Path To Radiance; First Ascent

Chapter 9 - Healer: Part 2

"She didn't even stay on the team." Tella retort is still angry. She grows angrier than before and pushes past me.

I catch up to her quickly. "And? Why does it matter?" I ask pointedly. "I have a weapon I like. Not to mention, mine is already better. Here." I unsheath my now long dagger and pass it to her for examination. As we continue walking, she looks at it. After taking in her fill, she passes it back to me.

"That isn't even the same dagger. Why did you go through the trouble of buying a new one when you could have just used the rapier?" She says as she walks towards the nearest tavern, actually pulling ahead of me a little.

"It's not a new dagger," I respond defensively. "My original one changed."

"Whatever. Let's just find the last party member and get going." She refuses to speak anymore after that. I just shake my head and follow. If making her mad makes it so we can walk together like normal people, I am all for it just now. I was teetering on the edge of caution, however, because she seems like the kind of girl who knows how to hit.

After our next strikeout, we decide it's getting close to lunchtime. That place didn't even have a healer in the taproom at all. As we are making our way back over to the South Tower Tavern, I catch a whiff of something that seems familiar. It's a sweet scent that reminds me of the tavern we had just visited. I couldn't exactly place the smell, but I have a sinking suspicion I should be paying attention to it. I lean over a whisper to Tella.

"I think we have a spotter on our six. Female." Tella's eyes widen for just a moment. I figure she just received a shock when she realized she hasn't been paying attention to the people around us. She is usually very keen to note everything. As soon as is casually possible, she disappears into the crowd.

I just take slow deep breaths until the scent is so vivid, I can visualize the source just behind me. I turn around and cross my arms.

A woman of average height is reaching forward to poke where my shoulder would have been with her index finger. She is very pale. Her red eyes are encased in thick black eyeliner. She has purple chin-length bangs and black-streaked ponytails that fall to either side of her head. The girl is wearing a blue starter outfit except the sleeves are ripped off at the shoulder and her trousers are more like short shorts. She looks surprised I caught her.

Before the woman can react fully to my turning around, Tella makes her move. My Vassal appears behind her and kicks her legs out from beneath her. The girl falls on her back with a groan.

I don't give her any time to react to that either. I draw my dagger and hold it to her throat firmly. Tella has her body pinned.

"Who are you and why are you following us?" I ask sharply.

The crowd doesn't even stop to gawk at us. It's just parts around us. The woman raises both of her hands but doesn't go for me or my dagger. She just holds her hand's palm out.

"Whoa, whoa there. I was just trying to get your attention." A sultry grin crosses her face as her eyes meet Tella's then mine again. "I didn't know you two played like this, or I would have approached for a different reason."

I add just enough pressure on my dagger to get my impatience across. She immediately caves.

"Okay, okay. My name is Rina. I heard you guys were looking for a healer." She points up to her Icon, which is a green plus shape.

I ease up on my knife and a thin red trail of blood is left behind. "Why didn't you just make yourself known to us at the bar?" I try to sound as pleasantly hostile as possible.

"Let me up, and I'll explain." She says in a matching, playful yet hostile, tone.

"What'cha think, Tella? Should we let her up?"

Tella doesn't respond. She just puts more pressure on Rina's abdomen. Her ears are rigid and alert.

"I swear I won't attack you." Rina sounds a little scared now.

"Fine. We'll let you up. I am warning you though. If you are lying, I'll end you faster than you can blink." Tella scares me with how cold her voice is. She did get off of Rina though.

I sheath my dagger. Instead of rising all the way, I reach my hand out to help Rina up. She just looks at my open hand quizzically. After a brief bit of eye contact and a smile that I shouldn't have been able to catch, she grabs my hand. I signal for her to go ahead and explain herself once we're all dusted off.

"I have a cool ability that came with my sub-race. It's called Deception. I can make my class icon appear to be the one I want. See." She points up and her icon changes to the red DPS symbol. "I went into that tavern as a DPS to find a team. As a healer, I would have been rushed by everyone. The first team isn't always best, ya know? It's easier to not get hounded when I hide it."

"What were you looking for a team for? If it's for the Sewers, we'll pass. We did that yesterday." I said.

"No, no. I cleared the Sewers last night." Rina shakes her head. "I'm looking to go into the Tower." She smiles warily.

"Let's go then. The rest of the party will be at the South Tower Tavern. It's a group decision." I inform her as I turn on my heel.

Tella fell into her usual place four paces behind me to my left. Rina, however, keeps looking from me to Tella and back again on my other side.

"What's with her?" Rina asks in a whisper, indicating Tella with her chin.

"Tella is my Vassal. She takes it upon herself to follow the protocol for such." I said loud enough for Tella to hear. I wasn't going to talk behind her back.

"Well, you know my name. What about you? Mr. Big and Scary Knife, what should I be calling out later? You know, when I heal you." I look at her. She's wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. I begin to feel uneasy. We both look away.

"Introductions can wait until we're with everyone," I tell her. "We're right next to the Tavern anyway."

Just a few minutes later and we make it. Tella didn't have to get us a spot this time. With so many people running the dungeon, we can secure our normal table easily. It also helps that Tamos and Brick are already sitting down.

A decently pretty waitress is taking Brick's lunch order. He has her all in a fluster too, her blush very apparent. He notices us and puts up three fingers at me. I nod. He speaks to the waitress again, then she runs off toward the kitchen.

"Man, you're shameless. Didn't you buy a drink for a different girl from that exact waitress?" I ask him playfully once we were within earshot.

"Maybe I am and maybe I did." Brick just grins. When Rina steps up, he gets up from his seat. "And who might this pretty little thing be?" He asks as he approaches her. He grabs her hand and kisses it extravagantly.

Rina pulls free gently and steps back. "I am Rina. I'm considering joining your party for the Tower."

"Considering? Please let me help you decide then." Brick winks and pulls out a chair for her. Instead of sitting in the offered chair, she takes his instead which is right next to mine. He looks at her then at me before sitting in the chair he had just pulled out. Once everyone is sitting, I do the introductions.

"This is Tamos, you know Tella, I am Jut and the charming Main Tank there is Brick." I point at each person in turn and put an amused emphasis on charming. "I run DPS and support. Tamos is our demolitions expert and Tella has the fastest daggers I've ever seen."

Rina leans over and shakes each person's hand. When she shakes mine, her grasp lingers just long enough to make it awkward but not obviously so. "I am Rina, as I mentioned. I heal and play." Then she winks at me. I look away quickly. "When are we leaving?"

I rub my hands together and say "as soon as we eat." As I finish speaking, the waitress has returned and places a bowl of rice and chicken in front of everyone. The spices smell unusual and savory. The rice is coated in a thick white sauce. I am more excited about the rice than finally getting into the Tower at that moment.