Gold Dust I [Q]

Quest Details: Link
Quest LFG: Link
Participants: @Eldhi @Aden @Ashiore Evretto @Cain Darlite

Objective: Dissuade people from scavenging for gold
Approaches:

• Violence
• Intimidation
• Trickery
• Negotation

---

The Forest of Brisshal, an ever-popular spot due to it being the starting location of every new player in Terrasphere, was experiencing a rather odd incident to say the least. Caused by the vile work of dark magic by an unknown perpetrator that disintegrated a caravan carrying dowries into dust. Then whether deliberate or not, the dusted treasures carried in the convoy were spread everywhere, covering a huge swathe of the forest in gold dust.

When there was sugar, there'd be ants. The saying proved true as not long after the event, locals living in the region was stricken by gold lust. The plague spread through rumors and driven by opportunistic greed, people from all over the Falderen Kingdom gathered there, turning Brisshal into an even more crowded spot rivaling Stokbon in population density. For the already shaky ecosystem, this was a recipe for disaster.

Frustrated and out of options, the Rangers in charge of Brisshal had no choice but to hire extra hands. Against their better judgment, they turned to sellswords and adventurers. At this point, anyone that could get these mass of people out of here would be welcome.

Four adventurers were among the many that accepted the job, whether out of mutual concern, a sense duty, personal satisfaction, or even just a chance to bully people around, they gathered that day. Just at the edge of the forest, they rendezvoused with a squad of Rangers and the leader stepped up, a male human with dark blonde hair, leaf-colored clothes, and cloak. A quiver of arrows slung on his back and his shortbow was held in one hand.

"Greetings, adventurers, I'm Hawk of the Rangers. I wish we could've met in better circumstances." He sighed heavily, fingers rubbing the bridge of his nose, "I think everyone and their mother already know the problem here. So I'll make this quick..." He already had information regarding their first name and skills, just so he could assign them better.Then he began addressing the adventurers one by one.

---

@Aden

"You, Aden." He addressed the archer with long red locks and sharp golden eyes, "An Arcane Archer, are you? I respect a man who can wield the bow." He mused, alluding to Aden's skill in both archery and magic. "You think you can use those arrows of yours to get them off the forest? May the wind guide you."

---

@Ashiore Evretto

Up next, he went to the brunette woman clad in earth-tone clothes. "Ah, Lady Evretto, an honor to meet you in person." He recognized her, she was quite famous among the rangers, being a prolific Druidess and all, "Please, can you guide mother nature to get these intruders off her back?"

---

@Cain Darlite

Third, the second male and tallest person in the group, a suave-looking man with flowing purplish raven locks and matching eyes. His chiseled frame fit to woo the ladies while his voice could bolster courage or shatter resolves, the latter was precisely the Rangers needed. "Arcanamancer Bard, Cain, hmm... yes, make them scram with your voice, aye? Just don't knock them out, we don't want to have to drag bodies covered in gold dust."

---

@Eldhi

Last but not least, the shortest of the group, a white-haired Paladin... though he didn't recognize her to be from any particular Knight Order. Was she one of those 'self-proclaimed Knights'? Ah, no matter, as long as she could do the job. "Sera Eldhi, hmm... well, you can talk them out of this foolish endeavor? People usually trust the Knightly sort. That, or you can just scare them away with your sword. As long as they get their greedy asses off the forest really."

 

When Aden signed up for the Quest posted by the Rangers of Brisshal, he expected the number of people to have congregated to the forest to number just about roughly the size of a small village. That's why he was genuinely surprised to see what looked like a a decent-sized town pop-up from the once-tranquil forest, filled with people yearning to gather what was left of the gold that the mysterious assailant of the caravan had turned to dust.

The Rangers have a just cause for concern regarding this unnatural exodus of people looking to get rich quick, but in their haste to protect the forest from the effects of irresponsible human activity, they failed to see that the act of hiring sell swords to settle this dispute by any means necessary was equally irresponsible in itself. At the end of the day, despite this unreasonable behavior, these people are... still people. From what he observed, most of the people that came here in a hurry were destitute. Wearing ragged clothing and bringing insufficient supplies, they came here to turn their lives around in one fell swoop. By coming here, they believed that they could change their fate and rise above the poverty that had plagued them all their lives. While the Rangers saw only the vestiges of Human Greed at the sight of these people sweeping the forest for gold dust, majority of these people only came here to turn their lives around for the better.

With a grim expression, he observed his teammates while assessing what course of action they'll be taking. He wasn't the sort that judges people's personalities based on appearance alone so it was hard to tell just what they'll do to convince the impromptu prospectors to leave the forest lands of Brisshal. Even though they formed a party to tackle this dilemma they're facing, there was no "official" leader to call in the shots. That would mean that each of them were free to do as they please... within reason of course.

"I believe in starting things off with introductions, so I'll be going on ahead. My name's Aden Ashburn and my skill set mainly focuses on ranged attacks. Although I would prefer not to use any of them on any of the people over the course of this mission. In any case, it's a pleasure to be working with all 3 of you." the red haired archer said as he courteously bowed the his three teammates.

After listening to their introductions with keen interest, he immediately began brooding on the problem that lay ahead of them. How do they make the people leave? Asking nicely was out of the question. If that had been a viable option, the Rangers wouldn't have to put up a Quest to convince the people to leave. From his perspective, there were only four practical decisions they could make to solve this problem:

• Violence
• Intimidation
• Trickery
• Negotation

Each of them, aside from the fourth one could resolve this conflict quite easily but they would not have lasting effects. Slaughtering the NPC's was unreasonable both in a technical sense, and a humanistic perspective. It is common knowledge to the Players that NPC's, dare he say, "die when they are killed". They do not have the privilege of resurrection every time they were to die. In a sense, they were the "true" humans of this world, vulnerable and mortal, while the Players were demigods that could just respawn from their last checkpoint should they be unfortunate enough to die with bearable consequences. Dying to them was as inconvenient as their mothers disconnecting their wifi connection in an effort to force them to go to sleep. From a humanistic sense, slaughtering the NPC's would be akin to murdering innocents in real life. These people have families of their own and most of them, and were driven to risk it all here by the desperation from their poverty-ridden lives. Such a reaction was human. After all, if a relative of yours was stricken by an incurable illness and you suddenly hear a rumor of a cure existing, wouldn't any loving human jump at the chance of that miracle?

Intimidation would only get them so far. Sure it would make a lot of them leave if they threaten that they'll start killing people left and right, but that would lead to two outcomes. 1.) If they were all bark, and no bite, the NPC's would catch on to this soon enough and, in the best case scenario, just ignore their efforts. In the worst case, the NPC's would return, armed and ready to fight back for what they believed is a once-in-a-lifetime chance of saving themselves and their families which would force the party to resort to the first option. 2.) If they did make true to their words of killing some of these people, they would just earn the ire of these NPC's, and sooner or later, they would inevitably lash out at the party forcing them yet again to resort to Option 1.

Trickery seems to be the best choice since, for example, fooling the scavengers to think the place was haunted would send everyone running for the hills. But, if these people were desperate enough to risk it all for this opportunity, then they would eventually return to brave the dangers and pick up were they left of. No danger is too great for someone desperate enough to take the risk.

In the end, Aden could only see Negotiation as the only viable choice. Hear out what the people have to say and try to come to an understanding. It might be difficult to negotiate with them but he sincerely believed the peaceful choice would have the lasting and most desirable effect.

"As for how we'll handle it, as Hawk of the Rangers said, we're given free rein on how we'll resolve this situation. Choose what you'll think would be the most ideal way to get these people out of here. But with that said, If I may be allowed to share my thoughts, I would recommend a path of non-violence. I believe if it were not for desperate times, these people would not have risked coming all the way out here to gain fortune. Some of them have families to support with little to no means of doing so. That's why, whatever it is you choose to do, I would plead that you do it without resorting to violence." Aden said earnestly in a pleading voice to @Ashiore Evretto , @Cain Darlite , and @Eldhi .

Hopefully they'd be reasonable enough to do the right thing. And hopefully, their definition of right and wrong is similar to his.

 

Ash absently pet Naixi as she listened to the rangers explain the situation. It appeared as though opportunism's viselike grip seemed like it had solidified around a great deal of Brisshal's people, and the forests of the land were suffering for it. The evidence of the 'gold rush' was clear as day all around them: trampled plants, gouges carved into the ground and the bark of trees, streams that were once clear now turned muddy and brown. Not to mention the sheer lack of animals nearby, and accompanied by reports from the rangers that predators like wolves and bears were straying awfully far from their usual haunts. And all this caused by people driven to find even the smallest scrap of gold.

When the group she was with was asked for assistance, of course she agreed. "We'll help you handle this," she assured the rangers. This wasn't only about dangers posed to the forest, but also to all the would-be gold seekers. Clashes over who found a bit of gold first could quickly turn violent, and wandering into the forest without a care for what predators and monsters may be lurking was an easy way to a certain death. Keeping people out of the forest was in the best interests of everyone involved.

Certainly not permanently. There were people whose entire livelihoods depended on the resources to be found in Brisshal's forests. But just for a while, until the gold could be cleaned up thoroughly.

The rangers offered suggestions as to how to deal with the intruders. She frowned as some of those suggestions included trying violence, or brutish intimidation. Ugly memories of the last time she agreed to help intimidate someone floated to the front of her mind, causing both her fists to clench. Her lioness rumbled by her side, nudging her knees in an attempt at comfort. No, there would be no violence today.

As she opened her mouth to protest, thankfully @Aden spoke first. "I agree," she said to him, giving him a smile. "There's no reason to hurt them, and there are many other ways to make sure they stay away from the forest while things are being sorted out."

She had worked with @Eldhi before, and knew the girl to have a strong sense of honor. Ash was confident that Eldhi wouldn't immediately resort to strong-arming the gold seekers. But as for the third member of their team, @Cain Darlite... Well, Ash hadn't ever worked with him before, but he didn't look the violent type, at least from what she could see. Hopefully, between the four of them, they could figure out a solution that wouldn't end with blood being spilt.

 

The story behind this was definitely something that stoked Cain Darlite’s imagination. From the possibility of a malicious mage joining hands with highwaymen to steal the gold-laden dowry of two rich and prominent families to the ulterior motives of that villainous individual, who may not be driven solely by greed if their intentions were to toss that gold into the shrubbery and streams of Brisshal. And now, standing at the precipice of the forest with his three companions, the man with midnight for hair realized quite clearly that there was another problem.

Of course those who sought gold weren’t well-off to begin with. Poverty-stricken and exhausted from their travels, their dark eyes held more than just a bottomless greed. There was a hope there, a dream, a gossamer desire that with gold dust, they could change their lives, could save their lives. How much of their fortunes had they sacrificed for this chance? Did they dig into the savings that would sustain them once their bodies were too weak to work? Did they sell off the last physical remnants of their parents so that a future could be had? A feudal society wasn’t nearly as kind as a democracy, huh? Not enough laws to protect the weak and no promises of success just because you try hard and put up with the bullshit of the privileged.

Cain could understand that, just a little bit. How much of their lives did they throw away for this one chance? Intimidation would mean nothing if they had chosen to go all in. Trickery was pointless once the lie was exposed. And just subjugation? His eyes found themselves on Hawk, the representative of the Rangers, the one who chose to summon adventurers for this task to begin with, commenting only on their combat prowess in this case. Perhaps one that lives off the land and protects the forest really was out of touch with their fellow man. Perhaps there was a crueller, harsher side that expected others to simply make do with the bounty of the God Qora, instead of reaching for manmade wealth.

Injuring the fortune hunters was going to have repercussions in the long run. Letting them do as they wished out of pity for their circumstances was simply negligent. Persuading, negotiating, that did sound like the only option, but they were a party of four adventurers, whereas this accursed rumor must have been passed into the ears of thousands at this point. How could they fulfill the interests of all involved? Gather up the gold dust themselves and promise to distribute it fairly? Interview each gold seeker individually to determine if they ‘deserve’ to pass on into the forest? Convince the Rangers to work together with the miners in order to ‘clean up’ the forest, using these gold seekers as volunteers?

It warmed his heart, truly, that his companions were also individuals of good repute, seeking to resolve this situation peacefully, but so far, none of them had shared any ideas on how to do so yet. Not an amazing start. The Sister of the Forest hadn’t even introduced herself, and with a deep breath, Cain made his decision.

He’ll take the spotlight.

“Ladies, gentleman, if you may,” Cain said, a dip of his head towards his new companions, a smile towards Eldhi, “Allow me to introduce myself first. I am Cain Darlite, the Flagbearer of Miracles, the Recorder of Truths, the one who bears the Finale of the Planet within his lungs. With the dual blessings of the Goddesses Idna and Iedi invested in me, I proclaim here that I stand in line with your beliefs, Archer of Lheon’s Red and Sister of Nature. We are adventurers, are we not? The blood of gods flow in our veins, but our station in life was selected not by heritage or strength, but by the brave and righteous soul that exists within. A solution that benefits all is most definitely there, and so, allow me to illuminate and give form to the transient thoughts that swim within our collective mind-spaces.”

The first finger. A furtive glance towards the direction that Hawk went in.

“Who benefits if the gold remains within the forest, unmolested by outsiders?”

The second finger. A far off gaze towards the shantytowns that were beginning to form up.

“Would the rumor outlast the actual stores of gold scattered within this elderly monument to Qora?”

The third finger. Observing Eldhi’s reaction, judging the extent of her righteousness.

“With our inferences in regards to the origins of this gold dust, is it also our task to return the gold to the prestigious families that have lost it?”

The tall man clapped his hands together, before bringing them to the side, palm face-up.

“I present you these three questions, and ask of you three to answer in turn.”

 

The vice of greed had gripped these people. While Eldhi realized there were poor folks out there that needed the gold for their family. Reports were also given regarding opportunistic merchants and criminal families who sought the treasure for their own ends. Driven by lust for wealth, these various groups competed with one another, scouring the forest, damaging the vegetation, stressing out the animals, and more often than not, descended into heated arguments and fights. If this was to continue, Brisshal would be nothing more than a patch of broken dead land. All in all, this must stop. For all the pity for the poorer folk, the potential devastation wasn't worth it.

Unsurprisingly, Eldhi didn't want to just murder them except in extreme self-defense circumstances, she wanted to uphold peace, not warmongering. Fortunately, her companions were sensible folk. Two she already knew. First was Ashiore the Druidess and her loyal lioness companion Naixi, she met them last time on her forays to the Crystallized land of Zalra. The second was Cain the Arcanamancer, the boisterously loud and noble fellow she met in the very same forest they were going to venture into. The third and last one, the redheaded Arcane Archer, she hadn't met before. She wanted to ask his name but he took the initiative.

"Aden Ashburn, it is an honor. I am Eldhi Arc, Paladin and Faithful of Tyl." She gave him a bow in return. Just for him, she ought to explain what she was capable of, "I possess skill in both might and magic. However, I too agree with you, we must accomplish the task with as little bloodshed as possible." She paused, "Still, I have to tell you all that not only the gold not only attracted the poorer folk. Crime families and dishonest merchants have extended their grubby hands for the gold. While we try to discourage violence, it is a wise thing to be prepared for combat should push comes to shove."

"You are most at home here, Miss Ashiore." She regarded the robed Naturamancer, then one hand extended to gently brush Naixi's head and neck, she had fought beside one another with the lioness before, bravely standing ground against the crystal Gryphon. She looked forward to working with the two again, preferably without violence for this particular case. "Maybe Naixi can scare them away? Hahaha." The sight of a growling, roaring, lion was enough to elicit primal fear in most after all.

---

Cain, in his familiar flair, took the podium next, introducing himself and then immediately followed with intriguing rhetorical questions. "Hmmm..." Eldhi put one gauntleted hand against her chin, rubbing it in thought.

Who would benefit most...? Why, the animals certainly couldn't make use of the gold, "The Rangers?" However, it didn't sit quite right with her, they had no need of exorbitant amount of gold, they were people who lived off the land and maintaining a natural balance.

As for the rumors, yes, yes it would, greed was bottomless, once you were taken over, you would want more, more, and more, turning over every rock to find even a puff of golden dust. "Yes, it would."

The third and final question was an interesting one, as far as the agreement went, they just needed to get the people off the forest, nothing was said about the eventual fate of the gold. However, Eldhi's heart told her the families deserved it, it was theirs to begin with. "If we can recover them, then yes, the gold belongs to them." She was no miner or excavator, she was sure the families or even the Kingdom itself as Brisshal was Falderen's territory, will make an official decree on how to handle the situation sooner or later.

---

After each member of the party made their answers to Cain's inquiries, the party set out into the forest. The extent of the damage was noticeable even now as Aden would see numerous humanoid footprints on the forest floor along with crushed dead leaves. The winds were disturbed and heavy.

Ashiore would feel the tension among the trees and forest critters like a host whose home was being intruded, Naixi would catch a glimpse of a pack of grey wolves not far away, staring at them, cautious and agitated yet made no move to attack.

Cain could hear the cacophonous symphony of chatter, shovels, and pickaxes as the miners excavated the forest without care, nor respect. The flow and balance of mana in the land disrupted by the sheer abrupt change brought upon by the gold rushers.

While Eldhi was loyal to Tyl as her main patron, she respected the whole Elysid Pantheon as well. She was sure that Qora, God of Nature, looked upon with despair as Ahra rejoiced from all the destruction wrought upon the forest. This must end.

---

Moments later, they'd come upon three groups of 'miners' situated nearby.

The first one had crude tools and ragged clothes, digging into the ground with shovels with no direction, creating holes everywhere. The flock of poor and destitute desperate to find at least some gold. They had the most numbers compared to the rest.

The second one had specialized equipment and skilled workers with a couple overseers making sure everything was handled nicely. One of them, in particular, was clad in fancy robes befitting of a merchant-prince. A man with tanned complexion and curved dark mustache, he rubbed his hands together, the many gem rings on his fingers glinting under the sunlight.

The third one had decent tools as well though not as well-equipped as the second group. However, they hardened looks and detached demeanor suggested they were thugs and enforcers who had seen their fair share of extortion, intimidation, and murder. Some of them were digging while others kept watch, equipped with daggers and bows, it seemed they were just as ready to spring upon the other groups. Whether through mining or robbing, as long as they get what they wanted, everything was fair game.

@Aden @Ashiore Evretto @Cain Darlite

 

One by one, his comrades began introducing themselves, and with it, they brought some valid points to the table. The brown-haired girl, Ashiore Evretto shared his sentiments about a non-violent approach despite having such an intimidating and formidable beast as a companion. He would at least have one less person to worry about taking matters into their own hands and slaughtering innocents. Though he might suggest she take intimidation as her course of action if she has the means to pull it off should negotiations break down.

"I'm glad we're on the same page at least, milady. It'd be a horrible sight if we were all to witness your brave companion mowing down innocent lives. Though perhaps if words don't get through to them, we may have to rely on this fearsome one's voice to get our message across." Aden suggested to Ashiore in a conspiratory voice.

Next, the bard who called himself Cain Darlite introduced himself and the numerous titles that came with him. With the way he made his introduction, coupled by the way he talked, Aden was surprised just how into role playing this guy was. He had nothing against it of course since with how detailed Terrasphere is, one could not help but feel that they belonged in this world. Some people still tried to act as detached as possible. Of course everyone here has prior in-game knowledge like the the world's lore, armor, weapon, and character stats, and of course, the fact that this world is merely an illusion brought about by advanced virtual reality technology. For that reason, they forego the opportunity to truly place themselves in the feet of their character, and instead opting to treat everything from a numerical perspective. With their focus primarily based on stats and rewards, they fail the enjoy the simple things like just how wonderful this world truly is. That's why no matter how flamboyant and grandiose people like Cain tend to be in this game, it was quite comforting to see that there are still some people who are not afraid to lose themselves in this game, in a good way, of course.

"Indeed, I could not agree with you more there, my friend. May the Elysid guide our minds, hearts, and hands in the task we have ahead of us!"

The last to make an introduction was the only swordsman... or in this case, swordmaiden present, a paladin by the name of Eldhi Arc who claimed to be both proficient in melee and magic. The female knight informed the group that the impromptu miners weren't entirely comprised of the poor but crime families and dishonest merchants also took interest in this treasure. She also reminded the group that if shit hit the fan, they should not hesitate to defend themselves, despite the fact that she prepared a peaceful solution.

"Since you were willing to share knowledge of your abilities, I think it is only fair I tell you mine as well. I am both proficient in Archery and Wind Magic, though I am fairly skilled in stealth as well. I hope that these abilities be of some use to us in this endeavor. It is a great honor to meet a Paladin of Tyl." replied Aden enthusiastically.

Aden was snapped back to reality when Cain presented a couple of rhetorical, yet valid questions about the situation. He contemplated on each question one at a time, rather than attempting to answer them all at once.

Regarding the first question, should the gold remain untouched in the forest, nobody would benefit from it... if one were to believe that the prospect of gold did not cloud the hearts of the Rangers. At the very heart of it all, Greed is a human sin, and thus it affects all humans indiscriminately. All sins are poison, but as Paracelsus one said, it is the dose that makes the poison. Even though Aden would very much like to believe that the Rangers were only interested in the protection and preservation of the forest, he was unsure if they had truly rid themselves of earthly desires.

In relation to the second question, should they drive away the people but do nothing about the gold, more people would just come after they leave, and the cycle will go on until every last speck of gold dust has been collected in this forest. By then, this once lush, majestic corner of nature might be reduced to nothing but an arid wasteland.

The third question had something to do about who gets the gold itself. Common sense dictates to return it to the families who lost them but in a situation like this, common sense isn't so common. One must think out of the box to come up with a solution that would placate all sides.

"In a perfect world, nobody would benefit from the gold if we manage to drive these people away successfully. But even this world is not perfect. More so since the "People of the Land" behave much like the same way as humans do. For that reason, it is best to keep in mind that these people are like us in our own world... human. And since they are human, they are prone to acting on desires and temptations. " Aden paused for a bit to heave an exasperated sigh.

Regarding the first and the second question, it would be in the best interest for all parties to have the gold removed from this place as soon as possible. I fear that the Rangers are not infallible and prolonged exposure to the gold would just contribute to them falling into temptation. Even if the Rangers do not succumb to greed themselves, if we drive these people away without removing the source of the problem itself, the gold, they'd just end up returning after we leave. Then the Rangers would ask for our aid once again. This cycle would go on and on until someone scrapes up the last ounces of gold in this forest." Aden explained solemnly as he stared at the crowd if people down below.

While a majority of them were truly destitute, some of them were apparently opportunistic scum bags that were well off enough but still decided to participate in this madness. Others looked like criminals that presented a danger for everyone in the place.

"Lastly, while the families lay the rightful claim for this treasure, sometimes doing the right thing doesn't solve all the problems. Right now, I only know pity for the destitute people below. They're the ones that truly need this gold more than those merchants and those criminals.... dare I say more than the families themselves. But giving them all the gold would be denying the families who originally owned them justice. So I propose this. One of us would negotiate with the poor people. If they would assist us in extracting the gold properly and responsibly, cleaning the forest and returning it to its previous glory, and returning the gold to the families, 1/3 of the total gold would be theirs. The families themselves doesn't seem keen on recovering the gold themselves so this should be a fair deal. The rest of us would work on driving the opportunist and the criminals away from this place, ensuring the safety of all. If any of them fight back, know solace that we will pick up arms to defend ourselves."

It was perhaps the only sensible method they could use for this dilemma. Ensuring that the indigent families get compensation for the recovery of the gold is the responsibility of the wealthy families that would not sully themselves to retrieve them in the first place so it was only a just offer. If they offered nothing to the poor families, they would fight and die for what they think to be what is rightfully theirs as a blessing from the gods themselves.

 

@Cain Darlite brought up excellent points. Those were good questions that they should consider. As Eldhi and Aden both detailed their responses to their questions, Ash began thinking of her own responses.

"As Aden said, the only one who could possibly benefit would be the rangers. The creatures and plants of the forest have no need for gold-" Actually, did they? There were all sorts of funky creatures and plants in Terrasphere. Maybe the most exotic of them weren't to be found in Brisshal, but it wasn't just mundane things here. Well, regardless, she continued, "They seem principled, but there is a chance..."

As for the next question... Ash traced back Cain's gaze at the burgeoning collection of ramshackle houses and shelters. "Rumors hang on for a long time. Even if we get all the gold cleaned up, there's almost definitely going to be people coming back in search of more. People would think, 'What if they missed something?', or something along those lines."

And for the final question. Hm. Now that was a bit of a dilemma. If she was recalling correctly, this gold was part of a dowry for a marriage between two very influential families. Politically, there was no knowing what would happen--could the family offering the dowry afford to send another one? What would happen if the marriage didn't go through? And if they actually did send another one, where was the guarantee that this next caravan wouldn't simply be blown up just as this one had?

But at the same time, it was obvious that the people scrounging around for gold were desperate for it. Most of them, at least; Ash had caught a glimpse of some wealthy merchant-types with what looked like mercenaries lurking around the area. So, that was certainly some people looking to boost their already-considerable profits. And the forest was such an enormous area too, there would be no way of patrolling the entire place. What would they even do, in that situation? Bar entry only to those who could prove that they were destitute? That was wrong on so many levels.

"I think," she began slowly, "that we should try to send the gold back. Probably straight to the family it was meant for, if at all possible. The gold was supposed to be for them, and this way we can at least try to make sure that this shipment won't get destroyed just like the last one has."

She still had no idea what exactly they were to do. But it looked like Aden did. As he outlined the plan, Ash listened, nodding along. "That sounds reasonable," she said when he finished. "Perhaps we don't even let the families know about this deal? If they're prideful enough, they could refuse it and demand the gold back. We could just say that the 2/3rds was all that was recoverable. After all, their gold got turned to literal dust by that attack. It's entirely possible that some of it truly got vaporized."

And now, for the division of labor. She let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm, uh, not too great with negotiating and talking to a lot of people. Maybe Naixi and I will just keep watch over the forest and making sure everything stays civil. Naixi can give people a good scare if we need to."

 

As his questions were spoken and Eldhi lead the party into the forests of Brisshal, Cain spent his time in uncharacteristic silence, internalizing everyone’s answers. Aden had the idea there, though his thoughts to be a champion of the poor had blinded him to the fact that four people alone weren’t enough to protect the poor in the long run. Granting them the gold was kind, yes, but no doubt the Paladin of the Ashen Blade would find fault in this. Thievery for the sake of redistributing wealth was still thievery in the end. Just like how a murder to avenge another murder was wrong, this too would go against Tyl’s sacraments, and all this deception…well, he doubted Eldhi would take to this too fondly.

Trying to leverage the power of the majority and force such a righteous Paladin to bend over left a bad taste in his mouth after all, even if the constant cacophony all around him didn’t do any wonders at all. It was too easy to hear and feel the shift in balance within the forest, bird-song replaced by workers’ chants, chuckling streams replaced by the crack of a whip. How much longer would the forest itself wait? How much longer would the Hunters themselves stand by and do nothing? Though it felt like they had a lot of time, there really wasn’t any. Get control of the situation. Get a grip. Get everyone’s approval. And ultimately…set up a method of pulling the rug from beneath those that didn’t truly need the money.

Alright. The stage is set. The actors were ready. Now, they just needed to sharpen the script.

“You have a sharp mind indeed,” Cain said, nodding towards the red-haired archer, “A gift that is perhaps sharper than even your eyes, Aden. And it is clear too, that even if this aureate substance is completely cleared out, there will still be those marching in, searching for more long after the task of cleaning up is gone. Thus, ladies, gentleman, allow me to present my own proposal before we set off to our separate tasks, an amendment to the brilliantly kind plan that Aden has presented.”

With the poise of a master conductor, the midnight-haired man began to gesticulate, formulating the masterstroke with his hands as much as he did with his voice. “Greed indeed is a vice, and those that come in seeking to gain more wealth than they need indeed must be chased out, but is that not inconsiderate to the men who work beneath the opportunists? We are only four, regardless of our blessings of might and immortality, while there are easily hundreds out there. Even if we were to employ the entirety of those who we designate as ‘poor’, what would happen once these opportunists return, wearing destitute rags? Are we to profile each individual person, knowing that our own judgment may easily be wrong, while ALSO supervising hundreds of others and ensuring that they ‘harvest’ the gold safely and efficiently, while ALSO protecting them from the criminals that would no doubt attack the peasants within the confines of the woods?”

Cain shook his head, an expression of hardened resolve. “No, an over exaggerated belief in our individual strengths would, in this situation, only cause harm to those we seek to aid. We need to make more allies, and it is with these beliefs in my heart that I shall push forward this proposal. Though greed is a vice, wrath is more dangerous in this situation. The opportunists, no matter how ugly their motivations may be, have been doing this for much longer than any of us here. If you haven’t yet noticed, it’s the peasants that are, ironically, doing the most damage to the forest with their lack of knowledge and consideration. If we were to use the experience of these professional miners and have them serve as guides for the peasants, would that not dramatically accelerate our task, while simultaneously enabling us to focus on only protecting this combined group from the criminals?”

A breath. A swig of a water canteen while he allowed them to think it over.

“With the help of the Hunters, we will navigate the forest safely, while also gaining the numbers required to protect the groups of gold miners we send out at a time. The fanged persuasion of your beautiful companion, Ashiore, should be more than sufficient for warding off any but the most fearless ruffians, and I have already born witness to your sword skill, Eldhi, but neither of you can be at two places at once,” Cain said, an almost apologetic smile turning towards them, before he continued, “With the help of the poor and the professional, we will gather all the gold up within the forest, weigh it, and distribute it equally, on a person by person basis. Those originally under the employment of businessmen will have their share of their gold allocated to their employers instead.”

And here was where things became cruel.

“Now, envision what will happen. While each farmer receives a small sum of gold, not enough to warrant individually robbing, each opportunistic employer has received a large amount of gold, warranting protection from the criminals. With this in mind, we will ask of them to provide an address and their name, so that these large sums can be delivered in the future. Naturally, being good, conscientious folk, we will deliver these sums to them safely, with no tricks at all. No strings attached.” The smile on his face became toothier, Cain enjoying his own self-praise. “Should that noble family ever come looking for their gold though…well, we certainly would have names and addresses to point them in the right direction to, no? The poor benefit the most, the criminals are immediately shut out, and the opportunistic businessmen will get their comeuppance in the future, if it ever comes to that.”

Hm, now he may be going a little too far, but…

“I believe it’s a pretty good idea, no?” Cain asked, removing his hat so he could stylishly run his fingers through his majestic mane. “Aden, as a champion of the people, it’s only right for you to convince the poor to be on board with this plan. Ashiore, as one with nature, perhaps it’s best if you spoke to the Hunters of this? Surely they’ll trust a druid as prolific as yourself? I, Cain Darlite, shall task myself with convincing the mining companies that have taken root within this verdant forest. And Eldhi?”

Oh, he knew exactly what she was going to do.

“Though it would be great if we were able to employ criminals to serve as protection against dangerous wildlife, I know you’d never agree with that. Go fuck ‘em up, girl.”

He only wished he was there to see it.

 

The group continued their discussion on the best solution to take regarding this delicate problem and generally agreed on the way to involve the least bloodshed possible. The peasants should be gathered and convinced to work with the merchants as their paid workers and said merchants could keep the lion's share of the gold. This would clean up the forest of gold dust nicely with the least damage incurred. If the noble families in question demanded the return of their belongings, by law, they could just sue those opportunists.

As for the criminals, the lawless scum, the solution was clear really. Whether they were here to mine, to rob, or just loitering around, it didn't make a difference to the Paladin. They had forfeited their lives the moment they committed their first murder. From the burning zealous look in her eyes, it was quite clear on where her choices lay. "Yes." She gave a curt answer to Cain, to think these... scumbags as protectors would be preposterous.

In order to accomplish such an honorable, yet arduous, task, she needed a companion, a fellow warrior much like Naixi to Ashiore. The white-haired Paladin opened up her player menu, took out the 'Mount Whistle' from her digital inventory and used the item. Shortly after, a neigh answered the summon as a chestnut horse with elegant flaxen mane rivaling Cain's midnight locks galloped forward. Merlin was his name, the proud steed of Paladin Eldhi Arc.

The equine creature trotted close to his master and gave a... demanding neigh. "Haaa... yes, I have apples." Couldn't he just keep up the appearance of an unquestioningly loyal steed for a few more minutes? Ah well, the majestic moment was good while it lasted though.

"Everyone, this is Merlin." Eldhi introduced him and the horse gave a neigh, his eyes then locked to Naixi, "She's Naixi, Lady Ashiore's companion. Unlike a certain steed, she doesn't demand food every five minute- ow...!" Not even letting Eldhi finished, Merlin bumped her with his snout as if saying that the lioness was herself and he was himself, don't think of them as the same individual. Well, how philosophical of you, little brat prince. Maybe Eldhi should have named him 'Joffrey Lannister' instead of Merlin now, should she?

---

@Ashiore Evretto

Speaking about Naixi however, "O Mighty Lioness, will you join my quest in vanquishing these felons? I'd be honored to have you beside us. If not, then I respect your wishes." Whether the lion accepted or not, Eldhi proceeded to mount Merlin.

---

The knight put her boots into the stirrup, one hand on the reins, and another ready at the grip of her longsword. "Tyl's blessing be with us all. Now... Merlin, chaaaaarge!!" Thus, the gallant knight and majestic steed thrust forward, they'd throw the crime mobs into disarray. They didn't look too tough for her level and most of them were mining instead of standing guard, she'd take them by surprise and bring down Tyl's wrath upon them!

 

Once again, Cain brought some interesting points to the table, but not just that. He also gave a more viable and plausible rendition to Aden's original idea, which he had to admit, leagues better than his vague plight for the destitute families working tirelessly in the impromptu mining operation. This not only guarantees that the poor families are given fair compensation for their hard work toiling the soil and scraping every speck of gold dust in the forest, but by also collaborating with the other group composed of trained professionals and receiving a bit of training and guidance from said group, the destitute team's performance should significantly increase insofar as they could extract the gold in a fashion that would not cause unnecessary destruction to the forest. It'd be a lot easier as well to persuade both groups to clean up after themselves and restore the forest to its original splendor if both groups are united.

As for his other teammates, Eldhi has taken the responsibility of clearing out the bandits and criminal groups in the forest before any of them could even think of robbing or harming their competitors. Since most of them were already blinded by greed, coupled with the added pressure of competition nearby, most among their ranks were focused on gathering the gold rather than staying on high alert for any attacks. They probably won't be expecting any hostiles among their competitors anyways since the poor miners would just get cut down, and dealing with the bandits would only be seen as a waste of time for the mercantile and professional group. This complacency would be their undoing, as they would not expect a Paladin of Tyl to ambush them. Eldhi should be able to make quick work of the group as they pose little to no threat to her, even with their numbers. In case that they do threaten to overpower her, he could provide some cover fire for her as well.

On the other Hand, Ashiore would coordinate with the Rangers to serve as guides and additional protectors in order to navigate the forest safely once they start sending out groups carrying the gold a couple at a time. This way, the caravan would be easier to protect and would attract less attention than an exodus of people leaving the forest at once. Judging by how the Rangers have addressed her earlier, she commands a certain amount of trust and respect from them which should make negotiations easier.

Meanwhile, the man with the plan himself, Cain, would use his social skills to bargain with the mercantile group about this plan of theirs. Since all they care about is profit, they should be tempted enough to accept such a sweet deal, considering they would make off with a large portion of the gold, provided they pay all their workers with proper compensation of course. Eldhi getting rid of their competitors, the bandits should instill some security and trust between their party and the merchants, hopefully enough to smoothen the deal between the two factions.

With their respective duties in mind, the four of them set out to fulfill their roles in this mission. In Aden's case, he would position himself in a high enough vantage point where a large group of people would be able to clearly see and hear him. Addressing each and everyone of the impoverished miners would be inefficient and unreasonable so he'd rather get their attention at the same time.

"Ahem. Attention everyone! My name is Aden Ashburn, and I am an adventurer. Me, along with my other companions came here at the request of the Rangers to---"

One of the peasants spat on the ground and interrupted his speech just as he'd started.

"You were sent by those heartless "guardians" of the forest? That means you're working for them! You're here to drive us away here, aren't you? Why? So you and those tree huggers can get the gold for yourselves? Because those bark-brained brutes told you to do so? Must be easy for you adventurers." said a gray haired man that looked old enough to be a grandfather.

His objection became a rallying cry for the other peasants to thrust their own opinions towards Aden.

"You adventurers are lucky to be blessed by the Elysid of these abilities that lets you take on any job and slay any monster. What about us normal folk, condemned to a life of poverty. Every day we pour our blood, sweat, and tears, just to earn meager wages to sate the thirst and hunger of our wives and children, while you waste away all the gold in your pockets, drinking away at taverns, never having to worry if you'll have something to eat the next day. You may try to drive us away from this land, but by Ys himself, we will collect every ounce of gold in this forest, or die trying!" A younger peasant, in his late 20's added.

Soon, an angry mob have formed all around Aden, attempting to surround him from all sides and overwhelm him with their numbers. He couldn't believe that these people were so desperate that they wouldn't even hear out what he had to say the moment they knew he was involved with the Rangers. Wtih a deep sigh, Aden fired off a warning shot into the sky, and a few seconds later, lightning struck on all the cardinal directions in his flanks, halting the progress of the peasants and terrifying them out of their wits.

"Listen everyone, while it is true that the Rangers have hired us to get you out of this forest, me and my comrades also sympathize with your situation.We know that most of you are from impoverished families. We've also come to realize that a lot of you only came here in hopes of using the gold to escape poverty for the sake of your wives and children." First, Aden had to make himself clear that he and his allies understand why the peasants have flocked into the forest in search for gold and that they sympathize with them.


"But look around you. Look at what you have done to this forest because of your careless actions? Flora have been destroyed, trees severely damaged, some beyond recovery, the once crystal clear streams and rivers have now ran amok with mud and sludge from your irresponsible mining and animals have been displaced from their homes. The forest is a treasure in of itself. It provides a lot of families with jobs, food, and resources. That's why destroying a treasure just for the sake of another one is counterintuitive. "

After a pause to catch his breath, the arcane archer looked directly at the peasants' eyes and spoke with every bit of conviction he could muster.

"That is why we have come up with a plan that would satisfy not only your quest for gold but the protection of the forest. I implore you all to work hand in hand with another group here, composed of merchants and professionals. They will teach you how to extract the gold in such a way that it does as little damage to the forest as possible.. You will be compensated fairly for your hard work. With the help of the Rangers, we will send out groups of you at a time, the Rangers acting as both navigators and protectors. This way, we do not attract a lot of attention when we leave the forest. How about it? Is this not fair a deal? Honest pay for honest work."

Immediately the destitute miners began murmuring amongst themselves as they discussed earnestly whether to accept the deal or not. A third of them refused to be part of the deal, thinking that the merchants would get majority of the gold for themselves while the other two-thirds of them readily accepted the agreement. Overall it wasn't a complete success but Aden was just glad that the negotiations weren't a complete failure either. Now it's up to the others to fulfill their respective tasks and ensure the success of this operation.

 

@Cain Darlite's contributions to Aden's ideas were solid. She had thought that Aden had come up with a great plan, but while it didn't seem like it would pan out, it did provide an excellent starting base for what was shaping up to be their final plan.

Ash was really lucky to have met people who were able to come up with workable plans like this. This kind of thing definitely wasn't her strong suit. Ask her to calculate how far away Arcturus is from Earth, or guess at what color different stars would shine, and she could give it a great attempt. But this kind of working with different people, trying to come up with lots of different ways to approach a social situation? Yeah, it wasn't Ash's strong suit.

Well, looks like they had their course of action. Cain and Aden would deal with negotiating with the various people who had taken an interest in the gold, Eldhi--with her rather impressive mount that she had summoned, wow--would take care of any people who could pose a danger to everyone else, and who would only accept violence as an answer.

Truth be told, Ash wasn't quite comfortable with the fact that there was a need for this. But no amount of discomfort would remove the need for force. And Eldhi wasn't like Reaper, she told herself. She remembered how much Eldhi valued justice and righteousness, and though zealotry could become an issue, it was a far cry from taking delight in the torture of others.

When Eldhi asked for Naixi's aid, Ash exchanged a glance with her lion. Naixi didn't seem to have a strong opinion one way or another on this whole matter. There did seem to be a sizable group of rowdy people, and she would be worried if Eldhi went out there just on her own.

She gave Naixi a nod and a nudge towards the knight. "Go on," she said. "We're not here to kill people, but you can scare them off as much as you want. And make sure Eldhi and Merlin stay safe."

Turning back towards her other two companions, Ash gave them a brief smile. "I'll go speak with the Rangers, then."

Honestly, she was just another player here, and didn't know how much sway she would hold with the Rangers. But with any luck, they would notice her attunement to Naturamancy and would be inclined to co-operate on this matter.

Leaving her companions to their respective tasks, Ash returned to where she had last seen the Rangers. She ran into a small group of three, including Hawk. Well, that ought to make things easier. If she could get Hawk onboard with Cain and Aden's plan, then getting the support of the rest of the Rangers would be far simpler.

"You've returned so quickly," Hawk said in lieu of a greeting, frowning at her. "And without your partners?"

She gave him a nervous smile. "Actually, we have a plan. I know you're trying to keep the forest safe and unspoiled, and you're all working to clean the gold up. But it will take you so much time, and there can't possibly be a way for you all to cover the entire forest."

"True," Hawk said. "What plan do you speak of?"

"Work with everyone to clean up the gold." Forestalling any protest by holding up her hand, Ash took a deep breath and continued, "I know, they're ruining the forests by running in. But that's because they don't know any better. If the Rangers could spread out and help to guide groups of people going in to clean up the gold, then you would be able to watch over people to ensure that they won't destroy the forest irreparably. And, with so many people working, it would clean up the gold quicker, so there's no more reason for people to enter the forest."

After a bit more negotiation and working things out, it appeared that she had received a general consensus from the Rangers. Hawk told the other two Rangers with him to gather some others, and with the dozen or so assembled Rangers, Ash made her way back to where she had last left her team. Hopefully, Aden and Cain had secured an agreement from the gathered people, so they could quickly get this plan underway.

 

Hah.

Even at this distance, Cain could hear the Paladin of the Ashen Blade, screaming out a warcry in the name of the God of Righteousness. With his companions having set off to complete their separate negotiations, the midnight-haired Muse strode through the forests by his lonesome. A quieter image this time. He’ll have to hold back somewhat in order to complete the photograph in his mind of everyone working together harmoniously for the sake of gathering up money. Couldn’t come off as domineering and irrational. A cold sigh left him, as he closed his eyes, centering his mind.

Alright. He could do this. His name was Cain Darlite. His title was Entrepreneur Extraordinaire, the Silver-Tongued Swindler of the Seven Seas, the one that could convince Kings to hand over the keys to their treasury in just a single night of debate and rhetoric. These greedy, ring-wearing businessmen have no advantage at all against him. Those dark eyes opened once more, a friendly, yet calculating light shining within. Time to work hard and work stubbornly.

Quick, purposeful steps brought the towering man to the area of work where the mining company was. Far from actually mining though, it appeared as if the individual in charge had already began optimizing the gold-gathering. Instead of pickaxes, the laborers worked with pans, sifting through the silt of riverbeds to extract gold, while others utilized fine brushes to collect the sparkling dust, all under the careful eye of whip-bearing overseers. Still, despite not wasting their time on digging for gold, progress was still pain-stakingly slow. Even in the distance, he could see that boredom was beginning to cloud the eye of the mining company’s boss.

It made sense, after all. In a forest that was consistently covered in gold dust, there was no way for one to ‘strike rich’ with a motherlode of gold. And when there was nothing to get excited or disappointed about…well, it was like gambling. People wanted big wins, not gradual gains.

Hidden: A Lot of Talking

“Hail, friend,” Cain waved, both hands raised to show he meant no harm, “Fine day, no?”

Yes, it was boredom that he could use as leverage, boredom that allowed a boss who really had nothing better to do to turn his eyes upon the newcomer. Beady eyes flickered over Cain’s destitute adventurers’ gear, then went up to the pure white hat worn by the man, before those fat fingers tapped against a gem-encrusted walking stick. “Indeed it is,” the man replied, “But even an idiot can tell that we’re all busy here. What do you want, kid? A job?”

“Oh, no, I’m not here for that. Not exactly, at least.”

“Then out with it.” The merchant’s leathery face crinkled. “You’re with those Rangers, aren’t you? Gonna ask us politely to leave when we’re doing nothing wrong?”

Cain smiled. “Well…”

“Hah! Tell those tree-huggers to stuff it. Money makes the world go round, and we all have families to take care of. Don’t got time for their nature-loving sermons!”

“…I’m not here for that.” Cain shrug, calculated indifference as he aligned himself with the merchant’s views, “Adventurers also love the glitter of gold, after all. I’m here to launch a proposal instead, one that would be incredibly advantageous to you.”

That shut the man up real fast, greed flickering in his eyes once more. Leaning in, he grinned, revealing two gold teeth. “Oh? What’s your story, boy?”

“I’m Cain Darlite, actually, a travelling muse with a variety of…other talents.” A pause. “And you, sir?”

“Hector Malta, Owner of Malta Mining.” No hand was offered to shake, but there wasn’t any particular snobbery in that. The man simply didn’t see an adventurer as someone worthy of being a partner yet.


“Truly a pleasure, Master Malta,” Cain dipped his head, removing his hat as he did so. “Now then, to business, shall we? You must be a gentleman of great knowledge and connections, so you surely must be aware of the others who have come to this grand forest in search of gold?”

“Naturally. A motley crowd of ruffians and imbeciles, the lot of them.” A derisive snort.

“And yet, these individuals outnumber your own company by quite a lot, don’t you think?”

“Doesn’t matter, Cain. My guards are more than prepared to smack them aside if they get uppity with my business.”

“Ah, but it does. The problem here, you see, lies in the amount of manpower that these groups have. Whereas you are confined to areas that admittedly have a higher concentration of gold than normal, the amount of workers you have available simply cannot compete with the number of peasants that have come here, searching for that same gold.”


“Please, as if t-”


“They don’t need to find gold to obstruct your own ability to get at it. You’ve seen their own methods, right? Haphazardly breaking apart the terrain, scattering dirt every which direction? Dislodging the gold until a fine layer is buried under mounds of rubbish?” Cain shook his head. “Their own inexperience serves simply to obstruct your own ability to uncover this gold dust, and their greater numbers, well…”

“What are you getting at here? I’m not going to waste my time hiring and then training a bunch of nobodies just so they don’t screw over my own chances at getting to the gold.” Hector’s eyes narrowed, his ringed fingers tapping a little more rapidly, agitated. “Hell, sounds like they’re the ones destroying the land. Shouldn’t you be driving those folks out, instead of bothering people who know what they’re doing?”


“No, this is where three different ends meet, friend!” The midnight-haired muse grinned, infectious excitement flickering. “The Hunters want all this gold to be cleaned up and for everyone to leave. The peasants want to get any amount of gold possible. And you, you look like an important individual whose time is more precious than the amount of gold you’re currently amassing, no?”


“Just spit it out, kid.”


“Sure sure, it’s simple. Work together with the peasants and the Hunters. You bolster your numbers immensely, the gathering speed for the gold increases dramatically, and the Hunters will work to protect you all from more…criminal individuals within the forest. Doesn’t that sound about right, Master Malta?”


“Please, you think I have time to do all the accounting necessary for this? And don’t even get me started on those rotten little beggars just running off with the gold they collected using my techniques!”

“Which is why all the gold collected will be amassed in a single location, guarded by a Paladin of Tyl until all of this aureate dust is gathered.”


“And how will you know when that’s happened, Adventurer?”


“Divine insight,” Cain replied, “We ARE champions of the Elysid, after all.”


“Right…” Doubtful, but still interested, the boss continued, “And, what? What happens to the gold?”


“It’s split up, naturally. Evenly be-”


“What sort of terrible idea is that? Gods above, and I thought y-”


“Shhhhh,” Cain pressed a finger against the man’s lips. “Not done yet. It’s split evenly between all those who work, but in consideration to the fact that your own men are already being paid by you, naturally, that means that you’re the one who’s getting their share of the gold now, right?”


“Then…”

Cain closed the distance, slinging an arm over the man’s shoulders in a friendly manner. Whispering conspiratorially, he said, “See how it is? While everyone else only gets scraps of gold…”

“…I get the motherlode.”

“Not bad, right? With increased numbers, the job is finished quickly. With the protection of the Hunters, you won’t have to worry about bandits. And with our influence, you’ll be walking out of this as the one who benefited the most, Master Malta.”

The man laughed. “Suppose I misjudged you, Cain Darlite. Though the gold I’ve already collected from this forest is mine to keep?”

The smile remained on Cain’s face. “Naturally, sir. Just wrap up your operation for today and come morning, I’ll personally introduce you to your new crew.”


“Sounds brilliant,” Hector beamed, slapping the taller man on the back, before hollering at his employees, “Alright, you sorry lot! Wrap it up and get some rest! We’re going all out tomorrow!”

Gingerly extracting himself from the operation, Cain whistled a peppy tune, a spring in his step as he wondered whether or not it was a bit too cruel of him to do that to a self-centered, if otherwise decent, individual.

Nah, that dude’s gotta be rolling in money already. The rich only get richer, after all!

With all that done, the Muse headed off back to the place where his companions originally separated, eager to hear of their own exploits. All this talking and walking had roused his appetite, and if everything went well on Aden, Ashiore, and Eldhi’s side, this was definitely a good opportunity for them to go out for a dinner party.

 

Hidden: Music

With her teammates going about their respective task, Eldhi could focus on enacting deserved punishments to the bandits. Riding on the chestnut stallion and accompanied by the fierce lioness, the Paladin of Tyl charged forward into the fray, without hesitation or doubt, justice would reign! "Hyah!" Spurring Merlin onwards, Eldhi brandished her longsword and immediately, the edge shone golden with a searing holy light, the light that'd burn her enemies!

"Huh...? what's that? One of the few thugs on overwatch duty turned, squinting his eyes at the sight of a rider on a galloping horse. Soon, those eyes widened as he realized the oncoming threat. "Boss! A crazy bitch on a horse... and a fokken' lion is charging at us!" The sentry shouted down.

The boss in question, a scarred gruff fellow wearing leather armor with too many belts on it, merely grunted, shaking his head. So some idiot was going to play hero, huh? ...wait, did he say lion?! That specific detail seemed to spook him, a man riding a horse sure, but accompanied by a lion?! "Then, what are ya waitin' for, ya daft?! Shoot her! and the steed, and the fokken' lion!"

"Yes, Bo-?!" He couldn't finish as a crescent wave of light smashed his body, searing his torso and knocking him off the makeshift watchtower, then it was gravity who would finish him off as he fell with a sickening crunch. The entirety of the small bandit camp turned still, allowing the galloping hooves and padding paws to fill the silence.

"FOR TYYYYYYYYL!!!"

*ROAAAAAAAR*!!

The warcry was accompanied by a mighty roar as Eldhi, Merlin, and Naixi descended upon the bandits. Most of them still on mining duty and unprepared for combat, the element of surprise struck hard as Eldhi swung her longsword to the right as her steed passed a bandit, slicing him dead with her Illuminant blade.

Naixi on the other hand, under orders by Ashiore to not kill anyone herself, provided support by intimidating the thugs, shattering their resolve, or she could be more physical by pouncing and knocking the thugs off their feet. The sight of a lion charging straight at oneself elicited primal fear in all but the most steel-hearted of men. These criminals, though hardened by violence they might be, were no veteran soldiers. They rarely had to fight an opponent who could equally fight back, they were bullies, oppressors, and thieves. Obviously, preying on the weak wouldn't prepare oneself to face against a fierce adult apex predator.

Wrecking havoc through the camp with her sword waves and strikes, Eldhi executed the bandits one by one with extreme prejudice. A few times, the bandits managed to fire arrows at her, however, Merlin was too swift for their roughly trained aim to follow and the stalking presence of Naixi made things even harder for them.

---

Meanwhile...

As Hawk and his group were just returning to the party's previous meeting spot together with Ashiore when another ranger hurriedly went up to him, kneeling on one knee. "Hawk, report! The Paladin, her steed, and Lady Ashiore's lioness are engaging the gangs!"

"Hmmm... I see." Hawk rubbed his chin, the time couldn't be more convenient, out of all the three groups plaguing the forest, he wanted to oust them most and considering how much the Rangers despised the other two, that was saying something. The next action to take was obvious really, "Rangers, assist them! Cleanse Brisshal from those hoodlums!"

"Understood, Captain!" Immediately, the guardians of Brisshal prepared their bows and arrows as they swiftly make their way to the bandit encampment, taking various spots on the trees surrounding the camp. Their arrows sniped at the ruffians who were positioned above ground, they finished off stragglers who tried to run, and they kept the archers off Eldhi's back.

---

She sliced, diced, stabbed, and purged her way through the lawless scum! Together with her majestic steed, fierce predator companion, and the Rangers. Every single one of the bandit in the encampment was either dead or incapacitated. "Ha... fuh..." The Paladin, face and armor stained in blood streaks reined Merlin to a stop. Red eyes examined her surroundings, a triumphant smile curled on her tanned features, then she raised her shining blade into the air, "Yaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"

Victory.

...........
.....
...

The battle might have been won but the war for Brisshal wasn't over just yet...

To be continued in Part II.

@Aden @Ashiore Evretto @Cain Darlite