Lucy shopped around by herself but found the town to be lacking in foodstuff, only managing to scavenge noet horns, clotted schmuu cream and gurdb?r jam, common treats for Maliterr but nothing particularly outstanding. It felt like my birthday when I spotted a Cranky Jay’s Vinella Flapper though. I asked her if it was for me, and she nodded.

  “I passed someone selling goods from Terra, here, I got these as well for everyone they better be worth the price” she huffed and several bottles of fizzay floated in the air, no way … LOICHEE flavour! The smile on my face right now, it’s got to be my birthday, “Thank you Lucy you’re a star!” I said and hugged her.

  Me and Rhua helped Horace get back on his feet then Wardi ruffled the top of his outfit and lead the way to the Scrollitorium to which Hans was the first to greet, us though he showed some caution as Broekslang came into view.

  “I’m so sorry Hans” rushing over and falling to his knees, “I have shamed my family and let you down old friend, I’ll never forgive myself for getting turned by evil doers!” Hans raised Broekslang up and dusted off his suit.

  “Do not worry about me sir, you and the ladies of the house should lay your heads and rest a while” nodding with a smile.

  “Oh Hans darling, your concern is appreciated, you must think of yourself for once” he shook his head “Ney your ladyship, it is a butlers duty after all to ensure the masters needs are well met, come now, I will lead you to your room at the inn, these honourable adventurers have important matters ahead of them and we should leave them be” Hans said, trying to hurry them all along.

  Lady Von stayed behind a little to tell that she insists we stop by before leaving town she wants to thank us personally. Larry spotted us through the store window and ushered all in quickly, stepping into the familiar whirring and twinkling sounds of arts activated and the doors were locked tight and the lights switched on.

  It was as if a bomb had gone off in the shop, smoke still lingered in the air and the remnants of detrimental effects were ever present and being cleaned up by small little Larry clones brushing, scrubbing, and repairing as they went.

  “This was my fault said Larry, I didn’t deactivate the defensive spells when I brought the girl here and they kicked in slightly blowing the place up, lucky I keep the GOOD STUFF out of the way” he said whilst throwing aside some parchment from chairs that he had forgotten about.

  Sit down we have a blue haired problem to deal with. Laid out on the table was the girl from Broekslang’s manor. “Has she awoken? Lucy spoke out showing concern, she looked to be a few years younger but was the closest to her age if she was as old as she looked.

  “Well, an interesting little story to tell here…” suddenly Larry looked hurt or sad I couldn’t quite tell. “I am so deeply ashamed …. Hans and me… had to knock her out physically” Larry said sadly. Shocking all of us except Wardi.

  “This girl seems to have some innate resistance or immunity to abilities and arts, I was heading here with Hans, and we were maybe one or two streets away and she suddenly woke up screaming and kicking” he continued, by saying “We tried all the basic stuff: Trying to put her to sleep, paralysis potion, induced coma, silence scroll but nothing worked, and the guards were certainly concerned by all the noise, lucky for me my reputation proceeds me and I said she is a patient for my cousin Barry no need to worry just a side effect” Larry said.

  “Hans held her as I bonked her on the head, I’ll never forgive myself for that.” Rhua was fuming, Lucy and Horace were both sad, I was indifferent and Wardi was the only person from the party to speak.

  “Unpredictable situation we were, in don’t blame yourself, this is an unfamiliar individual” he began turning to us making sure we heard his words, “She could be young, she could be old, she is an unfamiliar individual and those can put you in a situation that means life or death, so pull your fingers out your arses, what if she was another Edge Lord? You wouldn’t be acting this way if she were.”

  Damn, those were some harsh words he used but he is right they’re letting emotions get the better of them here I thought to myself. Rhua walked over to her, gently rocking to see if the girl would respond but there was nothing. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out some wakey-wakey salts and waved it under the girl’s nose. It hadn’t been more than a second before the girl shot up straight up inhaling deeply, heart pumping, her hair was notably standing up as if she had been hit by electric.

  She looked at Rhua who was still taken aback by the sudden surprise action and leapt at her, clawing, and swinging fists in rapid succession but nothing was besting Rhua’s defences. Wardi stepped in, restraining the girl who was becoming increasingly aggressive, I thought to myself that it seems the more freaked out she got the stronger she was becoming.

  “Hello ALL! It’s me Horace! MEANWHILE and unbeknownst to everyone else, I HAD BEEN trying to synthesise something to try to help with the SITUATION. The ability finished and I showed off my newly formed shell, raising it high in the air in celebration…if only everyone had witnessed me and my GLORIOUS CREATION, I thought to myself. I readied the turret and loaded it up. “Incoming, SULFERGIC acid pentamide!” he piped up.

  A shell flew up and a gas quickly spread around the shop front …the fighting continued, however. “Hmm, I thought this would DO THE JOB” Horace piped up.

  The innate resistances that come from having a class seemed to be kicking in for everyone except for myself and the little girl who appeared to be starting to slow…slow down …. like…. alo----t. “I feel a little funny I said. Ah bugger, Horace you div, you’ve gotten the two of them OUT OF IT! Look at the state of them, he pointed primarily at the young girl Horace just accidentally debilitated, and Horace just skulked into the corner and stared at the wall in shame.

  The girl had calmed down significantly, although was acting in a more unusual manner now. Rhua noted that the young girl was waving her hands in the air slowly, up... down… left… right… left… right. Though it seemed she appeared far, FAR away at the same time. “Horrrrrrace…wwwwhat wassss …the shhhhelll” I said it so slowly everyone aged at least a year, maybe two by the time I finished speaking.

  "Fffloating…I’m ffffloating!” I spoke.

  Wardi realising this was something like illegal narcotics back on Terra began laughing “Rhua…Horace got him high! I think he’s managed to recreate sap the narcotic. “Oh no, he’s going to be like this for a while then” her face now turning to one of annoyance after speaking.

  “What is sap?” said Lucy concerned “There used to be something people took in our old world, it would supposedly change the way your mind worked, colour would be more intense, you could think and imagine things beyond your limits, you could feel the very essence of yourself, flowing into the world, into the universe” Rhua said and Wardi followed this up “For a low-low price and 30 minutes or less.”

  “w-w-where am I? Who…who are…you?” the girl began talking much to our surprise. “Well, im glad she’s capable of speaking the same tongue as us at least” Said Wardi. Lucy began talking to the girl.

  This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “This is the Scrollitorium, in the town of Et-Navn and the world is called Maliterr” the girl seemed to not react to Lucy’s words. “A GIANT…TALKINGGG HATTTT… WITH ...A FACE IN IT HEE HEEEEE” she said slowly

  “I think you may have made that one a little bit too strong Horace” said Larry “STOPPED them from FIGHTING at least” piped Horace. Lucy removed the hat, and the girl was even more gleeful at this.

  “THE HAT…WAS CONTROLLED… BY A GIRL HEEEEEE. “We are adventurers, we rescued you from an evil monster” “Mmmonster?” the girl said “Silana is not monsterrrrrr!” she protested.

  “Are you Silana? Rhua said putting her hand on the girls shoulder to try and show her she cares” I’m Silana!” she said staring at Rhua’s hand on her shoulder intensely” “it’s so …gigantic … your hand and … SHINYYY” “I think the imaginative side is starting to kick in now, and him… he’s been looking at the same thing for the past five minutes Wardi said aloud.

  “It’s a poster not a scroll you stupid boy, he’s looking at a marketing piece! Said Larry who was getting increasingly annoyed as this shenanigan continued. “I just… r-r-really want this…scroll… of unending meteor storms” I said slowly. Rhua having none of it continued trying to talk to the girl who called herself Silana. “Silana, do you remember anything?

  “Just…bright light… very bright … light” her reply just seems to cause more worry.

  “She’s talking about the art that occurred at the manor, I think we need to try this again when she’s sobered up, she could be saying things that aren’t quite what she thinks is real” Rhua said, Wardi nodding in agreement.

  “Not yet, let me try to talk to her again before anything else, Silana, I’m Lucy, these are my friends” Lucy said. “Hi Lucy … and FRIENDS!” Silana responded with glee.

  “We want to help you, please come with us and rest a while then we can talk more tomorrow, come on” her hand reached out and Silana stared at it intently. “Lucy is KIND and has a GIANT HAT FRIEND …I WILL GO…WITH YOU HEEEEE.” Wardi ushered everyone out and Larry quickly followed us. “Remember! She’s a patient for Barry in case anyone asks” Wardi said aloud. “And this one just had one drink too many” he followed up with laughing and pointing to me at his back.

  The Peek While Sleep Inn was not so far, and we paid to use the dining room as it was after hours.

  “They’re starting to sober up now” I heard Rhua say, though the silver spoon on my plate was the shiniest thing I ever did see, as I held it up and the light reflected its priceless beauty, this is a spoon that just doesn’t compare to any other spoon.

  “Is THAT what usually happens with nar...NARCOTICS? Horace piped up. “For this one yes, some just gave you fake energy with a huge crash when it wore off along with some infamous mood swings, others made you lose all control, all sense of pain too Rhua said.

  See if the fizzay bottle gets him going” Wardi said to which Lucy pulled out the bottles. “Seems they’ve noticed” said Rhua.

  Before me laid the most beautiful thing the universe ever created… Loichee crème. The soda floated on a cloud; ribbons tied around it by little cherubs. The pink bottle shone brightly against the dankness of the wooden walls of the tavern, my heart erupted as it floated closer landing into my hand the cap came off by itself, it knows, it’s all knowing of course it is, only the gods could make a drink so perfect. “Is he narrating all this?” said Lucy, “Think maybe he will need a little more time to get over the effects” said Wardi.

  “Greetings your highness, it is an honour to be held in your presence, please, you should drink of thy nectar sweet prince, let it rejuvenate you, you and your friends too.” Yes, I said, I will not disappoint you, I could never. I take the bottle and raise it, “Cheers” I say to the universe, and I press the bottle to my lips. So much flavour, the creaminess and the light sparkling of the soda…washing it down I feel euphoric, a pleasure not felt in a long time, who knew paradise was a in a bottle.

  Lucy gave Silana a noet horn filled with the schmuu and gurdb?r jam, she held it in her hands with her eyes wide open. “What is … this!?” she began sobbing at the tasty looking food staring back at her.

  “It’s called a gurder-schmorn Silana, go on give it a try!” as she stared at the food, suddenly a face formed in the jam, and a small pair of arms formed, and the hands came together in a prayer-like fashion. It looked at Silana, I beg of you, please, I have a family, spare me so I can be there for my children! Silana stared intently, drool dangling, she took a bit of the gurder-schmorn, and her entire world lit up with sunshine and rainbows.

  “D-DECLIOUS!” she said. Her world view was vastly different to the massacre the rest of the group just witnessed as she ravaged the food flinging the red jam around and snarling like a wild animal. “That was not a pretty sight” said Wardi raising an eyebrow with concern.

  Silana drank from her fizzay bottle and appeared to sober up almost immediately, this time she was calm, maybe she was just hungry on an unnatural level, and it made her go a little crazy said Wardi who used his scan ability to see if he could understand Silana a little more…

  Target cannot be scanned at your level.

  “What? Cannot be scanned at my level!? Are you taking the piss who is this chick? Wardi thought to himself. He wanted to try and talk to her more and so approached her. “Silana” he said, and she looked up almost immediately, he got on his knees to be more at her eye level hoping it would be a smart tactic.

  “I’m Wardi, it’s nice to meet you” he said giving her a thumbs up.

  “Hello….it is nice to meet you Wardi” Silana said whilst giving him a thumbs up back. Wardi pulled out his bosh and activated it.

  “What is he doing that for said Lucy to Rhua angrily, Rhua stopped her and said just wait, that gift takes a hell of a toll on him, he wouldn’t do that without a reason after all. The seals formed in the air and disappeared, the scales slowly formed in the air and then fell behind Silana. “Do you feel safe Silana? We are strangers to you in a land that is foreign” Wardi said.

  “I was scared, maybe still am, but you and your friends been kind to me, and try help” Said Silana causing Wardi notice the scales did not react. “Do you think Silana is your name? Who you are” he asked again this time she looked confused

  “I’m Silana, that’s all I member Wardi.”

  “Do you remember anything besides what we asked you earlier? He immediately followed up with hoping to catch her off guard. No new for me to say.” She turned around and noticed the strange contraption behind her “What is that Wardi?” Wardi was beyond shocked that someone for the first time, was able to see the scales and not only that but the scales were completely unresponsive.

  He looked over to Rhua and his face worried her “He’s a little scared” said Rhua to Lucy, Lucy noticed Rhua clutching her shield tightly. “You see what Silana?” Wardi said and Silana replied “The thing here, you see too” she said, and he flinched, the scales began to vibrate.

  “Those strange thing…formed in the air, when silver thing open, they made this” her words began to cause the scales to shake until they cracked and began disappearing.

  “Yes” he said hesitantly, it’s a special device, it lets me find out if people are honest or not”

  “What it figures bout me? she asked chipperly.

  “Nothing, it didn’t react, or more like it wasn’t capable of reacting” he said shakingly.

  “Sorry I disappointed you Mr Wardi” Silana said awkwardly laughing.

  “Come on now, let’s just eat the rest of our food and drinks then get some sleep.

  “Yeah, I agree” I replied to Wardi, now empowered by the greatest energy drink ever made. Wardi broke from his worries upon hearing my voice “Welcome back to the land of productivity you dirty user!” he joked.

  “Worth it” I said fuelled by the energy I haven’t had for a long time. Wardi forgot what the drink did so I reminded him, checking the notebook and saying it aloud as he necked his bottle of Strawnarna Bonanza Fizzay.

  *One time use grants you energised tomorrow status. You will sleep properly and recover fully rejuvenated and gain the following benefits for a full 24 hours; Buzzinated. You can pinpoint any targets weakness and gain +50 to strength and agility; Race exclusive to those from Terra.*

  “That’s the good stuff” he said.

  “Come on, let’s finish up and head to bed” Rhua said still clutching her shield tightly. “Lucy you should stay with Silana she’s most comfortable with you” Rhua said to her “I agree, I’ll let you know if anything happens!”

  What a day I said to myself upon entering my room. The bed has never looked so appealing, and I’ll sleep like a baby tonight. As soon as my head touched the pillow I was out like a light.

  “Wardi it’s me” said Rhua knocking at his door. “Are you ok? you know after what happened earlier?

  “I was fine until my little one to one interview with a certain blue haired small person” said Wardi. “She saw it you know…the scales, I’ve never encountered someone that could before, it shocked me, and her reaction was so non-cholent about it” he followed up with.

  “That is a surprise, but maybe it’s nothing to be a concerned about, perhaps we are under an undetectable weakness, we did consume a small shops worth of potions one after the other. “Maybe” said Wardi shaking his head in response. “Nothing happened besides that, c’mon let’s just get some rest already, will talk to you in the morning.