Chapter 344
Return Ho (IV)
No, no, absolutely not! Emma exclaid, slamming her fist against the table. Its way too risky! As it is, were lucky we dont get insta-gibbed by unsuspecting damage!
There is no other way! Senna fired back. Its obvious even if we gear our asses off, we wont et the threshold without going massive! The boss is clearly the ilk that requires more than just one party to defeat, no matter how good the party its!
Weve defeated bosses like that before, Emma said, though quickly bit her tongue even before Sennas retort ca.
Yeah, cause Cain was here, she said. Oh, wait? Did he magically return? Are you hiding him in your bedroom?
Alright, alright, pipe down, Krar joined in, trying to settle the roused atmosphere. Shes right, Emma. Were gonna need a bigger group. In fairness, even if we had Cain, I think hed say the sa thing. The boss is... uh, how do I put this--its fucking nuts is what it is. What worries the most is not even our healers barely keeping up, as good as they are, but the fact that they barely have any Mana left before we touch the second phase. And first phase genuinely seems the most relaxing to heal.
This aint gonna be a quick fight, Emma, Jamal said. This is a genuine wall. Not only will we have to gear up, but whoever joins us will have to do it too. No amount of strategizing can cover up for the fact that we just aint etin the numbers. The world will have to co together with this one. Alright?
... yeah, alright, Emma sighed, waving them off. eting over, I guess. Everyone take a week off while I reach out to Rick and figure out how to get us geared.
Dont burn out!
See you soon! one by one, everyone slowly left--everyone except Senna. The two stood inside the shoddily-built tent, staring at each other for a mont before Senna sighed and reached into her inventory, taking out a bottle of wine and two glasses, pouring both to the top and sitting down.
I miss him too, mom, you know? she said with a smile. Though in public she mostly still called her by her na, in private, it was different.
Ah, its not just that, Emma chuckled, taking a sip of wine. I promised him wed climb hard and high. No... its not even that.
What is it, then? Why the rush? Senna asked. I dont believe for a second you were dumb enough not to realize that was an unbeatable boss the first ti we faced it. So, what is it?
... I got into it, you know?
Into what?
Climbing, she said. Being challenged. Both you and Lana have all grown up now. Cains not here. So, theres little for to do outside of... well, this.
What? Are you kidding? Theres still plenty for you to do! Senna exclaid.
Yeah, like what?
Nothing cos to mind yet but--
Right, right, Emma chuckled, taking another sip. I fear that if I slow down... Ill recoil again. Roll back into that paste that I beca.
Back then, you didnt just slow down--you outright stopped and rolled backward down the hill, Senna said. Now, we wont be slowing down. We simply wont be ignoring entire floors of wonders and amazing things in this primal chase of the bosses. Besides, everyone was ready to go on a vacation after this boss anyway.
What? Really?
Yeah. We talked about it all the ti behind your back.
How nice of you to tell , Emma rolled her eyes.
We were just following dads philosophy, Senna said, smiling. When you groan waking up because you have to go fight sothing... then its ti to hit the pause button and do sothing else for a while. And, truth be told, even Ive been groaning for a while now.
Really? I just thought it was you and Sera having fun.
... really? You think that still works?
Judging by the redness of your cheeks, Emma said. Yeah. Works aplenty.
Ugh...
I know, I know. I went overboard, chasing the phantom, she said. But we did climb fast.
Yep, so fast our gear couldnt keep up.
And the boss is insane, Emma scoffed, reeling back in the chair. I an, Jesus. Weve fought hard bosses before, but... right?
Yup, Senna nodded. If it was any harder, itd be... I dont know. Im not good with penis jokes.
And I cant tell you how happy that makes , Emma said. Lanas started sliding in a few recently, thinking they go over my head. That girls trouble.
Relax, nothings happened yet, Senna said.
How do you know?
Were sister, she replied. We talk.
Talk about what? Emma asked.
Nope. Im not breaking that sisterly bond.
... honestly, it feels like just yesterday when it all started, Emma sighed, mories swirling. I noticed the change that day, but I thought, I dunno, he had an insane acid trip or sothing that opened his eyes. He woulda jumped at the opportunity to skip babysitting Lana, and yet he was adamant about it. She was so young and tiny back then... and hell, I was still young.
Youre still young.
Nah, Im old, she said. But its fine. At least, in this new world, I get to avoid the pitfalls of judgnt.
Pitfalls of judgnt? Senna mumbled. What are those?
Oh, theyre amazing. Stuff like, damn, she looks good for a fifty and I bet she was a hottie back in the day, Emma explained excitedly. People think theyre complints, but really, theyre just reminders. Its like being told ey, you, youre past your expiration date; but if I had a gun to my head, I might eat you.
Wow, girls have it bad, eh?
Nah, not just girls. Guys had it too, she said. Everyone liked dancing around aging like its a bad habit you picked up in a bad neighborhood. And you couldnt even retort--cause you felt that shit. I genuinely rember my phone ringing up one morning, answering it, and Cain on the other end going Em, I broke my fucking back, please help!. Turns out, he bent over one too many tis for a guy in his thirties and pulled so muscle or sothing. Could barely walk for like two weeks. Shit caught up to you, you felt it, all the while others tried to neuter any normal conversation with flaccid complints. Now? Now I can just punch em in the face.
Ah, yes, violence--answer to all of the worlds questions.
If it wasnt, Emma said, finishing off the wine. We wouldnt have been abusing it since the dawn of ti. Anyway, wanna co with to the second floor?
Sure, Senna shrugged. Its been a while.
Yeah, it has. Six-seven months, right?
Sothing like that.
Maybe Ricks finally finished the shop, Emma said as the two stretched out.
You think? He barely started when we left.
Eh, everyone and their mother wants to work for him. Didnt you hear the rumors? If you impress Rick the Brick, youre set for life.
... wait, I thought that was a joke. Sothing you or dad ca up with.
Nope, Emma shrugged. Its a real thing. In fairness, he does like throwing money at people. I think hes addicted at this point.
Eh, we got so nice healers from it, Senna chuckled. Let him keep throwing. Well need more fish.
Thats true... thats true...
**
There was an unsuspecting, desolate jagged spire located on a small island in the middle of pacific. Save for a few critters and insects, it was void of life, though had plenty of canopy to shade its surface from the sun. It wasnt a terribly large island, smaller than most neighborhoods even, and it wasnt shapely either--just another in the row of many that were simply there.
On day-to-day, nothing happened either on or around the island. It was silent, as it was for decades, until midday where a bolt of thunder appeared in the clear skies and ripped through the void. A spinning vortex of jagged edges appeared, black within, and spat out four silhouettes, tossing them violently onto the island, shaking it as though it had underwent an earthquake.
Quite a few trees toppled over and quite a few rocks were broken and a storm of dust was kicked up as the newcors slowly began coming to.
Standing up, Cain took a deep breath as a smile broke out from his lips--he was back. The air... felt Earthly, however little sense it made. It was warm and cold and wet and dry and all things combined at the sa ti. At its core, it was revitalizing. The blue skies above, the endless ocean that spread all around them, the gawking of the birds and the curious small balls of fluff that were staring at them from the distance. It was Earth, his ho.
Your ho? Quinn asked.
Yep, he replied.
Nice place, she said. So, is your Kingdom underwater or sothing?
Hm? Oh, no. Atlantis was buried thousands of years ago by the evil, conspiring n wanting to deprive future of the grand technology. Or sothing. I dunno, its been a while since I was into the conspiracies. Anyway, Ill be honest with you--Ive got no fuckin clue where we are.
H-huh?
I an, were on an island in the middle of what looks like an ocean. Could just as well be a really big lake or a big sea. See, the thing about my ho is... its got a lot of water. A lot. And all of it looks the sa. But, well just start moving east or west. Eventually well co across so land and Ill be able to better orient myself.
Why cant we see the Towers? Quinn asked.
Dunno, Cain shrugged. Magic. Anyway, wanna rest here or imdiately look for land?
Weve rested enough and well rest plenty when we settle, either Nature or Harmony said. Lets get you back to your family first.
Aye, lets, Cain chuckled lightly, a longing feeling erging in the depths of his heart, taking over. Lets.
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