Now, we return to the story at the bank of Weskalderna’s creek. You’ll find the source of all this water hanging in the air. Not a spring, but a portal to a dungeon. This one had two unique features. One, it had no dangerous creatures in it at all; Just water and fish. And Two: it was cracked. Subsequently, pressurized fluid sprayed from the rift, and fed the creek that kept half the farms around here properly hydrated. Periodically, it spat out a minnow or two.
This is where Oak and his buddies now sat, fishing with improvised rods as they quietly chatted.
“I don’t like how close things got.” Fig said, and glanced at Oak. “Even if we’re not going to grind ourselves to the bone, we ought to take this somewhat seriously.”
“It was a bit frightening. I…” Toni hesitated “I felt so... ugh. We may have an unusually powerful [Skill], but without a more clear direction, I know I will squander it. We need better strategies to minimize risk. “
Roy nodded. “I second that.”
Oak smiled quietly, and tugged on his rod. Aww, no dice!
“What can we take away from our two expeditions?” Toni said, and flicked out her rod over the water.
Fig grunted immediately. “No splitting up. There were more threats than we knew, and that nearly did us in. If we went back in tomorrow, I’m guessing we’ll find more risky business than we found today. So, we all stay together.”
“I love that idea.” Oak said.
Toni nodded her assent, and Roy spoke up. “Yes, we must treat this group as a single combat unit. While our teamwork was passable today, we relied too heavily on Fig being the sole offensive wing. Each of us should be able to contribute attacks as needed.”
He yanked on his pole, and a fish with a pale blue belly flopped onto the dirt beside him. “Erm… Attacks are like hurty verbs.”
“Heh!” Fig snorted. “While I like being the MVP, I don’t think it’s fair to hog all the fame.”
“Oh that’s new.” Toni said, and Fig pushed her.
“I mean it! I could face down freaky monsters all day, but that itself won’t keep you all safe! Each of us needs a fighting style.”
“How does that work with [Skills]?” Oak asked. “Even if Roy knows Tang Soo Do, unless he gets a boost, that won’t matter much against creatures with crazy enhancements.”
“I never studied in South Korea.” Roy said.
“Uh-huh.” Fig said. “As far as I can tell, you have to get a bunch of [Skills] to have a working offense. It felt really weird to only be [Throwing] to do any real damage. But today I learned [Aim], and [Slam], so I have more options.”
“You learned two [Skills]?” Oak asked, brows raised. He jerked his pole—score!—and added another fish to the pot of water. Then he frowned. “[Aim]? Isn’t that part of [Throw]?”
“It must be!” Toni said. “Because it was only after hitting a far-away turtle that Fig upgraded [Throw]. They must overlap!”
Fig nodded. “Upgrading [Throw] Makes it go further, and hit harder, but I think I need to upgrade [Aim] to be more accurate. That must be the secret to a fighting style. Finding [Skills] that boost each other. Uhp!” She yanked on her pole, and the minnow launched into the air and fell twenty or so feet behind her.
Toni nodded four times. “It’s all about synergy then!”
Roy took in a sharp breath of air, but his face was schooled when Oak looked to him.
“What?” Oak asked.
“Synergy.” Roy said. “It’s the same for [Skills] as it is for the group. We each need to find a method of combat that works well with the others. Distinct to each of us, but enhancing what the others do. Synergies within synergies… That’s what he meant…”
Oak shared a look with Toni. He nodded covertly.
“What did he say the first time?” She said casually.
“A unit.” He said softly, eyes unfocused. “Like the body itself. A punch is not just the arm, but everything twisting, and delivering. A unit must be a body, and each action a perfect straight.”
“Sounds like he was a good teacher.” Oak said.
“He was…” Roy's eyes return to the riverbank. “Not. He was not. Because he doesn’t exist. Ignore me. I was quoting something. A novel. One I didn’t read.” He turned to hide his flush, and Toni patted him on the back fondly.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“I think.” Fig said, “that this is a good direction. Let’s find what each of us is good at, get those [Skills], and collect as many stars as we can!”
“And I’ll unlock as many Achievements as I can!”
“Yeah!” His friends cheered.
They sat amicably for a while, fishing as best they could with limited experience and bait. The lingering tension evaporated into the afternoon as time went on. It was nice to just relax a bit, every now then. The playful sound of the creek babbled in their ears, playing counterpoint to the soft noise of tall grass rustling in the wind. Every now and then, a splash punctuated the soundscape. Another fish for the pot!
Fig nodded off at some point, so Oak removed the pole from her hands so she wouldn’t be disturbed. He might do the same after a few more fish. Oak sighed to himself happily. What a day.
Roy the REDACTED noticed the sound first. He shifted on his seat of soil, and turned around. Oak followed his gaze, and noticed an ancient horse. It better resembled a graying rug thrown over a wire basket than an animal. Four stick-like-things that surely must have been legs stuck out from the bottom, each with an overgrowth of hair that obscured the hooves. It shivered as it walked towards them, each step a hard won victory.
Somehow, the horse had a rider. Her sunken gaze matched the foggy eyes of the horse. Tegan had not slept well in these past two days, it seemed, and her sickly glare betrayed nothing but resentment.
Oak covertly shook Fig awake.
“Whah? Whoseyerdaddy?” Fig spluttered at his nudge. Oak waved to Tegan.
“How’s it going, Lady Scowle?”
“Shut up.”
“Oh.”
Tegan blinked several times in a row, and swung her head back and forth to get a good look at Oak and his friends.
“Yikes.” Fig said. “You hungover?”
“Oh dear.” Toni said with dawning realization. “We didn’t check in with her, did we?”
“Hah?” Fig said.
“Oh. I forgot.” Oak said. “We died, and showed up at the church. As far as Tegan knew, we’ve been In that stone dungeon this whole time.”
“And now I find you here…” Tegan said, voice dark, and low. “Lounging on the creek like vagrants. What am I to do…”
She swayed back and forth on her saddle—Oak realized she just might tip over! He hopped to his feet, and held out his arms, ready to catch her.
“Come on down here first! Rest a second and we’ll explain what we’ve been up to.”
“Shut up” she growled. The horse beneath her swayed with Tegan’s movements, and had to take a couple steps each direction to stay upright.
“Fig, help me out here!”
“Naw, I’d rather watch!”
A single hoof slipped over the creekbed, and the whole front of the horse dipped! Lady Scowle, resplendent in a riding dress of fine yellow, careened over the horse’s head, and into the water below.
“Eeep!”
Tegan gasped as she thrust herself out of the water, soaked from the neck down. She nearly yanked Toni in too when she offered the Lady a hand. She floundered up the bank until she towered over them, then folded her arms, and sneered.
“I’m losing my patience, you gutter rats! I’ve been more than generous to you, and yet you squander my kindness.”
“She says she’s generous.” Fig rolled her eyes.
“I have been!”
“It’s becoming more obvious too. Come on princess!”
She grabbed the girl by the waist and hauled her back down to the bank. Fig stuck a rod in her hands.
“I am not a—How dare you treat me this way!” She looked down at the pole with disgust. “I will not participate in such a defiling activity.”
“Just holding it is good enough. Toni? Wanna give our employer a rundown?”
“Uh, yeah, I can do that!”
Toni tried her best to inform the resisting lady of the past days events, but it was a bit distracting when Tegan kept trying to throw the pole away. In the end, Fig kept a firm grip over Tegan’s hands. The woman in question seemed to curl up into a little ball, even though her posture didn’t change much. Oak wasn’t sure much was getting through the sulking until…
“What!” Tegan snapped. “You managed to collect it!? Show me.” She commanded.
Toni shrugged and pulled out the glowing pink crystal. At its luster, Tegan’s eyes opened wide.
“It’s
“And these are from this morning’s jaunt. I can assure you we haven’t been idle.”
These, Tegan merely nodded at.
“I… Good. In the future, report to me after each excursion. I will handle trading with the addict, and recompense you accordingly. However, you will need much more, very quickly.”
Her knuckles were white, as she gripped the crystal.
“Something we should know about?” Oak asked.
“Shut up.” Tegan said automatically, jerking to avoid his gaze. “Details will come later. For now, just know that I am hosting a… an occasion. I’ll need everything we can possibly gather then.”
“You can give up more than that.” Fig said. “We’ll be here for a month, then gone forever. Unless you plan on breaking your word, you have nothing to be scared of.”
Tegan flicked her sopping wet sleeve pointedly. Fig nodded.
“Nothing crazy to be scared of. You need a ton of cash right? For what?”
Tegan got to her feet, and brushed herself off.
“For the future of my House. What else is there to fight for?” She held Fig’s eyes for a moment, then turned around. The horse had wandered to the side, and had somehow stuck its head under a root. “Come, Yerbuht. Let us return.”
The horse snorted.
Once back on the saddle, Tegan stared down with her back straight, hand with the crystal held to her chest.
“Come find me tomorrow morning. You may have the requisite funds for a weapon or two. You will sorely need them.”
And off she rode.
Roy for the second time that month, gasped.
“Equipment. How in the hectare did I forget about equipment!”