Chapter 4

When the team arrives at the Magic City of Geffen, the first thing they do is hit the magic shops to stock up on supplies, and buy their newest member a new rod to use. The team then decides to drop by the location Juxapose wanted to see while they are there. The Tower Of Geffen.

Artisan looks up impressed at the building and says, "So this is Geffen Tower, the place where wizards practice their magic at the summit. But, why are we here?"

Juxapose laughs full heartedly and says, "Isn't it obvious?"

Artisan scatches his healmet and answers, "Not really, if you wanted to be a mage, then you should have come here, not stick to Morroc."

Ryuker steps forward and says, "Actually, Juxapose didn't want to come here for the top of the tower, but rather, what's underneath it."

"That's Right! Below Geffen Tower lies the entrance to Geffenia. The city that was destroyed by a huge comet summoned using forbidden magic. Now, Geffenia is plagued with powerful monsters. One day, we will enter Geffenia, and defeat the demon known as Doppelganger!" announced Juxapose.

"Why would you want to beat him that badly?" asked Artisan.

"Because, if we did, we are all guaranteed promotion!"

Bowen then rubs his stomach and says, "I'm hungry! Isn't there a inn somewhere around?"

The exhausted team all feel the same way, and asks a guard for the nearest inn. They then rest themselves at a nearby restaurant, and eat their fill of the local specialties. After they finish their meal, Juxapose rises with a goblet in his hand to make an announcement. "A toast to our newest member Chisa! If we didn't find such a talented acolyte, we would have been finished at the Goblin Village."

Everyone but Chisa chhers, "Three cheers for Chisa!"

Chisa blushes and says, "Thanks guys. You've been so nice to me, and so patient. I'll try my hardest to be a valued member of the team."

Bowen then slides towards Chisa, and says, "You know. . . If you need extra training, I'll be happy to give you private lessons. We'll just head over to Payon Dungeon, and -"

Ryuker whacks Bowen over his head with a mace and says, "Please, not while we're still eating."

Chisa checks on Bowen who is twitching on the floor, and says,"Is he going to be OK?"

Bowen takes another bite of his food and says, "Don't waste your worry on him. I've hit him with my trusted mace over a thousand times. He's an idiot, but he's quite tough."

"Oh, OK then." said Chisa. Everybody then laughs hard. However, as the team is enjoying themselves, a mage runs into the restaurant in a hurry.

With a desperate look on his face, the mage yells, "Help me! Please! Someone, anyone please! I need a rescue party!"

All the other customers looks over at the mage with an angry snarl. one of the customers apporoaches him and says, "Well, well. Look at what we have here. It's Iyashi, begging for help now. So tell us, what happened to your partner?"

"She's still inside the Orc Dungeon! Please! We have to help her!" he begged.

A merchant finishes his drink and says, "Wait a second! You mean that you left her there by herself?"

"No! It's not like that! She opened up a warp portal, and pushed me in. But she didn't come out of the portal after me! She might have been captured!"

An archer thrown a bone at him and yells, "Yeah? So why would we care? It serves her right for always partying with a jerk like you."

The entire restaurant laugheds. Juxapose becames very angry with everyone, even if he had a bad history with the others in Geffen, he feels that it's wrong to turn his back on someone in need. With that, he approached the mage, and says "Iyashi right? We'll help you!"

Iyashi bows before Juxapose and says, "Thank you! Please, we have to hurry!"

The team doesn't take even a moment to prepare. They leave the restaurant as quickly as they can, and rush to the nearest Warp Agent. They used the warp agent to warp them to the entrance of Orc Village. As soon as they all get there, Iyashi starts to run ahead of the rest of the team. The team then follow him, and runs into some orc warriors.

Iyashi yells, "Out of my way! Frost Driver!"

The stream of frozen air that rushes out of his hands freezes the orcs in place. The orcs are now frozen, and Iyashi is able to run through. After Chisa casts Increase Agility on the rest of the party, the team is able to catch up to the frantic mage.

Juxapose Runs up to the mage and asks, "Iyashi! What were you and your partner doing here anyway?"

Iyashi answers, "We heard about a treasure that lies below the Orc Village inside the dungeon. Everything was fine until we came across a couple of orc archers. We couldn't handle them, so our only option was to run. But I fear the worst might had happened already. I just hope we're not too late."

After some running, the team is able to see the entrance of the Orc Dungeon from the distance. However, they are stopped by a group of orcs. Juxapose gasps and yells "It's the Orc Lord!"

Iyashi stops and yells, "We can't fight them! We'll have to use fly wings!"

The Orc Lord points at the party and yells "Humans and elves are not allowed to wander in our sacred land! Orc Archers! Ready your bows! And FIRE!!"

The team of orc archers shoot their arrows at the party. But before the arrows hit, the team had already warped away. Because they all use fly wings, they all scatter in different locations. They eventually met up near the south exit of the village after some random fighting or running.

After Artisan catches his breath, he says, "Now what do we do? The entrance is being guarded by the Orc Lord."

"We'll have to find another way in!" said Juxapose.

Iyashi snaps his fingers and says, "I know! We'll use the back entrance, it's not far from here!"

With Iyashi leading the way, the team runs into the direction Iyashi runs to. In no time, they find the back entrance to the Orc Dungeon. Iyashi does not hold back, he just runs in ahead of the team again. A group of Orc Skeletons stop him at the entrance. Iyashi yells, "Out of my way! Frost Driver!" The cold blasts of air passes through the monsters, the spell has no effect.

The skeletons raise their mighty axes, and they try to swing their mighty axes to cut off Iyashi's head. However, Bowen rushes in and yells, "Double Strafe!" Bowen's silver arrows make quick work of the undead skeletons. Iyashi is now on his knees breathing heavily, if it wasn't for Bowen, he would have lost his life.

Artisan then comes up to Iyashi, and placed his hand on him, and says, "Please, calm down. I know that you must be hysterical, but you shouldn't run ahead. You can't help your friend if you get killed."

"I know, I'm sorry." said Iyashi.

Juxapose points forward and says, "Come on, we have to hurry!"

The team runs through the dungeon, encountering many skeletons along the way. Using teamwork, they are able to defeat all the opponents that stood in their way. Soon enough, they arrive at the location where Iyashi had left his companion. Two orc archers are watching a crowd of zenorcs surround something.

Iyashi points at the Zenorcs and yells, "That's them. They must have captured her! I must go and same her!"

Juxapose holds Iyashi back and says, "Hold on a second! If you go in there now, you'll be killed. We'll have to take them out together. Someone will have to take the arrows, while 2 people surprise them."

"I'll take care of the arrows." volunteered Artisan.

Juxapose nods and says, "Fine, me and Ryuker will go around them, and make a surprise attack. Iyashi, I want you to cast your strongest fire spell on one of them. Chisa, you'll make sure you heal Artisan. Bowen, cover them."

Everyone nods, and heads into place. Artisan steps out of hiding, and starts the plan. He yells, "Provoke!" and summons a small jester to annoy the Orc Archers. The annoyed archers starts shooting arrows at Artisan. Iyashi starts casting a spell while Juxapose and Ryuker takes advantage of the confusion. While Iyashi was casting, an orc skeleton finds them, and tries for an attack.

Bowen draws his bow back and yells, "Arrow Repel!" Bowen's attack pushs the skeleton back, and then he starts launching arrows at anyone who came close.

After several moment Iyashi spent casting his spell, he yells, "Fire Bolt!" The spell is able to take out one of the orc archers. Juxapose and Ryuker rushes out of hiding, and start their part of the plan.

Ryuker grabs his mace and yells, "Mammonite!"

Juxapose yells, "Envenom!" poisoning and finishing his target.

Now that the two archers are taken out, the team used their skills to drive away the zenorcs. However, the team is too late. After the zenorcs leave, they find a lifeless acolyte laying on the ground. There is blood everywhere, and several of her limbs have already been eaten. Iyashi runs to her, and hold her body. He then turns to the party and begs, "Please! Doesn't anyone of you have a Yggdrasil leaf?"

Chisa shakes her head no and says, "That wont do any good."

Iyashi screams, "Why not!!"

Chisa kneels down and says, "Look at her. Her left arm, and her right leg are completely eaten. Plus her neck is torn up. Even a high priest couldn't bring her back to life. I'm sorry, but she's dead."

Iyashi is devastated. He cradles the acolyte's body like a baby, and holds it close. His robes are being stained by her bloos, but at this point, he doesn't care. All he can do is cry helplessy and say, "Please. . . Can't I do anything at all?"

Juxapose looks away and says, "I'm sorry, but all you can do now is give her a proper burial."

After Iyashi has calmed down several hours later, they all teleport back to Prontera where they buried the acolyte. After the ceremony, Iyashi sat by her grave and rested a witherless rose on it. Chisa walks up to the grave, and prayed.

As Chisa prays for the fallen acolyte, Iyashi says "I'm sorry Jasmine. I couldn't protect you. Please forgive me."

"It's unfortunate, but this is how many of us acolytes are destined to end." said Chisa.

Iyashi looks at Chisa and says, "What do you mean?"

"Acolytes are trained to protect their friends, and their party members. Sometimes, even at the cost of their very lives. She did what any acolyte would have done."

Iyashi wipes the tears from his eyes and said, "She was more than just my partner, she was also my first love. We made a promise that as soon as we get promoted, we would get married."

The rest of the team arrive with flowers that they bought at the flower merchant nearby. Soon enough, Jasmine's grave was completely covered in flowers.

Juxapose lays his hand on Iyashi's shoulder and says, "I'm sorry about your loss. I never lost anyone, so I have no idea how it must feel. . . But I was wondering, what will you do from now on?"

Iyashi thinks for a moment and says, "I don't know, I didn't plan for this to ever happen. I don't know what to do."

Juxapose then says, "Why don't you come with us? I know that we never could replace her, but I'm sure you could use some friends."

Iyashi then gets up, and takes his wand off the floor. He raises it up high and says, "Very well, I'll join you. I swear by the great wizards before me, I'll never allow this to ever happen again. I will become stronger!"

And so, the party has another member joined with them. No one really knows where will the party be heading next, but fate will point them in the right direction soon enough.