Chương 68: The Woman in White

<Character Sheet> Name: DESHA of BLACKSNAKE HOLLOW Race: Human Age: 35 Class: Hearthkeeper, Lv. 8 Vessel: Cup of Remembrance She was unlike any woman Jordan had met in Stormvast. If anything, there was something oddly modern about her in an almost Earthling sense. Starting with the fact that she wore her waist-long hair straight and unadorned, letting it hang over her white robe in two symmetrical strands, like the photo negative of a graduation sash. Her mannerisms were startlingly forward.

An easy smile that felt almost obscene in its familiarity. An artlessness with which she almost glided toward the travelers, head tilted in playfulness or seduction or something else entirely unfathomable. Canyon of Amber Lake had been a confident woman, but always grounded by basic decorum and Aperturian principles. Whereas this Desha of Blacksnake Hollow danced to a beat only she could hear, daring the rest of the world to keep up. Oh, why? Jordan cursed himself.

Why did I have to remind myself of the Chronicler Who Shall Not Be Named? Luckily for Jordan, the unwelcome thought would leave him quickly enough, thanks to a rather insistent distraction right before him. He tensed as the woman made her approach, then melted again as soon as he caught a whiff of the floral scent on her person. As sweet as her smile yet as subtle as the playful gleam of her eyes. The woman was elegance incarnate, of a character solely unique to her." What's the matter, Gatekeeper Yu?"

Desha asked, voice thin as air yet so clear as to sound as though she'd spoken right into Jordan's ear.

"And my, that Vessel on your back looks quite heavy. Wouldn't you like to set it down and rest your weary feet?" Insight DC 20: failure That did sound like a good idea. Jordan reached for the straps to do just that when, from somewhere seemingly far away, an angry voice demanded: have you gone mad, manling? He thought he recognized the voice, though for whatever reason, he couldn't quite place it." Um," he managed to stammer, "th—that's alright.

I keep my Vessel on my person at all times now, just like you Storm—er, the point is, I'm used to it."" At all times, you say?" The woman's tone was half admiring, half teasing. She drew in even closer, as her eyes glided up and down Jordan's person.

"Even at night? Even when you're with—"" Uhh, say, Ms Hearthkeeper," Jordan cut in, suddenly afraid to hear what Desha was about to say next (don't be a bore, lordlet, I wanted to hear it!),"you don't, like, have a job for us, do you? Something with the inn that needs fixing up? Or I could help with cleaning; I'm pretty good at that." For a moment, Desha studied the two men as if giving the offer serious consideration. She then smiled her playful smile."

I wouldn't be much of a Hearthkeeper, would I, if I couldn't keep one humble inn by myself? Speaking of, would you two be wanting a place to stay the night? Why don't you come inside, and I'll rustle up some wine and victuals. I can also draw up a bath. Wash yourself of the road's toil, travelers, that you may dream sweetly tonight." Ah, yes. This woman just kept speaking sense. Of course this remote building in the middle of the forest was in pristine condition, when it had a Lv. 8 Hearthkeeper looking after it.

And… stay the night? Why, yes, it was getting dark, wasn't it? The sun must have set while they were talking. And gosh, look how beautiful those lilies were, glistening crimson in the softness of moonlight!" Y—yes." It was Pewter who'd spoken this time, stepping into the woman's line of sight and nearly pushing Jordan out of the way.

"That sounds lovely, Hearthkeeper. We have lacked for comfort on the road for far too long." Desha smiled, the moon reflected in both of her eyes." Too right. Come on in, Tetherer Sapling. And follow close, Gatekeeper Yu." Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The woman turned, black hair and white robe flowing behind her. Pewter made to follow her, as if in a trance.

And it was this, the sight of his friend's unquestioning obedience, that nearly broke Jordan out of his trance. Arcana DC 15: success He grabbed Pewter by the shoulder and held him in place. To the woman, he said," Don't trouble yourself, Hearthkeeper." His words seemed to stick in his throat, difficult to get out.

"If… if you don't have a job for us, then my friend and I will be off. We've got somewhere to be, and we've already wasted too much light." (Smart, young one. Bring the conversation back to the beginning. To the conditions before you fell under this woman's spell.)" Are you quite sure?" Desha asked over her shoulder, her voice far more innocent than her gaze.

"The forest is dark and dangerous at night. Even strapping adventurers like you two are liable to bite off more than you can chew." Jordan couldn't help but look around. As if on cue, the clearing took on a sinister hue. From soft moonlight to something grimier, damper, older —like the inside of a cave. The red spider lilies somehow kept on glistening anyway, working off a light source visible only to them. (Do not be fooled, earthborn. You know very well how the moon and stars behave, and this is not it.) Insight DC 15: success" I'm sure," Jordan insisted, even as he tightened his grip on Pewter's shoulder.

"Give us a job and we'll do it. After that, we'll be off. You'll let us go." A counter-offer. A condition to be fulfilled, along with a clearly stated end result. Jordan had vague memories of a mechanic just like it in Vesselia's Season of Remembrance. The memories shouldn't be vague; he had, after all, been a daily grinder of the game for three years. But something about this Hearthkeeper's spell was messing with his mind. For a moment, Desha studied Jordan as if giving his counter-offer serious consideration.

She then let out a wry sigh—the first sign of her true self poking through the carefully crafted affect of a carefree woman." Very well," she said, voice thin as air and… difficult to pick up because of it. Jordan had to step closer to hear her, but he didn't dare step too close.

"It just so happens that there is something you two can help with. In fact, I daresay this Tetherer here is uniquely positioned to do so. Would a Writ of Undertaking suffice for your purpose, O mistrustful Gatekeeper?" Jordan blinked several times, taken aback by the sudden shift to a business negotiation. The mistrustful Gatekeeper wondered anew whether he might be walking into another trap, but he was reassured by: (This is the way, pupil. Get everything in writing and involve the system. That should, at least in theory, ward you against further attempts at chicanery.) (Besides that, human, it'll be the fastest way to move things along. Get me out of here, already!) Ah, yes. The divine combination that had gotten him in this trouble in the first place. Well, considering Jordan's own situation with the whole second life thing, it would be hypocritical of him not to give the gods a second chance.

Writ of Undertaking Quest Takers: JORDAN YU, PEWTER SAPLING Quest Giver: DESHA of BLACKSNAKE HOLLOW Task: Retrieve a box of keepsakes from the well behind the Spider Lily Inn. Reward: 5 silvers and 30 coppers in monetary compensation, as well as guaranteed safe departure from the Spider Lily Inn. Jordan was surprised again to see how honest Desha was being about her deception, now that she'd been more or less called out on it. By now, Pewter too was slowly coming out of his daze.

The Tetherer, once bitten and twice shy, hung back to let the Gatekeeper do all the talking." What's in this box, anyway?" Jordan demanded while averting his gaze. He too was worried that direct eye contact with the beautiful woman in white might somehow reactivate the illusions of her design.

"And how'd you end up dropping it into the well?"" How indelicate. Would you also ask a woman her age?" Jordan blinked. He could see Desha's teasing smile from the corner of his eye. It took him a second to realize that she was joking —a bit made only possible in a world where the system announced everyone's age in no uncertain terms." Never you mind the what or the how," Desha went on when she saw that no one was laughing.

"A damsel requires your assistance and is willing to reward you for your efforts. Now, get on with it!" Jordan decided to let the matter rest, though Desha's deliberate emphasis of the word'reward' made the back of his neck tingle. He put an arm around Pewter and led the two of them to the back of the inn, while the Hearthkeeper went back into her building. The well was an ordinary stone affair, save perhaps for the fact that it rose amidst a bed of red spider lilies.

Jordan had no choice but to crush quite a few of the flowers as he stepped close. He then looked around the clearing, noting Desha's absence as well as the somber darkness of the woods beyond." What would happen if, you know, we just made a run for it? Don't think Desha could catch us unless she somehow knows a few Speedster spells."" Wouldn't that be breaking the terms of the Writ? I'm for it if you are, Jordan, but I do wonder if we might be inviting new dangers by doing so." Pewter was more than likely right.

It'd already been an ordeal just to get Desha to agree to the contract. Jordan didn't wish to find out the consequences of reneging on it. Left with no other choice, the Gym Rats turned to the well—to the hole in the ground. They both leaned over to peer into its darkness, wondering what fresh horrors awaited therein.