The morning, almost noon, after the celebration, most of Swords and Sorcery began to stir after a party that went deep into the night. Zilo rubbed his eyes as he made his way down the stairs and around the bend to Maldrek's room. Zilo approach Maldrek to speak about the mission to Lidan. After he explained his meeting with the Prince, minus Zilo wanting payment in a wedding venue, Maldrek nodded a few times and said,
"Sounds like a profitable job. We should get all hands on deck for this then head out right away."
Zilo smiled and both he and Maldrek left the office to examine the tavern after last night's party. The place was in shambles. Drunks were pasted on the floors, stuck to stale stains from food and drink. Tables were knocked all about with the chairs broken to pieces.
Cruxis was making his way through the mess with the eyes of a man who got less than optimal amounts of rest. The paladin was peeling the drunks off the floor and helping them over to the doorway out. Alaroc was on the stage, sleeping upside down with one of his legs tied off to a rope meant to suspend titles over the stage. He was balancing on his helmet while very much out cold.
Sparky laid atop the bar counter with his stomach expanded out and rounded. He didn't seem conscious, but was passively rubbing his gut and moaned in pain. Jin seemed to be squaring up with the wooden support that held the east half of the tavern up, he was wobbling too and fro, shouting all manner of obscenities at the support. He was looking ready to slam into it with all his might.
To the monk's side, a very red-faced and lush Aria was hyping the monk up as he winded back for a heavy blow. Luckily May stopped him with a fast casting of Calm Emotions, she breathed heavy as she began to look around, finally noticing Zilo and Maldrek. She walked up to them and spoke, "So last night maybe went a bit too far, huh?"
Zilo opened his mouth to respond but was inturpted when Aria wobbled over and lost her footing, prompting Zilo to catch her. The drunk woman's head was tilted up to match eyes with the bard as her long hair fell over her face in a sloppy fashion. She smiled with an odd noise and spoke.
"Ziiiiilo! There you are! I was lookin all over for ya, I have a bit of an offer for ya!"
Zilo lifted his bride to be up to his shoulder and she began whispering in his ear. What was said wasn't able to be heard well by Maldrek or May, but they could see that the colorless Fetchling's face suddenly gain a deep shade of red pigments.
Maldrek looked to May and asked, "Zilo got us a new job, who can set out, May?"
May shook her head and began pointing to the remainder of the group, "Alaroc is going nowhere. He thought he could get even drunker by drinking upside down and his results were very bad. Jin can hold his gin, but depending on the job he might not be the most agreeable."
"We will be among the nobility." Maldrek sighed and May responded.
"No way on him then. Cruxis is fine, just needs to toss the ramble and catch a few more Z's. Sparky ate more than I think he weighs. Jin bet him he couldn't. Layis knows where Leo went, he ducked out with some woman after you put Clay to bed."
Aria held herself up by Zilo's shoulder and began to nibble at his neck and ear while the bard tried to keep his cool. "Aaaahhhh uh. I know the girl, I haaalped him and her they seemed- OW! Aria don't pinch me there!"
Maldrek facepalmed and spoke, "Fantastic, Zilo, put Aria to bed. May the same for Sparky. Cruxis get Alaroc down from there! I'll get the cart ready to take off. Jin do what you can to fix this place up before opening. Wake Clay up to help ."
The still drunk, but mellowed out Jin gave a thumbs up and made his way up the stairs to Clay's room. The group of conscious members of the group put the downed members to bed. By the time they finished, Maldrek had pulled the cart around and they began to hop in with Zilo and May at the front and the other two in the carriage's hold. As they did a woman's voice shouted from the second story of the tavern.
"ZILO! I got somefin to show ya!" The group looked up to see Aria beginning to untie the laces on the chest area of her dress. Zilo put two and two together in time and brandished his whip to hook the knob on the opened out window and flick the window shut, forcing Aria back and wobbling.
A muffled thud of a body hitting a bed could be heard from the room she was in. Zilo wiped his brow as May snickered a bit behind him. The group set off to the castle and got there just in time to meet with the Prince's entourage.
The Prince bowed to Zilo and his allies, as did Luther. Maldrek and Luther locked eyes as the Prince pointed to their own carriage with some beautiful horses and a man ready to drive them on the road. The Prince spoke, "We best be moving now, Lidan is a full month away by land so this will be a long journey." Zilo nodded, but Maldrek interrupted as the Prince and Luther began to board,
"Hold there my liege, I think I might have something to make the journey much simpler. Would you mind getting me a book on Lidan's customs and a map of the land, I'm rather good at mapping and might be able to find a faster route."
Luther shook his head and scoffed and said, "We already have the route set, there is nothing that some devil-borne commoner can do to make the travel quicker than that of a well educated noble such as I."
Maldrek grimaced at that comment before turning his head and saying, "I would stake my pay on the fact that I can do just as you claimed I can't."
The Prince raised his brow and chuckled, "Ha! you know what, we have some time before we need to set off. Let's see if your bite is as good as you bark wizard." Some guards brought the book and map that Maldrek had asked for. The wizard made use of Skill Lore to boost his comprehension and Knowledge of the land they were to journey to.
He also told his companions to return the carriage to the tavern, as they would have no need of it. Zilo questioned this and asked his friend, "How are we going to get there without the carriage?"
"I looked up a spell that would have really been helpful in case SOMEONE takes off with the carriage and I need to get somewhere fast!" Maldrek sarcastically remarked with a look of snark at the Bard. Zilo raised his hands in acceptance.
Once the hour was up Maldrek shut the book and stood before saying, "Okay, I think I've got it, come gather round guys. Also, hang onto anything you plan to bring with you." Everyone made their way over to Maldrek with their bags. The Prince did so with a larger case of his traveling supplies, as did Luther. Maldrek opened his spellbook and began to motion for everyone to make contact with him before he spoke,
"Teleport."
Suddenly a rush of magical power engulfed the group and they disappeared from the spot they were stood in. Meanwhile, across the land almost 1000 miles away in the country of Lidan in the southern province ruled by the Xunchu family line. The city in the distance was still a bit of a walk away, but couldn't be more than an hour away.
The Prince was amazed. As he looked at the land. It was similar to the region of Deneval in its greenery and mountain ranges in the far distances, but the region seemed much more densely filled with forestry. From this distance they could make out that much of the architecture in the city was red like hardened clay or wood.
Zilo nodded his head and said, "Not bad, how come you didn't do that to catch me weeks ago?"
Maldrek stares at a nearby tall tree and says, "It takes time and money to develop my spells Zilo. If I don't think it has value, I don't get them. You proved to me that this one would have value, now if you don't mind I have to swing back around to make another trip."
The group looks around, but Cruxis was the first to pick up on his meaning, "Where's Luther?" The Prince then realized that Luther was not here and shouted, "Why didn't you bring Luther!"
"Your majesty, please I don't need a headache while focusing on the spell. You don't need to shout. If you must know, I'm only able to Teleport up to 5 people with my current mastery of the spell." The Prince crossed his arms, frustrated as Maldrek teleported away again.
After a few minutes passed the wizard appeared again and looked around saying, "That's strange, where did he g-"
"AHHHHHHHH!!!! HELP!!!!!" The group looked up to a nearby tree to see Luther, suspended by his cape a good 30 feet up on the branch. Maldrek shrugged, putting away his book, and said, "well, like I said, it is a new spell, can't nail every use."
As the Prince, Cruxis, and Zilo ran to climb up and save Luther, May had been glancing at the spellbook that Maldrek had been putting away. She noticed that the spell he was on wasn't Teleport, but instead Treacherous Teleport. She snickered and whispered to the wizard, "Nice." Along with a behind the back hidden fist bump.
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