Chapter 4 – Lea
The town was still clad in darkness. The Bowmaster sat up in her bed and looked at her watch. 4 in the morning. She slipped out of her pyjamas and into her Red Armis. She grabbed her bow that was lying against the wall and quietly crept out of her room, hoping that the rest wouldn't hear her. She tip-toed down the stairs and creaked open the huge door of the training hall. As soon as she stepped out of the hall, she felt snow falling from the sky onto her head.
She trudged through the thick snow and looked around the town. The streets were completely deserted and shops were closed down. She guessed it was too early for sane people to be walking around. She made her way to the end of the town and looked over her shoulders as she walked. The view of the cheerful village began to disappear as she walked through a plantation of tall pine trees.
It was very dark, almost pitch black. The only light Lea could see was that of the moon in the sky. She started to regret on what she was doing when she suddenly found herself lost in the snowy forest. It was a little too late for that. She would just have to continue walking.
She had always wanted to get her very own Zakum helmet. She couldn't believe she was already level 160 and she didn't own one. She had been very excited when Athena told her they were to train at El Nath. She had planned to boss Zakum from the very beginning. There was no turning back now.
"Now, I'll just have to find the entrance of the Dead Mine." She said to herself, trying to hide her terror and fear inside. She walked a few steps ahead and stopped again. "It's impossible. I can barely see anything." She sighed.
She continued walking, slowly and carefully, just so she won't fall into a hole or something. She suddenly walked into a huge wooden signboard. "Oww…" the faded light of the moon allowed her to read the words on the signboard. 'Dead Mine Ahead'. "Am I lucky or what?" Lea grinned to herself as she walked forward.
After a few minutes, she reached a towering slab of stone, which she guessed it was the mine. There was an elderly man in thick robes standing at the entrance. "Hey, Miss! What are you doing here? It's extremely dangerous for someone like you to be here at a time like this." He shouted at her in a raspy voice.
Lea just walked towards him and smiled sweetly. "I can take care of myself. I'm an experienced Bowmaster and Athena sent me here on a quest." She explained.
"Why should I believe you?" the man scoffed.
Lea showed him the silver eagle-shaped pin on her Armis. The man stared at it in shock for a while and finally grumbled and let her in.
"Be careful."
"I will. Thank you, kind Sir."
She walked into the vast mine, careful with each step she took. She looked up and saw that there were many platforms above her head, each occupied with white and brown yetis. "This is going to be a piece of cake." The Bowmaster smirked as she leapt on a platform, killing some yetis instantly.
She continued her journey without wasting much time. She was determined on getting her helmet as soon as possible and to return before the others woke up. She didn't want them getting all worried because of her. Then again, she could've asked them to tag along and boss with her.
The monsters got stronger and harder to kill as she got deeper into the mine. "Oh, well. They're no match for me." Lea shrugged to herself and continued slaying through the annoying zombies that blocked her path. How pathetic, she thought as she killed three miner zombies with a single arrow. The heat of the lava around her made her sweat heavily.
"I'm just going to finish this off and go back to the training hall. No one will notice anything." She said to herself again as she stopped walking and stood before Zakum's Altar.
"Hopefully."
Dinah yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she sat up in her bed. "Good morning, myself." She said ridiculously as she attempted to stand up.
She looked down at her snuggly blanket sprawled over her super-comfortable-looking bed. "Oh, man." She shook her head lazily as she fell back onto the bed, "Looks to comfy to leave."
She lay down, staring at the ceiling, her head full of thoughts. She suddenly thought about Lea, her idol. "Maybe I should go and call her up."
Dinah stood up again and ruffled her long blue hair. She tied it up into a neat ponytail that swept against her waist. She slowly walked out of her room and made her way to the Bowmaster's room.
Knock knock.
"Lea? Are you in there?" the Bishop squeaked as she pushed open Lea's room door. She was shocked to see that the room was empty and the bed was neatly made.
"She must be downstairs training." Someone muttered.
Dinah spun around at the sound of the voice before letting out a small scream. "W-what are you doing here? Stupid! I could've died of a heart attack."
The Shadower simply sighed and shook his head, "Be more alert next time." before walking downstairs.
"Stupid." The Bishop repeated as she skipped into her room to get ready for the day. She slipped into her Bazura dress and Varr shoes, slung her potion bag across her shoulder and grabbed her staff before skipping out again.
She was about to get out of the hall when Ivan shouted.
"Where the hell are you going this time of the day?"
"Out." She simply mumbled. He was such a hindrance.
"I definitely won't allow that. What makes you think you could protect yourself if someone suddenly attacks you?" Ivan narrowed his eyes at the Bishop.
"Don't be so nosy. I can take care of myself."
"Don't-"
Before he could finish his sentence, the stubborn magician had slipped out of the training hall.
"-Go too far."
Dinah walked through the thick snow with all her effort. Her unprotected feet were freezing and she knew she would get frostbitten if she kept this up. But, whatever, she had to find Lea. She might be in trouble.
"LEA! LEA! It's me, Dinah!" she occasionally shouted as she trudged pass the dead pine trees. Cute little Junior Yetis hopped around her feet as she walked. Most adventurers would've killed them, though the Bishop had no intention to.
She walked further and one by one, the tiny Yetis began to leave. She walked some more for an hour or so and finally came to the entrance of what seemed like a mine. She looked down at her feet and spotted a cute white Yeti hopping around them.
"Why, are you lost?" she asked sweetly, knowing that she wouldn't be getting an answer.
She scooped the Yeti up in her arms as it purred and snuggled against her. How cute! "I guess…I can bring you along. You're warm." Dinah giggled as she walked towards an old bearded man standing at the entrance.
"Excuse me, Sir. May I enter?" she asked politely.
"I'm sorry, Miss. I don't think the likes of you would be able to survive in there."
Dinah felt slightly annoyed at the man's simple comment.
"For your information, I'm a skilled Bishop-" it was no use fighting, "Grendel sent me here."
"Grendel? Are you sure?" the man raised his eyebrows in what seemed like disbelief. Dinah held up her silver pin in front of his wrinkled face.
"Okay, good enough." He muttered as he let her in. She heard the sound of the large doors closing behind her as she stepped into the mine. The Yeti in her arms trembled slightly at the sight of other bigger Yetis.
"Hush…don't be afraid. I can slay them easily." Dinah patted its head as she leapt up onto a platform. She set the her new pet down on the ground and raised her staff. Almost immediately, majestic golden light shone from the sky and killed all the monsters at once.
"Let's go." She whispered, picking up her pet, "Oh, and I'll name you Sam!" she changed her voice to a more cheerful tone.
"Let's go, Sam!"
Lea quickly jumped away from the Zakum as it attempted to hit her. "Nice try." She muttered as she leapt into the air and shot more arrows at it. The monster groaned loudly as one of its many arms flung out to hit the Bowmaster. Lea, caught by surprise, dropped to the ground in pain.
Though she didn't show it, the pain weakened the Bowmaster gasped as the Zakum brought up another hand to hit her. She quickly rolled over as its stone-hard hand landed with a loud thump on the ground beside her, creating a mini crater.
"That was a close one." She wiped the sweat off her forehead as she mumbled. She continued sending blows to the monster. After destroying all of its arms, Lea stared hard at the monster's creepy arm-less body.
"Shit…no more mana." She cursed as she jumped to hide behind a stone pillar. She fumbled her equipment bag, hoping to find a mana potion. No luck. She remembered she had used up all of her potions the day before.
Now, she could just silently pray that someone would come find and rescue her.
Dinah clasped her bruised side. She had been attacked by a bunch of disgusting-looking zombies. Though they didn't wield any weapons, they had the strength of an elephant. She limped slowly towards a tree and climbed it with much difficulty.
It was hard to climb up the tree with Sam and her staff in her arms. And also her heavy bag. As she was halfway up the tree, she slid down. She turned around and saw the zombies closing in on her. She let out a helpless squeal and waited for the pain to come.
It didn't.
She opened her eyes and saw a dark cloaked figure standing in front of her. With a swing of its mighty sword, the zombies died off. "What are you doing here?"
From his voice, Dinah could tell it was a guy. "I-I…I'm looking for a friend." She squeaked.
"Someone like you shouldn't be here."
"But…"
At the corner of her eye, Dinah could see more zombies limping towards them, drool hanging out of the corners of their rotten mouths. "Quick! The safest is up." The cloaked guy mumbled as he scooped the Bishop in his arms and hopped onto a tree branch.
He put Dinah down immediately after landing on the branch of the tree. He removed the hood of his cloak, revealing a rather…attractive face. The Bishop widened her eyes in surprise. She expected him to be an old man of some sort.
He seemed to be around her age and had dark red hair and green eyes. "I-I…thank you for saving me." She stammered after a long pause.
"Pfft saving you? I was just passing by. Why would I bother saving you?" He snorted.
"Okay, whatever. Thanks anyway." Dinah grunted and thought about how similar this guy was with Ivan; A complete asshole.
Déjà vu.
"Okay, see you around then. Or not." He leapt off the tree branch and continued walking the direction he was headed.
"Hey! I can't get down!" Dinah shouted at him, annoyed. She looked down and gulped. It was…high.
"The name's Ryan." The guy shouted as a reply without turning around.
"No one asked!"
Sam struggled slightly in her arms and she had to keep him quiet. "Sam! Quit fidgeting or we'll never get down." She whined. She finally made her descision and jumped off the branch, landing face first on the hard ground.
"Oww…"
The Yeti waddled towards her and licked her face. Dinah gave it a painful smile before burying her face into the ground again, groaning.
Lea sat behind the pillar helplessly, hoping that the Zakum wouldn't notice her. She didn't want to die so early! It was only the beginning of her journey. She peeked over her shoulders when she heard a loud crash.
"DINAH!" she screamed as she saw the blue-haired Bishop looking around, also horrified seeing the Zakum. "Lea?" she yelled back.
"Dinah! Come here!" Lea gasped as she beckoned Dinah to come to her. The Bishop obediently ran towards the pillar and sat down next to her friend.
"Glad you're okay." Dinah sighed.
"Yeah, thanks. I-I'm out of mana."
"What?"
"No more potions. I forgot to re-pot before leaving this morning."
"Oh, yeah! Why did you-" Dinah complained angrily.
"I'll explain later! Now let's finish off this Zakum and go back!"
"Okay…"
The Bishop healed her friend and handed her a few bottles of mana elixir. That should be enough for her. Together, they charged towards the almost-dead boss and fought tirelessly. With a final blow, it let out one last moan as it died.
Various potions and weapons were dropped. Dinah marvelled at the rare drops, a huge smile painted on her face.
"Fantastic!" she cupped her cheeks as she hopped around the drops.
Lea spotted a brown helmet lying among the various drops. She widened her eyes in excitement and ran towards it to pick it up. Indeed, it was the helmet she'd always yearned for. She pumped her fist in the air as a sign of 'victory!'.
Dinah giggled and walked over to her friend. "This is why you came all the way here?"
"Yeah." The Bowmaster grinned as she placed the helmet on her head. "I feel stronger!"
"Level 100?"
"Yep. What time is it?"
"9."
"Let's go back, okay?"
"Okay!"
They made their way back to town. Dinah stopped by potion shops and pet shops to re-pot and get food for her Yeti occasionally. "That's cute." Lea mumbled. In fact, she hated cute things.
"Thank you." Dinah, clueless about her friend's lack of interest, smiled back.
They walked into the training hall and immediately dropped onto the hay-covered ground. "An adventure, isn't it?" Lea smiled as she turned to her friend.
Dinah giggled and smiled back. "Yeah."