Chapter 35 — The Wings of Obstacle
Perspective — Narrator
Petal Bridge B2F
The trio saw themselves stand inside a bloody room, clear evidence of battle are here, as well as outside.
Diko: What the heck...
Diko then walk around to check what could possibly transpired to cause this. Only for her, Neigal, and Bile to notice presence around them.
Bile: Get ready.
Diko: Right.
The three prepare for combat, they wait cautiously, then the monsters appeared! Many
Diko: There're so many!
Bile: Keep your cool and start fighting!
Diko: Don't have to tell me twice!
The three are now in a battle greatly outnumbered with odds stack against them.
Bile: Keep your afterimage going! I'll prioritize the cockatrice!
Diko: Roger!
Bile: Neigal you do your usual thing!
Neigal: Right!
The three start to whittle the number of monsters little by little, but as more afterimage are produced, the battle became much easier and allow the trio to get some breathing room, shortly after all the monsters died and the three stood victorious.
Diko: Panting Whew! Can't believe we pull it off so quickly.
Bile: Seriously that afterimage technique of yours is just plain overpowered.
Neigal: Truly a frightening skill, hopefully we don't have to face anybody with something like that.
Diko: It's all thanks to the guild leader for teaching me all of this.
Bile: Right... The guild leader did use this kind of technique.
Neigal: Is that so.
Diko: Just glad that was over... Hm?
As Diko is glancing around the room she finds a box.
Diko: Weird, that wasn't here before... Was it?
Diko walk over to the box and opens the box to see what is inside.
Diko: Hey. There're someone's belonging in here.
Neigal: Really? Must be the Seafarers'.
Diko: Hey there's a letter in here, what could it be about?
Diko open the letter and it's rather clear what this letter is about, it's the deceased Seafarers' message.
Bile: What does it say?
Diko: ...There was a shipwreck...Three survivors... Heavy injuries... Blasted Maginia adventurers...Monsters...Please return our belongings to our people...
While Diko didn't read out the whole letter, it was clear what the content of that letter said.
Neigal: ...So that's what happened.
Bile: Well then Diko, what do you think we should do with that box then?
Diko: We'll heed that request and return this to the Seafarers.
Bile: Going the good guy route huh?
Diko: What? You want me to take these for myself? Sell them for profit? Recycle them as material for my equipment?
Bile: Hey chill, not like I was judging you, doing so is important to our current mission after all, there's no reason for me to criticize you doing that.
Neigal: Can we just move on already? Who knows what happened to those two.
As soon as Neigal mention that, Diko suddenly remember how they're suppose to quickly reunite with the two as quickly as possible.
Diko: Right! I almost forgot! Let's move now!
Petal Bridge B3F
Meanwhile both Rolio and Artelinde are still fighting, neither clearly giving their all so they won't end up killing the other, but Artelinde's ability to wear down Rolio put Rolio at a severe disadvantage. Wulfgar Jr. who accompanied Artelinde quickly get knock out by Rolio but injured her slightly, leading to Rolio on the verge of losing.
Lacia: You two please stop this!
Rolio: Stay put Lacia!
Lacia: !
Rolio: (Darn, she's just full of trick isn't she. I'm going to lose at this point, I need to take some risk, sorry if I end up cutting something off)
Rolio then quickly dash toward Artelinde at fast as she can, clearly trying to end the fight in a single strike.
Artelinde: Is she trying to?
Rolio: Haaa!
Artelinde: !
Rolio charge head first into Artelinde, who immediately block the attack with her weapon, but the impact still push her back and injured her, the impact also push Rolio backward. Both are fatigue by the impact.
Rolio: (Darn, she reacted fast, I have to end this now)
Rolio then change her stance and ready to use her ultimate attack.
Artelinde: (That stance... If she use that I'm done for sure, I have to use mine to retaliate as well)
Artelinde quickly enhance her weapon with spell and ready her strongest attack as well. With both of them finish readying their strongest attack, both attack at the same time.
Rolio: Issen!
Artelinde: Nature Will!
With both devastating attacks clash, both of them get seriously injured from each of their attack, especially Artelinde because of how suicidal her attack is. Both unable to sustain their injury quickly collapse and lay on the ground.
Rolio: Darn, not quite a win in my book.
Artelinde: I'm not done yet...
Lacia: Please stop trying to fight.
Rolio: Hey Lacia can you help me get up, give me a medica and help me get up will you?
Lacia: Will you fight again?
Rolio: Maybe, let's get pass her before she gets back up.
Artelinde: I still won't let you pass here.
Artelinde get up using her weapon to support herself, Lacia clearly fear the thought of the fight continue.
Rolio: As if I'm giving up, I'll pass here.
Rolio do the same thing, though clearly can't fight properly with her injuries, same with Artelinde.
Lacia: Please stop.
Diko: Hey hey hey. Both of you stop butting head already.
Lacia: Huh?
Diko, Bile, and Neigal catch up to everyone here and arrived with a box.
Bile: Don't worry we have a ticket to pass here.
Artelinde: To think I forget about the rest of your crew.
Artelinde certainly isn't happy about forgetting about the other member are not present at first that could appear to gang up on her at any moment.
Diko: Hey what are you frowning for? We're here to make a delivery.
Artelinde: Huh?
Neigal: We're here to honor the dead not to fight among ourselves.
Diko: Look at the content of this box.
Diko open the box and show the belonging of the deceased Seafarers.
Diko: They want those who find this to deliver it to their comrades, we're going to do that.
Artelinde: Is that so?
Artelinde relaxed a bit after that and clearly stop thinking about obstructing their path.
Artelinde: Go then. I still have some business here in this forest, the Seafarers are just ahead.
Diko: Right. Let's go everyone.
Rolio: Hey there's someone injured over here.
Rolio sarcastically points to herself, still wounded and left untreated.
Neigal: No need to tell me.
Neigal walks to Rolio and start to tend to Rolio's wounds.
Neigal: What about you?
Neigal looks at Artelinde, who is injured as badly as Rolio.
Artelinde: I'm fine, I can patch myself up and rest up here for a bit then I'll get better.
Neigal is not convinced.
Diko: Now now if she said she's fine then she's fine right?
Neigal: ... That's not how it works.
As the party bicker among themselves and Neigal is treating to Rolio's wound, Artelinde speaks up again.
Artelinde: Be careful okay? I sense something odd behind here, perhaps there're some strong monster nearby, I can't be certain though.
Diko: Don't worry about us, we'll be fine.
Rolio: What she said.
Neigal: Honestly you're the biggest concern right now.
Artelinde: I have some healing spell, I can treat myself, beside if there is indeed something dangerous up ahead it would be in your best interest to not exhaust yourself here.
Bile: She's not wrong Neigal, we should leave her here and don't waste any more time.
Neigal while clearly unsatisfied begrudgingly agree. Some time pass and Neigal noticed something strange.
Neigal: What's with your right arm?
Rolio is surprised by the call out as she look over and see that her right arm look like it've been charred black.
Neigal: This look terrible! Clearly your arm works fine but it's completely black! Like it've been burned!
Diko: Was it from that fight earlier?
Neigal: Unlikely, if that was the case then the right arm would've most likely been heavily damaged, it isn't, this look like a lifelong damage of some kind.
Rolio: Okay stop looking at it so intensely, this isn't the right time for this.
The party agree to that and focus on preparing themselves for what lies ahead. And when all of them finish preparing Artelinde said goodbye to them and left.
Diko: With all of that mess cleared up can we actually move on? Feel like forever.
Bile: I mean you're the leader and we kinda follow you.
Diko is rather annoyed by Bile's remark, but merely let out a sign and signal everyone to follow her inside. They all move pass the room and found something... massive.
Rolio: What the heck?
A giant humanoid monster with wings for arms lay down on the path to the outside.
Neigal: So this is what she was sensing.
Diko: It look like it've been incapacitated...
Bile: Clearly it's wounded, perhaps if we move now maybe we can pass it before-
A gust starts forming inside the room and the monster rises up!
Bile: Darn it! Shouldn't jinxed that!
Diko: It's injured, it shouldn't put much of a fight.
Rolio: Do not underestimate anything, it'll be the end of you.
Diko: Heh, I know that.
Diko quickly leaps forward the monster, slashing at the monster and creating afterimages along the way which pile up on it.
Rolio: A winged humanoid creature? I think I've heard about it from somewhere...
While Diko is gaining momentum and overwhelming the beast, it cries in retaliation, the loud sounds echoes throughout the room.
Bile: Ack! That was stupid loud!
Rolio suddenly have a big moment of realization.
Rolio: Harpuia! That's what it's called!
Bile: Well isn't it convenient you know what it's called. What about what it can do?
While Diko is fighting the beast it suddenly slash her with its legs.
Diko: Arg! It bind my arms!
Rolio: The scream can reduce resistance to aliments and binds, it tends to use that before inflicting aliments and binds on everyone nearby.
Neigal: Good thing I'm here then.
Bile: Certainly, now go help her out...Wait why are we standing around making her do all the work? Rolio draw your blade and help out will you?
Rolio: You aren't much better yourself.
Bile: We'll see.
Bile quickly takes out her gun and shoot at the beast, stunting it.
Bile: Now go in take it out.
Rolio: No need to say that.
Rolio rush towards the beast and slashing away at it, while Neigal is tending to Diko's condition. The beast is at its last breath, but clearly not giving up it tries to rip Rolio apart with its claws.
Rolio: Lacia!
Lacia: Roger!
Lacia quickly rush in and block the attack, to the surprise of the beast.
Rolio: It's over!
One last strike at the Harpuia and it's over, the beast is dead, no longer will it terrorized those pass through.
Rolio: Done.
Diko: That was great!
Diko walk up to Rolio and give her a thumps up. Now that the party have defeated the Harpuia, they get out of the labyrinth and travel to the Seafarers' base.
Seafarer: Halt! Who are you?
Diko: We are a group of adventurer.
Bile: Hired by those from Maginian to be exact.
Seafarer: From Maginian!? What are you doing here!?
The Seafarer's suspicion attitude turn into one of aggression with one statement.
Diko: A delivery, from your comrades, their belonging and such.
Diko handover the box with the belonging of their fallen comrades, Bile explains the situation to the Seafarer.
Seafarer: ... I'll let you go this time for what you did... Now get out.
The party then leave the base.
Diko: That wasn't what I expecting.
Bile: Let's just go back and report this to the HQ.
Chapter 35 — End
Status
Frontrow
Diko
Level: 27
Class: Hero
Weapon: Falchion +2
Armor: Dull Stone Armor
Helmet: Turkey Clasp
Accessory: Memory Conch
Rolio
Level: 27
Class: Ronin
Weapon: Jintachi
Armor: Stud Vest
Boots: Bear Boots
Accessory: Power Ring
Lacia
Level: 27
Class: Protector
Weapon: Talwar +5
Armor: Brestplate
Shield: Alula Shield
Accessory: Health Armlet
Backrow
Bile
Level: 28
Class: Gunner
Weapon: Hippo Muzzle
Armor: Stud Vest
Gloves: Boulder Bracers
Accessory: Power Ring
Neigal
Level: 27
Class: Medic
Weapon: Phonolite Wand
Armor: Kazak
Boots: Strap Shoes
Accessory: Rabbit Armlet
Others
Martha
Level: 85
Class: Sovereign
Weapon: Steelbug's Piercer
Armor: Royal Byrnie
Helmet: Promise Crown
Boots: Gold Shoes
Teque
Level: 74
Class: Ninja
Weapon: Armor Blade
Armor: Dark Attire
Boots: Bat Shin Guards
Accessory: Strength Ring
Astroa
Level: 75
Class: Farmer
Weapon: Aikuchi +5
Armor: Kokopelli Vest
Helmet: Red Flower Hairpin
Accessory: Almighty Ring