ChaoZ: A Royal pain in the elves.

Rol slowly got himself off of the ground, wiping jellyfish remains off his person. 

"I am both intrigued and disgusted, but alas now I can never marry." 

The bounty hunter mused to himself before finally standing. He heard his mage friend call out.

"Yeah, yeah. once again. Pre-occupied. Patience is a virtue you nerd."

Rol headed towards the ladder and his ally.

Roltharus wrote:

"I am both intrigued and disgusted, but alas now I can never marry."

(( The Empress will be disappoint. ))


They descended down the ladder into a small room. In the center of the room was a chest. When they opened it they saw the staff of wisdom inside. On the staff were a bunch of ancient inscriptions, a trim on both ends and a hook on one end. Mana radiated from it.


Now that they had what they came for they returned to the outside of the temple. Somehow climbing back through the hole without using the elevator that was till on the top level.
Outside the Gargoyle was still waiting. She was sitting on the pedestal she was standing on earlier. Looking at the sun that was starting to set in the distance.
She didn't notice Jex and Rol yet.

Jex glanced around when they stepped outside and stretched his harms. He kept his staff in a holster where he kept the staff of Velion in and held the Staff of Wisdom in his right hand. Walking towards the gargoyle, he put his hand up and put it on her shoulder.


"Hey."

"Hopefully you don't eat us."

Is all the bounty hunter says, as he stares towards the ceiling, trying to look at it in more detail.

The gargoyle looked up at Rol and Jex. "Hey. You're back quickly did you succeed?.. Oh You did." She immediatly noticed the staff of wisdom and let out a sigh of relief.
She tilted her head at Rol's comment. "Eat you?..."
The gargoyle slowly got back on her feet and made a claw gesture with her hand. "..rawr."
An awkward silence follows.

"So.. the staff. To free me you have to grab my collar with that hook, let your mana flow through the staffand then pull. And then I'll finally be free from these chains." She kneels down on the pedestal, waiting.

Jex shrugged and did as he was told. He held the staff of Wisdom at the end and let the hook grab around the collar.


"Magia."

He called forth, allowing his mana to flow into the staff.

"Go team go."

Rol tried his best to be moral support.

As the mana flows through the staff the inscriptiptions on it start glowing. The gargoyle closes her eyes and Jex pulls the the staff back. The collar shatters and the chain starts to crack. "My duty has been fullfilled, I'm free now."
The cracks then spread to the Gargoyles shoulders and slowly the rest of her body also starts cracking. Small chunks fall off and reveal a soft blue glow inside. The gargoyle smiles at Jex and Rol one last time. "Thank you." And she then crumbles into pieces, leaving nothing but a pile of broken marble.
The staff of wisdoms inscriptions glow fades slowly.

Fluffy goes to sniff the pile of rocks that was once the Gargoyle. His ears droop and he whines sadly.

"That was a lot sadder and not nearly as violent as I was expecting."

Rol shrugged. 

"Now we move forward to the next temple area?"

Jex's eyes widened when she crumbled. He tried to end the transmission of mana but before he could, the gargoyle whispered her thanks. His hand trembled as the the pile of debris fell to the ground. He let his hand drop, the hook of the staff of Wisdom hit the ground. She was dead. Her soul had only been trapped in the gargoyle for the sake of wanderers. Or at least, that's what Jex thought. He shook his head.


"Rol how much Returnip do you have left?"

"No idea, but i'm going to assume enough. For story's sake."

Rol fishes through his pockets and pouches for the returnip.

Rol had just enough returnip left for one more use. They ate it and woke up back at the farm. The sun was setting outside and Melope was getting her cart ready for deliveries. Leaf was helping her and trying to stall until Jex and Rol and Fluffy came back.
Fluffy was the first to greet them. "They're back, yay!"

Jex smiled when he caught sight of Melope and Leaf. He waved at them and gripped the staff with his other hand.


"Hey, Melope. I was wondering if you had any extra leather lying around. I need an extra holster for this staff."

"We didn't die wooo"

Rol threw his arms up.

"Oh, hello." Melope greeted the two adventurers and their manticore.
"Leather? Yes, I think I do. Let me go get it, I'll be right back."
She then walked over to the house.
When she was out of hearing range Leaf turned to Jex and Rol. "Did you read my letter?"

"Yeah, bodyguard mode activate."


Rol said, reloading pew and pew as if to drive a point.

Jex nodded and twirled his new staff.

"Consider it done. Are you coming with her during the trip to town?"

Jex inquired. He thought it might be smarter for Leaf to stay here but that would mean they would need to leave Fluffy to keep watch just in case they had done a two-pronged attack.

"I wanted to come but Melons won't let me." Leaf pouts. "I guess somebody needs to watch the farm anyway. Oh, I know! Fluffy can keep me company. Together we'll protect this farm from any bad guys!" She strikes a pose next to the yawning manticore.
"Sheesh, typical feline." She sighed at Fluffy's indifference.


That's when Melope comes walking back with some leather. "I found some. But it won't help much in this state. If you can wait till I get back from my deliveries I can make it into a quality holster. Right now I really should get going or I'll be late with the deliveries."

Jex nodded.

"We'll come with you."

He kept twirling the staff of Wisdom, attempting to get used to the weight of the staff. He supposed he would carry it around for now.


"I mean, we'll help. Just to repay you for the hospitality... And the leather."

"Least we could do." He said, somehow not revealing things the concern.

Rol walked himself to one side of Melope.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." Melope smiles and nods.
A few minutes later the carriage leaves. Leaf stays behind with fluffy and waves at the others.
The sun has almost finished setting as they reach the cave.


"So how did your quest go? Did you find what you were looking for?" Melope asked as she turned on a light to navigate the cave better.





Halfway through the cave the path is blocked by fallen rocks. The only way to continue is a narrow path to the side. "Well darn. We'll have to take another detour."
She turns the carriage around and rides into the detour. The carriage only narrowly fits through and Melope is forced to drive really slow and carefully.

"We murdered a gargoyle lady I think."

Rol said, nonchalantly. While looking around at their surroundings.

Jex nodded and looked at Melope.


"We found what we needed."

He looked at the staff. He was somewhat uneasy of the path they had taken. It was much too narrow for their own good.

"What?" Melope looked confused and a bit shocked at Rol when he said they'd murdered a gargoyle.
"That's good. You seem to be good at this adventuring thing. I'd never be able to do something like that. These deliveries are the most adventure I have. A very relaxing kind of adventure." She laughed.
"So where will you be going next?"

Before anyone could answer rocks fell behind the carriage, blocking the path back. Three masked men jumped up in front of the carriage with knives and crappy guns in their hands.
"AAH!!" Melope screamed in fear.


"Nobody do anything stupid unless you want to get hurt. Exit the vehicle and walk over here with your hads where we can see them."

Rol looked at the assailants and chuckled.

"Man, those guns are adorable. Do we go out or what?" He asked Jex.

The bounty hunter was also prepping a shadow wall to defend Melope from any gunfire.