CHAPTER NINETEEN

Too Many Fight Scenes

Pale had led Dawn away from the arena so that she wouldn't have to gaze upon the financial black hole that was Roari. He patted her apologetically as he tried to explain:

"She doesn't take well to provocation..."

He quickly stopped as he realized that excuses would have little effect, thus opted for the more reasonable option, and offered Dawn his cat.

Dawn who had accepted the cat with gusto looked troubled. Realizing that she was alone with Pale for the first time ever, she tried to hide the awkwardness in her voice, complaining, "Yes, but one should know when to step back from a fight. You sister is by no means a bad player, but without the gear and the skills to supplement her fighting style, there is no way she would be able to compete with the truly talented. Her pride is going to take a big hit after all of this."

Pale started, surprised that even in this situation, Dawn was still thinking about Roari's well being. A slight twinge of affection reverberated through his heartstrings. "It is ok to say that she just sucks."

"She's Horriiiible!" Dawn admitted.

A low, lazy belly laugh polluted the air, as the two of them shared a chuckle at Roari's expense. "Don't worry too much about it. We'll make up for it later. As for now, let's go hand in the bloodstone. I'm sure Roari will call us when she gets tired of dying."

"Will she though?" Dawn was skeptical but still nodded. After judging the crazed fervor which Roari put down her challenges, she was sure that Supreme Dragon would go mad before Roari so much as contemplated surrender.

The two of them traversed the streets slowly, chatting idly by while the atmosphere between the two grew ever so more awkward. It was then they've come to the startling realization: They didn't know squat about each other.

A bead of sweat rolled down Pale's face as he thought up of a topic, any topic, to keep the conversation flowing. "Say, Dawn, I was wondering. Why have you stuck with us so long? I was always under the impression that once you realized we were complete garbage, you would just up and leave."

'The fuck am I saying?'

While Pale panicked, Dawn looked towards him, brows furrowed in surprise. She shot accusingly. "What are you saying now? Didn't the two of you coerce me?"

"Perhaps, but nothing is binding you to stay with us. Not that I don't enjoy your company, but I always found it odd considering that the two of us are essentially massive shackles that hinder your progression."

"Well, if you put it that way..." Dawn tilted her head, wondering why she actually stuck with them. To call themselves friends was a bit of a stretch as the two of them were complete assholes towards her. There also wasn't much trust to be had, and they always seemed to have a hidden agenda. Although Dawn was a self-proclaimed loner, she probably could find better people too...but.

"I suppose, I just grew to like it here..."

"Stockholm Syndrome?"

"Precisely. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe I should leave...but I'll save the final decision for later." Dawn corrected herself swiftly after seeing the look of absolute horror on Pale's face. She smirked. Such fear probably stemmed from Roari being upset with him rather than him actually missing her company. "I do enjoy the fact that the two of you always seem to be online though, but shouldn't kids such as yourselves have school or work?"

"Kids?" Pale twitched in indignation. "Shouldn't the same be said for you? Actually, how old are you anyway?"

"Twenty Six!" Dawn replied, unashamed.

"And instead of working, you are here playing games. Doth the Kettle calleth the pot black?"

"Well, I'm technically retired so it is alright for me, but you haven't admitted your own age yet."

"Twenty Five! You're only a year older than me." Pale sniffed. In the grand scheme of life, the two of them were indeed still children, but he was still peeved over being the younger one.

"Yes. And so I would highly appreciate it if you would show me the respect that is due as your senior." Dawn's cheeks flushed and she puffed her chest out. She clanked her arms beneath her chest, acting anything but demure.

"Ok then...Ma'am."

"That wasn't what I meant!" Her facade broke while she fumed. It seemed that Roari had developed her teasing tendencies from the older sibling, as both of them were insufferable at times.

"Well, Dawn. Regardless, I do appreciate you being with us. Not only for your skills, but your face is a welcome addition to the team." Pale nodded sagely. His voice softened to disarm the rising tensions.

"...My face?"

"Yep. Despite how it seems, my sis and I hold a lot in common. An example being our taste in girls. And I must admit, you make for an excellent piece of eye candy."

"You!" While Dawn was choking at the gall of the smirking silver devil, she didn't even have time to formulate a response before he quickly climbed up the steps to a building.

"Oh look! We're here!" Pale smirked as he stood before a large blocky construct that had a White Tree Banner over the entrance. He quickly ducked inside, ignoring the flustered Dawn.

'He planned this!' She realized, before losing all sense of dignity. Her silvery voice cracked, turning into a shrill whine which gathered the interests of onlookers nearby. "Don't think you can just run away after treating me like some piece of meat. There's a person attached to this face you know! I will not be objectified!"

She followed him inside, not even noticing the many people watching her back in sympathy, before returning to their activities.

'Must be a lover's quarrel.'

‘Dumb couples.’

The halls of the White City's Knight Order were incredibly stuffy, with armored knights bustling about, all looking extremely busy. Pale was instantly reminded of the beginner's area in Azoth and was amused to find that things don't change much even in prestigious orders such as this.

"We should probably find a Knight Captain." Dawn caught up with him, clearly pouting. She pointed to an armored man with flowing golden locks and a dashing smile. He pretty much looked the same as everyone surrounding him except he sported a white cape which flapped clumsily in the air.

"Divine blessings upon you both. Your coming is welcome. A fresh breeze through the deathly hallows of monotony." The knight captain who met with them bursted into greeting. He flashed a radiant smile while he overwhelmed Pale completely with his Aura.

"The hell Dawn! He talks just like you!"

'I do not sound like that!'

The Knight Captain was undeterred as he continued. "I lament grievously at such ill timings but while I would normally invite you for a short excursion through the facilities, the city is currently in distress thus there is no time for such casual outings. I must beg you to state your business here promptly. My apologies."

A sad expression was painted on the knight's face, and within it seemed as though he truly did hold regrets over being unable to attend to them. But it was obviously a sham, as Pale took note that the captain didn't so much as offer them his name.

He frowned suspicion, but he still motioned for Dawn to withdraw the bloodstone.

"We won't be long sir, but we bring a message. From the spirit of the deceased knight, Meteos." Dawn pulled out the unassuming rock from her inventory and instantly shrank back as it was snatched from her hand.

The Knight Captain's face darkened.

"Where did you get this!" He demanded, The surrounding knights, noticing the uproar began to stir, casually dropping their hands to the handles of their weapons.

Before Dawn or Pale had the chance to explain, the Knight Captain's chiseled face turned ugly as he stalked off, grumbling. With an angry roar, he caught the attention of all the knight's present. "Do not let them leave! Hold them here till I return!"

The two of them looked awkwardly at each other, as the cold ringing of drawn steel repeated around them.

Dawn was especially surprised at such a reaction. As a member of the Temple herself, she had never seen such hostility from its members.

The situation did not last long, however, as the Knight Captain returned, leading a grizzled older man with a red cape in tow.

With armor too large for his body, and a poorly kept wispy white beard, the man's presence seemed to exude an unfathomable pressure, crushing the breath from their bodies.

"I am Asteros. Commander of the 5th Holy division. What news do you have of Meteos."

With the grizzled old man's appearance, order was seamlessly restored as the knights around them relaxed, many of whom continued on with their business.

While Dawn and Pale fell over themselves in an attempt to explain the situation, the old commander merely looked at them cooly. His expression unreadable, while he listened intently while fondling his beard.

He let out a cold harrumph, quickly shutting the two of them up. "So it appears that foolish brother of mine really did meet his end.All the resources I wasted, searching for him..."

Although his words might suggest that he cared for Meteos, his eyes were cold and unfeeling.

He plucked out the bloodstone from within his pouch and held it up for them to see. "Children. Did you know that merely possessing a bloodstone is punishable by death?"

Pale sucked in a breath. 'What the hell Meteos, I thought you were cool!'

"We were unaware!" Dawn quickly dropped to her knees, bowing her head in obeisance. "We've never even heard of such a thing before meeting the ghost of your brother!"

"While normally pleading ignorance would normally be enough, the situation with the bloodstones is a special case. Tell me. Do you know how these are made?

Through the torture of innocents! Their anguish congeals into a corruption which infects their pure souls, extracting the incorporeal power into a solid form. Such techniques are the specialty of the blood witches of Morriban, but due to our peace treaty a century ago, they should have been outlawed entirely."

Seeing their confused expressions, the Knight Captain added, "The blood coven are allies of the White City, but false smiles and pleasantries does not make one friends. As members of the faith, we could not abide to stand beside the spawn of darkness, but as it was the king's decree, we hath no choice but to accept it. "

"Nobody trusts the damned bitches." The commander snarled. "Ever since Rashenta ascended to become a coven leader, their strength has improved immensely over the years. Unless they are aborted now, they will prove a sizeable threat to the White Kingdom. Fortunately, to hold a bloodstone in our hands gives us a precedent to start a war. They have broken the treaty, thus our peace is void and we can begin our subjugation once this crisis is over."

Pale was out of his depth. The situation twisted and turned and now they were starting a war? On the bright side, he was relieved that it no longer appeared as if they were about to be lynched or arrested.

"As such, I won’t punish you both for now. Although it is doubtful that you were sent here by divine providence, I still recognize for your service. We will immediately petition the King to write an extermination order for the witches, but until then, work with Griff. I suppose you should be rewarded for your efforts as well.."

He handed them each a shimmering glass crystal to which Dawn squeaked in excitement. They were phantasmal smithing ingredients: Holy Stones (Name pending). At the current stage of the game, the top players were still using steel or wooden weapons. The next tier of material was inaccessible to many, however, Holy Stones were one such material. And when mixed with steel would produce a metal that was far more resilient and synergistic with magic than most.

Immediately, Dawn lamented leaving Roari behind. Just a single stone was valuable beyond compare, but there was nothing they could do now.

As Asteros finished debriefing them, they were handed off to the Knight Captain Griff, who looked at them coolly. He seemed none to happy at having to continue dealing with them, as evident by his rough and gruff voice.

"Although I never had the pleasure of knowing the former Knight Captain, as a knight of fellow rank, I still feel a kinship with him. If you hold his trust, then you are open to mine as well."

"You can count on us."

"Good. Although its common knowledge by now. Dozens of children have been abducted in the recent weeks, many of whom were children of nobility. Due to this, the King has ordered a whole citywide lockdown, thus all operations are to cease until the culprit is found and the children saved. As it stands, we aren't even allowed to patrol neighboring villages, thus everyone is working their hardest to solve this crisis."

"Could it be the blood witches? They seem like the obvious suspects from what we heard just now."

"While there is a possibility, it is doubtful. Witchhaven is extremely secluded and anyone leaving the area is carefully monitored. It pains me to say it, but I cannot offer any more information, but there are other adventurers also searching for the children. Perhaps with their aid, you might discover something of note."

Pale tilted his head. It appeared that there would be no more progression with the witch questline until the children were found, but aside from some cursory information, they were directionless.

As Griff was turning to go, Pale asked one last question. "Do you know if there is anyone who holds animosity towards the White City?"

Griff looked towards Pale sadly and shook his head. "Such people are as numerous as the stars. Although it calls itself the 'White' City, it is by no means as pure and holy as everyone thinks it is."

The two of them were then left alone, staring dumbly at one another before being escorted out.

Once outside, they looked at each other uncomfortably, but just how were they supposed to proceed from here.

"..."

"..."

"You wanna get something to eat?"

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

Well...as Sun Tzu once never said. No thinking was ever done on an empty stomach. They, fortunately, came across a nearby tavern that was filled to the brim with gorging adventurers. Deciding that such a place was as good as any, they settled in, gradually relaxing while they planned their next move.

Their server was a smiling lunch lady type who quickly passed by to take their orders. Whilst seated on a couple of rickety wooden stools, Dawn marveled at how this was her first time actually relaxing in the game for what seemed like weeks now.

"So...Is Roari still in the Coliseum?"

"I think so. She still hasn't replied. Just how much gold did you give her?"

"Not much. About 20 gold."

"So if she only loses 1 silver per loss, and she loses 1 match a minute, then I'd say we still have another couple hours."

"I hate how you're so nonchalant about losing money."

"It comes with living together. Anyways, you're holding the bulk of our earnings anyways, and the money lost can be counted as an investment to teach Roari some humility."

"Bit pricey, wouldn't you say?" Dawn said dryly. By then the server had returned, and with her was a platter of oven fired flat bread with deep-fried cheese sticks.

Not stopping for any further conversation, the two of them quickly began tucking in.

As Pale bit down on a stick, he flinched as molten cheese overflowed onto his tongue. After huffing out a couple breaths in an attempt to cool off his mouth, he could finally taste the sharp and savory cheesy flavor that coated his tongue readily. The supple chewy texture of the cheese intermingled with the grease that came with the breading, forming an incredibly satisfying feeling as it slid down his throat.

Once again, he admired the realism of Elsweyr. Not only could it replicate the tastes and textures of food, but hot food would also scald one's tongue. His tongue throbbed as he felt mouthful of food slide down his gullet and into his stomach satisfyingly.

As he stared down at the gooey white mess, a sudden revelation came to him.

"I think I have a lead!"

"Hmmm?" Dawn looked up from her torn strip of bread, an eyebrow raised at Pale's sudden enthusiasm.

"This is the 'White' City, yes?"

"Yes?"

"Also known as the city of whiteness!"

"..."

"And in this city, the majority of its citizens are fair skinned humans yes?"

"I don't like where this is going," Dawn muttered, wiping away the crumbs from her mouth.”

"Thus if we think about it logically, what would small fair-skinned children fear the most in the 'White' city. What group of people is a clear minority in this city, whom are the subject of dread in reality."

"No..."

"That's right! The obvious culprit would be a priest!"

"Oh thank god!"

"What?"

"I thought you were going to...never mind."

Pale looked at her strangely before a look of realization dawned on him. Slowly the curves of his mouth began to rise in a smug half crescent. His voice was haughty if a tad amused.

"Dawn, you're a racist."

"Oh, fuck you." Dawn retorted before immediately covering her mouth. It had just slipped out, but she hadn't meant to be so crass. Such thoughts were normally locked deep within her psyche, to be used as snide remarks in shower arguments, but never in pleasant conversation.

Of course, whether this would be categorized as such was still up for debate.

Pale was frozen for a moment, instantly making Dawn freeze up. Did she say too much? Was he offended? Terror seized her body as Pale covered up half his face with his sleeve, as if afraid of her.

"W-Well...If you insist!" Pale whispered demurely, fluttering his eyelashes.

"YOU TWO REALLY ARE ALIKE." Dawn roared before deflating. Wicked thoughts began brewing within her mind as she found herself suddenly thrust into a battle of good-natured ribbing.

She coughed before letting out an overbearing chuckle. "Also, come back in ten years. I hold no interest in boys who hold the scent of their mother's milk."

"You're only a year older!"

Dawn inwardly smiled but maintained her scowl. She pointed her serrated bread knife at his face. "Still makes me your senior. Besides. I have outgrown such immature attempts at humor."

"You mean you're boring."

"Yes...Hey!"

While fending off a barrage of crumbs, Pale smiled leerily before returning to the topic. "My theory isn't a joke though. In the White City, the Holy professions are the most respected, the priests most of all. There is also a chapel on every other block, and I'm almost certain that the houses of nobility have their own personal priests at their disposal. Priests here are trusted, respected, yet they have access to virtually all areas, while those who mingle with them would instinctively lower their guards."

"There are also no leads, at least none that the Knight Captain deigned to share with us, thus the perpetrator must have a way of getting to the children privately. But one man can't possibly kidnap children from all around the city without somebody noticing, so my guess is that there's a network of kidnappers within this city. Although their motive is unclear."

As Pale finished his explanation, Dawn felt herself pursing her lips. It was a solid deduction. Perhaps she had been too hard on her evaluation of him.

"They are also known to diddle altar boys."

"I hate you."

"Harhar!"

Dawn flushed but ignored the broken pieces of her shattered expectations. "That said, it does make sense. Although a priest is considered a holy profession, there is no hard and fast rule that says one must be morally righteous to become one. That said, even if there was a corrupt priest of a network of them, that still doesn't narrow it down by much. There are probably at least 10,000 priests or priest variants in this city alone."

"There lies the problem." Pale agreed. "Assuming NPCs respond like actual humans, the moment we begin our investigations, they are sure to catch wind of it. Thus even if we do acquire a lead or capture a suspect, how can we transition that into saving as many lives as possible?"

Pale paused, taking a sip of water before continuing his rhetoric.

"In such a case, we can only depend on the aid of other players, whether by information sharing in person or by the forums. However, the more people that are involved in this, the potential reward may be reduced as well."

Dawn sniffed before swiping a cheese stick from the basket. She understood that there was no altruism in his words. The Storm siblings would never do anything without any potential gain or entertainment that can be derived from it. However, since she was technically apart of the team now, she was comfortable voicing her opinion."

"I truly don't believe we should be worrying about the potential rewards when we aren't even sure if we can finish the quest. Nevertheless, our first priority should be the children in any case. Each additional day we take is another day where they are subject to unimaginable horrors. So if we must share the reward to spare them from pain and torment, then so be it."

Dawn finally breathed after holding forth on her ideals. She drove in her point by ripping apart the cheese stick which had already become cold and hardened, probably a metaphor for what she'd do to him if he didn't agree.

"Goddamn Roleplayers,"Pale muttered, overpowered by Dawn's aura.

"What was that? I can't hear you." Dawn pressed, not backing down.

"I said you have the most lovely eyes."

"That's what I thought!" Dawn said smugly before leaning back on her stool.

With the joshing put on the backburner, they might have settled in for a relaxed afternoon of casual conversation.

Such plans, however, were cut short, as they overheard a player rush who rushed over to a neighboring table. His face was flushed as he spoke loudly.

"Dude, Dennis. Why didn't you pick up your notebook."

"Sorry, Sorry. I set it to silent."

"Whatever, finish your beer and let's go to the Coliseum. Most of the guys are already there!"

Upon hearing the word 'Coliseum', Pale and Dawn ceased all conversation. Their ears were prickling as they listened intently.

"That champion guy is fighting some girl, and she's beating his ass."

"That asshole?"

"No way!"

It seemed the two of them weren't the only ones listening in, as the patrons around them commented with rapt interest. Of course, they were astonished. In the tournament, Supreme Dragon had pretty much pounded all his competition into the pavement. His fighting was peerless, thus garnering much fame amongst the beginner masses.

Although a random player giving him a challenge wouldn't normally hold much interest for most people, it still provided the opportunity to see what the tournament champion could really do.

As tavern patrons shuffled out in droves, Pale and Dawn silently shared a look. They were stuck between the fine details separating confusion from surprise.

They thought back to the little girl who got absolutely destroyed, trying to picture her putting up any sort of fight against that stereotypical anime protaganist. Suffice to say, they failed miserably.

When picturing the player that was Supreme Dragon, even Dawn suspected that she may have trouble bringing him down. Despite having a low level, the speed and fluidity of his sword had awed her, and his lack of aversion to cruelty intimidated her somewhat.

Pale who had come out of his brief stupor then smiled a sly smile, before slamming down a single gold ducat before her. Dawn stared at the coin in confusion, before bobbing her head and matching his coin with her own.

"Roari?" She asked.

She needn't have asked. One look and she knew whom he chose.