Fetch Quest

          As dawn makes may into morning proper, Chimes sways slightly, his eyes half open as he tries to stay awake. The group stands outside Doctor Turnip’s clinic with the doctor himself, his wife, his son and grandfather. “Thanks again for the food!” Rivhild exclaims.

The doctor shakes his hand and head. “It’s the least we could do, you saved us from the bandits. We should be thanking you.”

The boy shifts nervously. “Can I ask if you can do something else for us?” He mutters.

Junior’s great-grandfather slaps him over the head. “The goddess and her companions have already done enough for us be grateful!”

The boy’s mother steps in. “He has every right to ask.” She tilts her head towards Rvihild. “Just as she has every right to deny or grant the request.”

“What is it?” Rivhild asks.

“The bandits, they had been taking money from us for almost a year. They have a hideout in the forest to the north, there might still be some bandits there, would you be able to go get it?” He requests.

Tuipa is the one to answer. “I have no problem with that.” She shrugs.

Reioi shrugs as well. “I’m down too, we just need to find the place.”

Junior’s face lights up. “Really?”

“As long as you show us the way.” Reioi nods.

“Don’t worry, we will keep you safe!” Rivhild reassures Junior. She then looks up at Chimes. “Maybe you should take a nap.”

“Good idea.” The angel then turns into a ball of light and returns to the chimes which he came from.

The boy leads the trio for an hour through the woods. He keeps himself hidden behind a tree as he points to a large cabin. “That’s the place, that’s where the money is.”

The trio walks pass the hiding boy. Tuipa walks up the two steps and opens the door. The man inside doesn’t bother to look up from the book he is reading. “Hey boss you’re late, what took you so long?” Tuipa approaches the man as she gets her kyoketsu-shoge ready. The man finally looks up. “Huh? Now, what’s a pretty little-“ Tuipa wraps the rope around his neck and pulls.

After a minute the man passes out and Tuipa looks back to Reioi and Rivhild. “Okay, he’s out.”

Reioi walks in and gazes around. She finds five chests, which she opens one by one. In the chests are shiny coins catching on the dim light, making it slightly brighter in the cabin. “Wow.” Reioi squats down and pick up a silver coin. “This is surprisingly organized. Three chests of sliver, two chests of gold.” She tosses the coin back and stands again. “So, how are we going to carry all this? Should we wake up Chimes?”

Rivhild shakes her head. “No, I have an idea. Tuipa, can I barrow your, uh, kaioken-oo-shoe?”

“My kyoketsu-shoge,” she hands it to the little girl, “yeah sure, why?”

Rivhild stacks the two boxes of gold and one of the silver boxes. She then toes those three together using Tuipa's kyoketsu-shoge. She then lifts them onto her head. "Alright, I can carry these, would you two be able to get other ones?"

Reioi stares at the box in front of her. "We shouldn't be able to. Still, maybe, we could try." She takes the handles of the chest and lifts. 'Over five hundred kilograms, I shouldn't even try this, my limit is a fifth of this.' The box of sliver comes off the floor. "I'm doing it!" She settles the chest in a good carrying position. "I'm actually lifting this, and, I think I can carry it back to the village!"

Tuipa lifts her chest much like how Reioi liked hers. "This shouldn't be possible, but it is!"

The three then walk out of the cabin and meet back up with Junior. "Are those full?" He asks, trying to make sense of what he is seeing.

"Yep!" Rivhild grins.

"Wow! You really are magic!" The boy squeals. "I want to learn magic, but my dad says that magic is banned." He pouts.

"Maybe when you're older, we can meet up in the Destroyed realm when I get a better at my spells, and I can teach you." Rivhild offers.

"Really!?" Junior's joy returns.

"Yeah, then you'll still be a law-abiding citizen because you learned in another realm." Rivhild winks.

When the group returns to the village, a crowd quickly gathers. The women set down their chests to help Rivhild set down the ones she was carrying. They open up the chests to reveal the money to the shocked and delighted villagers.

Junior's great grandfather comes to the front of the crowd. "You brought back the money, all of it, and so soon! How, how can we repay you?"

"There's no need, it was no trouble, really!" Rivhild tries to refuse a reward.

"Please, name anything, you have shown us a miracle and saved our humble village." The old man begs.

Rivhild just stares at him. The crowds whispers become audible. "That little girl was carrying three chests full of coin like it was nothing!"

"She must be that goddess old man Turnip was going on about!" One mutters.

"Gods are real?" Another murmurs.

"I mean..." Rivhild starts, "if you really want to do something for us, you could give us some lunch before we hit the road." She suggests innocently.

The old man turns towards the crowd and throws out his arms. "A feast in honour of the black winged goddess; Rivhild and her two priestesses!"

The crowd erupts into roaring cheers. Reioi, Tuipa and Rivhild exchange looks and shrugs. This is what the people want.

The feast is a huge celebration with various dishes made by the villagers. Whenever someone gives Rivhild something to eat, she thanks them politely, which delights the villagers in return.

As the evening draws near once more, the old man pulls Reioi and Tuipa aside. "I know you have already done so much, but I too have a request for you." He takes a deep breath. "As you know, our king has banned the worship of deities, still, the people they need hope. They need, magic in their lives. I know this is a lot to ask of you but-"

Tuipa interrupts him. "We realized what we were getting into when she turned a troll's head into dust and told her to come with us anyway."

"Honesty, things have turned out a lot better than we thought. I know once the tales start to spread about her, that's when the trouble will start." Reioi adds.