Tales of Farunasa: Gods and Adventurers

3. Adventure begins!

Robes of a Dragon Knight (Very Rare): These robes were sewed for the greatest of Dragon Knights to wear. Damage received is decreased by 5% for each piece of the set up to 50%. When equipped you will gain following benefits: taming mythical beasts of legendary status costs no Marus. Durability 1000/1000. This is a Reforging Item; it will require special treatment once broken. Enhancement Ore Slots: 3. Pieces owned: 8.

Robes of Yarus (Legendary): These robes were according to several ancient legends worn by god Yarus himself, made by Pure-Blooded Fae and Elementals, sadly the embroidery is long faded. Elemental damage received is decreased by 25% for each magic user in your party. When equipped you will gain following benefits: first 10 spells of the day cost no Marus; when praying to Yarus you might be blessed. This Item is Everlasting. Enhancement Ore Slots: 5.

„Didn't Aarav tell me these robes were ridiculously cheap, or did he say it to trick me into buying them? Syvis is going to be so mad," Athel was frozen in place upon reading the Item Description. Thavin had to pick Athel up and put him on his shoulder to carry the poor Magian to the horse carer.
„Aarav doesn't seem like a liar, heck, it didn't even seem like a marketing tactic either, perhaps they are cheap because nobody wanted them, the description says that they are old and you said yourself that the energy was overwhelming," replied Thavin and shot a glare towards an adventurer that dared to giggle, Thavin didn't think the situation wasn't funny, but considering the pure shock Athel is currently in it was insensitive. Said adventurer apologised and minded his own business, recognising that his action wasn't in place, or perhaps he just deemed this Dwarven Paladin carrying an Elven Magian scary enough to apologise.
„Anyway we need to hurry," stated Larrel when the horse carer handed them their horses. Thavin had to get Athel on the horse and buy a leash from the horse carer, so Athel could get out of the shock on his own pace. Group rode out of the town in hurry, they didn't notice Burkhard the Smith smiling while they rode through the town with a vague shape of a greatsword in hand, nor did they notice Aarav and the seamstress outside their shop waving them. Not even the woodcarver looking up from their work to wave them.

They rode in haste on the path, trusting the horses to know where they are going. Many an adventurer were surprised to see someone on a mount, as far as they were concerned having a mount was mostly an NPC thing or a quest thing, rarely did a player own their own mount. Soon they reached the Sister Temple. They didn't go too close, instead they had Virion scout ahead. What Virion saw was terrifying. Strange monsters trying to tear down the temple door, they don't have much time. Virion sprinted back to his party, „there isn't much of those monsters I guess about ten, but we need to go now, the door won't hold much longer."
„I can cast some buffs on us first and I believe Thavin can too," replied Larrel and Thavin nodded in agreement. Athel let them work their magic and Virion joined them with some of his blessings and buffs. After that four of them set off to save the temple. One of the buffs they used must have increased their speed, because they reached Sister Temple quickly.

Monsters noticed them right away. Thavin ran into the frontline and swung his sword. Loud clang of metal. He hit the creature's armour. Virion took aim. Creak of wood. Arrow flew past Thavin. Roar of pain erupted as Larrel stabbed a creature. Athel shouted, „Lightning Blast!"
Zap of electricity and flash of light. Another roar. Smell of burnt flesh entered the air. Something screamed. Virion cut off a limb. He could taste the blood. Thavin parried a strike. The battle wore on. Only two monsters left. Thavin got separated. Larrel thrusted his spear. Virion stabbed the creature. Athel concentrated all his Marus into a spell, „Fire Ball!"
Larrel and Virion yanked their weapons and jumped. Athel burned the creature to dust. Crack of metal. Thavin's sword shattered. Scraping of wood. Creature was shot in its eye. Thavin thrusted what was left of his sword into the creature's neck. Thud. The two fell to the ground. Thavin is under the creature. Virion ran towards the two, „Thavin!"
The creature lied dead on top of Thavin. Virion tried to get the creature off of him. Larrel ran over to help and so did Athel. They didn't notice that the temple door opened and someone slowly made their way toward them. Finally they managed to get the creature from being atop of their paladin. Thavin looked at the creature and yanked what was left of his sword from the creatures neck before looking up at them, „I'm alright, just confused, I need a moment."
„Excuse me, but, were you the ones to kill all these monsters?"
Athel, Larrel and Virion turned in surprise, standing there was a priest. Virion stood up and turned his body to this person, „yes, yes we killed them all."
Priest looked Virion up and down, „I see, so High Priestess Syvis send you?"
„High Priests Virion and Larrel in the flesh," sighed Virion and looked at his clothing, completely soaked in black blood-like liquid. Thavin grunted as he pulled himself to sit. Athel pulled at Virion's robe to draw his attention, „do you need healing Thavin? That thing landed on you after all."
„Nah, I think I can do without, but I seriously want to check what the heck these things are! These are not your standard monsters, and the quest only ones are not this," replied Thavin and somehow half pulled, half crawled to the monster he killed to investigate.
„We believe these monsters to be part of the Dark Militia, perhaps the first ones to make their presence known," said the priest before looking at Virion again, „we had no idea that there was a High Priest appointed."
„I don't blame you, it's quite recent, you might have been under siege at the time already," answered Virion and looked around the mess that is the battlefield. Shards of a sword indicated that the monster was strong. A leader of sorts perhaps. Virion walked to the body of a four legged creature and crouched to look at it closely. Thavin freed what was left of his sword from the monster's neck. Larrel and Athel looked around to see if there was any loot. Surprisingly there was some. Virion stood up, „Thavin, I think you might've killed their leader."
„If this was their leader, they could still be just a part of a bigger group," answered Thavin and flinched when the local priest kneeled next to him. Thavin managed to sit up somehow and took to search the corpse, turning his head to the priest, „would anyone mind if we stay the night? We might decide to investigate these bodies further in the morning."
„Only if Southern Temple can vouch for you," said priest and, although Thavin made it clear he did not really agree with this decision, started healing Thavin. Virion pulled out his Robes of South Temple of Eher. The priest nodded in acknowledgement and kept on healing the quite uncomfortable Thavin. Thavin pulled at a piece of leather and somehow managed to strip the creature of its breastplate. What came afterwards was a realisation.
Looking at a dimming light in the chest Thavin stopped for a moment before he just couldn't hold it in anymore, „this is no creature, it is an Elemental!"
Virion and Larrel left what they were doing and looked at the creature in front of Thavin. Virion started healing the Elemental-turned-creature in hopes of saving them. Larrel joined Virion, perhaps in two they might have a better chance. Elemental's chest started glowing again, injuries began to heal and the twisted form righted itself. But once the two priests drained their Marus, Elemental started dimming faster than before. Thavin killed him for good, perhaps if they tended to him sooner he'd survive. Virion couldn't believe his eyes, „it was an Elemental, we need to learn more about this Dark Militia, if they can twist a being so pure like Elementals they must be stopped."