Aribelle shot down another spiderweb, her cannon sparking out halfway through. She hit it again, pounding on the outside of the cannon. 'Damnit.'

Lamar coughed, stepping around a spiderweb draped between two tropical trees. 'You definitely did the morning check and repair on the runes?'

Aribelle pointed the sparking cannon towards him. 'Of course I did.'

Macey peeled off a tree branch and fell onto the ground in a three point landing. 'She got distracted staring at the local hunk back in that village.' Macey double checked her daggers on their sheaths and flicked a lock of blue hair out of her eyes.

Aribelle huffed, crossing her arms across her chest. 'I did not. I was wondering how the village was supplying its water that far from the river. The pump just happened to have a friendly local blacksmith working it.'

'Healbot detects stress levels rising. Do you require medical triage?' Healbot piped up from his backpack on Kark. Healbot was useful but his unicycle wheel was useless in the rainforest they found themselves in.

'No, Healbot, I'm fine.' Aribelle hissed. 'Or I will be when we get to this flyspeck town which doesn't have a working pump or blacksmith I'll bet.'

'Trail's End.' Lamar said. 'The town is Trail's End. Names are important to remember for customer satisfaction.'

Aribelle rolled her eyes. 'You don't pay me to be the face. You pay me to blow things up.'

'That's for certain.' Macey said, before fading into stealth with a chuckle. Aribelle whipped her cannon around, trying to track the erstwhile rogue but found only mocking laughter.

'I want everyone to understand the contract before we hit town, alright? We are the best. We are super adventure company plus. We guarantee results and we ALWAYS read the terms and conditions is that clear?'

The whole party winced. Well apart from Healbot who was busy grinding something in a mortar and pestle while atop Kark's back. A lot was spilling out the edges leaving a fine white dusting on Kark's shoulders.

Lamar pulled the contract up again.

Quest Contract: Save Trail's End

Victory Conditions:

Defeat Monster Wavesx5.

Defeat Necromancer 'The Ruinous Storm'.

Defeat Conditions:

Loss of Trail's End village*.

Loss of Princess Hilda**.

*Village loss defined as destruction of > 50 % of structures or 50% of citizens.

**Loss includes mortal injury or loss of will

(Note: This quest meets the criteria for your personal ongoing hidden quest).

Macey appeared beside Lamar. 'Yo, Boss, I'm sure we've got this...but this is a big one.'

Lamar contemplated the victory conditions. It was true they'd mostly fought tough single opponents up to this point. The troll was technically above their levels, and it was only through meticulous planning and preparation they'd been able to take it. A fair bit of coin spent on upgrading Aribelle's cannon and the poison materials for Macey as well. Armour and weapons for Kark. Apart from the money they'd gotten from the quest, they were skin flint broke.

Never mind the interest on that loan. Mal had been a fool and they were better off without him.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

Lamar clapped Macey on the shoulder. 'What is the famous alchemist and rogue Macey Aquamane nervous?'

Macey blushed and looked away. 'Course not.'

'This is our big shot. You only get one of those normally. We're getting a second bite at the apple.'

Macey nodded, squaring her shoulders. 'Shouldn't be too much further, I'll scout ahead.'

Lamar winked. 'That's the spirit, we want to make sure we jump on this one before someone else.'

Macey flinched. 'You don't think Bravo's Brave Band got the same quest?'

'I hate those guys.' Kark shouted from the back.

Lamar nodded. Stupid company, who does alliteration honestly?

The company pushed on through the sweltering rainforest. The troll had been right at the edge of woodland forest and they'd had to push north towards their new contract. The zone change happened relatively swiftly, with ferns and palms replacing pines. Buttress roots the size of houses held up the towering canopy above. The air become decidedly more muggy.

Kark slapped another mosquito on his neck. 'Damnit, can't we do a spell to keep these things away?'

Lamar shrugged. 'I'm not that kind of wizard. Aribelle's an arcane engineer. Healbot you got anything?'

Healbot opened a chest cavity and pulled out a purple flask with a pump spray. He puffed it onto Kark.

Kark cocked his head. 'Smells kind of like burnt toast. What's in it?'

'Macey helped me prepare it. Mostly raptor urine and bugbear fur.' Healbot said. 'She also used seeds from a lotus we found around the trolls cave.'

Kark face paled. 'You tested one of Macey's brews on me. I thought we were friends.'

Healbot poked him with a finger. 'I am detecting no negative change in your vital signs and only the slightest levels of hysteria.'

Kark slapped his hands to his face. 'Hysteria. Lamar I'm done for, give all my share of the loot to my mom.'

'...also...no its probably nothing.' Healbot said.

'What. What is it?' Kark said.

'Within acceptable parameters.' Healbot replied.

'We're here!' Macey said, appearing from stealth.

Lamar stepped around the corner and set his eyes on Trail's End.

Trail's End was a village built on a lake. The island in the middle of the lake had four bridges leading off it to the surrounding shore line where dense canopy waited. Their company had emerged on a small rise to the south of the village. At the top of the rise, a small totem pole made of a red tinged wood had a monkey carved into it.

The lake was fed by a small river to the north and drained into another river to the southwest, that disappeared into a low lying gorge. The distant crashing of a waterfall could be heard to the west.

To the North, a faint miasma sat on the horizon. Dark clouds didn't move in the wind, and the treetop canopy looked sickly. Occasional purple and white blooms, like a fungal growth, spread across the canopy in the north.

'Macey.' Lamar whispered.

'On it.' She said, vanishing into stealth.

They followed the trail down. The village itself was maybe fifty structures around a small ziggurat in the centre. The ziggurat was carved of yellow stone, with another totem sitting atop the structure. This far away, he couldn't make out the carving.

Most of the town was one story huts, though an inn and a smithy looked to have extensions on them. A small temple to the sun god Hu sat on the eastern side of the island. Its panels of runic sheets faltered, sparking occasionally, with only trickles of mana flowing down into the temple itself.

The southernmost bridge was guarded by two men, both sleeping against the guardpost. A simple thing, made of wood, with a tiny wooden post that lowered across the entrance to the log bridge.

Lamar ducked under the post, and snuck past the sleeping guards. His company followed and the log bridge shook. Lamar shot a look at Kark, who shrugged apologetically, his massive stride disturbing the roped together logs.

They wandered into town, a town of maybe five hundred people. Lamar found the local inn and pushed inside. Striding in to the inn keeper, Lamar eased himself onto a stool. 'I'll take rooms for five.'

The barkeeper, a tall half orc looked him over. 'What brings you to town?'

Lamar clicked his fingers and the quest screen appeared. 'Someone called for Heroes for hire.'

A small shriek erupted in the tavern corner. A tall half elf with refined features and pink hair rushed over to them. 'Oh praise Hu, you must be the adventurers I sent for.'

Lamar nodded and bowed. 'Princess Hilda I assume?'

Hilda clapped her hands and nearly dislodged a pink furred bunny rabbit leaning on her shoulder. 'Quickly you must come with me.'

Hilda dragged them out into the town square. 'Everyone gather round, the heroes came, I told you they would.'

A group of townspeople shuffled into view, half of them kept working at their stalls while the other half showed just a glimmer of hope in their eyes. Their clothes were well made but frayed and patched.

'These heroes have travelled far to save us. Their cunning and bravery comes recommended as second to none.' Hilda said, gesturing to Lamar and his company.

Lamar grunted. 'See guys, our reputation has finally gotten around.'

Hilda nodded. 'When I sent out the call, I hoped, I dreamed, but never did I think we would actually get saved. Everyone, I want to introduce you to our saviours.

Bravo's Brave Band!'

[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1056728480768868442/1111864810443907072/CJ_Timms_fantasy_aztec_city_on_island_with_a_corrupted_forest_o_9032506c-ecd3-43c2-b87c-82e81512c442.png]