Healing Mishap -10-
By LanzaQ

The group all stood at the last stretch of land of their home continent. “Well. I heard from a good source that Lanzer took one of those wooden...things....across the water and apparently has continued his search for the other High-church artifacts.” Arric said looking at one of the boats suspiciously. “I don't trust it.”

---
The group all walked down the stairs together Kate and Arric talked back and forth about the next dungeon they would try and tackle together. “Something easy, with a lot of possible loot.” Arric said counting his remaining arrows. “If we keep on fighting the way we are I won't have enough arrows to run us through the next dungeon.”

“I will be fine.” Kate said tying Caels hair into a pony tail before making a face and untying it. “Just pick up your arrows after we kill the monsters then you don't have to worry about it.”

“Kate please don't mess with my hair.” Cael said, but Kate apparently wasn't listening.

“Easy for you to say.” Arric sighed. “Do you understand what happens after you shoot an arrow into a tough-skinned, slimy or generally scarly beast again and again?” He paused. “They break, bend and become generally unusable as feasible ammunition.”

“H-Hey.” Verris said suddenly attracting Cael's, Arric's and Kate's attention. “How would someone go about learning...” He paused rubbing the back of his neck. “Darker arts?”

Arric and Cael just sort of stared for a bit before Kate smiled at him. “Patty can help you.” She said looking over Verris as she braided Cael's hair. “She definitely can help you learn more about that sort of magic.” she said pulling the braids out of Cael's hair. “I mean she has technically mastered it as an art form.”

“P-please stop.” Cael pleaded again.

“It's Cute.” Kate said pulling Cael's hair into two pigtails

Ash and Raleigh were both sitting at a table with mugs in their hands. “I know that the politics of the area aren't the best but I don't think the people of this area could handle me not being here. I mean I was the only source of income for both the schools and the church.” Raleigh said looking over at Ash who just shrugged. A sudden explosion was heard from the stairwell.

Raleigh and Ash both looked up and acknowledged what had happened but when back to their one sided conversation.

“Don't think about me like that. I bet you are thinking about how ninety percent of that was stolen, but hey the other ten percent was made from selling the items that I looted off the traveler's bodies to wandering merchants.” Raleigh continued before taking a swig from the mug. Ash again just looked out the nearby window disinterested and shrugged again.

Arric, Verris and Kate made it down the stairs in one piece, however Kate's ribbons would forever be nothing more than two black smudges on Dianna's walls..

“Hey. Ash, Raleigh. How does a nice dungeon sound?” Arric stated interrupting their little imaginary debate by slamming his hand on the table. Raleigh frowned and finished off his drink and Ash turned to look happily at Arric.

“Lets go.” She said grabbing her backpack and broken sword. “Can we find a smith?” she asked lifting half of the broken blade out of the scabbard.

--- Elsewhere. ---

A black orb appeared in the center of a large ostentatious marble hall. Pillars could be seen in almost any direction supporting the massive ceiling above which had a mural of a goddess handing down a baby wrapped tightly in a blanket to a man dressed in armor. The only words that could be found among the work of art read something along the lines of 'The world was given, him and the sword.'.

Suddenly the black orb tightened revealing a man with wild fiery red hair. He quickly drew his daggers and got into a defensive stance. “Erin Flamma is here.” he said.

A clinking could be heard as a man in heavily tarnished bronze armour walked forward. “Ah, Erin. Good to see you again.” he said in a voice that could have been threatening for your life and still sound angelic. “I suppose since she isn't bound, gagged and in your arms you have failed.” the man continued looking over him. “Well to say the least it was kind of expected.”

Erin paled as he heard this statement. “Khaos. It's not like that.” He said. “I-I didn't so much as fail you as.” He looked around the marble hall around him. “not succeed.”

“Erin, Erin, Erin.” Khaos said with a click of his tongue. “Not succeeding, IS failing.” he quickly drew a well worn and rusted sword from the scabbard at the hip of his armour. “And I Khaos, will not tolerate failure of any kind.”

---

The group all stood at the last stretch of land of their home continent. “Well. I heard from a good source that Lanzer took one of those wooden...things....across the water and apparently has continued his search for the other High-church artifacts.” Arric said looking at one of the boats suspiciously. “I don't trust it.”

“Why would you not trust 'The lady of the Waves.' the fastest vessel on this continent.” A man said walking forward pulling on a heavy cloth coat. “I believe I can get you across the ocean in no time flat with her.”

Raleigh stepped forward. “I am Raleigh of Ura, I command you to grant us access to your...” He paused to look at the large boat.

“Ship.” The man said looking at Raleigh.

Raleigh coughed. “Ship.” He finished.

“Well then I am the best captain for you, I am the only seafaring man in this area that knows the way across the ocean.” the man said rubbing his white gloved hands together and then adjusting his glasses and the large ornate gold and steel cutlass at his hip.

“Sound Great.” Arric said. “I don't believe that we are going to be accepting a ride on a giant HEAVY wooden...'ship' in deep deep water.”

"Au contraire!" The captain said. "The only way across the ocean, unless you can breathe water is by boat, ship or if you can get one to fly you across...a dragon."

"Where is Kate? Maybe I might just be able to work out something with Drea." Arric said looking over at the boat distastefully.

Raleigh scoffed. "Yeah that deal might only cost you an arm and a leg."

Arric suddenly remembered just what that dragon was doing the entire time he was stuck down there with the other four dungeon crawlers. "Nevermind."

“It could be worse.” Cael said with a smile. “The 'ship' you are worried about could have been made of metal.”

“Ha! As if you could make metal float.” Arric said crossing the gangplank slowly.

---Elsewhere.---

“Khaos. Please don't.” Erin pleaded as the blade made contact with his right hand dagger slicing the rusted steel blade cleanly through. He yelped as he jumped back. “Sir you don't understand. I have a wife and two children. Young children sir, and another one is expected soon.”

Khaos just rubbed at his temples with the hand that wasn't wielding the sword. “How sad of man you are Erin.” He said. “Stooped so low as to fail me when you understood that failure would mean death and the destruction of your poor family.” Khaos just laughed and begun an incantation.

In an instant a fireball the size of a small shack appeared and spun its way around the pillars in figure eights before crashing into the floor leaving a circular burn mark in the marble. Khaos just sighed. “MOTHER. I am trying to get rid of an undesirable leave my magic alone!”

“Oh Grateful am I , oh lonely mage devout to Sodia Grand Goddess.” Erin said falling to his knees.

---

The six sat in the belly of the wooden beast as it was being thrown back and forth. Arric slept peacefully. Raleigh was busy carving his name into one of the wooden support beams. Kate was reading quietly, while Ash was slouched over a bucket heaving at a steady rate. “Sorry Ash. I tried but I guess my healing magic doesn't work on seasickness.”

Verris was looking through his book and practicing by making small shapes and animals out of some water than had leaked in. He was also trying to leech the salt out of the water. He would quickly thrust his hand in the center of the puddle and quickly pull it out. A small stream of salt would quickly follow his hand before dropping back down into the water. Kate looked up for a small moment. “Patty said that that spell is actually one of the basic spells for necromancy.

Cael watched him for a bit and laughed. “You are doing it wrong.” He said. “You wave your hands in a circle around the puddle and the salt gathers around the edge.” Cael tried to demonstrate quickly. However to his dismay no matter how fast he spun his hands in a circle the salt would gather at the edge and quickly sink back in towards the center.

Verris laughed at this. “It seems that my teacher isn't quite the master at this either.”

Cael's face reddened quickly. “S-Shut up.” He said punching Verris in the arm. “I am just never wasted the time to practice with water.”

Verris was about to say something but he was interrupted by a sudden jarring of the boat and the hatch being thrown open. “We have arrived on Arcia.” the captain yelled down to them. “Hurry now. I can't stay here in port too long or the officials might get suspicious.”

The six all piled out and onto an icy pier. “It's cold.” Was the only thing Verris said shivering. They all glanced around them. The village was large considering it was the 'only port in Northern Arcia.' The buildings stood tall and were made of either frozen solid wood or Marble that matched the white snow around them. In front of every building stood a large round marble bowl filled with either glowing hot coals or actual fire.

Before they could walk off the pier a man stepped forward dressed in white wolf fur robe that was tied at the waist and a hand muffler wrapped tightly around his wrists. The man would have been in his late twenties. The falling snow stuck to his ghostly white fur shapka, and his icy blue eyes instantly set Cael on edge. “ 'allo. I am Burgh Klaus.” He said removing one of his hands from the fur muffler to shake Arric's hand. “Now let us get out of this cold.”

They all followed the man into one of the few smaller buildings, and they began to ever so slowly migrate towards the fire in the center of the room. “So. You mentioned that you were the burgh. Does that mean that you are the 'leader' of this village?” Arric asked looking over at a very expensive looking vase nearby.

“No. I am the 'leader' of the surrounding five.” Klaus said removing his hat, brushing off the snow and revealing his pointed ears. “Since we are all friends here why not introduce yourselves by name, and just how many are you exactly, I am not the greatest at counting.” He said looking over at Arric.

“Arric Verdin. Sharpshooter and Archer for this group of six dungeon crawlers.” He said setting the vase back down quickly.

“Ash Mydia.” Ash said looking at her still broken sword.

“Raleigh of Ura.” He said tossing up and catching his dagger.

Verris jumped away from the fire because one of the logs fell casting sparks into the air. “Verris Green. Apprentice Mage.”

At this Klaus was slightly interested. “Ah you are an apprentice that means that that lovely lady is your teacher. No?”

“Y-Yes.” Cael said walking forward. “Cael Fairwind. Master Magician for this group.”

Klaus, at learning about Cael suddenly became very interested. “A Swords-woman, An Archer, A dagger wielder, an Apprentice mage, and a Master Magician, I am missing someone ya?"

The five looked around, and could find no trace of Kate. “Well she tends to only appear at times when we need her most, she is our enigmatic healer.” Arric said

“It seems that you are exactly the group 'He' warned as about.” Klaus said throwing back the robe revealing shining silver plate mail and sword at his hip. The 'sword' look like it was nothing more than water frozen in the shape of a sword. “ I am Burgh Klaus SwordMage of Arcia, and recently a Cleric came through here and warned me about a possible group of six that would threaten the way my people live. You are under arrest by the Burgh and Citizens of Northern Arcia and will be held here until the Royal family can come down and hold the trial.”

Arric just sighed. “Of course this is our luck. He got here first so he gets the allies.”

“You can come quietly o-.” Klaus' speech came to a dead stop as Kate walked through the door with a smile on her face.

“Klaus! You are this Area's Burgh?” She asked setting down three icicles.

“Kate!? You don't look any older from the last time I saw you!” He said running over and giving the groups healer a hug.

At this Arric laughed. “She had to heal you before you would even get close to her.” He said looking back at Raleigh.

“I like younger women.” was all he had to say before he shoved the dagger into its sheath and walked over to Cael and patted him on the head. “ Not a lot younger just....” He trailed off looking over at Klaus and Kate. “She seems to get us out of a lot of trouble.”

“Mhmm.” Ash grunted placing the sword half back in the sheath. “Saves our asses.”

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T_T sorry everyone, I have been so busy recently that I didn't get a chance to sit down and hammer this out. Comment Please I love reading them.