“Hurry!” Merlynn shouted as she charged ahead of the group leading them through the woods off the beaten path. She had recovered enough energy to walk, newfound fear filled her with adrenaline, the only thing that fueled each stride farther and faster as she slammed a few vials of red liquid back-to-back down her throat. She felt each potion kick in flooding her body with mana which she quickly channeled as much as she could to feed and stabilize her body. She knew it was only a stop gap measure. As soon as the potions wore off, she would be in a worse state than she was prior. “Every second counts!” She yelled as her long legs kept her ahead of the pack until Cyrus moved up.
Cyrus despite being wounded himself, hung at Merlynn’s heels with effortless ease. “I’ll be right back!” Cyrus called out before leaning forward, seemingly disappearing in a dust up of leaves. Merlynn gawked as Cyrus returned momentarily afterwards emerging from the bushes.
“The village! It’s been sacked!” Cyrus called out his voice quaking with anger. He then reached out his hand grasping Merlynn’s. In the moments she felt his large hand swallow hers fully she suddenly felt a rush of wind then found herself standing before her village as it smoldered in shambles.
Merlynn shook in broiling anger as the others suddenly arrived one by one. What was once a thriving village just days ago, now crumbled enflamed in burning chaos. “Who the fuck…” Merlynn’s voice growled in willed anger her eyes flashing brilliantly. Thunder boomed upon her words as rain swept in at Merlynn’s behest quelling the flames near instantaneously. Reigning in her anger momentarily, she charged headfirst into the ruined village, peering into destroyed houses as she passed, soon reaching her goal and finding something unexpected as well.
She had worried the portal was the intended goal of the attackers, seeing as the villagers were slaughtered and nothing valuable was taken. When she reached the building that housed the portal, she found it blocked by debris from another fallen structure and still smoldering logs from the surrounding walls, however what got her attention was the messages scrawled in blood above the exposed doorway.
“Welcome back, Magus” Cyrus read the message aloud as he slowly walked closer to Merlynn. As he moved to lay a hand on her shoulder, he noticed a familiar crest at the end of the message that Merlynn wouldn’t take her eyes off. As Cyrus heaved debris and burning logs, more messages emerged. “We know what was taken…Deceiver.” Cyrus read before chucking another log into the distance. Behind that log was a final message scrawled on the upper half of the exposed door which he read aloud in a contemplative tone. “100th floor, beyond the final door, a prize nevermore.”
“What sick person leaves a riddle in blood?” Cyrus asked, crossing his arms in thought. “A guild party…” Merlynn growled in anger as she slammed her fist into the door frame. “Mom…everyone is dead! That buff red dude, the guards, even…even…that sweet orc woman! I couldn’t find that freaky fish guy though!” Gloria panted as she slumped to the ground. “What are you saying? That someone from one of the guilds did this!?” Cyrus asked in disbelief. “Let’s find out!” Merlynn shouted, willing her diminishing energy through her summoned staff as she slammed it into the ground. “Reveal the past, Ondine!” Merlynn shouted as white energy flared around her.
The rain fell to a stop clinging mid-air as Ondine swelled from the ground with a pirouette then bowed egregiously. As she shot her gaze to meet Merlynn’s seven watery silhouettes swirled to life from the ground. Sairoc the Wise stood in labored breath awkwardly holding his prized falchion “Breadth Cutter” in his off hand with a bleeding stump where his right arm should be. Across from him formed a motley crew of ruffians, a wide dwarf without a beard, a female Seraphin adjusting bladed wings on her back, an earthy golem made of mossy stacked stone scratched at a bird’s nest atop its head where its gnomish master nodded hazily, two twin humanoid children held hands changing age and gender at random intervals, and a well-dressed elven man leading them with a devilish smirk.
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As Siroc silently roared he charged, his silhouette growing brighter, the crew made gestures of panic until the mossy golem rolled forward and encased Siroc with its stoney body. Seconds later the golem and Siroc violently detonated blowing chunks of debris everywhere and charring the ground. After the misty dust settled the six remaining silhouettes stood leaving with the gnomish man scraping up some charred mossy remains of his golem before the leader held up a trinket in the air. Moments later the party vanished into the night as the fires continued to consume the village. As if signaling the memory was over, the rain fell to ground once again, with Ondine stealing her payment from a seething Merlynn.
“I know them!”Cyrus shouted stepping forward grabbing a large chunk of mossy broken stone and tossed it outside of the boundary of the village with ease, then rushed a closer look at the crest. He then pulled a small leather book from a pouch on his belt line. Holding it low enough for the others to see, he fervently flipped the pages till he found the sketch of the crest in question.
“The Seekers of Sol... It doesn’t make sense though. They were the last team to conquer the Endless Tower on Boensaca!! They were hailed as heroes like Magus and Magus hasn’t been seen in years!! Why would he even be here of all places.” Cyrus read aloud then spoke in disbelief. “Cyrus…I am Magus, and this is MY village.” Merlynn snapped gripping her staff tighter. “No way! Seriously?” Cyrus asked, shocked. “Later Cyrus, now is not the time to talk about my glory days.” Merlynn scolded him through grinding teeth before being interrupted by an odd chirp emanating from her satchel.
While everyone else drew caution from the sound Merlynn sighed aloud then retrieved the enchanted compact from within her satchel. Upon pulling it from the bag the odd chirp grew louder, and the device pulsed with a pale white hue.
“You have…one, hundred messages…” The device chimed in a mechanical voice. “First message…Hi Lynn it’s Jane…” The device spoke then paused when interrupted by Merlynn. “Play last message!” Merlynn grunted in impatience. “WHAT THE FUCK, IS WRONG WITH THIS PLANT! I watered the stupid thing and it suddenly started growing. The damn thing jumped out the window, oh shit! It’s coming back!!!HELP ME!!! GOD-D-D-DAMN BIRDSSSSSS!!!” The recording cut to static then silence right before Merlynn closed the device.
“FUCK!” Merlynn roared her honeyed face flashing red. “I don’t have time for this!” Merlynn scoffed, twirling her staff and forcing energy into it. “Hey, think about this before you do something drastic!” Cyrus shouted, flinching. “I have!” Merlynn screamed, pushing the energy to a breaking point. In a flash the area lit up brilliantly white with a cacophonous boom sending the remaining debris and the now shattered door flying in all directions. “Glory we’re leaving, now!” Merlynn demanded pushing into the debris cloud. Just as Merlynn had predicted, the portal was just fine, the building on the other hand was now half of its former self.
Before they could leave, however, Fyri leapt down into the room, landing in front of Merlynn. “You weren’t planning on leaving us behind were ya?” Fyri asked, crossing her arms with a wry smile. “FINE. I don’t have time to argue, my home is going to be destroyed if I don’t hurry!” Merlynn growled slamming her open palm onto the black surface of the portal flooding it with energy. As the portal hummed to life with its purple hue Gloria charged in headfirst, followed by Fyri who gleefully dove through. Cyrus and Merlynn brought up the rear passing through with determined speed.