Chapter 49 - Tale of the Outcast Warrior: What the hell?

DAYS UNTIL WAVE; 18

Tyler opened his eyes to see Kaori in the bed beside him, and as he smiled, he heard the soft breathing of Sallie and Sylvia in their bed as well. Knew it. He looked and saw the two spirits had taken a small cavity between them in a warm cuddle. HE kissed Kaori awake and nodded to the sighed. She smiled and the couple just watched the cuties as they slumbered in each other's arms. Kaori used her crystal to get a picture and the girls giggled.

"Stealing photos of a pair of sleeping girls?"

"I'm not surprised!"

Tyler and Kaori looked at each other.

"Sneaky."

"Shall we?"

"Yes my love."

She shivered as they fell upon the two spirits for a tickle punishment. Tyler had Sallie and Kaori Sylvia as the spirits got their due. They played with them until Kaori's belly rumbled.

"That's the bell ladies."

They laughed as they went to take a bath and get dressed. Sallie and Sylvia returned to spirit form as they cleaned up for the day. Kaori looked at him.

"we doing more bills?"

He was rubbing the cloth into her back as he spoke.

"Yeah. Same amount as yesterday if possible. Plus I'd like to have Yoko tonight, and I promised Seline I'd visit her today."

"We'll busy. Then we ride for Term in the morning."

"Yup. We'll hit the Dark forest, and IF we have time swing by Malico's village."

She smiled.

"Just to give Miyuki a hug and let her see her sister."

"Keep tellin you. I like cats."

She laughed.

"Okay, your turn."

They cleaned up and went to the kitchen. There they found Wulf and Ashy making food. Ashy had a wide, happy smile and a deep flush on her face as they walked in. Wulf looked over and gave a subtle thumbs up, and Tyler did the same as they made food.

"So, we're getting another set of bills today."

Wulf nodded as they worked.

"Anything in particular?"

"I'd prefer creatures we haven't fought before or those we've only fought the once."

"Makes sense. We getting the same amount?"

"I'd like to if possible. Only without the close calls."

"I hear that. So one more good days raiding, a good nights sleep, then we ride for Term."

"Yup. We'll go through the dark Forest, and IF we have the time, swing by Malico's village."

"That was a days ride from Term, right?"

"If I remember right. Yeah it was."

The ranger thought for a moment.

"If it's the place I'm thinking of, that small road the nobility take merges with the main road just outside the main gate."

"Well, what a coinkidink."

Ashy was just happily humming as Kaori stood beside the topless girl. They made their food and were happily munching as Tyler looked over his HUD and Wulf did the same. Once they ate Tyler and the ranger headed for the guild hall as the girls went to get ready for the day. They walked in and the hall was already full of other adventurers. Once at the board, the men looked around.

"Hey, got a bill for a pack of Dire wolves."

"Dire wolves? How big?"

Wulf looked at a table.

"Maybe 5 feet tall and 7 long? Their pelts are soft and make good blankets."

"Reward?"

"Says here, 1 gold."

"Neat. Oh, hello."

He pulled one down.

"Wanted: Slaying of a Fire Wyrm. Reward 90 silver."

"A fire Wyrm?"

"Yeah that's what it says."

The ranger looked at it.

"Wow, that's an outsider. They usually live in Erolagard and never cross the mountains. Think drake but not dragonkin."

"Tyrant?"

"More or less. Their scales make great arrows. Oh, and she loved them."

"Nice. Kaori's?"

"Hers are here."

The ranger passed the small jar and Tyler hid it in his pouch faster then near any eye could follow.

"We'll take the Wyrm. Should be fun."

Tyler looked up and smiled again.

"Got one for a Plains Strider."

Wulf chuckled.

"That's a fun fight. It's a large creature with a trunk, long ivory tusks, and a nasty temperament."

"reward is 2 gold. Not bad."

"Got one for another hobgoblin camp."

"Nifty. Reward?"

"65 silver."

"We'll take it. Found one for a Gigas."

Wulf blinked.

"A Gigas?"

"Um, yeah. Says Wanted Killing of a Blood Gigas. Reward 40 gold."

"They're a form of enslaved spirit. Unlike demons, think a ghost that got forced into the body of a living creature."

"We'll have Vixen help with this one."

"Good call. Wow, found another Nightmare."

"Kaori gets that one. Reward?"

"25 gold. Plus the title Horse friend."

"Yup. That's hers. Hey, got one for a Slythnier."

"A Slythnier?"

"Yeah, you know it? Says the reward is 5 gold."

"It's a breed of horse with metal skin. They're relics of a bygone era that tried to make the animals more durable weapons. They're both rare and hard to kill, as their hides are literal metal. But, the hides are valuable to smiths for the reworks they can do with the metal."

"Lily gets a gift and Kaori to see another poor beast put to bed."

Wulf chuckled.

"And they'd love it."

Tyler smiled as he kept looking.

"Well, hello."

He took down a bill for a bizarre looking creature.

"Wanted: slaying of a Broadhorn. Reward 75 silver."

Wulf smiled now.

"Large bull looking thing. They're good eating, the horns are good sales goods, and the pelt makes good leather too."

"Nice change of pace."

Tyler added the bill to their stack. Wulf whistled as he pulled another down.

"Damn, that's a mean one."

"Whatchya got?"

"A Gildhorn. Basically a 7 foot tall, 10 long beast with a great sense of smell, a bad temper, a four foot horn, and four legs. It's horn, meat, and hide are valuable. Rewards 65 silver ."

"Sounds like a rhino. Nice."

The ranger added the bill.

"At it already?"

Tyler smiled as he looked at the voice.

"Hey Vixen. Come to flaunt it to the unworthy?"

The beautiful black mage smiled.

"That was harsh! I mean Wulf's right there!"

Tyler and the guild hall lost it as Wulf just sighed.

"Hello indignation. I was wondering where you went."

Vixen patted the ranger's back soothingly.

"At least Ashy sees something in you."

Tyler snorted, and Wulf slugged him.

"I WILL kill you one of this days, you infuriating prick."

Tyler then stole a kiss off Vixen's lips, and she smiled.

"Still great."

"Still my favorite fox."

He then passed her the Gigas bill.

"Friend o yours?"

She took it and smiled.

"A Blood Gigas? Well, I haven't seen that in a few years."

"Anything special to kill it?"

The black mage shook her black haired head.

"No. Just stick it with swords until it stops moving."

"Love you too."

"Hey, this could be a fun challenge."

Tyler looked at Wulf as he took down a two foot poster.

"Whatchya got?"

"Wanted: Slaying of an Admantoise. Reward: 250 gold."

"Wait, an Admantoise?"

"You know it?"

"If its what I think, it's a large land turtle think that can be the size of Thunder to the size of half the town."

Wulf smiled.

"Indeed, that is the Admantoise. Are they native to your world as well?"

"Not really, but it takes too long to explain. Best way to put it? Remember the crystal Ashy has?"

"I do."

"We play games on such viewing things with a controller and sometimes fight monsters like that."

The ranger and black Mage looked at each other.

"Wow."

"Indeed. The entertainment in their world is incredible."

Verilica came over then.

"The Admantoise has an update."

Tyler smiled as he stole a kiss of HER lips too.

"Well, good morning to you too, Verilica. Whats the impish word?"

She blushed as her tail danced behind her.

"The reward has increased to 300 gold, and upon completion the title of Guild Champion gets bestowed upon the party. It has killed at the last count, 132 other adventurers."

"Challenge accepted."

Wulf added the thing to the pile. Tyler smiled.

"We'll call it there. It the turtle is that hardcore, we might break a sweat this time."

They laughed as they returned to the mansion. Tyler took the bills to his office and set them to the peg board has he looked at the map.

"Got new targets?"

HE looked up to see Kaori smiling as she walked in.

"Yup. We got a doozy too."

She looked and saw the turtle.

"An Admantoise? I don't think I know what that is."

She sat beside him in the chair as he explained.

"Think giant tortoise. Can be anywhere in size from the size of Thunder to the size of Raylik itself."

Her green eyes went wide as she pictured it.

"We're FIGHTING that?"

"That was the plan."

She sighed as she rubbed her eyes.

"Can we WIN?"

"Oh yeah. Worse case I'll use the Roar. Not even a high dragon can survive that headon. Plus I have my usual Demon's Wrath."

She sighed again.

"I love you, Tyler. I really do. But your insane."

"Well, thank heaven for that cause otherwise this'd probably never work."

She just kissed him again as Ashy came in. Still topless.

"Hey, what's up?"

"He wants us to fight a turtle."

She looked at the board curiously, and burst out laughing as she saw the bill.

"An Admantoise? Dude you know a fight when you see one! We know how big?"

Tyler looked at the bill.

"It says size is....tch, unknown. Typical."

Ashy threw her head back laughing, and it made her perky rack bounce.

"Well, we'll be fine."

Kaori was smiling as well, when.

"Hey, Ashy? Your skin seems like it's glowing this morning. What'd you do?"

The dirty blonde's fair skin had a slightly luminous glow that morning, and when Kaori touched her arm.

"It's so soft!"

Ashy blushed now.

"Wulf gave me a jar of Thunder Cream."

Kaori smiled and hugged the girl.

"Good for you, Ashy."

Tyler caught Ashy's eye and smiled. She took the hint.

"I'll go put the girls away, and wax me bow."

Kaori smiled as the friendly girl left. She looked back to say something and noticed a jar she didn't remember seeing on his desk. She walked over curiously.

"What's that?"

He smiled.

"Yours."

She was confused and then she opened it to see the cream. Then she smiled.

"I see now. Thanks."

She kissed him and he hugged her.

"I love you, Kaori."

She held him a moment longer before taking the jar.

"I'll go put this away."

"Should put some on Sallie's skin."

Her green eyes light up like stars.

"Or Sylvia's! They'd look beautiful!"

"They already are, but ya know."

That got him a hug from the spirits as they winked into shell forms and headed off to get creamed. Tyler smiled as he had a thought. He reached into a sealed drawer he kept the scroll of Minus and set it on the desk.

"Sooo, question."

The scroll burst out laughing.

"Oh shit here we go."

"Nice to see we're starting to understand each other."

"What's the question THIS time?"

"If the spirits use the living's beauty products, and they return to spirit form, will the effects still be there?"

The scroll lost it laughing. Tyler, now used to such reactions, patiently waited for the Goddess to recover from her humor. It took five minutes.

"Indeed, Mortal. Since the shell is a physical representation of what they look like, if you were to cut their hair for example, the change would follow them. And before you ask, as I know your about to, injuries do NOT. If they get anything from a scratch to lose an arm, if they return to spirit form they'll be healed. Plus the next time they return to shell, the injury will be as if it never happened."

"Thanks Minus."

"I do look forward to these questions, Mortal."

Tyler put the scroll away and resealed the drawer with his finger print, as when they went on a journey they would take it with them. HE looked at the bills and marked each one's spot on the map. Sallie and Sylvia came skipping into the room with smiles on their faces. Tyler smiled as he saw Sallie's pale skin was nearly shining, and Sylvia's dark grey had a soft glow. He hugged them as they hopped up on his lap.

"See? Beautiful."

Kaori came in and his jaw dropped. Her fair skin was also glowing, but as she looked there, framed by her golden lockes, the light from the enclosed courtyard, and with her smiling emerald eyes, she was to him what the angels wished they could be. HE used his own camera tab on his HUD to take the shot with his eyes and she smiled.

"That good?"

"Words have failed me, and would not do you justice."

She smiled and gasped a little when she saw the photo through his eyes. She kissed him then as the two spirits giggled.

"Momma's gorgeous!"

"Yup!"

That got the girls a hug before Tyler looked at the board.

"Okay, muster."

Ten minutes later the party were looking at the bills. Tyler tapped the Adamantiose.

"This one's dangerous. That said, more workout."

Lucy the barbarian smiled.

"Aye lad. They be common in me homeland. Just watch out when it rears on it's hinds."

"We've no idea how big it is, so that's gonna be fun to find out."

Tyler smiled now.

"We good?"

They nodded.

"Load up."

The outcasts went for their mounts and ten minutes later were riding out the front gate.

"Our first kill is the Admantoise."

Wulf took the lead now. The pack followed the ranger towards the spot the thing called home. The spot was a massive area that had been pounded flat by the thing's movements, and as they rode over a hill, they got a good look at it. Tyler smiled.

"Oh NOW we're getting somewhere."

The tortoise was a hundred feet long, stood maybe 150 tall, and was 60 across. It looked like a Galapagos tortoise from his old world, and was a deep red. Tyler smiled as he looked at the thing.

"If it goes south, I'll use the Roar."

They nodded as he continued.

"Sera, Lily and Lillia stay AWAY from it. Bows only with at least three tree lengths of distance."

"Agreed."

"It's just way too big!"

"Not touching that Sera. But yes it is."

The princess blushed at Lily's comment. Tyler drew Gliepnir and Fafnir.

"Okay, Lucy, you've fought them before right?"

The barbarian smiled as she hefted her demon sword.

"Aye. It's faster then you'd think, and when it rears jump just before it hits the ground as it will make the ground ripple like a pond. It uses tackles, roars, and kicks."

"Alright. Should be fun. Lets do this."

Tyler, Lucy, and Thistle surged forward as the turtle looked at them curiously, as if wondering why such small creatures were approaching it. It got it's answer the next instant.

"Ocean dragon roar!"

Tyler breathed Tempesta's flames at the beast and it roared with pain as it's head was set alight. Then the arrows from the dragon bows slammed into it's shelled back, punching little holes as they sought the flesh beneath.

"Try to punch a section out for me blade!"

Sera, Ashy and Wulf, being the best shots in the party, took the task. Vixen had her newest spell, Adder Bite ready. It unleashed a spectral snake that would bite a single target and flood it with venom of a toxicity equal to the caster's path power. But, downsides were it could only be used once per fight till upgraded. The Adamantiose swung it's burning head and threw the flames off, only for the black snake to sink its fangs into the soft flesh of its neck and flood the wounds with poison. Tyler and the two melee fighters reached it tree trunk like leg and Tyler used his own spell.

"Water Slash! Icy Gash!"

The dual blades were then coated in the extra cutting power of water and ice. The spells could be used a total of ten hits per blade, and he smashed the first pair in the right leg of the beast, cutting deeply. Lucy used her own skill.

"Rock Smash!"

She slammed her sword into the same cut as Tyler's broadswords, and added another two foot cut that was nearly to the bone. Last was Thistle, the Blood dancer using a skill.

"Blood Smash!"

She had gotten splashed with the bl9ood of the creature, which her skills required to work; blood on her skin. She was smiling with a most intense glee as the liquid coated her frame as she swung her own large axe into the cut and felt it hit the steel-like bone.

"I got bone!"

"I still wanna bone YOU Thistle!"

She laughed as she pulled a back spring to avoid a sudden kick.

"I'm a patient one!"

"Love you too!"

The turtle lowered its head and Lucy saw this.

"Cover you ears!"

The party did just that, and the beast let loose a roar that sounded like a million tubas, and the sound rattled chests, and Tyler laughed as he saw Malico's lovely breasts rippling from the noise. The thing roared for a minute before lowering it's head and lowering it's shoulder, only it's tortured right leg buckled under the added pressure, and snapped with a disturbing sound of shattering wood. The turtle fell with another bellow to the ground with a thud that made the earth ripple like the rings of a pond after a rock got thrown in. The party rode the waves by dropping into a crouch as the earth recovered. Then Tyler moved to the now crippled beast.

"Do it! We got it!"

The party went to it. The turtle was struggling to rise, but it's leg would not support it's weight anymore, and it was effectively helpless as Tyler moved under it's head with the two ladies.

"Sync up! Rock smash!!"

Tyler still had five hits from his cutting spells left, so adding the strength boost sent his mythril blades diving into the things exposed neck, then once his cut was completed, he dove to the side and Lucy came over.

"Rock smash! Steel cutter!"

Steel cutter was the grey path blade enhancement. Basically? Water slash but grey. The hulking Barbarian smashed her 7 foot greatsword into Tyler's cut and it deepened considerably. Last was Thistle, and she swung her greataxe in a wheel under her shoulder to bring it over her shoulder and add more force.

"Blood Cutter! Rock smash! Blazing Smash!"

Blood Cutter was the same as Rock Smash, but since it came from the Blood Dancer tree, it was able to be stacked with Rock Smash, and Blazing Smash added fire damage to her axe. The result? The turtle's head being completely severed at the neck. Tyler was smiling.

"Nice job everyone! How'd we do?"

The party came down and gathered around the fallen behemoth. Sera was bouncing as usual.

"That was fun!"

Vixen was drinking a mana potion as she made her report.

"Adder's Bite takes a lot of Mana. But I'm okay now."

Wulf was rubbing some wax on his bowstring.

"I'm okay. That was an exhilarating fight."

Lily shrugged.

"Eh, I'm good. Weird seeing a turtle that size."

Serafina had her hood up as she replied.

"I too am fine. I'm sorry I wasn't really able to assist much."

Tyler patted the shy wraith.

"We have our roles, Serafina. You did what you could."

She smiled as she blushed a little. Malico purred next.

"I'm good. It put up more of a fight than that Ice Lisk, so there's that."

Kaori was rubbing her fingers.

"Yeah, odd a turtle put up that kinda fight."

Lillia was looking at the beast's head, and it was taller then she was.

"Hard to believe we killed it. I'm good too, by the way."

Ashy was tapping a knuckle on the thing's shell.

"Sooo, how we moving it? I'm good too, in case you're worried."

Lucy smiled.

"We use pickaxes, as the shell make mighty fine armors, housing, and can be used to reinforce our tent. Plus, the lass here can work the material rather easily."

Lily walked over now to tap a small hammer on the shell.

"If I had to put a label on the hardness, I'd say close to Steel. So, if I were to treat it like say regular turtle shell, I can make some good stuff with it."

"Well, alright then. Can we eat them?"

Lucy licked her lips now.

"They're right up their with Rock drake in terms of taste and tenderness. I'll cook it as I have most practice with the things."

"Wow, sounds fun. Get to it."

Tyler, Lily, and Lucy pulled pickaxes and got to mining the shell, as the others cleaned the meat and butchered the animal. The industrious party had most of the animal ready for moving in the pouches, and Tyler was now working to get the rest of the shell,

"Hey, we got riders!"

Tyler sighed and walked out of the cavernous shell to see a small group of ten riders in light armors approach the still working crew. Tyler walked over to the group as the man in the lead introduced himself.

"Hail, Sirrah. I be Wollock. We're from the village over yonder, and felt the ground quaking, so we came to see if there'd been a Quake. Be ya the leader of this party?"

Tyler smiled.

"Aye. I be Tyler the Outcast. These are me party."

The men gasped,

"Hail! Outcast!"

"Hail!."

Wollock looked at the rapidly vanishing creature and chuckled.

"I see the stories of your party's might be truth. That was the Adamantiose, correct?"

"It was. The thing falling was the quake your village felt. No injuries, I trust?"

The man smiled.

"None Sirrah. More a nasty vibration and nerves."

"Bet the ladies were grateful!"

The men lost it as Kaori walked out of the shell, smacked him hard enough to make him see stars.

"Jackass."

And walked back inside. Tyler was laughing as she went.

"Love you too barbie!"

She gave an offended hip swing that just made him chuckle as he looked back at Wollock.

"Well, So far no quake. But a big damn turtle."

The man breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank the gods for that Sirrah. I also see the stories of your companion's beauty and fire be truth as well."

"It is!"

Lily's voice was heard as she stole Kaori's complement, and the men laughed again as Kaori sighed.

"Well, Lily, not everyone can look as good as you do."

Tyler just looked at Wollock.

"Yeah, sooo, was there anything else you needed? Ya might wanna hurry, since ya know, a fight to the death's bout to break out here."

They laughed as Wollock looked around the area.

"We're satisfied Sirrah. We'll leave ya to yer work."

"Take care!"

The men rode off as Tyler walked back inside as Ashy took up a lookout spot. Tyler gave lily a fond pat as he retook the spot inside the shell. He had a playlist from his tab playing as they worked, just enjoying the labor.

"What the hell?"

Tyler had nearly cleared the last of the shell away when Wulf's confused voice was heard.

"Find something?"

"Yeah, I think a cave."

Tyler walked over to where the elf had been working at collecting the long spike like protrusions from the top of the shell. The ranger had pulled a longer spike from the ground, and was now looking into the hole. Tyler took a spot beside him.

"A cave?"

"Yeah, look."

Tyler got down flat and looked into the two foot wide hole. It dropped five feet before opening up rather drastically. HE whistled.

"Yeah, I get that feeling as well. Watch your step everyone. We're on hollow ground."

They heeded the words and hurried to extract the turtle. The last of the shell was cleared away, and they got back as Tyler looked to Wulf and Ashy.

"Okay, we can try to open the cave up, warn the village there's a unopened cave here, both, or just leave it."

Wulf looked to the direction the villagers had come from.

"we should warn them, if only so we can sleep better at night. I know YOU will regardless, but ya know."

Ashy was in agreement.

"Yeah. Kids fell in caves like that all the time back in our old world."

Tyler nodded.

"Both it is then."

They mounted up and rode to the nearby village. The small hamlet had maybe ten buildings and a mere fence around it as they rode up. Tyler spotted Wollock talking to a tall man with a long beard in front of the largest hut and hailed him.

"Hail, Wollock!"

Both men looked and went pale as they saw Tyler swinging from his horse. Wollock was a tall man with a wiry frame like an elf's, had short cut black hair, black eyes, and wore lathers. The other man was tall as well, broad shouldered, had a fire beard, green eyes, and was clad in a plaid shirt and blue pants. They were a little nervous at having the Outcasts in their village, and the Outcast himself approaching them. The named man gulped.

"Trouble Sirrah?"

"We found an unopened cave under the turtle. No clue how big the entrance is, but thought you should know that land's hollow."

The red bearded man looked to a few other men.

"No leaves the village till that cave is explored and opened up properly."

They nodded and went around as he faced Tyler.

"Lord, me names Yark Loggermen. I am afraid I must ask a boon."

"You want us to open the cave and clear it?"

"Please, Lord. Since it's so close to the village and you can tell we're not fighters."

"Sure. Was gonna anyway, but sure. Just be sure to keep everyone from the area in case of a nasty surprise."

The men breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank the gods. We don't have much, but we'll scrape together something for you."

"Not needed. We'll see what that caves got. If it's useful to us we'll take it, if not or we just can't use it well, we'll let you have it. Sound fair?"

The big man smiled as he held out his hand.

"Aye Sir. We got a deal."

They shook and Tyler mounted up.

"Just be on watch as we've no idea just HOW big the hole is."

"We will. Should we evacuate?"

"Hmm. I wonder."

"Oh shit here we go."

The collective groan from the party set the two men on edge as tyler took his magic map out.

"Now I'm scared."

Tyler looked at the spot the battle took place, and Ashy caught on. She rode up and smiled as she looked as well.

"You think if it's massive the gravity of the planet will make a dip?"

"And since this map uses exact measurements, we'd be able to tell."

Kaori smiled now as well.

"Oh, I get it. Like how the ground radar is used to scan for potential earthquakes in our world."

"Yup. Looks like the entrance is a good size too."

The blonde came over now.

"How big?"

"Look. The ground is pretty stable in terms of elevation and levelness. But here."

He used a small pen for the map to trace a circle around the battle site.

"Maybe…..400m across it dips by maybe five centimeters. That's not a normal dip from settlement or erosion."

"I see what you mean. My dad worked landscaping and construction for years after the war, and he told me that just a dip is neon sign for a cave or river or something else entirely."

"Yeah, good think is the village is on the OPPOSITE direction from the main dip."

Kaori frowned.

"How are we going to open a cave of that size?"

"We'll use the lava field/water wall trick. The blast should be enough to trigger it."

"That's a good idea. Plus, we don't really NEED to be near it to work."

"My thoughts exactly. See this rock formation? It's maybe a hundred feet tall, and has a clean sightline to the center of the dip. Oh, and we WILL record this."

"Oh hell yeah. It's gonna look AWESOME."

Tyler closed the map and smiled at the visibly confused men.

"Knowledge from our world."

"Ah."

"Explains how you three young ones can figure all that out in mere ten minutes with a single magic map."

"We'll get to it. Wulf, we have a spot we need to get to."

The ranger saw the circle and smiled as he led them to the indicated protrusion.

"I see your world has a better understanding of the world then we do."

"You have no idea. We get another hook up from Minus I'll ask for my TV show collection."

Kaori laughed.

"He had an even LARGER collection of those. And most were really good. A few were blah, but whatever."

"Says the girl that was obsessed with those reality dating shows."

"Oof, Kaori! Why?"

The blonde blushed and went silent as they approached the rock. Tyler and her climbed it to stand atop the point with a clear look at the spot.

"Ready?"

She smiled eagerly as she hit record.

"It's using my eyes."

"Love them. You too."

The rest of the party had also climbed up to watch the result. Tyler and Kaori timed it perfectly.

"Water wall!"

His spell created a 50 foot tall, 400 foot wide wall in the center of the field.

"Lave field!"

Her spell brought a 100 foot wide, ten foot deep pool of white hot lava.

"Water fall!"

Tyler's spell tipped the frigid water over onto the white hot lava, and the resulting bang was felt by the party a good 400m away. They watched as the ground rippled again, before the center of the area just gave way. From their view point, the center dipped in like a piece of paper with a stack of coins in the center supported by a pencil under the coins, and the pencil removed. The ground folded inwards as it fell with a sound of dull thunder and cracking rock. The party watched awestruck as 400m of ground just dropped in the newly opened cave. The collapse sent a pillar of duct thousands of feet into the sky, and was visible for miles as the Outcasts waited to see the result. Tyler was eagerly waiting as the dust cloud cleared. Then he got a good look at the result.

"Hooooolyyyyyy shit."

The ground maybe thirty feet out from their perch was now a vast crater 400m across, and dropped out of sight in a oddly gentle slope. The yellow grass of the plains was now slopped down like a giant slide into a vast darkness that reminded Tyler of a crescent moon. He shook his head as he saw it.

"Well, we got a job to do."

Kaori whistled.

"I saved it. We just made a new cave."

"Yeah, not sure if it's a good thing yet. Hey, Ashy, we've seen this movie a bunch a times right?"

That got a groan.

"I HOPE we didn't just find one of those!"

"Well, we got Lily and Sera, so we're set!"

That got a laugh from the two girls as they dropped to the forest floor to begin the exploration. Tyler in the lead with his perception, mythril, and his demon as they advance cautiously. The collapse started at a very gentle slope from their rock as it led into the blackness. Tyler had Serafina right beside him as the Wraith was the most experienced in caves. They reached the stone floor and got their first good look at the underground area they'd discovered. The opening was 300 feet tall and extended straight into the dark beyond their eye's range. Tyler used his Farsight and peered as far as he could, and whistled.

"I can see easily eighteen miles with my Farsight skill. Yet I can't see the end of the cave. Hey, Wulf, weird question."

"Shoot."

"There wouldn't happen to be a history of oh, say, deep roads that ran underground in the distant past, would there?"

The ranger's red eyes went wide as he looked at the entrance with new eyes.

"By the gods. We found an untouched entrance into the Underdark."

Tyler and Ashy looked at each other alarmed.

"I sincerely PRAY these are just a mere roadway."

"And NOT populated by those."

Tyler looked at Wulf now.

"What is said to be down there?"

"Untold riches. As far as denizens go? Cave trolls, orcs, goblins, a few giants, and maybe a Fallen Dragon or two."

"Fallen Dragon?"

"goblins?"

Tyler's never blunting hatred for the things was heard as Wulf sighed.

"It's said these are highways for the creatures to get into previously clean territory. As for the Fallen Dragon? They're dragons that were banished from the sky."

"Wait, those are a thing?"

Wulf blinked as Tyler's gears were now turning.

"Yeah. They were hunted to extinction millennia ago."

"Yeah, okay, we need advice now."

Tyler pulled a blue coin out.

"Tempesta."

The dragon's eye was seen.

"You have need for council?"

"Yeah, have a look."

The dragon was the shown the entrance and his eye went wide.

"I'll be right there."

There was a loud flapping as the lord of blue landed in the entrance. Tyler waited as the dragon took the scene in before the dragon addressed him.

"Explain how you found this."

"We took a job to kill an adamantiose. Was a fun fight and no issues. We had cleared it away, when Wulf here found that one of it's spikes on the thing's back had pierced into the ground and into a large cavern. We got the hell out of there as we realized we were standing on hollow ground. We then went to the nearby village to warn them, and to keep them clear as our intention was to open it up and see what was down here. I used knowledge from our old world and the magic map to get a fix on the size of the entrance. Kaori made a recording of the actual breaching if you'd like to see it."

"I would."

The blonde brought her crystal out and played the video back for the dragon. HE chuckled.

"I see that lava trick is most useful."

"Oh yeah."

He watched as the ground gave way and the dust cloud cleared. Then he looked at Tyler.

"And the reason for this council?"

"Just learned of Fallen Dragons that might live down there."

That got his attention. Tempesta looked at the cave with new eyes as he now understood Tyler's concern.

"You think the Raiser was saved by a Fallen Dragon, and is using these as a means to travel."

"That, plus you missed one since Wulf here said they were hunted to extinction."

The dragon sighed.

"I see now why you called. The truth is? Fallen Dragons are all too common. As they refuse to acknowledge me as Highscale, and just do as they please. That said, they flee whenever we of the color appear in the sky."

"Their colors are?"

"Black. If a dragon goes evil or refuses to acknowledge the rule of the current Highscale, they lose their color and their scales become black. Plus their breath becomes tainted as well."

"Okay, so we have our suspects for dragons aiding the raiser."

"Indeed we do. I and the other colors are actively hunting them as we speak, but it seems we forgot to look in the sewers as you would put it."

"Usually the best place for rats to hide. Oh, I got an idea!"

Tempesta blinked, and burst out laughing.

"I think I know where you're going with this! Do it!"

Tyler looked to the cave entrance, and took in a deep breath.

"SUCKS TO KNOW YOUR NOTHING BUT A RAT LIZARD!"

The echoes were heard as his taunt was heard for the first few miles as Tempesta used a spell to hide his presence entirely. Tyler took in another breath.

"I'VE SEEN GECKOS SCARIER! I MEAN I KNOW YOUR SCLAES ARE MADE OF PAPER AND ALL, BUT HAVE SOME RESPECT!"

That got a low rumbling growl that they just barely heard, and Tyler smiled.

"DON'T SCRATCH THE PAINT ON THAT ROCK ON! GODS KNOW ITS TOUGHER AN THOSE SLABS OF DIRT AND SHIT YA CALL SCALES. MUST REALLY SUCK KNOWING A MERE TROLLS THE MORE INTIMIDATING OPPONENT. BUT, HEY, LEAST YOU HAVE A PROMISING CAREER AS A REPLACEMENT SKINK!"

There was now a loud trumpet of pure fury from with in the cave as the ground started to rumble. Tyler just chuckled as he winked at Tempesta, who was nearly on the verge of bursting out laughing.

"SO, YA GONNA COME OUT YA LOUSY EXCUSE FOR A SNAKE? EH? I MEAN, YER A MERE LIZARD AN ALL, AND NO PRIDE OR SCALES TO BRAG ABOUT, HELLS, YER BREATH'S NEXT TO USELESS AND COULDN'T REALLY SINGE ME. I GUESS THE DRAGONS NEED NEW MEMBERS IF YOUR AMONG THEM!"

"DIE PUNY HUMAN!"

A massive black shape came hurting out of the cave with all the fury of an enraged dragon. As it WAS an enraged dragon. The thing came out like a freight train, as Tyler just flipped it off, smiling insolently.

"Gotchya bitch."

The thing roared, only to FINALLY notice the blue bulk of Tempesta standing behind him with bared fangs. The lord of blue grabbed the now panicked dragon by the neck, and tore it into the sky as Tyler and his party were secure under a barrier he'd erected as The party got their first look at the fallen dragon in daylight. The thing was maybe a hundred and fifty feet long, stood 75 feet tall, had 50 foot across wings, and was jet black from tail to the tip of it's snout. Tyler laughed as the thing's blood fell from the sky as Tempesta show just WHY he was the Highscale of the dragons.

"Hey, big blue, before you kill it let me look in it's eyes."

There was a low grunt before the blue dragon slammed the black into the dirt with it's head pinned to the ground in his near house sized jaws, with the fallen dragon's wings and tail pinned beneath his own. Tyler smiled as he walked over to the still struggling dragon and looked into his eye.

"Checkmate bitch."

He needed no less and thirty seconds.

"Ohhh, so THAT'S your play? Not bad really. He's yours big guy."

Tyler and his party watched as Tempesta bit down and the other dragon's neck snapped like a dead twig. Then the lord of blue roared his victory to the heavens with wings spread wide in a show o absolute power. Tyler looked at Kaori who jabbed a thumb to her eye and he smiled at her. I fucking LOVE you Shadow! Tempesta cut his victory roar off with a snap and looked at Tyler.

"I trust you understand this is my kill, baiting it out as you did."

"Sure. It cool if we get some of the scales?"

"The black? Sure. This one was once a White so once they're removed they'll regain their former color."

"Really? Neat."

Tempesta used a 6 foot claw to remove over a hundred scales from the carcass which Tyler added to their collection before Ignatia and Furiosa arrived as well. The red and green saw the dead black and blinked.

"Highscale, how did you lure a coward black out of it's den?"

The lord of blue burst out laughing as he flicked a claw at Tyler.

"He got it out. Tell it boy."

Tyler shrugged as he looked at Ignatia.

"That prick of a butler taught me a lot about dragon pride. So, I used my unmatched ability at enraging another to PISS. IT. OFF. Worked like a damned charm."

They laughed as Tempesta blinked before looking at Tyler.

"Wait, were you PLANNING to do that to ME?"

HE shrugged again.

"Eh. Backup plan in the event of asshole dragon. Nice to know it works."

The other dragons lost it laughing as Tempesta didn't know WHAT to do with that statement. Ignatia then looked at Tyler.

"I see you've been paying attention when we meet."

"Kinda have to. I've met what? 4 good dragons in this world thus far? Stands to reason there's bad dragons as well."

"FUCK YOU!"

"WHY DID YOU PUT THAT IMAGE IN MY HEAD?"

Tyler smiled as he looked at Kaori and Ashy's now traumatized faces.

"Wow, ladies. Did not expect YOU to know what bad dragon was. It fits for Ashy for some odd reason, but Kaori?"

Ashy shot an arrow at him.

"I am going to slit your throat."

Kaori was right there with her.

"Hey, Lily, c'mere a sec."

"Play that card, Kaori, and no rides for a month."

Malico giggled.

"From ME either!"

Lily just shrugged.

"Eh, not in the mood."

The dragons were extremely confused as to just what happened, and Tyler was laughing as he explained.

"Bad dragon is a brand of toys for lonely women. Some rather…..fucked up toys. Like, really bizarre shapes, creatures, oh, hol up."

Tyler smiled as he pulled the photo tab up.

"If we got our photo collections, then the screen shots I used for pranks should till….yut. Here, get scarred for life."

He showed them, and the dragons just looked at Kaori and Ashy with abject shock and horror.

"What the fuck?"

"Your world is truly depraved."

"I need a bath."

Tyler showed it to Wulf, and he too just looked at the ladies.

"And I thought HE was depraved. What the hell?"

The two girls bawled.

"Hey! I didn't buy them!"

"Yeah! We were scarred too when he showed them to us!"

Tyler shrugged as they looked at him now.

"I knew a guy that made them and sold them. Was good money in it."

The party got a look and just sighed.

"Okay, for the sake of our sanity, we're going to just move on."

"Big brother's a fucked up pervert."

All eyes looked to Sera as she shuddered. Then Tyler looked at the dead black dragon's claws.

"So, the deal with this thing?"

That snapped them out of it. Tempesta bared his blood stained teeth.

"As it is my kill, food for a while. I saw you looking att he claws."

"Yeah, I mean I'm sure we'll run into another one soon enough, since these bastards are working for the Raiser."

The dragons looked at him intensely now.

"You read his eyes. Tell us everything you got."

Tyler sat down.

"Okay. From what I got it seems the Fallen Dragons are tired of the Highscale crap as a whole. As they seem to believe that since their dragons they have the right to do whatever they please. Kinda fitting if you ask me but hey that's just me. So, since they live in these highways, and unless I've missed my guess, they run throughout Lectis as a whole. Now, the ultimate goal here is simple, revive the black one, enslave IT, enslave YOU, then reverse the hierarchy as a whole. They on top you on the bottom. Problem is the dragons loath following his orders, and are planning in secret to both double cross him, and enslave him as well. I think this dragon was the one that was assisting him in this region, but that idea doesn't hold water as if it had, the adamantiose would have been eaten to avoid drawing attention. When we found it's hole it panicked, and was now trapped as this was a dead route in the roads mainly used for storage. Oh, that reminds me. This thing had a trove."

The dragons snorted as Tempesta chuckled.

"I am willing to let you have HALF the trove. Sound fair?"

"Sure. We'll find it and go from there."

"Deal."

"Now, since it was trapped, it was contemplating whether to just kill us and escape, or try to contact him for aid. My taunts enraged it to blindness so the choice was made. Now, the Fallen Dragons were also responsible for the survival of the last guy, as they used a bait and switch."

Tempesta's 5 foot blue eyes flashed as he spoke.

"I see now! We tracked him to a small field and we set it aflame the only way dragons can, and his body was so badly burned, we couldn't really tell the difference."

"The field, it have a slight dip?"

The dragon blinked.

"A slight dip?"

"Here, I'll show you small scale."

"Ha."

The dragons snorted at his pun as he took out his map. He looked for a minute and smiled.

"Got another one."

he then let Tempesta look over his shoulder as he pointed to a spot in another field a few hundred miles from them.

"Okay, my map uses exact measurements to tell elevation and levelness. Se how it's more or less flat all around this area?"

"I do."

"Well, in the center of this spot here, it drops by maybe a few centimeters. It won't seem like much, but."

He took out a piece of thin leather and set a diagram with some flat rocks, dirt, and a pencil. HE set the rocks in a ring, with the dirt holding the leather in place. Once he was satisfied he explained.

"Okay, these happen all the time in our world in roads. The use a mixture of gravel, cement, and tar to make a semi stone surface for our horseless wagons to ride on. Now, sometimes the earth underneath erodes for whatever reason, and the roads dip ever so slightly, like so."

He used the pencil to make a small dip in the leather.

"Now it might even be as little as a few millimeters, but the presence of ANY dip in the ground means there's a hole under there. Are you with me so far?"

The blue dragon blinked.

"I am. So, by using this knowledge, it is possible to locate every possible opening."

"Not every opening. Just the most likely spots. This one here in the plain is a likely candidate, but the only way to sure is to make the hole open up."

"Ignatia, you know the spot?"

"At once Highscale."

The red dragon flew off as Tyler looked at the area.

"Wow, I got one here, here, and this rather large one near the cave we found that cursed tomb."

Tempesta blinked.

"Was a demon involved?"

"No. Just a dark ruler. He had a sword of wailing torment."

"Ah. I see."

Tyler closed the map, and reopened it.

"Yup. It's a hole."

ignatia returned not long after and made his report.

"I found the hole, but it is as the Heart said, it was not an entrance."

"More mere cave?"

"Exactly. Maybe a hundred feet deep if that."

"Great. Needle in a damned haystack."

Tyler rubbed his eyes as he looked at the dead dragon Tempesta was using as a perch.

"I wonder what we'd need for a magnet?"

The dragon tilted his head.

"A magnet?"

"Best way to find a needle in a haystack? Bring a magnet. You know what they are right?"

"I do. So, you mean bait."

"Yeah. Bait. Problem is, I don't have the information I need just yet to make a detailed dissection. I'd need another set of his books before I can make a better profile."

The dragons sighed.

"You've given us much information. Yet, we agree it is pitiful in the grand scheme of things."

"At least we have a few details, and the holes in Death plugged. We have time to do this properly."

They nodded, and Tyler looked at the cave.

"Okay, we all have work to do. Let's clean the cave up, and see if that bastard had any contact with this one."

Tempesta looked at the cave.

"I'll ask to borrow your eyes."

"Umm, okay?"

Tempesta blinked, then Tyler's eyes became blue like his orbs. The dragon chuckled.

"Weird, right?"

"I can hear you in my mind."

"Yeah, don't worry as I'm not IN your head, more in your eyes."

"Yeah, this is fuckin weird. Okay let get this done before I go insane again."

The party loaded up and walked into the cave with Tyler in the lead.

"Lily, prospect the hell outta this place."

"Right."

Tempesta's voice was heard around them.

"The ores and minerals of the cave you may freely have."

"Thanks Tempesta, but we're more looking for pockets my detection missed."

"A most interesting strategy."

Tyler smiled as he and the party could see in then pitch black darkness like it were broad daylight from their night skills. Lily would mark a spot with her mythril sword for ore to be dug out as they moved into the darkness.

"Hey, got a hollow feeling ten feet ahead."

They drew weapons and moved cautiously. Tyler smiled as they looked in.

"Bingo. We got the trove, Tempesta."

The dragons' voice was full of laughter.

"Well, let's see what we got."

They walked into the 100m chamber, and Tyler whistled.

"Damn."

The pile was ten feet tall, and was maybe thirty feet across. There were gold, silver, copper coins, gems of every variety, precious metals, weapons and armor too, even some rather odd placed furniture for SOME freakin reason. Tyler walked over to the long couch that looked to be made of pure gold, and sat on it.

"Holy shit. Kaori check this out."

She sat on the red cushion, and moaned.

"Oh, GODS that's comfy!"

Tyler smiled.

"Dibs on the furniture."

Tempesta's rumble was heard.

"Agreed. Truth be told, I have NO idea why a dragon had these."

Tyler shrugged.

"Weird collector?"

"Maybe."

Tyler used an empty loot pouch for the furniture, and they were able to get a four person couch made of pure gold, a silver table, a high backed throne made of gold and silver, and a two person lounge chair made of some pelt that felt like heaven to the touch. Tyler then looked at the ores.

"Lily, anything decent?"

She smiled.

"Gold, silver, platinum, some good obsidian, there's a vein of pure Magicite, a large noodle of Rune."

"Rune?"

"Rune!"

Tempesta's shocked voice made them all look over. Tyler looked at the blue metal.

"It rare?"

The dragon burst out laughing.

"It's the single strongest metal out there that can be worked by man. But, to do so, you need to have a dragon of my power aiding the smelting, and a master smith with decades of experience to make the metal able to move. Even then it's a two month process to forge a dagger. A sword like oblivion takes five. Gliepnir? 1 full year."

"Scary. We found adamantite yesterday."

"Of course you did. What did you do with it?"

"It's sitting in our mansion for now."

"Of course it is. The rune I'd like to claim, as I myself have never seen a vein. Anything else?"

Lily was pulling another pile of rock out.

"Got some more blood platinum, Lord Blue."

"Eh, I got four tons."

"Nice flex."

They laughed as Tyler noticed a sword hilt in the pile. Curious he pulled it out. It weighed less then Oblivion, was a light pearl in color, and was the same size as Lily's sword. He looked at it quizzically as he waved it.

"This an Additite sword?"

Tempesta looked at it through his eyes.

"By the scale it is."

"We still got Opals, Tempesta."

That got a laugh.

"The weapons and armor are yours to claim as I prefer coins and gems."

"Neat, Lily, ya got a new friend."

The elf girl smiled as she placed the small sword on her shoulder, as she carried her shield on her back. She now had a mythril sword, an Additite shield, vest, and now a sword as well. Tyler hugged her.

"You're better equipped than I am!"

She smiled proudly as she got back to work. Tyler walked around the pile letting Tempesta get a good look at the thing in whole before they got to actual looting,

"What's that atop the pile?"

Tyler looked up to see a sword hilt poking out from the top like the toothpick in a sandwich.

"Seriously?"

He hopped up the pile of coins and took a hold of the hilt before pulling it out. The blade was a deep blue, was the same length as Oblivion and was a curious wavy pattern. Tyler sighed.

"I think I found a rune scimitar."

Tempesta was in agreement.

"It is indeed rune. A most precious artifact. My mythril is still the better blade though."

"Course it is. That said, I know someone that can use it well."

He looked around to where Ashy was lo0oking at a spear.

"Hey, Ashy, you still need a sword, right?"

She blinked as she looked at him.

"Um, yeah. They still make me nervous, but I'd like to learn to wield one."

"Gotchya a friend here."

HE dropped down and gave her the rune blade. She gasped as she saw it.

"But, this is rune, right?"

"Yeah."

She had tears of gratitude in her grey eyes.

"I'll learn well, I promise!"

"Just don't cut yourself."

She hugged him as he gave Wulf a subtle thumbs up.

"Thank you."

"Sure, Ashy. Wulf said you were looking to learn the sword, so he asked me to keep a look out for a good one."

She smiled and gave the ranger a loving kiss, and this time Tyler got the thumbs up as he laid the credit for the idea at the ranger's feet. Tyler then looked at the spear Ashy had been examining.

"well played."

Tyler chuckled as he replied to the dragon.

"I bust his balls all the damned time, but I got his back. Now, the is this thing made of?"

HE used appraisal and tilted his head.

"Seriously? They made a spear out of solid yellow topaz?"

He pulled it free as Tempesta explained.

"It's a common practice really. As a weapon from a gem gets it's strength for the wielder's path. Topaz is the yellow path."

Tyler smiled as the rest of the party also smiled.

"Melly?"

"Of course."

The dragon chuckled fondly now.

"you sure do love that child."

"She's Sera's sister!"

That got a laugh.

"I'd like to meet this girl now. I think I'll go with you to Raylik."

"We have a few more bills to complete before we head back."

"Of course you do. I'll go rest outside the wall then."

"Nifty."

Tyler put the spear in a pouch as he spotted a long tube of wood.

"The hell?"

He pulled it out and found it a scroll tube.

"Hey, Vixen, think this is your area of expertise."

The black mage came over from examining an axe to look at the tube.

"Oh my, a magic scroll tube. This oughta be good."

She opened it and pulled the roll of paper out. Soon as she saw the spell she gasped in shock before looking at Tyler.

"Lord Blue, we found a Gold Path Scroll."

Tyler felt Tempesta's shock.

"What spell, child?"

"Dragon Surge."

"By the scale. Tyler, I must ask you to bring that to me at once. And for the love of the sky, to NOT read a single word."

"Sure. Everyone else, guards up."

Vixen resealed the scroll and tyler took as he sprinted from the chamber.

"What's it do?"

"It uses the power of the path that casts it to fuel it. Think Roar of the forest, but can be used by ANYONE, WITHOUT fuel. It can destroy thirty square miles with the power of a mere candle lighter."

"So if it got into the hands of anyone of any REAL power."

"All of Vernillion would be a crater."

"Yeesh, that's freakin gnarly. I love it."

The dragon sighed as he ran.

"Gold Paths are rare in the extreme, as they possess the power of a god. Basically, gold paths ARE the children of the gods."

"Scary."

Tyler reached the opening and Tempesta took possession of the tube.

"Thank you. We dragons seek out the gold spells, as to prevent a catastrophe."

"What about the ones given to then towns?"

"WE give them to the towns."

"Ah. I'll head back now."

Tyler hopped down and ran back to the chamber. The rest of the party had found a few more good weapons and had them laid out for him to look at. The first one he saw made him smile. The weapon was a double bladed staff sword with short swords for blades. He picked it up and chuckled.

"Been a while since I held one of these. Let's see if I still got it."

He began twirling the thing faster then the others could see and Kaori laughed.

"HE learned how to use that after seeing a movie. Guy can hit you 10 times in 5 seconds with it."

Tyler was smiling as he spun the thing before twisting and it became two weapons. He twirled the blades a few more times, before reattaching them and bowing to a round of applause. He then looked at the material.

"Wow, Mythril. Not bad."

Sera was smiling with admiration.

"Can you teach me to do that?"

"Sure, Sera. Looks fun don't it?"

She nodded eagerly as he set the weapon into his own pouch. Next thing was a shield made from a lime green metal. Tyler blinked as he lifted it. The thing was 5 feet across, circular, with a center boss with a vertical eye. HE smiled.

"We found an Adamant Shield."

Lily tapped it with her knuckle.

"It's too big for me, and weaker as well."

"I know it's too big. And it's plenty strong."

Wulf sighed,

"please not where I can see?"

They looked at him.

"We're…..talking shields here Wulf."

"Yeah. For once we're not being dirty."

"Get yo damned mind out the gutter ya dirty minded jackass."

Wulf just sat against the wall, and slumped.

"And it continues."

Tyler smiled as he looked at his party.

"We could use another shielder honestly. Hmm, hey, Lillia, try it on."

The princess came over and part her arm in the straps. She then struck various poses with her blade.

"Well?"

She tilted her head.

"I kinda like it, feels awkward though."

"me an Lily can teach you to use it right."

She smiled as she hugged him.

"Thanks. I'll do my best."

They patted her as they looked to the weapons again. Tyler looked at the pile when he noticed a vest of metal in the bunch. He smiled as he lifted it and saw the metal closely.

"Kaori, this is about your size, right?"

The blonde came over and looked at it.

"Yeah, it is. Why?"

"It's Mythril."

She smiled and they looked away as she changed, swapping her dragon scale for Mythril. Once she was dressed, she did some movements and chuckled.

"I can't feel it. Period."

"Feels weird right?"

"Super weird."

He kissed her and looked at the dwindling pile. HE saw a billed spear that he liked the look of and picked it up. The man laughed as he saw it was made of Mythril as well.

"I think I'll take this one for me. Never go wrong with a good spear."

They chuckled as he noticed a small groove in the haft. HE twisted on it, and it collapsed inward on itself like Lymir's trident had to a mere foot long rod he slotted into his quiver.

"Hey, Tyler."

HE looked over as Sera lifted a cloak up. HE narrowed his eyes as he saw it.

"Whatchya got there Sera?"

"I have no idea."

She gave it to him. The thing surprised him as it weighed less then a feather, was made from some luxurious fur, was deep blue, and seemed to be stronger then it was.

"Hey, Tempesta, what is this thing?"

The dragon looked with his eyes, and chuckled.

"You found a Dragon wing cloak."

"Wait, dragon wing? It's made of fur."

"A gifted wing cloak. It's texture is the same as our own wings, as you've never touched them you wouldn't know."

"This yours?"

"No, actually. My sister dragon, Leviathan the Sea Dragon. She rules the oceans, as I rule the sky."

"Ah. Now that I remember, Sea caller Coral and her temple worship a Leviathan."

"They are one and the same. As you were not the one that gift was meant for, I'd suggest NOT wearing it until she gifts it herself."

"Never a good idea to piss off the oceans. We'll store it in the mansion until we head back to Yalik. I think it would be a good idea to put it back in the ocean."

"A wise move, but I'd suggest the pool in the temple itself. As the waters were gifted from the ocean by her personally."

"That works too."

Tyler put in his pouch as Wulf lifted a bow up.

"Got another prophesied bow Wulf?"

"Shove it. I think I found a bow made from Lady Glacious' scales."

"Let's see."

The ranger tossed the thing over and Tyler took one look with Tempesta.

"Yup. That's her scale alright."

"Indeed. No mistaking that color pattern. I saw you used hers at last."

"Looks like Mythril, don't they?"

"They do. A good bait and I also sense them in a few other pieces."

"Like I said, not useless, just hard to use best."

That got a chuckle from all. The weapons and armor were divvied up amongst the party, and everyone got something they either liked or could make use of. Once the weapons were gone, the ore was looked through next. This dropped the pile by a good three feet as they laid the metals out. Tyler set the Rune aside for Tempesta as they looked the leftovers over. Lily was going through and using her own Appraisal as it boosted her smithing skill. She tapped a vein.

"This be light steel. Good practice ore for me smithy."

She tapped another two foot vein.

"This be more Blood Platinum. We've got maybe four veins of this size."

"We'll bankrupt the bank."

"They laughed as the elven girl then moved another bit forward.

"we got more Rune, Lord Blue."

"You may have that one, as I have one."

"Thanks Tempesta."

The ore was gone through and loaded up. Then the pile of gems was next. This dropped the now 7 foot pile of coins to 5 feet. Tyler chuckled as he saw the mass.

"Other then dragon bribes, what ARE we going to do with our gems? I mean, I need a few for, well, a few. But, yeah."

The ladies smirked as Kaori glowed. Wulf rubbed his chin.

"We can use them to commission custom crystals or spells or items."

"Really?"

"Yeah. If we take say a diamond to Seline, and ask for a pouch that holds meat,"

"She already stores meat WITHOUT a bribe. Very well I might add."

Oh, Lily hit him with her hammer for that one! He dropped as he laughed in pain as the elf bounced her smith hammer on her small hand.

"Tell another joke like that and I'll hit you in the balls with this."

Tyler let his knee go as he patted her head.

"Sure, Lilly. I got it out of my system anyway. Sorry everyone!"

Kaori sighed dejectedly.

"Once an immature jackass always an immature jackass."

"Love you!"

"Love you too! What hey!"

Her near reflex response undermined her condemnation and she knew it. The others laughed as he looked at Wulf.

"So they use gems to commission pouches and crystals."

The ranger nodded, as the moment of idiocy had passed.

"They do. Opals, for example, yield extremely potent pouches and crystals."

"Nifty. We got like 27."

"Love you!"

"Love you too sis!"

Tyler looked at the mass.

"We'll give the opals and Sapphires to Tempesta right off the bat, and divvy the rest up between us. Sound good?"

The dragon's rumble of a voice was heard.

"Agreed. Opals I give to Glacious as gifts and treats, the Sapphires I collect as my own."

"Okay."

They seperated the gems and placed them with the rune vein the dragon had claimed. Tyler then spotted one gem that made him blink.

"Wait, is that an Onyx?"

Wulf looked as he lifted the smokey grey gem up.

"Wow, it is Onyx. Those are really rare."

Tyler turned the fist sized gem this way and that he looked at it.

"I'll take this one. Kinda love how it looks."

They smiled as he put it in his pouch. The gems were divided up between party members, dragon bribes, and mansion funds. Then all that was left was the mound of coins. Tyler crossed his arms as he looked at it.

"So, how you wanna do this?"

Tempesta looked at the pile through Tyler's eyes as he thought it over.

"By my estimate, there is 56,654 gold, 67,776 silver, 143,243 copper."

"Is that a skill or just dragon?"

The response was full of amusement.

"Never doubt a dragon when it comes to treasure."

"tru dat. We can split the gold and Silver neatly, since their even numbers. Wanna flip the last copper?"

"Ha, that's actually a neat idea. Agreed."

"Wow, we got a helluva payday here."

They did the gold first, and put their share of 28,327 in their pouch. The rest they put in an empty pouch Tyler used as bait with the ore and gems. Next was the silver. Again, they split it right down the middle, netting them 33,888 coins.

"We're going to need a bigger pouch."

They laughed as the coppers were last. Tyler took one coin and tossed it to Sera, who giggled as she held the last one. That made the split even, netting them 71,641 coins. The pile was cleared away, and tyler looked at the now empty chamber.

"Once over before we get the ores out."

Lily looked at him.

"I'll take a look at the walls."

The chamber was gone over with a fine toothed comb. Resulting in a few more coins being found in cracks, and the split was even again, netting another 2 gold, 4 silver, 10 copper. Lily had Lucy and Wulf following her with pickaxes extracting ore and minerals as they went. The party did the once over twice, and worked the walls until they reached Tempesta. Tyler placed his pouch on the ground and he added it to his belly pouch.

"Nice to see fairness in an adventurer party."

"Nice to see a not as greedy dragon."

"Pissant human."

Ignatia and Furiosa had flown off to go look for entrances and the dead black dragon was mysteriously gone. Tyler took the last copper, and Tempesta fixed it with his eye.

"Heads it's yours, tails ours. Deal?"

"Deal."

The copper coins had the royal seal affixed to one side, and the image of a king on the other. Tyler flipped it up, and it landed sideways in a crack in the dirt.

"You've got to be shitting me."

Tyler and the dragon looked at each other and burst out laughing as Ashy looked at Kaori incredulously.

"Did he just No Game No life him?"

Kaori was in the same boat.

"I don't THINK so!"

Tyler was laughing as he picked it up.

"I think the land won this bet."

The dragon nodded.

"I think she did. A most entertaining flip of the coin."

"right? Alright, we'll call this a tribute to the nature gods."

Tyler buried the coin under a tree and Tempesta spread his wings.

"I'll go rest by the Raylik wall. I am most eager to meet this Melly you all seem to love so much."

The dragon was about to fly off, but tyler remembered something.

"We clear to explain the hole?"

The dragon nodded.

"As long as you don't talk about the raiser. The black dragon is free to be bragged about."

"Now I can say I enraged a dragon into suicide."

That got a laugh as the blue dragon flew off. Tyler looked at the party.

"We'll go warn the villagers this is a death trap for the children, but a good source of coin for their town."

They nodded and made their way to the town. They found Yark and Wollock with a small group of ten militia waiting at the gate as they rode up. Tyler hopped down and pulled the map out.

"That cave leads into the Underdark."

The man blinked in shock.

"The Underdark?"

"By the gods."

Tyler smiled.

"It's clean for now though. We had to call a friend to deal with a traitor dragon, but it's safe for the moment."

The men went white.

"Lord Blue you mean?"

"Yeah. Now, we did a little mining in there, and we walked out with everything from iron and tin to gold and silver. We're heading out, and leaving whatever else is in the walls to your village. That tunnel is a deathtrap for the children, but a literal gold mine for your village."

Yark smiled now.

"Thankee kindly Warrior. We'll send word to lady Seline for both guards and manpower to properly search the cave."

"Oh, you're under Seline's preview? I'm a Warrior's Runner and we're in Raylik for the next day if you'd like me to bring word meself."

Yark ran to his longhouse as Wollock bowed.

"We cannot thank you enough for these gifts, Warrior."

"Eh, no need really. Was a bit of fun for me and my party."

Yark came back with a sealed tube that Tyler took.

"We'll most likely head back this way on more jobs so I'll give her reply."

The red bearded man was beaming gratefully.

"Thank you, Lord."

"Sure. Let's go kill the next target."

They rode off as the men waved. Tyler pulled the leftover bills up.

"Okay, a blood Gigas. A Slythnier, another Nightmare, a Gildhorn, Broadhorn, a hobgoblin camp, dire wolf pack, fire Wyrm, and a plains strider. We'll hit the gigas next as it's the toughest sounding of the ones left."

Vixen rode up beside him now.

"I'd like to take part please."

"You know this thing best, Vixen."

"Thank you. And I'd suggest YOU kill it, as it has a nasty mental attack upon death."

"Understood. Heads up. Wulf, you will guide us to it, but NOT attack it. It'll be me, Lily, sera, Lillia and Vixen for the fight."

The mage smiled.

"Another lesson?"

"They broke a subjugation necklace, and Lily fought off a willpower demon right after. They can handle this thing."

"Thanks for the faith!"

"Love you too!"

"Same!"

The party rode to the spot, and found it to be another cave. Tyler sighed as he dismounted Thunder.

"Why is it always a cave?"

The hunters walked in and found the beast just standing there inside the thirty foot chamber. The thing was 6 feet tall, bloated hideously in the torso, had blood red skin, was headless with a small hole on the center of the chest with straps coming from it, and wielded an axe. Tyler pulled his new spear and set his feet. The hafted weapon was feet long with a 2 foot spearpoint. The thing flared out on one side for extra slashing ability, was a pearl color and had a needle point. Lily pulled her new Additite sword and her shield as Sera and Lillia took up their bows as Vixen readied a spell. Wulf stood at the entrance as a lookout as his willpower still needed work before he was ready to face such a creature. Tyler smiled as the thing stumped towards them and raised it's axe.

"Holy Sanctity!"

The dome spell tore outward and set the beast aflame as it cleansed the evil of it's being. Vixen smiled.

"Not a bad idea, but that spell is best suited for outright demons. Holy smite or fire is the better choice. Poison Fang!"

Vixen threw a black dagger at the thing with a poison spell on it as the white flames went out, enraging the fell beast. It charged and caught her dagger in the shoulder, allowing the poison to enter its tortured body. Sera and Lillia fired their arrows now and the dragon scale shafts hit it in the small hole in it's chest. Tyler planted his feet and thrust the spear with his lower body strength.

"Holy Smite!"

The spear tip glowed white as he impaled the thing through the middle and forced the White spell into it's core. The thing roared in a peculiar multi-toned squeal before bursting into white flame as it's body was consumed. It vanished as a black cloud latched itself onto Tyler's head. HE sighed.

"Fuck. OFF."

The cloud shattered like glass leaving only the axe on the cave floor. Vixen held her arm out as they moved to collect it.

"It's a cursed weapon. I'll handle it until we can have the Purity cleanse it, as I am immune to curses."

"Love you Vixen."

The black haired mage took the weapon and stored it in her robes as they inspected the cave. Walking away with merely a few hundred pounds of clay. The victorious hunters mounted back up as Tyler looked at the next kill.

"We'll put the Nightmare to bed next Kaori. That's your job."

She smiled as he passed her the bill.

"Thank you."

"I love you."

This time they found the poor beast running in circles as the agony of it's existence prompted it to flee. Tyler placed the Holy Smite spell on her bow, and Kaori hit it cleanly with a tear in her eye for the once graceful animal. It dropped and he retrieved the arrow before they moved on. Tyler patted kaori's back reassuringly.

"We got another horse to put down."

She looked at the bill.

"The Slythnier?"

"Yeah. Lily gets the hide, you get the kill."

She smiled.

"Thank you."

They were led to the place in question by Wulf, and found the creature to be a most bizarre one. It was the size of Lucy's Clydesdale, so 6 feet at the shoulder, maybe ten feet long, and had a long swishing tail with a mace on the end. It's hide was a steel like color and was made of metal that encased the entire animal. Most intriguing was the head; as the three foot thing had a four foot metal crest like a helmet on the head with a five foot spike. Tyler blinked as he saw it.

"Kaori, Lily, and Lucy."

They nodded and moved to kill the thing. Tyler had his new spear out as Kaori wielded her bow, Lucy her throwing spears, Lily her Additite gear. Tyler and Lucy got its attention and it screamed like a horse as it charged them. Kaori had her bow ready as Lily raised her shield. The blonde fired her dragon scale arrow, and it punched right through the thing's metal hide to drop dead from a clean heart shot. Tyler had to hold her as she was teary eyed at the kill, but she recovered and aided in the butchering of the beast. Lily was happy as they walked away with several hundred pounds of easy to work metal for her smithy and Kaori was happy to put another tortured steed to rest. The next target was the dire wolf pack, and Tyler was looking forward to seeing a dire wolf with his own eyes.

"So we're clear? The wolf pelts, Leopold pelts, and bear pelts are our new bedrolls and blankets."

The party laughed as they neared their den. The plan was for the archers to bring the animals down as a bit of target practice. The wolves had made their den in a small hollow with easy access in or out. Tyler, Sera, Lillia, Kaori, Ashy, Serafina, and Malico followed Wulf as he led them to an overlook that got a full view of the pack. The wolves were five feet tall, 9 feet long, and were of an orange and white pattern. Tyler and the archers fitted arrows to bows, and took aim at the slumbering animals. There were maybe 15 wolves in the hollow, and seven twangs later, there were eight. The wolves leapt up as seven died right beside them, but another seven were hit as the alpha tried to run, only for Sera to prove her spot as the best shot in the party with a running shot to the eye on a dire wolf at 50 feet. First shaft. Tyler patted her hair proudly as the beast dropped.

"Nice kill Sera. That one's yours."

She giggled happily as they got the collecting pelts. Tyler looked around the hollow after the pelts, hearts, and teeth were collected. Once satisfied they'd gotten everything, they mounted up and rode on.

"Next is the hob camp. I want Sera, lily and Lillia with Kaori, Ashy and Wulf to hit it. I'll sit out for this one."

The girls nodded, as Kaori chuckled.

"I see your pitting them against creatures bigger then them now."

"Indeed. This bit of training is to teach them how to stand alone."

"I loved that song."

"Me too."

Lily smiled.

"So, what will be THIS final exam?"

"killing a giant camp. Just you three."

The team went silent as they processed what he just said. Then Sera laughed.

"Kay! I'll work hard!"

"Atta girl! It's not for a good long while yet, as you need to get stronger, but you'll get there."

There was a collective breath of relief from the party as Wulf chuckled.

"Gradual difficulty increases. By the time they reach the level YOU feel comfortable to send them at such a camp,"

"It'll be just another day on the trail for them."

They reached the rest point and the hunters moved off to go kill the creatures. Tyler waved as they went before taking out the Onyx he'd claimed from the trove. He smiled as he saw the softball sized rock.

"Whatcya planning for that one?"

Malico came up to look at the smokey grey gem.

"I'm thinking of getting it refined and polished for my office desk with the opal from our first Lisk kill."

The catgirl waved her long orange and black tail as she remembered.

"That was a fun trip."

"I had you and Kaori in the hotspring. Yeah, fun times."

She leered at him now.

"This time you will HAVE us alright."

"Damn right kittycat."

HE rubbed her cat ears the way she loved and she purred.

"You haven't petted me in a while."

"We'll play together soon, Malico. Just you an me."

She kissed him as before looking at the gem.

"That will look so pretty on your desk."

"Not as pretty as me favorite kittycat."

She purred hard as he put the gem away and pulled the map out. He chuckled as he saw the landscape now dotted with dozens and dozens of new holes as the dragons searched for more entrances.

"I should have given them a size reference. But, then again, better a honeycombed countryside that's safe then a solid one that's a death trap."

He closed it and looked over the leftover bills.

"Okay, the wolves, Gigas, horses, and the turtle are dead. The hobs are getting killed, the next will be the fire wyrm. That's the bell."

They answered the buzzing of the whistle and headed to the camp. They found the hunters all looting as the three girls had frustrated looks on their faces as he walked up. Wulf sighed.

"What happened?"

The ranger gestured to the camp.

"The fight was going well. This camp had 43 creatures, and the girls were doing very well, forming a triangle to kill them. Well, one fell the wrong way and it broke their triangle and we had to save them. A well-formed and executed plan,"

"But bad luck. A lesson as well. As sometimes the best laid plans get waylaid. So, we have a hole in their training."

The more experienced elf nodded.

"Indeed we do. Once their first plan fell through, they had no real backup plan. Which became evident as they were quickly overwhelmed as they tried to regroup."

"I'd call this test a half-failure. As they both found their current limit alone, and a blaring weakness in how they approach fights. And a third as well: for sometimes we ALL need to be rescued."

The ranger nodded as Tyler walked over to the girls. They sighed as their teacher leaned on a rock.

"We're sorry we failed."

"We'll do better next time."

"We got screwed."

Tyler nodded.

"You will do better. Now, what is the lesson here?"

They each replied in turn. Lillia first.

"We need to have a set batch of backup plans for the worse case."

Sera spoke next.

"We can't overestimate our enemies. Plus, even though our plan, teamwork, and way we did it was flawless, plans go bad sometimes."

Lily took her turn next.

"We all need to be rescued sometimes. Plus, we need to approach each fight like it's our last."

Tyler was nodding as he listened to them.

"Well done girls. You're learning just fine. You even picked up on two extra lessons here I did not. Now. In the future. What will you do differently?"

Lillia smiled.

"We'll set a few plans in place before just going in swords swinging."

Sera tilted her head.

"We'll have a clear escape route ready if we need to run."

Lily looked at the things.

"We'll take the high ground with me on the ground floor as they rain arrows at them. I can kill these things easily enough, but with them covering me from above and our backs to the way we came in, we're set."

Tyler chuckled.

"Not bad, girls. Not bad at all. Lily's got a nasty mind for strategy. Lillia's a great one for caution. Sera is good on safety. I'll call this test a half-failure; as you didn't complete the task, yet still got valuable experience for your efforts. Alright, loot the place, and we'll get moving."

The girls got a reassuring pat before they got back to it. The camp yielded 55 silver and 87 copper. They mounted up and rode out to kill the fire wyrm. The three girls were down as they'd failed their test, and the party let them sit in it as another lesson to move past their own failures. They found the thing roaming along a stretch of the plains and Tyler smiled.

"I'll take Serafina, Ashy, Malico Annnd Thistle."

The girls nodded and they went to where the thing was roaring at then from. Tyler was smiling as he saw it fully. It stood on hindlegs with a pair of red wings for forearms. The thing was 9 feet tall, with a 20 foot wingspan and was covered in deep red scales with a snakes head. Tyler drew his spear as he sought to master his newest weapon. The ladies all drew their favorite weapons, Malico and Serafina their daggers, Ashy her bow, and Thistle her axe. Tyler and the blood elf ran forward as Ashy fired arrows with Malico right behind Thistle as Serafina used a Wraith skill to hide her presence as she ran silently behind Tyler. The thing screeched at them with a cry like rusty hinges, and Ashy's first arrow hit it in the chest, and it retaliated with a lunge at Tyler, who jumped to the side as Serafina went to the other side. The thing missed as Tyler planted his feet as he landed and thrust the billed spear into the thing's side. It screeched in pain, and tried to pull away, but Tyler twisted the spear hat and locked it in place.

"I got it!"

Malico came up then and did a spinning wheel as she carved ten slashes with her green daggers on the thing's flank, as Serafina came in behind her to stab it deep with her poisoned weapons. The Wyrm swung a wing and it caught the slender wraith in the stomach, launching her into a tree with a heavy thud, but her mail absorbed most of the impact as she got right back up to reattack. Ashy was firing arrow after Arrow into the thing's chest as Thistle saw an opening. She surged forward and swung her large broad-axe over her shoulder and slammed it into the thing's neck with a nasty crunch as her axe snapped it's spine with a single smash. The thing dropped with a thud and hissed as it died. Tyler smiled as he tore the spear free.

"Good kill Thistle. Serafina, you okay?"

The pretty wraith smiled as she pulled a potion from her pouch.

"I'm good. Just a little rattled is all."

"Take it easy. We can't lose Sera's favorite Wraith, can we?"

She pulled her hood up as she blushed a deep purple.

"No we cannot."

The rest of the party appeared and the efficient party butchered the wyrm for their mansion's supplies.

"Next up is….the plains strider. Should be a fun one."

They laughed as the party thundered along the plains. Kaori was rubbing her horse Gloss as she spoke up.

"Once we're done with this set of bills, I'd like to rest the horses for a while. They've been doing a lot of galloping outta nowhere, and they need to adjust."

"Sure, Kaori. I need to give Seline the update and Ishtar as well as to why the dragons are digging holes all a sudden."

Sera smiled.

"We'll come too!"

"Sure, Sera. Lillia as well, and Lily. Just cause it's Lily."

"Love you too."

The party rode to the stretch of plains the large beast was said to be roaming. Tyler's sharp eyes picked it out first.

"Wow, it's just an overgrown elephant with four tusks instead of two."

Lily smiled.

"Can I get the tusks? I can make some good stuff with ivory."

"Sure, Lily. We still got that stone as well."

She smiled as Tyler looked at his party.

"Okay, Wulf, Ashy, Lillia, Annnd, Kaori."

The named hunters rode on their horses as Wulf said it was the best way to hunt the thing. Tyler had his bow up and had a set of three shafts enhanced with piercing teardrop as they rushed the trumpeting thing. Tyler waited as it tired to swing it's head at him to fire his arrows into it's forehead. The shafts punched right through, and it dropped to the ground with a heavy thud as he swung his horse to the side of the creature. The party laughed as they got the butchering the beast.

"Why'd we come again?"

"backups."

"Typical."

Tyler just smiled as they moved to the next kill. Wulf smiled as he led the way as usual.

"The Gildhorn will be a good one. It's meat is better off sold though. For us? This be a sell animal. Same with the Broadhorn."

"Nice change of pace though."

"Oh absolutely."

They found the Gildhorn, which was just a yellow rhino, in a small field near the road. A single spear thrown by Lucy dropped the large animal, and the butchering too less and half an hour. Tyler killed the Broadhorn, which was just a larger bull with his spear bullfighter style, getting a round of applause from the leering ladies. Once that one was collected they set off for Raylik. They reached the town as the sun reached high noon, and smiled as they saw Tempesta resting by the walls clearly chatting with someone on the walltop. Tyler used his far sight, and saw it was Melly having her first chat with a high dragon. Her mother, Mia, and her father, Elirch were right beside her as well, and as tyler rode up the dragon chuckeld as he looked at him.

"I get it now. I like her too."

Tyler laughed.

"Just wait till sera gets to her."

"I shall. She's very charming."

Poor Melly was now openly gaping as Tempesta himself complemented her. Tyler and the party stabled their horses before going to see Melly on the walltop. There Sera got Melly with hug death, getting a rumble of amusement from the blue dragon. Melly opened her own small HUD, and he saw she had the titles of Dragon's Tear and Dragon friend in her list of titles. Tyler hugged the freckled girl, seeing she still had her yellow crown. He leaned on a battlement as he smiled.

"we found something Sera and me thought you'd love."

Her blue eyes went wide as he pulled her topaz spear from his pouch. The glittering weapon was 5 feet long with a forked head two feet long. Melly was only 4 feet tall, but she gasped with tears in her eyes as he gave it to her. Soon as her fist wrapped around dit, it started glowing with her yellow path like Magicite. She just started crying from the joy in her heart as Mia and Elirch just held each other.

"Our wee gal's better equipped now then most adventurers!"

"And she's not even an adventurer! Yet!"

Sera hugged her sister tightly, as Tyler chuckled.

"She's her sister. Gotta make her smile a lot ya know."

The got a laugh as Tempesta rumbled.

"So you are aware, child."

Melly looked at the blue dragon with nervous eyes.

"Lord Blue?"

"I gave you my flames as well. But, you are not ready to wield them. So, they will appear when you can."

Her eyes went wide, and she tried to hug the dragon's snout, but Tyler put a hand on her shoulder.

"His scales feel like a lit forge, Melly. I took it as I have high fire resistance, you touch him you'll lose a hand."

She nodded as Tempesta chuckled.

"That spear is as strong as Magicite. And the stronger your path becomes, the stronger it will become."

She held it tightly.

"I'll get strong Lord Blue! I promise!"

Sera smiled.

"Course you will, Melly!"

The dragon looked at Tyler.

"I have to get to work."

"I as well. Thanks for this, Tempesta."

The dragon chuckled with amusement.

"That look in children's eyes when they first meet a dragon never gets old. Take care Melly."

HE flew off as Melly looked at her family.

"I got titles from a dragon! Me!"

Tyler patted her red hair.

"And now you have a mighty spear."

She passed the long weapon to her mother and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, I love it!"

HE hugged er tightly as Mia spoke now.

"we'll make sure it don't get stolen, and she learns how to wield it."

Tyler nodded as he let the girl go.

"Now, I gotta go see Seline. You go put the spear up."

They nodded as he hopped off the wall and went with Sera, Lillia, Lily, Kaori, Ashy, Wulf and Malico. The rest went back to the mansion to rest. Roxette was behind her desk, and waved them to the lift.

"She'd like a reason why Lord Blue landed outside her front gate."

Tyler laughed as they went up. They found the sexy fox lady sitting on her couch and she sighed as thye joined her.

"What the hell did you do? Lord Blue up and lands outside my front gate, and says he's looking for Melly of all people! That poor girl nearly had a heart attack!"