Eliona's War 1: Hesitant Healer

Chapter 68

Ser Herschi led the way, strolling across the stunning blue road and onto a narrow side street paved with what looked like little shards of clear glass. They glimmered, catching the light and throwing it back in a dizzying kaleidoscope.

Squinting, Severance focused on Ser Herschi's broad, armored back. The guard moved quickly, taking long ground-eating strides that forced Severance to match the pace in order to keep up. Not once did Herschi glance back to see if Severance was still following him.

They followed the side street to another marble building that had another two guards standing in front of it. Ser Herschi exchanged a nod with both of them before stepping towards the door, which was an elongated triangle of silver metal. At his approach, the metal surged towards the sides of the door as if it were flowing liquid.

Severance had no time to gawk at the bizarre spectacle, however, for his guide moved onwards without pause. Inside the building was a singular raised platform. That was all. There was enough space for many fifteen people to stand on the platform. Ser Herschi stopped on the platform, and silently waited until Severance had joined him.

There was no hint of a warning before the world suddenly fuzzed white and Severance felt himself being sucked into all different directions. A teleport? His feet abruptly found solid ground beneath him, his awareness snapping back into his physical body.

"This is it," Ser Hersch said. "I will take my leave. If you wish to leave, talk to one of the guardsmen."

Severance barely heard him, or even noticed when Ser Herschi vanished in a flare of pale sparks. He was too busy taking in his new surroundings.

They were in a large room. But "room" was entirely inadequate to describe it. It was like they stood inside a perfect box built out of a silvery blue crystal. The only entrance/exit was a copy of the raised platform on which he currently stood.

Well, that and the suspicious-looking pool of water on the floor. It wasn't very big, maybe five feet across, and the water within rippled as small vibrations spread across its dark blue surface.

Quite a few players milled about this pool of water, some peering down into it, while others chatted quietly with one another.

Heads started turning his way, already noticing his arrival. One of them, a roguish fellow dressed in dark gray leathers, called out to him. "Hey you, what class?"

Severance tensed. He just got here. Couldn't they give him a minute to adjust? And besides, he still had to send Awesome Dude a message.

"What's your class?" The same player repeated, a hint of impatience showing on his sharp features. His name: Death Rider

Severance frowned, not really impressed with the other player's tone. "Battle Dancer."

"Battle Dancer?" Death Rider repeated, face scrunching up in question. "Is that—"

"A healer," interrupted a second player. This one was a tall young woman, dressed in floor-length white robes. Her hair was a pale blonde, piled up high on her head in the type of hairdo that one usually wouldn't see unless at very formal events.

Amrita was her name, and once Severance noticed her, he couldn't help but get a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. She looked at him with the same cool arrogance as his sister.

"A Battle Dancer is the other healer class," Amrita further clarified. "But they're weak compared to us."

Other healer? Weak? What was she talking about?

"Doesn't matter," Death Rider waved her off. "We need a healer and I don't want to wait another half an hour for one to show up."

Party Request sent from Death Rider. Accept Party Request?