Life, Luck, and Lemonade - Loose Ends
The season of spring was currently in full swing in Azurvale. It was without a doubt one of the most beautiful tis of year, as it was when the Hylt trees were in their full bloom. The predominantly green canopy that lood over the elven capital had given way to countless light blue flowers of varying sizes and shapes. Colorful azure petals drifted lazily on the wind almost the entire ti, giving the city a mysterious atmosphere that could not be seen anywhere else in the world.
Granted, that wasnt entirely a good thing. Though beautiful enough to be the citys nasake, this weather played havoc on people living on solid ground. So days the loose flowers piled up so high up that they were almost like snow, only with less lting and more rotting. It was therefore also a ti of the year when Alchemists enjoyed a boom in business, mostly in the form of allergy dicine and specialized herbicides. The loose petals also had so minor applications of their own, such as material for paints and novelty food coloring.
All in all, it wouldve been a perfectly standard spring, if not for one black sheep among the twelve great Hylt trees. Ambrosia had successfully cross-pollinated with Lavender the mountain alraune, resulting in the flowers that adorned her branches having a bright pink coloration. The fruits and nectar she would continue to produce this year would be especially sweet and fragrant, of which Boxxy approved greatly. It was therefore decided that Lavender would beco a permanent resident of the dungeon as its new dungeon master. That way the dryad could cross-pollinate with her whenever she wished and the shapeshifter would have soone to manage the place whenever it was out and about.
As for Azurvales citizens, they were surprisingly delighted by this turn of events. The shower of pink petals got mixed receptions, but the higher-quality produce was nothing to complain about. The sudden change wasnt as jarring as one might expect, as Hylt tree blossoms were known to sotis deviate from the standard blue hues of their species. And considering that particular tree was also the one where the ho of the Hero of Chaos was located, this sort of outco was almost to be expected. As for the purists and traditionalists that hated the change, they still had a whole eleven trees to satisfy them, so everyone had sothing to enjoy during the spring season.
Well, everyone who was in Azurvale, at the very least. Unfortunately for one elven Druid, however, she was as far from that capital as one could get. Her na was Opia, and she was currently wading through a jungle in the southeastern part of Velos, the continent that lay south of the landmass of Atica where she was born. The climate here was vastly different, though it could be sumd up in three simple words.
Fuuuuck, its hooooot!
Opia let out a groaning complaint as she wiped her sweaty brow with one of her arms. Her shoulder-length dark green hair felt unbelievably sticky, so much so that her bangs were practically glued to her forehead. At least they werent long enough to cover her similarly colored eyes, otherwise she wouldnt be able to see a single thing in this damnable jungle. Her face as a whole, though twisted in a displeased frown, was on the cute side, not to ntion surprisingly youthful for her age.
Her body, however, was not. Though her looks suggested she was an elf in the first half of her twenties, her lower half had too much padding for that to be true. She was in an overall great shape thanks to her extrely active lifestyle, but that shape still manifested itself as wide hips, fleshy thighs and an eye-catchingly full rump. The combined thickness of her lower body strained against her beige shorts as if it was trying to rip them apart. Her upper half was far less fortunate, as the two lumps on the front of her short-sleeved yellow blouse were underwhelming at best.
Though the Druid appeared to be lightly armored by adventurer standards, it was almost unavoidable in this sweltering heat. Even though the suns rays were blocked by the overabundant vegetation, the humidity in the air made heat stroke and dehydration almost as big a threat as they were in the desert. It was possible to find enchanted gear capable of making the climate more bearable while also offering superb protection, but Opia wasnt made of money. She could barely even afford the extra-strength bug repellent one needed to avoid being constantly bothered by insects, arachnids and other tiny critters.
Then again, one could argue that the thing keeping her safe from those vermin was actually the hydra hatchling she was riding. Though it was far from fully grown, this quadruped reptile was already larger than a horse, allowing its owner to ride its wide back with no issue. Well, other than the lack of a saddle. The beasts rough green scales were hardly the most comfortable, and the shocks it sent through her body with every step were enough to make her generous behind jiggle constantly. She was definitely going to be sore later, but the barebackness of the ride couldnt be helped.
After all, she had only t the creature less than an hour ago. She immobilized it with her Druid magic and used her Monster Tar Skills to make it into her pet. It was a bit tricky bringing the monster under her control since it had three of those snake-like heads, a number that would increase all the way up to nine as it grew older and larger. The affectionately nad Spittles would need a lot more training before it was completely subservient, but for the mont it was obedient enough to let her ride it without too much of a fuss.
That wasnt why Opia had tad the beast though. Though it was large enough to trample any rampant vegetation in its path and proceed through the thick undergrowth with little difficulty, using it as a ans of transportation was just an added bonus. In reality, the elven Druid had made Spittles her pet because she thought it looked adorable. It was an unpopular opinion to say the least, as this jungles hydras looked as hideous as they were vicious by normal enlightened standards. Even the local raptors thought of them as unpleasant to look at, despite them having scaly hides of their own.
This wasnt the case as far as this oddball elf was concerned though. Ever since she was a little girl she found bugs, lizards, spiders and other potentially venomous critters to be fascinating and cute rather than disturbing and/or disgusting. So would say she rely adopted that affection as a ans of dealing with being bullied for being the only elf girl in a human village, and she had a hard ti disputing that theory. Nevertheless, that fascination still led her to becoming a Monster Tar on her fifteenth birthday and pursue a career focused on caring for dangerous magical beasts.
This was over two decades ago though, and though her love for the adorably grotesque remained, her Job focus had shifted trendously. During her many years as a rcenary, Opia found her true calling was that of a Druid. One that was an expert on acids, toxins and diseases, both when using them in combat or defending against them. It was worth noting that the dangerous substances she worked were not the alchemical kind, but the ones conjured with magic or secreted by monsters.
That was why she was still a Monster Tar, even if she mostly used it in more of a supportive or recreational capacity. Both it and the Druid Job relied on the Natural Affinity (AFF) and INT Attributes, so the synergy between them was good. Especially considering the so-called venomancer could capture and train various venomous creatures. Which, incidentally, also included jungle hydras. The one she was riding was even nad after its inborn ability to spit malicious toxins at things, with each head possessing a strain with its own effects. Of the three, Opias favorite was the middle one without question. Its venom had hallucinogenic properties that made for so mind-blowing experiences. Or nightmarishly bad trips, depending on the dosage and the victims constitution.
Getting high on hydra venom had to wait for later though, as Opia was currently on the job. The local rcenary Guild had posted a Quest regarding the investigation and cleansing of so sort of degenerative disease in this area. It was perfect for this elven Druid, given her area of expertise, and she wasnt about to complain about getting her hands on Spittles. It was a bit of a sha the hungry tyke had eaten her pet basilisk before she could subdue it, but she wouldnt lose any sleep over its death.
In the end it was a monster, and though their strength and tenacity had to be respected, getting pointlessly attached to them was just idiotic.
Hrrrssss!
What is it, boy?
Spittles suddenly let out a gurgling hiss and lowered its heads warily, prompting Opia to raise her guard. The unseen threat showed itself to be a half rotten humanoid corpse, which ran out of the thick foliage while screaming its lungs off. Spittles hissed and lunged forward while turning itself to the side. It body slamd the ghoul with its flank to knock it to the ground, then proceeded to stomp it flat under its webbed front feet.
Oww! Damn, I need to get you a saddle.
Opia rose up from the muddy ground while cursing and rubbing her aching butt. Though the hydra hatchling had been kind enough to dispatch the living corpse, it did so completely on its own. Its sudden movent caught the Druid by surprise, throwing her and her luggage off its back. Such embarrassing things were bound to happen though, as it was still a fresh capture. It had to be trained over ti if it was to beco more obedient and mindful towards its master, so for the mont riding it around and letting it deal with small fry on its own terms was all it was good for.
Ugh, undead, Opia groaned so more. Mysterious disease my ass. Shouldve known it was the freaking Blight.
The elf picked up her backpack and intricately carved wooden staff off the ground and warily proceeded forward with Spittles following behind. Her suspicions were confird when, after pressing on for about forty more ters, the vegetation around her turned from lush and green to yellow and dry for no good reason. A couple more dozen steps forward saw the jungle beco a blackened and rotting wasteland, with a foul stench perating the air.
Just as the appearance of that ghoul indicated, the plague of undeath known as Blight was indeed present here. Opias Skills were keeping her from suffering the ill effects the disease had on the living, but she knew symptoms like this when she saw them. No other disease killed flora and fauna alike in such an indiscriminate fashion. She then realized Spittles lacked her resistance to the supernatural sickness, so she turned around to put a protective Spell on it to keep it from growing weaker.
Gas Mask!
A bubble of faint green light enveloped one of the young hydras three heads, with the other two following suit when the elf finished recasting her Spell on each of them. Now that the air Spittles was breathing was being actively filtered by magic, it let out so pleased gurgling noises and stomped around a bit in approval. Opia reassuringly patted each of its necks with a small smile on her face before turning her attention back to the problem at hand.
Cleaning up a Blight infection by herself was not impossible, though it would take her a while. By her estimate the infected area would only be about two or three kiloters in diater. She could easily get rid of the disease in a day or two through constant application of her Cleanse Air, Cleanse Water and Cleanse Soil Spells. Her Scourge Inoculation Skill would also make her restorative magic fortify the area against disease, preventing the Blight from spreading further for a limited ti. The real problem here was that doing so would surely attract the attention of any and all undead in the area, which had to be eliminated anyway if she was to prevent the plague from resurging.
Dealing with those things was going to be the real challenge, as the undeads unnatural physiology rendered them immune to most scourge-based magic, which was her specialty. Necrotic Wave, Plague Bomb, Sentient Toxin, Poisonous Gale, Petrification and a number of other ominous sounding Spells from the Desolation school of magic would be unusable. The sa went for a number of the Druids active Skills, such as Degenerative Aura and Sapping Grasp.
Which wasnt to say she was helpless. She still knew so basic restoration and plant manipulation magic that would probably be useful, even if it wasnt trained too well. She also had a few caustic incantations like Acid Javelin or Corrosive Splash that could easily burn and lt away flesh and bone, regardless of whether it was already rotting or not. The downside was that those Spells took ti to inflict damage and lacked the physical impact needed to push her targets back.
Long story short, since Opia was unable to use her debilitating poisons to provide herself with cover, there was very little stopping the undead from swarming her. As a Caster-type, being locked down in lee combat was extrely dangerous. It was why Druids typically tead up with trusty companions, but she didnt really have any of those. She therefore considered postponing the Quest and going back to town to get backup from other rcenaries. It was certainly the safest route, though hardly the most profitable one.
Ultimately the question was whether Opia felt confident enough to tackle this problem by herself. Frankly speaking, as a Level 83 Druid and Level 42 Monster Tar, she was already ahead of the power curve compared to the vast majority of adventurers shed seen around these parts. Shed just run into an enemy she wasnt very good at dealing with. Besides, she wasnt completely alone since Spittles was with her. Granted, he was likely to just go on a rampage if an undead horde showed up, but he was large enough to be used as a distraction at the very least.
Before making her final decision, the pear-shaped elf looked down at the bracelet on her left wrist. It had the appearance of a golden snake with tiny rubies for eyes, which had wrapped itself around her limb and had bitten down on its own tail. It was her good luck charm, and had the very handy property of tightening itself whenever it sensed its wearer was in danger. Admittedly it hadnt done that at all when that ghoul showed up earlier, but that was because it had accurately judged a single low-class undead was no threat to her and her new pet. And given how it hadnt given a single warning sign this entire ti, Opia felt encouraged to try and handle this by herself.
So she began scouring the Blighted zones periter, looking to thin out the undead presence while purifying it with her magic. She ran into a few groups of zombified monsters and animals - mostly orcs, monkeys and the occasional feline monstrosity - but they were nothing she and Spittles couldnt handle. The skirmishing was actually proving to be a big help in training her new pet. Healing its wounds and curing its undead-inflicted afflictions was steadily showing it that Opia was a reliable ally that would look after it, making it more likely it would remain a good boy when things turned sour.
However, the elfs easy-going attitude disappeared the instant her wrist-mounted early-warning system tightened itself hard, digging into her skin. This timing was pretty bad, as she was still in the middle of lting down the latest pack of undead fodder shed co across. To make matters worse, the thing her lucky charm was sensing was exceptionally big, as evidenced by the loud thud of approaching footsteps. She sohow managed to mop up the stragglers in the next few second and create an opening to escape, but it was already too late.
The major threat revealed itself by bursting from so half-rotten foliage behind her. It was an undead hydra, one that had been a fully grown adult before it had died and was reanimated. Standing a roughly five ters tall and with six of its nine heads still intact, it was a much more intimidating sight than Spittles. The youngling itself admitted to that much by letting out an agitated-sounding gurgle and taking a few steps back. Its instictics, suppressed as they were by Opias ddling, still told it that it was no match for this thing.
The elf was of the sa mind. And now that Spittles had stopped thrashing about, she was able to leap onto its back and grip one of its necks for support.
Dont just sit there, run!
HRRSSSHHH!
Spittles didnt need to hear that instruction to know it needed to dash for its life, but it certainly helped put so spring in its step. It began fleeing in an extrely undignified manner while its older, bigger and deader uncle gave chase while letting out a constant rumbling growl. It imdiately beca apparent this was not a race Spittles would win though. Even though the part-tir Monster Tars Logistical Legwork Skill was improving its movent over rough terrain, it was no match for the much wider stride of its pursuer. And even if it was, the undeads tireless nature ant it would still catch up to it eventually.
Opia knew all of this and wanted to sohow help the poor creature, but she could think of no good way to do so. The monsters violent movents made chanting magic impossible, as the druid would surely bite her tongue if she started flapping her gums. There was the option to train it to be more mindful of its passenger to facilitate mounted Spell-slinging, but it was too advanced a feat for a fresh recruit like Spittles. Under such circumstances, it seed impossible to save the hydra hatchlings life. The most the elf could do was try to leap off its back and use the larger living being as bait to lead the undead abomination away from her in order to save her own skin.
She was just about to do that when she suddenly saw what appeared to be a person-shaped blur run right past her and Spittles going the opposite direction. She was just about to yell at this stranger to get away from that thing, but her voice got stuck in her throat when she witnessed what transpired next.
*SCRUNCH*
A single kick.
That was all it took to stop the undead hydra in its tracks. The brute force impact to its front right leg was so great that the limb just straight up turned to dust, making its front half slam into the dirt. The colossal monster coiled its many heads back as it prepared to lash out and bite this intruder clean in half, but the mysterious stranger leapt up towards the base of its long serpentine necks before it had the chance to do so.
Flurry of Blows: Savage Sweep.
With a voice that was far too quiet for Opia to hear, she unleashed a kick-based Martial Art while still in midair. Her right leg was coated in a red light and was swung horizontally in a wide arc, cleanly cutting through one of the hydras necks as if it were a greatsword. Her entire body continued to spin around, allowing her to use both her legs to perform a beautiful six-hit whirlwind kick combo. The hydra was beheaded before her feet even had a chance to touch the ground, but she wasnt done with it yet. She angled her body sideways, using the montum of her revolutions to deliver a guillotine-like chop with her right hand, slamming the creatures headless body into the ground.
The Druid and her pet could only watch speechlessly while all this transpired, and found themselves unable to avert their eyes now that it was over. The woman turned away from her slaughtered prey and towards her audience, allowing Opia to get a good clean look at her. The initial sensation this black-haired human gave off was that she was gravely wounded. Her left arm was missing at the shoulder, and most of her face and otherwise bare torso were wrapped in bandages.
However, nobody who had seen those moves just now would think she was in anything but peak physical condition. Upon closer inspection, it beca evident her bandages werent there to dress wounds, but to conceal so horrible burn scars. Her piercing yellow eyes were full of vitality and her expression was so stoic and unflinching that it seed like she could deflect a teorite with her face.
The woman then raised her right hand and lowered her stance, assuming a fighting pose of so sort. This snapped Opia out of her shock, as she realized the one this human was looking at wasnt her, but her pet. The sa pet that looked as if it was about to discharge an entire cathedrals worth of bricks from its bowels.
Hold on! she scread, putting herself between the two monsters. This child is one of mine! Im a Monster Tar!
The stranger took a long hard look at the hydra hatchling and its trio of vigorously nodding heads before relaxing her stance, much to the other twos relief. She then turned around as if to walk away, but Opia wasnt about to let that happen so easily.
Please wait! Youre a Monk arent you?
It was fairly obvious what her Job was considering she utterly demolished an undead beast of that scale with just her hands and feet. A Monks ki could be used to infuse their strikes and Martial Arts with a form of holy energy, allowing them to easily rip apart the living dead. It was the only explanation the elf could think of regarding what she had just witnessed. It was also highly likely the woman in front of her was a Disciple of War, judging from the style of the wide pants and sandals this stranger was wearing. Axels religion was the dominant one in these parts, and Opia had seen plenty of his followers wearing similar clothing. Granted, her bandaged toplessness was a bit weird, but the way the stranger stopped at her words made it clear her educated guess had been right on the money.
Why dont we join forces to wipe out the undead and clean this area of the Blight? the Druid suggested. Surely you would rather not let this unholy infestation continue to fester.
The human Monk turned around and approached the Druid with a quick step until the two were standing face to face.
Why are you here? she asked in a disinterested-sounding monotone.
Like I was saying, I was hired to clean up so unknown disease, but I didnt know Id be dealing with the undead until I got here. I got in over my head and-
Why are you here?
The stranger interrupted Opia by repeating her question. Only then did the Druid realize she wasnt asking about the here and now, but about her long-term intentions. It was an odd thing to ask out of the blue, but Opia needed this womans strength if she was to safely accomplish her mission. Besides, her bracelet wasnt picking up any signs of hostility, so she decided to play along.
Because Ive had it with self-righteous dickbags telling whats right and wrong. Ive had it with people living in their mansions and palaces thinking they know whats best for the common folk. Ive had it, with them sending other children to die because they cant keep it in their pants. The Republic, the Empire, the Kingdom, the Alliance - all of them can just disappear without a trace for all I care.
Opia really couldnt stand living on the western continent anymore. Having wandered for most of her adult life, she had seen and grown disillusioned with all forms of governnt she ca across. The place she stuck around the longest was probably the Ishigar Republic, but her opinion of that place plumted when she was conscripted and forced to fight in the war against her will. Opia never dealt well with authority so it was a good thing her unit didnt see much action, otherwise she might have ended up lting her superior officers face off.
Once that was over she left the Republic out of spite and got a job in the Empire. She had so bad mories from her childhood here, but at least they didnt send random people to fight wars that didnt involve them. They also had steady work for soone with her talents in the form of the governnts ongoing effort to contain the deadly miasma released by the Calamity of Monotal. The job was exhausting and the regulations a bit stifling, but the steady salary and agreeable working conditions were more than satisfactory for the elven rcenary. Not to ntion she was doing her part protecting the environnt as a Druid, which was just the icing on the disaster managent cake.
However, for better or for worse, that career path ca to an abrupt end a few weeks ago. The Empire had struck so kind of deal with the Horkensaft Kingdom about bringing in experts to deal with the ongoing environntal disaster they had been struggling with for nearly a year. The way Opia heard it, this sudden developnt was brought about by soone called the Rustblood Juggernaut. Lofty moniker aside, this individual had allegedly discovered so ancient proto-dwarven civilization buried deep beneath the ground and helped them reconnect with their surface-dwelling descendants. Apparently those cave-hermits were using so long-lost earth magic to produce magic items called Plagueward Totems, which were designed to facilitate the cleanup of sothing called ga-Blight.
It was a highly suspect story to say the least, but the venomancer had confird their effectiveness with her own eyes. The few samples the Empire had gotten from the dwarves as a sign of good faith were clearly capable of reclaiming land lost to the Calamitys deadly residue. They were doing a far better job at it than she and the rest of her colleagues could muster, so it was no wonder they were let go.
Opia wasnt too bothered by this turn of events though. She had a hunch that job wouldnt last, and it wasnt like she was fired because of a silly reason like bigotry or lack of funding. Not to ntion she was genuinely glad that whole ss was finally being cleaned up. She was also able to save up a good deal of money, which she used to finally fulfil her dream of moving to Velos. The tropical climate would take so getting used to, but the political one was far more stable. The raptors were the only enlightened civilization on this continent and they were too busy keeping the jungle and its monsters at bay to worry about fighting amongst themselves.
Requesting permission to pet the hydra, said the Monk, much to Opias surprise.
What, really?
Affirmative. I have determined its cuteness to be acceptable.
This weird Monk had a peculiar way of speaking, but Opia wasnt about to turn her down just because of that. Especially since this was the first ti she t soone that seed to share her tastes.
Sure! Co here, boy! she beckoned the hydra over. Dont be afraid of the scary lady, she wont hurt us.
The many-headed monster approached the black-haired woman warily. It lowered one of its serpentine heads towards her, sniffing at her while tasting the air with its forked tongue. The Monk raised her hand towards it, gently stroking the underside of its chin. Sothing the hydra enjoyed quite a bit, which it showed by closing its eyes while hissing quietly.
Wow, youre kinda good at this, the elf comnted.
Had similar pet once. Long ago.
So youre also a Monster Tar?
No. My father was.
It had been a long ti since she had thought about her father. He was a raptor, one of the rare few that was physically attracted to smoothskins like her mother, a human woman was also a bit of a deviant for returning that affection. The Monks mixed lineage was why she had yellow eyes that were atypical for her race, and likely the source of her skewed sense of aesthetics. Her becoming a Disciple of War was only a matter of ti considering her personality and that she was brought up in Velos. Her parents supported her since they only wanted what was best for their odd daughter, but they probably wouldnt approve of what she had beco. Not that it mattered since both of them were dead by now.
Whats your na?
The Monk montarily paused when she heard the elfs question. She was technically a fugitive in both the Empire and Republic, so revealing either her real na or her callsign was probably a bad idea. She could still go with one of her old nicknas though.
Jen.
Well, good to et you, Jen! Im Opia, and this big guy is Spittles.
Hello, Spittles.
Jens face and voice remained as ice cold as ever, but her actions showed she was having a lot of fun petting the hydra. The feeling was mutual as its other two heads leaned in as well, eager to get their chins scratched. The human thoughtlessly tried to move her left arm to oblige them, but only ended up awkwardly wiggling her stump. That grim and abrupt reminder of what she had lost in Watford made her good mood deflate in an instant. She stopped playing with the monster and caressed the remnants of her limb, her lips pursing together in frustration.
She could still see it every ti she closed her eyes. That red-skinned fiend holding her in place while her cowardly master detonated her body into a searing, blinding swirl of green fla. No, calling Boxxy cowardly was just her spite talking. She understood now the shapeshifter was rely using the tools at its disposal to get rid of a threat, and would never in a thousand years face her in one on one combat. The benefit of hindsight allowed Jen to realize that the only one she could bla for how things played out was herself.
A demonic familiar was an extension of the Warlocks power. This was sothing she should have known quite well, yet treated the six-ard demon like she was her own separate entity. Perhaps that couldnt be helped seeing as how that monster let its familiars run wild without any sort of restraint, but the biggest issue lied with Jens attitude. She was so focused on getting her one-on-one duel that she did not consider the battlefield as a whole. This hubris was what nearly got her killed if not for her Spirit Guardian blocking a significant portion of the blast at the last mont.
But the Demonate Spell still overwheld the Monk and her Ultimate Skill. It knocked her out and flung her clean across the city. When she next woke up, she was one arm lighter and laying face down in soones living room that she had crashed into. The Demon Kings Blackout was in full swing by that point, though his rift walkers did not attack her due to the pact between Mist and Weaxohn.
The heavily injured Monk used the confusion and darkness to her advantage to retreat to one of the fallback points Edward had set up, just south of the town. But when none of the other Gilded Hand mbers showed up after several days, she was forced to face the reality that they were not coming. Disheartened, lost and lacking in options, she ended up fleeing the country and sohow winding up here, the land where she was born and raised. Whether it was due to so kind of homing instinct or because she was subconsciously as fed up with warring governnts as Opia, she could not say.
But what had she done since then? Nothing but wander around randomly beating the crap out of monsters to vent her frustrations, thats what. Unlike this elf she coincidentally bumped into, Jen no longer felt like she had a purpose in life. Perhaps the woman called Zone did die that day, as none of the conviction and vigor she once had could be seen in this crippled shell of a woman. Granted, it was a shell that could turn boulders to dust with a single headbutt, but a shell nonetheless.
Are Are you okay, Jen? Opia asked with concern plastered all over her face. You kinda spaced out for a mont there.
Why do you care?
Why wouldnt I? You got out of a tight spot I walked into by myself. What sort of heartless monster would ignore their benefactor in this situation?
They were kind words, but loaded with disingenuous intentions. Jen might not have had a lie detector like her forr boss, but she had been at Edwards side long enough to recognize when soone was peddling bullshit. She lashed out at the elf, grabbing her by the neck and forcing her to her knees while slowly choking the breath out of her. This seemingly unwarranted act of violence made Spittles run off sowhere due to its lack of loyalty towards Opia, but the elf herself seed surprisingly calm for soone who was struggling to breathe.
Why. Do. You. Care? Jen asked, her voice showing actual signs of hostility.
Okay, okay! I give! the Druid yelled out while patting the rock-hard hand at her throat. This prompted the Monk to ease her grip, allowing her new friend to speak freely. Its because I need your power to finish this Quest! I was hoping to reel you in using sympathy and divine duty and then keep the reward for myself! Thats all there is to it, I swear!
Opia was never much of a gambler, but she knew when to hold them and when to fold them. And this? It was folding ti.
I could snap your neck like a twig.
The Monk wasnt kidding. All she had to do was put more strength into her grip and-
But you wont, the elf stated confidently. We both know that, and I will admit I was at fault for trying to trick you, so why dont you let go and we discuss this like civilized people?
Jen continued staring down the Druid for a few more seconds before she let her go. She didnt like the elfs attempt to deceive her, but that was hardly reason enough to kill the woman. Far worse people have tried to goad her into doing indescribably more terrible things, so this was hardly anything worth getting worked up over. In actuality, she was rather intrigued by this odd knife-ear, and not just because they seed to share certain eccentricities.
How did you know I was bluffing?
The Monk felt quite confident in her intimidation techniques, yet this seemingly random elf did not fall for her act in the slightest.
Truthfully, I didnt, Opia said while rubbing her bruised throat. It was Snek here that saw through you.
The elf lifted her left arm, showing off the golden snake bracelet on it. She gently stroked the sculptures head, causing it to suddenly spring to life. Its tiny toothless jaw opened, releasing its tail in the process. The animate piece of jewelry then slithered up the elfs raised forearm until it was standing on her open palm. The shiny snake then looked at the confused human with its beady red eyes, its tiny forked tongue darting in and out of its mouth.
Snek, by dmaxcustom
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