Randal

Trying to be as sneaky as possible after leaving Kagamine around the corner, Randal slowly approached the group, but as they were facing each other, there was no blindspot that Randal could really take advantage of. The moment he drew just a little too close, the guards immediately spotted him and drew their weapons. The brandished them at Randal menacingly.

“Oi, dis muz be the rat that made Jorry and Clem disappear. Ouh you gonna pay for that.” The one in the furthest back starts to threaten. They must have realised that some of their bandit friends had disappeared. “Get him!” Another shouted.

At once they all rushed at Randal, giving him little time to think, he dodge under axes and swords they were being thrown his way. In terms of battle tactics, they were not making use of their numbers, coming at Randal from one direction when they could surrounded and attacked all at once, instead they seemed to be getting in each others way a little. Randal retreated slightly until they were trying to recover from missed swings when he flitted quickly in the middle of them and quickly delivered punches and kicks to take out as many as possible.

He wasn’t quite able to eliminate them, but he did well enough to push them back before taking a saber across the chest, he watched as his health was tickled by the attack and  smiled. This was not too bad then.

Post Action - Attacking all 4 Faultwarren Bandits with AOE-I

The door opened to a gust of fresh air and the hallway of the castle seemed quite run-down. It was apparent to Randal that the castle was not frequented by many Bandit members, otherwise it would not appear so dusty. It looked like the two bandits they took down was part of a smaller operation that they had originally thought. With a few of them already in the underground area which Randal and Kagamine had avoided. There would only be a few more in their way before they could escape. They approach slowly, navigating the corners of the ground floor corridor with caution. 

It didn’t take the two much longer before they made their way towards the front side of the castle based on the windows outside. Randal had somewhat recognised the canopies of trees that they were coming from as well as recognized the Forest of the Wavering Mists that he had originally found the pitfall trap at. 

Fortunately, unlike the underground area, with the aid of some common-sense navigation, Randal and Kagamine soon found the grand entrance hall. This castle was clearly once owned by someone or something very rich as the entrance hall was enormous, with intricate architectural feats sculpted along the walls. It was grand and the ceiling was extremely high up, probably to accommodate the huge moat bridge that was directly connected to the door. Huge wheels attached to pulleys zigzagged along the walls which allowed anyone to easily lift the doors - something which looks enormously heavy and a little implausible. 

Congregated around the door were 4 Bandits, they seemed to be talking to each other in harsh whispers, so quiet that even Randal found it difficult to make out what they were saying, that and the fact that they seemed to be talking over each other. Randal and Kagamine shared a look, and very quickly Randal pulled Kagamine aside. 

“You should stay out of this, they might come after you and I’m more confident in taking them on myself.” Randal proposed.

With sweat racing down his forehead, Kagamine was already exhausted from walking, hiding, and climbing and exorbitant number of stairs. He nodded, letting some beads fall to the ground in relief. “Ok, I’ve seen what you can do, I’ll rush in if I think you’re in trouble.”

Randal smiled and appreciated the thought, he hoped, “Nothing should go wrong…probably.”

Post Action - Foraging

As the time slowly ticked on, the tension was getting to Randal and Kagamine, they’ve had to dodge guards a few times, take note of which doors and parts of the corridor were safe to retreat to least they got found out. The best option for them was to escape as sneakily as possible. This means avoiding as many Bandits as they could. 

Eventually they made it to a stairwell, they had travelled a long way underground. Which was probably why the prison was locked beyond the castle itself. They were finally ascending up those steps. Soon, they came face to face with a door, the climb was long, but it felt like they were finally about to be above ground. With a heavy push on the door, they were finally able to access the ground floor levels. This meant that they were that much closer to making it out of the castle. 

Post Action - Foraging

There was not much movement amidst the underground layers of the castle, the walls were lined with torches that flickered and crackled every so often, but without a map of the place, it was like being trapped in a maze with enemies from every corner. Randal had no guarantee that he would be able to ambush the Bandits all the time, nor that they would be alone, what if they patrolled in pairs. Fighting in a group was always dangerous and felt out of control. In this game, death is real, Randal had no choice but to operate with large amounts of caution. Looking back, “Afterall, it was not only his life at stake here. Kagamine was also counting on him to get them out alive.”

Randal tried every door that they passed, some were locked, while others creaked open, but there was often nothing inside, until he came across the cellar where the Bandits stored their food. If Randal had any poison and an infinite amount of time, he could wreak havoc in the castle from here, but he had neither. Pocketing more of the ingredients found around, they continued exploring.

Post Action - Foraging

It didn’t take much more, Randal picked up the Bandit by his collar and slammed him into the brick ground causing him to shatter into pieces, head first, neck second, and the rest following. Kagamine hadn’t really done much in the fight but it was fortunate that he was around just in case something happened.

“We really should get out of here and avoid as many enemies as we can.” Randal spoke quietly and quickly.

“Ok, I trust you.” Kagamine replied.

Randal took the lead and wandered around the corridor of the castle, they were still in the basement and needed to find a way out before they could think about escaping. The thought of climbing out from the pitfall trap earlier flashed across Randal’s mind but was quickly pushed. There was no way that Randal would be able to make it that far up, he hadn’t thought to use a rope to climb down and the ceiling was too high for Randal to jump up to. What’s more Kagamine probably would not be able to make the jump either.

Post Action - Attacking Faultwarren Bandit #2 with TECH-A

Just as Kagamine was getting himself outfitted with the sword and shield, Randal perked up, there were footsteps around the corner, it seems that the Bandits were due for their rotation at this time. He heard this before Kagamine thanks to his Searching Skill which made him more sensitive to sounds and visual anomalies. 

Randal quickly put his hand over Kagamine’s mouth and pushed him into the corner beside the door’s blindspot and attacked the Bandit the moment he walked in. A viper's fast fist struck out and smacked the Faultwarren Bandit right across the chin, sending him flying towards the cell of the gate opposite of Randal. Kagamine tried to help out but was not able to make his blade connect with the Bandit, his nerves and shock from the sudden events cause his aim to be unsteady, striking the reliable floor instead. Randal followed up on his attack and approached the stunned guard, preparing to finish him off.

Post Action - Attacking Faultwarren Bandit #2 with TECH-A

From across the room, Randal heard a voice. “Excuse me, could you let me out as well?” A kid was fidgeting in the cell opposite Randal’s. Seeing how it was unlikely that the boy would try to attack Randal considering that he was in a cell and likely to be on the same side against the bandits, Randal slowly began to open the gate to the cell. He asked while doing so, “Do you know anyone who had been kidnapped and brought here? I’m actually an adventurer who’s been hired to rescue someone. Should be a boy, but to be honest I didn’t get any details from the quest giver.”

“Quest giver?,” The boy seemed a little confused but not for long before continuing, “Oh you must be here for me, I must have worried my sister so much. Erm…my name Kagamine, and I was brought here because they wanted to force my sister into paying an exorbitant ransom, I’m so glad my sister managed to find an adventurer kind enough to help!”.

“Well, well, well, that’s just perfect, ended up in the prison with precisely the person I had to find.” Randal promptly thought to himself. Once Kagamine was free, the duo exchanged a handshake, with Kagamine’s being a little limp.

“Don’t be so nervous, that Bandit wasn’t too tough, come on, it looks like there’s a chest down the end of the hall.” As Randal and Kagamine approached the door where the Bandit was resting, the chest in question was sitting in the corner of the hallway and wasn’t locked at all. Inside was a sword and shield which Randal handed over to Kagamine.

There were also some materials which Randal pocketed.

Post Action - Foraging

Randal managed to get a good look at the guards face before his attack landed, that face of surprise and shock followed by pain and confusion was quite hilarious. Randal had moved so fast that the rotational force of the kick on the lower body of the bandit was enough to cause the bandit to fall sideways, face first into the bricked flooring. He wasn’t eliminated yet but he was clearly unable to stand well, stumbling on the ground with his hands and his feet, almost unable to move in general.

Randal brought a flurry of blows down on the Bandit’s head and body. Just as it seemed as though the bandit was about to get up, Randal struck down with his elbow right across the chin of the Bandit, forcing the poor guy to shatter into numerous blue glass shards. What he left behind however, was a ring of keys. Randal would need these for the kidnapped boy, now it was just a question of finding him. 

Post Action - Attacking Faultwarren Bandit #1 with TECH-A

“Oooof” Randal exclaimed in hushed tones, the drop was quite far and his knees felt the impact was more than he thought they would. 

He briefly looked up at the hole he had just clambered down, and felt like he was looking at the tall spires of the castle again. When he attempted to look around the room, it took some time for his eyes to adjust to the change in light levels, but he was pleased to note that his arrival hadn’t been announced by anything. In the surrounding cells, those that were immediate to his left and right did not have a hole above them, which means that only some of the traps would lead directly into the prison, Randal thought “Damn, luck is really on my side for finding the one that did.”

He imagines that if someone had fallen into the prison, they would definitely be disabled or paralyzed from the fall and the guards would be alerted. Speaking of which, Randal was fortunately not immediately beside the sole guard standing by at the door overlooking the prison cells.

He took his time to observe the options that he had at his disposal, he fiddled with the locks of the gates and expectedly enough, they were lock and while they had durability, which means it could be broken, the key hole was quite specific. Randal had another idea, he hoped that it would work, he didn’t really want to go banging on the cell door.

He dropped a significant amount of col onto the floor of the cell and made it appear to have been split from a bag, and then he slammed the floor really hard with his fist before quickly laying down in a fetal position, he started exclaiming, “OW! GOD! FFFFF!” 

Drawing the Faultwarren Bandit guard closer to the cell to inspect the fall. From the cell across, a young teen with light brown hair and emerald green eyes shot up from his rest and found his compatriot on the floor screaming.

The Bandit who approached the gate guffawed at the site, “Dis ere pitfall twap iz a grate addition…wait..” He was laughing to himself when he saw the col spilled on the floor. Bandits at his level were naturally programmed to be greedy, and considering his position in the gang, this could be a windfall for him. He quickly assessed the man who fell in as a non-threat and unlocked the gate with his set of keys.

The doors slowly opened and Randal rocked back and forth, grimacing so hard it made sense if he couldn’t hear the gate unlock. The moment the guard stepped a little too close, Randal quickly pushed up from the floor, kicking off the side of the wall he was closest to and swept the leg of the guard.

Post Action - Attacking Faultwarren Bandit #1 with TECH-A

As Randal drew into the clearing of the forest he saw in the distance, spires of cement, brick, and stone arched into the sky. "That must be the fort of the Faultwarren Bandits," he thought to himself. He looked over the map to find that he was quite right about that, the castle was just a short distance away and he would be able to get there quite soon. 

Randal was quite the perceptive fellow, with additional points in his searching skill, he quickly noticed small materials around the place when possible. This even translated to a keen eye for details around. What he saw here were marking placed upon the trees. Odd symbols were carved into the bark and their meanings were uncertain, regardless, they were unlike the markings of beasts, these were clearly man-made. His pace slowed to a crawl as in his experience with games, this would usually mean...yep, it was either traps and mines, or treasure. Of course, there were too many symbols around to be treasures, instead there were trip wires attacked to falling traps, decently hidden pitfall traps, and crossbows rigged to fire from a trigger wire.

"Well, this is a bandit camp that's been able to avoid NPC guards in this game, they are likely to be well-protected and take the necessary precautions."

As more time passed, Randal managed to successfully evade the traps in front of him and made it to the castle, however there was a moat around it that would make him vulnerable to attacks from above and the drawbridge was currently raised. The side walls of the castle were occasionally patrolled by the Bandits but there didn't seem to be an exploitable gap in the timings that Randal would be able to capitalize on. 

Then, Randal had a brilliant idea to fake injury in a pitfall trap, the rest were far harder to avoid but a pitfall trap was much more static. With plan in mind, Randal triggered a pitfall trap but to his surprise, there were no spikes at the bottom, in fact it seemed like a long drop into some sort of room. Curious, that the traps were obviously placed by bandits yet there were rooms reaching far out in underground tunnels. Randal decided this was a way into the castle but the Bandit leaving it open made no sense. Unless...it was a prison. Perfect coincidence, the kidnapped person should be down there as well.

Post Action - Foraging

"My name is Issela and my son has been kidnapped by The Faultwarren Bandits!" She exclaimed! Met by my blank expression and clear confusion. She continued, "The Faultwarren Bandits have been attacking the people of Flora recently, no one knows why but they have kidnapped my son and are asking me for ransom, we can't afford it, please I have to ask for an adventurer's help."

"Sure, I'd love to help, maybe for a reward?" Randal probed forward, willing to help even if she said no, but he was not one to say to an opportunity to make more money. God knows that surviving in the world would not be cheap.

"That's perfectly understandable, I can't afford the ransom but I can give you 500 col for your help. Please?" She offered, pleading, nearly begging with tears in her eyes.

"Deal, what can you tell me about the Faultwarren Bandits, where can I find them and which way do I have to go?" A familiar ding notified me that the quest information had been updated. Issela directed me to a location somewhere in the Forest of the Wavering Mists.

Randal definitely came for the Field Boss of floor 3 but he had time to spare and the characters in the game felt extremely lifelike and time spent here, not treating them like people with feelings and meaning in their life was taxing on the brain. He was far easier to accept that their lives and stories were real, because it gave real meaning to the tasks that he would have to do.

He snaked his way out of the building maze and as the houses grew sparser, he knew he had entered the wilderness. 

Post Action - Foraging

While he was moving through the winding trails that zagged through the forest towards the fort in the Forest of Wavering Mists. Randal slowly gathered and picked up what materials he could find all around.

Free Action - Item Usage

While travelling, Randal spawned some delicious snacks and had a nice spicy meal to make the journey more enjoyable. The warmth definitely felt good against the humid cool environment of the overgrown jungle.

Mitigation x5

Day 40 (71 exp total)

As the new day dawned, Randal's culinary passion burned undeterred. The solitude of the past days had not dampened his resolve; he saw each quiet moment as an opportunity to hone his craft to perfection. With a sense of purpose, he deftly pressed buttons, conjuring a cluster of glistening berries that tumbled onto the countertop. Their vivid hues seemed to waltz momentarily before stillness enveloped them.

Undeterred, Randal embarked on his alchemical dance, whisking together milk and eggs to form a velvety custard base. A touch of vanilla essence infused the mixture with delicate flavor notes. With care and precision, he assembled the components, layering the succulent berries into round bowls before drizzling the creamy custard over them. Into the oven they went, as Randal initiated a gradual embrace of heat, allowing flavors to meld and textures to transform.

Randal used attempted 9 crafts and critically failed 0 times. (0 exp)

He normally failed 1 times and salvaged 1 of them, using up 8 materials in total. (5 exp)

He successfully made 9 crafts.

4 T3E1 Dessert (12 exp)
7 T3E2 Dessert (32 exp)
5 T3E3 Dessert (22 exp)

Dice Rolls here V

Randal teleported into the Town of Flora, the lush expanse of the third floor, where expansive plains and dense forests intertwined with winding rivers. Amazingly, the smell of delilahs from the numerous fields all around seemed to invade Randal's nostrils. The grandeur of the landscape, both tranquil and untamed, lay before him. The floor's round shape and mountainous border hinted at the challenges it held. As he ventured deeper, the ancient deciduous forests embraced him, transitioning into coniferous trees as they climbed the majestic mountains that stood guard.

The houses stood like a builder that quickly lost focus, all around were buildings that connected so tightly they might as well have been one. However, not even that much further the sea of roofs started to break like waves in an ocean. Slowly gaps appeared and had begun to disperse further out. To his surprise there were few Faune moving around. A far cry from that of Aruyt's bustling, almost cramped atmosphere.

Randal was here to take on the Field Boss that should be spawning. He hadn't heard of any adventurer's coming around to the third floor recently and was sure that he could at least test his skills against the boss. He had wanted to approach some of the locals for more information but the town of Flora was near deserted. He would have to make do with his search skill. As he walking squeezing and walking out from the center of town, he heard an alluring voice, far from the typically friendly voices of the Faune, he turns to find a Fae waving him down, almost desperately. Something about her voice was inviting, not cruel, but not innocent either.

"You're an adventurer aren't you, would you please help me?" Urgency was clear in her voice, her dark lime green hair waved about furiously as beads of sweat dripped from her chin to the floor.

"What's wrong?" Randal has some time to spare and he couldn't seem to resist finding out more about her.

Randal gave off a laugh! His shoulders and chest heaving with every exhale. He felt the shop keep's eyes scan him and immediately understand what he meant. Here he was, some cloth around his hands and legs, barely any other part of his body was covered. Admittedly, days spent in solitude crafting and gathering had left a little worse for wear in terms of social aptitude. Pebbles slithered up from his resting place on Randal's back and without any eyes whatsoever wiggled a little extension of its body towards Freyd seemingly greeting the man. Randal knew better though, Pebbles was almost certainly hungry,

"That'd be amazing but no thank you. It's been a pleasure." Randal was planning to go and take on rumors of a kidnapping on the third floor, but mayhaps he would return to take Freyd up on his offer. He looked back once more at the quaint and beautiful setting. Maybe he would move his food truck somewhere nicer in the future, if customer's weren't coming to him, he might as well explore the world, what's the point of a moving shop if he stayed in one place.

Venturing to Angel's Point on the outskirts of Floor Thirteen, Randal's curiosity surged as he stepped into the unknown. The journey had led him to a landscape of forgotten mystique, where a ramshackle series of tables, awnings, and tents emerged around the entrance of a ruined monastery. This was where he sought Quip and Dingo.

As Randal walked through the uneven terrain, the air seemed to hold a different flavor – one of secrets and untold stories. His gaze settled upon Quip, a stout young woman with intricate braids adorning her thick blonde hair, and keen green eyes that seemed to hold an entire forest within them. Beside her stood Dingo, an embodiment of contrasts with his tawny-haired mop of hair and a scrawny yet animated presence.

Observing the bustling enclave, Randal's thoughts danced with intrigue. The makeshift settlement pulsed with vibrant energy, revealing a microcosm of life teeming at the fringes. As he approached, he felt the pulse of camaraderie, woven together by shared tales and the allure of discovery. This was an uncharted territory of both people and place, where the pursuit of connection thrived amidst the relics of the past. With each step, Randal found himself drawn deeper, ready to unravel the stories that awaited within the heart of Angel's Point.

"Hello there! I would like to make a sale please."

With a few dings of the interface, tables around the area and visible surfaces start filling up with a sea of consumables.

*Attempting to sell T1E1 x 47 and T1E2 x 42*

Day 39 (64 exp total)

Randal hadn't seen a customer in days, but a passionate chef is always on a mission, if palettes would not come to him, he would merely have to refine his craft for the day it does. Randal pressed some buttons and a cluster of glistening berries fell onto the counter top. Their vibrant hues were dancing in harmony before ceasing to move. Randal then whisked up some milk eggs and to make a creamy custard, adding hints of vanilla along the way to perfectly elevate the taste to the next level. After placing some of the berries into round bowls and layering custard cream over the top, Randal placed them in the oven and turned on the heat ever so slowly, letting the heat ever so slowly bake the berries. He then used a torch to scorch the vanilla custard so that it would caramelize beautifully.

Randal used attempted 9 crafts and critically failed 1 times. (4 exp)

He normally failed 2 times and salvaged 0 of them, using up 9 materials in total. (10 exp)

He successfully made 6 crafts.

3 T3E1 Dessert (12 exp)
4 T3E2 Dessert (16 exp)
6 T3E3 Dessert (22 exp)

Dice Rolls here V

Day 38 (59 exp total)

Amidst the sizzling atmosphere of my bustling dessert food truck, Randal's orchestrating a sweet symphony of flavors. A cloud of aromatic vanilla dances as he whisks a velvety custard, its silkiness kissed by warmth. Next, he delicately fold in ribbons of fresh raspberry coulis, infusing every spoonful with a burst of tangy delight. With a flick of my wrist, he dusts golden almond crumbles, adding a delicate crunch to the ensemble. The finale approaches as he torches the sugar atop each serving, creating a shimmering caramel masterpiece. Plates adorned, Randal garnishes with a plump raspberry and a sprig of mint. 

Randal used attempted 9 crafts and critically failed 2 times.

He normally failed 2 times and salvaged 1 of them, using up 8 materials in total.

He successfully made 5 desserts.

3 T3E1 Dessert
3 T3E2 Dessert
1 T3E3 Dessert

Dice Rolls here V

Ironically, the chaos of the battle provided a moment of respite as Randal equipped his armour. His saviour, Astreya, had missed her attack on the Fae and a horrific scene played out in front of all within the room.

The monsters that stood before them were mixed abominations, the places, and scars where dark magic had marred the line between the Faune and demon. Their fur that usually gleaned under the light appeared to wisp and curl as though alive. Their eyes were blackened, their grunts barely sufficing for words.

Randal gripped Neptune’s Tidings and ducked under the first of the four Faune that were surrounding him. He was now in between Astreya’s group and his own group of monsters. Randal swung his claw at the neck of one of the twisted one’s in front of him and dodged under another’s punch before spinning to the left and slashing at the chests of two others as the first one falls to the floor clutching his neck as blood spurts out.

Filled with a scary lack of empathy towards his dying compatriots, the last twisted one tried bite Randal neck but found three sharp claws instead. Impaling himself on the claw, Randal used all of his strength to shoulder toss the twisted one towards Astreya’s group of monsters.

Running after the flying body, Randal followed and dropped kick the body which hit and toppled the two twisted ones in front of her. They did not get up.

Randal gave Astreya a pleased nod and asked Hirru, “Do you got this?” @Hirru

Updated Stats as of being freed || Equipping Cloth Trousers | T3E3 EVA 3

Lvl 26 Randal Info
HP 520/520 | Energy 70/70 | Damage 18 (+2 SA) | MIT 20 | ACC 3 | EVA 4 | LD 3 |

“Thank you!” Randal shouted at Astreya as she swung and missed the attacking guards and falling to the ground. Randal continued to equip himself with his missing equipment and while doing so grabbed a torch from the wall and drew the mere ire of some surrounding guards while running around the cavern’s columns that towered up towards the ceiling.

The fae were not stupid creatures and the simple waving of fire barely got their interest as they focused on the true threats in the room Hirru and Astreya.

“Insert colourful language here.”

To get their attention, Randal resorted to using the most colourful of languages that he could muster in the moment and tried his best to taunt them without using the actual skill taunt. This caused the Fae who were not currently in combat with either Hirru or Astreya to turn and move towards him. This made sense because according to the game system, without actual skill, monsters that were already engaged in combat with a player will not be able to retreat unless it was already coded to do so.

At the very least, this move could provide them a certain amount of breathing space as there was more free space that they would be able to manoeuvre around.

Soon, Randal would be able to join them in combat, if there was anyone left to fight by the time that Hirru was done with them.

Updated Stats as of being freed || Equipping Neptune's Tiding T3E3 DMG 3

Lvl 26 Randal Info
HP 520/520 | Energy 70/70 | Damage 18 (+2 SA) | MIT 0 | ACC 3 | EVA 0 | LD 3 |

From an area that was hard for Randal to see, there was a sudden crashing sound, a voice almost boomed and echoed through the cavern. It was recognizably his green haired companion; he did not manage to hear exactly what he said because he was first and foremost relieved that his companions manged to survive the attack like he did. He did manage to catch the name Astreya so he was confident that they were both locked up near each other.

Speaking of which, Astreya appeared from behind the obstruction coming from the sound of the noise and told Randal to step back, which he complied with obediently, having not carried any spare weapons with him on the handy, he was in no position to argue, not that he really needed or wanted to.

As the gate around him shattered under the force of her two-handed straight sword, Randal finally managed to get access to his main equipment as he put on his gloves and got ready for anyone that might try to creep up on Astreya. Randal was not yet sure if there were anymore enemies that would come from the numerous entrances around the cavern but they had only seen a few fae guards around.

Updated Stats as of being caged

Lvl 26 Randal Info
HP 520/520 | Energy 70/70 | Damage 2 (+2 SA) | MIT 0 | ACC 3 | EVA 0 | LD 3 |

Cage Door
HP 48/50

Randal hits the cage BD 4+3=7 (HIT) | 2 dmg
Guard Pool Count: 1

As the line of Fae and Faune alike crawled past his cage, Randal began to feel a strange pulsing sensation, as though there was something within the caverns that was beating. The feeling was akin to being at a concert and having the bass speakers rumble and vibrate as one enjoyed the music, only this one was not for enjoyment.

The feeling and emotion came and left like a wave. Randal had to refocus. He gripped at the iron bars at the bottom of the cage and found that a life bar appeared in front of him. This was it; this is a sign from the Cardinal that he was supposed to break the locks ahead of him. There would surely have been a way to more stealthily escape if he had the foresight to invest in some lock pinking skills, but hindsight was 20/20.

Randal never had very much on him at any given time, the clothes that he adorned and kept him warm had been taken from him, he barely managed to find some random rags to put on, but he was losing a lot of his strength. “I put in so much effort to craft those claws I swear if I don’t get them back at the end of this!”

He waited until the procession was a little out of sight before calmly observing the situation. Randal was not able to see any other Fae guards near him but that was because his cell was blocked by cascading stalactites and stalagmites. He also failed to notice the other creatures that lurked in the darkness but figured that the longer he waited the less likely he would be able to find the others if they were being taken away like the Faune he saw earlier.

It took Randal all his effort to not faint in an instant, but with all of his vision gone sole for the lone fae that threatened his life and the pounding ache in his head, it felt as though his vitality was seeping from his body and into the ground.

Finally, he fell over, cursing at the absurdity of the game, he was not meant to die here, he was going to live and get out but that was the end of his thoughts as he finally gave in to succumbing effects of the mist…or was it magic.

A sudden splash of water shook Randal awake. It was one of many, evident by his damp clothing and wet hair. The area around him was locked, a cage meant to hold something a little bigger than him was the first thing his eyes noticed. Followed by a damp and musty smell.

Groggily and unstably, Randal stood up, first pulling himself up with his hands before his legs found the strength to support the reset of him. “Hirru and Astreya!” the faune that had accompanied that now long gone from this world.

Randal knew better from TV shows not to scream and shout when in a hostage situation because he did not want to alert his captors that he was awake. He silently and almost painfully tried to stick as much of his face out of the cage and managed to glimpse his two companions in similar situations to the right of his cage.

“Think come brain, what can we do? Break the door? Wait for help? Call for his captors?” Randal was lost in thought when he heard footsteps coming from around the corner on the left and Randal quickly slumped on the ground and saw through half-closed eyes, a mini procession of Faune chained together led by a Fae, they were raggedy to saw the least, not much was on their bones because they appear to have been starved or neglected for a while.

One of them suddenly pulled on the chain in defiance and was quickly smote by the Fae who looked disdainfully at the rest of the Faune as they craned back in fear. The cave was damp, but the many walls seemed to amplify sounds as it allowed for the sound to bounce many times in an enclosed space, so Randal heard the next few words clearly.

“Do as you are told and you will not be killed. Simple is it not? Now come, there are more important things for your life to be used for.” The true voice of the Fae was almost airy, like a whispering snake in your ear.

“Yes, there was a large runic stone that we passed not long before it happened, but it did not seem weird all with the number of ruins that can be found. It was how I found my way out, come follow me this way.” Dwayne was uncharacteristically excited the closer the party drew towards the location that he mentioned earlier. At the edge of the town of Flora, Dwayne was nearly shivering with fear or excitement, it was hard for Randal to tell.

“Over there I see it!” Dwayne yelled. 

Dwayne appeared to be nervous, holding on tightly to the Faune male that was with them. A mist began to roll in as they reached the runic stone.

The stone depicted some symbols on it and Randal was so absorbed in trying to understand it as he usually did, that he did not even realise that the mist was already up to his knees and that he had lost sight of Dwayne.

The runes seemed to depict a certain number of symbols, now 2 of 5 were lit up and one more appeared to be lighting up as he continued to observe them.

“Look at thi…” Randal said before he realised that he could not see anything but the runic stone, it was not that everything was blank, but more so that everything was blurred out and censored.

Randal felt his consciousness fading and he heard a snide chuckling in the distance. He looked up and made out the image of someone holding up a blurred-out Faune and killing him before pacing towards Randal, holding on to the stone for stability, Randal took on a fighting stance, trying to see if he could find what the other players were doing.

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll be gentle,” An almost demonic voice leaked out as the shape and form of the creature that was talking to him morphed and shimmered revealing a different creature underneath. The bark like skin was unmistakable, this was a Fae creature. “Why don’t you player’s ever go down easy?”

Randal inwardly winced at the misunderstanding that was forming between Nakata and himself. He decided that maybe should try to avoid complicated scenarios as much as possible with this person because they seemed to take things a little too seriously and not know how to be on the optimistic side about people since he did choose to believe that Randal was mocking him instead of trying to comfort him.

“Maybe he acts in such a way because he does not need comfort from me”.

“Wanna come with me to Taran?” Randal asked pensively, not sure if the other player who seemed to be rather content with being on his own would want to join him. He followed up by saying, “You can continue looking for familiar nearer to the village too.”

Randal waited for a reply but figured that Nakata decided to stay up here and do his own thing, they could always run into each other again later, the area was not very big unless one of them needed to go beyond. “If not I’ll just find you once I’m done with the enemy.”