A woman, one of the slaves held by the Kobolds, hugs Luciella after the party sets them all free. The jubilant sounds of saved villagers rings across the ravine, each one giving their thanks to their saviors. The woman who had just given her thanks to Luciella goes off to find her husband while a short and stout man with a big, flowing red beard walks up to her: a dwarf.
"Attin…" Luciella says, with a solemn expression plastered on her face.
"No need to worry, girl," the dwarf says, smiling. "Thank you."
Luciella gives him a hug before the other three in the party walk up to her.
"Oh, and who might this fine gentleman be?" inquires Kelm.
"This is Attin Marblechin, a dwarf blacksmith and friend of Ulfgar Torunn of Virngurihm." Luciella smiles as she speaks, and the dwarf rouses laughter in response after she finishes.
"Aye! Torunn's a legend among dwarves fer his weaponsmithin' abilities. He must be worried 'bout me, aye, so if yer ever back in Icota, give 'im this." Attin removes a necklace hidden in his ragged shirt. It is a tainted white color, a yellowish hue washed over it. The shape resembles a canine tooth of some small mammal, though if it belongs to a dwarf, it could very well be orcish in origin. Ornate carvings are etched into it in dwarvish text and symbols, which certainly takes away the morbidity out of its overall appearance.
"An ivory necklace?" queries Zero.
"Aye. This will be proof enough that I'm doin' well and good. I was supposed ta' give that to 'im, but fate said otherwise!" Attin once again lets out a hardy laugh as he puts the past events behind him.
As the villagers continue to enjoy their newfound freedom, Kelm strides up to Allister.
“By the way, I didn’t know you could also use healing spells,” Kelm says. “I was surprised to wake up still in that cave rather than in a medic’s office.”
“Yeah, I learned to heal as one of the many lessons given to me at the church back in my hometown.” Allister smiles fondly as he looks back into his own memories, a wave of nostalgia hitting him like the warm light of the sun. “Though it looks like Luciella can heal too.” Allister glances over at a now red-cheeked Luciella.
“Please don’t count on it happening again,” she responds.
The party spends the next several hours helping the villagers get packed up and ready to head back to the village. Despite its now destroyed demeanor, the villagers are determined to rebuild it and make it an even better place to live in. By the time the whole group arrives at the village, night falls on them, forcing the party to camp out with the villagers in a small but cozy bonfire party. Of course, there was no booze, so when Zero woke up in the morning the next day, he was quite disappointed with the lack of a hangover.
"Only you would be upset about waking up healthy, Zero," says Allister, yawning loudly as he packs up his sleeping bag.
“Shut it,” retorts Zero. “One who has a hangover means that one had a great party the night before. It’s important.”
“Sure.”
Allister finishes up packing while Zero is left to grumble to himself. Kelm and Luciella join the two of them just then, also packed and ready to head back to the city. With a happy farewell to the villagers of Copperidge, the party of heroes begin their several day-long journey back to the City of Thieves.
***
The sounds of merchants and horse carriages standing idly by resonate across the edge of the forest as the party finally arrives at the northern gate into the city. Icota is known for high crime rates and black market merchants, thus the city guards screen incoming traffic into the city for their identification in a vain attempt to catch any would-be criminal. However, the city also houses the central hub of the Thieves’ Guild, an organization of criminals, thieves, and assassins who come together to share information and rake in gold through typically illegal methods. Some thieves see their skills in a professional light, offering their services for money, while others simply steal for the thrill of it all. There are some still who have no choice but to steal to make ends meet, so the Thieves’ Guild is typically seen as a moral gray area for the public, though campaigns made to slander the guild have been done with mild success.
Allister, Kelm, and Zero have nothing to worry about since each of them have some form of proper identification to enter. However, Luciella was just freed from the kobolds, all who have taken most of her belongings, so she is without a way inside. As the group strides up to the long queue into the city, they contemplate over what to do.
“Where are you from, anyway?” asks Allister, looking over his shoulder at Luciella behind him who is currently trying to hide behind her dirty shawl, tattered and threadbare as it is.
“Well,” she begins, with apprehension in her tone. “I crossed the border getting here. I had a proper ID, but those tiny lizard bastards stole it from me!” She pouts as she mulls over her previous troubles.
“Border? So, I take it you’re from Drakenlande?”
“Yeah… yeah.” Her tentative response reveals a little bit of her inner troubles. Allister mumbles in confusion to himself while Zero seems doubtful. He doesn’t say anything, only listens.
“Well, it doesn't change the fact that you’re effectively no one right now,” Kelm reiterates. He rubs his smooth, hairless chin with his left thumb and index finger before forming an epiphany. “There is one way we could get you in, but…” Kelm trails off, seemingly troubled by the sudden thought he had.
“Hmm? Let’s hear it, then! As long as it gets me in, I’ll do whatever!” Luciella exclaims happily. Her enthusiasm only strengthens Kelm’s hesitation, but he persists.
“Well, this is Icota. We could always bribe the guards”
“Absolutely not,” firmly says Allister. The inexorable dogma shared by most paladins disallows anything that would be seen as dishonorable or against his tenets as a guardian of the church. Allister might be willing to bend the law if his family was in danger, but as long as Allister has other options, no matter how difficult they may be, he would take those instead of the morally dubious route.
“That was a quick answer,” Kelm says. “Though not unexpected.”
“Let’s do it.” Zero responds without reservation, quick to make things easier for himself. His response garners a flash of irritation from Allister.
“Again, not unexpected,” Kelm says, sighing as he does. “Though I can’t argue that it’s our best option. Every other option would simply be far more trouble than it’s worth.”
Luciella fidgets anxiously as the other three argue over their opinions. She looks out into the horizon, clearing her mind and taking in the scenery. The gentle swaying of the trees and cool breeze of the fresh outdoors brings calmness over her mind. The beauty of the great plains has always captivated her heart; it was one of the reasons she enjoyed adventuring so much. Luciella reminisces about her old life before she came to this kingdom, a life she wished she could forget. She can still remember the bitter cold of the north, how unforgiving it was. Yet, the beauty of the pearl-white hills of the north was something she missed dearly.
“Let’s do it,” she finally says. Allister gazes at her with a shocked expression, while Kelm and Zero merely nod in acknowledgment.
As they approach the city gate, a guard stops them in their tracks.
“IDs, please.”
Allister, Zero, and Kelm show their IDs as normal. The guard inspects them for a moment, then turns to Luciella.
“And you? Your ID, please.”
"Um…" Luciella pauses, unable to think of the words to use. She glances over at Kelm, who nods in understanding, smiling. He strides over with a dignified amble and meets the gate guard's icy gaze with his own. He makes a subtle gesture with his left hand, hiding it from the view of others, and shows the guard several platinum coins. The guard's eyes light up greedily and smirks in understanding. He pockets the change and feigns ignorance, gesturing for the group to head inside.
"Well that was something," Luciella says once they pass the gate. Kelm simply smiles in response.
#
The familiar noise of street life greets the party as the guildhall stands before them. The open, wide double doors of oaken wood invites them inside the warm interior where the guild members continue their romantic, adventure fantasies. The party wades through the crowd until they make it to the foot of the stairs, where the guildmaster awaits them at the top. Making their way into Shamil’s office, she watches the party sit down, eying the new face among the group.
“I see you’ve made a new friend while out on the job,” she says with a smile.
“Yeah. This is Luciella,” Allister says, introducing Luciella with a stern expression. He then proceeds to explain the situation at Copperidge Mine. He tells Shamil about the Kobolds that have made their home there, as well as the Dragonshield at the bottom of the ravine. Allister then begins to explain how the Kobolds were protecting five dragon eggs; a white one, black one, red one, blue one, and green one.
“The red egg seemed to have been destroyed somehow, but the others were already hatched, except for the white one.” Zero explains with a pondering expression, as if he were attempting to connect clues together in his head. “Unfortunately, none of us are dragon experts, so I’m not sure how long they’ve been hatched for, nor could I figure out where they might have gone.”
“I see,” Shamil says, nodding in understanding. “I may have someone who could help you in that department, but for now, tell me more about what you saw in the ravine. It seemed like there was more than just Kobolds and dragon eggs.”
Zero goes on to recount how they met Luciella. The villagers of Copperidge were taken as prisoners by the Kobolds. According to the villagers, the Kobolds wanted to amass as much treasure as they possibly could. Zero thinks that the Kobolds were trying to build a horde for the hatching wyrmlings, but it seemed like the wyrmlings were not amused by the paltry amount of gems and gold.
“The mine once held mithril within, but the vein did not last long and mithril production ceased as quickly as it had begun. Still, the mine did have an abundance of copper ore, hence the village’s namesake,” says Shamil. She reaches into one of the drawers of her desk and pulls out some copper ore, showing it to the party. “Copper isn’t very valuable, but it is still very practical. Perhaps it was a good thing their plan didn’t work, otherwise you might’ve had to fight four dragons. Even as wyrmlings, dragons are resilient, powerful beings and should not be taken lightly.”
The party nods in agreement, having faced the power of a wyrmling. White dragons especially are considered the weakest of all chromatic dragons, yet they still struggled against one of them. Afterward, Zero comes to the end of his explanation by explaining to Shamil how Luciella, who had been taken prisoner by the Kobolds as well, broke free of her cage and aided the party against the white dragon wyrmling. As he finishes up his report, Shamil seems to be somewhat intrigued by Luciella. Yet, she says nothing else on the matter as she wraps up the quest report.
“And, for your hard work,” Shamil says, placing down a bag filled with gold. “Twenty gold pieces each. I’ve even added a share for your new party member here.”
The four of them pick up the bag and distribute the coins properly. Luciella thanks Shamil for her generosity before planning a shopping trip at the market.
“No need to thank me,” Shamil explains with a smile. “I would love to get you registered here at the guildhall, if you’re planning on staying for a while that is.”
“That’s not a problem. I’m already registered with the Tepani branch in Miliana. I’m sure I can use that rune tablet just fine?” Luciella explains. Allister seems to have his interest piqued at the sound of his hometown.
“That’s just fine.”
***
Luciella stays behind to speak with Shamil a little more about registration while Allister, Zero, and Kelm leave the office.
“Miliana she said,” Allister whispers to himself. He doesn’t remember seeing her anywhere in the city, though Miliana is quite large.
“Is that your hometown, Allister?” Asks Kelm.
“Yeah. I was once a teacher there,” begins Allister. “I taught the children of Miliana about magic and the arcane arts. It was something that my mentor entrusted to me… but he is no longer of this world.”
“... I’m sorry,” Kelm says with remorse.
“Don’t be,” Allister says, sighing before speaking again. “It’s one of the reasons I’m here in Icota.”
“One of the reasons? You mean to say—”
“He was murdered.” Allister clenches his fists as he recalls the memory. “His name was Anthonius Talos, an exceptional wizard who studied draconic history and magic; he was the one who taught me the dragon tongue. But one day, I found a bloodied note in the school’s courtyard with his handwriting on it. When I looked up, I could see his corpse partially hanging over the edge of the roof of the building. When I got there on the rooftops and took a closer look, I could see that he was decapitated with a bladed weapon. I suspect the Cult of the Dragon was responsible for his death.”
“What makes you think that?” Zero asks, finally speaking up.
“One year prior, they assaulted the city, burning down one of the residential districts. Looking back at it now, they might have been attempting to kill off Anthonius then, since his home was caught in the fire as well, but who knows? Over the course of that year, many things went wrong in the city, until finally, it caught up with Anthonius. It was that day that I decided to pursue the Cult as they fled the city.”
Allister’s expression is dark and sullen as he explains his backstory. He’s not sure why he decided to spill out all of this to some people he barely knows, but Allister feels like he could trust them, purely by instinct, or maybe it was fate? Zero and Kelm simply take it all in, saying nothing, simply listening. As Allister spoke, the three of them had sat down around a table, but now that Allister is finished with his life story, Zero stands up.
“I know you’re eavesdropping on us,” he says to no one specific. Allister and Kelm look at each other in confusion. Not a moment goes by when a hooded figure stands up by a table next to theirs. Their presence had been concealed so completely that Allister and Kelm were taken aback by their sudden appearance.
“Sharp senses,” the hooded figure responds, with a soft and feminine tone that is almost drowned out by the ambient noise of the guildhall. She pulls down her hood, revealing her long, dark hair and long ears. She wears a quiver of arrows around her waist and a longbow on her back. The bow is withered and scraped up from extended use, with thin strips of cloth tied around the bow in several spots. The arrows themselves seem to use the feathers of a bird unidentifiable to either of the three and are brown with darker stripes. The tips are made with sharpened ivory and engraved with Elvish script. The shaft is made from yew, and yew leaves are stuffed in an open pouch near her quiver. Behind her is a gray wolf with blue eyes, wearing a brown leather pack made specifically for it. The wolf lays on the floor, relaxed yet with perked ears.
“What do you need, elf?” demands Zero. He reaches for the pummel of this blade, ready to strike at any time.
The elf raises her hands up. “No need for violence. I come not as an enemy,” she says as she reaches into her small pouch. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with the guildmaster.” She takes something from her pouch and sets it down on the table, revealing it to be small scales colored blue. A small arc of electricity jumps from the scales to the metal buckle of the elf’s gauntlets.
“A dragon’s scales?” shouts Allister. He quickly puts his hands to his mouth as the other guild members look over with interest. It doesn’t take long before they resume whatever it was they were doing. Allister sighs with relief before continuing. “Where did you get these?”
“I hunted a young blue dragon this morning. It was south of the city gate, less than a mile away. It was a threat to the city, so I took a bounty and shot it down.” The elf reaches into a scroll container hidden behind her cape and places the very bounty down on the table. It clearly indicates the blue dragon threat and even has a red stamp on it. She really did kill a dragon by herself. “I hunt dragons for a living, and I’d say I’m pretty good at it. When I said I eavesdropped on your conversation with the guildmaster, what I meant to say was that Shamil came to me while you were on your quest, and she told me about the potential dragon threat. I was disheartened that I couldn't join in on the mission, but she did tell me that I might be perfect for your little party.
“Of course, that was assuming you three would stay together after the quest. After all, we have our individual reasons for coming to this city.” The elf glances over at the wolf behind her with a bittersweet smile before continuing her monologue. “My name is Estra; dragon hunter extraordinaire and master archer, at your disposal.” Estra curtsies as she introduces herself. “If you would be so kind, may I endeavor in asking to join your party?
Both Kelm and Allister stare dumbfounded at Estra’s short speech, but Zero remains calm and stoic. “I see. The more, the better, but what do you two think?” Zero gestures to Kelm and Allister.
“I say why not? I wish I knew more about dragons, so this is the perfect time to learn!” Allister says emphatically.
“I agree. It would keep my heart at ease knowing an archer is in the party. It would certainly help to have some more range in the party,” Kelms says, smiling.
“Great. I look forward to working with all of you,” Estra replies, a smile of her own plastered on her face.
***
While the party waits for Luciella to finish up with her private talks with the guildmaster, the party decides to explore the city a little bit. As they leave the guildhall, they are greeted with the bustling cityscape; the cobblestone streets clatter with the sound of hundreds of people. All sorts of differing ancestries form the melting pot of the City of Thieves, from humans, to elves, to even dwarves. Sitting at a table next to what seems to be a tavern, the party can see a humanoid with a dragon-like appearance, not too dissimilar to the kobolds they fought in the cave, but far more dragon-like, with all sorts of accessories decorating their mane and piercings on their horns. Nearby, the party sees a small humanoid with elf ears. He is seen playing with some kind of gadget filled with gears and mechanisms unknown to the four of them.
Walking out of a building across the street from the guildhall is another small humanoid, but this time with the ears of a fox and a bushy fox tail adorning their backside. He wears a beautiful set of brigandine armor colored black to match his hair color. An elegant rapier decorates his waist, with a genuine ruby gemstone inlaid into the pummel and a intricately designed hand guard reminiscent of flowing water. Zero notices the weathered, wooden sign just above the entrance that reads “Torunn Smithy.”
Zero looks down at his own equipment; while his blade is special to him, his armor is damaged and dirtied, with bits of leather falling at the seams. “Perhaps a trip to the armorsmith wouldn’t hurt.”
The party walks into the smithy and is immediately hit with an impressive collection of fine blades and beautiful armor sets. The walls of the shop have many nicks, most likely from customers testing the weapons out before purchasing. Daggers and shortswords are displayed inside glass cases, while hanging longswords and greatswords graces the walls. Battle axes and hand axes are placed on weapon racks, and bows are placed behind the counter, though the bows are not as elaborately designed as the metal weapons. The sound of clanking can be heard from beyond the counter, as an open door reveals a room of blackstone bricks surrounding a hot forge. The anvil next to it is being used by a dwarven man with a large and impressive red beard bedecked with golden accoutrements. A black, thick apron protects the smith from the heat and the sparking metal as he bangs his hammer against hot metal. After a moment, the dwarf looks up from his work and notices the four party members standing by the counter, still drinking it all in.
The dwarf stops what he is doing and walks up to the counter, pushing his goggles out of the way and hanging his apron on a clothing rack near the counter. “How’s it going there, lads and lasses?” the dwarf bellows. “Lookin’ to fix yourselves with some new weapons? Or maybe fix that sad excuse of leather armor, there,” he exclaims, pointing at Zero.
“Um,” Zero utters. “I’m looking for some new armor, yeah.”
The dwarf rouses a hardy laughter. “Sure you do, lad! You’ve come to the right place!” The dwarf rounds the counter and enters the sales floor, still laughing joyfully. He arrives at a set of black armor with scale-like plates. “This is scale mail; armor made to replicate the scales of dragons. Tough as nails and will last you a long time, my friend.” The dwarf takes the armor down and hands it to Zero. “Try it. I’m sure you’ll like it.”
Zero takes off his old leather armor and tries on the scale mail. It fits loosely on his body, but Zero can already tell that it is of exceptional quality. The armor is heavier than his old ones, but still light enough to move around swiftly. Zero walks around in the armor, noting the noise that it makes as he walks. Perhaps if he was crouching, he could reduce the noise, but the protection it offers is definitely worth the added noise..
“I’ll buy it,” Zero says after contemplating more. “How much, dwarf?”
“The name’s Torunn, hunter. Ulfar Torunn,” replies the dwarf. “And it’ll run ya fifty golds. I’ll even tailor it to your exact size for free, since it looks so perfect on ya”
“Torunn?” queries Allister. “Ulfar Torunn of Virngurihm?”
“Aye. I knew I was well known, but even you know my full title, lad. Who might be askin’?”
“Allister, sir. Allister Winchester. I met your friend Attin Marblechin the other day.” Allister pulls out Attin’s ivory necklace and gives it to Torunn.
“Aye, that be my ol’ heirloom. I’m to guess the lad is doin’ fine?”
“Indeed.” Allister chooses not to say anything more of Attin’s predicament, perhaps to spare Torunn’s worry.
Torunn brushes his thumb over it with a sentimental glare before speaking. “It belonged to my late grandfather. He gave it to me on his deathbed, as a reminder of him. It is one of his last pieces of his legacy that has survived.”
“Survived?” queries Estra. “Are you to say his works have been destroyed?”
“Aye. I’m not sure by whom, but his ol’ forge was set on fire one day, along with all his life’s works. Fortunately, some of it survived the fire, this necklace being one of them.” Torunn holds the necklace up to the light, revealing a light, brown spot on it. “Though none of them were completely untarnished.
“Anyways, it’s not like myself to ramble on about myself,” he bellows as he laughs. “It’s all in the past. That was several decades ago now; I’ve got a son of my own to pass on my legacy to.” Torunn walks around the back of the counter and stows the necklace somewhere the party cannot see. He then picks up a framed picture sitting atop the busy counter and shows it off to the party. It is a small portrait of Torunn and two other dwarves; one of them looks similar, but with a more stoic expression, and the other a female dwarf with hair that flows beyond the bottom of the frame.
“If you see my son, Oribrug, tell him his old man is proud of him!” Torunn rouses more hardy laughter. Allister smiles warmly, while Kelm firmly agrees to the proposal; Zero simply listens quietly and Estra nervously smiles back. They spend a few moments chatting in the smithy before Zero pays for the armor.
“Come back tomorrow, and I’ll have the armor ready for ya!” The party leaves the smithy satisfied, leaving a laughing Torunn behind to continue toiling away.
***
The party finds themselves in front of another shop. This one seems weathered down and overgrown with weeds, though the lights within are still lit behind the glass panes. Zero takes the initiative and opens the oaken door into the shop, where he is greeted with dimly lit mage stones that bathe the room in a mystical, purple color. The light illuminates the glistening liquids with bottles of all shapes and sizes, and the liquids are as variable in their color. Weeds and plants of all kinds creep and wrap their way around the spruce shelves and along the ceiling, which adds an eerie green color against the mystic purple glow. A thin mist permeates throughout the shop that carries with it a pleasantly sweet, yet subtle smell. Behind the counter in the back of the shop stands a tall woman with pale skin, blue hair tied into a low-tie ponytail, long-ears, and symbols tattooed on her forehead. She wears a beautiful gown of purple and black, with what seems like poison ivy vines and thorny roses wrapped around it. The woman smokes a pipe, which seems to be the source of the thin mist. Her piercing blue eyes pick up Zero’s presence, and she blows a ring of smoke before speaking.
“Greeting to my apothecary,” she says in a sultry voice. “Let me know if you need some specially harvested herbs. I’ve got a stock of some exotic species.” She then resumes smoking her pipe as the rest of the party walks into the shop.
“Charming,” Kelm says under his breath.
The four of them take a look around the shop. The bottles of liquids are all labeled with a beautiful and curvy script, to which Estra identifies it as “Elvish” script. The bottles all range from health potions, to potions of invisibility. One of the round-bottom flasks reads “Alchemist’s Fire,” which has a thick, red liquid within, and another small and thin vial reads “Antitoxins.” Among the smaller displays in the center of the room holds containers of herbs, some labeled “Yew leaves,” and others read “Nightshade.” The amount of items here related to nature is like a box of curios to both Kelm and Estra, though Allister seems to appreciate the collection less. Zero walks up to the counter, not stopping to look around at all.
“Health pots,” he says simply.
The woman stops smoking and glances over at Zero. “One moment,” she replies finally, before entering a room behind the counter. She returns shortly after with a small, wooden box and a rusted latch. The box seems to have water damage, though the woman treats it as if it were brand new. Opening the box, Zero can see several flasks of glistening, red liquid within.
“Fifty gold,” she says. “Each.”
“That’s a bit much, don’t you think?” retorts Allister. He walks up to Zero’s side with a confused glare.
“Health potions aren’t cheap to make, and they take time to brew. Fifty gold, take it or leave it.” The woman firmly keeps her ground.
“Listen,” begins Zero. “We’re adventurers from the guild across the street. I understand these potions are difficult to make, but adventuring is hard business. All the treasure we make goes right back to maintaining equipment and getting medical treatment at a cleric’s hall. Can’t you shave a bit off the price?”
“Not at all,” the woman replies.
“Then how about I throw these in the pot?” interrupts Kelm, pulling out some oddly colored herbs from his pouch.
“Where did you get these?” she queries. The woman seems to recognize these herbs as she reacts in surprise to their presence.
“A druid never tells where he got his wares,” Kelm replies coyly.
The woman sighs exhaustedly before caving in. “Fine. I’ll drop the price down to 20 gold pieces each if you also hand over a bushel of those herbs.”
“Deal.”
The woman and Kelm trade their goods, leaving Zero with sixty gold poorer but three potions richer. The woman then resumes her smoking after stowing away the herbs, seemingly expecting the four of them to leave her shop post-haste. The four of them head out the door in silence.
***
“What was all of that?” questions Estra to Kelm. “I’ve never seen herbs like those before”
“Some herbs you can find at the foot of the World Tree,” replies Kelm. “I lived in Ulyvain my whole life, but those herbs are as rare as they can come.”
“The World Tree, huh…”
Ulyvain is a city several hundred miles west of Icota. It is known as being the original home of the wood elves, where a gargantuan tree lives in the center. The elves call the tree “Yggdrasil,” or the World Tree; it is an abnormally large Ashen tree grown millenia ago, but its exact origins are unknown. The Alliance of Eirland, a treaty of peace and unity between thirteen kingdoms, lives within the Great Plains of Eirland. Old history books claim that the Great Plains held no trees as the land was once cursed by an ancient black dragon. The story changes depending on the teller, but it is widely agreed by elven scholars that the black dragon, Nevermore, had plagued the land with his acid breath, as a form of revenge against the elves that had taken his homeland away. His acidic breath stole the life of every tree within what was once known as the Forest of Asari. However, when the dragon was defeated and banished into the mountains, a single tree was planted at the center of the wasteland, and from that sapling, the World Tree grew. It is said that the roots of Yggdrasil rise up from the ground and grow into their own trees; every tree across the Great Plains of Eirland are the tips of Yggdrasil’s roots.
“Those herbs are grown from the taint cleansed by Yggdrasil. The whole land of Eirland has the World Tree to thank for continuing to cleanse it of Nevermore’s curse.” Kelm speaks with passion, clearly out of love for his homeland. “Though I’ve left my home for a chance at something new. I’ve never really fit in much, but I never once blamed my mother for…” Kelm trails off. “Never mind. I’d rather not talk about it anymore.” Kelm’s expression seems to darken. Neither of the other three say anything more on the matter.
The party makes it back to the guildhall, where Luciella waits for their return among the crowded interior. Sitting down at a less crowded table, Luciella begins to report on what Shamil had told her. Apparently, Shamil has given a quest to Luciella, hoping that the rest of the party would be willing to take it. The request paper indicates a bounty for an individual known as “the Witch Child,” found terrorizing the citizens of Miliana. Allister’s interest piques as Luciella continues on.
“According to the one who placed the bounty notice in the first place, the Witch Child started their rampage about two weeks ago, but it never amounted to anything more than simply lurking in the darkness and scaring people. At least, until about five days ago, when a string of brutal murders were linked to the Witch Child. There were too many eye-witness reports for it to be a coincidence.
“Not much else is known, other than the fact that bandits have been seen terrorizing villages in the vicinity of the city. That seems to be a regular thing, but it has increased significantly since the Witch Child incidents began. The guild here in Icota is worried that the influx of bandits might reach the border county of Eliadne.”
Eliadne is the territory that watches the border between the Alliance of Eirlande and Drakenlande. The territories in the north of Drakenlande have always been proactive in acquiring as much land as they can, but the Adrestean Empire in the north and the Alliance in the west have prevented them from doing so. The Savacord mountains that run through the center of the continent acts as a natural barrier between the three superpowers. The only way into the Alliance territories from Drakenlande is the Valley of Dragons, which Eliadne supervises. The Marquis, Syldoraine Eladdin, has presided over the county for nearly a century, creating a stronghold in the event an invasion from across the border ever happens.
“Is there any information on who this ‘Witch Child’ might be?” questions Estra.
“Not exactly. The only thing that was mentioned is that this child has a unique eye color, though there is no report on what that color might be. It seems no one can agree on what color they are.”
“Interesting…” A thought enters Allister’s mind, but he isn’t sure if the person he is thinking of is who the perpetrator is. There is only one person Allister knows from Miliana who has a unique eye color. “It can’t be…” he whispers to himself.
“Did you say something, Allister?” queries Kelm, who seemed to have heard Allister muttering to himself just now.
“No, nothing. It must just be my imagination.”
“Hmm…” Zero glares at Allister with doubt, but decides not to probe further.
“Let’s do this. My homeland is in danger, and it’s my duty to protect it and its people,” declares Allister as he stands up from his chair.
“Agreed,” the others say in unison.
***
The following day, after a night's sleep in a nearby inn, the party makes a quick stop to pick up Zero’s completed armor from Torunn, then they set off for Eliadne in a carriage lended to them by the guild for this mission only. Allister sits in the coach seat, having extensive knowledge in using mounts and managing horse-drawn carriages from his paladin training in Miliana. With his skills in carriage riding, it would take no more than three days' time to reach Eliadne, something he takes pride in. In fact, he is the only one in the party who can properly manage a carriage.
As the gates open up and hooves begin beating on soft dirt roads, the party takes the time to admire the rolling hills of the Great Plains. In the eastern part of the nation, the landscape is rich with fertile soil, and the temperate climate moistens the soil when it rains. The trees that rise high into the sky gently envelope the land in a protective canopy, guarding flora and fauna alike from the beating heat of the sun and providing shelter for animals that live in the treetops. The light of the sun shines through the leaves, leaving trails of god rays that transform the very landscape into nature’s canvas. The melodic singing of birds and rustling of leaves on the wind soothes the souls of the wandering party, melting their anxieties and brightening their trip.
During the night, the moon’s light bathes the land in a cradle of silver wonder, a beacon for all living beings that the predators of the night prowl their sanctuary. In the moonlight, the swaying of the trees leaves wanderlust in the hearts of weary travelers as they pitch tents and build a campfire. Ghost stories can be heard around the crackling of fire, and laughs echo through the forest once the food starts roasting. The mystical chirping of crickets and cicadas lends an eerie presence within the dark forest, and it feels as if the party is being watched from within the darkness. The calm beauty of the day disappears when the moon takes center stage, yet the unearthly beauty of the night continues to charm all who gaze upon it. And the days and nights continue on, uncaring of the ever-changing nature of society, until finally, the party finds themselves once again at the doorstep of civilization. A large town peaks above the tree’s horizon, signaling to the party that a luxurious sleep is close at hand. The party collectively sighs in relief; as nice as it is to experience the beauty of nature, its dangers can still be quite taxing to deal with.
In the morning, Allister awakens early to prepare for the party’s arrival at the town. Looking at the map Shamil gave him, Allister knows the town up ahead is indeed Eliadne, and that the party had been riding in Eladdin County for a couple of days already. Eliadne is ruled by Marquis Syldoran of Eladdin, and Eliadne is the capital of his territory. Because it lies on the border between the Alliance and Drakenlande, the Marquis has the important role of keeping unwanted invaders from entering Alliance territory. The county’s territory lies within a valley, and the only way from Drakenlande to Eirlande is through this valley.
As the sun rises higher and higher into the sky, the others begin to awaken as well, and when everyone is ready, they board the carriage and ride towards Eliadne. Riding in the passenger’s seat next to Allister is Luciella, while the rest are in the back of the wagon. They talk amongst themselves, but when a distant screech rings across the area, they all fall silent.
“What was that?” asks Allister, breaking the silence.
Allister stops the carriage and listens intently, to which the sound rings once again. It is beastly in nature, with a low growl and a higher-pitched ring on the falling end. It’s an eerie timbre, belonging to a large creature, but the party can’t quite make out where the sound is coming from.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Zero says.
“It sounds like… a dragon.” Estra says finally after thinking on it for a bit. “Only a dragon could make a sound like that.”
“A dragon!?” shouts Kelm, shocked by Estra’s notion. “We can’t fight a dragon! Should we hide?”
“No. It’s too late. The moment we can hear the dragon’s call, it’s too late. A dragon’s nose and sight is very precise and powerful. It knew we were here before we could even hear it,” explains Estra. A nervous bead of sweat flows down from her temple as she ponders over what to do.
“No way…” Kelm slumps back down, unsure of what to think.
The roaring noise of the dragon draws closer and closer, until Luciella snaps the party out of their stupor.
“Hey! We have to go, like, right now!” she shouts, shaking Allister into action. He breaks free of his daze and snaps the reins. The horses neigh wildly and begin to gallop quickly, towards the town in the distance. Large towns and cities typically have defenses against airborne creatures, such as wyverns and rocs, but dragons are vicious and powerful beings of raw magical energy. A single breath from an adult dragon is enough to destroy an entire field of crops, and within the densely populated areas of a city, a single breath attack can kill hundreds at a time, and raze districts to the ground. Dragons are also fast fliers, and when the roar of a dragon sounds, a city typically has less than ten minutes to prepare for the attack. As the carriage barrels down the dirt road, the roar of the dragon is loud enough that Estra can make out which dragon is chasing them down.
“Great…” Estra whispers to herself. “It’s a red dragon.”
“A red dragon is a formidable foe. Even the sagacious gold dragons of Celestia have great difficulty in dealing with red dragons,” Luciella adds. The rest of the party nervously ready their weapons in anticipation of the coming battle, but what they see is far beyond what they ever expected.
The trees tremble from the powerful force of the dragon’s wings. As it flies near the party, its vibrant, red scales reflect the sunlight and shines an eerie red light on the carriage. The dragon’s horns are twisted and slicked back, bending outwards towards the tip like the horns of a devil. Its eyes glow orange like magma, though its reptilian pupils can be seen clearly. The dragon roars loudly as it flies overhead, the force of its wings nearly blowing the cart over on its side, but Allister’s quick reflexes keep the carriage from tipping over. Zero takes his crossbow and shoots a bolt towards the dragon, but it simply bounces off the hardened scales and falls pathetically to the ground. Kelm makes a shot against the dragon with his longbow, but the arrow bounces off its tough scales as well, the metal arrowhead shattering upon impact.
“No way!” Kelm shouts, surprised by his arrowhead shattering. “I knew dragon scales were tough, but this is ridiculous.”
Estra takes out her journal and flips through it, trying to see if she has notes on a red dragon’s weakness, but the severity of the situation has her fumbling about, making it difficult to concentrate. Luciella takes one look at the dragon, then at the state of the party, then sighs.
“Looks like it’s come to this,” she says under her breath, grabbing Allister’s attention. “I didn’t want to do this so early after being in this party with you all, but I can’t leave you to die like this.”
Luciella stands up and puts one foot on the edge of the carriage, readying herself to jump. Allister tries to stop her, but she leaps off the carriage anyways. Looking back, the party can see Luciella getting smaller and smaller in the distance, but soon, she catches up with the carriage. Estra gazes in amazement as dragon wings sprout from Luciella’s back. It is covered in platinum scales, and a frigid aura surrounds her as she flies past the carriage. The rest of the party watches in awe as she makes her way towards the red dragon.
The red dragon sees Luciella approaching and begins to charge up its breath attack. Luciella continues her approach as the dragon bellows out a massive cone of fire in her direction. Luciella is completely engulfed in flames, and the party gasps in shock, but as the fire dissipates, the party sees Luciella wrapped in a veil of snow and ice, protecting herself from the fire. She then counters with a breath attack of her own, breathing out a smaller but equally powerful breath of ice, freezing one of the dragon’s wings solid. Now lopsided and without a wing, it begins to fall out of the sky, but its internal temperature begins to rise, melting the ice and recovering from the fall. It quickly ascends again to meet Luciella’s level and attacks with its claws and tail. Luciella maneuvers her way around the flurry of attacks, but one of them hits her in the chest and sends her flying towards the ground. She slams against a tree, snapping it in half before landing in the ground. The party continues riding towards Eliadne, but just as Allister could make a quick turn around, Luciella gets back up and flies up towards the dragon. Blood trickles from her wound, but she remains steadfast against the fearsome might of the dragon.
“A disciple of BAHAMUT. How bothersome,” the dragon says in a low, gruff voice. It gazes into Luciella’s eyes with extreme contempt, but it suddenly switches into an expression of amusement. “You certainly make for a worthy opponent, follower of the Angel of the Seven Heavens.” He then makes a quick attack with its tail, but Luciella manages to dodge the attack.
“So you know what I am?” Luciella responds.
“Indeed. The Queen has been cautiously observing the movement of the Justicemaker and his followers.”
“The Queen, you say?” Luciella asks with interest. Is she making her move already?
The dragon laughs. “Her revival is nigh, bearer of platinum blood. Her followers have already made significant progress with the mask.”
Shocked by this revelation, Luciella casts the conversation aside and attacks with her palm strikes, but the dragon simply tanks her attacks, and with one powerful swing of its claw, it rips across her chest, and Luciella falls down once again towards the earth. The dragon then turns its gaze towards the party in the carriage and makes its way to them. With the dragon fast approaching and Luciella down for the count, the party seems to be out of options, but fortunately, the town of Eliadne, having seen the dragon near their gates, has had enough time to mount a force to counter the dragon. As the party draws closer to the town, they meet with Eliadne’s soldiers.
“Citizens! Behind us! We will take on the dragon, just get yourselves to safety!” the soldiers shout as they pass by the party’s carriage.
“No, wait! We’ll fight with you. We are adventurers,” says Allister. The other party members all look at Allister with confusion and disdain, but Allister justifies his decision. “We can’t leave Luciella out there like that! And I can’t bear watching the town of Eliadne struggle against something we brought to them. I am fighting for their sake!”
“Typical Paladin,” retorts Zero, but he readies his blade too. “Guess I’ve got no choice, huh?”
“Ahh, just when I thought we were gonna be safe behind the walls,” remarks Kelm. “But if you insist, I’ll help too.”
“I also can’t leave a dragon to terrorize a town,” Estra says. “I’m fighting too!”
The soldiers all nod in agreement at the party’s resolve. They raise their weapons into the air with vigor.
“Then come with us. For Eliadne!” the soldier cries out. The others join his war cry against the dragon, and they ride towards the ferocious beast, ready to take it down.
“Time to hunt a dragon,” says Zero, smiling with bloodlust in his grin.
