RunningalongtheshoreWillowtripsonasandcastle.
Thepartyhadendedupgettingaquesttotakeawoman’schildrentothebeachsothatthey
couldhavesomefun.
WaveconversingwithSky.
“Willowseemstoreallybeenjoyingherself,whatdoyouthinkSky?”
SkypointsouttowardstheoceanandspeakstoWave.
“Iamnotsurewhattothink,butthatwavelookskindofbig.”
“Wave?” Waveisconfusedjustbeforehegethisanswer,whichisthesensationofcoldwater
goingoverboththeirheads.
“Wave,comeswimwithus.”
Thelittlegirlispleadingwithhereyesasshemakesthisrequest.
NotwantingtofailthequestWaveheadsintothewater.
(WaitdoIevenknowhowtoswim?)
Wavethinkstohimselfasheentersthewater.
Thisthoughtsoonleaveshimashecanfeelthefamiliarfeelingofthecoldsaltwater
againsthisskin.
Skyislookingattheswimbeforehenoticesalargewaterspidergettingcloserto
bothWaveandthechildren,inresponseSkyyells.
“Getoutofthewaterknow,andyouanWillowgetreadyforbattle.”
Waveleadsthechildrenoutofthewater.
Wavetothechildren.
“CouldyouplaywithShadowwhilewefight,andShadowkeepthematasafe
distance.”
Thewaterspiderhadsharpclawsatthetipofeachfoot.
ItwasalsoabouthalfthesizeofWave.
Willowtriedtoattackitwithherblackflames,yetthewavesofwaterjustwashed
awayeachofherattempts.
Willowtriedtobiteit,yetitwoulddiveintothewatereachtimeleavingherwith
thetasteofsaltwaterinhermouth.
Wavedidnotdareusebasiclightningorbasiclightningkick.
Skygotintothewaterandtriedacombination,yetbeforehecouldgettothesecond
partofthecombinationhewouldgetscratchedfromthesharpclawsonitslegs.
Thepartyexitsthewaterandtriesatoothlaunchercombination,yetthespiderjust
repelstheteethwithtwoswiftswingsofitslegs.
Waveequipshisbearclawsandtellsthepartyhisplane.
“WillowwhenIattackitfromthefrontwithmyclaws,useyourknifefrombehind,
thenSkywillusehiscombinationatoneofitssides,thiswayatleastoneofourattacks
willhitit.
WiththatWavechargesforwardsswinginghisarmsatthewaterspider.
WhilethisishappeningWillowhasdivedunderwaterwithherknifeinhermouth.
AssoonasSkyseesWillowemergefromthewaterheleapsintothewaterattheright
sideofthespider. Thistacticisworkingwell,evenwhenittriestomoveintheonlyfreedirectionthe
partyquicklycatchesup.
EventhoughWillowandWavearenotdoingmuchdamageSky’scombinationishitting
thespideratfullstrength. Theyfinallybeatitandgetspidersilk,andeightsharplegs.
Theydivedthelootbycuttingthethreadinthirds,andgivingSkytwomoresharplegs
thantherestoftheparty. NowthatthereisnolongeranydangerthechildrenreturntoswimmingwithWave.
Thesunstartstosetsotheytakethechildrenbacktotown.
“Thankyousomuch,theyseemtohavereallyenjoyedthemselves,pleasetakethisas
athankyou.”
<table style="background-color: #049cb0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Questcomplete
Adayatthebeach
Ayoungmotherhasnotthetimetotakeherchildrenouttoplay.
Thishascausedthechildrentobecomestressed,andslightlydestructive.
Pleasehelpthemotherbytakingthechildrenouttoplayatthebeach.
Reward:400quartzforeachmemberand10stonesofmagicalforceeach.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Thepartyhadcomeherbychance,butwhentheyseentherewardoftenstonesofStolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
magicalforcetheycouldnotturndowntherequest.
Thesestonesareusedtoupgrademagicalskillsthathadaskillunderstandingof
tenormore. Allthreemembershadreachedtheskillunderstandingoftenmark.
Thegrouptooktheirrewardandheadedtotheskillmerchant.
“Thatwillbe10stonesofmagicalforceand200quartz.
<table style="background-color: #049cb0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
WaveDroplet’seffortshaveadvancedbasiclightningtostandardlightning
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="background-color: #049cb0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
CurrentSkills:KickSkillunderstanding10/Guardskillunderstanding10/
Standardlightningskillunderstanding1/HerballoreSkillunderstanding5
HammerSkillunderstanding3/AccessoriesSkillunderstanding1/
ClawsSkillunderstanding10/BeardashSkillunderstanding10/
KnifeSkillunderstanding5/Basiclightningkickskillunderstanding10/
TamingSkillunderstanding1/LevitationSkillunderstanding1
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="background-color: #049cb0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
LockedSkills:IronscanSkillunderstanding5/ChoppingmealsSkill
understanding1
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Justastheyleavetheskillmerchant’stheyrunintoAurora.
Auroratotheparty. “Ihavereturnedletstrain.”
WiththatAurorawaswelcomedbackintotheparty.
Inthemiddleofagrassyplainwithmanyhillsthepartyisfightingapairof
crablikemoles. Auroraletslooseattacksfromherbasicice.
Theothermemberscanstillusetheirbasicmagicbutiftheywanttocheckthe
skillunderstandingtheyhavetothinkabouttheskillitself.
Wavetriesouthisstandardlightningwhichinsteadofitsusualbluecoloritis
nowalightpink.
Willow’sblackflamesarenowwiderandcostmorempbutstillonlyusethe
sameamountofauraasbefore.Sky’swindwentfromastrongbreezetoamildgust.
Thecrabmoletrytocirclearoundtosurroundtheparty,butSky’sgustkeep
pushingthemaway,directlyintoAurora’siceshards.
Shadowmeanwhileisdealingwiththesmalloffspring.
Waveusesabasiclightningkick,whichknocksoffoneoftheirclaws.
Willowbitesdownonthefallenclawandtossesitforwardswithhermouth.
Theclawhitsintooneofthecrabsandsendsithurlingintotheotherone.
Skydoesnotmissthischanceanduseshiscombinationattacktofinishthemboth
off.
Thepartystartsheadingtowardsthenexthill.
AuroraaskWillow. “Isitmyimaginationorisitstartingtogethotter?”
Willowwashthesweetoffherforeheadwithaclothfromherbackpackandanswers.
“Ithinkyoumayberight.” MeanwhileWaveasksky.
“Wasthesunnotbehindus.” Skynodhishead.“ Thenwhatisthatredinthedistance.”
Wavequestions. Astheygetclosertothehilltopitonlygetsbrighterandhotter.
Finallymakingittothehilltoptheyseewhy.
Thewholehillisonfire. Infrontofthemtheyseecrabmolestakingoffinalldirectionstogetawayfromthefire.
Inthecenterofthefirethereisawomanwithlongdarkpurplehairblueeye,andsheis
wearingwhatlookstobeakimono,betweenhertwohandsshehasaswordbutatthe
tipithastwosmallerbladesinbetweenthecenterwhichwhenswungmakesparks,and
thenfire.
Skylaughswhilespeaking. “Sosheisthereasonforthisfire.”
Thewomanhasrunoutofstaminasoshebeginssendingballsoffireatthecrabmoles
usinghermpwhilestayingstill.
OnceallthecrabsaregoneSkyandAurorausetheiriceandwindtobutouttheflames.
IfSkydidnotlearnstandardwindhewouldhaveendedupspreadingtheflamesinstead.
“Thankyouforputtingouttheflames,Iwouldnotwanttoruinanymoreofthelandscape.”
Thewomanbowswhilesaying.“MynameisViolet,VioletPillar,wouldyoubekindenoughtoletmejoinyouinyour
adventures?”
Wavethinksaboutitbeforeansweringherquestion.
“Ithinkitshouldbefine,iseveryoneelsealrightwiththis?”
Eachoftheotherpartymembersnodtheirhead.
ViolettakesWave’shandandwithanexcitedtonesays.
“Iknowagoodquestbutneededapartyfirst,althoughitisabitofacrazytask.”
Willow’seyeslightupatthatlastpart. Thepartycomestoasmallvillage,partsofitseemtobefallingapart.
Violetspeaksinaloadvoice.
“Ihavebroughtsomepeoplewillingtohelpwiththeplane.”
Awiseoldwomanmeetsthemandexplainshowtherearetwodifferentbanditgroups
casingproblemsforthem.Whenevertheyareoutdealingwithonegrouptheotherraidsthevillage.
Theycameupwithatacticbuttheyneedsomeonewiththeskillstouseit.
<table style="background-color: #049cb0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Quest
Herdtothebandits
Thevillageisalmostatitswitsend,andcannolongerhandlethebandits
rain.Thereisabuffaloranchjustsouthofthetownwithaboutsixtybuffalo.
Pleaseleadthirtytoeachhideoutandcauseastampedattheprecisesametime
sothatneithergroupofbanditswillreturn.
Reward:Titlevillageheroes.Freeroomsattheinnwheneveryoustay.Freeto
usetheblacksmith’sfurnaceandtoolswheneveryoulike.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
LookingatthelastpartWavebecameexitedhecouldfinallyworkonputtinguphis
skillunderstandingforaccessories. Willowlikedthequestinitself.
Skythoughtofitasagoodchallenge.
Auroralikedtheideaoffreeroomseventhoughshedidnotpayasmuchforrooms
asotherpeople. Thepartydividedintotwogroups.WillowandWaveinonegroup.
Aurora,Sky,andVioletinanother.
SkyandAurorawentwithViolettoputoutherflamesontheway.
Waveusedbasiclightningtoseparatethebuffalointotwogroupsandthendidthesameto
leadhisgroup.
Violetusedherfiretomakehergroupgoforward,andintheoppositedirectionofWave’s
group.WaveandWillowwereheadingtothebanditsintheeast.
WillowtoWaveistheycanseethebanditscampinthedistance.
“GivethemthesignalWave.”
WiththatWaveshootsastandardlightningintotheair.
IntheoppositedirectionVioletseesthesignalandsendshers.
Skyuseshisbasicwindtohelptheflameintheairgrowbigger.
WhenitstartstofallbothSkyandAuroraworktogethertoputitout.
Withthesignalbothgroupsofbuffaloarespookedintoastamped.
Banditscomeoutrunningfromtheirtentsandalmostdonothavetimetoget
awayfromtheoncomingdestruction.
Oncethebanditshadbeenscaredoffthenextpartwasgettingthebuffalobackto
theranch. Thistookalotofeffortoneveryone’spart.
ShadowhelpedWillowandWavewithanybuffalothatwentastray.
Backatthevillage.
“Thankyouheroes,youhaveourmanythanks,andfeelfreetostayattheinfree
ofchargeanytime.” Thewisewomangivingherthankstotheparty.
Ayoungmanandasmallboybothwithlargehammersovertheirshouldersspeak.
“Youarewelcometouseourfurnaceandtoolsanytimeyouwantwithoutcost.”
<table style="background-color: #049cb0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Questcomplete
Herdtothebandits
Thevillageisalmostatitswitsend,andcannolongerhandlethebandits
rain.Thereisabuffaloranchjustsouthofthetownwithaboutsixtybuffalo.
Pleaseleadthirtytoeachhideoutandcauseastampedattheprecisesametime
sothatneithergroupofbanditswillreturn.
Reward:Titlevillageheroes.Freeroomsattheinnwheneveryoustay.Freeto
usetheblacksmith’sfurnaceandtoolswheneveryoulike.
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Withthatdonetheyheadedtotheinnforalongneededrest.