That night was luckily rather quiet after all the ruckus over the pilgrimage's date and all. The purification rituals were commonly performed after the initial trial by the guardian of the lanthorn. During these rituals, the flame bearer is instructed in training to aid them on the road, as well as how to coax the flame and keep its luster bright and burning. These were a series of prayers, as well as preparations of special clothing, and even baths. This would last five days, after which the Kindling would truly begin, and the Flamebearer would be sent off.
Ophilia stood by the window in her nightgown. Outside, the snow of the evening was drifting into the pale piles outside in the yard. They glisten with otherworldly grace, glimmering slightly despite the lack of clear moonlight.
H'aanit was sound asleep in the sick wing with Hägen and Linde when the cleric left her. They had spoken a great deal at Orr's pub after their adrenaline-pumping excursion in the Cave of Origin. The cleric was ever so curious of the huntress' capabilities from the Darkwood lineage. They spoke until it was rather late, and Orr had to tell them the time. Ophilia couldn't believe how stupid she was, especially given that H'aanit was still wounded. So, once they returned, it was instantly off to the baths and bed for the huntress.
But for the cleric, there was an air of anticipation and slew of excited thoughts keeping her up. She had spoken to the pontiff upon her return with H'aanit. Mattias hadn't left for his quarters yet and joined to corroborate. Julius was surprised for sure at this sudden request.
"Rippletide? For medicine?"
"Yes, your holiness," Mattias nodded, "I have an acquaintance who might have the medicine to help Father Josef. He is situated in Rippletide currently. With a good steed and carriage, we can be fast there and back quickly before Lianna must set off."
"Hmm... Twould certainly help assuage her worries about Josef, yes," The pontiff nodded sagely, "I can trust you Mattias. But Ophilia though... It has been a while since you have left the Frostlands. Are you prepared for this journey southward?"
She had to calm herself down before answering positively. The pontiff gave them his blessing and he and Mattias walked off to discuss the details.
Leaving the Frostlands! She felt it was a strange thing. Something she had waited for, that she knew not having the lust for. Yet, now that it was upon her, she was as giddy as a child.
Mattias had done a good job placing images in her head. He showed her the mapped route they would take. As he traced his finger down out of the Frostlands to the Flatlands, Ophilia could hardly contain her imagination of the green fields and quaint little towns with their windmills and villages of wood and hay. And their farms! Mattias had spoken before about the ranges where the cows grazed because snow didn't cover the ground year long.
And then the Coastlands! The shimmering jewel that was the ocean, and ships with masts towards the sky. Coast towns were more populated and highly diverse, being ports to new countries, new worlds. Being a merchant, Mattias described the exotic things he'd seen, from people to their cargo. He swore he once saw a mermaid in a forlorn cove somewhere down there.
All these things were crowding up the cleric's excited mind. She had to tell herself repeatedly that they were on an errand. She had to get medicine for Father Josef. H'aanit was also still looking for her master. This was no joy ride!
"Can't sleep either?"
Ophilia turns to the voice to see her sister. Lianna gives her a soft smile as she walks up beside her to gaze out to the falling snow.
"Oh, the jitters all aflutter inside... I can scarcely stay still under the covers!" Lianna breathes, "I can't believe the day finally happened... where I held the sacred lanthorn in my own two hands...!"
"You were amazing against that golem, Anna. Your offensive light magic... I could never," Ophilia chuckles.
"I could never have done the trial if you and H'aanit weren't there," Lianna looks to Ophilia, "Your support magic was very helpful! Did you see that bolt on the arrow?"
"Ah, I'm pretty sure that was H'aanit's own expertise... I really don't feel like I did anything..."
"Fili! Don't you start with that!" Lianna lightly pinches her sister's arm, much to the other's surprise.
"Ow!" Ophilia recoils lightly before looking to the other in indignant disbelief, "Anna!"
"I'm serious! You need to give yourself a bit of credit! If it weren't for you coming in the first place... why I might have lost all nerve even stepping into the cave!" Lianna huffs, "Father is right when he says you are too kind. Kind and humble!"
"Oh, he says that?" Ophilia blinks, "I don't see the problem with kindness..."
"It's not what he means, Fili," Lianna waves a finger through the air like she's a lecturing teacher, "You need to stand up for yourself sometimes you know? Take charge!"
Ophilia looks down back at the drifts of white, a pensive expression now on her face. A slight shiver runs through both sisters seemingly at once, and they both sneeze at the same time.
"ACHOO!"
"My, my, why are you two out of bed?"
The two clerics jump with a start and look to see Natalie. The blind healer smiles and taps the floor with her cane.
"You both have such big upcoming days. I'd get some more rest while I can."
"Ah, alright, Natalie..."
The sisters retreat to their rooms to talk further under the warmth of their own covers. As Ophilia snuggled under her warm blanket, the fatigue and excitement slowly melted away and let her relax. She was tuckered out and hadn't even known it. After they chattered some more, the two clerics closed their eyes and drifted off to a well-deserved night of sleep.
…
The bleak morning sun of Flamesgrace bothered H'aanit little as she traipsed through the snow in a jogger's pace, Hägen and Linde trotting beside her. Slowly, they built up the speed and allowed their lungs to get accustomed to the morning's bitter cold air. Then they picked up the pace and began to run through the fresh snow drifts. It felt good to exercise and train up after the ordeal yesterday. Rather than rest, the huntress found that wounds fared better when she was active.
The ghisarma head from last night had been devoured by Linde and Hägen after their dinner last night. In ancient ritual, she buried the gnawed skull just outside Flamesgrace on her jog route. The memory ingrained in the beast remained in her mind. Those horrifying red eyes...
Redeye...
Could it just be a coincidence?
When they had completed a lap around town, she was sweating under her fur cape and the beasts were panting. They stopped before the bridge to the cathedral to catch their breath. There is slight steam from her body as she cooled down. They trot back to the cathedral slowly. Parked in front is a small carriage. It is nowhere near as lavish as the Ciaran carriage. Two sturdy steeds lead, and some knights are helping to load the back.
As H'aanit approaches, she sees the familiar cleric come out with the sandy-haired merchant. Ophilia waves to the huntress.
"H'aanit! You went out for a run?"
"Aye, tis bettern my wounds, I finde," H'aanit nods, "Are we to setten off now?"
"About, yup!"
"You're as jittery as a snow hare on nuts, Ophilia!" Mattias laughs, "I just hope you aren't disappointed. Trips are hardly so exciting."
"Just because you go on so many that they're a chore!" Ophilia retorts.
"Wheren are we due first?" H'aanit cuts the chitchat a bit.
"Atlasdam. The cradle city of the Flatlands. Really nice place if you don't mind some of the stuffiness. It's got a nice academy and lots of cute students," Mattias chuckles, "Oh, and libraries."
"Wow... It sounds like a large city!"
"Oh, it is, hehe. Or at least it feels big."
Ophilia notices H'aanit's gaze lower a bit at the mention of a large city. She goes to lightly hold the huntress' hand, much to the other's surprise.
"Come on then, you have one last bath before we're off!"
…
The trip was projected to take at least three days to reach Rippletide and finish exchanges for the medicine. At best, they were to try and begin returning before the third day was over so they would make it back in time for Lianna's sending off. Thus, this left about a day or less for their stay in Atlasdam, as most of their time would be spent on the road.
The ride begins on a road different from the one Ophilia had taken for the supply runs to Richard. Southward.
All of the Frostlands ultimately seemed to look the same though anyway. Just drifts of snow everywhere, with the occasional animal poking out when there wasn't a storm looming.
The cleric sits inside the carriage with H'aanit and the beasts. Mattias, who had some experience with horses, was holding the reins. It had a different feel than the supply wagon, and Ophilia peeked out the small window constantly.
"Usually I would walk, I'll say, haha," Mattias says, "Carriages are a bit pricey. And horses can be so uncomfortable in their gait, you know?"
"The church's horses are tame as can be!" Ophilia peers out for the umpteenth time, "We don't exactly train spirited horses."
"He doth mean the way they walken overall," H'aanit says tersely.
Ophilia now looks a bit sideways at the huntress. Since they started off, H'aanit seemed unnaturally rigid sitting in the carriage. Prior to riding, Ophilia had asked if she was accustomed to this form of transport. The cleric was worried if she had some aversion sickness to the mode. But H'aanit assured her it was fine.
"Are you... sure you're comfortable with this, H'aanit?" Ophilia says apprehensively, "We can stop at the roadside if you need..."
"... It is fine," The huntress asserts once more. Linde growls a bit next to her, eyes flickering.
"You're a bit... stiff, if I may say..." Ophilia stares at her with a slightly unamused expression, like a parent who does not buy into a lie, "Does the ride perhaps make you nervous?"
H'aanit avoids making eye contact with the cleric's discerning gaze for a few moments. Ophilia was not budging though. Linde's tail occasionally prods H'aanit's face. After her gaze remains unwavering, the huntress finally acquiesces with a sigh of resignation.
"… Tis not… natural."
"Hm?" Ophilia tilts her head lightly, looking inquisitively to the huntress, "You mean this mode of travel?"
The huntress nods wordlessly, as though a bit bashful of this opinion. Linde and Hägen seem to chuckle a bit, in a deep, beastly tone of a way.
"Pfft… haha!" Ophilia giggles a little, "Sorry, sorry, I shan't laugh… I had… my suspicions after all… This isn't what hunters do from Darkwood is it…?"
"…Aye. We oft travelen only on foot, alongen withe our partners. We doen not burden another to taketh us… nor useth odd contraption…" H'aanit blushes lightly at her admittance, "It… doth feelen odd."
"Feels odd? Is the revulsion so strong… Ah, then perhaps it's carriage sickness? I have heard of road nausea. Sister Patricia gets it, hehe… I know just the thing!"
Ophilia springs forward from her seat and lightly touches the huntress' forehead, much to the surprise of the latter. The cleric withdraws with a cheerful grin. H'aanit rubs her forehead a little in bewilderment.
"…?"
"So? Feel better? It's a minor ward spell Natalie taught me for the road just this morning hehe!" Ophilia beams, "It's supposed to keep nausea away when performed properly. do you feel better?"
"…" H'aanit sighs a little and leans back, "Thanken thee… but I haven not the sickness."
Her eye wanders a bit back outside to the passing snows, "Yet… I supposeth it doth helpen me feel more eased…"
"Ah, I'm glad then!" Ophilia smiles, "You should speak up next time if you're uncomfortable with something…"
"… Tis of little concern," H'aanit looks to the cleric, "Thou art in haste no? Tis a necessary convenience then."
"Well, yes. Carriages and horses are able to help us travel long distances much faster, compared to walking on foot. But if it makes you uncomfortable, I want to know."
H'aanit blinks a bit before closing her eyes with a smile, "… I am grateful for thine concern, Ophilia."
Linde and Hägen yawn a bit. Mattias chuckles to himself from the coachman's seat. He draws his coat about himself as he looked onward for the earliest sign of greenery as entry in the Flatlands. Their journey had just begun.
…
The road into the Flatlands is largely divided by a forest and a subsequent marshy region due to the surrounding ground mingling with the moisture northward. As waters ran down from the mountains north, they created a tract of softer earth down mountain. These eventually even out with the dry winds from the west to form the main Flatlands. The result was a rather temperate area that was apt for some farming.
Mattias points this, along with many other things, out to his passengers as they pass the Whistlewood and make their passage over these marshy regions.
"The Whistlewood's a place they say is so quiet you can hear the wind whistle through the trees. Lotsa froggen here though, so best not to dally..."
"Froggen?" The cleric looks around outside at the trees passing by, "Do you know what they are, H'aanit?"
"Plentiful creatures borne of water and air. I haven seen some of them other hunters boughteth back... But I haveth never hunteden them."
"That sounds about right," Mattias keeps a wary eye out, "Froggen aren't native to the Woodlands after all. They're more common down south up to about here in the north Flatland wilds. But you guys have ratkin in the woods no?"
"Aye. A mighty scourge they be'en when tis breeding season," H'aanit mutters, sitting stiffly with her arms crossed. Though Ophilia's gesture had helped her mood, her posture remained relatively rigid.
Slowly, the trees fade away to show a more even and clear landscape of mud mixed with patches of grass.
"The Flatlands used to be a bit more forested in some areas, mainly near the north, by the Frostlands. Most of the trees are all about gone now, all cut down for lumber. The ground is therefore a bit eroded and unstable sometimes."
As he says that, they run aground some deep mud sinkhole. He groans and sees if he can't get the horses to put some more muscle into it. They neigh and whinny when their hooves fail to get enough traction in the mud to help pull out the sunken wheel.
"Oh bother it all..."
He hops off his seat and inspects the hind side. One of the rear wheels is halfway submerged in mud.
"...? Mattias?" Ophilia pokes her head out and looks around, "What's wrong? We've stopped?"
"Ah, don't worry about it... just some typical technical malfunctions..." The merchant mutters as he puts his back into it, trying to push the wheel out. He nearly slips and falls face first in the mud, but catches himself against the back of the carriage.
"Mayhap we can help?" Ophilia peers towards the back curiously.
Before Mattias can say no, H'aanit hops out to help him. She inspects the stuck mechanism quietly.
"... We needen to lighten the load and lifteth it out."
"Lift it?" Mattias balks.
"Only a mite will doen. Ophilia cannen pulleth the horses on whilst we liften."
Ophilia and the two beasts vacate the carriage and help to carry out what goods they can spare to make the endeavor more feasible, placing their belongings on a nearby patch of clean grass. Mattias and H'aanit then haul the vehicle out of the mud from the bottom frame, rather than rolling the wheel out. At that moment, Ophilia coaxes the horses forward, having them pull at the vehicle to get it going forward and out. Unfortunately, the moment their efforts bear fruit and the horses pull the wheel out, the two of them in the back are sprayed with the mud that spurts up from the displacement. Linde gives a catty smile a safe distance away, next to Hägen, who seems unamused at the mishap. Ophilia looks back at the two and suppresses a giggle.
"…Well then," Mattias sighs, flicking the stuff off his hat, "I think we can take a small roadside stop."
H'aanit wipes some mud off her face and shoots Linde a look, "Agreede."
Ophilia laughs a bit and helps them tie down the horses. They have a small, simple meal by some dry grasses. The sun in the sky is well halfway down its path to the horizon.
"Ok… that ought to do it," Mattias sighs, placing his and H'aanit's wet clothes on the side of the carriage roof to dry, "Most of the mud out at least…"
"By Aelfric, this is such a handy item, Mattias!"
The cleric and huntress look over the magic decanter Mattias used to clean the mud off. H'aanit luckily was mainly splashed on her covering shawl and not her clothes underneath.
"It's nothing special, hehe. Just a small gift when I made my thousandth leaf! It's a limited decanter of water creation. Merchants can't stop for water all the time, you know?"
The decanter is a container shaped like a horn, meant for carrying on the side of the torso. It has the emblem of the Leo Consortium embossed on the stopper. Ophilia hands the bottle back to him and he replaces it in his pack. He sits down on a dry rock and takes out some hearty bread to munch on. Linde and Hägen have more meat-on-the-bone to gnaw on, courtesy of the church. Ophilia offers H'aanit bread with jam and butter she had packed for the road. As they eat, the cleric gazes around at the marshy place around them.
The ground is covered in swaths of wet earth. There are patches of grasses and solid ground forming islands, but not too much plant life just yet. It is still rather chilly, as they had not left the Frostlands too long ago.
"It took us a bit under half a day to get here… I hope we can reach Atlasdam by nightfall… Resting on the roads these days is dangerous, what with the increased presence of monsters and whatnot…" Mattias rubs his neck with a sigh, "That's becoming the case a lot these days… We're lucky we haven't any run-ins so far, come to think of it…"
"So tis occuren elsewhere as well…" H'aanit murmurs pensively as she strokes Linde's fur, "I hadde thoughten it weren only a problem in the Woodlands with the monsters."
"No, no, all over Orsterra, I'd wager. Folks be talking about some awful things but," Mattias shrugs, "We can only be careful."
"Uhm, well all we can do is pray… But I believe in your experience on the road, Mattias. And H'aanit is a strong fighter," Ophilia smiles, "So, what else were you going to tell us about the Flatlands?"
"Ever eager, eh?" Mattias chuckles before he continues his long expose on the new area, "Well, while we're waiting for the stuff to dry…"
This muddy area is sometimes referred to an addition to the eight existing ones, depending on who you talk to. It extends out primarily eastward from the area between the Frostlands and Flatlands, though a sliver of it reaches the southern Woodlands. People called it the Mudlands or Marshlands, and even Swamplands. There have been efforts from the king of the Flatlands to reclaim the area via landscaping projects, which were already underway. But the uptick in monsters have waylaid the full implementation of these plans.
"See, if you anchor the ground with grasses, it becomes less susceptible to erosion and the elements, becoming firmer. And then you could pave roads and whatnot, so people don't have accidents like we just did."
Thus, the Mudlands would remain a tract of unconquered nature for a while longer probably. It stretches out far into the east, along the coast north of the Coastlands even.
The rest of the Flatlands had this protection. Strong, hardy grasses grew year-round almost, save the depths of winter. But the Flatlands was more temperate than the Frostlands. They had farmers and cultivators who tended to the health of the nearby plants. So even during the winter, the yellow grasses would remain rooted to the soils.
Within the inner east of the Middlesea coast, or, the western Flatlands, the land is slightly elevated on a single point in topography, which is where Atlasdam castle is built, and then the city surrounding it. The city eventually expands out to Middlesea with its own port. But it was not as lucrative as the Coastlands, which offered more ports accessible to those outside of Orsterra.
"...Well, if we want to get to Atlasdam soon, better start moving," Mattias wolfs down the last of his food, "Shouldn't be too far, but you never know what comes along the road."
As they resumed their ride, the sun set lower and lower towards the horizon. Ophilia looks out towards the east and west. It truly was a very flat place. Down southward, far away in the distance, she saw the low ridge of mountains against the dimming light of oncoming dusk.
"Say, Mattias? Does anyone live in the Mudlands?"
"Hm? Well, not really no..." Mattias scratches his face a bit as he looks around, "Remember what I said about the erosion? The mudlands aren't really fit for any planting or plowing. No crops mean no food, and no food means no people. I'm sure there might be one or two hermits out there maybe... But the ground isn't ideal for houses either."
"Oh, I see..."
Slowly, as they exited the marsh region, the ride came much smoother. It was getting dark. Mattias lights a riding lantern and hangs it beside him. Ophilia yawns a bit, rubbing her eyes. H'aanit has closed her eyes by now.
Suddenly, Mattias says, "Well, you are a lucky charm indeed, Ophilia."
"Huh?"
"Look, up ahead."
The cleric pokes her head out and looks down the road. There is a structure coming up in the distance, highlighted by torch light. Civilization again.
"Is that..."
"We've definitely broken one of my travel records, hehe!" Mattias chuckles, "Here we come, Atlasdam!"
Just as he says that, there is a loud bang as something impacts the carriage hard, rocking and jostling the riders. Mattias yelps as he tries to stay in his seat. The horses whinny at the sudden noise in alarm. H'aanit is rudely shaken awake with a start. Linde and Hägen growl immediately. Ophilia lurches a little, hitting her head on the carriage window frame.
"Ow!"
"What be'en that?"
There is another slam and bang, then a snap as one of the carriage's wheels cracks and the vehicle tumbles, dipping onto one corner. The horses neigh loudly in fright and pick up their speed. With the lurch in speed and the uneven carriage, Mattias slips off his seat.
"WHOAAH!"
"AAH!"
Ophilia falls into H'aanit's arms. The huntress braces against the back wall of the carriage. But it still appeared to be moving. They hear Mattias yelp outside, followed by a thud. Quick to act, H'aanit throws open the door with a kick.
"Linde! Hägen!"
The two beasts leap out of the vehicle, growling. They would see the enemy first while the others untangled themselves.
"Oww…" Mattias rubs his head, having fallen off his seat in the chaos.
He sees the carriage rattling down the road. The horses are whinnying madly, pawing the ground. The carriage bindings were keeping them connected to the vehicle, but they were pulling hard to try and get away. Even without a wheel, the vehicle was uneasily going, leaving a long drag mark in the path behind it.
"W-wait…!" Damn, he was going to be left behind!
But wait, what had hit them in the first place?
He hears a low grunting squeal and turns to see a small pack of shaggy meeps. Meeps were a species of porcine creature that were spread out around the Flatlands and Woodlands areas. They were commonly fungivores that looked like pigs, but had hard, rubbery skin to protect them when they smashed into people with their signature charge ram attacks. There were three varieties the merchant was acquainted with: base, shaggy and mossy. Meeps were considered baby boars. Over time, they would grow the appropriate tusk weapons to gore their enemies instead of just using their bodies.
Shaggy meeps are considered a grown version of base meeps and were a common hazard in the Flatlands. They have the grown tusks to prove it, as well as a lump of hardened osseous material on their forehead. This meant they were more developed in the ramming department. The lump commonly grew long tufts of hair, thus earning them the name of shaggy. When they grew up, this lump would be reabsorbed into their body as nutrients to grow more hair and larger tusks. Once mature, they would usually migrate to the denser Woodlands as fearsome boars to compete for food and mates. But this was by no means assurance. Even when they were young, meeps in general had a fierce temper and hit like cannonballs with their charge.
These shaggy meeps though… Even Mattias could tell they were much bigger than usual, and angrier. He'd heard from fellow travelers about the monsters increasing in attacks and seeming more feral. He'd counted himself lucky until now. The way the monsters seemed to be drooling was not promising. And they'd attacked out of nowhere, without any real provocation.
He makes a nervous laugh and scrambles to stand after having fallen off the carriage. There is a sharp pain on one of his knees, which he ignores.
"Hey, come on… I don't taste that good I swear…"
One squeals and charges at him. His knee pain flares when he tries to dodge. Luckily, before the thing reaches him, something grey moves in a quick blur and smacks the meep back. The meep squeals as its sent bouncing backwards like a rubbery lump.
"Eh?"
Mattias sees that Hägen and Linde now are before him, growling at the meeps. The wild pigs back down slightly upon seeing the two beasts.
"Oh t-thanks!"
The sound of hoofs beating the earth returning turns his attentions back down the road. He sees the huntress riding one of the two horses, towing the carriage back, a defiant expression on her face. She pulls the ride to a screeching halt before him. Ophilia nearly tumbles out of the carriage for Mattias, breathless.
"Mattias! I was so worried…"
"Aren thou alright?"
"W-wow, uhm, yeah, I'm fine. You really saved me there…" He gawks for a moment, "You're a better rider than me…!"
"H'aanit took rein of the horses… we weren't going to leave you!" Ophilia pipes up.
"Tis not the urgent matter at hand," H'aanit hops off the horse, which seems tame enough to stand still now. She pulls out an axe from her belt, a blazing light in her eyes, "We haven a hunt to pursuen."
The meeps give a defiant chorus of squeals and charge. Linde and Hägen fend off three of the five. The agile mountain leopard makes wide sweeps with her claws to cut into the porcine flesh while the wolf crunches down on the meep limbs, snapping their legs.
The two which get through throw themselves at the humans. H'aanit meets one's charge with her axe after darting to the side, leaving a deep gash on its body. It squeals and relentlessly pursues her.
"Mattias!" Ophilia pulls Mattias out of the way with surprising strength when the last meep charges for them. The animal grunts and redirects to try and get another good rush at it.
"Waah!"
The two comedically run away from the pig creature chasing them.
"P-Please cease…!" Ophilia's staff head glows with a bright light as she tries to take a stand. Turning towards the charging creature, she swings her glowing weapon like a club.
Unfortunately, her eyes are squeezed shut and she misses.
Fortunately, the light seems to also blind the beast, and it veers into a rock with a surprised squeal. It smashes into the rock with a loud crack. Amazingly, the rock splits from the impact.
"O-oh dear…" Ophilia's eyes bulge a bit.
"Ophilia, get back!" Mattias darts in front of the cleric. He produces something from his jacket. Ophilia briefly glimpses it to be a small purple stone.
"Huh?" Her eyes widen.
Mattias grips the stone, enclosing it in his hand as the beast shakes itself off, ready to charge again. As he does so, dark energy seeps out from his fingers.
"Hya-!" The merchant throws the stone wreathed in tendrils of dark energy at the beast's path.
In a flash of black, the stone seems to explode like a grenade. But instead of a loud bang, it expands rapidly into an orb of shadow, partially engulfing the meep. Then, after it grows about two feet in diameter before blasting a column of dark energy upward in a short column. There is a short squeal from the beast before it seems to disappear in the shadow eruption. When the energy dies down, only the meep is left, lying motionless on the ground.
"W-Wha…" Ophilia breathlessly gapes at the aftermath.
The other meeps, having seen the display, back off and run squealing back into the wild. Mattias gives a breath of relief before flopping down on his butt, adrenaline slowly dying down. H'aanit flicks the blood off her axe with a sigh. Linde and Hägen lick the blood off their natural weapons contentedly. They hadn't aimed to kill the meeps, thus letting the other four get away.
"… Ohh, dear…" Ophilia sinks slowly to her knees as the fatigue comes on.
"Hehe, well… That was quite the fight…" Mattias wipes the sweat off his brow with a weary chuckle.
"… Aye. What weren that dark flash though… It hath the beasts frightenedeth," H'aanit turns to the merchant now.
"Ah, that was… a soul stone."
"That was like what you gave us before we went to the Cave of Origin!" Ophilia says in realization, "But a different color…"
"Soul stone…?" H'aanit looks quizzically at the merchant, "What be'en that?"
"Rare little bits, hehe," Mattias gestures with his fingers, "They're shards of the magic that solidified into petrified form in the world. We merchants manufacture them by having spellcasters concentrate into stones. We aren't very combat-oriented, so we need this kind of material to avoid dying on the road, you know?"
"But… dark magic?" Ophilia tilts her head a bit. When the shadow orb exploded, she felt the air turn colder and a shiver pass through her. Dark magic, as they learned all the time in the cathedral, was a great hazard in the world. Of the magic types possible, it was the most dangerous, encompassing necrotic energies; that is, death itself.
"Ahaha, I remember that it was effective against meeps somewhere…"
"Tis a power many a beast fearen," H'aanit says tonelessly, "It doth putteth them at unease."
Ophilia looks towards Linde and Hägen, who don't seem too bothered. They're probably too busy grooming after the battle.
"Yes, yes, it is not something I use every day, don't worry about it," Mattias waves a little, "Dark magic is severely limited anyway. Even if we can manufacture it, the resources required means we don't have more than five at a time."
"Ah, and you gave one to us…!"
"Don't worry about it!" Mattias chuckles, "It was worth it! I'm glad it helped."
"We oughten to continuen on. The othered beasts may be'en alerted nowe," The huntress sheathes her axe and goes to pull the horses back over.
"We'll have to ride the rest of way, actually," Mattias sighs as he stands, patting down his pants, "That busted wheel means the carriage won't be going far-"
He grunts in pain and stumbles once on his two feet. Ophilia worriedly looks him over.
"Are you alright? That was a nasty spill you took..."
"I-I've had worse, haha... It's just my knee..."
The cleric goes to roll up his pant leg. His patellar area has a large bruise and seems to be swelling a bit. He winces when she lightly prods the tender flesh.
"Eee- aaah, it's fine, it's fine, really..." Mattias tries unconvincingly.
"Honestly, you and H'aanit always try to be so brave with your injuries," Ophilia mutters, unamused. She blows a tuft of hair out of her face as she begins to chant healing words. Her staff head glows and she touches the knee with it. Mattias slowly relaxes as the white magic seems to meld into his skin and vanish.
"Ahh..." He sighs, "That's loads better. Thanks Fili, you are a goddess, hehe."
"Oh don't start!" Ophilia huffs as she stands, "Don't push yourself too hard, got it? the bruising hasn't gone away yet.
"Alright, alright..."
The three of them get to unloading what luggage they have, tying it onto the horses. Mattias helps her balance the boxes here and there. When they are done, Mattias frowns a bit.
"Hmm, darn. It might be a bit too heavy…"
H'aanit rubs the horses' necks, "Aye… tis woulden not doen to overloaden them…"
"Well for now I think they can actually handle it. It's just that, I think Ophilia can ride at the very least if we have to walk-" Mattias starts.
"I don't need any special treatment Mattias!" Ophilia folds her arms, "We're very close to Atlasdam right? I can walk with you and avoid burdening the horses."
"Haha, ok, ok…" Mattias chuckles, "Well, let's get going then, I suppose. It has gotten rather dark now…"
With the carriage cargo unloaded, they unhitch the horses and leave the vehicle on the side of the road. Then Mattias and H'aanit keep a hand on the horse reins whilst Ophilia, Linde, and Hägen walked alongside them. It was not pitch-dark night. Ophilia keeps her staff lit.
This mattered little, as despite the wall around Atlasdam, the lights from the castle and city could not be contained. The luminescence of the city flows out over the wall, casting a long shadow around it. Ophilia stares a bit in awe as they near the gates to the wall atop the hill. The portcullis seems to be closed for the night, but the fire from the braziers of the night watch is visible to the sides of the gate. Torches also light the tops of the watch towers overlooking the pathway in.
"Halt!" One of the armored guards stops the party before the closed gate, "What are you doing out on the roads this late?"
"Well we would have gotten here faster, believe me. But the monsters absolutely destroyed our carriage, so we ended up delayed. Now, if you don't mind opening the gates please. The ladies have endured a long trek on foot, and we are all exhausted," Mattias waves a hand as he explains dismissively.
"Hold it there, mate. We've heard that two-bit tale before. But we can't jus' let some bloke and dames into Atlasdam jus' cuz you-"
"I'm with the Leo Consortium," Mattias pulls out an official looking emblem license from his jacket and shoves it in the guard's face with slight annoyance, "Call up the local merchant guild if you must but I will not have these fine ladies rest out in the cold due to some technicality!"
Ophilia had never seen Mattias talk with such authority or annoyance. He was usually always teasing her or something similar. The huntress looks at the exchange impassively, though the beasts seemed frisky. The guards look to each other as they consider the emblem.
"What do you think, cap?" The shorter guard looks to his superior in the nicer armor.
The captain rubs his chin in thought, "The guildmaster'd be asleep at this hour…"
"Fine, escort us in then, and I'll fetch him myself!" Mattias says with exasperation, "This is such a waste of time… Good gods help me."
The captain nods at that and gestures to one of his lackeys. Then he waves to the tower. There is a loud clank and grinding sound as the portcullis slowly pulls up, opening the gate. The lackey goes to stand near the party now. H'aanit looks less than pleased with the extra company. Mattias just sighs, since he was the one who suggested it anyway.
"So, can we go then?"
"Leave your horses with your things. We'll keep 'em until you lot're approved."
Mattias clicks his tongue in annoyance, but he acquiesces, "I'll trust you aren't the thieving type of guards then. Anything else?"
"Aye, just know we're watching. So, don't cause any problems. Sorry, but these are strange times. One must be careful, more so a cradle of prosperity like Atlasdam," The guard captain gestures grandly for them to enter, "Enjoy the city then."