Salvation of a New World

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

He affected his most confident smile, though it was mainly just paper-thin bravado, but he still meant every word. "Hey, don't worry, Emily, you'll do fine in this new world, I'll help you anyway I can."

She looked down at his hand holding hers and he was probably only imagining it, but Aram could swear that the color on her cheeks deepened some as she did.

"What?" She asked seeming a little flustered, "Oh yeah. Um, Thanks, Aram." She tucked some of her silvery locks behind her ear with a nod to him, "You're very sweet."

That last was said with a different emphasis and tone. Aram had no clue why, but the compliment certainly didn't help his body part that thankfully due to the sleeping dog on his lap she couldn't see was inappropriately aroused what with him holding the hand of the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, and here she was saying how sweet he was.

They travelled down the road Old Bo stratched out over their laps. As they went the dirt road was not even or smooth. It was quite uneven with deep mud and ruts in it, and some stones that made the cart bounce and trundle over it. It got so bad that Aram had to reach around to hold Emily's shoulder to keep them both upright. Of course it pulled her in dangerously closer to his body. She was pressed up right against him.

He smiled down to her reassuringly even though his cheeks were blushing deeply again, "Sorry."

As they went the time passed. Afternoon became evening with the sun lowering to their right and the cart approached the walls of Lorenstown. They were slate grey dirty stone battlements topped pikes encircling a town in the center of the mountain valley carved in half by the Lorens river with barges and fishing boats plying the trade in the waterways there. There were thatched buildings' roofs inside peeked out over the walls.

With the sun just touching the horizon the cart came to the oaken gates of the town. Still open, thank the prophets. He turned to Emily. "This is where we get off. First, I'll need to go to the guildhall to complete the mission and then we can head for the orphanage for the night, okay?"

 

[Poprockz]

His arm was around her the whole way back, her body pressed against his to prevent her from being bounced off the wagon itself.while she was grateful for his steadying arm, it certainly didn’t help her embarrassment. Though… after a while she relaxed more, her body allowing itself to be held in his warm embrace. He felt safe and comforting, her head resting against his reliable shoulder.

Emily looked at him and straightened out, stretching her arms a bit before yawning. “Mm. Let me come to the guild hall with you- I want to see what it’s like!” Her eyes shown with curiosity. Now that they were in town on more even ground, she didn’t think she would have too much of a problem following along. Besides, it was odd, but it seemed as though her foot blister was largely healed at this point.

“My foot feels much better now, so it’ll be fine.”

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

With the sun just touching the horizon the cart came to the oaken gates of the town. Still open, thank the prophets. He turned to Emily. "This is where we get off. First, I'll need to go to the guildhall to complete the mission and then we can head for the orphanage for the night, okay?"

She stretched her arms looking over to him with a slight yawn as she said, "Mmm. Let me come to the guild hall with you. I want to see what it's like!"

"Well okay, but it's not that interesting really." Aram was in the process of lifting Bo off from their laps as the farmer brought the cart to a stop. "Just counting out the ears of those giant rats and collecting the reward for the mission."

He looked back at them, "Well, this be where we part ways, youngens. I'll take my crops to my cousin's place to sell at her stall in the market tomorrow and me and Ole Bo will head back to my farm."

Bo had awakened and was whining pitifully as he and Emily climbed off the cart. It looked up at her begging her not to leave. Aram patted its head and smiled down at it. "I'd feel the same way, Bo, but you're a good old hound dog. You keep your owner safe and out of trouble and maybe you'll get to sleep in Emily's lap again some day."

Aram looked over to her. "How's your foot. I can carry you there, if you'd like again?"

"My foot feels much better now," She answered, "So it'll be fine."

"Really," He replied astounded, but with all the amazing things he'd seen Emily do since they met...he didn't question it. He did feel a little sad that he couldn't quite so clearly help her. The ointment he had at home was an herbal concoction that smelled foul but worked like a charm. He'd been looking forward to her trying it, but apparently she didn't need his help where that was concerned.

Pity.

On the streets people still bustled to and fro on the last errands of the day as the sun lowered into dusk and then to evening proper in Lorenstown. Town guards patrolled, shopkeepers were closing down their stalls, and workers set about lighting the street lights a flame to light the town as night approached. In the center of town was a large village square containing a bustling fountain of a kingfisher a Lorens river trout in its beak. In the square was the Mayor's manse, the temple of the prophets, the merchant's guild house, the Townsgaurd headquarters, and the adventurer's guild hall last but not least in Aram's mind. In comparison it was a fairly plain building but just as large and still busy as several of the higher ranking adventurers kept room and board there.

At the doors to the hall Aram stopped and looked over to Emily, "Perhaps it would be better if you stayed out here. I'll meet up with you in a minute." With that he steeled himself and stepped inside.

He was worried that when she saw how the other adventurers in the guild treated him...she'd no longer look on him in quite the same way. He remembered how great that feeling was when he had his arm around her shoulder and she leaned against his body for support and strength. He didn't want that to change.

 

[Poprockz]

The city seemed strange and wonderful. Though the buildings weren't as tall as some of the ones in her own world, they held a stature and magnificence that her own did not. Her eyes were always moving as they walked, taking it all in. A lot of the houses were quaint, and she wondered if any of them even had indoor plumbing. Though it might not be as sophisticated, there were plenty of ancient civilizations that figured things out somehow. Hopefully most people here were like the old farmer rather than the scoundrels in the woods, though that remained to be seen.

"But what if I-?" She had been silent, but had just started to ask if she could come as well after having second-guessed his suggestion. However, the door was already closing as she spoke, and she found that she simply hadn't spoken quickly or loudly enough. The young woman looked around, seeing that as people would pass, they would often stare at her. It felt uncomfortable, having so many people look at her as though she was some strange animal, so she got more and more reluctant to stay within full view of the general population.

When she couldn't bear it anymore, she opened the guild door and stepped inside, hoping to find Aram and catch up with him. He was the person she felt most comfortable with, and by his side was one of the only places she didn't feel out-of-place at the moment.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

At the doors to the hall Aram stopped and looked over to Emily, "Perhaps it would be better if you stayed out here. I'll meet up with you in a minute." With that he steeled himself and stepped inside.

He was worried that when she saw how the other adventurers in the guild treated him...she'd no longer look on him in quite the same way. He remembered how great that feeling was when he had his arm around her shoulder and she leaned against his body for support and strength. He didn't want that to change.

Inside the guild hall the entrance was empty. Lining the walls were oak paneling littered with the heads of many of the monsters taken down by the guild's adventurers in the past. To the side was the guild's common room with many of the resident adventurers eating supper. Listening to raucous music, singing, dancing, laughing, and rough-housing in collegial manner.

Fortunately, no one else was in the hallway to the counter where the guild's clerk. Ms. Lorena, smiled to him. "Sir, Stonemoor, welcome back. Have you completed the mission you took?"

He crossed the hall to the desk and pulled down his pack, "As a matter of fact, I have." He placed the mission request notice down and began counting out the twelve giant rat ears he'd managed to collect from the ones infesting the old ruins of the temple deep in the forest including one from the big momma rat they'd defeated. "The site's been cleared of the rats, if there are any more of them. I'd be happy to clear them out again."

"Well done, and a mission slotted for silver ranked adventurers." She noted, "This may make you eligible for promotion."

"Ha, look it's the ratcatcher doing his job again," A meaty hand clamped down on his shoulder. It bleonged to a giant of a man, at least three feet taller than Aram, shaved bald with a bushy braided beard and wide mocking smile on his face, Aram turned to stare up at him. He wore horned steel armor and on his back was a battleaxe as broad as he was arm to arm. "Guess you got tired of pulling down cats from trees, or chasing out rabbits from garden patches, ha? Aint that right, Severic?"

"Don't be boorish, Gaul. Let the pauper earn his reward in peace." Behind him was a slender but handsome man with delicately coifed perfect golden hair in resplendent Silvril chainmail and flowing cape with buckler and rapier hanging at his side.

"I agree with Severic." Leaning against the railing of the stairs the group must've come down from was an attractive woman with close cropped dark hair in green and brown leathers, a bow and arrows slung over he back, and a sneer at him fixed on her face. "After all every coin goes to feeding those poor little orphans rather than buying decent weapons and armor or even learning to swing that sword of his properly. Something must be done about the lowered standards the guildmaster has to allow him inside the ranks."

"Ho, that you're right in, Merida," The giant bellowed a derisive laugh, "It's a wonder the gutter rat here didn't get hisself eaten going out in the pauper's rags he wears or using that pig-sticker he calls a sword."

"I managed, just fine," He told them softly but firmly. These were all gold ranked adventurers. The best, the most accomplished, the most skilled, the most influential the guild in Lorenstown had to offer, and they all had enormous sway with every member of the guild. When he had applied, they had been against it but the new guildmaster herself had overruled them all, allowing his entry into the guild. One of many unilateral and unpopular decisions she'd made since. "Excuse me it's late and I must get back to my poor little orphans."

"Excuse me, Aram is it?" Came a soft voice from beside him. Somehow a slight slender slip of a waif of a young woman had came up beside him at the Ms. Lorena's desk and he hadn't noticed. She held a slip of paper taken down from the mission's board on the far wall. "Could you finish your business please? We'd like to accept this mission sometime tonight?"

He gulped looking down at the frail girl. He noted the red and black robes and emerald green rod she held in one hand and an ancient tome hanging in a satchel at her waist. This was Clarette, the notorious and often reclusive mage of the gold ranked adventurers. Rumors abounded about her that she was both kind and cruel shy and outgoing and everything between. The one thing all the rumors about her agreed on was that she was enigmatic and held deadly grudges if slighted.

He pulled away from her murmuring uncertainly, "Sure, Ms. Lorena...?"

"Here you are Aram," the clerk said setting down a bag that made a satisfying clink alot of coins made when bumping up against one another. "A hundred and twenty silver."

"Oh, hello," He heard the perfect pretty boy's voice say behind him, "What do we owe this visit from such a vision of beauty, such as you, my dear shining maiden."

The voice that answered him was Emily's. He spun around and looked on in shock as Severic gave an exagerated bow taking her hand, raising it to his lips and giving it a kiss on the back of her knuckles. "Sir Severic Silverthorn at your service." he gave her that smile that made women swoon where they stood. "Tell me, what desperate danger do you need me to rescue you from?"

 

[Poprockz]

When he had asked what she was doing there, she had started to warily say, “My name is Emily, and I’m looking for-“ before she was stopped by his unexpected physical affection.

The warmth and friendliness that shone in her eyes for her stalwart companion had completely left her, her gaze becoming icy with contempt toward the handsome man who approached. His lips felt gross on her knuckles and she internally cringed, his actions seeming rather fake and hollow. Everything in her body rejected him, the woman pulling her hand from him with a sharp jerk

What a two-faced snake. Emily had been quietly standing near the door, having witnessed most, if not all of the exchange. It seemed to her as though Aran was a laughingstock around this guild for the fact that he gave his earnings to the orphanage. It shocked her that he was made fun of for being the very definition of noble and self-sacrificing, and it struck her in that moment that this place was rife with awful people.

She drew herself up to her full height and clenched her fists at her sides, her eyebrows having become knit with a frown. “The only thing I need saving from is having to let a man like you kiss my knuckles. I thought adventures were brave and kind- not self-important bullies who look down their noses at those in the lower ranks.” There was a tinge of disappointment in her tone, as though he had shattered her expectations of a fellow adventurer.

Without waiting for a reply, she pushed past him and bee-lined for Aram until she was next to him. Both of her hands found his free hand and she said, “I want to leave now, Aram. Let’s go.”

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

The voice that answered him was Emily's. He spun around and looked on in shock as Severic gave an exagerated bow taking her hand, raising it to his lips and giving it a kiss on the back of her knuckles. "Sir Severic Silverthorn at your service." he gave her that smile that made women swoon where they stood. "Tell me, what desperate danger do you need me to rescue you from?"

"My name is Emily, and I'm looking for-" Thankfully she didn't immediately swoon like he'd seen so many girls had at the mere attention of the lascivious lothario of Lorenstown, but instead she looked at him like he was some sort of disgusting bug on the back of her hand and pulled it away from him right away. She drew herself up fist clenched in a display of upset Aram had never seen from her. “The only thing I need saving from is having to let a man like you kiss my knuckles. I thought adventurers were brave and kind- not self-important bullies who look down their noses at those in the lower ranks.”

Aram stared on in open shock. She was standing up for him? He'd never had anyone care enough about him to do that before. He had been certain she'd turn her back on him when she found out he was nothing special in the guild, in fact he was something of an open joke to them, but here she was defending him to the best adventurers in the whole town.

Without giving Severic a chance to reply she came up to Aram who still stood there speechless like some wool-headed cretin.

"I want to leave now," She told him, "Let's go."

"Uhhh..." He lifted the bag of coins he'd earned in his hands and nodded to her, "...Yeah."

They started for the door as Severic was fuming. No woman ever rejected him quite so blatantly before. This might be trouble.

"You...you...you..." He stammered unable to process the fact he'd been rebuffed so completely by Emily.

Clarette pulled away from the desk and announced. "We have our mission now. We're leaving. Severic, come along."

That made them pause to allow the gold ranked adventurers out even in the middle of the night out to pursue whatever their mission requested of them. Merida and Gaul sniggering at the mighty Severic Silverthorn being brought down a peg or two with him still sputtering and fuming about Emily's words to him.

That left them able to exit the guildhouse now, and-

"Stonemoor," Came a gruff voice from an old woman at the top of the stairs. "A moment of your time in my office if you'd please. Bring up your new friend as well."

He looked up to her and swallowed but nodding to her, "Yes, right away, Guildmaster."

They followed her up the stairs and down the hall to her spacious office. They sat side by side in chairs acutely awkward as the Guildmaster to one side fussed with a tea set for the three of them.

To Emily as they waited, he murmured, "Thank you, but you should probably not have done that. Those were all gold ranked adventurers. They were just the type of people you'd probably need the help of for your mission. Not me."

 

[Poprockz]

Emily looked on in disapproval as the gold-ranked members left the hall, a bit annoyed that they left first as though they had the right to always be first and foremost. That level of entitlement was baffling, but most of all it was infuriating.

She was ready to leave with him when they were called to the back office, the young lady following the two of them curiously. He had said she was the guild master in her reply, so why would she bother having a meeting with low-rankers, much less a girl she didn’t even know. It made her feel a bit nervous, as though she was being called to the therapist’s office for acting out.

The atmosphere felt quite awkward and tense as she sat in the admittedly comfy chair. The he office looked fairly normal to her, and he only sound being the clinking of dishes before Aram spoke to her.

Her head turned toward her, a furrowed frown on her face. “If this world was one that could only be saved by bullies, then it’s not a world the Goddess would have sent me to. I need good people who don’t put themselves on a pedestal at the expense of others,” though she had tried to whisper it, it had come out more as a heated hiss.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

To Emily as they waited, he murmured, "Thank you, but you should probably not have done that. Those were all gold ranked adventurers. They were just the type of people you'd probably need the help of for your mission. Not me."

She turned her head to look at him with a serious frown marring her usually cheerful expression, “If this world was one that could only be saved by bullies, then it’s not a world the Goddess would have sent me to. I need good people who don’t put themselves on a pedestal at the expense of others,” Her words had started as a whisper but as her emotions grew more heated with every passing syllable they became more and more of a fully voiced declaration.

"Be practical." Aram shook his head his own voice starting to rise to match hers without his intending it to, "I don't know what it was like back in your world, but here it doesn't work that way. There's not that many people like the type you say you need, but there's plenty like those idiots back there and those are the types in power and influence in this world."

"Here we are," the Guildmaster came carrying two teacups one for Aram and the other offered to Emily. "Please tell me if you'd like more sugar, or honey perhaps. I have lemon slices as well."

"Uhhh...actually...you called me in here to discuss something," Aram asked her.

"Oh...from you Stonemoor...we nothing to discuss," She said looking at Emily without looking at him at all. "I wanted to talk to your friend here."

"Emily," He said surprised. What could the Lorenstown's Adventuring guild's head possibly want to say to her.

"Perhaps I should explain myself in a story." She told still not looking away from Emily, "Years ago, in my youth I was part of an adventuring party with four others. We were young and overconfident in our strengths. In our hubris we took a mission to clear out a nest of wyverns in the pass through the mountains. We thought it'd be two or three of them not an entire colony of the beasts. I watched as my colleagues...my friends were overwhelmed and shredded to peices and devoured one by one...I would've died there too if my dear friend, Shurin, hadn't sacrificed herself to push me off the side and cast a spell to cause an avalanche after me. I was shielded from being ripped to pieces become food for their hatchlings. Yet I still tumbled smashing into trees as the avalanche caught me and buried me as I lay broken and dying slowly. It took me hours to finally die, but when I did, I awoke to see a woman...no a goddess...sitting on a giant golden throne in the heavens far above this world floating among stars and clouds. She gave me a second chance at life healed my wounds enough for me to dig myself out of the snow and I limped back to town, the party's sole survivor."

The Guildmaster reached into her vestments and pulled out a wooden pendant hanging from her neck. "I became obsessed with that experience, and through the years I learned the goddess that had saved me was named, Ereletheia, once widely worshipped throughout the land, but now barely even remembered. But I have not forgotten any of what I saw. She showed me a face and told me that someday I would see the person this face belonged to and when I did I was to give her any aid I could." She held out the pendant for the both of them to see, "I carved this myself of the face of the woman I was meant to help."

Aram's eyes widened as he pointed at the pendant and then to Emily. "Emily, that's you."

The guildmaster collapsed to her knees and bowed to Emily forehead on the floor between her sandals. "Oh, sweet holy one, I have waited so long to repay Ereletheia's kindness to me that day. I, Kurrida Ironsbane, am no longer the warrior I once was what help I can give you you will have in your divine mission. This I swear by the second chance at life she granted me."

 

[Poprockz]

Emily puffed out her cheeks with exasperation before readying herself to tell him in no uncertain terms that she would not get help from anybody like that creep, but the arrival of the tea stopped her. She wasn’t so rude that she was going to ignore the guild master now that she was there with their beverages.

The young woman accepted her tea with a smile, giving a quiet “thank you,” as Aram wanted to get to the matter at hand.

What followed left Emily wide-eyed and open-mouthed. She too had thought that she had called them up here on important guild business, and yet soon she was witness to the noble older woman kneeling in front of her The story was amazing, and she couldn’t help but feel sad that the others couldn’t have been saved as well. Still, she supposed the Goddess couldn’t resurrect everyone, or it would disrupt the balance.

The situation flustered her, having never had anyone bow to her. She would never have imagined in her past life that she would ever have anyone with their head to the ground for her. Her cheeks flushed, her voice going a bit high-pitched as she set the tea down and knelt before the guild master, her hands going to hers to lift her torso back up. “N-no! You don’t have to bow to me like that! The Goddess gave me another chance at life too, so we’re the same!”

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

Aram's eyes widened as he pointed at the pendant and then to Emily. "Emily, that's you."

The guildmaster collapsed to her knees and bowed to Emily forehead on the floor between her sandals. "Oh, sweet holy one, I have waited so long to repay Ereletheia's kindness to me that day. I, Kurrida Ironsbane, am no longer the warrior I once was what help I can give you you will have in your divine mission. This I swear by the second chance at life she granted me."

Aram noticed this seemed to fluster Emily. On his end he didn't know just how to react to any of this. All he could do was sit there and watch as Emily slid out of her chair to her knees. She reached down and lifted the Guildmaster back to her knees saying to her, "N-no! You don't have to bow to me like that!"

Kurrida just stared at her awestruck as she continued in a heartfelt tone, "The Goddess gave me another chance at life too, so we’re the same!”

"She said she's from another world," Aram put in for the Guildmaster, "She said she was deathly ill there but given a brand new chance to live here because of your goddess."

"The same?" She repeated looking deep into Emily's eyes. She did this to him too when she went against everyone to admit him into the guild. She just stared into his eyes for an awkward amount of time and what she thought she saw in them Aram could not say. Finally, she nodded to Emily. "Yes, perhaps we have more in common than is apparent."

She reached out and caressed Emily's smooth cheek, and then to Aram, "What have you told her of this world?"

"Not much," Aram was ashamed to admit. "I really don't know much more than just what happens here in Lorenstown. I was hoping to fill her in more when we get to the orphanage tonight."

"No," The Guildmaster rose to her feet, "I won't turn her away like an ingrate. She'll sleep in a comfortable bed with a full belly tonight. The both of you will. Besides, It will give us a chance to debrief her and make plans on how she can save this world from the darkness plaguing it."

"But the orphanage," Aram protested.

"Will still be there in the morning," She said as if that settled the matter. Then to Emily she clasped her hands. "Come I'll take you to the equipment room. There you'll be able to choose among a number of outfits, one more suited to pose as a new adventurer in a team with Aram."

 

[Poprockz]

There was something unsettling about the guild master's stare, and yet also something intriguing. She couldn't look away from those eyes that seemed to search her very being. Whether it was a minute or an hour, she wasn't sure, but she soon found that the spell between their eyes had been broken.

The conversation that followed was witnessed with silence by Emily, though part of her wanted to butt-in and say that they hadn't had much time to speak of a lot of the details. Their primary goal had been to recover and get back to town, which they had seen to without delay. Having explain this world's details while carrying her would likely only have made him breathless and exhausted, while she would have struggled to stay awake.

She didn't want to turn down the Guildmaster's generosity, but it still pricked her conscious that the orphanage had to wait to see Aram again. Her eyes went to her friend and then back to the woman, her posture a bit unsure and hesitant. "Um, while I appreciate all that you're trying to do for me, but can we at least excuse Aram to drop by the orphanage? The people there could be in dire need of the funds he has. Though it's only a night, I wouldn't want anyone sleeping on an empty belly while I enjoyed a comfortable stay."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

"But the orphanage," Aram protested.

"Will still be there in the morning," She said as if that settled the matter. Then to Emily she clasped her hands. "Come I'll take you to the equipment room. There you'll be able to choose among a number of outfits, one more suited to pose as a new adventurer in a team with Aram."

"Oh," Aram said a little deflated. He chewed his lip looking to the Guildmaster and then to Emily back to the Guildmaster. "I...I guess...if Emily agrees to it."

He didn't want to stay. He wanted to go home and check on his brothers and sisters. However, he felt a strong sense of duty towards Emily. If she stayed he felt like he shouldn't leave her all alone here in a strange world and surrounded by strange people. She'd need a friendly face nearby. Someone who would demonstrate that he'd never turn away from her.

Aram deeply wanted to be that man for her.

She looked back to him and sized him up so swiftly. Aram could see such kindness and compassion and understanding of his confused feelings,

"Um, while I appreciate all that you're trying to do for me, but can we at least excuse Aram to drop by the orphanage," She told the guildmaster and Aram turned to her in shocked surprise. "The people there could be in dire need of the funds he has. Though it's only a night. I wouldn't want anyone sleeping on an empty belly while I enjoyed a comfortable stay."

"Very well," Guildmaster Kurrida nodded to her, "Aram if you wish to you may return to your family in the orphanage. You may go and come back in the morning."

"Thank you, Guildmaster," Aram came up to Emily, "I do want to go to my family, but are you sure you're okay with this. I don't want to leave you all alone in a strange place surrounded by strangers." He looked down at his hands and faltered. He always always always said the wrong thing to girls, and dreaded doing so again to Emily. So he just said what he felt. "I don't want to leave you, but I feel that I need to go see my family." He took her hand and squeezed it

----------------------------X

Later that night after Emily had followed the guildmaster to the supply room. She got new clothes and some gear appropriate for silver ranked adventurer. As she dined on a fine supper Kurrida regaled her of the goings on in the world mostly rumors from merchants and references to people places and things she had little to no context with.

She showed Emily a large unscrolled map showing Lorenstown in a mountain valley that straddled a river that was not much but traveled south growing in importance and size to become the life blood of not one but three different human kingdoms all nominally under one ancient alliance. To the east were the mountain steppes dominated by the Orc raider tribes and the emerald forest home to the isolationistic and reclusive High Elves and the deep mountainous peaks that the Dwarven clans and Rock Gnomes made their strongholds. To the north were the frozen tundra home to few but the odd Frostgiant. To the east were the lush plains home of the nomadic Centaur herds and Halfling shires. and lastly beyond that were the badlands and the dead sea where rumors of large monster hordes coalescing was just being whispered of in tones of fear and dread.

The night continued and Kurrida spoke more on how her second chance at life gave her new purpose and a far better spirit of kindness and compassion for the smaller people in this world. the experience made her into a far far better person.

She then gave her a room with a fireplace and a warm bed she could settle in under thick covers for her first good slumber since coming to this world.

As she would sleep she would hear the voice of the goddess in her dreams. "My dear child, Cherish the bonds you form with others. They shall strengthen you and grant you courage and sustain you through even the shadowed places you must walk. Beware the minion of my counterpart he will work to counteract all that you try to acheive, and always remember there is strength in love and compassion towards others. Do not fall prey to despair no matter how dark and violent the storm rises against you. Remember this, you will never be all alone, my brave champion, your light will call out to those in need of illumination in their dark and frightening lives, and in turn their light shall bolster you with each fragile and beautiful ember. You have already seen this begin to happen. Cherish those that love you."

-------------------------X

Early the next morning Aram returned to the guildhall and was frozen in place as he watched Emily now coming downstairs to greet him wearing the clothing of an adventurer now. They weren't fine clothes, certainly not as thin or revealing as the robes she'd worn, but they did little to hide the fact that she was the most beautiful girl Aram had ever lain eyes on. He watched her come down the stairs eyes wide in awe of her.

When she stepped up to him he stammered through, "Uh...good morning....uh...did you sleep well?"

He took her hand in his, "What do you want to do this morning?"

 

[Poprockz]

"Do what you need to do," she squeezed his hand back and gave him an earnest smile, "I can survive a day at the guild, and I trust that you'll come back to help. Never feel guilty about taking care of the people you love." With that, she let him go, being guided away by the guild master to try on several new outfits. It seemed that every outfit made the older woman dissatisfied, shaking her head and saying that it either didn't fit her image, or wasn't suitable for her. By the time they were done, she was exhausted and ready for a good meal.

She listened with interest at the stories she was told, each of them giving her insight into this woman's life and experiences. Some of the things shocked her, such as how many different monsters there were in the world, as well as the fact that there were several mythical races that she had only heard about in storybooks. Elves? Orcs? Part of her was excited to meet these new peoples and experience their cultures, but she was also a bit nervous. What if she accidentally made a fool of herself? All she knew was that she would likely have to make her pilgrimage to those places to seek aid against the demonic threat.

When it was finally time to sleep, she had barely put her head down before she was asleep. She had to admit that it was very nice being able to sleep on a comfortable mattress. It wasn't sterile and plush like a hospital bed was, but she slept well in it all the same.

The dream filled her with the warm rays of hope, filling her body with healing energy. The Goddess's words were not lost on her, and she listened carefully. It seemed as though she was being reassured that the Goddess's love would always be with her, and that it was her job to let the people of this world know that it was with them also. She was the flashlight, but the Goddess was the battery powering her light so that the world could see once more.

With a yawn, she woke up and got out of bed when the morning came. The outfit that was picked out for her was put on, and she headed down for breakfast. Who knew if Aram was back yet, but at the very least she was a bit peckish.

The guild master had apologized that it was only painted gold rather than being the real deal, but she didn't mind at all. She saw the outfit as quite beautiful, even if it did make her feel a bit odd about it basically cupping her breasts. When she saw Aram, she smiled widely and hurried down the steps, excited to see him once more. With each steps, her boobs jiggled in her breastplate.

"Yeah, I slept great! I even look like a real adventurer now!" She glanced down at his hand and flushed slightly, reminded of her feelings in the wagon yesterday. "Um. Well, I'd like to eat first, and then we can see how to proceed with my mission from the Goddess."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

When she stepped up to him he stammered through, "Uh...good morning....uh...did you sleep well?"

He took her hand in his, "What do you want to do this morning?"

"Yeah, I slept great!" She replied with a radiant smile warming him from being in sheer proximity to it, "I even look like a real adventurer now!"

He nodded at that. She wore more fitting clothes and armor than he himself did now, but that was good where Aram was concerned. Anything to help protect her. Though he couldn't help but notice how the chest piece of the silver and gold armor lifted up and displayed her rather unmistakable breasts. He was assidiously trying not to stare at them.

She glanced down at his hand still holding hers and was that a little bit of a blush rising on her cheeks before she pulled it away. "Um...Well, I'd like to eat first, and then we can see how to proceed with my mission from the goddess."

Aram bit his lip looking away at that. He'd already given every coin he'd earned yesterday to the orphanage to get the roof repaired. He couldn't afford any breakfast for himself let alone both of them. Emily had no money either. The only place they could really get something to eat was the guildhall here using the tab every adventurer was granted there just for being a guildmember. But the likelihood of having another scene with other adventurers was pretty high in there. Remembering how crestfallen and upset she had gotten meeting those gold ranked adventurers. Aram did not want Emily to become that saddened or angry again.

But there was no where else. He'd have to risk it.

He led her over into tavern area of the guildhouse. It was a large rectangular room with tavern tables and benches to eat at. The walls were decorated with stuffed heads of various monsters the members had vanquished and portraits of esteemed guildmembers of the past heroic deeds. People there were sparse, being so early in the morning and most adventurer's penchant for being nightowls and drunks.

They ordered their food and told them to put it on their tabs and sat at one of the tables waiting for the serving girl to bring them their meals when they were ready cups of warming herbal tea in hand. He took a sip and told her, "Well, it seems to me you need information. So you should go to the person in town that deals in that trade. Fransz Bandelere, she's an information broker, well...a criminal in the riverside district, but if she does not have the information you need, no one in town will."

He looked up to her asking, "What do you think, should we go see her?"

Before she could answer he threw in, "If we do we should be careful I heard she got into some trouble with the Church of the Prophets yesterday and got proclaimed a heretic."

 

[Poprockz]

"Hmm..." She thought about it carefully, looking down into her tea as she considered their next move. Though she wanted to believe that the Church of Prophets was good, the fact that Aram had warned her to be cautious with them made her feel as though things might be a lot different than what she had expected. Having been a stalwart companion so far, she trusted his judgment and would proceed accordingly. In some sense it was as though he was her ambassador to this world, showing her where to tread and what to say.

It made her a bit nervous to approach an information broker, let alone a criminal one, but they really needed that information. If the Church was indeed corrupt, then perhaps this "heretic" wasn't as heretical as they claimed. Even if she was, Emily believed that most deserved second chances to change things, as evil often was a result of evil inflicted up oneself.

"I say we go to see her for information," she took a sip of her tea and added, "though... I don't think we have any money to pay her. I was actually thinking about money a bit last night, and I thought maybe this would help." Reaching up, she pulled her necklace out from under her armor, the same necklace the fairies had given her. "I would be a bit sad to see it go since it was a gift, but I think they would be happy if we used it to further our mission. Sometimes success requires sacrifice, and it has to be worth at least a little bit."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

Before she could answer he threw in, "If we do we should be careful I heard she got into some trouble with the Church of the Prophets yesterday and got proclaimed a heretic."

"I say we go to see her for information," She said sipping from her tea then adding, "Though...I don't think we any money to pay her."
Aram nodded at that. He had hoped to trade favors with Bandalere for the info they needed, but he had to admit that chances were that someone hiding out from the heretic hunters would want something more immediate and nothing was more immediate than getting real hard gold coins for thier purse.

"I was actually thinking about money a bit last night, and I thought maybe this would help." She reached up and pulled out the moongem necklace the pixies gave her. "I would be a bit sad to see it go since it was a gift, but I think they would be happy if we used it to further our mission. Sometimes success requires sacrifice, and it has to be worth at least a little bit."

Aram shook his head, "No, Emily, we can't sell your necklace. I don't know what it's like in your world, but you don't know how rare or how special it is to be given anything as a gift from pixies. Espeically since they were the first to recognize who you were. That necklace is something you should treasure for your whole life."

"I am known in the riverside district. Folk trust me there." He told her, "I can find where she's hiding and negotiate with her to get the information we want from her." He reached out and used his hand to curl her fingers around the necklace and push it back towards her. "I know we could use the money, but this is just too precious to us to just sell off."

 

[Poprockz]

Emily's face scrunched slightly inward, her brows furrowed as though she was thinking on his words albeit reluctantly. Though she understood his point, she didn't like the idea of expending his own credit for her. He barely knew her, and he had children and an older lady to take care of. Based on how in need of money he seemed, these were likely favors that he had been saving as last-ditch efforts. It didn't sit right with her... What could she do though? It wasn't as though she had any alternative way of making money.

With a sigh, her cloudy expression relented and she shrugged, "fine." Her hand slipped from his as she tucked the necklace back under her armor. "But if we're in dire need of money, I reserve the right to trade or sell it. I can't have you giving me every scrap and coin you have, no matter how much you may want to. That's not the sort of person I want to be."

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

"I know the way," He told her, "Follow me."

He led her outside the guild hall and into Lorenstown's main square. Here there were more people milling about shopping from market stall to merchant tent. Children ran around threading their way through the adults chasing eachother and laughing as they played. Town guardsmen patrolled through the crowds seeking out pick-pockets or other such criminal troublemakers. In the center of the square the fountain of the kingfisher bubbled and spilled out as people sat around its base enjoying the warm spring morning. Across from them the church of the prophets was open and it's attendants were pulling down the dead body of some poor soul they had hung up on the cross in front naming him a heretic.

He shivered recognizing the face of a butcher that worked up in the ritzier part of town, but he'd seen him here in the market many times before. Poor man...he wondered if he left behind a family, or if they too were suffering under the church's inquisitors' tender mercies. He dreaded what Emily would think of them if she discovered just how bad it was here. So fortunately, he guided Emily through the market in such a way she wouldn't likely get a clear view of what they were doing to mutilate the body before casting the pieces out to feed the dogs.

He shivered again leading her out of the market and through the streets, and over the bridge to the less wealthy part of Lorenstown. This was the Riverside district, dominated by empty fishing slips as their vessels were now plying the currents of the river seeking fish for the fishmongers that gave the entire district an aroma that was rather unmistakable. It wasn't all just fishermen here there were barges from the dwarven mines deeper in the mountains carrying raw ore to be sold in the capital city further down river. The buildings were rundownand ramshackle and close into eachother and crowded with occupants.

"Here we are," He told Emily, "I've lived in the Riverside district most of my life, pretty much grew up on these streets." He pointed down the winding street "The orphanage is just down that way, but we're not here for that now."

They started making their way down people smiled when they saw him, waved, even stopped to say hello to him.

"Hi Aram."

"Who's this? You're girlfriend?"

He shook his head and laughed that off, "No, this is Emily. She's my new adventuring partner."

"Well it's about time those stuck-up twats in the guild realized how special you are and gave you some real help, Aram."

"And she's so pretty....does she have a boyfriend...then you better make your move quick before somebody less deserving snatcher her up." That came with a laughing slap on his back and a blush rising to his face as he looked at Emily.

He stopped to help a man struggling to fix a cart that had one of it's wheels broken off. "Hang on Mr. Arlenstone. You'll throw your back out again. Let me help you."

He got under it and with the weight of the wagon on his shoulders strained to lift it up as several other men came to lend a hand towards him. Then it was lifted up out of the muddy street. "There. Emily get the wheel, okay?"

Once it was moved off the streets and he and the other men that helped Mr. Arlenstone out began to inspect the damage done. It was simply a busted axle. The cartwright down the street should be able to replace it. It would not likely be cheap though. He offered to help thatch Widow Margrave's roof in rather convuluted trading of favors done to pay for the cart's repairs."

"Here in the Riverside people would take your coin, of course," He explained for Emily, "But with money so tight these days most can't afford it. So instead we trade what we can afford to our labor. You know, we do odd jobs in exchange for what we can't afford to buy outright."

They continued on until they reached a house across from one of the ripe-smelling fishmongers' buildings. A somewhat plump woman leaned against the doorframe in a once nice dress now worn and tattered in places. She regarded the two of them in a sultry fashion, "Hello, Aram. I thought you'd never grace my door. It's an hour for the usual, three silver for anything longer-though for you again I might be open to negotiation-especially if your beautiful friend wants to join in."

Blushing furiously he didn't dare look over to how Emily was taking this...or if she figured out this woman's occupation actually was.

"I only want to talk, Merrie," He said cutting to the chase to avoid any other topic more embarassing, "We're looking for Fransz?"

She straightened up and looked both ways down the street to see who was nearby or listening in. "My sister's gotten awful popular lately...a little too popular with the inquisitors at least. I already told them I don't know where she's hiding. So you and your friend are out of luck with me I'm afraid."

The door shut in his face. He turned to Emily and quietly told her. "She's lying. She has to know where Fransz is. When they were kids those two were inseparable. No way Fransz got into this much trouble and Merri doesn't know where she's hiding herself." He looked to the door locked now. "We just have to convince her to trust us. Any ideas how?"

 

[Poprockz]

The Market looked lovely, bustling with activity and the sounds of bartering. Merchants called customers to their stalls, while ladies sized-up candlesticks to see if they would fit in with their decor. The smell of street food wafted on the air, and it made her mouth water. To Aram's credit, she didn't see the horror of the dismembered man, instead remaining bright-eyed and curious.

Oof... The smell of fish hit her hard, the lady trying to hold onto her breakfast as she followed him into this new part of town. She tried to keep a genial face as he introduced it to her, but she couldn't help but swallow down a gag every once in a while. Never had she been exposed to such a fishy smell, and it was entirely overwhelming. Over time it got better though, and soon it was as though the scent simply became part of how the world was.

It made her smile to see the way the townspeople treated him and to see him helping out here and there. It was as though the town itself had adopted him with the way they teased and joked. She could tell it made him slightly embarrassed here and there, but on the whole his relationship with them was very sweet. It made sense why people trusted him in these parts- he was always willing to lend a hand and help out. Emily found herself looking on with a shy little smile on her face, happy to be included in some capacity, especially when she helped with the wheel.

When Merrie spoke, Emily adopted a puzzled look to her face. What was "the usual?" Why did it matter if Emily joined them? She looked the woman up and down, then looked at the building for some indication of what might be going on. Her eyes soon landed on a bit of graffiti on the side of the building of a woman bent over with a man behind her. The realization was swift, much like the pink that came to her cheeks. They were prostitutes! Not that there was anything wrong with that, but she had never met a prostitute in her past life. It felt a bit awkward, especially standing beside Aram.

When Aram turned to speak with her, she turned to him and nodded, still feeling a bit distracted by the realization. "Do I have any ideas? I mean... I'm not sure but... Was she a prostitu-?"

Beyond the door, there was a piercing shriek followed by clattering and the screams of other women. The thud of footsteps got closer until the door burst open, a man in a brown coat practically leaping from it as though he had been shot from a cannon. He shoved in-between the two of them, the force of his body almost bowling Emily over before she found her footing once more. At first she was just bewildered and put-off by the fact that he had almost knocked her over until she saw that some blood had rubbed off on her.

Her eyes widened and her head snapped toward the door. She wasn't sure what was going on inside, but it sounded like someone might have been hurt in there. Something within her was telling her that she needed to go inside, her feet obeying her intuition with urgency. She soon found herself in the main lobby of the building, looking around for the source of the commotion.

On the floor, there was a beautiful woman laying in a pool of blood. She was crying, begging one of the other whores to not let her die. Her bloody hands were shaking as they squeezed the other woman's, though the two of them likely knew that there was nothing they could do. There was a short sword in her belly and likely through her spine by the way her legs twitched slightly. One could see the silver tip of it poking out of her back.

Emily saw the fear in the woman's eyes, and it wrenched at her heart. This poor woman had been stabbed, for what? Jealousy? A stiffed payment? Or perhaps there wasn't a reason and it was just mindless violence. She made a move to get closer, but was met with a bit of resistance.

"Go away! There's nothing you can do, fool girl!" One of them dismissed her with despair in her voice, waving her away.

Emily would not be dissuaded though. She knelt in the blood alongside them and laid her hands upon the woman's belly before closing her eyes. Of course she didn't know this woman, had never met her in her life, and yet she couldn't ignore the sense of kinship she felt. She too had felt the fear, the utter panic of thinking that one was about to die. It was a dire, grasping feeling, as though one thought that they would live if they only had something to clutch to anchor them to this world. Her heart wanted to help her, to save her if she could.

Light started to bloom in her hands, tendrils of it wrapping around the woman's torso. It hummed lightly, the room suddenly becoming very quiet as the other women looked on with wide-eyes. Unbeknownst to Emily, there were few priests who could bring someone back who was this close to death, and the ones that could wouldn't be caught dead in a whorehouse. Tears started running down Emily's cheeks as her overwhelming feelings of compassion poured out of her.

Live... Please Live... Goddess give me the strength to heal her!

The light pulsed, becoming brighter than before, the sword slowly working its way out of her belly as though being pulled by the hand of the Goddess herself. Soon there was a clatter as it fell to the floor, the hole in her guts closing behind it. There was rapt silence for a moment at the undeniable truth- the woman was fully healed as though it had never happened.

 

[Veroe]

IC: Aram Stonemoor

The door shut in his face. He turned to Emily and quietly told her. "She's lying. She has to know where Fransz is. When they were kids those two were inseparable. No way Fransz got into this much trouble and Merri doesn't know where she's hiding herself." He looked to the door locked now. "We just have to convince her to trust us. Any ideas how?"

He turned back to see her expression as she responded and he noticed she wasn't looking at him or the door. Her gaze was on the side of the building or rather on the rather expressive graffiti drawn on it. He saw a little bit of a blush start to color her otherwise white porcelain cheeks. She turned to look back at him murmuring in reply, "Do I have any ideas? I'm not sure... Was she a prostitu-"

There came a blooodcurdling cry from inside the house that broke off her question in mid sentence. Aram turned around to face the door again just as it burst open and a man barrelled through it and over him, He fell back to the mud of the street with a cry as the man kept running for his life inside.

"What..." He said turning his head to the man running down the street then to see if Emily was hurt at all by that. She had been knocked back too, but thankfully Aram had taken the brunt of the collision with that maniac it seemed. She looked inside through the open door and Aram followed her gaze and saw for himself what had happened in there.

Not Merri, but one of Merri's girls was stumbling into the front hallway before collapsing to the floor clutching her stomach where the hilt of a shortsword was still sticking out of it. Another of Merri's whores, this one a short redhead in a blue dress shrieked seeing her and came up to her friend. The stricken prostitute grabbed her hand with her bloody one begging for help.

Aram shut his eyes and looked away in shock and mortal frustration. There was no helping her. The poor woman would bleed out from that wound and die. With that wound she had moments of agony and fear in which to live before she would pass away. It was inevitable. There was nothing anyone could do now.

"Go away," Another one of the ladies said and Aram opened his eyes to see Emily had gotten back up on her feet and for some reason had stepped inside. Despite what the other woman said to her Emily approached the poor dying woman. "There's nothing you can do, fool girl."

"Emily." Aram scrambled back onto his feet. "Don't....you can't help her...no one can..."

Yet even as he spoke Emily would not be deterred. Aram watched as she knelt in the pool of the woman's blood spreading on the hallway floor.

"Aram," Merri said coming out of her room to see the scene, "Jorra! What's going on here?"

"Someone attacked her and ran out of the house," Aram said coming inside to pull Emily away before she went and made things worse. Sure, she could heal injuries, but there was nothing that could be done to save Jorra now. His heart felt sick for her, but the best thing was to let her go with as much dignity as was possible given the grisly situation.

Emily was bending over the dying woman and reaching out her hands towards her. She was going to do it. She was going to try to heal her, and Aram dreaded how distraught she'd be when she failed-dreaded it deep in his bones.

He stared in awe as pure golden light shined from her hands reaching out to the woman. Everyone was speechless and staring as the gold light wrapped around the dying Jorra and began to suffuse inside of her. Aram saw the strain Emily was under as tears rolled down her cheeks as she pleaded to Jorra-no-to the goddess whose power she was the avatar of, "Live... Please Live... Goddess, give me the strength to heal her!"

He and everyone gasped and shielded their eyes from the sudden glare of the golden light even brighter than before, but he saw the shortsword that had been lodged deep in poor Jorra's guts slowly pull out of the wound and clatter onto the ground. To everyone's amazement the light faded and in it's place the grisly mortal wound in Jorra's stomach was gone-as if it had never even happened to it at all.

"Emily," He said heartfelt and in sheer dumbstruck awe, "That was a deadly wound. What you did was a miracle....no one's ever done this...not for someone lowborn like us....you-you were amazing."

Jorra who was looking down and feeling her healed body suddenly reached out and hugged Emily tightly. Weeping tears of sheer gratitude she blubbered, "Thank you...thank you...thank you..."

"I don't believe it," Merri murmured,

"You said her name was Emily," The short redheaded woman asked him, "She saved Jorra with magic. Is she a mage?"

Aram shook his head. "No...mages don't heal people...that's-that's..."

"A priestess," Merri murmured, "My sister said that hundreds of years ago there were priests and priestesses of a goddess we've virtually forgotten the name. She said they could call on that name and perform miracles....fight plagues, cure famines, heal the gravely wounded...even bring back people who died...." She shook her head, "I don't believe it."

Aram knelt next to Emily still in the arms of gratefully weeping Jorra. He reached out and took hold of her hand in his. "I hope you know what you're doing...word of this, what you've done here, it's going to get out."