《THE CHOSEN ONE IS DEAD》


 Nothing Could Possibly Go Wrong

    CHAPTER 1


    WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG


    An honour granted once every thousand years as the Wither was set to return, the party of the chosen one was to be picked by fate itself. Arthur¡¯s heart pounded in anticipation. He knew he was going to be chosen¡­unfortunately.


    Lurisa waited at home many kilometres away from where she wished to end up. Her eyes shut tight. She had trained for this for so long.


    In the grand hall, the kingdom of Albosa, the grand wizard Kelemith began to speak to the thousands formed. ¡°Of course, to start there must always be a mage to accompany our hero.¡± He snapped his fingers and thousands of letters highlighted in a green translucent aura shone. They swirled around and shot into his hand like falling stars. ¡°Lurisa Latixia.¡± Smoke radiated by the grand wizard and there stood a beautiful young pale woman, soft cheeks, big shy blue eyes, wearing a red robe with white strands. Everyone clapped. She smiled nervously realising what had just occurred, she was picked by fate itself to help the chosen one. The grand wizard gestured her to wait with him and gave her a silent congratulations. This was her moment, she watched all those celebrate and clap for her.


    ¡°Next, we all know how important it is to have wisdom. So our next sage is,¡± the letters were cyan this time as they travelled around, ¡°Samara Isomen,¡± a dark skinned woman in her thirties, who looked rather shook, in fact, she looked ready for bed! Her face narrowed and her lips pointed out as she rubbed her eyes in her pyjamas.


    Maybe she trained harder than me and had to sleep? Lurisa hoped.


    The wizard snapped and suddenly a beautiful white and gold tunic was being worn by her. Samara stood next to Lurisa, she rubbed her nose and shook Lurisa¡¯s hand, she kindly still shook it reluctantly.


    ¡°Now, the one people enjoy the most. The warrior who will undoubtedly defeat the beasts to pave the way for our chosen hero. The knight of dawn and twilight, the breaker of demon hearts.¡± Letters flared with an orange tint, although this time there were half as many letters than the last two. As the letter landed the grand wizard smiled nostalgically, ¡°Arthur Starfinder.¡± No poof this time, from behind steps echoed and a man blazing in ebony armour ushered out to the group. He was tall, broad, olive skin and had rugged dark features, stepping to them. It was as if his face spoke the words, ¡°Honour.¡±


    ¡°And last but not least for our party, we need a legendary blacksmith, who will create the weapon to slay the Wither once and for all after collecting the hearts of the Wither¡¯s three generals. No need to delay.¡± Letters in black floated, but this time they didn¡¯t swirl. It was as if the letters were unsure what to do. The letters floated above in a flat line like a dead sea, they all fell to the ground and disappeared except the four letters that landed on Kelemith¡¯s fist, even he wasn¡¯t prepared. ¡°Er, the legendary forger to create our celestial weapons and shields will be, eh.¡± He turned to another wizard beside him, ¡°This can¡¯t be right?¡± The other wizard just turned his eyes and shifted himself awkwardly. Kelemith continued, ¡°Bill.¡± He licked his lips, ¡°Just Bill.¡±


    Bill the blacksmith appeared. Eighteen, a large protruding belly, sweat dripping from his forehead and a bright red beard that most older men would be jealous of. His head twisted with shock, ¡°Where the fu¨C¡±


    Kelemith quickly interrupted whatever poetic quote Bill was about to let loose, ¡°And now, for our champion, our hero, our chosen. The reincarnation of our legendary saviour from over ten thousand years ago.¡± Letters of a heavenly white flowed, only enough for one name, of course, since they were the chosen one.


    The sun itself shifted a ray of light through the vacuum of space to the very point where they would appear. Gasps clustered the room, for months now, only the clouds could be seen in the sky. The sun and stars hadn¡¯t been watched clearly since. Blinding everyone within the castle, hair as bright as light, yellow eyes sharp like a cat and a tall slender figure like an athlete. Wearing a white cape with the sun embroidered on it, a bronze chest plate and the helm in her hand, there she was.


    ¡°Elara of Experience.¡±


    At first, they didn¡¯t clap, the people were simply too stunned. This was their messiah, someone who they waited for to save them. Someone, they didn¡¯t exactly deserve. A roar boomed from the kingdom itself.


    Bill watched with thought, he had absolutely no idea what was going on. Lurisa, aghast at how beautiful she was couldn¡¯t fathom how she was meant to help her.


    Elara nodded to the party, they all felt chills, except Bill, he was ruminating about whether he had left the fire on in the house. She turned to the peasants¨Cshe didn¡¯t think that. Never! These were her people. And so, she turned to the disgusting civilians of Albosa, ¡°My journey will begin here, and it will end here in celebration.¡±


    Elara stepped away and began to leave. Arthur eyed the others and they were all unsure of what procedure was here, once Elara got far enough they rushed to her side. The golden gates swept open to reveal¡­dying trees, a dreary grey sky, dull fields with deathly yellow roots holding them up. Oh, Elara had been expecting popping beauty, fields with not just green but with the highlighted red stems of the morgal roots that grew, they were like a mix of trees and mushrooms but seemed more fluid. They were gone. Rarely was she ever called upon when the Wither had already blighted the land.


    Lurisa excitedly held her staff, it wasn¡¯t for magic or anything, she just used it for hiking. She held it close to her bosom and asked, ¡°Lady Elara?¡±


    She brushed her hand in the air, ¡°Talk to me from behind, I like to be in front in case something were to attack.¡± That was a lie. Elara was afraid to catch any sickness from these people.


    ¡°Well, I just wanted to say it¡¯s an honour to be working with all of you. You¡¯ve all been chosen for a reason and I¡¯m humbled to be in your presence,¡± Lurisa smiled.


    Arthur smiled back causing her to blush, he was quite handsome and they were both seventeen, she had heard of him before, the King¡¯s second born but the rightful heir as stories told. She didn¡¯t even notice the king at the ceremony, why wouldn¡¯t he show up?


    Samara huffed, Stuck with a group of teenagers. Note to self Samara, life always gets worse. Always.


    Who¡¯s going to feed the cat! Bill wondered.


    Arthur noticed they were only a minute away from leaving the city gates, Oh gods, I¡¯ve made a horrible, horrible mistake.


    Lurisa confidently walked behind Elara, We are of the chosen, she smirked with a real sense of achievement.


    After an hour of walking, Bill needed to sit down. Elara rolled her eyes, the last group she was with, in her last reincarnation were real warriors. The last blacksmith was pure muscle, so much so that he didn¡¯t use a hammer when forging, just his fists. Elara set a few logs down in the dried field, she snapped her fingers and fire lit the timber. Lurisa backed up, ¡°That¡¯s my job?¡±


    Elara laughed, ¡°Oh, dear. You¡¯re here just to document the travel, to tell the ages what happened. No one does anything but me. Last time the mage like you just kept creating a potion of intoxication for the group except me.


    ¡°You mean alcohol?¡± Lurisa asked.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what the kids are calling it now?¡± Elara said.


    Lurisa could hide her malcontent, ¡°So we do, nothing?¡±


    ¡°Nope. Nothing. Zilch. Well, bar walking with me. And remembering what happened. And actually, forgetting some moments that I¡¯d be embarrassed of. Thinking about it, you guys do a lot,¡± Elara said.


    Thank the gods. Thank them! They must love me if this is what the journey contains for me. Arthur exclaimed.


    Lurisa¡¯s dreams were torn apart, eviscerated, she wanted to be the greatest mage the chosen one had ever seen and now that was just someone who got everyone drunk, an embellished barmaid? So, essentially, Elara was amazing at everything and needed no help. Great, she thought, just great.


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    Three hours went by, Elara had already saved a child from an attack of foul Feasters, creatures with matted fur, weighed twice as much as any man and gnarled for blood. Even the best knights didn¡¯t like to fight them since they were so erratic in their movements. Elara had just taken out a den of twenty¡­Lurisa knew it was wrong to feel this way, but it made it so boring! She couldn¡¯t be human, she thought. Arthur talked to the locals of the village where the child was from, he took credit for some of the kills even though he was eating a sandwich during it all. Lurisa at first did find him handsome, she even assumed she would have a crush on him at some stage, but that wasn¡¯t going to happen anymore. Bill was more likely to be her next crush and he was, ¡®sneakily,¡¯ picking his nose and flicking it toward the ground.


    Samara seemed to be the only normal one, she didn¡¯t say a lot but she was constantly searching the soil for fragments of lenses. It was like a magical shard that would fuel Lurisa, Elara definitely didn¡¯t need it. It became clear that her power stemmed from solely within while Lurisa had to use external sources to boost herself. They were worth quite a bit, one would pay a week¡¯s wage. Lurisa was glad that someone was trying to help.


    I¡¯m never going to pay off this debt, am I? Samara sighed, if I just found nine hundred lenses I¡¯d be able to pay it back. Or I could gamble it and win it all back and more? Indeed, Samara was a sage of wisdom for a reason, surely there was a reason?


    Later Elara told the villagers they were safe and then held out a patch, ethereal gems, worth fortunes, ¡°The feasters had this in their den, thought you guys would like it,¡± She threw the pouch to the ragged villager. Again, she wasn¡¯t going to dirty herself or catch lice from them.


    Onward. Arthur never anticipated the journey would be like this. Was it ever going to be perfect? No. But did he expect to grow as a person and have stories worthy to tell his great, great grandchildren¨Cyes. Even though he didn¡¯t want to fight, he secretly hoped to become someone who could. In the far view, the sea of pale jasmine fields thrashed in the air, like the earth began to unnaturally shake. Stomping. A herd of cattle stampeding? Darkness stitched itself between the clouds. Even the trees had become dark. A veil of nothingness surrounded them. Elara pulled out what looked like a string, it was so thin and bright. It didn¡¯t even have a handle, it just spawned from her hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Arthur said.


    ¡°A demon devil lich lord commander-general.¡±


    No way is it actually called that. Lurisa asked, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Because he reincarnates too,¡± Elara said.


    A black puddle of ooze generated in front of them, like a vortex of hatred. Its arms folded as the dark tornado around dissipated. Its head, huge like a statue, mauve fur and slicked straight, its two legs looked like hind legs. It wore a golden helmet revealing its broad snout and white eyes. It snorted, ¡°Elara, once again I have the pleasure of meeting you.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Detritus,¡± she spat.


    ¡°Cool name,¡± Bill said, somewhat unaware this was a demon lord he spoke to.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Detritus accepted the compliment. That compliment actually meant a lot to him. He smirked.


    Did he just blush! Lurisa wondered.


    Pulling a spear from their own skin, Detritus held the long six-foot spear by his side, even compared to them it wasn¡¯t tall, they were at least ten feet in height.


    ¡°Elara, do you remember the last time we fought?¡± Detritus added, ¡°It went on for three days, what a fight. And to think that measly beam can deal so much damage.¡±


    Elara stared at her beam of light, ¡°Small things come in big packages.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they all say,¡± Samara rolled her eyes.


    Detritus whipped their spear in the air, whistling through as it cut the air. Rolling the spear like a circus act around their arms and fingers. Detritus was rather nimble for a ten foot beast. ¡°Today will mark your death and the end of this world,¡± Detritus pointed the spear at Elara.


    ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t be dying. Not to you!¡± Elara shouted.


    Lurisa found the spear scathing against Arthur¡¯s neck. His chin rattled like a chainsaw. Lurisa realised just then, he was no warrior, or not a heroic one anyway. Detritus pitied him, ¡°Just a boy. No, I don¡¯t have to kill these peasants, only you.¡±


    Elara sprang up and swiped viciously at Detritus. The two moved so fast, even their eyes were no match for the speed. Lurisa held her breath and activated her ice eyes. She was akin to ice for her magic, she found it had the best variety. Her eyes glowed bright and allowed her to see everything slower, although it didn¡¯t grant much advantage for her since she was awful at fighting in close quarters. Lurisa, unfortunately, realised why Elara said they do nothing on the journey, she had ascended their dimension of power.


    Detritus blocked a blow and elbowed Elara. She fell to the ground and wiped her nose, ¡°I¡¯ve gotten rusty,¡± she laughed. Lashing a blow to Detritus, she aimed for their groin, the slash was enough to put them off balance. Another swipe but Detritus was too swift. They turned on their hind legs and kicked back at Elara. Her armour, dented by the demon. Yet, she got up as if nothing happened. The rest of the group felt the power behind the blow, it would have killed any of them instantly. The remnants of the kick caused a strong gust to push back the party. Elara held her beam defiantly to the sky with one arm. One singular ray of light dawned upon it flashing everyone in the veil of darkness, Detritus held up their right forearm to stop the blinding. A thump hit the ground. Detritus opened their eyes, Elara was on the tip of her feet as if she were about to jump, or after landing from a leap¡­their eyes opened in horror to see their mauve arm on the ground. Detritus screeched and charged at Elara. The veil was gone due to the light, Detritus missed Elara but kept charging. Crashing into a thick tree, they picked it up with one arm, at least two hundred kilograms worth. Roaring from the top of their lungs, Detritus launched the tree at the party.


    Oh, gods, this is it, isn¡¯t it? Arthur shed a tear.


    Splitting the path of the unrooted tree was Elara¡¯s beam as it scattered to the left and right of the party. She really was a hero! Elara closed her eyes, ¡°O¡¯ light, devour this darkness. Purge the abyss of hate.¡±


    Dramatically raising her sword to her hip pointed straight, she didn¡¯t look up once. Leaping at a speed Lurisa couldn¡¯t even see, it must have been faster than sound, she impaled Detritus. Their canine teeth were still out of their jaw ready to roar. ¡°Until we meet again, Detritus.¡±


    Detritus toppled and plunged to the ground, the body weight falling could be felt by the quiver of the soil. Elara let out a held breath. Cracking her neck, she sliced down on Detritus¡¯ chest and opened a gaping hole, reaching in with her arm, to pull out a crystal heart. She patted the dead fur of Detritus, ¡°Well done guys.¡±


    Lurisa¡¯s mouth was still open, she was afraid she had started to drool, she was so dumbfounded, ¡°Elara, that was amazing. You¡¯re like a God.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still just human, just like you guys.¡±


    Bill touched Elara with his index finger on her cheek, ¡°Feels human.¡±


    Elara had a disgusted face at first but then she laughed at the simpleton, ¡°Indeed, I am.¡±


    Samara searched Detritus and extracted their claws in hopes it¡¯d fetch some money. She was going to clip some fur but it had a revolting acidic smell, so she left it.


    Without Elara the group had to admit, they wouldn¡¯t have survived even ten seconds. Lurisa set up a fire that night, refusing to let Elara do any more work. At first, she had to admit, she was insanely jealous of her being so perfect and thank the gods she was. They had their fire by a boulder to shield the fire from the wind. Samara threw the claws on top of the boulder, embarrassed that she was essentially stealing from a corpse.


    ¡°What was it like being reincarnated?¡± Arthur asked.


    Elara thought for a moment, ¡°It¡¯s, alright I suppose. Last time I was a man actually.¡±


    Arthur put out his fist, ¡°Men for the win, am I right?¡±


    Elara fist bumped him gently and continued, ¡°Sure? But yeah it¡¯s like waking up again. After I defeat the Wither I¡¯ll live a nice full life and die of old age then come back to do it all over again.¡±


    ¡°Does it get boring?¡± Samara showed interest for the first time.


    She shook her head, ¡°Never. The world always changed dramatically. A thousand years ago they were so much more advance¨C¡± She awkwardly paused, they all looked so happy, it would be cruel to say the truth, ¡°Advanced at being barbarians than the thousand years before that. You guys though. True gentlemen and classy women.¡± What a slick recovery, she thought.


    Arthur stood up. Lurisa still looked at him wondering how could someone so cowardly could be the chosen knight for the chosen one. They were meant to be undefeated in combat and there was no way for a soldier who¡¯s been bested to be chosen. And yet she had witnessed him cry at the sight of Detritus. Arthur exclaimed, ¡°Elara, could you show me how to wield a sword. I mean, of course, I know how. But I can still learn.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± she smiled. She thought it a good idea, even if she was so powerful, she couldn¡¯t be in two places at once. Maybe Arthur could save someone when she couldn¡¯t.


    Bill interrupted, ¡°Elara can you show us the light move you used again.¡± It had gotten dark by this time, Lurisa assumed Bill wondered if Elara could turn night into day just for a second.


    Elara shook her head, then Bill pouted his lips. Her emotions shifted from not caring to feeling bad for his eyes without much thought. ¡°Alright then. Watch this.¡± She climbed the boulder in the dark with relative ease and heaved herself up. ¡°Okay, you watching?¡± she asked. She wanted to make it look epic. For some reason, this group of followers were growing on her and she felt the need to impress them.


    Swirling her arm from behind and above, she summoned the beam and lashed it into the air. As she swung it she shifted her right foot forward¡­landing on the claws of Detritus. A bright light flashed allowing them all to see Elara¡¯s foot roll and slip on the claws. She yelped and fell backwards followed by a crunching echo.


    ¡°Elara.¡± Lurisa ran to the back of the boulder. She snapped her fingers and a small flame bulb followed her, illuminating the view.


    ¡°Elara?¡± she asked seeing she hadn¡¯t bounced back up. She veered closer, inspecting her¡­blood. Crimson fluid rushed from the back of her head. A small sharp rock flowed with blood behind her skull. Samara patted the girl down and pressed her fingers under her jaw. Samara turned to the others, her skin flushed and dread scarred across her face, ¡°She¡¯s dead. The chosen one is dead!¡±

 IT ALL WENT WRONG

    CHAPTER 2


    IT ALL WENT WRONG


    Arthur smacked his hands on his face, jogging back and forth. He kept glancing at the blood and turning away in horror. ¡°We just let the chosen one die!¡±


    Samara saw one of the claws on the timid grass and booted it away. ¡°Let us calm down.¡± She tried to compose herself, Oh, gods I¡¯ve just committed manslaughter on the reincarnation of the chosen one. ¡°Lurisa, by any chance can you¨C¡±


    Lurisa didn¡¯t even look at her, ¡°No, I can¡¯t resurrect the dead. Nobody can.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll reincarnate again?¡± Bill grinned hopefully.


    ¡°It only happens every thousand years,¡± Samara said.


    ¡°So, we play the waiting game,¡± Arthur joined his two hands in thought.


    Bill nodded and sat down, ¡°How do we wait that long without getting bored?¡±


    Lurisa wanted to scream, how were they this stupid? No, this wasn¡¯t stupid this was another level of buffoonery. ¡°How would we wait for another reincarnation?¡±


    Arthur sighed, ¡°We¡¯d obviously freeze ourselves for a thousand years. I didn¡¯t mean actually sit down Lurisa, you¡¯re being silly.¡±


    Me? Silly? I¡¯m going to set him on fire.


    Samara¡¯s guilt drenched her, I always mess everything up, even when I¡¯m being selfish. In that moment she could have just broken down and cried but a speck of resilience refused to let her.  She clasped Lurisa¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Guys. Before we even continue to talk, we should bury the poor girl.¡±


    Lurisa inhaled, she imagined herself as a blade of air. She pointed her two fingers toward the ground and swiped her fingers down, then left, then up and finally right. Pointing her fingers slowly to the sky, a mass of dirt floated from the depths. It hovered and plopped a metre or so away from the new perfectly cut grave.


    Stunned at the sight, Arthur was impressed by Lurisa, with such a frail body, how could she have such strength within her magic?


    Bill picked up Elara and gently let her down with Arthur holding onto the bottom of the corpse. Lurisa covered the opening. They stood in silence unsure of how to feel. Sorrow? No, they hardly knew her. Sadness? Obviously but not quite a true sadness. Awkwardness? Yes, that felt more right, their hearts didn¡¯t understand how to react. Of course, they were worried about the mission to defeat the Wither, yet they didn¡¯t know how to mourn her. The only thing that gave them comfort was that her life wasn¡¯t truly over, not for another thousand years anyway.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Arthur asked Samara.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the sage of wisdom, aren¡¯t you? What should we do?¡±


    Wisdom. What a joke, she thought, ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do. They say only one who has been reincarnated can defeat the Wither.¡±


    Bill pouted, ¡°So, we failed to save the world in eight hours?¡±


    Arthur turned, ¡°If we round it up, it¡¯s actually nine to be fair to us.¡±


    Samara sarcastically responded, ¡°To be fair to us.¡±


    Lurisa picked up her hiking stick and started moving in the dark with her little flame bulb hovering over her shoulder.


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    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Arthur asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep going,¡± Lurisa laughed, ¡°When has going backwards ever helped?¡±


    Something potent was in those words. Something that spoke to Samara. Instantly, she picked up her bag for travels given by the wizard Kelemith and followed Lurisa. Arthur and Bill made eye contact. Both shrugged and nodded and started to follow.


    The dark clouds started to brighten up. Brighten up was a strong word, rather they became slightly less dark as the grey sky began to loom over. The world was still quite beautiful in its own unique way. It was as if the world was stuck in limbo of autumn and winter. Grass was a yellowish, a sickly green at brightest, leaves on trees were crispy and ranged from yellow to brown and red. Even when nature was dying it showed its beauty defiantly. The Wither was like a plague, blighted the land and corrupting the world. It starts small but like a cancer, it evolves and evolves until it¡¯s unrecognisable. Killing off plants and crops leads to animals dying and wildlife being endangered, humans can¡¯t eat meat, or grain or fruit and vegetables. They can¡¯t feed these animals to transport themselves to good. And soon the people will become savage animals themselves. Lurisa, in her heart conjured up hope that maybe she could do something. Maybe she could stop the wither. Who¡¯s to say she wasn¡¯t reincarnated and simply forgot? All Lurisa knew was that Elara began to head north-east. So, why not keep going, she thought  Up ahead was another town, Mareon. It was meant to be rather sophisticated. Apparently they had the greatest school in all of Albosa, Lurisa never went there as they didn¡¯t exactly believe in mages. As in they actually didn¡¯t believe mages exist and called them magicians. They were rather strange people, as many mages would show off their art, whether it was wielding an element, or lifting objects without hands, or even detecting thoughts, the people of Mareon would call it coincidence and move on.


    The town was wide open, cobblestone roads, sturdy buildings, many that were a business on the ground floor and then apartments on the upper floors. People flocked around, hoarding goods onto wagons and chatting local gossip. Samara stopped and felt her third eye of wisdom sprout. She nodded toward a small grotty shack that was half torn down. It was a complete eye sore on the entire town. The shop had a cheap oil painted on the above the door frame, ¡®Bits¡¯n¡¯Bobs.¡¯ Samara pressed the door and a chiming bell alerted the shopkeeper. He leapt out of his chair in fright. He watched with sleepy eyes. His wrinkled face looked as if it was shrinking to become a skeleton. He wore a hat that drew shade over his eyes. Dust scattered along his hat and even some of the shop, actually, pretty much the whole shop. How was this place even running?


    ¡°Hi there. I was just wondering do you have a map in stock?¡± Samara asked. Lurisa nearly smacked herself, how did no one think of a map?


    His eyes narrowed, ¡°Ah, so you see a bit of dust and assume we don¡¯t have maps. Well, I have loads! Tonnes. Too bloody many!¡± He threw a map on the counter. Samara picked it up and it was¡­god awful. The sketch was done with different colours for starters, the names of areas were misspelt and even the shape was generally wrong.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have an official map, no?¡±


    ¡°Official? I drew that myself. So, yes, it¡¯s official.¡±


    Arthur pressed his index finger against the dirty paper, ¡°But this is wrong. I know people from Treft. It¡¯s not directly west of the Albosa palace.¡±


    ¡°So, you spend your whole life in a place and act like you know where it¡¯s located? Child, Albosa wants you to believe it¡¯s south-west. It¡¯s directly west! I know. Bob always knows.¡±


    ¡°Always?¡± Arthur asked


    ¡°Never have I been proven wrong,¡± Bob said.


    Samara laughed, ¡°You just listen to gossip all day and believe in stupid old conspiracy theories.¡±


    Bob laughed from the gut, it sounded like a gasping desert wind, ¡°Just like that time Albosa soldiers threatened me from telling people there¡¯s an underground civilisation of goose people.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s lips faded to one side, he was obviously unwell. Or maybe just plain mad. Either way, he felt bad. He dropped hain on the counter to pay for the map, even though he had never actually said he charged for it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your damn money,¡± Bob said insulted.


    ¡°We¡¯re paying for the map?¡±


    His eyes grew larger, ¡°You see a bit of dust and assume I¡¯m begging for money. I¡¯m a great businessman! And an even better people person! His hand flung under the counter. Bill stood ahead of the girls afraid of a weapon being drawn. Arthur backed up, even in his armour against an old bony man. But no weapon was revealed. Just more money. He picked up a group of hains and threw them at Bill¡¯s belly. ¡°I don¡¯t need it! Buy some food with it or whatever I don¡¯t care, That one would probably only get half full with it all anyway,¡± he sneered Bill¡¯s appearance. Although Bill didn¡¯t care, words about his weight never bothered him. Back in his home, it was considered quite attractive to be on the heavier side. Well, that¡¯s what his mother and father told him. Come to think of it, they were on the heavier side too. Like mice looking for scraps, Samara picked up all the small green square hains on the ground and they left, somewhat outraged by his lack of customer service. Lurisa considered leaving a bad review, but it was quite clear he owned the store.


    Bob sat back down and relaxed his two arms behind his neck while leaning back satisfied, ¡°You did it again Bob. An unforgettable customer experience. They¡¯ll never forget about Bits¡¯n¡¯Bobs again.¡±

 FOOLS GAMBIT

    CHAPTER 3


    FOOLS GAMBIT


    None of them really knew where to go, should they stay the night there to sleep? Maybe buy some food? Where were they even going? They had no clue about a final destination. Not the heroic journey I was expecting, Arthur pondered. He brushed against Lurisa and her blue eyes lurked on him for a moment. Lurisa is pretty, isn¡¯t she? He shook his head, No, I shouldn¡¯t be thinking that. After all, I¡¯m meant to marry one of the Perkin girls from the Sherve kingdom. Looking at her hair dance in the breeze from behind and her majestic tunic crumple in the wind, But Lurisa is exactly my¨C Bill stood in front of Arthur, his greasy beard rustled in the wind in his own elegant way, ¡°Arthur, what¡¯s it like being the son of a king?¡±


    On alert, Arthur grinded his teeth and ushered for Bill to shut up. Bill opened his mouth that resembled a horrified apology that he had noticed his own stupidity. And so, Arthur calmed. Locals don¡¯t exactly take kindly to nobility, especially when you were a Starfinder.


    ¡°DID YOU NOT HEAR ME. WHAT¡¯S IT LIKE TO BE SON OF A KING?¡± Bill asked¡­quite loudly.


    A horde of people started to gather. They were already noticeable in the town wearing long silk clean tunics and Arthur¡¯s ebony armour. But often people were weary of a soldier. But a king¡¯s son? no, they were a spectacle to see.


    ¡°A Starfinder, eh?¡± A scarred man lurked around to see his face. ¡°You remember what your daddy said ¡®bout us?¡±


    Arthur¡¯s facial features lifted in ignorance, ¡°I have no clue. My father loves everyone in his kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he call us incest vermin?¡± A shout from afar said.


    Another yapped, ¡°And that we stink of fresh cow dung?¡±


    From behind the crowd. ¡°He said the death of my husband saved me the bother of having to divorce him!¡±


    Father, Arthur thought embarrassed. He was rash and foolish with his tongue.


    ¡°Yeah, he said my wife looked like his favourite pig Betty,¡± a bald man perked up.


    ¡°To be fair, my father loved Betty like no other pig.¡±


    The scarred man walked right up to Arthur. He was a few inches shorter but far more intimidating than Arthur. It was clear this man had once been a soldier. His one eye peered into him, ¡°I remember. I fought for your little palace. And when my eye was cut fighting for your father¨Cbah!¡± His arms flailed in resentment, ¡°He sent me home here. Without anything extra. Nothing. Not even an extra hain. Bastard.¡±


    ¡°My mother and father were married but I get you¡¯re trying to insult me and I understand,¡± Arthur raised his hand to the man¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare touch me! I challenge you to a fool¡¯s gambit!¡±


    Everyone shushed. Wind rustled the remnants of dirt along the road.


    Bill¡¯s beard rested atop Lurisa¡¯s shoulder, ¡°What is a fool¡¯s gambit?¡±


    ¡°Arthur has to fight that man without armour or weapons. It¡¯s not dangerous there¡¯s a referee. Problem is, if the king¡¯s son loses, it¡¯ll look awful for the king that an old soldier won. Arthur¡¯s reputation would plummet and Albosa¡¯s image isn¡¯t the best as of now.¡±


    A fool¡¯s gambit could only be committed by someone of lower status to someone of higher status. It was like a petty vengeance that could be achieved. To be able to say they beat up a prince without any repercussions. Few could ever say it after the fight.


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    The scarred man took off his shirt, revealing a surprisingly firm stomach and chest. His abs didn¡¯t quite show but Arthur would feel them if he were to punch his gut. Arthur clinked to Lurisa, ¡°Can you help take this armour off? Please?¡± She listened to the plea and helped him take it off. The armour hadn¡¯t a single scratch, he seemed terrified of Detritus but maybe that was a shock? She helped take off the torso of his armour and noticed how broad his back was, Maybe he is a warrior. However, the smell of sweat did lessen the astonishment. He whipped off the gauntlets showing no fear. Arthur was given shoes by a local, proving that this was a typical day out for them. The scarred man stretched his triceps and then his biceps by putting his elbow above his own shoulder. Arthur stood there¡­clueless, What do I even do?


    ¡°Woah. He must be so confident he¡¯s not even stretching,¡± Lurisa said.


    Bill pointed out the obvious, ¡°Isn¡¯t he the warrior for the chosen one?¡±


    ¡°True but most warriors would at least prepare their muscles or jump up and down to get the blood flowing,¡± Samara answered.


    The crowd were mentioning a, ¡°Gerhand.¡±


    Samara noticed, ¡°Three hells. That¡¯s Sir Gerhand. He was said to be one of the greatest soldiers in all of Albosa until an enemy ripped his eye out from behind while he was already fighting.¡±


    Bill chuckled, ¡°Yes, but he¡¯s the chosen warrior!¡± He had belief in Arthur.


    A natural circle formed around Arthur and Gerhand. He spat out the ground, ¡°Without that armour and expensive silver sword of yours, you¡¯re nothing but a boy pretending to be a man.¡± Arthur didn¡¯t reply, he was afraid his voice might crack under the pressure.


    Lurisa whispered, ¡°Is it just me or is he being really cool right now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he has an aura about him. Like he¡¯s already seen the fight and knows he wins,¡± Samara replied.


    Gods, what do I do? Brother, what would you have done? Arthur thought.


    ¡°The warrior is supposed to have never lost before, so it does make sense,¡± Lurisa praised him.


    I¡¯ve never even been in a fight before! Arthur clenched his jaws tight. I¡¯m a damn coward.


    Gerhand jutted side to side, he was trying to psych out Arthur. Damn this boy, he thought, I¡¯m getting ready for the fight of my life and he looks as if he¡¯s thinking about something else altogether. I¡¯m too lowly for him to even think about. Bastard.


    Cracking his knuckles with fierce rage he clapped his hands to grab his attention. The referee was a small woman with a ridiculously deep husky voice as if she had only drawn breath in a chimney, ¡°You hear me. No disrespect to the ref. No feet used to hit. No punching the back of heads. Touch fists if you want.¡±


    Arthur tensed his fist as hard as he could to not show how shaky he had just become.


    This boy has nerves of steel! Gerhand thought as Arthur¡¯s fist had veins like the root of a tree.


    ¡°Fight!¡± The ref shouted.


    Gerhand bobbed to Arthur who still made not a single move. Gerhand pulled his fist back, with all the anger he held onto for the years. Shovelling his fist into the air as his legs followed through for extra power, Arthur slipped on a small pebble. His head went to chest height of Gerhand. His leg outstretched into him, bashing his ankle in the process of gaining his balance and he stood straight holding onto his posture as Gerhand fell into the dirt of the ground. His chin scuttled along it, embarrassingly so.


    ¡°Little shit,¡± Gerhand said.


    Arthur noticed a flock of green breast birds flying over, they were so angelic in the sky. He tried to take his mind off the fight. He knew he couldn¡¯t beat a veteran soldier.


    Gerhand threw himself back up in a fury-filled rage. Sprinting at Arthur.


    Arthur noticed it. Gloop from the sky and without a doubt, it originated from the bird. Arthur ducked slightly, covering his head with his left hand and extending his right arm upwards. A vibration rattled down his right arm. He gazed up to see Gerhand with glazed eyes and his fist connected to his chin. To top it off with bird droppings on his bald head. He fell over and smashed into the floor.


    Everyone cheered. ¡°That¡¯s our prince!¡±


    ¡°Better than the king.¡±


    ¡°What an unorthodox fighting style. It¡¯s so nonchalant, as if he¡¯s not even really fighting. May you teach us!¡±


    ¡°Did you see he controlled the bird to do that? Genius!¡±


    ¡°He really is the warrior,¡± Lurisa smiled confidently. ¡°Arthur, no wonder you were chosen,¡± she said to him proudly.


    Arthur visibly frowned at her pretty grin, he felt no satisfaction, if anything a sting of disappointment trailed his muscles and nerves.

 CURSED LOVE

    CHAPTER 4


    CURSED LOVE


    Glittering white sparkles stumbled down the road. It was a woman who had never heard of subtlety. Her knee high boots and sparkled jacket were hard to ignore. The fight had been over for a few minutes now, Arthur just sat on a wooden patio outside a shop. The woman approached him, she smelled of fresh plums, ¡°You that Starfinder?¡± Arthur nodded in retort. ¡°Good. Because Gerhand had a mission for the town but now he¡¯s out of action I¡¯ll need you to do it.¡±


    Samara thought quickly, ¡°And how much will you offer?¡±


    She put her hand over her heart, ¡°My dear, you just knocked out our only defence force in the town and you expect me to pay you for that?¡±


    ¡°He challenged Arthur?¡± Lurisa stepped in.


    ¡°And he could have put him out in submission rather than knocking him out completely.¡±


    ¡°Fair,¡± Arthur answered, ¡°so what is it?¡±


    She smiled, ¡°Well, one of the women went missing. Her husband won¡¯t even leave the shack. Said she was hearing voices for a few days, then poof.¡±


    ¡°She vanished?¡± Bill asked.


    She raised an eyebrow, ¡°Well, not literally. But she left. And we want to find her remains, put her at peace.¡±


    Lurisa wasn¡¯t impressed, ¡°She could still be alive.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But doubtful. Night around here is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll find her. Just show me where her home is,¡± Lurisa asked.


    A rotting shack close to a foul-smelling swamp. How did anyone live here? It was on the edge of the town, on the way a lot of people were making strange comments, saying how they were cursed. Shallow green waters bounced against the rafters holding the house up. Spindly dead trees covered most natural light that could enter. Timber that was decaying, woodworms infested them. The shack was hardly big enough for two people and the windows were just nets to keep bugs out. Samara noticed a patron symbol hanging on the side of the door, it had a hand laid out open and then a fist. Curious. Lurisa knocked on the door. A sniff occurred from behind, a deep one as if they were trying to inhale her. The door didn¡¯t open but a voice called out, ¡°A mage. A sage. A knight and¡­a slobbering beast?¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m the blacksmith,¡± Bill answered.


    The voice was groggy, it almost felt as if it was an effort to get vocals out of the voicebox, ¡°She¡¯s gone. She¡¯s been gone for days now. My Diane isn¡¯t coming back. Just like her mother.¡±


    Lurisa asked, ¡°If you can let us in, I can use one of the elements to help track her down?¡±


    ¡°No mages in here!¡± The voice uttered in panic. ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re here in the first place. The other three can enter.¡±


    Lurisa shrugged. Samara winked at her and Lurisa backed up a bit from the shack.


    The door opened, a watery skinny arm appeared. As the light shined in, it revealed a creature with two holes instead of a nose, closed eyes that couldn¡¯t open, ears too small for its sphere shaped head, and luscious hair that fell down to his shoulders. His skin was like a green goo, sludge like in appearance and it seemed to be traversing around his body.


    ¡°My name is Raas. Forgive my¨C¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re hideous!¡± Bill covered his eyes, ¡°It¡¯s so ugly!¡±


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    ¡°Appearance,¡± he finished.


    Samara turned to Bill, ¡°Bill! Just because someone is revolting doesn¡¯t mean you should point it out. Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s insecure enough looking like that. Don¡¯t mention the awful smell, you hear me?¡±


    Raas stood still, oh, he forgot how much words could hurt. If his eyes weren¡¯t closed he would have cried, Why must an ugly hard beast like me feel such soft emotions. His soul had little left to care about beauty and yet it still struck.


    Samara tapped the goo forearm slightly recognising it from stories she had heard long ago from Yoriah, ¡°You¡¯re cursed.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I am. Damn mages.¡± He waved his fist up toward Lurisa.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t curse you!¡± She said.


    ¡°You¡¯re all the same,¡± Raas said. ¡°She left me. I roared until that sparkling Sheriff came down, although I didn¡¯t open the door. Some people don¡¯t have the best reactions to this,¡± he gestured to his body.


    ¡°Some people have no manners,¡± Arthur answered.


    ¡°How long has she been gone,¡± Samara asked.


    ¡°She left me nearly a week ago now. Oh, I miss her so. Those damn voices. She¡¯s lost her mind. Keeps saying her name is Lily. The voices have made her start to believe she was another person altogether. Please. I miss her. It¡¯s lonely out here.¡±


    Lurisa shouted from afar, ¡°Throw me a possession of hers and I can track her down.¡±


    Raas handed a wet ring, Arthur gagged when it was handed to him, the slime dribbled down his hand, he tossed it as fast as he could. Lurisa raised it up with wind, no way was she going to put her hands on it. Magic had its limits, but Lurisa was rather talented. And Lurisa was an expert on ice magic, adept in wind and decent at most others. They all had subclasses to which she could use them. Using wind, she could try and follow the scent left behind by Diane, it wouldn¡¯t be entirely accurate if Diane had changed clothes, washed and removed all jewellery. However, it¡¯d take them a step closer. Lurisa whirled her finger around and a gust blew across the swamp to the other side.


    ¡°Must be a mistake,¡± Lurisa¡¯s eyes widened. She whirled again and this time the gust went around the swamp to the other side, ¡°There we go.¡±


    ¡°But what if she¡¯s left clues in the swamp? Please. She¡¯s all I have,¡± Raas pleaded, both hands clasped together.


    Lurisa rubbed her eyes with her index finger and thumb, she could use ice for the top of the swamp for a path but it would expend all her energy for the day. Magic worked like stamina, but with lenses, it would allow more powerful spells or just simply more energy to cast more. Lurisa had a few, she wasn¡¯t going to waste them on a damn swamp. ¡°We¡¯ll have to walk through then.¡±


    Lurisa was on the back of Arthur and Samara was on Bill¡¯s like a backpack. It¡¯d be rude to let the ladies ruin their tunics in this distorted grimey green gunk. Not that they offered, Lurisa simply jumped on the back of Arthur and said if he let her down she¡¯d freeze off particular body parts important to him. It was enough to make him comply. The water was clumped with dirt, moss and other unknowns the group would rather not know of. Little frogs with webbed wings flew across the swamp. Eating some of the annoying insects that were patting against the group. They had grown accustomed to the damp dewy smell, Lurisa suspected it would only take another twenty minutes of walking. Arthur had to keep the ring out so the wind could keep pushing the scent and following it. Crackling to the right, they turned. From a little hole in a tree, a pale creature crawled out on all fours. Much like a man but small and hideous.


    ¡°Gives me the precious,¡± its frail limb fingers reached out. All someone could do was pity this wretched thing.


    ¡°You lost little guy?¡± Arthur asked.


    ¡°Looking for the precious.¡±


    Lurisa whispered into Arthur¡¯s ear, ¡°Awh, he must have lost his owners.¡±


    ¡°He stinks of fish,¡± Bill said.


    Samara smacked him, ¡°What did I say about not mentioning smells? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Collum.¡±


    ¡°Sorry buddy but we don¡¯t have space for another,¡± Arthur said. ¡°Maybe look for your parents?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright. I can follows you,¡± Collum¡¯s raspy voice scraped out his throat.


    ¡°If you want,¡± Arthur said as his eyes darted back to Lurisa behind him. She laughed at the glance.


    Collum crawled on all fours even though the swamp was knee-deep, his head was just barely escaping the water. He prowled in between Arthur and Bill like a distraught parasite.


    Lurisa asked for the group to stop because the natural wind was disrupting her artificial gust. Collum could only see under Bill¡¯s boot¨C


    The worst thing would be getting lost within the swamp Lurisa thought, so it¡¯d be wise to wait out the strong winds. A minute or two went by and Arthur asked, ¡°Collum, what species are you?¡± He looked around and couldn¡¯t see him anywhere, ¡°Collum?¡±


    Bill turned his grisly beard around, ¡°Collum? Must have left. Shame, he seemed cool.¡±


    As they continued Bill stepped away, he felt a tough rock under his foot making him wobble slightly. He hoofed his foot off of it and began to follow the trail again. From behind the group, a bald pale shine resurfaced with scraggly thin noodles pretending to be called hair sticking out like reeds. Collum floated up with his face steeped in the water. They didn¡¯t even notice.

 LOVE IS CURSED

    CHAPTER 5


    LOVE IS CURSED


    Lurisa halted them with a defiant raised hand. Like an army veteran, she waved straight and to the left. A random branch with a cloth hanging off of it. Bill snatched it and handed it to Lurisa. Whirling the wind once again, it matched the ring¡¯s direction, except now with two sources the gust would track more precisely.


    On the other side, finally. Lurisa and Samara hopped off and began to follow the gust again. Arthur fell over. Bill collapsed on his behind. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s only another twenty minutes, I think,¡± Lurisa said.


    Arthur inhaled deep, ¡°Lurisa, you¡¯re heavier than you look.¡± Her stare, it terrified him. Her eyes became a chill blue. He recycled his statement, ¡°No, No, gods, no. I mean for that duration of time, carrying even a feather¨C¡±


    ¡°Oh, no I see. That¡¯s fine. Hmph. And here I was going to cast a ward on you for protection because you were so kind. Here Bill.¡± She waved her hand and a faint yellow glow hue appeared over Bill and disappeared.


    Idiot. Now, she thinks I meant that. Women baffle me, Arthur thought.


    I¡¯m going to put a wind spell that will weigh me down more on the way back. Lurisa smirked deviously.


    A small arrangement of houses lay on a flat land. The grass was evergreen, even though the Witherr had begun to affect the world. Perhaps it was the swamp providing nutrients? The houses were quite fortified, stone in unison, perfectly crafted. Any stonemason would be proud. Bill rubbed his hands along the stone as if it provided him with a fond memory. The gust blew into the biggest house in the vicinity, but it¡¯d look strange if she just randomly knocked on the door. So, Lurisa asked a bystander on the street if a woman had called around named Lily. She pointed her to the correct house.


    Bill thumped on the door. An elderly man answered, ¡°Can I help you folks?¡±


    Lurisa stepped up, she was rather proud of her people skills, ¡°Yes, did a woman calling herself Lily happen to stop by?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She seemed extremely distraught so I gave her a place to stay.¡±


    Lurisa and the others all gave a look to each other in understanding that they could bring her back. Lurisa explained the situation and the man understood he had said her eyes were wild like a mad woman. He let Lurisa and Samara in to see Diane, ¡°Sorry boys, but by the patrons you smell funky. Get a damn cloth and water you dirty pigs.¡± And he slammed the door shut.


    Bill sniffed Arthur and nodded at him. Arthur took a whiff of his shoulder and his throat congested, ¡°Fair.¡±


    Diane was sitting in a guest room by herself. Her eyes were dark and her hair darker. Her skin was slightly tanned and somewhat blemished. Lurisa weaved her head into the room, ¡°Hi there. We heard you got lost.¡±


    Diane nodded her head silently.


    Poor thing. She must be traumatised. ¡°We¡¯re here to take you home,¡± Lurisa said.


    ¡°Really?¡± Diane¡¯s eyes filled with hope.


    Samara pursed her lips, ¡°Come on now. We best get going now.¡±


    Her lips quivered, ¡°Thank you,¡± Diane said. It seemed to really hit her emotionally. Well, after hearing voices and getting lost what else would you expect?


    Diane happily greeted Bill and Arthur and they began to return to Raas.


    ¡°So, how long were you staying there?¡± Bill asked her. Bill always liked the idea of people being comfortable around him.


    ¡°About a week. I didn¡¯t even know where to go. I just froze in place,¡± she answered.


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    Samara seen the swamp coming up, ¡°I won¡¯t get carried this time Bill. We can¡¯t have Diane going back soaked to the skin.¡±


    Diane¡¯s eyes grew huge, ¡°Did you just call me Diane?¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Why?¡± Samara asked, confused at first.


    Her breathing became heavy from chest and her body heaved, ¡°My name is Lily! Not Diane. Oh, gods. You¡¯re bringing me back there! Help. Hel¨C¡±


    Lurisa weaved her finger up and down like an orchestrator and it calmed Diane down to a lull. She was still sick but the best place to be sick is at home. With people who care about her.


    They were out of the swamp close to Raas¡¯ house. Arthur swore Lurisa weighed about ten more kilograms but he couldn¡¯t say that to her.


    A sickly sniff occurred from within the shack. Creaking open, Raas laughed, ¡°Oh, my Diane! My Diane. I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We¡¯re here to help,¡± Arthur said proudly.


    Raas took out six haines and gave them to Samara, ¡°You brought her back. Thank you so much. Now, I¡¯ll put her to bed and let her rest. Thank you. Thank you.¡±


    Samara had noticed one obvious thing, Raas was a hideous creature and Diane was rather pretty. ¡°How did you guys meet?¡±


    Raas blushed and waved his hand followed by a little giggle, ¡°She thought it¡¯d ¡®break¡¯ the curse to have a true love¡¯s kiss. Suppose it was a true love¡¯s kiss, it just didn¡¯t break the curse.¡±


    Samara felt butterflies, true love was so hard to find, ¡°That¡¯s so cute. Well, I hope she gets better.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Raas smiled.


    Raas slammed the door and locked it.


    ¡°Local heroes save woman,¡± Bill¡¯s hand caressed the imaginary headline as they entered back into the town. Now, they were ready to go off and finally begin the real journe¨C


    Lurisa prodded and felt a wet patch in her pocket. She felt sick at the thoughts of delving her hand into it. Or would just looking at it be worse.


    ¡°Arthur. Can you check what¡¯s in my pocket,¡± she asked.


    He gasped, ¡°That¡¯s the ring. I didn¡¯t want to hold it.¡±


    She flicked her hair back, Unbelievable. And he thought it was okay to just drop that putrid ring into my pocket. The ring. ¡°We have to go back and bring the ring back to them.¡±


    Back at the rotten shack. For the last time, Lurisa promised herself. No one would be willing to live here voluntarily. Lurisa walked up and was about to knock¨Cgut reaction. She put her finger to her lips and shut everyone up.


    A ruckus within the shack, ¡°Let me leave!¡±


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t. You little stupid harleton. If I let you outside like I did last time, you¡¯ll run away again and betray my trust.¡±


    ¡°Betray your trust? You kidnapped me!¡±


    ¡°Kidnap? You¡¯re a full grown woman! Get over it. It¡¯s more like an..." he used his sharp wits to lessen the effect of the vile word kidnap and change it to something more family friendly, "abduction. Ah, Diane. Don¡¯t look at me like that.¡±


    ¡°My name is Lily! It¡¯s Lily! And you even convinced those fools I was mad.¡± She roared.


    Lurisa and the others all gawked at each other in shock, Oh. My. Oh. My. Lurisa thought. We actually helped a kidnapper save his victim.


    Headline. Local villains kidnap ex-kidnapped victim, Samara imagined.


    That¡¯s not nice to say about us or anybody for a matter of fact, Arthur smoldered.


    Samara ran into the rickety door smashing it to pieces. Raas turned as his volatile good dripped onto the already smudged floorboards, ¡°Oh, wise sage. She¡¯s gone mad again.¡±


    Samara looked at him sternly, as did the others.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to prison aren¡¯t I?¡± Raas asked pitifully.


    Bill smacked Raas in the back of the head with a clobber of his fist. Next, Raas found himself standing upright in the middle of chunky swamp water lashing against his legs. He recognised the swamp water naturally. He looked around dazed. Lurisa laughed from land. He couldn¡¯t see since his eyes were shut. But he patted the ground ready to see which level of the swamp he was in. Only to feel his two hands stuck against something solid. Ice. ¡°This isn¡¯t humane,¡± he cried.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look human so that¡¯s lucky isn¡¯t it,¡± Samara laughed.


    They left Raas out there and decided nature would deal with him best. Arthur patted Diane waiting to hear a thanks after their mess up. Diane tilted her head to them, ¡°I¡¯m reporting you all to the sheriff for being accomplices to Raas.¡±


    ¡°What? We didn¡¯t know?¡± Lurisa begged.


    Diane shivered at their stupidity, ¡°So you trusted a cursed Houler, dripping with a creepy green goo for skin, instead of me!¡±


    ¡°He said he loved you and I like to believe in love,¡± Arthur said half hoping that would work on her and half because he wanted to see her reaction.


    ¡°You guys should leave. I won¡¯t press charges if you leave this town right now,¡± Diane said.


    And so the party of the chosen one left the swamp of Mareon without any charges being pressed upon them.

 BEAUTY AND THE SASQUATCH

    CHAPTER 6


    BEAUTY AND THE SASQUATCH


    A beautiful forest, crimson leaves slowly turning darker until they become maroon. Cute furry animals chased one another playfully. Nothing of threat here. Tranquil one would say. Lurisa found the natural pathways of divided trees organically mesmerising. The arch of leaves above them as if nature intended to protect its citizens from a hail of rain. Dim grey light escaped past the leaves to dawn on them. Lurisa missed the sun, funny how she never really appreciated it until now. She wondered about Samara, she knew Arthur was a prince, therefore his training to be an amazing knight was guaranteed.


    What if I just ran away and stopped pretending to be a warrior? Arthur thought.


    And Bill being a blacksmith suited. He looked like he had a family of four and was enjoying his later years. He really needs a skincare routine, Lurisa thought. He had said he was an apprentice to his local blacksmith, admittedly he was very new and not very good.


    But Samara. She said nothing of who she was. She had mentioned nothing of anything except for the name Yoriah that she talked of once. Would a sage hide anything? Or maybe as a sage, she let go of her past? Perhaps she defeated the ultimate evil of all which was ego and let herself go.


    Leaves drifted down, not naturally. No, a stampede of leaves fell from a particular tree. No creature that¡¯s meant to be up there would cause that. Lurisa readied herself and Arthur fastened his sword, even though he didn¡¯t know how to wield it correctly. They all waited.


    Samara could see a black boot hidden among the branches, ¡°Come on.¡±


    No answer.


    ¡°Now!¡± Samara said in a stern motherly tone.


    Trickling down slickly was a petite girl, she couldn¡¯t have been older than seventeen. Her skin pale as a ghost, her face thin and angular. White hair followed by heavy black strands, that was rather unique.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m hiding,¡± she said.


    ¡°Not very well,¡± Samara answered.


    She nodded as her hair looked even more dishevelled, ¡°I¡¯m being hunted.¡±


    ¡°By who?¡± Lurisa pressed. They hadn¡¯t seen anyone else in the forest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly. I just know I¡¯m being hunted. They¡¯re a clan hunting my clan down. I¡¯m trying to get home but¨C¡±


    ¡°Name?¡± Samara asked, her patience wearing thin.


    ¡°Quiver.¡±


    Who would name their child that? Surely that¡¯s child abuse, Samara thought. ¡°Beautiful name. Right, if where you¡¯re escaping is east then we¡¯ll help protect you.


    She shyly accepted and moved along with them. Arthur put a hand around her and patted her shoulder, he could see she was shivering, whether it be from the cold or Samara¡¯s mothering scolding.


    ¡°Awh, find yourself a girlfriend,¡± Lurisa whispered mockingly in his ear.


    Arthur laughed, ¡°Jealous?¡±


    ¡°Ew.¡± Lurisa was done with the conversation. Arthur didn¡¯t even register the reaction. As a prince, a woman had never said anything negative to him in such an aspect.


    An hour later another clapping of branches occurred in the treetops as if a hippopotamus had set base there ¡°Oh gods, strike me down if it¡¯s another person,¡± Samara rubbed her face and blew out frustrated air.


    A leaf floated down, spiralling around, it landed on Bill¡¯s hand with a trickle of blood attached to it. Bill had a disgusted elongated face, he was hoping it wasn¡¯t faeces of a dying animal. Thick branches crumpled and next a man fell from a canopy of leaves right in front of the group. ¡°Keep walking,¡± Samara said, ¡°actually can¡¯t be arsed with this.¡± A grisly groan followed her words from the fallen individual.


    Quiver knelt down beside the tall burly man. He had long jet-matted hair, a strong stubble, a perfect jawline. Arthur found himself irritated just looking at his chiselled presence. He wore an all black outfit and for some reason had his top unbuttoned to show off his muscular chest and abs.


    ¡°That just makes no sense to have out in the wilderness,¡± Arthur commented.


    Quiver rocked him back and forth, ¡°Are you okay? Hello?¡±


    His eyes shot open, bright cyan exerted as his eyelids activated. He was gorgeous to put it simply. Quiver blushed, her pale skin turned tomato red. He gripped her arm and she gasped, his breathing completely out of order. She put her hand on his stubbly chest and his breathing calmed. Lurisa threw a dirty look of abhorrence, why would a stranger touching him calm him?


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    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Quiver asked.


    ¡°I think so,¡± he said. ¡°You saved me?¡±


    Arthur looked around to see if everyone else was seeing this, ¡°No. You fell and she just happened to be there.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s words flitted away in the vacuum of space where reason cannot be heard. ¡°Yes. I did,¡± Quiver said.


    She helped lift him up. Oh my gods. There¡¯s no way! Arthur couldn¡¯t believe it. He stood nearly a whole head taller than Arthur and he would have been considered tall. He was so much broader, he had to be taking drug enhancements, no way was that body naturally attainable! Rips appeared throughout his shirt, veins popping from his bicep and forearms like roots of a tree.


    He grabbed Quiver as if a whole group wasn¡¯t watching them, ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t know what I would have done if you weren¡¯t there,¡± he tilted his head and his eyes leered down at her. She turned her gaze, unable to meet his strong presence..


    ¡°You would have woken up anyway! She quite literally did nothing!¡± Arthur shouted. He was nearly shaking with how irked this was making him.


    ¡°No. Your arm,¡± Quiver said frightened as blood dripped down a potential scar.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is. She was under our watch. After we saved her!¡± Arthur raised his tone.


    She slightly whimpered, ¡°I guess, I guess I¡¯m alright now.¡± She caressed his arm, ¡°My name is Quiver.¡±


    Lurisa hadn¡¯t conjured a single thought. This man was the most beautiful thing she had laid her eyes upon, she just wanted to hear his name now. Samara couldn¡¯t give a damn. Bill was messing with a furry companion named a Cogul, they were like cats but larger with grey fur and eyes settled on the side of their skulls so they could see in front and behind.


    ¡°Dante Luciano. It¡¯s a pleasure,¡± he smirked, for some reason. Everything he said seemed to just require a smirk!


    What is happening? Why is nobody saying anything? No way that¡¯s his actual name, Arthur thought. Am I the only sane person here?


    Half an hour went by, Lurisa now understood where Arthur was coming from. The two strangers had this weird chemistry, acting like they were soulmates even though they knew nothing about each other. Lurisa wasn¡¯t jealous, obviously. But the hunk, Dante wouldn¡¯t even look at her. Not even in a respectful manner but closer to the likes that Lurisa¡¯s profile disturbed him so he had to avoid her.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she whispered to Arthur, ¡°they¡¯re weird. Really weird.¡±


    Samara walked ahead of the group. If young love sickened the others, Samara was surely over it before it began. Samara halted in her tracks. The trail was muddy and trodden. She could see broken branches on the ground, lots of them. And an abnormal amount of fallen leaves on this specific row of trees. I¡¯m going to lose it. I¡¯m genuinely going to lose it, she thought.


    A group of men dropped down like predators who had just caught their prey in a vulnerable position. Six of them in unison, stomped toward Quiver and Dante. Walking past the others.


    I guess we¡¯re just not here then, Lurisa thought.


    The bald man spoke with a hushed tone, ¡°Dante. You got the girl. Well done. The Patriarch will be happy.¡±


    Dante levered his arm across Quiver. He had to protect her. ¡°No, Osmon. Leave the girl alone.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± He answered.


    ¡°The girl stays with me. You hear me!¡± He snarled at them.


    She held Dante¡¯s arm close and pushed herself into his warmth, ¡°Dante. What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Quiver. I¡¯m¨C¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a sasquatch. Just like the rest of us,¡± Osmon answered, sneering at him.


    ¡°Explains why he¡¯s hairy,¡± Lurisa noted to Arthur.


    ¡°Quiver. I didn¡¯t want you to find out like this,¡± he gulped with regret. ¡°I know my people hunted down your clan. But when you saved me¨C¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t save you!¡± Arthur shouted among them. Dante actually acknowledged that he said something. Finally. They heard my common sense, he thought. But Dante ignored the comment instantly and continued. ¡°Who is that? Anyway. When you saved me. You showed me what love really is. A stranger you hardly knew.¡±


    Dante snarled and in a moment he became hairy and taller, his muscles doubled, his face became more like a flat wall of features. His arms lengthened to his knees and his back hunched. His voice was more bestial and deep, like an echo in a chasm, ¡°Leave! Before I kill all of you.¡±


    ¡°Just for the girl?¡± Osmon asked.


    ¡°Only for her!¡± Dante roared.


    Lurisa almost fainted over the cringe. They had just met each other! What was wrong with these people? There¡¯s no possible way you could fall in love with someone after thirty minutes. Osmon waved his companions to leave, ¡°We¡¯ll be back Dante. You better watch your back.¡± They disappeared into the trees, all transformed into sasquatches.


    Lurisa was gobsmacked, ¡°What just happened.¡±


    Bill stared at Dante who was transitioning back to a human, ¡°I thought sasquatches were a fairytale?¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Dante snorted.


    Arthur darted his head from side to side, ¡°Why is he acknowledging Bill and nobody else?¡±


    ¡°Shuddering at having to transform, Dante held Quiver, I didn¡¯t want you to find out like this.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Dante. I knew you were a sasquatch from the beginning,¡± Quiver said


    Dante was shocked, ¡°You did?¡± He blushed, he couldn¡¯t believe it. She closed her eyes and nodded up and down.


    ¡°How did it happen?¡± Bill rubbed his beard with a sense of curiosity.


    Dante answered, ¡°When I was young, I was exploring the mountains with my brother. Long story short, I was fed the hair of a sasquatch so I wouldn¡¯t die and ever since I¡¯ve been like this.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Long story short just doesn¡¯t work in this scenario. How on earth were you given sasquatch hair to eat?¡± Lurisa asked.


    Bill kindly tapped Dante, ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Two hundred years ago.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re flirting with a seventeen-year-old? He¡¯s a pervert. Quiver! Even if he was twenty-two it would be weird.¡± Bill, Quiver and Dante were talking as a trio. ¡°Why are you acting like I¡¯m not here!¡± Arthur was ready to tear his hair out.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re here,¡± Lurisa sighed. Arthur fake sobbed into his palms exaggerating the anguish he was suffering and she put a hand on his cheek, ¡°It¡¯s gonna be a long. Long. Long day.¡±

 STUPID SASQUATCH

    CHAPTER 7


    STUPID SASQUATCH


    An hour went by. Samara, Lurisa and Arthur chatted, narrowing their eyes every time they looked upon the trio. They couldn¡¯t believe Bill just abandoned them like that. They were the party of the chosen one, not the party of a pervert sasquatch and a random girl too young for him.


    ¡°Bill. You¡¯re the only guy I can trust. The patriarch sasquatch is far stronger than me. He¡¯ll be coming to kill me since I broke the code. Do you have friends who can help us?¡±


    Bill winked at Dante, ¡°I think I know some people.¡± He walked twenty feet back to his first group. ¡°Guys, Dante needs our help.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± they all said.


    ¡°Why?¡± Bill was genuinely confused. Dante was such a nice guy. And poor little Quiver.


    Arthur rolled his eyes, ¡°Bill, he acts like we don¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°Then prove to him you do. I¡¯m trusting you guys,¡± he smiled and travelled back to the lovebirds.


    Samara was depressed, having to listen to them idiots was tough and then add on Dante and Quiver to that. She knew there was a town nearby called Raren. Ironically it had rare in the name but could have been anywhere else in the world. She was just waiting until they left to really continue this journey, she questioned why to even keep bothering since the chosen one was gone but then again, what else was she going to do?


    ¡°You know, Quiver. You¡¯re the type of girl poets write about.¡±


    Blushing, she waved the compliment away but invited more, ¡°You¡¯re so silly, Dant.¡±


    She¡¯s even shortening his name by one letter, Arthur fumed. Why did this bother him so much? Was he jealous? Surely not! This was utter drivel.


    ¡°I¨C¡± He shook his head, ¡°nevermind,¡± he chuckled painfully as he wanted her to ask what he was about to say.


    Playing stupid, Quiver asked, ¡°Dante. What is it?¡± She was on the verge of giggling.


    What is so funny! Arthur looked to Lurisa for emotional support but she just rolled her eyes. She was trying her best to ignore them.


    ¡°I actually wrote you a poem,¡± Dante handed over a note which was folded many times over.


    ¡°For me? Dante. I never knew you wrote.¡±


    ¡°You probably never knew that I used to shelter disabled animals and knitted clothes for the ones who lost their fur either.¡± He turned his gaze, ¡°Why am I saying that? So embarrassing,¡± he shuddered at his own comment, laying his palm on his face.


    There is just no way any of this is true. That just can¡¯t be real, Arthur fumed. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t stand this lying.¡±


    Dante thoughtfully viewed the ground, ¡°Don¡¯t read it yet. I want you to wait until it feels right.¡±


    Quiver agreed silently. Even Lurisa had to step in as she felt her blood beginning to boil, ¡°Sorry. Are you ignoring Arthur?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Miss Lurisa. Did I do something to annoy you?¡± Dante asked sincerely. Too sincerely for Arthur¡¯s liking.


    She sighed, ¡°I guess not.¡±


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    They wandered on, Lurisa felt as if she lost a fight. And Arthur was in the three hells.


    The group walked for long enough to find a small residing town. Samara was sick of the towns. After a few they all seemed to look like each other. This town looked like it hardly had an economy. Scummy buildings with mould winding around and signs for shops that just had no style to them. Even Bits ¡®n Bobs had more soul. Samara said she knew someone in the town and got a discounted price for somewhere to stay. But Lurisa found it odd. She kept just saying different names until the man recognised one and agreed with her. The hostel was presentable. Dull but clean. So strange. There is literally nothing unique about this town. Even the people are boring, Lurisa thought. All they did was talk about the weather. And they complained regardless. If it was warm, they¡¯d give out about it being too hot and humid and they can¡¯t stop sweating. But if it were cold they¡¯d keep complaining that they¡¯re frozen and will become ill. Dante and Quiver had been together since arriving, only talking to Bill on occasion. Thinking long and hard about what to do, Arthur finally came to an honourable conclusion. ¡°Lurisa. We have to break them up.¡±


    Lurisa eyed all around her, ¡°Arthur. No, that¡¯s terrible.¡±


    ¡°But then that other guy would leave them alone,¡± he grinned cheekily. Although his reasonings were purely selfish, what he was saying was technically for the greater good.


    She leaned into his shoulder, ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I have a plan. Trust me.¡±


    Undercast spread over the town, Arthur strolled toward Dante who seemed to shine his own light. Every woman in the town stared at him. Just because he was so dashing. They were in the centre where most of the food stalls operated. It was excruciatingly annoying. Some of the stalls just offered free food and supplies to Dante saying if he had it in public it would convince others. One of the men working even said, ¡°Nothing attracts people more than beauty.¡± Ridiculous, Arthur thought, I¡¯m a prince! And they don¡¯t even bat an eye toward me.


    ¡°So, Dante,¡± Arthur placed his hands behind his back, ready to execute his master plan. He had witnessed politics for most of his childhood, one advantage was them knowing your name and power.


    Dante twirled around, raising an eyebrow, ¡°Archer? Right?¡±


    ¡°Not quite. Anyway. I heard Quiver talking. Said she didn¡¯t know if she could ever be with a dirty hairy sasquatch. Find that worrying?¡± He pulled his lips inside his mouth.


    Dante laughed, ¡°Quiver has such a great sense of humour doesn¡¯t she. Feels like I¡¯ve known her all my life.¡±


    ¡°Which is over ten times longer than hers,¡± Arthur raised his brow.


    He bobbed his head, ¡°She¡¯s so mature. I¡¯d swear she was the one over a hundred years old.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s fallen for somebody else!¡± He said desperately. Surely this would seed some doubt in his mind.


    ¡°I know,¡± he looked away stoically¡­too stoically as if he knew people were watching, ¡°you¡¯re so right Archer¨C¡±


    ¡°Arthur.¡±


    ¡°She fell in love with me and she doesn¡¯t even fully know who I am.¡± He raised his head and his eyes met the clouds, ¡°I have to let her know everything about me.¡± Dante stormed off, faster than most men could ever dream. His run was closer to a leap than a sprint. Lurisa. Please. I hope you got through to her.


    Quiver held a drawing of Dante to her chest. Lurisa used magic for it, it was essentially a photo. She had done it for them before the two became so annoying. Although, that really should have been the first obvious sign. She hugged the sketch, ¡°Oh, Lurisa. I miss him so much.¡±


    She rolled her eyes, ¡°It¡¯s been twenty minutes.¡±


    ¡°You obviously haven¡¯t been in love have you?¡±


    ¡°No. I suppose not.¡± She said, And you¡¯re putting me off of it. ¡°Quiver, girl to girl. I need to be honest with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about Dante isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lurisa furrowed her brow, acting her best to seem disheartened by producing this news.


    ¡°Lurisa, it¡¯s fine. I know you love him too.¡± Lurisa¡¯s eyes grew huge. ¡°The way you keep ogling him, honestly, its just disrespectful. But I get it. I mean I¡¯d do the same if I were you. But he¡¯d never be into a girl like you.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Lurisa gasped, offended and now her fragile ego had cracked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, you¡¯re beautiful.¡± Lurisa brushed her hair to that compliment. Quiver added, ¡°But your heart, it¡¯s ugly. The second you found out he was a sasquatch I noticed you didn¡¯t look at him the same. That¡¯s the difference. While I fell even harder for him, you built walls around yourself, away from him.¡±


    Yeah. Certainly not because I found you two OBNOXIOUSLY ANNOYING, she thought. ¡°Yes, it was hard to process,¡± calmly Lurisa exhaled. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s¨C¡±


    ¡°True love,¡± Quiver whispered. She looked outside the window of the hostel, ¡°I need to tell him!¡±

 PLOT ARMOUR

    CHAPTER 8 PLOT ARMOUR


    Quiver¡¯s legs had never moved as fast. Her heart had never thumped as hard. Dante¡¯s stomach had never fluttered in such a way. His hands waited to feel her within his embrace once more. Arthur and Lurisa jogged behind the both of them. The clouds burst with rain down the streets. Hailing down all of a sudden. Most people ran into shelter or into their homes. But not Dante and Quiver. They could see each other as they ran, without even knowing where the other was they were bound to meet. Dante lifted his arm to grab Quiver¡¯s.


    A grip like no other squeezed his hand. His bones were crushing under the pressure. Dante started to kneel to withdraw some of the pain. A hairy hand was against his.


    The Patriarch. Tall, forceful, even as a sasquatch he still held demeanour and determined eyes. His hair was onyx and he was taller than Dante¡¯s sasquatch form. And¡­he had a moustache. ¡°Little Dante. This is how you thank me for saving you all those years ago. We told you, we don¡¯t get betrayed. We kill conspirators, not traitors.¡± Dante¡¯s hand was fractured at this point, he was hardly holding on. ¡°Imagine, all this, for a clan who used to hunt us down.¡± Quiver gasped at the comment. The Patriarch smiled slyly, ¡°Oh, you didn¡¯t tell him?¡±


    ¡°I knew!¡± Dante shouted from a mixture of pain and courage. ¡°I always knew. But I didn¡¯t care!¡±


    ¡°How are they holding this many secrets from each other?¡± Lurisa begged. Does nobody else except Arthur see the common sense here! Arthur just shrugged. A glimpse of him wanted the patriarch to ruin their love story. He was jealous that Bill went for a nap and that Samara said she¡¯s not coddling the two for the trip, so unless they were actually doing things the chosen party should she wouldn''t get involved.


    ¡°Matters not,¡± the Patriarch crushed Dante¡¯s hand, splintering the bone. Dante roared. Hair exerted from his skin, the sharpness of his nose and jaw widened out. Dante bursted himself into the Patriarch. He forced a gap between them. Arthur wanted to intervene, even though he hated Dante but his body was shaking. He was a coward.


    Lurisa weaved her hand, the Patriarch stopped. Horror. He felt undiluted fear. Above him, the rain had frozen in place. This mage¡­I feel like I¡¯ve seen her before, he thought.


    Dante snarled, ¡°No! This is between me and him, Lurisa. I¡¯d rather die than have you win this fight for me. Please.¡±


    A second later and the rain began to pour upon the Patriarch again. ¡°So, you¡¯ll still stick to the codes when it suits, hm? Know that I don¡¯t want to do this, Dante. I just have to.¡±


    Leaving only a blur behind, the Patriarch moved in on Dante who was only recuperating, he smacked his jaw and flung his leg to Dante¡¯s ribs sending him flying. He stood over Dante. Lurisa went to intervene again but Arthur held her arm, then he nodded to the left. Quiver sprinted in. She unsheathed a dagger than had a holographic image on it, she sliced the air just cutting off a hair off the sasquatch. Before he could even react, she flipped over him and slashed his back. She held herself steady holding the dagger backhanded across her body.


    ¡°Quiver. Leave,¡± Dante asked.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just about you, Dant. This is about us,¡± a nostalgic smile appeared as she remembered their newly found memories. Above Quiver, a cloud of images appeared physically. Her memories began to actually show to everyone. The memories were of Dante falling, him giving her the poem, hugging, literally everything that had happened in the past day.


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    ¡°What even is this?¡± Arthur asked.


    Lurisa was in genuine disbelief. Years of serving as a mages¡¯ apprentice, reading hundreds of books and listening to thousands of stories, she had never heard of anything like this happening. In the cloud, it was their first meeting, then Dante turning to a sasquatch and so on. It went on far longer than it should have been. Who thought it was an important memory to watch Dante staring at a tree for over a minute. Even the Patriarch didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t know if it was distasteful to continue the fight while this was happening.


    Quiver helped Dante up with all her might, ¡°Let¡¯s do this. Together.¡±


    Arthur rolled his eyes so hard, he didn¡¯t know if they¡¯d return from the back of his head.


    Dante threw a punch, then an uppercut. Quiver slashed from behind. The Patriarch had dodged all of it. As Quiver flicked her blade, the Patriarch caught in mid swing. He held it, his skin wasn¡¯t even cut from holding the blade. Pity crossed his face and he struck Quiver against her lean shoulder. She smacked against the hard cobblestone. If she had been hit in the skull, it would have killed her. It seemed the Patriarch didn¡¯t wish for her death. Dante roared violently, sending a flurry of blows at a speed he never knew was possible. He was parrying most of them away but Dante finally got one to break the barrier. He rocked the Patriarch with a box to the chin and rattled his jaw, then his neck. Dante threw his whole arm, hitting the Patriarch with the inside of his elbow and tossing him to the ground. Clasping his two hands together, he formed a giant fist and began to wail on him. Hearing the bones crush and blood spill was satisfying the rage. A small hand intervened between his fists and the Patriarch, ¡°Dante,¡± she held his face of surprise, ¡°this isn¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°How would she even know! You¡¯ve known him for one day! He could be a damn psychopath,¡± Arthur¡¯s sanity was beginning to crack.


    Dante stopped. His hands bloodied, his senses returned. He stood away from the Patriarch. Quiver hugged his torso and then he shortened back to his regular tall handsome self. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened.¡±


    The Patriarch began to rise. Dante prepped his fists to which the Patriarch dismissed, ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Seeing her protect you, reminded me of my wife, bless her soul. Love. It¡¯s a damn powerful and addictive drug. The best and worst of them.¡±


    ¡°If  he¡¯s about to say it¡¯s all okay now, I¡¯ll lose it,¡± Lurisa said to Arthur.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take you back Dante. So, today I killed you. You hear me,¡± he smirked slightly. ¡°It¡¯s all okay now. Be happy, together.¡± He wiped his mustache and leapt away.


    As he jumped tremendously, he might as well have flew, Arthur ran after his trajectory screaming, ¡°Seriously? You¡¯re just going to let the two of them live happily ever after? Really? It''s like they have plot armour!¡±


    Dante and Quiver held each other, she wept, ¡°I was afraid I¡¯d lose you.¡±


    ¡°I can never lose if I have you,¡± he kissed her forehead.


    Bill arrived, not seeing any of the action. Dante ran to him and Quiver followed. ¡°Bill!¡± He gave him a manly hug. ¡°Thanks for all your help.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the splinter of origin, he¡¯s forgetting I exist because I¡¯m beside you now,¡± Lurisa said to Arthur. ¡°I could have ended the fight instantly.¡±


    ¡°Bill. Me and Quiver want a quiet life. And I¡¯m afraid your journey will hold more danger than I want.¡± Gruffly he tugged at his own chest, like pulling a string to start up his heart, ¡°I¨CI can¡¯t let my wife be in danger.¡±


    ¡°WIFE? You weren¡¯t even boyfriend and girlfriend!¡± Arthur shouted to the divine above.


    ¡°When did you get married?¡± Bill asked, flabbergasted that one of his best friends didn¡¯t tell him beforehand.


    ¡°Just after the fight, I asked her to marry me. So, physically we¡¯re not married. But spiritually.¡± He gripped Quiver¡¯s hand and his lips curved to one side.


    Bill genuinely smiled for their love, ¡°What now then?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s ahead of us. But whatever it is. We¡¯ll face it together,¡± he winked at Quiver.


    ¡°Together,¡± she whispered as she held his hand to her heart.


    The two held hands and before turning Quiver chuckled, ¡°Thanks for everything Bill. This wouldn¡¯t have been possible without you.¡± And then they danced away in the rain together.


    Tears streamed down Bill¡¯s cheeks, ¡°I¡¯ll miss them.¡±


    ¡°What just happened!¡± Arthur and Lurisa shouted together but it felt as if the world was deaf to them just for today.

 SPRINGFREE

    CHAPTER 9 SPRINGFREE


    Still amidst the cascading rain, a man in a star patterned robe of black and white approached Lurisa. His greying beard and tired eyes shared a kind smile with her, ¡°Young lady. I seen what you did there. That was a grand six spell and you don¡¯t even look drained after it.¡±


    There were three levels of spells, regular spell, grand spell and arch spell. They would be numbered up to ten in terms of difficulty. Although most mages would only ever get to lower levelled spells. Maybe the top five percent would be able to cast arch spells. Problem was the higher the cast the more risk. It had been recorded that some mages and wizards died casting them. Thus resurrection magic was forbidden as the caster died without the spell ever working. Lurisa had been able to cast low level arch spells, although they would make her ridiculously fatigued. She smiled back at the old man, ¡°Practice makes perfect.¡±


    ¡°Ah, indeed. You know where one can practice the most? College.¡±


    Her brow raised, ¡°Okay?¡±


    ¡°Since you insist, yes, I am a professor at the college of arch wizardry. My name is professor Bernard Bolothomy. Most just call me Bolo for short,¡± his grin was strangely wide. Insistent even. ¡°I am a master of earth, lightning and powders.¡±


    ¡°Are you a drug dealer?¡± Arthur asked.


    Lurisa gasped, ¡°Arthur!¡±


    ¡°He said powders.¡±


    Bolo laughed at the boy''s ignorance, ¡°Indeed, but for brewing young lad like the drinks you take for when you have a sickness. Not powders for discos. Although¡­that¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± He paused, seriously considering the possibility, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m getting side tracked. Young miss, we fear in the college of Springfree there is an infiltrator taking the entrance exams. And we wish for them to be caught.¡±


    Lurisa politely shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m extremely busy.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You are. Thus I¡¯ve found the location for the second demon lord commander for you. In exchange you will enlist in the school and find the traitor,¡± Bolo said hastily.


    ¡°How can you find the second demon but not a traitor of seventeen year olds,¡± Lurisa mocked with an escaping screeching laugh that she rehearsed in her head after because it sounded really weird.


    ¡°It¡¯s a private policy decree for the school. I know, unfortunate. But I can¡¯t lose this job. Not another one. Or my wife will take the kids¡­again,¡± he stared at the ground, reminiscing.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to discuss with my friends. How did you know¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask how I found out who you are. I would be killed,¡± he laughed earnestly and suddenly halted, ¡°seriously. I would die a gruesome death that even the Wither himself would pity me.¡± He saluted, ¡°Great meeting you. Let me know by tomorrow morning.¡± He handed Lurisa a silver device in the shape of a compass called a Teleminder. When she would open it, he would hear her next words in his mind. The device would only work for a minute once opened but they were hugely popular for playing pranks at one stage which Lurisa had done to mess with people at night. They were only really ever used for formal meetings, otherwise two would share a permanent device and would organise a time on it to where it would only work for that certain period.


    After discussing it with everyone Samara decided it only made sense to take the deal, if they were to continue the quest. Although, how could they? Without the chosen one how could they possibly defeat another commander. Another problem for another day. Bill and Arthur said they¡¯d also join the school. There were different sects such as melee, spell wielding, restoration and lesser ones but still essential like agriculture and others. Lurisa was going to spell wielding, of course, Arthur asked to go to melee, they didn¡¯t realise but Arthur secretly wanted to learn how to fight and you didn¡¯t need magic in this case, you only needed to be able to wield a magic infused weapon. Bill was to go into magical therapy¨Cyes that was a real thing and had almost nothing to do with magic except your patients would happen to be mages and wizards. Samara was to help enroll them as a guardian. So, she would have to attend parent-teacher meetings. Great. Not just that but attend their big hunger royale.


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    ¡°How long is it going to be?¡± Samara asked.


    Lurisa shrugged. How was she meant to know? She opened the teleminder and spoke gently, ¡°Yes. I will attend. And two of my friends will go to protect me. I will meet you in the centre tomorrow at midday to organise the rest. Regards, Lurisa.¡±


    ¡°So, while you three are at school, I¡¯m just going to be, doing nothing and waiting,¡± Samara said, somewhat disheartened.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be supporting us obviously,¡± Bill said.


    She bit her lips together and let out a blipping sound, ¡°Great.¡±


    Floating in the air a hundred feet in the sky, Springfree. Like a palace of white glass hidden under the clouds. It was an astonishing sight. A natural whirlwind would collect students. It would allow them to sit down on a row of seats and then it would take off into the sky taking only twenty seconds to travel up. To go down, one would simply use a leap cloud. They would place this fluffy cloud under their two feet and simply jump off and float down to the bottom. They could only float but the whirlwind would natural pick them up and carry them back to the rest of the stock. Bolo told Lurisa it had to be completed within the first semester which was two months. He said that after too long the intruder would simply never be found. He explained that it wasn¡¯t confirmed there was an intruder, however, rumours had spread of Noughts. They were people who could not wield magic, allergic to it. Since the world revolved so much around magic, it became harder and harder for them to exist. Lurisa didn¡¯t realise Nought¡¯s were still alive, she presumed them all dead with how prominent magic was. Bolo suggested that the Nought¡¯s had begun a rebellion and where else to start but the school of the most talented magic users. To climb to the top and crash the summit into the ground.


    ¡°Be good, you hear me. And don¡¯t take too long. I can¡¯t be bothered waiting,¡± Samara brushed her thumb along Lurisa¡¯s young face. A sweet weeping nostalgia overflowed Samara. The three had a small folder provided by the college which would expand infinitely. Well, in the fine print it said there was a limit of forty thousand pages, they didn¡¯t expect anyone to realistically hit that as the folder was only for school material and no personal readings. Samara was waving them goodbye. After their parting words Bill shouted, ¡°See you soon, Sam.¡±


    ¡°Bill!¡± Immediately he twisted like a soldier listening to his commander. She added, ¡°Never ever call me Sam. You hear me?¡± She smiled gleefully and threateningly. He nodded and gulped at her bark.


    They sat quietly on the bench of chairs made out of a fluid metal. It could harden and soften wherever it wanted. The chair was incredibly comfy for something that looked metallic. It curved where they sat allowing them to dip into the seat. As the whirlwind approached Arthur closed his eyes, ¡°Whatever happened to stairs?¡±


    Metallic seat belts covered their waist as the whirlwind got close. No backing out now, Lurisa thought. They had expected thunderous spinning winds that were ferocious on sight. Instead it was as still as a lake with no ripples or waves. As it traversed over them, the winds carried them up. Only then did it occur to Lurisa that the winds were so fast that the human eye couldn¡¯t comprehend it. It whirled up and weaved to the right. Arthur was taking in deep breaths, although it was a struggle as he started to think the winds were taking away any breathable air to use for its own whirling needs. Once he opened his eyes the storm had left to collect its new batch. Seat belts unbuckled automatically and the three stood up. Wobbling to his feet, Arthur grabbed Lurisa¡¯s shoulder for stability. They couldn¡¯t believe the sight in front. Hundreds of students walking in and out, different coloured robes for the different years in school. White for first, red for second and black for third. The different sects had their own personalised designs to separate them. There was no door in the front. Just an empty wall with only a clear mist in between the white blocks. Bill noticed how the mist smudged up the natural air, it was like a deterrent for eyesight. In perfect symmetry grand lotus trees stood taller than a two storey building. These trees in particular had massive white petals instead of branches but they were just as sturdy. Students laughed as they entered the mist. Lurisa took in the environment, analysing it. Students seemed happy as they shared laughs around the campus, it was extremely clean, filled with beautiful colours like the white petals and then the jade grass complimented the amber bricks leading up to the mist wall. The entrance to Springfree.

 ROUGH INTRODUCTION

    CHAPTER 10 ROUGH INTRODUCTION


    Standing before the mist, it appeared more gloopy when face to face, yet when Arthur tapped it, nothing was left on his Finger, nor did he even feel anything. Lurisa entered first. Her jaw was unlatched, this is unbelievable, she thought, staggered by the hall. Huge arches taller than the trees outside held the building up. But looking up, she could hardly identify the ceiling, it was as if she were in a skyscraper. A spiral staircase ran up the tower, and by ran, it actually ran. The staircase was moving up like a drill, it would stop for a minute and then go back to drilling upwards. A handwritten sign at the entry said, ¡®Welcome newbies. Our meeting for first years will be held straight ahead in the grand hall.¡¯


    ¡°This is unreal,¡± Bill said, his neck breaking trying to stare up.


    Arthur shrugged, ¡°Seems impractical. Wouldn¡¯t you just build everything in closer proximity?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too big for that,¡± Bill answered.


    ¡°Bill, look up. There¡¯s no room going up to the top. Whoever the architect was should be fired.¡±


    Behind him stood a tall man who chuckled, ¡°That. Would be me.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Come on, Arthur. He¡¯s just an architect. Stand your ground. ¡°I stand by what I said. I think the architecture is abysmal.¡±


    The man started to laugh, ¡°You think you could do better? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Arthur Starfinder.¡±


    ¡°A Starfinder. Wow. I suppose we should have the red carpet out for you,¡± he chuckled at his own joke even though nobody else did. Then he stared at Arthur, deadpan. As if emotion never existed. ¡°I¡¯ll be seeing you all. Goodluck, you¡¯ll need it Starflicker.¡±


    ¡°Starfinder,¡± Arthur raised his voice as the architect walked away.


    The grand hall. Yellow flames set up above them, hanging low and Mistrits flew around. Related to the fairy tales of fairies but instead they traveled between the realm of existence and the gap. It was like teleporting or vanishing to a human. They could stay in the gap for a hundred years and not age, only thing is no other physical items can enter with you. So, most of the time they only went there to travel instantaneously or get away from an awkward conversation with someone they know but don¡¯t really know. Small as a hand with four round eyes. Lilac skin with two arms, four legs and one red wing that went across their entire back. People used to say it was two wings, but they really didn¡¯t like that. They were often annoying but made for brilliant scouts as they could disappear whenever they wanted to. To most the students they were known as the tattle tales.


    The three sat down and wondered at the sight. Each seat was a hard leather chair. Food floated from the kitchen to the tables. And there were a lot of pictures of the architect. A weird amount. Considering he was just the architect.


    A voice boomed through the hall, silencing everyone. ¡°The Provost would like to make an announcement.¡±


    A gentleman stepped up. He didn¡¯t look remarkable in the slightest. ¡°I am the Provost. Master Garnet Ward. And this beautiful college was built by my own hands.¡±


    Lurisa palmed her face and whispered with fury, ¡°You¡¯ve managed to insult the headmaster of the college before we even go enrolled!¡±


    Arthur bit his lip. She¡¯s right, damn it.


    ¡°People as famous as him wouldn¡¯t care. Actually I bet he found ti funny. He was laughing,¡± Bill suggested.


    ¡°True,¡± Lurisa replied.


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    The Provost continued, ¡°Anyone who would like to insult the architecture, stand up now! Or else let it be known that everyone thinks it¡¯s beautifully built.¡±


    You son of a bitch. You think I¡¯ll let that slide? Arthur raised his elbows and started to carry himself up. Lurisa punched his quad causing a contusion and forcing him into the seat.


    Master Ward scouted around, particularly in Arthur¡¯s seating area, ¡°Hm. We either have cowards or those who don¡¯t stand by their word in this grand hall. As always, it is great to see the new talent enter this prestigious school. We have been the number one college for drop outs for three years running. I hope we can go to second place this year. You all seem like a promising bunch. Now, to begin.¡± Within that word, the chairs began to move by themselves. Lurisa, Arthur and Bill¡¯s chair separated and took different paths. Bill was in the back, Lurisa was to the left middle and Arthur was at the front. ¡°Now, that has shifted your seats into the class you¡¯ll be with for the year. I hope you all achieve or even exceed your potential while at this school. Tomorrow you may begin your classes but for tonight, get to know your new classmates. They may end up being future best friends.¡± Everyone applauded as he stepped down from the podium where a semi circle of professors sat.


    Arthur nodded to the short guy beside him. A change in the air, like darkness itself created a void between the two lads, a wrinkled face appeared, ¡°Don¡¯t trust that kid,¡± Master Ward said to the other student, ¡°he¡¯s trouble and we have reason to believe he has rabies. Be careful.¡±


    The young lad turned away and began making conversation. Arthur heard the professor talking faintly to someone else from his class, ¡°Yeah, I heard he used to bully people in his last school. Drove one kid to start abusing potions and almost overdosed on detoxification remedies.¡± The girl who heard it nodded her head in disgust and turned up her face at Arthur.


    A student behind Arthur whispered to another, ¡°I heard his family is inbred.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a Starfinder, but Master Ward said for generations they¡¯ve been inbred and he was saying that you can get genetic diseases that stem from it. I think we should sit far away from him.¡±


    He turned to the silly rumours, ¡°I¡¯m not inbred,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    The guy whispered to his friend, ¡°That¡¯s what someone inbred would say.¡±


    Great. I already want to drop out.


    Master Ward¡¯s eyes lingered on the suffering of Starfinder, his eyes closed like a snug blanket on his eyes, he smirked at Arthur. Nobody tells me the architecture is abysmal around here, Master Ward thought.


    Lurisa¡¯s experience was definitely not as unique as Arthur¡¯s. One of the top mages, Master Teral arrived to their table. She was young, moisturised dark skin, shining emerald eyes and intimidatingly tall. Her dress was tight showcasing her hourglass figure and her chest. Usually mages didn¡¯t dress so showy. ¡°Ah, so this will be my class. You should all enjoy tonight because our studies begin tomorrow. Now, I am laid back but I still want you all to work hard.¡± She tilted her head in recognition, ¡°Do I already know you?¡± She asked Lurisa.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡±


    ¡°Forgive me. You seem familiar. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Lurisa Latixia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in class tomorrow Lurisa Latixia,¡± she smiled and wandered off.


    A few of the girls and lads at the table began general chit chat getting to know each other. The other students seemed nice. After chatting with one of the boys, Yannis sat beside Lurisa.


    ¡°Sorry if this is awkward but I want to get all the first meetings out of the way. Get the awkward itch gone, you know?¡±


    ¡°Consider it gone,¡± Lurisa answered.


    ¡°I can sense the radiating mana from you. You¡¯re the strongest here.¡±


    He can sense that? It¡¯s so subtle, most of the professors wouldn¡¯t be able. ¡°You have a keen eye.¡±


    He pointed to his ears, ¡°It¡¯s my hearing. Different levels of magic throw around different waves. Some here are like tides crashing against the sea wall, your¡¯s is like a lake gently flowing back and forward.¡±


    Suspicious. Or am I just paranoid? No, that¡¯s definitely weird. I¡¯ll keep my eye on you Yannis Salan.


    Bill sat on a table with one other student. Out of the whole year for the counsellor students. Its popularity must have really dropped off. Bill sat beside a pudgy gentleman in his late thirties. He had a soft face and rosy cheeks. He was innocent looking, the type that would make someone feel bad for him just because he looked so timid. Maybe he had decided he needed to change career.


    ¡°Names Phil. You?¡± Phil put his hand out for a handshake.


    Bill was ecstatic, his face had never proven such joy before, ¡°Bill.¡±


    Phil¡¯s jaw opened, ¡°Bill.¡±


    ¡°And Phil,¡± Bill said.


    ¡°Meant to be,¡± the two said in sync.


    This is going to be just fabulous, Bill thought.

 ICE AND FLAME

    CHAPTER 11


    ICE AND FLAME


    The first day had begun. The three had slept soundly, albeit Bill¡¯s dorm had thirty eight empty beds but the two of them talked enough to make it seem full.


    Lurisa¡¯s class were being taught snap spells, taking place outside in the open. It was beginner stuff but Tarel wanted to see where they were at. Snap spells were often used as a quick save or attack. The harder the spell the harder it was to make it a snap spell. The class proceeded, some were useless. One of the girls couldn¡¯t conjure up a making bread spell if she wanted. How did she even get enrolled? Lurisa¡¯s turn was now, she stood in front of everyone. No need to go all out, noticing the yellow lit fire bulbs, she raised her finger and tapped. An ice encasing surrounded the dim fire but it wasn¡¯t melting the ice either. Tarel gave a mini applause, ¡°Impressive Latixia.¡±


    Yannis was up now. He held up his hand, holding his other wrist and jutted back as he coldly whispered, ¡°I will do anything for my people!¡± Lurisa¡¯s ears perked at his dubious comment. The ice splintered as the flame from the bulb blew out of its case within a second, yet it returned to its calm light in a moment. Lurisa was quietly impressed.


    She whispered to the other students, ¡°Do any of you know Yannis?¡±


    ¡°No, even his family name, Salan. I¡¯ve never heard of it. But he¡¯s probably the most popular first year already,¡± one of them said.


    That¡¯s suspicious.


    She moved over to Yannis, ¡°Are you from a lineage of magic users?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have heard of them,¡± he laughed.


    ¡°Then what is it you want to learn from here?¡±


    ¡°I want to change the world.¡± His gaze directed towards the shore of clouds, ¡°I¡¯m going to change this world.¡±


    No one would ever say that except for the imposter. But I have to give him the benefit of doubt. Innocent until proven guilty.


    ¡°I just hope people will understand my actions one day. No matter what happens, my intentions were always good,¡± he said, sharply inhaling as if it caused a slight ache, ¡°I hope one day I will be forgiven,¡± his iris reflected the grey clouds.


    Benefit of doubt, dismissed! Who would say this randomly to someone they hardly know! Lurisa coughed, ¡°You must have some lofty goals.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t imagine,¡± he answered.


    Tarel observed her students with a questioning eye, holding her hands behind her back. Most of the students had to look away when she got close as this dress was as revealing as the last. It was extremely unbecoming of a teacher. ¡°In two weeks the hunger royale will begin, only two from each class in each year may be chosen. It is still early days but you will have to impress me quickly to be chosen.¡± Lurisa didn¡¯t care, she knew she was already going to be chosen. It was Yannis that interested her. Tarel paused, hands behind her back, watching all the students carefully. ¡°Latixia, Salan. Come to me.¡± She turned her back from all the other students, Yannis held such a determined gaze as she grouped them, ¡°You two will fight. I want you to make it extravagant. This years students are,¡± she let the words slip into the air and the world decided to finish her sentence as one of the students picked up a stick and kept shouting ¡°Winggardening Leviposa!¡± Tarel hung stunned and muttered, ¡°We don¡¯t even need to say words to activate spells? What is wrong with this years students? You know I heard one of them is inbred?¡± She shook her head as the tangent was only worsening, ¡°Look I need you two to inspire them. Yes?¡±


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    They both agreed with a solid nod. Lurisa thought it¡¯d be a good time to see the skillset Yannis possessed. Was he a threat? Was he working with noughts? But how if he had magic? What would his reasoning be? Forcing her racing thoughts to brake, she took ten strides away from Tarel and Yannis did the same in the opposite direction. Tarel stood in between and snapped her fingers which sounded like a crunch of a tree snapping. She most likely used magic for effect. Not another word, she simply backed up.


    Yannis shrugged as he faced his worthy opponent, ¡°I¡¯d never hurt a woma¨C¡±


    Slam! A thick slab of ice the size of a head walloped against his shoulder. Tumbling back, his shoulder groaned with a sharp sensation of a freezing burn. He noticed the clothing on his shoulder ripped off. Lurisa¡¯s ice didn¡¯t follow through on the attack but once it made contact, it tried to pull away. Yannis found it an intelligent move, considering he had fire he could have lessened the blow if the slab propelled itself with him by heating it. He dug his feet into the ground, Lurisa could tell just by his pose alone that he was about to take it seriously. Flinging his arm back, flame absorbed his closed fist, hovering his arm toward Lurisa¡¯s direction, his thumb flicked open and his index finger pointed outward. What was he even doing? Lursia was expecting a generic massive fireball. Zoom! Lurisa felt a blaze of heat surge past her left cheek. A ball of flame, the size of a nut has whooshed past her. It could have killed her if it had hit somewhere vital, instead it was like being too close to a searing fire for just a moment. Yannis pointed again, ¡°I won¡¯t miss on purpose again.¡±


    Lurisa wouldn¡¯t showcase her arch spells, not in front of Tarel. Anything like that would be either on a massive scale or else on a cellular scale. Essence flowed through her body like a beating drum, urging her to use more of her power. But, she didn¡¯t want to go overboard, plus Tarel wanted something to inspire the students. Fortifying her hand with ice inside her palm, she used an arch spell that was unseen to the others where it slowed her vision. It sounded like a disadvantage but being able to see movements frame by frame was exceptional, particularly when dealing with a far ranged opponent like Yannis. He shot again, Lurisa could see the trajectory was about to graze the clothing on her shoulder, petty, she thought and absorbed the flame. Since the flames were so small they burned out instantaneously on contact. She turned her view to the crowded clouds, they made the sky look extra busy up here. They were on one of the training islands, there were twelve of these little floating islands used for specific classes or trips. Yannis gripped his forearm with his other hand, quaking within his grip, the flame from his fingertip generated bigger than before. Pulsing with a hateful fire, one that was resented for being small and weak before. Her hand placed out wide, she expanded what looked like rubber ice. A thick line of ice with her hands acting as goalposts waited for the impact. An orb of perfectly condensed flame slung itself at Lurisa. Slamming into her protected wall, she felt a bit of air crash out of her lungs from the potent impact. Conjoining the ice wall to wrap around the flame, it had built its own ceiling and basement to create a sphere around the orb. She pointed her finger at it and flicked it away to mimic what Yannis had been doing. Sending a wave of flame at the ball, he melted the ice away and swiftly steadied himself to change up his tactics. He placed one knee on the ground and¨C


    The orb of fire was coming at him? But she had ¨C he chuckled as the orb thumped against his arm. He had assumed her ice froze and nullified the flame, but she had simply wrapped it carefully to a point where the ice would have melted regardless of his extra fire. Her classmates clapped as Yannis lay on the ground defeated, but not hurt. He only sent enough firepower to cease her. Lurisa didn¡¯t care for the attention, she was going to be leaving soon anyway. Although there was something magical about being in a magic school to learn magic, she winced to her own mind about how stupid that sounded. Then she wondered how the others were getting alone in their training, particularly Arthur.