Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Buzzkill
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Eight feet up wasn’t very far, objectively-- but from his vantage point and in his addled state, Matteo felt like he’d scaled the entire damn tree to get where he was. A phenomenal undertaking. Full marks. And with his great success, the youth could sit back, relax, and swing his legs peacefully while trusting the lone wolf would soon move on--

--But it didn’t. Squinting in the darkness, deprived of his eyeglasses, Matteo had only his ears to rely on as the beast prowled closer. Listening for a potential attacker in the dark was old hand to him now after a week of labyrinthine tunnels. The wounded Thief went deadly still and silent, trying to hear over the sound of blood pounding in his head as the wolf drew near.

Some time passed. The animal did not leave.

That eight feet, which had felt so secure only minutes ago, seemed woefully inadequate now. The only reassuring aspect was the stink of blood from the canine, suggesting it had already eaten its fill for the night or was already hurt in its own right. Both possibilities were a relief to Matteo, who wondered for a delirious moment if maybe they could overcome an injured predator. Then again, we’re pretty injured ourselves. Matteo knew for a fact he couldn’t possibly pull off an ambush in his condition. Just the idea made his plethora of injuries flare up in pain.

The dark-haired youth clenched his teeth, biting back his own voice. Even if they wanted to coordinate a plan, they had no way of communicating that an animal’s sharp senses wouldn’t be alerted to.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Matteo gripped the branch harder and willed his body to relax, forcing even his pained breathing to be like no noise at all. As the person currently on the lowest rung of the totem pole, tempting fate was not in his best interests. Not this time.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Skyswimsky
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Higher and higher, Muu had situated herself above Matteo and Ash. Sitting on a strong branch, resting, safe. Safe, for the first time ever since they had been assaulted by the goblins. She did not even dare to think about what kind of threatening forest animals could climb trees. Certainly not wolves.

More-or-less getting comfortable on her branch, the girl could finally feel a stinging pain in her cut hand as the shimmering wolf made its appearance. Tensing up, she mentally prepared for the worst. Maybe if they'd get a jump on it... yet, it never happened. The animal decided to rest below them.

It took Muu a while. Waiting in silence, exhausted, tired. Her eyes falling shut multiple times just to open them moments later. An hour? Just minutes? The brunette had no way to tell, and in the end, with her eyes closed once more, she finally fell asleep.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by ERode
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The night passed on.

To grip a branch harder while relaxing was an impossible task. To silence one’s breathing while so thoroughly exhausted only drained him further. Matteo slipped between wakefulness and unconsciousness, his head snapping up many times during the long, long night, his heart bursting out of his chest when he realized how close he was to falling off his perch.

Muu found things much easier, nestled against the denser branches on top, her body weight distributed between many branches. It wasn’t comfortable, having many thin branches press against her back, but her leather armor, scant as it was, served her well there, dulling the pressure somewhat. But the cold night woke her up as well, sleep elusive even as her head ached from lack of rest, food, and water.

And as for Ash…


The night passed on, and sunrise took its place.

When the unlucky trio came to, the silver wolf was gone, leaving only rabbit bones in its wake. A strange omen, but the immediate situation was safe. Matteo and Ash, both so heavily injured the day before, had to be helped down. In the bright light, the thief’s head pounded even worse than yesterday, some sort of hangover-esque effect manifesting and causing him untold pain. The damage on Ash’s leg was becoming unbearable as well, the inflamed injury a clear sign of the beginnings of an infection. She knew from her master’s lessons how bad it could be, but they were all in the forest as well, only one of their members still mobile.

There was no time to look for natural remedies. While they could still run on the last vestiges of their strength, the trio had to move on.

Muu proved herself indispensable in this moment, the small girl managing to carry Matteo on her back even as Ash had to use her as a crutch. Slow going. Always slow going. The Bladedancer’s own fist was beginning to burn with an unpleasant feeling, a sharper ache that sapped at her entire arm’s strength. But she pressed on. They pressed on. The light helped them see the surrounding mountains once more, and they pressed on.

How long did they travel? How many times did they fall? How many times did they hide, breathing in the rot of their own body?
The world did not care. The world did not reward suffering.

But Gods do.

Slowly, the forest opened up, exposing the wide plains, the well-travelled road, and further down, the blue ocean, Andeave shining like a bastion of security and civilization. And, though it hurt, though it hurt more than ever before, the trio pushed themselves one last time, towards the gate they had left a day ago, an eternity ago.

Before the guards could even say a word, they all fell, collapsing only inches away from the gate.

The long night had ended.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by OwO
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"One of us has to die."

The claustrophobic darkness was kept at bay the roaring fire. A familiar warmth, but this wasn't made by her. No, this was made by the bear. She was only a visitor in his domain. The bear was a predator and the damaged youth an intruder.

"Nothing personal. It's nature, you know."

The bear circled the fire as he spoke. Despite the fire, his breath formed a thick vapor from the cold. His calm words were snarled from the ineffable jaws he possessed.

"The strong live, the weak die."



Her eyes opened slowly, but surely. Easy, she thought, don't shake. Just breath in and out. Behind the front leg, then move up. Do it perfectly. Her tensed hand let go. A distinctive snap resounded through the trees. The arrow flew directly into the deer, it sinking deep in the flesh. The deer panicked. It leaped onto its hind legs, dodging much too late. It began to run. Just as quickly as it started, it collapsed. The arrow had penetrated the heart. A clean kill. She walked towards the deer, small knife in hand. Memories of the past week had been on her mind.

Ash was the first to wake up. That dream with the bear, it pervaded her mind. One of them had to die, the bear had said. But Ash couldn't dwell on it. It wasn't important. She got up from the bed the church had given her and was given the bad news. Half a silver for each day of treatment, totaling one silver. She had 10 days to pay it off, more or less. She had the money, but abstained from paying it. She didn't know if it would be important later. Seeing her two companions near her, she realized that she was the only one who was functional. She wouldn't waste her time. She would get information.

She placed large rocks together in a circle. Placing dry twigs and sticks into the pit, she began to spin a twig above it. The skin on her hands had since been worn down into nothing, rebuilt, then worn down again. The pain didn't bother her. Not anymore, not ever. She ignored it. The spinning became more frantic. First came smoke, second came embers, and lastly, a flame. She kept the fire stoked. A thick heat began to emanate.

Her journey in the morning gave less than stellar results. Nobody gave her the time of day. She wasn't exactly surprised. She felt gross. She knew she was gross. Next, she went into bars. Loose lips sank ships and alcohol was a patented remedy for the tight lipped. She offered drinks. Not the most expensive, but not the cheapest. Two people had taken her offer.

The first was Beako, a lightly armored Fiend Knight with a long spear. Her hair was tied up in a complex braided ponytail and she had henna-esque tattoos stretching up her neck to her cheeks. Her tag was steel, much better than Ash's copper one. She enjoyed Ash's attempt to break the ice by describing in vivid detail how she almost lost her life while training to an angry bear. The Fiend Knight gave a great amount of information. New people should stick to the western forest. Goblins and slimes were easy to beat, save for slimes being primarily affected by magic. Money was made without bounties by primarily looting what the monsters had. Less lucrative but still money, taking proof of a recently killed monster's body made for a steady source of income.

The second was Padoze. He had got lucky and was picked up by a party of 'nice older sisters'.

Gross.

The second day had been less lucrative. Ash had, compelled by curiosity, talked to the rabbit slaying man. He talked of The Fanged God and the two had a short and awkward conversation. took a bath for 20 copper, thankfully. She needed it.

It was lucky she was so close to the river. The deer had been trying to drink when she found it. It made cleaning easier. Careful, careful. She drove a knife into its midsection and sliced. No nausea overcame her. She was used to it now. This was her new normal. The knife cut through flesh with some difficulty, but it wasn't enough to ruin the cut. Blood flowed into the river - back into nature. Intestines and stomach had been removed, then the lungs. Kidneys, liver, tongue, and what remained of the heart were bisected from the body. She began to cook. Liver first. That was for her. It was meat to replace what she lost. Even though it tasted so thick and gamey, it was a blessing. But, despite how much she needed it, she didn't eat it all. She left a small portion alone. Next, the kidneys, then the tongue, then what remained of the heart. She did the same and left a portion for the wilds. It was thanks for the protection that night.

The third day, she had met with Matteo. He had awoken from his painful slumber and Ash was the first to see him. Ash shared what useful information she had with him. Matteo said they could train, but they had no money. The only experience they could get was to go back into the forest with just the two of them. They talked about getting new members of their ragtag party, but it would be difficult to find any. The two parted, each going their own way.

Ash had decided to go back to the Ranger's Reserve to practice. For six days, she didn't leave the reserve. She practiced a little bit of everything; marksmanship, endurance, shelter-building, tracking. Any skill she thought she would need, she practiced.. On the first day, she fired arrows at trees and ran through the underbrush. The second day, she practiced following tracks and worked on her endurance, hitting a tree with a stick until either the stick or her body broke. The third day, she sprinted through the underbrush. She ended up tripping and falling into a river. It chilled her to the bone and she had to spend hours warming up by a fire. The fourth day was similar to the first three. The fifth day, she practiced tracking and managed to step in a precious 'track'. It smelled gnarly. The worst part about the training, however, was the nights. Dreams of the bear pervaded. She was afraid and the dreams only escalated.

The sixth day, by a stroke of good luck, she managed to find a deer by a watering hole.

River washed the carcass. Careful now, it was heavy. She carried one end over each shoulder, its open midsection on her neck. She couldn't keep this meat. She needed money. She left the forest and to the butcher. A clean deer carcass had only brought 50 copper. Not surprising. It wasn't a large deer. Still, the money was important. She graciously pocketed it and went back to the church.

Returning to the church, Ash had went to check on Muu. There was a strange man there, watching over the sick bladedancer. He was clad in black, the only color he had on him came from a red scarf that was wrapped around his head. Only his eyes were visible. He turned to Ash.

"You're her comrade?"

Ash was taken aback. Who was this man and what did he have to do with Muu? No point in lying. Lying was too dangerous. Practically anyone who wore strange clothes was probably strong enough to demolish all of them combined.

"For the time being," Ash replied. Her tone was cold. After all, this man was dangerous as long as she didn't know why he was there.

"She owes me one silver a week. Where's the money." His voice was unwavering. Despite being a question, it felt more like a command.

For a moment Ash paused. She looked at Muu and grit her teeth. She pulled out a silver coin from her pocket and held it out. "Take it."

The strange man took the coin, gave a harumph, and left. Ash walked up to the sick blade dancer. There, she saw a strange crimson symbol on Muu's hand fade away. Ash sighed as she ran a hand through her greasy hair. Later, she thought, I'll talk to her.
Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Buzzkill
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He'd been awake for some time now, staring up at the ceiling of the Church of First Light, saying nothing.

Distorted memories of their frenzied, desperate journey through the woods tapered off into nothingness in his head-- but here he was, awake and alive as ever. As a great thirst came over him, not feeling inclined to serve himself, Matteo called for Ash.

Their talk did little to assure him as Matteo learned about the debt-- that which he'd tried so hard to avoid, by becoming a Thief-- the three now owed their caretakers. Three silver. And how long did he have? ...A week? Maybe a little less. Feeling that he had little choice, lacking the job experience to gain any other kind of employment (and also lacking the ambition to seek more creative or effort-intensive means) he did the only thing he could think of: begging. He knew well enough as a Thief that his own kind were obligated to hand out alms to the poor, and having exactly (0) money, Matteo felt he qualified. So he took off his shoes and took to the streets, collecting grubby copper pieces. Humiliating, of course, but Matteo had made up his mind that it would be worth it once his grand plan came to fruition.

And on the last day, as he collected the last few coins he needed, Matteo knew it was time.



It was dark now, and within the pleasure district of the Seaside Fortress-City of Andeave, everything was beginning to liven up, in the same edgy, seedy way that it always had. While music drifted gloriously from the western taverns and the merrymaking warriors toasted their oaths to the beauty goddess, those within the southwestern district cared less for worship and more for flesh and risk, alcohol flowing freely from holes in the wall while scantily clad women waved at their favorites from the balconies of brothels. All sorts of ne’er-do-gooders stalked the streets, staring down others that looked too curiously in their direction, and occasionally, one could even see scar-faced merchants approaching their equally criminal clients, opening up a cloak to reveal strange vials or dried specimens.

But drugs and sex weren’t what called Matteo to this sordid area. No, clutching what alms he had scraped up over the last few days, the thief now sought to multiply his wealth through dice and cards, the dingy and sinful world around him providing him plentiful avenues to waste away the charity of others.

The brightest attraction was Hotel Moonside, a multi-story building that sparkled in an otherwise dingy district. Two bouncers stood on opposite sides of an open door, and intoxicating fumes wafted out from the resort, where buxom and lithe girls, alongside fair and lean boys, were dressed undergarments and bunny ears, pouring drinks for high rolling adventurers who had plenty of money to spend. Large sums of silver and gold were bet as if they were worth only water, and loud laughter shook the floors of the building, just forcefully enough that one wouldn’t be able to hear the creaking of the higher floors as well.

Occupying a middle ground stood a far humbler abode, if not also much more scary. The Pirate’s Den was bereft of beauty, but was also much more quiet, a darkly lit place where taciturn men threw cards down and traded dagger-glares. A bottle of something was being traded around, and occasionally, small confrontations occured, a knife drawn and then plunged, the injured tossed into a corner to seek their own medical care later. Some were even betting on body parts, a more devilish thrill that racked them large sums if they won. Dangerous, but the bar of entry, at least, felt much lower than Hotel Moonside.

On the lower spectrum were gamblers who occupied small-scale taverns. No officiating was present, some fusion of an honor code and promised violence being what kept the money flowing smoothly, but it was clear that some were also just straight up scams. Scumbags were definitely abound here, and without a buddy backing him up? Who knew how well Matteo would do, even if he did win?

Then there were groups of beggars that, with cheap drink and marked rocks, would play their own games, trading away any possibility of a normal life for a few hours of sating the addiction that got them where they were to begin with. Like Matteo, they only played with coppers, and like Matteo, they weren’t exactly the toughest people in the district, so perhaps...he’d just have to put up with getting some more scraps by gambling with the most derelict?

Stained and barefoot, still clad in the same clothes in which he, Muu and Ash had been ambushed, Matteo made his way towards the sounds of clinking copper coins. The sound, hardly noteworthy for some but thrilling for a lazy hobo with looming hospital bills-- had become part of his daily routine ever since leaving the Church of First Light.

As he approached one of the groups of beggars, some of them (perhaps) familiar from his desperate street-combing from the prior week, Matteo did not once feel bad about gambling with charity. To him, the seventy coppers he’d starved for were not a gift-- they were an investment. Just like the Guild, and the silver from Etono, and even the recruitment office. People trusted him to do great things.

“Evening, gentlemen,” Matteo said pleasantly, stopping near one of the gambling beggar rings. He patted one of his pockets to make it jingle-- he’d prudently stored his copper in multiple locations on his body, just in case-- and crouched down, giving his fellows a mild smile. “Mind if I join you for a couple hands… rolls?”

Though most of the others didn’t pay him much attention, a middle-aged man with stubble and a large hat waved him to sit down. “‘Course, kiddo! Whatcha bettin’ wit?”

Matteo turned his smile on the stubbly man and reached into his pocket, counting out a few coppers on the palm of his hand. “Maybe just five, to start?” he offered.

“Hoho, big payouts already, eh? Gotcha gotcha.” The man turned to the others then, clapping his hands to get their attention. “Starting with five, anyone in?”

Four others approached as well, plopping down in squats or crossed legs or whatever else made them feel the most comfortable. As they did, the stubbly man produced a set of grimy dice. “Looks like you’re new, so I’ll keep it real fast,” he said, “Two dice, you bet on odds, evens, or a number. Win with the odds or evens, and you share it with other odds and evens. Win with a number, and you get the whole pot to yourself. Crystal clear?”

“Sure,” Matteo said, giving the older fellow a polite nod. He glanced over at the other players, trying to read them for a moment before he gave up and turned his attention to the dice. “I’ll call odds, thank you.”

“Odds.” “Odds.” “Even.”

The man shook the cup and slammed it down, pulling it open to reveal a total sum of 8. “Oof, better luck next time, eh, champs?”

The singular winner guffawed, took a swig of some cloudy bottle, before passing it around to the others while he collected his winnings. “Less anty up, boys!” the drunkard said, pushing in the entire 25 coppers that made up his winnings. “Whose gotta balls to take it on?”

Grimacing at his misfortune (and the taste of whatever was in that bottle) Matteo passed it on and wiped the back of his mouth. It seemed to bolster his determination and he ransacked his pockets again, finding 25 copper. “I suppose another round won’t hurt,” he said. “Evens?”

Drawn by the possibility of big money, a couple more joined in now. It was clear that most of them were there for the thrill of the win, not actually trying to make money. Now the pot was a grand total of 225 copper coins, looking rather beautiful as nine people crowded around it. The dicey dealer turned to the others with a cocked head, before the bets were called in.

“Odds! “...even.” “Even.” “Odds.” “8!” “...2?” “6!” “Odds.”

The dealer grinned, exposing a missing front tooth, before rattling away. Once again, he slammed it into the dirt, and lifted the cup up. 5. Odds. The three that won thrust their fists into the air, doing a little jig before trying, unsuccessfully, to split their earnings.

One of the losers spat a wad of phelgm at the wall, before slamming ten coins in, looking at the winners. Naturally, those bunch tossed in ten as well, and the dealer called out. “Big wins today, lads! Ten ten ten, who wants in?”

Matteo put his ten in the pile, frustrated and not-yet-quite-desperate. “Seven,” he said for a change of pace.

The pot was much more tame this time, some scampering off to take a piss while others just wanted to see how anything would pan out. Still, there were more people interested now that the entry bar wasn’t nearly as brutal, and the pot was raised to 110.

“Ey, where my odd bois at!” “Odds!” “Odds!” “Od- I mean, evens.” “1.” “Haha, dude, 1? 2’s where it’s at!” “Evens.” “6.” “...odds.” “10!”

The dealer just smiled as the dice rattled in his cup, before letting it roll out this time, the six sided die bouncing against someone’s shoes. 6. The sole winner leapt up to his feet with a hoot, before doing a quick little tap dance. Others laughed at him, and the drink was passed towards Matteo once more, the first winner of the round slapping him on the back in a half-consoling manner.

“It’s fine,” Matteo assured the man, feeling like everything was assuredly not fine. He swallowed his anxiety. Forty copper gone, thirty left. Four days worth of panhandling. Well, if Muu and Ash also beg, we can make it back in just one day before the hospital bill is due, he reflected and started the next bet with ten. “Odds, please.”

“6!” “God, you always go for that, huh? Odds.” “Evens~” “C’mon, 4, c’mon!” “Evens!” “8!” “Odds.” “Evens.” “...10.” “Vyr-Nilil, pleaseeeeee. 11!” “Even, baby~!”

The stubbly dealer turned around to the others, looking for more takers, but it looked like a pot of 120 copper was going to be the deal this time. With that, he grinned, shook it hard, and let it go. A powerful slam, and wham, 10.

Immediately, the winner snatched up his pot and guffawed, the adrenaline and electricity of the win racing through his fingertips as he slammed twenty down, looking at the others with a wild-eyed look. “Lets go again! Ahaha!”

The others looked unimpressed though, no doubt due to how stingy such a move actually was. Still, many of the same players were shelling out their own copper, as the drink made its way into their veins and brains. A pot of 220 stood there, surrounded by 11 other hobos.

Would Matteo becoming the 12th?

The Thief’s heart had began to pound sluggishly, color rising to his cheeks. The bitter tang of lukewarm ale swam in his senses. His last twenty coppers, rolled into a sock inside his dirty jacket, had never felt so heavy. He’d lost every round. He’d lost almost a full week’s earnings, no, investments, and-- if he took it-- the final bet would cost him everything he had. Should he hang on?

Matteo hesitated.

Scenarios ran through his mind. Dice scenarios-- variables, chance, likelihoods of odds and evens and numbers adding up with one another. Future scenarios-- dying diseased in the gutter, held for ransom by some sadistic hospital loan sharks, gagging down runny bowls of tasteless soup from the Church for the rest of his life. Possibility. Probability.

He remembered a story-- somehow, for some reason-- about a woman whose husband had been in terrible debt. To have these loans forgiven, she made a deal. If she drew the ace of hearts from a deck of cards, his debt would be cleared. But if she drew anything else, she would lose her husband, and she would marry the dealer instead. The woman agreed, and turned over the card-- and it was the Ace of Hearts. Later, her husband asked her why she’d taken the deal when the odds had seemed so impossible. She looked at him and said “What do you mean? There was only two outcomes-- win, or lose.”

The story wound itself through Matteo’s mind as, almost as if in a dream, the youth found himself emptying his final twenty copper into the beggars’ pot. One of them, of course, is talking about probability-- whereas the other is talking about fate.

Four rounds. Four losses.

Is it my fate to lose?

His bleary eyes counted the eleven other beggars, the light in their eyes, the lucky winnings in their pockets. Were these people really meant to be more successful than he was? As their bets began to be called out, Matteo heard his voice say “Twelve.”

Two sixes, no other combinations. Only two outcomes, win or lose.

Matteo closed his eyes. Always commit.

The dice fell.

One settled first, bouncing against Matteo’s shoe. A six, gleaming with chipped gold.

The other one spun still, rattling about. It bounced up the small pile of coins, then rolled down. Struck a rock. Bounced. Flew. In slow motion, Matteo could see the gleam of six on its face.

Then it landed.

Not gold, but the red of a 1.

A total of 7.

How lucky. How unlucky.



He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, long after the dice game had ended, the bitter taste of alcohol and loss mingling together on his tongue. It felt familiar. He felt numb.

Some time later, Matteo found himself on a pier in the Eastern district, legs dangling over the edge of the dock. Above, the two moons cast twin reflections across the harbor. The boy looked down at his bare, dirty feet and wondered, as he had back at the blood-soaked stream, if the easiest thing to do wouldn’t be to sink to the bottom and never come back up.

The sea breeze ruffled his unwashed hair, bringing with it the scent of salt.

He flopped onto his side, still gazing dully out at the distant lights of central Andeave, and let the waves and creaking timbers lull him to sleep.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Skyswimsky
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An unnatural void

"████?" She called the girl's name.
"Huh?" The girl looked up. Her face blank.
"Is everything alright, honey? Your face went all pale." He joined the conversation in worry.
"I..." The girl hesitated. For a fleeting instant, her entire being felt utterly, thoroughly, confused. "I..." She smiled. "I'm good! Don't worry, let's just dig in!" Without further ado, the family of three clasped their hands together and made their prayers. Words that the girl wcouldn't comprehend, but happy nonetheless — which was all that mattered.

Happy memories, and many more to follow...



Her vision was blurry. Her body in pain. Her head was ringing. The voices hastily talking beside Muu not helping her cause. Something smelled bad. Disgusting. Green? Red? Did it matter? Was she dying? No. Someone held her firm, but gentle. Urgh. Why couldn't they just let her sleep? Everything was uncomfortable, at least in her dreams she could feel at peace.



"Mommy, I'm scared..." The girl flinched as she witnessed the lifeless iron change into a fierce orange-white. It was warm.
"You know we love you baby girl!" The father responded.
"It might sting a little, but it's all for the best. You're a strong girl, aren't you" The mother gave her a warm smile.
"But but..." Wasn't this wr- No. She was a strong girl! And her parents loved her. This was just part of growing up. It was wonderful! "Fine! Bring. It. On. I, ████████, won't even cry!" Exposing her thigh and putting a piece of fabric into her mouth, she was ready for anything!
"We love you!" In unison, the two adults thrusted the iron forward.

It hurt. It hurt. It hurt.
Hot! Hot! Hot!



Cold! "Pwuah!?" The water was cold! In an instant, the brunette felt awake. Firm hands holding her. "H-Hey!" She wanted to complain, but only a whisper came out of her mouth as a bunch of weirdos scrubbed her clean in rough fashion. "It hurts..." Speaking those strangely familiar voice, Muu could feel an immense pain coming from her stomach area. Yet, before she knew it, her consciousness already drifted away again.



"N-No!" The painful scream of her mother.
"STOP!" The pitiful wrath of her father.
"Urgh..." The crimson of red.
It began in an instant, and was over in a second.

The blood of her parents splattered over the little girl's face as she could only watch helplessly. Words couldn't describe what she felt right now. Anger? Fear? Grief? Denial? All of it together? Did it even matter? Even as every single cell in her body told her to run away, her legs were weak. She could only watch as the raven-haired man with a silver strand that broke into their home cleaned his blade on her mother's favourite dress. And then he turned to her. Slowly, but surely.

"N-No..." The girl stammered as she tried to get away. Her weak legs pushing against the crimson floor. "S-Stay away...!" But the one who ruined her happy place did not stay away. Instead, with five quick steps he already towered above the girl. Crouching down to her height, the girl prepared for the worst — yet it never came.

"Good enough" He said instead, lifting her chin up as to inspect her closer.



"...!" In an instant, Muu jolted up. She was awake, in bed, alive. Everything seemed (relatively) okay. Right. The forest, her two companions, the gate, and then... this? Not to mention just now, didn't she have a bad dream? The brunette wasn't quite sure, couldn't remember. All that was left were a hunch of strange feelings in her chest.

White light from the outside indicated it was day-time. Just how long had she been out...?
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by ERode
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Chapter 2: Broken Wings




Somewhere out there, a bell chimed, the first gongs of the morning.

Somewhere out there, adventurers woke, gathering in the plaza to discuss their bounty of the day.

Somewhere out there, pots clanged, a sister rousing the rabble for their breakfast of thin soup, the homeless leaving the Churc to do what they’ve always done.

But in the deeper corridors of the church, the outside world seemed like nothing more than the fragment of a dream. It was quiet in the morning as Muu stirred from her long and fitful slumber. She could feel the decay of her body, worn out from fighting off whatever disease had taken her, as well as the general lack of nutrition to begin with. Her head still ached, doubly so when sunlight cast over her eyes, while there was a general sense of lethargy weighing down her mind, but…she was a live. She still breathed. And her thoughts were her own.

Peeking under the covers would reveal that she was practically naked. Looking over to the side would reveal that her equipment had been laid on the floor, leather armor, red scarf, and short sword. And, scanning the corner of the curtained-off ‘bedroom’, Muu saw Ash and Mateo as well. Ash looked wilder than she last remembered, a certain savagery in how she carried herself with her dirtied clothes and tangled hair. Matteo too looked different, but in a more ephemeral manner; the Thief was absolutely exhausted, his complexion drained, his stance empty.

It had been a long time since the three of them had talked to each other.

But it was only with talking that they could come to a consensus on their next approach.

On the stone window-slit, a small bird hopped off, and disappeared. Whether they flew or fell, no one knew.
Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Buzzkill
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Life went on, even when you weren’t ready for it. The next day came, painfully bright with pale sky on water; loud with the sounds of distant bells and workers arriving on the docks. Muu’s hospital release day. A sense of deep dread settled in Matteo’s stomach like a slumbering wolf. As he dragged himself clumsily to his feet, muscles cramped, he tried to convince himself it was just lingering effects of alcohol, or maybe just a reaction to the strong fishy smell coming from the harbor. Not guilt. Not shame. Just self-pity if anything, the beleaguered youth thought as he dragged himself across town, each step feeling heavier than the last. I can’t imagine what Ash will think of me after this. The worst part was that he still owed the money, same as everyone else.

Deadlines, deadlines. There were always deadlines, and they were always later than they first seemed (if you were just creative about it.) He’d gone out the night before because he'd thought it was the last day before dues, but in reality, the last day was still before him.

The thought put a little more spring into his step and Matteo arrived at the hospital, still weary (and feeling like a loser, frankly) but already devising a last-minute plan to avoid responsibility. He handed Muu the glass of water he’d come prepared with (a broke man’s only “feel better” gift) and retrieved his shoes from where he’d been storing them under Muu’s bed, sitting down in one of the waiting chairs by the curtain.

“I’ve been thinking about what we ought to do now that all three of us are all right to move around,” he said conversationally, tugging at his bootstrings. “I’ve been making my way around the city for the last week or so under the guise of collecting petty alms, as you know—nobody looks twice at beggars, really—and I’ve been doing my best to keep an eye out for potential recruits who might be interested in assisting our party, so to speak.” The words ran smoothly, albeit lacking a little energy and being a gross exaggeration of the truth. “There’s a few promising candidates. Of course, I didn’t want to approach them until all three of us were present.”

Finishing tying up his boots, Matteo put his hands on his knees and looked back up at his blurry companions. For a moment the 6 and 1, the last dice roll from the night before, flashed unbidden into his mind. The Thief’s smile faltered only for a moment before he forced the thought away, clearing his throat. “If I may make a suggestion, once Muu’s ready, how about we spend the morning with some ‘recruiting’—perhaps we can even make a small venture to hunt some small game to assess their skills for ourselves?”

...Implying they were in any position to be picky was bold, but considering Matteo had no actual idea who to approach and was just trying to divert the issue of his failed “investments”, it paled in comparison to the whole. He was the Thief. He had to make money. Short of charging one silver apiece for an admission fee, getting some kind of bounty out of it had to be possible. Especially if he didn’t have to be the one to do it.
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Reconvening with her associates, Ash's time alone had been brought to a halt. Back to the grind against fate with her inscrutable allies.

"Recruiting is a good idea. Hunting is, unfortunately, not an option. A deer would be unable to attack you with a sword. It's not enough money, either. That is, if we're even lucky enough to encounter enough to make money. Our best options for reliably getting enough is either the skull-faced goblin or the toad, if they haven't been slain already." But would they actually find someone to join them? Was Muu even in good enough condition to leave the bed? They were put in a difficult place.

"1 silver, 5 silver, 2 silver. Those are our debts to the hospital," Ash informed Muu, "with a minimum payment of every three days. We have two days left to get enough silver for all our debts. We have zero silver and a hard deadline, so we need to start whatever we're doing now. For now, let's just give Muu some privacy." Her right hand instinctively moved to tap Matteo's shoulder with her knuckles, the global sign of 'we should really let the naked girl put clothes on'.
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The day was gray. Clouds covered the sky and the sun, draping a world of half-shadows and low contrast, and, as if infected by that dreariness, shops opened up later than usual, many remaining closed still after the bell tower rang for morning. But the plaza cared not for the weather, the motley crew that made up of the Silver Moon Army showed up regardless of what injuries and fatigue lingered from the day before. Some crowded the bounty board of the Recruiting Office, arguing over which famed monster to go for, over who’d get the right to hunt down the creature to begin with. It had been a week after the combined forces of the Imperial and Silver Moon Army had successfully took control of Thradin Fort, but with most of the Dragonscar Tribe still at large, the price for orc heads had gone up quite high in the mountainous region the Fort was situated in. Tithemal Dragonscar’s bounty was especially high, the souls he reaped amongst the soldiers’ backline boosting him past most other bounties to platinum territory, and many higher-level parties were now at each other’s necks, debating over who’d get exclusive rights to chase after that dual-wielding orc.

Still, it wasn’t all arguments. Priests held their personal rituals, hexagrams of light shining against their forehead as they offered opening prayers to Alri-Qua. Warriors ate hearty breakfasts of meat and more meat with their party, while the more focused amongst them sharpened swords of strange length, smouldering eyes hidden in the shadow of their visors. Mages checked their magical regents again, caressing spiritual existences that only they could see. Thieves stretched their limbs, cracked their digits, did a couple of backflips for the enjoyment of the towns’ beauties, while Rangers pulled out their personal maps, chewing on a charcoal pencil. It was as busy as always, frenetic as always…at least if you were part of a party.

For Ettamri, prideful and powerful, no such party was willing to put up with her attitude for long, and even those with plans of hunting down Tithemal didn’t want to deal with the knight for the entire duration of the journey to the mountain range.

For Gwyn, soft-hearted and righteous, her own appearance caught the eyes of many, but her reputation stood on the opposite end of what most soldiers wanted. Too kind, too nice, too pure. When most monsters were stronger than men, to seal off ambushes, fire, smoke, and poison as possible tactics was too limiting for the unscrupulous headhunters that most soldiers were.

They, among the handful of other party-less soldiers, stood out distinctly, much more competent-looking than the rest of the degenerates that made up the bottom-feeding soloist category.
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Hungry, thirsty, and still in some pain, Muu couldn't feel any happier about the broken man's gift, quickly gulping it down. Too quickly, in fact, as she started coughing and needing a moment to collect herself. "Thank you." The girl responded in a whisper. Not because her voice felt still a bit dry, but because of the embarrassing moment.

Listening to her two comrades, their situation seemed to be even worse than before. Was this some kind of snowball effect? They barely survived, and now everything seemed even harder? Just how much debts did she have by now!? By the sounds of it, she had to win the lottery or something to make up. And who would want to join a band of three misfits anyway? No. If anyone was useless, it was Muu herself. She should be grateful they hadn't just ditched her. After all, it looked liked she was out of commission the longest.

"I'm sorry..." The girl whispered in a pitiful voice before realizing that the two had already left the room. "...?" Before realizing the reason and her face turning into an even brighter tomato.


5 minutes passed before the now clothed girl stepped out of the room. Her red scarf hiding most of her face once again, she already felt a lot more at ease. "I'm ready..." Muu stated to the two. "To go, uh, r-recruiting?" She was by no means convinced about that at all, and would much rather fill her belly, but of course, these were thoughts she'd keep for herself.
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Ettamri Belarence


Ettamri Belarence, daughter of Bocas, son of Camlarant, who fought alongside his father Geval the Wise in the old war, proud heir to the name of Belarence, bearer of the Rozen crest, and one who had proved her mettle in the siege of Thradin Fort, moved towards the board, her well oiled armor prominent in the daylight, her hand tight enough on her longsword that no enterprising Rogues even try to come near.

Yet even with such storied background, she had proved to be far beyond an annoyance to any party that took her for longer quests; perhaps her noble lineage encouraging such behaviours towards plebeians or those below their stations. It was not a matter that truly concerned her, for those more concerned with brown nosing and 'being friendly' while simultaneously sneering at their betters were not worth her time. Even those more 'experienced' parties seemed but like children as they bickered about the rights to hunt that orc. From what she had seen for herself, those would need far more than just luck to defeat him.

But...

She too needed a party. Ettamri alone cannot achieve everything, she had learned that first hand in that major offensive. A group she could rely on, and one that could rely on her. Oh, she almost made herself laugh. To find one in this backwater place would be the day a demon come down from the skies and dance a jig in front of her. But, perhaps, she could make one that was at least somewhat competent.

Noting a figure familiar to her, and one that stood out amongst the rest of the riff raff, she moved towards Gwyn.

"You are a priest?" It came out as less of a question and more of an affirmation. "Join up with me."
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Gwyndolyn

A simple priestess that was known in the Northern district as a common face, yet recently had said her farewells to them, having been on a long time break from adventuring. The party that had first put her off the idea of joining the chaotic fray that was the life of adventurers were a little to bloodthirsty for her liking, frightening her of the future that it would bring. Resolving herself to staying within the Andeave as one of the healers of the Church of the First Light, she had learn much about the people living within, having live in the Southeastern district and visiting the others.

Never present in an adventuring party for long, she usually only accompanied those who were heading the right way toward a location that was asking for aid, offering her skill for a temporary spot in the group she was hitching along. Overtime though, she felt that her actions were simply 'reactionary' when she saw all those who were injured and were pressed upon their luck, finally pushing her over the edge when the raid had happened the other week that the sight of those injuries pushed her to become active once more. Lacking the familiarity with many of the adventuring parties around, besides being 'that one priest girl' who always hitches rides, it was difficult for her to find a spot within any dynamic.





Respectfully chatting with the other soloists and deftly avoiding their invitations to make a party, her eyes were keen in looking for a people who were at least average. Someone who she could support and in return they would also support her in whatever they did together, in such a place though it was unlikely. It would be impossible for herself to travel around but with someone else at least capable of carrying themselves, she'd be able to take the two of them further together.

A figured approached her, their armor well handled and taken cared of, that was a good sign and made an instant good impression. Slowly realizing who this person was, for the three horns of their helmet was something distinctive about them when she first met them, another instance of hitching a ride with an adventuring party towards a town who was requesting the aid of a priest. The other was the first to engage in conversation, expecting and receiving what she rightly assumed.

"And if I remembered correctly... A warrior... Yes?" She said, remembering a few of the skills that the other used during combat and besides, a sword on their person definitely limits the classes. "I think that is agreeable, it'll be nice working with you again"

Smiling with her response as two other soldiers backed off when she approach Ettmari, having persistently asking to join together for her skills as a Priestess. Conversation-wise, they were the kind of people she liked to avoid if possible, being too ambitious in her eyes when compared with what really were, boasting and laughing how easy it will be with them. They were the kind of people to bite too much and eventually end up hurt, it was safer for them to not have her and then be reckless on their quests, thinking a priestess would solve all their problems.

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Ettamri Belarence

She paid as much attention to the others propositioning the priestess as she would trash by the roadside.

"Good. I am Ettamri Bellarence. We ride for Redstone Mine, for the four undead." While the helm obscured her expressions, she wore a slight grin. "I'll be taking their attention. You better be good enough to purify them quickly."

There was no other choice to make; without other party members the rest of the requests were nigh impossible. Goblins were seldom alone, and without someone who can read tracks, they could be going in blind to an entire army. Both of them can't track at all, considering their specialty, so hunting animals across a wide swathe of land was just going to end in them exhausting their supplies. Going after the two platinum request was akin to suicide at the moment, though Ettamri was sure she could at least hold her ground against Tithemal again.

While there were a horde of solos in the crowd today, she wasn't keen on taking any more of them just to have a complete party, not without having at least some knowledge of how they acted; solos tended to be solos for a reason.
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Clad in the least dirty thing he owned, his profession’s signature sky-blue, tight-fitting robes, Matteo paused at the entrance to the plaza.

He’d avoided this place for the last week, truthfully, hoping to avoid Old Bear or any others who might aggravate his recently-healed injuries. The Silver Moon soldiers weren’t exactly a charitable crowd, at least not until the sun dipped lower in the sky and it became time for drinking. There had been no reason to come here, save perhaps seeking Hannah and Aoi, but the thief-turned-beggar had no great desire to do so.

Now I have to put my money where my mouth is.

Or put his mouth where his money wasn’t.

All right. Relax. Play it off.

“Let’s see, they ought to be around here somewhere… hmm…” The dark-haired youth held a hand up as if squinting against the light. Honestly, nearsighted as he was, most of the people gathering in by the bounty boards were just a blur anyway. Who looks like a Priest… priest… As popular (understandably) as healers were, what were the chances he could even find one who wasn’t already surrounded by doting party members? “Ah! There!”

Light glinted off a strangely-shaped helm and Matteo made a wild guess, pointing with false confidence. “There she is. Let’s go talk to her. Ah--” He wavered as another heavily-armored figure joined the loner, but his step only hesitated for a moment before he kept walking, sliding through the crowd with single-minded intent.

“Good morning,” the young man said politely, squeezing his way past a few other back-flipping thieves and arriving in front of the duo. Seeing them up close, his heart sank down into his stomach. I’m going to look like a fool. They were both heavily equipped, clearly veterans at their craft with the funds to purchase such items. Who better to help us get money, though?

Marshaling his courage, Matteo gave the pair a modest smile. “I apologize for interrupting you. I’ve seen you both around… you probably haven’t noticed me, of course.” He waved this off and went on, deciding on the spot to do an absolute 360 on his earlier promise to Ash and Muu. If this was going to work, he had to make a strong impression fast. “My two companions and I are desperate cannon-fodder burdened by crippling debt. If you're heading out on a bounty, would you consider letting us come along?”

It was an absolute blind shot, equal parts truthful and bold. Honesty to cover lies. Shame to cover pride. “If begging would help sway your decision, I am happy to do so,” Matteo added earnestly, preparing to get down on his knees. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If they refused, he could always try someone else.
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Muu's eyes widened. Fear. Embarrassment. Insecurity. Just what the hell was Matteo doing!? And why had Muu followed behind him, rather than staying further away? Muu's face was red with shame. As much as the comments he did about themselves hurt, it was the truth. And what reason would have two veterans to have them three tag along? Zero. None. Absolutely nothing. Was Matteo really that desperate? Or rather, was their situation really THAT bad? Muu was aware they weren't doing good, but this...?

Regardless, what was done had been done, and all Muu could was die of shame try to hide her face even deeper inside her scarf as she made a deep bow. "P-Please..." A dry whisper. Since there was no turning back, she could as well do her best to help him.
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Ettamri Belarence


A hunter? How fortuitous. But the newcomer hardly seemed like one that was very successful, and from the way they were begging, it seemed Ettamri was right on the money. Ettamri would never take on such a lot, certainly not as fellow party members.

But...

"Is that the way to ask someone for their favour?" She did not trust them. "Kneel down and kiss my feet, then I might consider it."

She did not trust them, but if they were to join, the hunter would be useful enough to track down the bear. A much higher reward, though divided between them. Other secondary money making methods may also be discovered if they walked around with that contract to hunt the bear. The rest can serve as a meatwall for the priest. If they didn't join, well... she wasn't about to lose any sleep over it. While they look competent enough, even that blade dancer, one trustworthy and reliable teammate far outweights the risk that came with having multiple less trustworthy party members. They didn't even look as if they're eating well.

"Of course, you'd be carrying most of the luggage, and be expected to die for the priest." She tilted her head slightly, a small hidden grin curling up the corners of her mouth. "So... What will it be?"
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The adventurers who Matteo had found seemed to be leagues ahead of their ragtag group. The warrior could afford armour while the healer was clean. Compared to the three of them—emaciated, dirty, and using low-class gear—they seemed to be infinitely more capable. If they could join the two of them, they could much more safely earn off their debt... If they didn't die from whatever mission the two veterans had in store for them.

Matteo lead the pack, instantly unveiling their absolute ineptitude with an absurdly polite introduction of how garbage they were. Anyone experienced could instantly see that they were trash, but unveiling the truth so early stung horribly. But the noble knight entertained the thought. She didn't immediately toss the trio to the curb. They had a chance. Even if it was infinitesimally small.

If Ash had any pride left, she wouldn't do this. Fortunately, silver wasn't the only thing she'd run out of. Rather than Matteo exploding to his prepared kowtow, Ash stepped forward.

"Yes."

She knelt and kissed her boot before the knight had a chance to remove it. In front of everyone. Literally zero pride was displayed.

It wasn't the worst thing she stuck in her mouth in the past few days, after all.
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Gwyndolyn

"Ah- yes the bounty for those poor souls, that would be something we both would be-" Gwyn began talking for a moment before she was interrupted by an individual and the rest of their party trailing behind them. It must of been daunting to approach the two of them, for a person to just approach one of them must of been difficult, but the two of them together must of taken some willpower.

Polite in their demeanor and humble... to put it at best? If not self-depreciating about themselves in the way that they talked about themselves, but their hearty plea tugged her compassionate heart and she was about to respond but Ettamari overtook her in initiative. The situation devolving quickly as she could see the eyes of the other soloists in the room staring at the spectacle happening, whispering to each other. With a sweat drop seemingly falling down the side of her head as she raised out her hand ineffectively towards the situation, standing in the background as everything happened.

"I think this would be a wonderful idea, right Ettamri? We would have the perfect party to track and wrestle down the bear. I also believe we could head south to also stop the... Slime and Goblin... right?" She said looking towards Matteo and Muu while prompting Ash to get up from the ground. It would be a long camping trip but if everything went well, they should be able to break even and satisfying what both parties wanted... or at least that what she assumed. The current people she saw in front of her was something flexible enough to take on the bounties, but she did worry about the bear and the little saplings.

Preferring if they took on the slime and goblin before the bear to see everyone working together before they handled something like the bear. With an easy target for the first to see them in action and the second one to test how far they were capable of going. The bear would be their final target if everything went without a hitch, but of course, there were many options they could all take.

But as the self-decided mediator, she decided to pitch an idea as equal it could be for both sides, ensuring both safety and personal gain. The amount of supplies they would need to travel though was something she did wonder about, mentally thinking about the distance between here and where the location of the bounty targets were.
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