Outside the adventurer's guild...
"So then, you have everything you need?" Strazz asked.
"Yes. I'm all set." Elze replied.
"Ok then, let's head out!"
---------------------------------------------
In a barren wasteland...
"Whew... to think a legend would even live in a place like this. I guess he's not called the harbinger of disaster for nothing." Strazz said as he walks alongside Elze looking for the legendary dragon.
"Maybe he likes places like this. He is a legend after all. And the nearest human settlement isn't until a few days of walk from here." Elze said panting with exhaustion.
The two continue their walk until they spot a cave up ahead.
"Maybe he's in there." Strazz said pointing at the direction for Elze to see as well.
"Let's go."
When the two arrived at the cave entrance.
"Hey, Strazz. What took you so long?" the hammer guy said.
"Frick? Rayla? What are you doing here? And when did you get here?" Strazz asked.
"Just now, we heard you two discussing about visiting the legendary dragon once again. So me and Frick went on ahead." Rayla explained.
"Well you guys came here for nothing then." Draiz said from behind the group. *yawn* "Arufaz wasted the whole day training me yesterday, which means that he'll have two whole days of sleep, and whatever you do won't wake him up."
"What? Really? Then this was a wasted trip then." Strazz said in disappointment.
"He'll be asleep for two days, right?" Rayla asked Draiz.
"Right"
"Then we have two whole days to stay here until he wakes up. That wouldn't be a problem right? Little Draiz?"
"Don't call me little! I happen to be a very powerful dragon under the supervision of a legend. Yes! That's right! I am the successor Arufaz chose when he'll end his reign!"
"Successor? But aren't you a storm dragon?" Strazz said.
"So what if I am! I can end this world with both my eyes closed! Just you wait and see!"
"Well whatever you say, I'm not waiting two whole vacant days for this guy to wake up. I'm gonna pound him to the ground and crush him in his sleep." Frick said, his eyes burning with confidence.
"Whatever you do, he still won't wake up. Take it from me who's been with him for a month. I've tried lots of times already." Draiz said, shaking his head.
"That's maybe because you're just a pipsqueak."
"What did you say?!"
"This is getting ridiculous." Rayla said with her palm on her face. (#facepalm)
"Well, if it's true that he won't wake up no matter what I do, then you're basically saying that I can do whatever I want to him, because nothing will still work, right? Here I go!" Frick said swinging his burning hammer right on our MC's head creating an impact that made a large dent on the ground from where his head was. "Whew... that felt great."
"You said you wanted to wake him, but, for me, I think you just wanted to let loose!" Strazz said.
"Right." Frick said with a proud face and a thumbs-up.
"I thought so..."
*groan* "Mhmm............ cut it out.......... Draiz.........." Arufaz murmured.
"It's not me!" Draiz said.
"Amazing... he took a direct hit on the head, and it didn't even make a dent." Strazz said with awe.
"Don't just stand there admiring him! Help me wake him up." Frick said.
Strazz and Rayla ready their weapons and preparing to attack.
"Stop that! You'll only end up destroying our home cave!" Draiz said, angrily. "Just leave us alone!"
"I also feel somewhat bad for what we're doing. Can't we just wait for two days until he wakes up?" Elze asked politely to her teammates.
"Sorry, but, I can't afford to waste my time here when there are still other missions I can do with the free time." Frick replied.
"I, as well, can't be wasting two whole days of nothing after all the effort of going back here in the middle of a wasteland." Rayla said.
"I'm sorry Elze. I'm also dying to have a proper conversation with this legend. And I simply cannot wait for two whole days if there's a chance that I can talk to him now." Strazz explained.
The three prepare to attack.
"Burst Hammer!"(Frick) "Divine Arrow!"(Rayla) "Wind Slash!"(Strazz)
The attacks hit their mark, and there was dust and smoke everywhere.
"Did... did it work?" Strazz wonders.
As the smoke clears up, they check to see what has become of the legend that they were all wanting to meet.
*yawn* "What's all the commotion about.....?"
"It worked! He's awake! He's awake..." Frick happily said, and also a bit awestruck that their combined attack hardly damaged him.
"I can't believe you woke him up. I even shot lightning and poured acid rain on him and he still wouldn't move a muscle." Draiz said, fazed, though he was.
"What is it, Draiz?"
"It's not me, I'm telling you!"
"Oh, Great and All-Powerful Arufaz. We are honored to be in your presence." Strazz said as he bowed in respect.
"Huh? Draiz, why did you invite these people in my room? Don't you hate humans?"
"This isn't even your room! And I didn't invite them!"
"We came here to you willingly, oh Great One. We have come to talk. I have so many questions to ask of you." Strazz said in excitement. "Allow me to introduce you to my party. I am Strazz, a researcher on magic and its history, and am now currently on a journey around the world to piece the puzzle of a certain event portraying the past. This is Frick, the powerhouse of our group. As you can see, he is brutally strong, but mentally stupid."
"What'd you say?!"
"I'm Rayla, an archer and an elf. I also came here along with Strazz to piece up some fragments of the past because it is the wish of my Queen. This girl here is Elze. A young wizard and still learning about magic."
"Umm... umm.... Mr. Arufaz... sir... it's... it's an honor to meet you." Elze said, bowing her head shyly.
"As you can see, we all want to ask some questions to you about the past. If that's okay with you." Rayla said.
"...................................." I said nothing as I turned my back on them, lied down, and went back to sleep.
"Don't you sleep us off like that! Wake up!" Frick said in an annoyed tone.
*yawn* ".......... can't you just come back tomorrow? I want to keep sleeping....." I said, still lying down, with my back still turned away from them.
"With all due respect, we simply do not have the luxury to stay in one place for too long." Rayla said in a calm and composed voice. Her tone also sounded a bit serious. "We still have other things to settle elsewhere after all."
"Hmm.................. Alright then."
"Then... will you help us out?"
"Hey, Arufaz... you can't be serious?!" Draiz said. "You can't seriously be helping out a bunch of humans, are you?!"
"Tell me where this 'elsewhere' that you have business too."
"The far east. Farther East. Where winds are wild, and sea currents wilder. The continent of fertility, 'Easia'!"
Easia? Seriously? It's so similar, yet so far off! Am I really in another world? Cause this is all just too similar to be a coincidence.
"Will you allow us a bit of your time?" Strazz asked.
"Hmm............... No. But there's something else I can do for you instead."
"What is it?"
".......... I'm taking you to Easia."
Woken up by a burning hammer, getting praised, and making a promise to a group of random adventurers, our MC sets off to the far east. What does he hope to gain from going there?
Look forward for the next chapter! "The Orphanage"