Dive into the Greatwood Act II

[Fletcher]

Weeks passed since what had happened in Savill Flower Grove transpired. Fletcher had spent countless hours thinking about what had happened, systematically checking off the events in order as they happened as best he could. Carbuncle had said nothing more, and when asked seemed to be confused or otherwise non-compliant with hinting that he could understand. The best thing he figured he could do is move on and pull apart what the white haired maiden had meant when she said “meet more”. Who did she refer to? What did she refer to? He sure as hell didn’t know any other gigantic wolves or mysterious women who lived in forests. Unless she meant boars, in which case he’d just head out to the Windsor Greatwood and fight some more. The whole ordeal was infuriating to the extent that he’d stopped calling out Carbuncle during random times and reserved calling him only when required for an alchemical experiment or for combat.

The other thing that was highlighted to him was that without the aid of his Followers he was not very competent in combat. In the last fight he had, Carbuncle was clearly the one doing most of the work. He was still using the starting whip that he had gotten upon creating his avatar, and he had a grimoire that was also a magical weapon, but the damage wasn’t as great although that too was also a starter weapon. He could create something to bolster that through Alchemy, but the recipe wasn’t too great. On top of acquiring new armaments, there was something else he could try; although he’d need to hone his ability before it was going to be useful enough to approach the offset of not having a Follower fighting alongside him. This secondary class of Sigilmaker seemed to be designed around giving buffs to various targets, so the theory went that if he targeted himself it’d be a step closer to being self-sufficient.

He stopped by the marketplace and picked up a new whip, replacing the one that he had gotten from the very start. It wasn’t anything special, and something that was very much mass produced, but packed much more of a punch than a starter weapon did. With new weapon in tow, Fletcher found himself standing before the Windsor Greatwood once again. He seemed to find himself coming here over any other location nearby flagged within his level; perhaps the first impression he had with the place was reason enough for him to keep coming back. The grip on his whip tightened, stepping through the plant life into the dense overgrowth.

The place was sectioned into paths and groves, monsters freely roaming around. Everything was peaceful; it was a shame that he was here to do some hunting. The first thing he did was drew a circle on his chest, bolstering his Vitality with a Seal of Aquarius. The rune glowed in place over his chest emitting a soft blue light. With his buff active, he felt a little more capable to take down some lower levelled enemies. While he could try his hand at monsters at his level, he felt it more appropriate to warm up first just in case. He unfurled his whip from his hand and wandered a little closer to one of the level one boars roaming around the glade and inhaled, flexing his fingers around the end of the whip.

In one fluid motion Fletcher brought the whip over his head and down on the boar, striking it on its flank. The boar squealed and turned to face the Summoner, digging its hooves into the ground in preparation to charge. Using the momentum of his whip, Fletcher twirled it overhead and brought it back down on the boar, knocking it over. It did nothing to defend itself and taking that as his cue to continue his assault, Fletcher brought the whip around again and snapped it onto the boar’s head, finishing it off. Against level one monsters he seemed to do fine; although the difference between levels was the mean reason for that. Against stronger enemies he may run into some problems. The next boar he dealt with in the same way, and dispatched it just as easily given the level. All the boars around here were level one and with a ten level difference, it was literally no challenge and barely any effort. When the glade was clear, Fletcher thought about what he should do.

Finding himself talking out loud, he ran through his options. ”I suppose I could try something stronger. Have to be careful though if I’m going to do it without Carbuncle.” He scratched his beared while he looked around, getting his bearings before setting off towards the place where stronger variants spawned. The path continued onwards and dipped down into a valley, coiling vines starting to overgrow onto the path and in some places cover it entirely. From appearances alone this was by definition the road less travelled. The path opened up into a large clearing, and it was large through virtue of it being the grounds of Windsor Castle. The monsters roaming around this area were a level below him at the absolute minimum and most were creeping closer to double what he stood at.

The Summoner wondered if it was wise to tackle monsters around here without the aid of Carbuncle but he sure as hell was going to try. Given the reality that adventurers like him appeared at the cathedral when they died instead of fading away forever. The closest enemy to him was a
Brier Weasel, a beast that seemed to be part plant or having some sort of symbiotic relationship with the plant coiled around its tail. It spotted Fletcher and snarled, turning to face him but making no immediate attack. Should he run or fight this enemy? He refreshed his Sigil of Aquarius before readying himself for the fight, deciding to stand his ground. ”Well come on, then! I can do away with you if I want!” Raising his whip skyward, looking down upon the weasel and bringing it down to bear.

Being nimble, the weasel sprung back and as soon as it touched down, used the momentum to spring forward at a run, lunging at Fletcher while his whip was spent. The Dwarf wasn’t ready for a counter to come so soon and dove out of the way, the weasel narrowly avoiding him but catching him on the leg with the plant coiled around its tail. Barbs from the briar, while not overly damaging, took off a chunk of Fletcher’s HP; more than what the Summoner was expecting. It occurred to him that he still didn’t have any armour for his level, making any damage dealt by these monsters be more impactful to his overall health. Rolling from his dive, he lashed his whip out behind him to fend the weasel off as he cast his Heal skill. The seconds ticked down and an aura washed over him, bringing his HP back up but it wasn’t enough to offset the damage this thing was dealing.

As he finished, the weasel was upon him again and crashed into him, taking off another chunk of his HP. It was clear that he couldn’t do this without the help of Carbuncle, or at least another Follower by his side. Alas, he had not yet found another to add to his list so for now it was just him and Carbuncle. Fletcher copped the blow and fell back, calling upon Carbuncle from his prone position. As the blue fox leapt from the ether and intercepted the follow-up attack, Fletcher got back up and poised himself to strike again. Carbuncle pushed the Brier Weasel aside and blasted it with a beam from the ruby atop its head. Taking up a spot between the monster and the Summoner, Carbuncle readied another beam of Light elemental magic. Fletcher used Heal again, recovering the damage that had occurred when he was thrown to the ground.

The Brier Weasel snarled and whipped its plant appendage at Carbuncle, trying to dispose of the fox to get to the Summoner. Carbuncle leapt over the thorned vine that came its way and blasted the weasel with another beam of light. Fletcher followed it up with a crack of his whip, bringing the whip around for a second strike to finish off the beast. As it faded into bits, Carbuncle turned back to face Fletcher. The look the fox wore was one of disappointment; the Summoner could feel himself being judged and felt a little bad for his behaviour. Was it so wrong to want to not have to rely on his Followers to fight? ”Bah. Fine.” He dismissed Carbuncle and grumbled, looking around. If he were going to practise fighting by himself he was going to need to buy some more armour, or at least something to bolster his defences.

Word Count: 1489

[Fletcher]

Fletcher grumbled all the way back to town. Carbuncle followed quietly, making the apparent grumbling of Fletcher all that more noticeable to adventurers as they passed by. Some gave him some weird looks, others just went on by with a sympathetic look on their face. It was still early, so people were only now heading out to the outskirts of town in raiding parties and alike. Back to the tavern Fletcher went and took a seat at his usual spot, arms folded and looking sour. It was quiet as most of the patrons that had come in for breakfast have since left and the lunch time rush was still hours away. There were a few people here though, but they seemed to be mostly People of the Land discussing things relating to commerce or their current crop of vegetables; neither of which really interested him.

“Well someone’s pulling a ‘Mister Grumpy Face’, today!” Fletcher grunted as Celeste, the barmaid who seemed to serve him every time he came in for a meal, approached his table with serving tray clasped over her front. She beamed, cheery as ever. Carbuncle had taken a spot at Fletcher’s feet, curled up and remaining quiet; when Celeste had approached the table however, Carbuncle popped its head out and chirruped up at the barmaid. This was a usual occurrence, as without fail Celeste would fawn over Carbuncle and issue the blue fox its daily intake of pats, scratches, and general praise. That wasn’t to say Fletcher didn’t, but the barmaid seemed to treat Carbuncle more like a domesticated dog rather than a spiritual beast. Kneeling down, Celeste initiated her usual ritual with Carbuncle before looking at Fletcher, asking him casually. “Usual?” The Summoner nodded and already had the money on the table. Celeste said a brief farewell to Carbuncle and hurried off to go sort out Fletcher’s order.

Minutes passed and eventually Celeste returned with her serving tray, placing down Fletcher’s usual order in front of him and then placing a small bowl of oats underneath the table quietly. Fletcher ate and very little changed within the tavern. Some more people showed up to drop off supplies and others checked in to rooms after seemingly working the night away. Celeste came back to check in and topped up Fletcher’s drink, also retrieving the now empty bowl from in front of a well fed Carbuncle. ”Celeste, seen any other Summoners around lately? Need to ask a few questions towards someone who’s been at this longer than I have.”

The barmaid thought, brushing a lock of cotton candy pink hair from her face before speaking. “Not that I can say. I mean, there were people talking about seeing some odd things around lately but nothing immediately related to Summoners.” She trailed off, staring up into space as she pondered further into Fletcher’s question. The dwarf gave her a look implying that he wanted specifics and Celeste obliged. “There was talk last night about a talking Carbuncle that was maybe an NPC but it wasn’t giving quests out. People got into really heated talks as to whether or not there was an event running instead which took up more of the conversation.” She nodded, seemingly pleased with her recount of what had happened the night prior.

”Hold on.” Fletcher swallowed another mouthful of his drink, placing the now empty tankard on the table with a low clunk. ”A talking Carbuncle. Perfect! Where did they say it was?” Fletcher stood suddenly, causing Celeste some alarm and making her eyes widen in shock. The dwarf, while when standing was still looking up at the Half-Alv. He wore a fierce expression that put the poor barmaid on edge.

She stammered at first, uncertain as to what to say specifically relating to the Carbuncle in question. “I-I... I’m not too sure! They said a bunch of things and glossed over details when they got to talking about the quest part of what had happened!” Fletcher banged his fist on the table, grumbling, frustrated. Celeste was at a loss as to what to say to the dwarf. She knew that the last few days had been hard for a variety of reasons, but she didn’t know some rumour about a talking Carbuncle would set him off so violently. She went through a similar experience around the time of the Catastrophe where her own way of life had been suddenly disrupted, so she could empathise to some extent. “You’re welcome to hang around to see if anyone mentioned is over lunch?” She spoke in a softer tone whilst Fletcher’s gaze was averted elsewhere.

The dwarf grumbled some more and took a seat at his table, folding his arms over his chest and watching the door intently. Carbuncle, sensing the tension was lower now, put a reassuring paw on Celeste’s foot and looked up at her with an apologetic gaze. Celeste knelt down and gave Carbuncle a pat before heading off to prepare for the lunch rush that was to happen. The minutes ticked by, and sure enough the closer it got to lunchtime the more people rocked up to the tavern and started ordering food. They filed in sometimes in groups, others as individuals, sometimes they would loiter by the front door until their companions showed up before collectively deciding where to sit. The place was clearly popular given how busy it had gotten just for lunch. At night, the place was packed and amongst food and drink, occasionally there’d be performances by Bards looking to earn a little extra coin. Fletcher shared his table with a group of adventurers who seemed disappointed at the results of their raid so they kept to themselves, saying little and mostly just looking downtrodden. This was fine, as the dwarf was listening out for any mention of the word Carbuncle.

A few times he’d heard it, although these were times where his own Follower had decided to peek out from underneath the table or clamber up onto his shoulder to have a better view of what was going on. It did happen though, Fletcher heard it as clear as if it were whispered into his ear. Two tables back he heard the words ‘talking Carbuncle’ and spun around to assess what was happening. It was another party, although the head of the table seemed to be some kind of warrior groaning about meeting a Carbuncle that spoke but wouldn’t give him a quest for some reason. He was about to head over and ask where, when the very same warrior mentioned off-handedly that he met it right outside Westminster Abbey. A couple of other adventurers at the same table confirmed this and they each told how they’d encountered it there over the last couple of days. Fletcher had not died once since starting, although this was primarily because he’d not been out fighting all that much. He thought back to his encounter with the boars and shuddered, praising how close he’d come to not dying through sheer dumb luck.

But that was all he needed. Westminster Abbey was a well known enough landmark for people to direct him to if he got lost. Hell, if he absolutely needed to he could go suicide against a monster and save himself the travel time. Fortunately, and more than likely for the best as well, the abbey wasn’t too far from the tavern. Either lucky placement or a wise business decision on the owners, they were in a prime spot to get all the recently resurrected adventurers coming through for refreshments before heading out again. Fletcher set out down the street with Carbuncle, making a beeline for the cathedral. It was all of a five minute walk at a hastened pace before he lay eyes on where he was meant to go, and by extension what he was investigating. On the steps of the cathedral, looking a mixture between bored and indignant, sat a blue fox identical to the one following him. Fletcher dismissed his own Carbuncle for ease of communication and decided that if he needed Carbuncle later, he was all of two seconds away.

”Filthy, no good, children of swine... No manners...” As the Summoner approached, he could hear the Carbuncle talking as clear as day and just stared in awe. The Carbuncle in turn noticed Fletcher and audibly grumbled; it was a Carbuncle after his own heart with the same amount of grumbling they both did. ”Can I help you? I don’t suppose you’re here to also look at the talking Carbuncle, are you?” Fletcher stammered, unsure of what to say, causing the Carbuncle to huff. ”Well that’s right typical! Well, you’re not getting a quest no matter how much you gawp, so hurry along now.” The Carbuncle turned its nose up at Fletcher and huffed again, it’s annoyed tone already grinding on Fletcher’s patience. The dwarf went to speak again but was immediately cut off by the Carbuncle, going on another rant about the inconsiderate nature of adventurers.

”Oh for the love of-!” Not having the patience to continue through another self indulgent monologue about the true nature of adventurers and unrealistic expectations, Fletcher struck the Carbuncle firmly on the rump, as if scolding a child for misbehaviour. The Carbuncle froze and looked at Fletcher with a look of horror and disbelief, only seeing the dwarf return one of fatherly disapproval.

”How dare you, sir! I’ll have you know that that is no way to treat a fellow Summoner!” Fletcher gave the blue fox a look of scepticism before the fox continued to explain. ”Before you ask; yes, I’m the genuine article; yes, I’m a Carbuncle; no, I haven’t been this way my whole life.” Fletcher thought about that along with the claim that the creature he was speaking with was apparently a Summoner. The Carbuncle looked to the doors of the cathedral as a few more adventurers piled out, making the Carbuncle grumble and turn back to the dwarf. ”Before you ask, I decided to try out one of the skills we get as Summoners to swap bodies with my Follower. I’m here because the bloody thing ran off and has been trained to keep using Phantasmal Heal to stop the MP from drying up. The problem is though that I have no idea where it’s taken me, so I’m waiting here for it to turn up at the cathedral.”

”Couldn’t keep up due to the stubby legs, huh?” Fletcher spoke with a smirk, knowing full well the irony of saying that as a dwarf. The Carbuncle scoffed but said nothing. ”Why can’t you just head out into the Greatwood and die to something there to forcibly end the spell.” Not that Fletcher was an advocate for committing suicide, but if the situation was dire enough and respawning was garunteed, it was at least an option to consider.

The Carbuncle however shook its head. ”My level is too high; my natural HP regeneration heals up whatever meagre damage those creatures do to adventurers of my level. I think I’m still getting the boosts from the equipment my other self is wearing too, only making that front even worse.” The pair stood there in silence, both with looks of thought on their face. A couple of adventurers wandered by and gave them both a look assuming that it was a singular Summoner with his Carbuncle waiting for someone to respawn at the cathedral. This pleased the Carbuncle, and for whatever reason gave it an idea. ”Quickly now, tell me what Followers you have available to you!” Fletcher told the Carbuncle that his roster only consisted of his own Carbuncle, causing the blue fox to smirk. ”How about this: you run an errand for me, and I’ll tell you where to make a pact with another Follower. It won’t be hard, you’ll just have to go into the Greatwood and talk to someone there and pick up something to turn me back; on the way there you’ll have to make a pact anyway, so I can’t cheat you out of this deal. What do you say?”

Fletcher wasn’t sold and made that perfectly clear, before the Carbuncle literally started to beg, ears flat against its head, paws clasped together in front of its bowed head. The dwarf sighed. He needed additional Followers to be considered a proper Summoner as it was, and if it was on the way, it wouldn’t be that must of an issue, surely. ”Alright. I go get you the thing, you help me out by telling me where the pact can be made. Easy.”

The Carbuncle wore a serious expression, looking Fletcher in the eye, business-like and focused. ”It’s not going to be a walk in the park, nor a walk in the woods. Things roam those woods, things that would rival the gods if left unchecked. Be wary of your heading and stick to exactly where I tell you lest you find your way back here long before your errand is done.” Fletcher frowned, uncertain as to what dangers the Carbuncle spoke of. Could it have been referring to the white wolf with fur tipped with the colours of the sun? Perhaps there was another beast lurking within the depths of Windsor Castle that he had yet to stumble upon. Where ever the Carbuncle wished him to go, surely it couldn't be that dangerous. "I am serious. I do not wish to see you return here through the gates of that cathedral unless the task is done." Now the Carbuncle frowned, locking eyes with Fletcher.

The dwarf sighed and nodded gently. "Alright, where am I going? I've had a run in with something that meets the description of one of your dangers but haven't had the luck to run into it again." The Summoner thought back to the last time he was in the woods, knowing full well that he'd need Carbuncle's help to get anywhere decent in the Windsor Greatwood, but the question of communicating with the blue fox still posed a problem. "Also, before I head out, I want to know something. My Carbuncle started talking when we were in the woods last. Is that nomral for Followers?"

The Carbuncle looked at Fletcher with a hint of skepticism and intrigue before speaking in a soft tone. "Some. Carbuncle I have not found speaks at all; I know that there's a skill you can learn that lets you talk to animals, but shy of that only a few Followers speak our dialect." The fox continued, "Regardless, perhaps Titania will know. She's the one you're to seek out. I'll tell you where to find Sylph, the Follower you'll need to speak to in order to find Titania; just say who you want to find and they'll take you there."

Fletcher frowned. "What about when I speak to Titania? How do I explain what's gone on without dropping a name?" It was a fair question, although it caused the Carbuncle to grumble, almost bordering on a snarl. After stating it won't be needed and refusing to answer more until he returned successful, it detailed the exact location Fletcher needed to go in other to find Sylph.

Word Count: 2538

[Fletcher]

Standing at the edge of the Windsor Greatwood, Fletcher sighed. He had been here numerous times, and here he was yet again on an errand for a Carbuncle claiming to be a Summoner in distress. There was an upside, and he should almost consider this upside payment in advance for the errand, although something didn't sit quite right with the dwarf about how all of this went down. He was no closer to solving the riddle of Carbuncle's muteness, but it was a problem that was apparently solvable rather than him just going insane. He hadn't gotten around to getting new armour like he had intended, but that was something that could wait until another time. Apparently.

Crossing into the woods, Fletcher scanned the flora for any dangers. It was too soon to get ambushed, although that wouldn't stop monsters from trying if he looked unsuspecting. Taking the whip off his belt he proceeded down the path, heading into the vicinity of the Savill Flower Grove. He didn't head in though, there was allegedly a path that would take him further into the woods without changing areas. The sign he was in the right spot was a grove with a ring of stones laid out on the ground, and apparently where the spirit of Sylph resided. Fletcher continued on and found the grove, but wondered where exactly the follower was supposed to be given it was not in plain sight. "Hello? Anyone around?" His eyes scanned the trees, turning in a slow circle to make sure he didn't miss anything.

Then a small laugh sounded from somewhere nearby, but the exact location was made difficult by it echoing off the trees around him. This whole place seemed to have that odd echo effect whenever it was convenient. "My, my..." The dwarf spun around, hearing the voice behind him. The airy female tone seemed amused at his confusion. "Don't be alarmed, everything will be okay... I'm going to come out now..." Again, the same airy tone, trailing off into silence. There was a rush of wind in the grove, growing stronger and louder before what could only be described as a fairy emerged from the ether.

"Sylph, I presume?" The new arrival performed a slight curtsy before straightening and flying a little closer to the dwarf. As she got closer, Fletcher could make out more details about her. She was about a foot high at most; untamed, but long flowing hair in a shimmering green; a dress that was layered over another dress both in various shades of green, and for the most part she wore nothing else aside from a new baubles here and there to accessorise her limbs.

She peered him over, circling him to get a better look much as the dwarf did to her, "What a strong looking man you are! Are you here for me?" Fletcher hesitated answering the question and Sylph picked up on it immediately, placing a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Now, now, don't be like that. You can tell me what's wrong!" She flourished away from him so they had some personal space again and flashed him a smile before pirouetting in place, the air sweeping around her as she did so.

Fletcher straighted up and frowned, or rather put on his serious face. "I want to make a pact." Sylph looked him over again, confused before she seemed to twig that he was in fact a Summoner. The pair were silent, one standing and the other floating in place, sizing each other up before the fairy broke the tension.

"Okay..." Before Fletcher could celebrate his small victory, Sylph continued. "So anyway, tell me more about you! People don't seem to come by nearly as often, but we're kind of out of the way." She gestured to the air around her, as if directing his attention to something else. Before Fletcher could ask what she meant by 'we', she continued. "I'm Sylph, as you know. I like these woods a fair bit , especially the flower grove found over there," she hastily pointed off to the side, before pointing elsewhere. "And over there is a spring that rabbits sometimes play near..." She then fluttered over to another bush and motioned it it. "Past here is where the rest of us live, although they're kind of boring." Again there it was with the lack of reference to whom she was speaking about, although after seeing another Carbuncle earlier it was assumed to be the other incarnations of Sylph.

"I was sent to come speak to Titania. Can you take me there?" Sylph turned around, looking at Fletcher in surprise, then awe, then smiled, fluttering closer to him again.

"You." She placed a delicate finger on his forehead, speaking in a sweet tone. "...want to go," That same finger ran along the dwarf's forehead and down to his beard, playfully flicking it up before touching her chin with the same finger, pretending to be in deep thought. "...to see Titania?" Fletcher nodded and there was an awkward silence held for what seemed like a full minute before Sylph spoke again. "Sorry! Can't help you!" She had spun around, arms thrown up to shrug, saying nothing else.

Fletcher was at a loss. Someone here was lying, and he wasn't exactly sure who. Either the Sylph was legitimate and it was the Carbuncle that was telling tall tales, although to then ask something and deliver unto him another Follower to make a pact with made that seem unlikely. What was more likely was that Sylph was just being difficult; there was no formal pact here, so she didn't have any obligation to actually help him. It was frustrating, but made sense in a way; his objective became clear.

"Sylph." Fletcher spoke authoratively, drawing the fairy's attention back to him after being denied an introduction to Titania. His hand was holding the whip on his belt, although his eyes locked with Sylph's before he spoke again. "As a Summoner I have come to form a pact with you. However..." Sylph's eyes flicked to see the hand holding the whip, visibly worried. "...if I need to demonstrate why you should give me that audience regardless of that fact, by all means." With a fluid motion he took the whip from his belt and snapped it sharply back before cracking it at his side, Carbuncle diving out and into existance to take its place by Fletcher's side. "Try me."

Word Count: 1086
Total Word Count: 5113

[Fletcher]

There was a moment of silence between the two after Fletcher had issued his challenge. He had had enough of her childish behaviour, although he didn't know what else to expect from a fairy. Speaking of, she was visibily shaken by what had just occurred and seemed to be in a state of shock. Fletcher would find out later that this particular incarnation of Sylph was relatively new to the role of being a potential follower, and didn't know exactly what was required aside from 'don't just submit'. "I... Um... Er..."Having gone from very talkative to very... not talkative very quickly was something that threw the dwarf off, and Sylph decided to capitalise on it.

Much like the wind she represented, she moved like a blur and closed the distance, augmenting her strike with the air, she swept Fletcher off his feet and onto his rump by striking at the back of his knees. Carbuncle, alarmed that the danger to its Summoner was something that was growing more dire, leapt into action, only to have the fairy slip out from between its teeth. The blue fox spun around, glaring at the fairy who was just not playing fair, lowering its front and snarling. "Carbuncle," The snarling stopped, and the fox looked to the dwarf, who was eyeing off Sylph. "This will be the first time we have had to deal with this, don't let it get to you."

Sylph processed what Fletcher had said while she stared back at the dwarf, meeting his steely gaze. This was their first time? It was a lame excuse, but if it were true then they had something in common. To be fair, the dwarf didn't specify what exactly it was that they were dealing with for the first time, so she was jumping to conclusions. That said, while she had struck first, her wind buffet had done next to nothing in the way of damage and was meant mainly for supportive applications in combat. If she wanted to do some serious damage , she'd have to start casting some higher level magic; some of which she didn't know, and what she did know she'd get interrupted while she cast it given there were two targets in front of her.

Fletcher got up, the grip on his whip tightening. He looked down to Carbuncle, who had taken up staring down Sylph in its mater's stead. Even after the disappointment that Fletcher had earlier about not speaking, and then his own arrogance in thinking he could fight without his follower What was a king without subjects? Or a general without an army? He was a Summoner, and he was only such because of the Followers be brought with him into battle. It wasn't going to be a mistake that he'd make again in a hurry if at all. Together they launched their counterattack; Fletcher struck out with his whip while Carbuncle went for another tackle, looking to pin down the fairy before using some higher levelled magic at point blank.

Sylph dove back, narrowly missing Carbuncle's dive and made to the left where Fletcher's whip was headed. Changing directions mid-air, she pirouetted away from a follow up attack by the fox and knocked it back with another gust of wind. Fletcher had moved up and caught Carbuncle as it was lifted off the ground and vaulted him towards the fairy, channelling a spell while the fox kept Sylph busy. Having to rid herself of the fox again, she brushed it aside with another flurry of wind and as she turned to face Fletcher, she was hit square on with a light elemental bolt of energy. He bulk was non-existant so the blast sent her flying over to the far side of the grove, but with the aid of wind magic she did not fall to the ground. The dwarf readied a follow up attack and Carbuncle did the same, both pressing the attack in their moment of opportunity,

Sylph scrambled off to the side but was halted by a whip cracking an inch from the top of her head. The hesitation and pause in her movement was all Carbuncle needed to pin her down and stop her from moving. With her arms effectively pinned, and Carbuncle's ruby gleaming with a readied beam of magic, she shrieked out, panicked. "I give up! I give up! I don't want to die!" Carbuncle didn't let up, but refrained from firing until Fletcher said, knowing full well that this would be decisive if fired from this distance. She pleaded with the fox to no avail, switching to another language that Carbuncle seemed to listen to from the twitching of its ears, but made no response to. Sylph turned to Fletcher, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes and she began to plead to him. "Please spare me..."

A darkness crossed Fletcher's mind. He could see the fear in her eyes and everyone in that clearing knew that it was the Summoner that decided if she lived or died right here. Granted, her being dead didn't help him any, although the thought did cross his mind. What had happened to him? Did he always have that small streak of bloodlust in him for helpless creatures? It couldn't have just been the annoyance he had suffered talking to her, and he didn't feel effected by any magic that would cause him to go berserk. She pleaded again and Fletcher frowned to himself before looking Sylph square in the eye. "Sylph, as your master I am telling you that we are going to see Titania and that you're going to take me there. Do you understand?"

She stopped quivering, eyes wide although not thankful, it was just shock. What had he said? It took a while before it sank in and she merely nodded in response to Fletcher's question. Carbuncle got off but eyed Sylph carefully, just in case she decided to try anything. She spoke quietly, not taking her eyes off of the dwarf but her body language had said plainly that she had yeilded. "This way. She lives over here." She motioned to a bush, or rather beyond it and awaited Fletcher to come closer before she ducked behind the bush, leading the way. Carbuncle climbed up onto the dwarf's shoulder and flashed a Phantasmal Heal to keep the MP flowing just so Carbuncle could stay out just a while longer to make sure its Summoner would be okay.

Sylph lead the party onwards through the brush, the overgrowth becoming denser until it resembled more like a corridor of roots and vines coiled over one another. It was lit by what appeared to be bioluminescent moss and fungus in an array of colours, keeping the way ahead light enough to see. Soon enough, the tunnel opened out into a new grove with more of the same lighting, and small makeshift huts high up in the trees. Fairies were fluttering about everywhere, most of which in similar outfits to Sylph but each had their hair styled in different ways and chose to dress all in one colour. It was like looking up at a starry night sky with each star significantly bigger and littered with every colour of the rainbow. Sylph pressed on to the middle of the grove and turned to face Fletcher, feet gently touching on the ground with hands clasped delicately over her front.

Fletcher patted Carbuncle on the head. "Get some rest. I'll call if anything happens." Carbuncle faded away with a chirrup leaving the strain on Fletcher's MP reserves halved. He was still maintaining a small upkeep for Sylph, but he assumed that it was because they were newly aquainted or on her home turf that the upkeep cost was so low. Stepping closer, the dwarf could hear small voices around him commenting on the newcomer, and mentions of Sylph bringing him, all of which getting louder as more and more fairies caught on to his presence in the grove. "Which one is Titania?" The question was posed to Sylph but the murmuring around them seemed to all, in unison, start commenting on how he wanted to see Titania. The dwarf's eyes scanned the borders of the grove and saw more fairies hiding behind the trees and bushes. Each of them were emitting a soft coloured glow, so they weren't that hard to miss. Was each of these another incarnation of Sylph?

Without so much as a word, Sylph closed her eyes and pointed upwards. Amongst the many fairies flying overhead, there was a much larger being who didn't emit the same light the others did. When Sylph pointed upwards, the clouds of fairies parted, leaving a space for the much larger being to float down. The larger fairy had delicate features, almost like a porcelain doll; hair flowing in a breeze that sat deathly still with a beautiful grace. What she wore compared to the other fairies was indicative of her status, as the layers were not only more numerous but each one more intricately patterned in deep colours and floral designs. She never touched the ground and floated maybe a couple inches above it at most. Her deep purple eyes laid to rest on Fletcher before blinking to refocus, before realising that he was not in fact another fairy.

Upon this realisation she became more animated and inspected him in a manner similar to how Sylph did, before speaking. Her voice was as smooth as silk, clear as crystal, and would be perfect if she were a Bard. "Oh, my! A visitor! Welcome, welcome!" She gave Fletcher a warm smile and clasped her hands together in delight. The dwarf looked at her, forgetting briefly why he had come here in the first place. She gave him a knowing a knowing smile before speaking again. "What do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Word Count: 1651
Word Count: 6764

[Fletcher]

Titania beamed down at Fletcher as a good host would and awaited his reply. The dwarf looked at the fairy and cleared his throat before speaking in a formal manner, almost too formal for what the situation warranted. ”I come to speak with Titania on behalf of a Summoner who has need of your assistance; the person in need has had their Follower swap bodies with them and wish their state reversed. I too have a request to make.” Titania’s eyes widened in curiosity before fluttering up into the cloud of other fairies, soon to descend again and a glass ball in hand. She said nothing and prompted him to continue speaking before she would do anything else. This took Fletcher by surprise and he fumbled over his words, before recomposing and trying again. ”I was led to believe that you could help me wish an issue regarding Carbuncle. I know that it can speak, although it refuses to acknowledge that it did in the first place.”

Titania looked at Fletcher carefully before placing her orb to the side, letting it hang in the air as if attached to a piece of string before gently gliding closer and putting her hands on his shoulders. While Fletcher was a Dwarf, with her elevation she was clearly taller, but there was likely not much difference between them in height if she were to stand on the ground. ”Carbuncles are adorable, aren’t they?” She fluttered back, retrieving her orb and holding it aloft. ”I can assist with both of these things. Although it may be a little strange at first. Remember though, if Carbuncle doesn’t wish to talk, you should never force one to. That would just be impolite!” She giggled, innocence radiating off her as she did so. Something didn’t sit quite right with Fletcher about what was going on, but he decided to play along with it for the time being as she had given him no reason prior to have to distrust anything she was saying. ”Now, I’m going to give you some medication to give to the Carbuncle you’ve come on behalf of. As for your own, well… I’m sure once you leave here, Carbuncle will have much more to say.”

Was it Fletcher’s imagination or did that orb pulse with light for the shortest of time? He shook his head before looking Titania in the eye and nodding. She responded by waving her hand and before Fletcher was a small bundle of this medicine she mentioned. He was unsure how just leaving now would trigger some kind of revelation by Carbuncle to start talking, but Titania seemed to be done with the conversation. The dwarf took the medicine and Titania ascended into the cloud of fairies, veiled by many different coloured lights. He was done here, and opened his menu to head back using the Call to Home command. With one final look upwards, he hit the teleport spell and was taken away from the grove and back to Londinium. Where the spell had placed him was outside Westminster Abbey, conveniently next to the Carbuncle who had set him up with the task. They locked eyes and the Carbuncle sighed, looking away before a pouch of medicine was dropped at its feet. There was a stunned silence before the Carbuncle went to ingest the medicine. Fletcher meanwhile was already calling out his own Carbuncle, wanting to test whether or not the Carbuncle was capable of talking now.

A choking sound brought him back to reality, and the dwarf spun around, seeing the Carbuncle that didn’t belong to him keel over, frothing at the mouth in a violent fashion. It must’ve been poison, which was one way of dealing with the problem, although it wasn’t pretty. What did Titania give him? It was scary to imagine, but at least the fellow summoner would be able to get his own body back. The dwarf sighed and looked to his own Carbuncle who was sitting patiently on the ground, looking up at him. In all honesty, he was afraid to try; what if this was just a hoax and he’d gone off into the woods for no gain? Granted, he had forced a follower into a pact which may not have been the most correct thing to do, but at least she was satisfied with not being killed there; was definitely a flag to work on his personal skills with non-adventurer beings. Carbuncle gave Fletcher a confused look before opening its mouth and asking in a naïve tone, legitimately confused. ”Master, what just happened?”

Word Count: 763
Total Word Count: 7527