Zilo, Leo, and Jin made their way back to the ship and after their encounter with the ice devil and put together all the items they needed during the voyage back. After counting them up, they learned they only needed 3 more items: a fan used 8 times by a pure maiden, poison capable of killing a man, and a flask of holy water blessed by Arete.
"Well thank the gods, these ones should be a cake walk compared to the rest." Says Leo letting out a sigh of relief.
Jin rubs his chin and says, "It would probably make sense for us to split up, can any of you get the poison, I'm still new to Deneval."
"I've been there longest so I guess..."
"I got this." Interrupts Leo, stopping Zilo before he can finish. Leo then continues, "I may not have been in Deneval long, but cities are always the same, I can find a guy."
Zilo smiles and says, "Alright I'll get the fan then."
Shortly after they agreed they arrived back in the city, Jin headed straight for the bar with Falx to find Cruxis for the flask, while Leo... kinda disappeared into the city. Zilo stopped by a luxury items store, and bought a new fan that the shop owner promised that it was never used.
Satisfied the bard went back to the bar to see Jin leaving the bar and heading to the religious section. Zilo yelled to him as he walked off, "Find him!?"
"Morning sermon! Heading over now! Falx and the stuff are at the bar for Maldrek." Responds the monk, spinning and walking backward to shout back. Zilo throws Jin a thumbs up before entering the bar himself. He walks up to the bar counter to see Aria, the pile of collected items, and Falx, who is handcuffed to the bar's tap and grumbling about it as well.
"And my kin returns, hello lowborn." Shouts Falx sarcastically. Zilo gives him a little salute before focusing back on Aria, who hasn't moved her eyes from the bard.
"Hey Aria I-"
"Stop. Zilo we need to talk." Aria cuts in. Zilo is momentarily taken a back before sitting at the bar and answers back, "Alright, shoot."
Aria takes a few seconds to fill and slide a drink down the bar to a waiting customer before turning back to Zilo and asking, "Are we a thing?"
"No we are two things, a human and a fetchling." Aria squints at Zilo, who is smiling like he is a genius. she shakes her head and then says, "Look I'm not saying I'm opposed to... us, we had a really good night before you took off."
"Oh yeah, sorry about that, Maldrek-"
"I know, he told me, no big deal. Just please check in with me next time you need to head out."
"You got it, babe." Says Zilo still smiling like an idiot. Aria looks off and suddenly shouts,
"Hey Clay! Get your dad out here now!" A young boy who looks to be about 8 or so throws Aria a salute and scampers over to Maldrek's office behind the bar. The boy has light hazel eyes as well as a round face full of freckles and some short, light brown hair.
"Who's the kid?" Asked the bard.
"Maldrek picked him up from the orphanage after his mission, figured he could help out around the bar in case the rest of you head off on a mission." Aria grimaces and continues. "Not sure I like that though."
Zilo smiles and responds, "Giving a young boy a home and family, why is that bad?" Aria looks at Zilo with her lips pursed before shrugging and smiling. "I suppose you have a point, so anything cool happen while you all were traveling?"
Zilo crosses his arms as he looks to Maldrek approaching. " Yes, but I should wait for-.Good timing Maldrek, Me, Jin, and Leo got most of the stuff, just bits and bobs left to get, Which reminds me!" Zilo hands off the fan he got and says to Aria, "Fan yourself exactly 8 times please."
Aria momentarily looks at the fan perplexed until Maldrek gives her a nod. Zilo begins to recount his information while she begins to fan.
"So we discovered while getting the Lich tooth that the Dwaves of Craghold we met with were killed, the whole city."
"What!?" Responds Maldrek with a face full of shock.
"I had the same reaction, so we think that the elves from the nearby kingdom did it, so while stopping there to resupply we decided to investigate."
"What did you learn?"
"The elves did have an armada made up, which we looked into, but we found a dead end at the mountain top. It was a warping of the planar variety housing devils, figured you would know how to proceed."
Maldrek stops and thinks, "Devils huh? Leo, Cruxis, and Alaroc would be the best call I'd say. Good work Zilo, once the rest of the gear is here put it in my office. you can rest up for a bit, you deserve a break" Zilo gives Maldrek a small nod as he begins to walk away.
Aria hands the fan back to Zilo and shouts, "Wait a sec Maldrek! I needed to tell you something." Maldrek turns and looks at her.
"Remember I told you I found a guy I liked."
"No. No I do not." Says the Wizard with a blank expression. Aria is left aghast at that and needed a moment to continue her reveal.
"Well, me and Zilo are... a thing now, I guess." Maldrek's expression doesn't even flinch.
"I did it buddy! My first material plane girl!" Zilo flashes double thumbs up as Aria giggles. Maldrek blinks and responds, "Will this affect either of your jobs? I really don't need my employee's pining for each other in the bar or in the field."
Zilo keeps his thumbs up and says, "I've been suppressing my emotions since birth, and courting in my home is lucky to get a smile. I can keep it in check."
Aria looks to Zilo and says, "That sounds absolutely terrible. No wonder you are the way you are."
Zilo shrugs and says, "Hey, you know how to pick'em."
Maldrek waves them off as he heads back to his office and says, "No flirting on duty, give me that, and when you're off, do as you like."
Zilo offers Aria a high five, which she returns with a delightful grin before spinning about and returning to her bar duties. Zilo hops off the stool and takes to the stage. As the night begins to fall on the city of Deneval the bard's melodious chords float away into the night air.
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