Helping Richard the Merchant | Page 6

Awkwardly watching from afar as the emotionally charged scene between @Aurora Labyrinth and their attacker unfolded in front of him, Daedalus was still stuck, unable to budge an inch as the potion that went awry still coursed in his veins. Wracking his brain for anything relevant to the recipe he had used to brew it, Daedalus made a rough estimate that the potion would wear off in a few minutes at most, since it was brewed according to a low-level regeneration salve's guidelines.

For now, the brunt of the conflict seemed to have died down. @Hanno Futaba and @Galadion had both been shanked, the latter being injured by shrapnel from Aurora's magic blast as well, but neither side seemed to be opening blows again after Aurora's calming hug to the Yladian. The hostile intent from the man seemed to evaporate like mere water vapor, and all bloodlust in the air dimmed as tears poured from his eyes. Truly, an uplifting scene.

"...?"

Out of nowhere, gentle, gnarled hands kneaded into his shoulder as the unmistakable gentle tone of Richard whispered words of encouragement into his ear. Bolstered by the simple but powerful words, Daedalus redoubled his efforts to move his body, putting every ounce of willpower into forcing his arm, at least, to shift in position...

With a gasp of exertion, Daedalus broke out of his paralysis, panting as if he had run a mile on end without a break. After turning to thank the merchant with a haunted expression, Daedalus shook his head repeatedly as he looked away to the main conflict again, muttering "Never again. Never again..." under his breath, taking in the details of the battlefield once more.

Their attacker looked to be only mildly injured compared to his companions, though the ratio of amounts of hits landed for both sides was heavily skewed in the Yladian's favor. Right now, however, he was both dazed and distracted by Hanno's shield bash and Aurora's cooldown hug. There were two ways they could go about doing this right now.

They could let the Yladian make up his own mind about what justice was, or...they could mete it out on him, and see how he liked it.

As the Yladian was facing away from him, his party could see him but their attacker could not. Making eye contact with his companions, Daedalus conveyed his thoughts; he put up a finger, drew that finger across his throat slowly, then put up two fingers, and mimed praying. The message was simple.

"Do we kill this one as well, or do we spare him?"

---

No actions taken, instead presenting choice of "kill or spare?"

 

Galadion slowly rose to his feet once again turning his attention back towards the mysterious Yladian that had invaded their camp in the middle of the night and plunged a dagger deep into his side. Based one everything that he had seen so far the only thing that he could say about this man was that his personality really sucked as a bandit leader, they weren't supposed to care about their men no they were supposed to view them as nothing more than disposable tools to be used to further their own goals and wealth. But not this one, this one was acting as if he was a boy on a quest to avenge the murder of his brothers.

He watched as he human female had moved and embraced the bandit in a hug, something that further lowered her in his opinion. Just how naive and stupid could this woman really be, did she really think that her pacifistic ideals were truly meant for everyone? No some people just loved the thrill of combat, the feeling of blood upon their face as they snuffed out another individuals life, this was the personality that the bandit leader should have had, that of a cold blooded killer who enjoyed killing simply for the sake of killing and no other reason.

He ha had enough, he couldn't continue to watch this disgusting display of naive stupidity, it was time for the farce to come to an end "Infurnium Ignius", the words of power fell from his lips as he recited magical invocation needed for one of the spells in his pyromancy mastery. A medium sized ball of flames roared into life before they fired themselves off and collided with the face of the invading Yladian which made a smile spread across Galadions face "Thats what you get for shanking me"

Finally a hit 8(Dice) +10(Distracted)+10(stunned)+15(Proficient Pyromancy Mastery)= 43
Pyromancy attack to Yladians face

 

"G-GWAAH" Hanno clenched his teeth in pain feeling the dagger cut, after the blade finally was released from his flesh, he placed his free hand over it feeling the warm scarlet liquid leaving his body. Even breathing was painful now, but all this physical pain was nothing compared to his shame.

He glanced at @Daedalus and Richard... Apparently they were going to run away? 'What a relief...' The Faerin sighed, flinching a bit with the uncomfortable sting in his guts. His shield, Ghast, stared intently at the mysterious Yladin with wrath, how dare that man do this to his master? It looked at Hanno, prepared to go ahead and fight... But-

'I can't...' The Faerin's eyes were empty, his will to fight was completely gone. And seeing @Aurora Labyrinth hugging the Yladian and trying to comfort him made Hanno frown, just how kind and naive this girl was? The tears that were already forming in his eyes before began rolling down on his cheeks. 'Can I even call myself a hero? All I did was scream horrible things and make the situation even more painful... Compared to her, I am...' ... Hanno shook his head.

'I... I already had this problem before, I don't need to go through this again.' He looked at the heroic girl, giving a very weak and sorrowful smile, at least she was doing something right instead of him. Everything seemed about to be settled... But a spell chanting suddenly catched the Faerin's attention, he glanced back hastly, noticing
@Galadion was about to cast a spell. 'Wait, is he for real now?! He's going to attack him... And Aurora too?!' Hanno's eyes widened.

"Majesty WAIT!" The Faerin blasted off to try to stop the King, but it was too late- "Fuck!" The spell was about to be casted. In a fit of despair, Hanno jumped in front of the fire spell, throwing himself on front of it while vainly attempting to block it with a shield... But Ghast could only watch helpessly his master not being fast enough for that.

The next thing Hanno saw was a fire sphere flying toward his face.

Roll (Worshiping Galadion's deities made my roll go horrible. We should leave them, man!) = 8 (Dice) + 20 (Adept Shield Mastery) = 28
Throwing himself at Galadion's spell. (Damage block failed, so he will take the hit)​

 

She slowly let go of the sobbing man and stepped in front of the man to see him crying. She bit her bottom lip, her own face contoured in pain. watching as the male showed his despair. The Yladian seemed too emotionally done to actually fight anymore, at least, that is what she thought. 'Its over...its finally done..'

She didn't notice the look her teammates gave to her but she knew a few of them would be upset at her way of handling the situation, especially Galadion. To her, he seemed like the type who only knew how to talk through violence and would get angry at any little thing. Neither did he seem to know the weight of actually taking or losing a life. She did not care how he looked at her though. She knew the feelings she shared with the mad king was mutual. Both of them could never meet eye to eye. It did not matter now though. Everything was over and now he can despise her all he wanted.

..At least that is what she thought. She felt heat that immediately snapped her out of her thoughts. She turned to see Galadion casting a spell of fire that could very well hurt the sobbing man and her. She stood her ground and raised her hands, in an attempt to protect him. She had closed her eyes but not before she saw Hanno stepped in to protect her and the male. "HANNO!" She yelled out the Faerin's name, worried about it. Once again, someone else got her because of her impulsive personality. She turned to look at Galadion to give him a death glare. It was the first time someone got on her nerve to this extent. " your teammates were in the way and you didn't even think about that! Is anger the only emotion you use to work that brain of yours!"

Roll 28+0=28
Failed to protect Yladian. Instead, Hanno gets hurt.

 

The Faerin was slammed with a powerful fire spell, almost like it was a powerful punch on his face that contorted his head forcing him to give a small glance behind him... This was burning, this was hurting a lot...

Ghast looked at his master with a very worried expression, trying to poke him with the tentacle to see if he would respond.

But that didn't matter... Hanno saw what was going on behind him, the pain of repeatedly being called a monster. 'Well.' This didn't matter either, in fact what he did was pretty much horrible anyway. The Faerin looked back at @Galadion, with half of his face burning and melting, he aimed his hand toward the King.

RADIANT HOLY BLAZE

A holy fire flew toward Galadion's wounds, giving a cozy and warm feeling as it slowly closed the injury... After this, the small blaze flew toward @Daedalus, doing the same process... With the last remains of holy energy that it had, the holy spell tried to close Hanno's wounds... Though it was only enough to stop his face from melting even more from the pyromancy harms.

He gave a sorrowful sigh, and smiled weakly at the King. "I'm... Very sorry, your Majesty." Hanno looked down, walking with trembling legs toward his comrade that was probably extremely mad at him. "Sorry... But can't you let this guy go..? There's nothing to win over this... Neither of us are going to get closer to what we want by killing each other right now..."

The Faerin stared at Galadion with a tireful expression, that vainly attempted to mask part of his shame.

Roll (I told you, man!) = 78 (Dice) + 15 (Proficient White Magic) + 20 (Bonus from who?) = 113
Healing 2 HP for @Galadion, 1 HP for @Daedalus and 1 HP for @Hanno Futaba ​

 

Galadion stood there and watched as one of the two Faerin that he was traveling with had decided to launch himself in-front of his spell, the shield wielding fool what the hell did he think he was doing? Traitors, they were all traitors, this man had stabbed him in the stomach and now that he wanted to take the vengeance that was rightfully his to exact that one after the other got in his way. What was he even doing here then, why was he working and traveling with the? It was a really good question that he just didn't have an answer to anymore.

He couldn't be party to this stupidity anymore, this man sneaks into their camp while they are sleeping and stabs not one but two of them and then they all decide to not only hug the man, one of them had gone so far as to hug the invader and show him compassion. She had shown more care about what happened to the enemy than she had her own teammates and he was just done dealing with it. Shaking his head Galadion spit at the ground and looking at them all "You are all naive, stupid cowards and its going to one day get you all killed. I will no be apart of this farce anymore, you want to protect this filthy pile of shit...be my guest but this is where I wash my hands of all of you"he couldn't shake this feeling despite the fact that the Faerin had just healed his wounds. Galadion turned to leave before turning back and looking at the bandit once again "By the way, he was lying. I was the only one who killed your companions, so you stabbed the man for nothing you coward" with that Galadion spat at the bandit before turning and walking off into the darkness that had swallowed up the forest.

 

Looking on with Richard as his allies fought among themselves, Daedalus thought about stepping in before anyone got seriously hurt, but recoiled as @Galadion's fireball hit @Hanno Futaba instead of the Yladian, still tight in @Aurora Labyrinth's protective embrace.

"NO-!"

But the tough Faerin shieldbearer tanked the hit, true to his nature, and the Yladian collapsed, having a full-on existential crisis as he tried to rationalize why these people were trying to spare him instead of kill him like the 'monsters' they were supposed to be. Next to him, Richard announced his desire to bail, and Daedalus nodded vaguely as he took a step forwards to the standoff among his party members.

"Go on ahead, Richard. We have...things to sort out here first. Adventurer problems."

Stepping behind Hanno and putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder, Daedalus surveyed the scene and sighed, listening in silence as the fellow Faerin reasoned with the mad king...who promptly lost his temper, and denounced them all with as much venom in his voice as possible, then disappeared into the cover of the trees.

After a while of staring at the spot where Galadion had vanished into the forest, Daedalus gently nudged the Yladian with his foot before making for his tent.

"You. Hey. Trouble's over, get up and take it like a man. We wouldn't have killed your friends if we had a say in it, you know." As he clambered through the tent flap, he called back through to the others; "I'm going to patch everyone up now, sit tight."

After a few seconds of rummaging, Daedalus returned with a bandoleer of potions bottles, most of which were just filled with water for now. There were a few that contained some of his patented Panacea brews though, and he uncorked one, sloshing it about as he returned to the remaining two party members.

"Okay, Hanno, you first. That spell did a real number on you, huh...okay, this may sting a little..."

Pouring some of the sticky froth onto his hand and gently lathering it across the burnt flesh of Hanno's face, Daedalus winced as he saw up close how bad the damage was. As the flesh knitted itself back together slowly, Daedalus stepped back to examine the recovery process.

"Yeah, that looks alright. Thank god that wasn't a full-powered spell..."

---

Roll - 42 + 0 (beginner Tinkering) = 42 (phew, it's over)

Healing Hanno for 1.

 

Aurora did not want to see Hanno. It filled her with guilt as she watched the man who once again protected her, heal his comrades and himself. Even though she had shouted at the king for his actions, she felt that she was also to blame for what happened to the faerin. She felt a lump form in her throat, as she wanted to talk. Tell Hanno and everyone that she was sorry for her actions but no words could be formed. She watched in silence as the Yladian king left, as Daedalus scolded the man behind her to stay strong before going to heal Hanno.

She turned to the man and palms towards him, whispering some healing spell and watched as a soothing light left her and touched the Yladian man. "No one is ever truly a monster...it is over now. So you should take rest as well" she said to the man, her voice filled with exhaustion and a hint of sadness.

Roll 64+ 20=84

Healing Yladian for 1

 

Hanno touched his cheek, that was slowly recovering with @Daedalus's special remedy. "Thanks Daedalus." He gave the fellow Faerin a small nod, turning to see the King that was already gone in the woods. His face was showing a plain and flat expression, but his eyes were filled with sorrow and regret. "Sorry for lying."

Seeing the Yladian breaking down and confessing everything. Far from the group, he carefully listened to everything the Yladian had to say. That didn't help too much, in fact that only made things worse.

With a sigh, the Faerin waited everyone to start moving before he started to walk to the wagon himself. Hanno knew that he didn't have much to say to the misunderstood guy, he wasn't in a good condition himself, so why even bother trying? It would only make things go worse.

Hoping on the wagon, Hanno walked to the emptiest corner possible, covering himself with his shield as he rested his tired body. Ghast's central front eye closed and it's tentacles retracted, and soon several smaller eyes opened on it's back so they would see the Faerin. The swarm of concerned eyes stared at Hanno, making he look back.

"I'm fine Ghast, don't worry." He whispered. "I just need to rest a little, okay? You did a good job, you should rest too." The Faerin gave a small pat on the shield, that could only stare at it's master helplessly.

With this, Hanno adjusted himself on the wagon and closed his eyes... The Faerin wasn't sleeping, instead he was just lost in deep thoughts.

 

"Aye, not a problem."

Corking his Panacea again as he noted @Aurora Labyrinth heal the Yladian and relieve him of that task, he patted @Hanno Futaba reassuringly on the shoulder before turning on his heel and returning wordlessly into his tent and packing up his gear. After having disassembled the tent again, he sets his stuff down next to the remains of the campfire, long since burnt to ashes, and waited for Richard to steer the wagon over.

Regarding the Yladian with a look of something between contempt, pity and sorrow, Daedalus patiently listened to the man's emotional outburst after Aurora tried consoling him. As he finishes with a sob, Daedalus rubs his shoulder sympathetically for a few moments. The wagon pulls up, and he breaks contact to lift his bag onto the cart.

As the backpack is set down with a clunk, Daedalus hops onto the wagon and leans against it, waiting for everyone else to get on. After a while of regarding the helplessly confused Yladian, Daedalus took out his pipe and lighter, striking a few times and lighting it.

"In a perfect world, everyone would be able to honor their promises. Everyone would be able to protect their loved ones. Needless deaths like those of your companions' would never occur.

But in an imperfect world like this, bad things happen to good people all the time, and why? Because, in a perfect world, morality is a concrete term, and everyone knows absolutely what's right and what's wrong. But this isn't that perfect world."

Leaving the Yladian to ponder that deep observation, Daedalus puffed away at his pipe, not saying another word until the conversation between Richard and the Yladian began. Looking back with interest, Daedalus listened closely. Of course...the age-old 'outlaws but not bandits' argument.

He was about to open his mouth to retell what had happened during the earlier skirmish, but Richard seemed intent on getting back onto the trail without much further discussion, so he stayed silent and waited for departure.

Before they left though, Daedalus would lean over and tap the Yladian on the shoulder.

"Hey. You said you were 'just some guy'. Does this 'some guy' have a name?"

 

Her eyes filled with sorrow as she realised the possibilities that could explain the events. Either this innocent Yladian had no idea he was protecting men with bad intentions or that the men they had encountered had never killed anyone in their life time. Aurora did not want to tell the broken man what had happened that led them to their deaths. She was afraid the man would not be able to handle it but at the same time, if she did not explain, he would forever harbour hatred for himself, which was also very dangerous for his health.

She turned to see @Daedalus lighting his pipe as he spoke. 'A perfect world huh...that does sound like a dream...Mr Daedalus is indeed very wise' she thought, looking back at the Yladian, taking a deep breath to explain to him what had happened.

"We are employees on a mission to get Mr. Richard, the merchant, to Stokbon. While on our way, we came across what we thought was an abandoned campsite. On investigating the place, your men tried to ambush and kill us and our employer. " she muttered before patting his head as she patted the man's head. "Like I said, justice cannot be served in this situation. You did not know and even if you said, you would have not been able to save them. Their blood is on our hands, not yours. So do not be so hard on yourself okay?"She tried to give him a reassuring smile, wanting the gloomy mood to cheer up a bit. "Ya. Even I would like to know, what is your name? In fact, why not tag along with us? We have to leave and I do not see any reason we leave you behind. Is that alright Mr Richard?"She questioned the merchant as she turned to him.

 

Closing his eyes like @Hanno Futaba, Daedalus allowed himself to get lost in his own thoughts, puffs of smoke circling his head and spiraling upwards into the sky, like clouds around a mountain. He needed some time alone, to think about these new philosophical problems the Yladian had brought to light.

A black and white dichotomy of good and evil was pretty stupid, when one thought about it; nothing is inherently merited by nature as benevolent or malevolent, but just interpreted subjectively as varying shades of gray on the scale of morality.

Listening to @Aurora Labyrinth explain the reason why his comrades had met their grisly fates, Daedalus nodded to himself, silently agreeing with her standpoint on the matter. It was just bad timing and shit luck that the Yladian hadn't been there; if circumstances had been different, perhaps Richard and co. would not have been the ones to walk away unscathed.

Blowing out a smoke ring, Daedalus opened his eyes to watch it drift into the wind and dissipate, then shut them again as he spoke, addressing both Aurora and the Yladian.

"Correction. The blood was on Galadion's hands. We had nothing direct to do with their deaths. They were attacking us without provocation, so we had to retaliate with equal or greater force. In fact, everyone you see here had been of a mind to spare them afterwards, but Galadion...well, you saw what he did."

Grimacing, Daedalus shook his head and fell silent, waiting for the wagon to start moving so that they could finally put all this behind them.