Begin Quest: Rescue the Brat

"It's coffee!" Summer looks to you with a bright, bubbly smile. The mug in her hands is filled with a warm, delicious-smelling, dark brown liquid. She pushes it into your hands and continues. "Haeren beans, imported from Tolas. We're getting some really nice supplies now for the kitchen, and it's really exciting!"

The two of you stand just outside the doors of the castle. You take the mug and sip, and it's actually incredibly good, despite the level of sweetness being a bit too high. It warms you from the inside out, which is especially good during this cloudy fall morning. "Ahh. Thank you. This is great. But can we cut back on the honey next time? Maybe just a little bit instead."

"That was a little bit," she replies. By the dumbfounded expression on her face, it seems she isn't joking, despite the fact that you watched her squirt so much in prior that you thought it was going to spill over.

You next turn your attention to the four others standing nearby--Amara, Eva, Niki, and Jelly. "Do you all understand the plan?" you ask.

Niki raises her hand excitedly. "Oh, oh! Kidnap Malakae."

You point back at her. "No. Wrong."

Next, Amara raises hers. "We will speak to Lady Vraelion and attempt to investigate the position she is in, and then if all theories are true, we will assist in her escape back to Castle Phoenix, where she will be protected from her father."

"There we go. That's right."

Niki looks to the elf with a scowl. "Teacher's pet," she mumbles.

Amara looks back, confused. "Wh-What?"

"And we're finished our part!" calls out a tiny voice from above. Fava, no longer piloting her larger body, flutters down from the rooftop. As she does, Laira hustles out through the door from inside. "Both of us stayed up all night, but it's amazing."

"... You didn't have to lose sleep," you reply.

Laira looks up to you with bags under her eyes. "I couldn't help it."

The pixie flops down over her shoulder. "Me neither. It's such a cool magic item. I couldn't help but want to keep working with it."

"We adjusted it to perfectly cover the entire area."

You look around yet see nothing. So you and the others begin backing away, farther and farther, until you see something mounted right on the top of the castle itself. It appears like a large metal sconce, but instead of a flame burning inside, there's a cage binding a vibrating glowing crystal. It looks to be brighter than when you had it last. Though besides that, you don't notice anything else. It does look cool, but you were expecting some kind of gigantic barrier.

"Only dragons can see it," Fava speaks up as if she could read your expression. "But that's not all! To a lesser extent, it'll keep most monsters away too. Basically our land has never been safer. Keep in mind that dragons can pass through. They just psychologically refuse. You'll just have to grab Malakae and shove her in."

Eva raises her hand next. "What's the plan to get an audience with her? She's a pretty stuck-up noble, and you know how that goes. We won't be able to just walk into her house."

"Let's break in!" Jelly shouts.

"Breaking in will definitely not be Plan A." You cross your arms and think. "There are a few different things we could try, and yeah sneaking or breaking in is certainly one. I could even grab her and Bunny Hop away. If we want to be a bit more careful though, we could try and find a way to speak with her diplomatically. Maybe find a time her father isn't home, or find some reason why someone would want to speak with her. Maybe Lady Sulta is still at Redbloom Academy. Or there's always you too, Eva."

She points at herself. "What about me?"

"You're technically a noble, right? And your father is an important man. I know things have been rocky, but maybe we could use him, especially if the Circle is going to support us against Elok anyway."

"I kinda like the breaking in idea Jelly had."

"We do also have to remember that we're all super wanted individuals in Tivera, and this is gonna be the capital city. We can't even be seen. The Demon King, walking right down the city streets."

"Then they probably know they can't trust me anyway!"

"That is probably true. Hmm. Do you have any way to communicate with your father?"

"Mmm. That would be pretty cool if I did, huh?! Being able to actually speak with my own--"

"Sorry, sorry." You wave your hand. "We'll think of something."

Niki starts chanting. "Break in. Break in. Break in."

Jelly joins in. Both of them now chant," Break in. Break in. Break in," in perfect unison.

Summer joins in from behind you. "Break in! Break in!"

You turn to face her. "Huh?"

"Sorry. I just wanted to be a part of the fun."