@Calle @Zool@Crusader Lord @xenon

Joji Yamazaki

Joji didn’t really think the name of the group was that great, but it would have to do. Listening to the guild master answering the other’s questions, and explaining what kind of contracts they had. The large man stayed silent while everyone else was talking. He was taking in everything that was going on around him. It didn’t seem likely they would be able to get any information is doing the lowly contracts. Perhaps doing these “gold” contracts could lead to them finding out something about the cube. “What kind of jobs would we be getting if we do these gold contracts? Is there something better than the gold contracts?” Joji crossed his arms with a blank look on his face. He was more than prepared to take a much harder contract. “Perhaps me, Mackenzie, Zell, and Fenna could do the diamond or platinum contracts. And the rest of you could do the gold ones?” A suggestion that perhaps the others would take, but it sounded a little arrogant.

But perhaps he shouldn’t be complaining, since a gold contract could be a good way to get some money. He looked over toward Lilianna and walked over to her, “If you like I can stick with you, I don’t mind helping ya out.” He felt like he should protect the scared girl. He didn’t want to lose another group member.

While the gang were discussing important matters...

"Did I stutter?" The Englishman responded to the adventurer next to him. "Aurok the fucking Maneater."

"By the Quinity, you're pulling my leg."

The bartender, like the man next to Zell, was skeptical, but when Zell told them to go upstairs, right now, and ask Lucinda Bottrill what the Source Code said, they started to believe the claim. A few more ears caught the loud conversation at the bar. Mutterings began to spread the word around the room. Some repeated the claim. Some just said that a loudmouth was spouting nonsense at the bar. Either way, once the claim was proven, they would all remember this moment. Yup, Zell thought. When a Bronze Tier Party, fresh as a daisy, rolled into town with Platinum Trophy on their name.

Fuck it - it was a great story. Step one: Start spreading it now - Step two: people buy you beers in the future to tell the tale.

This was not Zell's first rodeo.

"What's this about Aurok?" asked an approaching gnome to the bartender, climbing up a stool to sit at the bar.

"This one and his lot have just walked in and registered... only after killing Aurok the Maneater."

"Horse shit, they have," was the response. "Aurok? Give it up. That monster's not going anywhere until a top-tier party come in and decide to sort him out."

Zell's face was about as smug as it could get. He took a swig of his beer. The bartender side-eyed the Englishman, then responded to the gnome. "I dunno, Jareth. I think he's telling the truth. Lucy!" he shouted up to the mezzanine. "That Aurok bounty?"

When she leaned into view and confirmed the kill, everyone gave Zell a second look. He gave them a bounce of his eyebrows as he took another satisfactory sip.

"By the forked beard of Hades."

"We are Second Chance," Zell told them, loudly enough for more than just them three to hear. "You're gonna be hearing that name a fair bit in the not-so distant future. So you remember it. Write it down. Tell your friends."

He nodded back at Mac in gratitude for her support during his rant and then looked back at the GM, for a moment he even dared to hope that this was it, that the answer they had been seeking would just appear and be handed to him by the admittedly pretty woman, hell, maybe she could even zip him back to his home and let him pretend that all of this was a dream.

He should have known better than to hope.

Goddammit, more hoops.

Yeah, that summed up pretty well how he was feeling.

His first instinct was to ask for a low contract first to test the waters and then go for the two silver contracts if the risk appeared manageable but reigned in his impulse to comment, better to know what the others thought first before saying something, that and he was feeling as impatient as they were. Or at least he assumed as much.

As each one spoke it became obvious what the answer was, they were willing to risk their lives as much as he was, and that filled him with a strange sense of apprehension. Damn he could really use a be-

I'll leave you guys to make a more thought-out decision. I need a beer.

He fought to keep his grimace stiff and not let out a bark of laughter, he swore, sometimes it was like that guy and he shared the same last two brain cells on their heads.

He listened as Adam asked where exactly should they throw the Cube of Doom™ while a certain sense of envy filled his heart, damn he wished he could do a Zell and leave but he didn't need to have PR training to know that as the newly elected leader that would look really bad. As the letter was signed he took a step towards it before he saw MacKenzie's movement and intentions, yeah, looking at Adam it was evident the guy still was dealing with some shit, getting him some responsibility could help him get some confidence that he was still wanted on the party.

But why not make it more evident.

"Hey Adam, could you grab the letter? You defeated the big skeleton so it makes sense you talk with the lady, plus, I know it will be safe with you" That should reassure him somewhat, the thought of exiling him from the party was laughable, even if they didn't like him (which they clearly did) the guy was too damn useful to get rid of.

Finally, once he was sure they all gave their suggestion (and ignored Joji's comment about splitting the party to deal with it because what the fuck man) he approached the Guild Master.

"Well, it appears that the consensus is to take the Gold Contract so we would like to choose that one please." He let out a sigh, it was more dangerous than he would have liked but he would trust them "Also, if it's not a bother could you tell us where the nearest inn is? and the nearest church, I figured I am a Cleric with the whole Blessings thing but I would like to learn a little more"

Having heard the answers he thanked the elfin woman and looked towards the group again.

"Well guys, I don't know you but I agree with Mac, we should really rest and continue things tomorrow, if we are going to go for the most dangerous objective we should make sure we are as prepared as we can, things like potions if those are a thing here and maybe reserve weapons for the other magic users" He excluded himself from that, he still carried the knife he used to perform surgery on Lilliana (All cleaned now of course) and the anchor on his back "And of course, better to bother the folks at the Academy after they have a chance to sleep. Rest today, work tomorrow. I will keep the idiot in check to make sure he doesn't get carried away."

That was a fucking lie, he was planning to get totally wasted and it would be glorious.

"See you at the inn"

"Lucy! That Aurok bounty?"

As he was going down the stairs he heard someone shout for the GM about their bounty and her response, then looking around he saw the small group that had formed around Zell. Shrugging he stepped past them and sit on the unoccupied stool next to him, whatever legend-making Zell was doing was not his business, if he was asked to chime in he would but why ruin the work somebody put on something they were clearly skilled on.

He could have a little fun however.

"You forgot to mention the Ogres, the Undead, the Alpha Direwolves, and the Motherfucker" He looked back at the bartender "Something with a strong kick and something to eat please"

Lucy was perfectly patient, nodding and listening as Lillianna went on to redescribe this man from the Mazy Hillocks, virtually the same way but in more words. The poor woman was clearly desperate for any information she could get, and Lucy was annoyed she couldn't be of more use to her, but such a description was tough to pinpoint. The additional particulars about his hair and armour were of no help - in fact, it made things worse, because the armour sounded commonplace, which indicated a probably-weak adventurer, and there were loads of them about. But the gifted sister who was trained by the local church at least gave the guildmaster an out.

"Perhaps you could check in with the Church of Iris on the whereabouts of other churches in villages nearby?" it didn't sound very promising. There were a lot of dieties when you included the smaller gods and goddesses beyond The Quinity - with a lot of churches and temples to worship them. But if the village this man was from was in the immediate region, then the Church of Iris would be aware of it's church. "If you locate the sister, I'm sure she could help you."



She waited for the party to make a decision, cracking a smile at Joji who was talking about Platinum and Diamond contracts. Easy tiger, she thought. Well, they've got front-liners typical of a good party. That much is clear.

"Gold it is," she said to James, then had a look at the second screen, swishing her finger around to navigate the system. "There's only one gold contract available, at the moment. The war has complicated many guild matters. Due to losing too many adventurers, we've postponed any contracts in the far east. But..." she continued as she read. "...if time is of the essence, then you'll be happy to know that your contract will is close by, and won't take more than a week, if you aim to complete it with haste. Of course, dependant on your success."

What the party might describe in their own world as 'a holgraphic screen' appeared behind her. Two pictures were displayed. One was a wide-shot of a stone temple on a hill. The other was a generic image of a Greater Wraith. She turned to them and placed her hands wide on the counter.

"The nearby Temple of Hades has, not for the first time, been taken over by a particularly nasty Wraith. Many of the spirits who make their home there, aswell as slew of it's living worshippers, have been corrupted and are probably preparing for world domination - or whatever evil cults do." The way she said this made clear how cold she was to the concept of death. Decades of service to the guild had made death, destruction, bloodshed and conflict so familiar to her that she could maintain her cheerful tone and disposition even when explaining what was undoubtedly a tragedy unleashed on innocent people. "Your job will be to fight your way in, find the big bad bossy spirit - no doubt, in the main ritual chamber - and send it to hell. That should return everything to normal. Whether it does or doesn't; not your problem. The contract is for the 'head of the snake.'

Kill the Greater Wraith that's taken control of the Temple of Hades."

She double-checked that they did indeed accept the contract, then she assigned it to their party on the system. Then went on.

"Due to the current moon-cycle, the temple is sealed right now. But it will be opening up when the moon becomes full - which is four nights away. The temple itself is less than a day's travel away. Do you have a map?" When Adam gave her the party's map, she checked her screen, then marked their map with the location, just west of Valhiem. "If you set off at lunchtime, you will arrive with plenty of time for nightfall. Leave in four days, complete your task smoothly, you'll be back in Valhiem before you know it."



"Might I suggest The Mended Drum. They've usually got a band playing, the beds are clean and the brandy is top-notch. Here..." she retrieved a half-dozen maps of Valhiem, annotated with many places adventurers might like to know about, then put them on the counter in front of her. "They should get you around the city to where you need to go. The Church of Iris and The Temple of the Quinity is on there too. I think the people there might have quite a bit to say to you, James," she added, giving him a knowing look.



"Lucy! That Aurok bounty?"

Lucy walked over and leaned on the mezzanine rail. When she saw the scene at the bar, she immediately knew what was going on. "Yeah, the gobby swordsman ain't lying," she shouted back, her tone much less service and much more familiar as she spoke to her long-time friend. "Aurok is gone for good."

She chuckled as she went back to the counter. She had a feeling that Second Chance might cause a few ripples, but she hadn't expected it start so soon. After meeting Zell Brooks though, the guildmaster should've known better.

Given what had just happened to the team, Adam was surprised Zell wanted the gold contract. "Party idiot" indeed, perhaps. He also wasn't thrilled Lucy had no ideas on where the cube could go, but he still appreciated the letter. Second Chance could at least send the cube to the Academy now. And speaking of the party idiot, they should probably examine his new sword as well. Who knows what it could do; it could enable the ninja to spy on them, or more optimistically it could have some special ability they didn't know about. Probably the former, but you never know with stuff like this, especially in this new world.

"Thank you Lucy, we'll be sure to follow that advice," the Druid sincerely responded. As he spoke, he noticed MacKensie smiling at him; the man had no idea what he could have said that prompted this, but he felt warm and happier seeing the way she directed her attention his way at that moment. That did not last though; the Ranger also wanting the gold contract left him feeling less warm. Yes, he admired her bravery, but this felt more reckless than that. No, he didn't want everyone to die. However, what right did he have to speak up? He was lost in his head, thinking those kind of thoughts, when a tug on his sleeve pulled him back to their current situation.

"Adam! You've just as much right as anyone else here to help decide. Besides, if anyone decides to do anything rash we-"

For a split second, Adam was surprised Lillianna was talking to him directly like this, but he snapped out of it remembering that he still owed her for what happened in the Hillocks. "It's fine," the man replied with forced cheer. Continuing to speak, this time more seriously and genuinely, he added "we should talk later though. It's important." The Druid vowed to himself that he would be true to his word and would do whatever it took to make things right. This feeling was reinforced by the woman's perspective on the contracts. It was nice knowing someone else wanted to be cautious as well, though he had to wonder just how connected she was to the spirit she spoke to earlier.

Fenna's desire for a gold contract was less nice. At least she didn't want to take on diamond and platinum contracts while splitting the team though! Whether or not he was on the team, Adam felt that was simply suicidal, though he didn't think anyone else would want to do that. Even Zell. James spoke next, and thankfully it wasn't to say he agreed with that idea.

"Hey Adam, could you grab the letter? You defeated the big skeleton so it makes sense you talk with the lady, plus, I know it will be safe with you"

The team leader's request surprised the Druid though. He did not agree with the idea of someone like him guarding such an important document, but it was a sincere request and he owed him for the spells at Hommas and the Hillocks, so the red-eyed man nodded in the Cleric's direction and placed the letter in his jacket for safe keeping. More surprising, given he saw James heal Lillianna's extensive damage, was that he decided to proceed with the gold contract. Did he not realize that they could be in a similar situation again? And they wouldn't be delivering the cube tonight? That just felt wrong. People's lives could be on the line! It wasn't worth sacrificing that for a little sleep. Still, what right did he have to talk about people's lives? His actions caused Arthur and Clive to die, after all. It would be hypocritical. And so with visible sadness and a little anger, the red-eyed man didn't say a word.

Instead, he simply listened to Lucy explain their contract. It was a little surprising to hear her talk of things like death with the tone she used; then again, things like this were probably common in Mytheria. There was an evil Witch Queen, after all. Even so, Adam told himself he wouldn't become desensitized to death. He then thanked Lucy for all of the information she provided and grabbed the maps, examining them so he would be sure he didn't miss any useful information. Whatever happened next, the Druid would do his best to be prepared for it.

Seeing the Zell already engraciating himself with the locals was no surprise. The man seemed the type you could put anywhere in any world and he'd have no problem becoming the life of the party. Sure, there'd be quite a few folks he'd undoubtedly rub the wrong way, but the swordsman had a big personality and natural charisma that he seemed able to switch on whenever he chose, and there were always people who'd be drawn to that. MacKensie felt she had a foot in both camps.

"James," she started, after he'd ordered his food. When the healer had mentioned leaving the Academy until tomorrow, MacKensie had shared a look of concern with Fenna, who was holding the cube. It didn't take a psychic to know that the other Ranger was not thrilled about this decision. Nor was MacKensie. And she knew for a fact that Adam would feel the same, even if he was being extremely quiet on the discussions between the group. "Perhaps it would be best if we just deliver the cube. Each hour we delay could have dire consequences for the people of this country. The Academy is only up the hill and we will all sleep much better tonight if we are rid of it." She had posed her thoughts as a suggestion, but having said them out loud, only convinced herself further. "We can wait for you to finish your meal, or we can go ahead?"

If James told them he would go with them after eating, then MacKensie would quickly and eagerly order something for herself, and it would take all her table-manners and grace to stop herself just devouring the food instantly like a starving monster.

Whether James chose to come or not...

The walk up Citadel Mountain was not easy on the legs, after such a long day. Maybe too it was knowing that this would be the last stretch before their first task in this world was complete. MacKensie had looked at her new city map a little as they climbed, but her attention was soon take by the beautiful views that the altitude presented to them. Valhiem was a true marvel on the eyes.

Reflecting on earlier, MacKensie was glad that Fenna had agreed with her about taking the gold contract. She didn't want to be left alone with just the macho swordsman on the side of the taking riskier path. But also, she needed reassurance that her strong-headedness wasn't getting in the way of her decision-making. Lillianna had made her doubt herself. The wizard was very intelligent - it was obvious from just hearing her speak - much smarter than MacKensie. Lucy had only confirmed this theory. So when Fenna, who had been nothing but level-headed from the beginning, sided with herself and the men, she was a little more confident she wasn't being too hasty. She thought about what her father would've done - a man who'd spent his life assessing risk and reward - made his fortune on both thoroughly thought out decisions and snap judgements. Would he see it her way? The more she thought it about...

Yes, her inner voice spoke as her father. There is danger in both the silver and gold. The safety in the easier option is just an illusion - a hole in the sand for an ostrich, the cocoon for a butterfly. Danger is your destiny, no matter what. So you face your destiny head on (Qui n’avance pas, recule) and you get it over with. Get your information quickly and make your next move a little less blind, a little less deaf. Or you can dally and loiter, take your time, take it easy. For what? Weaker enemies but more time spent wandering around in the dark. More time to be flanked by the Witch Queen, by the water ninja, by this war in general. More time to make a mistake out of ignorance, fatigue or misfortune that may cost you dearly.

Which option is truly the more dangerous?

By the time they reached the summit of Citadel Mountain, MacKensie was glad they'd chosen the gold contract. Only time would tell if it was the right choice. Looking around at the collosal buildings and statues, the beautifully paved and clean streets, the well dressed people walking around - MacKensie used her map to figure out the direction to the entrance of the campus grounds. When they saw it, she looked at Adam and Fenna and smiled with relief, then looked back to their destination.

Tom Minshul approached Joji at the guild. The huge adventurer might be the perfect man to help his cause. Someone new to adventuring who wasn't yet caught up in the grind - wasn't yet above the plights of normal poor folk whose problems weren't enough to get the Adventurer's Guild attention. Sure, Valhiem's peasants weren't threatened by monsters, but criminal overlords could be just as threatening, just as monstrous. Something deep in his gut told Tom that Joji was the one who could help his borough, because the city guard were just useless now that The Witch Queen's war was threatening the city.

"You, sir," Tom said, tapping Joji on the back. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but please, I need your help. Many innocent people need your help." He looked around fearfully, knowing he'd be kicked out of the guildhouse as soon as anyone noticed that he didn't have a Source crystal, or any official business here. "Please, I'm so sorry, but hear me out. Just hear me out, that's all I ask."

The tall swordsman must've felt sorry for him, or maybe the Quinity was smiling upon Tom, because for whatever reason, Joji agreed.

"Come. Come," Tom beckoned as other adventurers began to notice the peasant's lack of weapon or appropriate attire. "Let's talk."

Joji let his friends know that he would be back soon, then left with Tom. In the future, this day would be marked as the beginning of the end for Valhiem's mafia and the crime lord known as Fingers.

Fenna listened to the explanation of the gold contract. It sounded doable, especially if they could take a moment to rest and maybe practise a little bit. Fighting with a spear had been a new experience and she had done so almost instinctively, but practising would definitely improve her skill. She hadn't even used the longbow that had been in her... stone box yet. She refused to call it what it looked like most – a coffin implied she died and she had no recollection of that. As far as she knew, she was just transported here, somehow.

When James suggested waiting until the next day to go to the Academy, she felt the weight of the cube pressing down on her. Would she have to keep it with her all night, hoping the water ninja wouldn’t try and take it from her? Lilliana had almost died carrying the cube around. She shared a look of concern with MacKensie and it was a relief to see her fellow ranger wasn’t thrilled about it either.

She went down with Mackensie to hear what James had to say, nodding at Joji after he said he would be back soon, and once everyone was on the same page, she headed out to the academy.

The walk up the Citadel Mountain was hard – it had been a long day and she felt her body protest against even more physical activity, but if she wanted to have any rest that night she needed to get rid of the cube. Let the people of the Academy examine it, guard it, eat it for all she cared. She couldn’t help herself glance around for any signs of the ninja while walking towards the Academy.

The impressive building made Fenna pause and take in the details. The grand arch that served as entrance had many coloured lanterns, fuelled by… magic, if she had to guess. It looked more like electrical lights as they had back home instead of a flame, and seeing there was no electricity here, they had to be fueled by magic somehow.

She stepped onto a hexagon-shaped courtyard surrounded by buildings that reminded her of Gothic or Baroque architecture; a large fountain in the middle drew her attention - the white basin was decorated with what looked to be sea creatures. The statue of a woman who undoubtedly had meant something to this country - or this academy at the very least - was even more impressive with her eyes on the entrance as if she watched over this place. The people meandering or hasting across the courtyard gave them barely any attention. A small group was philosophizing about life, someone was reading on a bench, a young woman ran across with her arms full of books, and two swordfighters were examining a sword one of them had purchased.

“Excuse me,” she said to a man wearing robes – he seemed like the kind of person to work here. “We are looking for someone called Clarissa Shields, we were sent by Lucinda Bottrill from the Adventures Guild. We have a letter.” She gestured to Adam, who had taken the letter as per James’s suggestion, or instruction. “Could you please tell us where we can find her?”

The man was kind enough to send them to the main building at the top of the courtyard, and she looked at her companions before thanking the man and heading in that direction. Once inside the main building, she noticed a group of four talking to each other, they seemed busy with something, but maybe they could help them further.

“Excuse me,” Fenna said once again. “We are looking for someone called Clarissa Shields, we were sent by Lucinda Bottrill from the Adventures Guild. We have a letter for her and a mysterious cube that needs to be investigated, of which we can only explain how it got into our possession.”

"We fought that thing with everything we had," Zell told. "Left everything on the battlefield. We lost two friends - Clive; brave fucker that he was, weapon was broken and he kept on fighting. Gave his life to keep us going. And Arthur, wielding a massive iron anchor, sacrificed himself to save us all, delivering the final blow on that giant monster."

Noticing that he had the attention of the nearby tables aswell as those at the bar, Zell had become more loud and performative, making sure that; in the memories of anyone listening, Clive and Arthur would be the main names associated with Second Chance. And Zell would make sure to do this for as long as he told this story.

"Aurok was far and away the ugliest bastard I've ever seen with my own two eyes..."

"You forgot to mention the Ogres, the Undead, the Alpha Direwolves, and the Motherfucker"

"I'm getting there," Zell shot back seamlessly, in spite of not seeing James coming. He was in the zone with a beer in his hand and a captive audience.

"Something with a strong kick and something to eat please"

Aaaand now he was bored. His performance, worthy of West End's stage, was promptly cut off and he turned to face his friend and the bartender. "I'll get that bill, barman," he added. "You know a beer is only four silver. With that reward, we've got like ten thousand rounds in the chamber. Well and truly set, my mate."

When Joji left, Zell was suspicious, and made sure the sure big guy didn't need any company before nodding to his friend and saying goodbye. Joji handed him a map of the city, told his fellow swordsman to book his room for him at The Mended Drum, then left with the stranger. MacKensie let them know that they were delivering the cube. Knowing that they were safe in the city, and that the Academy was only up the hill, Zell decided to skip the trip. He figured he wouldn't be needed.

"I'll leave you guys to it. My traffic accident got me out of having to finish my undergrad. Not too keen on having to see another university. Even if it is Hogwarts," Zell said with a grin. He raised his tankard to signal a toast to the man and gnome on his one side, then knocked his mug against James' drink and raised it again. "To Clive and Arthur! May they rest in peace, wrapped in honour." The strangers at the bar joined the toast, then Zell downed the last of his beer. After that, he turned his attention back to his group of friends. "I'll head to The Mended Drum and book our rooms for the night."

He stood up from his stool when Lucy approached with the bounty reward. Split between them, it worked out to about sixty gold each. Zell put his share away, then asked, "So what we doing then - gold or silver?" When he got his answer, he barked a laugh. "Ha! I thought you'd chicken out. Well, good call. No sense in faffing about for weeks on end with still no idea why we're here. You can give me the contract details later."

He assumed that whatever the contract was, they wouldn't be doing it today. Much of the day was already gone, so it only made sense. After most of the party left to go to the Academy, Zell was left with a tough decision.

Get another beer now, or get one at The Mended Drum?

Before she could even get a chance to respond, Joji seemed to be pulled away by someone else in the building. A villager, perhaps, from somewhere else? A local? Someone coming to find help at the Guild? Whatever the case, she didn’t want to interrupt him and the one talking to him. Whatever the case was, it was certainly something to keep in mind as she turned her attention back to the situation in front of them. They had some maps, as well as some idea of the gold tier mission they’d be sent on…not that she was super happy about the group voting out common sense in favor of a singular gold tier mission. On the other hand, they were at least not splitting the party or anything far worse in terms of rashness. That much was a small relief, and more so was the acquisition of maps and information pertinent to their mission as well as her own request into the…ah…’former adventurer’. That sounded better than ‘dead guy in the Mazy Hillocks’, right?

Still, maybe they could get a moment to go relax and look at things before-

"Perhaps it would be best if we just deliver the cube. Each hour we delay could have dire consequences for the people of this country. The Academy is only up the hill and we will all sleep much better tonight if we are rid of it."

-...doing the cube thing.

Wait, hadn’t they already suggested getting rest before doing that? What was with the sudden change in plans?! Ugh. It made the mage’s head throb a small bit, enough for her to put a hand to her head despite how minor it should have been in the end. Though in hindsight, her body had been healed with magic but she'd also committed severe and life-throwing-away levels of self-electrocution to spite a robotic water ninja who’d impaled her through the torso. Soreness was bound to be something for her to deal with at the very least as she began to feel it more in her body after having woken back up and kinda-accidentally committed some minor 'surprise' arson in a medical facility. On the other hand, she would at least get to see the Academy sooner than later now at least?

...

...

...

The walk up Citadel Mountain was itself yet another chore for her already tiring body, though the mage wished she had been able to hold the cube for the final trip. It had been her responsibility, after all, and yet at the same time she didn't argue as Fenna carried it for the last leg of the delivery all the same. She hadn't been of any use back there anyway...no more than stalling at best, and the others had been the ones to get the cube and her unconcious self to carry them to Valheim proper. Of what worth was she in holding the blasted thing? It'd just get them into more trouble on this short trip if she held it, then, and that was that.

At the same time, however, her inner thoughts would be soon put on a backburner as the sights of the rising path up Citadel Mountain came into view. Vistas of building and grass, urban framaework justaposed against trees or benches to the sides of the road as they began to climb higher up, and the myriad structures forming an urban lattice of civilization alongside the placement of what seemed to be streetlights likely fueled by some kind of magic. And that was just some of it all! It was nigh awe-inspiring to behold. Indeed Valhiem, for what it was worth in the eyes of a foreign sightseer, was something of a marvel to gaze upon.

By the time they got to the top of Citadel Mountain, she could see more well-dressed people walking down on noticably more smoothed-out once-cobblestoned streets...as well as even greater colossal buildings as well as vast statuary seemed to defy the gravity of the ground they had been built upon as they scraped up against the heavens. Certainly not skyscrapers from back on Earth, that was for sure, but for being the local equivalent they stood out in their own right! How it also reminded her of the ancient Greeks, and more so the ancient Romans, was also certainly something her mind took note of as they approached the Academy. Even so, the mage was so taken up in her surroundings that she mostly just followed the others as they approached the Academy proper.

...And by all accounts the Acadewmy itself would certainly impress itself upon the white-haired girl's mind as well.

The grand arch that served as entrance had many coloured lanterns, likely also fueled by magic, which loomed well over them in a vast greeting to its ground. From here it seemed to lead in and onto a hexagon-shaped courtyard, surrounded by buildings and structural designs that reminded the mage of older European architectural styles. There was also a large fountain in the middle, with a great white basin being decorated with what looked to be sea creatures. Even more distinct was the construction beytond it, however, one that was seeming to stare upon the entrance with the stalwart and unwavering gaze of impossibly polished marble. It seemed to be the statue of a woman, whose very figure and the very statue's mystique were shrouded in enigma and mystery to the mage's eyes.

Meanwhile various tall and short, human and nonhuman, people were moving across the courtyard to one place or another in their own hustle and bustle of robes and books and scrolls and more. They seemingly didn't pay much of any heed to her or anyone else among the group's members, though she did note her own manner of dress being like unto what these people were wearing at least. Much like Fenna also saw, however, Lillianna would see a few snippets from within it all. A pair of students seemingly playing a game of chess formed from magical light, all as they sat at a stone table in the courtyard. An older man who was seemingly lecturing two younger men in front of him who had bruises on their skin and-...wait, did one of them have red skin? It was hard to notice much of anything else too distinct for the moment being, but

With the group seemingly asking for direction, the mage would follow along with them after a robed man, perhaps a teacher, who seemed to give them directions to where they (hopefully) needed to go. Maybe. However, regardless of her hope they weren't going to some basic front desk the directions would seem to lead them to a main building at the top of the courtyard, within which it was easy to notiuce a group of four talking to each other. Their attire seemed to be diffferent to most of the people she'd seen back in the courtyard, but fancier than the attire of those Lillianna (at least) had thought to be teachers or professors of some sort. Elevated. Fancier. Golden borders along the bottom of their robes, and a set of fancy and maybe magical symbols sewn into these borders, were among the features that drew her eyes to their attire to boot. Hmm...

Still, as busy as these four seemed Lillianna turned her head to the other and began to open her mouth to suggest waiting a few seconds before trying to-

“Excuse me,” Fenna said once again. “We are looking for someone called Clarissa Shields, we were sent by Lucinda Bottrill from the Adventures Guild. We have a letter for her and a mysterious cube that needs to be investigated, of which we can only explain how it got into our possession.”

Lillianna would silently close her mouth again. Never mind. Again.

Well, at least she could wait for the people to respond before they maybe just tried to shove the cube into their hands and ran off. Perhaps she'd even get the chance to give her theory about the blasted thing before they left as well. Sure she was a newbie, but maybe it would help things on the Academy's end? Unless she got laughed out of course...and given she was a newbie it would make sense in such a case, in her mind, at least. Still, she'd see what happened next before opening her mouth properly this time.

Mac's concerns were something he had not considered (which he would have to rectify as soon as possible) and it was obvious that she, Adam, Lily and Fenna weren't going to wait until morning, on the other hand, Zell didn't appear to be going with them and Joji left with some guy with the promise to return soon.

"Oh you want to go now? Well I wanted to take care of some things first so I guess I will wait for you at the Drum, good luck guys" A pause and then a sardonic smile appeared on his face "Also, you don't have to ask for permission dude, I like the fact that you told us first cuz communication is important and all that but really, don't let the whole 'party leader' thing affect things too much, we are a party, not a pyramid" Another pause "Though you all should eat something, we skipped lunch after all"

He gave a nod to Mac, he knew that she was perhaps one of the most responsible and less reckless of them so he was sure they won't be in any danger. Saying goodbyes he knocked his mug against Zell's as he did a toast in honor of their fallen comrades and started eating between sips, he was ravenous. Finishing he looked towards Zell who seemed to be struggling with the good ol' question What should I do next?.

"Hey Zell, I wanted to check some things, wanna come? A warning though, they will likely be boring"



His first stop was finding a tailor, he had grown attached to the shawl thing (surprisingly good for bandages) but the one he had was full of Lily's blood and on the trash of the hospital so ordering another for a few silvers was the correct course of action, even if it would take two days to be done.



His next stop was the docks, he had to fulfill the sacrifice to be able to use Undaya blessing again and he felt strangely vulnerable knowing it was not dissponible, likely some from of trauma (like if he hadn't enough of those The fir- NO) but he allowed himself the coping mechanism, it was hardly a bad habit after all.

So after an hour of being submerged on neck deep water wearing only his underwear it was finally time for his last stop.

The Temple of the Quinity

It was time for some answers.

Clarissa Shields - Director of Research & Technology at Valhiem's Academy, was stood with her chief staff in the main building hall of campus, discussing Academy matters when they were interrupted by the adventurers. The extravagent dress-sense of the faculty knew no bounds but their rank and status within the university was made clear by the golden trim bordering their robes. Clarissa's robes however, an official higher than anyone bar the President, were adorned with a myriad of golden markings, making her stand out even among the group of four.

She stopped mid-sentence and regarded the woman who spoke, her eyes briefly flicking around the others before going back to Fenna as she listened. When she recieved the letter and saw the seal, she turned to her colleagues.

"We'll continue this later," she said to them and they left. "If you'd like to follow me," she said to the adventurers, then led them to her office.

Her office was more like the lab of a mad inventor. There were all manner of contrpations and expermients dotted about the room, machines quietly chugging away and liquids bubbling in beakers and testtubes. The floor was untidy but remained at least able to navigate, and Clarissa walked across the room as she read the letter, taking a seat on her desktable and crossing her legs while she smiled at the words of Lucinda Bottrill. A light 'hmmm' escaped her lips as she put the letter to one side, then dreamily looked at Fenna as she thought about the guildmaster. After a moment she spoke.

"Clarissa Shields, nice to meet you all. Let's see this mysterious cube then." When she took the cube, her eyes widened. Not with alarm, but excitement. "My-my," she purred. "This is interesting."

The construction was completely foriegn, but the fine lines inscribed in the metal indicated some kind of information-processing technology. She looked for a way to open it - unscrew it, maybe - but it wasn't something she'd achieve with her hands. So she leaned back and twisted around, rather ungracefully and unathletically, to reach one of her deskdrawers. Retrieving a few handtools, she began trying to pry the cube open in a variety of ways, her tongue poking out of one side of her mouth as she concentrated.

"You said you got this from where?" she asked, unsure if they'd already told her. In truth, her ears had stopped working the moment she saw this foreign object. Magic and techonology was her passion, and there was nothing like a new discovery to get her excited. "Any theories as to what it might be?"

Suddenly she froze, thought for a moment, then put her tools down and cast an Identify spell. It looked to the adventurers as if she was casting it on the cube. She wasn't. With expertise and well-practised finesse of her right hand, she used three fingers and some words to cast Identify while using the remaining two fingers to sign a simple Illumination spell on the cube, making it look like the cube was the target of the Idenitfy.

Adam was her true target.

It occured to her that this might be some kind of trap. One of the first things she noticed about the adventurers was Adam's red eyes. Most creatures that had red eyes were demons, demon-related or demon-connected. Clarissa, an adventurer herself, Source Crystal in her left hand, was quite ready to break out into a fight, confident she could handle herself at least until help arrived. But there was no need. As The Source filled her mind with a high-level informative status of Adam, she realised that he was indeed a human, with no obvious connection to any demon. Interesting. She went back to trying to open the cube.

"Were you born with red eyes?" she asked, then looked up from the cube at Adam. In addition to the intrusive question, she gave an unwanted comment. "Not normal in the slightest."

In the seemingly safe office, Fenna handed Clarissa the cube when she asked to see it and watched her examine it. When Clarissa asked about where they got the cube, Fenna named the village and told her about the skeletons and ogres and how the cube had gotten into her possessions, and she added a warning that some kind of water ninja wanted to have it as well, although she wasn't sure the intrigued woman was paying much attention to what she said as her eyes were glued on the cube.

Fenna couldn't answer the second question, but now that she didn't need to focus on scouting ahead and dealing with wolves on their way to the Mazy Hillocks as they crossed the territory of two wolf packs, then traversing the treacherous Mazy Hillocks and fighting three different enemies back to back, she remembered something that happened that morning, although it seemed ages ago after all the fighting since then. After she had first made their group aware of the wolves, Lilliana had also shared a concern, although at the time it was less pressing than the immediate dangers around them, and while she had heard it, it had been pushed to the back of her mind.

She turned to Liliana. "Didn't you say you thought you knew what it was and who made it when we were on our way to the Mazy Hillocks?"

Adam was grateful that MacKensie decided to take the initiative to make sure the cube was delivered today; now the lives of innocent people could potentially be safer. She was always so brave, willing to do the right thing. When she charged at the ninja, he hid behind trees. Not that the man felt he had any right to decide the group's course, but this was one he definitely agreed with. Miss Trydant was one amazing woman and the Druid wanted to be more like her.

Adam followed Fenna, MacKensie, and Lillianna up the mountain to the Academy. He wasn't much in the mood for conversation, but rather for information; the man's eyes scanned the surroundings for the location of a library where he could hopefully find books on Mytheria's plants. At first the search seemed like it would go nowhere. Sure, the buildings were nice, but they probably didn't have the books that would help Second Chance - or whoever he was with next - survive and thrive. Finally, the right place revealed itself! It was-

“Excuse me,” she said to a man wearing robes – he seemed like the kind of person to work here. “We are looking for someone called Clarissa Shields, we were sent by Lucinda Bottrill from the Adventures Guild. We have a letter.” She gestured to Adam, who had taken the letter as per James’s suggestion, or instruction. “Could you please tell us where we can find her?”

Oh, they were almost there! The new library could wait. Information that could save lives could not. The man pulled out the letter and carried it in silence until the team reached Clarissa, giving her the document when it was necessary. He then continued not talking as the group went to her office. When she examined the cube and asked for ideas about it, Adam was happy to let someone else answer that. Fenna's question to Lillianna was welcome; his guess was that she would be the best person to provide this information since she had found the most out about it in the first place, but he wouldn't force her to speak if she didn't want to.

The man felt less happy about her saying his red eyes weren't normal. Comments about his eyes were common back on Earth, so that in of itself wasn't a surprise or an issue (though they were usually not rude back there). The problem was that it was indicative of him as a whole; a not normal person, one who had put his teammates through an awful situation. The whole thing left him feeling more dejected than he already was. Nonetheless, he did answer, if only to focus Clarissa on what mattered.

"Yes, I've had my eyes my whole life. The cube is more important though, so any help you can provide with that would be appreciated."

"Hey Zell, I wanted to check some things, wanna come? A warning though, they will likely be boring"

James wasn't lying. Boring was definitely how Zell would've described it. Still, spending time with James was pretty cool, even if it was boring. He reminded him of his old friend Alex, although the similarities only came down to that; both were smart-mouthed, brainy and down for the action. It wasn't much of a resemblance, but it was enough to help with the quiet murmur of homesickness in the pit of Zell's stomach. James had a good sense of humour and knew how to talk shit. He was smart enough that Zell could be comfortable being an idiot, knowing his back was covered. His permanent scowl and general unfriendly demeanour was hilarious seeing as it was a complete misrepresentation of how James actually was. The Englishman had latched onto the Mexican pretty quickly, their bond forming over the course of the battle with the ogres - an instant chemistry that Zell had instinctively decided was worth his weight in gold. Perhaps that's just how it was in the heat of battle - emotions and stakes run so high that every action and every feeling was just 100%.

The trip to the tailor had been pretty uneventful. Zell rather liked his attire so he didn't buy any thing. Besides, money was going to be mostly for drinking. And maybe a shield. He already knew a few stances that employed a shield. A decent parrying buckler would be perfect to keep his speed while providing defence. There was still the matter of his teleport to contend with. If he could get that working properly, the possibilities would be endless.

"Damn, bro, is this really what you have to do?" he asked as James sumberged himself in his underwear. "Glad I'm not a Cleric."

He sat on the riverbank for the duration of the hour, tossing a few stones into the water, while his mind flashed moments of the last two days.

...Of the MacKensie shooting a bolt right by his ear to save him from a skeleton. "This doesn't mean I like you."

...Then the two holding eachother on the tree-trunk bridge after Zell almost fell in the gorge. "That doesn't count. I grabbed the branch."

...Then them rolling along the ground in eachothers arms, after he'd saved her from the ninja. "Y-y-you okay?"

...Then an image of her smirking at him mid-battle, just for good measure. "Two drinks."

"What do you expect to find at the temple anyway?" Zell asked loudly, towards the end of the hour. "Are you part of some special club or something?"

He waited while James got dressed, then walked with him part way to the Temple of The Quinity before telling him that he'll skip the religious pilgrimage. Going off on his own, he walked to The Mended Drum and managed to book seven rooms on the third floor of the establishment. Then he left the inn and went to look around the city.

The Elemental Circle of The Source: This is the depiction of the foundational manifestation of universal fabric. Beyond the duality of the opposing elements, and the connections between those elements that sit adjacent to eachother, there are other rules that govern the relationships between the forces. Such intracacies have beeen studied by academics for centuries. The theories and formulas discovered have evolved, been outdated, debated and pondered by the smartest minds, but the technological revolution of the recent decades has thrown even more into question and pushed further investigation.





To walk through the main entrance of The Temple of The Quinity was to be greeted with a vast hall - 200 metres in length, marble floors, with ceilings so high as to accomate the massive statues that lined it's length, watching over those who walked through. The ceiling was glass, flat apart from the massive dome in the centre that could be seen even from down in the city streets. The far half of the hall was filled with wooden pues - a stage at the end for the High Septum to conduct congregation. And this was just the hall alone.

It was quiet as the afternoon wore away. The echoing halls were without the sound of the choir or lunchtime sermons. Footsteps of the few worshippers, priests and preistesses dotted the silence.

Areleth - the High Septum was stood at the foot of The Mother, Iris, regarding her beauty with admiration. Dressed in his robes, his arms folded behind his back, the Snow Elf looked on the statue face with a small smile. What fine craftsmanship to capture the caring expression in The Mother's eyes. To this day, these statues and this architecture were unmatched, second only to the Basilica Magna Decoris - The Grand Temple in Capitol City.

The grand arch of an entrance was a spectacle all on it's own, but the proceeding courtyard left MacKensie wondering if this might all be a dream. She walked with her friends, slowly looking all around, marvelling at the beauty and scale of the Academy grounds. In one sense, it felt like she was back in Paris, at university, but while the her campus sprawled for square miles over part of the city centre, there was no part of it quite as impressive as the pristine, enchanted courtyard here.

Fenna took the lead, politely accosting a man in robes who crossed their path. The gentleman was kind enough to direct them to the big building at the top of the courtyard - an impressive structure too. Had they not been here on the final leg of important business (business that had cost the lives of two of their group) then she might take time to gush over the architecture and aesthetic attraction of the decor, but as it stood, she silently followed into the building. At the very least, the tension in her shoulders had disappeared. Here she felt safe.

Upon finding the woman, Clarissa, MacKensie found herself wondering if everyone in this world was an utterly stunning beauty or tall and handsome hunk. Frankly, it forced her to acknowledge an insecurity in herself she'd not known since early adolescence. It wasn't a loud or glaring thought in her mind, but it was there. With her strength of will, she pushed such selfish and shallow thoughts from her mind as Clarissa led them to her office, feeling a little ashamed that such concerns were even in her when she was supposed to be such a mature and upstanding young woman.

When Clarissa finished with the letter and let out a quiet sigh, the look on her face made MacKensie suddenly realise the nature of the relationship between Clarissa and Lucy, causing the frenchwoman's eyes to flare and her cheeks to blush. It never took much to make MacKensie Trydant blush.

"MacKensie Trydant." MacKensie bobbed a clipped curtsy in response to the woman's introduction. "Nice to meet you."

Clarissa's reaction to the cube (especially when getting her tools and going to work on the object) should not have been surprising, when considering the state of the office they were in. MacKensie noted this as she watched, sparing a few moments of silence to look around at all the weird machines and apparatus around the room. Fenna explained about how the cube came to be in their possession, bringing back memories of the first battle. She had spent much of the duration with Zell on the wall, both of them discovering their skills and strength together in the chaotic throes of resistance. Fighting back to back, for their lives and the lives of defenseless men, women and children. It was many things, but 'intense' was one of the first words that came to mind. 'Exhilirating' was another.

"Any theories as to what it might be?"

Like Fenna, MacKensie immediately looked at Lillianna, who had warned them early on that The Witch Queen was after them. However the white-haired wizard had known such a thing (maybe a ghost told her?) the group had believed her and the prophecy came true at the worst possible time. Or maybe the best possible time - it was hard to know how events would've resulted if things had gone differently.

Clarissa's question and comments to Adam were rather rude, but MacKensie found herself happy that she'd asked. The frenchwoman had been wondering the exact same things. Adam's eyes were strange indeed. Perhaps on anyone else, such devilish features might look scary, but on Adam they were not. Even when she hadn't traded more than a few words to the young man, it was rather easy to tell that Adam was a well-meaning individual. He probably could have horns growing on his head and still his gentle soul would shine through (an amusing image.) Not surprisingly, Adam brushed off the question quickly and moved focus back to the cube. MacKensie wanted to tell him that he had beautiful eyes, but now was not the time. Also, she didn't think it would help. She was just starting to notice now that there was something wrong with the Druid. Everyone was hurting from the loss of Clive and Arthur, but there was something extra going on with Adam. MacKensie hoped he was alright.

"Damn, bro, is this really what you have to do? Glad I'm not a Cleric."

A wave of embarrassment ran through him, it wasn't like he enjoyed doing this! Perhaps he should have thought things through before inviting Zell to what was basically watching him sit on a river for an hour wearing only his underwear, welp at least he knew a good comeback.

"Yeah well, at least I can use it on demand, how is the teleport going?" He was not jealous that nobody else seemed to have to go through bullshit conditions to use their abilities danmit!

"What do you expect to find at the temple anyway? Are you part of some special club or something?"

He snorted, like it or not he was likely to be considered part of it just by sheer association. That didn't mean that he was blind about what he was getting himself into.

"No, no, we call ourselves a cult, wanna join? We got discounts on torches and pitchforks at Walmart" He chuckled a little at his own joke "But seriously, the thing we lack the most right now is information and at least part of my abilities seem to be connected to the gods here, seems like a safe bet to assume I can get at least a sliver of info from here" Plus, churches and temples were often centers of culture so it would also help him get a grasp on the general disposition of the people, so far they seemed really accommodating for people who seemingly were at war but perhaps that was the way their culture developed or some quirk of the city/region itself.

After partying ways with Zell he stood at the entrance of the Temple of the Quinity and he had to admit, it was... more than he had been expecting, for some reason he kept thinking of this place as a "medieval" place despite the obvious signs that it was not the case, evidence in question the structure in front of him. To call it gaudy wouldn't have been wrong but neither right, while it checked all the marks for a place of showmanship there was a feeling of respect and adoration in the way it was created, as if the designer and building crew had erected it because they wanted, not because they were hired.

Immediately after entering the place, he felt a strange tingling on his spine, similar to the way he felt whenever he cast Undaya's blessing but much hazier for a lack of a better word, like it was tied to the very ground but was not doing anything in particular.

Walking forward he eventually came across a man -elf judging by the ears- standing next to a very finely crafted statue of an elderly woman with a smile that could be described as Motherly was it staring at him?, clearing his throat he tried to catch the man's attention, with any luck he would be able to get some answers.

Now what to say?

"Excuse me? Is this the Temple of the Quinity? I was told that newly appointed Clerics could come here for some info"

This woman certainly seemed like she stood out from even among her peers, at least in terms of clothing. Yet what rank it all meant was still a mystery to the lightning-casting mage, though it felt similar enough to academia back home in some sense. Like how differences in the robe and garb would show differences between graduating students and what they were graduating with. Whatever the case, they were being escorted into the office as the woman grabbed up the cube and tried to tinker with it using tools. Lillianna would look closely at whatever she seemed to be trying to use to pry it open, though the woman seemed even more absorbed in the object than she had initially been back on the road...at least for the moment being. Though she did raise an eyebrow at the little light lighting up the cube as the woman seemed to cast a spell, though both seemed to move differently from each other? One pointed at the cuve for the light, but the other didn't seem to point at it in this case. Hmm.

"Any theories as to what it might be?"

Well, at least after that maybe she could say something about the cube now and-

"Were you born with red eyes?" she asked, then looked up from the cube at Adam. In addition to the intrusive question, she gave an unwanted comment. "Not normal in the slightest."

-then the woman had a sudden a shift in attention span, directed right at Adam with a sudden question about his eye color specifically. Hmm. Suspicious. It was enough to get the mage's brows to furrow for a moment, though perhaps she was thinking too hard as she was observing the other woman? Did red eyes mean something peculiar in this world?

"Yes, I've had my eyes my whole life. The cube is more important though, so any help you can provide with that would be appreciated."

She turned to Lillianna.

"Didn't you say you thought you knew what it was and who made it when we were on our way to the Mazy Hillocks?"

Like Fenna, MacKensie immediately looked at Lillianna, who had warned them early on that The Witch Queen was after them.

Eh...EH?! W-Why was everyone suddenly looking at her like this?! It was enough to catch the focused younger woman off-guard, leaving Lillianna blinking back in silent surprise for a moment.

Yes, she'd said something like that back there. She could remember it even now in clear detail, just as much as she could the rest of what she'd been able to clearly percieve back there in the Mazy Hillocks. Even the memories of that sweat-inducing red-eyed stare at her in her dreams was still fresh enough in her mind that it sent a small chill down her spine, though that gaze had indeed felt the same as that far-away presence tied to the cube she had percieved as she'd tried to prod the stupid thing with magic.

Ah. Wait. This was her time to say her thing, the thing she'd been waiting to say. The thing about the cube. Her thing. The thing to tell the people at the Academy.

Shaking herself out of the surprise with the sudden realization that she could give her theory, the white-haired woman gave a nod to Fenna and a glance at MacKensie before looking back at Ms. Shields proper. She would try to speak as an academic, to give a proper hypothesis to a potential peer and then treat it as such. Not that she wasn't entirely sure she wouldn't get laughed out or dismissed, but data was data dangit! So she had to at least try her best here, success or not in convincing this person of anything she was going to say.

"Yes, I do have a working hypothesis about what that cube is after some attempting to tinker with it myself. Not that it was all rather pleasant for us in the end...."

The mage's facial features would briefly shift as she trailed off a little bit. She hated that cyborg water ninja so much she had to avoid thinking much about it. Stabbing her, party members dying after he came along, the whole stupid mess. Sure it wasn't all his fault, but if nothing else her distaste for him was very much personal in the aftermath. And she'd see him fried into a puddle of cripsy parts and components next time she saw him!!!

But back to the cube. Yes.

When Lillianna ran her fingers over the cubes surface, with magical intent in her mind, the cube shimmered for a split-second. That same Thrum she felt when she first held her staff, she felt again, but this was a very different type of Thrum.

It was a distant vibration, almost imperceptible, as if so very far away. And yet, in spite of the quietness of it, in her magically-proficient mind, she sensed immense power. But that was the only reaction from the cube she could earn.

A giant pair of eyes, staring down at her from the blackness of a void. A woman's eyes, judging by the shape...deep red were their hue.

They stared at her, dwarfing her. They marked her. They inspired fear. They radiated power.

...And then Lillianna would wake.

"While admittedly a novice of magic at my current standing, I tried pushing or engaing with it in some kind of magical sense, or such was my intent. The cube visibly shimmered, and I felt a thrum of magic run through it....but it was distant. Far away, even, nigh imperceptible. Yet at the same time, I felt immense power lying on the other end of it all.

Later, as I slept with the cube in my arms, I could see a pair of eyes in my dreams. Deep red eyes, dwarfing me and radiating terrifying power such that it woke me up in an instant.

This cube was inside of the center of a stronger undead leading a force of undead that my party members here fought before I arrived. Upon the defeat of this greater undead, and the cube falling out of it, the rest of the undead fled outright. Combined with what little I had been able to discern about the cube, the fact someone came after us shortly after these events and venturing into the Mazy Hillocks and outright attacked us for the cube, and what I experienced in my dreams while sleeping and holding the thing, I've come to a tentative conclusion...

...that this object is a means of extreme long-distance magical remote control over the undead. In particular I beleive it is a receptor of sorts, channeling the maker's magic from far away and using the host undead it is paced in as a conduit to both power it and make it woork in exerting control over a larger mass of lesser undead. This would explain the phenomenon of placing it in a stronger creation, to keep it safe and properly powered, but also why the lesser undead stopped and fled after the host of the cube was slain and dropped the cube. The magic directing them vanished at that time.

And with the obvious threat behind the masses of attacking undead being the Witch Queen, I postulate it was she who created it...in part due to her reputation and the sheer level of terrifying power I felt on the other end of the cube's 'connection' when I probed it and slept with it respectively."

It was a long-winded ramble with an attempted educational and professional tone and manner behind it, but she wanted to ensure eveything she knew was said about it and with proper information and context to boot. Better to be thought 'wordy' than saying too little! It was still a gamble to her, though, to see if any of these things stuck as 'proper evidence' to sway the woman. Or, well, at worst the Academy could toy with the blasted thing and get impaled by a cyborg water ninja themselves. Let them find it all out as she had. Blargh...though, well, she didn't wish bad on the place. Just the whole cube fiasco had left a bad taste in her mouth somewhat, alongside a new burning hatred for cyborg water ninjas....

...Had she mentioned that new hatred of cyborg water ninjas? Because she had one now, and it was certainly a matter most personal and which rightfully demanded the use of even more lightning than last time.

Clarissa's hand glowed as she imbued the tool she was holding with a Tinkering Infusion. The glow transferred from her hand to her tool, then she went at the cube again. Moments later, there was a tiny explosion and the tool flew out of her hand and hit the ceiling, then the wall. Clarissa, half embarassed and half excited, looked back at Fenna.

"Ogres and skeletons, fighting, they dropped the cube," she recited back to the Ranger. "I'm listening. Promise." And then she was furrowed-browed and focused back on the cube again, while she awaited more information from the adventurers. "Hmmm?" How to breach it without damaging it?

Adam's answer managed to pull her attention on him for a moment. She looked him in his red eyes while she half-thought about the mysterious object in her hand. "Did your parents have red eyes?"

If it wasn't obvious already, Clarissa's social awareness and considerations were not nearly as up-to-par as her technical and magical skills. Add this to the fact that she always got her own way, didn't get out much, and surrounded herself with a veritable entourage of academics who cared for nothing other than R&D and... well, you get the idea.

As soon as Lillianna started talking, Clarissa put the cube down on the desk, sliding it a little behind her as if to stop them from stealing it back. Then she put her hands on her knee and listened. Here was the smart one. If it wasn't obvious by her wizard garb (The Source deeming her intelligence high enough for the Class) then it was clear by how she spoke. A very wordy little woman, with a rather academic approach to her hypothesis. It wasn't that she wasn't listening to the other two, but the Director of Research and Technology was naturally drawn to kindred spirits.

"Interesting," Clarissa remarked once Lillianna was finished. It took a few long moments before she spoke again. It was a wild theory. If correct, the good news would be that The Empire might be able to use this against The Witch Queen. The bad news: The Witch Queen had technology that Mytheria had never seen before. A reciever designed for remote control over undead forces? she thought. By The Quinity! The scary part was that the clues Clarissa had divined from her initial appraisal fit the hypothesis. Or at least; they didn't disprove it.

"Second Chance," she addressed them. "You've kept your word in delivering this to us. I'll be sure to keep everything you've told me, firmly in mind while we investigate this cube. I'm sure you've got better places to be." She uncrossed her legs and got up off the desk. "And I'll be quite busy tonight, myself, now. The Academy is open to you during daylight hours, but I'm afraid those hours have passed today, so if you don't mind taking your leave, that would be lovely."

"Oh," she suddenly remembered before they left the office. "And thank you. I don't want to jinx anything, but this might be big for The Free Peoples of The Empire." Then that excited light appeared in her eyes again. "And if nothing else, it will be a bit of fun for me."



Areleth turned to the inquiring voice and saw a young man in robes. "It is, my son. How may I help you?" At his further words, Areleth bowed his head in leui of a nod. "An adventurer, I see. Newly appointed? Tell me, how does it feel to be blessed by The Source with The Gift? A swell of pride and power perhaps? The power to care and protect, to enlighten?" He looked into James' eyes and saw a clue. "The weight of responsibility? Speak freely, my son. There will be no judgement here, for we are brothers in The Light, Shadow and Glory of The Source."

He motioned for James to follow him as he listened to the newly appointed Cleric's response. "Which of the dieties speaks to your heart, my son?"

He led James through the massive hall into one of the adjoining corridors behind the statues. They walked for maybe a minute before coming to a ritual chamber. In the centre of the room was a large font, a basin on it's crest. There were a few odds and ends around the room - materials for the coming ritual - but what might've been the most striking was the hexagonally arranged pattern that filled the room floor, symbols of the six elements at each point equi-distant around the basin.