A/N: Sup guys! I'm TERRIBLY sorry for not updating for like more than two weeks. The computer's broken and the holiday season isn't really helping at all. In fact it's making it worst. I might be back on updating regularly by next week. Until then, you won't be seeing anything from me. I just want all of you to know that I have NOT given up on this story yet. Anyways, here's a chapter I manage to sneak into my friend's laptop. I'm really sorry for the delay. Enjoy….

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonfable. If I did, I won't be writing fanfics right now. I should be turning them to real storylines for the game.

Chapter Eight: Boxed Out pt.1

I slept soundly that night. Mainly because I didn't have any dreams, which rarely happens. Another reason is I was really tired after spending the rest of the day being there for Reina and making sure she's okay. The funeral happened before sunset so I slept right through it. When I finally woken up, Sir Junn was just getting back from the ceremony. He told me Reina had already gone but she left me a letter. The knight handed it over to me before walking away to check on the other patients. I unfolded it and it read:

Dear Vincent,

You've been a true friend in the short time we've spent together. You helped me more than you know and for that I thank you. I've decided to leave Lore and train my arcane skills in another kingdom. Don't get me wrong but the memories I've had with Alex are better to be left here and I like it that way. Please don't bother worrying about me. You have bigger problems at hand namely, the Hydra. That monster really must be destroyed before it ruins many more lives. I know you'll find a way. Maybe when time comes, I might come back and we can go on quest together. How does that sound? Anyway, I wish you luck…

Happy hunting!

-Reina

I read the letter again, folded it and put it in my pocket. Its relieving to know that she has moved on and I hope she becomes the powerful mage she wanted to be. I glanced at the place beside me on the bed were Alex died. The mattress and the pillows were removed but the scent of fresh blood still hung in the air. The thoughts of him in his dying moments flashed in my mind and made me shudder, but it also made me more determined to kill that Hydra. After that, retrieve the Black Dragon Box. But before that, I still have to find Sir Jing's weapons. I sighed. There was so much to do.

I slowly got out of bed and examined my injuries. I wriggled my wrist, touched my forehead and paced around to check on my ankle. Everything seemed to be fine. I concluded that I was already fully healed. I approached Sir Junn who was busy removing the bandages of a knight's leg.

" I can go now right?" I asked.

"Oh well if there's nothing bothering you, I suppose you can leave. Don't come back so soon okay?" He replied as he opened a box of fresh white bandages to be wrapped on the injured leg.

"Sure thanks a lot."

"Don't mention it."

I turned around and walked out of the infirmary were I've spent a full day and I'm totally not looking forward on staying there for a while. It was early in the morning. The sun was just peeking behind the mountain tops. The grass were still wet with dew and the evening chill still lingered. Birds flew overhead in various formations. I stretched my limbs and took a whiff of the morning air before I went on the way.

I decided to head for the Keep. Maybe report to Captain Rolith first. I spotted him in his usual spot beside the Keep doors talking to two fully armored knights and a young woman probably just out of her teens wearing round glasses. I remembered seeing her when I first came into Oaklore. They seem to be in a serious conversation. I went over to see if I could be of some help.

"My flesh and bones! If it isn't the one with the devil's luck!" One of the knights who noticed me first walked over and greeted me with a clap on my back. He had a slight limp and that pirate-like accent that made me recognize him as the knight by the bridge. "Ready for round two I say?"

"Perfect timing rogue." Captain Rolith said ignoring the knight as he went over to me as well. The other two right behind him. "I see you've shared quite a lot with Sir Pent here. You both owe your lives to each other. Sir Pent told me everything. You put up quite I show out there. A job well done."

"Uhh...Thanks!" I said rubbing the back of my head thinking to myself. Sir Pent? I fought sea serpents with a knight named Sir Pent fighting beside me? What a coincidence.

"Aye Rolith! Better get back to me post now. Ano's shift is over and you know how that lad acts if ya keep 'im waitin'." With that Sir Pent turned around and limped towards the Keep gates.

Rolith sighed. "Pardon Sir Pent's way of talking. He's a native of Osprey Cove as you can see and their culture is a little different from ours but not to worry, he's a good knight and one of the finest."

I was about to ask where Osprey Cove was but the knight behind him cleared his throat and said. "I'm afraid we have more important matters to discuss?" he sounded like an old king's advisor or an aged butler.

"Yes I'm aware of that." Rolith replied. "Rogue, this is Sir Valence of Swordhaven, chief surveillance officer for Oaklore Keep." The knight outstretched his hand and I shook it. "And this is Maya, Loremaster of Oaklore."

Maya bowed a little, her hair was tied in two buns at the side of her head with some strands sticking out like she had just woken up. Her gray eyes looked tired but happy at the same time. "Pardon my rudeness the other day" she said a little nervously "I'm just um… not myself at that time, so to speak."

"It's nothing really. I'm Vincent" I said. " So you guy's having some or anything?"

"You could say that rogue." Rolith agreed. "There has been some sort of robbery last night. I'll let Sir Valence and Maya fill you in with the details."

Yes, of course Captain." Valence said. "Last night, a box containing ancient texts and tomes of irreplaceable value were stolen from the Loremaster's chambers shortly after midnight."

"It all happened so fast!" Maya explained. "I was getting ready for bed when I heard a loud crash. The next thing I knew the little devil came rushing in and took the chest and jumped out of the window."

"Little devil?" I asked, confused.

"Sneevils to be exact." The knight said. "Little green goblin-like creatures with an excessive obsession with boxes and containers of all sorts. They are a constant problem here in Oaklore."

The scene of the Sneevil taking the Black Dragon Box flashed in my mind. If it's the same Sneevil, I can track it down and retrieve both Maya's box and the Black Dragon Box!

"Do you have any clue where it went so we can capture it?" I asked expectantly.

"A clue? I know where the tree fort is young man. Surveillance is what I do best you know!" said the knight, a little offended.

"Tree fort?" I said, even more confused. These people aren't making a lot of sense.

"Three miles south from here, you'll come over to a tree-fort, The Sneevil's central hideout where hundreds of the little devils stack all their loot. To tell you the truth, it's not just a tree-fort. According to my sources, they seemed to have established an entire colony of tree-forts to accommodate all the stolen boxes they've been hoarding all these times . I advice you to proceed with caution" The knight explained.

Captain Rolith, who had been silent all this time finally spoke. "Well rogue, do you accept this quest? All the other knights are either injured or stationed at the bridge. I'm afraid you're the only hope we have at the time."

"Okay I accept. But I need a new set of daggers." I said. Barely remembering that I've lost my daggers from the previous battle.

"As for the daggers, here, a special reward from me for you doing a job well done." Rolith tossed me a pair of unusually shaped daggers. I unsheathed one of them. It has two double-edged blades parting in the middle from the hilt to the tips. A ruby glowed faintly, its faint light reflecting on the dark tinted metal. What caught my attention the most is the warmth. It seems to radiate heat from within like some sort of unseen force is at work. I stared at the blades fascinated. I can't wait to test what these daggers can do.

"Ahh…. The Legendary Magma Daggers." Sir Valence mused as Maya and Rolith both nodded. "One of the last of its kind. Forged in the long forgotten volcanoes of ancient Lore. It's great honor to wield such a powerful weapon but use it wisely."

"Legendary Magma Daggers" I silently repeated. Still staring at it in awe. I've never held any kind of weapon like this before.

"Take this map with you, it will show the location of the fort." Sir Valence said snapping me off my trance as he handed over a piece of paper to me. "It also contains the detailed illustration of the box you are about to retrieve."

"And take this bag too." Maya handed over a small belt bag, about the size of a brick. I was about to ask what I am suppose to do with a tiny bag when she said, "Inventory: Open!" Suddenly, the bag grew and grew until I had a large hiker's bag. The one that's bigger than my body. It has a lot of pockets and is a little heavy for my taste.

"Don't worry about the size." Maya explained. "Inventory: Close!" as she said it, the bag turned back to its previous form. "I have included the necessary potions for your journey inside along with some other necessities. It can also come pretty handy once you have retrieved the box. Everything you put in there will become lightweight once the bag returns to its smaller form."

"The wonders of dwarven technology never ceases to amaze me!" Sir Valence said in wonder.

"Thanks a lot! I really am going to need these." I said gratefully as I tied the bag onto my waist.

"Indeed." Rolith agreed. "It's high time that you leave now rogue, the sooner you retrieve the box, the better. We bid you farewell on your quest!"

"Alright. I'll be back before you know it!" Both of the knights nodded and Maya waved at me goodbye as I turned around and headed straight out of Oaklore's gates and through the woods with high hopes.

Two hours later…

I was venturing deep into the woods heading south where the map indicates the fort is located. I estimated that I was probably almost three miles from Oaklore. I was walking on knee-deep grass scattered with thousands fallen leaves, some dry some fresh. The Southern woods were way thicker and denser than forests near Oaklore. The ground was higher since the forest is located at the base of a valley. It was almost noon and the sun was high up barely hindered by thin hazy clouds scattered and lazily drifting in the vast light blue sky but the heat and humidity was not much of a bother since the whole path was shaded by nearly 50 foot evergreen spruces and firs. Their were also enormous oaks, yews and birches some having trunks as thick as a castle tower and were rough, mossy and weathered and probably hundreds or maybe even thousands of years old. I kept my eyes peeled in case any of these trees show any signs of inhabitants while I made my way through a thick cluster of bushes that came up to my waist. I spotted several animals which hurriedly scrambled out of the thick underbrush due to my movements There were birds, raccoons, and even squirrels which, if my eyes were not playing tricks on me, were the size of a full grown man with long curved claws which it used to climb on a branch of a white oak. But still, there were no signs of Sneevils.

After a few more minutes of walking, I came upon a stream that seem to root from a waterfall by the edge of a mountain in the distance. It's crystal clear water flowing smoothly along the dark rocks and white pebbles making a soft gushing sound. I decided to rest for a while. I sat down by a huge rock by the edge of the stream and washed my hands and face. The water felt cool and refreshing, lessening my fatigue. After that, I leaned my back on the rock and examined my surroundings for anything suspicious or unnatural. There were large willows, but not as large as the trees back there, with vines hanging on their branches and their thick roots were gnarled. A fox darted from a bush. A snake slithered by my feet. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Suddenly, I spotted a large gray figure making its way on a small clearing on the opposite side of the stream across from where I was sitting. It was a gorillaphant, a little smaller than the one I've encountered before but it could still be dangerous. I went for my daggers but stopped abruptly when I realized that it was only going to take a drink. After taking its fill, it went back and disappeared into the woods. I breathe with a sigh of relief. My thoughts were drifting on my first encounter with a gorillaphant when my eyes rested on a square object leaning by the base of one of the willows across the stream.

I got up to my feet and went over to investigate. It was a box. A small rectangular wooden box. I opened it but I only found some useless sheets of paper. I took out my map and glanced at the image of Maya's box. It was totally not this one. First of all it was a chest, not a box. (A/N: I still prefer to call it Maya's box. Maya's chest kinda sounds odd. If you know what I mean.) Second, Maya's box was bulky and painted black and maroon with a silver lock while this one was well a regular wooden box without any paint whatsoever. I put away the map and was about to go back and try to get some more rest before moving on when I saw yet another box. It was lying half-hidden on a blueberry bush. I went over and spotted another one not far from it, and then another, and another, and more of them, all scattered on the ground forming some sort of trail. I began to follow it, hoping that it will lead me to the tree-forts.

The scattered boxes seemed to increase in numbers as I continued following the trail. I made my way to another thick underbrush before stumbling into a clearing. Well, it is a clearing if you don't count the mountains of stacked crates and boxes of all shapes and sizes reaching the height of about a three-story building. In the center stood the largest oak tree I've ever seen. There is an archway carved at the base of its trunk indicating that its hollow. Wooden footbridges hang suspended on its branches connecting it to other tree-forts. I could make out several little creatures moving about, unmistakably Sneevils, carrying boxes and running about. Just then, I heard two tiny voices heading towards me so I hid behind the protection of a large crate.

"That waz good box!" One of them said.

"I had to sneak up on dat glazes gurl but it waz easy!" boasted the other.

"Can't wait to zee da boss' faze!" replied the first one as their voices faded away. Glasses girl huh? They're talking about Maya! Her box is being taken to their boss and maybe the Black Dragon Box is here too. I sat by a wooden chest trying to come out of a plan. A part of my brain told me that this is the perfect time to test my daggers and it got the better of me. The boss is most likely to be inside that tree. Finally, I made up my mind. I stood up and walked leisurely towards the entrance. The Sneevils spotted me instantly and they were all alarmed.

"Hizzz da biggezzt Sneevil Ib eber zeeen!" One of them shouted.

"Heeez not Sneevil, heeezzz humannn!" The other shouted in turn. "Get heeemmm!"

They charged at me with spears, daggers and even bare hands while others ran around in panic or calling for the others. I drew out my daggers. The handles instantly emitting warmth as the blades were drawn. I charged in return.

The first strike surprised not only the Sneevils but even myself. As the first unlucky Sneevil made contact with one of my blades, there was a sudden burst of flames and the Sneevil was thrown aback into a pile of crates landing with a loud crash. All of them stared wide-eyed at me and my daggers. I smelt their fear and somehow it made me smile. I don't know why but later on it scared the heck out of me. I began to advance slowly before dashing at full speed. The Sneevil's either stood their ground or panicked and ran away. The ones who stayed behind were annihilated by my deadly flaming arcs of my Legendary Magma Daggers. In less than a minute, all of them lay in a smoking heap of bodies, some where moaning while others are desperately trying to tap out their burning clothes.

"Now that's what I'm talking about." I muttered to myself as I stared at the glowing hot blades of my daggers. These weapons are nothing but wicked awesome! It seemed to feed on the air around it. The harder I slash, the more air it feeds on and its blasts becomes more powerful. I looked up at the fort and muttered "Now let's finish this!" before making a dash through the entrance.

The screams of pain and agony as I laid to waste everything that tries to stop me made me want to take out every single one of them. But a part of my mind that was still unaffected by my battle lust told me that I shouldn't be wasting my time and I will soon tire out. I decided to let the others escape and I sprinted across the bridge with the feeling that I was invincible and nothing could stop me. That's where my overconfidence took its toll. Someone above me cried out "Stack Attacks Fire!"

Now I don't know what on earth a 'stack attack' is but I didn't really care. I'll take it out, whatever it is. That's when I looked up and find myself face to face with a flying crate and that was the last thing I saw before I blacked out.

(A/N: So I decided to cut the chapter here coz it's getting really long. Anyways, I might update again in a few days. Maybe a week at most. I hope you guys are still there! The Iron Raven taking off….)