After partaking in a successful resurrection ritual at Canaan Temple the four adventurers make their way down the small street back to the Town Inn.
"I don't know about you guys but I could go for a drink." The Player lead the group while repeatedly tossing his money pouch up in the air.
Rannie perked his head up showing interest. "Are the drinks on you?" He asked with excitement in his tone.
The Player turned to Rannie with a quizzical expression. "I didn't say all that. Are you even old enough to drink?"
"Who cares?" Rannie shrugged. "This is the medieval era. Here it's 'drink up, be merry' so age is never an issue."
The Sorceress and Elf were seen giggling to one another as they listened to boys talk, the girls seemed to have already become friends.
In no time at all the group made their way to the Inn, ready to drink in celebration for a quest completed.
Before they entered a golden orb appeared before them. The orb bursts into gold sparkles, revealing a familiar fairy who circles around the Player's head. She seemed excited to see him.
"Whoa, a fairy!" The Player was surprised by her sudden appearance.
"How peculiar…" The Elf observed. "What's a fairy doing here?"
The Player held out his finger, allowing the fairy to land on the tip. "What do you mean?" He asked.
"Fairies are native to the Great Forest. It's their hom and they live away from humans, peacefully keeping to their own, so why would one be here of all places?"
Taking a closer look the Sorceress finally came to recognize the fairy. "Hold on. Isn't that the same fairy you set free in the temple ruins?"
"Is it?" He took another gander at the fairy.
The fairy nods her head and playfully twirled before him, gold sparkles constantly emitting from her small frame.
Now it finally hit him and he snapped the opposite fingers before pointing to the friendly fairy. "Wait a second! Aren't you the fairy I freed back in the temple ruins?"
There was a brief moment of silence before the Sorceress face palmed herself. "Didn't I just say that?" She sighed heavily while shaking her head.
The fairy nods at the Player and he smiles, happy to see she was ok. "It's great to see you again. How've you been? Did you find your friends?"
The fairy couldn't talk but she did understand the human language. The fairy flew around the Player, Sorceress, Elf and Rannie before flying back in front of them all, talking via body language.
"What's she saying?" Rannie asked.
The Player folds his arms while examining her gestures, he couldn't seem to figure out what she was trying to say.
The Sorceress had no luck as well. Both came up short in understanding the little fairy and shrugged her shoulders once the boys turned to her in case she had an answer.
"She wants us to follow her." The Elf answered.
The fairy flew over to the Elf and nods frantically. The group turned to the Elf, puzzled by her ability to communicate with the fairy.
"You can understand her?" The Player asked for clarification, unsure if she just made a lucky guess.
"Uuuh, yes?" She answered again but this time sounding a bit nervous.
"...That's so cool!" the Player, Sorceress and Rannie excitingly stated before her.
The Elf was shocked at their reaction and blushed lightly with a faint smile.
The fairy began pointing in the direction opposite the Inn, prompting the group to follow the road, which they did.
The fairy guides them just pass Morgan's Magic Item Shop where they find a spiraling staircase leading to an old tower. The door to the tower was already open and the fairy signals for the group to follow only to discover a rundown and rather messy room.
"This place sure is filthy." Rannie comments as he stepped over books scattered across the room.
"I wouldn't be surprised if there were roaches about." The Player added to Rannie's claim.
A shiver crawled up the Sorceress's spine the moment she heard the word, "Roach?!" she jumped onto the Player's back, cowering while closely watching the floor for any possible pests that may crawl out.
The Player nearly lost his footing, having not anticipated her sudden actions. "A-Aye! What the heck are you doing?"
"I will not tolerate roaches! My feet won't touch the ground until we're outside."
"You have the ability to use powerful magic but you're afraid of bugs. Ha, big baby. Lucky for you your boobs make a good neck rest, otherwise I would've dropped you."
"Shut it." The Sorceress cutely pouts, her eyes still checking the floor for bugs.
'The fairy leads you into an old, ivy-covered tower. You find yourself in a cluttered room that seems to be a laboratory.'
The group's attention turned to the ceiling, the narrator's voice instantly got their attention.
"Oh right. I forgot you were still a thing." The Player dismissed the notion of being surprised by casually speaking with a look of boredom.
'I'm trying to move us along. You have an issue with that?'
"I never said I did. I just said I forgot you were still around. You just come and go whenever you feel like it."
The Elf was a bit lost. This was her first time ever coming across this unknown entity in the sky. "Um…what's going on?" She asks curiously.
'Don't be alarmed, I'm just your narrator. I come to provide beneficial tips and help keep you informed on the story's progression.'
"Oh. I see!" The Elf smiled. "That makes sense."
"It does?" The Player doubtfully questioned.
"It's nice to meet you and everything. I'm the Elf."
'It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, little lady.'
Rannie stood on the sideline watching his team members have conversation with the narrator but he was observing through the perspective of a normal guy, causing him to realize how ridiculous they looked when actually acknowledging the narrator's presence.
"Can we just get on with it?!" The Sorceress asked frantically. "I don't want to be here any longer than I have to be!"
'OH, yes, right…ahem! Judging by the stratification of dust, much time has passed since anyone last entered the room. Letters amidst the shambles indicate that a magician named Lucain lives here. You find a message he penned on the desk.'
The Player's eye fell upon the nearby desk where he found the letter that was among the various books and writing quills. He took up the letter in one hand while using the other to help support the weight of the Sorceress who was still on his back. "…Says here that Lucain went to go visit another magician. Some guy named Wallace. He went to meet him in the underground labyrinth."
The fairy appeared before the Player once more, she was using body language again and performing various interpretive gestures in an attempt to communicate with him.
"What's that, girl? Did somebody fall down the well?" The Player asked in an attempt to figure out what she was saying.
She shakes her head and attempts more gestures.
Rannie stepped forward to pitch in. "No, no! She's saying there's somebody stuck in a tree." Unfortunately he was wrong too as she shook her head even more than before.
"She wants us to find Lucain." The Elf stated.
The fairy flies over to the Elf and nods her head while pointing at her to the boys. The Elf was right again.
"Damn. She's good." Rannie mumbled underneath his breath, almost as if he forgot the Elf could understand the fairy.
The Player was a bit uncertain since they had just gotten back from a dangerous task only an hour ago, to venture out again so soon made him a bit unsure. "I don't know…we just got back from a quest. Going into some labyrinths so soon doesn't seem wise."
The fairy flew up to his face and began to plead. His eyes met with hers, they shimmered innocently at him causing the Player's expression to soften the longer he looks at her. He turned away and grunts regrettably.
"…What kind of monster would I be if I said no?" He then turned to Rannie and the Elf. "What do you think guys?"
The Elf held her right hand over her chest. "Wherever you go then I will follow." She loyally declared.
"I'm sure there's profit to be made." Rannie gave his answer with a look of greed.
"What about you?" He asked the Sorceress who was still cowering on his back.
"Look, I don't care. Can we just get the hell out of here?!" The environment nearly drove the Sorceress crazy.
The Player laughed at the former and faced the fairy. "Looks like we've got ourselves a job to do. Wait for us here, we'll be back once we find something."
The fairy happily dances around the party to show her gratitude for their brave deeds. The group bid farewell to her and made their way to the magical gate on the outskirts of town.
Party Update
Member Count(+2): 4
Player
Role: Leader
Weapon: None
Skills: Unknown
Info: A strategist who remains neutral in all fields. He keeps the team one step ahead of the enemy using a keen eye.
Sorceress
Role: Defensive Support
Weapon: Light Staff (Ice)
Skills: Levitation/Rock Press
Info: A witch who controls magical forces at her whim. She has high magic defense and good support magic.
Elf (Added!)
Role: Range
Weapon: None
Skills: Holdout Dagger/Backstab
Info: A master archer who moves swiftly. She is a well-rounded member.
Rannie (Added!)
Role: Looter
Weapon: None
Skills: Master of Unlocking
Info: He is powerless in battle, but he is highly skilled at picking locks.
~ Wallace's Underground Labyrinth ~
Entrance
After the party made the leap of faith into the portal in town they were sent flying out of a new portal that came into being in a far-off location. They all made a rough crash landing once the diving trip was over, they were all scattered about on the ground.
"Ow!" The Player rubbed his sore backside once he was able to pick himself up from the ground. "Unnecessary roughness, scumbag portal."
Rannie remained sitting on his rear, rubbing his aching head. "That really hurt. What gives?"
The Elf noticed the lack of a warp gate, not only that the portal they exited from suddenly vanished. "I think our landing was a result of the labyrinth." She said now facing her team. "It doesn't seem to have a warp gate."
The Player noticed this as well but felt it didn't justify their landing. "So it just dropped us off like rag dolls? We could've broken our necks… Oh well, we're all safe. Just a few scratches, right?"
"Indeed." The Sorceress replied, now standing on her two feet. She proceeded ahead to lead the group into the labyrinth. "Shall we?"
"And Ms. 'I'm afraid of roaches' is going to lead us?" The Player teased with a playful grin.
The Sorceress froze in her tracks and her body visibly shaken. She slowly looks back to him with an unnamused glare. "Bugs give me the creeps, ok? They're so nasty, creepy and- bleh!" She shivered, holding herself at the mere thought of it.
"You're such a girl sometimes." He continued to poke fun at her.
"Hey! What do you mean 'sometimes'?"
The Elf noticed a pile of bones over their exchange and passes by the bickering duo, kneeling down to humanoid remains. The young elf focused her mind on the once living adventurer who most likely saw an end before it was their time, a voice suddenly spoke to her as she closed her eyes; 'Shot…oh the irony.'
The Elf closed her eyes to perform a brief prayer for the deceased. Once she was done paying her respects she noticed a bow and arrow bag beside the bones and took them in her hands. She tied arrow bag around her waist and made adjustments to the bow until it was to her liking.
"Hey, Elf, whatcha doin' over here?" The Player placed his hand on her shoulder to get her attention.
"I wasn't done with you yet, jerk!" The Sorceress was seen in the background jumping up and down in a childish fit once the Player ignored her to check on the Elf.
Rannie, who was standing next to her, just watched her breasts bounce about with each movement she took, his head bobbing up and down following their movement.
"I was just giving a prayer to this unfortunate soul. This bow and these arrows may come in handy as well, I found them along with the bones. I think they belonged to the adventurer who died here."
"I see. Are you a skilled archer?"
"Um, I think I do ok."
Rannie approached the two. "You want me to pick up these bones?" He directed his question to the Player.
"Meh, nah. I don't think we should be messing with the natural order of life and death."
Out of nowhere a robbed skeleton wielding a scythe threw its hands up into the air. "THANK YOU!" It exclaimed before exiting the area. It's appearance was very brief and the party, somehow, didn't notice.
Rannie shrugged at his answer. "Fair enough but now I think we should focus on the mission at hand. What do we even know about this place?"
"That's what we have a narrator for." The player pointed to the ceiling.
'This underground labyrinth is said to have been made in a single night with powerful magic. It is a dangerous place replete with traps. It bars entry to all who would dare.'
The Sorceress cheerfully pounced over, clapping repeatedly like an amused child. "Magic! My specialty!"
"Yeah, uh huh. Maybe now you can be helpful." The Player gave her a sarcastic thumbs up.
Before the Sorceress could comment a mysterious man in a red robe appeared behind them. He was holding a magical scepter and appeared to be up in age. The man extended his hand up to the party just as the scepter began to emit a mystical glow.
"Lookout! The enemy!" The Sorceress shouted to alert her companions. The Player, Elf and Rannie all jumped as they realized how close the man was. "I'll stop him!"
The Sorceress held out her Light Staff and fired multiple ice projectiles at the man, striking him with a barrage of powerful ice magic. When stuck the elderly man cried out in pain.
Once defeated the Player inspected the stranger, relieved the Sorceress stopped him. "Wow…that was close. Thanks, Sorceress."
"Heh, that was all too easy." She proudly gloats.
Entering the room two more individuals who were dressed in the same attire as the man the Sorceress had just defeated. The two saw the group towering over the unconscious man and feared for the worse.
"Oh my word! They shot Alfred!" One of the robbed men shouted in a panic.
The Elf took out an arrow and was ready for combat. "They're here!" She alerted the group.
Rannie hid behind the Sorceress for protection and the Player pointed at the two standing before them. "Ha! Your evil deeds shall not go undone! This man attempted to assassinate us so we took care of him."
"What are you talking about?!" The second man questioned. "He was only coming to greet you in. We sensed your presence and were on our way to give you the tour!"
"….Wait what?" The four allies were rather lost after getting the explanation.
The second man rushed to his fallen friend and placed him on his back. "We hadn't had a visitor in ages. We turned this labyrinth into a place of wisdom, where those seeking magical guidance can learn all forms of mystic arts or learn new spells."
The Player, Elf and Rannie turned to the Sorceress who could only grin and bashfully shrug her shoulders in an apologetic gesture. Before the group knew it they were surrounded by an army of wood golems summoned by the wizards who appeared.
"You're enemies of our establishment. Take care of these intruders!" The two wizards flee deeper into the labyrinth to warn their comrades about the current situation.
The Player held out his hand to the fleeing men. "Wait! We were just- And they're gone…." He sighs and faced the Sorceress once more. "Nice move."
"Don't try and put the blame on me after you just praised me for it! I see the enemy, I deal with the enemy."
"But he wasn't an enemy. You shot Alfred!" The Player exclaimed.
The Elf turned to the Player and Sorceress, unable to believe they were bickering at such a dire time. "Guys…we kinda have more important things to worry about?"
The golems were closing in on the small circle the group was in. The group was now back to back against the golem horde.
"We're gonna diiiiiieeeee!" Rannie whines in despair.
The golems jump forward, charging in all at once toward the party.
The Sorceress raised her Light Staff and teleports the group out of harm's way which results in the golems colliding into each other. The Sorceress teleports to the side and recharges her energy.
"...What?" The Player looked around and saw the golems where they once stood. "Wait, how did we-?"
The Sorceress tapped his shoulder to get his attention. "It was me." She answered.
"You? Wait, you can teleport?"
The Sorceress nods, she felt refreshed as she completely recharged herself, ready for more spell casting. "Yes but it takes a lot of magic to perform. I've yet to truly perfect the technique but we're safe for now."
"That's so cool!" The Player, Elf and Rannie surrounded her with awe inspired stares. Their sudden praise enraptured the Sorceress who kept her hands on her cheeks to hide her blush.
The golems managed to recover from their injuries and get back up to their feet. The group saw this and Rannie ran off to safety.
"Looks like we still have things to take care of here." The Elf readied an arrow with her bow.
The Sorceress' Light Staff began emitting a frosty effect from its head as two circular orbs spiral around it as well.
There was no sight of any crossbows lying around for the Player to use however there was a torch on the wall which he took and held it at the ready.
"Let's try to get through this in one piece. I want that drink." He casually comments.
The Elf's eyes peered over to him and the Sorceress, "Be careful." she says to her friends before leading the charge to the enemy. The Elf's agility was a marvel to behold, in no time at all she was close and personal to the first golem she saw, but she seemed to have no intent on attacking, rather she chose to remain stationary.
The golem opened its arms and brought them in to try and catch her in a bear hug but she seemingly flickered out of existence much to the golem's surprise.
"I'm here!" The elven youth shouted from above.
The golem looks skyward only to have a large chunk of its head shatter into many pieces with an arrow landing in the ground by its feet, marking the defeat of the first golem who fell back shortly after most of its face was taken off.
The surrounding golems witnessed the rather gruesome headshot but before any of them could properly react the Elf landed on the shoulders of another golem with a dagger in hand, she swung the small weapon overhead and struck the golem in the in the center of its 'face'.
She quickly pulled the dagger out of the wooden fighter once she noticed two more golems were approaching from both sides.
"Jump!" The Sorceress called out from a distance.
Hearing her partner the Elf noticed she was preparing a spell. The Elf jumped from the golem's shoulders, causing the two that were rushing in earlier to tackle one another as they leapt through the air.
From above a large rock came down and crushed a large portion of the golem army, wood chips were sent flying everywhere once impact was made.
The Elf landed and was surprised by the nifty support the Sorceress provided and smiled. "Hey, thanks!" She waved.
The Sorceress winks at her but didn't allow their friendly exchange to distract her, she went back to putting focus on taking care of the oncoming horde. The Sorceress fired more ice projectiles at the approaching golems, freezing them over and trapping them in ice, though an effective tactic for a while more golems started to pile up. It became harder to hit more targets and soon they overcrowded her with overwhelming numbers.
Seeing their numbers grounding the witch took to the sky as the golems drew near, with the enemies gathered around she summoned more magic and launched a large chunk of ice down toward the wooden army, effectively crushing most of them.
The Sorceress managed to land safely but she was left defenseless from more incoming golems due to her frequent use of magic, being drained of mana made her feel exhausted. She laid against the wall in the narrow corridor, breaking out into a minor sweat.
Before the golems could get any closer the Player jumped in front of the Sorceress with his torch in hand, he held a bottle of fuel in his hand with some liquid running down the side of his mouth. He held the torch up in front of his mouth and spit out a hefty range of fuel which set the torch ablaze and scorched the entire platoon of golems that was on the verge of attacking the Sorceress with a flamethrower-esque technique.
The Sorceress was rathered amazed at his save. He wiped his mouth with his forearm and tossed the bottle aside.
"Bleh, kerosene." He muffled into his hoodies sleeve before turning to the Sorceress and helping her up. "You ok?"
"I'm fine, thank you." She couldn't help but give a smile of relief to her partner. "I'm just exhausted, using so much magic without replenishing takes a lot from my body so I get weak when under pressure."
More golems spawned around them, the seemingly endless army was relentless with numbers. On the other side of the hall the Elf saw them overcrowding her defenseless friends.
"Hold on guys!" She called out to them, still busy with her own problems.
The golems were getting more agile, jumping into the air and dive bombing toward the Elf. The first diving golem missed its mark and crashed into the floor, a second golem came diving in diagonally down toward the Elf who stepped to the side at the last second, the golems mighty crash caused field dust to rise up from the rather dirty floor, this was an attempt to blind the Elf allowing the golems to have an advantage.
From the other side of the the dust screen a third golem rushed in for a kick that split the dust clean in half, but the Elf was already anticipating a surprise attack and ducked underneath the golems kick, which managed to clear the dust in the air.
"I'll be there in a sec!" Despite her best attempts she was also outnumbered. A wood golem rushed her from behind and wrapped its arms around her torso to keep her still. "H-Hey, let go!"
The Player heard her shout and looks over to see the Elf in trouble, unfortunately he had to worry about his own. "Sorceress, not to rush but you need to recharge! Quick!"
The Sorceress was already trying to recharge but the pressure was making the process slower than usual.
As the Elf was held down by the golem restraining her another came charging from the front, it held out its sharp wooden claws with the intent of stabbing her. Just as it got within range the Elf picked both her feet up out her feet and kicked back against the frontal assaulting golem, she used this momentum to apply her weight on the staggering golem holding her which caused it to lose its balance and fall back. The Elf breaks free from her hold and, before they hit the ground, she managed to recover by flipping back onto her feet, landing her heels into the downed golems face which shattered.
The Elf reached for another arrow but was surprised to find she was down to her last one in comparison to the many golems that remained. She put her bow around her shoulder and withdrew her dagger, holding it in a tactical position.
With both the Sorceress and Elf exhausted and the Player out of options for combat the group had met their match. The golems slowly approached their targets and within seconds charge at them. The Player held out his arms in front of the Sorceress to protect her and closed his eyes.
"Descend from the heavens: Meteor Swarm!"
Suddenly a large ball of fire came crashing down from the sky, devastating the area and the golems with it. A blinding white light flashed followed by the thunderous sound of explosions going off. Another ball of fire descends and assists the Elf, cleaning up the area she was covering and destroying it just as the first fireball did. The final ball free falls from out of nowhere and finishes the golems in one final swoop, demolishing all in the area, another flash of white occurred this time lasting a bit longer than last but it cleared revealing the ruined corridor. Once it was safe to see again the Player opened his eyes to see the destruction.
"…Whoooa." He was nearly rendered speechless as he looked out to the chaos.
The Elf was just as shocked as the Player but didn't let that distract from her worries. She ran over to her friends to check on them. "Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah." The Player was first to answer. "But what about you?"
"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Sorceress, are okay?"
She didn't reply for a brief second but raised her head to meet with the faces of the Player and Elf. "Just a little winded but I'll manage…"
The Elf kneeled and helped the Sorceress up to her feet.
"The bigger question is…what the hell just happened?" The Player asked. "Did Rannie do it?" He looked around for the boy who had been missing since the fight began.
Rannie, who was hiding away in a nearby crate, popped his head out from safety. "Do what?"
"Just obliterate everything in the blink of an eye."
Rannie raised a brow but noticed the ruin that had befallen the halls. "Does it…look like I'm capable of doing something like this?" Rannie stepped out of the crate and dusts himself off.
"It was me." A masculine voice from the shadows spoke. Soon to reveal a man dressed in a black hooded cloak and white trousers tucked away inside his black boots. His hood covered his face from view as he approached the group. He held a staff almost identical to the one the Sorceress held.
"What, there's more?!" Rannie yelled out before diving back into the crate he just came out of.
The Elf quickly stood in front of the Player and Sorceress with her dagger in hand. The hooded man calmly placed his hand up to dismiss the fear of being a threat.
"Calm yourselves. I'm not here to cause you trouble. I was the one who saved you all."
The Player placed his hand on the Elf's shoulder to put her at ease. "Really? That was some serious badassery there man. You really saved our necks."
"Yes…but we don't know why you did." The Elf added as she lowered her dagger.
The man unhooded himself and revealed his face and long white hair to the party. "It's obvious you all mean no harm. The damage to Alfred was only minor. I've come to the labyrinth's to study powerful magic, and as you all witnessed my studies have paid off. I'm the Wizard." He tucked his hand into his pocket and took out three potions for the party. "Here, drink these. You'll get your strength back."
The Sorceress and Elf took their glass vile and saw it was a common potion. They removed the cork in the top and proceeded to drink up, the relief kicked in the moment they began to drink, in no time they were rejuvenated and good as new.
The Player took his vile next but didn't drink since he didn't use much too much stamina on the battlefield in comparison to his two companions.
"I'll save this for later. I didn't really work up much energy."
The Wizard nods in understanding. "Wise choice."
"Thank you for helping us. Sorry I suspected you for the enemy." The Elf smiled at him.
The Wizard snickered but smiled back. "You had every right too. You'll never know who may be a friend or foe. It's always best to be on your guard."
"Heh, right. I'm the Elf. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir. These are my friends, the Player and Sorceress."
"W'sup." The Player nodded his head up.
The Sorceress only smiled back without saying a word, she seemed a bit distant.
"I'm Rannie!" The muffled voice of the rogue seeped out from the crate.
"I see. It's nice to meet you all. What brings you here?" The Wizard asked in interest. "Have you come to study magic?"
"Nah, we're here on request for a friend. She wanted us to find somebody named 'Lucain'. We gathered intel that said he was here so we thought we'd investigate but obviously our search isn't going too well." The Player stroked his chin using his index finger and thumb while trying to remember the details from the note back in town. "I think the letter said Lucain was coming to see someone named…Wallace?"
Suddenly a mouse entered the ruined room and crawled up the Player's body until it was on his shoulder. The Player briefly freaked out by the rodent's quick movement but noticed it was just an ordinary mouse, it wore a stylish blue hat of wizardry, decorated with symbols of the moon and stars. It held a small scepter in its hand as well.
The mouse jumped off of his shoulder and the Player caught the mouse in his hand.
"What the heck? …Mickey, is that you?" The Player asked as if he was familiar with the rodent who shook its head and began squeaking at him. The Player nods over and over as if getting all the information. "Mhm… Right. I see."
The Wizard took a step closer. "What's he saying?"
"I have no idea." The Player answered.
The mouse was so shocked by the Player's absurdity he dropped like a rock with his legs up in the air in a comical manner.
'Out of the blue, a mouse darts out and leaps onto your palm. The rodent claims to be the apprentice of Wallace the Magician.'
"Ooooh, he's an apprentice of Wallace." The Player gave a new answer to the Wizard who looked down and saw the mouse nodding in response.
The Wizard was amazed. "How did you know?"
The Player's eyes shift to the side as he held a charismatic smile. "I'll explain it later." Trying to explain the narrator's involvement was best left on hold.
'He says he was tasked with caring for the laboratory while Wallace was gone, but it is beset by malevolent magic users.'
"I see but what about Lucain? We're here to find him. We'll be on our way once got him."
'The apprentice answers that his master's friend went into the labyrinth and hasn't returned.'
"…And in order to find him I'm guessing we're going to need to go out into the labyrinth's filled with danger thus adding more on our to-do list."
"It couldn't hurt to help, right?" The Elf gave him a reassuring smile.
The Player exhaled and shrugged lightly. "I suppose."
'Your quest to find Lucain is delayed as you attempt to liberate the lab for Rickey the magician's apprentice.'
The Player crouched down and held his hand on the floor to let Rickey down. "We'll handle the labs." Rickey squeaks happily and runs off. The Player stood up and stretched, inhaling before promptly exhaling. "We ready to go?"
"I'm ready whenever you are." The Elf delightfully answered.
Rannie jumped out of the crate and waltzed over to the group. "As long as you guys handle all the fighting I'm always ready."
"It's probably dangerous for you all to go in there alone." The Wizard stepped forward. "You'll need someone with experience to help navigate you through the premises. I shall offer my aid."
The Player grinned at his offer, anything to make the task easier was much appreciated. "Alright, sounds good. Lead the way?"
The Wizard nods and lead the group down the hall and through the next door just down the corridor with the Elf and Rannie following him. The Player was ready but just as he took his first step the Sorceress grabbed onto his hoodie's sleeve, stopping him. He turned to see a troubled look on her face.
"…I'm sorry." She said shamefully.
"Sorry? Sorry for what?"
"…For being useless." She lowered her head, something that was becoming a bit normal for the Player, a trait he didn't seem to like.
"Useless? What are you-"
The grip she had on his sleeve tightened, the image of him defending her against the wood golems while she struggled with getting herself together under pressure kept replaying in her head. She was overcome by the feeling of guilt for what could've happened if they weren't saved. She was also troubled by not helping the Elf as well, who, despite having her hands full, did everything in her power to try and protect them both.
"Don't pretend like you didn't notice. You know full well what I'm talking about. I put you and the Elf in danger. I couldn't get my mind together, I couldn't focus, I couldn't…I couldn't…" She grits her teeth in frustration.
The Player completely turned to her and she lowered her hand from his sleeve. "You've got to stop doubting yourself." He says after sighing.
"…You both could've died because I couldn't-"
"But we didn't die. That the important thing." The Elf re-entered the room, surprising the Sorceress who couldn't seem to face her companions.
She lowered her hat over her eyes to conceal herself but as she does so the Player takes the hat off of her head so that she couldn't hide. With her only form of protection from them gone she looks up. "What're you doing? Give it back..." She jumped at him after he raised her hat high above his head. The Sorceress was greeted to smiling faces that didn't forsake or blame her for her inability to work under pressure. She stood before them, eyes pacing back and forth between the two.
"We're a team." The Player stated, twirling her hat around on his hand now that she wasn't trying to jump for it.
The Elf nods. "We're there for each other."
"...I-I wanted..." She began to choke over her words as she struggled to look them both in the eyes. "...I wanted…to do…something, anything, you both needed me and I couldn't do anything. You guys are making it sound as if it's easy, what do you do when you can't do nothing, but there's nothing you can do?" She asks them feeling that there was no solution to her question.
"You do what you can." They both answered.
The Player placed the hat back on her head as she stood in silence. "Besides," he went on to playfully ruffle the hat onto her head, "you did more than me. You teleported us away from danger. I'm still geeking out about that. You've got to do it again soon."
"And when you took out that entire group of golems with that rock you summoned? That was insane!" The Elf added joyfully. "I honestly wish I had the magic capabilities you have. I could be a real versatile marksman."
The Player moved his hand from the Sorceress' head to her shoulder. "Don't feel as if you have to carry us to victory. Just do what you can, even if it's small."
The Elf placed a reassuring hand on the opposite shoulder. "No matter what happens, we appreciate everything you do."
"You said you didn't have friends before you met us, so I understand. You don't know how to deal with what you think is failure. You might be scared that we'd turn on you or something…but get real!" He smacked her back with enough force to make her lightly jerk forward. He then gently pat her on the back. "We'd never do anything like that like." He laughed.
The Sorceress, having never been exposed to such an array of emotions all at once, drew a blank. This form of acceptance, kindness and compassion warped her mind beyond anything she could comprehend.
This warmth of encouragement opened new views for her causing a single tear to roll down her cheek before another came out of the other eye. Before she knew it they were flowing freely from her eyes as she giggled which then turned to laughter before finally turning into joyful crying. She sobbed happily as the guilt she once felt was now gone, her body and mind was free with her companions by her side.
At the door leading deeper into the underground labyrinth's Rannie and the Wizard watched in silence, both couldn't help but smile at their moment of warmth.
Party Update
Member Count(+1): 5
Player
Role: Leader
Weapon: None
Skills: Unknown
Info: A strategist who remains neutral in all fields. He keeps the team one step ahead of the enemy using a keen eye.
Sorceress
Role: Defensive Support
Weapon: Light Staff (Ice)
Skills: Levitation/Rock Press/Teleport
Info: A witch who controls magical forces at her whim. She has high magic defense and good support magic
Elf (New!)
Role: Range
Weapon: Short Bow (Gained!)
Skills: Holdout Dagger/Backstab
Info: A master archer who moves swiftly. She is a well-rounded member.
Rannie
Role: Looter
Weapon: None
Skills: Master of Unlocking
Info: He is powerless in battle, but he is highly skilled at picking locks.
Wizard (Temporary!)
Role: Offensive Support
Weapon: Light Rod (Fire)
Skills: Mental Absorb/Concentrate/Magic Point Up/Meteor Swarm
Info: A male magician who has mastered a variety of offensive spells.
After grouping with the others the party of five now made their way through the rundown labs with the Wizard leading them to their destination.
The group faced many areas plagued by untamed and mutated fungi that roamed free causing more harm to the area. The Wizard, Sorceress and Elf handled most of the fighting since there weren't many tools for the Player to use in combat. Rannie was still useless in combat so he always fled at the first sign of danger, he did, however, managed to unlock any treasure chests that were lying around, stuffing his large white bag full of loot and arrows, the latter of which he carried for the Elf whenever she ran low on ammo.
The group soon found themselves walking across the top of large mushrooms that acted as a sort of bridge for them to walk across so they could reach the next area.
The Wizard continued leading the group with Rannie and the Player closely following behind him. The Sorceress and Elf were enjoying themselves from the look of it, they bounced playfully along the mushrooms, giggling and laughing with one another all the way through.
The Wizard noticed the girls having fun through their travels and turned to the Player as they walked side by side. "How long have you been a team?" He asks.
The Player faced the Wizard as he was addressed. "We formed a team just today. In fact just before coming here the Sorceress and I saved our elven friend back there."
"Those girls…you just recently met them?"
"Pretty much. They're good company and partners."
"Amazing. I was under the impression you three have been a team for years. You were willing to put your life before your companion?"
"Eh, I guess I'm just a people person. We might've only known each other for a short while but she's had my back since we met. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't have made enough money to keep a roof over my head."
The Wizard chuckles as the group pass the cavern of overgrown mushroom's and enter the next fungi infested room. The Wizard turned back and noticed Rannie, "Hm. What about him?"
"Who, Rannie? Uuuh…I don't know. He's just here to tag along I suppose."
Rannie moved up to the two and burrowed his way in between the two guys so that he was in the middle of them. "Hey, hey, what's this talk about me?"
"It's nothing. I was just asking your leader more about you."
"Leader…?" Rannie asked while pointing his thumb at the Player. "We don't have a leader. We're like a team of mercenaries."
"Is that right?" The Player asked sarcastically.
Rannie bumped his chest proudly while maintaining a smug grin.
"So why not tell me your story? Who are you?" The Wizard humored the youth.
"I'm the great Rannie, Rannie the Rogue, the smooth talking lady's man who never loses his cool."
Just as he finished his sentence a giant monstrous bug hatched from a disturbingly large white cocoon on the ceiling. The bug had massive pinchers, green eyes and was able to stand on its back legs. It opened its mighty jaws, revealing its sharp teeth, and roars at the group menacingly.
"HOLY SHIT!" Rannie was the first, and only one of the group, to scream out in complete terror, running behind the Player for protection. "HELP ME, PLAYER! DO SOMETHING! I'M TOO IMPORTANT TO DIE!"
"Huh. So much for never losing your cool, huh?" The Player smiled smugly at Rannie, mimicking the same expression the rogue displayed before the bug appeared.
"YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO POINT OUT IRONY AT A TIME LIKE THIS?!" Rannie remained in a panic.
The Elf rushed to the Player's side, ready for battle. Rannie dug into his bag and pulled out 10 arrows for the Elf to use, after supplying her with ammo he ran off in the opposite direction.
"It just never ends." The Elf states as she placed her arrows in the arrow bag.
The Wizard's staff produced a fiery effect, in contrast to the Sorceress's ice. A blue aura formed around him after he replenished his mystic energy. "An adult Doom Beetle. Pesky gnats."
"Hey, you specialize in fire based attacks, right?" The Player asked after noticing the warm glow emitting from the staff.
"Yes. Why?"
"If you're fire then the Sorceress is ice. You two can make some real cool elemental combinations with jointed efforts. Right, Sorcere-"
Before he could finish his sentence the Player realized the Sorceress was nowhere to be found on the frontlines. He turned around and saw her in the distance, taking shelter behind a large rock while Rannie stuffed himself in his own bag after discovering there was no other place to hide. She waved innocently from behind cover with a bright smile.
The Player sighed and slouched over before picking himself up again. "Oh right. She's afraid of bugs. looks like it's up to us then."
"Hmp. This shouldn't take long." The Wizard gave a confident smile.
The threatening Doom Beetle hissed loudly at the trio before spreading its wings and hovering off of the ground, the beetle charged at the three with its pincers open and its mouth drooling in hunger. The Wizard teleports out of the way, the Elf uses her agile movement to jump high above the incoming beetle and the Player dodge rolls to the side.
The beetle circled around and came swooping back in for another shot at capturing one of the three.
The Wizard conjours up a powerful fireball and launches it that at the starved beetle while it was in the midst of charging at them. Because of its bulky size the beetle was unable to dodge resulting in a direct hit, the attack was powerful enough to disrupt its flight causing it to crash land on the floor.
With the enemy down the Elf, while still airborne, took aim and fired the arrow at the Doom Beetle. The arrow struck the beetle's left eye, making green blood spurt out of its heavily damaged socket. It stood up, shrieking in pain. The Elf lands smoothly on a nearby rock with another arrow ready to be fired.
"Great work!" The Player complimented their teamwork. He noticed a fallen soldier, clad in armor, nearby with a sword beside his corpse. He took the sword in hand and inspected it to see it in good condition.
The beetle was ready for round 2, standing on its back legs with the arrow lodged in its damaged eye. It seemed to have trouble standing but its spirit was relentless and its stomach still empty and growling for food.
The Sorceress was in the back cheering for her team. She somehow managed to find a set of blue/white pom-pom's, which is odd considering they weren't even invented in this time period, and with them cheered gleefully. "Go! Fight! Win! Go! Fight! Win!"
The Wizard used his fire magic to conjour the figure of a large bird, resembling the legendary bird in myth known as the phoenix. The bird roars as it stood behind the Wizard, ready to attack. The Wizard points his staff forward, commanding the fiery bird to attack.
The bird charged for the injured Doom Beetle, beginning it's assault by circling around its prey at blinding speeds which ended up creating a large flame cyclone around it. The bird flew to the top of the rotating flame tunnel and dove in from above, striking the beetle once more and setting it ablaze.
The flames began to die down and the silhouette of the beetle was all that could be seen in the lingering fire. It didn't move but the wings spread from its back and it quickly darts from out of the flames, taking the group by surprise.
The beetle violently tackles the Wizard with devastating force, sent him flying into the wall. The attack was powerful enough to have his body destroy the brick exterior.
The next target for the Doom Beetle was the Elf, who was snatched and gripped up in its claw. The beetle lands with the poor girl at its mercy, her arms were confined in its grasp so using any of her weapons was impossible but this didn't stop her from trying to force her way to freedom. The beetle let out another roar in front of the Elf, showing its drooling mouth and sharp teeth.
The Wizard fell out of his wall imprint and lands on the ground, he was forced to watch in horror as the beetle widened its pincers, ready to cross them clean across the Elf's shoulders and decapitate her.
Before the beetle could finish her off a large chunk of ice struck the beetle's back, distracting the monster from killing the Elf. It turned back and saw the Sorceress who launched the attack. The Beetle now had a new target but didn't release the Elf from its grip.
Before it could move the Player rushes over to the large foe and cuts the beasts arm off using the sword he found earlier. The Elf uses her strength to break free from the severed limb and lands onto her feet. Following up from his last attack the Player quickly turned back and swung the sword across the beetle's left pincher, cutting it off in the same way he did the arm.
The beetle once again cries out as its severed limbs excessively bled its gooey green fluids.
The Elf wentto check on the Wizard as the Player distracts the beetle. "Are you ok?" She asks as he laid up against the wall he flew into.
"I'll be fine. Here." He reached into his pocket and took out a bottle with a flame symbol on its front.
She takes the bottle and examines it. "What's this?"
"Salamander oil, it'll grant fire properties to your arrows. The beetle is weak to fire, strike its heart and end this."
The Elf gave the bottle one last look before nodding, there was no time to raise any questions. She makes her way back into the fray to get a good vantage point.
The beetle was now delirious but it kept fighting, swinging the remainder of its claws around in an attempt to strike the Player who was only able to dodge the beetle's attacks, its unpredictable movements made it hard for him to determine what it would do next so striking was out of the question.
The Sorceress watched in a panic as the Player narrowly dodges the beetle swings however she was able to catch a glimpse of the Elf aiming her new fire arrow at the fight, trying to get a good lock but it was hard with the Player in the way.
The Sorceress didn't want to get near the beetle due to her entomophobia but the fear of losing her companion was much greater so she took action.
She sprints toward the two, "ELF!" she called out to get her attention. "Fire the arrow!"
Before the Elf could question her demands the Sorceress vanished into thin air. The Elf's eyes widen and a smile took form now that she realized what her plan was.
The Player, unintentionally, stood within position to have the beetle's front facing toward the Elf. He grew fatigue from all of the dodging and couldn't do much more but frantically pant in an attempt to catch his breath.
The Elf closed one eye, having complete focus, and shot the flaming arrow but at the same time the beetle swung its claw toward the Player.
The Sorceress teleports beside the Player, quickly wrapping her arms around him and just as fast as she appeared she teleports away much to the beetle's shock. Its claw attack swung at nothing and the arrow struck dead center in the heart. The beetle let out one final cry, green blood spurting out of its mouth as well as its chest area. With the final blow dealt it fell back and landed on its backside, defeated.
The Elf lowered her bow and swiped her thumb across her nose, grinning happily at the result.
The Sorceress teleported herself and the Player to safety. The two clumsily fall on the ground, the Player was being held protectively in the Sorceress' arms. She slowly opened her eyes and saw that he was safe.
"Wait. Where did I-? ...Sorceress?"
She smiles down at him with her hat sitting crooked on her head. "Surprised?" She playfully stuck out her tongue at him.
"…You-?" The Player looked over and saw the beetle on its backside with an arrow sticking out of its chest. "You did the teleport thing again?" He asked her after facing her again.
"Yeah. The Elf had the situation under control. She couldn't fire with you in the way so we waited until you were in the right spot for her to fire and strike the creepy crawly. I got you out of there before the arrow got you. You served as a nice distraction."
He didn't say anything, he just couldn't believe she got in and teleported him away. The whole process of suddenly warping to a different location was trippy but a mind blowing experience. Hearing that his team was so well coordinated only made him that much happier, even if he was nearly clawed to death.
After letting it all sink in the Player fell back onto the grassy floor and laughed. "You guys are epic. Thanks for getting me out of there."
She smiled warmly at his joy and then over to the Elf and Wizard."That's what friends do, right?"
"Right." He nods at her.
She stood up and extended her hand out to him, he took her hand and got up off the ground.
The crew regrouped over by the Wizard who was still a bit injured from the beetle's attack but, as luck would have it, the Player still had the potion from earlier and gave it to the Wizard to heal him. Rannie also joined them once he knew it was safe.
"That was close…" Rannie sighed only to have the back of his head slapped by the Player.
"You didn't do anything."
The Elf giggled and stretched. "Well it was still one heck of a battle."
"And we didn't find Lucain." The Sorceress exhaled tiredly.
"No. He's here." The Wizard corrected her as he inspected a pile of bones nearby.
The group approach him to see what he meant only for their eyes to fall upon the bones he discovered.
The Player placed his hand on top of his head, gesturing worry. "Please don't tell me that's him..."
'You found some bones that seemed to belong to Lucain in the depths of the labyrinth. The tattered raiment's and jewelry leave no doubt that the corpse is indeed Lucain's.'
The Player crossed his arms. "I get the feeling we're always going to be late to these things."
"What are we going to do? We told the fairy we'd find him." The Elf nervously rubbed the back of her head. She was never one to deliver bad news to others.
"Correction, I said we'll return once we find something." The Player said. "We found something so we're bringing it back. Rannie, pick everything up. We're leaving. Hey, Wizard, thanks for everything man. We really appreciate it. Hopefully we'll meet again." He placed the sword he found over his shoulder and walks toward the exit.
Rannie gathered all that belonged to Lucain and followed after the Player.
The Elf brought back the Salamander Oil the Wizard provided her. "Here. Thank you for getting us through that. Without you I'm sure we'd be…uh, well, it wouldn't have been easy."
"Keep it." The Wizard offered. "It'll definitely come in handy for you in your future adventures. Use it wisely and be careful."
Her eyes shimmered at him gleefully, she wasn't expecting him to give her such a viable item. "You mean it? Thank you! This will be really useful to me. I'll remember this always. Thank you!" The Elf bows respectfully to the Wizard and made off to catch up with the boys.
The Sorceress watched the Elf joyfully run along before preparing to say her goodbyes as well. "You really saved our necks today. We're really grateful."
"Of course." He smiled at her.
"Well, I should be going too. Hopefully we'll cross paths again."
The Sorceress waved and took the first step to catch up with her party but was stopped as the Wizard gently grabbed her hand. She looked back to him as he did so.
"You know you're welcome to stay."
"Huh?"
"You can stay here and learn more about yourself, about your potential. You're a magic user just like myself and every other wizard here. We could continue to build and thrive. Your magic could be something great so that you could never worry about seeing your friends in danger again. You'll be a warrior of magic and achieve great things. I can see the power in you. With the right training you could be so much more than what you are now."
The Sorceress's eyes widened as the Wizard offered her a place to train to improve her magic, the thought of being able to use spells beyond her comprehension as the Wizard demonstrated earlier wowed her.
"But you already knew that the moment you stepped foot here."
"…You're right." She answered. "I knew this place was something special the moment I arrived. I would love nothing more than to be surrounded by others who share the same magical prowess as I. Always being surrounded by the wonder of magic, improving my own and even potentially being the all-powerful sorceress I always wanted to be. However, I have to decline."
The Wizard wasn't anticipating her answer and lets out an audible gasp of shock. "You decline? You should think of the opportunity you're leaving behind. Your future is bright here, can't you see that?"
"Of course but my future is brighter with my companions. Magic has been a part of my life for as long as I could remember...but never once has it provided me the strength those two managed to pull out of me in only a day." She was of course referencing the Player and Elf. "I'll become the powerful sorceress I've always dreamed of being with them by side. My future is with them. They need me just as much as I need them." Finally she looks back up to the Wizard, happily smiling at him with her answer definite. "It's as simple as that. I won't forget your kindness, thank you."
The Sorceress waved goodbye and went off to catch up with her party. The Wizard watched her off in awe, still shocked at her choice.
The crew managed to leave the labyrinths via the portal that was waiting for them back where they started, it seemed to have been keeping track of their progression or something…I don't know, magic, I guess.
Party Update
Member Count(-1): 4
Player
Role: Leader
Weapon: None
Skills: Unknown
Info: A strategist who remains neutral in all fields. He keeps the team one step ahead of the enemy using a keen eye.
Sorceress
Role: Defensive Support
Weapon: Light Staff (Ice)
Skills: Levitation/Rock Press/Teleport
Info: A witch who controls magical forces at her whim. She has high magic defense and good support magic
Elf (New!)
Role: Range
Weapon: Short Bow
Skills: Holdout Dagger/Backstab/Salamander Oil (Gained!)
Info: A master archer who moves swiftly. She is a well-rounded member.
Rannie
Role: Looter
Weapon: None
Skills: Master of Unlocking
Info: He is powerless in battle, but he is highly skilled at picking locks.
~ Town Area ~
Lucain's Tower
The party was able to make a safe trip back to town and returned to the old tower, everyone, except the Sorceress, entered.
"We're back." The Player wearily approached the fairy.
'When you enter the laboratory, the fairy frantically flits around you, as if she senses your uneasiness.'
The Player looks up to the sky confused. "Uneasy? I'm not uneasy."
"That…may be me." The Elf raised her hand nervously.
Rannie held his bag open to the fairy to show her the bones of Lucain.
'Upon seeing Lucain's bones, the fairy enters into a panic. She begins tugging away at your arm to get you to leave the tower.'
The Player groans looking more tired than usual but handling a handful of troublesome quests in a single day would have taken its toll on anyone. Despite his dismay he dragged his feet along anyway, following the fairy out of the tower.
"Ok, ok. We're coming…"
The fairy leads the group back in the direction of Canaan Temple. The Player was too exhausted to question his morals anymore and continued following the fairy with his team.
Once they arrive everyone was greeted by the same monk who revived the Elf. Rannie hands over the pile of bones and let the monk to handle the rest, repeating the same prayer he used for the Elf. The process was repeated word for word, the same heavenly effects played out as well, naked angel babies. Seeing it all again wasn't too impressive for the Player, he wished within his subconscious that he could skip everything with a button or something.
'The prayer reaches the goddess, and the pile of bones is once again given flesh.'
The man Lucain appeared up in age with his most noticeable trait was his long grey beard. He was wrinkled but had the image of a very wise and powerful magician. He was dressed in his all blue attire that was nearly identical to the Sorceress'.
He rose from the temple alter and saw the party before him. The fairy was overjoyed to see him revived and circled around his head joyfully.
"….This is Lucain?" The player questioned. "Dude. He's so damn old it was probably his time to die! THIS is what we risked our lives for?!"
The Sorceress kicked him in the shin, resulting in the Player flinching in mild pain.
"Oh? I'm alive!" Lucain exclaimed in a whimsical tone. "Was it you that revived me, my friend?" He asked the fairy who was happily flying around him.
She shook her head and guides his attention to the three before him, using more body gestures to answer his question.
"Ah! I see. So you're the ones? Such lovely young people, it does my heart good to see there's still some good in the new generation."
"Yeah, whatever." The Player was still a bit grumpy. The Sorceress applied more force and kicked his shin once more. "GAAAH!" The Player collapsed to his knees. "Goddamn, ok, ok!"
Lucain levitated from off the temple alter and stood before the party. "Thank you, thank you so much! You've done me a life of gratitude for this. Come by my tower, I have something I'd like to discuss."
"…Wait, wait, wait! Just tell us here!" The Player shouted.
'Lucain, shocked to find himself alive, thanks you profusely, he tells you to visit him at his laboratory and leaves.'
The Player's eye twitched aggressively. "FUUUUUUUUUUUU-"
'The resurrected magician has returned to the old tower in town, you decide to see him to ask more details.'
A few minutes later the party walk back to the old tower, the Elf carried the Player on her back as he was dealt a powerful blow to the head, most likely from the Sorceress for his use of such vulgar language in the sacred temple. He had a large lump extending from his head as he laid over the Elf's shoulder.
'The magician Lucain is waiting for you in the laboratory of the old tower. It seems that dying had an adverse effect on his short-term memory. Lucain can't remember why he went to meet Wallace.'
"Alzheimer's…" The Player muttered. Hearing the narrator's explanation seemed to have brought him back around.
"You're really a glutton for punishment, aren't you?" Rannie quietly whispered.
"Shut up. I'm tired and I still haven't had the chance to get my drink."
"True enough. Drinks are still on you, right?"
"Kiss my ass."
Lucain removed the pipe from his mouth and gave the team an intrigued smile. "Now, I've called you here to tell you about this spell form of magic I've been studying. They're called 'Runes', it's a very ancient form of magic. Well beyond our time."
The Sorceress's eyes sparkled in interest. She stood like an eager school girl ready for the first day of school.
"This form of magic is linked to elements beyond human comprehension, such as spirits and fairies." He continued to explain. "I work feverishly around the clock to unlock all of its secrets but the more I learn the more mystery I uncover. That's why I have my little friend here. She's like an assistant to me. Her name is Tiki and her curious spirit lead her away from home. She wanted to see the world beyond her borders."
The Elf couldn't help but smile at the fairy as she saw a bit of herself in Tiki. "You too, huh? I left home for the same reason."
"I see you're all well acquainted. She tells me you saved her from imprisonment."
"Yeah, she was trapped in a cage." The Player answered.
"We both thank you sincerely for all your efforts." Lucain goes on to point his old staff to his magical trinkets displayed in a fancy glass cabinet. "I've a variety of magical items that you can use if you're ever in need of them. I would be more than happy to sell you them at a fraction of the normal price."
The Player gazed at Lucain with a raised brow. "At a fraction of the normal price? You should be giving us stuff for free. We brought you BACK to LIFE. How are you going to put a price on that? Sounds like a load of bullshi-"
A loud 'WHACK' was heard as a white flash passed by. The Player was once again slouched over on the Elf, now sporting a second comically exaggeratedly sized lump on his head.
"Don't mind him." The Sorceress insisted. "If we ever find a need for your magical items we'll definitely consider them but I have a question, if you don't mind; who exactly is Wallace?"
"Wallace is an old friend of mine. He's a great magician. He sealed away a group of rampaging Cyclopes in a labyrinth and saved the land. He was also a beloved mentor by many."
"Wow…" The Sorceress was in awe. "He must've been really important."
"Indeed he was. In fact he was the king's trusted advisor, and…oh."
"Is something wrong?" She asked.
"Hm…it seems my memory has failed me again." Lucain regretfully informed her.
"Oh. That's too bad…I was hoping to learn more about him."
The Player regained his composure and got off of the Elf's back. "That's great and all but I don't care…I'm going to get my drink. It was a pleasure saving you, Lucain but I'm out."
Before he could leave the room Tiki flew up to him, dancing around his torso happily more than she had ever done so before. Her actions suggested she was actually trying to tell him something.
"What's she doing?" The Player asked.
Lucain observed Tiki's behavior and realized she was showing signs of affection toward the group. "It seems she's taken a liking to you. Do me a favor? Look after her for me."
The Player was a bit mesmerized by Tiki's cute little dance but the moment he heard Lucain's favor he quickly looks over to him with a furrowed brow. "What?" He asked in a surprised tone.
"I've given all I could to the young fairy and I would hate to keep her confined to the tower. Her heart craves freedom and adventure, something I'm sure you and your party are well accustomed to. She will accompany you henceforth. Fairies are known to be adept at finding hidden things so she will prove useful to your searches."
Tiki gave a small twirl in front of the Player's face, having her gold sparkles emit off of her body and sprinkle onto his nose which tickled him. He snickered lightly and rubbed the back of his head, silently accepting the fairy with a smile.