Now, shall we begin?
~Ozma's Chambers~
The blue portal closes.
The Mage and the Assassin stood silently, eventually, one of them spoked-
"Our king, is he-"
"Safe. His safe." Ozma closed his eyes and sighed. Moments passed as smokes slowly drifted away aimlessly on the cold window, the room that what was once embodied with heartfelt flames were now washed away by an unnatural glacier.
Tyrian, his companion and friend, looked at him in widened eyes and gasping jaw.
"Y-your debt is-"
"Yes."
He answered with eyes closed and breathe wavering in disharmony on his proud posture. Shaking. He forced himself to still, ignoring the soft whispers of icy flakes drifting away on his cold shoulders, and looked beyond the last etches of his lord, ally, and friend.
Cloak bellowed away as his back turned, "Y-your free now…" Giving one last look to the shell-shocked face of his old friend. "What will you do now?" The silence returned, but this time, it is filled with purpose and closure.
"Die. Old friend. I will die"
Tyrian Callows looked at him with sorrow and acceptance. After a moment of silence, he gave a shallow nod, "Bring honor and glory to Jaune, White Flame."
With eyes glowing in blue hues and skin turning ashen white, he gave a heartfelt nod and walked away.
"Glory to the Dark Lord."
He mutters.
~The Gates~
"Heave! Man! Give it with all ya got!" Sounds of rage filled the cold air outside the besieged gates of the Dark Lord- "One more! Then humanity and her allies will be free from the Tyrant's reign!" Men and women, outfitted in iron and steel, bellowed in vengeance as they guided the goat shaped helm of the battering ram to its destination.
Thump!
Wind blows as cracks of the Castle's gate rewarded the stalwart efforts of the Empire. All the while Cinder Fall silently gazed at the rows of soldiers amidst her 'fellow' adventurers.
"So, this is it."
She glanced to her right, and was greeted by the sight of a large figure wrapped in steel and ornery gold, with a crown settling proudly on a stone face as white fur clasped the red cape glistening in its tattered waves.
"Yes, your majesty, it is time."
A deep chuckle resonated the wrathful night, "Cinder, you're as stiff as ever! I thought I told you to call me by name." A roll of eyes was her answer, though it only brings nothing but further merit to her king.
"It tis strange, my King," Cracked bones joined the chorus voices of focused soldiers as adventurers slew lone skeletons from what was left of the decimated horde. "I have not felt the presence of the Dark Lord since our attack…" Flying banshees burned as clerics chanted hallowed words from their gods. "It almost feels like he disappeared…" demons petered out as arrows filled their unholy hide.
She blinked. Face burning as akin to her innate magik. Cinder turned, "Are you even listening!" her king- no, Tukson, stupid Tukson keeps whistling like there was no battle. Only when she called him by his name did he finally accepted her presence.
'The damn fool had the audacity to look oblivious, as well' She thought, as Cinder calculated her odds of survival if she just burns him right here and now. But alas, she needed him. Needed him to help her enact her plans and to resurrect the ashen que-
"You're doing it again."
Confused. Cinder looked inquisitively. "You're planning something." Tukson's eyes were now absent of its usual merit, now it was the eyes of a King who see through his subjects.
After a moment of silence, "Well, whatever it is." A gauntleted hand clasped her right shoulder. " I hope you find what you are looking for… and know that I am always by your side." He gave her one last look before marching himself, with his royal guards in tow, towards the now nearly broken gates to rally and provide moral to his men.
She gave a contemplative gaze at the shadow of her King-, no, her friend, joining his man in a charge towards the terrible of demons lurking inside the Dark Lord's castle.
"Nowadays it's more complicated..." She muttered.
A loud crack tore Cinder's gaze as she witnesses the Adventurers went first to face the defense force of the Dark Lord's Castle. Soldier followed behind. While the mercenaries plowed through the castle second and last to loot their promise fortune.
Men and Women now occupied, she turned her head upwards on a lone broken window, courtesy of her arrow bolt, on the Dark Lord's Castle and-
"O' Fire Maiden, grant me strength."
She disappeared, leaving behind ashen flakes amidst the siege as she reappeared in front of an enchanted crossbow bolt wedged between the walls inside the halls of the Dark Lord's castle.
"Now, Ozma. Where did you hide her?"
Suddenly, Demons, Banshees, and Skeletons within her vicinity growled and charge at her as an unnatural heat slowly engulfs the cold air around her.
And all the while as Cinder slew the first beast.
She couldn't help but grimace at the festering unsurety wallowing on her so-called grand vengeance.
~Within the Entrance of the Castle~
"Adventurers!" Leonardo Braveheart, his old friend, shouted at the top of his lungs.
Hooded figures then leaped upwards at the onslaught of shields. Their weapons ranging from the usual swords and axes to rare items such as holy blades and cursed armaments of destruction. Soon, screams of demonic origin plagued the assortment of uninvited men and women across the thick entrance within the Dark Lord's castle.
He prayed for those who have fallen, aided his friend in rallying his man, and scored a few hits on the now expired corpses of the creatures of darkness.
"My King." Tukson glanced at one his royal guards standing proudly, even though he could spot the controlled breathing and tired figure on him, he made no remark as he nodded.
"We have lost a few men; however, no Adventurers have been reported to have been killed, your majesty."
"Good." Glancing onwards, he heard the cheers from the soldiers behind the mayhem of bodies left behind by the experienced monster hunters.
"What about him?" A shook from his guard's head ensued. Strange. What kind of Dark Lord doesn't defend his own castle? But before he could ponder further on Cinder's speculations-
"Is it true that the Dark Lord once was an adventurer?" Recognizing the voice, he turned and looked down at a small figure with no regard for his own life as the royal guards aimed their spears at the young hooded boy with freckles on his face.
"Oscar. Hm." A wave of hand resulted to spears lowered, " I suppose you could not resist diving your hands on rare artifacts, do you? Grand Mage of Azurth." A grin spread on the 'young' boy's face.
He sighed. "Nevertheless, we need all the help we can get." He looked forward to his man cheering as they cleared the first floor of the Tyrant's castle. "You can aid the adventurers to readying themselves for the second floor. Afterwards," Tukson stared hard at the immortal." Under no circumstances you will depart from them to search for whatever you mages look for. Understand?" A half-hearted nod and a roll of eyes ensues from the boy's face.
He stared hard again with more intensity. The Mage relented and eventually sighed. "I will not leave the adventurers behind to explore Ozma's chambers." Tukson blinked, that seem oddly specific- " Come on, Tukson. This won't be like your coup against the old empire!" His eyebrow raised. "… Where I sneaked off and snatched research papers from Bart." The boy then nervously looked at the Adventurers ascending the stairs towards the second floor." Please don't kick me like last time! I promise I won't abandon them! P-people change!" He stared long and hard then, after a moment of silence, sighed.
He gestured for one of his guards. " Get me Valkyrie." Armored footsteps soon bellowed outwards away from the King and the Gaping Grand Mage-
"You're sending an Anti-Mage to babysit me!?"
"Yes."
"You do know that I'm hundreds of years older than you."
"Yes."
The Revered Mage shook his hand in the air and childishly crossed his hands. Pouting. The magik user muttered something about mortals having no fun, of which, only resulted to him rolling his eyes.
"Ah, Valkyrie." He greeted the orange-haired women adorned in runic armor from leg to chest, only her head is free as her helmet dangled between her right arm.
"I assume you two know each other?" he asked.
"Yes." She stared with narrowed eyes.
"Unfortunately." Oscar rolled his.
Tukson Just stared.
All the while the two glared daggers at each other.
The King then pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Then sighed again when he begun to explain that, yes, Valkyrie would accompany the Mage in aiding the Adventurers and that, no, she won't behead the 'insufferable' Mage when he sneaks off to a wizard's chamber. But instead of maiming said mage she would inhibit his magik capabilities, temporarily, he added when a vicious smile spread on Valkyrie's face, should Oscar abandon them… Again.
"Got it, got it. Don't sneak off, aid the adventurers, and live happily ever after. Can I go now?"
"We. Mage. We."
"Sheesh, nice to meet you too. Nora."
"Don't call me that."
"What why? Is it becau-
He stepped forwards and stopped unnecessary bloodshed taking place in the middle of decaying demonic corpses.
"Get to it." He stared down at the Anti-Mage and Mage. Eventually, both sighed and backed off.
"Why are you still here, Oscar?"
"You didn't answer my first que-"
He groaned." Yes, the Dark Lord was an Adventurer. And that, no, it was not he that aided me when I was wounded that time. Simply because the rumors where the Dark Lord disguised himself as an Adventurer to slay a winter wyvern fourteen summers ago is ridiculous and has no concrete evidence. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"
"It sure did." Oscar's face then lit. "Oh, is it true that the Great Mage Ozma was a-
"For the love of the Two Drags! Get the hell outta here before I personally kick you out of this raid!"
"Got it."
Oscar took off.
"Your majesty."
Valkyrie followed after.
"Those lots…"
He sighed then lifted his hands away from his face as he heard a snicker from one of his Royal Guards.
"Speak your piece, Shay."
A gold helm turned towards him from his left. "Nothing, Sire. It's just that they reminded me how you and Cinder get off back in the old days."
Huh, that they did. Speaking of which-
"Where's Cinder?"
~Ozma's Chambers~
Staring at the glowing red orb beneath her palm she, after a moment of silence, settled it down on the white pedestal. Soon, silver roots begun to encircle the orb as it clasped its prisoner to its thousand-year cage.
Cinder let out a frustrated breath.
She lied, killed, and manipulated many to finally enact her so called grand vengeance. Yet, when it is finally brought to her, in a silver platter, literally, she hesitates to complete her original mission.
"Damn you Tukson… You made me soft." She muttered.
Now, what?
She has no purpose. No will to enact. Vengeance to crave for. All of it whisked away in the haze of the past.
"Cinder?"
Voice recognized. She turned and saw her fellow former worshiper staring at her in confusion and narrowed eyes.
Cinder couldn't help but laugh at the irony.
"You were right, Tyrian."
Her would-be-killer's eyes softened. His rich attire followed his relaxing-, no, relieved posture.
"That I am. And here I thought I would kill an old friend."
She chuckled.
"It's nice to meet you too, old friend… Now, what?" Cinder's eyes narrowed when his went wide.
"We need to go. Now."
Confused.
"What? Why?"
"Ozma is free."
"Oh…"
Then there, purpose. Not a comfortable thought since as she rushed past her confused friend, her eye's widened, and her breathe quickened. Cinder ran across the halls of the Castle while Demons, Beasts, and Skeletons sizzled in their burning state.
Gone were her surgical espionage on the Dark Lord's Domain.
Gone were her former loyalties to her former mistress.
Gone were the last etches of her former life.
Now, it was a new chapter for her.
And as she sharply turns right- "Damnit, Tukson. Why do I always have to save your as-"Her mutters were cut off as she sprawled over and stumbled upon the solid brick floor. Swears and profanities cried from not her own as her face settled on the cold ground. Getting up she-
"Damnit, Anti-Mage! Now you made me fall on an innocent maiden!"
Before she could muster her senses to control, a young boy rosed from the ground. His green cloak bellowed behind him as he briskly walked towards her and, with genuine concern marring his freckled face, checked her for any sustained injuries as he begun to ask questions concerning her health.
"I-I'm fine… now please step aside-"
"Oh, Great! Cause' I don't want a certain orange-haired-walking-mage-hater using this as an excuse to cut my head off."
What?
She blinked. Then blinked again, when she noticed the ground slightly shook as armored footsteps ensued followed after by a figure, dawned in armor from head to toe, stopped its rampage and stared at them.
No, it was staring at her.
And now it flung a flying summoned halberd at her. Experience alone saved her from a skewered state as she throws herself again on the floor, past the widened eyed boy, and begun to dodge, duck, and weave through the myriad of fleeing armaments aiming for her head.
Cinder then grunted when a lone spear ducked its sharp end through her cloak and sticking it to the ground. And as she heard the sound of shaking footsteps, she hurriedly unclasped the piece of cloth, and bended backwards.
It saved her from a headless form.
Now the armored being is overswung and open, she chose not to spring the trap and spaced herself away from it instead. Red gown greeted the cold night as she, in her uncloaked form, stood far away from the thing's throwing range.
"Get out of my way."
Silence was the Armored Figure's answer.
"You leave me no choice."
Heat came and invaded the cold halls as flames rosed beneath her and her eyes blazed.
"By the Twin Drags! You're an innate mage!"
Ignoring the wide-eyed boy.
She aimed her hands towards her enemy and- … blinked.
Nothing happened. Her right arm stayed empty on the now cold air as her flames blinked out of existence. Purple hue surrounded the armored behemoth as markings carved on its plates glowed brightly on the dark hallway. Realizing the boy's earlier comments, her eyes widened.
"Oh, yeah. But She's an Anti-mage."
A boot soon connected to her stomach, sending her further back and tumbling on the floor. Armored boots quaked. Her eyes flashed before her eyes as she witnessed her attacker carry her runed Halbert high and ready to execute its hapless victim.
Cinder closed her eyes.
Then opened them when the sound of metal hitting blade ensued. She glanced at her savior-
"T-tyrian?"
His purple eyes, hidden behind a black helm, looked back at her. Grunting as his armored hands stopped the behemoth's armament with his two bladed forefront arms. His pony tailed hair drifted away, from the sheer force of the attack behind his armored sleek physique. Eventually, as the battle of strength favored the armored attacker, a black tail erupted from his back towards his foe. Said foe backed away with its armored might, leaving behind a decaying weapon.
"Y-you're…"
"In armor?" He grinned and greeted her again as his eyes cautiously watched their opponent.
"Jaune gave me this as a gift for my service. Said that I'll be much better with it." He then added." And I am! Shows that the Dark Lord's wisdom is infinite and constant! Again, and again!" Tyrian praised.
"That's not what I mean-… oh, never mind that. We have an Anti-Mage on our skins."
Tyrian's present grin only widened. "Oh. Really now? Never killed one before." His head then shifted as his head and stance lowered, while his scorpion tail lazily drifted as an ever-present threat, like a hungry predator on a lone prey.
"What about the boy?" Said boy seems to be arguing, or trying to, to the armored figure while the behemoth ignored him.
"Harmless. A bystander." She responded.
"Hmm. Sure?"
"Yes. He had plenty of chances of killing me, yet he did not take them."
He then laughed like the madman he was, "Sparing others now? You really have changed Cindy" he remarked as Cinder sighed at the familiar bickering taking place.
"I prefer to be called by name. Tyrian." She then paused. Chuckling at the irony, she begun to stand from her sitting position and step back a little further from her ally, as she grabbed a wooden handle from her back, then aimed her custom-made crossbow at the enemy. But just before the two groups begun their second battle-
They were forced to stay still from an unexpected earthquake and prepared themselves lest the other group takes the opportunity to launch first strike. None came. However, as the disturbed floor stopped its movement, a lone gasp followed by a body hitting the solid floor came as the hooded boy's face wrought with despair.
"Mage. What is it?" The armored entity spoked for the first time. "I-it's so huge." The now identified mage gaped with pain present on the child's face.
"S-so much power… t-this is the second time I've witnessed such intensity e-ever since I've ascended."
Sensing movement arming Tyrian's stance, she moved swiftly and clasped the Assassin's shoulders before-
"Damnit Cindy! Now isn't the time to grow soft and- … Cinder? Cinder!?"
The last thing she saw was her old friend's eyes widening before she hit the floor.
~The Halls ~
The first Adventurer died.
Her body thrown aside and flung behind the two wooden doors she first bravely entered. An open hole marred her chest as her body slowly descended down the blood-stained wall as everyone stopped and stilled as the sight of their fellow sister succumbing to an unknown menace.
"E-Elena…"
One of them stepped forwards as the man remove his hood showing a shocked face shakingly stepping forwards on the deceased women that matched his hair black hair.
"N-no… Don't leave me..."
They were silent as the young man weep in agony. Their once secure moral now challenged. Suddenly, slow loud steps came forth from the open door.
"For what little it's worth, I am sorry."
A huge figure adorned in runic purple armor spoke as he slowly strides forwards, each booming step shaking the ground as well as their dwindling morals, outside from the Wizard's Chambers with a red orb clasped and carefully balance on his right arm. He looked down with a solemn face on the sobbing Adventurer.
"I too once lost someone I loved, I know of your pain." He then lifted the orb towards the mourning Adventurer as his purple worn cape drifted behind him "However, fret not for this is your salvation. Join the ranks of the Ashen Queen fellow warrior. Be with Salem so that you may one day see your sister once more! For she is infinite and divine, nothing is beneath her clutches nor above her power. Join us-"
A quick leaped ensued and an empty hand now lay a struggling Adventurer grasped beneath the Giant's fingers. The Adventurer's sword clattered below his dangling legs as his hand fought for weakness on the large arm after his failed attempt to assassinate his sister's murderer.
"F-Fuck you…"
The man only let out a disappointed sigh.
"Then so be it."
Blood sprayed.
A headless figure fell and lay amidst it's deceased relative as the preparator slowly faced the group of monster slayers unthreatened by the myriad of weapons brought to bear on him. A confident step ensued from the large man and some backed away at the approaching monstrous obstacle. Eventually, the veterans managed to instill their rage and vengeance on the younger members as moral stirs back.
"You are only one man." One of them spoke." Even you could not hope to best the six of us."
Spears, Swords, Axes, Cursed, and Blessed blades were raised. However, the ashen queen's apostle only gave them a moment of look, before sighing.
"Who said I was only one man?"
Laughter and jeering suddenly erupted behind the large man and the backs of the Adventurers as brandished weapons glinted at the blood-soaked air from their grinning owners. Men and women, dressed in bits of armor and ragged cloth, waved the rare artifacts of destruction and stolen rare armaments mockingly at the shocked group. "What have you done!?" One of their hooded members gasped as the blood drain from his face.
"You have lost ever since Cinder convinced your warrior-king to accept the offered hands of the Branwen mercenary clan." He then spread his arms gesturing the gathered sell swords. "Your strength alone may equal to ten men, Adventurers. However, against hundreds of the Ashen Queen's Soldiers of Fortune silently decimating your groups within these halls?" He then gazed at them. "I think not. Join us, warriors. Follow the rightful queen because once she resurrects, all these unnecessary bloodsheds will be over… and you don't have to witness a loved one die." Silence fell on the gathered groups.
Afterwards, the Adventurers then looked at each other. And as if a collective acceptance ensues, they nodded and face their soon-to-be-killers with grim determination.
"We will never change for scums like you." An old more experience member, with a scarred experienced face, spat as the six of them put their backs against the other. Raised their own weapons with bravery plastered on their pale faces and prepared themselves for an inevitable last stand.
Hazel Rainart nodded and closed his eyes as he waved a hand at the mercenaries and turned away. Soon, human screams and cries of pain flooded the bloodied halls as the fervent massacre infatuated the cold night.
A feminine figure, garbed in bandit's cloth with little armor to suit her agile physique, leaning against the wall uncrossed her arms and stared at him.
"I assume that all of them are decimated?"
She snorted as she flicked her bloodied blade from her hilt and rested it on her shoulder. "Fools, they were so focus on revenge that they forgot to watch their backs. The strongest fell by my blade and the rest are hunted down as we speak." He nodded, pleased.
"You will be rewarded, Raven Branwen."
"I better be." Raven spat. "If your goddess does not bring my daughter back to the land of the living then I will personally lay claim on your head." The two stared at each other, eventually, he spoked.
"The Ashen Queen has no limits." His voice boomed. "Ever since the Dark Lord slew her physical form thousands of years ago, she, in her prisoned state, circumvented and infiltrated even the Kingdoms in his banner, through visiting the dreams of the faithful, guiding them, to sow seeds of her grand plan." He then lifted the orb to her. "And with her now on the last etches of her inevitable freedom. She will inevitably be free, as Ozma soon will be-"
He paused as the ground shook. Once it calmed, a loud monstrous roar echoed across the insides of the castle. Then suddenly, the walls begun to collapse. One of the sells swords approached the two figures.
"B-Bosses we have looted what we can… Now what?"
After a moment of calm silence as the walls keep crumbling around them, Hazel spoked.
"Now, we hunt down a dragon."
~Outside ~
Pain exploded in every part of her body.
Soon her writhing figure hunched and leaned over the grass floor. A hand settled on her sheaving shoulders, forcing her to turn.
"Are you alright?"
Then relaxed after seeing a familiar face. Golden eyes then slowly drifted on the morning daylight beaming at the group. "Tyrian?" The man's unhelmed face stared back at her. "Why are we outside?" Before he could answer-
"That would be the result of me saving our skins from the crumbling castle."
The boy said as his once hazel eyes glowed in a green hue as a wooden staff, perched on his right hand, supported his tired physique. A snort came from behind them, glancing, her eyebrows then slightly raised in surprise to a feminine orange-haired face settling down on a certain armor.
"Wrong. Mage. That would be me allowing you to use your magik to teleport us outside-"
"Ah, ah." The mage swayed a finger at her. "But it was me who used a third-tier spell that!" he beamed and then suddenly put a hand on his mouth as he gasped. "Only Grand Mages can procure, yes procure! You stone-headed welp-" A swoosh of a flying weapon ensued. Then a real gasp came forth.
"Hey! What was that for!?"
"I advise you to choose your next words more carefully, Mage."
"Sheesh. If it came to a real battle! You would be smeared to my magnificence!"
"You and your arrogant boasts-
"WHAT HAPPENED!?"
Everyone stopped and looked at her. The mage and anti-mage paused their childish bickering as their face turned into an ugly grimace. The former was about to speak-
"The Ashen Queen's cage is at the clutches of the enemy."
Her eyes widened and blood drained from her face.
"W-what…?"
Tyrian sighed not noticing her distress as he forlornly gazes down the broken remains of the Dark Lord's Castle from the perched uphill they were on. "C-cinder?" He asked as surprise marred his unhelmed face courtesy from her perched hands shaking his shoulders.
"Is the King safe!?"
"Y-yes, he managed to survive the mutiny for he wasn't the target."
She sagged in relief.
"But the lands of Reven won't." A voice responded from behind.
"And soon, once the apostles of the Ashen Queen have captured the primordial dragon. All will be decimated once she resurrects." The armored being continued. Afterwards, everyone was silent as the grass swayed in the winds.
"That's simple. We kill her then." The green hooded mage interjected as he slowly walked towards them.
"That would be an impossible task." Tyrian responded. "Only another celestial can kill Salem or… a star-forge blade." He sighed. "And the former is the last celestial flying across the stars awaiting to be bounded and captured by the apostles as we speak. While the latter… is besides the only person who can-, has killed Salem before."
"The Dark Lord?" The only wizard from their group asked as his face beamed in excited glee.
"Yes. But it's complicated."
"How, so?" She spoke as the rest of them waited for her old friend's reply.
"He is… on a faraway place."
"How do we get him back?" The armored being spoked.
"We can't-… unless." Tyrian paused then, after a moment of silence, spoke with a grimace.
"There is one person who can bring him back…he is… eccentric however."
"What matters is we bring the Dark Lord back." She spoked as her eyes drifted from the group to Tyrian.
"Who is the person you speak of?" Her friend sighed defeatedly and spoked.
"It's the Travelling outworlder known as Port."
"An outworlder- … wait! You mean to say that the Dark Lord is in another realm!?"
"Yes." Tyrian responded to the now quivering mage.
"Soooo..." said mage now shook his hands in the air, then looked at them with excitement oozing from his glowing eyes. "Were going to go on an Adventure to get the Dark Lord back and save the planes of Reven?"
A snort came forth from the armored being behind her. "That is, if we survive the journey. Speaking of which, where is this outworlder you speak of?" The women asked as Cinder warily took a step away from her.
"I know not." Her old friend's face then suddenly was encapsulated by a reminiscing gaze. "However, I do know a certain princess with connections that span far and wide…"
"Is this Princess Waltz you speak of?" She asked as he nodded in response.
"A Dark Lord sympathizer?" The Anti-mage asked as the Assassin among them snorted.
"More-like a love interest. Nonetheless, I am confident in her ability to set us up a meeting point with Port."
The Assassin, Mage, Anti-mage, and her then discussed their plans as they readied themselves for a journey concerning the fate of Reven .
Until one of them asked the goliath in the room.
"Where is the Dark Lord anyways?" The Boy-mage spoked.
~Somewhere in Remnant~
A trickle of sweat trailed down on her cheek as a black sword rested on her throat. Pinned against the wall, her combat training and experience lay forgotten as the blonde man in medieval armor, of all things, threatened her very existence.
"Where am I?" he seethed.
"Y-you're in Menagerie!" She squeaked as her answer failed to enlighten the man, considering his confused gaze, he asked further. "And where in Reven is Menagerie?" Her confusion must have shown as the blonde only growled impatiently-
"Ha! Ha. Told ya were fucked!" Her sanity then threatened to go downhill when the strange accented voice came from a very very short person striding arrogantly, behind the armored man pinning her, wearing a red cone-shaped hat sitting on an orange haired face inhaling a tobacco pipe.
"O' how the mighty Dark Lord of Reven despair and fraught at a wish he long sought for" The short person sing sang as he chuckles merrily at them.
"I do not remember addressing you, Ronald-"
"It's Roman!" The Roman pointed the smoking hot pipe at the man. "And besides, you're a mortal now! You got you're wish. Who cares if a siege is attacking your castle, of which, if I remember correctly, you complain all the time about!" she tried not to snigger at Roman stomping his small stubby legs. "Me. however? I'm Stuck in twin drags knows where! Away from my glorious charade in a quest for all the golds in Reven because an old mage used my innate magik as a gateway for dimensional travel!" The small individual panted at the end of his speech.
"I thought you would be glad to be free from your captivity?"
"Free? Free!? Free when my magik coils here are obsolete? Sure, I am not trapped in a Jar! But, how can I even rob a bank with only m-my…"
"Short physique?" The man offered.
"That!" The small person then puffed and crossed his tiny arms as the armored man sighed.
"Power alone are not the only measures of a living being, Rowan. Or did you think I alone slew the Ashen Queen thousands of years ago?" He did what? And in- how!?, … he couldn't be older than late twenties with his lack of white hair and crinkled face! "No. It takes the aid of companions. Because without them. We would be… Are you even listening?"
The gnome thing in question jostled awake from his nap.
"Ah. I stop listening after you misspelled my name again."
She heard a sigh in front of her.
"Nevertheless. I need to go back to Reven. My friends need me. And I will never abandon them when Salem is going to be resurrected." His blue-eyes then bore on her. "Tell me, color changing person. What is your name?"
Color changing?- Oh, her semblance.
"M-my name is Ilia. Ilia amitola." She eek out as she then sighs in relief when she felt the blade retreated back to his scabbard.
"Well then, lily." Her eyebrows twitch and she felt a strange urge to sympathize with the gnome person.
"My name is Jaune Arc of Reven. I am an Adventurer on a quest to find my way home."
Adventurer? Like the ones she read in fantasy novels?
"Do you know an Ozma of this world?"
"Y-you mean Ozpin?"
"Ah, so that's what he goes by in this universe?" The man chuckled. "Well, I guess Port was right on parrarel realms… for once." She heard him muttered. Then stood at attention when his eyes return on her-
"Nevertheless. Where is… Ozpin stationed at?"
"Beacon. Beacon Academy." She blurted.
"I see. And how far is Beacon from here?" he asked.
"Y-you're going to have to ferry a ride to Vale then. We don't have any bullheads here-" She stopped when she noticed him go still.
Sweat starts to pour on her as the moments gone by in silence.
"D-did I say something wrong-"
"W-well o-f course not all have transport animals on to go-" She blinked when the terrifying person in armor, that threatened her life earlier, suddenly shake as his armor clinks.
"HA! I knew it!" The smallest among them shouted gleefully.
"The Mighty Dark Lord of Reven is afraid to go to open seas!"
"No, I'm not! You guessed wrong! A-and besides! It's normal for people to have sea sickness!"
'HA! I should call you Vomit-Lord!"
"How dare you call me that name! Rogan!"
"For hundred of times already! My name is Roman!"
"That's what I said!"
"No! It isn't."
It's official.
She should have joined Blake when she left...
To be continued...
Next chapter will be uploaded on May 4...
Updated: April 28, 2022 (Grammar corrections).
...
So, what did you think of this chapter?
Please leave a review, if you want to.
Criticisms are welcomed.
And, I hope you have a fine day today.
(Insert Happy Face)
...