"I thought you prepared a shadow-portal for travel?" Hina said as she rode her magnificent horse, Juvela, passed the Sallytok Fuenji Mines.
Each time she would venture to the edge of the Neon Kingdom border, memories of playing with her friends at the forest would come flooding to her. The cheerful and playful giggles as they hide in different places, or the pristine crystal waters of Lake Gimsuj, glistening in the sun. What frivolous moments they were. Hina recalled the times she would sneak into the mines and return home with an array of weapons and armour. The dwarves working in the mines would teach Hina how to smelt the desired ore and the process into forming the weapon, or armour of her choice. She had done this for many years to the point the process was instilled in her blood, and even within her own walls the people were in awe of her wonderful craftsmanship. To be a great ruler you must know thy people, and for Hina, her first steps were to learn the way of life in her kingdom
"May I remind you, Pres, the Bomarians placed an enchantment upon their island to prevent outsiders from entering. Unless you want to explode upon entry, going by foot is the next best point of call", Franni smiles sarcastically
The pair ride south of Neon Kingdom nearing the Borders of Connection, the point where the four kingdoms intersect, allowing traders from the different kingdoms to offer their goods, as well as safe passage to the other kingdoms. However, the countless Nether Markets reflect the various discrepancies in the kingdom where illegal marketing was made. And although she knew very well of their existence, unbeknownst to her, Franni makes his rare trades from those markets.
He looks back at the green gem, which Hina fashioned into a necklace to ensure she doesn't lose it, and ponders at the thought of how she collected the Totem of Undying. He had explained to her that this particular talisman was part of the six-powerful items in Yomar, with the ability to prevent the death of the user. Franni had read it in the Library of Ga Umko, the Totem of Undying was lost in the archives of Neon Kingdom due to the Battle of Ga Sumee. The warrior wielding the six items deemed them dangerous in one's hands and decided to hide them in various locations known only to him and trusted comrades.
"Wait", Hina calls out causing Franni to jerk
She readies a bow, while Franni forms a sigil to command the earth. Waiting, and waiting for the creature to reveal itself
"Oh, hello!" a little girl jumps out from the bush, "my apologies for frightening you. I was playing with my big brother and I lost him"
Hina sighs a breath of relief, lowering the bow to its original position, but Franni doesn't remove the sigil from his hand. Before Hina can move closer to the girl, he snaps his fingers changing the symbol and projects it onto the girl entrapping her in magic, then pulls his hand dragging her closer. He grabs a sword, relatively smaller in size, then beheads the girl and throws a few meters in front
"What are you doing?" Hina turns to her friend
"Is there blood?"
"What?"
"Is. There. Blood?"
Hina twists her head to the dead girl seeing no blood form on the ground, instead the body becomes translucent and the severed head reattaches to its body forming a jelly-like creature, towering over the two
"It's a…", Hina stutters
"Yep", Franni says getting off his horse in an unamused manner
The Purik pulls back its arm and projects it at Franni. He dodges the attack, touching the arm causing it to implode up to its body. Hina charges with her sword removing it's legs. The creature pushes Hina back with its remaining arm, giving it time to regrow. Franni creates claws from the ground, digging them aggressively at the body of the Purik and rips it apart. He signals to Hina and she fires an arrow piercing the violet eye imprinted in the creature and it ceases all attacks. Franni goes close to Hina forming an earth-barrier as the Purik becomes lumpy, then explodes throwing its remains onto everything and burning the trees surrounding it.
"Sorry," Hina says going back onto the horse, "we're close to the Bukana Trading Town, we can pass through and continue"
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Jaden awakens to the sound of rustling and grunting in the next room. He could barely get any sleep with sexual tension so high in a place like this. He knew the pubs, bars and inns of Briyako Coast were famous for their alcoholic beverages, but not the passionate or drunk sex occurring within these walls. Nor the moans while one's cock is being sucked by another in lust for each other. Or servicing each other in other ways for maximum pleasure. He had heard all types of couples -- human and orc, dwarf and human, elf and human, amongst others -- crashing into a room, passionately and aggressively ripping off each other's clothes just to get a taste of one another. Of all the places he had chosen, it would be this inn filled with lust-hungry individuals fucking each other until they can release no more. And even then they would continue just for the sensation.
He groans unsatisfied with his lack of sleep, collects his belongings and departs with Billiwog down the inn's stairs, passing drunken creatures asleep on the floor, occasionally avoiding the puddles of vile, and missing teeth and blood. He leaves a tip for the sleeping bartender who has found herself sleeping on the floor behind the bench, saving her from the drunken brawls.
Jaden leaves the inn, Briyako Jika, shielding his eyes from the beauty of the sun. His eyes adjust to the brightness revealing the magnificence of Briyako Coast. The stories were true. Looking upon this place in the day-time was better than in the night, yet the descriptions could not fathom the beauty of such a place. You would have to experience this for yourself. The sun beaming down with it's radiant smile caressing the surfaces it touches, giving it a unique gleam and causing the aquamarine to change into a lustrous vibrant green. A contrast to the rich blue that Jaden saw during the night.
He looks around finding a plethora of stalls open beaming with various treasures from the four kingdoms, cafe-pubs welcoming families in for a warm breakfast, and the salty aroma of the ocean riding the winds offers a refreshing perspective in Jaden's journey. Billiwog, too, indulges in this moment. He heads towards a bread stall, greeted by a lovely woman smiling at him, and purchases several pieces of bread with different variations, breads unfamiliar on Bomar. He sits down by the stone wall, embedding his feet slightly into the warmth of the sand, eating the bread and watching Billiwog play in the sand
Out of nowhere Jaden stops eating, hearing a roar coming from the centre of the coast. The other villagers stop, parents hold onto their children and cling on one another for comfort. Jaden hears the commotion of a creature attacking Briyako Coast and decides to assist the wonderful town. He puts his bread away, picks up Billiwog and runs towards the beast sword at the ready. Jaden arrives at the Briyako Square spotting a Yahmi spewing lava on the floor, setting the buildings on fire. He runs over to the lava beast, holding a bucket of water and splashes it turning a section into obsidian, but the Yahmi continues moving to the town hall.
"Move, idiot", Jaden turns to see The Treasurer taking out a stone, with a swirl in the middle, from her bag passing it to Chohyeon.
"Useless aren't you? It's a Yahmi, water ain't gonna do shit"
The Treasurer passes a netherite-pickaxe to Jaden, telling him to wait for Chohyeon. They wait for the warrior to hold the stone facing the beast. The swirl ignites changing the element into obsidian from the bottom-up, it swerves and wails trying to free itself from.
"Haha loser", Chohyeon shouts
"Pay attention, love!"
In a last attempt the Yahmi condenses its arm into brimstone and projects it at the warrior, crashing her against a prismarine wall, letting go of the stone. The Treasurer rolls her eyes and runs to help Chohyeon, telling Jaden to keep it busy. He drops the pickaxe, lifting the sword and cuts off the arm. Chohyeon gets up and assists Jaden with the Yahmi, using her axe to keep the attacks away from bystanders.
"Billiwog, give the stone to The Treasurer, quickly", Jaden instructs his cat
Billiwog runs off his back chasing after the stone. Fortunately it's able to pick it up, giving it to the girl. She flashes a smile to Billiwog, scratches its head, stands and holds the stone hopefully changing the Yahmi to obsidian. Eventually the Yahmi stops attacking not realising its body morphing until it was too late. Jaden picks up the pickaxe and with one swing breaks the creature into multiple pieces
The warriors sigh a breath of relief and collapse onto the floor, Billiwog returns to Jaden where he caresses his adorable cat. The citizens of Briyako Coast applaud the trio, shouting triumphantly and praising their bravery. Jaden smiles after receiving more Yomerelds, placing them in his bag and sliding his sword in his back, then goes to Chohyeon and The Treasurer
"Thanks for helping me", he shakes the hands of the duo
"Look, if you are from the future and we end up fighting the dragon, we might as well stick with you. Just try not to get yourself killed", Chohyeon says removing the pieces of dried lava off her axe
"Duly noted. I need to get to The President, she's part of this, too."
"We'll set off next morning, I'm too lazy to go right now"
"Thank you again, Jess and Aly"
And the trio walk back into the town, receiving praise and more food. Before entering a bar, word of the Bukana Trading Town being attacked spreads across town. The trio gets wind of this and departs godspeed for the trading route
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Hina and Franni arrive in Bukana Trading Town, a well known area for bringing all walks of life to this point in Yomar. Here it was truly a community. Cakes and desserts made by talented chefs from Suflo Sero, where taking just one bite traverses one into a different realm of delight. Gems and stones retrieved from Ga Sumee Forest are said to have magical properties, a tapestry if you will, gladly sold by the elves in exchange for other goods. Whimsical mages and witches from The Tower of Doe Cap, offering unusual items and potions for travellers as they pass through the town.
Hina wonders why she had not been able to travel to such a vibrant place in Yomar, it was relaxing. And even the lack of attention gave her some form of privacy. Ever since she was young her life was a public one, of course she was the daughter of King Beazer. Leaving the palace without attracting her people was not an option, nor something she desired. She wanted a life of secrecy, yet the praise she received often comforted her. It was a confusing feeling, being left in a situation where she wants privacy but wants to be acknowledged by her people.
They stop on a bridge, the earthy tones matching perfectly with the old aesthetic of the surrounding buildings. Far ahead they notice people running back to the town for safety, screaming as they avoid the danger.
"What's happening?" Hina asks a woman, assisting her injured brother, blood trickling, as he rests with his arm over her shoulder
"Ravengaze has released ghasts and pillagers on the town"
Franni gets off his horse, asking it to help the siblings and Hina's horse, and the duo walks over to the danger, ready to defend themselves. Ravengaze? Hina thinks, isn't that Anosha? And she was right. Anosha could be seen leading the attack, ahead of the other ravagers by a few meters. She was on her own ravager, laughing as she cut down townspeople passing by with her scythe, the ground soaked with the blood of innocents. She comes to a stop in the clearing of the preceding forest, The Kala Forest, as Hina and Franni prevent passage to the town
"Step aside", Anosha chuckles, "but if you're wish is death, so be it"
She sends forth a pack of ravagers to charge at the duo, but Franni, having prepared a sigil on the floor he stands, reaches into the ground catching the creatures in the air, using the roots of the trees to pull them apart. Hina climbs and runs forward with her sword, jumping and impaling the head of the ravager, twisting its head. Anosha snarls at the duo, leading the remaining ghasts and pillagers to the duo. Franni whistles Mr J to assist. Standing behind his dog, he claps his hands together, rubs them and blows the emerald energies onto his dog, transforming him into a bear. On the other hand, Hina is busy shooting the ghasts who began firing at the town. She calls The Judge's name, and he reaches into her shadow lifting it out to create more of her
Suddenly, Anosha fires an arrow at Franni's hand. He screams and Anosha smiles at his anguish. Franni clutches his injured hand, while Hina comes to his aid, deflecting or breaking the arrows fired at the pair. Mr J can be seen still fighting the other ravagers, but sooner or later he will tire out. Franni snaps his finger, spins the flame into a ring forming a shield and projects it out, protecting him, Hina and Mr J. Anosha cackles and signals to move forward, but an axe comes flying down on her ravagers horn from the side.
They turn to the origin of the axe seeing Jess laugh in amusement, an arrow whistles passed into multiple pillagers from Jaden. Franni pushes the ring of fire further into the enemy giving him time to heal. Aly comes over to the mage, whimpering as she pulls the arrow out and healing it with items from her endless bag. Jess joins Mr J in the fight, thrashing the remaining army as Anosha retreats into the shadows of Briyaki Tal.
"Are you alright, Hina?" Jaden asks catching up to her
"It's you, Jaden, isn't it?"
And he nods, smiling to his friend. Aly helps Franni to stand as the warriors come together for the first time. Mr J turns back into a dog playing with Billiwog
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"I failed, my lord" Anosha stutters, kneeling before a man sitting on a netherite throne
He sighs heavily with disappointment rising from his seat, undisturbing the Cerberus attached to his seat, and walks down the stairs to Anosha, admiring the many items he has obtained, the many heads he has claimed.
"Who are they?" the man asked, his voice reverberating through the nether halls
"I don't know, but they had The President with them"
The man snickers, then it turns into a chuckle, into a maniacal laugh. Almost a pity laugh
"I can't believe he did it. Haha oh god, this will be fun for you, won't it?"
"I'm not sure I-"
"I wasn't referring to you"