Well now that you seem to have settled down again I feel like I can continue the story now...we're were we? Ah yes the boy and the False heroes going through the dune once more after traveling across the hot sands before going down the dark pathways to reclaim a piece of their recent past, a shame they lost a fancy stick and a once sturdy tool but because of their sentimental value they cannot abandon them in a grave lost to the sands. Though I believe that even you cannot judge them for that...after all for mortals the hardest thing to do sometimes is let go.
The three had entered the old hall that had been lost to time as Mathis stopped the two and spoke to Bee,
''The door was fine but our footprints in the dust still stand...Even after you blew the door off the hinges...Some type of magic is still being used here so stay on your toes got it? I'll lead.''
The two nodded as Mathis kicked the air, making a circle of black flames producing Lytesbane that he held forward as he advanced with the dwarf in the back and the girl in the centre they advanced forward into the cave.
Wilt was now finished tending to the patient who looked not much better than before. The goblin looked him over with a saddened look as he heard a old voice from behind him,
''Thank you for what you are doing...I should not have sent them out on this...Please know I did not wished for you to be blamed...Any of you-''
''It's fine don't worry...The crew is all happy and Kyu just needs some rest.''
Wilt did not turn to see but knew it was Regal who smiled before he spoke,
''As gratitude I'd like to give the angel as much of my reserves as possible for now...Help get Matthew up a bit quicker you know?''
Wilt looked over to the old man finally, nodding and escorting him to the hut near the door. Regal noticed around ten one story homes of very nice quality and five two story homes of even finer quality making him speak,
''These are beautiful...Why is he not in one of these yet?''
The goblin sighed as he looked them over,
''Because it is easier to care for him when he can't try and move around...If you want to wake him up and make my day easier I will take it.''
The old man laughed at this as they opened the door, seeing Kyu sitting and reading a parchment before looking at the two men entering his room before Wilt spoke,
''Oi bird. Regal is going to share his power with you so you can get up and get to healing got it?''
Kyu looked at Wilt with a mildly annoyed look, his silver eye slightly squinting responding,
"But it's nature reserves...it's not pure."
The angel whined as Wilt put his hands on his hips and squared his shoulders,
"Kyuuwin Kurama. You will get up in this instance and get reserves. Are you going to let all your work go to waste?… No I though not"
Kyu pulled himself up off the soft bed, a stain of sweat under him as he got up, mildly shaking and grabbing a bottle of water downing it before apologising to Wilt,
"I'm sorry I should have thought before I acted."
He said as Wilt grabbed his hand, leading him back into bed with a minor shove,
"Good now let the man do what he needs.''
Regal walked forward and stretched his hands over the angel as feathers of browns and blacks littered the air around him, dancing as the landed and dissipated, making the angels eye widen as he stood and took a deep breath,
"Thank you better silver, what would you have me do?"
Regal looked to the goblin with a confused glance before Wilt just shook his head before telling the old druid,
"Don't worry about it...I think this is a good sign...I think...anyways Birdie we need you to help heal the boy and I don't think it's a good idea to leave you alone at the moment so I will stay close. Might need to go be a secretary for the prince if any workers come but just call if you need anything okay?"
Kyu simply agreed before walking out with a stretch, his left arm being dragged down by his right hand at the elbow, returning over to Mathews hut as Regal started to laugh, making Wilt confused before the elder responded,
''Oh you will have plenty of men and women coming for a job...I may be slightly tired but let me help out with the people coming in.''
The goblin smiled as he nodded and handed the old man a stack of parchments before he spoke,
''Thank you! Mathis wants their names written down so he knows along with age and race etcetera you know...Oh! And tell them he will come see them in the bar around sunset tomorrow.''
The old man looked at the stack and smiled before he walked over to the doors and sat on the cool rock and smiled out making Wilt wonder what to do before hearing the old man shout.
''Oh yes! Young man you will have to use your own reserves to charge it but two young women wanted to get a hold of you!''
The goblin caught a small perfect green sphere before swallowing his spit in fear, remembering that the women back on Recocto wished to speak to him. He nodded and closed the door to the hut, placing the ball on the floor and muttering his incantation,
''Progressia hear me. Make my visage show to the people in my mind. Show me them and allow us to communicate.''
The ball started releasing a green smoke but a much lighter than when Regal did this, it danced around itself and formed the image of Baarias and Orelia, sitting at a desk before Orelia started to cry slightly, smiling at the goblin who spoke,
''Well...Your husbands told me I should apologize for leaving without a goodbye so...I'm sorry.''
The two looked at each other before they started laughing, making Wilt make a weird face before the younger women spoke,
''Tell Mathis well done but not to lie next time...Even if it show you squirm in such a funny way!''
The two women continued to laugh, Wilt joined before he spoke,
''Progressia sake your already becoming as twisted as the asshole you know?''
The girl stopped and smiled with only half her face, trying to resemble the smug smile her husband wears only to make Wilt start rolling on the floor in laughter and Baarias try her best to look away and hide the giggles before Orelia spoke loud,
''I get it!...So anyway where are the others?''
Wilt stood and wiped a tear from his eyes while still softly chuckling to himself before he actually responded to the girl,
''Kyu is working on a serious injury that happened on a mission yesterday...Don't worry none of the crew were hurt...local lad that adores Mathis and was looking forward to working with him...Sad really but speaking of his royal highness he has gone on a mission to the sands to find something and he took Bee and the sister of the injured boy with him.''
Orelia's eyes widened before she spoke flustered,
''How bad is the injury?! Why did Mathis take her?! What is he-''
''She was leading the boy when he got injured...She forced a fight they were not ready for trying to show off her leadership but...It had the opposite effect...Mathis wanted to show how someone leads...You now what he is like losing someone under his power.''
Even know she was only a visage Wilt could see the fear in her face before he spoke,
''You know they will be fine...I'll have him call you when he gets back okay?''
The girl nodded before she spoke,
''I know...But you don't yet do you?''
The goblins face first contorted before widening in shock as the images vanished and he walked out and closed the door before thinking to himself as he walked over to where the patient was and thinking to himself,
''Well done ya highness....This might be what calms you down...You'd think anyway.''
The corridors of the trial the crew had taken looked different from the last time. Mathis and Bee kept pointing out differences in the landscape from last time and trying to remember them, Sophie did not pay them any attention instead holding her hammer and spinning her head around on watch until it was grabbed by Mathis,
''Did I fucking say guard? Listen to your commands. What is the way out of here if we were forced to turn back now?''
The girl opened her mouth but realised she had no clue. All the halls and corridors looked the same to her and it was easy to see she thought this as her head dropped only to picked back up by the prince,
''Remember...Listen to what I say if you want any chance of figuring out the question you asked.''
The elf looked at the demon who took the front as Mathis ushered the girl to the middle and continued walking behind the pack. Sophie was starting to see what the prince was speaking about. The way he dictates himself in battle and giving out commands had a certain confidence and presence to it, making her think that being a leader might be to much for her until she saw the faint red of the demons skin stop and Mathis grab her shoulder as they listened, The sounds of scurrying across the roof and below their feet. Sophie's eyes widened as she knew what this was before Mathis spoke soft to them both,
''Bee...Let us get into position...Don't wake them up fully got it?''
The demon nodded as he took the hammer of his back, head already steaming with the white hot flames enveloping it as it was thrown, before it crashed into the ground, Sophie went to brace until she felt a hand around her waist and the elf speak soft in her ear,
''Lytesbane.''
In a blink she went from standing on the ground to thirty feet in the air as the heatwave from the hammers strike blasted them, after it left, she looked up to see the prince holding his pike that was embedded into the surface, looking down at her,
''Okay. You ready for revenge?''
The squealing of the scorpions below did not give her time to respond. Mathis let her go and pried his weapon out of the roof, beginning to descend with her. Mathis softly clicks his fingers, slowing his fall to a crawl then shifting his momentum and sending her gliding across the room, making her feel dizzy from the change in weight and direction. Bee got into place, his hammer's light illuminating ever bright, every passing moment showing clearly the large scorpions laying on top of sand and remains of bandits, not yet awoken by the blast. Their body's slowly move up and down along with soft taps on the ground as their long bladed tails twitch randomly as they sleep, bee counted at least two. Though they looked like dried husks of much smaller scorpions. Making the demon think they ate their own, seeing Mathis body slowly float down towards them making the demon smirk, Knowing what to do as he took a slow deep breath inwards as Bee started slowly spinning his Warhammer around, creating a broken ring on light before he threw the weapon at Lytesbane, making the spear and the prince spin and a high speed as the weapon seemed to vibrate in a blue wave of black flames, motioning down towards the creatures at an unbefore seen speed. The blue of the weapon mixed with the black flames of Mathis and made a stream of black and blue flames rise like a volcano as Sophie watched on and thought.
''This won't work. We tried burning them already.''
Her eyes widened as she was amazed to see the pike fly out and land next to Bee, the prince stood holding it and the demons hammer in the other, handing it back to him and brushing of some of the black fire from his cloak before he spoke,
''Nice but next time maybe pick something that doesn't make me want to spew everywhere okay."
"What's wrong? Can't hold your stomachs. Weakling"
Mathis started to wobble as he looked at the demon with a look of confusion but mostly sickness,
''I've literally kicked your ass...The fuck does that make you?''
The dwarf huffed before pulling his Warhammer up and look back at the prince with the same smirk,
''I'll show you what a seasoned adventurer can do…Boss.''
Bee threw his hammer once more and hit the still burning inferno just after a giant fifteen foot one escaped the rising flame, now standing in front of the demon who did not break his stride, making his Warhammer appear again in white flames before shoving down it's head using both arms. It's flat burning into the creature's front eyes before bursting and cracking into his exoskeleton. It's legs started to twitch as Bee started to pull it all the way through until he saw the shadow twitch above him, looking up seeing its bladed tail dart towards him but was set of course by Lytesbane intercepting it, Bee looked back to see the still wobbling Mathis being held up by Sophie, making the demon smile, letting the hammer go and grabbing either end of the crack on its face before speaking,
''Fire will rip and tear through all!''
His hands became a light white as the heat started to fill the room and the creature writhed in pain, letting out a loud noise that even pit fiends would be terrified by until the noise of bones splitting was heard. The demon held the now lifeless body above his and roared, Sophie was confused where the sound came from before Mathis laughed and spoke,
''Wait for it.''
She looked back at the demon as the broken bones and heated sludge that was this creature's organs spilled out over his feet, making him jump back and start to wipe them as Mathis' laughter faded, falling back now sat against the wall. Sophie turned and placed her hand over his head but he did not feel warm as Bee walked over still brushing things off him as he spoke,
''He will be fine, just give him ten minutes. If not I'll drag him through.''
The happiness on his face was broken by the sounds of two four foot scorpions scuttling towards the crew, Bee pulled his Warhammer down once more before he sighed,
''Fine then...Just some more exercise.''
Kyu's face seemed to be fixated on the man laid before him, the body was covered in bandages. Most of them stained a dark reddish brown and stunk of iron, enough to make most veterans wince at its stench. Kyu changed into a cleaner set of clothes and was just about to place his pendent on. He had looked at his family's crest before placing it down on the table, placing the three dragons face down before he began to unravel the wrappings. Each layer, more adhesive as he worked the off pieces of skin ripping off with it in small ripped sections before Wilt walked back in,
''Oi bird what is the update?''
The angel looked over at the goblin with no emotion,
''Nothing really changed. We did manage to save his lungs more than expected anyways. Though as I've said...there is nothing much we can really do… well except….never mind. Sorry was their something more you needed Wilt?''
Wilt moved over to a chair in the room recently fastened by the demon and the goliath. Pulling out a Sand Storm for himself and a cranberry juice for Kyu, opening the bottles with the teeth, passing the bottle over before taking a drink and responding.
''Well if you wanted to know I've been to town, got a couple things and plus I'm not going far...you've had it rough. Take a break yourself okay?''
''No I must continue-''
''Baarias told me if you get sick once more she is taking you to her plane again to look after you.''
The angels showed fear even in his hidden eye as the apple green shined bright, swiftly standing and moving to the door before he turned back to the goblin,
''He should be stable for a few hours at least...I will sleep so please do not let her take me.''
Wilt stood on the chair putting his left hand on his small hip and pointed to the door with his right hand index finger,
"Chop chop. Don't want your wife knowing you spent the night with a young man. Now go on back to bed. Ya secrets safe with me so off you get."
Wilt said, mimicking the sound of Aarc's voice after a long quest. Finding it funny the way he made the fallen squirm as he scrambled out the door while downing his juice before Wilt turned to the tattered remains of Matthews' broken form on full display, laughter all leaving him as he looked. Wilt took a large swig of his drink before placing it down, pulling out some bandages before thoroughly wrapping, making sure no air would touch his exposed flesh. The only reprieve in the Goblins mind was that at least this time it was only one. As he spent an hour preparing Matthew for travel before finishing his sand storm on and taking a seat on the table and waited for the family to arrive.
The crew stood above the bodies of the scorpions that still twitched, Bee's hammer still steaming at the head as he turned to see Mathis now getting to his feet but still stumbling slightly as he went to help but was stopped by the princes outstretched arm as he spoke lytesbane's name and it appeared much less flamboyantly as usual as Mathis spoke,
''Lytesbane. Show your mortal form.''
In a bright blue flash the weapon was gone but the prince was now wearing a full suit of knightly armor, a metallic dark blue gleam from every angle you looked and the helm seemed to fit his head perfectly taking the shape of a shark's jaw, each tooth was a jet black with arrows of gold running down them and the forehead had a symbol of two crescent moons touching at either tip, one of grey and one of red. Sophie looked on in shock and turned to the demon hoping to see his normal calm face but even he looked confused before he spoke,
''Mathis...What is this crap?''
''Lytesbane has more than just a weapon form. He should be able to keep me walking straight at the very least...Stop gawking we are literally one room away from ending this crap...Lets go.''
The man was moving like a homunculus inside the suit but the other two did follow as the slammed the doors open to the chamber where the power they now hold was obtained.
See? If you do not believe by now that my twiggy old student would turn out to be a better leader you obviously have not seen how good of a teacher I am...Hm? Well yes any of there family that was magically inclined was taught by me...You think being dead stops this? You really do put a little too much faith that your god is always watching over you...They still close there eyes to rest like the mortals they create...Why do you think it happens? Of course your base characteristics are based off there's...Simple minds of mortals should just accept they do not need to know what a god thinks...Alas my student has shown what being a leader is in another way, Leaving the healer with a pseudo healer is the right plan and letting the brute take out the fodder while he recovers...I truly am a genius at teaching, you should really praise me more...Well no that would be that dragon and lytch that were the bad influences on him...I wanted him to study stasis solely but that shadow loving Dracul put his bony nose into it...Anyway this story seems to most to be at a stage where they will grow the land they now call home but something tells me that we should not start skimming the pages just yet...The sands are a weird and unpredictable land after all...In the words of Bocaj…'Why leave the lightning hit when you can watch the beauty from afar' right?