Frenley woke up in the large circular room where he always wakes up. Standing up, the man pushes his long hair to the side as he begins walking towards the center of the room. He remembers vaguely Ailice talking about the central crystal shard being where you collected the rewards for expeditions. It didn't take long for him to reach his destination and to touch the large moonlight shard. Soon, two things appear in his inventory, and he does not want to let that nagging feeling eat away at him. He summons the two items.
A large metal staff appears in his hands. It was made from three separate metal pipes. Forged and melted together to create the thing in his hand, the top of the staff, the three metal pipes hold a fine-cut ruby in place. A quick item lore plays in his mind, voiced by none other than Ailice.
'The order of keepers is as old as death, always tasked with keeping the dead well rested.’
Then came the way the system presented information, the same way it presented his status.
Keeper's Staff(2M): A metal staff that can cast spells, increasing the damage of spells.
“That will be for Risa.”
He mumbled to himself before he focused on the other item, a small transparent crystal that held an eye frozen in place. He tried not to stare at the creepy eyes as Ailice gave the lore, and the system displayed the useful information.
'Eyes can see what the mind allows. Allow for more to enter you, and more should be revealed.'
Rune of Sight: +1 mind
Per night allows for finding clues for bosses or special locations.
“Huh, not this is interesting, would love to have it. But mind does nothing for me, better give it to Risa. Ailice question, are these rewards individually or?”
‘Since you are at a party, this is the reward the group as a whole gets; it is up to you guys to spread it between each other. Also, don't forget to level up.’
“Ah shit, you're right.”
Frenley places his singular point into Body, bringing it in line with Soul stat. With the items in hand, Frenley turned around to look for his party member. Thankfully, he didn't have to look far, for a tall, tan woman and her short silver-haired companion were making their way towards him. Frenley smiled at the women and walked to meet them halfway.
“Hello Mia and Risa, how are you two doing today?”
“I am doing all fine, Frenley, and you?” The kitsune answers.
“I am all good, love, just happy I cannot feel the soreness in here.”
Risa raised an eyebrow as she looked at the tall woman before looking at Frenley. The fey ignored the raised eyebrow as he spoke.
“I am doing all good, Risa. I just got our rewards and leveled up. These are yours.”
The man handed over the metal staff and rune to the kitsune. The short woman looked at the items, and soon her eyes went wide as she gathered information, just as Frenley had.
“Wow! This is great, Frenley! Thank you so much.”
The kitsune said with a large smile on her face as she looked at Frenley, her eight tails swinging side to side. Fren smiles warmly back at her, fighting the urge to pet the small woman.
“Well, it ain't useful to Mia or me, so it makes sense you get them.”
“Ahm,” Frenley looked at Mia, with a small tilt to his head. “Nothing for me?”
“Ah, no dear, sadly not. These rewards are for the whole party.”
“Aww, that sucks, but at least our cute fox got an upgrade.”
“I don't know how I feel about being called a cute fox.” The kitsune said while looking at the tall woman.
“I mean, you are, am I wrong, Frenley?”
Fren looked at Mia like she had a screw loose, shaking his head as he massaged his temple.
“Your statement is not wrong, dear. But as a guy, I can't just go around calling a girl I just met cute.”
“I don't see the big deal. If something is cute, hot, or sexy, you just say so.”
“Don't worry, Frenley, I understand what you mean.” Risa said.
“Thank you, de-Risa.”
Mia shrugged her shoulders at the two of them, placing one of her hands on her hip. Frenley smiled at the girls, hoping no one caught his slip-up.
“Alright, let's get you guys level up and tackle the expeditions again.”
Frenley guided the girls to the central moonlight shard, and they leveled up, and once they were done. Frenley started the expedition again. Soon the party found themselves in the resting sight right at the start of the dungeon. Frenley stood up, stretching his body as he summoned his sword and effigy. Mia did the same thing, summoning her shield and straight sword. Risa stood with gentle care, holding her metal staff. As Frenley looked at the silver-haired woman, he couldn't help but find something amiss.
He stared at her, taking in her body, even if her curves and figure were mostly hidden by her large, flowing robes. The silver fox woman quickly notices that he was staring at her. With a cute head tilt, she checks herself out. Hoping she was not dirty or something was sticking out of her, other than her tails and ears. Once she found nothing, she turned to face the still steering Frenley.
“Something wrong, Frenley?”
“No..but something looks off. Let me get closer.”
Frenley got closer to the kitsune, looking down at her face as he tried to pinpoint what was wrong. Her long, flowing silver hair was still the same. Reaching her lower back. Her face was still as beautiful as always. She has a short nose, pink lips, and soft, rounded brown eyes. The rune inside of them was almost enchanting him.
“Ah, found it, you got a rune symbol in your eyes.”
“Oh shit, really? Let me see.”
Mia said as she joined in on looking at Risa. The short girl under their watchful eye took a step back, a soft blush on her face.
“Ah, yeah, she got runes in her eyes. Exotic”
Frenley hits Mia on the side with his elbow; the taller woman hisses in pain. But he ignored her.
“Most likely a side effect of the rune, interesting. I hope to see what other runs do to us.”
“Um..yea..” Risa said in a soft tone, her blush slowly deepening.
“Alright, sorry for looking at you like that, Risa. Let's get this show on the road.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Wait! Let me try out my new power. It will at least help us not wander around like headless chickens.”
Fren and Mia stop as they look at Risa. Risa closed her eyes and held her staff tight. A subtle ripple in space touched them, a soft whisper came from the wind, and golden tears ran down Risa's closed eyes. Staining her cheek before falling to the ground. The next second, the world became normal, and the wind had stopped whispering.
Risa opened her eyes and cleaned the golden tears with her sleeve, but even then, the soft residue of the golden tears still lingered in her cheek.
“Still got some on you, sweetheart. Want me to clean it?”
“That would be greatly appreciated.”
“I live to serve.”
“Knew you were a bottom.”
“Ugh, see what you have done, Mia. You are corrupting her.” Frenley said as he watched from the sideline.
“Hehe, bold for you to assume that ain't what I want.”
The tall woman said, licking her thumb as she held Risa's delicate face with her other hand. She cleans the residue from her face. Once she was done, she let go of her face.
“There you go, brand new.”
“Thank you, Mia.”
“No problem, Risa. Also, I am not a bottom; I am a switch.”
“That is the most bottom thing you could have said.”
“Hoho, sweetheart, I don't think you're ready for that can of worms.”
Frenley watches from the sidelines with an amused face.
“If y'all are gonna eat each other out, do it when not in the middle of an expedition.” Frenley said.
“Don't act like you wouldn't want to watch that.” The tall woman replied with a sly smile.
“Never said I was against it, just that there is a time and place for this kind of thing.”
“Um.. yeah, we should focus on the task at hand. Sorry for that, Frenley.” The kitsune said with a small blush.
Frenley looked at the blushing silver-haired kitsune, a confused expression on his face.
“No need to apologize. Just like you kept Mia and me in line yesterday, I am doing the same.”
“Damn..I didn't know you were angry when she interrupted our flirting.”
“What!? That is not what-”
The two girls laugh at his outburst, causing the man to shake his head in defeat. He started to walk out of the dungeon, Mia and Risa following close behind.
“Don't worry, love, I will just keep you and Risa in line when y'all flirt tomorrow.”
“By the heavens above.”
Frenley massages his forehead. Trying to ignore the woman's clear teasing.
“Don't worry, Frenley, I wouldn't do that! I am rooting for you and Mia.”
‘They got you good.’ The southern woman in his voice spoke with sass.
“Not you too.”
The girl giggles behind as the trio steps out of the dungeon. Looking at the pale moon high above, shining its soft pale white light on the forest. Frenley turns to look at the still giggling Risa. Once she saw his look, she stopped giggling. A soft smile on her lips before she got back into business.
“Okay, so here is what I got from the power. There seems to be a militia camp nearby that will give us a clue to a boss.”
“Did it give you a direction to go?” Mia said as she too looked at the short woman.
“A bit, it said to go towards the sea.”
“So south, got ya. Mia, if you will do us the honors.” Frenley said while looking at the tall woman.
“On it love.”
The tall woman got on the front as she guided them south into the forest. Sadly, their journey was not peaceful, as a duo of soldiers appeared from the bushes to ambush them. But quick thinking allows them to come out of it with minimal damage. Since these soldiers had already died from one well-placed shot from Risa, they couldn't fully comprehend what the staff meant by increase spell damage.
Frenley cleans his sword on a bush before following the girls as they continue their march south. But it was not even ten minutes in when they got ambushed again. This time by four soldiers. The fight was more intense, and Mia was forced to use one of her healing potions. While Risa and Frenley had to drink a magic potion.
“Fuck..”
Frenley said as he gathered his breath and looked at the four corpses that surrounded them. Their red silky blood feeds the nature around them. Mia cleans some of the sweat and blood from her face as she catches her breath. Risa, on the other hand, was breathing heavily, her chest rising up and down with each rough breath.
“We're for sure getting closer..”
Her words pointed out the obvious to the other two.
“I think it's time for us to sneak around. I think we are making too much noise.”
“Agree, don't know how well I will do with my armor.”
“As long as we keep our eyes and ears on our surroundings, we will do well.”
The party started to walk slowly, staying close to each other. Mia looked up front, Risa looked left, and Frenley looked right. Their pace crawled as they snuck into the lush, life-filled forest. One of Risa's ears twitched as she touched Frenley back with her staff, and the fey touched Mia's shoulder. Soon, the party came to a full stop, their eyes darting from bush to bush.
Risa's ear continued to twitch until her head locked in a specific direction. She pointed with her staff forward.
“People. Coming.”
“Gotcha”
Frenley whispered to the group. started moving to the left, hiding behind a tall bush and a tree. Mia was hiding behind a tree by herself, standing up and arms pressed close to her body. Risa, on the other hand, was crouching down behind a tall bush, her tail wrapped around her waist and her ears lying flat on her head. Fren hid behind another tree, flanking Risa, arms close to his body as he tried to poke his head to see the upcoming group of soldiers.
Soon, a group of six soldiers came into view. Two were the typical sword-and-shield combo. Two others held two-handed weapons: a greatsword and a halberd. In the center of the group was a man wearing long robes like Risa. A small wooden hand in his old hands. The last member of the group was a crossbowman, standing at the very end. His eyes were darting around as he looked for something. It didn't take long for the man to stop, clicking his fingers and catching everyone's attention.
“Shit”
That was all Frenley said as he saw the crossbow man point in their general direction. Frenley locked eyes with Mia, and the tall woman nodded her head. Without a second thought, Mia rushed out of her hiding spot and charged the enemy. Frenley was soon behind her as he launched his second-to-last spell. The bolt of magic landed on the leather chest armor of one of the swordsmen. Becoming the official start of the battle.