Franklin Fawkes. You thought with a frown before continuing.
That man is going to be a problem.
It only has been merely an hour after your coincidental meeting with the dark haired Bishop at the Pop Veggie attraction and now the time is closely approaching one of sunset. After finishing your business with Miss Fortez, your group has then decided to head over to the main plaza to see to the climax of this year Akhti's festival. You mulling over the potential complications that the Priest could cause to yourself all the while.
It is clear to you how dearly Father Franklin did held Lily to his heart. So, obviously it is only going to be matter of time until the man would have eventually realized the long term departure of his precious acolyte, and then he surely would began an investigation for any signs as to her whereabouts.
A futile effort considering you had already killed the young Priestess in the night before today.
The problem is, despite the weakened status of the Church in Phione, the Bishop apparantly still had some kind of repute over the people of Mavis judging by his interaction with Zarya and Miss Fortez. Maybe it's not a strong one, but the old man definitely has the connections that he needed to get the word out about Lily's disappearance.
You had already erased any traces of the girl's death in the Church and your cellar is warded to prevent anything on the inside it from getting out to be detected. So the only methods left to find the girl's corpse then, as far as you know, will be by using a strong enough divination technique or though checking the Tower's record and finding out how you had been using magic where the girl had been last sighted.
The former, you can't do anything about, but reliable diviners were rare so it should be okay. Meanwhile for the latter, you can just simply erase any incriminating records of you from one of the Tower's many control room. It's about time you began to truly seep in your influence to the place anyway.
Hopefully Franklin would give up as the time passes, but you wouldn't bet on it. Any of these though? They are for you to worry about in the future because at this moment-
-I have something far more immediate to pay my attention to. You further though to yourself while observing the four new people who is currently talking pleasantly with Zarya.
"So I hope my newest Assistant hadn't caused you to have any new graying hairs, Sister Lynn?"
The first, you had already met. He is the Master of Mavis's Mage Tower, and the only person with an Expert Class strength within this city that you know of, Wilhelm Keyne. The man looks as free spirited as ever this evening. Giving away a lop sided smile to everyone he is talking to with his slouching, yet still imposing, form.
"Shush you! I am still in my twenties, so I wouldn't have those yet." Jokingly said Zarya. Seemingly not insulted by the insinuation, though twenties huh? Interesting.
With her youthful slender figure and how energetic the Head Priestess was during the day, you would have thought of her to be still in her teens.
Though maybe I weren't too far off....
Before you could thought anything further however, Zarya then continued her words to the city resident Expert Class. "As for Miss Vecna, then you don't need to worry about her Sir Wilhelm. She has been a treat."
"I can give you the full report of Miss Vera's conduct at the later debriefing, Tower Master." Stoically said Alberad while giving you a stern look from the corner of his eyes. Almost making you sweat nervously while causing Wilhelm to let out a single loud laugh.
"I will definitely wait for that!"
"Come on Master, Vice Master." Lazily said someone with a rich, throatly voice. Prompting you to shift your attention to him. "We don't need to be too harsh on the newbie don't we?"
He is the second new person who had been talking with Zarya. His name is Isaac de Meurdac, Alan's father. You don't know much about him beside him also being an Observator, but he seemed to have a lot of respect from the people around you even after disregarding the fact of how he is a noble. Though you can't help but compare him to a drunkard. He looked like a nicely dressed one.
"NONSENSE!"
Bellowed someone with a bold gravelly voice. Snapping your gaze towards where it had originated from. "You always have to discipline the green horns, Brother Isaac! How can they have learned from us otherwise?"
This old man is the third new person who had caught your eye. He had brought along around half a dozen other armored people with him, but there's simply no possible way for you to not focus most of your attention on him. He is Ricardo Bevis, and he served as the Head Captain of Mavis City Guards. Your impression? He is loud, boisterous, and annoying. You want him to drop dead right this instant.
Isaac sadly doesn't share your irritation. Simply shaking his head lightly at Ricardo with a soft mirtful smile. "Whatever it is you said old man."
You want to grit your teeth. What is this? A mock Vecna Vera discussion? The others wasn't much better, even Zarya is giggling at you right now!
"While this has been fun." Coolly said someone with a smooth husky voice. Making you blink at the source as they had somehow makes your heart skipped for a beat. "I think we had diverged from our innitial topic."
This blue haired young man is the last person who had attracted your eye. Unlike the other two, you had actually heard of him before. He is Linnaeus Neeladri, the acting Mayor of Mavis City and is the person who had the highest authority around here unless there is an emergency. He is the one who had put the restriction on the festival due to his concerns for the people and had almost been visited for it by an irate Mary.
"I guess we indeed have, Sir Neeladri." Agreed Ricardo with a firm nod before continuing with a much more serious tone. "By now, my men should have already been spreaded out across the entire city. They are on the gates, on the walls, on the roads, on the roofs, and even on top of each other. No stinking criminals could escape their gazes if they dared to take even a single piss on where they don't belong. On that, I can guarantee you, Sir."
Funny, you thought you can hear Herman's laughter from somewhere over the distance.
Linnaeus, not knowing of your internal doubt, then gave a nod of approval to the Guard Captain. Praising him for his efforts, before addressing Wilhem for the next matter on the list. "Good job Ricard, I know I can always put my trust in you. How about you Wil? Any progress on the Boil?"
"If you asked me about the supplier, then good news. The guy may be cautious, but he's an amateur at covering his tracks. There's a common mana residue potentionally belonging to the supplier that we have found on all of the drugs we had confiscated. Through them, we were able to trace down many of the gathering hubs these guys has been using. Letting us be able to massively narrow down his likely hiding hole. We should be able to nab the guy before the year's ended." Confidently answered Wilhelm before grimacing at what he is going to say next. "But. If you asked me about whether have we cracked the Boil High drug itself then unfortunately, it would be a big no. We have made some major headways on creating a method to cure those who had been turned feral by it, but as for figuring out what exactly the strange green liquid actually is then we haven't even be able to tell it's heads or tails yet."
The Mayor doesn't look very happy upon hearing that. "Any possible reason as to why?"
"Nothing concrete." Helplessly shrugged the Tower Master before explaining himself further. "From what we have learned from Boil High's biological and magical composition, it's creator shouldn't have been somebody who is above Adept level. Yet, there's something inside it that is stymieing both me and my entire research team. We suspect it to be the drug's main ingredient and is the reason why it can stimulate the Beastkin's cell to react in such an aggressive and bizarre manner."
"How can it be so strange?" Asked Zarya in confusion to which Wilhelm then spend no time in clarifying with a grim tone.
"We think that it is one of those esoteric materials that is usually either one of the kind or has some very specific creation critteria. We also expected it to be one of the Legacy Class."
Everyone, and even you, then let out a surprised gasp at that revelation. If Wilhelm's earlier assestment is true, that being the creator is only at most an Adept, then that means you have somebody in the city who is crazy enough to mess around with something that is two grade's higher than their actual competence. Which is dangerous for everybody involved.
Everything in Altaria has power inside them. Whether they are weak, strong, new, or old is the only question. Power is the one true deciding factor to determine where did you stand in the world's hierarchy and everyone has, no,
must respect that.
Those who didn't....those who was tempted by the power beyond their control must exercise great care in what they are doing with it or else they will suffer consequences that is equal in scale to what they had wronged.
A single misstep in an experiment and suddenly an entire landscape could be gone.
"By the Six we are dealing with a madman." Worriedly muttered the Mayor upon understanding the full situation.
CLAP!!
"So!" Suddenly said Zarya with a loud handclap. Then, after she had gained everyone's attention, she continued. "Let's discuss about something that is more light hearted than being suddenly blown up to Cormac's waiting room, shall we? How about the visiting Dwarfs? Wasn't it Sir Linnaeus and Sir Isaac who had been welcoming them? How are they like?"
Isaac, after giving the Head Priestess a few surprised blinks, then let's out a throaty chuckle at the very blatant attempt of lightening the mood. Something that he likes judging by the joking nature in his answer.
"They're just a bunch of hard to impress drunkards."
"How so?" Further asked Zarya with a curious smile which the red head then gladly answered.
"They won't stop drinking the wines that I gave them despite constantly shouting how bad they were!"
"Just like you then, Brother?" Asked Richard.
"Exactly!"
And just like that, the tense atmosphere that was hanging around in the air earlier is gone. Disappearing as quickly as it come with the laughters of Mavis five possibly most influential people signing it's end. Something that you don't understand. At all.
You furrowed your brows in confusion and agitation while watching their behavior. Why are they joking around in a time like this? Didn't they had just discussed how grim the situation is right now? There's a high of the city exploding due to somebody being an absolute moron! All of you are in danger. You are in danger.
Your Sister is in danger. Can't they understand that!?
You want to talk. Demand. Ask. Hear. Learn some more about this idiot. You wanted to know just who is going to
die after endangering your
Sister like this and then thought they could get away with it. All so you could bash their skull with their own spine.
Diplomacy Check: Shou~ld you ask?
DC: 20
Roll: 41 + 7 = 48
Success
But that doesn't mean you could just walked up to them and ask them for it.
You are now an MTA. More importantly, one that is truly on duty with being a guard. Unlike the previous hours where you can just casually talk with Zarya, you are now expected by decorum to stay silent unless being spoken to and be as obscure as possible because people who is far more important than you are talking.
Looking around, beside Vice Master Alberad who you had almost forgotten, there's a lot of Assistants and Guards around you that has been staying mostly silent through the entire discussion. Even the rest of team 8 is here.
You, and Cobe has been mostly standing around behind Zarya while acting as props. Alberad meanwhile is also doing the same, but with Wilhelm instead.
Alan, Aaron, and Kiera is positioned a couple of meters away in order to block off the slowly increasing crowd within the main plaza that you are in.
Dawn, Elisen, and a woman who you didn't recognize is standing on the nearby rooftop serving as everyone's bird's eye view for the surrounding area.
To put it simply, you have a well established role in this place as an escort and a thoughtless question is not worth the repercussions that you would surely receive if you were to break it. Alberad has been disastified with you enough times already.
Though that doesn't mean I couldn't do anything. You thought while slowly examining the five people who you are supposed to be protecting.
With their level of status, there should be something quite interesting on their person that would definitely caught your eye. Not just some simple equipment too, those you can see as plain as day, but something that has a unique purpose added in it's making. Something that is different from the others.
All that you need to do to found one is to simply pay more attention.
Intrigue Check: Is there something interesting?
DC: 40/80
Roll: 59 + 14 = 73
Success
Would you look at that? You did found something.
Frustratingly, it was only a clue of one, you haven't found the item itself quite yet. Though it's likely use would be immensely useful if your deduction is correct.
Linnaeus Neeladri. This man may actually be more unlike the others than what you may have thought. His complexion is healthy and smooth, still carrying the vigor of youth, unnaturally so if you considered his apparant age which you have heard from Mary. The others are treating him quite differently from Zarya too for that matter.
There's a chance the mayor just look's younger in his golden years like the High Priestess is, but you are sure it is actually due to him possessing an item that slows down his aging.
The journey to become a Master is hard and treacherous, often needing decades for those who do have achieved it. Often times age itself is the greatest enemy with many passing away with their own weakened flesh being the one who had hindered them the most.
As a Necromancer, you always have the option of becoming a Lich to gain a psuedo-immortality. So you don't really need to worry about this problem as much as the rest of your peers. Though you do want to avoid becoming one however. From what your teacher had described, becoming a Lich sounded like an eternal torture. Becoming a walking talking skeleton in a nation with a very tight security like Phione also doesn't sound like a good idea.
Which is the reason why an item that could provide you with another option of not becoming a croaking limping grandma beside by becoming a Lich is so tantalizing to you.
I need to figure out what does it look like first. You plotted within your mind before swiftly switching track as Vice Master Alberad, who hadn't spoken a single word for a while, had suddenly began to make a move.
Random Event Roll: 88
Pass
The pale Elf seems to be hearing something from the communication crystal he is holding. You can't hear what it is currently being said due to how faint they are, but judging by the frown that is forming on the Vice Master's face, it's not something good.
Noralf Alberad then began to walk with purposeful steps towards his Tower Master, instantly cutting down the ongoing conversation between the five, and then began to softly whispers something to his ears. The Expert Class's expression going darker and darker the more that he heard from his right hand man.
"I see." Blandly said Wilhelm upon hearing everything that the Elf have to say. "That's certainly is a problem."
"What is, Brother Wilhelm?" Asked Ricardo.
"It is not something to be speak aloud in an open place like this, but I do need you to come with me and with my Vice Master over here for it Guard Captain."
The armored men expression then turned resolute after hearing how Wilhelm had called him in such a manner. After giving a firm nod, the three of them and several others then began to make their way to leaving the area, but before they could actually do so a certain blunette priestess then stopped them in their tracks.
"Wait all of you are leaving already?" Wondered Zarya before continuing. "The event is just about to start."
And it is. Your current location is elevated a couple of feet higher than the rest, being on one of the sides of the circle shaped plaza that has a downhill center, and from here you can easily see the almost finished preparation on the stage where a mixed group of people from both the Tower and the Apothecary are going to safely showcase to the celebrating crowd a rare sight of something that is related to their highly praised fire plant monster. Something that wasn't normally being done and something that people definitely shouldn't want to miss.
"Is it really that urgent?" Asked Linnaeus in concern in which Wilhelm can only gave him a wry smile.
"Very. Don't worry though. The three of us should be enough to handle them. I'll leave Isaac and the others here incase something happened."
Off then they go after Wilhelm had said that. Both of the blunette seemed to be still pretty concerned about what is actually going on, but Isaac just lazily told them to just watch the show and to don't be worrying themself about it too much. He trusted the three to take care of it pretty easily.
You wanted to follow them as it is pretty likely has something to do with Boil, but you haven't been called to assist them. So all that you could do is to suck up and then watch the rest of the event unfold itself. The monster itself is also finally ready, and to your surprise, you actually recognize the dangerous plant that is being brought up on top of a carriage. It's a fully grown up Fire Lily with the size of a small house that can often be found in the mountainous region of Karrion and rarely in the western side of Varon.
You began to truly watch the exhibition with an ever increasing curiousity as the show host then began to explain to the crowd what a Fire Lily actually is to the world at large. How they are a very special carnivorous plant that hunted their prey by sensing their surrounding heat, not the heat of the prey itself, and then attacks them using a combination of whipping roots and fire balls. A species that can almost be considered as Unique, a Monster Rank that is a step above High and only those with an Expert Class capability can only handle alone safely. Otherwise you would need either a team of Adepts or a full blown squadrons of Novices.
She also explained how this one is currently in it's breeding season.
Oh....
You watched, completely transfixed by wonder, as the Host then waved her staff in a certain pattern towards the Fire Lily. Making it swayed and kyuuued in response. The flames on it's crown and stems then began to dim, no, being directed to somewhere else. To the bud, to the red core at the center of the flower. All of the heat and fire seemed to have gathered there and it is pulsing as if it is somehow not being able to contain it for long.
The Fire Lily, with a red illumination of the setting sun as it's background, then released a beautiful cry along with it's glowing core into the sky. You can see how there are now waves of flickering flames that are dancing around it, but your attention was completely focused on the airborn core/seed? and thus you are able to see how it was then captured in the air by the stationed flying Mages who then began to guide it using magically directed winds back to the stage, where a large pot of steel was already being prepared in advance.
The glowing red seed then softly landed on the pot which is placed right before the host. Wasting no time, the woman then began to swiftly cover the seed with dirt that was already inside the pot before sprinkling it with some kind of glowing water from an ornate bottle that she carried. That done, she then backed up a couple of steps away from it before she and several others then started to shoot some fire spells towards the inside of the pot. Making a campfire on top of it to the utter shock of the gullible crowd.
Just when you began to wonder what they are going to do next, the campfire then abruptly burned itself out. For a moment everyone is breathless, thinking that something wrong had happened, but then the pot shakes.
Slowly, almost shyly. A new plant is growing out of the pot in an abnormal speed. First it was only a bud, then the stems, and before long you are seeing a second Fire Lily that is currently have reached man sized in height. Looking exactly like a miniature version of it's progenitor, which looks like it is exhausted beyond belief, right beside it.
The newborn then released a small kyuu. Looking, dare you say it, absolutely adorable as it shakes it's crown left and right in confusion at it's surrounding.
Judging by how loud the crowd had AWWWD at the young flower. This show can be considered as a complete success.
"So." Said Zarya who is somehow right beside you. After breaking you out of your trance, she then continued. "Did you have fun?"
For a moment all that you could do is to silently gape at the pleased looking blunette, but you found her smile to be infectious as you shortly gave her a smile of your own in return.
"I guess I am." You said, before noticing how there's now a can that had just randomly rolled into your feet.
You stared at it, but before you could do anythi-
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Intrigue Check: Anything suspicious?
DC: 70
Roll: 8 + 7 = 15
Failure
"
AHHHHHHH!" Screamed the crowd.
"-Uhuk!!-aHoK-! Uhuk-uhuek!!-" You erratically coughed along with everyone else while shambling around in places. Green smoke is everything that you can only see, but before long your visibility is returned along with being face blasted by a powerful gust of wind. The work of Wind Mages you thought, but by then it was already too late.
"Ahh?....ahHhG!?......GR
AAAHHHHHH!!!" Roared one of the civilian Beastkin that is near where you had wandered into, and before you could even
think just what is wrong with him, suddenly he lunged himself at you with his claws aiming at your throat!
Martial Check: DODGE!!!
DC: 40 + 10(Caught off guard) + 20(Disoriented)
Final DC: 70
Roll: 46 + 8 = 54
Failure
"Akhh!?" You screamed in surprise and pain while clutching at your now bleeding left arm. While you had managed to dodge his first strike, you aren't able to do the same on the one that followed.
You glared at Beastkin that had injured you. The bastard is now crawling on all fours while growling and snapping at you as if he had reverted back to become an animal that he is. Looking completely out of his mind.
You throw a Dark Blast at him.
He was blown into the wall where he then proceeds to not move again after struggling for a bit.
"Serves you right you damn animal." You swore under your breath before hearing a loud thud from behind you.
Quickly turning yourself around, you see it was actually a smug looking Aaron with a collapsed Beastkin on his feet. Seemed like you need to pay more attention to your surrounding. For now however....
"Thanks." You said to him before launching a Dark Blast at his direction. Making him dodge with wide eyes to the side and allowing your attack to hit a Beastkin that had just about to pounce on him from behind. "Now we're even."
"Ahahaha...can you just warn me?" Nervously laughed the Karrionian after seeing what you had been aiming for.
"No." You said emotionlessly while also quickly approaching him. Dark magic already humming ominously once again in your right palm. Ready to counter the next suicidal fool to come at you.
"Maybe you should tone down your attacks a bit."
"Why?"
"Because we aren't supposed to kill them?" Aaron said with confusion while putting his back againts yours. Making you want to swear at the restriction your job is placing on you.
"I will try." You noncommittally said to him instead while also beginning to assess your surrounding. He replied with just a hum of acknowledgement.
The plaza had been thrown into a complete chaos in a short time you had been incapacitated. Seemingly all Beastkin in the area had turned feral by that green smoke, which is obviously some sort of Boil High variation, and then they subsequently attacks everyone within their range which also includes other Beastkin. The Guards and the MTOs are trying to control the situation, but just like Aaron, they were hindered by their duty to not attack with an intention to kill towards the innocent people who they have sworn to protect. It will take time for them put an order to this madhouse.
For you however? All of them are unimportant. Why should you care about some random people? What you should think about right now is: How can you gain something out of this whole debacle?
There is opportunity to be gained here. Within this pit of senseless violance something important is happening. Someone had wanted this to happen for a reason, and you can exploit that for yourself if only you knew what it is they are aiming for.
The problem is, how can you find the golden goose in the middle of all this trash?
Stewardship Check: What is going on?
DC: 30/60/80
Roll: 56 + 14 = 70
Fortunately you have a pair of a pretty good discerning eye.
First of all is the rest of your team. It's easy enough to find them as they are all still on the same place that you were at before. Elisen, Alan, and a couple of other Assistants is currently fighting head on the onslought of Beastkins that are circling them. Trying to protect the ranged attackers which also includes Dawn, Kiera, that unknown Observator woman, and Cobe? He looks weakened, but how did he? Ah you received your answer by Alan flinging an unconcious Beastkin that he had beaten to the center of their formation straight to Zarya, who then wastes no time in engulfing the Beastkin in a dome of pure water. Extracting something green from them that
wriggled for a second or two before the blunette then purified it in an instant with a flash of bright blue light.
Regrouping and then fighting alongside them to prove your value is an option. You knew your integration with team 8 could have gotten better, and just like what your teacher had said. Fighting together for your lives is the fastest way to make someone put their trust in you.
That, however, sounded like a consolation prize to you. Thus you take only a second or two longer to look at them before moving your gaze elsewhere.
The next thing that took your attention is the stage in the middle of the plaza. The place hasn't been spared of the violance either. Even the Fire Lily, being greatly weakened after it has layed it's offspring, isn't strong enough to fend off the multitudes of claws that was leveled againts it as you can see it lay limply on the ground, looking like it had been mauled into submission.
The newly grown Fire Lily meanwhile is no where to be seen.
You snapped your tounge in annoyance at that. You could have used a small High Rank monster that is full of life in your experiments.
Though, there are other attention grabbing things that is on the plaza right now. You just haven't been able to process it quite yet, because your mind is too busy screaming:
Who in Inferno had let a Monster into the City!!?
True, right now it doesn't look very threatening as it had been burned quite badly by Isaac, but just how did someone be able to smuggle that thing here!? Is there a secret tunnel somewhere that you didn't know about!?
Before you could rage further inside the privacy of your own mind however, the Monster then proved itself to have a functioning survival instinct by retreating from the fight that it has with the Flaming Observator. Bulldozing everything that is on it's way to an alleyway where it can then escape.
Isaac seemed to think about giving it a chase for a second or two, but then he decided not to before beginning to subjugate the rampaging Beastkins around him.
"HEY!! Come back here, you bastard!!" Shouted someone with a familiar voice which prompted you to snap your gaze towards the source.
It is actually Char. The feline Beastkin who you had met once during your first mission. You can't really tell what he is feeling right now what with the scarf that he is using to cover the underside of his face, but you can hear how angry he is from the constant swearing that he used while he followed the Monster down into the alley.
You....think that's just about it. Now for what you are going to do.
(You have 5 Health and 1 Wound)
(You have a Body Strengthening Potion that will increase your Martial score by 5 for five battle turn or DC Check)
(You have a Soul Health Potion that will recover 1 Spiritual Wound in three battle turn)
(You have Aaron Marudeva. An Earth Wizard Sandmancer specializing in Curses at your side)
[ ] Go and bring Aaron with you to rejoin with the rest of team 8. Attacking every Beastkin that approaches with Dark Grasp. Once you met back with them then act strictly as support, giving covering fire for the rest of your teammates when they are in danger.
[ ] Chase Char and the Monster down into the alleyway. Leave Aaron behind and attack anyone who would hinder you with Dark Blast. Make sure to follow them from the distance to see where are they going.
[ ] Write-In
