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[direwolfd20]

The Adventure Where Rikku Dies

Rikku glanced around at the farm house when she entered. It was clean, nice, and large. No where near the size of the palace, but that was beside the point. She had been in a tent for weeks, a real bed was a good thing. 

Leotie, however, as the group found out, was the one who controlled this house, and this Devil Weed farm. Feel Good Farm, as she called it. There wasn’t any reason for her to worry about it. Leotie could do whatever made her happy. Of course, a dragon burning the crops likely didn’t help with business. 

As they made their way in side, the problem of the dragon came up again. While the egg would simply bring a small dragon, it would be about the size of her, and still be able to breathe fire. As dragons give their memories to their children, Rikku knew this would be quite the undertaking. One that the rest of the group agreed we couldn’t take on right now. 

Whilst she didn’t fight them on letting the dragon go, even agreed to an extent,it was hard not to grab the egg, and hide it from the others. Sir Didymus could become a conduit of sorts for the the fire. There were ways to get around it, to hatch the egg. 

Even as the others continued on, she stared at the egg for a moment longer. She wanted to take it, to hatch it, and to see what would happen. Though, she also couldn’t ignore the danger. 

“Leave it, Rikku.” Sir Didymus said, setting down in the doorway. “It won’t do us any good. It would be too difficult.”

“But, it could help.” Rikku whispered. 

“After years of training. Like you said, you have no idea when this thing will hatch. There’s no telling if you will get to prepare for its arrival first.”

“Your right, I know, but still. I want it.” 

“Once we get home, I’m sure then you’ll be able to get whatever exotic pet you want.” 

“I’m not a princess.” Rikku said, rolling her eyes.

“No, but I am sure that you will have the opportunity to get something.” 

“Not a dragon.”

“No, likely not a dragon.” 

Rikku bent down, scratching Sir Didymus behind the ears. “It’ll be fine. Besides, I’m more worried about you.” 

His purrs turned into a low grumble. “Don’t. I’ll be fine.” 

“But Legion...” 

“Isn’t a good being. I messed up. It won’t happen again. I’ll stick by you, Rikku.” 

“Because I’m your devoted follower?” she asked, teasingly. Sir Didymus nodded. 

“Of course.”

Rikku looked around the house, a little surprised that one of their own had something like this. They were going to spend a while here, a time to relax,and regroup. 

Over that time, Rikku stayed more to herself. She was thinking about everything she had done over this time, how much was changing, and more importantly, what was going to happen in the future. Sir Didymus, and herself came first. She had to protect him, and in turn, herself. 

Was any of this a good idea? They all seemed good enough, but there was a leak somewhere. Bo, the paladin was likely at just as much of a loss as she was. They’d not had a lot to talk about as of late, but there was trust there. He was a paladin, and while he seemed rather blind, he was a good guy. 

Everything seemed to be bothering him, and the rest of the group as well. With everyone’s sights set on Saige, it was going to make it easier to see if she was actually the bad guy in all of this. Though, she hoped it was all a misunderstanding. 

Saige had been the only one to make her feel better about her first failure in a fight. Saige had been the one to tell her she would get used to it. Saige was the one trying to keep the group together, even while it seemed she was falling apart as she drank more heavily. 

Rikku didn’t want it to be her, she realized when she set outside on the porch with Sir Didymus, the daylight bright and beautiful. Rikku wanted Saige to be innocent, but it also made sense. Try to be the shining beacon only to throw everyone else to the wolves when she had the chance. 

Rikku smiled at the cat that jumped into her lap, curling up, there. She pet him. 

“Use this time to relax, Rikku. There is a lot that is happening. We know there isn’t anything we can do about it right now.” 

“Your right. I just can’t help worrying about it.” 

“Know, Rikku. We’ll figure it out. Right now, just try to breathe.” 

Rikku laid down on the porch, the cat curling up on her chest, his back against her neck as though he was protecting it, covering it. 

She closed her eyes, crossing one leg over the other. A moment later, Sir Didymus was asleep, his breathing slow, and even. Rikku was trapped, not wanting to wake him. At that point, she messed around with her powers for awhile waiting for him to wake. 

The morning came for them to leave, the vacation over. Nothing had attacked them, nothing had tried to kill them. They were fine. As Leotie explained where they were headed, her right hand woman, Svetlana, explained the owner of the house. 

A monk that used to be helpful, trying to assist everyone in need. Eventually he found himself constantly getting burned, never receiving help when he needed. Finding himself taken advantage of, the monk, Xun Shu, disappeared. He built a small house, and that was where he became a recluse, no longer offering assistance, and living out his life. 

The trip there would be a five day walk through the forest. That wasn’t anything they hadn’t done before. So, off we went, the fall air crisp and cool, some of the trees having changed colors. Their feet crunched on fallen leaves. They were getting ready for winter, which was only a little over a month away. 

Bo, talking to Leotie about her farm to make sure that they were at least going to help with some of the issues the world was having, like a vampire problem. Rikku chuckled at that one. 

As first watch came up, Rikku offered to go on first watch. Drax also took watch. Rikku hadn’t seen too much of him while they were at the farm. She was more concerned with where they were heading. Damascus knew this place, he was headed there for something. She didn’t think it was to get more herbs. Right now, he was evil. 

“Do you want to go have sex?” Drax’s baritone, matter of fact voice broke through her thoughts. 

“We’re on watch.” Rikku said, glancing around. Damascus could be out there, and with Liliana being his lover, she wasn’t sure their fighter could manage to fight him on her own. 

“We can watch.” he says. 

“Not when we are having sex.” 

“It’s okay, you guys go.” Liliana’s voice came through the camp. Rikku turned to her.

“There’s supposed to be two watching.” 

“I’m a vampire, I can hear whatever’s coming.” 

Rikku raised an eyebrow. Liliana sighed. 

“Is anyone else awake?” she called out. 

“I am.” Leotie came out of her tent. “Wait, are we on watch so they can bone?” 

“It’s only going to take them a little bit.” 

Drax puffed out his chest. “I can last a long time.” 

Rikku rolled her eyes, hand on her head. “Drax, I don’t think she meant it like that.” 

Her explanation was lost with Liliana stumbling over trying to tell him that’s not what she meant. 

Drax turned to Rikku. “We have two people for watch.”

Feeling better about leaving, she nodded, walking out into the woods with Drax. 

She was going to have to learn to be quieter. 

Drax was going to prove his point to Liliana, though, and used her to do it. Satisfied, but sore, she let Liliana, who did not sleep, take her turn on watch. Drax, somehow, was able to go on watch with her for the rest of their night. 

The days, and nights, pass rather uneventfully after that. Not that Rikku minded. She needed time to come up with a plan. She was far from frightened about what was to come. At this point, she just wished she could get there sooner. 

Eventually, though, that was what happened. The group made their way through the forest, and came to a small wooden cabin. It was well made, a garden in the back, and flowers surrounded it. It looked incredibly peaceful. As a light rain continued to fall, having soaked them, Rikku and Jasin head to the door, getting ready to knock. 

Rikku heard it, the sound of something rushed towards the door, the crack as it hit and broke the wood. She pushed back on her heels, jumping and landing on the grass behind her. 

Damascus crashed through he door, sideswiping Jasin, and causing him to fall on his ass. Damascus kept going, slamming into the ground, and rolling, laying there for a moment. 

Rikku activated a fireball, ready for a fight. She was ignored, though by both the dark haired man, and the monk that stepped out. He was relatively old, a head of hair tied back, and a salt and pepper beard starting to work its way down his neck, coming to a point. 

The monk grabs a hold of Damascus, telling him how he was evil, and to give him a reason not to kill him right now. This seemed to be the first time Xun Shu noticed Rikku and the group. 

Liliana steps up, “I don’t want him dead until I get information.” she said. Rikku could see how hard it was for her to say that. She didn’t want Damascus dead at all, but that was seemingly where it was headed. 

Liliana turns to Damascus, taking a deep breath as she faces him down, “What is all of this about the Dawnbringer? And how did you know that was Leotie’s mother? Why would you do that?” 

“I’m the master of the vampires, babe. I could rule over them, I did, once. I have a lot of ways of figuring things out.” 

Xun Shu pushed into the pressure points, making Damascus hiss with pain. “Tell the lady what she wants to know.” he demanded. 

Damascus rolled his eyes. “The DawnBringer brings life to those who complete the ritual, and those they deem worthy. The vampires could have no weakness, but the baby will be sacrificed for it.” 

The group shifts uncomfortably, looking to Liliana. They all knew it would be the likely outcome, but hearing it confirmed made them all uncomfortable. 

As Xun Shu inquires about Liliana’s vampirism, she explains that she tries to be good, like Damascus did. She tells him about the herbs that Damascus took to keep him good. As she explains everything, Xun Shu looked to the rest of the group. 

“Does she speak the truth?” 

“Yes.” without hesitation, Bo had moved forward. His chest was puffed out, and honestly, if Rikku could have guessed, he wouldn’t have been able to look more like a paladin if he tried. 

Xun Shu seemed to consider something for a long moment, before finally nodding. “You both have done horrible things in your lives. You have caused pain and misery to many. Yet you are good at heart, and therefore, you will remember everything you did, but you will have the goodness back.” 

A light enveloped the two of them. It seemed to put them in pain for a moment before it faded. Eventually, Damascus and Liliana embrace. His tone had changed noticeably when he said her name. 

It was romantic, and there may have been a pang of jealousy in Rikku. Drax was simply sex, no romantic feelings. Something like what Damascus and Lilly had Rikku never thought possible for her. She wanted it, but ninety some years had passed since her eighteenth birthday, where she was physically mature. She had never found love. Here, it was dropped on a used to be human’s lap while she was hunting years ago.

Still, Rikku smiled. It was sweet, and part of her was overjoyed they were able to reunite them. She turned to ask Xun Shu if there was anyway he would know how to take care of Legion or the Heretic. He was old, and maybe he would know more than the rest of them from his past. 

It was then that the pained sound came from Damascus. Rikku turned as she saw the stake in his back, protruding through his chest. He had a second, looking at Liliana. He fell into dust, some of it falling on Liliana. 

Rikku pulled back, ready to throw her fireball. Saige stood behind him. There was something odd about her, something that didn’t make sense. She almost seemed to not quite be there. 

She turned when a new voice entered the fray. The heretic. At this point, realizing he was the one pulling the strings, Rikku started to aim for him. Saige was on the ground, screaming, vomiting. A voidling coming from within her. 

The Heretic shot black lightning at the monk, blasting him backwards. 

Rikku let loose her fireball, hitting him, but watching as it bounced off. She let out a slight laugh. This thing was way too powerful for her. She knew that much. “I’ll make sure your father knows what I did to you.” the heretic growled.

“Diddy.” she said to the cat that stood near her. “Go to the woods, okay? I want you to get out of here.” 

The Heretic drew his blade, she took a deep breath, raising her head in confidence. He started towards her. 

“Go Diddy. You have to go home to dad, yeah? Make sure he’s safe. I’ll join up with you later. Get back to the farm, figure out how to get that other sorceress to get you home.” 

“Rikku, we are in this together!” Sir Didymus growled, his hair standing on end. 

“I’m not letting him get to you, Diddy! Go!” Rikku yelled. 

She took a step towards her fate, mostly to get between the Heretic and Sir Didymus. The man grabbed her, lifting her by the throat. Rikku wrapped her hands around his arm, glaring down at him. She refused to show fear, even if she felt it. 

“I’m going to skin your cat, and put him on my wall.” he said, before sliding the sword through her abdomen. 

Rikku couldn’t keep her face from contorting in pain, falling back on the ground as blood seeped out. Sir Didymus stood then, running to her, feeling their connection lessening. He stood over her, growling, his back arched, his eyes narrowed in anger, spittle flying from his mouth. 

She couldn’t even find the strength to pet him one last time as the world around her became black. 

Rikku took a deep breath, her almost glowing blue eyes opening. The world around her was quiet, pink flowered trees dotted the landscape, a willow tree covered a decent part of the lake that stood out not too far from where she lay. 

Rikku stood, the long grass tickling her skin. She brushed herself off, enjoying the feeling on sunlight on her skin. She felt like she hadn’t taken the time to breath in a long time. 

She had almost forgotten what it was like to just relax. With the slits in her skirt, the grass still tickled her skin as she moved. There was no worries in her mind, she finally felt relaxed. Hell, she couldn’t even remember what she had been stressed about. 

While she thought nothing of it, she really couldn’t remember much of anything. 

Rikku headed down to the lake, leaning against the willow tree. The shade cooled her skin, and the sound of the lake water splashing gently against the shore from the sweet smelling breeze. 

The water was clear, she could see the shapes of clouds, within it. There was no dock, but she didn’t mind. It was nice to sit where the world hadn’t invaded the peace of the place. 

“Hey, Rikku!” her father’s voice drifted on the wind. Rikku laughed, feeling almost like a kid again with his calling for her. She hopped down, walking up to the man who stood on the hill she had been shortly before. 

“Hello, Father.” she said, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. He gave a laugh, embracing her as well.

“Well, my daughter, how are you doing?” 

“Just fine. Happy, to be here.” 

“I’m glad. It’s a happy place. All of our dreams finally came true my dear. You can be as happy was you want to be.” 

“I am, Father.” Rikku replied, raising an eyebrow. 

“Well, don’t forget the house isn’t far. Have your fun for now.” 

“I will.” she said. “I think I’ll go for a swim.” 

“Just be careful. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you.” he said, kissing her forehead. “Sir Didymus, the Lion of the Heavens is here.” 

“He is?” Rikku asked, looking to her father with interest. 

“I expect he will be by soon. I love you my dear, sweet girl.” 

Deciding against going to a swim, Rikku sat back under the willow, this time feeling that she needed to wait. So, she did. She loved the feeling of relaxation,like worries were years away. The word registered, but the feeling never came. Like she had forgotten what worry was. 

Eventually, a man came from the hill. He was in a well fitted tunic, his hair long, and a deep gray, if not somewhat darker. He was of a decently muscular build, and his topaz eyes stared into her. 

“Rikku...” he sighed, walking over to her. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into him. He held her like that for a long time, his arms keeping her to him. Not that she tried to pull away. Shocked at first, his scent brought more comfort to her. She wrapped her arms around him. 

He pulled away after a long moment, his eyes boring into hers, he held her at arms length, looking over her. “Are you okay?”

“I think so?” she asked, not sure what she was supposed to say to that. She surly wasn’t hurt. She was the happiest that she could remember. 

Yet there were tears in the man’s eyes. Tears that she reached up and brushed off his cheeks. “Sir Didymus...” she said his name, and he nodded. 

“In the flesh. Not as furry as you might remember. Or, not.” 

Rikku shook her head, her eyes showing honest confusion. 

“Well, Rikku, I guess this is the best time to explain some things. Come here, lets set down.” 

His version of this was him against the tree, and Rikku sitting in between his legs, leaned against him. It appeared to be something he had been wanting to do for a long time from the sigh of contentment.

“If you remembered everything, you’d be confused, and likely angry right now. In another place, I’m your cat. Well, I’m me, trapped in a cat’s body. You see, my essence is trapped there. But, this is our place. I guess it’s your own small part of the celestial plane, or something.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Well, I guess you wouldn’t, Rikku.” Didymus said, taking a deep breath, “Well, I suppose it wouldn’t be too odd to tell you about me being a god.” 

“A what?” Rikku asked, tilting her head back to look at him. He stared down at her. 

“A god. I fucked it up, got caught trying to become strong by stealing, and going about things wrong. So, I was put into the body of a cat. You ended up becoming my sorceress, and I your familiar. A part of me followed you when...” Didymus swallowed hard. “Well, we are here now.” he wrapped his arms around her again. 

“If you were a cat, why are you so... nice to me.” 

“I’m a god first and foremost. I’d like to think we are friends. At least.”

“At least?” Rikku asked, smiling a little at the handsome man. He sighed. 

“This is your heaven, Rikku. Whatever you want, whatever makes you happy. Whatever I can do to make up for letting you down.” 

“You didn’t let me down, Didymus. No matter what happened.” she said, reaching up and brushing a lock of his hair behind his ear. 

“You’re oddly sweet when you’re calm.” 

“I’m happy. Happier I think than I’ve ever been. I love this place, it’s beautiful, and you’re here, Didymus.”

The man gave a humorless laugh, “Yes, yes I am.” he ran his hand though his hair, and nodded, “I’ll always be here if you want me to be.” 

“I don’t see how I wouldn’t want you to be here.” she said, patting his arm and looking out to the lake. “Let’s just relax for a while.” she said. 

Didymus fell silent, looking out with Rikku. He knew she didn’t remember him as her companion animal. This would be much more awkward if she did. Though that wasn’t his real body, it was still odd to him. Maybe it was better this way though, for her to not remember what had happened to her, for her to just to be happy. She had blocked the memories on purpose. It was just her father and himself for a reason. Eventually, there would be others that would creep in, possibly, but she was smart, she would realize her control over this place eventually. 

He just wanted to be there for her. No matter what happened next. Her death came down him. Why hadn’t he stopped her from doing this when he had the chance? Why hadn’t he stopped her from leaving with this group? 

Of course, he knew. He wanted her to be happy. At least now, she was. 

She snuggled into him more, curling up, and laying the side of her face into his tunic. Rikku breathed in his scent, closing her eyes. He tighened his grip on her, leaning his head back against the tree. 

“Drax never got this outta you I bet.” he chuckled softly. He would live his life with the memories of what happened to her before if it meant shieding her. Maybe, Rikku dying wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. On her realm, he was simply a cat, and as such, there would be no chance for him to claim her as he had here. There, he had to watch her with the dragonborn, using his assets to distract her. In death, she was happy, she was with him. The real him. 

He heard her breathing even out, and he smiled. She had fallen asleep. How exhausted she must be. He lifted her in his arms, holding her close. She wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling into him as she woke a bit, smiling at him. 

“I can walk.” 

“I can carry you.” 

Didymus didn’t give her the choice, walking back to the house as she imagined she and her father having. It was decent sized,a layer of stone making up the foundation for the wooden house. Bright, bloomed flowers lined the front of the house, a bench sat under a maple tree, and a swing on an oak. He carried her into the house, up the ornate staircase, and into a room. 

Didymus didn’t know how he knew where to go. He followed the feeling that lead him there, one he imagined came from the half asleep Rikku. He laid her on the bed, taking off her shoes, and covering her. 

Rikku reached out, grabbing his hand. “Please, stay?” she asked. Didymus could not refuse. Kicking off his own shoes, and staying above the covers, he lay down. The elven sorceress, curled up to him, and he put his arm around her. She asleep in no time. 

Sir Didymus kissed her head, leaned his back, and closed his eyes. 

[direwolfd20]

The Adventure Where A Dragon Is Fought (By Others), and Allies Are Found

It was odd when the two made their way back to camp, she almost felt like Bo was going to chastise her. Him being the Paladin, she almost wouldn’t be surprised, but he did seem rather... lenient for a Paladin. Lily should, in all rights, be facing her crimes, but he wasn’t wrong in knowing they needed her. Saving the world from this Legion and Heritc were more important than putting a vampire behind bars. She Rikku could only think what it would be like if Legion started attacking villagers. 

She wasn’t strong by any means, but she could at least somewhat defend herself. Other’s wouldn’t be so lucky. There could only be one like Legion, a SoulMancer. Rikku already had it planned once he was dead, she wanted to take up the mantle. The power he had was great. How could she not want it?

At camp, however, there was an odd interaction. One she never thought would happen. Liliana gave her a high five. Rikku, Saige, Leotie, and Lily talked a little about what had happened, and oddly enough, Rikku felt closer to the vampire. Somehow, both of them having had sex with Drax brought them closer. 

It was their warning that unsettled her. “Drax can get very attached rather quickly.” Liliana said, “Just want to let you know.” 

Rikku felt her shoulders sag. She didn’t know Drax enough to get attached. Sex was one thing. Feelings were another thing entirely. She glanced at Sir William. She wanted feelings like that. A love where he would lose everything for her, and she would lose everything for him. She had a long life a head of her, but still didn’t have high hopes for ever finding something like that. 

As they headed out on their way, there wasn’t much to be said. Everyone seemed concentrated on the other things that were happening. She herself was one of them, thinking through how everything had went the night before. The fact it knew her name was bothering her greatly. If Legion knew that much, what else did he know. 

Again her thoughts went to her father. He was strong, lively still. To many, he was still young. Surly the man could handle whatever was thrown at him. Though, this wasn’t the normal enemy one would think of being thrown at him.

As Rikku went through her thoughts, she made sure to avoid Drax’s gaze. She was wondering when she should say something to him, to make sure he understood that this wasn’t a relationship. It wasn’t a mutual caring like Saige and Jacob had. She didn’t care for him that way, at least. 

The next night, Rikku is setting down, looking to Liliana. They had began talking again, but this time, again, it went further than Rikku would have thought. Her connection to Damascus, and what happened to her was a little more complicated than Rikku had thought. She had fallen in love with Damascus whilst betrothed to someone else. 

It ended up, this man was a murderer, rich by marrying women who would meet an untimely end, and he would inherit everything left behind. He had played her tribe. When her mother had found out about her and Damascus, she placed a curse on Liliana, forcing her to sleep with things that weren’t human. Dragonborn, elves, gnomes, centaurs, and the like. She became a vampire to break the curse, hoping it would let her and Damascus finally be together. 

The story was hard to swallow. Damascus had been good, turned somewhat evil by the vampire, Spike, that had turned Lily. The whole time Liliana had known Damascus he had been good, he had chosen to be good. 

Rikku didn’t know what to think of everything. She told Liliana how she was sorry for what had happened to her. In a very real way, she was. She would have killed at least her mother as well. Could she blame Liliana for killing them?

She headed off after that, not sure what to say, or think. It was a little overwhelming. Of course, she didn’t get much time to think. Jacob was again expressing his dislike for the buddy system. It was hard for Rikku not to roll her eyes. Instead, she tried to reason with him. 

“It would be stuff you are doing anyway.” she said, “You’re always with her.” 

“But I don’t want to feel like I’m forced to do it.” he said. 

“Then remember-” she was cut off by Drax, his voice sounding off behind her. 

“Do you want to go to the woods?” he asked. Rikku hesitated for a half a second, then looked back to Jacob. 

“So, just act naturally, like nothing odd is happening.” Rikku said, backing up to Drax. It was far from how she wanted to explain it, but her mind had gone back to the Dragonborn, and what he could do. 

As they head out into the woods, Drax turned to her, handing her a grouping of nightshade. 

“It’ll help with your spells.” he said. 

Rikku looked at them for a moment, not sure if she should be worried. If she said anything now, she was worried it would ruin the mood. She did not want that ruined. So, she held her tongue, enjoying the sex again, knowing that, eventually, it would come to an end. 

At least for now, it would help her sleep. It helped her forget for a short time about Legion, and what she had gotten herself into. 

Back at camp, setting around the campfire, the group ate, talked for awhile. Sir Didymus sat at Rikku’s feet, his eyes going to her every few moments, and then narrowed when he looked to Drax. Rikku didn’t notice, concentrating on petting the cat. 

That was, until she heard something. Trees were falling, breaking, snapping, and they were doing it quickly. Grabbing Sir Didymus, she fled off to the side just as a hill giant slammed into the fire. Luckily, Jacob had managed to get the NPC’s out of the way. 

The hill giant disappeared back into the trees, and Rikku looked to the team. 

“What the fuck throws a hill giant?!” Ailen yelled. Honesty, Rikku was wondering the same thing. Whatever it was, she doubted she wanted to fight it. 

It was at that moment that fire came through the woods. Rikku put Sir Didymus in her pack, backing up. That didn’t bode well at all. 

Sure enough, with Hill Giant’s attacking it, the Red Dragon came forward from the trees. Rikku gave a small laugh, an ode to her refusal to get involved against the huge dragon. 

Of course, the others weren’t to be convinced, Bo instead deciding to attack the dragon, becoming friends with the hill giants to do it. Of course, the dragon was evil. Could she expect anything else?

Jacob gets the others that would not be fighting into the fields, trying to make sure that they would be okay. Rikku watched as the dragon took a beating before flying high into the sky.

She was trying to see it, but the canopy hid the dragon from sight. It wasn’t long after that when she realized that it had set fire to the fields that the helpless had gone down. 

Thinking about it, she wanted nothing to do with this fight. She reached out her hand to Drax, a grayish color enveloping her hand, and then him, causing the Dragonborn to grow. She ran towards the fields. She would figure out how to help put the fire out, and make sure they were okay. Hopefully, that would be enough time for the dragon to be gone, one way or another. 

She cast a spell on herself, her speed suddenly doubling. She leaped into the air, trying to gain a little more distance, her eyes now on the dragon that had set both sets of fields on fire, fanned them. He had landed, starting to attack the hill giants. Why didn’t they just run?!

Saige was able to put out the fire, and Rikku yelled out to Jacob, hardly noticing the rows of corn in the field were hiding hundreds of plants of devil’s weed. 

“Are you okay? Do you need help?” 

The reply she got was a disjointed Jacob, laughing before falling over. She hesitated before rolling her eyes and rushing forward. She didn’t want to fight the dragon, but now she had to herd a bunch of high people to a safe spot. Damn dragon knew what it was doing. 

As the fight back there continues, Rikku get’s Jacob up, pushing him forward. Men were coming with buckets, their fields already put out. They yelled to her, asking why she set the fields on fire. 

“It wasn’t me, there’s a red dragon!” she hissed, then looked at them. “You might not want to go back there.” she continued trying to heard everyone. 

It wasn’t too long before the rest of the group came, the dragon obviously dead. Leotie knew everyone here. Rikku put two and two together rather quickly. This was the place she wanted them to get to, and in Saige’s arms was an egg of a red dragon, fully intact. 

[direwolfd20]

The Adventure Where Tense Truces Are Made, and the Buddy System Goes Awry

Rikku stared at where Legion had been, the rest of the group making sure that Saige was okay. She held Sir Didymus tightly in her arms, feeling as though she may never let him go. Right there, in that moment, she had almost lost her best friend. 

Rikku rubbed behind his ears, and Sir Didymus didn’t complain. She watched Saige carefully, wondering, thinking. Why would, if he did use a spell against her, he go after her? She wasn’t the biggest danger. Bo at that point was, maybe she herself. Liliana even. Any of the people who were right there. She hadn’t seen him move, granted she had had a giant snake in her view. 

Running a hand through her hair, holding Sir Didymus with the other, her defenses were raised. There would be no meditation for her tonight. She wouldn’t feel safe enough to do it, for her or for her cat. 

Rather, it was at that point that the group was convening to talk. Still on the outskirts, she was listening in. She didn’t care that she wasn’t a part of this group for long. Rikku would be damned if she stayed quiet. 

Alein, who was usually much more on the quiet side, began to speak. She brought up how things hadn’t been right since the druid had been stabbed. They tried to see if it was a disease, and Bo detected nothing. There was something not making sense. Too much not making sense. Especially around this druid. 

“It could be magic.” she said, looking between everyone. “I mean, if there isn’t a disease, nor poison, we can’t rule out there being a magical cause.” 

She explained her ideas with everyone about the sanctum. At this point, she didn’t care if the double agent knew she was on to them, if they knew what she was thinking.

“I cast zone of truth on everyone.” Bo said. “She would have had to say something. Someone could have broken in, destroyed it. There is always stronger magic.” 

Rikku was going to say something, thinking about how to say it. He was right, but in that case, that meant that someone’s magic could be greater than his. That someone was who they had to keep an eye out for. Saige was her main target. 

Instead, she came up with the buddy system, no one leaving without someone else. It would at least help them at this point. Especially since everyone’s suspicions had turned to Saige. 

In the time it took her to find her words, a new conversation had started, getting Drax to mention his penis and how large it was. Liliana agreed. Rikku couldn’t understand that man. Well, Dragonborn. He took everything so literally, it could be hard to communicate the right point with him. Part of her couldn’t help rolling her eyes, and the other part was curious if he could change. 

Taking a moment to regain herself, she turned to Liliana. Sir Didymus had been quiet, but it was time to take some of his advice and apply it. Though he had never said to make friends with the vampire, he had talked about the tension would not help the group. At this point, she figured she was a part of it, and she needed to at least try to act like it. 

So, she stepped up to the vampire, looking at her, trying to hide the discontent, Rikku offered a tense truce. To her surprise, and honestly somewhat relief, the vampire agreed. 

When Saige, who had been taken away by Jacob when the group was trying to come up with a solution and had began to turn suspicion to her, came back, Rikku explained the buddy system. She explained to them both when being met with resistance by Jacob that it was for protection, 

Of course, Drax cut in, much to exasperation. She just wanted to get this done and over with. He confused the protection she was talking about with condoms, making a pointed comment about Liliana. 

“Not that kind of fucking protection.” she groaned, already trying to get through Jacob’s disagreement with her plan.

“But that is what protection it for. Fucking.” 

It was obvious enough, when he made a comment about the child being his, that Liliana and himself had not used it. It was quickly proven wrong, both in timing, and what the baby had done to Liliana, making her crave blood, and allowing her to walk in the daylight. 

They go to bed not long after, Rikku clutching Sir Didymus still. She didn’t know what she would do without him. Now, not only what there worry for him, but the knowledge that Legion had known her name, had called it out, still shook her to her core. How much more was he going to find out? Was her father in danger? Until she either figured out who was the double agent, or cleared everyone beyond a shadow of a doubt, she could not return home. 

What was her father thinking now? Two weeks or more she had been gone, no word, nothing. Rikku was sure she would hear all about it when she got home, but she had to keep him safe. 

As she had expected, even though elves went into a medication rather than sleep, she couldn’t keep herself in it. Her body was tense, her soul troubled. She almost wished she was a wizard. Having to study her magic, at least then she would have something else to concentrate on. 

“Are you alright?” Sir Didymus asked. 

“I’m worried about everything that has happened today. I want to make sure you are safe.” she retorted, and looked back to the cat who gave a purr. 

“It will be alright.” he said. Tonight, maybe just because he was having just as much trouble with the stress of the night, he snuggled up to her. He ran his head under her chin, rubbed against her, and purred loudly. 

Rikku gave a gentle sigh, and hugged him close. This exchange at least gave her the comfort to get some rest. 

When Rikku stepped out of the tent the next morning, the smell of breakfast caught her attention. Miriam had been working hard, making them a meal. She thanked her for her work. The older woman didn’t have to do what she was doing, especially with a group this large. There had to be a dozen or more as they tried to find a place for their people. 

A bit after she had finished eating, Drax spoke up, saying he needed to use the forest. Rikku had no inclination to do that. Someone else, she was sure, would be the one to go. 

That was until she felt a hand on her back. She was pushed forward, and taking a step to right herself, glanced back to see Liliana, a devilish smile on her face. Confused, Rikku began to open her mouth.

“Well, since you stepped forward, Rikku, lets go.” 

Horror was the first thing she felt. She knew the buddy system was supposed to help them all, but she hadn’t been expecting, well this. She glanced around, and seeing no one to take her place, followed Drax out of the camp. 

As he did his thing, she stood by, thinking about the events of the night before. More so, she couldn’t help but think about what he had said about his penis. Was it really as big as both he and Liliana claimed?

She couldn’t help it when he came around the tree. She glanced, trying to be at least somewhat sneaky about it, at his member. Her almost glowing blue eyes grew wide, and she turned to look away. They had not been lying. 

“Do you want a better look?” the Dragonborn asked. It took Rikku out of her thoughts, and she stared at him. 

“I... wait... but... do you usually do this?” she asked. The question went unanswered as he stepped closer, making no move to his himself from her. Rikku’s eyes went from his to his raising shaft. She didn’t know what to do. Part of her wanting to run, and the other part curious. 

Rikku had wanted adventure, and happy that Sir Didymus was back at camp, she took a deep breath. Her nerves were alive in her stomach, fluttering. “Okay.” 

It had been a long time since Rikku’s last romp. A part of her wondered if she had forgotten everything. That was silly, and just the nerves of course.Once the cloths had been discarded onto the forest floor, the nerves left her. 

Being with Drax put to shame the men she had been with before. After, as they walked back towards camp, Rikku had to wonder how many women he had been with in his lifetime. 

[direwolfd20]

The Adventure Where Rikku Meets Legion

Things were going to be interesting here, that was for sure. Rikku looked around the group, twirling a strand of her long black hair. The group was discussing their earnings from the places they had been. Rikku had next to nothing. She wasn’t prepared for adventure to find her. 

She was honestly surprised when she was handed a traveling stone. She took it, looking between everyone. A way to get to one another quickly. It would be nice, at least, if they should ever get separated again. 

She was even more surprised when she was able to claim a cloak of charisma. It wasn’t much, but any boost was welcomed. Anything that could help her at this point. 

With everything said and done, the group started heading out, walking together. They managed to walk in silence for a while, passing sheaperds and their heards, the meadows ripe with green grass. The sun shined, and everything seemed to be going well. At least for the moment. 

Rikku didn’t know what it was about Lily. Maybe it was fact she had seen so little remourse for her actions, so little from her. Or maybe, it was the simple fact that vampires were evil. 

She had never known a vampire, that was true. But, she had read about them. The stories and tales all seemed to hold true. There was never a vampire that didn’t go evil. Lily was likely to be no different. 

Having the feeling that someone in the group was evil, it didn’t help. Rikku wondered if it was Lily who had done that in the Sanctum. There was the possibility, but it didn’t seem to make much sense. Still, it was the possibility. 

“Can I pet your cat?” The goblin, Stitch asked. Rikku was surprised for a second, and shook her head. 

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” 

“Why? I have a gentle touch.” 

“He’s a little finicky. You might get bloodied.” 

“Ah, it’s because I’m a goblin, isn’t it?” 

“No! It’s because he’s a cat!” 

“I’m a god!” Sir Didymus meowed in protest. “And no, the goblin cannot touch me!” 

Rikku rolled her eyes. 

“For there to even be a second of consideration in that act is horrendous. What kind of Sorceress are you?!”

“Of for fuck’s sake...”

“I’m your charge, those creatures are lowly cannon fodder!” 

“I get it.” 

“Good, than that thing leaves me be.” 

“Yes, that’s what I told him.” Rikku muttered. Sir Didymus huffed, his head still sticking out of the pack. She loved Sir Didymus, but it was hard sometimes to think of him as a cat when she could talk to him. Instead it was like having a spoiled king in her backpack. 

That was when a new issue came up. Vampires. Rikku couldn’t help but throwing a comment at Lily. It was hard to keep her opinions to herself. Even harder to know she was walking alongside a murderer who was free. She had killed many, and their was no excuse for that. She would kill many more. 

Her saying it wrong for her to judge her for being a vampire, it got Rikku’s blood boiling. How could she say that when vampires, as a whole, were evil. It wasn’t like they were dealing with humans, elves, half-orcs and such, it was a vampire. A disease that changed one into an evil creature. It was like saying a demon was a good guy, or that chromatic dragons weren’t the evil members of dragon kind. That her feeding off creatures was just what she had to do to survive. 

“By that logic,” Bo, who Rikku was figuring didn’t much like walking with an evil creature, “the Heretic should be left alone because he is just doing what he feels he needs to.” 

With him joining in the argument, Rikku felt like she at least had someone else to back up her logic, that she was not insane. 

“But, you are part of the group. And as part of the group, I will protect you as long as you don’t do anything evil.” he gave Rikku a pointed look. 

“Fine, I won’t kill her as long as she doesn’t hurt anyone.” Rikku said, turning away. 

“Bad guys.” Bo gave her another look, “You won’t kill her as long as she doesn’t hurt anyone but the bad guys.” 

Rikku took a sharp breath through her nose. “Fine.” she said, her voice barely controlled, her plan found out. “I won’t kill her as long as she only harms the bad guys.” 

With that, silence returned to the group. Rikku glanced around, not so much worried about herself as she was everyone else. More in the way of anyone who seemed ready to slit her throat. Besides the vampire. 

As night fell, and the group set up camp, Jasin and Leotie take watch. Sir Didymus was going around, trying to keep an eye on things. 

“Can I pet your cat?” Leotie asked. Rikku resisted the urge to toss her hands up and roll her eyes. 

Instead, she sighed, “If he lets you.” There should have been no way, and she was already headed to bed. She managed to find Sir Didymus on a weak day, however, and Leotie began to pet him. 

Bo summoned his Celestial lion, Mufasa as well. Sir Didymus looked to the animal, his eyes eyes full of jealousy. 

He accepts Leotie as a follower, thoughts of keeping an eye on camp gone. Leotie promises fish, and Sir Didymus plans to make her regret it as he and Rikku switch places. 

As the sun rose, and her four hours of watch were done, Rikku took down camp, getting Sir Didymus in her pack. Besides there being talk between Leotie and Stitch of riding dogs, or dragon pajamas, neither Stitch was too keen on. It ended in him agreeing to the pajamas. She shook her head, looking to Sir Didymus. 

The day passes, and again they set up camp. Saige and Jacob go to hunt, though she is sure there are other things going on. Rather than worrying about Saige’s personal life she and Sir Didymus went to the side to talk more privately. 

“How did it go last night?” Rikku asked. 

“I, um, well...” Sir Didymus averted his yellow eyes. 

“What did you do?” Rikku demanded. 

“I got caught up in pets.” 

“In pets?!” Rikku had to keep herself from shouting. 

“I understand it was wrong, but I gained a new follower, you are no longer alone. You should feel good about that.” 

“Sir Didymus, I need you. Especially right now.” 

“I know.” Again, the cat looked away, and sighed, closing his eyes. 

Rikku rubbed him behind his ears. “It’ll be okay.” 

They returned to the group as Drax said something about Saige and Jacob having coitus. Rikku shook her head, but agreed. That was the danger of them going hunting. There was no guarantee that they would eat before they scared away all the animals. 

Just then, Saige and Jacob walked through the camp. Both of them looked frustrated. “Oh god, he couldn’t get it up.” she said. She wasn’t sure if Leotie and Bo heard her, though as she was speaking more towards Sir Didymus. 

The vampire starts to complain about her breastplate, and stands, going to take it off. She wanted to roll her eyes, but she did not. If she was in her position it would be uncomfortable for her as well. 

That wasn’t the end of it though. As Rikku stared into the fire, thinking about her father, of a home she wasn’t sure she would ever return to, she heard crying. Knowing it sure as hell was not her, she turned to the tent Lily had gone into. 

Rikku almost cursed herself as her legs went to move. She would not go there. She would not go near what was equal to a red dragon. The flame was her focus, they needed to be her focus. 

Saige stood, and Rikku turned to watch her go. Drax took his sword into the woods. She didn’t know if anyone else had heard, and as torn as she was, she forced herself to stay put. 

It was hard to hear the vampire cry. Rikku didn’t know they were capable. Were evil things capable of crying? It was news to her. She wasn’t far from that life. She supposed she had just guessed evil didn’t cry. Though, she didn’t understand the life Lily had lead, why she had become what she was, or who she was beforehand. It was her choices that lead her to where she was now, the same as Rikku’s choices were laid out in front of her. 

What would the consequences be?

It was still on her mind that night. It unnerved her. It made evil more human, and she couldn’t accept that. She and Bo were on watch, Sir Didymus had come out of the tent, unable to sleep, and sat beside her. He watched her with careful eyes. 

“You’re uneasy.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Remember, that while I understand your hesitation, adding to group tension isn’t something we need right now. Keep your nose clean.” 

“She’s evil, D. She killed so many people with her own hands, orchestrated the death of her village. You can’t do that and not be evil.” 

“No, but you need to understand that it is what it is. She isn’t yours to purify. Unless she turns on the lot of you, or we find out she is the snake.” 

Rikku sighed, looking down at the dirt in front of her. Then she thought she heard something. Setting up straight, her ears focused, she thought she heard her name on the wind. 

Within the next second, she realized there was no wind, there were no night creatures sounding off. At the risk of sounding insane, she leaned back a little. 

“Hey, Bo. Do you hear, and not hear that?” she asked. 

He looked confused for a second, “I thought I heard my name.” 

“Me too, on the wind that isn’t there. And there are no crickets, nothing.” 

The fire raised with a woosh, Rikku got up to her feet, and Sir Didymus, for the first time since he had become her familiar, ran. His form disappeared in the woods. She stared in shock before turning to see a man with almost glowing green eyes, a tight outfit of red and black came up from the fire. 

Anger rose in her, and she glowered at him, “You made my cat run away!” she shouted, and then another issue was raised. More quietly she asked, “How do you know my name?” 

The man, or creature, did not answer. Instead, he fought. With a double bladed sword, he slashed at her, the blades reaching deep in her, across her chest and stomach. 

She called out, felt her world shift for a moment, and then, calling on that anger, it came back into focus. She would not lose. 

Whilst Bo hit the man, Rikku summoned a Fiendish huge snake, letting it push her away from the man. Legion was it’s name, as spoken from one of the group members, everything too chaotic for her to remember who. 

Screaming reached her ears, but Rikku dared not look away, casing mage armor, and healing before sending out force missiles. She didn’t care when the man disappeared. She didn’t care why. 

She looked to Leotie, “You have her?” Rikku asked, realizing the screaming, now stopped, had been from Saige. 

“Yes!” Leotie said, and Rikku was in the woods, yelling for Sir Didymus. 

It didn’t take long to find him, sitting and cursing himself for rushing off. She knelt down, and he ran over to her. Sir Didymus leaped into her arms, and rubbed against her. There were no words spoken, and her heart went out of the cat. She held him on the way back, not wanting to let him go. 

Rikku had been scared she had lost him. Now, she didn’t want to let him go. 

This Legion, a man who kept appearing when he should be long dead, was worse than she could have imagined. Whatever they used against him, whatever defeated him, he became immune to. She held Sir Didymus close, wondering what she had gotten them in to.

[direwolfd20]

The Adventure Where Rikku Has Her First Battle

Rikku emerged from the sanctum with the others, her head spinning. Someone was an enemy here, and yet they all seemed like they should be safe Bo was a paladin, obviously of valor, and Jasen had never been there before. She didn't think it could have been either of them. Still, it was someone, someone was a murderer and sabotaging the group. That would mean heading out with the full group was a mistake. They would do something to hurt the next safe place. Was anyone else thinking about that? Or were they hung up on no one of their group being able to be a traitor? Still, the idea someone had to be honorable to get past the protections, to her meant they had to be grandfathered in. Of course, it could have been someone strong enough to destroy the protections since they had cast fire to destroy magic weapons.

Her musings were broken by the storm raging. She didn't mind the rain. It wasn't too often in the desert that she ever felt it. However, when one of the group members, Leotie, was struck by lighting, Rikku stared bewildered for a moment. The other woman looked upset, and even with Saige and Bo helping heal her, it just seemed insane. She had never seen that before.

"Are you okay?" Rikku finally asked. Someone had said again. Maybe many people. Thinking there was no way this could have happened so many times, she tried to play it off.

"Yeah."

"I heard again," Jasen said, "how many times has this happened?"

"Three." Leotie sighed.

Shock rippeled throgh the new poeple. There was talk about getting her a cloak to ground the electricity and save her from more shocks.

"Hopefully third time is the charm, and it is done now." Saige said. Rikku hoped so as well.

"Why doesn't your God protect you?" she asked. Again one of the reasons she didn't devote time to deity.

"I think she is protecting me, or I'd be dead."

Rikku didn't have an answer for it. That was definitely something. She wasn't wrong. She should have been paralyzed or dead with getting hit three times. Though, she supposed there was a chance she would be fine. She could have argued that the Ehlonna should have stopped it, but there was nothing for it. Maybe she was right?

The group heads out, finding a place to camp. She shows Sir Didymus to the group, holding him up much to his ire.

"If you do not stop this behavior, I will drop a mouse on your face tonight while you sleep."

"Sorry." Rikku muttered, putting him down.

The watches, including hers go by rather uneventfully. She noticed that Saige was sitting by the vampire. Rikku didn't know what to think of that. Sure, at one point they were friends, but she wasn't sure that it was safe to be that close to the vampire. She wasn't the same person anymore.

That morning, Ailen goes out and hunts. Rikku opened up a little bit about Sir Didymus being able to talk to her. She was hoping it would make whoever the bad guy was give a second thought before rushing off to do whatever it was they were planning.

"You let them know we could communicate? Learn when to shush."

"They'd find out eventually, and it's common knowledge for anyone who knows about familiars."

"In any case, you didn't have to help."

Rikku didn't respond. She was looking up as Aelin came in with a wolf. Sir Didymus rolled his eyes.

"Of course it would bring a wolf. It's as dumb as it looks."

"You do kinda get a boost to intelligence, cause, you know, familiar."

"Exactly. Let it try to eat me. I'll trick it into a hole, or a bear's mouth."

"Be nice."

Saige and Jacob start cleaning the kill, Jacob walking over to Liliana with the blood and giving it to her. Rikku felt herself grimace. That seemed so sick. At least she had the decency to thank him. She wondered what Lily was like before the transformation, why people were so kind to her. Who was she before she became a murderer?

They were on the trail again, Rikku not sure what to say. There was a lot to be said. She wasn't about to come out about her father, the fact he lived in the castle. Not when she didn't trust these people. There was just too much at stake. He wasn't king, not even close, but he was still the adviser. He could still be a target.

It was then that they noticed an overturned carriage. Rikku could hear screams inside, multiple, children were in there. They were ogres, two with robes, and five with regular weapons.

"Shit."

The battle begins, and before Drax can leave, Rikku enlarges him, making the Dragonborn into a large creature.

She realizes as the battle begins that she knows nothing about how this whole thing goes. She doesn't know how to fight. The most she had ever done was use her spells to mess with peoples minds, charming them and making them easier targets. Battle was something completely different. Rikku didn't know what fighting was, how fast she had to come up with spells. She was lost, and seeing everyone else making a difference was beyond frustrating.

She was slow, undisciplined. Nothing that made a fighter good. She had to prove herself, and she was doing just the opposite of that. With the carriage and the kids, she couldn't risk a fireball. During the battle, people had moved, the ogres had moved, and she could not hit enough without centering it there. It was out of the question, it would kill the kids unless she could think of doing something else first. She should have just been shooting. She would have done more in the fight that using magic.

Still, her magic missile had done something. She needed more. More power, more ability.

But, they were able to fight them off, the last ogre mage teleporting. Everyone went to the carriage looking after the kids. They were young. The eldest was Gregory, a Cleric in training at the age of sixteen. Judith was fourteen, Emily only six. Vincent was twelve, and Matthew nine. Their parents are dead, gone just like that. They were heading to Jutheria to buy a home.

Rikku didn't know what she would do without her father. He was the one who had put up with her for so long. Sir Didymus, who she had sent off to the bushes to hide, was at her side again. Saige and Aelin grab up the horses, getting them to follow them back. The strong men of the group get the carriage flipped and fixed. Drax enjoyed being large, so Rikku figured she would just leave him be. She wished she could be as lighthearted as him.

As the carriage is being fixed, Jasen tells the kids a story, playing them music.

As the group offers gold, Rikku realizes she wasn't prepared for adventure. She didn't have gold. She doesn't say anything as the others start handing some over, hundreds of gold, Jasen himself giving up two hundred worth of diamonds.

Sir Didymus sat down, watching the display, he seemed to sigh. "What have you gotten us into?" he asked, "You need to train if you are going to stick around here. Your performance was dreadful."

"Gee thanks." Rikku rolled her eyes.

She realized the kids were telling their story. Gregory was talking about how their parents were killed by vampires. Leotie, whose mother figure was pretty well killed by them, and brought back, hugged him. Rikku shook her head, not sure what to say.

She glared at Liliana, "Sounds like something a vampire would do."

Drax tried to hand the children weapons, and put the heads of the ogres on stakes. The children could hardly lift the weapons, which were large. As a matter of fact, Rikku was pretty sure none of them could.

The stakes were a good idea though, showing the decapitated heads might just make people think twice before attacking.

"You tease the vampire when you cannot handle a couple ogres."

"Yep. She'll be easier to kill."

Sir Didymus shook his head, "I don't know about that. Your father would have handled all of this so much better."

"He's older. He's learned more. I just need to practice a bit, and next fight I'll have it down pat."

"Right."

The group sets off again, finding a place to set up camp. Leotie starts telling them about their adventures while separated, including Aelin looking as though she was wanting to have sex with the Tiefling. This man had a piece of the orensphere. He would hand it over if the group could kill the Keeper.

Saige and Lily, before they found her, had found a temple in the desert that they needed to go back to. Jasen talked about a black panther stone he needed to acquire. Apparently when used, there was a black panther that would come out. Leotie tells about the Oaktree, which is where they found Stitch. It sounded like there would be a lot of backtracking.

The group starts smoking Devil's Weed. Rikku was already thinking it wouldn't be for her. She needed to focus on her powers tonight, trying to add more strength to them. She had to think of what she needed to do next time she was in battle. There wasn't much to say as far as she went, talking about growing up in the desert with no vampires. She was taking every dig at Lily that she could. She also said she had briefly known Sir William before his downfall, taking the opportunity to thank Bo and Saige for their help again.

"First battle?" Saige asked.

Rikku gave a humorless smile, "Yeah, if you couldn't tell."

"You'll get the hang of it."

Rikku gave her a little bit more a smile. "Thanks."

It wasn't long after that when Saige slipped away, saying she was going to the little girl's room.

Rikku took that time to mediate, to think, to try to plan her offence as well as her defense. Well, at least she was before Saige came back. She looked confused, conflicted, and just odd. Jacob came through the treeline shortly after, looking confused.

"What happened?" Rikku demanded.

"She was just in a daze, standing there. When I talked to her, she snapped out of it, but was odd. I only tried to take her hand, and she took her hand away, and came back here."

"It's her." Sir Didymus growled. "We need to watch her." Jumping the shark, maybe, but with the two of them still thinking it was one of the group members, there did seem to be a spotlight. 

The group talks about a trauma she had gone through. About her getting stabbed through with a dagger, a magic dagger. It had caused a black substance to go through her veins, turning her eyes black. It was thanks to the princess, one of the guardians, that they were able to save her. Rikku sighed, and then nodded.

"I'll keep an eye on her." she promised. She looked to Sir Didymus. He would help. Her sights were set on the Druid now, as well as the vampire. Even if Saige wasn’t the bad guy, it sounded like she could use some help. 

Lily, after a bit of silence, spoke. "The baby kicked."

"The baby is a fighter, like me. I am not the father though." Drax said.

"No, the time line doesn't match up." Lily said. Rikku looked between the two. Who hadn’t this woman had sex with?

"Vampire baby, great." Rikku sighed. Earning a glare from Lily.

"It's only half vampire."

"A vampire is a vampire." Rikku said. It was too dangerous to risk it.

"They can be good. Damascus was trying with the herbs."

"Herbs that if he doesn't take he is evil. You can put a bandage on evil, but it doesn't change what it is."

[direwolfd20]

The Adventure Where the Dead Don’t Stay Dead

Rikku stared after Jacob. She had no idea who this man was, more than that, any of the men she was around. Still, she followed, that was the only thing she could think to do. Whatever shit was going down here, she was in it now. Part of her was excited, thinking of all the things she would be able to tell her father, and the other, more rational part, was telling her she would only get the chance if she lived. 

The odds of that were constantly falling. 

The group walked into a room Jacob had that she quickly realized was a room just for vampires. She didn’t know why a man would ever take his sworn enemies to his house, for information or not, but he seemed confident that it wasn’t going to hurt anything. Of course, she knew a thing or two about over confidence. 

The room was dim, and gloomy, as she expected a torture chamber to be. She wondered how many vampires came through here, dealt with this. She didn’t feel bad for them, far from it. After seeing what Lily had done to someone with Damascus, the vampire boyfriend, she didn’t want to take the chance it would be her neck next. 

“We never should have come here.” Sir Didymus said, his voice disgruntled. “It’s not for us.” 

“I know,” Rikku whispered, “but we must be here for a reason, and Sir William needs us, too.” 

“Oh, of course he does.” Sir Didymus sighed. 

“It’s an adventure.” 

“It’s a death sentence.” 

“Well, I guess they don’t stay dead long.” she whispered motioning towards Lily. She didn’t have to see him to know that the cat was rolling his eyes. 

Rikku looked back to what was going on, hearing a sizzle sound. Jacob had set down Lily on a dark iron table. Though her skin sizzled, it didn’t burn. Rikku imagined it was still uncomfortable. The man shackled the vampire down to the table. Rikku looked around again, seeing the several different items besides the torture devises.Several different symbols to represent the different deities, stakes, weapons, and other tools. 

Rikku glanced back at the woman on the table. She was a vampire, technically dead, and pregnant. What was the baby going to be? Would it end up being a monster?

“Okay, let’s leave her. She won’t be getting up for a while, and she won’t be able to get out anyway.” 

Rikku took another look at the woman before turning, letting Sir Didymus watch while she walked the two of them out. With him in her bag, he was always watching her back. 

Out in the hall, the group gathers, and Jacob turns, turning five locks and putting up a barrier of sorts. 

Drax, the dragonborn, is pacing back and forth. “I want to punch the door.” 

“Let’s not do that.” Rikku sighs, shaking her head. 

“What would you do, Jason?” he asks the other guy. 

Jason shrugs, “I’m not really in this. This is all your guys’ thing. I just joined up.” 

Rikku nodded, more to herself than anything. 

“They take in everyone that crosses their path.” Sir Didymus huffs, “You’re another stray.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Where were you guys, anyway?” The woman, with long black hair and green eyes asked. 

The men looked at each other, and Jason began, “Well, Saige, we were on a mountain, right? And then we got attacked by a white dragon. Instead of killing us, though, it took us to a prison. So, then we had to escape, and we found this man named Dritz, right? And we raided their armory. But,” his smiled faded, “also found out how the Daracul are made.”

Rikku looked over, not having heard the name before.

“They’re us. Like, they use a black crystal and change our people into their people.” 

Rikku didn’t know what to think about that. The images were still swimming in her head on how painful it sounded.

“Is there anyway to change them back?” Saige asked. 

“Don’t know.” Jason said, that was that. A silence stretched. 

It didn’t matter much to her. Rikku was sure this group had killed plenty of people in the form of bandits and other such. It wouldn’t be any different with the Daracul. They had to do what they had to do. 

Jacob and Saige walked outside. With her being the leader of this ragtag group, she figured it was something they wanted to talk about. Not long after, those that had been left in the inn walked in. 

There was a cart with the woman’s body that had been drained. The chatter about the places Drax and Jason had been stopped. Silence stretched, and awkwardness filled at least the air around Rikku. She glanced back to William, who was asleep in the corner. 

As the red haired woman is taken upstairs with the dwarf, they didn’t say anything until Drax started talking about Sir William. 

“He smells bad.” 

“That’s what happens.” Rikku said. “He used to be a proud man, a good man.” Those were the times she tried to to remember him in. When he was at the top of his game. She didn’t realize she had a small smile from thinking about him.

“You have a crush on him?” Drax asked. 

Rikku felt her cheeks grow warm. “I didn’t know him long.” she said. Though she didn’t say it, she thought of what she was feeling more as respect and admiration, though it was fading fast.

“It doesn't have to take long.” 

“You were crushing on him.” Jason said. 

“He seriously needs a bath, though.” Drax said. 

“Not it!” Jason quickly came back. 

“I’m not doing it.” Drax shook his head, leaving Rikku rolling her eyes. 

“I’ll do it.” she said. It was helping a man that couldn’t help himself. As far as she was concerned, if she hadn’t known him, she probably would have left him there.

“You’re going to bathe that? Shouldn’t you use a spell, or something? If you try to bathe him, the stench is going to stick to you.” Sir Didymus said. 

“Shhh, we’re helping.” 

“That’s not what we do. We take from unsuspecting people that don’t know what a contract is, or how to read. We don’t do... this.” 

“Well, it’s Sir William, so, that’s just what’s going to happen.”

When Rikku sees Saige and Jacob come back, she asks him where the bath is, and takes Sir William slowly up the stairs. He was still in a drunk state, making the walk that much more difficult. 

She filled the tub, and used magic to keep it warm as she started bathing him. It was like nothing, done just to make sure he was clean. His beard was tangled with years of not being kept well. Sighing, hoping he wouldn’t be upset, she grabbed her dagger, cutting through the hair, evening it up and getting it as close of a shave as she dared. Then, continued with the bathing. His hair wasn’t as bad, vomit and other such not getting caught in it. 

As she was finishing he seemed to come too, a clarity in his eyes, and pain. “Ugh, Rikku? What are you... why are you bathing me?”

“Because you were dirty.” she said, smiling. 

He offered a small laugh, “I’ve had women call me that before.”

“No, you were seriously dirty.” she was trying to be quiet. 

He laughed again, then groaned. “I need a drink.” 

“No,” she said firmly, feeling guilt when he winced. She quieted down, “no you don’t. No more drinks.” 

“You don’t tell me what to do anymore... You never told me what to do.” 

“No, I didn’t, but now I do.You’re my drunk, and I’m going to fix that.” 

“I’m not a drunk, I can stop whenever I want.” 

“Good, then it won’t be hard to stop now.” 

“I did say when I want.” 

“Well, I’d start wanting to.” Rikku crossed her arms

“We just had to bring the drunk guy.” Sir Didymus groaned. Rikku glared at him.

He stood, his naked body in front of her, his “sword” right in her face. She raised her hands, turning away. 

Someone knocked on the door, “Everything okay in there?” Jacob’s voice floated through. 

“Yeah.” Rikku managed. 

Sir William held his head in his hands. “Ugh, why pound on the door?” 

“I knocked quietly... Anyway, get ‘em dressed, and meet us down in the hall by the vamp’s door.” 

“Err.... About the clothes.” Rikku turned to the door. 

“I’ll go get him some.” Jacob sighed, taking off. 

Rikku looked down at Sir Didymus. It had been different when Sir William had been drunk. Now, fully capable again, she didn’t know what to make of him. “Get a towel.” 

“Now, I hardly see why I need to get involved.” 

“Towel.” 

Sir Didymus sighed, and grabbed the towel that Rikku had set just out of reach. He pulled it, and Rikku grabbed it, scratching the cat behind the ears, then under the chin. 

She handed him the towel to cover himself just as Jacob came back. Rikku, trying to keep her eyes on his face, helped Sir William get dressed and back down the stairs with the rest of the group. 

As they join, Lily comes out of the doors, her eyes narrowed in anger. An elaborate collar lays on her neck and shoulders. Rikku looked at it, then to the vampire. 

Jacob started addressing the group, saying he has enough to get one shot to Damascus, but that is it. He couldn’t find out how to make the concoction, and therefore could only take what Damascus had prepared, but there is a map. No one is sure if the map will lead to an ambush, or the herbs, but we can hope. 

The collar on Lily kept her from going off the deep end with the threat of her head exploding if she steps out of line. He has the control for it. As far as it seems, he doesn’t much care for her life, and would likely use her as bait. 

She will still have to feed, but the group agrees that she can have the blood from the animals that will be killed for food. He doesn’t believe that anyone had simply killed a human, and Sir William begins to get emotional. Rikku shushes him, trying to calm him. After a slight pause, Jacob continues, and says if Lily is good, he will take the collar off. 

Rikku hoped he would leave it on until after they find and deal with Damascus. The last thing they needed was for the two of them to run off together like they had already tried to once. 

“Now we deal with you.” The dwarf, also a paladin says to Sir William. Rikku bristles a little, glancing over at him. 

“What?” 

“Do you want to continue down this path of self destruction?”

“He was a Paladin once, he’s a good man.” Rikku said.

“No, I’m not. I failed them. I killed her.” 

“No,” Rikku rounded on him, realizing what the dwarf was doing. “You didn’t kill her! They did. You were doing what everyone in your position would have. You loved her, you were meeting. That was it. What happened wasn’t your fault. You didn’t mean to lie to the King, the power of your bond was just too powerful.” 

Saige walked up to him, seeing the tears in his eyes. “Are you sorry for what happened, and your part in it?” she asked. 

“Yes. I didn’t mean for it to happen.” 

“Then, Sir William, atone.” She cast something in that instant, but Rikku was more interested in how he was bathed in a golden light, his powers returning to him. 

“I will fight for her.” Sir William said, looking down at himself, a new life in him, “I will avenge her!” 

Rikku stared at him, so happy to see him finally back to the way he was. He stood straighter, a twinkle of determination in his eyes.

“Okay,” Jacob said, “Not wanting to destroy the happy vibe, but we all need to get some sleep, so I suggest we do that. I’ll keep watch over the vamp.” 

The group agreed, splitting up to different rooms. 

Rikku lay in the bed, not sure what think of this one night where all hell broke loose. The dead don’t stay dead, the living get turned into monsters, what would be next? She had wanted adventure, but this seemed more like insanity. 

Sir Didymus sat by her beside. “Now, I’m going to have to make sure they don’t murder you in your sleep. That hardly seems fair.” 

“It’ll be okay. I don’t think they are the ones we have to worry about.” 

“Let’s hope.” Sir Didymus said. “Something still isn’t right, and I don’t like it.”

He curled up in a ball beside her head, his eyes focused on the door. He would have plenty of time to sleep later, right now, he wanted to guard her. He wasn’t about to let anything happen to her.

In the morning, they found themselves setting in a simple dining room. Several tables and chairs, but nothing like she was used to, not that she was complaining. She could see the locks, and Jacob seemed ready for an invasion. Of course, having the weapons stored in the chairs and tables also have the enemy the opportunity to get a hold of some. 

Jason handed over a sack of diamonds to Leotie, saying that he found them in the ally, and picked them up. Rikku had no idea how someone would drop thousands worth in diamonds, but she was a firm believer in the rule of finders keepers.

 It is just what Leotie, however, needs to bring back her mother. The woman with red hair, had been glaring at Liliana ever since everything went down, though Lily was far from paying attention. She was staring off into space, thinking about what, Rikku didn’t know, nor did she really want to know. 

What had happened with Leotie’s mother showed just how out of control vampires were. In the desert, they never had much issue with them. To see what they were like first hand, she was glad. If Lily, or this Damascus did anything to hurt anyone, she would kill them herself. 

Leotie and Bo disappeared (after Jason asking if she had anything for anxiety, which Rikku attributed to Leotie being a Cleric.) Rikku figured to bring her mother back. She paid more attention to Sir Didymus who was curled up in front of her, sleeping. Jason and Drax were talking about naked omlets, and Drax continued thinking that meant they were supposed to eat them naked, and apparently loved to eat naked things. That made her laugh, taking it in a sexual way rather than literal. She wished Sir Didymus wasn’t in such a lazy mood. She would have loved to hear what he’d say.

Eventually, we all meet back up, Mirium alive and well, at least until she sees Lily. Rikku felt her own cold glare hitting the vampire. Leotie cooed, and talked to her mother, trying to get her to relax, even if it would only be slight. 

The group gather’s up their people, a princess, Sir William, Mirium, the other sorceress, and after getting something to eat, teleport. 

Their sanctum, place of protection for these people, was anything but. It was seared, a fire having destroyed many things, seemingly focused on items rather than the place itself. Anything magical, Rikku realized, was gone. 

She had never been there, and yet she was sad to see it like this. It sounded like this grand place had this not happened. Everything happened so fast, the group looking through everything, and then Leotie bringing back a dead man, Remidor Cain, to ask what had happened. Saige left to check the armory, and Rikku sent Sir Didymus to look after her. Whatever had happened she didn’t like. 

Sir Didymus did as he was told though that feeling he had was strong, and the last thing he wanted was to leave Rikku without protection. 

The only thing of consequence that the ghost of Remidor was able to give was that whoever had come in would have had to have been honorable when they entered. 

Rikku had no idea how that could be with whoever did this having also murdered the man and slit his throat from behind. Then it dawned on her. This group had already proven their honour, and therefor, it was likely to be one of them. Sir Didymus had already came to that conclusion, and was watching every one of them when he and Saige returned. 

Rikku was on edge now, she had to figure out what she could do to protect herself from whoever it was, short of leaving. 

They had decided on another place they could go, but this destruction made her uneasy, especially with her suspicion of everyone in the group of who could have done it. Worse yet, where would it stop? Who would be left standing?

[direwolfd20]

Adventure, or Hell: Part 3

Rikku looked around the White Tulip Inn. It’s patrons were upper class, a place where only she looked like she even had a chance of fitting in. It was so clean,it seemed to sparkle. Well made wooden chairs with cushions placed in them, and tables with cloth dotted the room. Four person tables, two person tables, and larger. 

Her awe didn’t last long. Sir William was going at it again, screaming, yelling, pointing. 

“You were all in my dreams!” he shouted, “Each one of you were there.”

Rikku made a quick move, grabbing his shoulder. “Nuh, uh. Sh. Stop it!” she hissed, looking around. Oh, he was drawing attention. Worried men and women looking over at the group. She had to get him to stop. Sir William was her charge right now, her responsibility. 

She tried to wave to the other patrons, as if it would pass him off some way. 

“But, they were all there!” he slipped from her grip, and Rikku turned to move after him. He slammed his hands down on a nearby table. “I saw you, both of you!” 

“William!” she muttered, grabbing him and pulling him back. “Sorry about that.” she managed, trying to keep an arm on the man. He pulled against her, and she pushed him back with the three women. 

“But they were all there, and there was a man!” 

“What man?” Rikku asked. 

“I don’t know, a man!” 

“What did he look like?” The blonde asked. 

“Dark hair... uhhh...” 

“What size?” Rikku asked, hopping on the idea train. “Was he smaller, slim?” 

“Or bigger?” The leader of this rag tag group asked. 

“Oh, he was big, dark hair, pale.” Rikku could see how hard he was trying to concentrate. His smile returned. “This is just like my dream!” 

That was when Rikku figured they were fucked. The haughty elf man waltzed over, looking down his nose at them. Rikku stood a little taller, raising her dark eyebrows. 

“I’m terribly sorry,” he drawled, not seeming sorry in the least. “But your friend is making a scene, you’ll have to leave.”

“We are looking for someone!” The pregnant blonde said, almost as if she had rooted herself to the place she stood, she didn’t move. 

Maybe something was wrong with her, as Sir Didymus had said. 

The man went to say something, and instead swallowed his words. “I’m sorry, are you Liliana Stormwind?”

“Yes?”

Rikku could have just about rejoiced. One name down, and no need to say a thing. Two more to go.

“This is for you.” he went back to his desk, rushing back with an envelope. Liliana read it, but didn’t share the content. Not that she was supposed to. It might be the father of her child. 

“I don’t like this.” Sir Didymus said. “Natural with your powers, or not, there is such a thing of getting in over your head.” 

“Quiet Diddy. I’ve got this under control.” 

“Do not call me that.” he hissed.

Rikku didn’t get the chance to say more. The door banged open. Two more women came in. Rikku looked back and forth between them, recognizing that her group knew the pair. 

There was a moment of reprieve, the smiles, the chat, and then the leader glanced around. Liliana was gone. 

Rikku didn’t think much of it, too concentrated on Sir William. The group of two, she realized soon, was a group of three. A Goblin was following Leotie, she’d heard someone mention the name as people were talking over one another. The Goblin was shouting, Sir Walter was shouting, trying to touch him. 

The elf came by again, and started quite the argument. “Your kind isn’t welcome here!” he said, trying to usher the Goblin out. “You have to leave.”

“Hey, maan, what do you mean your kind?” The Goblin growled. Rikku winced, and decided to focus on getting Sir Walter away. He was still going on about the Goblin. 

“Okay, I get it, yes, Goblin, can we just...” 

“Okay! Okay!” 

Rikku looked over at the Elf. She noticed the people leaving, and realized his desperation. His hair was ruffled now. He’d been running his hands through it. Rikku straightened up a bit.

“Your friend is in room 301.” The Elf said, seeming close to tears. “Get her and go before I call the guards!”

Rikku hesitated, realizing that was quite the threat. What would her father think?

“Oh, Sir Didymus. I never told Father what I was thinking. I’ll have to send him an owl.” she muttered. “Or, something. Hopefully he doesn’t worry.” 

“I told you we shouldn’t have left. Your father may have been able to help us!”

Then, the group started moving, rushing up the stairs. Shaking her head to clear it, she grabbed Sir William’s arm, pulling him along with her as they ascended the stairs. What was going on that everyone was in such a hurry? They could have walked, there was plenty of time before the guards would be there. They must just want to get out and gone as soon as possible. 

She ran with them, Leotie in the lead, and throwing the room’s door open. 

“What the...” Rikku looked around, feeling her power swell in her getting ready. 

Liliana was embracing a man, who matched Sir William’s description he had given. But, that wasn’t what made her prepare to kill them both where they stood. 

It was the dead woman. 

She was tied down, drained. Rikku looked at Liliana, shaking her head slowly. She was pale because she was a vampire. The two took off for the window, her boyfriend hopping out, Liliana right behind her. Rikku started moving forward, ready to attack.

The sound of a bolt leaving a crossbow, then the squish of it hitting Liliana made her stop, stutter stepping, and turning. Rikku had no idea what she had gotten herself into. Was this another enemy, someone to worry about? 

She noticed that Leotie was at the bed, tears falling. Had she known the woman?

More poured into the room. Three men... well, kinda. One was what she knew to be a dragon born. Hell was loose. That was for sure. Two stayed behind as the man, Jacob, who had shot Liliana picked her up and headed out the window himself. The rest, including Rikku, hopped out of the window. 

The guards were there. She had no idea how that was going to work out for the three that remained behind. Those she was with followed them back to the house that Jacob resided in. 

The information they had been given, that she was safe, given a concoction he had to temporarily shut down the evil that vampires had to fight, the blood lust. There was so much going on, people talking over one another again. 

There was only one thing she knew, one thing she didn’t have to let settle in her over stimulated brain. Between the Paladin, Cleric and Druid, Sir William had a chance to regain his powers. What had happened to him could, in theory be reversed. While he was with her, Rikku was going to fix him. That, she knew. 

[direwolfd20]

Adventure, or Hell? Part 2

“How am I supposed to believe you?” she asked the empty spot where Sir William had been. He’d wondered down an ally, at least back where he wouldn’t cause trouble, and yet a part of her wanted to go find him. Just to make sure that he was okay. 

She turned instead, deciding to head back in for her drink. Who cared what the adventure’s sorceress was going to say? It was none of their business in the first place. 

“There’s a saying for him.” Sir Didymus said, still watching where Sir William had disappeared through. “How the mighty have fallen.” 

“I don’t know what it’s like, admittedly.” Rikku said, “but that’s insane. He should have picked up a sword, figured out another line of work.” Rikku’s step stuttered as she glanced behind her. “Instead he let himself become that.” 

There was a little bit of fear there, if she was being honest. She couldn’t lose her powers, they were a natural plus, but her being lost, that was a possibility. It was for anyone. 

“Hah, I’m being stupid.” she muttered to herself. One reason she rarely got involved where William was, he made her think too much about her becoming like him. If she refused, that would be that. She was strong enough, her power was hers, and she lived for herself.

She walked through the door, heading for her seat when she heard the damn girl again. 

“Her, there, she said she was going to take him.”

‘Oh, well, crap.’ Rikku turned offering a smile. 

“Did you take him already?” 

“Hm? Well, yeah, he’s gone.” 

“But did you take him to-”

“He’s safe.” 

“That’s not what I’m wanting to know.” 

‘Who are these people.’ Rikku wondered, her annoyance mounting.

Looking to the Blonde, the one William had been going on about, Rikku glanced down in surprise. Her stomach, though still well protected by her armor, was jutting out a bit. The rest of the woman looked thin enough. The first thing that popped in her mind was  that she was pregnant. Rikku hadn’t really seen much of her until now. She’d been at the table, her belly hidden, and then she’d seen the back of her head as she walked upstairs. 

“But those dreams... They might have been important.” 

“I don’t see how. A drunk man’s ramblings.”

“But, he knew all of us...” the Sorceress said. It was odd having another like Rikku. Still never having been introduced to one another made it all the more odd. 

“He saw you, and thought he saw you in a dream.”

“Are things always so easily explained away?” The one woman, seemingly calmer that the others, more authoritative. “Let’s go find him, see what he has to say.” 

Chance. 

That was all that went through Rikku’s head. This was her chance. Her chance to leave, her chance to start the adventure she had been dying for. Her body craved it, her blood rushed at the possibility, her heart pounded. The words slipped out before she could stop them. 

“I’ll take you to him, but I go too. If you’re going to take him to this place, I go as well.” 

The group looked at her, the one that Rikku had pegged as the leader nodded, “Fine.”

 The one, the pale blonde, watched her. She heard the small hiss from Sir Didymus, and felt him moving around. Rikku turned to the door. 

“C’mon then.” she said, heading out into the night. 

It wasn’t long before they found Sir William. He’d not washed, of course. Vomit was still wrapped up in his beard. He appeared to be sleeping. With the other three off to the side, Rikku walked over, kneeling down. Sir Didymus hopped out of the bad, sitting on a crate beside the sleeping man’s head.

“Sir... William. Hey, William.” Rikku, who had a hard time not calling him by his formal title, hoped that he had not heard that. The last thing she needed, or wanted for that matter, was to make him think of his past. It would just make him more irate. 

The man stirred, looking up at her with sad eyes, which widened at the sight of her. “The White Tulip Inn! I need to get there, can you help me?” 

He was a broken record. Rikku sighed. 

“Yeah, William, that’s where we are going.”

“Them too? They have to go! We have to go!” 

“Yes, them too. We are going.” Rikku glanced over at the Sorceress from the adventuring team. “I don’t know where that place is. This Kingdom is secluded. They tend to take care of themselves, so we don’t get a whole lot of flack from the outside.” 

“That’s fine.” The leader said, talking before the Sorceress had a chance to. “Let’s get going. Hopefully the others are there.”

“Others?” 

“We’re part of a larger group that had been separated. I’m sure you will see soon enough.”

“Oh, this bodes well. They can’t even manage to keep each other safe. Wasn’t there a ‘Never split the party rule?” Sir Didymus complained. The others only heard his meows. 

“If you don’t get over here right now, you’re going to get left behind.”

“Ugh.” Sir Didymus, with more agility than one would think for a cat his size leapt into her arms. “Good bye, my fish. I will eat your brotheren wherever I reside.” 

“Disturbing.” Rikku managed to get out before the spell took effect. 

One moment they were outside in the night, the air moving about them, cool now, rather than the heat of the day’s winds. The next, they were in a high priced Inn. 

None could have guessed that Hell was about to break loose. 

[direwolfd20]

Adventure, or Hell? Part 1

Rikku had become quite adept in sneaking out. There weren’t guards on her all the time like there would be for the Royal Family, but her own father was the guard she was most worried about. Of course, there were rules for her as well, being who she was, but she rarely listened. She listened to her heart more. 

“I don’t think this is a good idea.” Sir Didymus said, giving a paw a lick. “I sense something coming.” 

“Oh, hush. You just want to lay on your pillow and eat your fish.” 

“Should I wish for something more?”

Rikku rolled her eyes, a smile on her face. She loved that cat. 

“I suppose not.” 

“Precisely.” 

Carrying him in the pack had been a thing since he was a kitten. He’d grown much, and the pack now just housed most of him. His head stuck out, and he put his paws up on the lip, often gazing out at the world behind Rikku. The walk had gotten boring for him as well. He knew the streets by heart in seemed. At least if he ever got lost he could find his way back to his supper. 

Rikku walked into The Desert Rose tavern. It was your run of the mill place to get a drink. Nothing for the rich folk, who would find their place elsewhere. But, this was where she would often be. She glanced over to a table. A new set of faces were sitting at one. 

She’d never seen them before. All of them in their different armors, weapons close. She smirked. Adventurers. That was the kind of the people she liked. She thought about going over, asking what they were doing, but what would be the point in that. They were talking quietly amungst one another, as adventurers would. 

“Something... isn’t right with that one.” Sir Didymus muttered, his golden eyes keeping quite the tab on them. 

“None of our business.” 

“Isn’t that what you want to be? I can smell them from here, the sweat, and dirt.” Rikku rolled her eyes, able to picture him scrunching up his nose. She wasn’t going to worry about it. 

“Yeah, well, I have cleaning spells. I’ll be fine with a bar of soap. So will you.” 

Sir Didymus let out a growl. 

The door slammed open, and Rikku turned to look. Her heart dropped. ‘Oh, Sir William.’ she thought, looking over the drunkard. He’d been a grand man at one point. Now, he was a fallen Paladin. Her heart honestly went out to him. He didn’t deserve it, not with everything else going on. She didn’t follow a deity. She got her spells naturally, no divine intervention needed. He was why. How could one pray to someone who would strip everything from a man that was following his heart?

Of course, as far as Sir Didymus knew, he was her deity, and she didn’t think there was a reason to take that away from him. At least not yet. 

Rikku almost stood when William began making a scene. She wanted to help, but there was nothing to be done for it. If she made a move, she could very well just make it worse. It almost made her laugh though. Here she was wanting to be an adventurer, yet she wouldn’t make the move to get a drunk man to step off.

He was going on about dreams, an inn, a man, and most oddly, was that he’d apparently seen the new comers. He was a drunk man, and with them being strangers, Rikku wondered if it was just the alcohol talking. It would make sense. He was berating the one woman more, the blonde with the pale skin. 

As she went to stand, to hopefully get him away, the men in the bar took care of it, sweeping him away as he shouted he needed to get to the White Tulip Inn. Rikku had never heard of it. The woods and this city was all she knew. She didn’t know what to say about him, didn’t want to make any sudden movements, as if scared that she would be thrown out with him, her connection to him made clear. 

A barmaid went over, replacing the drinks that William had knocked over in his drunken fit. The men who tossed him out the door were paying for it. She’d be lying if part of her didn’t yearn to go out, to calm him. She could almost still hear him screaming he had to get to that inn. 

“Poor man,” The barmaid said, looking out the small window where William was still ranting, “used to be a Paladin, he did. Don’t know what happened exactly, but he was kicked from the castle right quick, and lost his Paladin blessing. He’s a fallen one now, he is. Such a sad thing for him too, he was a good one.”

“What could someone do to fall like that?” One of the women asked. 

William’s words swam in her head. ‘Someone needs to take me to the White Tulip Inn! I need to get to the White Tulip Inn. Can you take me, please take me.’ Rikku looked back to the adventurers, seeing the pale, blonde haired woman making her way to a room with a man. ‘You! You have to go there. He’s waiting. You were all there in my dream! You’re in my dreams!’

By the time she paid the adventures attention again, her mind taken over by how unfair it was that the Paladin was reduced to this, she noticed one of the other women was gone. And there, instead, now standing, was the last one. 

“Sorceress.” Sir Didymus muttered. 

“I figured as much.” Rikku muttered. Then, their Sorceress started moving. Rikku looked outside, realizing what she was doing. She was a frikken idiot. Rikku knew the city like the back of her hand, and she wouldn’t chase around a drunk. 

“I don’t think you should do that.” Rikku finally spoke, drawing the attention of a couple of customers.

“It sounded like it was important for him to go. I want to take him, at least see what he has to say.”

Rikku bit back her retort. Part of it being that she didn’t know that man from any other beggar that would lure a pretty girl like her and destroy her. Another part that she had no idea who William was. For all she knew, that was something he did to all new faces, maybe any face. He could just simply be insane.

Still, Rikku wasn’t about to risk her running through ally ways in case it became a chase. “Right, well, I’m planning on taking him.” Rikku said. A blatant lie, but she wasn’t about to just let some random girl fall for a man’s drunken actions. 

“You know him, I wasn’t expecting anyone to take him.”

“I know him, and yeah, I am.” The woman stared at her for a moment, more of in amazement than for not believing her. 

“Okay, I’ll leave it to you then. If you’re sure.” 

“Yes,” Rikku smiled, “you wait for your friends. I’ll take care of him.” she turned, leaving the bar, Sir Didymus watching the woman from the pack. Rikku looked back at him before seeing William, still grabbing at people, begging to be taken to the White Tulip Inn. 

“Oh, for the love of Didymus...”

“Yes, my child?” 

“Shh.” Rikku hissed back, walking forward. She could almost hear a snicker from the cat. 

“William?” Rikku asked, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

He turned to her, his deep blue eyes meeting her electric blue, “You! You have to take me-”

“I know, to the White Tulip Inn. But why?” 

“They’re all supposed to be there. I have to go!” 

“Wait, William, if they have to go, that’s one thing, why you?”

“I feel it, that I have to go!” 

The smell coming off him could kill a horse. It was strong body odor, garbage, and vomit, all mixed with hard liquor. 

“Okay, okay. Look, why don’t you go sleep it off. Talk to me when you’re sober?”

“You don’t believe me.” he accused. She was feeling her heart break for him. 

“William...” there was nothing else to say. It would be a go around that wouldn’t stop. “Just, tell me what the dream was.” she said, trying to keep him concentrated.

“I don’t... we were all standing there. And there’s a guy. And we were all there. One girl, she has to be there. She has to go. I have to go.” 

“The blonde?” 

“YES!! I HAVE TO GO!” He’d grabbed her bare shoulders, hard. She could feel his fingers digging in, nails, unkempt, close to drawing her blood. 

“William.” she was surprised by how calm her voice was as she looked at him. He seemed to come back for a moment, dropping his hands. 

“You don’t believe me.” 

“Wi-”

He waved her off, shuffling away, “You don’t believe me.” 

[direwolfd20]

Before the Misadventure Begins

Rikku Lancaster stared up at the night sky from her window. The castle was large, holding it’s own, now tired sets of adventure. She had been this way, almost starved for danger, adrenaline, for most of her life. It had been a long one, too. 

Her father, the poor man, was there with her every step of the way, getting her out of trouble. She hadn’t always been stuck in the castle. That just went with her father’s job. There used to be a time where the woods were her play house. A time where she was free. 

They lived in a type of village out in the woods. With other Elves, their home was the trees, quite literally. There was no castle, no royalty, hardly many politics, but even then her father was involved in them. 

She, however, without a mother to teach her the more feminine things in life, rushed off into the dens of wolves, bears, and squirrels. She was constantly getting injured, and while she stared up at the night sky reminiscing, she couldn’t help but figure that was why her father was so protective. With age came the realization kids are damn near accidentally suicidal. They didn’t know what they were doing was going to kill them, and they didn't believe the adults who told them so. 

She had been no different. Still, in many ways, wasn’t.

As she gazed off into the world beyond the castle, she wondered what her life would be like had they never left that village. As of now, she was stuck following in her father’s footsteps.He was the Sorcerer Adviser to the King. It might have been his age, or just his talent, but Rikku’s father was quick to get the job, and as she trained, she quickly realized that she was going to be taking over. In several hundred years, unless he decided to retire. 

Rikku was so driven by that need for adventure though, the need to live, she had contemplated leaving so many times, but Sorceress or not, wandering around a desert was a stupid idea, and she couldn’t just get a cart out of there. Her father would find out, intercept her, and boom. She’d be right back where she started. Granted, her father could easily find her wherever she was, thanks to his ability to scry. 

A deep meow sounded from beside her. A large smokey gray, fluff ball of a cat hopped up on the window seal. He sat down, looking up at her with golden eyes. 

“You’re leaving again, aren’t you?” he asked. Their bond let her hear him, understand him. 

“Yep. Let’s see what trouble we can get into.”

“The locals are going to stop making deals with you. You keep cheating them.” 

“They’ll wise up eventually. Besides, maybe this time, I’ll just go get a drink.” 

“Right. Like I could believe that.” 

Rikku stuck her tongue out at Sir Didymus, her familiar and for lack of acquaintances, her only real friend. 

Rikku started off, brushing locks of her long black hair off her shoulders. Sir Didymus hopped into his place in her bag. Her coin purse was secured between her breasts, and the bag tied to her belt was Sir Didymus’ snacks. Thieves would have a few extra scratches to think about when they walked away, or at least would have if the word hadn’t spread quickly.