Hero Scout 94 Chapter 22 - Entering The Rose Gate

"Cya Maud!" Ellie kissed the old granny's head goodbye.

"You stay safe out there young lady, knives aren't as protective as a good man you know," whistled the old coot. Ellie rolling her eyes.

"Maud, I'm not getting married! Not now, not ever. I like being as I am, and don't you worry, knives are plenty good at protecting little 'ol me," winking Ellie went to lick the flat of her blade like she used too, but stopped. That was something she did with the gang, with Scab and the rest.

Ellie was a new person now, she needn't act depraved to get a reaction or throw off her marks, no she could be normal if she wanted too. Normal, such a weird word, what did it even mean?
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Ellie thought on that as she exited the new hospice and a series of Furbolg druids were ushered inside. Ellie had great hopes for them, Arti having mentioned their ceremonies were even more potent than just his powers alone, and soon the great many sick and wounded might be on their feet again.

Tariak bustled, somehow, and Ellie found it infuriating.

Satyr, Fauns, Sun Elves, Furbolgs....oh, and the humans that had called this place home before them. Those humans lined up by the dozen before Fae Clinics, eager to get their 'Glamour' that would see their memories of the war fade, and their cheeks became all rosy with glee.

Ellie spat on the road, refusing to ever be parted with the memories of Scab. No matter how much it hurt, Ellie felt that forgetting him would be like letting him die for good.

"Excuse me, coming through!" Ellie announced as she pushed through the crowd, people from all over the world seemingly wanting to live right here now that the Far King has used his enchantments to do the place up. But even though the farms grew green, the air was sweet and everyone was housed, Ellie would rather have the creature's head than his thanks. Every red-eyed Fae she saw around town made her clench her dagger, and wonder whether it was worth throwing everything away for a little revenge.

Each time she reluctantly moved along. Ellie wasn't strong enough yet, only one of those refined creatures had nearly defeated both Kenji and Lord Swan, so what hope did Ellie have?

But if she grew stronger...then something might be achieved.

"Ellie, your late if we're training today!" hissed Scales as Ellie entered the Golden Goose Guildhall. The snake woman spent her time here now, as did most of the Headless Hunter Guildmembers due to some buddy-buddy relations.h.i.+p between their Guildmasters.

"Not training with blades today Scales, Kenji has a special mission for us!" Ellie shouted back, scales flicking her snake tongue in concern.

"You be careful, I went to that place yesterday and it's dangerous. Take your time, be careful," Scales hissed, Ellie waving as she ran past the greybeard and up the stairs, "will do Scales. Cya!"

Rus.h.i.+ng around the Veteran Adventurers, what few that remained, Ellie arrived in the strategy room. Within her, Party was ready, as were two others of a mixture of races.

"The leader of Ellie's Crew has arrived," announced a Sun Elf Butler, Violet nodding her thanks.

"Take your position then, and let's begin." Lady Violet was always such a strange person to be around, her authority flowing around the room to send Armen and Rams into straight-backed stances. Then there was all that flowing silk and jewelled rings as if Violet were some princess that Ellie should be bowing too.

Fial yawned and Dwargon peered at the nearby cabinet filled with bottles of strong spirits with longing. Ellie tried to be subtle when she glared at them.

"Now, Ellie's Crew, Sundrake and Bloodhorn...it's time we get started," Violet gave Ellie an annoyed look. Violet recited everything they knew of the dungeon, it's tricks, it's secrets and how to stay safe.

Each party was provided with a map and ushered to another room where they found Kenji beside an archway of Roses. Within the archway was an ocean of stars, and without adieu, they were ordered to "enter."

The Satyr's of Bloodhorn rushed through without question, the Sun Elves of Sundrake following behind with an annoyed look.

"Shall we?" Ellie said, wiggling her fingers at Kenji as she strode into the gate. Smiling with those gorgeous golden eyes, Ellie almost blushed. Almost. Not that she liked him or anything, not a creature like that, but she could appreciate pretty boys when she saw one.

To her, Scab had been a pretty boy too. And if Kenji had been stronger, as he promised he was, Scab would be breathing right now. Ellie wasn't the only one who hadn't been strong enough.

Entering a dark cavern, Ellie found roots pus.h.i.+ng aside soil to form walls, and a copper leafed treant in the centre with little fireflies dangling about his crown. Just as described, and yet the ease of entry, the suddeness, it was incredible.

She had been in a stone room, and now Ellie's Crew stood in a dungeon made by...well who? A forgotten G.o.d perhaps?

"Step forward adventurer, and pa.s.s into the Ways. Should you wish to return to your world, merely find me or my brother for a portal home, and should you wish it, ask for one of my fireflies to show you the way to the next floor." the voice came from a grumbling old tree with copper leaves and a swarm of fireflies in its branches.

Kenji had told them of the fireflies and how they revealed hidden pa.s.sages on the occasion.

"Thanks, we'll take that," Ellie said.

"Thank your protector, you generosity is valued," Taki added, the treant turning his wizened face to peer down at the Furbolg druid.

"A druid? Since you are here, I have some additional information," the treant said, and kind off-script compared to what Ellie was told. "The spirits are being locked up by demons throughout this dungeon, inside cages or mutated into demons. Find all four on a level and receive a special reward, although they grow in strength with every level that you descend."

"Thank you, great one. I will heed your advice with open ears," Taki said, bowing low before he ushered Ellie's Crew onward. The party only followed when Ellie did and entered a dark cavern lit only with fireflies, one for each party member present.

They lost the Sundrakes and Bloodhorn quickly, the other parties choosing their own routes through the undergrowth. Yet Kenji had told them they were ready, and Ellie pressed on down her own path without fear.

Exiting the winding darkness, Ellie covered her eyes as they found themselves in a golden field that sprawled in all directions. The roof was stone studded with bright yellow crystal that shone like the sun, it's light causing Armen to shy away.

"That's real sunlight," he hissed and pulled up his hood. Immediately a pair of dog sizes ants attacked, the leftmost froze under a torrent of ice magic while the right was crushed under Dwargon's hammer.

"That was fast," Ellie said, the wheatfield rustling as another pair emerged to attack them. While as easily dispatched as the last, they were hard to see even from the edge of the field and would become even more dangerous when they entered the fields itself.

Peering around, Ellie found no markings of a previous party as she left a stone cube and chalk markings of her own.

"Back up, Kenji told us what to do here," unfurling an enchanted scroll, Ellie unleashed it's stored contents. [Fireball] activated and shot into the field, a blast of flame soon setting the wheat alight. Safe in the entryway, Ellie watched the flames consume this level, a chorus of screeching sounding out as the insecticide raged.

Ellie grinned, determined to grow strong, to take the powers of this dungeon for herself. Kenji's tricks would last only the first few levels, perhaps enough to finish the first floor, after that, they were on their own.

But for now she just watched, as the fire of the fields contorted in her mind to that of the Siege, and those insecticidal screams started to sound human.