dungeon.” She said, shaking her head. “It’s because you’re here, you stupid- agh.” Stole growled, looking away. “I’m not good with this mushy stuff. It makes me want to gag and cringe. I just don’t like having your life hanging in the balance.”
Shara smiled at her sister. “The goddess will protect me.” Then suddenly. “And I’m sure Mister over here will protect me.”
I nodded in agreement.
Stole snorted. “Whatever. But I’ll try this… this [Pioneer] thing.. Not like I got anything better to do. Dragged in this stupid dungeon by my stupid sister.”
Just as the three of us finished talking, Dorothy and Gurran joined us.
“About time.” The teenage beastman-Pioneer muttered and all of us held our breath, expecting another insult at the end.
But none came.
“C’mon then, a lot of you. I’ll get us out of here in one piece.” Stole growled. “Just leave it to me.”
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