After a few dozen dead scorpion monsters, a brief trip through the Underside, and a mad dash out of the insect dungeon and subsequent forest, the two of them found themselves at the edge of the infernals’ village once more.
“Well that was gross,” Alka said, wiping bug guts and blood off of her armor. The Slayer had looked like a living whirlwind of blades with how rapidly she’d cut the insect monsters down, and yet there had been seemingly no end to them. “I definitely prefer fighting one large enemy instead of hundreds of tiny ones.”
“Surprisingly, I agree with you there,” Vin said, casting Create Water and adjusting the output with Runic Recalibration to hose Alka down. “It’s high ti I learn so sort of widespread attack spell for stuff like swarms of insects, but that doesn’t seem very earthy.”
“Then I guess it’s ti to learn so offensive magic from another affinity,” Alka shrugged, shaking off the last of the insect guts.
Clean as they would ever be, the two of them stepped out of the treeline, heading straight for Agne’s house. They’d spent a lot longer in Sakis than Vin had intended, and evening was rapidly approaching.
“Vin!” Agne called out from her garden as she spotted them walking toward her. Getting to her feet, the infernal brushed the dirt off her knees before giving him a warm hug. “Welco back! You’re just in ti for dinner!”
“Sorry, Agne, we’re only stopping by today,” Vin managed, his face thoroughly smothered in Agne’s work clothes. Despite knowing that the Seamstress had to have put most of her points into dexterity, she always surprised him with her strength. “Though I did bring you sothing, as promised!”
Pulling the bundle of vegetables out of his pack and handing it to her, Agne’s silver eyes widened as she realized what it contained.
“Oh, you didn’t,” she gasped, peering closely at the assorted vegetables Peter had lovingly selected. “Alright, you get a pass this ti young man. But only because I need to thoroughly experint with these before I’m willing to serve them up to anyone!”
“I’m looking forward to the inevitable feast,” Vin grinned. “We’re also here to see Madam Trebella and ask her about sothing. How’s she doing?”
“She’s been better,” Agne sighed, rebundling the vegetables and tucking them under one arm. “The poor woman is struggling to take care of everything all on her own. I bring her and Malzar the occasional al when I can, but I wish there was more I could be doing. The village was never ant to be led by a single Witch or Warlock; it’s why we had three in the first place. But then we lost Master Gunon during the relocation, and the three hopefuls that were most likely to beco his replacent were killed alongside Master Morvas during his failed ritual… It’s been a rough few months.”
“I believe it,” Vin said, reaching out and squeezing Agne’s shoulder. With how much he disliked working with Madam Trebella, it was easy to forget there were reasons why she was so short with them. “Her main issue is a lack of materials, right? I don’t want to make any promises or anything, but I might have an idea regarding that.”
“You’re a sweetheart, Vin,” Agne smiled, pulling him in for another hug. “You and your stiff looking friend there are welco to stop by anyti.”
“...I like her,” Alka admitted after Agne finally bid them farewell and went inside to go experint with her new vegetables. “She reminds of the sweet older woman who dropped by to check on and my mom every now and again after my dad died. I was pretty little back then, and I think I even threw a potted plant at her at one point during an angry fit because I wanted my dad instead of her, but she kept coming regardless. She made the best biscuits.”
“Well Agne’s dinner invitation is wide open if you ever want to join ,” Vin said, leading them over to Madam Trebella’s manor. “I know you can’t exactly eat or anything, but you can still enjoy the company.”
“Maybe I will…” Alka muttered, seeming to contemplate sothing. “New goal for you Vin. With all the crazy crap you get up to, see if you can’t find sothing I can eat.”
“Alka, you don’t have a mouth.”
“I didn’t say it was an easy goal.”
Rolling his eyes, Vin knocked on the door to the manor. He was expecting either Malzar or Xaril, so he was surprised when a young woman he’d never seen before opened the door. Based on her golden eyes, she had to be another one of the apprentice Witches.
“Can I help you?” she asked, looking at them curiously. Despite not knowing who she was, Vin saw the spark of recognition in her eyes as she took them in. Clearly she knew who they were sohow, which saved them so ti at the very least.
“We were hoping to speak with Madam Trebella,” Vin said, offering the young Witch a warm smile. “Any chance she’s available?”
“She’s overseeing training at the mont, but they should be done soon. I can have you sit outside her office until she’s back?”
“That would be great, thank you,” Vin nodded.
Vin and Alka followed the Witch as she led them up to Madam Trebella’s study. Indicating where they should sit, she asked them to remain patient and not touch anything before she headed back downstairs.
“You think door duty is so sort of punishnt Madam Trebella gives her apprentices?” Alka asked as soon as the infernal was out of sight. “There can’t be that many people coming up to the manor all too often. It has to be boring as hell.”
“Maybe,” Vin shrugged, making himself comfortable. “Pinch when she shows up, I’m gonna work on Stone Furniture for a bit.”
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After receiving a grunt of acknowledgent from Alka, Vin slipped into Introspection. Even if they only had a couple of minutes before Madam Trebella showed up, every second he worked on the spell now was one he was saving later on.
Besides, the thought of being able to conjure up his own furniture with a snap of his fingers was enough to make him giddy with excitent.
A quick look at the structure he’d morized filled him with hope that recreating the runic formation wouldn’t be too difficult despite it being a tier two spell. It was extrely similar to Stone Wall, which ant he’d already done half the work ahead of ti.
Vin had no idea how long he spent in Introspection before a sharp pain shook the black void around him, signaling his ti was up. Cancelling his skill, he ca to just in ti to spot the frowning infernal walking toward them.
“You know, I was actually having sothing of a good day today, which isn’t very common these days,” Madam Trebella said, stopping in front of them and narrowing her eyes. “If you’re here to tell you failed a second ti and need even more help to take down the divine warrior, I’m not going to be pleased.”
Vin blinked stupidly at the angry infernal, turning to share a confused glance with Alka before his breath hitched as he ca to a sudden realization.
They’d never gone back to tell Madam Trebella the divine warrior was dead.
Groaning, Vin rubbed his temples as he ntally smacked himself for such an oversight. Wave three’s unexpected arrival had forced them to sprint back to camp with all haste, and with all the rebuilding that followed, he’d just completely forgotten.
“So…” Vin said, giving the irritated Witch what he hoped was an award winning smile. “...we’ve got so good news!”
-----
“You’re all idiots,” Madam Trebella declared, rubbing the spot her horns t her temple as she closed her eyes. “None of you thought to send a ssage or anything? It’s been days!”
“In his defense, he is an idiot,” Alka agreed, nodding toward Vin. “And I was dead for a large part of this, which ans it can’t be my fault… Shia should have reminded us.”
Madam Trebella ignored Alka’s comnt, squeezing her eyes shut even tighter as if wishing she were anywhere else but there in her office with them.
Vin had given Madam Trebella a full rundown on what had happened after the ritual of binding the Witch had cast to affix Alka to her new body. Hitting up the dwarves to get her a new weapon, running ho to pick up their professional Trapper, and finally, how they used Alice and Lul’s skills to actually take down the divine warrior. The only thing he’d left out was the existence of the dungeons. He’d almost ntioned them in his haste to explain what had happened, but stopped himself at the last mont. When it ca to Madam Trebella, every piece of information could be used as a potential bargaining chip.
“He stopped showing up when I tried using a ritual to empower Sense Curse, but I didn’t know if that ant you’d succeeded or if he’d finally purified himself sohow,” the Witch said, finally sitting up straight and fixing them with her annoyed gaze once more. “I’m literally at a loss for words right now.”
“You can have your charm back?” Vin offered, pulling out the curse-detecting compass and placing it on her desk.
“Excellent. That definitely makes up for leaving in suspense these past few days,” Madam Trebella drawled, snatching it up and placing it within her desk. “And I don’t suppose you’d be willing to undergo a quick round of questioning under my bell of truths to prove you didn’t reverse engineer Sense Curse from the charm like I requested?”
“It’s crazy really, would you believe we found a totally different artifact during our hunt for the divine warrior that Vin was able to use to learn Sense Curse from?” Alka asked, completely at ease as she leaned back in her chair. “What are the odds?”
“What indeed,” the Witch said, looking more tired than anything. “You know what, I’m going to try and be the bigger person for once. Thank you for finally putting an end to that divine warrior. Knowing he’s not going to be paying us another visit is honestly a huge weight off my shoulders.”
“Trust , we’re just as glad he’s gone as you are,” Vin nodded, thinking back to the deranged warrior’s declaration that everyone on Edregon needed to die. “I had no idea so of the Gods were so… twisted.”
“Let put it this way. The greatest thing to co from this relocation and the new world we find ourselves in is knowing that the Gods aren’t able to ss with us as frequently as they used to,” Madam Trebella said, gritting her teeth. “Anyway, seeing as the two of you weren’t here to tell about the divine warrior, why have you co? I certainly didn’t summon you to fulfil your end of the bargains we struck.”
“Wait, can you do that?” Alka asked, sounding mildly concerned. Even now, it seed Madam Trebella was the only person that could evoke anything even close to fear from the Slayer, and for good reason. She’d made it quite clear that she was one of the few people on Edregon that could actually do anything to harm Alka if she so chose.
“We’re here because we need your help,” Vin said quickly, drawing the Witch’s attention toward him. “There’s a fragnt close to ours that’s filled entirely with forr prisoners, and a large number of them are planning on joining the new town we’re founding. I’ve been asked to find so thod of truth-detecting magic in order to vet them and ensure they don’t an us any harm. You’re the only person I’ve t on my travels that’s displayed such magic.”
“Let get this straight…” Madam Trebella said, leaning over her desk and steepling her claws together. “Despite the fact that both of you currently owe a near limitless favor of my choosing, you’ve co to barely a week and a half later to strike yet another deal with ?” She paused, her golden eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them. “...do the two of you want to beco my thralls or sothing?”
“Ideally not,” Vin grinned sheepishly. “I was hoping we could co to a more formal agreent than blanket favors this ti around. Maybe so useful information for your spell, or sothing more along those lines?”
“I don’t think you have any information I’d be willing to trade you a charm for,” Madam Trebella said, rubbing her horn idly as she thought. “However, sothing you said gave an idea. And you wouldn't have to pay your end of the bargain for at least another week or two.”
Vin shivered as the Witch fixed them both with a wicked grin. Despite her following question seeming completely innocuous, for so reason it filled him with dread.
“...You said your people are constructing a town?”
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