OctupleCompressedNeodymium

  Tarac sat on the chair, next to the table in the study. He was rather nervous, if he was frank. Neira had asked his help for something, which was already somewhat unusual, and she had told him he could bring his "adventurer friends". Which was even stranger.

  Naturally, he and his adventurer friends had answered her request, and now they were here, waiting for her. She entered the room after a bit, nervous as well, but she sat down as well in front of them. "Hello, Neira.", Tarac started. "You needed to see me ?", he asked, and she nodded.

  "Y..Yes. I'll try to make it quick, but they are your friends ?", she asked, talking a mile a minute and clearly anxious, and Tarac nodded.

  "I'm Saeja."

  "Ruvarie.", the two introduced themselves, Neira nodding in turn.

  "So ! So.", Neira started, before taking a deep breath. "I hesitated about asking you, because I wasn't sure at first, but this seems to be genuine." She took another deep breath. "So, we have a problem. A big problem. It seems Apocalypse 2-7-4 has gone missing."

  He raised an eyebrow, surprised. Saeja almost fell off her chair, and even Ruvarie seemed unsettled. Alright, that is indeed important to be aware of. He was thankful to be here for that information alone. "Do you want us to confirm this information ?", he asked, but Neira shook her head.

  "No ! No. That's way too dangerous, I don't want you to take the risk.", she said. Expected this. Neira was very predictable sometimes. "But... For now, it's mostly been rumors I've overhead in the vault and simir. So I want you and your friends to... keep an eye and ear out. Try to see whether or not this is real or merely a rumor."

  "Do you think this could be real ?", Saeja asked, and Neira nodded, but before Neira could expin further, it was Ruvarie who took over the conversation.

  "Urgh. I can feel it. I know what's going on.", she grumbled, Neira seemingly confused.

  "Your gut feelings again ?", Saeja asked, and Ruvarie nodded, Tarac turning to face her as well.

  "I don't like to trust them.", Ruvarie said. "Don't like to operate blindly with no proof. But my gut is screaming at me." She closed her eyes, and opened them. "I would bet my fucking tit that this Warden is involved somehow."

  "Do you want to ask them, though ? That may not be the best idea...", Saeja said, something Tarac agreed with as well.

  "No.", Ruvarie answered, shaking her head. "If the Warden is involved, then it's either under their control or dead as a doornail.", she continued. "Most likely the tter." This would make the most sense, from what we've seen.

  "We likely won't have confirmation unless we ask the Warden.", Tarac said. "But it might be best to not bother them about it..." They might have gotten away with their lives in their past meetings, but they were someone whose patience was best not pushed too far.

  "Then...", Saeja said. "Let's watch and wait. We know the town closest to the Warden, so keep an eye out for cases of the curse.", she continued. "If the Warden come out of their hiding hole for whatever reason, we'll ask them outright, but otherwise don't engage and try to look for more clues.", she said.

  Tarac nodded. "It's unlikely we'll meet them, but I otherwise agree with this approach. Also, look around in towns that are free of the curse, but close to its current seal. Maybe we can find something there as well, such as refugees fleeing the beast or witnesses who saw something.", he said, the two women nodding at him.

  "Sounds good to me.", Ruvarie said, but before they could leave, Neira coughed, before staring at him.

  "Make me a promise.", Neira said, and Tarac focused. "If it did break out, or if that Warden is involved... Don't get yourself killed or cursed. Any of you three. Okay ?" Tarac looked at Neira for a moment. Injuries were part of the job description as an adventurer, but at the same time... No. Neira is most likely right on this one.

  Getting themselves killed wouldn't help in the long term. It was better to run and live another day, especially when something as notorious as 2-7-4 was involved. Many adventurers much, much stronger than us thought better and died to the curse.

  The smart choice here was obvious to Tarac. "Alright. I... No. We'll be careful.", he said, and Neira nodded, satisfied.

  It has been two days now since High Priest Kvutar had set on his pilgrimage, granting the Heaven's Blessings on the common folks meanwhile. He would never neglect his duties, after all, even as he grew older. He had been relying on his memory book much more than usual tely, and the fact that he couldn't directly note down his goal for this pilgrimage didn't help.

  However, in the beginning of the evening, he found himself in a much more unusual situation. "Huh, yeah, hi, sir.", the immense being said to him. It was a giant humanoid, with crackled red skin that emanated raw power, carrying a tree trunk over its shoulders as if it was a mere club. "The boss would like to meet ya.", he said.

  "I am quite fttered, truth be told, if a little pressed for time.", Kvutar answered. He had never been fond of camping in the open, he preferred to sleep in temples. "May I inquire upon the identity of your... "boss" ?"

  "Ehrm, sure, gimme a sec, sir.", the immense being answered, its fellows shuffling awkwardly behind it but none of them making hostile moves. "She said to tell ya Najabel sent us.", he said, relief washing over High Priest Kvutar.

  An Outsider. It was not incoherent find for her influence to be here, after all. He had been going south, and that is where she lived, according to his book. He thought about it for a bit. I can take the time. "Certainly, my good sir. Let Outsider Najabel know I will be coming."

  The giant nodded. "She'll be gd to have ya, little man.", he said, in his deep yet somewhat dopey voice. Its voice gave Kvutar the mental image of a pink, undersea being with stubby limbs he had never seen before.

  High Priest Kvutar approached the house, a little surprised. He was honestly shocked Outsider Najabel possessed a dungeon, but it was an impressive manor, surrounded entirely by a wooden terrace above the grass. The Outsider herself was on a swinging chair, the tanned, blonde girl wearing sungsses and what appeared to be summer clothes from Outside.

  Najabel smiled at him, raising a gss of a drink he did not know of. "Mint Julep.", she said. "Recipe of my grandpa, in both alcohol and not alcohol versions. Perfect for summer. Want some ?", she said with a smile, and Kvutar considered. Alcohol at my age is likely unwise.

  "Alcohol-free, if you would.", he answered as the Outsider waved her hand zily, a drink appearing on the table. "I am gd to see you in good health, Lady Najabel, although I did not expect you to acquire a dungeon.", he said, before starting to drink. It was very refreshing.

  "Good recipe, eh ? Comes from quite a way back, when my family had an house in the American South. This pce is a replica of it, my family had to come back after... let's just say some people got uppity.", Najabel started, before turning at him.

  "I got lucky that these adventurers let me have the dungeon.", she continued. "Eh, I paid them back for it. And it's been working out great so far ! I got a nice house, can conjure myself food, and even gift it with my Titans ! The local nobles have been tripping over themselves thanking me for it."

  "Most virtuous behavior from you, Lady Najabel.", Kvutar said. "I take it those Titans are the creatures that brought me here ?", he continued, getting a smile and a nod. He had never seen those monsters before, but the fact they could talk probably made sense. Most likely bodyguards, as well. Most of the Outsiders didn't have much for combat ability.

  "Yup. Created them myself ! They're big, strong, and at my beck and call.", Outsider Najabel said. "Did a pretty good job on them, don't you think ? Oh, that reminds, me, whatcha doing out there ? I'd expected you to be at the castle.", she continued.

  "I am on a... pilgrimage to the south.", he answered, keeping the details to himself. There was no guarantee that Outsider Najabel would agree with his actions, after all. "Ensure that the Will of the Heaven is properly carried out, and granting blessings to the poor and destitute.", he said, while Outsider Najabel drank from her gss.

  "Cssic priest stuff, then.", she replied. "Bringing someone back to the castle ? Eh, count me out.", she continued. Read right through me... Then again, she wasn't who he was looking for, so he had no intention to do such a thing. And she clearly was being more virtuous out there than in the castle.

  "Did you not enjoy the castle, Lady Najabel ?", he asked to her instead, slightly curious, and she turned towards him again, looking conflicted, before she folder her arms.

  "How do I put this... most of my friends ain't there, and it's nothing but boring nerds and girls that don't put in any effort.", Najabel expined. "I don't waste my time on this kind of people. And maybe you shouldn't either."

  "Is that so ?", High Priest Kvutar asked.

  "There's some people... well, let's say I'd rather have ragheads hang around rather than her. She likes little kids, after all. And while for now there's none of 'em, things won't stay that way forever.", she said, winking at him while lifting her sungsses. "Oh, that reminds me, can you do me a favor ?", she continued, seemingly remembering something, looking at Kvutar and putting her sungsses back on.

  "Certainly.", Kvutar replied, and the Outsider grinned.

  "Super, gimme a sec.", she said before she went inside, and quickly came back with a paper. "Weight loss shake recipe for Junille.", Najabel said, Kvutar nodding as he put it in his storage and added it to his memory book. "Friends look out for their friends, right ?", she continued.

  "Indeed. I shall give it personally to her when I return, and I hope she shall be appropriately pleased by your gift.", Kvutar answered, the Outsider smiling in turn.

  "Oh, she will, don't worry about it.", Najabel said. "She still cares about me, unlike the others who seem to have decided that my opinions don't matter anymore. Ah, well, I have a dungeon and they don't.", she continued, grinning.

  "Disagreements are most tragic things.", Kvutar said. "Besides, with your virtue and resources, you are most likely more useful to the Heavens here than in the castle. It is ultimately their loss if their rejection of your opinions lead them astray. The Heavens cannot help those who close their eyes and ears, after all."

  This seemed to please Outsider Najabel, and she grinned again. "Oh, by the way, if you wanna stay the night, I have a bunch of guests room.", she said. High Priest Kvutar considered for a minute.

  "If you would have me, I would be gd to receive of your hospitality, Lady Najabel.", he said, the woman grinning further. Maybe it could give him a glimpse of the life the Outsiders once led.

  Mejanqa rested against the small stone wall, as the peasants cooked food in their party. She was tired, no, exhausted. Killing the draconid that had decided to show up and go on a rampage had taken a lot out of her, and expining to the baroness that it was kind of her fault for not having the wildlife in her hunting reserve culled even moreso.

  Mejanqa had complicated feelings about combat. On one hand, it was risky, even if she didn't mind it as much when the lives of weaker people where in danger instead. Better me than them. On the other hand... It was her, her enemy, and the sole objective of being the st one standing. No complex questions about life she had to answer.

  A young man from the town approached her with two portions of stew, of which she picked one and started drinking. It was an hearty meat stew. The draconid wouldn't go to waste, although Mejanqa was surprised its purple meat was edible. No compins about it.

  "Something on your mind ?", he asked, and Mejanqa thought about it. Do I tell him ? She didn't want to ruin everyone's good mood, it was why she had withdrawn herself from the party. Let's try. Maybe it could help her make sense of things.

  "...Have you ever found yourself having to pick up the pieces ? After someone dies, and leaves nothing but a giant mess behind ?", Mejanqa asked after a while, looking at the ground. She wasn't expecting a response.

  "...It was my uncle.", he said after a while, surprising Mejanqa. "My aunt's husband, I mean.", he continued, Mejanqa starting to feel uneasy to ask such a question. She could sense it was a hard subject for him, but before she could invite him to stop talking, he continued.

  "I liked him back when I was a kid. He always had a funny anecdote or story to tell, either from his past or the guards he was drinking buddies with.", he started. "Never learned how him and my aunt met."

  "At first, things were fine, but we started seeing her less often. And she looked strange when we saw her, like, at one point she had a bruise on her shoulder, and when I asked about it, she cimed she got from bumping in the door.", the young man continued, Mejanqa shivering as he did so. "Then, one fateful day, we found him dead and her missing."

  "Of course, we went looking for her.", he continued, his voice cracking a little. "On the road, we found a bunch of the town guards. They were looking for her, and they seemed really furious. We got to her before they did, thanks to a really old wizard that was passing by." Mejanqa simply kept listening as the young man seemed to just keep talking.

  "She was there, in a small clearing. Scared out of her wits. The old wizard calmed her down, I'm not sure how. Magic, I think.", he continued, oddly calm as he did so. "She looked really bad when we got to her, like she had been pretty badly injured. I think she might have lost a tooth."

  "...She killed him, didn't she ?", Mejanqa guessed, the young man nodding.

  "Yeah. Poison. It was him or it was her. Apparently, he'd been hitting her for some time now.", he said. "The old wizard took care of it all. He brought her to a friend of his that smuggled her somewhere safe. We get a letter from her every month." He looked at the sky, which was starting to darken.

  "...The old wizard told me something interesting. He told me it was my uncle's fault for his death, because he didn't give her any other options." She had... no other options ?, Mejanqa thought. Was this true of Qareva ? Or maybe even of the Warden ? "And, like, as I thought about it ? I came to realize the old wizard was right. My uncle was the one who started this whole mess."

  Did Qareva actually start it all ? This possibility annoyed Mejanqa, but knowing what she knew now, she couldn't confidently dismiss it offhand. I won't be able to know for sure until I can get the truth from the Warden... but for now... "Thanks.", she said.

  Rickard kicked back in the tavern with his fighter buddy, a beer in hand. He didn't like this town. It was a small, smelly piece of garbage with nothing of value to him. There weren't even any whores worth his money, plus that rarely ended well and he didn't want to take unnecessary risks anymore.

  "Man, talk about bullshit.", Rickard said. "They always sing the praises of the heroes drowning in wenches, and here we are...", he grumbled. He wasn't asking for an instant harem, dammit, but at least something !

  "I know, right ? What fucking nonsense.", his buddy said. Rickard kept reevaluating the High Priest in his mind higher and higher. He had been a fucking wizard to find people he would work with so well.

  "All I get is goddamn nothing, there's nothing of worth in this goddamn pce.", Rickard grumbled. "I mean, you have an excuse for not looking for women, you're married !", he said. "At least she's not asking you for jewelry or something ?", he continued, softpedaling a little.

  "Feh ! All she's good for is whining, even when it's not for gifts. Besides, yanno, maybe it's better there's nothing of worth in this pce.", he said, before closing in Rickard's ear and whispering to him. "I heard none of the girls in this district are actually girls, yanno ?"

  Rickard raised an eyebrow as his buddy reclined in his seat. "Fuckin' unbelievable that these people would exist here.", he answered after a bit. They don't even have vaccines in this goddamn pce ! What the hell !

  "Heh ! Guess that's true. At least now you know and don't have to worry 'bout that ! But then again, you don't strike me as the type to tie yourself to a single chick either.", his buddy said.

  "Ya think so ?", Rickard asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

  "Yeah. You're the kind of guy that likes to surround himself with women, and while marriage works for me... For a dude like you, mark my words, man : Better dead than wed."

  Rickard thought for a bit, then grinned and nodded. "Wiser words have never been goddamn spoken !", he said, before the two men drank some more.