Take That You Danger Noodle!

     It was another spur of the moment kind of thing.

     And admittedly, Yo had been doing that a lot lately.

     First it was him leaving Kyle's mercenary group with Ru. Then it have been the betting pools. Now, it's him staying over here in Lagendia. While this may not be anything drastic that changed him, he had been taken in by an eccentric pirate who calls himself a dragon, and an elf who claims her destiny (Telesia, she calls it) is quite shrewd with her.

     Looking back, how in the worlds did the Goddess think it was a good idea to let them meet.

     The conversation happened so fast. They were just talking about the holes in Altea's dream which opened up gaps to other worlds (hence why he, someone from Mistland, was here) and skewed the entire world with strong monsters and resurrected enemies by itself.

     That's why when Asha saw the quest posted at David's mission board, a clear red flag raised itself as the elf turned red in anger.  Loudly proclaimed she'll take the quest. "I felt cheated!" She had stomped her foot. Asha pointed at the Target Monster's name on the list. "I knew it was going to happen, and like an idiot, I let it. I want my revenge for Geraint!"

     The second red flag should have been when Moz joined her on it without hesitation. The pirate dragon had heard what she said and rallied with her, "Yeah, let's go kill that sea dragon!"

     The third red flag should have been the 'sea dragon' bit. But Yo got just as excited with them and had joined in.

     They signed up to be in a party and so here they were.

     In hindsight, a lot of things could have gone wrong.

     They don't know how difficult the dimension gap would be and they could merrily have been walking to their deaths. He realized that after he shot the Lizard brothers down. And the next boss type monsters after that.

     'Death for Lagendians might be a different death for us Mistlanders,' Kanna had warned him. It might have been a warning proven true when he heard of the clergy selling resurrection scrolls during town events.

     As it turns out, death was only temporary for these two indeed. They could come back from the dead without a care in the world. It helped that they treated it quite light-heartedly, laughing as they take back their bodies renewed from the Goddess and running back into the field.

     But from the perspective of a Mistlander, death was a permanent end. Yo has seen it for himself over and over again. And the different ways life could end was no mystery to him either.

     This was definitely one of the obvious differences of their worlds. Yet Yo can't risk dying in the doubt that Lagendia's Goddess would be merciful to him and let him come back so long as he dwells in her realm. Though, Ello would say otherwise.

     "Watch your heads!" Moz laughed, sliding under the shadows of Serpentra's tail before re-appearing at Yo's side in the light. "That was pretty close, eh?"

     Yo could only nod as he continued to observe. Watchful of Serpentra's movement and mindful of everyone's location. Where he stood was relatively safe (considering the occasional stray ice attacks and tail thrown this way and that). He and Moz sat out of this final battle on their own choice. This was a fight Asha wanted and they'll be a stepping stone to let her have it. "Let her have the satisfaction of killing it." They had said.

     Asha was doing... fairly well for herself. She was an elf that recently left her forest to go on an adventure. But a self-proclaimed archer who only used kicking as a martial arts form and the wind spirits as her main form of combat with next to none knowledge of how the dragon works pretty much went as Yo expected.

     Asha should not be left to deal hits by herself just yet. Her inexperience keeps getting her trapped in tight corners and with her not looking out for incoming attacks... She's died a few too many times already.

     Not that the elf worries about that. Yo could hear her cries and laughter as she continues to run high on adrenaline. She was shouting curses and threats that would make even the Goddess herself blush, too. Asha made a sound then a bright pillar of light descended on her. Signaling to the group that she died again.

     "Break off!" Moz cried out. Serpentra had turned to them looking none the worse for wear. The two dashed off in opposite directions just as a large ice glacier shattered and froze the ground they once stood.

     How many deaths was that already? Yo looks to Moz. The assassin had a smirk on his face while he did tricks and close calls with his evasion. Meanwhile, Asha's in her body again to continue her consistent pestering of Serpentra.

     How long have they been here for? It was getting dark now. They had entered this gap in the morning.

     How long before he has to step in? How many more deaths should he note?

     "I'm on my last scroll!" Ashalia called, "And we're running out of daylight!"

     Ello had mentioned that to him. Elves can't resurrect without daylight. 'It's how wisps are formed. They're the souls of dead elves left to wander the grounds where the sun doesn't shine.'

     "I'll weaken it then!" Yo evades another ice glacier. He could see Moz stand next to Asha at the ready. Ready for when danger decides it was their turn.

     'All I need is to get the dragon in a state where Asha can deal the final blow.' Yo tests out an ice arrow which didn't do much to Serpentra's defense. 'Not that, then.'

     A strike from his sword cut Serpentra's flesh clean off. The dragon wailed in pain. Its tail writhed angrily. 'Good. But not that, either.'

     He tumbles back a good ways thanks to the wind from Serpentra's wings and readies his bow to aim an arrow through Serpentra's body. This would be good. The arrow will get stuck there and the area would be painful and large enough for Asha to deal damage.

     He releases the arrow.

     And it shredded through Serpentra's body. It's blood and flesh flying from the hole it tore through its path.

     No! That wasn't suppose to happen! But it did. Serpentra's body flops to the ground abruptly. The form turning into ashes which the wind carried it off.

     He stole a kill. "Asha I'm so sorry!" He ran to them. "I didn't mean to do that! It was supposed to-"

     "Oh my Goddess it's finally over!" Ashalia fell on to her knees, spreading her limbs out. "I'm so tired I can't believe it took forever! I'm bent on revenge but if revenge takes that long consider me gone!" She waved a hand up which Moz took. He helped her up and without the dragon to scare her onto her feet, she wobbled at where she stood.

     "I kept on dying back there. My legs are going to be stiff tomorrow for sure I bet!" Asha stretches them out for good measure and winced.

     "Great job though! Congrats on your revenge!" The assassin punches the elf's arm lightly. "But with that said..."

     The two ran off to where Serpentra's body continues to ashen. Yo could only stare dumbfounded at what they're doing.

     "Take that you-!" Moz freezes then looks to Yo before kicking at a part of Serpentra's tail. "Overgrown lizard!"

     "Serves you right, you colossal fossil!" Ashalia follows his lead, striking at Serpentra's foot.

     "And don't come back you danger noodle!"

     "Stay dead wing worm!" They continue to kick at Serpentra's ashes like that until the body was gone. The quest scroll tied to Ashalia burns in a bright light before turning into a jeweled chest somewhere off the distance. Pleased to see the reward, Ashalia motions for them to come to her. She opens the box revealing the riches promised to them for a quest completed. "Come on, let's split the reward. Then go eat at a tavern or something."

     "I'm down for a drink." Moz laughs as he takes a bag of gold coins from the elf.

     Ashalia laughs as well and raised a bag to Yo. "I might go to the hot springs and rest my muscles after that. Then probably sleep an entire day's worth."

     She looks up when he didn't take it. "Yo?"

     "You're... not mad?" He doesn't get it.

     Ashalia puffed a lock of hair away from her face. "Whatever for?"

     "I stole your kill." Yo said quietly. Ashalia makes a noise and throws the bag at him. Yo fumbles to catch it. 

     "Don't worry about that! A reward's a reward. I was a bit overconfident but got my revenge anyway! I'm glad you stepped in when you did." The elf looks up at the orange sky. "Besides, there's no way I'm staying here any longer than I should."

     "Though, I am almost out of resurrection scrolls. Might have to play it safe until I get my daily Goddess blessings tomorrow." Ashalia shut the chest after collecting the rewards in it. The chest twinkled and glittered a bit before disappearing fully.

     "You know I can put in good word to a certain saint and get you some scrolls for free, right?" Moz played with the bag of gold, checking it's authenticity.

     That snapped Yo out of his state. "I didn't know you could do that."

     "You couldn't!" Moz patted Yo's back. "But its worth a shot, don't you think?" "Come on then, let's head back. I'm starving!" Moz pockets his gold bag and takes the lead at the front. Confident in his steps at an empty land with no more monsters in it.

     Yo returned home a little later than usual. He must have stayed at the tavern a little longer. He probably dragged himself back home a little longer, too.

     Unusual, but not surprising, Ruarc was awake and waiting for him.

     "I'm back." He yawns their usual greeting.

     "Welcome back."

     Yo lets himself flop onto their shared bed. Small place. Temporary residence. Saves money.

     "You look tired." Ruarc points out absently. He laid on his side with a hand propping himself up.

     Yo closed his eyes as Ru's calloused hand moved a few locks of his hair away. "Yeah." That wasn't really a confirmation. "I am."

     "Any reason why?"

     "No."

     "That the truth?"

     "...Yes."

     "Miryo."

     "......No."

     "Then what happened?"

     Ru wondered what Yo was thinking when the man was too tired to even take his eye patch off. The purple eye of his was dim. But Ru needed answers.

     He sees the mop of hair shift until Yo could look clearly at Ru. "I watched my friends die today, Ru. Willingly." Yo's usually upbeat self was no where to be seen.

     "They... didn't really care that they were dying. Or that they were getting hit or stabbed more than they should."

     "But the way they carry themselves... the way they laugh and continue running into danger. It makes it easy to forget that we're not like them at all."

     "We... know Vestinel doesn't really care about what happens to us. To Mistland. But Altea really seems to care a lot about second chances. Nothing is permanent to her. Everything... everything changes so long as she wills it."

     Yo didn't seem to realize he had started crying until Ru's hand moved from his hair to his face. A thumb moving slightly to wipe the tears on Yo's cheek. "Seeing how they didn't have a care in the world... it makes me wonder what it would be like to be born a Lagendian. I wonder if things would have been better."

     Ru could probably half-ass some words and say 'Don't think too much about it,' or dismiss it like 'Those thoughts aren't helpful,' but that's not the way to go is it?

     Then what can you say when the person you're close to wishes their entire life was different?

     Damn that shitty saint is getting to him.

     Ru didn't get a chance to reply. "It's a stupid thought, right? Of course we'd be different. So Altea might not even care about my own ideas. That's obvious." Yo rambled as he looked to Ru. As if he wants that thought to be challenged. To tell him there was someone outside the two of them who cares about what they think.

     Ru can't do that for him.

     "I said something unnecessary again, didn't I?" Yo made a sad smile. "I'm... going to think about something else. Farmer Moris said he had a new plant to show me at the farm now that I'm getting better at it."

     Ru continues to play with Yo's hair absentmindedly. His friend drifts off to sleep. Tired from today. Tired from his thoughts.

     Lagendia would have been a far better place for a person like Yo.

     But he was born in Mistland. He grew up in its harsh environment. The fact that he could even make light out of it was something in itself.

     He was a Mistlander through and through.

     And he's not going to stop thinking like a Mistlander either.