They looked between each other reading the last two notifications, before another alerted them of one more sub quest. Magnolia activated her wrist console as they read over her shoulder once more.
Subquest: Island’s Delight
The Innkeeper is in need of several ingredients to update his menu for his customers. He wants to include pineapple, coconut, papaya, plantains, and mangoes into his menu but is not sure on how. Inquire further with the Inn keeper to help him create a brand new menu.
The four began to wonder why the game decided to wait until now to deliver all of their quests. “No use in wasting valuable time.” Cassidy remarked as she gauged the time. Making an educated guess, they all figured it was around eleven to eleven thirty in the morning.
“We should gather supplies.” Alex countered. “We don’t have too many potions left, and our other items in inventory should be saved for future lunch or dinner preparations.”
Eugene agreed.
“Why don’t we go hit the main street then? We should be able to gather the items in that general area.” Magnolia offered to the group, and they hurriedly went off.
The purchasing of the items happened without any issue. While the boys went to buy their items, both Magnolia and Cassidy entered another shop full of trinkets and baubles. Inside they stumbled upon a group of four others chatting in the background, but it didn’t seem too important in Magnolia’s mind. It seemed like they were mercenaries from somewhere far. But again, she didn’t pay it that much attention. Magnolia asked simple questions to the clerk, and gathered small bits of information where she could. Nothing of real value or interest popped up in their tiny quest for potions.
Cassidy checked their group funds after they met back up in the main square, and they managed to only spend 550 gold pieces. Alex and Eugene found two greater healing potions and bartered down the seller to buy two greater potions to get one common healing potion for free. Then they decided to buy five more of the common healing potions to have as back up.
It appeared luck was on their side as the owner of the apothecary shop loved anything to deal with seashells. With some quick bartering for some pretty seashells, they managed to make some excellent deals.
“Good job procuring the goods.” Cassidy gleamed with excitement as she stared at the red liquid inside the glass bottles. Whenever they were shaken, a slight sparkle of dark red enveloped in the middle of the bottle. The magical enchantment definitely seemed to be there.
But Magnolia stood silently between the party, quizzically tapping her finger to her chin. Something seemed to have escaped her, and she felt it was something they desperately needed.
“We should be ready for this shrine, let’s head out.” Eugene collected their belongings and that’s when Magnolia yelped in surprise. She now remembered what they were missing.
“We forgot to ask that Mystic about where this shrine was located! How are we going to find it?!” Magnolia explained with great haste. She almost made a bee-line back to where they had found the Mystic, but Cassidy grabbed her wrist.
“I don’t trust her to give us valuable information. Let’s just check with the guards. They won’t lie without too much reason.” The black haired sorcerer replied and Magnolia calmed down.
“Alright, alright let’s go!”
Asking around, they finally came upon two guards chatting by the front entrance. The short partner had a scruffy rustic colored beard, and the other stood a head taller than his partner. His own mustache was a sight to behold as the blonde hairs curled into delicate curled tips on the side of his face.
The group looked between each other before Eugene shoved Magnolia ahead to the guards. “You do something useful for once.” He smirked, and she hissed at him in response.
“Don’t push me,” And instantly face planted into the ground when her foot lost balance. Both of the guards stopped mid-speech before looking between each other, and then at the fallen black haired half elf.
“You alright miss?” The one with the blonde hair asked, and Magnolia lifted her face up. The dirt that speckled her cheeks covered the redness she knew was there.
“Uh—yeah, lost my balance for a bit.” She nervously chuckled before looking back to her party. “We were on our way to find a shrine. Would you happen to know where one is?”
The scruffy beard guard placed both his hand on the belt of his breeches. “Yeah, the Shrine of Schiltia is about two days from here, past the mountain trail.”
Magnolia’s arm was grasped with firm hands from the taller guard as he helped hoist her back up to her feet. “Thank you,” she replied, “but we’re actually looking for another one. Uh—the Shrine of Istishia? I believe that is it.”
At the mention of Istishia both the guards froze. She could see the innate fear in their eyes as they gathered their wits.
“Istishia… lass, you’d best avoid it if you can. That shrine became a hellhole about several weeks ago. Parishioners went missing, guards were found slain, monsters have been streaming out endlessly for days. When adventurers have gone in, they get sent right back to beginning, almost like they were never in there.”
Cassidy took this opportunity to step in with a slight smile. “Sir, we might have a means of stopping those monsters for you. Magnolia, show him the blessing scroll.”
Surprised by the sudden assistance, Magnolia pulled out the scroll. She didn’t unravel it, but she did handle it gently. The guards seemed skeptical of this response, but Cassidy cleverly went on. “We are hired mercenaries from Heliene. Sir Tarmik sent us to resolve the monster exploitations around Bellcester Shore. Won’t you grant us a map or suggestions to aid our endeavors?”
Magnolia would have asked her about that random place and name drop, but the guards immediately straightened up. “Sir Tarmik sent you? I could have sworn the envoy said another three days.”
Eugene popped in right next to Magnolia. “We arrived earlier than expected.” Alex nodded.
Both the guards looked between each other, before the shorter one pulled out a piece of parchment from his utility belt. He looked at the written envoy and then back up to the four. “Sir Tarmik did say he was sending four individuals. They definitely have a druid and a fighter-type with them.”
The other guard didn’t bother with the descriptions anymore. It seemed to fit the bill in his book. Shuffling through his knapsack, he produced several items. One happened to be a map of the area, as well as some items for exploring the shrine.
“Thank you all for kindly taking care of the problem, we’re really grateful for Sir Tarmik to help us with this unsettling issue.”
Cassidy smiled, accepting the items with grace. “Yes, we will be sure to send him your regards as well.”
“Time is short, let’s move.” Eugene replied, and hurriedly moved their group forward. Magnolia was almost dragged away by an excited Alex who held up his finger to his lips.
“Hurry before they realize it’s not really us.” He whispered into her pointy ear.
All Magnolia wanted to know is how that even worked. Who was this Tarmik person, and how did Cassidy know about that city? They were only there for an hour or so!
They sprinted into the sands of the shore before Magnolia looked over her shoulder. She saw four more individuals approach the guards they had just been talking to, and the guards became more aggressive. Instead of their jovial stances from before, they seemed suspicious of the four new people talking to them.
“Magnolia, do you remember those four from before?” Cassidy yelled ahead to the running druid. “Aren’t they those mercenaries from—oh my goodness, you didn’t.”
Alex laughed. “So we better make like a tree and leave.”
Eugene shook his head at the subtle deceit. “Good thing you picked up that information. It looks like Magnolia finally understood.”
Magnolia frowned before recalling the four people talking in the background. “Ahhhhhh!” She yelled out as they continued their sprint. “You overheard them in the baubles shop!”
“Just keep running, don’t look back!” Alex called, and they made their way to the shrine.
