I stepped through a stained-glass door. Topped with crystal-like pieces, knee-high tables bowed before a carpet that stretched the length of the store. Welcoming me were canisters and flasks, tableware and plaques, translucent fruits, bears, and more.
Cut into the back, beyond the rug’s frayed fringe, a service counter crafted of cedar collected several customers around it.
“Ah- sorry, I must be in the wrong shop. I was actually looking for-”
In front of the counter stood the adventuring party I enjoyed drinks with the night before. Behind it sat the same elderly gentleman that owned the novelty shop.
“You?”
Sugma took a step forward and pointed at me. “You.”
“No, not you four. Him.”
“Me?”
“Do you run all the shops here or just the two I’ve been to?”
“I’m sorry miss, but this is the first time I’ve seen you. Is there something I can help you with?”
I handed the shop owner my letter from Alaphan. An amused chuckle broke through his confusion, but only added to my own.
“Yes, I see. So you are here for the same reason as them.”
All five of us collectively interjected with our own sound of choice. Mine came out as ‘Eeh?’.
“How did you all end up with this job?”
Loric thrust his arm toward me, brushing my bangs with a piece of paper pinched between his fingers. I pushed against his hand to put the flier at a readable distance, but he lowered it out of my view.
“It’s brilliant really, you see, when we went to retire for the night a flier of someone in need stuck to the bottom of Sugma’s foot. He had so many drinks that his eyes probably could not keep the words straight. So, he handed it to me and said and I quote.”
Loric lowered his tone to imitate Sugma, but it ended up sounding strained.
“‘Here, read this.’ and that was that.”
Sugma swiped the flier and snorted. “See, told ya you should’ve joined us-”
His smug arrogance collapsed to confusion and then settled on regret.
“If she’s here then that means we took a dumb quest. Sorry guys, this is my fault. Show me no mercy.”
“Hey!-”
Beatrice brought her fist down on the counter, rattling vials and ornaments.
“Shut it you two, let’s hear him out already.”
“My name is Norville Eliwood, third student of the Oracle. I have three pupils under my tutelage. They went missing two days ago. We are currently unable to locate or make contact with them and I fear the worst. I am in desperate need of any and all help.”
That description was kind of a stretch Alaphan.
Sugma waved the flier in front of the shopkeep. “What do we get if we find them?”
“As mentioned in the flier: I have arranged for 200 adamant coins as payment.”
Sugma reeled the flier back in and held it inches from his face, stammering with excitement.
“Two hundred. That's a big number right?”
Ligmas slid the flier out of Sugma’s hand.
“Indeed. As per our conversation last night, two hundred is a big number.”
“And for the young librarian here I am also prepared to move forward in my cooperation with her library’s planned community activities in the future.”
Norville winked in my direction.
Ehhh. - It really was just a dumb quest. Still, a bonus 200ac ain’t bad since I’m already here.
“Um, where was the last place they were seen?”
“To the best of my knowledge they were headed west of the village to pick some ingredients for a concoction they were planning to brew.”
Ligmas rolled up the flier and tapped it against his scaly chin.
“Pray tell my good man, what kind of ingredients?”
“Hmm. - If I remember correctly, just some Velian flower petals, pumpkin seeds, raspberries, evergreen sap, and some Alindrian hops. - Or was it watermelon seeds and Hythian flower petals-”
“Do they happen to venture that way often?”
“Not that I know of. They have only spent a few days under my tutelage.”
“How truly tragic. May the blessings of Highcrown protect their unfortunate, young souls. Oh the dragonity.”
“Oh the orcanity.”
Beatrice snapped at Ligmas and Sugma.
“Those aren’t words. You two just made those up.”
They both leaned forward, glaring at Beatrice.
“Nu-huh.”
“Yeah-huh. And Ligmas, you can’t hide from me that you’re still out of it. No more drinking before a quest.”
“Nyuh-huhh.”
“Ahem. It has already been nearly two days. The longer this questioning takes the more the chances of finding them will drop significantly.”
Loric slung his massive wingspan over his party’s shoulders and nudged them forward.
“We’ll pick back up on this discussion another time. Marina’s right. Us five have got some kids to save.”
“Ah-. Hey, unum momentum - five?”
“Well, we’re all going to help find those kids together aren’t we?”
It is kinda fun being around them, but then we’d have to split that 200ac five ways.
Ech, but if I come across any annoyances they could supply ample muscle to - solve - any problems without painting a target on my back.
But they could just as easily use the fact that they outnumber me to take my share for themselves. Would they do that? Sugma and Loric don’t look like the types, but Ligmas and Beatrice definitely do. She looks like a thief and he looks like a religious zealot - like pees in a pod.
Ah- but their knowledge as adventurers could be beneficial for a while.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
Eh? How do I know they even have experience? For all I know they could have become adventurers on a whim. This could just be the result of some impulse they followed through on.
Mmh-. Now that I think about it, I don’t think they could hope to besmirch me. They wouldn’t hold a candle to my standing as an Arch-a-as a consultant. Would being reactionary be enough? Should I try to pull one over on them first? Oyoyo, hang on, I have no reason to think-
“Marina?”
“Ah- yeah, sounds good. Let’s go.”
..I panicked.. On top of that I wanted to ask more questions.
The north western gate saw us off. Beyond branching dirt paths that whipped north and south, we traveled over the tops and troughs of hills. A series of heavy steps in the climb toward their peaks. A brisk sprint down when the slope of the hill carried our stomping feet. I pushed back against the temptation to roll down its side, but once that feeling did subside another tested my stride.
I barreled down the next hill, unable to pause my momentum. My head kicked into Beatrice’s foot causing her to stumble. After a laugh and a sorry, she playfully chased me up the next hill. My foot flung out from under me and I fell sideways, shouting from my glee filled tumble.
The air cooled when the village behind us disappeared beyond those rolling hills. Settled in a patch of grass that met the base of the mountain range sat a humanoid skeleton. Beige robes stained with black ichor and torn into ribbons wrapped across it.
Beatrice rushed over to the corpse and fell to her knees. Her hand wavered in front of her mask. “Mom?”
…
The air seemed to stand still until Loric broke the silence in an effort to comfort her. Beatrice pulled her mask down and smiled.
“Just kidding.”
Loric let out a squeal that hit a note I didn’t know was possible. “That’s not funny.”
A giggle gave way to the rest of the group joining each other in laughter.
Beatrice poked around the remains.
“The ichor hasn’t decayed even halfway. Probably no more than three days old. Hm? These tiny indents along the neck look strange. Teeth marks?”
“Quite possible. The robes look vaguely similar to the ones belonging to Mister Norville. I think that it is safe to assume this was one of his pupils. You do not suspect the other two students, do you Miss Beatrice?”
“Not unless they’ve got teeth like us buddy.”
I placed my hand on my chin and looked over the skeleton from skull to toe bone.
“This is about as far as we can go before scaling the mountain. We didn’t pass any pumpkin patches or raspberry bushes, but they should have gathered the rest of what they needed way before this point-”
Loric gripped my shoulder.
“Huh? Loric? Is everything al-”
Snarling surrounded us. Six wolves watched us with vicious intent.
“Right.”
Ligmas spun in a circle.
“We insist that you move along puppies, there is nothing to see here.”
Sugma pushed past him. “But there’s gonna be.”
Like a hand thrust into a jar of jam, a squish splurted from under Sugma’s charge over the ichor. He cleaved his ax down the side of a wolf. Its fur, tissue, and innards melted into a black goo leaving only the skeleton intact.
Ah, looks like as good a time as any to get to safety.
I rose into the air on my staff and cupped my hands around my mouth.
“I’ll be cheering you on from up here. Good luck team.”
Sugma turned and shouted in a gargled growl.
“What? You’re not going to help us?”
I arched my wrist and handed him back my own playful banter.
“I would probably just get in the way of the great and mighty Sugma the Dragon Wrestler. I’m just a lowly librarian who takes dumb quests after all.”
Beatrice slid between Sugma and a charging wolf.
“Forget her. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.”
Their synergy was far better than I expected. It was like watching a choreographed play unfold, but with more - you know - actual death involved.
That was until one of the wolves slipped behind Loric. He jerked his leg, catching a glancing blow. The scrape bore tiny blotches of crimson dots.
When the battle was over I sailed back down to help them continue searching.
“Wow, that was really good you guys-”
Sugma flung his ax into the dirt and charged toward me out of a heavy, exaggerated walk.
Shroud of Aegis
ᛉ+4 | +2(🜁,🜄) | (🜃,🜂,ᛈ)
🜁 . 2🜄 . 3ᛉ . 4ᛈ . 5ᛉ . 6🜁 . 7🜄 . 8ᛉ . 9🜃 . 10🜂 . 11ᛉ
Another shield, I know. But they just keep getting better and better.
“Imagine the night air wrapping you with its cold embrace. Hug your arms around your body and be cradled by your own warmth.”
Founded by Aegis Timeworn
3-2 Early Spring Year 86: Age of Balance
His fist flung forward. Playing along, I threw myself at the ground. I sprang back up with a crown of grass woven into my hair. A smug smile wrapped itself around my face.
“Ah- you didn’t say Mak-”
Sugma held his stance. My smile drooped with each failed blow.
…
“Coward.”
Eh? This isn’t another game?
“Why didn’t you help us?”
Help? They have axes and daggers and a giant- monk - pole thing. If anyone needed help it was those wolves.
“If you had helped maybe Lockit wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”
“Huh? What am I supposed to do? Look at all these weapons and metal plates you guys are carrying around. On top of that: if I feel fear, joy, sadness, anger, anything at all my magic can go screwy just like anybody else. What if I freeze up or lose control of my spells? Then what? I die? Or should I trust that you all will step in to save me like you couldn’t for him?”
Ligmas leaned against his pole. “Miss Marina.”
“It must be so comforting knowing that there might be something beyond this realm when you die. If only we could all be that lucky. Get real. I’m not an adventurer and I’m not a martyr for some group of misfit thrillseekers.”
My magic left me. Sugma reeled back his fist for another punch and I crossed my arms in front of my face. Beatrice grabbed hold of Sugma before he brought his full weight forward.
“She’s right. She didn’t sign up to do what we do. She’s one of the people we should protect, not slam our meaty fists into because they didn’t help.”
“But Limerick said she’s strong. She could have done something.”
“Strong? All of us can see that. Do something? Just because someone might be able to do something doesn’t mean they have to. Especially if it risks their own life. But at the same time-”
Beatrice shoved Sugma out of the way and slugged her fist into my cheek. My face throbbed with heat.
“You can think you’re the hottest thing in the world. You don’t even have to care about anyone but yourself. But don’t you dare look down on us. We’ve all got dreams, regrets, successes, and failures the same as you. Don’t forget that.”
I stood up and stumbled toward Loric.
Minor Tree Healing
+5(ᛗ,ᛉ) | ᛈ+2 | (🜁,🜄,🜃,🜂)
ᛈ . 2ᛉ . 3🜃 . 4ᛉ . 5🜁 . 6ᛗ . 7ᛈ . 8🜄 . 9:i3(ᛗ,ᛉ) . 15🜂 . 16ᛗ
I could never provide much support, but the efficiency of this aid can finally prove me useful.
“Imagine yourself holding a door strong against the winds. Rest assured everything will be fine. The water from the violent storm fills the cracks of the doorframe, but everything will be fine. As the storm subsides, the water begins to dry from the door frame as the sun evaporates the moisture away.”
Founded by Tenjo Telan
1-3 Early Summer Year 71: Age of Justice
The scrape in Loric’s leg filled back in with what appeared to be his flesh. I threw my staff behind me and jumped backwards onto it. The sky was all I could see. I refused to look back at their faces.
I want to go home.
…
When have I ever looked down on them?
…
They’re not worth wasting my thoughts over. I’ve got a job to do. Gah, it makes me want to scream.
“AAAA! They’re such morons. But still. It was fun while it lasted.”
I glanced back. An old well jutted from a clearing with bushes sprinkled about. On the opposite side of the horizon, the edge of a lake peeked out from between the trees of a forest. The hills we traversed stood between them like two lost friends with a love for water separated by a sea of grass that waved their goodbyes in the wind. That is so lame- I’m going back to Monty’s shop. The rain has already started to clear up anyway.