"Ya know, this labyrinth is kinda like the Creekwood apartment complex in Tulsa..." TRITHAL noted when the party exited the cave with the princess in tow. "At first it's easy to get lost, but once you figure out the layout it ain't that bad."
The party is now making their way up the narrow path around the mountain. TRITHAL is now carrying the still-unconscious Princess Ali piggy-back because his shoulder got tired; AXEM is just behind him and CHRIS is bringing up the rear.
TRITHAL: "According to my GPS thingy, at our present speed it'll take about a week to make it all the way around the mountain to the castle."
AXEM: "Yeah, and along this route there are spots where bandits are known to be active."
CHRIS: "It would be nice if this was the real world and we could rent a car. Then it'd only take a half hour to get there."
TRITHAL: "Yeah, that's true... But, this is the Land of Fantasy. Let's see what we come across in the towns up ahead."
-------------------------
MEANWHILE, half a day has passed and THRAX who is now able to walk and think, has no idea what his other party members have been up to. He hops up outta bed to find the seedy tavern looks like it hasn't been occupied in ages. He looks around confused. He taps into himself to find that he has been hornswoggled. Instead of gaining plenty EXP, etc., he has gained a fraction of what he thought he would end up with by taking that drug. His stats are as follows:
THRAX (20/20 HP; 26/26 SP; 87 EXP)
Lv. 2
Weapons : Short Sword, Dagger
Magic : Hellfire, Modura, Heal 1
He didn't have time to think about what a complete oaf he is because he had just realized that it has been almost a whole day since he last seen his party members. He ran out the door. After several hours of searching the market for his comrades, he finally decides to give up and head to the inn where the party had originally arranged to meet, and spent the night.
He spoke with the landlord about his friends and learned that they had to venture back into the labrynth to find the princess because of TRITHAL's tomfoolery. He also learned that they had to ensure her safe return back to the palace. Hoping to find them in the labrynth, he thanks the innkeeper for the information and heads outta town.
-------------------------
Meanwhile back to the little adventure the others are having:
The party continues their long trek around the mountain. Shortly thereafter, TRITHAL expresses his growing discomfort for carrying a human being under his own power and gently rests her down on the ground. Because AXEM is the most in-shape party member, he is nominated to resume carrying her.
The party carries on. Later, our party starts to get bored... so CHRIS and TRITHAL start chatting calmly about some random topic. AXEM rolls his eyes as their conversation wears on and thinks to himself how he knows where this is going. He knows their nonchalantly carried conversation will eventually lead to some sort of argument. The signs were ever-present.
CHRIS: "...uh, I really don't think that is so, Trithal."
TRITHAL: "Yeah, Chtis, most silly anime shows are your cup of tea. You're just too close-minded to come around."
CHRIS: "Boy, if Thrax were here, he'd back me up. It's so stupid and cheezy. Their mouths just move up and down. It doesn't even match up with what they are saying. It's ridiculous."
TRITHAL: "No, if Thrax were here, he would be backing me up. He agreed with me in the past. You are way too close-minded, Chris."
AXEM thinking to himself, "Here it comes..."
CHRIS: "Trithal, just shut up, ok? I'm never gonna like that stupid ass shit."
TRITHAL: "It's just as stupid as your barely-known comedy movies so I damn you!"
"Yup, it's happened." Their calm little convo turned into an argument. AXEM just let out a sigh, rolled his eyes and let them have their little bitchfest. Just then, he started to sense that Princess Ali was starting to wake up from her little nap. AXEM rested her on the ground as she awoke, and being the smooth, charismatic person that he is, he eased her reaffirmation to consciousness.
Ali: "What's going on? How did I get here?"
AXEM: "My party member put you in a trance when we found you in the orge's labyrinth. You're safe now."
Ali: "Wait a sec, are you those clods that messed up my journey back to the palace?"
As she was about to go berserk again, AXEM used his own form of subduction that didn't require magic: his charm.
AXEM: "It was an accident. We were journeying to the marketplace to fetch a cure for....ahem....my sickness.....besides it was Trithal who destroyed the catwalk anyway."
Ali: "Oh, ok."
All of this is still going on while TRITHAL and CHRIS are still making idle threats to each other.
Ali: "I was awaken by a sudden clattering of argumenative responses."
AXEM: "Yeah, that was Chris and Trithal."
Ali and AXEM listen to it for a minute.
CHRIS: "...and I'll fucking kick your ass."
TRITHAL: "Chris, I'll plant you into the ground like you do one of your dumb forms of plant life and watch you sprout."
AXEM (to Ali): "This is actually normal for them."
AXEM and Ali proceed to have their supplemental conversation. She explains the whole mission she has been given, and AXEM informs her about what will happen if she is not brought back. Basically the two are now caught up to this point.
Ali: "That's terrible. Obviously the importance of my return is not something to be ignored. When we make our way back to the palace, I'll make sure the townspeople provide you with all the upgrades, epuipment and items you need."
AXEM: "But first we have to get this thing moving along now."
Realizing that this posture-fest of CHRIS and TRITHAL's has gone on long enough, he decided to break in.
AXEM: "Uh...hey, guys, you think we could get going now? You can postpone this argument for later. But right now you need to be aware of the fact that Princess Ali awoke from your trance. She is now informed, and has agreed to accompany us to the palace under her own power."
TRITHAL: "Ah, ok. Cool!"
CHRIS: "Stompness."
Ali thinks to herself how silly it is that their argument was put to death so easily. AXEM lets her know that this is normal, and many of CHRIS' and TRITHAL's arguments are like a crying child: anything can turn it on or off like a snap. Ali gets a nice chuckle out of the whole thought.
So the party ventures on without the liability of carrying the princess. The four of them continue to make their way around the mountain. As they journey further from the market, they are bound to run into some enemies.
-------------------------
.....After several hours of wandering, backtracking, wandering some more, and 2 battles that would have been easy if his friends were with him, THRAX finally emerged from the labrynth.
THRAX, not knowing that the others had been gone outta the labyrnth for quite some time exclaims, "Damn! They're gone already! Well, I guess that trek through the labrynth wasn't a total waste of time. Gained some EXP at least. And am not sure whom this amulet belongs to, but I'll hang onto it for the time being."
THRAX (LV 3; 11/20 HP; 8/52 SP(*+); 118/3000 EXP)
Having remembered a previous experience at the waterfall, THRAX decides to go for a swim. THRAX's HP and SP are restored. However, due to him being an idiot, his clothes are now completely soaked because he forgot to take them off before jumping in the water. He also ruined a perfectly good pack of cigarettes.
He ventures on unknowingly re-tracing the steps the others had already made.
No comments:
Post a Comment