NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18 - Composure pt 2
"Scabba-dabba-ma-be-bop-oo-woah, hey sister I'll do it don't mess my rhymes up, ya stifle my word rifle with yo strict nature yappin hehheh-ba de-da-da."
"Was that incense laced with something I said to Atropa.
"He's real alright, just a bit of a character...put some food on for the guests to go away with Fitz OR you can stay at the guild hall if you don't want to make yourself useful!" Said Atropa. Fitz mumbled to himself "da-de-paaaaa~" sounding like an out of tune horn instrument.
"May I ask what exactly is going on?" she said to us out of curiosity.
"We were heading to the murk marshes for a request. Green top was the safer route we thought with everything going on with Areya's madness. Things turned wrong at green top...very wrong, you ever hear of a dungeon shifting it's rating after entering?" Said Rhua. Atropa's face was in shock. It seems this was going to be big news when it makes it rounds, I thought
"Gosh... what did it reach?" to which Wardi told her, and she gasped
"4.5 stars." … stumbling into a chair.
"I'll tell Zainab my guild master, when I see her next, she is quite fond of researching dungeons, I don't think anyone really understands the purpose of them, and even more so regarding Chasm. Said Atropa. "She often has said the dungeons are the god's way of pushing us to be better maybe It is why they often give rewards at the end."
"This one did not" said Lucy in the back, admiring some curiously humanoid looking small fungi trying to jump at her hand and failing from their big heads being too heavy.
"The only reward it gave us was a few bruises and cuts plus nearly losing our friend in the process." Said Wardi who begun looking at Silana. It was strange to think of someone we have known for three or so weeks as a friend, but she has certainly warmed the hearts of the party since joining I thought.
"Thank you for your help Atropa." Wardi said and offering her a pouch containing 100000 HFC.
"This should cover the cost of the ingredients and for your service" Wardi said to Atropa.
"I appreciate this, I'm one step closer…one step closer to being nearer my guildies hee-hee, It's an expensive city and everyone wants a spot here, was lucky to get this one!" Atropa was full of excitement and jigged around the room a little and Horace in admiration tried to initiate Rhua in to doing a high five jive who reluctantly did to make him happy.
"It was like watching yung and yoong in action" said Wardi trying to make a joke.
We sat for a few hours in the apartment waiting for Silana to wake up who finally stirred as night settled in.
"How you are feeling lass" said Wardi smiling now she was back with us.
"I'm feeling...good, the pain gone, you all save me" she said to us as she slowly sat up. There was a silence for a few moments and Rhua noticed the tears run down Silana's face.
"I'm sorry you worry for me, I will be better, for all you, I promise" she said in her broken tone, comforted by Rhua who was hugging her and stroking her back. "Its ok Silana." said Lucy "Your one of us after all, it's not the first time we have all been in a bad situation before and there will probably be more, but we have each other's backs, and we will do everything we can to look after each other!" She said with passion in her voice shouting.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"HERE HERE" Piped Horace who had wandered in the kitchen to help Fitz.
The room was energised by Lucy's words, after a gruelling day it was like we were restored to a good state.
"This event has made it clear, we need a dedicated healer type to the group" said Wardi, who stood up and began pacing around.
"Atropa, would yo-" he tried to ask but she interjected.
"I'm sorry." Shaking her head
"I'm not suited to adventuring..." she waved the glamour of her outmost layers and revealed her typical Quacksalver attire of bland green and browns looking like the average peasant. Only that, upon the glamour fully revealing all, much of her head was missing, her hair gone and her scalp was gruesomely scarred over whilst her limbs had all but been replaced by prosthetics, bar her right arm, hand, and digits.
"Just one dungeon did all this, it was only me and my party member Pezerah that made it out" hells bells I thought looking at the state of Atropa and listening to the story.
"It was only the 3rd year of the rebirth, people were still finding their feet you know...and the dungeons and their ratings, we didn't understand them at all, it took a while before the guide was released after all.
"Green top and Gravel Pit the one-star dungeons we cleared easy, so we tried the Silent manor and Serpent Sewers the two star dungeons we also managed relatively ok… but then we let the rush get to us, especially with the boss loot fuelling that. She became distant in the moment.
"So, we did the Three-star dungeon The Smouldering Apprentice, we didn't have the right set up, a group full of fighter types and a single healer type.
"Dritt" said Rhua
"Say no more Atropa" said Wardi who walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. He lifted her head up and he removed his prosthetic left ear and showed her his heavily mutilated left leg.
"Same dungeon, maybe a year or so after you entered, same with our friend over there." Horace also joined the conversation showing off the mechanical right hand he had and making it do all sorts of typical normal hand motions.
"It's a bugger of a dungeon; the difficulty spikes up compared to any of the previous. Wardi said following up.
"We can't compare to yours, but we can sympathise Atropa" said Rhua who unequipped her gear showing the ferociously deep scarring across her chest to her waist. Before turning around and showing the Scalafish scales adorning her back.
"The boss got me, the skin never healed properly, and the healer in the town closest had experience in Scaq techniques that use Scalafish scales as a skin graft, the soft side is super compatible to ours and it kinda acts like a little armour." Said Rhua who auto equipped her gear back on.
Atropa smiled and thanked us "It's rare anyone is so open about the horror that occurs from these places." She spoke.
"Rest up here, I insist. You've had a heavy day, don't give yourselves any fatigue." We gladly accepted and after Fitz brought in food, we ate and shared the dish duty and finally got a chance to wash ourselves before retiring for the night. a normal sleeping space again...delightful. The words floated around my mind before I dozed off.
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"Rise and shine dearies!" Said Atropa leaving her room. Horace surprised by the sudden noise sat up too quick and face smashed the table under which he was sleeping.
"I'll heat the leftovers from yesterday, since you're going to the Murk Marshe here's some anti venom tea for you all." Atropa kindly gave us all a cup of pleasantly tasting tea and I asked her on the side what does it do I can't see the effects and she told me, and I noted into my book:
*Quacksalvers exceptionally questionable, yet great tasting anti venom tea – complete immunity to all but the most extreme venom types for 10 days*
Wow that's an impressively long-lasting broken item I thought to myself.
We tried offering Atropa more HFC and were surprised by her returning fifty thousand back to me. "I have not used these skills in such a long time and forgotten what a party like yours was like; it has made me feel inspired, so please I insist on returning half." She said to us smiling.
As we ate and drank the wonderfully great tasting tea that only Horace seemed to dislike, Atropa spoke to us,
"Take the western gate there's a direct road to the northern end of the murk marshes, stop by the guild when you're done, Zainab would like to meet you all, I'm sure!" Thanking Atropa, Wardi said to her
"You really got us out of a dire situation. We'll see you soon no doubt."