I was already expecting that the ride from Lushfort to Spellerguard wasn't going to be an easy one. It was bad enough yesterday where Jax killed those naturalists and Little fox started going berserk. Now we were all confined to the back of the trailer. Jax was sitting with Aiden in the vehicle while Victor, Liora, Thalia, Little fox, and I all sat in the back.
A part of me feels guilty, because in the moment it made sense. They were naturalists, a group known to train even kids to do heinous things. Jax was killing them for the kidnapping and torture of someone. Yet Little fox didn't know as much about the world. She doesn't know about the naturalists and what they have done, how many people they have killed. All she saw were a bunch of children say something before Jax started killing them. I would do the same thing in her shoes, and its for that reason I feel like I should have done something.
Stand in the way, ask Jax to wait, anything really. However I stood there watching as he killed them, a part of me yelling that I just froze up and didn't move, but another part of me was glad they died, glad they seemed panicked and scared.
My mind flashed back to when I was 12. The city had been threatened by a tribe of naturalists led by a wolf named Orion Stormcaller. My father and brothers were away so the vice captain was sent. A woman I looked up to because she never saw my arm as something to be ashamed of. She never came back.
My train of thought was cut off as we came to a stop, the vehicle making a few strange popping noises before fully shutting off. We looked forward in confusion as Aiden and Jax stepped out.
"Bad news. Uh, I think we're out of fuel."
Aiden said scratching the back of his head, a bit of embarrassment showing on his face.
"Good news, we saw a group of other vehicles ahead that are parked, so we might be able to get a bit of fuel to make it to Spellerguard."
Jax said energetically as if the events of last night hadn't occurred. It took me a second to realize everyone was staring at me.
"W-What, did I say something?"
I asked, looking around in bewilderment.
"You're the strongest of us, remember?"
Liora asked as she crossed her arms.
"H-Hey wait, what about Jax?"
I asked turning, but despite looking for him, Jax seemed to have hidden to avoid the task. I turned back, as Aiden seemed to walk around the vehicle before dragging Jax back, his butt sliding over the ground as he squirmed. Even with all of us, the trailer would make everything difficult, especially since we had a large hill in front of us, but that's when an idea sparked.
I reached into my bag, and fumbled for a bit before I pulled out the item I had found on my way out of the dungeon that you know who went into with us.
"J-Jax, A-Aiden, if you call can attach ropes, I have an Idea."
They looked at each other, clearly confused but didn't argue as they grabbed some ropes from our supply trunk and began to tie them. I walked in front of the vehicle a few paces before I placed down the small figurine I had received before, signaling Aiden to come over.
"C-Can you infuse some mana?"
I asked gesturing. Aiden nodded and held a hand out as I saw a faint blue glow shimmer from the small figurine as I heard the small whirling of gears as it expanded, shifting from a small statue, to a massive 11ft tall mechanical draft horse. Its nose let out plumes of steam as we quickly hooked the ropes up and the mechanical horse began to drag the vehicle up the hill with ease at a steady walk. As we approached the top of the hill we saw Little fox, Thalia, Victor, and Liora standing at the edge of the vehicles with Liora holding a small piece of paper.
"Ok, good news, and bad news. Bad news is this is not a refill place. Good news is that this is a quest where several people can do it together."
Raising an eyebrow, I returned the horse to its figurine form as I made a mental note to give it a name before it becomes another vehicle named vehicle situation before looking over the page that Liora held.
The Lost story of the Green March(E)
Time has finally caught up to Nulgen. With only three days left to live, he requests the company of adventurers—not for protection or battle, but to preserve a truth long buried.
Nulgen is the last living survivor of the Green March, a cataclysmic event that turned an entire kingdom into ruins in the span of just 12 hours.
He asks that someone listen, record, and remember.
Reward: copy of notebook detailing tips and tricks for adventurers
Failure: No notebook
I exchanged glances with the others as Victor nodded his head.
"Therrrrrre is no penalty, and it will count towarrrrrrds the successes you need. So you will only need just thrrrrrrree morrrrrrrre and you will be able to enterrrrrrr the games."
We all gave a small nod Aiden asked.
"So this may be because I grew up on a mountain, but what exactly is the green march?"
We all looked between each other seeing if anyone knew before we turned to Victor who just shrugged.
"Welp, guess were all getting a history lesson today."
Jax said as he turned and began to make his way inside and towards where the other adventurers had gathered. Following behind the place was simple, different groups had laid out blankets, and other things to rest and relax on. A small area had been set up with water, and someone was selling small snacks as a small stage made of stone had been erected. Seated in a simple chair sat an older elf. The man had a mane of white hair and a beard they had trimmed to be just above their shoulders with what seemed to be a smoking pipe except for the fact that little bubbles rose from it instead of smoke.
We found a spot unoccupied as we all sat down. Aiden went to the food vendor and purchased something they called burritos. They came in a small bread like thin thing and had everything from meats to beans within. They tasted really good too.
Little fox still refused to get close to Jax in any way, sliding away or putting someone else between her and Jax whenever he tried to approach her to talk, and while Jax put on a show of not caring, he did seem hurt by this for some reason.
We were only there for around an hour or so before the old elf cleared his throat and conversations died down.
"Greetings, and thank you to all of you who have arrived to hear about this story that has been once lost to history. A story only known by its survivors who have died of different causes, causing their perspective to be lost. Something I refuse to do without giving it a chance to be remembered by the future generations."
The man rose to his feet as he explained, his voice oddly powerful despite his frail build as his steps started out labored and weak, but slowly grew stronger and more firm.
"This story takes place 993 years ago in a place you all now know as the Lost barbaric cities, but I remember as my home called Brunden. A place that now stands as a small set of crumbling islands that resists any attempt to cultivate life had once been a thriving continent that connected the 3 islands and was full of fight and will."
As Nulgen spoke there was a strange shine to his eyes, like someone thinking back on a positive memory, and surprisingly we weren't the only ones who watched. Others who had come, bragging about an easy quest now sat raptured, unable to look away as Nulgen moves, and gestured and practically painted a canvas for us to witness.
"It wasn't perfect, but it was ours, and for the first 7 years of my life it was home. That was until the cue. You see the king had held the throne, but his brother had only become the head military advisor. So the king's brother rallied his men and sought to overthrow the king, it was an event we called the night of drumming boots. Despite the panic, chaos, and destruction caused by the tyrannical takeover and the new policies established by the new king, mad on his own power, there was a slim hope."
I turned to grab another bite of food as a bit to my surprise I saw that even Little fox was wrapped in the performance as she hadn't even noticed the system screen that had appeared before her.
More out of curiosity than malice, I leaned over and read it
Your Soul Stirs
From your restless soul a skill develops
You have learned skill Basic Understanding(E)
I blinked in surprise as I realized she must be able to actually understand everything being said now. So not to spoil her new found stupor, and to get back to listening I grabbed my bite and turned back.
"For you see, the children of the rightful king had been away from the capital, sent off to delegate in another part of the kingdom. The mad king was enraged by this and for one month he sent soldiers to chase them down and kill them. For one month they evaded, both from their own guile, and from the aid of the people of the kingdom who wished to see the mad king beheaded for his crimes. Yet, it was the morning of the 43rd day that the prince was finally captured."
There was a small collective gasp from the crowd as Nulgen grabbed a small bottle of water and took a quick sip before he continues.
"The mad king had proclaimed throughout the capital, that her brother would only be spared if she was willing to turn herself in, yet he spoke to the prince, and proclaimed that his sister would be executed if he was unwilling to proclaim to the people his support of the mad king that he would let her death come to pass. The princess would have run to her brother's aid had a group including my family not stepped forward to stop her, and in turn the prince made a gamble. For he turned away from the gods and instead reached out to the beings who embody disaster, the masks."
A shiver ran through everyone as my only thought was.
Huh, guess he misspoke or something, there is only one mask, everyone knows that. Imagine the panic that would occur if there were several.
Before anyone could say anything he continued.
"In his prayer Green reached out, offering their assistance in exchange for the Prince's life. So at the cost of the prince's life, the green march began. For as her brother died the princess was wreathed in shining light as the city was descended on by beasts of all natures, from the smallest of E rank monsters, to beings that stood as S rank arrived to tear the city and continent apart. Yet despite this the princess silently began to walk, marching from the edges of the palace towards the shore, as despite the carnage around her, she and those who followed her remained untouched. I was one of those who followed after her as I watched mountains being crushed, homes being trampled, and the streets running red with blood. I watched those who couldn't hold their fear run away in terror only to be ripped apart for stepping away from the path the princess carved through the chaos without so much as a lifted hand. Several timed monsters arrived to stare at our group, and yet they turned away as if knowing we were following the true ruler. Even when we arrived to the shore the princess continued to walk as the monsters who had once ripped our homes apart began to make a bridge for us to cross. A journey that should have taken days took only 3 hours as we arrived to the cost of Flinkeq. When we had all arrived on land the princess had turned to us with a smile and given a final decree.
"My people, while your homes are gone, you are not, and with you our kingdom will live on eternal in the memories of the world.""
By this point a bit to my surprise, Nulgen seemed to be crying as he seemed to take a moment to center himself before saying.
"So we have, and yet the events that occurred are being forgotten more and more with each passing year as the remnants of those who know fade and wither with the passage of time. So as I finish this tale, I can stand proud, knowing that I have completed the final mission of the last queen of the Brunden kingdom, and that while the land my home once sat on lays in ruin, untouchable by life, its existence will be remembered as more than a useless rock by you here who have heard this tale."
Nulgen dipped into a bow as the audience erupted into applause, several including myself whipping away tears.
You have completed an E rank quest
You have gained 1,000 XP