(Vol 2) Chapter 24: I Am the Spellweaver!

Azure was sitting up in the bed reading a book when Sammy poked her head up over from the floor. The Naugite appeared more evenly blue-skinned from more application of the dyeing cream.

“Welcome back!” Azure said with a cheerful smile, closing the book and pushing it under a cushion. “I let re-shifted Parrot-Dart out to fly off and I guess take some predatory bird form to get some fish. It hasn’t been long.”

“Figures. He’s supposed to be guarding you. But I do know the feeling of wanting to eat something. Like that muffin. But also, want to go down for dinner? Get your money’s worth, at least.”

“I’d love to! And some wine. Is it alright, though, Madam?” Azure hopped up to fetch a satchel from the floor. “Being seen more, that is.”

“I think it’s reasonably alright. An attractive blueberry Naugite has already been seen here, pretty sure that’ll get around. I’ll just run an illusion to change your unwrapped face, make it a bit more plain. And a false identifier. A… nose ring. A gold tooth. That’s the ticket. If you want.”

“For now? Yes.” Azure handed Sammy two muffins wrapped in cheesecloth. Murmuring a thank you, Sammy partook immediately of the cinnamon treat. She was not disappointed: it was divine. She devoured it and the other she wrapped back up to set aside. Meanwhile, Azure got ready to exit, putting back on her extra layers.

Sammy dusted her hands as she watched the covered-up Naugite lace her boots. “What’s with that dye cream, anyway? Magic? It looks like it’s literally your skin. Does it wash out?”

Azure shook her head. “It’ll last several days at intensity, then slowly fade. It’s some sort of alchemical reaction. Only for Naugites. This would be a poison if it was absorbed by a human. Slow-acting, perhaps, but they’d get sick from it, and enough would kill. Even I would get ill, if I used enough of it. But that would be after turning dark, dark blue.”

“Interesting.”

After Sammy got her own boots on, they proceeded downstairs. Sammy noted the crossbow guy was not in evidence, though she did point out to Azure where he had been.

It was completely packed on the bottom floor, but they soon got nearby seating from three gentlemen who offered to trade for seating up top which was quieter. Sammy was grateful — she just wanted the hustle and bustle of the main floor that night to satiate her extrovert side’s urges, especially after missing out on being at the fun Mot Mekess feast.

Gah. I want to, like, toss Estara up in the air. Or spin her. Weird. And get drunk with Dax and laugh at her bawdy jokes. And make fun of Carlisle’s stoicism to his dry retort. And I want Azure there, and Orswyth, and Tashome… Really need to do that mind-party thing soon. Hmm. Maybe less formal than a ball, then?

The food was meatloaf in gravy, spinach, and fresh bread. Azure asked for a full bottle of strawberry wine, which she said was a known specialty of the region, and the wine was made fresh and sweet in the summer. So it was, and unlike any wine Sammy had ever tasted. The meatloaf meanwhile was rich and savory, and Azure said it was probably beef mixed with offal.

“Hearty stuff,” the illusory face of Azure said with a smirk.

Sammy groaned and shook her head, but couldn’t help returning the smirk.

51 Daily FE gained.

The innkeep Alecto seemed to find a moment to come over, wiping his sweating face with a towel. He had on a greasy apron, indicating he’d likely helped cook. “Good evening, Madams. How do you find the food and all else?”

“Fantastic, good Innkeep!” ‘Seddia’ exclaimed with a gold-toothed smile. “The wine is as delicious as rumored. And the mix for the loaf… perfection.”

Alecto smiled with a pleasant ease. “Yes, we-”

The guard from outside suddenly burst through the door, eyes quite alarmed and locking with the Innkeep's immediately. “Uncle! Trouble. Someone’s here, asking for you! They say they have Ianthe!”

Alecto went pale. “Have her? What?”

The guard just nodded and turned back through the door, and Alecto rushed out after him.

After exchanging a glance with Azure, they both rose and went out after the others, to see what was going on.

A man that could only be described as rat-like was atop a horse and sweating it rather profusely outside in the twilight, absolutely surrounded by a gathering mob of scowling village folk and locals who smelled trouble a mile away apparently. Alecto was calling them off and telling them to give the man room.

The rat-like man declared in a shrill voice, “If any harm comes to me, Ianthe will be killed for sure! And you’ll earn a vendetta from the Meritosi Brothers! Forever!”

Someone rather large growled and pushed out from the crowd to be right up in front of the horse. “We’ll string you and your fuckwit cousins up by your eyelids and lips, you rat piece of shit!”

Various agreements and worst fates were yelled out after that.

“Uncles! They’re my-my uncles! Don’t think you can get away with that!”

Alecto had to whistle loudly to get everyone to quiet down. “Enough! Stop it, all of you! They have my daughter damn it.” The emotion in the words finally got everyone to settle down, not that they stopped scowling.

These people don’t play around, though. They’re ready for blood.

“I have a letter for Alecto!” The rat held up a letter sealed with red wax. “All you must do is pay the ransom, and she and her husband will be released to return on their own ox. The Meritosi Brothers abide by good conduct, ask anyone! The oath is here in writing, so long as you cooperate.”

The big man snatched the letter from his hand to deliver it to Alecto as the ratty fellow continued, “Some of us are at the old abandoned farm north of the Rockfork, and you can bring us the ransom. None of us know where they’re being kept! We have other arrangements to notify my uncles. That’s all you need to know. You have 24 hours or she dies.”

Various curses resounded from the gathered, as Alecto opened the letter and read it. He grimaced and shook his head. Finally, he looked up to the rider. “Get out of my sight. The rest of you lot… let him go.”

With that, Alecto stormed back inside with angry airs, several others following behind him. Meanwhile, the ratty guy tried to smile and nod amiably to the gathered as he turned his horse around. The mob around him very slowly parted to make way, staring murder at him the whole time.

Sammy turned to go back inside, briefly looking up to see the crossbowman sitting up on a balcony, apparently unconcerned whilst munching on an apple, though his crossbow was in his lap.

Of course he’d have that spot and of course he’d be watching. Sussy!

She couldn’t technically see Alecto when she and Azure walked back in, but the small circle behind the counter whispering furiously told her where he was. Sammy casually walked up to lean over the counter and listen. None paid her much attention as they argued fiercely.

“-guarantee you they fucking know!” a man was saying, a bit younger but bearing some strong resemblance to Alecto. “We should storm it and make them tell us where they are!”

The thick, ugly guard was nodding soberly. “I sick ole Anvil on ‘em, they’ll tell us every sin they ever did.”

Alecto sighed and shook his head wearily from where he was seated on a stool. “The Meritosi Brothers have a rep for more competency than that. We have the coin… barely…”

The one that was surely Alecto’s son opposed lividly. “We can’t! We cannot bow to every bandit and bastard that threatens us! News will spread. More will harass us.”

“Son, you have an adventurous brain you need to wrangle back down to reality. They were hired. It’s the damned Bank… trying to make sure I default quicker than later. I don’t want your sister dead at all, much less dead for nothing! We can’t win. Just a pack of bumpkins like us can’t win against this sort of power.”

Samantha cleared her throat. All eyes slowly turned to hers, shocked that she had even gotten so close without them noticing.

She gave them a confident smile. “I might be able to find where they’re hiding, good people of Brackenhome. My guess is they’re a small group, a few decently capable. I can lead a group of the best you can muster in without them even seeing us. Maybe even have your people back in time for breakfast. If I can’t find them, well, pay your ransom as you will.”

They looked at each other a bit dumbfounded. Alecto’s son jerked his chin at her suspiciously. “I don’t even know you, eh? What’s this to you and what makes you think you can do any of that? You might just be some loon.”

His father stood and scowled at him. “Hush, Janius! This is a respectable woman and likely of the gentry, you cotton-eared fool! I’m sorry about this one, Madam… but really, I’m not sure you can help with this.”

Holding her grin, Samantha shook her head. “No, no, it’s a fair question. I can, however — in your good confidence — answer resoundingly.” Using her Illusion ability already running to cover Azure’s face, Samantha maintained the imagery just around them all to keep eyes outside of the circle from seeing what she did after. Sound, she also altered, to garble.

She raised her hand and executed the final okay on the creation of her Bound weapon, causing the staff to appear in her hand in a flash of light — a glittering metal rod with the curling dragon and crystalline orb at one end materializing. The townsfolk gasped in wonder.

Man, do I love upthrust staffs! So fucking cool!

Simultaneously, she switched her Outfit to the armor, having it appear to cover over her skin from the upthrust hand all the way down progressively head to toe, in true Magical Girl style sparkling, transforming light. With that, she spun the staff in hand and thunked the butt end down on the floor.

From behind her full helm, Samantha declared dramatically, “I am Dymonei Spellweaver of Weirtoss, sorceress, diviner, and heroine!” She thrust her free hand forward at them. “I shall help you for nothing other than your goodwill and friendship, as I would any other in dire need! Trust that my aid is up to the task, Innkeeper and townsfolk of Brackenhome!”

Again they stood wide-eyed and stunned by the display. But perhaps not too stunned. Alecto’s son Janius actually frowned and crossed his arms. “An adventurer, then. Some wizard sniffing around for quests. Hmph! Figures.”

If Sammy was an anime character, a giant sweat drop would have appeared by her head. This fucking guy, grrr! Oh well. At least they’ll accept this instead of thinking I’m some goddess.

Alecto was again exasperated with his son. “Janius, damn it with you…” He dabbed at his forehead with his towel and swallowed, regaining his composure as he eyed the armored figure. “Well, you had me fooled. A sorceress… You look like you’re good enough to have a little wealth and equipment, too.”

The innkeep seemed to deliberate briefly, then finally sighed. “Fine. If you can find them, so be it. I doubt they’ll expect it. They’ll have all their attention on the hand-off location. Mind, they might have a little magic, but any decent mage wouldn’t run with them. It worries me, but even with being hired, I’m not sure this scum can be trusted. Their employer might not care if I lose her…”

New Quest unlocked: “Risking and Preserving Love” — Save the young couple.
● Rewards: +40 FE, 3 exp in [Goddess], 3 exp credit to one of two most relevant sub-classes used during quest.

“You’re damn right they can’t be trusted!” Janius came over and leaned on the counter toward Samantha, thrusting a thumb emphatically at himself. “I’m coming with — if you can actually deliver.”

Samantha stared back through her helm implacably. “I will allow you to if you understand that I am the boss. You do what I tell you to without argument. You got that, tough guy? Say so. Otherwise, forget it.”

The slow, surprised blink on Janius’s face was priceless. He leaned back off the counter for another arms-crossed pose, lips twisting sideways. But he nodded curtly. “Got it.”

“Good. Then we can put you to use. Now we’ll have to see about other-”

“I’ll go.” It came from above. Samantha craned her neck up along with the rest, and she honestly wasn’t surprised. The crossbowman in the hat. And he was holding what appeared to be a little bronze horn that fit into his ear. “At least I think I heard the lady right about being a spellweaver and saving the young couple…”

That little shit was eavesdropping! Even garbled words!

The fellow in the black hat grinned lopsided as his eyes shifted over theirs. “But I’m sad to say that I can’t work for free.”

And Sammy couldn’t help but grin back. She felt she’d heard him say it before, say it many times, in one way or another. Her grin was like the mad one of looking over a cliff before a tall dive, because the vibe was good and bad spliced together. She had no idea which way it would turn in the end.

He was a wildcard.

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