Turquoise Lotus Father - Etrian Odyssey 5 Fanfiction

Chapter 14

AN: Annnd another update~ If everything goes well, we're about halfway through this saga, so there's a lot more action to come! Hope you have been taking care of yourself and enjoy reading~

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Chapter 14:

With his shield already resting reassuringly upon his back, Drayce took a moment to examine his cannon and ensured that everything was in working order. He had cleaned it the night before out of the need to do something constructive. But needed to double check to settle his own mind. The last thing he wanted in a situation was for his own weapon deciding not to work.

The monsters of the labyrinth weren't their only adversaries, after all.

And he felt Ashton's gaze on him the entire time.

"You up for a trek in the labyrinth?" he finally asked, seemingly unable to hold back his fussing for a second longer.

"Yeah, really," Drayce immediately replied as he holstered his cannon and turned to the oh-so dedicated care-taker. "I'm fine now. Fio says that whatever they used on me is no longer in my system."

"I did say that, but you still need to be careful," Fiorello added as he idly patted his medical knapsack. "If you get hit with it again, you'll go down extra hard."

"Then I'll make sure not to get hit again," he promised. But it did little to ease the concerns of the others.

Drayce understood everyone's concern. But he also understood that time, and bandits, were not on their side. Besides, if it was him that was somehow compromised, then that was fine. As long as no one else of his guild was.

Speaking of his guild, everyone had gathered into the seating room as Drayce readied himself for an excursion into the labyrinth. Though they didn't say anything, he could see the worry in their gazes.

"Listen, I understand everyone's concern about me, but now isn't the time to worry," he stated, directing his words toward everyone of his guild. "We need to find those lotus blades before those bandits do. I don't know why they're after them, but I do know we can't afford to let someone like Keane near the Cursed Blade."

He could say that the situation was serious. If the blade worked alongside the Despot and aided in his conquest of the labyrinth, then it was dangerous. Too dangerous to fall into idle, or worst, malicious hands.

"He's right," Shashi uttered, breaking the silence. "And if anyone is to find these lotuses, it will be the grandson of Roux."

The frown that tugged at Ashton's lips indicated that he wanted to argue, but saw the truth in their words nevertheless. "Fine," he finally relented, but not before giving Drayce a very pointed look. "Just don't try to handle anything by yourself."

"...I won't," Drayce found himself unexpectedly hesitating for a moment. But he hoped that the delay wasn't entirely noticeable.

He just...couldn't help but allow his mind wander back to what Keane said to him yesterday. The threat he left hanging over him.

"Unfortunately, you might have to, this time," Shashi suddenly stated.

Drayce blinked, pulled suddenly from his thoughts. He then turned to face Shashi's direction and gave him a slightly confused look. "Huh?"

Shashi walked over to him as he reached his hand into his pocket of his coat. He then pulled out an old, bronze compass. Yet, it had a few crystals and no doubt celestian's symbols engraved upon the fading metal.

"Take this," he said as he presented the compass to him, to which Drayce instinctively took in his hand. "This will allow you to detect mana. Unfortunately, it will only work once. Mana detection is a refined skill that only celestians can use, and not without teachings since birth. It will lead you to a source of mana just once before it loses its power. It will take time for me to infuse it with that ability again. Just hope that it leads you to the token and not to another source of mana."