Fantasy The Clueless Wizard (Completed)

[Yokai]

》Go see what that's about.

Nice save, Mel.

Arden breathed out a barely audible sigh of relief, tension leaving her shoulders as she was genuinely thankful that that speech went over so well. If anybody had gotten too rowdy towards Mel -- be it physically or verbally -- then they would've had to deal with her. Which would then be embarrassing for all involved.

With the speeches over she caught sight of Revy pointing toward one of the tents and her curiosity spiked. As much as Arden adored Mel she wasn't much for religious ceremonies, or religion in general, and the possibly suspicious tent looked much more interesting to her. Still, she at least tried to be subtle as she slinked away.

 

[ArcticFox]

A line was forming at the tent when she caught of to Revy.

"I usually wait for the lighting of the bonfire before I come to the courtyard so I don't have to hear the priest's sermon, but I got here too early this year. Come on, this is where we want to be. The prize table is opening up." The thief explained.

Arden saw that this was what she stood in line for. Everyone was getting out their tickets with the intention of redeeming them for prizes. Revy looks around.

"Hold my spot." She said.

Revy quickly walked to the other side of the street, approaching a young man and woman who were holding hands. She suddenly lost her balance, walking right into them! Apologising profusely, she back off, walking until she rejoined Arden in the line.

"Here you go." She said, passing a handful of tickets.

- Put the tickets quickly in your pocket.
- Thank her.
- Accuse her of stealing.

 

[Yokai]

》Thank her.

"That's actually hilarious," Arden enthused when Revy returned to the line, desperately trying not to cackle too loudly and draw any more attention onto them. The pickpocket was done so easily and artfully that she couldn't help but feel impressed by the thief. "Guess you're not just a pretty face, huh?"

That being said, Arden still looked surprised by the offer of tickets.

"Oh? Thank you! Don't you want to get something cool for yourself?" Arden asked, glancing up from the handful of tickets to look at Revy curiously. She was a little confused as to why the thief would give her the tickets, didn't she want to spend them all herself? Still, Arden stowed them away in her ticket pocket.

 

[ArcticFox]

"You're very welcome." Revy said with a grin as she handed Arded 70 tickets in handful. "Nah, I don't want anything. I got enough to last me a month from those sleazy bastards. Consider this my thanks for letting me play today." She winked.

The redemption table in the large tent was filled with many things. Snacks, toys, and trinkets were spread out all over the place. During her stay in Blackcliffe, Arden had earned enough coin so she could buy any of these things at any time.

Most of the line went toward one part of the prize table which stood apart from the rest. "Greetings, Wizard Arden. This is Blackcliffe ice wine." The vendor said. "You can't get it any other time of the year and you can't buy it with silver. How many tickets did you win this year? Do you want to buy the wine?"

Arden had 89 tickets which would be enough to get her two glasses of ice wine, if she wanted to share it with someone special.

- Buy the wine.
- Buy something else.
- Don't buy anything.

 

[Yokai]

》Buy the wine.

As the young wizard stepped into the tent her dark eyes glinted with intrigue in the evening lights. She'd trailed after the crowd's interest and ended up at the ice wine stall, her curiosity piqued by the vendor's explanation. It was unable to be bought with silver and it was unavailable at any other of the year? It sounded like it'd be a fun and interesting experience at least. After all, Arden couldn't guarantee that she'd be alive this time next year; as morbid as that sounded.

"Sounds interesting," Arden hummed, reaching into her cloak pockets to retrieve Alexei's tickets and Revy's stolen tickets. "I'll take two glasses, please?" Hopefully Mel was in a drinking mood, after his nerve-wracking speech she supposed he could use a treat.

 

[ArcticFox]

It seemed like every person in the line was passing their tickets over to the vendor for a taste. She was handed a shiny bronze plate with an inscription on it and the vendor explained that the wine will be brought to her once she found a place to sit.

Several bards gathered together on a raised platform in front of the bonfire, the firelight illuminating them from behind. Arden saw the occasional green and blue flame as the huge bonfire roared. The bards begun tuning their various musical instruments as they prepared to play. The main topics of conversation in the festival were about the ice wine and Mel's sermon.

Everyone in the festival moved to take a seat, as benches were brought out and the bards stopped tuning their instruments. The serving of the ice wine had begun. The servers brought two regular wine glasses in front of Arden. Most people in the room were receiving the same as her, and they were calling over their best friends and loved ones to share a drink with them. As the wizard of Blackcliffe, many eyes were upon her to see whom she would choose to drink with.

- Mel.
- The King.
- Jace.
- Kogan.
- Alexei.
- Revy.
- Percival.
- No one.

 

[Yokai]

》Mel.

They were watching her again. Arden could feel the combined stares of Blackcliffe on her back, causing the hairs on the nape of her neck and arms to stand on end. It was disconcerting being the center of attention, especially when it felt like she was being judged for every little action. She had nothing to hide but it still felt uncomfortable.

"Thank you," Arden muttered as she accepted the two glasses of wine. Trying to ignore the weight of their gaze she stood up in order to saunter over to where she'd find Mel. Honestly, they weren't even trying to be subtle!

 

[ArcticFox]

Mel noticed her as she sat down on the bench and as soon as she gave him the signal, he beamed, then hurried to join her.

"To us?" He said uncertainly as their glasses clinked.

- Toast.
- Drink the wine quickly.
- Drink it slowly.
- Don't drink.

 

[Yokai]

》Toast: drink it slowly.

"I was going to say something closer to the lines of: 'here's to your very cool speech', but that works too~" Arden teased over the musical chime of their glasses. Another smile tugged at her lips as she went to take a small, experimental sip of the ice wine. It seemed that she was always smiling but it was particularly bad when she was around Mel.

 

[ArcticFox]

The ice wine tasted really good. It was of crystal blue colour and it was sweet, but also quite strong. Arden could hear the clinking of glasses all around her as people shared drinks with friends and loved ones.

"Thank you for that." Mel responded with a smile. Then he looked at Arden bashfully, before calling to the server.

Another two glasses were set before the two of them. She realised that Mel too has chosen to share his own taste with her.

- Drink the second one.
- Thank him, but don't drink it.
- Don't drink.

 

[Yokai]

》Drink the second one.

Huh! It was surprisingly good! Arden hummed thoughtfully as she glanced down at the prettily coloured liquid. Normally she preferred sour flavours like lemon or lime, but she wasn't opposed to sweetness of the wine.

When another round appeared she blinked in genuine surprise, momentarily caught off guard before she realized what had happened. Arden laughed, a quiet breathless sound as she shook her head minutely. Apparently she wasn't the only one who'd wanted to share the experience. It was nice to receive some encouragement and consolation there.

"Ah, so we had the same idea?" Arden prompted lightly, setting down her empty glass for the full one. Pink lips were curved up in a teasing grin now. "Thank you for wanting to share with me, Mel." She added, a little quieter now as she reached out to gently squeeze Mel's unoccupied hand.

 

[ArcticFox]

"I... well... this wine is really special to people of Blackcliffe. It's supposed to be shared with those you care about." Mel said, taking her hand. "And... I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else."

But, it seemed that many others wanted to share their drinks with Arden. Almost immediately after drinking the second glass, she was offered four more drinks. They came from Revy, Alexei, Kogan and surprisingly King Tobias.

"This cannot end well." Mel chuckled as he saw the glasses being arranged in front of her.

- Drink them all.
- Politely touch them to your lips.
- Don't drink.

 

[Yokai]

》Drink them all.

"You might be right about that," Arden murmured as she straightened up, crimson cloak pushed over her shoulders. She'd rolled up the sleeves of her shirt to her elbows, symbolising that she meant serious business. This was a matter of honour now. Arden was going to drink all of these, even if she got embarrassingly drunk.

"If I die from alcohol poisoning, I'm leaving you Watson," Arden said solemnly, trying to fight back a grin as she turned to Mel. "Take care of him for me."

 

[ArcticFox]

"I will take Watson into my care. I promise." Mel said in a solemn tone as he squeezed her shoulder.

But, as soon as she started drinking, the elf laughed.

As the Blackcliffe ice wine ceremony drew to a close, the band of bards readied their instruments to play. The bonfire cracked loudly, causing everyone in the courtyard to jump and then laugh. The rest of the night was a blur for Arden and she didn't recall hearing the music start again as all of the alcohol she drank throughout the day finally caught up with her.

She had a vague recollection of Mel walking her back to her Tower, still laughing.

- Go straight to bed.
- Prowl around the Tower.
- Pass out on the nearest sofa.

 

[Yokai]

》Prowl around the Tower.

Mind bathed in a golden haze Arden found herself in an energetic and adventurous mood when she returned home. Mel's adorable face -- which she'd pressed numerous kisses to, or at least tried her best to do so -- was effectively banished from her mind. She half-tripped over her own feet as she wandered into the foyer of the Tower and stumbled inelegantly into a wall. But she was not one to be deterred from her quest! With Watson in one hand she hummed a tuneless song and decide to content herself by wandering the hallways of the Tower.

 

[ArcticFox]

"What the..." Someone's voice stirred her from her sleep. She was face down on the stone floor of the Tower. She did not get very far it seemed. "Really, boss." Kogan sighed, picking her up. The movement made her sick.

The big orc grumbled as he carried her up the stairs and into her bed, and even if she tried to resist, her arms would just flail around weakly. At least he did not carry her like a sack this time.

--

The morning came and Arden's head was still thumping, but at least she didn't feel like she was going to throw up anymore. She remembered very little of the night before.

- Hang out with someone.
- Study magic.
- Take it easy.

 

[Yokai]

》Hang out with Kogan.

It was a cursed day when Arden awoke to a pounding headache. She moaned mournfully, burying her face in the nearest pillow, eyes squeezed shut to block out the painful light that assaulted her eyeballs. Who thought it was a good idea to send her all those drinks in the first place? Why were they so delicious? Why did she drink them all? What she did even do last night?

With another sad whimper she managed to sit up in bed and had to pause for a moment, adjusting to the change in altitude and the subsequent dizziness. Once the room had stopped spinning she carefully climbed out of bed. It took far longer than it should have for the young wizard to wash up from the night before; especially since Arden was determined to clean out her mouth multiple times. Only once she was feeling fresh again did she bother changing into a dress. Trousers and a shirt seemed like far too much effort right now. Arden picked the least offensive shade that she could find in the closet, which also happened to be a soft lavender.

Feeling, and looking, like a normal human again she descended the stairs in search of food... and a certain bodyguard. Where was Kogan? She distantly recalled seeing him last night.

 

[ArcticFox]

The moment she descended the stairs to the main hall, Arden was greeted by a familiar face. Tazz was leaning against one of the pillars, looking at her with a rather serious look on her bandaged face. It seemed that the Tower was letting even deceased Wizards inside.

"There's been a development." Tazz said gravely, her voice like sandpaper. "Well, actually, I just found something I should have looked for a long time ago. But, being dead has preoccupied me."

She was holding something in her hand. A book, much like those in the Tower's library.

"The Wizard before you, Thomas, wrote a journal after all. Only he hid it well. But it is obvious by its contents that it was written just recently." Her eyes met Arden's. "Thomas was conspiring with the Yrantans. He was supposed to give Blackcliffe over to them in exchange for a way back to this realm."

- Ask of Thomas's plans.
- Ask if it is possible to go back.
- Ask how she got into the Tower.
- Ask her not to come in uninvited.

 

[Yokai]

》Ask of Thomas' plans.

Barefeet came to a halt on stone floors, momentarily startled by the appearance of the other wizard. Arden had unfortunately left her cloak and boots upstairs in her hungover state. Only Watson was currently curled into the crook of her elbow with Tazz's amulet still clasped safely against her throat and a new, silver ring adorning her pointer finger. Still, she offered a friendly but tired smile. An expression that promptly fell from her face at Tazz's next words.

"Thomas was... a traitor?" Arden repeated, feeling a little lost and small. Because of course there was more to Thomas than just empty rage. She pinched the bridge of her nose once and then held out her hand for the journal. "Could I read it, please?" She asked politely, fighting back the burgeoning headache. "I imagine he was desperate to get back to his family, desperate enough to risk the lives of the people of Blackcliffe."

Arden sighed and tried to ignore the sympathy there. Because she understood his intentions. If she'd had anything worth staying for, would she have tried everything and anything to get back to it? She pushed the thought aside, glancing back to Tazz's bandaged face. "How was he planning on helping them?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"Yeah, here." Tazz nodded, handing the journal to her.

Most of the pages were incoherent as if Thomas was half mad during most of his short stay in Blackcliffe. But, what Arden managed to decipher, did not sound innocent at all. Thomas talked about the Emperor of Yranta and the opportunity he extended to him. He was most concentrated on a certain magical artefact that was supposed to provide a link back to his realm. The Emperor claimed to own it and that he would let Thomas use it if he in turn acquired something for Yranta: a detailed plan of the sewer system and the layout of the royal palace as well as the schedule of guard patrols.

Thomas had written these details out of spite, he wanted to be known as the one who helped with the downfall of Blackcliffe. His hate at being brought in that realm against his will seemed to have blinded him completely. Yet, Thomas was dead. Presumed suicide. Though, was that entirely correct now?

- Take the info to the King.
- Take the info to someone else.
- Stay silent for a while.

 

[Yokai]

》Take the info to the King.

The pages of Thomas' journals blurred as Arden stared down at them blankly, unable to comprehend the hatred and spite dripping from each word. Her first thought is that he must have been insane before he entered this realm. Surely, somebody who was willing to risk the endangerment of innocent people because they blamed them for something beyond their control... that didn't sound like a morally sound person. Arden understood missing one's family but this went past that, venturing into the dangerous territory of reckless hate.

Her second thought is how far the Yrantan empire managed to get with his cooperation, and subsequently how many people were currently in danger. When Arden looked back at Tazz her expression was serious and dark eyes were stoney, full lips pulled down at the edges with contemplation.

"The King will need to hear about this before anyone else dies," Arden muttered, her expression clearing as she flashed Tazz a reassuring smile. "Thank you, Tazz."

Logically Arden knew she had more time than she thought but it still didn't stop her from hurrying up the stairs again like a frightened child. She needed her boots and cloak, the dress would have to stay for now. Hopefully it wasn't cold outside.

 

[ArcticFox]

King Tobias sat upright in the chair across from her with a serious look on his face. The two of you sat alone in his quarters in the royal palace. The windows were open, and fresh air blew through. The King seemed to be tired, though he gave his best to conceal it. He considered the news too urgent to leave Arden waiting in the main hall for him to get ready and come down, thus having invited her directly up to him.

"You damn Wizards." He said with a tired sigh, though there was no hate in his voice. "I knew he was trouble, he was such an unstable man. But the people of Blackcliffe are blinded by their faith in your kind. I never understood it. He was a coward and a fool. How could loneliness drive anyone to do what he did?"

As they read more through the journal they found out that an emissary from Emperor told Thomas that the Yrantans had discovered a trove of magical items. Ironically, the emissary was none other than Shade, the assassin who killed Queen Larissa. It made sense, though, since the meetings were done entirely in secret and nobody knew that anyone from the Empire had been speaking to the Wizard.

Thomas was told that the Amulet of Planewalking was among these newly found artefacts and that it would allow him to return to his own world. Emperor offered it to Thomas in exchange for betraying the Kingdom of Traethia. The emissary also mentioned that the Sphere of Annihilation had been found as well, so Blackcliffe would be destroyed even if Thomas turned down the offer. There was no further detail about the Sphere.

King Tobias slammed his hand onto the table in frustration. "Do you think the Yrantans had any intention of letting Thomas return to his own world?"

- Answer.

 

[Yokai]

》Answer.

Arden breathed in sharply through her nose as King Tobias' hand connected with the table, it was the only sign she'd been disturbed at all. Her headache briefly flared at the noise but was reduced back to a low, dull ache at the base of her skull. For the entire meeting she'd been uncharacteristically quiet as her heart had lodged itself in her throat. Thomas' actions and the sheer depth of his hatred was distressing to realize, to sympathize with. Because, that could have been Arden if she weren't already such a loser before arriving.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that he ended up dead after he'd played his part," Arden replied, finally answering the King's question as dark eyes fluttered up to his stormy face. "I'm not sure whether they even have the amulet. But I imagine Thomas would have been furious if he'd found out they were lying to him." They'd already seen what his temper could bring upon people after all, this might have been their way of dealing with it.

Still, if this amulet existed... could Arden say that she wasn't interested? And this sphere sounded much more dangerous than she could have imagined. If it could only be used by a wizard, like Watson or Tazz's amulet, then what did the Yrantans have to achieve by killing off Thomas? That was what didn't make sense.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Perhaps you'll find out while you're in Yriss." The King said casually. "We need to find out if there is any truth about this Sphere of Annihilation and other arcane threats."

Arden had seen a map of the surrounding areas and she knew that the Yrantan capital of Yriss was on the opposite side of the narrow continent and sat in the far north. Over the past several centuries, the Yrantans have taken over most of the other nations around them and they shared a border with Traethia now, even if that wasn't the case before their expansion.

The entire Yrantan Empire laid between her and her destination. They had conquered everything from the mountain coast in the west, where steep rocky cliffs dropped to the sea, to the blasted wastelands of the east, which everyone says was impossible to cross. With the wastelands impassable and the coast filled with mountains, the only easily-accessible port lied through the city of Blackcliffe. The only reason why Blackcliffe had not been taken ages ago were the Wizards who resided in the Tower and protected the land.

"It has to be you, since nobody else will recognise the items as being magical." The King said. "The trip will take months and you can't go alone."

The threat of the Sphere of Annihilation changed everything. If the Yrantans used it on Blackcliffe, there would be no need for armies. A small group of three would have the best chance of passing through enemy lands without being noticed.

Who will you ask to come with you?

- Kogan.
- Mel.
- Alexei.
- Jace.
- Revy.
- The King.

 

[Yokai]

》Kogan; Alexei.

Arden's furrowed expression fell as the rosy hue from her cheeks rapidly drained away to leave a blank, bloodless face. King Tobias continued casually, explaining the reasons behind his sudden proclamation, while she stared at him uncomprehending. Slowly, she breathed out a low and resigned breath, biting back the wave of anger.

He was sending her on a suicide mission.

Logically Arden knew why she would have to go and why this was so important. But that did nothing to comfort her from the thought of death. And then there was the matter of who to bring with her; who else to rope into this quest. They'd have to give up their current obligations so that cut out Mel and the King. They would also have to be somebody she trusted and could rely upon, which cut out Jace. Arden trusted Revy, strangely. But she wasn't sure whether she'd trust her on a mission that she didn't want to be on. Kogan was a no-brainer and Alexei was the only person she'd told about Tazz. That settled matters, the fact they were both fighters was a comfort too.

"I'll ask Kogan and Alexei," Arden mumbled, eyes closed as she pinched the bridge of her nose and tried to push down the anger. She hated being angry, especially when she suspected that King Tobias wasn't doing it to be cruel. "But if either of them are hesitant then I'm bringing you with me." However it was said without heat and the smile she leveled him with was tired but genuine.

"Better say goodbye to Mel, huh?" God, she wasn't looking forward to that. At least he wasn't coming with her, he'd be safer here.