Fantasy Cursed Island

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle happily slapped Adran’s hand and sat down to keep eating.

Asta looked over at Jerry. “I’m not sure whether I should change back now or later.”

 

[Darkling0096]

"Which form do you prefer?" Jerry raised an eyebrow.

 

[Fangs9090]

“My natural form, of course. But you seem more comfortable around this form.”

 

[Darkling0096]

Well, Asta's current form was easier for Jerry to relate to, but "If you're more comfortable with your natural form, then so am I," she smiled at Asta and patted his chest, "I'll see you at the table."

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta smiled at her and nodded. “Alright then.”

 

[Darkling0096]

Jerry smiled and left the tent, switching to irritated mode as she walked out. "So what did you need me so bad for?", she demanded with hands on her hips.

"Get something to eat and I'll explain," Adran gestured to an empty seat at the table.

 

[Fangs9090]

Asta stepped out shortly after, back in his natural form.

Emil was eating with the others like nothing had happened. He had walked up behind Veo, so it was entirely possible they’d overlooked the little bat man. Aria was swimming about, taking this time to get a good look at each member of the party.

 

[Darkling0096]

"I need you to identify Emil's violin," Adran explained, "I need to know if it's cursed and what it does."

"Fina," Jerry shook her head as she ate, "I'll see once I finish eating."

 

[Fangs9090]

Emil spoke up. “It seems my explanation is not convincing. But, considering the circumstances, I suppose it makes sense...”

Shuffle looked and paused for a moment. “...you’re awake!”

 

[Darkling0096]

"Emil that violin was at the center of a possessed orchestra, nothing you can say, as the one affected, will convince anyone but yourself that it isn't cursed," Adran shook his head, "So we're putting our resident magical items expert on it."

"Whoo."

 

[Fangs9090]

“As you will. I’ll admit it does look very suspicious.”

Aria shook her head. “I do wish there was a better way it could be done. But that is not something I can control.” Emil glanced up at her as she spoke.

 

[Darkling0096]

Veo soured a bit as Emil's attention wandered to Aria. She wasn't upset he was paying attention someone else, she just did not like Aria at all. Was this how Adran felt dealing with Emera?

 

[Fangs9090]

Shuffle had mostly finished eating, so she’d taken to watching the others. Seeing Emil watching something in the air, she looked up as well to try and find what it was.

 

[Darkling0096]

Once everyone had eaten, or rather the larger part of the group had eaten, they all went their separate ways to go do their tasks and see what happened. "Alright, Adran, drop the bubble," Jerry said when she was near the violin. Adran dropped the shield and Jerry was able to pick up the violin to start looking it over.

Veo basically shadowed Emil, trying to keep him within arms reach at all times for fear he might collapse again at any moment.

 

[Fangs9090]

Emil, after eating, followed Adran and Jerry, standing at a short distance to watch.

The violin was physically similar to how it had been, minus the ominous spikes. Magically, it was quite different. It was lacking the corruption that had been practically flowing out of it before. Depending on how deeply she was inspecting it, Jerry may have just vaguely been able to feel Aria’s presence and she swam about nearby.

 

[Darkling0096]

Jerry frowned as she examined the item, this was weird. "Well, it's definitely not cursed," she started as she fiddled with it, "If it was, it would have latched onto me by now." She checked the strings, the tuning keys, and all of the other parts, feeling the flow of mana in the thing as she did her best to use the violin for it's intended purpose to see what happened. Of course, Jerry was not a talented musician without the corrupted specter to force talent into her, so it came out scratchy and almost painful to hear. After a while, she put it down. "It's not cursed, but it is inhabited, like an elementals's shell. It's almost compltely free of any hostile influence I can find, but it wouldn't take much to push it back into that, and why is it hanging over my shoulder?" She drew a knife to stab at Aria as though that would accomplish anything when stabbing a spirit.

 

[Fangs9090]

Aria looked at the knife before moving away to give Jerry some space. “My power can be used to fight. But I will not be the one to decide when or against who. That’s up to you, Emil. Your enemies are mine, so too are your allies mine.”

Emil looked at Aria and nodded. “The power she gave can be used to fight, but she says it’s up to me when I use that power. Hm, about the same as wielding a sword. It can kill, but only when the wielder makes it do so.”

Aria smiled. “Well put.”

 

[Darkling0096]

"Well,' jerry picked up the violin and its bow and handed it over to Emil, "All I can promise is it's not cursed, I can't play violin well enough to figure out the rest."

"If 'she' does anything to hurt the party, I'm exorcising her right there," Adran warned, "And that goes both ways."

 

[Fangs9090]

Emil nodded as he took the violin. “Understood.”


Shuffle had sat nearby, seemingly waiting for them to finish.

 

[Darkling0096]

Jerry got up from the table, her job done. "Does anyone else have something they need from me?"

"What is it, Shuffle?", Veo looked at the golem, "is something wrong?"

 

[Fangs9090]

Since Jerry was offering, Raine raised her hand.

Shuffle looked over at Veo and shook her head. “No, I just have a question for Adran.”

 

[Darkling0096]

"Yes, Raine?", Jerry sighed and walked over to the kobold's area, "What do you need?"

Adran raised an eyebrow, "I'm not sure if I can help you."

 

[Fangs9090]

Raine looked up at Jerry as she lowered her hand. “I was hoping you could teach me to do more stuff. Things I can use to be more helpful.”

Shuffle looked at Adran. “Why did you poke Erina’s cheek with your face earlier? Were you trying to bite her?”

 

[Darkling0096]

"I need a general idea of what you're after, then." Jerry knelt down so she was eye-level with Raine. "You've got lockpicking, you're sneaky, and you're good at hiding."


Adran raised an eyebrow and glanced over at Erina at her loom, "It's a romantic gesture."

 

[Fangs9090]

Raine nodded. “But that’s about all I can do. Except get lucky hits with spear throwing, apparently. I want to be able to actually fight with you guys.”

Shuffle glanced at Erina as well before looking at Adran again. “What’s a romantic?”