Healing Mishap -7-
ByLanzaQ
After Proceeding through Dagger sheath Pass the group found themselves in the presence of a group of thieves that supposedly were there for the sake of stealing from the loot and plunder rich Crawlers for the sake of donation to the local church and helping the needy.

However, what happens when the man wanting their money decides he wants to tag along?

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"you're sick." Arric spat throwing Raleigh to the ground.

"I am sick?" Raleigh said climbing up and dusting himself off and laughing. "I am not the one traveling with a skinny ass man, a young, maybe twelve year old girl, a silent swordswoman and a ditz of a cleric. Notice something? Other than the other man its two women and one girl. All three of which are younger than you." Raleigh stated.

"Scum." Arric said drawing his belt knife. "Cael, Adeptus Forma." he continued. Cael quickly responded bringing his staff up to a very tender place for Raliegh. "Forma Complete." Cael said quickly returning his staff to the spot behind his backpack as Raleigh dropped to the ground with his hands between his knees.

He was winded for a long time before he said anything that was understandable. "---OW." Suddenly Kate, forgetting her little rant over Drea jumps forward. "I can help!" She said beginning the incantation. Before anyone could say anything she was already done. A flash of yellow and green light engulfed Raleigh, and he suddenly jumped up to his feet and his eyes widened as he realized something.

He laughed, not his usual laugh but a happy laugh as he exclaimed to Kate. "Thank you!" He quickly snatched Kate into a hug. "Thank you so very very much!"

Kate stood shocked. "Umm You're welcome?" she said as she returned the gesture.

"I don't think you understand what you just did." Raleigh said pulling back the long hair over his eye revealing the now smooth, unscathed skin and ear. A large smile stretched across his face.

"Good job Kate. Heal the man that was saying he was going to kill us, excluding Cael. " Verris said. One of the men pointed their dagger at him and growled menacingly.

"Conrad, put the knife away!" Raleigh said rubbing a hand across his now velvet smooth skin that was once tough scar tissue. "How did you do it exactly?" He asked Kate releasing his hug of death. "I searched countless hours for clerics with the ability each one I met just laughed and said good luck."

"Well you see I have had decades of chances to perfect my skills." Kate said twirling her staff. "Mastering my arte was a requirement for my church if you wanted the position I had." She added nodding sagely. " I have seen more in my life than you might in several hundred."

"So...Just how old ar-" Raleigh said before being interrupted.

"It's not nice to ask a lady her age." Kate huffed slinging her staff over her shoulder hitting Verris on the head. "Well, we helped you, you stole from us. I think we are even now." Kate said

Verris rubbed the growing bump on his head. "Of course that makes perfect sense. Are all clerics either crazy or this illogical?" He said setting his backpack down. He rummaged around for a bit. Several glass vials clinked around before he finally pulled out a small square of bandage.

As he went on applying the bandage. Raleigh's Face lit up. "I can help you." He said. "Do any of you five know about 'that cleric.'?" he asked in a whisper.

" 'That cleric.'? Really wonderful description you go there." Verris snarked.

Raleigh thought for a moment. "Wait here I know someone who can give a better description." he quickly took off leaving the five behind with the three stooges. Ash suddenly whirled around quickly, her sword drawn and her eyes full of anger. "DON'T EVER TOUCH MY BACKPACK." she screamed at the three of them.

The three shrank back. Arric nudged her. " Ash, put it up Raleigh is coming back with a...girl."

Raleigh stood there, the girl next to him fidgeting nervously. She couldn't have been older than fourteen. She wore a plain brown dress that matched her hair and eyes. An apron that was comically large engulfed her and the dress. "Um Raleigh, you wanted a description of the man that attacked my mother right?" she asked looking scared. Raleigh just nodded at her and smiled. "H-He was tall, um Brown hair, and I think, maybe, blue eyes." She paused to look around "He wore glasses and was talking about something in High-Church with my mother when he suddenly got angry and flung her towards the glass case."

"Alyssa, I know this is hard but these dungeon-crawlers want to help, if you didn't know they helped me." Raleigh whispered to her revealing his healed skin and her eyes widened and she turned to Arric

Arric patted her on the head as tears formed in Alyssa's eyes. "We know the ass that did it. Is she still alive?" Arric asked looking down at her.

"Y-yeah." She sniffled. "barely. Raleigh helped me find a cleric willing to treat her."

What is her name?" Cael asked her looking into her brown eyes. He smiled as she smiled back shortly.

"Dianna." Was her quick response. As she wiped the tears out of her eyes and beamed at Cael.

"Did she post these?" Arric said with a laugh handing the girl the yellowed paper that they had found posted on the bounty board in the last village they were in. "A Head-hunter note found in the last town before daggersheath pass."

Alyssa read it quickly. "It's her writing, but I don't think she could have posted this." she paused to re-read it. " Ummm. I got to get back to the Inn, we had customers. Come by later if you are still in town." she ran back fairly quickly before Raleigh turned to them.

"I want to help you find him." He said glaring into space. "Any man that would attack someone for no reason deserves punishment."

Verris laughed. "Wow. Coming from you I find that statement funny." he rubbed his temples. "Coming from the man who was willing to steal and murder for his village I REALLY find that funny."

Raleigh smiled. "I never said I wasn't expecting punishment. I am just hoping that it will come in my old age when I am more willing to die on the battlefield."

Verris sighed. "Well, we need to sleep for the night." he gestured to the moon already starting its climb into the sky. "just a recap, the five of us were ordinary dungeon-crawlers until this crazy cleric Lanzer appeared, now suddenly we are fighting for the fate of ourselves, and all the non-human races of the world?"

"Sounds about right." Kate said smiling. "Um, however it would be the six of us including Raleigh."

"Kate, he isn't an official member yet, he is just sort of here for the moment." Verris said.

"Why not bring him along? He might be able to actually pick locks." Arric said. "However I don't agree with his moral system." He added with a quick glare.

"Hey. I can." Was Ash's response.

"I don't like him that much." Cael said looking up at Raleigh. "I mean, yes, he probably knows what he is doing but I mean." He looked away and remembered how the old lady had mentioned that Raleigh liking them younger. " I just don't."

"Alright, its official! Welcome to the team Raleigh!" Kate said shaking his hand.

"Oh boy." Verris said

"Oh god." Arric cried

"Oh Great!" Raleigh exclaimed

--- In the Unicorn's Horn Inn---

Alyssa stood at the door "Welcome...I can show you up to my mother's room." She said grabbing Cael's hand and dragging him towards the stairs next to the lobby bar. "This way c'mon!"

Raleigh watched this with a smile. "Lyss always did have a thing for being shy until she really gets to know you." He chuckled at seeing Cael's face as Alyssa dragged him up the stairs by his hand. "She seems to really like that girl."

Verris scoffed, Arric suppressed a laugh, Ash stood silent, and Kate just smiled. "What?" Raleigh stood there clueless as they suddenly realized Cael was standing at the top of the stairs. "Get your butts up here. Lyss wants Kate to see her mother!"

"Hmm already calling her Lyss. She must really like her. " Raleigh said nodding sagely.

The five, six including Cael all squeezed into the room that Alyssa had led them to, inside on the small bed rested a woman that looked like what could only have been described as an older doppelganger of Alyssa. She looked to be about thirty. Her hair was a mess and her face was deathly pale. Alyssa walked over to the bed and softly said. "Mommy, Raleigh brought a really strong cleric that was able to even heal his face. She can help you!"

The woman turned to them revealing a mass of scabbed over wounds across her face where the remnants of glass could almost be imagined. Cael quickly looked away mumbling something about feeling queasy. Verris stood with his mouth gaped. Raleigh just sighed and Kate quickly drew her staff and was already working on the incantation. A wave of energy suddenly expanded knocking small items off the vanity and bookshelf nearby.

Within moments Dianna was up out of bed with a smile on her face. "I dunno what healing magic that was but it was so much more...powerful...than what those other clerics were trying." She said. "I am Dianna and owner of the Unicorn's Horn Inn and Tavern, would any of you like something to drink, 'cept you Rals. I know you aren't old enough for that Dwarf ale you keep asking for." she said with a laugh.

"Di, you know I don't like you using that nickname." Raleigh said shuffling his feet.

"Well, speak up. Also Glad to hear about the face and ear Rals, now as I was saying. Do any of you want a drink." she asked again.

The oder went fairly fast. Arric wanted a local specialty, Robin's hood. Kate and Cael went with plain Cider. Ash as per usual picked her favorite, SkullCrack Slime. Verris asked politely for a Wizards Wine. Raleigh tried for a dwarfish ale, and Dianna just laughed and handed him a mug of Cider.

Alyssa sat beside Cael and started asking about his hair, and eyes and his family. She asked if he took part in the dungeon-crawls or stayed behind in the towns. "I like my hair." Cael said getting a 'you liar.' look from Arric and a laugh. "My eyes I am not that fond of." He answered when he noticed Arric's look. "I don't really remember much about my family except that they left me behind when we were forced out of our village."

"Oh." Alyssa said, sadness reflected into her Cider mug that her mother was happy to give her. "Well. I also asked, do you help on the Dungeon-Crawls?"

"Oh yeah, actually." Cael said. "I am actually the main Magician, Verris is my apprentice!" at this truth coming to light in a moderately populated tavern Verris quickly hid his face. "Cael." He hissed. "You don't say something like that out loud. Especially when you look like a young girl and I look like a decently reputable wizard."

"Ah come off it Verris. Cael is just having a good time with her new friend." Arric said.

"Her?" Cael asked looking over and up at Arric.

"Yeah. Its not every day that Alyssa gets to meet with any girls her age." Raleigh said tipping back the rest of his Cider. "I mean, she works for her mother and lives inside Ura, you know who shows up in Ura?" He said slamming his mug down on the table. "Old or sweaty, or old and sweaty merchants that 'braved the pass to bring you such high quality' crap." Raleigh said anger bubbling to the surface. "No interesting dungeon crawlers or even the decent family wanting to move in."

Alyssa just nodded. "mhmm, Raleigh is right. We never have anyone interesting show up." she looked over at Cael. "So, you must have some interesting stories don't you?" she asked a smile on her face.

Kate smiled. "I am friends with one of the most famous liches in the kingdom!" she said "And...um we have cleared I think the last time I checked five dungeons total. Well, not all of us. Me, Arric, Ash and Cael all have cleared five, Verris has cleared two. Raleigh will be accompanying us on our next dungeon crawl."

Alyssa looked shocked at Kate. "A lich? Aren't they really scary undead necromancers?"

Kate just laughed. "I think you would like Patty." she said before an idea popped into her head. She quickly rummaged around in her back pack before she pulled it out. It was a crystal that couldn't have been much larger than the last digit of her pinky. "A TeleTalk Crystal, manufactured by Run, the greatest in TeleTalk crystals. Anyway me and Patty are both on the same TeleTalk plan so we get unlimited nights and weekends!"

"TeleTalk?" Raleigh said staring at the small crystal. The other four just shook their heads. "Sometimes its better not to ask." Arric said. "The girl has more trinkets and little things than what you could even begin to think up."

Kate set the crystal on the flat of the table and to the shock of the five plus Alyssa and the other patrons of the tavern it sparked to life. Suddenly in front of the crystal about two feet in diameter on the table was a circle. "I gotta get a hold of her." Kate said writing 'Patty' in Cal in the circle. Suddenly a loud squeal was heard from the crystal and in the circle the face of Patty greeted them.

"Hi!" Patty said over the poor reception of the crystal. "How, and where are you?"

Kate waved at the image. "We are good, we are currently in what was formerly Greenwood Hold, now Ura." she said. "Umm Cael has been on the receiving end of some more magic."

"Aw poor Cael!" Patty said. "Um Kate, I think a storm is rolling in, the reception I am getting from your crystal is poor. I blame Run, they manage to make one of the most revolutionary items and they can't even make the signal decent everywhere."

"I know!" Kate cried. "But its expensive for them to build the Magical Broadcasting towers. Also they can't just stick them anywhere. Hey! I got to see Drea again. He says hi!" she said smiling.

Alyssa edged slowly over to Kate to look at Patty. Upon seeing Patty she smiled and waved. "Hello." she said timidly.

"Kate? Who is that?" Patty asked tilting her head. The background walls around her were all a melded brown, however there was a spot of bright yellow and green. Cheese.

"Her name is Alyssa and she is one of the few people living in Greenwood Hold." Kate said. "Also her mother looks almost just like her!"

Patty looked shocked. "I spent over a hundred years learning necromancy and this girl mother looks just like her?" she pouted for a bit and poked at the cheese. "Not fair."

"Not like that!" Verris said. "Kate means that the girl looks like her mother."

"Ah. Who is this as well? Another local?" Patty asked rubbing some of the molding cheese on the bottom hem of her dress. "He looks nice at least. I think he might have some talent for the darker magics."

"He is my apprentice!" Cael said shoving his way into the picture.

Patty stopped, stared and Cael and squealed. "YOU LOOK ADORABLE!"

The conversation between the group and Patty continued on for several more hours until eventually Alyssa was called up to her room by her mother. The five all began to retired. In the order of the most inebriated. Ash first, then Arric, Verris, Cael, Kate, and Finally Raleigh. However one thing was over looked. Ash had so quickly staggered her way up the stairs leaving behind her backpack. Raleigh being the last one at the table had remembered Ash threatening his men. 'One peek wouldn't hurt would it?'
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Ah, feels good to be back in front of my computer after so long. Also a nice little break doesn't hurt much does it? feel free to leave comments, I actually like to read them sometimes.