Chapter 25 - Unforseen Trip

With their warning spoken, Umbra and Sidus disappeared. The world around Ash seemed to slowly come back into existence.

The man that had been touching her snatched his hand away as if burned, "My apologies, princess, my senses told me," he hesitated as if uncertain she would understand his explanation.

"Virtus requires a verbal agreement on both the rules of the encounter as well as the risks even with a worthy challenger," Ash said softly, "Without agreement, he approves nothing. There is no honor in a challenge unexpected," she spoke a common phrase used by followers of the god of valor and contracts, "You would do well to spend some time in his temple and learn these things."

He seemed to actually take note of what she said, turning to run off in the direction of that temple before anyone else came near or spoke to him. He had a skill that allowed him to get a feel for the strength of the people around him and had judged her to be a worthwhile fight, she figured. It was not uncommon for followers of Virtus to do so though, as she had warned, contracts and honor were both important to the god.

Her eyes tracked him for a moment as she locked her knees to keep herself standing. The pain from her encounter with Lucrum was lessened but she ached all over as if she'd been in a fight. Exhaustion rolled over her, threatening to rob her of consciousness entirely. The people nearby stared in confusion. Any onlooker could tell that she hadn't been the target of the sanction yet she didn't look well-off after it.

She navigated her friends list, sending a message to Luna asking her to come as soon as she was able. Barely sensing Yarrow's approach through the waves of pain that lanced through her, she jumped slightly when he spoke.

"Ash. Let's return to the temple to rest for a while before we head to the adventurer's guild," he said softly.

She nodded her agreement, resting a hand on his arm, "Do you mind if I use a bit of magic to make the trip faster?"

He shook his head and gently walked forward with her at his side, carefully watching to make sure she didn't collapse, "If it will do you no further harm, feel free."

His concerned gaze stayed on her as she grasped hold of her magic and went somewhere safe. Her intent had been the temple and it was the thread she'd thought she'd grasped but she stood in front of the small home by her stargazing pond. She stood alone before her home, no sign of Yarrow anywhere nearby and unable to feel his magic either.

Familiar arms draped themselves around her once more as Lucrum's voice purred into her ear, "Now that I've slipped away from the geezers for a bit, I have a revised offer for you…One I think you'll like. After all, I don't think I've ever seen them react so strongly to anything before."

She wasn't particularly willing to listen to any offers. Her destination had been the temple. She'd had Yarrow with her. She was in the wrong place and didn't know where Yarrow had ended up. Ash was entirely unwilling to listen until all of that was explained.

"My, my," he said with a hint of a smile in his voice, "You do have loyalty to something other than Sidus' ideals. Perhaps I can work with you after all. Your friend is safe, his teleportation hasn't made the connection quite yet so it will be a moment or two before he arrives. I intend to be gone then. As for how you ended up here…I guess the connections got switched," mischief had entered his voice then, it was intentional that he'd drawn her away from the city.

Realizing there was nothing to do except hear him out since he was, whether intentionally or otherwise, holding Yarrow hostage to speak to her, Ash grumbled, "What is your offer, Lord Lucrum?"

"Just Lucrum for you," he purred, nuzzling against her neck again, "I might not like all of the values that Sidus instilled in you, but this rebellious streak that allows you to stand against a god and call them an ass is something I don't disapprove of," when she said nothing, very carefully trying to keep even her thoughts from him he chuckled, "As for the deal, I think it very simple."

A vision assaulted her, the giant flame boar that Yarrow and the others he had been traveling with were sent out to hunt filled her vision, towering tall even among the redwood trees. Having run out of good food sources nearby, it turned its sights on the city and the bounty that lay within. It would rampage and destroy anything that stood in its way and it had grown far stronger since the last time it had clashed with the barriers. The god's grip, something she couldn't easily break, her own weariness and a certainty that what she was witnessing was a vision of a possible future rather than a current threat were all that kept her from struggling in Lucrum's grip.

"I'm going to fix you up so that the pain you're experiencing is nice and predictable, once a day just around dusk so long as you don't rile your body in the other world too much. You have a month to grow in strength and skill so that you are able to help face down the boar. After the month is up, you have two weeks to defeat it or that future will come to pass. In exchange I ask only a very small thing that, if I've gotten a feel for you as I think I have, you'll not refuse."

"You'll draw it to Redwood Stars to get your way?"

He chuckled and nuzzled against her neck in that far-too-affectionate way again, "The boar was always going to attack Redwood Stars if it wasn't defeated outside of the city. I'll have actually delayed it, pulled a few strings to make sure it has more food to keep it away for longer, it should be at the gates next week if I don't intervene. Your players will call it the first raid of the game, a world event I believe. I'll have thrown open the teleportation centers just for it, allowed the cry for aide to go out to the other city centers. All those called Godsborn will clamor to join. Truth be told, I'll do all of that once your time is up regardless of if you take my offer," she could feel him grinning against her neck, "Though I already know you plan to accept. I've pierced through your defenses, you can't keep secrets from me."