NENGO 327年11月21日 9:17 AM - 40 Days Until Culmination
After an exhausting day of elemental fighting and mountain climbing, the party wakes up to the smell of breakfast cooking on the campfire outside their tents. One by one, they emerge to find Danika and Anri cooking rice and some of the meat they brought with them. The party begins to notice that the air outside is cooler than it has been... a sign that winter is coming soon. As they sat around the campfire enjoying their meal, they discussed their plans on how to proceed with their mission.
TRITHAL: "There's no need to have the Grynak civilians accompany us to Okremafort. It would be better if they stayed here with a few soldiers to protect them. We should only bring the rest of soldiers with us."
THRAX: "Yeah, you're right. I wouldn't be much of a leader if I put my people in harm's way if it weren't necessary. Now, if I remember correctly, we're about 7 days from Okremafort, and we have less that 6 weeks left before the first of the year. So, how soon should we leave?"
Kuta: "I say no later than tomorrow morning. Given the increased Dralani activity here in the Badlands, we should give ourselves plenty of time to get to Okremafort. We can't afford to lose any time over any trivial shit we come across along the way. Besides, the sooner we get to Vankar, the sooner we'll learn what's happening, and may have a better chance of stopping it. We should spend today taking inventory of our supplies and equipment... and deciding who will accompany us and who will stay behind."
The discussion continued on for a few minutes, until interrupted by Jarsar shouting "Hey, we got company!"
The party gets up and goes to the entrance of the encampment to investigate. They find a band of 7 Myrmadon soldiers approaching the camp, led by someone whose uniform was quite decorated. When the soldiers were close enough, the leader shouted, "We are here to collect the FireDrake Crystal from Janxion, leader of the Dralani-Grynak tribe."
Xaklafor: "Who the fuck are you?"
leader: "I am Kokichi, aide to Vankar the Black. I have been sent by Lord Vankar to retrieve the Dragon Crystals from the Badlands Valley. We have been informed by reliable sources that Janxion is in possession of the FireDrake Crystal. We've come to relieve him of it."
Jarsar: "Well, Kokichi, I'm afraid you've come too late. Janxion has been dispatched."
Kokichi: "Then what has become of the FireDrake Crystal? We will take it from whomever has it now."
THRAX: "That would be me. If you want it, you'll have to fight me for it!"
The group of soldiers bursts into hysterical laughter.
Kokichi: "You expect me to believe a mere human possesses the FireDrake Crystal? I assume you will also tell me that it was you who defeated Janxion! What bullshit!"
Soldier #1: "Quit fucking around! Where can we find the FireDrake Crystal?"
Soldier #2: "If you don't tell us, we will raze your encampment to the ground!"
THRAX withdraws the crystal and holds it up to where everyone can see it. The group of soldiers stops laughing when they realize THRAX is telling the truth.
THRAX: "Like I said, I have it here. If you want it, you'll have to fight me for it."
Kokichi: "Very well... Have it your way."
The group of solders take their battle postures, and so does the party.
BATTLE MODE ON
TRITHAL (LV 30; 125/125 HP; 121/121 SP; 9480 EXP)
AXEM (LV 27; 107/107 HP; 105/105 SP; 8039 EXP)
THRAX (LV 32; 105/105 HP; 159/159 SP; 10960 EXP)
Danika (LV 30; 105/105 HP; 100/100 SP; 8538 EXP)
Anri (LV 30; 102/102 HP; 102/102 SP; 9632 EXP)
Adeth (LV 19; 62/62 HP; 28/28 SP; 3360 EXP)
Kuta (LV 32; 101/101 HP; 112/112 SP; 9876 EXP)
Elric (LV 28; 108/108 HP; 255/255 SP; 7467 EXP)
Jarsar (LV 42; 146/146 HP; 202/202 SP; 12436 EXP)
Xaklafor (LV 61; 234/234 HP; 420/420 SP; 26122 EXP)
The Myrmadon solders strike first, and each attack is either blocked or evaded by the party. No one in the party loses any HP.
Kokichi: "Hmph. So I see it is no mere humans we're dealing with."
Kuta: "You're very observant, my friend!"
TRITHAL: "Tell me something, Kokichi... What does Vankar want with the Dragon Crystals?"
Kokichi: "Why the hell should I tell you?"
Danika: "Do you even know, Kokichi?"
Soldier #3: "What the hell difference would that make?"
THRAX: "If you don't know, then we won't need to torture you..."
AXEM: "But if you do... then we won't let you leave here without telling us everything you know!"
Soldier #4: "Ha! A bunch of humans and a couple of Draconian solders couldn't possibly do any damage to us!"
In response to that remark, each party member withdraws their weapons and boosts their power. THRAX begins to transform into his Draconian form. They begin a melee attack on the Myrmadon soldiers, severely injuring about 2/3rds of them.
Kokichi: "So, you aren't entirely human..."
THRAX: "Some of us aren't totally human... but even those that are have extensive battle training. So, you guys might as well tell us what you know before this gets unpleasant."
Soldier #5: "Oh, please! Ya'll ain't nothing more than a bunch of humans with a few tricks!"
Soldier #5 attempts to attack THRAX with his sword. THRAX grabs the soldier's sword with one hand and snaps the blade in half.
THRAX: "You were saying?"
Soldier #5 runs away screaming like a little girl. Kuta chases after the cowardly soldier and snaps his neck in one swift move. Soldier #5 is now dead.
THRAX makes a gesture with his hand toward Xaklafor. Every soldier in the Grynak tribe surrounds the enemies, preventing any further escape attempts.
Jarsar: "Start talking... or none of you will leave here alive!"
Kokichi continues to stand there in stunned silence, not believing what he is seeing. Kokichi's soldiers attempt a combo attack at the party, but Jarsar slices them all with a single swipe of his sword, leaving all but two dead.
Xaklafor walks up to Kokichi and picks him up by his neck.
Xaklafor: "Your little band of rookies is falling apart. Tell us what you know, or your head comes off!"
THRAX: "Xak, put him down." (to Kokichi): "Look, Kokichi, I don't have time for this nonsense. You said that Vankar is scouring the Badlands for the Dragon Crystals. All I want to know is, why?"
Kokichi: "Do you think Lord Vankar is foolish enough to explain his reasons to his lackeys? All I know is that the Crystals are scattered about the Badlands Valley, and I am to retrieve them for him."
TRITHAL: "Hmm. Vankar must treat his lackeys quite well, considering how heavily you're decorated. You obviously know more than what you're telling us. Either willingly or otherwise, you will tell us what you know!"
TRITHAL's eyes begin to glow blue as he charges his telepathic abilities. Kokichi begins to feel his brain tingle as TRITHAL begins to pry it open.
Kokichi: "Okay! Okay!!!! There is one rumor going around Okremafort.... I hope to the gods that it's just a rumor..."
THRAX (growing impatient): "Out with it, already! I've got no time for your stalling!"
Kokichi: "The rumor is, that Vankar wants to create some type of super weapon to 'cleanse' this Land of Fantasy of the human 'infestation', as he calls it. It's also rumored that Vankar already possesses one of the 7 Dragon Crystals, and is wanting to use the other 6 to complete this rumored weapon. That's all I know...."
Soldier #2: "Don't believe any of that crap! Vankar is a creature of honor! It's nothing more than malicious lies designed to make and already unstable region even more unstable! And, even if it is true, we shouldn't be telling this to a bunch of vagabonds! It's just not.....ack!"
Kokichi cut off Soldier #2's head.
Kokichi: "Shut up, already!" (to THRAX): "So, now that I've told you what I know, now what?"
THRAX nods toward the Grynak soldiers blocking the encampment gates. The soldiers part and allow Kokichi and his one remaining underling to leave. The two of them run like hell toward Okremafort, leaving a few dropped objects and twin trails of urine behind them.
BATTLE MODE OFF
Each party member gains 120 EXP from the enemies that were killed.
TRITHAL (LV 30; 125/125 HP; 121/121 SP; 9600 EXP)
AXEM (LV 27; 107/107 HP; 105/105 SP; 8159 EXP)
THRAX (LV 32; 105/105 HP; 159/159 SP; 11110 EXP)
Danika (LV 30; 105/105 HP; 100/100 SP; 8658 EXP)
Anri (LV 30; 102/102 HP; 102/102 SP; 9752 EXP)
Adeth (LV 19; 62/62 HP; 28/28 SP; 3480 EXP)
Kuta (LV 32; 101/101 HP; 112/112 SP; 9996 EXP)
Elric (LV 28; 108/108 HP; 255/255 SP; 7587 EXP)
Jarsar (LV 42; 146/146 HP; 202/202 SP; 12556 EXP)
Xaklafor (LV 61; 234/234 HP; 420/420 SP; 26242 EXP)
Kuta picks up one of the objects that were dropped by Kokichi.
Anri: "What is that thing?"
Kuta: "This looks kinda like the FireDrake Crystal, only solid white and cold to the touch." (to Jarsar and Xaklafor): "What do you gentlemen make of this?"
Jarsar examines the white crystal that Kuta picked up, and says, "Well dip me in axle grease and call me slick! It's the FrostDrake Crystal!"
TRITHAL: "Ah, so it would appear that Kokichi was at least telling the truth about being sent to gather the Dragon Crystals. Maybe he was also telling the truth about Vankar wanting these things to build some kind of weapon or whatever."
Anri: "You know as soon as Kokichi reports back to Okremafort, Vankar is going to send more troops after us, and after the Dragon Crystals."
THRAX: "So then, we should focus our efforts on finding the remaining crystals ourselves before Vankar does."
AXEM: "How do you propose we do that? If Vankar is truly serious about collecting these, he's gonna send more soldiers to look for them. Besides, we don't have a clue where the crystals are!"
THRAX: "Yes, but, we have something that I'm sure Vankar doesn't."
TRITHAL: "And that something would be...?"
Anri: "About a day and a half's journey from here is the house Xanatos grew up in near Xanthur Lake. In that house are journals... journals that tell of the locations of the crystals."
Jarsar: "Everybody knows about Xanatos' research into the crystals... but I didn't think anyone knew where he had kept his research journals. I guess it would be logical that he would keep them at his house. But, the location of Xanatos' house has been kept secret for centuries. After Xanatos disappeared, it was believed that the location had been forgotten."
Xaklafor: "It's a good bet that Vankar already knows about the journals. He probably already has people searching for Xanatos' house."
THRAX: "True, but we're at a slight advantage. Gwarlahim showed me how to get past the extremely powerful magic barrier keeping the house hidden. The only way to break through it is with the Amulet of Xanatos."
Xaklafor: "I have heard that rumor... and I also heard that the Amulet was lost many years ago. I'm guessing that you found it, too?"
THRAX: "Yes, in a small maze of tunnels near Mount Sabretooth a little more than a year ago. Now it's fused into the guard of my DragonSaber. With it, I can get us through the barrier and into the house."
random Grynak old man civilian guy: "You know, youngsters, my grand-daddy once told me a story of Xanatos and the Dark Flare crystal... supposedly the most powerful of all the 7 lost Dragon Crystals. It's rumored to be more powerful by itself than all of the other crystals combined! It was once said that Xanatos had found it, and hid it somewhere so no one could ever find it."
Danika: "Fascinating story, old timer... but what does this have to do with anything we're talking about right now?"
Gynak old man: "If Vankar finds the other crystals, the Dark Flare would be the only thing that would give you any chance of stopping him. After hearing you folks talk about it, I can't help but think that the amulet might be helpful in finding the Dark Flare Crystal. If you honestly expect to be a match for the great Vankar, you will need to find the Dark Flare before he does."
TRITHAL: "Well then I guess that settles it. We need to go and find the Dragon Crystals. The obvious place to start searching would be Xanatos' old house. Since it's gonna take 7 days for Kokichi to report back to Vankar... and another 7 days for whomever Vankar sends in search of us and the crystals to get here, I'd say we should take advantage of the situation and get a head start."
AXEM: "And what do we do about this tribe that Thrax now is the leader of?"
TRITHAL: "That's up to Thrax. Maybe we should bring a few soldiers with us on this search. It might also be a good idea to send someone to Okremafort to investigate what Vankar's up to."
Xaklafor: "Well, Thrax, what say you?"
THRAX: "I agree with Trithal. Xak, select 3 of your most trusted soldiers and send them to Okremafort to do some recon. It would indeed help us a great deal to have some idea of what's going on there. Also, select 2 more soldiers to come with us. I have a feeing that we'll need the extra support. The rest of the soldiers are to stay here and guard Neglaford and protect the civilians."
Xaklafor: "Very good."
Xaklafor calls his soldiers to quarter, and begins choosing who will do what. The party heads back over to their own encampment and finally starts eating their now cold breakfast.
A few hours later Xaklafor approaches THRAX with two Grynak soldiers following.
Xaklafor: "This is Veiko and his brother Vash. They are both advance squadron captains and are well suited for our task at hand. I've already sent the three to Okremafort, as you requested."
THRAX: "What are their stats like?"
Veiko (LV 35 GRYNAK CAPTAIN; 120/120 HP; 85/85 SP; 9126 EXP)
Vash (LV 32 GRYNAK CAPTAIN; 106/106 HP; 72/72 SP; 8022 EXP)
THRAX: "Well, then, I guess, welcome to the group."
Veiko: "Thank you, great Thrax!"
Vash: "We will do our best to maintain the honor of the Grynak tribe by serving you on this mission!"
Captains Veiko and Vash of the Dralani-Grynak tribe JOIN THE PARTY
TRITHAL (LV 30 DIVINE WIND; 125/125 HP; 121/121 SP; 9600 EXP)
AXEM (LV 27 STONE PILLAR; 107/107 HP; 105/105 SP; 8159 EXP)
THRAX (LV 32 HELL-FIRE; 105/105 HP; 159/159 SP; 11110 EXP)
Danika (LV 30 FOREST NINJA, CLASS III; 105/105 HP; 100/100 SP; 8658 EXP)
Anri (LV 30 ICE FLAME; 102/102 HP; 102/102 SP; 9752 EXP)
Adeth (LV 19 PALADIN; 62/62 HP; 28/28 SP; 3480 EXP)
Kuta (LV 32 RED CRYSTAL; 101/101 HP; 112/112 SP; 9996 EXP)
Elric (LV 28 LIGHTENING WIZARD; 108/108 HP; 255/255 SP; 7587 EXP)
Jarsar (LV 42 WIND; 146/146 HP; 202/202 SP; 12556 EXP)
Xaklafor (LV 61 AQUATIC WAVE; 234/234 HP; 420/420 SP; 26242 EXP)
Veiko (LV 35 GRYNAK CAPTAIN; 120/120 HP; 85/85 SP; 9126 EXP)
Vash (LV 32 GRYNAK CAPTAIN; 106/106 HP; 72/72 SP; 8022 EXP)
-------------------------
Now that a plan is in place, the party spends the rest of the day making sure they have the supplies and such that they will need for the quest ahead... which could take several weeks to complete. At the end of the day, the party turns in and makes sure they get plenty of rest.
(END CHAPTER THREE)
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