Chapter 89: Fated

Nathan: “The Nephilim?”

Irkia nodded her head in confirmation. Nathan took a mental note of this, if what she said was true, it was best he stayed away from them.

Irkia: “They are far too dangerous to fight head on.”

Nathan: “So what? How do you plan to get your jewel back?”

Irkia: “That’s what the ‘Twinkle Sand’ is for. We retrieve it for them, and they return what’s mine.”

Anais: “What…your being forced to do this and you just believe them?”

Irkia: “What other choice do we have, confronting them head-on is a route to a quick death and we have no means of entering the dungeon as we are now.”

Iris: “You attempted to fight, and the result was you losing your Soul Gem.”

Irkia nodded in confirmation to Iris’ question. So at the moment she was basically being held hostage and if they attempt to retaliate, it could very well lead to her demise. They had no choice, but to reply with the Nephilim’s demands.

Nathan: “Well, like I said, I’m not going to the fifth floor, so I don’t know how we can help you.”

Irkia: “No matter, I have complete faith in you.”

Anais: “Hey, are you deaf or something, we said we’re not going.”

Irkia: “I understand, please do your best.”

Iris: “No, I don’t think you understand at all.”

Nathan and company were blatantly telling Irkia they weren’t going where she wanted and yet she still asked them to complete her task. It was a similar irritation they had felt with Vexx, but at the same time different. She clearly could not take a hint and kept thinking of them for something they weren’t going to do.

Nathan: “……………You can predict the future.”

Irkia: “I’m sorry?”

Nathan: “That’s why you’re so confident that I’ll retrieve the item you ask for, you know I’ll end up on the fifth floor.”

Iris: “Ah, and that was how Vexx knew who you were and where you would end up.”

Irkia: “No, no, we can’t do anything of the sort.”

Anais: “Then how do you know so much about us is you’re not clairvoyant?”

Irkia lifted off her hat and turn it upside down.

Irkia: “Vexx and I aren’t able to see into future, but if there something we need done that we cannot accomplish ourselves, we use this to be able to see who what have the best chance of accomplishing it for us.”

Anais: “Huh, so it’s ‘predicting’ the future right?”

Irkia: “No we can’t actually see what will happen, it only shows us who we could ask to realize the best possible outcome.”

Nathan: “So it’s just chance, a probability. So right now, I’m the best suited for the job, because somehow I’m gonna end up going down to the fifth floor.”

Irkia: “That is what we see.”

Nathan: “So how did you know I would help you, your brother didn’t really make it easy to trust, spilling all of my information.”

Irkia: “After realizing you were the best choice, we check to see which way would be the best to get you to help us. Multiple options showed themselves; one was revealing to you we knew you were the ‘Hero’ and having you find it or we let everyone else know or another was telling you about an ability you wanted prior to our meeting. Either had a good chance of getting your attention, but the first option felt like blackmail.”

Anais: “Felt like my ass! That is absolutely blackmail.”

Irkia put a hand to her head as if she was getting a headache.

Irkia: “I opted for the latter, but that idiot and his stupid games decided to stick to our tradition and rile you up and instead of using one or the other he used both and made it seem as if he was doing you a favor, when all he did was garner suspicion about our agenda.”

Nathan: “You don’t seem too fond of your brother.”

Irkia: “*sigh* Don’t get me wrong, I love that idiot, but we’re in a crisis and have no time for Impish bullshit.”

Nathan: “I-I see.”

Irkia: “Anyway, all I ask is if circumstances lead you to the fifth floor, please take the time to recover what I need.”

Nathan: “From what your telling me, it seems like I don’t have a choice in the matter.”

Irkia: “Thank you in advance.”

Nathan: “Well, if that’s all-“

Irkia: “Wait I wish to give you some information, since it will help you in your future endeavours.”

Nathan: “More probability?”

Irkia nodded and confirmation as she placed her hat back atop her head.

Irkia: “When you enter the dungeon, you will meet someone who will change your life for the better.”

Nathan: “Oh, who is it?”

Irkia: “Its best if I keep it to myself, if you knew you may unwilling change the probability of your chance meeting.”

Nathan: “Makes sense I guess.”

Nathan kinda understood, if it was supposed to happen by chance and he actively searched for the person, their original interaction may take a turn in another direction. Similarly like surprises, if you know in advance, then ones reaction changes significantly.

Nathan: “Okay I’ll keep my eyes open for such an event.”

Irkia: “Please do, oh and just remember it’s their ‘first time’. So, please be gentle.”

Nathan: “Don’t worry I’ll be plen………wait what!?”

Anais: “First time!?”

Irkia: “Ah, there will be a bit of blood loss, but it should be fine after a while.”

Iris: “Blood, who will bleed!?”

Irkia: “Oh and the bites marks should disappear after a while, it seems the taste was quite surprising and caught them off guard, since you didn’t give them a warning. But don’t worry; in time they will grow to love it. And it seems you really enjoyed it as well.”

Anais: “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU MAKING PEOPLE DO!?”

Nathan: “I’M NOT MAKING ANYONE DO ANYTHING, I SWEAR.”

Iris: “Blood loss, blood from who, blood from where and who’s going to bite you where?”

Nathan: “HOW SHOULD I KNOW!?”

Anais looked at with suspicion, while moving away from Nathan, while Iris continued her questioning, worried for his safety.

Nathan: “DON’T LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, I HAVEN’T DONE ANYTHING YET!”

Anais: “Yet, huh?”

Nathan: “AT ALL, AT ALL!”

Irkia: “With that, I’ll now take my leave, I need to rest.”

Nathan: “OH NO YOU DON’T, YOU GET BACK HERE AND EXPLAIN THINGS TO THEM! HEY!”

Irkia, disregarding Nathan, shouts and slowly faded away, as did the purple mist. Soon they had returned to the orchard they knew and Anais quickly made an exit.

Nathan: “Wait Anais, listen to me.”

Anais: “Get away from me, I might get pregnant.”

Nathan: “Don’t be ridiculous, I’m telling you it’s a misunderstanding.”

Iris: “What about the blood, and the taste of what, Master?”

Nathan: “Iris stop asking me that, I don’t know.”

Anais: “Oh, I’ll explain everything to you Iris, come here for a sec.”

Anais whispered something to her, making her blush.

Iris: “Oh my, well Master is a man after all?”

Nathan: “ANAIS, WHAT ARE YOU TEACHING HER!?

Nathan chased after the two, trying to prevent Anais from escalating things more than they already had.

Nathan: “DAMMIT IRKIA, YOUR JUST AS BAD AS YOUR BROTHER!”

_

_

Ramol: “But honestly, you guys were down there forever, I was starting to get worried.”

Nathan: “Yeah sorry about that.”

When Nathan, Iris and Anais returned to their party, they were told that a few hours had passed. The sun that was once above them and had made it way considerably across the sky.

Ash: “We looked around that place several times, but we couldn’t find you, seeing you suddenly appear out of the orchard was really surprising.”

According to Ash, unlike last time when Nathan and Iris were just found standing in a daze, this time they had vanished all together, they let it go as Vexx’s mischievous nature. Nathan explained what had happen, leaving out some of the finer details, Anais was throwing him dirty looks while Iris just flushed. Ash, catching on to the awkward situation, whispered to Nathan.

Ash: (whisper) “When you get a chance, tell me what really happened.”

Nathan: “I’ll tell you, but no jokes.”

Ash: “Absolutely no promises.”

Nathan also left out the part about the Nephilim, he would ask Ash about it later when he was alone.

Ash: “Well, that aside, are you gonna go through with it?”

Nathan: “Well I-”

Iris: “Absolutely not.”

Nathan: “Iris?”

Iris: “It’s out of the question, how could they ask us to believe a word they say. And to travel to such a dangerous place for a chance encounter, why would we do anything to help them?”

Anais: “I get your feelings, but the way she spoke, it’s like its gonna happen anyway.”

Ash: “Probability huh…well you know, like I said before, there’s only one way to the lower floors and that’s from a gate being guarded by the floor guardian. So, getting to the fifth floor would mean fighting each of those on each level, not to mention the higher-leveled monsters running around.”

Iris: “Exactly, so why should we even risk it? I’m firmly against it.”

Nathan: “Like I said; I’m not going to go.”

Iris: “Do you truly mean that?”

Nathan: “Seriously Iris, I just want to experience the dungeon, not conquer it.”

Iris: “As long as you seek nothing more, I won’t object.”

Iris said nothing more on the subject, even with her doubts, she trusted Nathan to stick to his conviction. However, to be honest, Nathan had his doubts. He honestly had no intention of going any lower than the second floor at most; however the way Irkia spoke was if it was inevitability.

Nathan didn’t believe in fate, but all he could think of himself was ending up on the fifth floor by accident. He forgot to ask Irkia just how high was his chances of making it, but she most likely wouldn’t tell. She said he had the greatest chance, but that could just mean the highest of low chances, so it could still not happen. For now, he planned to avoid the area with the gate to the lower floor.

Nathan: “*mumble* But whatever happens, happens.”

Iris: “Master?”

Nathan: “It’s nothing.”

Anais: “Hey Ramol, how much further…we’ve been riding for a while now?”

Ramol: “Well, we lost a lot of time when you guys disappeared.”

Nathan: “Anyways, we could gain back the time, like a”

Ramol: “Not that I can think of, we might not even make it to the rest-site at this rate.”

*Ruuuummmmble*

Nathan: “An earthquake?”

Ash: “That’s unusual for this area.”

Ramol: “True, should we be worried?”

Nathan: “Hmm, I don’t sense any danger, it should be fine.”

Ramol: “Alright, but I’m slowing down just in case.”

Anais: “But, that’s gonna take even longer.”

Ramol: “Sorry.”

Anais: “Awwwww.”

Anais slumped down into her seat as they continued on. Every so often there was a quake, but no signs they were in danger. The travel was slow and soon a few of them fell asleep, excluding Nathan and Ramol, who continued making small-talk while they traveled.

Ramol: “Uh-oh, that doesn’t look good.”

Nathan: “No…it does not. Hey guys wake up.”

Ash: “*yawn*, what is it?”

Anais: “What going on?”

Nathan: “Looks like a road-block.”

Up ahead, a bunch of travel-carts had been stopped, a blockade had been placed on the road, prohibiting passage. Ramol stopped his cart and looked around at the situation.

Nathan: “You think this is Rufus’ doing?”

Ash: “I don’t know how information about what happened could have gotten to Midheim before us, but I can’t deny the possibility.”

Ramol: “No it doesn’t seem like it, if it was, they would be letting people through as they were cleared, but there not letting any through; look over there.”

On the field not too far from the blockade, several groups had set up tent, preparing to wait out the road closure.

Nathan: “Well there’s only one way to find out.”

Nathan placed the hood over his head and hopped out of the cart.

Ash: “What are you doing?”

Nathan: “We need to ask around to see what’s going on. With Rufus looking for us, we can’t sit around here too long.”

Ash: “Well then let me do it, someone might recognise you.”

Ash approached a group near the blockade.

Ash: “Hey buddy, can I ask you something.”

Merchant: “Who the hell are you?! Go away, I’m busy.”

Ash: “I just want to know what’s going on…?”

Merchant: “Are you hard-of-hearing or you are looking for trouble.”

Ash: “Fine, I’ll ask someone else.”

Ash left the man alone and headed into the crowd, but no-one was paying him any mind. No matter whom he asked, he was given the same treatment.

Ash: “What the hell?”

Ash returned to the cart, defeated.

Anais: “How did it go?”

Ash: “Assholes…All I could get was that they’d been sitting here for hours and the heat’s getting to them. They could at least tell me what was going on.”

Nathan: “So nothing huh, let me try. I’ll keep the hood over my head to hide my identity.”

Ash: “Okay fine but be careful.”

Nathan left on that note, Anais and Iris accompanying him. He moved through the crowd, making sure not too stand out. Not trying to get the attention of anyone, but just as Ash said they were being assholes.

Nathan: “Excuse me?”

Villager A: “Huh? Beat it kid I’m busy.”

Nathan: “I just want to ask-”

Villager A: “Go on get out of here, mama calling dinner ready and her bosoms plump and ready.”

With Anais and Iris on Nathan shoulders, Nathan quickly patted them on the head to keep them from attacking that man. They didn’t however, as Nathan walked away, he chose to overlook the man suddenly falling over and smacking into the ground for no apparent reason. Looking to his shoulders, he saw two girls smiling deviously at their handy-work.

Nathan kept up his search, but only met with more irritable people upset and in no mood to talk. Looking around he noticed that off to the side of the road there was a much more methodically crafted tent. And in front of it were two men arguing about something. A Guard and what he thought was another merchant; from the way he dressed. Nathan made his way over towards them, but as he did, the guard and man began heading back towards the crowd while still arguing.

Merchant: “How much longer do we have to wait; we’ve been here for hours?”

Guard: “For the last time, I can’t control the weather. You’ll just have to be patient until we get the word that it’s safe.”

The situation looked tense, irritated merchants and guards alike. The way things were, Nathan didn’t think he would get any answers the normal way.

Nathan: “(Guess I’ll try that, it’s been awhile though I hope I still got it.)”

Nathan decided to use something he hadn’t used since he was on earth, but it should work just as well. No matter where you were humans were still human. He cleared his throat and approached the guard.

Nathan: “Uhm, excuse me.”

Iris and Anais made a surprise look at Nathan when the girlish voice left his lips. However, it did the trick, for the beautiful voice had drawn ample enough attention.

Nathan kept his features covered except for his face, he smiled an enchanting smile combined with the voice he just spoke with, instantly charming the people around him. Like under a spell; the tension seemed to clear up instantly.

*Ding*

Charisma +5

Guard: “Y-Yes how could I help you?...”

Nathan: “I was wondering what was the problem? I would really like to go through if it’s okay with you.”

Guard: “Sorry miss, but there been a case of ‘turbulence’, I’m afraid the road will be closed until it’s cleared up.”

Nathan: “Oh my, ‘turbulence’ you say? How dreadful.”

Guard: “Indeed it is.”

Nathan: “It’s good that we have men like you to keep us safe in times like this.”

Guard: “Hahaha well you know, it’s my duty.”

Nathan: “Sooooo~ reliable.”

Nathan had no idea what ‘turbulence’ was, but it seemed like a common event that happened, so it was best to play his cards right, to avoid any suspicions. He’ll just ask Ash later on what it was, but for now, he continued to play the guard.

Nathan: “Ah but you see, I’m in somewhat of a hurry, is there any way around the barrier?”

Guard: “Sorry miss but, there’s no other way.”

Nathan: “Really, are sure there isn’t any other way?”

Guard: “Well, there is another way, but I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s been abandoned and lots of monsters appear on that road, it’s pretty dangerous.”

Nathan: “Monsters? That doesn’t sound good at all. However, would you mind telling me anyway? I’ll see what my compatriots decide.”

Guard: “I don’t know...”

Nathan felt that the guard was about to cave-in, just one little push.

Nathan: “I would be ever so appreciative if you did, please~”

Nathan moved closer and smiled up at the push-over of a guard.

*Ding*

Persuasion +5

Guard: “Y-YES!”

The guard sauntered off to the tent, Nathan following behind him. Inside the tent he found the guard, searching through a trunk of scrolls, before pulling one out.

Guard: “This should help you find the road, this is one of the extras, so don’t worry about returning it.”

Nathan: “For me?...Thank you so much.”

Seeing Nathan so thankful, the guard try to push further.

Guard: “*Ahem* If you wanted, I wouldn’t mind escorting you.”

Nathan: “That’s okay, thanks for the map, bye.”

Nathan quickly took the map and shuffled away, waving to the guard as he walked off, leaving him mid-sentence with a stupid grin on his face.

Nathan opened the map and looked over it.

Nathan: “Iris was does this say……….Iris?”

Nathan looked to his left and right, both Iris and Anais who changed back to her Therian form were speechless.

Nathan: “What’s wrong with you two?”

Anais: “What’s wrong with us?! What the hell was that back there?”

Nathan: “Oh that…men and women are very easy to persuade, if you know where to aim.”

Anais: “You’ve done stuff like that before?”

Nathan: “My mom and sisters taught me that.”

Iris: “Your mom and sister?”

Nathan: “Yeah, they said it is an effective way to get men and women to do what you want, don’t you think so?”

Anais: “I don’t think so, I think that guy was just a really stupid to fall for something like that”

Nathan: “Your right Anais, I was thinking the same thing. You’re so smart and cute, I’m so glad to have someone as intelligent as you in my party.”

Anais: “Well you know, I do eat a lot of books and Lady Amelia always said I was super-cute, so being cute in this form is a given-”

Iris: “Um Anais, is Master Nathan not doing the same thing to you, as he did to the guard back there?”

Anais: “…………….HEY YOU JERK!?”

Nathan: “Bwahahahahahahaha!”

Nathan laughed out loud, Anais, frustrated for falling for it so easily as well.

Iris: “My master is a man of many…………… mysteries.”

Anais: “I agree.”

Nathan just continued laughing at the two girls.

Nathan: “Me too.”