Wow… People actually read this? I figured this story wouldn't get any traffic. Well, in that case, hi to the person from Australia and the person from the UK! What did you think?
Chapter 2: Going Through the Motions
Sophie heard someone shouting outside her door. She figured it must be the couple that lived across from her in the apartment complex. They fought a lot, and it was incredibly loud. She moaned and pressed her pillow against her ears, refusing to wake up. Refusing to open her eyes, she tried to drown out the shouting and go back to sleep. She had been having the loveliest dream about becoming an elf in one of her favorite games. Why does the real world have to suck so much? She tried to relax back into her (weirdly scratchy for cotton) sheets, but she gave up all pretense of sleeping in when someone started pounding on her door so loud it almost seemed like they were trying to break down her door.
That's when she realized that if someone was knocking on her bedroom door, then someone was in her apartment.
Her eyes snapped open and she sat bolt upright, only to be more even more confused. This wasn't her room. It looked more like a cabin. She had begun to worry that she had been drugged and kidnapped when she looked around and caught her reflection in the mirror. It was the same as the one in her dream.
She felt the blood drain from her face as complete panic began to set in. This had to be some kind of trick. Someone must have glued makeup to her face or something, there was no way this was happening. She yanked at her ears, but it hurt really badly so she gave up and started to look around the room for something she could use to fend off whoever was outside her door. There was a chest in the corner, and it seemed to be unlocked so she peeked in to find a myriad of weapons and gear. She picked up a katana of some kind and looked at it in terrified awe. The freaking thing was glowing! It was faint, but it was definitely there.
"Alea! Wake up, we're under attack!" A voice startled her again, followed by more violent knocking, and she looked to the door. Opening it she saw none other than Bevil Starling.
That was the moment she finally realized that she was definitely not dreaming.
The swamp stunk, and Alea hated every step that she trudged through the thick, sucking mud. It was a huge relief when she finally saw the inn where she could easily see Khelgar Ironfist squaring up to three men. They were trying to rob him. Khelgar responded with his typical gusto.
Alea decided not to bother waiting for their conversation to include her. Instead, she interrupted one of the men while he was foolishly attempting to threaten my future dwarf companion, "Guys, why don't you all just leave, before my friend Khelgar here beats you to a pulp. It'd be better for everyone. He's significantly more capable than even the three of you combined. And now that I'm here, well, you'd be lucky if you got away with your lives. I don't want to have to hurt you, so why don't you just cut your losses, and go back inside for a drink. There's no shame in walking away."
She was surprised at the eloquence of her own words. It must've been her maxed out diplomacy skill. She'd never have said anything like that as Sophie the nerdy human. Apparently being Alea the elf wizard had its perks.
All four of them stared at her with varying expressions. The three men looked incensed and furious, but Khelgar just looked curious. "You know me, lass?"
"Yes, but we haven't met. It's a long story, I'll tell you over drinks once these three have come to their senses." She said the last bit with a pointed look at the human leader.
"Enough of this," the angry human leader said, "We'll just knock them both out and take their gold." As the humans advanced, drawing their weapons, Alea gave Khelgar a knowing look, then let him start to beat them up. She was admittedly impressed. Watching him fight was way cooler in person than looking at a virtual rendition of him.
When Alea figured they'd had enough, she took the leader by the hair and held her enchanted katana to his neck. Everyone halted and stared at her, "Now, gentlemen I think you can clearly tell that you are outmatched. Please, go inside and know that you fought bravely. If you continue your futile attempts at hurting my friend here, not only will you have dishonored yourselves, but you'll have thrown away your lives for nothing more than a few coppers. Do you yield?"
"Damn elf…" The man grumbled, but begrudgingly nodded when he saw his two lackeys bloodied and bruised, "Fine. But you'd better watch your back from now on. I can't promise that I'll be this generous the next time we meet."
Alea snorted, "yeah, sure. I bet you're a fearsome warrior," she said with no small amount of sarcasm. "I'm going to release you now. If I ever see you attack me or one of my friends again, I will not hesitate to drive this blade straight through your heart." It shocked Alea to realize that she wasn't bluffing. She never imagined herself as the type capable of killing, but in this world where if she didn't defend herself she'd end up dead or worse, her way of thinking had quickly and drastically shifted. Still, she'd avoid as much bloodshed as possible.
Releasing the man, she watched the three of them tumble into the inn, tripping over themselves to get away from the brutal dwarf and the strange elf. Khelgar turned to Alea, "Well now, that was a good fight. Too bad they had to resort to weapons though."
For the first time since starting her miserable trek through the swamp, Alea smiled. "It's great to meet you, Khelgar of the Ironfist Clan!" She felt herself starting to fangirl a bit at meeting one of the game's characters in person. He was shorter than Alea, though admittedly not by too much, and was built like an ox.
He puffed out his chest, "heard of me, have you?"
Alea thought of how to respond to this. She knew he would become her faithful companion, but how exactly would she explain to him where she was from when she didn't even know how she got here in the first place. Eventually, she decided to just go out with it and tell him everything she knew – omitting the part where Khelgar was no more than a character in an old video game. This was a world of magic after all, perhaps that's all the explanation he would need.
It turned out that she was right. When Alea rambled off some arcane-sounding mumbo-jumbo about magic portals and the like, he simple grumbled his agreement and commented on the strangeness of it all. Then he proceeded to promise her, "Well then lass, since trouble seems to follow you around, I'd rather like to travel with you. We're headed in the same direction after all. You provide the fights, and I'll show you the ropes on how this here world works. Whad'ya think of that?"
Alea didn't need guidance on Neverwinter culture or anything. She likely knew a great deal more than he did, but she nodded her assent and gladly accepted his company. At least now she would have someone to talk to as she trudged through mosquito-infested swamplands.
Jumping through hoop after hoop finally led Alea and her slowly-accumulating band of misfits to the city of Neverwinter. They were ambushed plenty of times, to Khelgar's delight, but no one got too badly wounded. Alea was very careful not to let anyone get too close to death, using her trump-card cheat items when necessary. She wasn't sure if she – or any of her companions – would come back if they were killed. Needless to say it worried her for what lay ahead.
"There it is," Alea said, trying to mask her relief and growing excitement. She was about to enter the actual Sunken Flagon and meet Duncan. She figured he'd be adorable in a very uncle-y way. "That's my uncle's inn. There's plenty of ale, so you guys should be perfectly happy there," she quipped lightheartedly.
Khelgar laughed, "Aye, that'll do it!"
They walked in the doors and were greeted with the smell of hot food and fresh ale. Duncan greeted them cheerily, and Alea got her first good look at him. He was tall for an elf, with a squarer jaw than most of the elves she'd seen on their travels. His skin was unblemished, but there was clearly stubble growing on his cheek. His clothes were stained and worn out, and he smelled faintly of alcohol.
Alea liked him immediately. He had a way about him that made her feel like she could be comfortable around him. She walked right up to him and – to the surprise of everyone within eyesight – pulled him into a massive bear hug. "Uncle Duncan, it's so good to meet you! It's me, Alea Stormrun, Daeghun's foster-daughter."
"Uncle Duncan? I suppose that sounds familiar… Oh yes, I remember," He finally relaxed and returned the hug. Alea found him to be a great hugger. "Last I saw you, you were no more than a tiny babe. Rest assured you and your companions will always have a place at the Sunken Flagon. What brings you all the way out to Neverwinter?"
"I'm here for your silver shard," she said plainly, letting him go and pulling out her own, "It's very important."
"Shard? Now what you be wantin' with a little thing like that?" Alea already noticed the change in dialogue. Since her responses were not following the game's predetermined script, Duncan wasn't saying the same things either. She wondered what else she might be able to change about her path and interactions. Especially considering she already knew who the githyanki were, what the shards were for, and who the King of Shadows was, there was not much point in going to Blacklake to visit Aldanon. There was nothing he could tell her that she didn't already know.
"You know the shard I have buried in my chest?"
Duncan looked taken aback at this. "I thought that Daegun wasn't going to tell you about that."
"He didn't," she replied, "let's just say I found out on my own. Anyway, the fact that I have one buried in my chest, and with our two other shards together, me holding them makes their magic, sort of… reawaken. Anyway, I need to collect all of them."
"All of them?" Duncan looked at her in shock and confusion, "You mean there are more of these little shards lyin' about?"
"Lots more," Alea confirmed, "and basically the fate of the world depends on me finding them."
"What's this about the fate of the world? Sounds rather important," a smooth voice dripping with an innate sarcasm interrupted their conversation. Alea knew who it was even before Duncan's face turned sour with distaste.
"What're ya doin' here, Sand?"
Alea turned to face her fellow moon elf and future lawyer. She was not prepared for what she saw.
Walking toward them was – if possible – the most handsome elf Alea had met so far. She thought Duncan was gorgeous, but Sand was on a whole other level. Maybe it was because Duncan was just a generic elf, but Sand was specifically a moon elf. Maybe it was because Alea was a moon elf herself, so she would naturally gravitate to those of her own race. Or maybe it was simply because Sand had a more prominent role in the plotline. Whatever the reason, the animators who drew him up did not do him justice. Looking at him, she realized with horror that she was blushing. Her sensitive ears were burning, and she simply hoped that it would go unnoticed. Covering it up as best she could, she ignored the sudden odd tingling in her lower region and greeted him with what she hoped was a casual smile.
Sand answered Duncan's question, "Well, I saw a rather odd-looking group walk in here and I was curious." He looked at Alea, making her ears burn even hotter. What is happening? She thought to herself. "And who is this," he asked.
"This here's kin," Duncan replied turning to her.
"Alea Stormrun. Pleased to meet you." She was glad to discover that despite the odd and unexpected reaction she was having to Sand's presence, her voice remained level.
His eyes looked over her, head to toe, and she could swear she almost saw a hint of appreciation in his gaze, "Not really seeing the family resemblance."
"That's probably because we're not related by blood. I'm his half-brother's foster-daughter," Alea explained. She didn't know why she bothered mentioning this, but something made her want his focus to remain on her. What is wrong with you, she chided herself, just cool it, he's a fictional character. Still, she couldn't help but stare at him, taking in every detail while her nether regions screamed for attention. Simply put: he was hot.
"Out of curiosity, what business does a dwarf, a tiefling, a druidess, and a wizard have in Neverwinter?"
"It's none of your concern, Sand! Now unless you have a delivery for me, you'd best be leaving," Duncan said, irritation clear in his tone.
"Actually, Uncle, I'd like to have a word with him about these shards. You are a wizard, are you not?" Alea asked, despite knowing the answer.
"Why, dear girl, whatever gave it away," he quipped, "was it perhaps the wizard's robes?"
"Actually, it's the fact that I know a lot more about you than I let on. Perhaps it's best we speak privately," Alea said, "I'll meet you in your shop in a few minutes if that's alright with you."
He rose an eyebrow at this, his curiosity clearly piqued. "Very well," he replied, "I'll prepare some tea. But if you plan on purchasing anything, I would recommend that you bring a great deal of gold." His eyes gave her a once-over one last time before he turned and left.
Duncan looked at her with concern, "You don't want to be consortin' with that one, Alea. Sand is a snake who'll bleed you dry for every copper you've got."
Alea smiled, "I'll take that into advisement. But, I need another person who practices and studies the arcane to help me figure something out."
"Oh? And what would that be."
"It's a bit of a long story. I'll tell you later, when we both have more time. For now, I have to go talk with him to see if he can help."
His face scrunched up in distaste, "You won't be gettin' much outta him. He's an incompetent liar."
Alea hid a smirk. She knew that Sand was actually an incredibly powerful mage, and as hard as he tries to hide behind his sharp wit, Sand was a good person. But, she didn't bother correcting Duncan. There would be no changing his mind about this. "I'll be back later, don't bother waiting up, I'll likely be out quite late. Good night, uncle." And with that she strode out of the Sunken Flagon.