[Celestial Arms Quest 2-3] Negotiations with a Hotelier

[Sark]

Sark woke with a start. This time he recovered much faster from the static and was immediately aware that he was back in Londinium, in part due to the heavy scent of dying roses that had been pervading the park for the last few days, and in part because the Messier Sage was leaning over the tailor. Their hair was loose and the curled brown locks had tickled Sark's nose. He brushed away the Sage and rolled over, scrabbling on hands and knees to Fletcher.

"Come on bud, we gotta get there quick. That was so strange!" He glanced at the sage, and with a petulant tongue out quipped. "See? I can withhold stuff too! Sucks to be you!"

And with that, got to his feet and ran away. It was a petty action against an important person, but Sark didn't care for consequences. He'd been paralyzed by anxiety for too long to care about consequences now - it was only by his living by his momentary whims that he kept control of his life. He ran through the park with the easy, long strides of someone conditioned to run and brought up the game interface. After selecting his friend Fletcher from the telepathy list he contacted him.

'Okay game plan.' He thought. 'Get some supplies and get to that place. I've no idea where Lune is, but I am sure we can find it.' They established where they would reconvene before letting it sit into idle mode. The dwarf hardly tired as he dashed through the suburbs,  weaving between stalls and nimbly jumping over shoulders whenever a passerby failed to get out of his way. Before long he was back at the Black Dog Inn where there was a flurry of activity. He might be gone for days, weeks or even months; there was no telling. There was the matter of the stall, but Sark dismissed the thought. He could ask Mara nicely to collect his things, and he could pay her in advance for a few month's rent, which these days was a trivial amount of money.

His magical bag was filled first with the miscellany of his craft. There would be downtime and he would like to practice, but he would also need to keep both his and Weaver's clothes at maximum durability. His little toys and gadgets followed next, along with a few rare monster drops he had obtained. He went to look for his Mount Whistles, spare weapons, stat boosters and other raid gear and paused. He never had those items. On the German server his characters had been particularly well equipped with temporary boost items, and for a moment Sark had forgotten that it had been another world. His mind has simply linked the situation of preparing for a raid in the game, and preparing for this pressing journey together. It felt strange, and there in the middle of the room it began to sink in that Sark wasn't playing the game nor was he living in a special universe. He was living the game, and would have to just accept that.

The journey suddenly seemed less pressing. It was still important to Sark, but he didn't need feel the need to rush out the door. This was a game, and he had just lived through a cutscene. That was all, he assumed. If he had asked Fletcher, the dwarf probably had felt that the courier at looked at him, not Sark. So to find the courier and progress along this premade quest, Sark decided he could just the other quest goers. It almost felt like cheating.

With a somewhat dispirited air the Samurai finished packing his things, paid his rent to Mara, then left the inn with a bulging bag. Most of his store inventory had to be left behind, but he could make do with what he had. It didn't take long to find a weary eyed adventurer, who judging from their smudged platemail and fist tightly clenched around a stone tablet, was a fellow sage-victim. The man explained that he was travelling to Stratford-Upon-Avon, where there was a large mansion. The owner of the mansion, a certain "Trickster" was said to hold the key to Lune and the geniuses. He'd cropped up in the UK server before, but Sark couldn't recall why. He thanked the Guardian before relying the same to Fletcher via telepathy.

It was simple then; a trip to this "Purple Mansion" and then Sark could find the courier.

Samurai: _________ 20 Tailor:____________ 20 Acrobat: _________ 01

Word Count: 750 x1.3 = 975 (Oct Art + 2 person CA)

Pokes: Fletcher

OOC:

Skill Descriptions:

Chain 01: "Lightspeed" Denkosetta, "Steel-Cutting Blade" Zantetsuken Chain 02: "Flashwave" Shunsen, "Vacuum Slash" Izunagiri Chain 03: "Blade Clone" Tsuguri Bunshin, "Divinity Slash" Seinaru Shinken Adventr.: Spear Break, Aura Swing Miscella.: Emergency Suture, Magic Light Party Up: Unyielding Spirit

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}
3. Encounter the Trickster [Purple Mirror Mansion].
Done! - Post a thread within the Purple Mirror Mansion subforum, label the thread with the prefix [Celestial Arms Quest]. To better differentiate this quest from the Chapter 1 counterpart, you may wish to label it something like [Celestial Arms 2-3].
- Post at least 3 times within the thread (if performing this questline as a group, each member must post 2 times) with a total of 750 or more words
- Adequately cover all of the following information within the summary into the events of your thread:
The Purple Mirror Mansion has become a tourist attraction as of late, considering that the Halloween season is approaching once again. Where it conveyed itself as a mysterious mansion of puzzles the first time around, the mansion now is open to all guests as its pumpkin residents seem to be holding a month-long party. In any case, you may or may not be familiar with the premises. By holding the Pebble of Philosophy in your possession, you hear a voice that leads you into a room of the mansion.

Upon entering the room, everything will appear pitch black at first. Then, as though someone were throwing a party just for you, the room immediately lights up in festivity and decoration. At the far side of the room is the local resident of the mansion, the Trickster. It appears as a robed figure, wearing a cross between a vampire's cape and a stereotypical witch's garb. Its head is that of a jack-o-lantern with glowing red eyes.

The Trickster will ask how you managed to get the Pebble in your possession and reassure you that it does not intend to take it from you. With a flash of its eyes, it will somehow answer all the questions that you had at the back of your mind.

About the Trickster: The caretaker of the mansion and an enigma that appeared in the world a year before. It claims to have come into existence from even before the time of the Pebble's creation. If you were present during the Purple Mirror Mansion event, the Trickster may also comment on your progress and actions back then.

Lonsdale: It was the mythical settlement situated between three kingdoms, destroyed by invaders. The three kingdoms chose to stay away from the conflict rather than to offer their help. In its dying breaths, the destroyed land cursed the Three. One kingdom disappeared under mysterious circumstances, another was swallowed up by the abyss, and the last one veiled itself behind a barrier where it still hides today.

The Map in your Vision: The Trickster will summon an exact copy of the map you envisioned in your memories, including the circled portion that's supposedly where the mansion stands today. It explains that the Fairy Gate of Lonsdale used to stand at the exact point where the room is right now.

"I can teleport you to Lonsdale for a price. The price of a future where the city lives on. Travel back in time and defeat those who invaded our city. Will you become one of the heroes that can achieve what we could not?"

Should you accept, the room will glow as your body is teleported elsewhere...

[Fletcher]

So as it turned out, Sark didn’t know where Lonsdale was as well. Apparently some of the locals were talking about it at one of the inns he’d been to, which was promising for how to find it. If there were people around that knew, they could ask more rather than rely on the dwarf’s next to non-existant map reading skills. With all the luck in the world, without help he’d likely end up in the polar opposite direction from where he needed to head. Right as it seemed to be a lost cause, Sark stepped up to the map and began investigating. The younger dwarf was clearly much better at navigation than he was, which was a relief; within seconds he’d ascertained where they were in relation to the map and then where Lonsdale was bound to be. From Sark’s expression alone, it looked to be a far distance, he just hadn’t figured it’s be that far.

When Sark said it was at the top of England, he knew that was going to be a problem. There was no way to get there aside from tavelling by foot, even if he had a summon to take them there, it’d still be days. Lacking a pact with anything resembling a decent mount for the pair of them ruled it out anyway, although finding something that would make transportation for himself later was definitely something he’d have to look into. Flashing back to the battle about Brachyura, there were a few options already, but with only vague recollections or memories to go off of, it would take some research to know exactly where to head. There was a break in the crowd and a courier stepped through, looking both geared for combat and for delivering parcels. What time period did they find themselves in? This was not just a mere dimension jump, there was no war going on in the southern part of the country, but the northern part was effectively uncharted territory.

That’s when he heard it. ”Lune…” Were they actually on the verge of space travel, or did they just have dreams of reaching the moon? It couldn’t have been either of those when Fletcher considered what the general had said, distinctly referring to a seaport. Fletcher, still standing amongst the crowd didn’t seem to stand out if someone were looking from the outside in; Sark on the other hand was inside the table, with his shoulders and head poking through the top. The courier froze and Sark began to look worried, but the general intervened and ordered the courier to continue on his way, which he did but with an element of hesitation. Sark made to move and the white noise that signalled their arrival here sounded again, beckoning them away from that place. In amongst the noise Sark commented that the courier saw him; it was impossible, they were intangible and invisible. If they were even in a different time era, then there was no way their actions could affect what was to, or what had already happened, surely.

When they found themselves back in Londinium, the air hung around them from the sage leaning over Sark with a vague interest. They both were on the ground, and the younger dwarf scrambled over to where Fletcher was, brushing aside the sage before doing so. Then, with a childish quip he declared that he was withholding information from the sage, which was half true; Fletcher was still trying to figure out what it was exactly that he had witnessed, but Sark was already making a move. Fletcher looked to the sage with a frown, making a dash after his friend, uncertain of where they were going. He could hear Sark’s voice ringing in his head, saying that they needed to gather supplies first and head to Lune, where ever that may be. What supplies could he grab? He had a bunch of parts in his inventory to do some Magitech tinkering on the road, but he’d never needed to go on a long journey such as this; truly it was a pain. The best he could come up with were some trail rations by going back to the inn and packing up what he’d already put aside, and getting a pharmacist he’d seen in the streets make him up some basic MP potions just in case.

Fletcher was awaiting at the designated meeting place that Sark had mentioned the last time they had communicated via telepathy. He was travelling light and going over the last event to transpire for the party. He’d heard a name of interest but didn’t get to check it out much further than that. It was annoying, but couldn’t be helped. Nothing else that had been said by any of the officials seemed to be of any importance aside from Lune being the place to be. If they weren’t being railroaded down this path, then Fletcher had a bad feeling about what all this was to mean. Another message came in from Sark, mentioning that what they needed was to head to some kind of Purple Mansion to find out more. Granted, he still had no idea where they were headed, so just decided to sit tight until Sark rocked up. ”I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, Sark. Meeting you at the place you mentioned… I think. Any idea where this mansion is? Can’t say I’m any better at geography than you are, I’m afraid.”

Word Count: 912
Sark

[Sark]

"I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, Sark. Meeting you at the place you mentioned… I think. Any idea where this mansion is? Can’t say I’m any better at geography than you are, I’m afraid.”

Sark, who had been proudly swaggering the street, stopped.

'Umm,one second ...'

He spent a few moments looking about, before spotting an assassin who had their Pebble of Philosophy embedded into a circlet around their head. After a conversation that required way too much flattery for the assassin to open up Sark checked back in with his senior. 'OK, so they reckon within the month there will be a trainline to Avon, but there's been snags in the construction with the workers. We can go by foot, by horse or by wagon. Preferences? About 2 days by foot ... maybe a bit longer for us little guys.'

There was silence on the line for a second before Fletcher suggested using a favour owed to the pair of them. Fletcher and Sark had assisted some merchants recently with their transit, and as part of their compensation the adventurers had been allowed to borrow their cart at times. It would not be as fast as riding a horse, but it would be more comfortable and allow one of them to spend their time in more leasurely activities. It was perfect! Sark conveyed this back, and suggested they instead meet at Clara's store, which was only a block or two from their planned meet up.

It didn't take long for Sark to arrive at the family run store. Entering through the well maintained door there was a delightful ding a ling to announce his arrival. The store was just how Sark imagined it would have been; clean, tidy, with a delightful aroma. Jars, caskets and platters were neatly arranged down the aisles selling the variety of goods that could be harvested from bees. There was the standard byproduct of honey - in the 'Savill Flowers' variety, 'Tallgum' variety and the preferred 'Cityscape.' Each had its own unique blend of nectars taken from its location giving them differing viscosity, tastes and shelf lives. There was also royal jelly mixed with a number of things, genuine purified beeswax, honeycomb and a dozen things that Sark could not recongise at sight. He waved to Johan, who was manning the counter today, before ducking through a side door.

Sark rushed over with a smile, giving a sweaty Clara a quick hug before explaining the situation he and Fletcher were in. After Clara discussed with Johan, they were happy for the loan and even supplied Sark with a week's worth of feed for the mule. Once Sark met up with Fletcher he explained the route as it had been told to him, and passed Fletcher the reins.

"You know how to umm... drive? Direct? A mule right. I'll have a go once get out of traffic."

Samurai: _________ 20 Tailor:____________ 20 Acrobat: _________ 01

Word Count: 483 x1.3 =627 (oct art + 2 person CA)

Pokes: Fletcher

OOC: U_U Didnt do much sorry

Skill Descriptions:

Chain 01: "Lightspeed" Denkosetta, "Steel-Cutting Blade" Zantetsuken Chain 02: "Flashwave" Shunsen, "Vacuum Slash" Izunagiri Chain 03: "Blade Clone" Tsuguri Bunshin, "Divinity Slash" Seinaru Shinken Adventr.: Spear Break, Aura Swing Miscella.: Emergency Suture, Magic Light Party Up: Unyielding Spirit

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler}3. Encounter the Trickster [Purple Mirror Mansion].
Done! - Post a thread within the Purple Mirror Mansion subforum, label the thread with the prefix [Celestial Arms Quest]. To better differentiate this quest from the Chapter 1 counterpart, you may wish to label it something like [Celestial Arms 2-3].
- Post at least 3 times within the thread (if performing this questline as a group, each member must post 2 times) with a total of 750 or more words
- Adequately cover all of the following information within the summary into the events of your thread:
The Purple Mirror Mansion has become a tourist attraction as of late, considering that the Halloween season is approaching once again. Where it conveyed itself as a mysterious mansion of puzzles the first time around, the mansion now is open to all guests as its pumpkin residents seem to be holding a month-long party. In any case, you may or may not be familiar with the premises. By holding the Pebble of Philosophy in your possession, you hear a voice that leads you into a room of the mansion.
Upon entering the room, everything will appear pitch black at first. Then, as though someone were throwing a party just for you, the room immediately lights up in festivity and decoration. At the far side of the room is the local resident of the mansion, the Trickster. It appears as a robed figure, wearing a cross between a vampire's cape and a stereotypical witch's garb. Its head is that of a jack-o-lantern with glowing red eyes.
The Trickster will ask how you managed to get the Pebble in your possession and reassure you that it does not intend to take it from you. With a flash of its eyes, it will somehow answer all the questions that you had at the back of your mind.
About the Trickster: The caretaker of the mansion and an enigma that appeared in the world a year before. It claims to have come into existence from even before the time of the Pebble's creation. If you were present during the Purple Mirror Mansion event, the Trickster may also comment on your progress and actions back then.
Lonsdale: It was the mythical settlement situated between three kingdoms, destroyed by invaders. The three kingdoms chose to stay away from the conflict rather than to offer their help. In its dying breaths, the destroyed land cursed the Three. One kingdom disappeared under mysterious circumstances, another was swallowed up by the abyss, and the last one veiled itself behind a barrier where it still hides today.
The Map in your Vision: The Trickster will summon an exact copy of the map you envisioned in your memories, including the circled portion that's supposedly where the mansion stands today. It explains that the Fairy Gate of Lonsdale used to stand at the exact point where the room is right now.
"I can teleport you to Lonsdale for a price. The price of a future where the city lives on. Travel back in time and defeat those who invaded our city. Will you become one of the heroes that can achieve what we could not?"
Should you accept, the room will glow as your body is teleported elsewhere...

[Fletcher]

Hearing that it was going to be two days by foot wasn’t the right thing he wanted to hear. Two days was far too long, and it’d be worthwhile at that stage to hire horses there and back, hell, even purchasing them for added security seemed like a better option. At least that way they wouldn’t be stuck in this kind of situation again any time soon. Still no sign of Sark though, so he wondered where the young dwarf was, or what he was up to. That’s when it hit him; they did a favor for a couple of merchants a while back that involved them carting goods from here to Sarum, it was a long shot, but it was possible that they may be able to cash in a favour as payment in order to get to where they needed to go. ”What about if we borrow Clara and Johan’s cart?” There was another pause of silence before Sark seemed to be pleased with the alternative idea and conveyed that the idea was, in fact, perfect for what they were after. He wouldn’t exactly say perfect, but it was definitely better than walking.

The plan now was to meet up at Clara’s store and go from there. It wasn’t that far away, so Fletcher took a leisurely walk towards the store, figuring that Sark’s eagerness will mean he’d arrive second. When he rocked up, it was as one would expect; a wooden building with a layered brick foundation. Stepping inside the store, Fletcher was hit by a strong aroma of flowers and fresh honey, every inch of the store lined with various products developed from bees, mostly ranging from honey to wax, each one with variances depending on where they were sourced from. Johan looked up at Fletcher, waving a hello before glancing to a side door that was left ajar. “Just missed your friend, Fletcher. He’s just outside talking to Clara, I think.” Fletcher was genuinely surprised that they hadn’t arrived that far apart from each other. Johan waved him off, saying that it was fine for him to head out back. The dwarf wandered out the side door and into the alley out the back where the wagon was stationed.

What he was greeted to was Clara wandering past, sticking her head in the door to talk something over with Johan before coming back and informing both dwarfs that they were good to use the cart. The pair readied themselves and Sark handed him the reins to the cart. Fletcher paused at Sark’s question, not answering right away and mulling it over. It had been a while, but when he was a kid he lived on a farm before moving to the city to study dentistry. It shouldn’t be any different from riding a bike as far as skills go; he should be fine. Letting Sark have a go might be haphazardous, but it wouldn’t hurt to at least let him try when they were in the great outdoors. ”Oh, yeah, I’ve done this before. I might be rusty, but I should be good most of the way. When we’re out of town you’re welcome to give it a shot though.” Fletcher got the cart going and directed the mule out of town, taking the road that Sark had mapped out from talking to Clara and Johan. He wasn’t sure how far out of town Sark wasn’t to be to try driving, but he was ready whenever the other dwarf wanted to give it a try.

”So…” Fletcher called back to Sark, who for the time being had decided to hang out in the tray of the wagon than ride up front, either to get some rest or to get some tailoring done he wasn’t sure. ”What do you reckon happened back there? In that place where we were ghosts, I mean. If we get to Lune I’ve got a couple things I want to check out from that, but I want to know what your take on it is, first.” Fletcher thought back to everything that had happened and tried to piece the puzzle together but to little avail.

Word Count: 694
Total Word Count: 1606
Sark

[Sark]

Sark lazed in the back of the cart, watching the clouds pass as he distractedly knit a woolen scarf.

”What do you reckon happened back there? In that place where we were ghosts, I mean. If we get to Lune I’ve got a couple things I want to check out from that, but I want to know what your take on it is, first.”

The tone of the comment struck Sark a little odd. The tailor carefully put down the scarf and needles, straightened up, and went to sit beside Fletcher. There was a certain expactant air to Fletcher, so the tailor tried his best to consider an answer. The teen sat for a few moments, trying to recall the recent experience and his feelings during that time.


"I dunno what was going on." He began, remembering the maps and missives being passed about. "Like, were we teleported there and it was the present? Is there a huge war we know nothing about ...? Or is that a possible future for Londinium if the adventurers get too aggressive? It might be the past too; no-one had inventions from us like tea or holographic maps."

"But the ghost thing ... now the ghost thing that was cool! Goodbye getting hit in the face by a knee! Hello easy crowd movement, hey?"

They continued to talk as the road continued on, before each taking turns resting and driving. The sun sank over the shoulders as the smog of Londinium disappeared over the horizon. By evening they found themselves in a small village which lacked even an Inn to sleep at. Sark and Fletcher spent the night sleeping in a farmer's hay barn, and were woken at dawn by the largest rooster the teen had ever seen. The crowing monstrosity was was taller than he, and aggressive to boot. Sark and the rooster ended up in a kicking, squabbling fight as Sark really wanted to sleep in, and the rooster really wanted to wake everyone up. Being a STR build at level 20 it did not take long for Sark to scare it off. At the end of the fight a small 'quest cleared' token appeared, and Sark found himself 15g richer along with an optional title of "cock kicker".  He did not take select it.

After feeding themselves and the mule the pair continued down the road. Sark rediscovered the game of "Are we there yet?" and began to pester Fletcher with it. Strangers passing by were similarly subjected, with Sark unhelpfully not telling them where he wanted to go, only asking if he was there yet. Thankfully for everyone's sanity large signs appeared by the roadside. They were purple and orange primarily, with cartoony pumpkins drawn on shouting "PURPLE MANSION SALE!! HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!!! BE SCARED AND LAUGH WITH THE TRICKSTER AND HIS PALS!!!!!" Sark found them garish advertisement, especially when one appeared stapled over the the crumbling entry to what would have to be a dungeon. These signs directed them down paths and over hills, and as the hours disappeared under the wheels of the cart they found the landscape rapidly changing. The forests of oak and beech were replaced in an under an hour by a pine-scented winter wonderland. The paved road was salted free of ice, whilst the fields and hills surrounding it were covered in a foot of fresh looking snow. Polar bears, heavily coated deer and more magical looking creatures passed at a distance, seemingly aware that the road carried both high and low leveled adventurers alike. The signs lead them up a steep incline almost no wider than the cart, before them found themselves at an expansive manor. It spread over the top of a short mountain like a hastily thrown rug over dirty clothes. 

"We're here! The adventurer said our answers about Lune could be found here!" Filled with the restless energy of someone freed after a long transit Sark raced twice about the cart. "Come on old man!" He jeered, "Let's get in~!"

Samurai: ______ 20 Tailor:_________ 20 Acrobat: ______ 01

Word Count: 667 x1.3  = 867 (oct art + 2 person CA)

Pokes: Fletcher

OOC:

Skill Descriptions:

Chain 01: "Lightspeed" Denkosetta, "Steel-Cutting Blade" Zantetsuken Chain 02: "Flashwave" Shunsen, "Vacuum Slash" Izunagiri Chain 03: "Blade Clone" Tsuguri Bunshin, "Divinity Slash" Seinaru Shinken Adventr.: Spear Break, Aura Swing Miscella.: Emergency Suture, Magic Light Party Up: Unyielding Spirit

SPOILER: Click to show

{Spoiler}{Spoiler}
3. Encounter the Trickster [Purple Mirror Mansion].
Done! - Post a thread within the Purple Mirror Mansion subforum, label the thread with the prefix [Celestial Arms Quest]. To better differentiate this quest from the Chapter 1 counterpart, you may wish to label it something like [Celestial Arms 2-3].
Done! - Post at least 3 times within the thread (if performing this questline as a group, each member must post 2 times) with a total of 750 or more words
- Adequately cover all of the following information within the summary into the events of your thread:
The Purple Mirror Mansion has become a tourist attraction as of late, considering that the Halloween season is approaching once again. Where it conveyed itself as a mysterious mansion of puzzles the first time around, the mansion now is open to all guests as its pumpkin residents seem to be holding a month-long party. In any case, you may or may not be familiar with the premises. By holding the Pebble of Philosophy in your possession, you hear a voice that leads you into a room of the mansion.

Upon entering the room, everything will appear pitch black at first. Then, as though someone were throwing a party just for you, the room immediately lights up in festivity and decoration. At the far side of the room is the local resident of the mansion, the Trickster. It appears as a robed figure, wearing a cross between a vampire's cape and a stereotypical witch's garb. Its head is that of a jack-o-lantern with glowing red eyes.

The Trickster will ask how you managed to get the Pebble in your possession and reassure you that it does not intend to take it from you. With a flash of its eyes, it will somehow answer all the questions that you had at the back of your mind.

About the Trickster: The caretaker of the mansion and an enigma that appeared in the world a year before. It claims to have come into existence from even before the time of the Pebble's creation. If you were present during the Purple Mirror Mansion event, the Trickster may also comment on your progress and actions back then.

Lonsdale: It was the mythical settlement situated between three kingdoms, destroyed by invaders. The three kingdoms chose to stay away from the conflict rather than to offer their help. In its dying breaths, the destroyed land cursed the Three. One kingdom disappeared under mysterious circumstances, another was swallowed up by the abyss, and the last one veiled itself behind a barrier where it still hides today.

The Map in your Vision: The Trickster will summon an exact copy of the map you envisioned in your memories, including the circled portion that's supposedly where the mansion stands today. It explains that the Fairy Gate of Lonsdale used to stand at the exact point where the room is right now.

"I can teleport you to Lonsdale for a price. The price of a future where the city lives on. Travel back in time and defeat those who invaded our city. Will you become one of the heroes that can achieve what we could not?"

Should you accept, the room will glow as your body is teleported elsewhere...

[/quote]

[Fletcher]

From where he was sitting, driving the wagon, Fletcher heard Sark put his tailoring away to join him up front. Fletcher shot the younger dwarf a sidewards gaze, eyebrows raised expecting an answer. It was clear that the younger dwarf was thinking over his answer carefully before saying anything. The suspense was killing him, not knowing what Sark’s interpretation of what had happened would be, especially after the claim that the courier had seen him. Sark gave his account to Fletcher and he sat there, stoic and listening until he was done. There was another pause before Sark added his humorous flair to the end of the conversation.

He had a few good points, but there was something wrong, and something that he was hoping that the younger dwarf would have noticed. That place they went to, it had to be the past. It didn’t make any more sense than it being the present, or even the future, but there were a few facts that solidified when that conversation took place. The first and foremost, were the very pebbles that they carried. The sage had said in clear terms that they were crystallised anima, memories, of a civilisation long past. That’s what sent them there; memories, things that had already happened. There was one’s memories in particular that Fletcher had an interest in which he needed to know more about. That was his second reason to believe, nay, know that what they had seen was a record of the past. As for the third, it was as Sark said, albeit the less interesting reason; they didn’t have things that the Landers here did, they were behind technologically.

After another pause following Sark’s last comment, Fletcher smiled, rousing the conversation to life by asking him of his tailoring, and the pair shared a brief to and fro about their crafts before it ramped into outright banter about anything; nothing was off limits. They travelled the road north, Sark occasionally jumping in with directions while Fletcher did most of the driving. They spent the night in a barn, the hay being more than enough for the dwarf to get a somewhat decent rest before the morning came. After a fiasco with a rooster, and Sark… adequately dealing with the problem, they continued on after a bit of breakfast. Then, like any child testing the patience of their parent, Sark decided to ask if they were there yet, constantly, for four hours.

Fletcher was at the end of his rope before the signs pointing to the mansion relieved Sark’s attention of the game he was playing. The roads and signs led them on for a few more hours, the landscape evolving around them until they found themselves before the manor. There was an air to this place that was foreboding, something that Fletcher didn’t like. He didn’t like it, but Sark was apparently unaffected and raced on ahead, calling back to him to get a move on. Sark beat him to the front door and went inside, Fletcher trudging along and bringing up the rear, keeping his eyes peeled just in case. Almost as if by magic, crossing the threshold into the building made a small voice ring in his mind, guiding him onwards. He was too distracted by it to see if Sark had taken in the sights of the mansion or heard something similar. It was beckoning him upstairs and to the hallway on the right. Third… no, fourth door on the left; in a corridor of identical looking doors, there was no way to know if this was some form of elaborate trap or Fletcher was bewitched by a spell.

Pushing open the door, they both stepped inside and were both immediately plunged into darkness. Fletcher could hear his breath quake in his chest from anticipation, awaiting the results of the trap that they’d sprung. In a flash, the room lit up with festivities, as if a curtain lifting on a mediocre surprise party. Their host? A robed pumpkin in themed garb with glowing red eyes grinned at them, those eyes seemingly peering into their souls. Fletcher was growing more and more uncomfortable as the situation grew. “Well well!” The talking pumpkin spoke in a high shrill, ringing with jubilee as it looked over the two new guests. “Others with the Pebble? Oh let me guess, spooky scary boss monster?” Another shrill giggle before it tilted its pumpkin head before adding. “Oh, and don’t worry, I don’t need a pebble, I don’t need anything of the sort. In fact, I have something much more entertaining for everyone involved.” Waving its hand in the air, The Trickster summoned a map, gesturing to it; it was the same map they’d seen before. “Most of the details I’m sure you’ve had epiphanies on already, but I will add that the Lonsdale Fairy Circle sat right here, right where you’re standing once upon a time.”

Another shrill giggle and Fletcher was overwhelmed by the sudden implanting of knowledge and memories in his head. He was stunned, and The Trickster didn’t let up on the information dump, a well-rehearsed and probably often given speech to adventurers travelling out this way. "I can teleport you to Lonsdale for a price. The price of a future where the city lives on. Travel back in time and defeat those who invaded our city. Will you become one of the heroes that can achieve what we could not?" The tone was radically different, dropping down from a jovial one to a grave one. What had been a light hearted briefing became a staging area for one final confrontation, the final approach to another showdown against a Genius. That’s what it had to be leading to, right? Everything was interconnected conveniently that it couldn’t be anything less than that. But it wasn’t the promise of a heroic victory that made Fletcher slowly nod in regards to The Trickster’s offer; it was something so much more.

Word Count: 1000
Total Word Count:2606
Sark