I walk over to Carrina, who is still swinging wildly at Warren, and grab her wrist lightly.
"Please do not get distracted, I would like a place for my friend to rest."
We stare at each other as I let her go, her jerking her hand away and rubbing her wrist. She starts walking away as I follow her, keeping Vex balanced on my back.
I follow her through the town, people watching us closely and worriedly. Vex chuckles while on my back.
"This looks pretty pathetic. Never thought I'd need to be carried after using that spell."
He laughs and sighs. I look out the corner of my eye and smile.
"Don't worry, we'll let you rest. But, I am curious about that spell you used. What was it again, [Mass Umbra Shift]?"
I ask as he smiles.
"Yea, I learned it in the dungeon."
We continue walking behind Carrina. I hear Blankk and Azeroth talking to Warren behind me. They are chit-chatting and laughing. We soon arrive at a decent size wooden house with ornate symbols and gems on the door. The building is about 3 stories tall, and looks like an church.
"Welcome to my house, been putting all my collectibles in here from all my adventures."
Carrina says as she opens the door and walks in. As I follow her in, I see several open rooms with beds. I quickly speak up.
"What exactly is this building? It doesn't look like any house I've ever seen."
I ask as she looks over her shoulder.
"It was a temple to the Maker, but the people of this town no longer believe in such myths. The Maker is nothing but a story to the people here."
She quickly points to a spare bed, neatly made with decorative sheets. I lay Vex down and pull the covers over him.
"Take it easy, just sleep for a while."
I say as he takes a deep breath and yawns. He nods and closes his eyes. Blankk speaks up.
"So, Carrina, do you live here alone?"
His voice echoes slightly through the house as I hear light creaking in the floorboards above us.
"Yes, I don't like having visitors."
She replies, the slight creaking immediately stopping.
It may just be the house settling, but I feel like there might be other people here.
I see Carrina pull a chair over and sit down.
"So, you want to recruit me? For what?"
She asks while calmly watching us. I see Warren sit on the floor and look to me. I look towards Carrina and nod.
"We want you to help us take down Wolfpack."
Silence fills the room as the stares at me blankly. After a few seconds, she chuckles.
"I refuse, you may watch your friend, but do not wander around my house."
She says calmly while pushing the chair back against the wall. As she starts to walk away, I hear Warren laugh.
"So unlike you, normally you'd jump at the opportunity to kill someone. What changed?"
Warren asks, Carrina freezing in her tracks.
"I've killed enough, I'm a guardian now. I defend this town, and the people within it."
She says as she starts walking away again. She quickly walks up stairs, and we hear the floorboards creaking heavily above us. Blankk sighs.
"Well, that didn't work. Any plans for how to convince her to join us?"
He asks, all of us silently thinking to ourselves.
I feel there might be another reason for her wanting to stay here. I feel that may be the intuition talking though.
I watch Warren walk towards the staircase. As he takes one step onto it, we hear the floorboards above us creaking again.
"Warren! I told you all not to wander!"
Carrina shouts from the stairs above us as Warren smiles and takes his foot off the steps.
"You seem to be hiding something. It's unlike you to be so defensive, what are you keeping up there?"
Warren asks, heavy footsteps coming down the stairs. She quickly grabs Warren by the collar when she reaches him and rears her hand back to hit him. Before her swing reaches him, I move to her and grab the hand she was swinging.
She quickly looks to me and grits her teeth.
"Why do you care if I'm hiding something? What reason could you possibly have to be concerned about what I do?!"
She shouts as I stare at her. Warren speaks up.
"Because we came for you, we want you in our guild."
Warren says as I look out of the corner of my eye to see a little girl standing at the top of the staircase, watching us confused. Carrina pulls with all of her might to get away, but she can't. I speak up.
"What purpose would you have for bringing us here, especially if you were hiding something? You could've had the town's people give Vex a place to rest I imagine, so why did you want us here?"
I ask, keeping an eye on the girl watching us. She has long black hair and loose and baggy grey shirt and pants. Carrina notices my eyes looking away and quickly looks back. Carrina sees the child on the stairs and starts attacking me wildly.
[-480 HP]
[-480 HP]
[-480 HP]
[+1,440 HP]
"I heal faster than you can hurt me, so could you please just explain why you're hiding a child?"
I ask while Carrina still attacks me, trying to break free.
Now that I think about it, do I even need other people for my mission? All I need is better gear to take down Alesti.
I think as I quickly shake my head.
No, I need others to help me. The gap in skill is too vast. Why would I think I could take down Alesti by myself?
I think as Carrina sighs.
"Let me go, and promise you won't hurt her, and I'll tell you everything."
She says as we stare at each other.
"I promise, that child is safe in my presence."
I reply, letting Carrina go. She looks at her wrist I was holding, seeing red marks where I was holding her.
"Her name is Mia."