Kolton's Wyrm Problem

The sun hangs high in the sky whilst Alexia, Roden, and Lakie walk the worn path to Kolton. The palm trees stand oddly geometric to the path as if they have understood to leave it alone.

“We’re goin’ in with a plan, ya?”

“Of course.” Alexia looks over at the dwarf “Beat it to death.”

“That’s not a plan.” Lakie grumbles at the woman.

“It is probably the best we will get out of her to be honest.” Roden puts a hand on Lakie’s shoulder “You and I can still make up for it,” He shrugs “Probably.”

The dwarf slumps with a sigh.

“Your confidence is inspiring.”

Alexia suddenly stops.

“I should get in my armor now.” The inventor slings the metal cube off her back.

“That cube is armor, fair dinkum!?” Lakie hops in disbelief and surprise “Good thing I didn’t toss it into the sea when I found you.”

“I would have killed you then and there if you did.” Alexia stares daggers at the dwarf.

-- -- --

The trio reach the outskirts of Kolton as the sun is setting, bathing the world in hues of orange and yellow. Alexia walks out of the brush onto the sandy shores where their quarry is currently basking in the sun.

“I finally get to test this out!”

Alexia sticks out the right arm of her armor and points it towards the slithering reptile. She places a cog into the outstretched arm and rapidly spins the gear. The build up of speed of the gears creates enough friction to release a surge of lightning towards the wyrm.

KRA-KOW!

The large serpent falls flat on its belly.

“See?” Alexia turns back to her companions off in the trees. She taps the now stuck arm “I will have to fix this bu-”

Alexia goes flying into a nearby rock revealing the wyrm to still be alive. The reptile quickly slithers over to the woman, unhinges its jaw and clamps down onto the armor’s pauldron connected to the working arm.

“I could use assistance!” The inventor tries to shift her torso weakly smacking the creature with the non-moving arm only causing a small amount of strangely colored mist to exude from its mouth.

Roden simply puts his hand to his face and sighs.

“I need you to shoot it.” The mage collects himself.

“Well I don’t think my blowgun’s gonna work.”

“Just use your trident.” Roden begins to cast a spell.

“You’re almost as bad as her.” The dwarf grumbles under his breath as he slings his trident off his back. He takes aim at the wyrm and heaves the weapon with all his might.

Lakie’s aim is true and strikes the large target not quite knocking it off of Alexia.

“Ya gonna do your thing?” Lakie looks over at the mage. Roden appears to be pantomiming an archer’s stance, thrusting his arm forward as if it is the arrow.

WHOOSH!

A rapid burst of wind cuts the serpentine creature’s neck freeing Alexia from its grasp.

“Job well done.” Alexia grabs the wyrm’s lifeless head “Told you it would be simple.”

“It would’ve gone better if we actually had a plan!”

“We had a plan.” The inventor’s voice sounds perplexed as she speaks “And it worked.”

“Should we wrap the head in something?” Roden looks between his companions.

“Yes, yes we should.” Lakie collects himself. He points at Alexia “That armor of yours have some doohickey that can wrap the head up?”

A moment of silence falls between them.

“What is a doohickey?” Roden raises a brow to the dwarf.

“It’s just something.” Lakie raises his hands as if that will help “Ya know, a tool or the like.”

“Do you have anything like that Alexia?”

“Hm,” The inventor looks at the head then back to her companions “I do not have anything.”

Roden sighs and removes his hat.

“Guess this will do for now.” He walks over to collect the head.

-- -- --

Kolton proper is full of people going about their business. Unlike other places the trio has visited in Coralbeard territory, Kolton has various humans and oni.

“I am knackered.” Roden rolls his shoulders. He looks at his dwarf companion “Did I use that correctly?”

“You did.”

Roden breathes a sigh of relief as the pair stop in front of a large building.

“Are you okay?” Roden looks over at Alexia “You have been acting oddly since we finished that wyrm.”

Alexia is currently slumped over the entrance stair railing giving Roden a smile.

“I feel good. Like, really good Roden.”

“I don’t like how she said that.” Lakie eyes the woman as she winks at the dwarf. He steps up to the door “We still need to report our success and get a boat. Then we can find a place to rest.”

Lakie corrals his two companions into the well kept lobby of the building.

“Nice place.” Alexia whistles appreciatively.

“You are most certainly not okay.” Roden looks over at the inventor.

“G’day.” Lakie steps up to the palm wood table “We were sent here by the admiral to deal with a wyrm.”

“Fair dinkum!?” The dwarf woman jumps in surprise. She collects herself before continuing “The commander is in if ya need to speak to someone. The captain is still in Gava.”

“Much appreciated.”

The trio do not have to wait long to be led into a small office looking over the busy docks below the hill. A wiry dwarf is seated behind the table covered in papers and even the remnants of a meal.

“Welcome to Kolton.” The commander has a hand out to a pair of chairs in front of the desk “I hear you dealt with our wyrm problem.”

Lakie grabs the hat from Roden and sits down.

“That is correct sir.” The scout tilts the hat towards the commander to show him the evidence “The proof.”

“Impressive.” The commander looks over at the human pair “Are they alright?”

Alexia is currently leaning on Roden and rubbing a hand along his arm while the mage looks uncomfortable.

“I don’t think she is sir.”

The commander clears his throat.

“So why exactly did ya take care of this problem?” The officer turns his gaze back to Lakie.

“The admiral said we could get any boat of our choice from the Kolton docks.”

“Fair dinkum!?” The bureaucrat composes himself before continuing “I will have to confirm this with the captain. Please do understand.”

“We do sir.” Roden cuts in. He tries to get the clinging woman to let go of him “Is there an inn you could suggest?”

The commander looks over at the humans.

“Ah, I do hear good things about the Purple Gull.” He politely chuckles “Ya do make a lovely couple.”

“We-”

“Thank you.” Alexia cuts off the constrained man smiling at the bureaucrat.