Finding a Lost Puppy (Job/Solo)

Rowan sighed a deep sigh as he found himself wandering through this spooky forest… alone. It had been some time since he had done a job on his own, but Halibel was busy, and he needed the money. Rowan shook his head in disappointment, as he thought of the circumstances of this mission. Yet again, the mage found himself doing a menial task, this time, it was retrieving a puppy. His lips curled into a grimace as he thought back to the first time he was sent to get puppies, and a smile replaced his negative expression. It was quite the adventure, but was nowhere near as dangerous as what he was doing now. Rowan thought back to a more recent memory, one involving him getting yelled at by the Hammelten lady as she explained the the situation. She had been adamant about ensuring that her dog would be returned safe and unharmed, and Rowan could do nothing but nod and take her verbal abuse. Finally, the butler stepped in and rescued Rowan from the torrent, and the mage was able to begin the job. At the moment, Rowan was simply wandering about in the woods known as “the Spooky Forest” and he hoped that he would spot the puppy soon.  The woods were known for harboring dozens of different monsters and creatures, and the sooner Rowan got out of there, the better. It was one of the eeriest moments of Rowan’s life, and he wished that some monster would come out and attack him. It would most definitely be better than the the crackling of tree limbs swaying side to side, the howling whistle of the biting cold win, and the general sense of dread that invaded people’s minds when faced against the dark, alone. Rowan took a moment to observe his surroundings one more time, but in the dead of night, it was almost impossible to see more than a few meters. It seemed that the moonlight above only illuminated a small circle around the mage, and peering past the light only yielded darkness and a sense of blindness. Blindness. The word sent a shiver down Rowan’s spine and he shook away the thought. He wasn’t blind, there was plenty of light around and he could see just fine. With some new resolution, Rowan pressed on deeper into the woods, his eyes sweeping the ground for the dumb little mutt. A sudden movement behind Rowan triggered his instincts, and the mage quickly snapped around. He was faced with absolutely nothing, just a quivering bush and a few broken twigs. Rowan stood there for a few moments, his mind racing to try and figure out what he had just missed. He was like that for some time, his eyes narrowed and studying every detail. Finally, the mage decided that it was nothing, and he turned his attention forward, resuming his search.

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Rowan stumbled around the darkness like that for some time, and after half an hour, the mage was just about ready to call it quits. It didn’t really matter to him at that point, there was no amount of money that would be worth this horrible experience. Whether it was out of pure luck, or perhaps the universe was looking out for him, Rowan managed to hear a whimper…. a dog’s whimper. With a burst of renewed energy, Rowan quickly pushed through the brush towards the origin of the sound. After a few moments, the mage popped into a very, very small clearing and at the center was a puppy. Honestly, at this point, Rowan didn’t really care whether or not it was the right one, and without much thought, he scooped up the dog and plopped the little thing into his jacket, allowing it to poke its head out above the zipper, right below his neck. Under normal circumstances, this little arrangement would’ve been quite cute, but this wasn’t under normal circumstances. Instead, Rowan was now stuck with the task of navigating out of this maze of terror, trees, and shrubbery, in the dark at that. Standing up straight, Rowan sighed and did a full turn around, looking for a place to start. As he swept his eyes around the area, his vision passed over a bush that was shivering. At first he thought nothing of it, but he quickly snapped his focus back to the mobile shrub, and suddenly, something popped out of it.

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The member 'Rowan Protegan' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Lineage Dice' :

(God damn it, that's not what I wanted)

(Eugh, let me do that again)

The member 'Rowan Protegan' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

'Monster Dice' :

With a screech, the object leaped upwards before landing abruptly in front of the bush, and once it stopped moving, Rowan was able to tell what it was. The red body, the scraggly wings, and the small stature immediately gave Rowan all the information he needed to know. “Damn vulcan!” Turning around, Rowan made the decision to finish off the creature quickly so he could move on with finding the puppy. This particular vulcan seemed to be pretty average in terms of power, and Rowan grimly decided he would wait for the attack first. Unfortunately, the monster seemed to have the same idea, and the pair simply stood across from each other in the dark forest, the wind being the only thing to break the silence. Finally, the vulcan’s impatient nature took control, and the fiery beast unleashed a standard fireball. Rowan simply smiled at the fire goblin’s moment of weakness, and capitalizing on this moment, Rowan raised his right hand and fired off a plasma bolt of his own. However, Rowan didn’t simply stop there. With another flick of the wrist, Rowan created another ball of plasma, this time he kept it near him. The plasma mage just had enough time to direct the ball of plasma into the fireball the vulcan shot, effectively catching the deadly amount of fire. Without checking to see if his initial plasma attack had hit its target, Rowan spun around before flinging the vulcan’s own fire back at him. This whole confrontation only spanned over a few moments.

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First the plasma bolt hit him squarely the chest, then the fireball. The vulcan exploded in a shower of ashes and body parts only after the second attack. The initial hit had actually did some damage to the beast, but the vulcan’s own attack was what did it in. Rowan grimaced at the gory spectacle, before standing straight up, flexing his fingers. He frowned as he stepped over to the remains of the vulcan, a bit shaken by the quick encounter. The plasma mage begrudgingly realized that his task of finding the puppy would be much more than just stumbling through the dark, and he hastily renewed his search. He continued the job by stepping over the pile of ashes that was once a vulcan, before digging through the bush that it had popped out of. Rowan was hoping that the vulcan had something to do with the lost puppy, which could be good if the puppy was unharmed, or very bad, if the vulcan had decided to eat the poor thing. As he pricked himself multiple times in the bush, Rowan’s head suddenly perked up. He could hear a slight whimpering off to the right, maybe a few meters away. Ripping his hands from the foliage, the plasma mage immediately set off in the direction of the noise, crashing through low hanging branches and even more prickly bushes. He finally stumbled into a dark clearing after a few moments, and in the center sat the puppy Rowan was looking for. Thanking whatever gods were looking out for him, Rowan quickly scooped up the ball of fur, earning him another whimper from the golden retriever. Rowan didn’t have much time to console the small animal before two figures burst forth from the bushes, much like how the first vulcan had.

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The member 'Rowan Protegan' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

From the bushes, two more vulcans leaped outwards, both nearly identical to the first one Rowan encountered. They weren’t really completely identical, the only thing they had in common with the previous vulcan was their size, but their twisted forms and ugly demeanor made them essentially indistinguishable to each other, at least, in the plasma mage’s eyes. Pitted against two enemies really woke Rowan’s senses, and hoping that the puppy wouldn’t protest, Rowan stuffed the small creature into his jacket. Fortunately, the puppy was much more afraid of the vulcans than Rowan, and the ball of fur complied, sticking it’s head out the top of the zipper, whilst peeking out from underneath Rowan’s scarf. Holding his hands out in their ever so familiar position, Rowan concentrated on performing his signature spell, the plasma barrier. The magical shield was quickly erected from years of practice, and Rowan dropped down into a lower stance, considering his options. The vulcans circled Rowan rather warily, somewhat threatened by his quick reaction. They had also heard the screams of their now deceased comrade, and the lack of knowing what killed him only kept them on their toes. Rowan’s eyes shifted back and forth between the vulcan’s, unsure if he could wisely make the first move. A bead of sweat managed to roll down the mage’s forehead as he realized he still needed a moment longer before he could use his plasma sponge, which left him with only his plasma bolt. Thankfully, or unthankfully, neither party had to make a decision because two more figures leapt from the bushes, effectively getting the attention of everyone.

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(Monster Roll)

The member 'Rowan Protegan' has done the following action : Dice Rolls

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'Monster Dice' :

Unsurprisingly, the two newcomers were a pair of vulcans. However, while one was just like the others, right beside it was a much smaller vulcan, but still just as grotesque and ugly. Rowan sighed at the sight, now completely surrounded by enemies. The puppy in his jacket whimpered before ducking further into the safety of Rowan’s attire. The vulcans now completely holding the advantage, threw all caution aside before taking a few steps towards the plasma mage. Rowan grimaced as they drew closer, and raising his hands upwards, the mage took a deep breath before shouting. “Plasma Storm!” A moment later, bursts of magical energy filled the air around Rowan, swirling about in the air. The vulcans stopped dead in their tracks, eyeing the sudden motion with some suspicion. The energy in the air condensed quickly and soon there was a storm brewing directly above the clearing, crackles of plasma flowing through the stirring clouds. A sudden loud crackling sounded throughout the clearing, and for a brief moment, the air was still. Whether it be instinct, or pure luck, one of the larger vulcans dove to the right, which saved it from the incoming attack. 4 bolts of plasma struck out in unison, driving themselves towards the vulcans. The quick strikes instantly hit two of the vulcan’s paralyzing them with the sudden rush of pain, while the smallest vulcan was instantly struck down, dead in less than a moment. The vulcan that had the brains to dodge rolled a few feet away, before firing off a fireball in Rowan direction. The plasma mage spotted the flaming projectile flying his way, but he didn’t bother with moving. The fire drew closer before harmlessly dispersing a meter away from the mage, and the plasma barrier rippled blue from the impact.

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The two vulcans that had been struck finally recovered from their initial shock and quickly sprung into action. They both took an aggressive stance before firing fireballs of their own towards Rowan. Right after the fire went flying, another loud crackle filled the air, signaling another ‘bout of plasma bolts. Once more the air stopped its breeze for moment, before yet another set of 4 plasma bolts shot out. However, all three of the remaining vulcans were prepared, and they dodged the attacks rather easily. The 4th plasma bolt hit Rowan’s plasma barrier instead, refilling its magical power somewhat. Rowan saw an opportunity in the vulcans’ forced movement, and he spun about, conjuring another plasma sponge. The mage absorbed one of the fireballs, but unfortunately the other flame attack dispersed against his plasma barrier, weakening it even further. With a flick of the wrist, Rowan spun his plasma sponge before sending the fire attack towards one of the weakened vulcans. It hit it squarely in the chest, and the vulcan’s corpse fell over before bursting into flames and disintegrating into a pile of ashes. Rowan then shifted his attention to the other weakened vulcan, and ball of plasma already forming within his hand. Once it was ready, Rowan shot the concentrated ethernano towards the beast, and thanks to his great marksmanship, it hit the vulcan in the face. The red goblin fell backwards, dead before it hit the ground with an audible thud. The sound of approaching feet quickly brought Rowan’s attention back to the remaining vulcan, who so far, hadn’t been so much as touched by one of the mage’s spells.

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The vulcan was now completely enraged at the loss of its comrades, and with nothing left to lose, the red creature began barreling towards Rowan at full speed. The plasma mage’s storm crackled once more, before releasing its final bolt of magic before beginning to disperse. The lightning fast strike of magic hit the vulcan in the side, and while it did some damage, only served to spur the creature on faster. Rowan’s plasma shield was now gone, and the storm was quickly following, dispersing into the cold night air faster and faster. Rowan took a cautionary step back as he found himself unable to cast any meaningful spells, and panic began to spread throughout the mage’s body. Strangely, it was the puppy’s whimpering that brought Rowan’s mind back to reality. With some newfound determination, Rowan let out a fearless shout before bringing his leg back and swinging it forward as hard as he could. The kick landed head on, and the vulcan went flying a few meters back, rolling in the grass as it went. However it was back up in a flash, and resumed its reckless charge towards Rowan. Something snapped in the mage’s mind. Maybe it was the dark, maybe it was the hours of searching in the forest, or maybe it was his lack being able to use magic. Whatever the case was, Rowan charged forward towards the vulcan, his eyes filled with some fury. The two clashed, and Rowan quickly kicked the vulcan once more. This time, Rowan didn’t give the red menace any time to get up, before Rowan sprung onto it. He straddled the beast between his legs tightly, and Rowan promptly began to beat away at the vulcan with his fists, no sign of mercy in his eyes. Rowan bashed away at the vulcan for some time, his strikes eventually becoming nothing more than nudges after a few minutes. The vulcan was battered, bruised, and unconscious, but otherwise very much alive. Once more, the puppy’s whimpers brought Rowan to reality, and with a start, the plasma mage realized that he was alone now.

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With the job now done, Rowan realized he was breathing extremely heavily, his chest heaving to keep his body going. With a grunt, Rowan got off of the unconscious vulcan before brushing himself off a bit. The plasma mage reached into his jacket for the puppy, and his hand gently closed around it before he pulled it out. The small ball of fur seemed to be in good shape, if not whimpering slightly, but that wasn’t too much of a problem. For the first time, Rowan got to actually see and study the puppy that he had been so hellbent on saving, and thankfully he wasn’t disappointed. The small creature was a golden retriever, and from the looks of it, a pure breed at that. Rowan also noticed that the puppy was a bit on the round side, which he figured was a side effect of being the pet of a snobby rich person. However, the dog’s characteristics were of no concern to Rowan. Rowan’s main issue was to see if the small dog had been harmed physically in any way, and when it was evident that it hadn’t been, Rowan returned the puppy to the folds of his jacket, and the puppy happily complied, snuggling itself down into Rowan’s attire. With a sigh, Rowan stood up straight, and now that the fight was over, the mage’s senses were overloaded with the spooky forrest’s atmosphere. The wind seemed to pick up, and Rowan pulled his jacket closer around him, his eyes scanning the tree line. The mage did a full one eighty, looking about with a confused look on his face as he realized he didn’t remember which way it was out of the forest. With a shake of the head, Rowan decided to just wing it and see what would happen. Picking a reasonable direction Rowan exited the clearing, determined to get out of the spooky forest. Once more, the mage found himself struggling through the dense thickets and branches of the woods, and it didn’t help that he was now exhausted, carrying a puppy, and sleep deprived.

As Rowan stumbled through the branches and other debris, he muttered under his breath, now thoroughly convinced that this whole job was not worth the money. He was expecting huge compensation for the trouble that he went through, but deep down, he knew that he wasn’t going to get too much. Such was the way of a legal mage, doing jobs out of the goodness of your heart. Although, the cash that came along with it was nice, and pretty much necessary to keep on going. Despite doing all this hard work, Rowan realized that he had become an altogether better person. In times where the old Rowan would’ve refused to help, now Rowan felt twinges of guilt that accompanied a caving in to compassion. At the same time, Rowan had found a guild that both felt like a welcoming family, as well as a place for him to grow as a mage. Spending time in the guild library had definitely accelerated his knowledge of magic, and now Rowan practiced as much as he could to further strengthen his plasma magic. Shaking his head, and his thoughts away, Rowan returned to the task at hand. The mage pushed onward through the dark forest, and after a few minutes, Rowan stepped out of the thick brush and found himself in a much sparser section of the forest. Rowan let out a soundless thanks and stood up straight. Instead of thick bushes and low hanging branches, tall thin trees dotted the landscape around Rowan, and with a sigh, Rowan continued his exodus. Fortunately, the rest of the way seemed pretty clear, and the plasma mage was able to push onward with relative ease. Rowan did happen to recall passing through this sort of scenery when he first entered the forest, although it was difficult to tell because everything looked so similar. The rush from the earlier fight was now completely gone, and the confidence that possessed Rowan slowly seeped away as caution and fear began to return to the mage once more. Although dawn was perhaps only a few hours away, the night sky was still dark, and the tall thin trees, despite being leafless, managed to block a good amount of the moonlight that shined downwards. Again, Rowan felt the darkness clouding in on his vision, and the lack of sight made him feel tight and compressed. His eyes frantically widened and flickered from side to side, searching for any sort of light. Falling to his knees, the plasma mage clutched his head with both hands, regretting his decision to take a job on his own. Shaking his head, Rowan began to think, think of anything that would take his mind off of the darkness. His thoughts finally zeroed in on his ultimate dream, and Rowan came to the realization that staying here wouldn’t do anything for him. A spark of determination flared in the mage’s mind, and he stood up slowly, one leg at a time. Rowan struggled over to a nearby tree and leaned up against it heavily, drawing deep, heavy breaths. Slowly, Rowan’s sanity returned to him, and he pushed off of the tree, stumbling a few feet away. Rowan’s right foot took an easy step forward, and his left foot followed. Slowly, but surely, the spark in Rowan’s chest grew, as did his steadiness. Rowan was now taking each step one at a time, gritting his teeth as he struggled forward, his boots dragging along in the grass. The simple act of walking forward became all of Rowan’s existence. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Each step brought Rowan closer to the exit of the spooky forest, but each step felt like an eternity. Eventually, the cold winds died down, and a hazy light sprung from the East. It was a gray light, tinging the air with dark hues of orange and pink, and it only grew. Along with the growing light, Rowan’s confidence returned, and just as the tip of the sun poked out from the horizon, Rowan was essentially back to normal.

A few hours later, Rowan finally stumbled through the streets of the nearby town. The sun was now completely above the horizon, and hanged lazily in the morning sky. Rowan rubbed his eyes wearily as he searched for the mansion where he was supposed to return the puppy. By now, the puppy had decided it was done being cramped up inside Rowan’s jacket, and instead walked cheerfully by his side, nipping at the mages heels whenever he got the chance. The plasma mage finally made a final turn at an intersection, and Lady Hammelton’s large mansion came into view. The sight of the building, and the end of his job, inspired Rowan to invest whatever energy he had left in simply moving forward. The puppy seemed to recognize the house, and quickly sprang forward, yapping happily as it bolted towards the mansion. Eventually Rowan found himself the luxurious doors, and before he could raise a hand to knock the door, the same butler from the night before opened the door casually. With a bow, the butler allowed the puppy to enter the house before grabbing his chin thoughtfully. “Ah, thank you master Rowan, I regretfully must inform you that the Lady isn’t awake right now, but worry not, you shall be compensated. Please wait a moment.” With that, the butler disappeared back into the mansion. Rowan stood at the open door, too tired to protest or even say anything. After a few moments the butler returned with a small sack of jewels, which Rowan accepted gratefully before passing out on the front steps.

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