Chapter 163 - She Did It Again
Ethan glared at his partner with sharp daggers in his eyes. "Remind me again to not talk about Midnight whatsoever."
"Done," George said and took their quest from Glitch before walking away.
"So, I came here to give you guys this," Midnight said. He gave Elliot a piece of paper and a pen. "You have to sign this too since you're going to be her guardian."
"What's that?" Florencia asked, peeking at the document in Elliot's hand.
"This is an agreement of Azure Scorch Guild and the League of Royals and Nobles," Elliot answered. "We needed them to confirm your participation in our quest so you'll have a share of the reward and your name will be put in the list of the Adventurers who completed it."
"I don't need the money or the fame–"
"It will also save the guild from questioning or charges against human trafficking," Elliot cut Florencia off. "It's best if we not run into problems in our first mission, yeah?"
"Right," Florencia said. "So, when will this quest be?"
Elliot pursed his lips playfully, "Soon. And I bet you'll like it."
–
"How many times should I fall for your lies?" Florencia deadpanned, wiping the sweat on her forehead. "Let's rest first. I see a tree. We can use the shade."
"But Flo, we've been literally walking for just a couple of minutes," Viper grunted. "Can't you rest later?"
"Can't you rest later?" Florencia mimicked. "No."
For their first mission, the trio had to save a village from a group of thugs. The thugs, which was composed of seven Adventurer wannabes, themselves weren't the problem, but the distance.
They have to travel about two and a half days West, just a village away from Nefantine.
"Why do we have to travel on foot?" Florencia groaned. "My legs can't take this anymore. Help."
"You're overacting," Elliot said. "Feel the breeze here. The fresh grass on the roadside and the dirt path. It's fun."
"This will be fun if the sun is not literally spraying its flaming breath at us!" Florencia groaned.
Just after she said that, the sky darkened.
"Oh, yey!" Florencia cheered. "Now it's not sunny– oh."
Small droplets of water fell from the skies. Elliot looked up only to see the skies darken even more. The droplets of water started to form into larger drops, and had gotten even more in numbers.
"Mr. E-Elliot?" Viper called, tugging Elliot's sleeve. He pointed at the hills just nearby, where a heavy rain was traveling towards them. "Is that a storm?"
Elliot grit his teeth and pulled the two with him. "Run!"
He let go of them and let them run on their own, taking their weapons and putting it in his Inventory as to not hinder them from running fast.
"What are we running from?" Florencia yelled. The winds started to blow harder, and the rain slowly came nearer. "That looks more like a monster than rain. What is that?"
Elliot couldn't hear her through the rain and his deep focus. He swore he saw a figure inside the heavy rain, a figure that stood there.
"You two run ahead," Elliot said and stopped. "I have an idea."
"What are you doing? Ugh, just run!" Florencia grunted. "Elliot!"
Elliot gave them their weapons back, turning to the rain and brandishing his own. "I could see it."
'Sudden quest [ Save the Rain Woman ] available.'
[ Save the Rain Woman
Reward: 1 Grass Knight Pull
// An Adventurer, young and innocent, had lost control of her magic. Save her and you shall be rewarded. ]
"You don't have to tell me twice," Elliot said and stomped his right foot forward, trying to gain balance from the heavy winds. "H-Hasty Aspire!"
Elliot blasted himself towards the incoming rain. Viper and Florencia gasped at what he was doing. They wanted to stop and help but they were both unable to do anything.
Even with his speed, Elliot was having trouble with his Hasty Aspire. He had gotten closer to the rain and now he could see a vortex around the Rain Woman. It was like there was a small cyclone that had encaged her.
Taking a deep breath, Elliot thrust his sword forward, breaking the air pressure of the rain and using his Hasty Aspire to get inside.
"Hasty Aspire! Hasty Aspire! Hasty Aspire!" Without giving it much thought, Elliot simultaneously used his skill. He stacked Hasty Aspire and multiplied his strength and speed over and over with it, finally breaking through the air pressure of the rain.
Elliot leaped forward and spun, creating a rift with his sword through the rain and prepared himself for the thicker and denser atmosphere inside. When he had gotten in, he was surprised when it wasn't even dark in there.
"What is happening here?" Elliot gasped, looking around the large square-shaped hole in between the thick and heavy clouds.
Inside of the square was clear as day, only bordering by the dark clouds that rained upon outside.
"Hello?" Elliot called out, moving with the rain. "Is anyone here?"
"Make it stop," a girl whispered from somewhere.
Elliot turned around and looked for the source of the voice but found none. He walked around the area and still couldn't find anyone else except him.
"Where are you?!" Elliot called. "I want to help, but I don't see you."
"I'm right up here," the girl said from above, making Elliot look up and form an O with his mouth.
"Okay, so you're floating," Elliot said. "How will I get you out?"
"Break the gem on my chest," the girl said. "Come up here and break it."
Without giving it much thought, Elliot leaped from the ground and into the girl. He slashed through the vortex and saw the girl inside. She was pale, wet, and has the eyes of the sea.
"Break this," the girl pointed at her chest where a pendant was. "This will free me from the curse."
Elliot nodded and took the necklace off, pulling it from the girl's neck and throwing it into the air. He then slashed his sword through it, cutting the necklace in half.
Not a second aftet the necklace broke, the rain had stopped and everything dispersed. Elliot's eyes widened when he felt themselves falling.
"Hold on to me!" Elliot yelled and opened his hands for the girl could take it.
The girl reached to him and he pulled her close, taking his sword out and preparin for a series of attack.
"Hasty Aspire! Lotus Blast!"
Using the force from the Lotus Blast's cast, Elliot managed to absorb the shock from the fall, still holding the girl in his arms. When he was near the ground, he used another Hasty Aspire and flipped, landing on both his feet with a silent thud.
"You're okay now," Elliot said, placing the girl down. "You're safe."
"T-Thank you!" the girl ran up to Elliot but a dagger pointing to her neck stopped her from continuing. "W-What?"
"Don't take another step forward," Florencia threatened. "Elliot, how stupid could you be to trust someone so blindly?"
The girl backed away, her face scrunching and tears started to well in her eyes. It didn't take long before she cried that made Florencia stood properly.
"Oof," Viper sighed.. "She did it again."