Next Up

Chapter 38

After another two hours, the three arrived. They followed the winding highway, taking a right at the fork, continuing along until they reached a town so small that it was only a couple of houses. The Crater mountain in the distance, cutting through town and reaching its base. The trio then ran up the side until they saw the path that turned into the cracked and mossy road which led to the stone gates.

The gates screeched open as they approached.

"Well, this is anticlimactic," Colson grumbled, looking around once inside. He wasn't sure what he expected; a red carpet? A parade in their honor? Maybe even someone waiting on them to give them an 'attaboy?' No one even looked in their direction as they walked past. Some did a double-take as Ivy walked past, her sweater still around her waist.

"I have to say, nothing's really changed around here," Zoe noted, the disappointment evident in her tone of voice. "I guess we should go turn our stuff into the quest master or maybe Neph."

"Alright. We should go together, just in case."

Zoe turned to Ivy, almost forgetting what had happened, "I'll bring you to the nurse's office right after. But you're okay now, though?"

Ivy nodded, looking at her bandaged arm, "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

Colson knocked tentatively on the door.

"Come in," a tired voice sighed from behind it.

The door of the office creaked open. Inside sat a skinny, tired-looking man with clothes that were too big and wire glasses that were too wide for his face. Next to him, leafing through a large data book, was Neph. He didn't notice them enter, as he was busy talking into a telephone simultaneously.

"What can I do for ya?"

"We just completed a mission," Zoe said, rifling through the backpack Ivy was wearing, fishing out the 'signed' paper, and sliding it across the desk to the man.

He looked it over a few times, "Ah, so you're who I heard so much about."

"Oh yeah?" Colson asked excitedly, "People are talking about us?"

"Phone calls and messages from Cassius." He turned to a computer monitor on the edge of his desk and started hammering away at his keyboard. "Anyways, how'd it go?"

"Hard as heck, honestly. But we're alive."

"Apparently so, since it was supposed to take under a week to complete...."

"They didn't tell you what happened?"

"Not for me to know," he stated. "Alright, the system won't update for a bit, but everything has been input. You are free to go."

"Criminy," Neph sighed, setting the phone down on its receiver. "Now onto the—oh, you're back." He stood up, having to duck slightly to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling.

Neph spent the next few minutes lecturing them, starting off by saying, "Now, I'm not mad; I'm just disappointed..." He went on to explain the multiple hoops he had to jump through for them. How if he hadn't been the first one to get the info of their departure, they all could've been banished. "Just so you know," he scolded, "I already had someone in mind to do the mission."

Then he saw that most of her arm was missing. He concluded the reprimand with another, "I'm not angry; I'm just disappointed." But he continued, "Especially with you, Zoe." He ordered one of them to bring Ivy to the nurse. As they walked through the front door, he turned back, saying, "But good job."