>>6297277The bellow from behind you sends everyone into a panic, especially your would-be opponents! Wide-eyed and jittery, the leader barely manages to mumble out a weak ‘<span class="mu-i">S-s-s-sKoG…</span>” before he and his magic-wielding mooks scamper away like a pack of coyotes!
“Volka!” Chirps Tzah-Tzie as the rest of you breathe a collective sigh of relief, “You tough cookie, you! You spooked ‘em away like a pack of tottas!”
“Huh?” The Skog grunts, confusion painted all over her face, “I was just askin’ them to repeat themselves–got some of that Ruuppaa Syrup stuck to my ear…”
Morook’s eyes flicker. “... How did you manage that, exactly?”
“Huh?”
“Nevermind.” His expression softening (what little expression there is), Morook turns to face you and your friends with a grateful glow in his eyes! “Glad you showed up when you did… that could have turned ugly.”
“They already <span class="mu-i">WERE</span> ugly…” Growls Oti as the magical aura fades from his eyes, “Still alive, I see. How fortunate.”
“Nice to see you too…” Grumbles Tzah-Tzie as Volka scampers over to trap Morook in a bear hug! “What are you two doing here anyways?”
“Asking you the same question.” Oti snaps as his green eyes fall upon you with the usual venom! “Do you know how long I spent waiting for you to pick up that damned potion? The one you specifically <span class="mu-i">ASKED</span> me to make?”
Oh… <span class="mu-i">OOOH</span>, you stammer as it all comes back to you, the one designed to loosen <span class="mu-r">RED’S</span> control over you… r-right…
<span class="mu-r">”And here I was thinking you didn’t need it anymore…”</span> Muses the Archdevil’s disembodied voice with a touch of disappointment.
“Yes, ‘<span class="mu-i">r-right</span>’.” The sorcerer snaps as his eyes hop over to Morook. “If I hadn’t run into him at your usual haunts I never would have found you… and now you’re causing trouble in <span class="mu-i">UMBERAL?</span>” The mage punctuates his statement with a weary sigh. “Explanations. Now. Not here, though. I assume you’re at least smart enough to surmise Umberal isn’t famous for <span class="mu-i">privacy?</span>”
No kidding, you remark, your eyes darting to the now-vacant rooftops above. But listen, you add with a wary tint in your tone, it’s uh… it’s gonna be a doozy.
“I’ve dealt with forces your feeble mind can’t even begin to comprehend,” Retorts the wizard with a roll of his bulbous eyes, “Trust me, nothing you say could even begin to shock me.”
“I’m shocked.”
Oti’s not alone. Sitting around a thick wooden table like members in a board meeting, your pals react to your retelling of your recent exploits about as well as you’d expect. Even Tzah-Tzie is stunned, which is a bummer because you were REALLY enjoying her musical accompaniment and bardic embellishments!
“You… <span class="mu-i">met</span> Archmage Trier?” Stammers Morook, his already-enlarged eyes frankly pushing it at this point!
>CONTD. 