Storysniffing...
Storysniffing...
473 quotes (473 spoken, 0 mentions)
“I heard Magnolia Reinhart visited you. Did she offer you anything?”
“No. That’s beyond us, frankly. Even if we sold our armor and weapons—and Calruz might, to impress you—I doubt we’d be able to get close to a [Healer] of that level. They’re in constant demand. Heard of the Healer of Tenbault?”
“I’ve never seen her, but I know it’s virtually impossible to meet her—and everyone wants to, because she can apparently cure almost anything. Thousands camp around the gates of Tenbault each day, hoping she’ll tend to them. Even if we had the money they charge, it would take a miracle.”
“I’ve seen an injury like that before. I’m aware it can’t be healed so easily. I’m not sure if your friend really understood—”
“I know it’s bad.”
“Before you do, be careful. My peo—I don’t trust the nobility.”
“A spell is probably the only way to cure your leg. But there’s magic that she offers and then there’s…another way.”
“…How do you feel about necromancy?”
“I know that Lady Magnolia offered you…something. I saw her on the way in. You might want to accept, but all deals have a price. Even if she doesn’t say, she’ll want something.”
“We owe you a debt. You might not understand it, but Calruz hired every member of the Horns of Hammerad because we believe in honor. If we can help, we will.”
“Is there anyone in there? Can we buy supplies and rest or do we have to go into the city?”
“Sorry about that.”
“Oh, no. It wasn’t just that. No, it was because of what he did with necromancy that he was expelled.”
“We studied together in Wistram Academy. I was a friend of his…once. We parted ways badly several years ago, but I knew he was probably in the area. Besides, Pisces isn’t very dangerous. Annoying, yes, but not dangerous. He’s…thoughtless, secretive, selfish, and he’s made terrible mistakes. But he’s no monster. And I hate to admit it but—he is very smart.”
“Ryoka? Time to go.”
“Pisces!”
“Ryoka?”
“Thirty. And even that is robbery. This is a Silver-rank team, Pisces. Not some Gold-rank.”
“They let you stay at the inn? Nevermind, it doesn’t matter. Well then, I guess this is as good a place as any.”
“Fine, then. Your money.”
“Running from the Necromancer isn’t cowardice, idiot. Calm down. Hunt, get back here.”
“You weren’t on the continent when the Necromancer attacked with his legions ten years back. Or a Terandrian. Hunt is. I grew up with stories of him attacking kingdoms and killing people by the thousand. And that was when I was a girl. Believe me—even if we were all thirty levels higher, we’d still be no match for him. So stop questioning the courage of your own party!”
“In any case, the [Mage] we’re going to visit is not the Necromancer. He just…practices necromancy. And he’s the only person who can help Ryoka I could think of.”
“The [Numb] spell and all the healing you’re doing is probably taking its toll. If you need to sleep—sleep. We won’t get to Liscor for several more hours, and we still need to water and feed the ponies.”
“I couldn’t have done that. And that was no spell—at least, not any spell written down. You think we overpaid? I think we underpaid, and I’m just glad Pisces didn’t catch on to what Gerial was saying.”
“Pisces was moving around each of the shattered bones and knitting them together. He could sense where they are, and he knows how to reassemble them. That isn’t something any normal [Mage] could do. Or even a regular [Necromancer].”
“Ryoka? Are you okay? How do you feel?”
“You know what we want you to do?”
“…He got a lot of people killed. By accident. I think it was an accident, but a good friend of mine died. That wasn’t the only…only reason. But it’s past now. Six years past. I called in what few favors I think I had left to get him to meet us.”
“—I personally believe he’s delusional and that he’ll never achieve his goals. But regardless, he won’t stay in the area long. Every time the Academy learns where he’s staying, they send out a team to capture him. So far, he’s escaped, but it’s only a matter of time before he stays in one place too long and gets caught.”
“…Ryoka?”
“…Ryoka?”
“It wasn't me. Peminac cast [Numb], I think. It takes away pain, but it makes the affected slightly…odd. She should be fine, and it’s better than her feeling the pain. We just need to make sure to keep healing the leg every few hours.”
“He’s in hiding.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Oh yes. He’s got the levels to do what we need, and he’s smart. You could even call him a genius in a limited sense.”
“Well, he’s only a brat—I mean, he’s only around twenty in your years, which I suppose makes him an adult. But he’s got levels in multiple magical classes. If you add them all up, he’s got more than I do, and I’m three times his age.”
“Evening.”
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“You know I haven’t. This isn’t a trap. I haven’t heard a word for—”
“Well—no. This is a mission of mercy. Thanks—thanks for meeting us.”
“Pisces is a genius. He possesses an intimate knowledge of Human bodies. No one but another [Necromancer] could have done that so easily. And frankly, I would not trust any other [Necromancer] but Pisces. Listen, have you ever heard of someone mending shattered bone like that?”
“We’ll give you twenty gold coins. No more, no less.”
“Forty.”
“Where do you want to work?”
“You idiot! At least have her lie down before you do that!”
“It’s true. He’s restored the bone to normal. Dead gods—that’s incredible.”
“It was nothing—”
“Bones. He can control bones.”
“The flesh is still probably broken, but the bone underneath should be repaired if Pisces is right. He doesn’t know healing spells, but he could easily reinforce and repair the bone.”
“Ryoka? How do you feel?”
“A few miles away. But we should see the inn Pisces mentioned any minute now. You have good timing.”
“She should be fine. I think.”
“I gave him the barest details. The messaging spell I used didn’t give me time for more, but he agreed. We’re not on good terms, like I said. He’ll meet us at an inn a few miles east of Liscor. Don’t worry; he’s competent. But I suspect he’ll want money, and lots of it.”
“I suspect because he likes dead people more than he likes the living most of the time.”
“Pisces. I told you that he’s a [Necromancer]. In truth, he’s probably not that strong of one—I remember that he was about Level 22 when we were students together in Wistram Academy. Even if he’s leveled up a bit, he shouldn’t be a threat if you’re worried.”
“…He was kicked out of Wistram Academy. And he’s wanted by several cities for causing trouble, I gather. Not murder—just extortion and troublemaking.”
“Pisces.”
“Does this building have anyone in it? Can we get some hot water? Or just water? We could boil our canteen water I guess.”
“Dead gods, he’s right.”
“Who runs an inn with just one person? Nevermind. Uh—thanks.”
“Looks good. I’m going to dispel the magic now. Ryoka, how does it feel?”
“[Dispel Magic]. Alright, I’m ready to put the spell back. Ryoka? How’s it feel?”
“I take it you’re feeling better, Ryoka?”
“Pisces did his work well, then. I thought he would. He might be an idiot, but he’s a competent one.”
“Another day and night of riding. Too bad we couldn’t stay at the inn.”
“It's fine.”
“No, because you’re you.”
“Practical, I suppose. I’m just surprised to hear that coming from you, Calruz.”
“It’s worth repaying our debt to her, but it’s too bad we can’t stay in Liscor, Calruz. You know those new ruins are nearby. It might be worth getting the drop on the other adventuring teams and exploring it first.”
“I’ve heard of that.”
“Let’s see if our [Wagon Driver] wants a break and get on the road if you want to follow her, Gerial. It looks like she’ll go at least forty miles before she runs out of steam.”
“If you’re going to run, stick to the road. Monsters around here are fairly dangerous. Stay away from the big rocks. They’re actually giant monsters in disguise.”
“That’s one of the reasons why adventurers can’t heal everything. That and poison stops healing from working properly. Hey, Pisces—Pisces!”
“You are full of surprises, aren’t you? And your leg doesn’t hurt? You don’t feel any twinges or pain?”
“That’s what happens when you move bone around. But now the leg can be healed properly since the bone is repaired. Let’s heal—”
““And—””
““The healing potions I gave her—half of them were mana potions.””
““It’s the same in every guild. Ours is no different.””
““Oh no. How could this happen? I swear I checked to make sure—””
““Then take them.””
““We’ll guard your things. Runners wouldn’t dare break into the Adventurer’s Guild, and we have our own storage space. But what’s this about help? We could escort you to the outskirts of the Passes, but Calruz isn’t here, and we’re understrength. And frankly, even at our best, we wouldn’t be able to go far into the Passes.””
““What an evil-sounding laugh.””
““I thought you were broke, Ryoka. We still don’t have any contracts, and Calruz isn’t back yet. Take the potions, Ryoka. If everything I’ve heard about the High Passes is true, you’ll need them.””
““What is that?””
““I’ve no idea. Besides, that thing had no magic in it. How strange. But I can see why Magnolia is so fascinated by Ryoka and—””
““These are better quality than you’d buy in the marketplace anyways. And you’ll need them.””
““I’ve got some healing potions right here. And a few dry rations. Enough for four meals.””
““Oh, of course not. It’s just a test, that’s all. This is how I was taught as a child. I know Humans do it differently, but it should work for you.””
““Hold on, hold on, Ryoka! That was incredible! I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone do that with a basic [Light] spell before—let alone figure out how to change a spell so quickly! You just used up all the mana in your body. You’ll be tired until you recover. Here—sit there, and I’ll get you something to eat and drink. That helps.””
““—Of course I could teach you, Ryoka. And I’d be happy to help—but I have to ask, what brought this on?””
““Uh, two days? Gerial’s room is disgusting, you know. He folds his sheets and lines his boots up. Polishes them too. Calruz is almost as bad. You want to stay? The Guild doesn’t like non-adventurers, but we can ask.””
““You ran through the night to get here? And dodged an…[Assassin]? I really can’t believe that one, but you described a classic [Assassin] perfectly.””
““Fair enough. Just please don’t be disappointed if you don’t start casting [Fireballs] left and right, okay? Most Humans I’ve tried to teach, well, they’re quite impatient. And it’s not as if having a half-Elf teacher makes learning magic any easier.””
““I don’t know what magic is, exactly. It is a mystery, but I can tell you it is in the air we breathe, in each step we take and the beating of our hearts. Animals can grow to massive sizes with magic, and magical environments can be wondrous—like fields of wheat that can sprout from seeds overnight in Noelictus, for instance. It’s an amazing thing, but it is dangerous. Terribly so, and people have long overestimated their control of it.””
““Once, everyone used to know magic—or so my grandfather told me. It was as simple as breathing even for children, and all half-Elves learned Tier 2 magic before they’d reached their teenage years. But in Human cities and other nations, students study under older mages or travel to schools like Wistram Academy.””
““That simplifies things. Well then, I guess I’ll tell you what magic is.””
““Very well, how should I start? I suppose it would be important to learn how much you know of magic.””
““All over the world. Not that they send their [Mages] to run every single one, but yes. They help run the [Message] spells, and they’re one of the real teachers of magic. Don’t let the class fool you. A [Mage] can be an adept with lots of training or someone who’s making it up as they go along. Those accredited by Wistram Academy or similar institutions of magic are pretty rare and usually better than the self-taught ones.””
““Well? Did you see what I wrote? Can you tell me what it says?””
““Not all Humans have the potential to become [Mages]. It’s a matter of talent as well as your body’s innate magical potential.””
““Just watch. I’m going to draw a symbol in the air. I want you to look at it and tell me what you see. Don’t worry; there’s no time limit. And if your eyes start to hurt, you can look away.””
““Just relax. Look at it only as long as you’re comfortable. If you can’t understand it, that’s fine.””
““Relax. Don’t stare at it so hard. Let it be.””
““I’ve never seen colors like that before. They’re so…bright.””
“He’s Rois, captain of the Swordlock Dogs. A Silver-rank team, more known up north. He was supposed to be talking to Calruz and the others, but—”
“Of course you don’t need levels to learn spells. I think? What a question. But it makes everything so much faster. For instance—when I reached Level 18 in my [Elementalist] class, I learned the spell [Fireball]. It would have taken me a month of study and the right scrolls to even begin casting that spell otherwise.”
“Not all of us. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but we eat all the food Humans eat.”
“Boxer.”
“Yvlon Byres is leader of the Silver Spears, but she’s also part of a noble family, Ryoka. House Byres. Up north. They deal in…silver I think?”
“Oh, this famous book that was popular when my grandmother was a child. I thought it died out, but I run into people who swear by it now and then. It has all kinds of notions about how levelling works. Some people—they claim that we all have a set amount of levels in us. If we gain too many levels in a bunch of different classes, we’ll eventually run out. The Book of Levels. Never heard of it?”
“Oh. Well, that’s a common misconception. Mages level from casting spells, but we gain a lot of experience from studying magic. You can’t just go around throwing fireballs and expect to level up quickly.”
“You look beat. I’d offer you my bed, but all the other adventurers are waking up. They’ll be thumping around soon enough.”
“The Byres family? Aristocracy?”
“Why? You aren’t one of those types who believes in the Book of Levels, do you?”
“It’s why you don’t see many fat mages—well, at least among mages who actually use their spells in combat. You should meet one of the [Mages] in Wistram, Telim…anyways. After a really exhausting battle, I’ve eaten an entire ham by myself.”
“You should probably get your first level in the [Mage] class as soon as you take a nap. Hopefully, it’ll come with a Skill or a spell, but don’t worry if it doesn’t. After that, you can start thinking about what field of magic you want to specialize in.”
“Of course. I’m free until Calruz finishes meeting with the other Silver-rank leaders. And besides, it’s breakfast and everyone should be downstairs. We can meet them and eat at the same time.”
“Potions don’t fix shattered bones! You know that. And you get him mad—”
“Yvlon Byres is a good adventurer. In the shadow of her brother, who’s some famous [Knight] with a Gold-rank team. I’ve never met him, but I know she comes across as snooty. Well, she’s allowed to be. You’re allowed to not like that and even give her a punch, maybe. But at what point is it not her fault?”
“Those last two punches were unnecessary.”
“You didn’t need to hit her that many times. This was supposed to be a gentle spar, not you trying to break her jaw.”
“No—but—”
“You don’t challenge a Minotaur to a fight. What are you thinking? Are you even thinking?”
“Just interjecting some common sense.”
“You idiot.”
“Help me talk sense to her?”
“And he will if he makes a mistake.”
“It’s pretty cursed important in a fight!”
“He’s going to take every hit just to show he can. It’s a Minotaur thing—a sign of disrespect. And…courtship.”
“You—you’re smiling.”
“Hold it!”
“Are you crazy?”
“Enough!”
“[Silence].”
“Are you insane? You can’t fight someone in armor! Yvlon is a Silver-rank captain. Even if she pulls her punches, she’ll hurt you. This is just a sparring match—neither of you are supposed to get hurt.”
“Yvlon is not someone to take lightly, Ryoka. She’s honorable, proud—even if she is being patient. Stop being so rude.”
“You stubborn idiot. Let Garia sit. For a Minotaur who talks about honor, you certainly don’t have much when it comes to non-warriors.”
“Oh shut up, Calruz. Is it honorable to bully someone who runs deliveries for people like us? Is that what a proud member of the House of Minos’ Beriad does? Sit down.”
“You sack of tree sap, Gerial. I told you to grab him before—”
“I know she’s making a bad impression. I think she’s—rattled from the High Passes.”
“She ran in this morning, after running from just outside of Celum all the way here. Nonstop. She nearly got killed by the monsters, and I think—she’s a great Runner. Saved our lives.”
“I think…it would be best to have given her some room. That idiot Calruz is crowding her up. And you know Magnolia Reinhart was doing something with her.”
“Maybe we let Ryoka cool off? Gerial, why are you here? I told you to grab Calruz. If he makes a joke about her breasts—”
“I did. And he’s got a point even if he did make it in the most bull-headed way possible. But that’s Calruz. And even if he’s being an idiot, there’s a big difference between calling him on it and challenging him to a fight. You know you’re going to lose, right?”
“How about into the ground when he puts you there? Ryoka! He’s got to weigh at least two hundred pounds more than you do!”
“You’ve made your point, Ryoka. No one’s underestimating you. Let’s stop before someone gets seriously hurt.”
“You’re talking nonsense. But I won’t let you stand here and get yourself hurt. Stop this or I’ll have to use magic—”
“I don’t know what it must have been like, going through the High Passes. You didn’t have more than scrapes on you, but Eater Goats, Gargoyles?”
“It has to rattle you. Tree rot, getting my leg broken would be enough to put me out of shape for a month. I get it. But—there’s no excuse for just lashing out. You know Hunt, our teammate? He gets raving drunk. Calruz has nearly kicked him out several times. Not because he’s incompetent or a fool—because he gets into fights when he’s drunk. Even if he’s drunk, it’s not an excuse. You get me?”
“If you want to keep fighting everyone who reaches out to help you, I’ll put a flower on your grave. But until then, get your stupid Human head back in order. You’re lucky—very lucky that Calruz is honorable and that the other adventurers listened to Yvlon and Cervial, or you might have suffered quite a bit.”
“I get it, Ryoka. I do. But you’re even more hotheaded than Calruz. And yes, some of that was his fault, but that was fairly disgraceful.”
“No. Be silent. I am angry at you, Ryoka. And I am leaving until that anger is gone. The Horns of Hammerad and the other adventurers are heading to the ruins in Liscor. All of us. At least you stirred the crowd up—Gregor and Menes are back with us. But that doesn’t change what just happened.”
“May we meet in new forests, Ryoka Griffin. If you want to talk…find us in Liscor. But do any of that again and I’ll take you to task, not Calruz or Yvlon. And I don’t punch.”
“I’ve seen a lot of arrogance in my time. Mostly from Humans, but from every people, including my own. But someone who rejects the way the world works just because she doesn’t like it—that’s new. It’s been a while since I was hit by someone I call a friend as well.”
“Ego, too. But give her a bit. She’s rough—but who isn’t? Besides, she had her legs smashed with a wagon two weeks ago.”
“Could we perhaps stay here? I promise you we won’t cause any trouble, and we have plenty of coin.”
“That’s fine. We can make do.”
“We’re looking for a place to stay.”
“But I can prove we weren’t doing anything wrong. We were here to meet a certain [Necromancer] at the time. It’s just a guess, but I’m betting you know him.”
“He’s quite annoying.”
“This…is an inn, correct? Don’t you have rooms to rent?”
“Yes, but every tavern, inn, and home is full to the rafters with adventurers. There’s nowhere to sleep—not even in a shed. So we came here.”
“That’s right. We knew there was an inn in the area, and we wondered if it was still open.”
“She’s definitely strange. Goblins and a skeleton. But Pisces is probably to blame for the skeleton. Still—Goblins.”
“It set off my [Dangersense] when it pulled it out. Guess what was in it? Acid. I had a look in the kitchen. She’s got jars of Acid Flies—a local creature around here. Looks like she’s been harvesting them as a food source.”
“I’m not sure if she’s just absentminded or if she doesn’t realize how dangerous arming Goblins is. That acid can melt skin in seconds. But besides that, it’s odd to see her living so far out from the city.”
“True. But monsters don’t care about distance. And that skeleton doesn’t look that powerful.”
“Miss Erin, I’m not sure what you might be thinking but—I’m not an Elf.”
“In that case, she’s reckless or insane. Or—poor. Actually, She reminds me a bit of Ryoka.”
“Easy. Don’t threaten it and it won’t attack.”
“I’m not sure what you’ve heard, but my people aren’t averse to eating meat. I quite enjoy pork, for instance, especially when it’s been properly cooked. Or when it’s not.”
“I can eat meat, you know.”
“Touché. She’s got you there, Calruz.”
“Pisces.”
“Well. This looks…lovely. Thank you for making breakfast so early, Miss Solstice. And I’m late in saying it, but good morning.”
“No one has seen an Elf for thousands of years. Tens of thousands. They all died long ago. That bit you spoke—was a joke, right?”
“What—what was that?”
“This is good!”
“All the magic of the wand is channeled through the tip. That’s why it glows or reacts depending on the spell stored. It’s also why you should never break a wand because it will trigger the spell.”
“Whu?”
“Are you alright?”
“It’s not that fragile. Go ahead. And it’s not that expensive. Sort of expensive, but the real thing is far, uh, ‘cooler’.”
“Yes it is. Would you like to see?”
“Mm.”
“Whu?”
“Oh, stop being squeamish. Drakes eat them, and so do the Antinium, I bet. Not that we’d see the ant-men here, but I can see how it would be useful.”
“It was my fault. I forget how much non-mages don’t know.”
“[Illumination]. No—perhaps I’m doing it wrong?”
“Isn’t it? Try the blue stuff.”
“I’m really sorry about that. I didn’t expect you to touch the wand tip. Have you never seen one before?”
“Working on it. It’s complex. Give me two days and I’ll have it done. We probably have enough time for that, right?”
“And of course, it’s up to the Wistram mage to do it. Is it a hard spell? Yes! Then let the half-Elf do it! Don’t get any of the other mages. Ceria’s got it covered!”
“Still—”
“Right. If we want to keep using it, we’d better spread the word to the others. If they come in and start something—”
“Well, I get it. Bugs aren’t my favorite thing to eat either.”
“They’re not too similar personality-wise, but…it’s just a hunch.”
“Do you think she’d leave any of them alive? They were all dead. Honestly, you Humans—”
“Don’t worry about it. I made the same mistake earlier.”
“Okay then—”
“Oh, no. I can deactivate the magic. I only activated it because, well—your skeleton surprised me.”
“And we’re not giving up our rooms!”
“My language?”
“I’m not an Elf. I’m a half-Elf. And besides which, you wouldn’t see—an Elf anywhere.”
“We—we thought you were going after Ksmvr.”
“Then a monster—”
“I just hope she doesn’t actually try to fight that Antinium—or whoever he is. She’s no warrior.”
“If you want to go, go. But only drag that innkeeper back. Fighting here would be a mistake. But it would be better if less people were out in the darkness. We don’t know what kind of monsters live here.”
“Right. And if she gets there first, don’t fight the one called Ksmvr. Attacking him is the same as attacking the Hive.”
“What?”
“I understand. You made the right choice.”
“He’d be dead.”
“We do…?”
“Sure.”
“I’m sorry. I just assumed—”
“Yeah. So we thought—”
“But what he did—”
“…Doing what?”
“What are you—where were you?”
“Then where is she?”
“What?”
“It feels like a trap.”
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Besides what?”
“If you want to go—”
“Who is this?”
“You will not go. If we cause a disturbance—”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Humans.”
“Erin!”
“Maybe she got lost?”
“This has something to do with the Antinium in the city, right? Did they have a—a fight? I’ve heard of Prognugators. If this Ksmvr is after your friend—”
“Erin—”
“I can go, but that Antinium needs watching. And I’ve got no movement Skills. Can you—?”
“You should come inside. I’m sure Pawn will want to see you.”
“Well, after what he did to your friend—I’d say everyone in the inn would have joined you. Calruz especially.”
“We wouldn’t do that. Calruz—thought you were going to duel him.”
“Is everything alright?”
“Some rest will do you more good than anything else. And you coughing into the food won’t do anyone any good.”
“Looks like breakfast is canceled, Gerial. Unless you all want to risk getting sick before the ruins.”
“You Humans. You eat eggs all the time. What’s the difference between frying them and grabbing them from a nest?”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t cure that so easily. I only know [Numb]—the spell I used on your throat—and colds are tricky. Way beyond me. Maybe a [Healer] can cure it? Drink hot soup.”
“It must have been sitting out in the rain last night that did it.”
“I can do something about the sore throat, but healing potions don’t cure colds. And I wouldn’t recommend you trying one unless you want to roll the dice on it getting better—or turning into a debilitating sickness.”
“I see. My condolences.”
“It’s a cold. The most common of illnesses. Which means no one’s figured out how to get rid of it. And before you suggest it—experimenting on sicknesses can create far worse kinds. Or just make them immune to magical healing at all.”
“Dd.”
“Fine. No waking her. But can you get me something to eat? Or—cook something?”
“I’m hungry.”
“What are you—”
“Don’t—do that!”
“It was amazing. But odd as well.”
“And you’re important.”
“Beautiful.”
“A Skill, I think. Not one I’ve ever heard of. Must be a rare one.”
“It was quite something, wasn’t it?”
“Yup. So this is the only food you’re getting for a while. Want some?”
“Still asleep, I think. She’s in there.”
“Goes well with the water if you add enough. Want some?”
“Am I supposed to eat this? I need something else, you know.”
“Is that…a loaf of bread?”
“I need food.”
“That damn skeleton’s guarding her though, so don’t go in. This is all it gave me to eat.”
“Don’t ask me. Apparently, things can develop immunities to magic. Mold, diseases—it’s why you don’t always use [Cleanse] to clean even Wistram Academy. They have Golems with mops.”
“They were moving, but that’s not the point, Gerial. It’s another mystery. Where did that music come from? How did that girl—”
“Oh. Hey. The innkeeper’s asleep, so there’s no breakfast. But the skeleton got me some food. Want some?”
“Toren, right?”
“But when she’s done with it, she’ll want to see you, is that right?”
“Calruz is gone? I didn’t hear him moving.”
“Wood rot.”
“Is your mistress up? I’d like some breakfast, but I can get it myself.”
“That’s where she sleeps?”
“And this Rite of…does that relate to it?”
“Don’t mention it.”
“I’ve never heard any of the songs she sang. Not one. And the music that came with it—did it sound like anything you’d ever heard before?”
“You—ah, Pawn. Can you tell me something? What do the Antinium want?”
“I think I get it. Erin, Pawn needs to go back to his Hive. You can’t take an Antinium away from the Hive. If you do—they spare no effort to reclaim their lost. Or if it’s impossible to reclaim them, those Antinium die.”
“I’ve heard that from every Antinium—I mean, what do they want here? The Antinium have made war for two decades. They never leave their Hivelands—except during the last two great wars, and they only settled one Hive in one city in the entire world. The Blighted Kingdom hates them, and no one knows what your people want except to conquer. The Antinium are united as far as I’ve heard. Completely. You’re all loyal to your Queens. So…why did this Ksmvr take you and—and question you?”
“Not us. She wants Ryoka, and I don’t know why. Possibly the same reason Magnolia is interested in her, but that’s just a guess. It spells trouble, and we need to let everyone know as soon as possible.”
“Hey.”
“Don’t go panicking on me, now. We’ll be fine, so stop worrying.”
“We’ve got the formations worked out. Stop—”
“If I have enough, I’d like to buy another spell book. All the ones I have I’ve more or less mastered. With enough gold—a few hundred pieces more—I could buy a book with a few Tier 4 spells.”
“You’ve never bought spell books, have you? Just one costs several hundred gold or thousands, and that’s for low-Tier spells. I’ve been saving up all this time just to buy one with a Tier 4 spell.”
“A month, a year, two years—so what? If I mastered just one good spell, my Level would increase. And then we could take on stronger monsters.”
“I know.”
“Oh, and then what would you buy?”
“Not too adventurous, are you?”
“I suppose. It just seems like a waste, that’s all.”
“It was her fault.”
“True enough.”
“He’s not…well, technically he’s a graduate. But some mages wouldn’t consider him one.”
“I wouldn’t trust that idiot with my back.”
“No.”
“We don’t, I’m afraid. She moves around all the time, so it’s hard to pin her down.”
“We do not.”
“I’ve got nothing for you. So you can take your answers and shove them.”
“I know who you are. And a former soldier isn’t the same as a true adventurer. We got our levels from fighting monsters, not killing people.”
“[Flashfire].”
“Yeah. She was casting a [Charm] spell with her eye. It hit both of you the instant you looked at her. I barely blocked it.”
“Rot, I wish it were tomorrow. No wonder the other adventurers wanted to stay at the inn. I can’t relax at all, here.”
“Well, what do you expect? They don’t exactly like Humans down here, and I’m just another annoying adventurer. But that’s not what I’m talking about. You can feel it, can’t you?”
“I know, believe me. I’m feeling it too. But we’ve planned for as much as we can, and we’ll pull out the instant there’s trouble. Don’t worry.”
“I don’t help the insane. You and your mad king can go to hell for all I care—”
“He was expelled. But you’re right. He was always at the head of his class whenever he showed up. If he had the money, he could have advanced quite highly. But he dropped out about the same time I, uh, ran out of funds.”
“There’s a lot more to it than that, Gerial. She’s one of the Seven—and she was famous for killing every single [Spy], [Assassin], [Saboteur], and [Rogue] she ever ran into during his wars. Of all of them, she could be called the scariest. Let’s get something to drink back at the inn. I’ll tell you all about it as soon as we get clear of the area.”
“And he hasn’t found anyone who’s ventured further?”
“Right, but—it’s complicated. There’s no guarantee which spells I’d learn, and besides, I’d need to level up quite a bit. But with a spell book, I could study a spell and learn it in a few months.”
“That was intentional. I get a headache whenever I have to talk to that idiot for too long.”
“My mastery of it is—incomplete. I’ll keep studying, but my best guess is that I’ll be able to cast it once and then I’ll need a mana potion. It’s too exhausting to use multiple times in a row.”
“Calruz is arrogant. But he’s confident and bold, which is why he’s perfect for a vice-Captain like you.”
“And then perhaps you’d be able to talk to a certain Runner without needing me to push you, hm?”
“Of course you don’t. You Human—no, you males. Idiots who fall in love with the first exotic female you see. You and Calruz both.”
“…A few that are weird. I heard there’s a former Gold-rank [Innkeeper] up north. Terrible fellow. Sometimes they’re characters, but yes, she beats the lot for originality. But it seems we’ve run across more than one strange girl as of late.”
“Just hope she survives. Once we’re done here, we can ask her more questions.”
“She’s a big Human. She’ll be fine.”
“Maybe. But he’s still an idiot.”
“I—oh, alright. As far as I can remember, he has the most levels in the [Necromancer] class, but he knows quite a few mundane spells too. He might be Level 20+ just as a pure [Mage] if you want to rank him. And he knows at least one Tier 4 spell. He was always good at—”
“Well, you have the name of her inn. And we haven’t seen her. So if that’s all—”
“Complain later. Let’s go! If the Watch catches us—”
“Gazers can cast spells as easily as looking. A half-Gazer can do the same, it seems.”
“You didn’t know she was half-Gazer? Seriously, Gerial?”
“I’ll tell you two from the beginning so we’re not making mistakes in the future. Right. Sostrom, do you know about the desert continent south or maybe south-west of here? Chandrar?”
“Okay, okay. It’s huge, but there are several kingdoms to note. Like Nerrhavia’s Fallen, the largest Stitch-folk kingdom in the world. But there’s one that you definitely heard about—even if you don’t know Gazi. Everyone knew that kingdom, once. In one of them sleeps a king…”
“It’s not a bad idea. I’m still not sure what Pisces was thinking, giving you only one skeleton as a guard, but I suppose that’s all your mana supply could take.”
“Just everything important.”
“Speaking of which…”
“It’s your funeral. Just don’t walk near me while we’re fighting.”
“Of course. Magic is part of us. It’s in the air we breathe, the food we eat—we all have our own supply of mana, however small. My kind has a great deal of internal magic we generate simply by existing, so we make good mages. Humans on the other hand—”
“Tree kissing rot! Don’t do that!”
“Ah. But I wasn’t talking about spellcasting. I just meant your internal mana supply.”
“We’ve been drinking this? Are you insane?”
“By bullying her?”
“Do you—do you have no sense of danger? Why are you so casual with that stuff? What if you dropped it?”
“Oh come on. You all know you have magic inside of you, right?”
“What?”
“You’re joking.”
“There’s a limit to how much we can heal. After so many potions the body just—quits. And besides, if we’re taking enough injuries to need more than a few healing potions, we’re already in trouble.”
“That’s impossible.”
“It must not have strong resistance to poison. Either that or it has no way to reduce the buildup of toxins like we do. Those crab-creatures might carry the sickness within them for the rest of their lives if they’re not careful.”
“Oh?”
“I’m sorry. But if Pisces tested you, it’s unlikely. Maybe there’s a better chance, but…”
“It’s actually not, Calruz. It’s a monster, hiding under the rock. What you’re actually looking at is a shell.”
“I’ve never seen anything funnier.”
“That was hilarious.”
“Is this true?”
“Yeah, but there are limits. I wouldn’t ever get in a fight with a Minotaur. If I’m ever without mana or any potions, I’ll just run for it.”
“It’s time. Yvlon bought supplies, but I’ll hand them out now so you can put them in your packs. We’ve got rations and water and four healing potions and four mana potions each. Torches and flint—all the basic supplies, but we’ll have a few carts we’ll take in with us.”
“You? Are you insane, Gerial?”
“But really, Calruz, why were you so intent on teaching her? I thought you were going to just show her how to punch properly, not try and turn her into an adventurer overnight.”
“I didn’t see it at first, but there’s definitely something odd about that boulder. It looks too—out of place. See how the grass is flattened around it? And it hasn’t sunk into the earth as it should have over time.”
“Something to look forwards to. We’re heading in tomorrow. So just to clarify—there’s nothing we need to do?”
“We don’t want to cause any trouble, being outsiders and all.”
“That’s not the same as knowing how to fight. And besides, those seed cores won’t do much good against a group of bandits or even a few Goblins.”
“Doing what? Sleeping?”
“Mana potions and alcohol don’t mix well. I drink it, everything comes back up. It’s messy, but effective.”
“I think I know what you’re talking about. Can I see one of those, ah, seed cores?”
“Not everything trips [Dangersense]. And if it’s a sneak attack, you’d have to be right next to the creature, and by that point, you’d be dead.”
“This isn’t that strong. And besides, we’re heading in later in the morning. If I get really drunk, I’ll get someone to heal me. Or drink a mana potion.”
“Not as much. But exceptions exist, and they make good mages. But even if you don’t cast spells, you have some mana in you. Enough to sustain basic spells or supply a summoned creature with enough magic to survive if it can’t by itself.”
“Really? Who told you that?”
“Here.”
“It’s Calruz. He probably expects Erin to be like Minotaur children. They grow up knowing how to use a blade.”
“You Humans. Always so worried. She’s survived this far. Calruz won’t kill her by the time we get back. Probably.”
“It’s just that in Human cities, adventuring is a lot more regulated.”
“What about Magnolia Reinhart?”
“Calruz! What are you doing?”
“I’m sure Erin was grateful to learn from you, but if she doesn’t want to learn any more, you have to respect that.”
“Angry? Why would I be?”
“There are several Bronze-rank adventuring teams on permanent guard duty as well as several members of the Watch. Seems like this place disgorges monsters every few days. Nothing more dangerous than a mob of zombies or the local wildlife, but they’re being cautious.”
“That girl is all edge. I don’t understand why Magnolia—well, there are certain things that strike me about her. But why the lady of Reinhart would spend so much effort on her is beyond me.”
“High profile? Hear that, Gerial? I wish we were that famous.”
“I can’t use the lights to illuminate where I haven’t been. I could use it to light the way back but—I think I should wait. It’s not like we’re so far in that it’s hard to find our way back, and when I do cast it, it should be at a place we mean to hold for a longer time.”
“Still, that was a lot of undead. Should we expect more up ahead?”
“They do good work most of the time, though.”
“Over here.”
“Not usual, but not unusual either. They take on almost all requests. They’ve got a bad reputation, though.”
“What will be tomorrow?”
“Oh? Who?”
“I’d be delighted to. Olesm?”
“I know. This is a place to put dead bodies to be cleansed before they’re buried. This isn’t a memorial. It’s a crypt.”
“I’ve seen the like in pictures of Drath. Maybe some kind of ultra-formal area? Wait…you’d be facing this wall. And there was something here. See? A statue?”
“Speaking of which…Gerial, is it time?”
“Because they run away quite often.”
“Oh really? You haven’t explored many dungeons, then.”
“You don’t want to capture Ryoka to gain favor with her?”
“It must be ancient. Far older than Liscor. I can’t imagine how they built all of this—and out of stone! They must have had hundreds, thousands of workers or some kind of powerful magic.”
“Oh? Don’t freeze up and you’ll be fine. Besides, once this is done, you can tell all your friends about it. I’m sure Erin would be very impressed. Everyone loves experienced…adventurers. Especially ones who have big…swords. And explored a lot of dungeons, of course.”
“What?”
“My [Dangersense]—”
“Broken chairs, metal—I can’t tell. It’s been too long, and everything is dust now. This was once some kind of sanctuary, perhaps? A massive one.”
“That’s where all the other teams disappeared.”
“I had nothing to do with it. Good old fashioned metal did the trick here. Which is a good thing. If we had to start casting over a few undead, we’d be in trouble.”
“No. This is—different from above. What are those open places for? They look—big. Long enough to accommodate a body.”
“That was mostly her fault.”
“Look at that. You can tell this place is old because of the architecture. I’ve never seen any designs like it. It must be a previous era’s style.”
“Are we moving forwards now?”
“If they’re out of mana, there’s not much they can do. So yes, often Menes’ team will abandon a mission if something makes them use up all their potions or if the enemy is more numerous or stronger than they anticipated.”
“We need to cut them off! Can you cast a spell?”
“[Illumination]!”
“[Fireball]!”
“[Ice Spike]!”
“Now? Now we get the treasure.”
“Now, Menes!”
“There! Secret passages!”
“I don’t know.”
“Never mind!”
“Done!”
“Sostrom!”
“There’s our opening! If you can buy us time—”
“Yeah. I’m glad everyone’s here. How many people didn’t make it?”
“I’m going to cast a big one. Everyone get back!”
“What was that? A Skill?”
“What?”
“[Flashfire]!”
“Gerial. We can’t regroup like this. I need to cast [Illumination], but I’ll need defending.”
“What—”
“There! Get to Menes!”
“Sostrom—”
“Warded doors? That’s right out of one of those classic stories you hear about. Odds are three-to-one it’s trapped or something nasty is lurking inside. Gregor better not open them before we get there.”
“I really don’t think this is a memorial for the dead.”
“Shh! Quiet. Do you hear that?”
“It is. But I’d prefer a real translator even so. The spell takes time, and it doesn’t work unless there are enough words to read at once. And I often get a muddled message, sometimes nonsensical depending on the content. There are better spells. But it should…oh.”
“I did. But who knew this place would be so cursed big?”
“I know. I know. But he keeps asking and—what if he’s right?”
“Maybe someone who’s afraid of speaking plainly. Or—or—this isn’t a warning. Maybe it is a nursery rhyme or just dark humor. Or an old myth. The kind you write of something that’s been around forever.”
“Tombs.”
“Sure.”
“Damn.”
“Where is it? How big?”
“This is where a hundred Runners would come in handy. They could search this place faster than we can.”
“I can.”
“Not a thing?”
“What about this room?”
“Calruz!”
“Calruz! This isn’t like before. This—my Skill is telling me something bad has happened. Really bad. Far worse than the ambush.”
“Let’s hurry before Gregor makes a mistake. I’ll go f—”
“Death before dishonor.”
“Olesm. What do you make of this?”
“Calruz.”
“Plus, this is his first adventure, and he thinks this is going to be Chalence and we’ll be famous like all the greenhorns. I know. It’s just—”
“Skinner, Skinner! He’ll eat your tails and tear off your skin! He’ll pluck out your eyeballs and devour your kin! Skinner, Skinner! Run while you can! Your flesh will be taken with a touch of his hand! Hide in the darkness, hide in the light. Fighting is useless; Skinner is fright. He takes our scales and hides our bones And makes this place our very last home. Skinner, Skinner, never open his door. Or soon your bones will lie on this floor.”
“Olesm? You’ll never believe this, but we found something! A vault, sealed by magic, over on the other side of the ruins.”
“What?”
“We’re under a spell.”
“You did?”
“You can’t read it? Does it look like something your people might have written long ago?”
“Calruz. We have to go. Help us.”
“Sorry, Gerial.”
“Words?”
“Better that than you screaming. What are you looking at?”
“Gerial—”
“They could all be undead in those graves. There’s no telling how many of them reanimated with the Crypt Lords about.”
“I hear something. Something is coming this way.”
“Wait a second. That’s doesn’t sound like a vault to me. It sounds like a guarded treasury, the kind that has the nastiest monster waiting right behind the door. You didn’t try to open it, right?”
“Any word from Gregor’s team?”
“My [Dangersense]—something just happened! The doors—the vault—”
“It was a warning.”
“I—it’s disturbing. Really disturbing.”