(B) “Isn’t light a good thing though?”
(M) “And it doesn’t seem like such dark place to begin with.”
“I was trying to make a joke, but I guess it failed. All will be explained in due time but first I must introduce you to the village. Lydia would you ring the bell at the tea hall.”
“Sure daddy!” she then ran off towards the big hall with a smile on her face.
(T) “Why do you guys have tea hall? Shouldn’t it be a mead hall?”
“Well none of us know how to brew alcohol so we’ve been forced to focus on tea brewing as an alternative, but due to the plant life found in the valley you shouldn’t be disappointed in our brews.” He said with a smile on his face.
A woman then came towards us with a newborn baby in her arms. She had a host of demonic features that complimented her natural features but to my surprise the child showed no such features and looked perfectly human. As she approached us Iroh walked towards her with a smile on his face telling us.
“This is my wife Eleanor, and these are the people who saved Holly and Lydia.”
Eleanor broke down upon hearing this and gave the baby in her arms to Iroh before coming over and hugging Elizabeth and crying tears of joy. Spouting thank you over and over for a full minute before recomposing herself and asking us.
“How did you find them? I went out looking for them after they went missing last week. But, they were nowhere to be found and so I thought the worst had come to pass. But thanks to you all they are both back to us safe and sound. If you need anything from us just ask. We don't have much but I wish to repay you for helping us.”
(T) “Then can you make me some clothes that actually fit?”
(E) “Can I get some new clothes?”
(M) “Do you have any books I can read about this place?”
(J) “Is there someone that can decorate my armor?”
(B) “Do you have a map we can use to tell where we are.”
“What do you mean you are in our town Haven which is in the Monster’s Abyss.”
(B) “No I mean do you have a world map? We don’t know where we are in the world.”
“I think we can rummage up a map for you and meet most of those demands. But first I must introduce you to everyone here as we don’t have many visitors, and they’ll all want to meet you.”
He gave the baby back to Eleanor and proceed towards the ‘Tea Hall’ just as a bell rang lightly across the wind alerting everyone to come to the center of town. We let Iroh get ahead of us and talked about what we were going to do.
(B) “So what’s the plan guys.”
(J) “I say we go with it. They seem nice enough.”
(M) “I’d also like to try out their food and drink it sounds quite delectable.”
(T) “Also from the looks of those wolves earlier this area seems dangerous. We should stay here and try to get our bearings before trying to go out on our own.”
(E) “I want to
As we got closer to the center of town we saw many different demon variants. Many of them stared at us in awe. We were new and unusual to many of them. The kids were quite curious though asking their parents what and who we were. In the center of town there was a raised platform that Iroh climbed atop to speak from.
“For the first time in ten years we have some visitors here to join us.”
The crowd began to murmur at the news not knowing what to make of it. Some were happy while others looked fearful and scared.
“They saved my daughter and Lydia from a nefarious necromancer that had captured them. Saving them from their vile experiments.”
The crowd eased and rejoiced at the news.
“They are a rather particular group. Who have arrived here after an accident, and even when they were in unfamiliar territory unknown to them. They decided to save our people without thinking of the danger they’d have to face. For that I wish for you all to give them a fair chance. Now come up here friends.”
We all climbed atop the platform, but since Teage was too small me and John had to help him onstage. Iroh then introduced us to everyone and announced that in celebration of our arrival they’d have a feast and celebrate our arrival for the rest of the day.
From there we all ended up separated as the townspeople swarmed us. With the men swarming Teage probably to talk with a manly dwarf while Elizabeth was swarmed by the village boys who had become enamored by her charming appearance.
Matt had the opposite problem and was swarmed by all the girls to his disapproval. While John was kind of left out with only a handful of people approaching him to his dismay, but to his credit he did keep a convincing smile the entire time.
As for me. I was swarmed by all the villages kids as they swarmed all over me grabbing and stroking every spare inch of my body. It was not a very fun experience as they’d sometimes sneak behind me and pull on my tail.
I made some rather pathetic whining sounds as a result to my dismay and so I tried to growl and bark at them to make them stop. They only thought it was even more cute and so I was piled upon by more kids for an hour.
After a while the kids slowly got off of me and parted as Holly came forward. But what was weird was the way she was looking at me she had a deep penetrating gaze to her eyes. Her eyes had a red glow emanating out towards us that seemed to star directly at my soul. I shivered as what felt like a hand grazing past it that brought me to cold sweat. She then walked off with a frown on her face, but before I could give chase the kids renewed their petting onslaught. But I heard whispers from the kids that were quite ominous and explained why they had freed me earlier when she came by.
“She’s so creepy.”
“Yeah it’s like she’s looking into us.”
“I heard that she has been seeing the guardian a lot recently.”
“That would explain why she stopped playing with us.”
“And why she has been getting so creepy lately.”
It all sounded ominous and I’ll have to ask Iroh about it later and see what he has to say. Luckily for me John saved me a few moments later. Separating the kids from me and telling them we needed to discuss something real quick. When we were a ways away he asked me in a scared voice.
(J) “What the hell was that? It felt like something was staring at my soul. Do you know who did or what did it?”
(B) “I think it was Holly, but it was weird she had this red gaze in her eyes. She also seemed a lot less friendly like she was suspecting me of something.”
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(J) “Well for now let's get back before they think we’re acting suspicious. Also I think dinner is ready.”
(B) “Didn’t we just eat though?”
(J) “You ate earlier but these bodies haven’t eaten since we were in that necromancer's lair so I could go for a decent meal, some tea, and some fine ladies to faughn over.”
(B) “Didn’t they ignore you earlier though?”
(J) “Hey they haven’t gotten a chance to know me yet I still have a chance.”
(B) “I feel like you are going to overlooked no matter what you do because of our exotics.”
(J) “Just because I’m human doesn't mean that they won’t be interested in me.”
(B) “No I just said that you’re going to have a harder time with the competition.”
(J) “Teage will ward off all the girls and when they get bored of Matt ignoring them they all come to me.”
(B) “Sure they will.”
Dinner was then served which consisted of a hearty meat roast (Don’t know what meat), some mashed potatoes(?), cheese (I don’t want to know), some bread, and other exotics fruits and vegetables. They also served a multitude of desserts from a fruit sauce and pie along with some kind of bone that had a sugary marrow when you chewed into in after being smoked.
Iroh also wasn’t kidding when he said they were good at making tea they had an amazing variety of teas to choose from. They had a warmed sweet caffeinated tea, a cold minty tea that made you sleepy, and a hot bitter tea that acted that loosed people up like alcohol but the buzz lasted longer, but one of the side effects was that you immediately pass out after the buzz wears off (apparently it has to stay hot to give you a buzz (I think it's just to make it to where you can’t chug it.)).
As the sun went down the festivities continued to grow and people drank merrily as fires were lit to light up the night. Teage went crazy with the tea and tried mixing the buzz tea with the mint and drank a whole tankard before immediately passing out for the night as a result of the concoction (luckily they said he’d wake up tomorrow better than ever).
While Matt was chugging the caffeinated stuff by the gallon and was the life of the party as he broke out in dance for a solid thirty minutes before passing out (He was going have one heck of a headache and some very sore legs).
I guess John had a shot after all now that Matt and Teage are both out of commision. Elizabeth was able to distance herself from the boys hitting on her and was enjoying the mint tea with some girls she had warmed up to.
Before I could find out if John was successful in his endeavour Iroh came over and lightly slapped me on the pack surprising me which cause me to yelp in surprise. Iroh laughed at my reaction and shook me from side to side in one hand as he held a steaming tankard in the other.
“So I hear you soul is broken kid.”
I froze as he said these words to me. Wait does this have something to do with my companions? What was he planning on doing to me? Were we in danger?
“Relax kid. I don’t really care what kind of deal or accident happened that caused it, and luckily for you I don’t work for the Church anymore, or I’d have to kill you where you stood. But that is something we’ve got to talk about later. Either way I need to tell you something before I pass out. Have you heard of the demonic breach.”
(B) “No. Why?”
“Well the whole reason we’re out here with the looks we have is because of it. Ten years ago there was a huge swell of mana that exploded tearing a huge rift in the void that caused all humans in its vicinity to gain demonic qualities, be ripped cell by cell by the void, and it even fractured souls. The head priest in the area deemed the only way to protect the people there was to form a warp barrier that would deposit the whole mess in the Monster’s Abyss. It succeed and we are the remains of what was originally around 10,000 people caught in the blast. The thing that doesn't make sense to me though is why we’ve never seen your group around here before. I can’t think of any other way it could have happened. But here you are, so what are you, and what are you all doing here.”
(B) “I’m playing a game?” (I’m not sure what’s going on at this point.)
“HAHAHAHA an odd answer for an odd person. Well tomorrow I’ll take you to someone that might be able to sort this out. For now though I’m goooing tooo sleeeeep.” He then proceeded to start snoring and lean on me with all his weight and I soon fell over as a result of his mass upon my scrawny frame.
Great I now had a unconscious heavyweight laying on top of me and everyone else is slowly falling left and right. It looks like some of the women are helping tend to the fallen and it seems John is still standing (much to my surprise).
As the moon rose in the sky and the fires dimmed people started going back to their homes. I quickly realized we hadn’t made any housing arrangements with anyone and I’d rather have my body inside when I log back in rather than being at the mercy of nature if it started to rain when we logged back in (Also there might be a buff of some kind!).
As I slowly crawled out from underneath Iroh I saw Eleanor approach us with a apologetic smile on her face with Lydia behind her finishing up some pie.
“Sorry about Iroh here. He gets a real kick out of his brews. Sometimes a bit more then he should. But, since you all don’t seem to have any plans to spend the night anywhere. Why don’t you come to our house to spend the night. It’s the least we could over you for what you have done for us.”
Elizabeth quickly answered for me while carrying Teage and Matt over her shoulders.
(E) “That would be greatly appreciated as these oafs seem to have already kicked the bucket as well.”
Matt overheard us and came over to hoist Iroh on his back saying.
(J) “I’ll carry Iroh for you madam.”
“Why thank you John that’s a load off my back.”
John picked up Iroh and hefted him over his shoulder. But it appeared he was being quite strained under the weight of Iroh’s large frame. Wait! How is Elizabeth holding up Matt and Teage?
(B) “Do you need some help there Elizabeth?”
(E) “No. Why?”
(B) “Well aren’t they heavy?”
(E) “I mean I guess they are. But, I guess it’s because of my draconian racial perks.”
(B) “That would probably explain it.”
“Perks?”
(B) “You know bonuses from being a draconian.”
(E) “Anyways let's get these lugs home before it gets too late.”
(J) “Agreed the sooner the better.”
By the time we got to their home John was bucking under Iroh’s weight and Eleanor had to help him the rest of the way to their bed where they laid the loudly snoring man.
John then immediately passed out in the corner. With Elizabeth and me getting some bedding for them so they’d not have as sore muscles from sleeping on the hard ground. Eleanor then noticed that she Holly wasn’t back yet.
“Sorry to ask you, but could you go get Holly for me Brenner. I need to get Lydia ready for bed so would you go bring her back for me?”
(B) “Sure thing Eleanor it’s not a big deal. I’ll be right back.”
I left the house and went back towards the festivities, but before I got close I saw a streak of white flash in the forest. There also was a glint of red flashing that almost seemed to beckon me towards them. I couldn’t help but slowly walk towards them and before I knew it I was entering the forest. I was approaching what appeared to be an old ruin of what looked to be a shrine. At the entrance of the shrine was what looked to be a pair of golden eyes along with what looked to be Holly, but she looked less human with long horns, a pair of leathery wings, and dark red eyes that emanated a malicious aura that pierced through you.
“So is this the person you were talking about Holly?”
“Yes milady he is the fractured soul that has appeared within your realm.”
“He must be at it again with his experiments. But, no matter he should at least have an interesting story to tell.”
“What do you wish for me to do with him milady?”
“Put him to sleep I wish to study this soul without being interrupted.”
“As you wish milady.”
“I can’t wait to see what mysteries you hide Brenner.”
I knew I should be scared, but I felt strangely calm. They didn’t seem to radiate a killing aura but rather an aura of curiosity about what I was and what I could mean to them. I suddenly felt really sleepy though and before I knew what was happening. I was already on the ground and my eyelids were feeling very heavy. Before I fell asleep though I could have sworn I saw nine tails moving around me. I must’ve been going crazy though cause I swore I had only one tail.
Prerequisite met for “Game Sleep”.
Will remain logged in if user falls asleep inside of game.
Will still sleep in original time parameters.
Sleep will not be affected by the world’s time dilation.’
(This happened after he fell asleep so he doesn’t know of this new ability of his.)