Chapter 23
After helping Lamy to take the skeletons on display down, it was then decided to send Polka and Aloe to get word of what happened to Captain Calixes and Ayane. Lamy was busy praying over the skeletons and the dead sailor. While the remaining two looked over the dead chuuls.
"Hng… no trophy..." murmured Botan.
"Really?" replied Nene with an incredulous look, "I doubt the head would actually last that long."
"I know… too bad Rushia isn't around, hi hi," the lion girl giggled.
"So, this is where the thieves are."
They spun towards the pool of water. The cleric got to her feet and did the same. The mysterious man in kelp and seaweed was walking towards them as he rose out of the water.
"How..." trailed off the lore bard as the strange man headed straight for the dead and picked up a gleaming staff.
"Thank you for helping to retrieve my master's belongings," he stated in a drone as he picked up another weapon, a shortbow, "Hmm, interesting. I believe this would do well with your archer."
He then tossed it at the bard before heading back towards the pool. Slowly, he stepped in and sank into the pool as he walked down, disappearing from the surface after a few seconds. Nene stared at the bow for a moment before handing it to Botan.
The lion girl looked it over and plucked the bowstring. Making slight nods, she then nocked an arrow and pulled. To everyone's surprise, a copy of that arrow appeared above it. "So that's why he said that," she muttered as she put the arrow back in the quiver.
"Woah, looks like you got an upgrade, Botan," quipped the lore bard with a grin.
She chuckled just as several sailors came into the cave with several blankets. After some quick direction, they wrapped the body and the skeletons in the blankets, and then carried them out of the cave along with their belongings. The remains were brought to the shrine to be checked over by the shrine maiden. It was there that the party met up again with the captain.
"Now, as much as I prefer resolving this, letting one of my men die for it is not what I signed them up for," he said calmly, but his eyes revealed anything but, "Even if you did kill the ones that killed him."
"I'm sorry for your loss… is there any way we can make up for this?" asked Nene.
He grunted and turned around to look at the priestess, who was examining the bones. He then said, "You can't replace a life with money," he stated softly.
Silence.
"...Maybe we can try and prevent future losses," said Lamy suddenly, "I have noticed during the fight that the shells on those things are quite durable. Perhaps you can reclaim their shells and use them to make armor for yourself and your crew."
"...Makes sense. I suppose we can do something about it," he muttered after some thought, "I'll have some of my men try and drag those things out of their cave."
That night, they built two funeral pyres and burned the remains.
The next day started with a busy morning. The two chuul bodies were dragged out of their cave as well as any salvageable equipment, which wasn't much. The flesh was removed and burned while the bulky exoskeleton was stored in the hold. It wasn't done neatly, but everyone did their best. After everything else was done, they set sail, moving away from the pier as the shrine maiden waved goodbye.
It wasn't before long that they were back on the high seas, sailing straight for Huan Tuo. Thankfully, they had good winds and they reached the port when night fell. The streets had scarcely any citizens walking around by the time the party finally left the harbor. The sailors were with them, their captain deciding that they were due some shore leave.
"Right, this is goodbye for now," Calixes stated as he shook their hands, "Tell you what, if we ever do get something made out of those shells, I'll send a messenger with a gift. Never would have gotten that idea if your healer here didn't suggest it."
"Glad to be of service,' replied Lamy with a smile.
Nodding to them, he turned to his men and announced, "Alright, business is done. Drinks are on me!" The sailors cheered as they followed the captain in search of their preferred bar.
The party headed out as well, searching for a place to stay at instead. After some walking, they settled at a place called the Squealing Pig. After Nene paid for lodging and late-night food, they sat at their table to eat and chat before turning in for the night. The next day, they refilled their waterskins and started their trek across the desert, already knowing that they could reach the ruins stop-over by sundown since they had passed through before. However, by midday, they stumbled onto a camel lying on its side. It had died, Lamy noticing a deep gash in its side. It still had a chest attached to its saddle. It had broken open and its contents are mostly gone except for a... piece of paper.
"Eh, what's this?" muttered Polka as she looked over the paper with strange writing on it, "Hey… this is the enchanter's shop that Camryn is apprenticing at."
"Huh…, let me have a look," requested Nene. The fennec fox girl passed it over and she looked at it. "Oh… this is like… a ticket for an item. Ah... " she mused and it suddenly dawned on her what happened, "So I think the person who was using this camel was some merchant. Either killed by some bandits or some animal. This might be one of his items that he was requesting to stock his stock or something."
"Oh, then we just need to bring this to the enchanter's shop and get something for free," summed up Botan with a grin, "Lucky!"
"Well, let us not waste any more time and get to the pit stop," stated Lamy with urgency.
"Ah, right, right," agreed the lore bard and the party headed on their way.
They reached the ruins pit stop in the evening, just as expected. However, they were not the only ones there. A merchant was there with two of his guards.
"Hello, how are you this fine evening?" he greeted them jovially as he waved at them from the fire.
"Hello, we are on our way to Nikubasa," replied Nene with a smile.
"Oh, we came from there," exclaimed the merchant, "Please, you are welcome to share the fire."
"Thank you for the offer. We will take you up on that," she replied, "Please give me a moment."
Turning to her party, she asked them to gather together. Strumming on her lute, she started to sing.
I'm coming home,
I'm coming home,
Tell the plains I'm coming home,
Let the rain wash away,
All the pain of yesterday,
I know my friends await,
Family greets me at the gate,
I'm coming home,
Yes, coming home,
Tell the plains I'm coming... home…
Very slowly, a blue aura shot upwards and fell around them like a shimmering dome, amazing the merchant and his guards. They then stepped out of the hut and shared the fire. They had a good chat while they had dinner before turning in under the hut.
Morning came and they left the pitstop after saying their goodbyes to the merchant. They made it to Nikubasa without any problems and hired a cart to take them back to the capital. They also hired a messenger to go ahead of them and sent Sir Aruran Doris' letter. Leaving in the evening, they asked the driver to go as fast as she could to Greenwish. As night fell, Polka illuminated the way with her driftglobe and they reached the town without a problem. They then checked into The Wishing Well to eat and rest. Once morning came, they hired another cart straight to Rivirapolis. The driver agreed and they went on their way. They breezed past Solena and made good ground.
Unfortunately, it didn't last too long as their driver suddenly got riddled with bolts and javelins, the cart slowing down to a halt as her body slumped over to the side. The sudden stop jostled the passengers and while they were a little shocked, they got over it quickly as a group of bandits and orcs ran at them down the road with two familiar berserkers.
"Oh, geez, them again?" groaned Aloe in a bored tone as everyone got ready, with Nene and Polka jumping out of the cart while she flew up into the air.
"Get them! Get them!" shouted the lead bandit as the other bandits shot at them while the orcs ran straight for the first one out of the cart… Nene.
"What in the world?" shrieked Nene as the orcs surrounded her and swung their greataxes at her. The protective blessing that Lamy put on them flickered and shattered with the sound of breaking glass. She tried her best to dodge and parry as the blows rained on her but she still got two deep wounds on each of her arms.
"Ah, ha, take this!" shouted the chief as he threw two daggers at Botan while bolts pelted the archer and the succubus.
The lion girl didn't reply to him, but quietly murmured something as she unleashed a burst arrow at the bandits, followed by a normal arrow at the charging berserker. She was a little intrigued when her arcane shot didn't trigger her bow's special ability. Meanwhile, the others tried their best to help Nene beat back the orcs that still persisted on wailing on the bard.
"Payback time for me!" declared the chief as he ran up to the cart, clambered onto the driver's seat and started attacking Botan. His men continued to cover him from range with their crossbows.
"Get off the cart!" roared Botan in return, ignoring the jab in her shoulder to kick him off the cart. Then, she proceeded to shoot him in the leg.
A flurry of snowballs and hail buffeted the group of shooting bandits as the cleric and the monk continued to take down more orcs. The succubus had a different idea.
She took off and flew down to the bandit chief. "Look into my eyes, big boy. I know what you truly desire," she said seductively, staring into his eyes.
In spite of the arrow in his leg, he stilled and said, "Yes, mistress."
"Retreat and run away. Then, turn yourself in to the Solena guards," she ordered him, just as the berserkers finally reached them and jumped in to attack, targeting Polka and Lamy.
"Yes, mistress," replied the bandit chief. The bard tried charming the remaining orc but failed, making it even angrier and got a greataxe to the gut.
"NENE!" the rest shouted in horror as the orc pulled out its greataxe and moved to the monk.
Botan shot it, one arrow striking its neck. Polka then wrenched the arrow out and drove it in its eye. As she moved on to fight the berserker, Lamy jumped off the cart, her legs getting clipped by the other berserker's greataxe. Her spirit weapon struck from the side as she placed her hands on Nene,s stomach and prayed. Tendrils of green aura reached out and bathed her body in it. The gaping wound magically closed up without a scratch.
"Thank the goddess," she muttered with relief as Aloe flew onto the cart and attacked the berserker behind it.
"Ah, ha! I'm back!" the bard shouted as she got off the floor and skewered the nearest berserker with her rapier.
"Nice!" cheered on Polka as two sets of arrows slammed into the berserker's chest. She then punched the same berserker in the stomach and then kicked him in the knees, causing him to fall forward onto the arrows.
Meanwhile, a ray of frost missed the remaining berserker and so the cleric mentally moved the spirit sword to attack him. The spectral blade slashed him in the back as Aloe raked her claws over his face. The maddened berserker struck back, the greataxe cutting across her legs.
"Take him down!" shouted Nene again, as she ran behind him and stabbed him in the back as well. The archer shot him in both the chest and the head. The monk followed up with a flying kick to the side of his head, landed and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying into a tree.
It took a while before the adrenaline stopped pumping through their system. Nene slumped down to the ground and said, "We need a break from this."
"I agree," stated Lamy, "Perhaps we should rest easy for a few days before thinking of another request."
"Alright, I guess we could give it a rest," stated Aloe as she helped the bard to her feet after she searched the bodies for loot, "Come on, let's get you back to the guild house."
"All aboard!" called out Polka as she and Botan got the horses under control. With them driving, the cart brought the party to the city with no problem at all. After paying some recompense for the driver's death to the stablemaster, they went straight for the guild house.
"Welcome back!" greeted Miyabi cheerfully, "The guild got the message. Lord Aruran was a little disappointed but understood the circumstances. As for the four of you… well, Lord Aruran has put your name forward in the competition, Polka."
"...what competition?" she asked, voicing what the bewildered party wanted to ask.
"Well, it's close to the time of the anniversary of the death of the black dragon," he explained, "So, every year around this time, there is a celebration to remember it. A festival of sorts. So, other than allowing various stalls to line the streets and bardic performances, there is a fighting competition. It's more to show respect to the brave warriors and wizards that helped to put down the dragon. About anyone is allowed to enter. Heck, Lord Aruran even approved betting booths for it. Allowing the city to have some extra fun, he says. It sort of helps to fund the guild a bit too, to Lord Aruran doesn't have to pour in so much."
"Ah… so he suggested my name? The monk asked hesitantly, "I'm not sure if I can..."
"Well, he has been training you, right?" spoke up Nene, "Maybe he's testing you."
"Ah, sounds like a good test," agreed Botan, "No worries. I'm sure you will do alright. You have been great so far."
"Hng… he better teach me a few more tricks then," muttered the fennec fox girl, blushing at all that praise.
"Well, the festival is in a few days time. I'm sure you'll be able to brush up on stuff in the meantime," supported the guild clerk.
"Yeah! We can take it easy the next few days." said Aloe happily.
"That would be a relief," added Lamy, "We have been away from the city for… almost two weeks. That is the longest we have been away from the city."
"...Miyabi, who else is in the competition?" asked the lore bard suddenly.
"Hmm, I think one other. Oga Aragami, I think is his name," he mused before launching in an explanation, "That makes it two. And before you say it's too many, there aren't that many who are capable enough to fight at a high level. At most, we have traveling fighters here and there that wish to test their strength. Not to mention we have some bounty hunters and those in the guard who like these kinds of things. All in all, a limited pool for a tournament-styled competition like this."
"I, for one, am looking forward to the festival. I wonder what sort of stalls are going to be there," muttered the lion girl eagerly.
AN: Hello, readers. Welcome to the next chapter. Rewards to the party. It is a wonderful time. Botan may not get a trophy, but she got a new bow instead. Normal arrows can be doubled but her arcane shots can't, so no double bursting arrows. Right, on their way back to the capital, they bump into the bandit group that tried to stop them days ago. This time, they handled them instead of riding through on the stagecoach. But... this time, the bandits got some reinforcements in the form of orcs. Still, no problem and they made it back safely.
And thus, the end of the current arc. I am still writing the next one and I am having fun coming up with weird and strange character exports. Thank you for reading and have a good day, dear readers.