As we made our way into the Seared Tusk I saw Eustus behind the bar, passing out drinks, the other restaurant goers were all sitting around having a drink. Even with just a quick glance around I saw quite a few people, Engar and Zenovia seemed to be sitting together and having a drink, Peridot was asleep at the bar, a half filled mug beside her, and I saw Larz and Qos sitting at a table with a few of the other guards, however what spooked me most was seeing Kinwal sitting with Selene and Liora and talking. Heading over worried about what kind of stories Kinwal was telling.
"Don't even get me started about his make-believe adventures when he was 12, he started to call himself potion man and- oh, hey Aiden."
Kinwal said cutting himself off as we sat down. Liora turned to me with a smug look and said.
"So, you get our plates and money potioneer the bold?"
Just hearing that stupid title I had made when I was a kid sent shivers up my spine as I thought back to my time as a 12-year-old, running around the woods, using Liquid Crystal Consolidation(E) like it was some finisher attack spell to spray nearby trees. The embarrassment was palpable.
"Welp, your whole gang is here, so I better head out, stop by if there is any info you need for your next quest."
Kinwal said as he got up, patted me on the shoulder and walked out. I sat down as Kaelen and Jax took seats, placing the bag of gold, and the bag with our 5 plates on the table. As everyone reached for the bag, I held a hand up to stop them.
"Now hold on, the difference can be split to get 100 each, but that's not fully fair."
"Now Aiden, I believe that it is completely fair, we all pulled our part in this quest, and as party leader I say 5-way split."
The others started to nod before I took out my notebook and opened it, sliding it across the table.
"The average room and board cost in Hopestone, combined with meals for the day would run you around 5 gold, Jax has been staying at my house for a month, and the rest of you for 3 days. Minus this meal that's 10 gold each I saved for each of you, and for Jax its much more."
The others seemed to look at me with a look that shifted from our pal Aiden to a look one would give a loan shark, the kind that had them asking should I run written on their face. I held up a hand before anyone bolted for the doors.
"I am willing to ignore that and split the difference evenly on one condition, you all buy cleaning equipment and help me clean my house."
The others went from on edge, to relaxed as if they had expected I would ask for a finger or something, but turning I still saw Jax wondering the best escape route.
"Welp, those of you with opposable thumbs enjoy that, I will be happy to-"
Jax was cut off by Kaelen and Liora wrapping their arms around him, both with an evil grin on their faces.
"You're the one who is getting the most out of this buddy, if anything, you should be the one who is doing the most."
"Yea, as a leader you should lead by example after all."
Jax audibly gulped as we passed out gold, plates, and plans.
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"Ack, the ash is getting in my fur!"
Jax complained as we were cleaning the house having finished up lunch and using what was left of the daylight to do what we could to clean so we wouldn't be covered in ash as we slept.
"Ash is everywhere Jax, would you rather wash it out when were done, or sleep in it?!"
Kaelen said as he waved his hand in front of his face as a ploom of ash and soot rose from the blanket he was beating outside.
We continued to work in silence for a moment before Selene said something. Knowing how quiet she is we all turned so we could hear.
"Growing up, I w-was always taught that listening to a story makes work go faster, s-so what if we took turns saying why we wanted to become adventurers. T-that way work goes faster and it's like a team bonding exercise."
We all stopped for a moment before looking at each other as Jax, not wanting to miss an opportunity to not clean jumped up on a chair we had pulled out of the house.
"Well as glorious leader, I volunteer to go first. It all started off when I was a small little pup."
Jax started to talk, but as he did, I ended up spacing off for a minute looking at my house, as I thought about what adventuring would mean. Leaving my home, for the first time in my life. I was starting to truly ponder on what that meant when I snapped back to Jax's story.
"So, my brother was the biggest and baddest dude around, everyone loved him, and he was super good at what he did, and I dreamed of becoming an adventurer because of him."
Jax sat with a self-satisfied smile before jumping down and pointing to Selene and saying.
"You recommended it, you get the next break."
Selene walked over to the chair, sitting down as she seemed nervous at first before clearing her throat and opening her mouth as if to start before closing it, stage fright had caught her from everyone looking at her. As we all stared, my foot caught on the edge of the door as I tripped, landing in the layer of ash just outside the door from where it had been gathering as we moved stuff out of the house. Everyone turned to me as I tried to jump up in as dignified a way as one can when covered in soot, dirt, and ash. Selene seemed to take the moment of everyone looking away to start mumbling, but as she continued, she got loud enough for everyone to hear her story as we worked.
"W-well my father was a knight who fought monsters on the front lines of Tessegog from the city of Arkney."
At the mention of Tessegog everyone went quiet as Kaelen glanced to Selene's arm as Selene quickly shook her head.
"T-the arm wasn't from the mist, it was from a family curse apparently, but combined with my AES, it didn't help the people at home see me as anything other than a monster."
The others looked between each other as I realized their question.
"AES is a condition called Aetheric Expulsion Syndrome, it means she has a hard time storing Aether."
Jax looked up and after a moment of thought asked.
"So, you just have trouble storing mana Aether, or do you use Aura Aether."
"W-well I actually use an energy called Mutation for my abilities."
At this Liora who was sweeping some ash out the door propped her chin on the broom with her hands on the end as she leaned back and forth slightly as she said.
"I never really understood the difference, is there just a bunch of different little things in the air or does the system artificially give us this energy?"
I perked up at this, recalling a book I had read about it in the library around a year or two ago.
"Actually, Aether is the raw form of the various energy's, basically think of it like a special mixture of gases in the air all around us at all times, depending on your class you however can only use portions of the Aether around us, so your body naturally filters them into the core 4 energys."
"T-those are Aura, Spirit, Mana, and Faith, right?"
Selene asked remembering our conversation when she visited the shop.
"Thats right, they are generally considered the core 4 of the energys."
"Then what about specialized things like Ki, or Mutation?"
Jax asked as he finished dragging out a chair my standing under it and balancing it out the door.
"Well, its further refinement, while Mutation is new to me, I'm pretty sure that Spirit can be refined down to Ki, the refinement is also why people have less energy from aether potions, because only a portion is actually usable compared to specific energy potions. Look, were getting off topic, Selene, you were saying."
"Y-yes, well dad ended up traveling to do more to defend against the monster waves, and I ended up leaving home when I was 15 to better learn to control my arm."
She silently turned back to continue chores as well all nodded along before Liora stepped up.
"Keep your pants on and your belts tight, my backstory has a hell of a dramatic twist!"
We all blankley blinked at her as she started with sound effects.
"I grew up in the soaring cliff tops of Cliefop, born to a great mage seeking those who hold his talent in his children. I was raised by a fullblood couple who taught me everything I know."
As She continued, I went inside the house to grab what would be the last of the blankets as Misty flew over to me. She had not wanted to be at the fight with the ash spirits or the Blood Trent both from the weakness the destroyed nature gave her, and something I assume stemmed from the fear of what a tiny water spirit would suffer if trying to confront several fully grown higher tier ash spirits, much less a Blood Trent. Misty nodded at me as she quickly flew into my necklace as I left carrying the last of the blankets.
"So I was trapped in my father's magic and told, if I wanted to live I had to decode the magic within, or be killed and ripped apart, so in desperation I modified the runes and ended up changing the magic to teleport me to the Bay in Ivyport where a passing fishing boat caught me in their nets, I vowed to get revenge, so adventuring is how I grow strong enough to get back at bio dad."
Liora finished off with a grand pose, one leg propped on the just cleaned chair like a ship captain pointing into a storm.
"You expect us to believe that you are both the child of the royal mage of Cliefop, and you managed to mess with a magic circle and get teleported to the bay on almost the other side of the world?"
Jax asked as Selene finished tying the rug wand to his tail as he started to wag it to beat the rugs I hung up on the makeshift clothesline.
"I do not expect you to fully grasp the awesomeness that is your fortune for finding the daughter of a royal mage to serve as your magic specialist, only free beer."
"You are so full of it."
Kaelen retorted as everyone laughed. Kaelen Stepped up next as he took a moment to dust off his robes as if he was preparing to give a formal speech to a church filled with attentive listeners.
"Well, I was born to a wealthy family and was known for my looks."
We all blinked at him for a minute, sure Kaelen by far was better looking than the rest of us, but he wasn't spread the word levels of good looking. Seeing our confusion Kaelen grabbed his necklace and removed it. It was almost as if his face had been ballooned and changed color in weird places before, because as his face shifted, I saw what he was saying. He had looks that made him both look manly and feminine, depending on the clothes he could pass as either, I only realized my mouth was hanging open at the sudden change when he placed his necklace back on and he returned to his old appearance, and I seemed to snap out of whatever trance I had been under. Turning to the others, they seem just as affected, if not more.
"As you all just saw, I use a necklace to hide my appearance with an uglier one. When I was 100 I left my home because my family tried to marry me off, but I managed to escape and wandered the woods for two weeks before passing out from exhaustion. For the first time in my life I prayed to the gods. I ended up waking up to be greeted by Father Zyzack who nursed me back to health. While I recovered I heard about the teachings of Freyungen and became her worshipper. I want to be an adventurer to grow my faith and to spread my faith to those like me who are in need of guidance."
As he finished, he stepped away from the chair and the group turned to me. I blinked for a moment before realizing It was my turn.
So far we have
1. Jax who is from a tribe and wanting to make his brother proud and for the honor of it
2. Selene who wants to learn to control her soulskill and get treatment for her condition
3. Liora who is apparently related to a super famous mage
4. Kaelen who had suck a noble journey in mind.
How the hells do I tell them I want to be an adventurer because the job looked cool and working a store is boring!? I took my time walking over as I sat down everyone cleaned but stayed attentive as I took a moment to wipe my glasses before talking, I had the thought of spinning a big story, but instead dropped it, lying was never my strong suit anyways.
"Well, when I was young, I was taken in by my grandfather after my parents left for the city to sell their invention, he taught me potion making and stuff, and I always wanted to be an adventurer because I thought it looked cool."
As I finished my words started to speed up as I became embarrassed. I looked to the ground expecting laughter.
"Right, you did say your parents made your bathing thing, and I head many nobles were crazing them."
Kaelen said holding his chin and nodding as if piecing a puzzle together.
"Judging from the guard lady's comments, he's not dead, is your grandfather on a trip?"
Jax asked as he finished carrying out the last of his loads of fabric and dropping them for Kaelen.
"Well, mom and dad didn't send letters or anything, so he went to see what happened with them, hasn't returned since."
The others nodded as Liora said.
"Well, it looks like we all have our goals set."
Everyone put down what they were working on as everyone wrapped up and gathered around the chair. Almost in a loop everyone spoke.
"I want to prove to my tribe that I am strong and make my brother proud."
"I-I want to learn to better control my soul skill and get a treatment for my AES."
"I want to return to Cliefop after becoming an accomplished mage and punch my dad."
"I want to spread the love of Freyungen and guide those who are lost."
As they got to me Jax pointed a paw poking my chest.
"As a party member you help us with that, and in return we will help you find out about your parents and learn more about alchemy."
It was a weird rush of heat to my face and a small jolt of excitement up my spine as Jax said that, the reality that I was an adventurer, I had a plate, and more set in. Breaking the lovely image before me were Liora and Kaelen who started dry heaving as Liora said in the most distraught sounding voice I had ever heard.
"Oh, dear Gods, the drama and cringe, its spreading. I just said that so naturally!?"
Jax not missing the moment went up to his human standing as he called it and started to wave his paws in circles and talking like a maniacal genius.
"Yes, soon the curse of the cringe will seep into your very bones, contaminating you for life. HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Well, if you are going to curse me with such a terminal spell, then you boys will be gentlemen and allow the girls to get the first use of the bath, right?"
Liora asked seemingly recovered from her attempts to throw up the cringe as both she and Selene were inching towards the bath setup on the other side of the house. Kaelen and Jax looked at each other, and as if in a footrace, all 4 of them broke into a sprint.
"Y-you could be a gentleman here Jax."
"Girl, have you tried getting matted ash out of a full body of fur without thumbs, no thanks!"
As they rounded the corner, I found that I couldn't help but laugh.