Chapter 24. Fishful Thinking
We looked at each other and scampered to the fallen soldiers like a flock of vultures.
We had worried that if the seed was locked up in an inventory that we wouldn’t be able to loot it. This turned out to be true. One of the geared guardians had it on their person. Thankfully, we had a plan for that.
Cassandra changed her Job to Thief. Her Steal Skill required five stamina, but allowed her to reach into a person’s inventory, if undetected, and take something. Cassandra only had thirty-five stamina, so we had seven attempts before she ran out. If we were willing to wait for her stamina to regenerate, maybe eight or nine attempts.
“I found something,” she said, handing it to Henry. “But not the seed… and another… a rare item but not the seed.” She dictated her progress as we looked around for anyone that might wake up.
Bodies lay everywhere around the intersection. The headbanger, several NPC townsfolk, gamers who had gotten caught-up in our concert. The scene looked like Woodstock at daybreak. Except that folks weren’t quietly sleeping. They tossed and turned in nightmares, the results of our terrible spell.
“This inventory is empty,” she said. She moved to another sleeping guardian. “Take this… and this, another rare… whoa this is nice… empty.”
A scream sounded from down the street. “Help! Something happened!”
“Keep going, stay calm,” Rowan said, encouraging her sister.
Cassandra moved to the last guardian. She reached in. “Nope, just water…. What’s this? A spear?” She had looted at least six times. “A tiny piece of thread?” She threw it over to me. “I’m out of stamina.” She looked up, concerned.
“We still have time,” Henry said. “Somebody alerted the guards, but I don’t see anyone approaching yet. Keep going.”
She reached in. “Nothing,” she said, confused. “Their inventories are empty.”
Our group tensed. People shifted from foot to foot. Eyes searched the surrounding streets for trouble.
“The saddlebags,” Rowan said. “Check the saddlebags.”
Cassandra moved to the closest horse. She looked between it and something in her interface.
One, two, three seconds passed. I saw a set of guards running toward us.
“Got it!” she announced. “I got it. Let’s get out of here.”
Henry walked off first toward the alley off the main street. We all followed, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. No big deal, just four gamers and a fairy walking away from forty sleeping people and seven emissaries from the palace. Super casual. When Henry hit the alley, he took off on a jog. He slowed before the next cross street, walking again. He looked left, then right. We followed in a straight line. Half way down the next alley, he ducked into an alcove. The four of us removed our minstrel costumes. We wiped the makeup from our faces, scrubbing the stars and flowers away, then stuffing our costumes into our inventory.
When we left the alley, we were dressed as a normal party again. Six blocks later, we arrived at the docks. Henry took us to a slip with a medium sized boat tied to the dock. The boat must have been thirty feet long, with a tall mast. At the back of the boat, a giant crossbow was mounted into the deck. Attached to it was a crane, which stood eight feet tall. Along both sides of the boat and in the back, wooden fishing poles leaned outwards. In large, italic lettering, were the words Fishful Thinking. Apparently, puns were a thing in this fantasy world.
A man stepped off the boat onto the dock to exchange words with Henry. He was a short man with an amazing mustache that dangled below his chin. He had a bushy crop of black hair that stuck out from under a straight-billed hat.
Henry and the Captain exchanged words, and Henry handed him some Silver. “The other half when we’re safely across the border,” Henry said.
The captain motioned for us to get on the boat. “Get below deck,” he said. “Somethin’ happenin’ in town. Need to cast off.”
“Ned, what’s this all about?” A tall, slender woman with a tough face and tougher muscles stepped out of the staircase that led below deck. “Who are these folks? What’d you get us into this time?”
“Quiet down, Norma,” he barked. He pulled her into the cabin, then closed the door behind them. We not only could see them argue through the window, but we could also hear them perfectly.
“I thought we talked about this,” Norma said. “No more schemes and shady business.”
“Hush down,” he said. “Don’t yell at me like that. We’ve got paying customers aboard.”
She narrowed her eyes on him.
“Boy came to me an hour ago,” Ned said. “Said they needed a scenic boat ride up across the border. Look.” He showed her the 100 Silver that Henry had handed him.
One hundred Silver! That was $100. I stared at Henry, who didn’t acknowledge my wide eyes.
Norma took the money from his hand. “Well,” she said, her face relaxing. “I mean… just a scenic ride, huh? Wait a minute. Who takes a scenic ride from below deck?”
“Just relax. It’ll be fine.” Ned stepped out of the cabin and found all five of us eavesdropping on their conversation. “Come on,” he said. “Get below deck. And stay down there. Nobody would ever mistake you all for fishermen.” He moved to untie the boat from the dock.
Wenches cranked. Sailed raised. And we were off, rocking back and forth in the boat. Water sloshed against the sides of the hull.
The cabin below deck had a short ceiling, with two port-holes on each side. A bed sat at the front of the boat. A table was embedded into the wall with a booth seat on either side. A kitchenette on the other side. We were in their home.
We sat where we could, making a small circle.
“Did you get it?” Rowan whispered, too loud.
Henry and I both shushed her.
Party chat , Henry typed. We can’t let them know that we’re involved, at all .
Can we trust them to get us out of the city? I asked.
Henry crossed his fingers, then shrugged. We’re paying them another one hundred Silver when we’re safely on the other side of the border , he typed.
What border? Cassandra typed.
The Alasano River, that we’re currently on, runs North through River Junction , Henry typed. It splits about twenty miles north of River Junction. One fork runs Northwest, and creates a border between the Western Zone and the Northern Zone. The other fork runs almost due North to the coast, right through Elven territory. I paid Ned to take us to the fork, and drop us off on the other side, in Elven territory. Here. I’m going to share my map with you all. It may not be very accurate. My Expertise in Cartography is pretty low. But it’s a start.
Why North? I asked.
Because it’s with the current , Henry said. So we'll be able to get out of the Western Zone more quickly. And because it seems like the right path. If we follow the Northwest fork of the River for another forty miles, we’ll run right into Feygrove.
Where Ilrune is from? Rowan asked.
Henry nodded. I’d like to see for myself what this area is like where mana regenerates.
I think Janica would like that as well , I typed. But what about planting this seed? Where are we ultimately going?
Henry looked around. I think we should follow Ilrune’s advice and take it to Spectre Academy.
Big surprise.
Is that close to Feygrove?
It’s another thirty miles to the West back across the border and into the Western Zone , Henry typed.
That’s a long way to go , Rowan said. I don’t have a problem taking the seed there, but will we make it on time?
If we can find a captain to take us down the river past Feygrove , Henry typed, We will make it in time. The river continues to run Northwest and feeds into a huge lake. On the Western shore of that lake is a town called Lakemore. Spectre Academy is right outside of Lakemore.
I hate to ask , I started, but is this a good idea? We’re outside of the starter area. Won’t the monsters get higher level the further we go from River Junction?
We can handle anything! Cassandra typed.
Henry shrugged. Yeah, it’s going to be dangerous. We’re going to need some levels and some gear.
Speaking of gear , Rowan typed. What did we steal off of those people?
I started by linking the thread.
Henry, Rowan, and Cassandra linked what they had taken.
Enchanted Thread
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Item Class: Crafting Material
Item Quality: Uncommon
Cloak of the Djinn
Item Class: Cloak
Item Quality: Uncommon
1% damage reduction
+3 Dexterity
+10 To Stealth Expertise
Requirements: 20 Perception
Dark Iron Ore
Item Class: Crafting Material
Item Quality: Uncommon
Glow Vine Tubers
A starter root system for Glow Vines
Item Class: Flora
Item Quality: Uncommon
Potionmancer’s Belt
Item Class: Job Prerequisite
Item Quality: Uncommon
A Potionmancer’s Belt can be consumed to unlock the Potionmancer Job if other requirements are met.
Enigmatic Core
Used to store energy
Item Class: Power Source
Item Quality: Epic
Bear Poker
Item Class: Spear
Item Quality: Uncommon
Damage 17-22
+3 Constitution
+3 Dexterity
Requirements: 20 Strength
Finally, Cassandra linked the thing we were truly after. The outline of the tooltip looked like it had been engraved in orange-gold scrollwork and details:
Dungeon Seed
Plant this spore with the seven items to grow a dungeon core.
Days remaining: 1 days, 20 hours, 19 minutes
Item Class: Quest Item
Item Quality: Legendary
Whoa , I typed. That’s a haul .
“What’s happening?” Janica asked me. “Why is everyone staring?”
Janica wasn’t in the party, so she couldn’t see the chat. “We’re looking at what Cassandra stole from those guards.”
“Show me,” Janica said.
I linked her the items.
Umm, Team , I said. I thought we were supposed to have seven days to complete this quest. But the timer says less than two days.
Silence followed. Eyes turned to Henry.
Henry pulled out a book and began searching for something in a fury . I don’t know, he typed. I must have miscalculated. Or maybe they delayed the departure from Central City for five days.
All it says in the quest is that the Dungeon Seed will be in River Junction at such and such time, I said. It never said anything about the Seed’s path before that. I felt the frustration in my tone. Five full days lost. Can we even make it to Lakemore in 44 hours?
Again, silence. I think we have to try, Cassandra said.
And cut all unnecessary parts of our trip , Rowan said. No time for side quests.
Henry nodded. Sorry, everyone. Can we discuss quest items?
I let it go. Okay. Sure.
We have some decisions to make , Henry said. It seems like I was right before about the Job Prerequisite item. I think that’s how we make the boss.
We have the Cauldron and now we have the Potionmancer’s belt , Rowan responded. Which one do we want to use for the quest and which one do we want to use or sell?
I think we should use the higher quality of the two items , Henry said. Growing a dungeon is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I say we make it as powerful as we possibly can.
Yeah , Cassandra said. Let’s make it as awesome as we can.
Any objections? Henry typed.
Rowan and I shook our heads.
Okay next. We have to pick flora, fauna, and ore. It seems like they were going to use the Glow Vines and the Dark Iron Ore for the flora and fauna. We don’t have any other ore, but we have Witch Hazel.
Are the Glow Vines the plants from the Silverlode Mine? I asked. The ones that lit up the place in that cool blue light.
Henry nodded.
That would make the place look cool, Rowan said. Do they produce something valuable?
I don’t know yet , Henry said. Potions, I think.
Let’s wait on that decision , I suggested. Talk to an alchemist first.
Everyone agreed.
Next the Enigmatic Core , Henry typed. We’re going to need that as our second core. Luckily they provided us with an Epic quality power source. That’s it for the dungeon requirements. We have everything we need except for an item to give it roots and lore.
Why wasn’t that on the guards? Rowan typed. I thought they traveled with all the necessary materials.
Just a guess , Henry typed, but I think that the item that provides lore needs to be a relic from wherever you plant the seed. To give the dungeon a sense of history and meaning .
It’s like a theme , I agreed. We’re going to have to find something inside of the Spectre Academy.
One day, twenty hours , Rowan said. And we have a lot to do.
What about the sweet loots , Cassandra said. Let’s divvy that up.
Rowan, do you want this spear? Henry asked.
Henry had taken on the role of leader of our group, despite his awkwardness. I didn’t really mind, but I wonder if Rowan cared.
Her eyes lit up. So bad, you don’t even know. Her eyes went wide. I want to pull this out so bad right now. Must… use… restraint…
Next is the cloak. He looked at Cassandra, who grinned from ear to ear.
Gimme, gimme, she said. She equipped it, and a dark green cloak covered her shoulders and ran down her back. She lifted the hood over her head, then wrapped it around her body. She went semi-translucent. If I didn’t know she was right there, it would be difficult to notice her.
Our group collectively held its breath.
Two items left , Henry said. We have the Enchanted Thread and the Potionmancer’s Belt. Do you want to roll for the belt, Warren? That’s the one I’m most interested in. We don’t know the loadout yet, but I need a combat Job and I’m already an herbalist. Maybe I can throw potions around.
I thought about it for a minute. Selfishly, I wanted that Belt. But not to become a Potionmancer. I wanted to sell the thing. I shook my head. You take it. I like my Job options right now.
Henry smiled, then passed me the last item.
You receive Enchanted Thread.
Ned hollered from above deck. “Passengers, you’d better get up here. We have a bit of a problem.”