"Just guard my back, no fancy tricks." Fish had said.
Gill started firing arrows while Asim prepared a spell. Astree and Lopulp rushed forward this time. A stab of fear hit Cutlery. Why weren't they defending? The two pairs collided. Cutlery was used to fighting huge people like Tall. At least Tall wasn't coated in metal. The shields moved with her and blocked every attack. The long sword swinging at her made it feel impossible to win. Fish and his hooks launched him off the longsword. He landed on an upturned shield that was ready for the move.
Cutlery caught a glance to the back and saw nothing. She looked hard and didn't see anyone. No Holly or mysterious cloaked figure. She wiped her head around and saw the mysterious stranger's ass flying over her. They had taken off their robe.
Their body was bound in tight wraps. Their legs were a golden hue. Cutlery sidestepped a longsword strike and turned back to fight her foe. This time when the shield moved to the side she threw a small knife from her chest into Lopulp's raised arm. He grunted and the swing slowed. She stabbed into his arm again with her rapier as he stumbled back. Fish hooked onto Astree's shield and forced it sideways. He used the leverage to launch at Lopulp. Together he and Cutlery got three more hits on him. Blood hit the sand at Lopulp's feet. Astree moved in to assist.
Cutlery used their backing up to look back at Gill. Asim was laying on the ground in a prayer position, and Gill was using his bow as a shield against the mysterious stranger. The stranger's fists and feet blurred. They barely touched the ground as they spun, kicked, headbutted, and jabbed at Gill.
"FIND THE BARD!" Fish yelled at Cutlery. Cutlery backed away as Fish swung. She looked about and couldn't find Holly anywhere. Then She remembered how the shield wall had moved forward right away. They had brought their shields up immediately. At the start of the match no one would attack them, so why?
She rushed back to Fish.
"FUCK YOU TWAT LISTEN!" Fish said as she rushed by. She jumped and then kicked forward like an arrow. A blade passed under her and she launched between the two men. As she landed she saw Holly. She was strapped to Lopulps back, playing her damn cords. Holly smirked as Lopulp turned. Astree stepped behind him to block Fish from hitting Holly.
Holly's smirk turned to fear as Cutlery threw a wave of spiked balls at Lopulps feet. He stepped onto five of them as they landed. He yelped and jerked his leg up. He took a step back. Holly was smashed into Astree. Cutlery heard Holly groan. The two heavy armor giants sandwiched her. Lopulp tried to lean forward. Sharp metal pierced his foot once more.
Fish let out a whoop and rushed back to Gill while he could. The stranger was still battling Gill. Gill had gotten a shortsword out. Fish flanked the puncher. Holly let out another yelp and a dissident chord echoed in the arena. Asim got up as soon as she heard it. Holly had plugged her with a spell! That explained a lot.
Cutlery kept Lopulp busy with defending. The spiked balls, and not crushing Holly seemed enough for his full attention. Astree hesitated. Cutlery knocked Lopulp over with a stab at his face. Holly was crushed against the sand with a quiet thud. The rest of the fight was cake. The martial artist dodged well but three attackers were too much. Asim summoned a golden shield and smashed it like a moving wall into the man. He flipped off his feat and Gill stabbed him through the leg.
Astree gave up. A good way to avoid four people beating him till he couldn't talk. A cheer went up from the crowd. Cutlery smiled.
Haze did not smile. Healers leaped into the pit. Asim patted Cutlery on the back. They both threw a leg over the barrier and joined the crowd. Haze leaned to the other golden soldier with him and they spoke for some time. Haze seemed annoyed, arguing with the man. After a final note from the other man's dismissive gesture, Haze sighed.
"Alright, everyone! You know the drill. Out to dinner. I'm briefing the winners in a minute and I want this place empty." Haze yelled. The crowd was already exiting. Those laying in the sand pit were sitting up as their wounds bubbled close. Thin scars were left where the deepest wounds had been.
Cutlery waited on the barrier, kicking her legs. A minute of silence followed as everyone left. The doors closed.
"Well. Two of you know the drill, and the other two don't. I'll start from the top. Hopefully, that's enough to make this mission go right." Haze said with exasperation. He glared at Cutlery for a good second.
"You will be equipped with real weapons and tools to complete this. So, now it will only be your fault if you fail." Haze told them. He paused and reached into a side satchel and pulled out a scroll. With a flick, he began reading the unfurling paper.
"Another of the grey crystal has been found." He read aloud. He paused and glanced at them. "One of the crystals used in the ritual to make the citizens of Zurkonia forget The Eternal One." He explained and looked back down at the scroll.
"Your job is to retrieve this crystal. If necessary, destroy it rather than lose it. This one appears as a small silver dragon on a pedestal about the size..." Haze said and then was cut off.
"What is a pedestal?" Cutlery asked. Haze looked at her. The other golden figure broke their silence with a laugh. They were portly and kind-looking. Sharp masculine angles hid under their blubber.
"It is a small furniture item meant for display. Though this one is very, very small. Something you would put a bust, or piece of art on." Haze said slowly. Cutlery didn't get it. Haze cleared his throat.
"About the size of a dagger. It is heavy for its size, hard to break, and immune to the magical effects of your levels. You will be dispatched in secret from a fishing vessel in the harbor. Get work on the trade ship and steal the artifact. Slip away with it, or knowledge of its complete destruction. Its destruction count as snapping the object in half or instigating it. It will be guarded by Eternal cultists and their elemental creations." Haze droned on and finally rolled up the scroll. Cutlery didn't know what several of those words meant but it translate roughly to steal or fuck shit up, probably.
"We will now teach you some sailing and fishing. Come with us." Haze said, and turned. Cutlery hopped off the barrier. This sounded fun, not just a fight, but a real quest, with sneaky and bad guys, awesome.
-
In ten minutes they had dropped the training gear and put on combat essentials. Fish and Gill helped Cutlery pick out what to use. Knives were adjusted to new angles to prevent them from stabbing her. She walked and worked on her setup. By the time she felt confident she knew what was on her and it was comfortable, they were stepping off the lift into the huge first floor of the tower.
Traffick bustled about the large arched hallway. Wagons unloaded food next to dignitaries and battalions. Cutlery was pulled along to a simple brown wagon. A meal was waiting for them inside. Everyone crammed in and waited by their plates. Haze and his pal closed the door on them. Cutlery watched through the small window. They put on long green musty cloaks and pulled the hood over their heads. The wagon rocked as they jumped up front. They lurched forward. The others started to chow down.
"Was that really it? We're doing it now?" Cutlery asked. They nodded.
"Vey onvfy get uf af duh laust second cough cause they come as soon as they need us for a mission," Fish said through his food and then swallowed mid-sentence.
Asim gazed out the window while bringing food to her mouth. Cutlery joined her activity. The Haze and his friend murmured at the front of the wagon.
Pulling aside the curtain, they were heading down the long spiral path that lead up to the tower. Mansions lined the road.
The distant harbor was directly ahead of them. It was all so familiar. The lower they got, the more it looked like home. Less shine, more grime! She plowed through the rest of her meal and looked at the others. They were all also staring out of the wagon. Cutlery wondered if they had all been born here. Kids like Cutlery, and those in foreign environments would be easy prey for kidnapping.
These thoughts rolled away as they came off the hill. She saw the alleys, street rats, pickpockets, and common guards. She was glad these memories hadn't shrunk and popped when her body had grown and exploded. Her life hadn't been just a dream. It was possible to come back out here. Motivation to escape skyrocketed once more.
Would anyone in her current group help her? What if higher slivers came after her? Shouldn't she try to get a few more slivers herself? Anxieties clouded her visit home. Thoughts danced about themselves. The sea breeze blew into the wagon. Fish had cracked open his window and was sniffing at the sea air. He said something about the good old days.
Ahead she saw every size of the vessel. Rope, canvas, and the smell of rot pervaded all things. The wagon came to a halt a minute later.
"Everyone out! Stay near or I'll have you tied and flogged!" Haze said cheerily. Cutlery sighed, just like home. A real quest just a few blocks away from home.
