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A Day Out in Blue Pine Town

  The night was mundane enough. Sally wanted to ask about Ren’s exploits as an adventurer. Apherward made something up and had Ren voice it. What troubled the book was what Sally’s father, Samson Vert, said shortly after finishing dinner. There was no adventurer’s guild in Blue Pine town. In the night, Apherward imparted a new spell to Ren.

  Ren learned Locate Location Level 1. Level capacity has been met. Level up to increase level capacity.

  It was a spell to locate a particular location. At level 1, it’s range for the spell to magically search an area was very limited, but it should be enough to find an adventuring guild in this town.

  “Locate Location!” Ren said, holding her hands together to form a ball in her hands.

  Sally looked at Ren curiously. Then a thought occurred. Apherward had no idea if the spell would work since Ren is the very definition of absent minded. The spell Locate Location magically informs the caster of the exact location of… a location. The information could be used with a mirror or crystal ball as a medium, but without such tools the spell would only pass knowledge into the caster’s mind as information. Even if Apherward was in Ren’s head, it wasn’t sure if it would also gain the benefits of this spell. Unfortunately, the spell failed in the most catastrophic way the tome could have imagined.

  Ren had a sudden nosebleed and she began violently shaking.

  Ren

  Level 5 Mage

  Strength: 8

  Magic: 17

  Agility: 6

  Vitality: 5

  Magic Capacity: Overloaded

  Titles: None

  Skills:

  Swordsmanship Level 1

  Housekeeping Level 1

  Spells:

  Ice Bolt Level 1

  Fireball Level 1

  Haste Level 1

  Raise Zombie Level 1

  Stone Wall Level 1

  Water Arrow Level 1

  Blind Level 1

  Locate Location Level 1

  Status: Magic Overload

  Head Concussion Severity 1

  “Fuck!” Apherward cussed in Ren’s head. “And the kid is watching. How am I going to explain this one?”

  “Ahh!” Sally squealed in shock and horror. “Ren! Are you okay?”

  Apherward puppeteered Ren to collapse onto the bed. Ren managed to get a hand out and lean against the bed, but she was mostly on the floor instead of collapsing onto the bed as people normally do. It then had her speak.

  “I’m not ready for that spell.” Ren said flatly despite the clear state of injury and distress. “When you cast a spell that is beyond your means, or when you cast spells so often that your body can’t take it, you overload your magic capacity. Things like this happen when you try to cast a spell you can’t handle.”

  Sally looked on in shock and horror. She then wordlessly got to work. Sally first got a bucket of water and towel to help clean up Ren and stop her nosebleed. When Sally was satisfied with that, she tucked Ren into bed. Sally puffed out her chest and inspected her work. As embarrassing as it was, neither Ren nor Apherward were in a position to protest. Embarrassing or not, the care Sally provided was enough to aid in clearing Ren of the magical overload.

  The next morning, Ren and Sally got up to have breakfast with Samson and Mila before they went off to speak to work associates and look at options for residence in Blue Pine town. As a meal has been shared amongst a family and friend, the topic of what Ren does now is broached.

  “So, Ren.” Mila says. “Do you have any plans for the day?”

  “I do not.” Ren responds in a try tone.

  “Then how about what we talked about yesterday?” Mila says. “You two can look around town. Explore a bit.”

  “If that’s the idea, then I have an idea.” Samson speaks up. “I’ve never taken Sally here, but I do know some choice spots to see in town. Why don’t you take the tour?”

  “Can we?” Sally looks to Ren pleadingly.

  Apherward thinks on it’s options. It comes to realize that it really doesn’t have any. It was either this or go to a tavern and hope someone is gathering adventurers.

  “Sure!” Ren said.

  “Yay!” Sally cheered.

  The family went their separate ways for now. Samson went off to speak to his work associates. Mila went to a realtor’s office to find a new home. Sally went with Ren to look around town. Ren was given a list of places to see. With Sally in tow, the two went to their first destination. The temple of the gods.

  Sally and Ren stand before a temple. It isn’t grand by any means, but it is one of the best looking buildings around town. It stands very tall and was built from marble bricks. Stained glass windows adorn every wall and statues of knights kneel before the entrance. The entrance of the temple leads to a grand hall filled with rows of pews. Opposite the entrance is a cushioned altar with an ornate shield made of gold and inlaid with gems. Sally ran in and looked at just about everything. All the decor, ornate pieces, paintings of long gone heroes, the stained glass windows depicting the sun or something and everything in between. Ren, however, is immediately approached by a cleric or something.

  “Hello, child.” a man in white robes said. “Would you care to hear about the divine who watch over us?”

  “A child in my care has gotten away from me.” Ren said blankly as she rushes after Sally.

  The cleric is unbothered by this and follows Ren in her pursuit.

  “Not a problem! We can run and speak of matters of spirit at the same time.”

  Sally is poking her head in and out of a crowd of people. Ren tries to push and slip through where she is able. As she does, the cleric speaks to her while easily weaving in and out of the same crowd with ease.

  “The divines gifted us with purpose and protection. They watch over us and shield us from chaos. Still they grant us the freedom to choose. Oh how it vexes me so, that some chose to sin with the gift the gods grant us.”

  Sally climbs over a pew and rushes off. Ren mantles off the back rest of the same pew and leaps over before resuming to chase Sally. The cleric mantles off the same pew and resumes his chase as well as the lecture. He isn’t even breathing heavily or sweating.

  “To think that there are those who spit on the gift granted to them by the gods. Worshipping demons and such. How dare they! To think people would abandon the gods over some honeyed words of a demon because of something as trivial as being poor or what have you. Regardless of your status as someone rich or poor, one must be true and righteous. If they are destined to be poor, then it is the will of the gods! Take Vaesiliya, Goddess of Faith! She who weaves fate! To keep us on the righteous path! The all knowing mistress who determines the fate of us all!”

  At long last, Ren manages to catch Sally. Ren picks up Sally under her arms and lifts her off the floor. Sally looks back at Ren’s blank facial expression. Throughout all that, the cleric kept up with Ren and continued to lecture Ren about the gods and poor people. There is not a sign that he has ran around a temple in a bid to keep up with two children. He isn’t hyperventilating or even sweating.

  “For you see, the gods know what is right and wrong. Take Yerl God of Nobility as an example. Is there a god of poverty? I think not. So as a divine entity, he is right and righteous! So all people of noble birth are righteous. Those who claim that merit is of most import are merely jealous. Take heed, children! For the divines have spoken! Pray to the dazzling lord of nobility!”

  Sally and Ren blink twice as the cleric went on about a specific god in particular.

  “You sound boring!” Sally says before turning to speak to Ren. “He sounds boring, right?”

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  “He does indeed sound boring.” Ren replies dryly.

  At her words, the cleric goes wide eyed and clutches his chest as though he had been stabbed. Ren and Sally look at each other confused.

  “Is the boring man sick?” Sally asked.

  In response, the cleric fell to his knees and doubled over while clutching his chest.

  “Yes, it seems so.” Ren replies. “Have you seen enough of the temple?”

  “Yep!” Sally said.

  Ren set Sally down on the floor and walked out of the temple with her. The cleric starts coughing violently. Not in the way that a sick man would, but in a way one would cough out blood when a blade is run through one of his lungs or his stomach. He isn’t hurt, but he is making this very dramatic. As he does, some worshippers look over at him and shrug their shoulders.

  “Parnidot at it again?” a worshipper asked.

  “Seems so.” another answered. “Guy does this all the time when he finds out that he’s not the greatest person in the world.”

  “Yeesh! Does he have a paper thin ego or something?”

  “I thought he was just sick in the head and the temple brought him on as a charity case.”

  “Right, well I’m going to light my incense and say my prayer.”

  “Right you are. Oh! Before I forget, is your mother still game for poker later?”

  “You’ve lost, like, hundreds of gold trying to beat my mom at poker. You’re only making her retirement more plentiful.”

  “Hey! If you don’t play you can’t win.”

  “If you don’t play you don’t lose tons of money!”

  “Whatever! I came by some good money recently. I’m about to make a bit more after work today.”

  The worshipper rolls his eyes and walks off to go light some incense. The other worshipper shrugs his shoulders before preparing a mask made of a burlap sack with holes cut out for his eyes and mouth before he rushes out to signal his cohorts.

  Ren and Sally leave the temple. Ren opens the note with destinations around town that Samson wrote for the two earlier that day. However, Ren doesn’t look at the writing. She only opens the note. Apherward reads the note by observing the world around it. Sally watches as Ren opens the note, but doesn’t look at it. Ren then starts to fold the note again and returns it to her pocket.

  “Next is the Blue Pine town park.” Ren says.

  “Woah!” Sally exclaims in awe. “Did you read that without looking at it?”

  Inside Ren’s head, Apherward curses it’s oversight of a simple detail.

  “Why does faking this have to be so hard?” it shouts in Ren’s head.

  “No.” Ren speaks plainly.

  Sally tilts her head, but otherwise doesn’t press the topic. The two start down the streets of Blue Pine town. As they walk, Apherward sees all around it. Apherward’s ability to see is independent from Ren’s. What it sees is 4 figures following them. They were men in burlap sacks with holes cut in them. They’re being cautious and trying to stay out of sight. They’re just a bit spotty at hiding while in pursuit. Sometimes they try to hide behind a barrel, but their butt sticks out and into view. Other times, they leap great distances to try and keep up their pursuit and make a mess of someone’s day in the leap and are berated as they rush off. They keep following Ren and Sally regardless of corners turned and street crossing made. Apherward has no clue as to who they are. Then a thought occurred. This could be remedied by looking at their status. It finds the closest one and begins to read through his status.

  Brick

  Level 9 Classless

  Strength: 16

  Magic: 4

  Agility: 18

  Vitality: 8

  Titles: None

  Skills:

  Swordsmanship Level 1

  Status: Normal

  He was almost double Ren’s level. Still, at this low level, an underdog can turn the tides more easily. It only gets easier with Apherward’s aid. Apherward by itself makes Ren’s magics more potent. It has also been imparting spells that level 10 mages would struggle with on a whim. Using Apherward, Ren can easily cheat these 4 men if this Brick person was any indication of their general strength. The next issue was Sally. Apherward had no idea why they were being followed. If Sally was sent away, they may split up and pursue her. If they stay together, Sally may come to harm. Thinking this through, Apherward comes up with an answer.

  “Feeble men! You will fall before my arcane might! Be prepared to be overwhelmed by my supreme magics!” Apherward spoke inside Ren’s head. There is no one to listen.

  Apherward’s plan was simply to just hit them with very strong magics. It was confident that It could one shot them all with appropriate spells. The level 1 fireball spell that it imparted to Ren will do nicely. Ren and Sally reach the park without issue. It is a splendid park with stone paved walkways, grass and trees. The weather was fine the park was a decent size. It’s not quite a sprawling field, but it is a pleasant place. Sally looks on in amazement. When Ren walks a few steps she turns, points an open palm behind her and speaks.

  “Fireball!”

  Waiting for the men to follow Ren to the stone paved walkway, Apherward watches them. When the time was right, it puppeteered Ren to cast a spell right at them. The shouts of 4 men ring out. Some of them crumple to the floor and one of them runs wildly while on fire. Apherward takes a moment to observe their status.

  Brick

  Level 9 Classless

  Strength: 16

  Magic: 4

  Agility: 18

  Vitality: 8

  Titles: None

  Skills:

  Swordsmanship Level 1

  Status: Burning, Dying

  Head Burning

  Torso Burning

  Left Arm Burning

  Right Arm Burning

  Left Leg Burning

  Right Leg Burning

  It was a simple thing. Barely any effort. Ren stared at them blankly. Sally looked back at Ren. Then saw the various men on fire.

  “Woah! What happened?” Sally said.

  “Don’t worry about them. They’ve just been following us.” Ren said in a dull tone of voice.

  “That’s great and all, but you’ve overdone it quite a bit.” a third feminine voice spoke.

  Sally went wide eyed and turned to face the source of the voice. Ren did too, but her eyes held a consistent look to it. Apherward was completely taken aback. It had not noticed until it was too late. A woman in a nun habit and clothes was standing behind Ren and Sally. Despite Apherward’s senses being independent from Ren’s it did not notice this nun. In stunned silence, Apherward looked into the nun’s status.

  Mona Hazel

  Level 62 Phantom Assassin

  Strength: 93

  Magic: 81

  Agility: 164

  Vitality: 140

  Titles: Sister, Thorn of Leostriders

  Skills:

  Knifework Level 18

  Sneaking Level 82

  Dark Step Level 14

  Unknown skills are hidden due to level disparity

  Status: Normal

  There was a woman dressed as a nun. However, looking at this woman’s status reveals that she is an assassin. Not just any assassin. One that has met the requirements to become a Phantom Assassin. An assassin that has more means of concealing themselves than regular assassins. She was a tall woman frustratedly palming her head and standing over Ren and Sally. She was standing right behind them too. In knife distance should she choose to do so.

  “I understand why, but you could have just talked to a town guard or something.” this Mona person said.

  The nun pulled her hand from her face and produced a knife in the other. Apherward felt it’s stomach drop as the thought of losing Ren like this dawned on it. An impossible opponent who she could never hope to defeat as she is now.

  The nun flipped the dagger in her fingers. Then she stowed it behind her back where it disappeared from Apherward’s view. When the hand returned from behind her back, the knife was gone.

  “Come on. Let’s take a seat over there and talk.” the nun said.

  She pointed to a park bench not far from them. As Sally and Apherward’s attention is brought toward that direction, they notice that the 4 men are notably no longer on fire. It didn’t even see what just happened. The book looked over their status again.

  Brick

  Level 9 Classless

  Strength: 16

  Magic: 4

  Agility: 18

  Vitality: 8

  Titles: None

  Skills:

  Swordsmanship Level 1

  Status: Burns, Shock

  Head Burn Severity 3

  Torso Burn Severity 4

  Left Arm Burn Severity 4

  Right Arm Burn Severity 3

  Left Leg Burn Severity 3

  Right Leg Burn Severity 3

  At some point they had stopped burning.

  “Come on! I got a patrol of town guards heading this way.” the nun said as she began pushing Ren and Sally forward.

  “What did you do?” Ren asked.

  “I put out the fire.” the nun said.

  “How?” Sally asked.

  “With my knife.” the nun said.

  She kept pushing the girls on and waited for the town guards to arrive.

  A little over 10 minutes later there are 3 guards who have labeled the area off as a crime scene. That is to say a crime has been committed. More specifically, Ren assaulted 4 men with a spell. As far as the guards were concerned, Ren was the guilty party. If she wanted to handle this as peacefully as possible, she should have fetched some guards. The guards would have taken 4 men in rough looking masks following 2 young girls very seriously. Instead, now they must contend with 4 burn victims. They’re looking for stretchers to carry them off to a clinic now. Thankfully, Ren and Sally are getting off with a warning. In actuality, it’s more like a scolding. Still, the nun named Mona is vouching for the both of them. It’s just not amounting to much.

  “I’m Mona from the temple.” the nun called Mona said.

  “Yeah! I know!” the town guard said. “You’re the assassin who retired to be a nun. We all know who you are. Looking at people’s status is basically a requirement for us.”

  “Right, well the victim in question is under investigation.” Mona said. “Sergeants and higher ranks in the town guard should know about the various issues they’ve been causing.”

  “Yeah, yeah! A crime wave and all that. Look, because of what they did I’m dealing with 4 burn victims. And that’s not saying I’m a lazy bum who’s afraid of guys who have since turned into charcoal, but I would have preferred them decidedly not crispy when I arrived to resolve a case.”

  “Then what’s the problem?” Mona asked.

  “They should have gotten us! You know! The town guard! Not barbeque 4 guys in broad daylight in a public park!”

  “They understand.” Mona said. “Then everything should be resolved.”

  “Nope! If we call it quits here, the kids would not have learned not to blast fire everywhere. Crime wave or not, I don’t need an arsonist in the making running around.”

  “I’m sure they’ve learned their lesson.” Mona said.

  The guard points over to a park bench where Sally and Ren are sitting. Sally is looking up at the sky while swinging her feet under the bench. Ren is sitting still as a statue, to the point where you could question if she is indeed a statue. Neither seem invested in what is happening or what they’ve done. There is an awkward pause in the discussion between Mona and the town guard.

  “Alright. I’ll talk to them later.” Mona shrugs her shoulders and vanishes into thin air in broad daylight.

  The town guard furrows a brow and gives a heavy sigh.

  “Alright, let’s get this scolding going.” the town guard says as he prepares to work.

  Samson and Mila Vert message their temples. They sent their daughter to take a look around town with a recently made friend. Now, they are talking to the town guard. They told them that their daughter was involved in the burning of several men in the park. Ren and Sally had received a scolding from the town guard already. Samson and Mila have finished their own scoldings.

  “Augh! Ren! I don’t want to do that again.” Sally moaned as she lay face first on the floor of the wagon that Ren and the Vert family first entered Blue Pine town in.

  “It was unpleasant.” Ren says dryly.

  “In either case, you both survived it.” a third feminine voice said.

  In this wagon with a bonnet hanging above them, a nun was sitting inside with them. Sally looked up in shock. Ren barely turned her head to look. Apherward didn’t see her at all even as a book that doesn’t need eyes to see. Samson and Mila were off sorting something or other out. They were a distance away and their daughter and friend was caught in close proximity to an assassin. Notably, the Phantom Assassin Mona.

  “You’re an assassin.” Ren said.

  “And you're a rather low leveled mage.” Mona said.

  Saly shot up to look at what was going on.

  “Why are you here?” Ren asked.

  “You’re looking to be an adventurer, right?” Mona said. “At least, that’s what I heard.”

  “What about it?” Red shot back.

  Mona raised her hand and information appeared in Ren’s mind. Apherward saw what was inside.

  Quest

  Uncover the machinations of the Blood Hoof gang

  “How would you like a quest, little adventurer?”

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