Wake up Adventure

Morning came as the city once more began to wake from its slumber with shops slowly opening with crowds filling in the stone laid path with a roar of excitement.

That excitement had already passed for Lim as he dragged his feet beside Estra like a mindless zombie with eye bags that were black as night. He let out a big yawn with eyes that struggled to stay open.

Estra on the other hand was more chipper than usual. She hummed a cheerful toon with a wide grin on her face.

“Hmm…Huhhmm. Hmmm”

Lim’s eyes leered over with a discerning gaze which Estra instantly caught.

“Oh what's that? Lim, you look like you didn’t sleep last night?”

“And whose fault is that?”

“Hmmmm… are you sure that's true? Last night told a different story….”

Estra held her arm above her mouth as he cackled smuggly with her fangs poking out like a mischievous cat.

Lim did not respond and simply pouted, turning his head sharply away from her.

“Hmph!”

***

Lim and Estra made their way towards the city’s gate but were promptly stopped by guards in full steel armor.

“Some fancy armour there. Almost makes me jealous of mine. Damn thing can’t stop an arrow to the knee if it tried.”

“Thanks?”

“I’ve never seen you two before and newcomers are a rare sight to be seen….”

The guard cautiously examined Estra seeing the horns that hid under her hood.

“Not especially a demon. Such things do make people feel uneasy considering its wartime and all. A demon this close to the frontlines?”

“That may be so but we want no harm or trouble here… I–”

Lim quickly jumped in the middle butting into the conversation.

“She's been cursed. I know it is hard to believe but the demons have cursed her with their own ugly visage… it's truly saddening.”

“Interesting, I’ve heard of such cases but never seen one in person. Move along now but know we’re watching you.”

Lim and Estra slowly walked away with fake plastic smiles and bodies filled with cold sweat. They had managed to persuade the guard. Lim was shocked at how good he is with this new found skill.

“Ugly? Must be nice being so pretty.”

“Hmph there's no shame in that. Of course someone as beautiful as you would look ugly in front of someone such as I….”

Estra’s eyes twitched with annoyance.

“I forgot how much of a spoiled princess you were….”

“I’m joking of course… hehe….”

***

Far outside the city’s boundaries were the open fields of rocky grasslands and lush forest that lay beyond the horizons. Lim and Estra had made camp on a small cliff side.

“Now Lim before we go on our quest I need to make sure that you won’t die… again.”

“Ouch harsh….”

“Here, take a crack at it.”

Estra handed Lim her second sword, it was a smaller one than the absurdly large heart of metal that she would usually carry. It was a short word with obsidian tainted metal with a gold cross guard and textured leather grips.

“A worthy sword for a princess….”

“Come on, stop calling me that….”

“Do you want me to stop?”

Lim did not answer and just swung the sword as if he did not hear her words.

“Wow, it's absurdly light.”

“Dragons forged steel made from my hometown. I hope you see it one day. Unlike human steel our metal is light as a feather but stronger than any diamond.”

“What's his name?”

“Yyondyia heart singer. A perfect weapon for you right?”

“And how about that one over there?”

Estra picked up her heavy sword that was half her size, it had a curved unconventional design with a long grip made from white cloth.

“This is Einheart the Giant. It's made from the teeth of a slain giant of the same name. His teeth were forged with dragon's fire and bones that bleached this handle with ancient demonic magic. It’s been in my family for generations… That's all I have left of them.”

“Are they?”

“Yes, it's the natural order of war. They were prisoners of it and so was I. Humans and demons have never gotten along. That hatred may be warranted or in some cases it might not have been, it has been so long that neither sides don’t even know. We’re just fighting for the sake of it.”

“I regret it.”

“Regret what?”

“Running away from my duties. I should’ve of bear with the pain for the betterment of both our people. I know as a ruler I could change things… but–”

“It was not yours to burden alone. You can try to save everyone but what about yourself? I know I'm selfish. I know I'm choosing you over peace. I know it's wrong but my heart yearns for chaos.”

Lim softly smiled.

“I am selfish too. I ran away after all.”

Lim raised his sword in the air and yelled out.

“To chaos!”

“Heh, to chaos you little hell demon.”

***

“GET IT LIM!”

Lim ran around flailing his sword as he chased after a giant green slime monster. The slow moving monster was unfazed by his attacks as the blade effortlessly phased through its soft body.

“Huh?”

His hand was stuck inside its sticky green slime.

“AhahAHAHhaha!”

“DON’T LAUGH DO SOMETHING!”

*Gwoob*

The slime expanded as Lim was swallowed whole. He floats inside its transparent body unable to move as he holds his breath.

“Oh shit!”

*Woosh*

Estra leapt forward after him pushing her arm into the slimes gooey marshmallow like exterior. She used her body’s immense sudden speed and momentum to simultaneously pull Lim out while causing the slime to explode from inside out.

*Boom*

A rain of green goo fell everywhere with Lim choking on the contents of the monster. His armour and clothes were now glistening with sticky slime all over.

“EW!! God! It's everywhere!”

Estra was unfazed by her armour covered in slime and only grinned with her usual smug face. She leaned down towards Lim with a face gleaming with intense smugness.

“Oh but you were so close to killing it.”

“Shut up! Again! Let me go at it again!”

***

Nightfell on their small camp on the cliffside and under the darkness of night the city’s distant radiance could be seen as a small spec on the horizon. A shining beacon to the darkness of the green wilderness.

Estra sat comfortably by the campfire cooking up a large boar. She turns around to see Lim behind her. He walked towards her with his sword down by his side, tired and almost collapsing. He was completely drenched in slime.

“I finally got one!”

“What you need is a shower!”

Estra raised both her arms as a pool of water emerged out of thin air. A whirling orb of water then shoots directly at Lim in a constant barrage.

He wasn't drenched in slime anymore but he was still drenched. His hair dripped with droplets as he looked at Estra with an annoyed blank face.

“Gee thanks.”

“Here a towel. I’ll get you warmed up.”

“Thanks.”

Lim sat down with Estra as they enjoyed company under the starry night sky. They tore open their meal like wild animals and feasted like kings.

“Oh god! finally something that doesn't taste like slime!”

Estra, still with a mouth full of meat, turned to Lim.

“Say Lim, what is that quest? What are we doing?”

“Oh here, it shouldn’t be too hard.”

Estra grabbed hold of the stone plaque.

“Slay the cursed beast of Illian woods northwest of Kaimhuyt. Difficulty Extreme. A payment of 50k gold… EXTREME?”

Lim choked on his food.

“What?”

“Lim, did you get the hardest one on purpose?”

“N…No. It wasn’t the hardest one….”

“You will be the death of me someday.”

“But you are alread–”

“Shut it!”

Estra broke into laughter at the absurdity of her waking dream; a fate that was not meant to be.

‘I want this to last forever, never wake me from this dream.’