The Bridge
After a few more hours, the gang arrived in the city of Odel. Immediately, they headed for the castle. Once there, they descended the stairs to the basement, looking for the professor.
"Excuse me," Lyle asked, "Where is Professor Shaia? We need to talk to him."
"He's in the city of Arus, hoping to learn some magic from the elder in order to help with his research. Whatever you need, we can help you with," the assistant replied.
Lyle stated, "That is quite all right. We'll just go to Arus and talk to him there."
She held onto his tunic as he turned to leave. "Wait, the suspension bridge to Arus is down. You will have to go and talk to the castle architect, Piron, if you want to get it rebuilt. And unless someone with strong magical gifts is in your group, or the elder opens the door for you, you can't get to Arus."
"I'm sure that I can open this door," Rasha told her, "After all, I dispelled a barrier in the caves near Ranques while we were on the way to Odel. The door can't be too different."
They left it at that, and headed to the throne room. There, they found Piron. He was the man who built Odel Castle, and often repaired the suspension bridge when it fell down.
"Of course I'll fix the bridge. I'm not the royal architect for nothing. But before I go, I must ask if you could pick up my assistant. He's in Lyden, the town of chefs," Piron requested.
Lyle agreed to go and find this assistant. So they all began to walk east, towards the famous town of Lyden. Most of the greatest chefs in the world had studied in that very town. Rasha had often dreamed of going there to test her own cooking skills against professionals.
Once they arrived, the group headed to a restaurant, where the assistant was eating. There, they found another problem. The chef was sick in bed, and customers were still waiting for their food. Piron's poor assistant wasn't able to get anything to eat, and he wouldn't leave without a meal.
Lyle exclaimed, "Rasha! You can take the place of the chef. Your cooking is the best in all of Alekia. Remember, you always dreamt of coming here to test your abilities as a cook."
Rasha smiled at him. "If you say so, I will. We need to get his help in order to get to the town of Arus, and if I'm the only one who can do this, I will do whatever I can."
So Rasha put on an apron, and began to make all of the customer's meals. When she finished, she brought it out to the men and women waiting in the restaurant. Each person took one bite, and began to talk about how good the amateur woman was at cooking.
"Did you hear that Lyle?" inquired Rasha, "They really like my cooking. I always knew I would fit in real well in this town. I wonder if I could get lessons here when we finish our mission."
"Maybe you can Rasha," replied Lyle. He smiled at her, and she blushed.
The assistant stated, "Thank you for your help. I'd better get back to Odel. Piron needs my help, right? There's no way I can say no when he asks me." Then, he ran off.
* * *
When they got back, Piron and the assistant were waiting for them. The architect thanked them for their help. "One more thing, can you check on the condition of the bridge for me? I've got to gather my tools and the necessary supplies, so this'll greatly help me."
So they then headed for the cave through the west most entrance. There, they found that the bridge was completely collapsed due to weakness in the ropes on the sides, and old wood. After getting the gist of what had happened, the group headed back to Odel.
"So, we need all new wood and rope," Piron said, "Here's what we'll do. My assistant and I are going in to check things out. You five can enter through another way, and stand on the ledge above where we're working. I feel much better if someone is watching me work."
They headed back to the cave, and entered through one of the center entrances. This one was more of a maze than the other, with many ledges as well. So it took them several minutes of meticulous searching in order to find the ledge Piron had told them to stand on.
Once they were in position, Piron began to work. He was pretty quick, but he still managed to go slow enough in order to avoid serious mistakes. Even still, it was long enough for the group to eat a delicious lunch that Rasha had cooked up for them.
Finally, Piron was done. He called up to the others to take a look. When Lyle peered out over the chasm, he saw a new, flawless bridge in place of the rickety old one.
"What do you think, pretty good, isn't it?" asked Piron.
Lyle yelled back, "It's just perfect Piron. Thank you, we're in your debt always. Now we can head to Arus in order to look for Professor Galuff Shaia."
Piron and his assistant returned to Odel Castle. Lyle and his friends did the same thing, as it was getting late. They then rented a room at the inn, and spent the night.
The next day, the group went shopping in order to re-supply for their trip. Rasha began to make sandwiches for their lunch, while Migel cleaned all of the weapons and armor. Lyle brought the Potions and Magics needed for battle, and Ihrie took Fam to the toy store, where she brought a stuffed dog.
Once all of the supplies were brought and packed, they met in front of the village entrance. Then, they headed towards the cave leading to the bridge. After crossing the bridge, they headed into the depths of the caves, and the city that lay beyond it.
- - - -
What will they find in the Magic City? Can they open a door that is sealed by a powerful spell? With the insanity ever end? Any connections between the chapter title and old Ace of Base albums are purely coincidental.
After a few more hours, the gang arrived in the city of Odel. Immediately, they headed for the castle. Once there, they descended the stairs to the basement, looking for the professor.
"Excuse me," Lyle asked, "Where is Professor Shaia? We need to talk to him."
"He's in the city of Arus, hoping to learn some magic from the elder in order to help with his research. Whatever you need, we can help you with," the assistant replied.
Lyle stated, "That is quite all right. We'll just go to Arus and talk to him there."
She held onto his tunic as he turned to leave. "Wait, the suspension bridge to Arus is down. You will have to go and talk to the castle architect, Piron, if you want to get it rebuilt. And unless someone with strong magical gifts is in your group, or the elder opens the door for you, you can't get to Arus."
"I'm sure that I can open this door," Rasha told her, "After all, I dispelled a barrier in the caves near Ranques while we were on the way to Odel. The door can't be too different."
They left it at that, and headed to the throne room. There, they found Piron. He was the man who built Odel Castle, and often repaired the suspension bridge when it fell down.
"Of course I'll fix the bridge. I'm not the royal architect for nothing. But before I go, I must ask if you could pick up my assistant. He's in Lyden, the town of chefs," Piron requested.
Lyle agreed to go and find this assistant. So they all began to walk east, towards the famous town of Lyden. Most of the greatest chefs in the world had studied in that very town. Rasha had often dreamed of going there to test her own cooking skills against professionals.
Once they arrived, the group headed to a restaurant, where the assistant was eating. There, they found another problem. The chef was sick in bed, and customers were still waiting for their food. Piron's poor assistant wasn't able to get anything to eat, and he wouldn't leave without a meal.
Lyle exclaimed, "Rasha! You can take the place of the chef. Your cooking is the best in all of Alekia. Remember, you always dreamt of coming here to test your abilities as a cook."
Rasha smiled at him. "If you say so, I will. We need to get his help in order to get to the town of Arus, and if I'm the only one who can do this, I will do whatever I can."
So Rasha put on an apron, and began to make all of the customer's meals. When she finished, she brought it out to the men and women waiting in the restaurant. Each person took one bite, and began to talk about how good the amateur woman was at cooking.
"Did you hear that Lyle?" inquired Rasha, "They really like my cooking. I always knew I would fit in real well in this town. I wonder if I could get lessons here when we finish our mission."
"Maybe you can Rasha," replied Lyle. He smiled at her, and she blushed.
The assistant stated, "Thank you for your help. I'd better get back to Odel. Piron needs my help, right? There's no way I can say no when he asks me." Then, he ran off.
* * *
When they got back, Piron and the assistant were waiting for them. The architect thanked them for their help. "One more thing, can you check on the condition of the bridge for me? I've got to gather my tools and the necessary supplies, so this'll greatly help me."
So they then headed for the cave through the west most entrance. There, they found that the bridge was completely collapsed due to weakness in the ropes on the sides, and old wood. After getting the gist of what had happened, the group headed back to Odel.
"So, we need all new wood and rope," Piron said, "Here's what we'll do. My assistant and I are going in to check things out. You five can enter through another way, and stand on the ledge above where we're working. I feel much better if someone is watching me work."
They headed back to the cave, and entered through one of the center entrances. This one was more of a maze than the other, with many ledges as well. So it took them several minutes of meticulous searching in order to find the ledge Piron had told them to stand on.
Once they were in position, Piron began to work. He was pretty quick, but he still managed to go slow enough in order to avoid serious mistakes. Even still, it was long enough for the group to eat a delicious lunch that Rasha had cooked up for them.
Finally, Piron was done. He called up to the others to take a look. When Lyle peered out over the chasm, he saw a new, flawless bridge in place of the rickety old one.
"What do you think, pretty good, isn't it?" asked Piron.
Lyle yelled back, "It's just perfect Piron. Thank you, we're in your debt always. Now we can head to Arus in order to look for Professor Galuff Shaia."
Piron and his assistant returned to Odel Castle. Lyle and his friends did the same thing, as it was getting late. They then rented a room at the inn, and spent the night.
The next day, the group went shopping in order to re-supply for their trip. Rasha began to make sandwiches for their lunch, while Migel cleaned all of the weapons and armor. Lyle brought the Potions and Magics needed for battle, and Ihrie took Fam to the toy store, where she brought a stuffed dog.
Once all of the supplies were brought and packed, they met in front of the village entrance. Then, they headed towards the cave leading to the bridge. After crossing the bridge, they headed into the depths of the caves, and the city that lay beyond it.
- - - -
What will they find in the Magic City? Can they open a door that is sealed by a powerful spell? With the insanity ever end? Any connections between the chapter title and old Ace of Base albums are purely coincidental.
