Hearing those words from Thalia put Aiden on edge.
He turned toward the advancing group and saw that the others had noticed them too. Ms. Oxhouse did not seem surprised by their presence, which meant they had at least met before.
"What do you mean, finally showed up?" Jax asked, sounding genuinely confused. "Were you expecting us?"
The figure in purple continued to approach, stopping around twenty feet away from them.
"You sound so convincing," he said. "Had you not been the very group that stole the bodies from us to claim the emergency bounty, I might have been fooled."
Aiden stared at the man.
For a moment, he did not understand.
Then his eyes narrowed.
He realized the game being played.
Jax and Liora both looked outraged. Kaelen also seemed angry, but he remained focused on comforting Ms. Oxhouse.
"What are you talking about?" Liora snapped. "We found them in a dungeon, and there was no previous attempt record for anyone aside from those two!"
At Aiden's side, Thalia was already forming her strings.
The figure in purple's head snapped toward her.
He slowly shook his head.
"Thalia, my dear, there is no need to be so hostile. Our last interaction was a bit tense, but let's put that in the past. I am even willing to make a deal and not report you to the guild for your crimes."
"What are you talking about?" Jax growled, taking a guarded step forward. "You think they'll believe you over the six of us?"
"They will when it is a party of newbie Porcelains against a seasoned Obsidian," the man said.
There was an evil gleam in his eyes as he spoke, like he already had them in the palm of his hand.
"The plates are not just rank and level, you know. With them also comes recognition from the guild. Trust."
Aiden glanced toward Ms. Oxhouse.
Then to the bodies.
Then back to the man in purple.
"What exactly are you asking for here?" Aiden asked.
A plan was starting to form in his mind.
The figure smiled wide.
As he did, a glint caught Aiden's eye.
His canine teeth were too long. Long enough that, if he closed his mouth, they would probably rest in front of his lower teeth.
"The deal is simple. You all go on your way and even take the emergency quest bounty with you. All we want in return is your ride."
Aiden glanced back at their vehicle.
Then he walked over and stood in front of the bodies. They were already partially obscured by Ms. Oxhouse and Kaelen, but with Aiden there as well, only a small bit of them could be seen.
Jax, Liora, and Thalia all looked at him with concern, as if wondering whether he had lost his mind.
"Fine," Aiden said. "But I have a condition."
The purple figure raised an eyebrow.
He rested his cheek on his palm while supporting his elbow with his other hand.
"Really now? And what is this condition?"
His voice was sickly sweet and condescending, like an adult explaining to a child why the child had already lost.
Aiden smiled back.
The man's smile was relaxed and taunting.
Aiden's probably looked nervous and worried.
"Since you said you had the bodies first, you would know what injuries killed them."
Ms. Oxhouse turned toward the other group, waiting for their answer.
The figure in purple was quiet for a moment.
Then he lightly facepalmed and laughed into his hand.
"Not bad. Then again, you did seem to be the most dangerous one in your group."
Aiden blinked.
The man continued.
"You hide it well, but we Fateless can see it. Those dark wisps that coat the edges of your form."
Aiden looked back at the others as several questions ran through his mind at once.
What in the gods' names made him look like the most dangerous?
He did not even have a combat skill.
What in the hells was a Fateless?
What did he mean by dark wisps? There was nothing—
A sudden tap hit the back of Aiden's knees.
His legs buckled beneath him.
A flash of steel passed just over where his ear had been a second before.
Jax stepped in from the side, having hip-checked Aiden's knee to knock him out of the way. Then Jax swung his paw around.
The man in purple, apparently named Ymer, had seemed confident his first strike would land.
He was not ready for Jax's paw slamming into his jaw.
Ymer skidded back several feet from the blow.
Enemy Ymer has attacked you with Vermilion Rapier (D).
Party Leader Jax has pushed you out of the way of the attack.
Party Leader Jax has struck Enemy Ymer in a vital spot.
CRITICAL HIT!
Enemy Ymer has taken 20 damage.
The first attack had been made.
Everyone drew their weapons.
The rush of adrenaline from nearly being stabbed through the head allowed Aiden's thoughts to shift quickly from confusion to fighting.
He landed on his back, scrambled up, grabbed one of the potions from the outside of his bag, and threw it.
His aim was not great.
The bottle landed in front of Ymer instead of hitting him directly.
But when the glass shattered, the dust inside burst outward.
Ymer threw an arm over his mouth as if trying to stop himself from breathing it in.
That would have been a smart move if Aiden had used breathable poison.
He had not.
It was itching powder.
You have used item Itching Powder (E).
Ymer is distracted by the itchiness.
Ymer's physical abilities are reduced by 20% due to lack of concentration.
Ymer spasmed.
He was still standing, but he wriggled like there was a snake loose inside his fine suit.
The ape beastkin woman drew her twin blades and rushed Aiden.
Aiden held up his spear, defending as best he could.
The first strike he awkwardly deflected.
The second flew toward his stomach.
Thin strings of mana wrapped around the blade and stopped it.
Out of the corner of his eye, Aiden saw Thalia yank her arms back like she was throwing a bale of hay over her shoulder. The beastkin woman's blade was dragged off course, almost striking Ymer.
Ymer raised his rapier just in time, and the two blades bounced off each other.
"Do you really think I do not remember that trick, my dear Thalia?" Ymer asked with a tense voice as he tried to resist the increasing urge to itch everywhere.
Enemy Aflmaril has used item Butterfly Swords (E) x2.
You have deflected Enemy Aflmaril's first attack.
Temp party member Thalia has used Marionetting Fingers (E) to redirect Aflmaril's attack toward Enemy Ymer.
Enemy Ymer has deflected the attack.
"True," Thalia said.
Her usual calm stoicism was gone, replaced by a fiery passion Aiden had not heard from her before.
"But you should also remember this!"
Thalia pulled what looked like a ceramic bottle from her bag and poured its contents over the strings extending from her fingers.
Then she swung her arm.
The strings lashed toward Ymer.
Ymer scowled and sliced through the first two mana strings with his rapier, but the other three wrapped around him. They dragged him back toward his group as bloody lines appeared wherever the strings touched his skin.
Temp party member Thalia has used item Prickle Resin (E).
Temp party member Thalia has used skill Marionetting Fingers (E).
Enemy Ymer is wrapped and restrained by Temp party member Thalia's strings.
Prickle Resin deals 8 damage to Enemy Ymer.
Ymer's feet dragged through the dirt as the strings forced him back.
Outrage twisted his face as he strained against them, only cutting himself more.
Selene lunged from where she had been standing beside Ms. Oxhouse.
Her left arm swelled as she activated her soul skill. She swung it over her shoulder, her body going nearly horizontal as her feet planted against the ground.
Her strike landed a devastating blow on the beastkin woman named Aflmaril.
The crack of bone rang out as Aflmaril was sent flying back. She only stopped when she slammed into the fence gate, the wood cracking beneath the impact.
Party member Selene has used Soul Skill: Chimeric Surge (C).
Party member Selene's Strength has been enhanced for the next 20 seconds.
Party member Selene has used skill Claws of the Beast (E).
Party member Selene deals 18 damage.
The human woman in cyan nocked an arrow with surprising speed.
At the same time, Liora gathered wind at her heels and sprang a good fifteen feet into the air.
She swung her staff with a yell.
The air that would normally blast from the end of her staff instead circled around her in a rushing wave of turbulence.
The arrow flew from the woman's bow.
It was aimed at Selene.
The arrow wobbled in the wind, but the force behind it was enough to keep it true.
It struck Selene in the shoulder.
She grimaced, then turned toward her attacker. Her enlarged left arm reached up, grabbed the arrow, and yanked it free.
Enemy Sena has used item Shortbow (E).
Party member Liora has used skill Gale Step (E).
Party member Liora has used skill Whipping Winds (E).
Party member Selene has taken 10 damage.
Kaelen was already mid-chant.
As Liora landed, Kaelen slammed his staff into the ground.
A golden glow shone in his eyes as the human woman, Sena, was surrounded by a circle of white and gold flames.
Before she could jump out, the flames jetted upward.
Sena cried out in pain.
A second later, the flames faded, and she collapsed unconscious but still alive, burns covering her body.
The man with long red hair grabbed the flute hanging around his neck and brought it to his lips.
A melody flowed from it, literally taking the form of green music notes that hovered over his entire group.
A green pulse washed across them.
Wounds started to mend, though Sena remained on the ground, the healing not enough to rouse her.
Party member Kaelen has used skill Condemn the Wicked (E).
Party member Kaelen has struck a vital spot.
CRITICAL HIT!
Party member Kaelen has dealt 12 damage.
Condemn the Wicked's secondary effect deals 14 damage.
Enemy Sena is unconscious.
Enemy Straun has used skill Rejuvenating Melody (E).
Enemy team is healed for 2 HP.
Jax stepped forward.
His expression was cold, like an animal staring down a wounded rival.
"It's over," he said. "It's taken less than ten seconds to practically wipe out half your team, and you could barely scratch us."
Ymer stared him down.
The bruise Jax had left on his jaw was already darkening.
Then Ymer shook his head.
A sinister grin spread across his face.
"My friend, this is not over."
He turned toward the red-haired man, Straun.
"Especially since you haven't even seen the OPENING ACT!"
Ymer lunged and bit into Straun's neck.
Enemy Ymer has used skill Blood Drinker (D) and regained 18 Blood.
Enemy Ymer has used skill Sanguine Satiation (D) and regained 21 HP.
Enemy Ymer has used Soul Skill: Dance of Crimson Chaos (A).
Your soul stirs.