(CHAPTER TWO: The Return of the Mercenaries)
The next morning, everyone awoke well-rested with clear minds. While they enjoyed a hearty breakfast, they resumed their discussion on how to proceed with their new quest.
TRITHAL: "Today is the 12th of Juichigatsu. That means we have less than 7 weeks to intercept Vankar before he launches his offensive or whatever."
Danika: "So what do we do in the meantime?"
THRAX: "We really need to make sure we're leveled up enough. This will be a really short quest if we're not collectively strong enough."
TRITHAL: "Agreed. So, what's everyone's current level?"
TRITHAL (LV 25 DIVINE WIND; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 4992 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30 HELL-FIRE; 99/99 HP; 152/152 SP; 6076 EXP)
Danika (LV 24 FOREST NINJA, CLASS III; 91/91 HP; 82/82 SP; 4282 EXP)
Anri (LV 28 ICE FLAME; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 5376 EXP)
TRITHAL: "Hey, check it out, Thrax! Even though half of the original 4 of us from the beginning of Volume One aren't here anymore, we're still 'Wind, Earth, Fire, and Water'. Isn't that silly?"
THRAX: "Phuh! Yeah it is... but actually we're 'Wind, Fire, Forest and Ice'."
TRITHAL: "Whatever! It's virtually the same... at least it's close enough to where we can keep the same title."
TRHAX: "Mmmm yeah I guess. Anyway, it seems that you and Danika haven't done too much leveling up this past year."
Danika: "We've been spending much of our time studying instead of in battle this past year."
TRITHAL: "Yeah. We really haven't had any reasons to level up. It's been more than a year since we've been on any kind of quest."
THRAX: "Osoyuse... Well, I recommend that everyone be at Level 30 or above before we start this. Aside from the various Dragon clans, the Badlands Valley is full of many kinds of bandits, monsters, etc. that wouldn't pass up an opportunity to pounce on a group of humans wandering around in their domain. They don't call it the 'Badlands Valley' for nothing!"
Anri: "So, how are we gonna level up?"
TRITHAL: "That forest outside of town is full of all kinds of monsters. The deeper you go, the stronger they are. Almost every martial arts student in Laurenstown and all over the East Valley (and believe me, there are alot of 'em) go there to exercise and to test their skills. I say let's go there and train."
Everyone voiced their agreement with TRITHAL, and after everyone was done with breakfast, they went and dressed in their questing outfits and gathered their weapons.. and by 10:00 AM local time, they began walking toward the forest south of town. After they crossed the valley and before they entered the forest perimeter, they happened upon the spot where Minako and Hitukiri are buried. TRITHAL withdraws a portable save point and attaches it to the tree next to the grave sites. Everyone uses it to save their place before they continue.
TRITHAL: "Ok. I have 5 of these portable save points. Once we reach the end of a stage in the forest, we'll use another to save so we won't lose the EXP we gain. Should we lose our way, this area here will be our re-group spot."
The group agrees this is a good idea, then proceeds as a group into the Forest of Trials. After a few minutes of wandering forward, they encounter a group of 8 low-level Forest Gnomes armed with pointy things.
BATTLE MODE ON
TRITHAL (LV 25; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 4992 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 152/152 SP; 6076 EXP)
Danika (LV 24; 91/91 HP; 82/82 SP; 4282 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 5376 EXP)
THRAX takes the first move and, with his sword drawn, envokes BLAZE WHIRLWIND, which immediately incenerates the two closest enemies, and causes the rest to lose various amounts of HP. THRAX used 20/152 SP.
Anri envokes ICE BALL, and throws a round ice crystal on the ground near the enemies. The crystal shatters and causes 3 enemies to die, and the rest to lose more HP.
TRITHAL withdraws his Wind Sword II and envokes SHOCKWAVE, causing the remaining 3 enemies to fall.
BATTLE MODE OFF
The Group GAINS 85 EXP
TRITHAL (LV 25; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 5077 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 132/152 SP; 6161 EXP)
Danika (LV 24; 91/91 HP; 82/82 SP; 4367 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 5461 EXP)
The party barely used any energy with that pathetic fight, so as a group they just kept going forward.
Next the party encounters 7 WOOD NYMPHS
BATTLE MODE ON
TRITHAL (LV 25; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 5077 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 132/152 SP; 6161 EXP)
Danika (LV 24; 91/91 HP; 82/82 SP; 4367 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 5461 EXP)
THRAX evokes BLAZE WHIRLWIND again and causes each enemy to lose around 60 HP. A couple of them catch fire. THRAX uses another 20/132 SP.
Anri decides to be silly and flashes her tits at the enemies. This distracts them long enough for the two of the enemies who are on fire to burn to death.
While the enemies are distracted by Anri's awesome, flawless rack, TRITHAL (trying to avert his eyes since his wife is right there) runs up and does WIND DANCE, where he surrounds himself in wind energy and spins his blade at a sonic speed, slicing the remaining enemies. Three of them are defeated.
Danika: "Put your shirt down, Anri! Jeez!!"
Danika, finally able to make a move, all-of-a-sudden appears behind the enemies, and slices them with her long sword. The remaining enemies die.
BATTLE MODE OFF
The Group gains 250 EXP
TRITHAL (LV 25; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 5327 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 112/152 SP; 6411 EXP)
Danika (LV 24; 91/91 HP; 82/82 SP; 4617 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 5711 EXP)
THRAX (to Anri): "Why the hell did you show them your tits? I thought I was the only one allowed to see those!"
Anri: "Hey! I was just trying to be silly! Without the Wet Blanket around, someone has to lighten the mood!"
Noticing TRITHAL and Danika already several paces ahead, THRAX and Anri bring a swift resolution to their argument and catch up to the rest of the group... just as they encounter 3 FLATULENT BEAVERS.
BATTLE MODE ON
TRITHAL (LV 25; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 5327 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 112/152 SP; 6411 EXP)
Danika (LV 24; 91/91 HP; 82/82 SP; 4617 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 5711 EXP)
The Beavers have the fastest speed, so they take the first attack. They unleash on the party STINKY CHEESE, which causes a cloud of a very nauseating odor to surround the party. This causes no loss of HP, but Danika and Anri (having a more-acute sense of smell than the male party members) proceed to projectile-vomit on the enemies... which, in turn causes the Beavers to become nauseous and puke all over each other. The enemies become distracted.
THRAX, now quite pissed that his woman has become sick, decides to unleash his signature HELL-FIRE on the enemies, causing the vomit on their clothes to catch fire. Each enemy gradually loses HP while smoldering.
Anri is still sick, so she skips her turn.
TRITHAL, deciding to make a decisive move, unleashes another SHOCKWAVE, which causes the Wood element-based enemies (who are already weakened by being on fire) to mysteriously shatter into what appears to be wood splinters.
BATTLE MODE OFF
The Group GAINS 300 EXP
Danika GAINS A LEVEL
LV 24>25; HP 91>94; SP 82>85
TRITHAL (LV 25; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 5627 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 112/152 SP; 6711 EXP)
Danika (LV 25; 94/94 HP; 85/85 SP; 4917 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 6011 EXP)
TRITHAL: "Good job, babe!"
Danika replies with a smirk and a phrase in the Macha language, then the party continues forward.
After a few minutes of walking and not encountering anything, they reach a stream. TRITHAL decides this is a good spot to save, so he withdraws another Portable Save Point and attaches it to a tree. Everyone saves their place.
The stream isn't too wide, and only ankle-deep, so the party members remove their shoes and walk across. Once on the other side, before they have a chance to put their shoes back on, they are confronted by a group of 5 TREE SNAKES
BATTLE MODE ON
TRITHAL (LV 25; 110/110 HP; 102/102 SP; 5627 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 112/152 SP; 6711 EXP)
Danika (LV 25; 94/94 HP; 85/85 SP; 4917 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 6011 EXP)
Since the party is somewhat distracted by being confronted so quickly (and not yet having their shoes on) One of the Snakes quickly slithers up to THRAX, wraps itself around his left leg and bites him, causing a temporary paralysis.
With THRAX paralyzed for the moment, Anri acts quickly and evokes ICE BLAST, causing giant chunks of ice to bombard the enemies. Each of the enemies lose about a third of their HP. The one who attacked THRAX has released his grip and backed off, but THRAX is still paralyzed.
TRITHAL, whose primary attack element is Wind (which doesn't have that much effect on Snakes) makes a basic move and chops off one of the damn thing's heads with his damn sword. That move only killed one of the 4 enemies, which makes this turn less-than productive.
Danika, being quite trained on how the Forest element works, withdraws a Stone element scroll and casts GAN-SMASH which causes a huge boulder to fall from the sky and crush the Snakes, leaving them flattened and canceling out their Wood element. The enemies are defeated.
BATTLE MODE OFF
The Group GAINS 320 EXP
TRITHAL GAINS A LEVEL
LV 25>26; HP 110>112; SP 102>105
TRITHAL (LV 26; 112/112 HP; 105/105 SP; 5947 EXP)
THRAX (LV 30; 99/99 HP; 112/152 SP; 7031 EXP)
Danika (LV 25; 94/94 HP; 85/85 SP; 5237 EXP)
Anri (LV 28; 97/97 HP; 100/100 SP; 6331 EXP)
Danika (in Macha language): "Now you're become somewhat less worthless, Tsutaru."
TRITHAL (in Macha language): "Fuck you!"
THRAX (in Macha language): "Go get a room to do that, you two!"
Anri (in English since she doesn't know the Macha language): "What the hell are you all saying? Are you deliberately excluding me from this conversation or something? Speak English!"
Before anyone could come up with a snappy response, the party fell into a booby-trap.
----------
Jeremy: "Ooh! a 'Booby Trap'! BOOBIES!!!"
Evil Ray: "Pssh! Whatever!"
TRITHAL: "Hey! I don't wanna put up with your less-than-coolness here, Evil Ray! Stay the fuck out of this volume!"
Evil Ray: "Listen, Trithal... I created you, and I can destroy you too!"
TRITHAL (defiant-ly): "I'd like to see you tr--"
CHARACTER DELETED: TRITHAL THE DIVINE WIND
..........
Danika: "Hey Evil Ray! That wasn't very nice."
THRAX: "Yeah! Now all that's left from the original party is me! That isn't cool!"
Anri: "Yeah! This volume will end up being a mere shadow of the first now!"
Evil Ray: "Alright already! Whatever!"
Evil Ray walks away until he is off-camera...
..........
RESTORE CHARACTER: TRITHAL THE DIVINE WIND
TRITHAL:"--try it!... Hey! Where the hell did he go?"
THRAX: "Forget about that now. Where the hell are we?"
...to be continued...
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